China stresses safety during Tomb-Sweeping Day

The Ministry of Civil Affairs Friday stressed security to ensure safety on Tomb-Sweeping Day which falls on April 5 this year.

Hundreds of red lanterns raised in Chicago China town celebrating Chinese New Year

On top of all Chinese New Year celebrations lasting for weeks in Chicago, hundreds of red lanterns raised in Chinatown in south suburbs of Chicago are especially eye-catching.

Beijing police beef up security, fire prevention for Spring Festival

Beijing's public security bureau has reinforced security and fire safety during the week-long Spring Festival starting Thursday.

Nouvel An : Tradition respectée avec le plongeon du Nouvel an dans le Tibre à Rome

 La tradition a une nouvelle fois été respectée lundi, en ce premier jour de 2018, avec le plongeon du Nouvel an dans les eaux froides du Tibre, le fleuve qui traverse Rome.

Face au risque de sècheresse, le Maroc prie pour la pluie

"Nous implorons la miséricorde de Dieu", murmure Hassan: en longue tunique blanche, comme ses camarades, cet élève d'une école coranique participe avec ferveur à la prière de la pluie pour conjurer la sècheresse au Maroc.

285 killed, 1,073 injured during Myanmar's water festival

A total of 285 people were killed and 1,073 others injured nationwide during a four-day water festival, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday.

Indian spiritual festival caused damage to sacred river that could take 10 years to repair

India’s environmental watchdog has concluded that a spiritual festival held in the country last March caused more than $6 million worth of damage to the Yamuna River that could take a decade to fix.

Death toll in boat tragedy in eastern India rises to 23

The death toll in Saturday's boat tragedy in the eastern Indian state of Bihar has risen to 23, with more bodies being fished out of the Ganga river.

Cuban fishing competition to be attended by record US boats

The United States, with 90 vessels, will have the largest representation at the 66th Hemingway International Billfishing Tournament on June 13-18 in Cuba, organizers confirmed on Sunday.

Warm Winter Forces Alaska Officials to Import Snow for Race

For the first time in history, organizers of Alaska's famed Iditarod sled dog race are having to ship in snow for the race's ceremonial start.

New Zealand leads 33-nation protest against Japanese whaling plan

The New Zealand government has led a joint diplomatic protest over Japan's decision to resume whaling in the Southern Ocean, Prime Minister and Acting Foreign Minister John Key said Monday.

Australia Launches New Protest Against Japanese Whale Hunt

Australia is threatening to take legal action against Japan over its resumption of its controversial whale hunt in the Antarctic Ocean.

Japan whaling fleet will sail to Antarctic Ocean Tuesday

Japan said it will dispatch a whaling fleet to the Antarctic Tuesday after a one-year suspension, defying international criticism and a UN legal ruling that the "research" expedition is a commercial hunt in disguise.

Thousands to gather at Stonehenge for Summer Solstice

Up to 40,000 people are expected to take part in an annual pilgrimage to Britain's most pre-historic site, Stonehenge.

Chinese New Year celebrated with fireworks over New York's Hudson River

A dazzling fireworks show, marking the first major global celebrations of the Chinese Lunar New Year, took place here Tuesday evening over the Hudson River.

The 20-minute fireworks display was the first large-scale fireworks display ever in the United States, to commemorate the Chinese Lunar New Year, which officially falls on Feb. 19 and is said to be celebrated by approximately one out of every six people in the world.

China to ban use of Tibetan sky burial for tourism. (Some travel agents have shown disrespect to the tradition)

China has set out to make a new law to regulate the traditional Tibetan practice of sky burial, which involves feeding bodies of the dead to birds. Official sources in Tibet have indicated that the use of sky burial sites as tourist attraction may be banned.

China approves new railway in Tibet

China has approved construction of a railway linking Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region to Nyingchi in its east, local authorities said Friday.

According to the plan approved by the National Development and Reform Commission, the Lhasa to Nyingchi section of the Sichuan-Tibet railway runs 402 km from Nyingchi to Xierong, a stop on the Lhasa-Xigaze line.

The 32-km section from Xierong to Lhasa will be electrified.

Simit sellers removed from central Istanbul

Street vendors selling simits, a local savoury pastry enjoyed by all walks of life, have been removed from central spots across Istanbul, with police citing widespread malpractice among unregistered simit sellers.

It is a tradition for many Turks to have simit for breakfast, and street vendors can generally be found at every main street, subway station or any other central point.

However, Tayfun Karaali, the head of the municipal police, said in a statement that the municipality had made such a decision to combat pirate simit sellers.

Tibetans enjoy splashing fun on bathing festival

Photo:www.tibettravel.com

Crowds of Tibetans, young and old, bathed themselves in the Lhasa River on Saturday despite the early autumn chill on the Tibet Plateau.

"The water is chilly, so start with your feet. The sun is blazing and the water will soon feel warm enough," said 60-year-old Droma to Deyki, a quiet young woman who was hesitating whether to get into the water. "Come on, you can't afford to miss the fun of bathing."

The bathing festival, known in Tibetan as "Karma Rigkyi", is a week-long holiday that falls in the seventh or eighth month of the Tibetan calendar.

China to upgrade transport infrastructures in Tibet (will also build more airports in Tibet)

China has vowed to further promote the development of transport infrastructures in Tibet to make travels on "the roof of the world" much easier.

The Ministry of Transport (MOT) said in a guideline that China aims to expand highways in the autonomous region to 110,000 kilometers by 2020.

China plans to complete a primary network of railways by then with 1,300 kilometers of rails in operation. The country will also build more airports in Tibet.