Unlicensed helpers lending a hand

Taking care of hospital patients doesn't appear to present much of a challenge to Dai Chang, a 50-year-old father of two and former farmer. For the most part, his work - giving sponge baths, reminding patients to take their medicine and informing the nurses when an intravenous drip needs replacing - doesn't require any professional skills.

Changes in the healthcare industry

Private healthcare is becoming an increasingly popular way for Chinese people to receive medical care. In addition to hiring healthcare workers, more people, mostly in urban areas, are willing to pay for a professional nursing service which provides safe, convenient and professional medical care, but at a higher price.

Inside story

A typical day in the life of an unqualified nursing assistant

Avian flu quiets song in bird market

Few stalls were open on Sunday in Shanghai's Wanshang flower and bird market in the wake of deaths from the H7N9 strain of bird flu. Sunday is usually the busiest day of the week as bird lovers of all ages wander around and listen to the chorus of thousands of birds.

Dalston boys

Designer Chris Liu has made his home in London - living and working in one of the city's trendiest districts - but his creative influences hark back to China, in particular people in an army troupe that his set-designer father was attached to. The young Liu traveled all over the nation during the 1970s with a People's Liberation Army theatrical ensemble. Members were allowed access to imported fashion and lifestyle magazines, which gave the impressionable youngster a glimpse into a colorful new world.

Sister act leads to China magazine

From the outside it looks like a typical Belgian house, but inside the building in Antwerp, lies an Aladdin's Cave of Chinese paintings, calligraphy, books and decorations.

Connecticut passes new gun law

Connecticut lawmakers voted on Thursday to approve a new gun-control bill in response to last December's shooting at a school in Newtown in which 20 children and six adults were killed.

Australia's regulations a template for US

Former Australian prime minister John Howard wore a bulletproof vest under his suit when he addressed an angry crowd of gun owners in 1996, telling them he was going to ban automatic and semi-automatic weapons for the safety of all Australians.

S. Africa to pull troops from CAR

South Africa has decided to pull its troops out of the Central African Republic because the deal under which they were deployed has become void with the fall of the government there, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.

Aid giving by rich nations falls for second year

Development aid from rich countries to some of the world's poorest fell for a second year in a row in 2012, as big European donor countries hit by years of debt crisis cut their spending.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

NZ, China in bid to end tour scams

New Zealand's government tourism agency is working with Chinese authorities to raise awareness of potential souvenir scams aimed at Asian tourists, a senior official said on Wednesday.