China to boost women's status

The 10th National Women's Congress opens at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Oct. 28, 2008. (Xinhua Photo)
BEIJING, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- China has put forward development targets for women in the coming five years that aimed to further boost women's involvement in social and economic development and their participation in state affairs, according to the on-going national women's congress.

The targets also aim to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of women are fully protected, the national policy on equal status between men and women fully implemented and the environment for women development significantly optimized.

Chinese women's ability should be further improved so that they could play a bigger role in building a moderately prosperous society in an all-round way, said All-China Women's Federation (ACWF) Deputy-Chairwoman Huang Qingyi at the opening of the Tenth National Women's Congress here.

Huang, who delivered a work report on behalf of the ninth ACWF Executive Committee, said the targets also aim to improve women's ability to create their own businesses and their abilities of science and technology innovation.

"Sex discrimination in employment should be eradicated and the income gap between men and women should be further narrowed," said Huang.

She said women should more extensively take part in and make greater contribution to the country's economic development.

Women could exercise their democratic rights and their ability to participate in national and grassroots public affairs as well as social affairs will be enhanced, according to the targets.

The number of women officials, female Party delegates and female deputies to legislatures and political advisory bodies at various levels would be increased and women's rights to knowledge, participation, expression of opinions and supervision be protected, said Huang.

Huang said women should contribute more to the cultural sector such as education, sports, press and publication and broadcasting.

She stressed that more opportunities and resources should be allocated to women and they should enjoy more enhances of education, benefit more from social securities and improvement of health and living standard.

Mechanisms for securing women's rights and interest would be further improved and laws and policies protecting women's and children's rights be further implemented. Measures to fight and prevent infringement upon women's and children's rights and interest would be intensified, Huang added.

The five-day congress will hear and discuss a work report by the Ninth Executive Committee of the ACWF, deliberate and adopt amendments to the federation's constitution, and elect the 10th ACWF Executive Committee.

ACWF Chairwoman Gu Xiulian said 1,407 delegates from across the country were present at the once-every-five-year congress. Among the 1,280 elected delegates, 1,020 of them are newly elected. Each of China's 55 ethnic minorities has at least one delegate to the congress.

5 Chinese oil workers kidnapped, killed in Sudan

KHARTOUM -- Five Chinese workers abducted in southwest Sudan by local militants this month have been killed by the kidnappers, officials of the Chinese embassy in Sudan said on Monday.

The Chinese embassy has learnt from the Sudanese authorities on Monday that among the nine Chinese workers abducted on October 19, five had been killed, two had gone missing and the two others had escaped the danger.

The Chinese embassy strongly condemned the killing, and was keeping contacts with the Sudanese authorities for more information about the incident, according to the Chinese officials.

The embassy also asked Sudan to continue the operation of searching the two missing Chinese workers, urging Sudan government to take all the necessary measures to safeguard the Chinese citizens in Sudan.

The circumstances surrounding the deaths were shadowy and Sudan denied that there had been any clashes between security forces and the kidnappers, who reportedly identified themselves as the Justice and Equality Movement.

"It happened around 3:00 pm (1200 GMT). Those people from JEM killed five Chinese and two of the Chinese workers managed to escape. They are now with the government," foreign ministry spokesman Ali al-Sadiq told AFP.

The killings came one day after Sudan expressed confidence that the three engineers and six workers from the China National Petroleum Corporation, would soon be released safe and well.

The bodies and the two wounded former hostages were recovered by Sudanese government forces in a small village in western Kordofan, and the injured are undergoing medical treatment, the spokesman said.

"This happened without any confrontation with the abductors, while the government was trying to solve the problem through peaceful means," said Sadiq.

OUKA LEELE -- Venus's mirror has flakes, 1985
When

Today, 10am - 6pm

Ends Nov 16th

Where

Iberia Center for Contemporary Art Details

Contact

Iberia Center for Contemporary Art, Media Dept.

5978-9030

iberia.weiping@gmail.com

www.iberiart.org

Contributor Description

Ouka Leele: Between Two Worlds is a comprehensive retrospective, organized by Iberia Center for Contemporary Art of Beijing and Tomas y Valiente Art Center of Fuenlabrada (Madrid), which will showcase a collection of 67 pieces of Ouka Leele's works from all different stages of her artistic career: from Hairdresser's Series of her first solo in 1979, and works of the 1980s during the new wave cultural movement in Madrid, La Movida.

Ouka Leele, a prestigious Spanish female photographer with an art career dating back to the late 70's, ranks among the landmark figures of Europe as a contemporary of the American female artist Cindy Sherman. Her career started concurrently with La Movida, the cutural and social movement that has renovated art scene in Spain during the decade of 80s. It was a counter-cultural movement that emerged in Madrid during the early years of the Spanish postfrancoist transition to democracy. Among the most representative names of the movement were the film director Pedro Almodovar and the photographer Ouka Leele.

Ouka Leele's universe has always been between two worlds, painting and photography, the earthly and the spiritual. In her work, the personal artistic language with the fusion of photography and painting, to quote her own metaphor, is "visual poetry, a manner of speaking without words, and a blend of drama, imagination, painting and photography". A critic has named her work of black and white pictures hand-colored with watercolor as "fotoacuarelas" (watercolor photographies). The process takes four steps: take the picture, make the positive of the film, paint the positive, and conserve the image. Presently, her unique work develops along two paths: one is works of portraits, in which she interpretes reality with a difficult simplicity, the other a sentimental and intimate approach to the Nature, which is related to the concept of feminity and the creator of life.

City Weekend says

Spanish female photographer Ouka Leela showcases her collection spanning from 1979 in her "Hairdressers series" to the new wave of cultural movement in Madrid during La Movida in the 1980's. Merging painting and photography, she presents a visual poetry of portraits and intimate photos of nature that captures femininity.

China calls for reform of global financial system

China on Tuesday called for "effective and comprehensive reforms" of the international financial system, elaborating on its stance in response to the on-going international financial crisis.

"The financial crisis has exposed the drawbacks and deficiency of the current international financial system," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu said at a regular press conference when asked by a journalist to elaborate on China's stance on the reform of global financial system.

She said the international community should, from a long-term point of view, conduct effective and comprehensive reforms of the international financial system, based on full consultation by all stakeholders.

"The international community should promote the building of a fair, equitable, inclusive and orderly international financial system, to provide an effective guarantee for the sustained stable development and prosperity of world economy," she added.

She noted that China called for closer cooperation on international financial supervision management. China also appealed for reforms of international financial organizations, to increase the representation and say of developing nations in those organizations, she said.

OPEC chief foresees oil output cut - World News

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Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Nuaimi arrives at his Vienna hotel ahead of a meeting of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). OPEC President Chakib Khelil said Thursday that the oil producers' cartel will decide to cut production at an emergency meeting due in Vienna but was wary of worsening a global financial crisis. [Agencies]

VIENNA 鈥?OPEC's president said the oil cartel will lower output at an urgent meeting on Friday as hardline members pushed for sharp cuts despite warnings that a resulting price rise could worsen economic hardship.

We are going to reduce output, Chekib Khelil said Thursday, adding: It's a concern that we could make the financial crisis worse by taking too strong a reduction.

He said he did not know how big a cut would be made. Iran and Libya both called for a reduction of two million barrels per day, while Venezuela said there should be a cut of at least one million barrels.

In any case, the decision should not impact the world economy which is already in pretty bad shape, Khelil, who is also the energy minister of OPEC member Algeria, told reporters in Vienna.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown recently said that any reduction made in a bid to push up oil prices would be scandalous at a time when major economies are close to recession.

The price of New York oil dived Thursday to a 16-month low, as recession fears stoked concerns about falling crude demand, traders said.

New York's main contract, light sweet crude for December delivery, sank as low as 65.90 dollars per barrel -- a level last seen on June 13, 2007 -- before rebounding to 69.05 dollars on the prospect of a cut in output.

Crude futures in New York and London have plunged by more than half from record highs of above 147 dollars a barrel reached only three months ago when supply concerns sent prices soaring.

The market focus (on Friday) will be on the OPEC emergency meeting, said analysts at Barclays Capital in London.

Khelil's observation on Wednesday that stocks were very high and some exporters were having trouble shifting their crude indicated the inevitability of a substantial cut, they said.

The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries produces 40 percent of the world's oil and its official output quota stands at 28.8 million barrels per day.

Saudi Oil Minister Ali al-Nuaimi refused to be drawn on talk of a scaling-back of output as he arrived in the Austrian capital on Thursday.

However Libya's Oil Minister Shukri Ghanem told reporters that a huge cut of two million barrels was required to create a balance between supply and demand.

Venezuelan Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez said there should be a cut of at least one million barrels. Ramirez added that he believed there was a consensus among OPEC's 12 members for a cut.

OPEC's Gulf state members led by Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest oil exporter, are expected to oppose a reduction of more than one million barrels, analysts said on Thursday.

Kuwait's Oil Minister Mohammad al-Olaim said OPEC must take the global financial crisis into account when deciding its action.

There is a surplus in the market... and sooner or later action should be taken anyway, Olaim told reporters before leaving for Vienna.

(But) we are concerned about the financial crisis going on and I think any action should take into consideration the financial crisis.

Recent figures for US oil reserves highlighted a sharp slowdown in demand in the world's biggest energy consumer.

Analysts are now estimating that OPEC would need to cut its output by more than 1.0 million barrels per day in order to reverse the recent (price) losses, said BetOnMarkets analyst David Evans.

Friday's meeting on the impact of the financial turmoil and looming recession on the oil market was originally planned for November 18 but was brought forward as prices plunged.

OPEC has 12 members: Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela. A 13th, Indonesia, has suspended membership.

(Agencies)

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China sees ecotourism on the rise despite challenges - Lifestyle News

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After more than a decade's development, China's tourism, which has been dotted by negative comments from environmentalists and preservationists, now sees a new possibility: ecotourism.

Norbert Trehoux of Marseilles-based TEC, a consulting agency specializing in the tourism, transport and environmental sectors, is convinced this niche sector could attract well-heeled foreign visitors to less developed parts of China hoping to leverage their natural beauty to generate much-needed income.

Yet he admits the industry faces some pretty tough obstacles.

In China there is a national policy -- they want to develop ecotourism. But today, the definition of ecotourism is not the one we have in Western countries, he told the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China.

Provinces such as those in the scenic southwest, including Yunnan and Sichuan, are at the forefront of this push.

Still, many supposed ecotourism resorts which have been developed are far from rural idylls, Trehoux said.

It's more like Disneyland, he added. You don't go there to be quiet and to relax or to trek. They are more like theme parks. Some have small zoos, and lots of restaurants. This is ecotourism today in China.

Tourism is already big business in China, generating more than 1 trillion yuan ($146.4 billion) in revenues last year, according to the official China News news agency.

Though there are no exact figures for the ecotourism segment, a government-sponsored push for rural tourism -- usually involving staying with farmers -- has become popular in China in recent years.

That gives Trehoux hope that in future more and more Chinese will opt for ecotourism, as opposed to the mass tourism in groups generally favored at present.

The market is changing. There are Western influences everywhere, and China is going greener, he said. I met some Chinese people in Shanghai, and they don't want to travel like their parents. They are fed up with the flag, and the microphone. They don't want this any more.

Ecotourism in China is also attracting some well-known international boutique chains. Singapore's Banyan Tree runs an award-winning hotel in a remote, Tibetan part of Yunnan which incorporates many aspects of the local culture.

While the government's aim is currently to attract wealthy Westerners to these types of places, Trehoux said that ultimately Chinese will comprise the majority of customers.

They want to attract Western tourists, but in 20 years time they won't care about Western tourists. They will have high-end Chinese tourists. They will have people who are prepared to spend thousands to spend a night in a remote place, he said.

(Agencies)

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Tuna under threat in key SE Asia ecosystem: WWF - Technology News

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An local fisherman is seen carrying his catch to the shore on the Indonesian resort island of Bali. Key tuna species are under threat from overfishing in Asia's diverse Coral Triange region and a drastic rethink is needed to stave off collapse, environmental group WWF said Tuesday. (AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)

JAKARTA 鈥?Key tuna species are under threat from overfishing in Asia's diverse Coral Triange region and a drastic rethink is needed to stave off collapse, environmental group WWF said Tuesday.

Tuna species in the triangle, including heavily overfished bluefin and bigeye tuna, are under increasing pressure as fleets move in from depleted fishing grounds in other parts of the world, WWF researcher Lida Pet Soede said.

The Coral Triangle -- which is bounded by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and East Timor -- contains spawning and nursery grounds as well as migratory routes for up to 89 percent of the world's tuna catch, according to the WWF.

The triangle is one of the most biologically diverse areas on earth.

The larger context of the Coral Triangle, where there still are very important spawning grounds for a number of very valuable tuna species is critical, Soede said.

A decision last week by Spain, Japan and other countries to close down bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean will mean more fishing ships will move into the triangle, Soede said

Regional collaboration around management of this global commodity is pretty obvious. If you can't agree on managing this commodity together, everybody is going to get hurt, she said.

Representatives from the six Coral Triangle nations, fishing companies and WWF are meeting in the Indonesian capital until Thursday to discuss ways of curbing overfishing in the area.

Discussions are set to include the creation of a carbon-trading style system to pay countries with large spawning grounds such as Indonesia in return for reducing fishing of tuna, Soede said.

Saut Hutagalung, a senior official in the Indonesian fisheries ministry, said the country was struggling to regulate tuna fishing by a fleet of mostly small, unlicensed boats.

Indonesia has no effective quota system for species apart from the lucrative bluefin tuna, prized for sushi and sashimi, Hutagalung said.

The archipelago nation produced 700,000 tons of tuna in 2007, he said.

(Agencies)

"

Tiny dinosaur on verge of swearing off meat - Technology News

"

Handout illustration shows a heterodontosaurus adult and juvenile. A rare juvenile skull of a 190 million-year-old dinosaur may help explain when an important group of plant eaters branched off from carnivorous cousins, U.S. and British researchers said on Thursday. (Agencies)

CHICAGO 鈥?A rare juvenile skull of a 190 million-year-old dinosaur may help explain when an important group of plant eaters branched off from carnivorous cousins, U.S. and British researchers said on Thursday.

The tiny skull belonged to a young Heterodontosaurus. Its tooth structure -- sharp canine teeth for biting and tearing and flat grinding teeth -- suggest the tiny creature was evolving from a meat eater to a plant eater, the scientists said.

This juvenile skull indicates that these dinosaurs were still in the midst of that transition, said Laura Porro, a post-doctoral student at the University of Chicago, who described the skull in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.

Porro came across the skull in a drawer in the Iziko South African Museum in Cape Town, South Africa, while researching the eating habits of adults of this type of dinosaur, which belonged to the herbivore order ornithischians that lived during the Early Jurassic period of South Africa.

It was dug up in the 1960s but never identified.

Heterodontosaurus had an unusual combination of teeth, with large fang-like canines at the front of their jaws and worn, molar-like grinding teeth at the back.

Porro said paleontologists had thought the canines were sexually dimorphic -- a characteristic present only in adults of one gender in a species like antlers in male deer.

But the presence of long, serrated canines in the juvenile suggest they were common to both genders, Porro said.

They have these really long canine teeth, which don't look like the teeth of a plant eater, Porro, who worked with scientists from the Natural History Museum in London, said in a telephone interview.

They almost look like little saber-toothed tiger teeth.

The first dinosaurs appeared about 230 million years ago, and the earliest known ones were meat eaters.

There were other plant-eating dinosaurs at the time of Heterodontosaurus including the long-necked sauropods. But this little creature was one of the earliest of the ornithischians that soon become very important in the Age of Dinosaurs.

Later ornithischians included the duck-billed dinosaurs, horned dinosaurs such as Triceratops and tank-like dinosaurs such as Ankylosaurus.

While adult Heterodontosaurus were turkey-sized creatures that reached just over three feet (1 meter) in length and weighed about five pounds (2.5 kg), the juvenile likely weighed less than half a pound (200 grams) and would have been just about a foot and a half long.

The find also offers a rare chance to compare a young dinosaur to adults in the species. Porro said the eyes in the juvenile skull are much bigger, and the nose is much shorter.

It's the same things that makes puppies and kittens appealing, she said. I think it's adorable.

(Agencies)

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Official: China's family planning policy benefits country, world - China News

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BEIJING, Oct. 24 (China News) -- China's family planning policy, which began about 30 years ago, has benefited the country and the world at large, said Li Bin, director of the National Population and Family Planning Commission.

She made the statement at a population and development forum here on Thursday.

In broad terms, the policy limits one child to one family, especially in cities. Li said it has helped control the country's population growth and reduce its fertility rate to 1.8 children per woman in 2008 from 5.8 children three decades ago.

China's per capita GDP reached 2,400 U.S. dollars in 2007, Li said. Without the policy, that figure, according to official calculations, would have been 1,800 U.S. dollars.

Besides, if not for the population control, the country's resources and environment would face even heavier pressure, as its per capita arable land, grain, forest, water and energy would decrease by 20 percent, she added.

Family planning also helped improve the standard of living in China.

The country's average life expectancy has risen from 68 three decades ago to 73 today. That's the same level in moderately developed countries.

Education has also improved. Chinese people 15 years old and above, now receive 8.5 years of education on average. 30 years ago they only received 4.5 years of education.

Li said, the policy in China has also helped postpone the world population from reaching 6 billion people, by four years.

Combined with poverty reduction policies, family planning has helped millions of Chinese come out of poverty. 30 years ago, 250 million people were in poverty, today there are 15 million, she said.

China's population stood at 1.32 billion at the end of last year. The country spread the idea of family planning in the 1970s and officially initiated the policy in the early 1980s.

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6000-year-old household gear unearthed in Greece - Technology News

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A handout photo given by the Greek Culture Ministry shows the remains of a rare Stone Age homestead left undisturbed for nearly 6,000 years. (AFP Photo)

n this undated handout photo provided by the Greek Ministry of Culture on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008 shows piles of 6,000 year-old housepottery among the ruins of a neolithic home excavated in northern Greece this year. (AFP Photo)

ATHENS, Greece 鈥?A 6,000 year-old set of household gear, including crockery and two wood-fired ovens, has been found in the buried ruins of a prehistoric farmhouse in northern Greece, officials said Thursday.

A Culture Ministry statement said the discovery provides invaluable, unique information on late Neolithic domestic architecture and household organization.

This is a very rare case where the remains have stayed undisturbed by farming or other external intervention for about 6,000 years, the ministry statement said. The household goods are in excellent condition.

The rectangular building, which covers some 624 square feet, was discovered during work to lay water pipes earlier this year at the village of Sosandra near Aridaia, some 360 miles north of Athens.

Archaeologists who excavated the site between March and July found a large number of clay vessels for cooking and eating, stone tools, mills for grinding cereals and two ovens.

The house was separated into three rooms. It had walls made of branches and reeds covered with clay, supported by strong wooden posts. The building was destroyed by fire, which baked the clay, preserving impressions of the wooden building elements, as well as the post holes.

Archaeologists believe the inhabitants managed to escape the fire, taking with them their valued stone blades and axes.

They left behind the large stone tools which would have been difficult to move away, the ministry statement said.

(Agencies)

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NY restaurant parties like it's 1908 - Lifestyle News

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NY restaurant parties like it's 1908

A legendary Italian restaurant in New York turned 100 years old Thursday -- and so did its prices.

John's of 12th Street, a cosy spot popular with the stars, celebrated with a lunch menu costing pennies, not dollars, just like back in 1908.

The chicken parmigana dish went for 75 cents instead of the regular 14.95 dollars, manicotti at 75 cents, not 10.95 dollars, and baked clams at 50 cents, rather than 10.95 dollars.

For 1.10 dollars, the time travelling diner could pack in an appetizer, main dish, dessert and cup of coffee.

The lower Manhattan restaurant, opened by Italian immigrant John Pucciatti, has been the haunt of famous visitors ranging from former first lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis to rocker Pete Townsend and Hollywood megastar Tom Cruise.

(Agencies)

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Russian capsule carrying US tourist lands in Kazakhstan - Technology News

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US space tourist Richard Garriott is helped putting on his space suit at the Baikonur cosmodrome, in Kazakhstan, on October 12, 2008. (AFP/Dmitry Kostyukov)

MOSCOW 鈥?A Russian Soyuz capsule carrying US millionaire video game guru Richard Garriott, the world's sixth space tourist, and two Russian cosmonauts, landed in Kazakhstan as scheduled, the Russian mission control center said early Friday.

The team reported that they felt fine, the mission control's spokesman Valery Lyndin told AFP, adding that a helicopter accompanied the capsule as it landed.

Garriott and cosmonauts Sergei Volkov and Oleg Kononenko landed in Kazakhstan's steppe at 0734 Moscow time (0334 GMT) and were shortly to be extracted from the capsule.

The 47-year-old US space tourist, who has called his journey into orbit a lifelong dream, created the Ultima series of computer role-playing games in the 1980s and later earned millions of dollars as a video-game entrepreneur.

Garriott is the son of former US astronaut Owen Garriott, who in 1973 spent two months aboard Skylab, the first orbiting space station.

(Agencies)

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Emergency rescue drill on Guangxi waters - China News

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Fire-fighting boats spray water on a vessel during a drill in Liuzhou city, Guangxi Autonomous Region, October 20, 2008. The drill aims to practice evacuating passengers, transfering and rescuing after a collision between a passenger ship and a cargo vessel. Some 30 vessels, two ambulances and 300 people took part in the region's largest scale rescue drill on inland waters. [Asianewsphoto]

Crew try to put out a fire on a vessel during a drill in Liuzhou city, Guangxi Autonomous Region, October 20, 2008.

A vessel catches fire after an explosion during a drill in Liuzhou city, Guangxi Autonomous Region, October 20, 2008.

Rescuers race to a passenger who has fallen into the water during a drill in Liuzhou city, Guangxi Autonomous Region, October 20, 2008.

Fire-fighting boats took part in a drill in Liuzhou city, Guangxi Autonomous Region, October 20, 2008.

The drill aims to practice evacuating passengers, transfering and rescuing after a collision between a passenger ship and a cargo vessel.

Some 30 vessels, two ambulances and 300 people took part in the region's largest scale rescue drill on inland waters.

"

Elite Model Look 25th World Final Debuts in Sanya

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Elite Model Look 25th World Final Debuts in Sanya

SANYA, HAINAN, CHINA - November 2008, China will attract the whole world's attention again: the world's most prestigious, widest covering and most influential modeling contest 鈥?Elite Model Look World Final, at its 25th anniversary, returns to China for the third time. Top models from different countries will gather together in China, and the final round will be held in China's only tropical city 鈥?Sanya on November 1, 2008, at the Beauty Crown Center, the hallmark of this city.

Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa, the exclusive official hotel of the Elite Model Look 25th World Final, is hosting over 80 contestants from 70 countries during that time, as well as many Elite Licensing companies and model agencies from over 50 countries, and the international panel of judges that includes renowned designers, celebrity photographers, well-known fashion editors, as well as top models. A series of activities for contestants, such as the Welcome Reception, Individual Pictures, Tele-match (Sports Day), Talent Night and Press Conference on the final day, are going to be held in the resort.

The final round of the contest, which will take place in the Beauty Crown Center, will be produced by the largest TV producing company in the world, ENDERMOL, and will be broadcast in over 100 districts worldwide to ensure the contest attracts enough exposure to discover the next international Supermodel. The top three winners of Elite Model Look World Contest 2008 will emerge triumphant with contracts worth US$325,000 awarded by Elite Model Agency. As expressed by Mr. Karl Hudson, the General Manager of Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa, 鈥淚t is a great honor for Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa to support this famous fashion modeling contest, and the resort looks forward to support the government and to make the contest a huge success, therefore, promoting Sanya as an international image of beauty.鈥?/p>

When

Oct 23rd

Starts Oct 23rd , ends Nov 2nd

daily

Where

Sanya Marriott Resort & Spa

Contact

Tina Bai

(898) 8856-8888

"

London sky turns pink - World News

"

The eerie pink glow appeared above Mayfair at 8.30pm on Monday night and lasted for about an hour. [XPOSUREPHOTOS.COM ]

London - A pink glow in the sky has left Londoners scratching their heads - but weather experts said it was probably just light reflecting off a cloud.

The eerie pink glow appeared above Mayfair at 8.30pm on Monday night and lasted for about an hour. Bystanders craned their necks to watch it as it hovered over the streets before gradually breaking up and disappearing.

Barry Gromett, from the Met Office, said: It was probably ground-based light reflecting off a low cloud. It could be a searchlight or something used for a PR event. If you look at some of the pictures you can see two distinct blobs, like low cloud breaking up - it is not one complete circular piece.

He said he would never say never but thought it unlikely to be a UFO. The Met Office itself used to reflect searchlights, although not pink ones, off clouds as a way of measuring their height. The technology was phased out 10 to 15 years ago in favour of lasers and computer modelling.

Earlier this week the Ministry of Defence released previously secret files with details of UFO sightings. In August 1989 there were numerous reports of two to three lights, green, red and orange oscillating and moving left and right and around each other. They were soon found to be lasers illuminating a Tina Turner concert at Wembley.

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Mob jostling of mainland scholar in Taiwan condemned - China News

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Chairman of the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation Chiang Pin-kun holds a press conference on Tuesday, October 21, 2008, condemning the serious offense of Taiwan pro-independence activists to the Dean of Journalism at Xiamen University, Zhang Mingqing. [CFP]

Dean of Journalism in Xiamen University, Zhang Mingqing, delivers a speech in this file photo.

Mainland-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) on Tuesday condemned the treatment of a mainland scholar at the hands of an angry mob in Taiwan.

In a letter to Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), the ARATS expressed strong indignation over the incident which happened at a Confucius temple in the south of the island on Tuesday morning.

A Taiwan legislator of Democratic Progressive Party representing Tainan city, allegedly incited a mob to close in on Zhang Mingqing, dean of journalism at Xiamen University. He was shoved to ground during a tour of the site.

Then when Zhang was in his car leaving the temple, a rioter jumped onto the vehicle's roof. Others beat the car with flag poles.

Zhang was visiting the island at the invitation of the Taiwan National University of the Arts.

The ARATS asked the SEF to convey its message to the Taiwan authority that Zhang's safety should be assured.

The Taiwan authority should seriously punish the culprits and take measures to prevent such acts from occurring in the future, the letter said.

The SEF held a press conference at noon expressing strong regret and denouncing of the incident. The group also pledged to respect and protect every mainland visitor, for business or tourism, allowed in by the normal application process.

Chiang Pin-kung, chairman of the SEF said the incident would not affect his upcoming second meeting with the ARATS chief Chen Yunlin.

Wu Poh-hsiung, chairman of Taiwan's ruling party Kuomintang (KMT), has sent his delegate to see Zhang Mingqing, who is also ARATS deputy chief.

The KMT's honorary chairman Lien Chan asked Taiwan's police department to investigate the incident and bring the criminals to justice.

Spokesman of the State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office said it was a common aspiration of people on both sides of the Taiwan Straits to improve and develop the across-Straits relationship.

Such destructive acts by a few people could not block the peaceful development of cross-Straits relations and the exchange and cooperation of compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits

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City Weekend Book Club

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City Weekend Book Club

Come out for this month's book club meeting to discuss the seminal work by Lu Jiamin, Wolf Totem. Lu's semi-autobiographical work follows a university student who travels to Inner Mongolia during the Cultural Revolution. The novel has won more than 10 literary awards.

銆€銆€When

Oct 29th, 7:30 pm - 9:30 pm

Starts Oct 29th

every fifth Wednesday of every month

銆€銆€Where

The Bookworm Details

Contact

Lily

6528-1840 ext 6305

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Beijing Weekender: House Nation

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Beijing Weekender: House Nation

銆€銆€FRIDAY

House Nation returns to Block 8 with two of Japan's hottest house DJs, Natsuyo and Sayako Grace. Swedish DJ-producer Agaric takes White Rabbit revelers into the slower, deeper dimensions of techno. Australian electronica four-piece Regurgitator, innovators of the electro rock sound, unleash an avalanche of tweaked out rock at MAO Live House. And the hardest working blues-jam band in Shunyi, Woodie Alan, perform at Danny Pearl World Music Night, a special performance at the Orchard to remember journalist Daniel Pearl.

銆€銆€SATURDAY

Techno maestro Chris Liebing, innovator behind the hard-hitting schranz sound of the '90s, throws his latest, more downtempo tech tracks with the venerable Acupuncture DJs at Tango. Beijing's favorite drum 'n' bass and tech crews go head to head in a Syndicate vs. BaiCai rematch at White Rabbit. Lo-fi, indie poets, Rubber Phonograph Needle, bring their unique brand of pop to D-22 with Fire Balloon and Wu and The Side Effects. And a-level, Comedy Central and Letterman alumnus Andy Pitz performs world-class stand-up comedy at Block 8.

銆€銆€SUNDAY

Director Diao Yi'nan screens and fields questions about his second film, Night Train which chronicles the relationship between a female prison guard and widower of an executed inmate in Shaanxi Province, at Yugong Yishan. And Beijing folk scene Dongzi returns to D-22 with his acoustic guitar and spellbinding voice.

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Chinese Kungfu staged in Sydney - Lifestyle News

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Performers jump during a media presentation of the show Poem of Kungfu at Star Theatre in Sydney October 22, 2008. Poem of Kungfu, a Chinese theatre piece with 27 performers who combine Kungfu with dance, will be in Sydney for three shows. [Agencies]

A performer jumps during a media presentation of the show Poem of Kungfu at Star Theatre in Sydney October 22, 2008. Poem of Kungfu, a Chinese theatre piece with 27 performers who combine Kungfu with dance, will be in Sydney for three shows. [Agencies]

Actors perform during a media presentation of the show Poem of Kungfu at Star Theatre in Sydney October 22, 2008. Poem of Kungfu, a Chinese theatre piece with 27 performers who combine Kungfu with dance, will be in Sydney for three shows. [Agencies]

Actors perform during a media presentation of the show Poem of Kungfu at Star Theatre in Sydney October 22, 2008. Poem of Kungfu, a Chinese theatre piece with 27 performers who combine Kungfu with dance, will be in Sydney for three shows. [Agencies]

Actors perform during a media presentation of the show Poem of Kungfu at Star Theatre in Sydney October 22, 2008. Poem of Kungfu, a Chinese theatre piece with 27 performers who combine Kungfu with dance, will be in Sydney for three shows. [Agencies]

Performers jump during a media presentation of the show Poem of Kungfu at Star Theatre in Sydney October 22, 2008. Poem of Kungfu, a Chinese theatre piece with 27 performers who combine Kungfu with dance, will be in Sydney for three shows.

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5th China-ASEAN Expo opens in southern China city - China News

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The 5th China-ASEAN Expo is held in Nanning, capital of southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Oct. 22, 2008. The four-day China-ASEAN Expo was opened here Wednesday to further cooperation in the region and will propose measures to deal with the financial crisis in the world.(China News Photo/Chen Shugen)

The 5th China-ASEAN Expo is held in Nanning, capital of southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Oct. 22, 2008. The four-day China-ASEAN Expo was opened here Wednesday to further cooperation in the region and will propose measures to deal with the financial crisis in the world. (China News Photo/Chen Shugen)

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan (C) visits a exhibit hall of the forthcoming Fifth China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, on Oct. 21, 2008. (China News Photo)

NANNING -- The 5th China-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Expo opened here Wednesday to further cooperation in this region and will propose measures to deal with the financial crisis in the Western world.

Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan attended the opening ceremony of the Expo in Nanning, capital city of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China, together with leaders and high- ranking officials and businessmen from the 10 ASEAN countries.

Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of the ASEAN, said that China and these countries are building the biggest free trade zone in the world that comprises nearly 1.9 billion people.

The Expo was proposed by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao five years ago. The 10 ASEAN countries are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam with a total area of 4.5 million square kilometers, whose economies were seriously hurt by the financial crisis in 1997.

As the largest developing country in the world, China should step up cooperation with the ASEAN countries in light of the uncertainty of the world economy, said Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming.

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Hu: China's sound growth major contribution to global financial stability - China News

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BEIJING, Oct. 24 (China News) -- China's sound economic growth is in itself a major contribution to global financial stability and economic growth, Chinese President Hu Jintao said here on Friday, referring to the global financial crisis that has shocked the world financial markets.

That's why China must first and foremost run its own affairs well, Hu told leaders of 45 Asian and European nations and organizations at the opening ceremony of the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting.

In his key-note speech, the president recalled China's recent development, saying that since the beginning of this year, China had taken robust measures to address the complex changes in the global economic environment and the grave challenges from nature.

We have maintained relatively fast economic growth and steady development of the financial sector. The fundamentals of the Chinese economy have not changed, Hu said.

On the other hand, he added, however, the global financial crisis had noticeably increased the uncertainties and factors for instability in China's economic development. China is now confronted with many difficulties and challenges in our economic endeavor.

China is a developing country with 1.3 billion people, and the Chinese economy is increasingly interconnected with the global economy. China's sound economic growth is in itself a major contribution to global financial stability and economic growth. That is why we must first and foremost run our own affairs well, Hu said.

He said, in the light of the changing domestic and international economic situation, China would make its macroeconomic regulation measures more proactive, focused and effective, and make timely adjustments to the policies.

China would vigorously expand domestic demand, especially consumer demand, maintain economic and financial stability and stability of the capital market, while continuing to promote sound and fast economic and social development, he said.

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Fans facing off in field - Sports News

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Tampa Bay Rays fan Brody Cone, 20 months, of Orlando, Florida holds a baseball before Game 2 of Major League Baseball's ALCS World Series in St. Petersburg, Florida, October 23, 2008. [Agencies]

A Philadelphia Phillies fan shows his team's color in his hairstyle before the Tampa Bay Rays meets the Phillies in Game 2 of Major League Baseball's World Series in St. Petersburg, Florida, October 23, 2008. [Agencies]

Fan Michael Cirillo of Philadelphia cheers before the start of Game 2 of Major League Baseball's World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, Florida, October 23, 2008. [Agencies]

A Tampa Bay Rays fan holds a sign with the likeness of Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon before Game 2 of Major League Baseball's World Series between the Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies in St. Petersburg, Florida, October 24, 2008. [Agencies]

Tampa Bay Rays fan Brody Cone, 20 months, of Orlando, Florida holds a baseball before Game 2 of Major League Baseball's ALCS World Series in St. Petersburg, Florida, October 23, 2008.

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Beijing cuts rates, taxes to boost housing - Business News

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Estate brokers introduce apartments for sales to potential home buyers at a housing exhibition in Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, September 12, 2008. [China News]

A view of apartment buildings in Shanghai, May 18, 2008. [China News]

Beijing has decided to reduce taxation on home buying, do away with property stamp tax, and cut the mortgage rates by as deep as 30 percent, in a concerted package of new policies to stave off a housing sector slump.

A statement published by the official website of the Ministry of Finance late Wednesday, ruled that, from November 1, the property deed tax will decline to 1 percent from 3-5 percent for people buying their first home if it is or smaller than 90 square meters.

For those buying their first home, regardless of the size, the down payment requirement will be lowered to 20 percent from the present 30 percent, and banks will be allowed to charge as little as 70 percent of benchmark lending rates for the mortgages.

The new policy, which was obviously approved at an emergency meeting of the State Council, chaired by Premier Wen Jiabao over the weekend, also removed the 0.05 percent stamp tax and land value-added tax for home purchases starting from next month.

The move marks an initial unwinding of property tightening measures that the government put in place over the last few years, to counter what were then rapidly rising prices and a skyrocketing inflationary pressure.

The change of policy by Beijing comes just two days after the National Bureau of Statistics reported that annual gross domestic product growth in the third quarter slowed sharply, to 9.0 percent from 10.1 percent in the second quarter.

Real estate investment is the second-largest contributor to China's urban fixed-asset investment, which is a major driver of the overall economy. Policy-makers are concerned that a selling lull in urban properties could drag the economy to its ebb, a scenario they are trying their most to avoid, in the backdrop of an extending world financial crisis and a subsequent economic slowdown.

To rejuvenate the housing sector, the Chinese government also said last week that the country needed to build more affordable housing. To that end, Beijing may launch a 1 trillion yuan fund to build affordable houses for poorer citizens, the Chinese-language China Business News reported on Wednesday.

As many as 18 Chinese cities, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Xi'an, have announced detailed policies to boost their respective property markets, which have seen at least four months of consecutive drops in housing prices.

In September, the housing price in southern city of Shenzhen plunged by 5.3 percent from a month ago.

Chinese economists have cautioned that a worsening slump in the real estate market in China would not only undermine the healthy growth of the economy, but also put the country's financial system at risk.

The worsening financial crisis, now sweeping the world and hardening the lives of many, originated from the subprime debacle in mid 2007 in the United States. Because of the sudden bust of a 10-year American housing boom, a rocketing number of American homeowners were unable to pay mortgages, and the banks were troubled by mountain-high bad debts.

To prevent the same scenario from happening, the 18 Chinese cities have resorted to measures, including doling out subsidies to private homebuyers, unprecedented since former Prime Minister Zhu Rongji launched privatization policies of housing; cutting taxes on housing deeds, and even giving permanent urban residents permits to lure outside homebuyers, in Hangzhou's case.

Shanghai raised the mortgage ceiling of the housing accumulation fund by one-fifth, into which employees and employers deposit money every month in return for lower mortgage rates, a move expected to encourage city residents to apply for a larger housing loan.

Like the United States and Europe, China also witnessed a sizzling real estate sector since 2000, led by Shanghai, Guangzhou, and other relatively developed coastal cities, that benefited from the reform and opening-up policies. Buoyed by increasing incomes, a rising number of well-off urban residents purchased their own homes, in addition to cars and other luxuries, and become China's middle-class.

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DJ Craze: Glow-In-The-Dark Party

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DJ Craze: Glow-In-The-Dark Party

One of the wildest turntablists and entertainers on the international scene, DJ Craze breaks from his Kanye tour to light up our Halloween in more ways than one. Lit solely by UV lights, Club China Doll will be a glowing playground of glowing dancers, glow sticks and delcious glow drinks. Tickets are on sale now at Fish Nation in SLT. RMB100 (advance)-RMB200 (door).

銆€銆€When

Oct 31st, 10pm

Starts Oct 31st , ends Oct 31st

銆€銆€Where

Club China Doll (Tongli) Details

銆€銆€Contact

139-1067-6110 (Eng.) 136-9921-8459 (Eng.), 6417-4699 (Chinese)

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Bikini contest linked with US election - Lifestyle News

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Kelly Gould (R), shows her Balloterina entry showcases her politically inspired attire as waits to talk to Bill Hoebee, at the Hog's Breath Homemade Bikini Contest in Key West, Florida, October 22, 2008. The competition was a facet of Key West's annual Fantasy Fest 10-day masking and costuming celebration that continues through Sunday, Oct. 26. This year's theme is Pirates, Pundits and Political Party Animals, ascribing to the upcoming US presidential elections. [Agencies]

Kate Hermit (L), showcases her US presidential election-inspired attire as she walks the stage with other entrants at the Hog's Breath Homemade Bikini Contest in Key West, Florida, October 22, 2008. The competition was a facet of Key West's annual Fantasy Fest 10-day masking and costuming celebration that continues through Sunday, Oct. 26. This year's theme is Pirates, Pundits and Political Party Animals. [Agencies]

The Hog's Breath Homemade Bikini Contest was held in Key West, Florida, October 22, 2008. The competition was a facet of Key West's annual Fantasy Fest 10-day masking and costuming celebration that continues through Sunday, Oct. 26. This year's theme is Pirates, Pundits and Political Party Animals, ascribing to the upcoming US presidential elections.

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ASEM summit opening triggers media fight - China News

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Journalists from Asia and Europe work in the Press Center of the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM7) in Beijing International Hotel, Beijing, on Friday, Oct. 24, 2008. The ASEM7 summit kicked off in Beijing Friday afternoon. (China Newsnet/Yangtze Yan)

Journalists from Asia and Europe work in the Press Center of the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM7) in Beijing International Hotel, Beijing, on Friday, Oct. 24, 2008. The ASEM7 summit kicked off in Beijing Friday afternoon. (China Newsnet/Yangtze Yan)

Journalists from Asia and Europe work in the Press Center of the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM7) in Beijing International Hotel, Beijing, on Friday, Oct. 24, 2008. The ASEM7 summit kicked off in Beijing Friday afternoon. (China Newsnet/Yangtze Yan)

Journalists from Asia and Europe work in the Press Center of the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM7) in Beijing International Hotel, Beijing, on Friday, Oct. 24, 2008. The ASEM7 summit kicked off in Beijing Friday afternoon. (China Newsnet/Yangtze Yan)

Journalists from Asia and Europe work in the Press Center of the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM7) in Beijing International Hotel, Beijing, on Friday, Oct. 24, 2008. The ASEM7 summit kicked off in Beijing Friday afternoon. (China Newsnet/Yangtze Yan)

Journalists from Asia and Europe work in the Press Center of the seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM7) in Beijing International Hotel, Beijing, on Friday, Oct. 24, 2008. The ASEM7 summit kicked off in Beijing Friday afternoon.

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China president, Vietnam PM highlight ties between nations - China News

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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L) shakes hands with visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 22, 2008. (China News Photo)

BEIJING, Oct. 22 (China News) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao met here on Wednesday with visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung who was here for an official visit and to attend the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM7) scheduled for Oct. 24-25.

Hu highlighted that China-Vietnam ties were in a new phase of comprehensive development. He noted China highly valued its relations with Vietnam and was willing to make joint efforts with the country to boost the bilateral comprehensive and strategic partnership to a higher level.

He made a proposal in aim to continue to step up the Sino-Vietnamese relation, calling on the two sides to work closer to deal with the new situation and challenges concerning the bilateral relations and share the opportunity for further development.

The two sides should handle the future direction of the bilateral strategic partnership in a long-term and strategic perspective that served to the fundamental interests of the two nations and two peoples and promoted the stability and prosperity of the region, Hu noted.

He also voiced China's willingness to maintain close high-level contacts and frequent exchange of views with Vietnam on significant issues that might affect the bilateral relations, expressing his hope the two nations would complete the demarcation work on the land border at an early date.

The two sides should strengthen their cooperation and give full play to the various cooperative mechanism to promote the bilateral exchange and cooperation in various fields and at various level, Hu added.

Nguyen agreed with the growth of the bilateral relations, noting his people would never forget the tremendous support China offered during the country's fight for national independence and sovereignty.

Vietnam would put its relations with China as top priority for its foreign policy and join hands with China to push forward the bilateral strategic partnership and pass on the friendship between the two peoples from generation to generation, Nguyen stressed.

He also spoke positively on the important efforts the two sides made for the settlement of the boundary demarcation work, expressing his hope that the two nations could reach an agreement soon.

Nguyen started his China visit on Monday at the invitation of Premier Wen Jiabao.

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LinkedIn connects with investors for US$22.7 million - Technology News

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - LinkedIn Corp. has raised an additional $22.7 million to help insulate the steadily growing online business network from the economic storm and provide more financial flexibility.

The investment announced Thursday was made by one of LinkedIn's long-time backers, Bessemer Venture Partners, and three newcomers 鈥?business software maker SAP Ventures, banker Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and The McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., which publishes Business Week.

The deal values privately held LinkedIn at slightly more than $1 billion, the same appraisal assigned the Mountain View-based company when it raised $53 million in June.

LinkedIn hasn't drawn on any of that money yet, but still thought it was prudent to have more money in the bank as the economy slumps amid a credit crunch, said Dan Nye, LinkedIn's chief executive officer. He also said LinkedIn wanted the extra cash in case an enticing acquisition opportunity crops up.

The new investors in LinkedIn are all intrigued with how they might be able to use information picked up from the Web site's 30 million members to drum more sales in their own businesses, Nye said.

Goldman Sachs' investment won't give it the inside track to become LinkedIn's investment banker should it ever pursue an initial public offering of stock, Nye said.

For now, LinkedIn is still trying to boost its revenue. Toward that end, LinkedIn also will begin offering a survey service that will poll its members about specific topics for a fee that will be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

(Agencies)

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Liz Hurley finally covers up for her little Damian - Entertainment News

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Elizabeth Hurley poses with her son Damian to promote the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, in Mumbai

Liz arrives with her son Damian for the event

Liz Hurley offers more than we want to see

Liz and husband Arun Nayar strike a pose for the press at the event

There's a time and a place for headline-grabbing outfits, as Liz Hurley will tell you.

Last week's daring dress may have rather neatly fitted the bill for a breast cancer charity function in London. But for her hosts at Mumbai's Taj Mahal Palace hotel, discretion was the order of the day.

Miss Hurley, 43, struck a practised pose for waiting photographers as she arrived in a fuchsia-coloured embroidered sari.

At her side, and apparently unimpressed by the cameras, was son Damian.

Dressed in a traditional Indian kurta and gold turban, the six-year-old pulled faces for the assembled press outside the Breast Cancer Awareness event

Damian - from a brief relationship with Hollywood producer Steve Bing - attended the event alongside his millionaire stepfather Arun Nayar.

Hurley, the face of Estee Lauder's breast cancer campaign, was in Mumbai to illuminate the historic landmark in pink lights as a symbol of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The mother of one, who is renowned for her self-discipline when it comes to maintaining her size ten physique, recently admitted she was struggling to control her curves.

'I can't think of anything worse in the world than another bikini shoot,' she told an interviewer.

'It's unbearable, and I bring it all on myself. But if you sign on for the gig, sadly, you have to go and be jolly in a skimpy white bikini. So I now rely on nice photographers, and a bit of retouching.'

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China calls on cooperation with Vietnam over South China Sea - China News

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Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 22, 2008. Nguyen Tan Dung was here for an official visit and to attend the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM7) scheduled for Oct. 24-25.(China News/Gao Jie)

BEIJING, Oct. 22 (China News) -- China called on Vietnam for cooperation in the South China Sea to discover ways to address bilateral disputes over the region.

In a meeting here with visiting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on Wednesday, Chinese President Hu Jintao proposed the two neighboring countries always keep the overall situation of the bilateral relations in mind and make efforts to strengthen bilateral efforts and properly settle the issues concerning the South China Sea.

We should make it (South China Sea) a place of peace, cooperation and friendship, Hu said.

Nguyen said Vietnam would insist on the negotiation for the peaceful and lasting resolution of the issue and reduce the differences based on mutual trust, respect and understanding.

Vietnam was willing to resolve disputes with China concerning the issue in a spirit of cooperation and brotherhood and to cement the bilateral ties in the South China Sea in fields such as oil and natural gas exploration, environmental protection, marine rescue mission and in combating against piracy, he noted.

Nguyen arrived in China on October 20 at the invitation of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao. He will attend the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM7) here on Oct. 24-25.

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Study: Stink in farts controls blood pressure - Technology News

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The unpleasant aroma of the gas, called hydrogen sulfide (H2S), can be a little too familiar, as it is expelled by bacteria living in the human colon and eventually makes its way, well, out.

The new research found that cells lining mice's blood vessels naturally make the gas and this action can help keep the rodents' blood pressure low by relaxing the blood vessels to prevent hypertension (high blood pressure). This gas is no doubt produced in cells lining human blood vessels too, the researchers said.

Now that we know hydrogen sulfide's role in regulating blood pressure, it may be possible to design drug therapies that enhance its formation as an alternative to the current methods of treatment for hypertension, said Johns Hopkins neuroscientist Solomon H. Snyder, M.D., a co-author of the study detailed in the Oct. 24th issue of the journal Science.

Snyder and his colleagues compared normal mice to mice that were missing a gene for an enzyme known as CSE, long suspected as being responsible for making hydrogen sulfide. As they measured hydrogen sulfide levels taken from tissues of the CSE-deficient mice, the scientists found that the gas was depleted in the cardiovascular systems of the altered mice. By contrast, normal mice had higher levels of the gas, thereby showing that hydrogen sulfide is naturally made by mammalian tissues using CSE.

Next, the mice were subjected to higher blood pressures comparable to serious hypertension in humans. Scientists had them respond to a chemical called methacholine that relaxes normal blood vessels. The blood vessels of the CSE-lacking mice hardly relaxed, indicating that hydrogen sulfide is a huge contender for regulating blood pressure.

Hydrogen sulfide is the most recently discovered member of a family of gasotransmitters, small molecules inside our bodies with important physiological functions.

This study is the first to reveal that the CSE enzyme that triggers hydrogen sulfide is activated itself in the same way as other enzymes when they trigger their respective gasotransmitter, such as a nitric oxide-forming enzyme that also regulates blood pressure, Dr. Snyder said.

Because gasotransmitters are common in mammals all over the evolutionary tree, these findings on the importance of hydrogen sulfide are thought to have broad applications to human diseases, such as diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases.

The research was supported by grants from the U.S. Public Health Service and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research as well as a Research Scientist Award.

(Agencies)

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Tourists visit at Longmen Grottoes in Henan Province - Lifestyle News

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Tourists visit at the Longmen Grottoes in central China's Henan Province, on Oct. 19, 2008. There has been a growing interest in the central province among tourists from home and abroad, especially in the famous scenic spots as the Shaolin Temple and the Longmen Grottoes.(China News Photo/Ding Haitao)

Tourists visit at the Longmen Grottoes in central China's Henan Province, on Oct. 19, 2008. There has been a growing interest in the central province among tourists from home and abroad, especially in the famous scenic spots as the Shaolin Temple and the Longmen Grottoes.(China News Photo/Ding Haitao)

A girl poses for a photo at the Shaolin Temple in Songshan Mountain, central China's Henan Province, on Oct. 19, 2008. There has been a growing interest in the central province among tourists from home and abroad, especially in the famous scenic spots as the Shaolin Temple and the Longmen Grottoes. (China News Photo/Zhu Xiang)

There has been a growing interest in the central province among tourists from home and abroad, especially in the famous scenic spots as the Shaolin Temple and the Longmen Grottoes.

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