Chinese chasing the sweet life

The movement of Chinese to the British West Indies, or the Caribbean, was a major part of an immigration scheme that began in the mid 1800s on a large-scale basis. After slavery was ended in the British colonies in 1834, sugar plantation owners recruited people from southern China. They went to Guyana, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago primarily for this purpose.

Who's in

Spears fails to turn up in court

Life

Beat of a different drum

The first three CDs released by new local label MaybeMars Records are selling for 30 yuan ($4.10) each, but the label's founder, Michael Pettis, believes that in 30 or 40 years they might sell for $50,000 each on eBay.

Bands work, rest and play

It's just before dusk and band members from Dark Tranquility are doing a sound test for their debut performance in Beijing, at Yugong Yishan. Outside, their fans are chilling in the parking lot, drinking beers and preparing to scream themselves hoarse.

Who's in

Huang Xiaoming on a high note

Life In Focus

'This is your captain speaking'

Captain Robert Cassidy waits for his passengers to board the Boeing 737-800 from Shanghai to Tianjin. Inside the 1.5 m wide cockpit there are hundreds of switches and complicated instruments, even on the ceiling.

Market pushes pilot demand sky high

In order to meet high demand, Shanghai Airlines (SAL) is on the hunt to recruit 10 more foreign pilots, the company's senior officer says.

Life

Children of the revolution

One night around two years ago, Yang Jiechun sat with her husband and mother-in-law trying to solve a family dispute regarding the education of her daughter, Xing Yutong, who was then aged 4.

Art blossoms with 'Dandelion Action'

For most Chinese, creativity is almost a synonym for art. Thus, while China is attaching more importance to "chuangyi" (creativity) in order to restructure its economy, many parents, educators and government officers have turned to art education for support.