The Beijing News
October 24, 2008

A strong cold wind hit Beijing yesterday, dropping the temperature to 4℃, knocking out power in parts of the city. The wind also blew down a tree, smashing a car, as can be seen on the front page of The Beijing News. The giant cauldron erected on top of the Bird Nest where the Olympic flame burned during the Games was also pulled down it prevent it blowing away.

Today's Beijing Daily Messenger reported that the wind also has dispersed the pollution hovering above Beijing's sky, making yesterday a "first grade day" of superb air quality. The dropping mercury also accelerated the reddening of tree leaves. For tourists who are keen on the Chinese "red leaves appreciation" tradition, Xiangshan Park and Badaling Forest Park are the most ideal, says the newspaper.

Also on the front page of The Beijing News:

• Two Qing dynasty bronze sculptures which were originally from Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace) are going to be auctioned in France. The two sculptures, which have an estimated value of 200 million yuan, are two of a series of twelve animal heads representing twelve lunar months.
• Two former CCTV TV hosts are stepping into politics. The two TV figures, Wang Zhi (王志) and Zhang Zheng (张政), have been appointed as the assistant to chairman of Xingjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and vice mayor of Lijiang, Yunnan Province respectively.


Yesterday's Beijing Times with a photo showing the Olympic cauldron being taken down
• Jiang Renjie (姜人杰), former vice mayor of Suzhou, Jiangsu Province was sentenced to death in his first trial recently. He was found guilty of receiving a total of 108.67 million yuan, 50,000 Hong Kong dollars, and 4,000 US dollars in bribes.
• Li Bin (李斌), director of the National Birth Regulation Committee said yesterday that China's population is going to reach 1.5 billion by 2033. Li also said that the estimated lifespan of the Chinese people is 73, which has already reached the level of "medium developed countries".
• The municipal government of Beijing has dished out a new policy aimed at private sector kindergartens. According to the new policy, the quality of private kindergartens in Beijing will be evaluated, and tuition fees will be based on the evaluation. Private kindergartens, which have enrolled a total 57,945 children in the city, account for 26% of the kindergarten market.