From the press

Society needs to reevaluate its opinion of volunteering. A recent survey shows that 38 percent of polled volunteers inside the Expo Garden are concerned that many volunteers have the wrong agenda, and only in order to bolster their resumes and improve their job prospects. About 23 percent of those polled also requested greater understanding from visitors, many of who see them as "free labor" and show little or no respect.

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XINHUA.NET

Projects benefit remote villages

BEIJING - Zhang Chunhua, a farmer who has suffered from gastritis for several years, was excited about the newly-established Community Learning Center in his hometown of Heyuan, a small remote village in the highland area of China's Southwest Guizhou province.

Giving bees a chance in organic farm business

BEIjING - When Tang Hong, 27, started running an environmentally friendly bee farm this year in Pingwu county, Sichuan province, it proved so successful that one fifth of her neighboring villagers joined in to form a cooperative.

Lighting the way forward

BEIJING - In eight Chinese cities, a series of activities with the theme "I save, I green" took place, attracting the interest of citizens and helping them to learn more about how to live an environmentally friendly life.

IN BRIEF (Page 20)

Tastes of Texas

John Wayne stares, steel-eyed, over the tops of Jaegermeister bottles. On the sound system, Patsy Cline's "got a feelin' cause I'm blue, oh, Lord, since my daddy said goodbye." Yao Ming towers on a poster at the bottom of the stairs, a "tall order" proudly filled in this very restaurant: Tim's Texas Bar-B-Q.

Blackbirds fly with fruit of the vine

What do blackbirds have in common with wine? Plenty, if one of the most familiar varietals in the world is named after one. The old French word for a baby blackbird, of course, is merlot.

Living in the Land of Smiles

The exciting presentations in the Thailand Pavilion are brilliant enough to entice those thinking about exploring the country to go there and see for themselves.

Info official: Nation needs to extend 'soft power'

Explaining 'true China' can aid international cooperation

Consumer inflation to stay within govt target

TIANJIN - China's consumer inflation will remain within the government target of 3 percent for this year although it registered a 22-month high in August, said Zhang Xiaoqiang, vice-minister of the National Development and Reform Commission, on Tuesday.

Social innovators' contribution hailed

TIANJIN - Three outstanding social innovators that work at the grassroots level were granted Asia's "Social Entrepreneur of the Year" award on Tuesday by the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship at the Summer Davos Forum.