Four kidnapped Chinese oil workers were killed in Sudan on Monday after a rescue attempt.
Three others were rescued and two are still missing.
The nine were kidnapped earlier this month in Southern Kordofan State, which borders Darfur.
China has condemned the killings and is urging the Sudanese government to continue efforts to find the missing workers, punish the kidnappers and take all measures to ensure the safety of Chinese nationals in the country.
US, China lead interest rate cut
Both the United States and China have made further interest rate cuts to try and fight a global economic slowdown.
US regulators announced they will provide up to $600 billion in government guarantees of home mortgages to try prevent foreclosures.
The US Federal Reserve also cut rates by 1/2 a percentage point.
Meanwhile, China cut banks' benchmark lending and deposit rates by 0.27 of a percentage point on Wednesday, the third cut in six weeks, in a attempt to try and prop up consumption and bolster the growth of its economy.
The rate cut saw stocks rebound with the Shanghai Composite ending Thursday 2.5 percent up, and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng climbing 12.8 percent.
Obama assassination plot failed
Two white supremacist skinheads were arrested in Tennessee over plans to go on a killing spree and eventually shoot Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.
Daniel Cowart and Paul Schlesselman were planning to go on a “killing spree”, killing 88 people and beheading 14 African Americans.
Their final act of violence would have been to attempt to assassinate Obama while wearing white tuxedos and top hats and driving towards him and shooting from the window of the car.
In-depth News
Premier Wen visits China’s neighbors
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao concluded his three-day official visit to Russia and left for Kazakhstan to continue his two-nation tour.
At the opening ceremony of the third high-level Sino-Russian economic forum, Wen proposed further developing bilateral cooperation in energy, resources, trade, technology, finance and international economic affairs.
The two sides issued a joint communiqué on Tuesday, and signed a series of cooperation agreements in such fields as economy, science, energy and culture.
In Astana, capital of Kazakhstan, Wen is attending the 7th prime ministers' meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
Sales of eggs drop after melamine reports
Sales of eggs at a Beijing wholesale market fell 10 percent on Tuesday, in the wake of the latest reports of melamine contamination.
The slump has been blamed on recent reports of eggs contaminated with melamine being exported to Hong Kong from a farm in Dalian, Liaoning province.
Officials from Dalian’s quality supervision, inspection and quarantine bureau have conducted tests on the eggs produced by Hanovo Foods, with initial findings suggesting the contamination may have come from the chicken feed.
The discovery of excessive levels of melamine in eggs supplied by mainland companies has also prompted Hong Kong authorities to test meat products.
Search is on after deadly Pakistan earthquake
Rescuers in Pakistan are desperately searching for survivors after a deadly 6.4-magnitude earthquake in the southwestern province of Baluchistan on Wednesday morning.
The earthquake has so far killed over 215 people, with many more injured.
It also triggered landslides that destroyed about 2,000 homes and blocked roads, leaving rescuers struggling to reach some remote mountainous areas where many people are believed to be buried.
Pakistan is no stranger to natural disasters. In October 2005, about 73,000 people were killed when a 7.6-magnitude quake hit the northern mountains and last year, the worst floods on record in Baluchistan, killed hundreds more.
Picture News
Hudson mourns loss of family in shootings
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson’s 7-year-old nephew was found dead in the back of a car, ending a frantic search that began after the shooting deaths of her mother and brother three days earlier.
Police have characterized the slayings as “domestic-related” and authorities have been questioning the boy’s estranged stepfather, who is being held in state custody on a parole violation.
No one has been charged in the murders.
World’s heaviest man gets married
Manuel Uribe, once the world’s fattest man has got a new reason to celebrate.
On Saturday he married Claudia Solis who he met at his friend’s funeral, a friend that died from complications resulting from his obesity.
Uribe, now 300kgs, has lost about 260kg since winning the dubious award, but will have to be careful that a comfortable married life doesn’t reverse that trend.
Cabbage Patch Kids dolls
One can never be too young to get interested in politics.
Parents can get their children involved with a series of Cabbage Patch Kids dolls that resemble the candidates in this year’s US presidential election.
The dolls resemble Democratic nominee Barack Obama and his vice-presidential candidate Joe Biden, and Republican John McCain, and Sarah Palin.
The dolls will be auctioned off for charity on eBay.
（英语点津 Helen 编辑）
Bernice Chan is a foreign expert at China Daily Website. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Bernice has written for newspapers and magazines in Hong Kong and most recently worked as a broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, producing current affairs shows and documentaries.
Dylan Quinnell is a freelance journalist and photographer from New Zealand who has worked in TV, print, film and online. With a strong interest in international affairs, he has worked in Denmark, Indonesia and Australia, covering issues like the EU, indigenous people and deforestation. Dylan is in Beijing on an Asia New Zealand grant working as a copy editor for the English news department.
Bernice Chan is a foreign expert at China Daily Website. Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Bernice has written for newspapers and magazines in Hong Kong and most recently worked as a broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, producing current affairs shows and documentaries.
Dylan Quinnell is a freelance journalist and photographer from New Zealand who has worked in TV, print, film and online. With a strong interest in international affairs, he has worked in Denmark, Indonesia and Australia, covering issues like the EU, indigenous people and deforestation. Dylan is in Beijing on an Asia New Zealand grant working as a copy editor for the English news department.