Zhang Ping, Chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner, hailed the achievements in China's power industry now that its installed power generation capacity exceeds 900 million KW after a Phase II reactor with the Ling'ao Nuclear Power Plant began operations in Guangdong Province late September. Prior to topping 900 million KW, China had lifted its power generating capacity to 500 million KW in 2005.

Chen Guangbiao, Chairman of Jiangsu Huangpu Renewable Resources Utilization, made an extraordinary commitment on September 5. In an open letter to Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, he promised to donate his entire fortune to charity when he dies. That fortune is currently worth about 5 billion yuan ($735 million).

 U.S. first lady Michelle Obama ranked as the world's most powerful woman in Forbes magazine's annual listing. Kraft Foods Chief Executive Irene Rosenfeld came in second, followed by talk show host and media mogul Oprah Winfrey. Forbes said Obama topped the list this year because "she has made the office of first lady her own" while remaining popular. Last year, Obama ranked No.40. This year, Forbes changed the way it ranks women, basing the list less on wealth and power and more on creative influence and entrepreneurship.