The future's grey for China

China's rapidly ageing population coud wipe out the country's low cost labour advantage within the next few decade and stifle economic growth. A report on the China National Comitee on Ageing, said that sometime between 2030 and 2050, there will be only 2 workers for every retiree-down from the current ratio of six is to one. With fewer people of working age and even more pressure on supporting the elderly, the economy will suffer it productivity sees no major progress.

New Words

disintegrate->lose wholeness: to destroy the cohesion, unity, or wholeness of something, or undergo such destruction

Japan tests missile shield

Japan said yesterday that it had successfully shot down a ballistic missile over the Pacific as part of joint effects with the United States to erect a shield against possible attacks from North Korea. Japan tested the US-developed Standard Missile 3 (SM-3) interceptor from a warship (picture) in waters off Hawaii, becoming the first US alley to successfully intercept a target using the system.

New Words
ballistic->relating to projectiles: relating to the movements of objects propelled through the air

Taiwanese identity at heart of vote : Hsieh

Presidential hopeful; Frank Hsieh said yesterday that the sensitive issue of the Taiwan's national identity would be at the heart of the March 22 presidential election. The next Taiwan presidential election will ask the people to choose their national identity, whether they pick the Taiwanese identity or the Chinese identity.

Maths textbook California-bound

The tropical "rambutan" may have been replaced by the ubiquitous "apple"-but otherwise, the same mathematics textbooks that Singapore students learn from may soon be used in classrooms across California in the United States, too. A local education publisher has received approval from California's education board to sell mathematics textbook in its schools. This makes it the first Asian content provider to reach the Golden State's 3-million- strong student population in Grades 1 to 5

New Words
ubiquitous-> existing everywhere: present everywhere at once, or seeming to be