The exemption will benefit nearly 150 million pupils and junior middle school students in rural areas across the country, Zhou said. On average every pupil will save 140 yuan (US$17.50) a year after the move.

Tibet to get snow

IN the next two or three days, snowy weather will hit some northwest areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and parts of the Tibet Autonomous Region will experience a snowstorm. The Chinese Central Meteorological Station forecast the weather yesterday, saying 0.1 to 0.3 centimeters of light snow or sleet will fall in most of Tibet.

Swan cuisine

SEVERAL restaurants in the border area of Shaanxi, Henan and Shanxi provinces were serving swan meat, authorities said. China lists swans as a protected animal. A swan dish sold for about 200 yuan (US$25).

Health hotline

CHINA has opened a "12320" hotline to allow the public to phone in information about health emergencies in five cities, the Ministry of Health said yesterday. The hotline allows the public to report information about health emergencies or lodge complaints.