Swiss teen wins 2009 Elite modeling contest

Seventeen-year-old Swiss model Julia Saner became the newest titleholder of the World Elite Model Look in finals last Sunday in Sanya, Hainan Province.

Philanthropy or tax evasion?

What do you think of tycoons giving their wealth to charity? This is common in the West and is a subject of admiration; in China, however, many people still doubt the motives of individuals with an open hand.

Will our Nasdaq make another Google?

Google owes much of its existence to the Nasdaq. By making venture capital available for enterprises in their early stage, the New York-based stock exchange, known as the pioneer of the growth enterprise market (GEM), has fostered giants like Intel, Apple and Google.

Beggars record label steps into China

Belle & Sebastian, Basement Jaxx, Beck, Cat Power, Jarvis Cocker, Mogwai, Radiohead, Scott Walker, Sigur Ros, Sonic Youth and The Strokes.

Got that sinking feeling? – Rising seas threaten

Sea levels that are rising twice as fast as expected mean Shanghai could soon become “Xiahai” if a solution is not found.

Mapping out the noise

Since last July, Shenzhen and Beijing have been publishing city noise maps. Although they only include a limited slice of each city, they represent a bold new step to combat what could become an ear-splitting problem.

Rare balloon accident rings tourism alarms

Hot air ballooning was always considered a safe leisure sport, but the October 14 crash of a balloon in a southern resort town has some questioning the safety of floating.

‘AIDS prostitute’ a victim of ex’s revenge

Yan Deli, the 30-year-old woman made famous for announcing she was an HIV-positive prostitute and posting the phone numbers of her “clients,” is now known to havbeen the victim of vengeful defamation.

Private planes still grounded

A red four-seater aircraft on show in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, draws crowds of people eager to pose for a photo. The Cirrus SR22 GTS, owned by a businessman in Shaanxi, is the first private plane in the northwest.

Security guards told no more beatings at behest of boss

The government seems ready to regulate the security guard market with new recruitment, training and behavioral regulations set to take effect beginning 2010, according to the new Safeguard Service Regulation Rules signed by Premier Wen Jiabao earlier this month.