This photo was taken this morning on Yongfu Lu near Fuxing Lu. Nothing screams "Better City, Better Life" like walking on some blacktop. A local business owner said this ugly, quick-fix approach to city planning could be a sign that Shanghai is really feeling the crunch as it tries to get its myriad "beautification" projects completed before the May 1 start of the 2010 World Expo. On the plus side, asphalt sidewalks will probably last a bit longer than the already-cracking-and-coming-unstuck brick ones laid out not too long ago in other parts of the French Concession. But we're definitely not looking forward to strolling on — or getting stuck to — these human driveways when they help make Shanghai's already muggy summers even muggier. more ›

As we take a look back at the last year of our reporting, Shanghaiist brings to you a list of the most important news events of 2009. Whether they be political, cultural, or social, these were the things that happened that changed our lives and perceptions of the world around us, for the better or worse. Without further ado, here's the top five news events from around Shanghai more ›

A flurry of recent activity regarding the US Pavilion at next year's Expo has resulted in US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton confirming the United States' participation in the Expo after the USA Pavilion organizers announced PepsiCo signing on in a US$5 million deal. more ›

• Danny Boyle, talking at the Shanghai International Film Festival, has taken a stance against censorship in thsi country. [Guardian.co.uk]
• Want to hear more about what Danny Boyle has to say? Check out That's Shanghai's interview with him. He reveals that Ewan McGregor will be here today, which is all we wanted to know anyway. [Urbanatomy]
• Speaking of, Peter Chan has unveiled his huge 44 million RMB set - a recreation of 1905 downtown Hong Kong - in Shanghai for his upcoming film, Bodyguards and Assasins, as part of the SIFF. [Straits Times]

For a bustling Chinese city, Shanghai has a pretty pitiful night market in the form of Wujianglu (especially when compared to Hong Kong and Taiwan). Now, the Shanghai government is thinking of overhauling the market right before the World Expo. more ›

The Shanghai 2010 Expo is looking for volunteers of all shapes, sizes, and nationalities, and if you're a soon-to-be college graduate, you're probably still looking for a job. more ›

For just 100 rmb per day, foreign visitors can experience the life of an average Shanghainese citizen during the 2010 Expo. more ›