Tidbits

Beijing smog may clear on Saturday night

"The longest distance in the world," according to one joke making the rounds, "is not between life and death, but when I hold your hand at a crossing in Beijing and I can't see your face."

Govt: only weather stations should publish forecasts

Only meteorological stations would be allowed to release forecasts in China under a draft proposal released by the National Meteorological Administration.

Watchdog steps up fight against fugitive officials

A senior official from China's top anti-graft watchdog vowed on Friday to enhance international cooperation to catch corrupt officials who have fled overseas.

Rescuers take stress off Jinggu dam

Water was being released on Friday from the cracked dam at the reservoir in Jinggu county, reducing the risks of dam failure at the epicenter of the earthquake that struck Yunnan province on Tuesday.

Chinese nature reserve on lookout for tiger released in Russia

Kuzya, one of three wandering Siberian tigers freed in Russia, has reached the Taipinggou Nature Reserve in Luobei county in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, according to GPS satellite data reported by a Russian researcher.

Focusing on deaths can miss big picture

Is the number of deaths the single parameter for a disaster?

Around China

China's supervision system for food and medicine must be upgraded, said a notice from the State Council on Thursday.

Quotable

I never expected to become the richest person in my community, least of all in Zhejiang province or China. The title is meaningless. A man can live on just a few dollars.

The number

Sanitation workers dealt with 47.45 metric tons of garbage in the Tian'anmen Square area in Beijing during the National Day holiday this year, or 6.4 tons less than last year, Xinhuanet.

On the web

Photo: US first lady Michelle Obama addresses a luncheon and panel discussion in the East Room of the White House on Wednesday during the Fashion Education Workshop in Washington.

Around China

The nation's central military authority has issued guidelines to improve the management of military information and to crack down on illegal online activities involving military affairs, the PLA Daily reported on Wednesday.