IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Italy called on to arrest alarming birthrate drop

ROME - Italy's birthrate - already among the lowest in the world - continues to drop, sparking calls for the government to do more to reverse the trend.

101 cremations: the rise of Bangkok's Buddhist pet funerals

BANGKOK - Buddhist monks chant next to a pink coffin where Dollar's small body is nestled among flowers - a $600 final farewell for the Shih Tzu at a Bangkok temple that administers elaborate pet funerals.

Shipping route sets course for trade boon

TUNIS - The launch of a new shipping route will help Tunisia recover its regional positioning and enhance China's presence in the African continent, experts and investors have said.

Final whistle for elephant polo in Nepal after 35 years

KATHMANDU - The curtain has come down on an elephant polo tournament in Nepal, which had been played every winter in Meghauli, Chitwan, for 35 years.

Flynn admits lying to FBI, offers to cooperate

WASHINGTON - Former US national security adviser Michael Flynn on Friday pleaded guilty to lying regarding improper contacts with foreign officials, as the government said the charges implicated no one else in the White House.

US Senate approves tax overhaul in big victory for Trump

WASHINGTON - The US Senate on Saturday approved a sweeping tax overhaul, moving Republicans and President Donald Trump a major step closer to their goal of slashing taxes for businesses and the rich while offering everyday US citizens a mixed bag of changes.

Volcano eruption in Bali a blow to tourism

BALI, Indonesia - Impacts from escalating volcanic activities of Mount Agung on Bali island have direly affected those earning their living from tourism in Amed, an eastern coastal area well known for its beautiful beaches, surfing and diving spots.

Veteran grills Japan's WWII stance

DENVER, Colorado - With China's national day of mourning for the Nanjing Massacre (also known as the Rape of Nanking), less than two weeks away, John Yee, a Flying Tigers veteran, remembers when they posted pictures of mutilated and decapitated Chinese babies on giant placards in downtown Kunming, Yunnan province.

IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Using professionals for cities' benefits

Some second-tier cities are competing with not only each other, but also first-tier cities to attract talents. The governments of some second-tier cities are offering professionals local hukou (household registration), which is linked to all social welfare benefits, residential accommodation and cash subsidies.

Sway of Chinese language on display

At a recent forum in Hong Kong, Jim Rogers, a Wall Street tycoon, played for the other participants a video of his daughter reciting aloud a classical Chinese poem. This is not the first time Happy Rogers, the elder daughter of the global investor, has exhibited her proficiency in the Chinese language.