Page1

Top News

On top of the world
The Olympic flame scaled the highest point on Earth as Chinese mountaineers carried it to Mount Qomolangma yesterday - in what is the high point of the relay.

Hu invites Japanese youths to visit China

Musical milestone in Vatican

Page2

Top News

Universal language helps warm relations
ROME: Music, a universal expression that transcends languages and differences - it is a view many attending the first concert performed by Chinese musicians for the Pope at the Vatican on Wednesday could agree with.

Page3

Hu's Visit

President pledges peaceful growth
TOKYO: China will never be a military threat to any nation, President Hu Jintao said here yesterday, while vowing the country will continue to grow through peaceful development.

Sound Bites

New refinery joint venture

Praise for man who called for friendship

Visit to Japanese ballet troupe rekindles old ties

Fine food, wine accompany chat on boosting relations

Page4

Nation

Examiners in spotlight over bribes
GUANGZHOU: Xiao Yang, a student about to sit for his national college entrance exam, is worried, and with good reason.

Chemical park polluting water supply

US firms want more clarity on labor law

US offers to help tackle HFMD outbreak

Crackdown on illegal drugs production

Across China: Beijing

Across China: Zhejiang

Page5

Nation/China Scene

Olympic show 'all sparkle, no smoke'
The traditional Chinese spectacle of fireworks displays will light up Beijing the night of the Olympics' opening ceremony - but the surrounding air will remain relatively clear thanks to highly advanced pyrotechnics.

Tibet exhibition big drawcard

China Scene: North

China Scene: West

China Scene: Central

China Scene: East

China Scene: South

Page6

Torch Relay

The cradle of mountaineers
Among the 12-member team of climbers who brought the Beijing Olympic flame to the top of Mount Qomolangma were seven alpinists from the Tibet Mountaineering School (TMS).

The final 12

Page7

Torch Relay

Passage to the world's highest point
Final six minutes on top

Shenzhen relay speeds up after successful climb

Amazing achievement makes wait worthwhile

Page8

Comment

Strong case for caution over RMB appreciation
Since the central parity rate of the yuan breached the psychological mark of 7 against the US dollar on April 10, it has aroused wide concern in and out of the country on the renminbi exchange rate.

Cartoon

Ascent to the top

Solemn spring pledge

Hot Words

Signposts of a caring society

Spot the real elephants in the field

Page9

Opinion

Real issues in China-US trade imbalance
Between 1978 and 2007, China's GDP grew at an average annual rate of 9.75 percent and reached 24.6619 trillion yuan ($3.43 trillion) in 2007. With a total annual trade volume of over $ 2 trillion, China's foreign exchange reserves have reached $1.68 trillion as of March 2008 and continues to grow rapidly.

Outside View

How a job interview is somewhat like a date

From our archives

Page10

International

Harrowing tales of suffering surface
When the massive storm surge churned up by Cyclone Nargis struck his village, fisherman Zaw Win clung to a tree for three hours.

Landmark ruling on Islam conversion case

Bush hears wedding bells nearing for daughter

Britons throw away a fortune in good food

Cuba embraces golf to boost its tourism

IN BRIEF (Page 10)

Page11

Special Supplement

CIEIN 'ship' helps carry students abroad
Built in the image of a large ship, the CIEIN International Education Experience Hall attracted widespread attention at the Fifth Beijing International Education Expo in Beijing on May 8.

Bank loans fund overseas dreams

Student health insurance offered in foreign lands

Markham builds bridge for education exchange

Diverse mixture call Northumbria University home

Page12

International

New PM Putin focuses on economy
Vladimir Putin yesterday took over as Russia's prime minister a day after leaving the Kremlin and pledged to curb inflation and cut taxes to make Russia a leading economic power.

Israel celebrates its 60th birthday

Israeli streets flooded with national flags made in China

Berlusconi sworn in as PM for 3rd time

Last year sees more serious air accidents

Around the World: Spain

Around the World: United States

Around the World: Australia

Around the World: Iran

Around the World: South Korea

Page13

Business

Firm will grow rice in Africa
Responding to the global food crisis and skyrocketing rice prices, a Chinese agricultural company is planning to fan out to Africa, where grain shortage contrasts with abundant land resources.

China Mobile hangs up on MTN

Page14

Business China

Chinese medicine for US flu
Palo Alto, California: If you have a chunk of change stashed away (say, a few hundred million dollars) and are wondering how to emerge from the US economic downturn unscathed, Gavin Ni, founder and CEO of the Zero2IPO Group, and John Dean, the firm's chairman, would tell you to invest in the red-hot venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) market in China.

Worry creases in textile industry

Google in new tie-up

IN BRIEF (Page 14)

Page15

Special Supplement

Yu gives new flourish to age-old form
Yu Jigao has been widely praised as one of the most outstanding artists in the nation producing meticulous flower-and-bird paintings.

Portrait of the artist

Page16

Business International

Rice price gains for fifth day
Rice gained for a fifth day as the extent of the devastation in Myanmar from a cyclone became clearer with as many as 100,000 people dead, and Malaysia agreed to purchase the grain from Thailand, the world's biggest exporter.

US puts brake on Toyota earnings

Unilever expects to beat forecast

Brazilian flood dampens Inbev quarterly profit

ECB keeps its benchmark rate at six-year high

IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Page17

Special Supplement

'Moving ahead together'
Whirlwind visits by German ministers to China this year have thawed bilateral relations that took on a diplomatic chill in 2007.

German hi-tech, high culture event opens in Chongqing

Page18

Special Supplement

Campaign aims at mass appeal
After its launch last year in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu province, the ongoing "Germany and China - Moving Ahead Together" campaign now in Chongqing is once again sparking strong interest in things German.

Pianist Li Yundi adds luster to hometown

Page19

Special Supplement

BASF pavilion shows sustainable solutions
As an official partner of the "Germany and China - Moving Ahead Together" initiative underway in Chongqing, German chemicals giant BASF said it supports the event to assist China in finding innovative solutions for sustainable development.

Cleaner diesel autos find favor in hi-tech Germany

Nordex looks to grow in the wind

Burgeoning cities generate increasing global pressure

Page20

Life

Tapping to an ancient beat
Her long hair flowing down to her skinny shoulders instead of resting in a topknot as in her portraits, Sa Dingding exudes the assured air of a star who takes her role very seriously.

A sound mix

Page22

Life Pulse

Classic ballet version
To celebrate the 110th anniversary of the founding of Peking University, the ballet drama Raise the Red Lantern will be staged by the National Ballet of China. Adapted from Zhang Yimou's movie of the same title, the performance is a combination of ballet, traditional music and high-tech stage art.

Treasure trove

Listings: Beijing

Listings: Shanghai

Listings: Guangzhou

Page23

Sports China

Will Red Devils win with Bruce's help?
LONDON: Cristiano Ronaldo or Didier Drogba might be the key players on the pitch but Wigan Athletic manager Steve Bruce is being touted as the central figure in Sunday's Premier League showdown.

Nadal's reign in Rome is over

Young guns duel at Beijing Open; Steel, Chinnarat lead

Score board

Top shot

Page24

Sports

MVP Bryant lifts Lakers over Jazz
NEW YORK: Kobe Bryant accepted his Most Valuable Player trophy on Wednesday, then poured in 34 points to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 120-110 victory over Utah in the National Basketball Association playoffs.

Real crushes Barca, continues to celebrate

IN BRIEF (Page 24)