Long live the taste of spicy crayfish thanks to urbanization wave

At the height of summer, no food seems to be hotter than crayfish. The crustaceans, also known as "little lobsters" in China, and crawfish, crawdads, mugbugs or freshwater lobsters in other parts of the world, have a nickname in Chinese, ma xiao (spicy little lobsters) as they are often served in hot and spicy chili sauce.

Seizure of Mosul far from final triumph over terrorism

On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory in the fight to reclaim Mosul from the Islamic State, after a nearly nine-month battle to retake the city, which was captured by the terrorist group three years ago.

Prudent approach to the new

Public opinion is split over the booming development of the short-time bike-hiring model, with some hailing it as a manifestation of the sharing economy and signaling a new direction for China's economy, while others have complained of the chaos caused by bikes left willy-nilly wherever the user feels like leaving them.

Move aims to break banks' reliance on collecting fees

FROM AUG 1, banks will no longer be able to collect handling fees, and report-of-loss fees and cost-of-production fees for promissory notes and bills of exchange. Also the handling charge for counter transactions in different branches of the bank that holds a customer's account will be abolished and banks will have to exempt customers from account management fees and an annual account fee if they have only one account with the bank. Beijing News comments:

Cities' subsidized talent contest

THE GOVERNMENTS OF SECOND-AND THIRD-TIER CITIES are stepping up their efforts to attract new college graduates. Southern Metropolis Daily commented on Tuesday:

Elderly as noisy square dancers is a stereotype

ON SUNDAY, the Xiaoyuan branch of Guangzhou University for the Elderly launched an online enrollment system for senior citizens. The number of applicants reached the limit of 5,000 within one hour. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

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Stronger navy needed to protect interests

The CNS Liaoning, which docked in Hong Kong on Friday marking the 20th anniversary of the People's Liberation Army Garrison in the special administrative region, was open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, which not only allowed Hong Kong residents to get a first glimpse of the aircraft carrier but also helped instill in them a deeper sense of patriotism.

Try new methods to reduce impact of floods

Editor's note: Floods have caused havoc in South and Central China, especially Hunan province. In Hunan's Ningxiang county alone, 44 people have been declared dead or missing since heavy rains began pummeling the county on June 22. Three experts share their views on the floods with China Daily's Zhang Zhouxiang. Excerpts follow:

Australian media shoot from the hip

Early this month an investigation by Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Fairfax Media into political donations in the country, not surprisingly, sparked speculations that donations by Chinese nationals are interfering in Australian politics.

Making sense of mindfulness

At a recent reception, we encountered a "mindfulness guru". Yes, that is the job title on his business card-one bearing the logo of a huge multinational software company. His job is to teach the company's stressed-out employees the "art of mindfulness", which has been described as "awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally" and "knowing what is on your mind".

Heritage sites at risk from over exploitation

With the inclusion of Gulangyu Island, called Kulangsu in the local dialect and known for its well-preserved historical buildings, and Hol Xil, a plateau famous for its natural beauty and biodiversity, China now has 52 sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, which was established to safeguard unique and irreplaceable cultural and natural sites around the world.