Equal access to education gets a boost

China will focus on promoting equal access to education, educational reforms and encouraging private investment to enter the field in the next five years, according to a guideline approved by the central government.

Ministry responds to tax concerns

Minister of Finance Xiao Jie responded to several public concerns on replacing business tax with value-added tax and answered questions regarding tax reduction, cultivation of new growth engines, improving the taxation system and tax legislation.

Policy digest

Cabinet discusses foreign investment

Heavy smog set to stick around

After Monday morning's brief break from lingering smog, Beijing residents saw it return in the evening.

Chinese funding fuels world cinema

Cash-rich Chinese investors are increasingly visible on the international screen.

Caught on camera

It's three days into the new year, but many images from 2016 still linger in our minds - President Xi Jinping meeting other world leaders during the G20 summit in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province; Chinese astronauts Jing Haipeng and Chen Dong attending a news conference in Beijing after successfully completing the Shenzhou XI mission;

Impeached leader rejects accusations

Impeached South Korean President Park Geun-hye vehemently rejected accusations on Sunday that she conspired with a longtime friend to extort money and favors from companies, accusing her opponents of framing her.

Volunteers struggle to feed soaring cat population after state cutbacks

Legend has it that a Roman empress first brought cats to Cyprus to do battle with poisonous snakes, but centuries later it's the island's financial crisis that has sparked a population boom.

Russia gets backing for truce, talks

A cease-fire held across most of Syria on Saturday as Russia and Turkey secured unanimous passage of a United Nations resolution backing their efforts to "jumpstart" talks aimed at ending the nearly six-year conflict.

At least 23 killed after ferry catches fire

At least 23 people were killed and 17 others were missing after a ferry caught fire on Sunday off the coast of Indonesia's capital, officials said.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Power of pictures drawn in sand

Liang Xianghua casts a fistful of sand on the backlit glass, and a waterfall comes alive beneath the nimble dance of her fingers.