A Chinese consortium（联盟）led by China Railway Corp will participate in bidding for a high-speed railroad linking Singapore and Malaysia in 2018, marking another step in China's ambitious strategy to export its high-speed railway technologies to Southeast Asia.

    The consortium, consisting of eight companies including CRRC, China Railway Construction Corporation Ltd, China Railway Signal and Communication Co and Export-Import Bank of China, covers the design, construction, telecommunication, financing, operating and maintenance（维护）sectors for the high-speed rail network.

    A joint tender（招标）for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore high-speed rail project was issued by the Malaysian and Singaporean government-owned utilities（公用事业）—MyHSR Corp and SG HSR，on Dec 20.According to a joint statement released by the two companies, the potential bidder would be responsible for the design, construction, financing, operating and maintenance of rolling stock and railway systems for the double-track line with a designed speed of 350 kilometers per hour.

    The tender is open to all companies, regardless of their location. A tender briefing will be held in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 23, and proposals need to be submitted by June 29. Submissions will be evaluated based on technical merit（优点）, commercial robustness, financial sustainability and price. The preferred bidder will be selected by the end of next year. The governments of both countries signed a bilateral（双边的）agreement late in 2016 to begin the project. According to the agreement, the high-speed rail link is expected to become operational by Dec 31, 2026, and will cut travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to just 90 minutes.

    “The move indicates that China's State-owned enterprises have stopped cruel competition to hurt each other,” said Du Chunbu, a professor of rail transportation at Beijing Jiaotong University. “Instead, they have started to form a consortium to better compete with companies from Japan, South Korea, Germany and Canada by bringing their specialties into play.”

    When I was about 6, I really wanted a new bike! I told my parents my birthday wish but I knew there was little hope, for my family could hardly afford one.

    On my birthday my parents told me they had my gift outside in the backyard. Immediately I rushed out to the yard. There was my bike, but it wasn't the bike that I thought it would be. This one was pink, old and worn with age. I was so disappointed. I thought I hurt my parents because I could see the disappointment on their faces when they noticed my expression. I got on the old bike and rode it, feeling bad because I had made my parents feel that way. So I put on a smile, rode as fast as I could and didn't look back.

    My parents gave me much more than just a rusty (生锈的) old bike. They gave me a life lesson about love. When you give something out of love, it doesn't matter what it actually is. What matters is the love in it. I like to remember this story because giving a gift is not about money or something else. It's about how much love you can feel from it. Do remember, a gift that costs $2 isn't necessarily any less valuable than one that costs $100 or even more.

Hong Kong Science Museum

    You might really like the Science Museum if you are interested in science. The Museum wants to teach kids science. It gives them a place to have fun with the equipment there. However, adults can learn some science too.

    The Museum has 6,500 square metres. There are over 500 exhibits, and nearly 70 percent of them are suitable for visitors of all ages. Since its opening in April 1991, the Hong Kong Science Museum has proven itself to be a good place for learning science. Through having better exhibits and fun science programs in an enjoyable environment, the Museum wants to popularize science to the public and the support science education in schools. Visitors at the Science Museum can visit the exhibition in their own way and enjoy the fun of discovery learning.

    If you want to have a visit, you'd better read the information carefully.

    Important facts about ELIQUIS® (apixaban)

    This is a summary of important information that you need to know about ELIQUIS. Keep this document in a safe place, so you can refer to it before and during your treatment.

    Look out for the following signs as you read:

Do not stop taking ELIQUIS without talking to the doctor who prescribed (开处方) it to you.

    Talk to your healthcare team before any medical procedures. ELIQUIS may need to be stopped before surgery, or a medical or dental procedure. Your doctor will tell you when you should stop taking ELIQUIS and when you may start taking it again. If you have to stop taking ELIQUIS, your doctor may prescribe another medicine to help prevent a blood clot from forming.

    What is the possible serious side effect of ELIQUIS?

    ELIQUIS can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. This is because ELIQUIS is a blood thinner medicine that reduces blood clotting. While taking ELIQUIS, you may hurt more easily and it may take longer than usual for any bleeding to stop.

    Call your doctor or get medical help right away if you have any symptoms of bleeding when taking ELIQUIS.

    Who should not take ELIQUIS?

    ELIQUIS is not for patients who:

    Have artificial heart valves (瓣膜). Currently have certain types of abnormal bleeding. Have had a serious allergic (过敏的) reaction to ELIQUIS.

    What should I discuss with my healthcare team before starting ELIQUIS?

    Talk to your healthcare team about the following:

    Liver problems any other medical conditions if you have ever had bleeding problems.

    Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant or breastfeed. You and your doctor should decide whether you will take ELIQUIS or breastfeed. You should not do both.

    Tell your healthcare team about all of the medicines you are taking.

    In March 2008, I told my friends: I was going to shut down my law practice and travel around the world in a year. What's more, I'd do it without taking any flights or making a single advance (预先的) reservation. Some friends offered support and encouragement, while others were doubtful. Once I'd said the words, there was no turning back. It took months to shut down my law practice and get things in order.

    There really wasn't any great reason why I wanted to circle the world. I simply wanted to do something fun and different. When I had this plan, I didn't plan for it to lead to a life on the road forever. I was planning to come back, open a new law practice and write a hugely successful book about my travels. Before I left, I started a travel blog, which served as a way to take notes for the book.

    Once I set off on my trip in December 2008, I found that travelling without using planes was not easy. It took seven days and nights on trains to get from Moscow to Beijing. Sometimes, I wouldn't see a village or a human being for 10 hours. I had a whole cabin to myself from the second day of that journey.

    It turned out that travelling with no reservations was far less difficult than I had imagined. Pulling into a city on a bus with a bag, looking in a guidebook for a few suggestions of accommodations (住宿), and then finding an empty room was never a problem.

    Soon after I started this adventure, I realised that my return to the US would be temporary (暂时的). About three months into my journey, I realised that I didn't want to go back to my old life. The world is so wonderful and I wanted to see as much of it as I could.