Cosmic mat welcomes aliens

ADELAIDE, Australia - It may look like an ordinary door mat, but its creators insist the conceptual art piece could encourage alien life to visit Earth - and help create a new kind of space archaeology.

Dinosaur used colors for protection

WASHINGTON - A small feathered dinosaur whose fossil was discovered in China used its different colors for protection, a study published on Thursday said, helping to dispel stereotypes about the long-extinct creatures.

Blueprint Meets With International Optimism

Foreign leaders, political parties and organizations around the world have sent congratulatory messages to the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. They speak highly of the CPC's leadership as well as China's socioeconomic development and global contributions, and express full confidence that the Party will lead China to even greater prosperity. The following is an edited version of some of these messages.

China will open further in new era to benefit all

In the report he delivered at the opening of the 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, announced that socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era.

Keep local rules up to date

Four labor law experts have suggested the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, China's top legislature, review a clause that appears in the regulations of seven provinces, which stipulates that couples having more children than the family planning law allows must be fired from their jobs as punishment.

Promotion of cultural consumption is a positive effort to enrich lives

THE GOVERNMENT OF CHENGDU, capital of Sichuan province, has published a work plan for 2017-20 in which it says it will subsidize residents for their cultural consumption. If the measure is implemented, local residents will gain points when they purchase books, go to the cinema or theater, and visit museums, exhibitions and sightseeing spots, which will then entitle them to a reimbursement of some of the money they have spent. Legal Daily comments:

Move to end any price-fixing of utilities

THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner, said on Tuesday it will carry out targeted supervision of water, electricity, heating and telecommunication charges across the country starting from Nov 1. Beijing Youth Daily commented on Wednesday:

Cost of greener deliveries has to be borne by all

SEVERAL DOMESTIC express delivery companies have announced their plan of using biodegradable plastic bags for packaging purposes. Data show that in Fujian province alone, they will use more than 10 million green bags and recycle 1 million paper boxes for use as packaging. Legal Daily comments:

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New thought to lead the new march

The 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China approved an amendment to the Party Constitution to include Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era during its closing session on Tuesday. The move affirms the importance of General Secretary Xi Jinping's new theory, ideology and strategy for governing China, and will be the guideline for all future work of the Party.

Opening up wider for further development

Election win doesn't mean Abe can amend Constitution

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a big mandate from voters in a snap election, a result analysts say would embolden him to push for the amendment to Japan's pacifist Constitution for the first time since its implementation after World War II and double down on economic stimulus.