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Who will raise the Games cup?

The CNPC Cup National Workers' Competition of Olympic Knowledge will take place from August to after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

The test questions will be published in the Workers' Daily on August 20, and workers' unions of all levels from all over China will organize over 10 million workers to take part in the preliminary event.

Winning teams of the 31 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions will participate in the quarter-finals on the Internet, and the best six teams will gather in Beijing in December 2008 to compete for the cup.

The competition is sponsored by the All China Federation of Trade Unions and the Organizing Committee of "Our Olympics" Series of Large-Scale Cultural Activities.

Knowing how to protect ideas earns kids a trophy

The First "Xin Xin Cup", a national juvenile invention competition and intellectual property education event, concluded recently in Beijing. Ten winners, from over 1,200 candidates of primary and high schools, received their awards.

The State Intellectual Property Office and the Chinese Society of Education joined to launch this event on March 27, aiming at raising awareness about intellectual property and encouraging creative activities among school students.

By rewarding students' creative ideas, the event "provides a platform to school students to understand the importance of intellectual property, which is the key to succeed in international competition," says Zhang Huaixi, vice-chairman of National Committee of the Chinese People's Consultative Conference.

Knock, knock, this is Reese Witherspoon calling

On Wednesday, Oscar-winning actress Reese Witherspoon (pictured) was named as the first ever Global Ambassador by Avon Products, Inc. She will serve as the honorary chairperson of the Avon Foundation, focusing on breast cancer, domestic violence and emergency relief initiatives.

Witherspoon has been active with the international organization Save the Children and serves on the board of the Children's Defense Fund.

Last year, Witherspoon won a Best Actress Academy Award for her role in the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line.

Rocking out the demons of a student massacre

The Dave Matthews Band, John Mayer, Phil Vassar and Nas will perform at a special concert for Virginia Tech at the university's Lane Stadium on September 6.

A gunman killed 32 people and himself at Virginia Tech on April 16. The concert is seen as a way to help the university begin the new school year on a positive note, organizers said on Wednesday.

Free tickets will be available to students, faculty and staff.

All four musical acts have waived their fees for the event. Corporate sponsorships and the sale of commemorative concert items will help cover expenses.

"We're extremely grateful for the compassion and generosity of these artists who wished to create a very special event," Virginia Tech President Charles Steger said in a statement.

Tickets are not being made available to the general public at this time.

"We have a profound respect for the incredible resolve and unwavering sense of hope the university community has shown, and are honored to have the opportunity to share this evening with Virginia Tech," said Carter Beauford, drummer for Dave Matthews Band, in a statement.

China Daily-Agencies

(China Daily 08/03/2007 page18)