IN BRIEF (Page 2)

Research offers hope for those who cannot see

Researchers in China and the United States have developed a cataract treatment using stem cells that restored vision for infants in a trial and may eventually be used on adults. A paper on the treatment - developed by doctors at the University of California's San Diego School of Medicine and Sichuan and Sun Yat-sen universities in China - was published in scientific journal Nature on March 9. The surgery has been tested on animals and in a small, human clinical trial.

Car-hailing companies' subsidies unfair

Yang Chuantang, the minister of transport, criticized car-hailing app operators on March 14 for offering users subsidies, describing the practice as unfair competition, and vowed to better regulate paid rides offered by private car drivers. He said the subsidies are a short-term tactic to gain a bigger market share. "The apps are profit-driven, and the subsidies will not be handed out forever," he said. Taxi-hailing app Didi Kuaidi is in fierce competition with Uber Technologies in China, and both companies are heavily subsidizing passengers and drivers to gain a bigger market share.

Netizens quick to adopt government app

A smartphone app launched in February by the State Council, the nation's executive, that allows users to keep up to date with its decisions, policies and activities has earned a rating of 4.5 out of 5 on the Apple app store. An editor working on the app said its popularity has even surprised his team.

Subsidy promotes care of mentally ill

Guardians of people with serious mental disorders in Beijing can receive an annual subsidy of 2,400 yuan ($370; 330 euros) from the city government if they deliver proper care, the city's health and family planning commission said on March 14. The payment is aimed at encouraging good care of an estimated 58,000 people in Beijing and reducing accidents, the authority said. The measure, introduced at the end of last year, has been adopted in some areas since February and will eventually go citywide.

New law to ease restrictions on charities

Lawmakers approved the country's first Charity Law on March 17 during the annual session of the National People's Congress, the legislature. The law, which comes into force in September, will ease restrictions on fundraising and operational activities by charities, tighten supervision of internal management and provide tax benefits.

Fewer visitors proposed for Mogao Grottoes

The northwest province of Gansu could limit visitor numbers to cultural sites, including the Mogao Grottoes, which houses a large collection of Buddhist sculptures and frescoes, as part of efforts to protect local heritage while developing the tourism industry, Lian Ji, president of the Chinese National Academy of Arts, said.

(China Daily European Weekly 03/18/2016 page2)