China has set a new record for copyrights, processing more than 2 million new registrations last year, a rise of 22.3 percent compared with 2015, the National Copyright Administration of China said on Monday. Nearly 1.6 million registrations were publ… read more
The changes to rates has once again highlighted the rapid changes on UK High Streets. Large centres with numerous coffee shops, restaurants, boutiques and the main multiples are usually trading successfully. The Metro Centre, Oxford Street, Bicester Village, Meadowhall and the other well established shopping centres are flourishing. People want a good range of shops, good brands, and the capacity to make a half day or a day of it with stops for food and drink. Big new shopping centres like Westfield are still being added, with the redevelopment of Birmingham Bullring and other leading City retail destinations.
In contrast many of the smaller High Streets are suffering from the attack of internet shopping offering keener prices, and destination shopping offering more choice. Many a small butcher, baker, fishmonger and green grocer has given up the struggle to compete with the volumes, prices and freshness of the leading supermarkets. In their turn the large supermarkets are under strong competitive pressure from the discounters, who target a narrower range of popular products so they can use their dominant volume in these items to command great prices from suppliers.
The advent of new or expanded and revamped destination shopping centres, and more space for the main discounters has intensified the bricks and mortar shopping competition. The large food retailers have added to the complexity of their tasks by opening a range of local smaller stores, seeking to tap into the narrow range essentials that many people buy daily or several times a week at a convenience store near their homes.
The changes to rate valuations seek to mirror the changing fortunes, but some think they throw up anomalies. The aim is to reduce or remove business rates from small independents, to cut the tax on those many shopping centres with falling revenues or weaker margins, whilst boosting the tax on the successful destination shopping areas. We will find out how successful this has been in the debate that has been unleashed by the new rating schedules.
read more|
Nanluoguxiang, a popular pedestrian street in central Beijing known for its tradional culture. [Photo/Xinhua] |
Some shops in Nanluoguxiang, a popular pedestrian street in central Beijing known for its traditional culture, reopened to visitors on Saturday after a two-month renovation project.
The total number of shops on the street has been reduced to 154 from 235, while programs for public interest such as a folk cultural center have been set up.
On May Day this year, the whole Nanluoguxiang will open to the public with a new look.
Nanluoguxiang is a narrow alley that is approximately 800m long, running from East Gulou Street in the north to Ping’an Street in the south. Built in the Yuan Dynasty, it is one of Beijing’s oldest streets with a history of over 740 years.
At the beginning of last year, Nanluoguxiang was disqualified as a 3A level scenic spot. Its main street has been closed for construction from October 28. The renovated Nanluoguxiang features blue bricks, gray tiles and wooden doors, and embraces more shops with cultural elements to preserve the street’s cultural charm.
read more|
An undated photo shows traffic on a road in Beijing. [Photo/China.org.cn] |
Beijing will boost green commuting this year to make it account for up to 72 percent of the way citizens travel, with the length of rail transit increasing by over 30 kilometers.
Beijing’s 16 district governments and 22 departments have been instructed to cap the number of motor vehicles at 6 million, and keep the road network traffic index in the central area within a mild range.
Beijing will conduct a trial run of Line S1, Line Xi Jiao and Line Yan Fang in sections, making the length of rail transit in the city surpass 600 kilometers. Another 40 kilometers will be open exclusively to buses. Moreover, the city will roll out and optimize 40 bus lines on the basis of road conditions and public needs.
The city will also designate 600 kilometers for bicycle lanes alongside landscape construction. Main walkways inside the 3rd Ring Road will be equipped with bike rental booths.
Beijing-Qinhuangdao Highway will be built within the year. Once completed, there will be three direct routes connecting the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
Additionally, six districts will choose five regions to relieve parking difficulties by providing more designated areas, setting up mechanical parking facilities among other measures. At the same time, a financial subsidy policy will be set up to manage public parking.
read more|
|
|
Pedestrians in downtown Shanghai are bundled up in heavy clothes Monday. Two cold fronts from the north will drag the temperature down to single digits. [Shanghai Daily] |
The National Meteorological Center (NMC) renewed its blue alert for a cold front on Tuesday, forecasting low temperatures in the country’s northern and western regions.
From Tuesday to Thursday, a cold front will hit northern and western China, bringing strong gales and low temperatures, according to the NMC.
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan provinces will see temperatures drop by up to 12 degrees Celsius, as well as high winds, the NMC said.
Sand and dust will accompany the cold front and sweep parts of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Gansu Province and Inner Mongolia.
China has a four-color warning system for severe weather, with red being the most serious, followed by orange, yellow and blue.
read more