IN BRIEF (Page 8)

Beijing

Lantern Day promises smog

Major cities in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region will encounter a new round of air pollution starting Thursday, Lantern Day, which will last until Sunday, when wind is expected to return. Fireworks on Lantern Day will boost airborne pollutants, and lack of wind will allow it to stay put, which means smog will blanket large areas of the region, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said on Wednesday.