Page1

Top News

Huge trade surplus to be reduced
China will encourage imports and restrict exports this year in a bid to balance trade and ease the concerns of trading partners.

Leaders seek energy security

Saddam brother's head severed in hanging

Undersea cable repairs could take 2 more weeks

France 'proposed union with Britain'

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Top News

Treaty sees greater security cooperation
China and Tajikistan yesterday signed a treaty to step up strategic security cooperation, building on the settlement of the nations' border dispute.

Investment, loan deals inked

EU wants China to help with global problems

IN BRIEF (Page 2)

Page3

Nation

Central China to get a steering panel
The central provinces of China, which are struggling to pluck their sinking economy up by the bootstraps, should work more closely with each other, a chief planning official said yesterday.

Security liaison body set up

People share nation's concern for the environment

Chinese tech aid for Katrina hit

Money supply in line with trend

Page4

Nation

Taskforces to probe chopping spree
GUANGZHOU: Police have established special taskforces to investigate what has become a spate of murder-dismemberment cases.

Across china: Beijing

Across china: Chongqing

Disappearance raises fears for driver's life

Survey: Education key to Shanghai life

Not many likely to jump on investment wagon

Changchun games won't suffer a 'no snow' problem

Page5

Nation

Capital city takes aim at food scares
Faced with a spate of food safety incidents and declining public confidence in the official response, authorities in Beijing have come up with a color-coded system of alerts and actions for dealing with food emergencies.

Blind man gifts vision to little girl

Beijing's debt burden above 20%

How to Escort Prisoners Back Home on Train 1.0

Siberian tigress inseminated at breeding center

Magazines cater to changing lifestyles

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China Scene

Avian dialects: Birds vary songs by habitat
Just as the fairy tale of City Mouse and Country Mouse implies that mice have different lifestyles, new research in the real world indicates birds of a feather may have different voices depending on where they live.

China Scene: Central

China Scene: South

China Scene: North

China Scene: East

China Scene: West

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International

4,000 more US troops arrive in Baghdad
The first additional American troops who will take part in a major new security plan in Baghdad have arrived in the Iraqi capital, the US commander in Iraq, General George Casey, said yesterday.

Nepal's new charter strips king of power

Around the world: United Kingdom

Around the world: France

Around the world: Russia

Around the world: Greece

Bush: I'm not going to try to be popular

World's 1st test-tube baby gives birth to boy

Thailand has 1st outbreak in 6 months

Some charges against former Italian PM dropped: sources

Page8

International

Rice, Olmert plan summit with Abbas
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said yesterday he would hold a three-way summit with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to try to revive stalled peace talks.

Leftist new president vows radical changes

Prosecutor outlines London transit system bombing case

Tough migration rules enter force in Russia

Slovenia celebrates change to euro

Across asia: Afghanistan

Across asia: Kuwait

Across asia: Japan

Across asia: Kashmir

Across asia: India

Across asia: Indonesia

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International

Japan's salarymen aim to be cool dads
Their role models are Johnny Depp and Brad Pitt fashionable fathers who treasure time with their kids.

News Makers: 80-year-old playboy ready to be a dad

News Makers: Simpson: 'I was drenched in blood'

News Makers: Legend's wife who invented jazz harp

College wins funding for obesity gum

1/3 of drivers christen cars

Island-hopping conman behind bars again

World Scene: United states

World Scene: Japan

World Scene: Russia

World Scene: Spain

World Scene: Germany

World Scene: Vietnam

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Comment

Don't just measure GDP in urban development
Shortly after the new year began, a government official in a big city in northern China announced that his city's per capita GDP (gross domestic product) had exceeded $6,000, crossing the threshold of medium-level development in developed countries.

Cartoon

Wise use of FDI

Not in our backyard

Home for the holidays

Gasoline: Let market set prices

HK budget surplus may come and go

Page11

Opinion

Overcoming obstacles to East Asia community
As the 10-member Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) pledged last Saturday to build an ASEAN community by 2015 and approved a blueprint for a landmark charter to upgrade the 40-year-old group, there have also been talks about a broader based "East Asia community".

Cartoon

Myanmar resolution

Korean Peninsula

Opening up top jobs

Family planning

Independent voice

Once more unto America's security breach

From our archives

Page12

Insight

A busy year of diplomacy ahead for China
Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing is arguably one of the top international news makers since the new year began.

A time-tested solution for Asia's damaged Internet cables

Page13

Business

Service industry to cash in on FDI
The service sector will be the new focus to attract foreign investors this year, according to a senior commerce official.

No-frills airlines set to take off in Asia-Pacific region

Page14

Business China

Renewable energy to get 10b yuan funds boost
The China New Energy Chamber of Commerce (CNECC) has vowed to establish a renewable energy industry fund worth 10 billion yuan.

PetroChina output up 5.2 percent

Gasoline and jet fuel drop boosts stock mood

Bank begins IPO roadshow

Exhibition sector continues expansion

IN BRIEF (Page 14)

Page15

Business Indepth

Shibor lays money policy foundation
China has taken further steps to push market-oriented interest rate reform and develop a benchmark interest rate system for the money market.

CEF sees great potential for factoring in China

Biz scene: BIZ UNUSUAL

Biz scene: MARKET

Biz scene: BIZ MOVES

Biz scene: LOCAL

Page16

Business International

Is Nicoli's appointment at EMI music to industry's ears?
The naming of EMI's Eric Nicoli to take control of the company's music arm hit a bad note with analysts, who doubted that he is the right executive to revamp the world's third-largest music company.

Corn price hike fuels food costs

Exxon confirms it met green activists

Germany on a roll as economic reforms pay off

Biz people: BP chief Browne to retire early

Biz people: 'Keep rates low to fuel growth'

Biz people: Gore urges firms to act on warming

IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Page18

Life

Saving the golden fleece
While many 74-year-old Americans are enjoying their retirement years in the Florida sunshine, Dr George Schaller has chosen a path less travelled for a man of his ripe old age.

Who's in: Jacky Cheung returns with new album, concerts

Who's in: Kylie cancels two performances

Who's in: Michael Jackson settles his big bills for pills

Page19

Life Literature

Millions they wrote
Beijing bookworm Yang Yalian takes great pleasure in collecting autographed copies of best-selling books. "Buying the right books is as hard as making friends with the right people," Yang said. "Once I hit upon a delicately made book that not only arrests my eyes but also wins my heart, I develop an emotional attachment with it and its author.

Publishers turn the page to a tough year

The troubling reality of today's fiction

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Life Pulse

Vision statement
Li Guizhi pulled herself out of bed and left home at 6 am. The 47-year-old retiree was rendered visually impaired in her right eye after an accident in 2001.

His name is Bong,James Bong

Reviews: TV

Reviews: Book

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Sports China

Liu targets Worlds domination
China's superstar hurdler Liu Xiang's top target for 2007 is winning a World Championships title in Osaka, Japan.

Nation's top prospects

Page23

Sports

Real start life after Becks with win
MADRID: Real Madrid showed that they can be successful without David Beckham, who was watching from the VIP stands, as they got their first win in four outings with a 1-0 victory over Real Zaragoza on Sunday.

Top Shot

Stallone backs Beckham to be US knockout

Galaxy coach wants star signing in central midfield

Inter go nine points clear as Roma slip up

Kimi confident of Ferrari's chances

Page24

Sports

Ljubicic hooked, Safin sweats as angry fans clash
MELBOURNE: Defending champions Roger Federer and Amelie Mauresmo overcame early jitters to negotiate the first round of the Australian Open yesterday on a day overshadowed by brawling Serbian and Croatian fans.

Chinese prodigy Ding on song with maximum 147

Brady leads Patriots to win

De Villiers strengthens grip on Dakar Rally

IN BRIEF (Page 24)