"Beijing Buses to Offer Wi-Fi"

 

　　It's been announced that more than 10,000 buses in Beijing will offer Wi-Fi service by the end of the year.

 

　　More than 1,800 buses in Beijing have wireless internet access so far.

 

　　The service followed a deal signed in April last year between China Mobile and Beijing Bus Transportation Group.

 

　　Passengers with Wi-Fi enabled devices can connect to the Internet through China Mobile's network.

 

　　The service will provide coverage on all routes within the Fourth Ring Road.

 

　　China Mobile now offers 20-hours a month free before June 30.

 

　　Beijing has the broadest Wi-Fi coverage on buses in the country.

 

　　Global Times

 

　　"China Gets Stronger Food, Drug Regulator"

 

　　The China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA) started operation today.

 

　　This marks a more powerful watchdog to address the country's widespread food safety concerns.

 

　　The CFDA integrated the monitoring functions of other government organs and became a ministerial-level agency to improve food and drug safety.

 

　　Prior to the restructuring, the previous State Food and Drug Administration was in charge of food safety in the catering industry.

 

　　The responsibilities of food safety supervision in the manufacturing process were assumed by the country's consumer quality watchdog.

 

　　And, the market was under the charge of the industry and commerce administration.

 

　　Overlapping of supervision from different departments and some "blind spots" proved weak links in the food safety supervision system.

 

　　The new regulator, however, will be responsible for supervising the full process of food's production, circulation and consumption.

 

　　The new regulator will better streamline administrative, technological and information resources. The burden for lawful business operators will also be reduced.

 

　　Australia Network News

 

　　"New Initiative to Fight TB Spread in Asia-Pacific"

 

　　A new multi-national research centre has been set up to stop the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in Australia, and reduce its impact on the Asia-Pacific region.

 

　　The Centre of Research Excellence in TB Control (TB-CRE), has opened at the Centenary Institute in Sydney.

 

　　The 2.5 million US dollars initiative brings together researchers in six countries to improve TB control, with the goal of eliminating the disease in Australia and beyond by 2050.

 

　　The respiratory disease once killed more Australians than cancer.

 

　　Australia now has one of the world's lowest rates of tuberculosis.

 

　　Dr Bernadette Saunders, a chief investigator at TB-CRE said the disease remains highly prevalent throughout Asia and the Pacific.

 

　　TB is a major problem throughout the Asia-Pacific region - in China, in Vietnam, in Papua New Guinea, in Indonesia.

 

　　Dr Saunders says health authorities "need to work together as a region" to ensure people have access to medication and continuous treatment.

 

　　Tuberculosis, which most commonly affects the lungs, is transmitted via the air and caused by strains of mycobacteria.

 

　　The Telegraph

 

　　"Rise in Child Smokers"

 

　　Cancer Research UK has warned the number of child smokers is rising, with more than 200,000 up the habit in a year

 

　　Cancer Research UK said about 210,000 children started to smoke in 2011, a sharp rise from 160,000 in 2010.

 

　　Despite being too young to legally purchase tobacco products, the number of those aged between 11 and 15 choosing to smoke has risen by 50,000 in just one year.

 

　　The figure equates to over 550 children taking up the smoking each day.

 

　　Sarah Woolnough, executive director of policy and information at Cancer Research UK, warned that most long term smokers take up the habit in childhood.

 

　　The charity fund urged the Government to commit to putting all cigarettes in plain standardized packs.

 

　　Last April, the Government launched a consultation on plans to introduce mandatory standardized packaging for tobacco products.

 

　　Health campaigners have welcomed the proposal, but opponents claimed it would lead to increased smuggling and job losses.

 

　　Information generated by the consultation, which closed in August, is still being analyzed by health officials.