China plans to build an integrated national big data center as the country seeks to tap the value of massive data resources in a more efficient and safer way, an official said on Wednesday. The center aims to promote better sharing of public data for … read more
We welcome the decision of President Ivanov to give the mandate to form a government to Mr. Zaev as an important step in the process of government formation. We hope that this constructive spirit will continue to prevail so that … read more
John McDonnell, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, commenting on today’s ONS labour market statistics, said:
“These figures bring home the Tories’ total failure to improve the living standards of working families.
“Real wages are lower than they were in 2010 and, after seven years of the Tories, they are now falling again.
“The choice at this election couldn’t be clearer: either a Tory party presiding over a crisis in living standards or a Labour government that will build a Britain for the many, not the few.”
read more17 May 2017
Nicola Sturgeon must end her silence over allegations of financial impropriety involving a senior SNP candidate – and spell out what she knew of the growing scandal.
The Scottish Conservatives are calling on the First Minister to come clean today after it emerged that the party’s candidate for Ochil and South Perthshire, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, is facing an official probe by the Law Society of Scotland.
It has been reported that the SNP knew about the probe by the Law Society before it was revealed in the press last week.
It also emerged that the SNP ignored a request for information on the allegations last week , and only replied once the deadline for nomination papers for candidates had passed.
By that point, Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh had been confirmed as the SNP candidate for Ochil and South Perthshire.
Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said:
“This whole episode stinks.
“It’s quite clear that the SNP should withdraw all support from Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh in this election.
“However, there are now growing questions over the way Nicola Sturgeon handled this matter.
“Was the First Minister told about the investigation facing Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh? If so, why did she allow her to carry on as a candidate?
“And why did the SNP try to hide the facts of this matter last week when there was still time to replace Mrs Ahmed-Sheikh with another candidate?
“Everything here points to an official SNP cover-up going straight to Nicola Sturgeon’s door. She thought she could brush this affair under the carpet.
“The SNP must now come clean. A failure to do so will demonstrate once again that they are trying to take the voters of Scotland for a ride.”
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Beijing witnessed a 22.1-percent year-on-year drop in PM2.5 density, an indicator of air pollution, in April. [Photo by Chen Boyuan/China.org.cn] |
Beijing witnessed a 22.1-percent year-on-year drop in PM2.5 density, an indicator of air pollution, in April, the capital city’s environment authority said Wednesday.
The average density of PM2.5, airborne particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter, was 53 micrograms per cubic meters in April, the lowest level during the same period over the past five years, according to the Beijing Municipal Environment Protection Bureau.
Beijing recorded 22 days with good air quality in April.
The bureau attributed the improvement to air pollution control measures and favorable weather conditions.
In April, the bureau issued fines totalling more than 10 million yuan (1.45 million U.S. dollars) on air pollution violations such as open fires, outdoor barbecues and construction dust.
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