IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Beijing

PM2.5 density markedly lower

In the first six months of the year, Beijing's air quality improved significantly, the municipal Environment Protection Bureau said on Thursday. The concentration of PM2.5 - airborne particles measuring less than 2.5 microns that can penetrate the lungs and harm health - dropped to 77.7 micrograms per cubic meter, down 15.2 percent year-on-year. The city has seen 88 days of sound air quality, nine days more than the same period last year. Air pollution was registered on 16 days, a decrease of nine days compared with the first half of last year.