Time for Chinese brands

At a time when Chinese sportswear and casual attire makers were busy clearing their inventories due to a less clear-cut brand orientation, China's domestic high-end designer brands seem to be enjoying better fortunes.

Living in the lap of luxury

The luxury malls of Beijing are enticing and warm, with carpets so plush they yield underfoot and shop assistants as exquisite as the items on sale. Some shops do not display prices at all, others display merchandise behind locked glass doors, and assistants wear gloves when presenting goods to potential buyers.

Major events in your own living room

Imagine sitting on Center Court at Wimbledon, ringside at a Las Vegas heavyweight boxing title fight, or among the VIPs at an NBA game - all from the comfort of your own home.

Evans, Cisse charged over spitting incident

Manchester United centerback Jonny Evans and Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse have been charged over allegations they spat at each other, the Football Association announced on Thursday.

Digest

Tennis

Energy imbalances 'an urgent problem'

NEA head says that producing regions increasingly seek help to sell resource output

Wider fiscal deficit to bolster economy, counter slowdown

The nation aims to run a larger budget deficit this year to counteract the economic slowdown, but some analysts question whether the increase in spending is adequate.

Interest in islands a 'shore' thing

Four islands in Fiji, Greece, the United Kingdom and Canada were put up for auction on China's largest online shopping platform Taobao, with three of them sold within 12 hours.

Cruise industry set for full steam ahead as nation's tourism booms

As China's middle class continues to grow, so too does its appetite for taking a short vacation on the ocean waves, reports Shi Jing in Shanghai.

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Governments and policies

Quotes of the day

Carrefour to open 15 new hypermarts in China

Carrefour SA, the world's second-largest retailer by revenue, is expected to open 15 new hypermarkets in China this year and roll out more "convenience stores" aimed at customers in local communities, according to the company's top executive in the country.