Zhang Jie and Ma Yue plan to be among the crush of love-struck Chinese getting married at the start of the Olympics despite a series of disasters that have cast doubt over the auspicious day.

Friday's opening of the Beijing Games falls on the eighth day of the eighth month of 2008, which is no coincidence as the number eight is traditionally considered lucky in China due to it sounding like the word for wealth.

"Eight is a number that brings good luck in China, and that's why the Chinese often choose the eighth to get married," said Zhang, 24, at a registry office in southwest Beijing as the couple booked their place to tie the knot.But a succession of disasters in China -- extreme bad weather in the south during Chinese New Year, violence in Tibet, and the earthquake in Sichuan -- has made some Chinese doubt the benefits of 2008.Some Chinese netizens have even gone as far as to say the mascots of the Olympic Games are cursed.

Jingjing the panda, for them, represents the devastating 8.0-magnitude earthquake two months ago in Sichuan province, where the majority of the endangered animals live. The earthquake was on May 12, 88 days before the Games.Yingying the Tibetan antelope evokes this year's deadly unrest in Tibet, while Huanhuan is a flame that for many brings back memories of the protests that embarrassed China during the Olympic torch's international journey.

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Tenet Healthcare Corp. reported a narrowed second-quarter loss Tuesday, as the hospital operator benefited from better contract terms with managed-care providers and a third straight quarter of admissions growth.

Shares fell more than 8 percent, or 52 cents, to $5.71 in trading after the earnings report.The Dallas-based hospital operator posted a net loss of $15 million, or 3 cents per share, compared with a loss of $30 million, or 6 cents per share, in the same quarter last year. The 2008 figure includes charges of 3 cents per share for a California residency program and for discontinued operations from hospitals being sold.

Tenet's revenue rose 6 percent to $2.18 billion from $2.05 billion.The company's break-even adjusted earnings edged Wall Street expectations. Thomson Financial said analysts, who typically exclude one-time items, expected a loss of 1 cent per share on revenue of $2.29 billion.

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When Marisa Miller married David Wolfson last year, the couple added a statement to their vows that they both passionately believe in the right of all people to marry regardless of sexual orientation.

With gay friends making up about 20% of the guests and two openly gay religious clergymen officiating, it seemed appropriate to note they felt "somewhat out of step with society's views on marriage."

"I thought it was really, really beautiful and very healing," said the Rev. Nate Walker, who presided with Rabbi Frank Tamburello. "It brought tears to my eyes, thinking that I am legally entitled to marry this wonderful couple but I am not entitled to have the same joy in my own life."

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Napoleon observed that China was a sleeping giant, and the world would tremble when she awoke.I've got news: she's awake, and the only question is whose head she'll see on the pillow when she rolls over.

Setting risqué metaphors aside, there is no question but that Christians outside China are hopeful of continued and growing relationships with Chinese Christians.

This is a delicate endeavour.Even at the height of Mao's regime, Christianity was not discouraged in and of itself. The issue was that of outside influence: Christian traditions operating in China as missionaries were European, and the government of China resists external influence on any aspect of Chinese life from the economic to the religious, the social and, as the world knows to its sorrow, on the vexing question of human rights.

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Marriage or having a partner halved the risk of developing dementia, a new Swedish research study showed.The Swedish study shows the importance of social interaction between couples. Researchers say single middle-aged people are more likely to develop cognitive impairment than their partnered counterparts.

Swedish researchers examined 1,449 Finnish people who were asked about their relationship status in mid-life and then again in 1998, an average of 21 years later. 139 of them had some sort of cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s had been diagnosed in 48 of these.

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 BUSINESSWOMAN poisoned her husband THREE times in four months in the hope that drugging him would make him confess to an affair.
Linda Lees, 45,  who had a lover  laced Navy officer Paul’s dinners with sedatives as they met to discuss their marriage break-up.

After drugging him at home didn’t work, Lees intercepted a meal at a restaurant and added tranquilliser.

The blonde car rental firm boss then sneaked drugs into his Chinese takeaway a month later. Lees, of Helston, Cornwall was rumbled after HER lover, a Navy pal of her husband’s, went to cops. Lees admitted three counts of “administering poison or a noxious substance” to her husband of 23 years.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie have been through the rumour mill more than their fair share this month, but to prove to the world their devotion to each other the couple will pledge their commitment in a special Kabbalah ceremony next month.

In a bid to quash speculation over the state of their marriage the pair plan to hold the 'Shabbat Nachamu' event over the weekend of Madonna's 50th birthday. Shabbat Nachamu is a night of consolation according to Jewish custom.

Madonna and Guy's vows will be witnessed by family and friends at their Ashcome estate in Wiltshire and two rabbi friends are also flying in from New York for the ceremony.

One insider revealed: 'They have a special Shabbat party in August, which they want to do once a year to declare their feelings for each other.'It's a very important dinner for them – they want everyone to know they are still in love.'

Meanwhile Ritchie has spoken out about the recent gossip surrounding his marriage. Speaking to People, Ritchie revealed with a smile all was well 'as far as I'm aware of'.

Ashton Kutcher says Kabbalah has strengthened his relationship with Demi Moore.

The actor credits the religion with giving him the ability to deal with conflict. 'It is one of the essential ingredients in the success of our marriage,' he says. 'Every time that we come against a challenge, we turn to the tools we have learned and a solution follows.'

But he admits he's not good at making time for his relationship.'I'm working diligently to get better,' he tells Harper's Bazaar.

'I have a rule for myself when I am not on location shooting: that I am home for dinner by 6pm every night.'Ashton, 30, and Demi, 45, married in a Kabbalah ceremony in 2005.

Mariah Carey has spoken out to quash ongoing rumors of trouble in her marriage to Nick Cannon, declaring, "life is beautiful."

The couple wed in the Bahamas in April after a whirlwind romance, but rumors of a rocky relationship began to surface earlier this month.Rapper/actor Cannon has already dismissed the claims, declaring that marriage is "the best thing that ever happened to me."

And now the "Hero" hitmaker has moved to put an end to the gossip, urging doubters to join the couple and "celebrate" their nuptials.She tells MTV.com, "(When I hear that) things are rocky and hazy and messed up. ... I'm like, 'Why would we have gotten married to do that?'

"People are going to say what they say, but what would be the purpose? I guess other people do those things for a purpose, but I don't know. I'm ecstatic, so be ecstatic with me! Be happy with me. Can we celebrate?"

A new health service is being launched called Medpedia, which will allow for up to date health information to be readily available for everybody to access.

The new world’s largest collaborative online encyclopedia of medicine will be the health version of Wikipedia, and will be edited by medical schools, doctors, and many other types of health experts.The site will be free for the public to use and should be ready for launch by the end of 2008.

It will be home to articles dealing in health matters, written in non medical terms making it easy for non medical people to easily understand.Each page will also be home to a technical area for medical professionals.Although the official launch of the site is not expected till the end of this year, a preview site has been set up at www.medpedia.com.Not anybody can provide content to the site, and to be approved to submit content, there is a vigorous screening process that medical professionals must go through.