Here is some must-know information from a handbook on how people behave in doing business in some countries.

In Brazil

    Brazilians are warm and friendly. They often stand close when talking and it is common for them to touch the person on the shoulder. People often greet each other (particularly women) with light cheek kisses. Schedules tend to be flexible, with business meetings sometimes starting later than planned. But to be safe, be on time. Meals can stretch for hours—there's no such thing as rushing a meal in Brazil. Lunches also can start in the mid to late afternoon. Brazilians are social, preferring face-to-face communication over mails or phone calls.

    In Singapore

    Singaporeans shake hands when they meet and often also greet each other with a small, polite bow. Business cards should be offered and received with two hands. Arriving late is considered disrespectful. So be on time. Efficiency(效率) is the goal, so meetings and dealings often are fast-paced. Singaporeans are direct in their discussions, even when the subject is about money. Rank is important and authority is respected. This determines both people interact in meetings. For example, people avoid disagreeing outright with someone with a higher rank.

    In the United Arab Emirates

    In the UAE, status is important, so the most senior or oldest should be greeted first with their titles. The handshake seems to be longer than elsewhere. So, do not pull away the handshake. Women should cover themselves when it comes to dress. Men also tend to be covered from neck to elbows(肘部) and down to the knees. People do not avoid entertaining in their homes, but they also hold business meals at restaurants. Touching or passing food or eating with your left hand is to be avoided. When meetings are one-to-one, if your host offers you coffee, you should refuse. It might seem odd, but it is a cultural tradition. Coffee should only be accepted if it is always set out or presented.

    In Switzerland

    The Swiss tend to be formal and address each other by last name. They also are respectful of private lives. You should be careful not to ask about personal topics. Punctuality (守时) is vital, something that comes from a deep respect for others' time. Arrive at any meeting or event a few minutes early to be safe. They also have clear structure in their companies. Higher-ups make the final decisions, even if others might disagree. Neat, clean dress is expected. The Swiss follow formal table manners. They also keep their hands visible at the table and their elbows off the table. It is polite to finish the food on your plate.

    Friendship Day is celebrated every year on the first Sunday in the month of August. People give their loved ones or friends friendship bracelets (手镯) and other gifts to celebrate their friendship. The culture of friendship bracelets is as old as even thousands of years.

    After the World War II, the paracord (伞绳) bracelets became very popular. These were also known as survival bracelets. One of the main reasons is that it was often used for a rescue purpose. Paracord, used in the parachute, does not wear away easily and is strong and durable. Because of its light weight, people could carry it along easily. If required, it could be made a very long rope and be used as a rescue rope. Hunters used it to find their way that they could return without getting lost.

    Today there are all kinds of paracord bracelets, made of coloured strings. Girls like thinner and colourful bracelets. Many choose to make the bracelets by themselves for their dear friends. This not only appeals more to the feelings of people but also makes them know how much their friends mean to them. People keep the bracelets given by their friends long. Many people choose coloured strings keeping the depth of their friendship in mind. White, yellow, orange and red show the different levels of friendship. Pure friendship is shown in white; the red colour means love. An orange friendship bracelet is given to show strong friendship and yellow as simple friendship. Today, not only do the young people show these friendship bracelets, but even the old do.

    Does friendship have an age? Yes. Friendship is like the wine, and the older you get, the older and stronger your friendship is.

    The story of Sir Nicholas Winton is the one that you would imagine could only happen on the silver screen. Sir Nicholas Winton was a British man who went to heroic efforts, potentially putting himself at risk, during World War II. Sir Winton was responsible for ensuring the safety of 669 Jewish children by aiding their escape from countries occupied by Nazis. Finally, the Jewish children were brought to England where he worked to make sure families in his native country would help the kids by taking them into their homes.

    Recently, this unbelievable story has again been making the rounds on the Internet, particularly after a rerun of the BBC show called "That's Life", which featured Sir Winton. People around the world were moved at the details of the story, with saying it to be the best story they've ever seen.

    Sir Winton kept his entire plan completely secret, even his wife had no idea about his planning until fifty years later. After the war, years passed and many people remained in the dark about Sir Winton's extraordinary achievement. Some fifty years later, his wife Greta was searching in their house and discovered a Winton's notebook which documented the names of all the children. She worked with BBC and they produced a TV episode(插曲) of their program "That's Life" that served as an honor for Sir Winton's work.

    In 2003, Sir Winton was knighted by the Queen of England for his work. He also was even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. He also had a small planet named after him by Czech astronomers. Sir Winton died peacefully in his sleep at the old age of 106, in 2015. Leaders around the world paid tribute(悼念). Israel's ambassador to the United Kingdom, Daniel Taub, said, "He was a hero of our time, having saved 669 Jewish children from Nazis. His story, as a point of light in a period of darkness, will forever be remembered."

    Alibaba opened China's version of Amazon's cashier-less store, “Tao Cafe” at its second annual Taobao Maker Festival taking place from 8—12 July, and then showed it to the public. By scanning a QR code（二维码）on Taobao app at the entrance of the store« consumers are tracked with cameras for facial recognition. After going through the checkout doors, customers will automatically make a purchase through their smartphones without needing to head to a register and be able to leave the store with what they buy in hand.

    The company, putting its efforts in Artificial Intelligence and data technologies, caused some ripples（波动）among offline retailers （零售商）. But if you think the e-commerce giant plans to get a slice of the physical-store pie, then you might get it wrong: “It's not about Alibaba wanting to open more cafes, we are not in the restaurant business.” it's about digitalizing the footprints of the visitors to an offline store, '' said Chris Tung, chief marketing officer of Alibaba Group.

    He said, for example, in the online world, Alibaba can always personalize every web page based on users interest and preference thanks to big data, “When you open our app, every moment is different.” But on the other hand, “offline is becoming not so exciting anymore”, because many physical stores are always found to be very similar with no variation.

    Tung said offline retailers could improve by adopting online data competence to link the identity of the customers» and optimize（优化）their in-store shopping experience. So in this sense, after physical stores have an understanding of what their customers need online, then they can allocate the products in the physical offline store accordingly. He further explained the pop-up Tao Cafe is one of the ways to present this “new retail” idea and opens up people's thinking and calls for more partnership.

    If you're short on cash, you don't have to pay for an expensive gym membership to get in shape. Below are some choices for you! And the best is that they don't cost a penny!

    Nike+Running club and Nike+Training Club

    Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, various locations Nike's free run club of coaches and pacers open to anyone who wants to learn how to run like the professionals. Besides, there's the Nike Training Club for all health levels, covering boxing and other exercise. It's not one for men, though - the classes have a women-only policy. Call up in advance for participation!

    Our Parks

    Monday, Wednesday and Friday

    This brilliant program works with local communities to bring free health group classes across the city. They're led by qualified instructors and you can join anything from the body-building club at the Olympic Park to yoga in Victoria Park - just remember to register online and book ahead.

    Sweaty Betty's in-store classes

    Daily, various locations and times

    With over 70 classes to pick each week, it's no wonder mums crowd into Sweaty Betty to keep their health. But to sign up for a class, it's fastest fingers first -- places can be booked up to a week in advance so simply register online and watch out for a free spot.

    Sweat Shop running community

    Sundays to Thursdays, various locations and times Running can be a lonely old task. Sweat Shop's run clubs, held at branches across London, aim to make it a little more social. We'd recommend this for more experienced runners - the entry level distance is 5 kilometers - but a pace keeper at the back means you won't be left behind. Ready to work up a good sweat? Just go to the events listed on their Facebook page!