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[Metro & Sports]

• Beijing's first snowfall this winter, which began on Saturday night and lasted until Sunday afternoon has surprised locals. Temperatures in the city hit a low of -3 C yesterday, the coldest since autumn began.
• Almost half of new expatriates leave China early because they have difficulty adjusting to the lifestyle, according to one consultancy firm.
• The price of luxury flats in Beijing has significantly risen in the third quarter, and analysts say prices will continue to increase.
• The 13th World Lake Conference kicked off Sunday in Wuhan, in central China's Hubei Province.
  The host city has 166 lakes, 272 reservoirs and 165 rivers or streams, which cover more than a quarter of its total land area. It's known as "the city of a hundred lakes".
• Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel made Formula One history by becoming the winner of the sport's first day-night race in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
• Serena Williams claimed her fourth successive win over older sister Venus to triumph in straight sets in the final of the season-ending Sony Ericsson WTA Championship in Doha on Sunday.

[China's Champion]  Qian Xuesen

Famous Chinese scientist Qian Xuesen, dubbed the "Father of Chinese Missiles", passed away in Beijing last Saturday, at the age of 98. Qian was one of the pioneers of China's space science. As a world-famous expert on aerospace rockets and aerodynamics, he achieved much in the areas of applied mechanics, engineering cybernetics and system engineering. He also made distinguished contributions to the foundation and development of Chinese aerospace technology. Today, let's commemorate the respected scientist Qian Xuesen.

[Tour Tips] HK Travelers Can Drive through Australia

Starting this November a Hong Kong based travel agency will try to lure tourists to Australia with a new twist - driving through the Outback in their own rental car. What are the advantages of this new way of traveling, and is it more expensive than a traditional tour?

[Cultural Voyage] Second World Sinology Conference Concludes in Beijing

Sinology is the study of Chinese history and culture through Western research methods, academic traditions and cultural perspectives. With the theme of Sinology and cross-cultural communication, the second World Conference on Sinology 2009 concluded in Beijing yesterday.

[Showbiz News]

• Chinese mainland pop singer Chen Lin died after apparently leaping from a building in Beijing on Saturday, according to a report on Sina.com.cn. She was 39.
• Michael Jackson's much-hyped concert movie reigned at the worldwide box office on Sunday, but its performance in North America was hardly a thriller.
• The "Mad Max" franchise has a new big name star - Charlize Theron.
• The cast of the quirky Fox TV show "Glee" will be presented with a Hollywood diversity award in November for their portrayal of a group of teen oddballs with a passion for song and dance.

[Strange News]

• Police in Fujian province have been forced to apologize following outrage over a job advertisement for a food washer that required applicants to have a bachelor's degree and be "good looking".
• A 20-something man, his arms and legs chained, stood at a busy crossing in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province, trying to sell the trademark of his still-unopened restaurant, last Sunday.
• Although many personal aptitudes often reveal themselves at an early age, the ability to cook and write before the age of ten does seem an unlikely revelation; that is, until now.
• No need to curse that bad driver weaving in and out of the lane in front of you -- according to a team of U.S. researchers, they just can't help it.

Time now for our weekly feature, the Music Charts. Starting next week, this segment will have a different focus, as we shift from English songs to Chinese tunes. In other words, this is the last week we focus on the Billboard charts.