News Oct 6

News Bulletin

President Hu Hails Institute for Churning Out Tibetan Cadres, Specialists

President Hu Jintao has congratulated the Tibet Nationalities Institute on the 50th anniversary of its founding. Located in Xianyang city in northwest China's Shann'xi province, the institute is the first institution of higher learning for ethnic Tibetans set up by the Central Government outside Tibet Autonomous Region. Hu Jintao hailed the institute's "important contribution to the economic development and social progress" of Tibet, which has turned a great number of ethnic Tibetans into high-quality cadres and specialists.

Premier Says China's Financial System "Sound and Safe"

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says China's financial system as a whole is sound and safe in face of the international financial crisis. Wen says while under multiple negative factors, both international and domestic, China has reacted actively and properly and the government has full confidence in China's economic development and financial stability," Wen stressed that the biggest contribution to the world a big country with a population of 1.3 billion can make is an ability to maintain a lasting, smooth and fast economic development.

China to Launch Securities Margin Trading Soon

China's securities regulator has announced that it will soon launch margin trading business for securities firms. The business, which has long been expected by the market, will allow traders to borrow part of the money necessary to buy a security or borrow security to sell. The business will change the current one-way trade on both the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets and serve as a risk aversion tool for investors. Sources with the China Securities Regulatory Commission have identified the principle of starting the business as "a test run first and extending gradually".

China Strengthens Supervision during Holidays to Curb Tainted Milk Scandal

China has continued to strengthen its dairy product supervision over the week-long National Day holiday. Amid efforts to ensure food safety and restore public trust in milk supplies following the baby milk powder scandal, more than 110,000 people have been dispatched to examine milk products across the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Stricter production supervision has also been applied in Shaanxi and Hebei Provinces.

M6.8 Earthquake Hits Xinjiang

China`s Northwest Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region was shaken by a strong earthquake just before midnight on Sunday evening. According to the National Seismological Network the epicenter of the 6.8 magnitude quake was located in the southwestern region of Xinjiang 110 kilometers away from the county town of Wuqia. The source of the earthquake was 33 kilometers underground and so far there have been no reports of casualties.

Beijing Hosts Booming Tourists after Olympics

Tourism in Beijing was up 35% during the week-long national October holiday. Beijing`s municipal bureau of tourism reports at least 8 million people made tours in Beijing between Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, including over 2 million incoming visitors. Revenue for the city, which just hosted the Olympics and Paralympics was up as well will over 5 billion yuan or some 767 million U.S. dollars being generated. The bureau says "the Olympic effect" accounted for 25 percent of the city's total tourist arrivals.

Russian Troops Begin Dismantling Posts in Georgia

Russian troops have started dismantling their posts in the buffer zone around South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia was obliged to pull its troops out of the territory of Georgia by Oct. 10. as part of a follow-up agreement to a French-brokered peace deal between Russia and Georgia. The deal set a timetable for the withdrawal of Russian troops as well as the deployment of foreign observer missions. Between August 8–12 Russia and Georgia fought a brief war after Georgia launched a sudden attack against South Ossetia to reclaim control over the region. The next day Russia sent in troops and defeated the Georgian forces.

Israel's Livni Reaffirms Commitment to Peace with Palestinians

Israeli Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni has reiterated her commitment to talks with the Palestinians, saying peace efforts should not be jeopardize by " political changes." In her first foreign policy speech since taking up the cabinet- making mission over two weeks ago, the current foreign minister said she will push forward the peace process Israeli and Palestinian leaders resumed last November at a U.S.-hosted international conference in Annapolis.

Nigerian Militants Release 19 Hostages

Militants in the Nigeria's oil-rich Delta region have reportedly released 19 hostages who were abducted two years ago. The hostages were Nigerian oil workers who were kidnapped by the main military group Movement for Emancipation of the Niger Delta. Since the beginning of 2006, militant groups in the Niger Delta region have been fighting for more local control of natural resources, especially oil, through way of kidnapping oil workers and attacks on oil facilities.

Municipal elections start in Brazil

About 129 million Brazilian voters went to the polls Sunday morning to elect mayors and 52,137 councilors at 5,563 municipalities. Some 380,000 candidates, mainly from the four main traditional parties, contended for the positions in the elections: namely Party of the Workers, Party of the Democratic Movement, and opposition parties Brazilian Social Democratic Party and rightist Democrat Party. The elections will appoint at least 5,486 governors. The 77 cities with more than 200,000 electors could go to a second round of election, in case that any candidate receives the half plus one of the valid votes.

Sports News

Skydivers Make Parachute Jump over Highest Peak

Three skydivers, including a New Zealander, have made the first-ever parachute jump over Mount Qomolangma after years of preparation. About 32 skydivers from more than 10 countries have been in the region since last week to jump from an aircraft flying 142 meters higher than the Qomolangma summit. New Zealand's Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa from Nepal first climbed Mount Qomolangma's 8,844.43-meter peak 55 years ago.

Detroit Shock Clinch Third WNBA Title

The Detroit Shock completed their WNBA Finals sweep with a 76-60 Game 3 victory over the San Antonio Silver Stars in Michigan on Sunday, collecting their third title in their four trips to the finals overall. Katie Smith, Detroit's leading scorer in all three games and a gold medalist in the Beijing Olympics this summer, capped her finals MVP performance with 18 points and six rebounds. After leaving behind in the first half 34-30, host Detroit clawed back to take the lead with two straight 3-pointer with 2:16 minutes to go.

Egypt Beats China 6-2 in Indoor Soccer World Cup

Egypt scored a 6-2 win over China on Sunday in Group C of the indoor soccer World Cup of Brazil 2008 at the Nilson Nelson stadium of Brazilian capital Brasilia. Egypt got its first victory in the tournament, after losing to Guatemala and Argentina, while China also lost 5-0 against Argentina. Zhang Xi scored the first goal for China at minute 5 and Hu Jie made the second at minute 19, both after the break. Egypt has to wait for other matches for an opportunity to enter the second round, while China has the satisfaction of having played against strong teams.

Spain Wins Convincingly in Indoor Soccer World Cup

After tying Iran in their opener and beating Libya 3-0 on Sunday, the indoor soccer World Cup defending champions Spain beat the Czech Republic 4-0. Playing in Rio de Janeiro, the team finally put together a convincing victory in their quest to three-peat. The Spaniards won in 2000 and 2004, spoiling the party of the Brazilian national team in each year. With their victory, the reigning champs now have seven points and lead Group D. The Czech Republic remains with three points, but are not yet knocked out of the competition.

Entertainment News

"Beverly Hills Chihuahua" Scores Big at Weekend Box Office in N America

Disney's animal comedy "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" opened at the top of box office in North America, with its 29 million dollars of ticket sales marking the studio's best October debut ever. The film tells a story about a spoiled Beverly Hills female Chihuahua dog, who accidentally finds herself lost in Mexico and must rely on some new friends, including a street-hardened German Shepherd and an amorous pup, on her incredible journey back home.

"Watch TV with Me" Premieres in Shanghai

Renowned Taiwan playwright and theater director Stan Lai premiered his new work "Watch TV with Me" in Shanghai. The play, starring Cheng Qian, Liu Yunlong and Fang Fang as well as pop singers Lin Yilun and Jeff Chang, reviews the 30 years of China's reform and opening up. It tells the stories of three couples, a tramp and a textile worker. Veteran Hong Kong actress Cecilia Yip Tung and mainland rising star Yang Ruoxi also star. Audiences spoke highly of the drama and praised it as a solid training base for first-time theater performers Cecilia and Yang.

Leonardo DiCaprio's Marriage U-turn

Leonardo DiCaprio wants to get married. The 'Titanic' actor - who has dated supermodels Gisele Budchen and Bar Raefaeli - previously claimed he would never tie the knot, saying he "did not believe" in the institution. However, the 33-year-old star - who also claimed he didn't feel emotions and had never been in love - now admits his comments might have been a little hasty. Leonardo always revealed his biggest worry is becoming cynical, as he believes it would hamper his lust for life.

Pusan International Film Festival Opens

The thirteenth Pusan International Film Festival opened Thursday night in South Korea with more than a hundred top stars from South Korea and overseas in attendance. The film festival was overshadowed by the death of South Korean actress Choi Jin-sil, who committed suicide earlier that day. The audience observed a brief moment of silence for the popular star at the end of the opening ceremony. Chinese actresses Li Xiaolu, Wang Luodan, actor Li Chen, and Taiwan actress Kelly Lin and actor Van Fan also attended the opening ceremony. The film festival will end on October 10 with the closing film "I Am Happy" by South Korean director Yoon Jon-chan.