• Dozens of cat lovers gathered Thursday in front of Guangdong's provincial office in Beijing, calling on the local government to protect cats from being killed, the Beijing Evening News reports.
• CITY police have arrested a young woman who shot a 12-minute sex video of herself and offered online downloads, which attracted thousands of clicks everyday.
• THE Chinese 25th Antarctic expedition team left Zhongshan Station yesterday for the highest icecap of the South Pole to set up the country's first inland Antarctic research station.
• 22-year-old Zheng Guangming and 26-year-old He Chenxi have been dating for over two years. They never expected the May 12 earthquake would change their lives so much, and cement their plans to stay together for the rest of their lives.

• Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said Friday the central government will "take measures" to ensure Hong Kong and Macao's financial stability and economic development amid the global financial crisis.
• The Bush administration is seriously considering "orderly" bankruptcy as a way of dealing with the desperately ailing U.S. auto industry.
• A senior analyst with the Ministry of Commerce says a consumer credit system can help Chinese enterprises better weather adverse effects of the global financial crisis and flagging external demands.

• Singer-songwriter Lee-hom Wang was interviewed recently by CNN about his upcoming conductorial debut of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPO), sina.com reported.
• The scandal of Hong Kong writer Joe Nieh's disloyalty to his actress girlfriend Vivian Chow has taken a dramatic turn.
• It's Will Smith vs. Jim Carrey in a boxoffice smackdown this weekend, while a misfit mouse tries to avoid getting squished in the clash of A-listers.

China lowers fuel prices

The country's top economic planner announced the retail price of gasoline will be cut by 0.91 yuan per litre, and diesel by 1.08 yuan, as of midnight December 19th.