Beijing Times, November 21, 2007

The top headline in today's Beijing Times announces that three main roads opened to traffic in Beijing yesterday. They are Zhanxi Road (connecting the West Second and Third Rings), Tongjiu Road (connecting Yizhuan and Nanyuan) and South Landianchang Road (connecting the West Third and Forth Rings). According to the article, these three roads will improve traffic conditions on the west side of town.

The front page picture shows a Beijing zookeeper trying to entice a gorilla to put its arm out so that he can perform an injection. The caption reads: "Physical check-up for King Kong."

Other headlines:

• Low-rent housing will be set up in some communities, including Zhongguancun and Laiguangying, according to an official at the Beijing Land and Resources Bureau;

• The People's Liberation Army has increased allowance levels for low-level officers to 140%-150% of what they were before. The new allowances started in June, but for some reason they're on the front page today;

• During the afternoon rush, trains will run every one and a half minutes on Line 13 of the Beijing Subway;

• There is no plan to increase interest rates this week, Zhou Xiaochun, chief director of the People's Bank of China, said at a Group 20 conference yesterday.