Marathon running is gaining rising popularity in China these days. Eight marathons were held in January in the country. However, runners’ awareness of injury prevention lags behind.

A recent survey conducted among around 10,000 runners by iranshao.com, a website focused on running, shows that over one third of runners have had knee injuries, about one fifth have had foot or waist injuries, about one seventh have had ankle injuries or suffered from plantar fasciitis, and only 15.7 percent haven’t had any injuries, which means six of seven runners have had injuries related to running.

In 2016, China held 328 marathons, attracting about 2.8 million participants, a massive 85 percent increase over 2015.

A commission will be established to deliberate important policies on cyber security and organize reviews, according to a document released by the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) on Tuesday.

The document, on the security of Internet products and services, has just been released for public opinion. The CAC will establish the commission with other authorities.

The document proposed that Internet products and services related to national security and the public interests should undergo a security review.

According to the CAC, reviews will focus on whether the products or services are secure and sufficiently managed, and on assessing risks of illegal control, disruption or interruption.

The reviews will also evaluate risks of providers using their products or services to illegally gather, store, process or make use of user information.

In addition, unfair competition, monopolization or any other functions that may damage users’ interests will be reviewed, according to the CAC.

Any service or product that fails the review will be blacklisted, making them off limits to all Communist Party of China (CPC) organs, government departments, and key industries.

HIGHLIGHTING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

The review is neither a legal practice nor an administrative one, said an official with the CAC, but is merely supervision of important Internet products and services.

The review will not hinder foreign products from entering the Chinese market, but will only to boost confidence in such products and services, the official said. Authorities will treat Internet products and services from home and abroad equally.

Zuo Xiaodong, vice president of the China Information Security Research Institute, a government think tank, said the regulation means that while products and services that fail the review will be blacklisted, it does not mean that all Internet products and services purchased by CPC organs, government departments and key industries will be reviewed.

LAW-BASED INTERNET REGULATION

China has introduced a number of Internet laws and regulations and is home to about 700 million Internet users, the world’s largest online population.

In December, the CAC released a cyberspace security strategy, guaranteeing cyberspace sovereignty and national security, protecting information infrastructure and promising action against cyber terror and crime.

In November, a cyber security law stipulated that the government would take measures to “monitor, defend and handle cyber security risks and threats originating from within the country or overseas sources, protecting key information infrastructure from attack,intrusion, disturbance and damage.”

In July 2015, China’s top legislature adopted a new national security law highlighting cyber security and demanding the establishment of a coordinated, efficient crisis management system.

The law covers a wide spectrum of areas including defense, finance, science and technology, culture and religion.

Teresa
Pearce, Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, commenting on the news that Surrey
County Council is not going to hold a referendum on 15 percent council tax
rise, said:

“The
Government should not be trying to deal with the national social care crisis
through backroom deals with sympathetic Tory council leaders in an attempt to
avoid negative publicity.

“Across
the country, people are facing steep rises in their council tax bills, whilst
the provision and quality of social care is declining. Council tax rises
are nothing more than a short-term sticking plaster for a problem that
needs long-term solutions. And they create a postcode lottery in social care,
because they raise the least money in areas with the greatest
need. 

“There is
an unprecedented crisis in social care, with care providers handing contracts
back to councils, 1.2 million elderly people living without the care they need
and delayed discharges causing huge pressure on the NHS. The Government must
come forward with a long-term strategic rethink of social care funding, as
well as urgent funding to stem the crisis which is hurting elderly and
disabled people right now.”

Ends

Commenting
on the Government’s concession regarding a meaningful vote in Parliament on a
final deal to leave the EU, Keir Starmer, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State
for Exiting the European Union said:

“This is
a significant victory for Parliament, and follows months of concerted pressure
from Labour.

“Labour
has repeatedly said that Parliament must have a meaningful vote on any final
Brexit deal – that means MPs are able to vote on the final deal before it is
concluded; that the Commons has a debate and vote before the European
Parliament does; and that the vote will cover withdrawal from the EU as well as
our future relationship with the EU.

“This
eleventh hour concession is therefore welcome, but it needs to be firmed up as
the Bill progresses through both Houses.”

7 February 2017

As MEPs prepare to vote on whether or not to ratify a controversial trade deal next week, Molly Scott Cato, Green MEP for the South West, has warned the UK could find itself in the ‘worst of all possible worlds’ if the UK sign up to the deal.

The Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA) [1] between Canada and the EU has always been opposed by Greens as it seeks to give more power to corporations while putting public services and workers’ and consumer rights at risk and threaten environmental regulations.

But now Dr Scott Cato says that a new House of Commons briefing [2] confirms that when the UK leaves the EU, it could be forced to renegotiate its trade agreements with Canada yet still be bound by the treaty for 20 years. She said:

“One of the key reasons Greens have opposed CETA is because of the power this treaty gives to corporations to sue governments over legislation that threatens their profits. If CETA is ratified before the UK exits the EU, we will need to renegotiate our trade agreements with Canada but still be bound by the investor protection provision aspect of this treaty for 20 years. This would mean foreign investors would still have the right to sue the UK government if they feel their businesses have been impacted by new laws or regulations.

“Signing up to CETA is the worst of all possible worlds for the UK. It will take us back to square one on trade negotiations with Canada but trap us in a most toxic element of this treaty. With Brexit looming it is even more critical that all British MEPs vote this dodgy deal down next week in the European Parliament.”

[1] http://ttip2017.eu/blog/id-12-reasons-the-greenefa-group-are-opposed-to-ceta.html

[2] http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-7492

Tweet

Back to main news page

Let’s block ads! (Why?)