Life Is Beautiful to hit Chinese theaters

Oscar-winning Italian comedy-drama Life Is Beautiful is set to hit Chinese theaters on Jan 3. Directed by and starring Roberto Benigni, who also co-wrote the story, the film revolves around a Jewish Italian bookshop owner who employs his fertile imagination to shield his son from the horrors of internment in a Nazi concentration camp. The film won numerous awards, including the 1999 Oscar for best actor, best foreign-language film and best original score.

Researchers link weight gain to car ownership

Researchers from the University of California, Renmin University of China and the Beijing Transport Institute found substantial evidence that vehicle ownership in Beijing appears to lead to weight gain and a long-term decline in physical activity. Using sampling data from the Beijing Transportation Research Center, the team analyzed 937 individuals. Of these, 180 people were awarded vehicle permits and about 91 percent of those winners bought cars. They found that within five years, adults of all ages took approximately three fewer rides on public transit each week, with reductions in daily walking and bicycling of about 24 minutes. Meanwhile, weight gain among lottery winners under 50 years old was insignificant, but in those over 50, it was nearly 10 kilograms.