ICIF ends

    The trading volume of the 7th China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industries Fair (ICIF) reached a record 124.549 billion yuan (US$19 billion) by noon on Monday, more than 14 percent over last year, a press conference was told.

    Deals involving cultural product exports exceeded 12.4 billion yuan, accounting for over 9 percent of the total, Vice Mayor Wu Yihuan said. The ICIF attracted more than 12,000 overseas procurers, over 2,000 more than last year.

    Museum apologizes

    One week after the theft of some highly valuable art, and following accusations it was running a luxurious club for the rich, the Palace Museum in Beijing apologized on its microblog on Monday for using a wrong word in a thank-you banner presented to police.

    In the banner, the museum had thanked the police for “shaking” the homeland’s prosperity* rather than “safeguarding” it.

    Torch relay

    A total of 100 torchbearers continued the Universiade torch relay* through Guangzhou University Town on Sunday, the third leg of the Universiade torch relay.

    There were more torchbearers than in each of the two previous relays at Beijing and Shenzhen universities, more than half of whom were college students from around the country.

    Each torchbearer ran 80 meters passing the main buildings of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangdong University of Chinese Medicine and Sun Yat-sen University.

    Liu Xiang wins

    China’s star hurdler* Liu Xiang claimed the 110-meter title in the Shanghai Diamond League on Sunday.

    The 27-year-old clocked 13.07 seconds, 0.11 seconds ahead of David Oliver of the United States.

    Aries Merritt, also from the United States, pocketed the bronze in 13.24.

    (SD-Agencies)