Actress Gong Li and husband divorce

China's most famous actress, Gong Li, has divorced her Singaporean husband after 14 years of marriage, with speculation that she may return to China. 

Gong, 44, renounced her Chinese citizenship and became a Singaporean in 2008 causing widespread dismay in China.

The actress was married in 1996 to Singaporean Ooi Hoe Seong, the former chief executive in Asia of British American Tobacco. The couple are rarely seen in public and it is not known whether they have any children.

A Chinese newspaper, the Soutern Metropolis Entertainment Weekly, has reportedly confirmed through her agent, Zeng Jingchao, that the couple have now divorced.

According to some media reports, there have been speculation that the Chinese actress may have become romantically attached to American actor John Cusack who co-starred with her in a recent film.

Gong Li shot to fame in a series of films directed by Zhang Yimou in the 1990s, including "Red Sorghum", "Raise the Red Lantern" and the Hollywood film "Memoirs of a Geisha".

She was heavily criticised, however, for ending Zhang's marriage with a subsequent affair. - MM

    

China Shows Off Its Rising Might

Al Jazeera's Melissa Chan reports from Beijing, China's capital.

It was a grand show reminiscent of the Beijing Olympics. China celebrated its 60 years of rising economic and military power in Beijing with a grand display on Wednesday.

Goose-stepping troops, colourful floats and nuclear-capable missiles showcased the celebration in Tiananmen Square, marking 60 years after Mao Zedong proclaimed the country's embrace of communism.

The People's Republic of China was proclaimed on October 1, 1949.

The Communist Party leadership, led by President Hu Jintao, and guests watched the meticulously disciplined show of national confidence and pride.

"Today a socialist China embracing modernisation, embracing the world and embracing the future stands lofty and firm," President Hu told guests and troops at the ceremony.

2008 Olympics: A Spectacular Show in Beijing, China

China kicked off the 2008 Olympic Games with a spectacular show in the Bird's Nest stadium in Beijing on Friday - considered an auspicious day for the Chinese because of the date 08-08-08.

Athletes from more than 200 countries took part in the opening ceremony. Chinese basketball superstar, 7ft 6in Yao Ming carried the Chinese flag leading the national contingent which is the biggest among the competing nations.

China's 1984 Olympic gold medallist, gymnast Li Ning, had the honour of igniting the Olympic cauldron to close the dazzling ceremony in spectacular fashion by completing a lap of the arena, suspended in mid-air.



> Beijing's big moment

Miss World Crown: China Wins

China's Netizens May Overtake US

China's internet users are increasing by leaps and bounds. According to its state-controlled think-tank, China "could soon overtake the US to have the world's largest number of internet users."

China had 137m internet users by the end of 2006, an increase of 23% from the year before, the China Internet Network Information Center told state media.

This figure means that more than 10% of the population is now online. China will only surpass this number if it keeps up a 24% annual growth rate in the next two years.

The Chinese government encourages people to go online for education or business purposes. The rapid rise in internet use has boosted the country's online commerce, advertising and games industries.

About 210 million of America's 300 million people now use the internet, according to US government figures.

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Little Fatty, China's Unlikely Cult Hero

What would it take to become a cult figure? Some people work hard at it to seek publicity. But for 19-year-old Qian Zhijun, it was kind of accidental. Qian has become a sensation in China with his pudgy face appearing everywhere online.

The overweight teenager from Shanghai, who works as a gas station intern, has become famously known as "Xiao Pang" or "Little Fatty." The China Daily newspaper described Qian as "the face that launched 1,000 clicks."

Not that Qian liked it when he first discovered that some Adobe Photoshop smarts had posted his porky features on the Internet in 2003 by superimposing his image onto movie stars and politicians. He was really upset and felt hurt.

Qian's superstar status shot up as his large head started appearing on the shoulders of famous names like Jackie Chan, Russell Crowe, Jim Carey, or even Mona Lisa! Witty webizens are having a field day using Photoshop's image editing ability to manipulate his image.

You can see Qian's face superimposed as the Roman general Maximus in Russell Crowe's Gladiator. a Brokeback Mountain gay cowboy and a roly-poly Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean.

One of my favourites is the hilarious image of Qian sitting next to President George W. Bush, holding up his two fingers behind his head.

"Xiao Pang" has a website promoting him at www.xiaopang.cn. He's now being managed by web designer Gao Feng who was himself once overweight.

P.S. The news about "Little Fatty" has been circulating online for sometime now and I couldn't resist not posting it here for those who may have missed out.

For more on "Little Fatty"...

> Little Fatty's spoofs gallery

> How Little Fatty made it big

> "Xiao Pang" tells of growing pains