Man executed for drowning debtor

A man who was convicted of illegally detaining and killing his debtor by putting the victim in an iron cage and throwing him into a lake was executed on Tuesday.

Tickets on sale for Spring Festival

Train tickets went on sale on Thursday for the first day of Spring Festival rush, the 40-day travel peak during the Chinese New Year holiday.

Rescued crew returned to company

Twenty-one crew members of a Taiwan fishing boat, rescued by two fishing vessels from the Chinese mainland on the high seas off Peru, were returned to their company on Wednesday.

Kin apply for pay over wrongful execution

Parents of Nie Shubin, who was executed for rape and murder 21 years ago and pardoned earlier this month, applied to a court in Hebei province for State compensation of more than 13.9 million yuan ($2 million) on Wednesday, lawyers of the family announced.

Ex-Party chief of Nanjing imprisoned

Yang Weize, former Party chief of Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province, was sentenced to 12 years and six months behind bars for taking bribes worth 16.4 million yuan ($2.4 million).

Number of deaths in 2012 flood 'hidden'

A county government in Liaoning province was found to have hidden the real number of deaths after a heavy flood in 2012, local authorities announced on Wednesday.

Graduates in Beijing face tough test to land jobs as the capital caps population

Cao Ran, a postgraduate student in Beijing, is one of the most intellectual students in his class, but his high scores are not getting him a job offer. Cao graduates next summer, and in the past few months, he has been busy looking for jobs.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

North set for bout of severe pollution

Residents in northern regions, including Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province, will encounter another bout of severe smog starting on Friday night that is forecast to last until Dec 21, the national meteorological authority said on Wednesday.

Shanghai mechanism lowers thresholds for pre-warnings

The environmental authority in Shanghai unveiled an updated emergency response plan for severe air pollution on Wednesday, with an even more timely warning mechanism and improved response measures.

Smog may be classified a 'disaster'

Beijing's lawmakers are considering listing smog as a meteorological disaster, but the move has been questioned, as smog is not seen as naturally occurring.

Women have devices taken out to allow second child

About 3.5 million had birth control apparatus removed last year; more are expected to follow