JING HUA TIMES Finance News Highlights

1. The 1000 Fou drums (Fou is an ancient Chinese instrument discovered thousands of years ago in Shanghai) used in the 2008 Beijing Olympics are going to be publicly auctioned next month. 33

2. A Branch of Beijing Industrial and Commercial Bank offers a one-stop service (no evaluation and guarantee fees) for applying for mortgages on second-hand houses. 34

3. Bank of China announced yesterday its newly-opened department for small and medium-sized enterprises; this is the first financial department that serves this target group. 34

4. The board of Southern Airlines passed a 3 billion RMB capital proposal yesterday. 35

5. The USA allocated funds for facilitating the approval of the proposal against Chinese poultry imports. China shows strong dissatisfaction. 34

JING HUA TIMES General News Highlights

1. Christie's put on notice after sale. A 04/05

Heritage authority warns of severe impact on auction house's business.

2. Beijing protests Aso's remarks. A 02

China yesterday voiced great dissatisfaction and lodged a protest to Japan over Prime Minister Taro Aso's remarks that the Diaoyu Islands are Japanese territory.

3. Traffic Management Bureau is starting using helicopter to enhance transportation management in Beijing.

4. Human rights report decried. Govt denounces "hypocritical" US State Dept document on China. A 17

5. The Organization Department of China has created a website to the public for reporting personnel problems. A 02

6. The State Council of China published <Tourism Agency Rules>, saying each tourism agency has to deposit guarantee to banks after they get the permit. The rules are gong to carry out from May 1^st this year. A 03

7. Bureau of Labor and Social Security announced a notice about <Introducing boil Chinese medicine fees into reimbursement of General Medical Insurance>, which starts from April 1^st. A 07

CHINA DAILY General News Highlights

1. Christie's put on notice after sale.

Heritage authority warns of severe impact on auction house's business.

2. Locke's commerce nomination gets thumbs up.

The nomination of Gary Locke, former governor of Washington State, as secretary of commence by US President Barack Obama has drawn praise from the business community and Chinese Americans.

3. Beijing protests Aso's remarks.

China yesterday voiced great dissatisfaction and lodged a protest to Japan over Prime Minister Taro Aso's remarks that the Diaoyu Islands are Japanese territory.

4. US human rights record rapped.

China hit back at US criticism of the country's human rights record by publishing a report on the US human rights record yesterday.

5. A good hair day, hoping for some good, too

Yesterday was a good day for haircuts-especially for the well-being of maternal uncles-but not the right day in crowded saloons.

6. Mutineers surrender.

The Bangladeshi government said yesterday all the mutinous border guards have surrendered after a 2-day revolt.

JING HUA TIMES Finance News Highlights

1. National Social insurance fund is under deficit found 8 years; Accumulated income is 169 billion RMB. B 37

2. Federal Reserve System president said, the US economy would face spring next year. B 38

3. The revitalization programs of 10 top industries are ready.

4. Agricultural Bank of China opens 600 million RMB individual credit plan. B 35

5. Industrial and Commercial Bank of China enters top 10 in global finance. B 35

6. Lenovo (the biggest computer co. in China) cut 450 work positions. B 36

7. Air rental company Qi Long (found in the end of 2006, a joint foreign company) introduces an Airbus from Toulouse, France. B 36

8. Going to Thai land will be no visa charge. B 40

9. The trend of stocks of bank has been doing positively to the stock market, which helped the Shanghai stock keep 2200 index points. B 43

CHINA DAILY General News Highlights

1. 9 die as Turkish jet crash-lands.

A Turkish Airlines plane crashed while attempting to land at Amsterdam's Schiphol airport yesterday. The plane broke into three parts when it hit the ground 3 km away from the runway, killing nine and injuring more than 50.

2. Food safety body set to take shape.

Commission set to strengthen supervision and law enforcement.

3. 3 set themselves on fire in Wangfujing.

3 people-2 men and a woman- are suspected of "setting themselves on fire" in a car in Beijing's busiest shopping district yesterday afternoon.

4. As good times fade, "good guys" are a good catch.

In the go-go- pre-2009 days, gold diggers in China were busy digging golden boys who raked in bundles of cash.

5. Iran conducts nuclear test run.

6. Liu's quit threat.

Olympic gold medalist hurdler Liu Xiang warns he will retire if he suffers another serious injury.

7. Obama: we are not quitters.

US President Barack Obama traded gloom for reality in his first speech to a joint session of Congress, saying that better days were just over the economic horizon. He said Americans were not consigned to withering economic suffering that gripped the country in the 1930s.

8. Stimulus packages for two sectors.

The State Council yesterday announced support plans for the country's nonferrous metals and logistics sectors.

China Daily Highlights

1. Audit hints at graft in some areas. But auditors find no serious misuse of $586b stimulus package funds.

2. Crisis not to weaken fight for a green world. Page 12

3. Quake survivor ballets her way to school. Page 2

Li Yue tied her long balck hair into a ponytail and put on her pink-frame glasses yesterday morning just like she used to before leaving for school till May. 12.

4. Chimp cartoon raises public ire over Obama link.

NEW YORK: A cartoon, interpreted by some as comparing US P resident Barack Obama to a violent chimpanzee gunned down by police, has outraged civil rights leaders and elected officials who say it echoes racist stereotypes of African-Americans as monkeys.

5. Light industry to get a boost. Page 13

6. Films people "want to see". Page 18

A $22-million movie about Kungfu heroes who protected Dr Sun Yat-sen, will spearhead a new China film production company that promises to make films "people want to see".

7. Iraq shoe case. Page 12

An Iraqi reporter who hurled his shoes at George W. Bush told a court yesterday that the former US president's "icy smile" had filled him with "uncontrollable rage"

Business news 19 Feb 09

Business News

1. Foreign banks first elect the daily interest accrual for housing loan rate. B.03

Foreign banks (such as CITI Bank or Charterd) are going to cut down the loan repayment time to 30% off the normal rate.

2. The import volume of oil in Jan has established a new low point in the last 15 months. B.04

3. 696.2 billion RMB of the US debts is in China. B. 04

4. Beijing Telecom introduces the new number range 1890. B. 05

5. Top 3 Life Insurance earn 56.9 billion in Jan. B. 04

Life Insurance companies' revenues increased 13.8% on a yearly basis.

6. Shanghai Stock Market reached a record 109 points down. B. 06

7. The market value of Rio Tinto decreased of 400 billion RMB. B. 03

Capitalize CHINALCO (Aluminum Group of China) would benefit Rio Tinto.

JING HUA TIMES General News Highlights

1. Anniversary treatment.
   

Workers renovate the Golden Water Bridge at Beijing's Tian'anmen Square for the 60^th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

2. Chinese ship sinks in Russian waters, 7 missing.

7 Chinese sailors were missing after Chinese cargo ship sank in Russian waters near Japan on Saturday, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday. Though the ministry did not say why the vessel sank, a Chinese language newspaper reported yesterday that the Russian navy had fired at it.

3. From April this year, Chinese elder citizens can buy insurance for only 960 RMB.

4. China reiterates the sovereignty of HuangYan island.

5. Drivers who modify the taximeter would be punished seriously.
   

6. MengNiu (one of the biggest milk companies in China) claims that the "OMP milk" can be returned by consumers.
   

However, the CEO said that they will not pull back products from the stores for now.

4. The 24^th Winter Universiade (University students' world wide sport event) starts at Harbin (Northeast of China).
   

China aims to improve its golden medal record in this month's Winter Universiade.