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Top News

Oil and rice prices hit record high
SINGAPORE: Oil prices hit an all-time high above $115 a barrel yesterday as Asian rice prices soared to record levels to heighten fears of mass hunger in poor nations.

Bollywood stars, lion dancers add color

Volunteers guard the sacred flame

Don't Be Too CNN, don't turn black into white

Rice: Progress made on DPRK nuke issue

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Top News

Home for the Beijing Olympics
When Canadian Jacob Cooke first arrived in China four years ago, he suffered from knowing very little Chinese.

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Nation

Better IPR protection 'takes time'
Top officials yesterday called on Western countries to be patient and allow China more time to develop a mature system for protecting intellectual property rights (IPR).

China, NZ committed to science research

Taihu Lake under close watch

Africa 'in need of support' from UN

Special Supplement: 'Drunken Beauty' renown continues in embroidery

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Nation

Closure of factories will not hit economy
Beijing's economic growth this year will not be significantly affected by its plans to temporarily shut down factories, reduce their production, and limit the use of cars to improve air quality during the Olympic Games, an official said yesterday.

Airline fined for flight returns

Everything readyin Qingdao: Media

Plants given sulfur deadline

Danone behind tax probe, Zong claims

Zhuhai suspends residency applications

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China Scene

Loyalty stronger than hospital rules
A dachshund's bark disturbed the quiet of the CT examination room at Chongqing municipality's Emergency Center on Wednesday aftertoon.

China Scene: West

China Scene: Central

China Scene: South

China Scene: East

China Scene: North

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Nation

Riot monks surrender to police
Two monks who participated in the riots in Gansu province on March 18, have given themselves up to authorities, the provincial police department said yesterday.

Singer sparkles in world of Tibetan songs

Ex-chancellor voices concerns

Lamas in Chengde pray for peace for whole nation

Carrefour to investigate calls for boycott

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Comment

Handled with tact, FTAs can do what WTO can't
On April 7, China and New Zealand signed a free trade agreement (FTA) covering trade in goods and services as well as investment, making it the first FTA reached by China with a developed country.

Cartoon

Feed them first

It's the economy, stupid

Better IPR protection

Hot Words

Horror history of old Tibet

Truth about 'Tibet issue'

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Opinion

Living with China crucial for the whole world
Last time I was in China I was told that the boom in construction in Shanghai is so intense that its street maps have to be redone every few months.

Neglect of agriculture behind Asian poverty

Outside View

From our archives

Page10

Special Supplement

Huachen refines art of collecting
The Huachen 2008 Spring Auction, one of China's major auctions, is scheduled for April 28 to 29 in Beijing's Landmark Towers when antique Chinese paintings and calligraphy, Chinese oil paintings, sculpture, Chinese porcelain, jade carvings, jewelry, jadeite, photography and workshop art will be up for bid.

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International

Kenya swears in coalition Cabinet
Kenya swore in a power-sharing government yesterday to soothe fury over a disputed election that plunged the east African country into a bloody crisis.

Iraqi mission defies constitution: Court

Park ranger feels peace among killer whales

ROK culls 3 m birds as H5N1 virus spreads fast

Tourism hot as 'hell' Down Under

Around the World: United States

Around the World: Iraq

Around the World: Russia

Around the World: Singapore

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

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Torch Relay

Lighting up Oman, Pakistan & India

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Business

Tariff hikes for export of fertilizer
China will increase export tariffs on fertilizer products and related raw materials by 100 percentage points to ensure domestic supply and curb rising domestic prices, the Ministry of Finance said yesterday.

Stock market slips further

Banks improve products

Gome profit rises 38%

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Business China

Minsheng moves into leasing biz
China Minsheng Banking Corp, the country's seventh largest bank by market value, today established a financial leasing company to capitalize on China's leasing business' huge growth potential.

Boost to auto export

German chemicals group banks on green

Special supplement: Jilin moves to modernize

IN BRIEF (Page 14)

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Business Roundup

Home turf gives firms edge: BCG
By redefining the rules of competition in local markets, companies from China and other emerging markets are putting the expansion plans of many global industry leaders at risk, a report said.

HK shares rise 1.6% on regional upswing

Biz scene

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Business International

Samsung chairman indicted on tax charges
Special prosecutors said yesterday they indicted Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee on charges of tax evasion and breach of trust, though cleared the conglomerate of allegations it kept a slush fund used for bribery.

Welch threatens to 'shoot' Immelt over earnings

Toyota profit may slide 20 percent

Woodside first-quarter sales increase 22%

Thomson Reuters to focus on integration in Big Apple

IN BRIEF (Page 16)

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Business International

Latest Merrill loss follows writedown
Merrill Lynch & Co posted its third straight quarterly loss and will cut about 3,000 jobs after at least $6.5 billion of writedowns and a 40 percent drop in investment-banking fees.

Nokia profit misses estimate

UK 'may unveil' rescue package

Japanese confidence takes a tumble

IN BRIEF (Page 17)

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Life

When Jackie met Jet
If Jet Li fights Jackie Chan, who will win? The audience will, says Rob Minkoff, director of The Forbidden Kingdom (Gongfu Zhi Wang), which premieres in North America today opens in China six days later.

Who's in

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Life Expat

East or West? Both works best
Basketball star Yao Ming's injury dramas have helped shine the spotlight on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), an ancient practice used by more and more people around the globe. Yao says he will use TCM as well as Western medicine to help his recovery in the lead-up to the Beijing Olympics. He is desperate to be fit for the biggest tournament of his life.

Your say

Great Alps, great minds and great endeavors for peace

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Life Pulse

The Blunt truth: You're Beautiful
All eyes will be on James Blunt when he launches his one-night-only show at the Starlive in Beijing on April 18. His fans could kill for a ticket, though the concert has been sold out nearly two month ago.

Listings: Beijing

Listings: Shanghai

Listings: Guangzhou

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Sports

Tennis champs catch Olympic fever
Although the 2008 tennis season is barely four months old, Swiss world No 1 Roger Federer and other leading players are already turning their thoughts toward the Beijing Olympics in August.

Sharapova blanks Mattek, Jankovic starts title defense

Hopkins unconcerned by age

Top shot

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Sports China

Coach will not concede defeat
The head coach of China's swimming team, Zhang Yadong, has refused to concede defeat to the team's international Olympic rivals, insisting his athletes have what it takes to shine in August.

Lorenzo-Vera takes China Open first-day honors

Year to remember has just begun

Score board

IN BRIEF (Page 23)

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Sports

Kidd's 100th triple-double leads Mavs
INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: The Indiana Pacers beat New York 132-123 in the NBA on Wednesday, sending the Knicks to a franchise record-tying 59th loss in what might have been Isiah Thomas' last game as coach.

Pens exact revenge with sweep of Senators

A-Rod hits 522nd homer, passes Williams, McCovey

IN BRIEF (Page 24)