Thousands cancel trips in Japan after megaquake alert

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Tokyo: Hoteliers reported on Tuesday ( Aug 13 ) that Japan’s unprecedented megaquake advisory has resulted in thousands of hotel cancellations in areas flagged as high-risk, giving businesses a severe blow in what would have been one of the busiest seasons.

The weather agency predicted a massive earthquake would follow the scale 7.1 bump in the north on Thursday, which injured at least 15 individuals.

The expert, the first of its kind, does not mean a massive tremor is inevitable, but that the danger of such an occasion has now been elevated, if still lower, authorities have said.

Content to the notice is the so-called” Nankai Trough” 800km oceanic area that runs from Shizuoka, north of Tokyo, to the southern suggestion of Kyushu isle.

At least 9, 400 individuals have cancelled their hotel reservations in northern Kochi since the alert was issued last year, according to a local motel coalition, one of the parts predicted to be hit hardest.

The cancellations covering the period from Aug 9 to Aug 18 amount to a loss of around 140 million yen ( US$ 948, 000 ) in revenue, Susumu Nishitani, a union representative told AFP.

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High heels out, flats in: Chinese airline’s cabin crew rule change sparks calls for more carriers to take similar steps

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A Weibo post on the report by Hangzhou-based information page dushikuaibao has received more than 57, 000 wants, with some remarks praising Air Travel’s uniform policy shift. &nbsp,

“( I ) support ditching high heels for flight attendants, high heels are shackles for the feet”! goes one remark which has garnered 11, 000 loves. &nbsp,

Another opinion, which has more than 9, 100 wants, states:” Really, it would be most suited for flight attendants to wear flat shoes and skirts for their work” .&nbsp,

Some users praised the move, but they also argued that more Chinese airlines may eliminate the requirement for female cabin crews. &nbsp,

” Hunan Airlines did it, maybe it becomes more wide-spread”! stated a Weibo article which received more than 13, 000 wants.

Some Weibo people also suggested making changes to the female cabin crew’s clothes, such as replacing clothes with full-length pants for ease of movement while working. &nbsp,

Although Air Travel is reportedly the first domestic airline to completely eliminate the high-heel rule, it is n’t the only local airline with relaxed uniform standards.

For consistency, Shanghai-based Juneyao Airlines mandated last year that feminine flight attendants wear cottages during board and in the house. Before boarding, they may choose either cottages or high heels. The exact date that the law came into effect was not specified in the statement.

Also, low-cost ship Spring Airlines has been providing trip staff black cottages to change into after boarding the aircraft, The Paper reported. When this estimate was put into place, Spring Airlines did not specify when it was going to be implemented, merely stating that it is meant to lower the risk of injury during turbulence.

Numerous flights around the world have now removed high ankle mandates for their adult flight attendants, even as Chinese airlines take steps ahead.

In 2021, Ukrainian low-cost airport SkyUp Airlines replaced high heels with white Nike shoes and suits, while Asian airline Qantas switched to flats in 2023.

According to The Guardian, Japan Airlines announced in 2020 that its female flight staff may no longer be required to wear high heels or dresses. &nbsp,

In a move meant to create a “diverse working culture,” the ship said at the time, they would be able to “pick the footwear that best fits their needs” and transfer their dresses for trousers.

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Japan’s museums struggle with shrinking revenue despite record tourism boom

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The gallery’s exhibits include works by recognized foreign artists like Monet and Cezanne as well as works by Chinese artists that date back to the Edo era. Some are part of the personal collection of Shojiro Ishibashi, the late chairman of tire manufacturer Bridgestone.

People pay about US$ 8 to provide the gallery, while kids get free entrance. Additionally, the exhibition makes money through its in-house shop and products sold in its gift shop.

Even though the exhibition you make ends meet, Hiroshi Ishibashi, the founder’s grandson, said he was concerned about the current economic climate.

” I am continually worried about what’s happening in the world. Every time, he tells CNA,” I am collecting data on whether the financial environment may change.”

KEEPING MUSEUMS OPEN

The Cultural Affairs Agency estimates that funds account for less than 7 % of Japanese galleries ‘ income.

The donation amount stands out from funds made elsewhere, such as those made in the United States, where donations can be made up to 38 %.

Many of the profits from Japan’s museums also come from ticket sales, and museums are attempting to increase attendance by appealing to a younger crowd. A large proportion of museum-goers tend to be middle-aged or older.

Galleries say they intend to hold more eminently popular expresses to draw young people’s attention and promote the work of the next generation of musicians.

Making money is never their top priority, according to galleries. Instead, they want to contribute to the society as a whole and pique people’s interest in the arts.

They must also raise enough money, whether it be through donations or enrollment, to preserve their doors open.

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Anti-China content being inserted into Chinese students’ overseas university applications, warns spy agency

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Federal safety agencies eventually became interested in the agency’s actions. After examinations, the company and its nose were dealt with according to the law in May this time, the government stated. What kind of punishment was imposed, it did n’t say.

USING OVERSEAS Research AS “BAIT”

Despite these nations tightening their international student admissions policies, the government claimed that some nations have been using international studies as “bait” to entice students to engage in anti-China activities in recent years.

No single country was identified or singled out in it. European nations are regarded as common destinations for Chinese students studying abroad.

According to a report from Chinese academic support service New Oriental Education &amp, Technology Group, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia were the top three selections this time.

There are currently 289, 000 Foreign students in the US this year, according to a China Daily statement from March. This means that China will continue to be the top exporter of international students to the US for the 15th consecutive time.

Also in Australia, a total of 162, 826 pupils came from China alone in the 2022 to 2023 academic year, the Chinese outlet reported, citing a record by the Beijing-based think tank Center for China and Globalization.

Some international research organizations were criticized by the Ministry of State Security for having a “weak sense of national safety,” following protocols, and focusing solely on profit.

“( These agencies ) do not hesitate to cater to anti-China rhetoric and become accomplices of such anti-China forces. ( They ) mislead students into fabricating false resumes and images, spreading rumours for profit, posing hidden risks that endanger the country’s national security” .&nbsp,

The government slammed some companies for having poor supervision, leaving space for the “malicious tampering” of software documents. Additionally, according to the article, weak hiring practices allow foreign instructors with uncertain backgrounds and credentials to apply.

These “foreign educators” apparently “ghostwrote” or “polished” the app documents of Chinese students to obtain registration advantages and also cater to international anti-China forces, the recognize wrote. &nbsp,

The ministry concluded by urging international students, potential international students and their parents to remain vigilant, and be watchful of “polishing and processing services” provided by international study agencies.

China has previously warned international kids about the dangers of national security. In February, the government’s spy agency warned Chinese studying overseas against working with foreign spies.

Foreign citizens were instructed to be wary of interfering with foreign intelligence agencies, whether it be for studying, traveling overseas, or visiting alone.

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Tropical Storm Maria hits Japan with record rain

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TOKYO: Tropical Storm Maria made landfall in northern Japan on Monday (Aug 12), having dumped the most rain in some areas since records began and forced the cancellation of dozens of flights. Maria came ashore around 8.30am (7.30am, Singapore time) near Ofunato city in Iwate prefecture, the Japan Meteorological AgencyContinue Reading

IN FOCUS: It’s the halfway mark of China’s roadmap to lead the world in AI by 2030. How is it faring?

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Open supply is where the source code is freely available, allowing people to apply, change, and deliver it. In comparison, closed source is where access to the source code is restricted, preventing additional modifications and additions.

Both have their virtues. Open-source models allow for the use, development, and learning of them by other scientists and designers. However, the amazing character of closed-source versions reduces the risks of use or abuse, and also allowing for more crowdfunding opportunities, reports have stated.

However, both even have their disadvantages. Open-source models frequently rely on volunteers, but closed-source models offer limited power and customization due to restrictions on the teaching data and domestic architecture.

According to some analysts, the current environment in China is divided between t players who favor the open-source approach and those who favor closed-source. CNA was unable to locate any information about the local situation as a whole.

At the current World AI Conference in Shanghai, Mr Robin Li, chairman and CEO of Baidu, argued that the open-source design may be outdated. He claimed that Baidu’s Wenxin 4.0 design, which was more affordable, provided better performance and resilience than open-source designs, and produced better results.

However, this view is contested within the Chinese Artificial area. According to Mr. Fu Sheng, chairman and CEO of Cheetah Mobile and president of Orion Starry Sky, “open-source communities had finally emerge over closed-source types.”

He argued that open-source designs were more useful, saying:” More businesses and companies do not need expensive closed-source 100 billion feature designs, 10 billion feature types are enough”.

Late in April, Alibaba and Baidu were among the first Chinese tech companies to add large language models ( LLMs) from Meta’s open-source LLaMA family to their cloud computing platforms. Immediately, Tencent followed match.

The discussion even revolves around translation and uniqueness. Chinese tech fairy 01 AI was in dispute last year over using LLaMA designs without making it clear. The business apologized and claimed it had no intention of concealing the Artificial model’s source.

There are possible drawbacks, according to experts, even though using existing models to build new ones is a common practice. &nbsp,

It might be dangerous if businesses are unable to comprehend or change these concepts, according to Associate Professor Wai Kin Kong of the Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) College of Computing and Data Science.

Prof. Li noted that the local community frequently lacks the vision to make designs that bring together the community to solve challenging programming problems, despite Chinese AI players actively using open-source versions and creating their own from scratch.

A champion of the open-source motion, he emphasised the importance of adhering to open-source rules and contributing back to the community.

” We do n’t need 100 large models, a few well-contributed and shared models would be ideal”, Prof Li said.

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