Local officials need to be held accountable for bad air quality

WITHIN THE PAST 10 DAYS, sulfur dioxide levels in the air have exceeded 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter three times in Linfen, North China's Shanxi province, yet the local officials did not issue any warnings. Beijing News comments:

Cut chain of interest cheating tourists in Xi'an

XI'AN CITY, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province, is famous for its terra cotta warriors. However, some local companies make replicas of the terra cotta excavation sites and charge tourists high prices to visit them. A recent media report on this practice aroused nationwide attention, prompting Wang Yongkang, Party chief of Xi'an, to apologize to tourists and the local authorities to close some of the fake sites. Gmw.cn comments:

Scholar who had the courage to tell the truth

THE SCHOLAR Zhou Youguang, who created pinyin, the system for Romanizing Chinese, died on Saturday, one day after his 112th birthday. Beijing News commented:

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EU, China advance amid global uncertainty

When President Xi Jinping addresses the world's business and financial elites on Tuesday, he will have an opportunity to demonstrate China's commitment to globalization.

The complex social problems facing US

Donald Trump will become the 45th president of the United States on Jan 20, and the Republican Party is in majority in both the US Congress and government. Still, the US will continue to be roiled in social controversies.

How region can meet sustainable energy goal

The Asia-Pacific region has reached a turning point in its energy trajectory. The energy solutions that have fuelled growth in the region over the past decades are no longer compatible with the sustainable development aspirations of the region's nations. In transitioning to a new era of sustainable energy, policymakers across the region face complex decisions. Supplies must be secure and affordable, and must fill the energy access gap which leaves half a billion people across the region without access to electricity.

Interventions paving way for yuan reforms

The yuan has depreciated in recent times. In the short term, interventions will prevail, but in the longer term, the Chinese currency will stabilize. In the last quarter of 2016, the yuan declined 4 percent, significantly faster than anticipated, because of rising tensions in foreign exchange markets over China's rising debt and bubbling property market .

Ban back in S. Korea, hints at presidential bid

Former UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said on Thursday he will announce soon whether he will run for South Korea's presidency, as he returned home and strongly hinted at his political ambitions before hundreds of cheering supporters.

No sleep, a $5 meal: Samsung leader quizzed for straight 22 hours over scandal

Jay Y. Lee, who heads South Korea's massive Samsung Group, was given a $5 box meal for lunch and did not sleep in more than 22 hours of questioning in a corruption scandal involving impeached President Park Geun-hye.

Israel 'fires rockets at Syrian airbase'

Syrian army command said on Friday that Israeli artillery fired rockets at a major military airbase outside Damascus, and warned Israel of repercussions for what it called a "flagrant" attack.

Elvis Express rolls to celebrate the King

Elvis may have left the building almost 40 years ago, but he and several clones have just arrived on a train chugging into Parkes railway station from Sydney, marking the start of the 25th Parkes Elvis Festival in the southeastern Australian town.