Soil monitoring network passes milestone

China has reached the halfway point in setting up a national soil monitoring network, with about 20,000 quality control devices that now cover 99 percent of all counties, according to a senior environment official.

Residents yield to needs of railway

Construction of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou high-speed railway is making smooth progress, with land requisitions and demolition work almost finished along the Beijing section, the city's urban development authority said on Wednesday.

Torrential rains to batter capital region

Beijing and neighboring areas, including Tianjin and Hebei province, are expected to experience heavy rainstorms starting on Thursday.

Tibetan cultural exchange delegation visits Vienna

A Chinese delegation on a Tibetan cultural exchange visit concluded its two-day stay in Vienna on Tuesday. The visit was aimed at promoting a better understanding of Tibet and its history through lectures and dialogue.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

New radars displayed at trade show

China has been marketing a number of advanced air defense radars capable of detecting stealth combat aircraft, such as the United States' F-22 and F-35, at the ongoing 52nd International Paris Air Show.

Spacecraft undocking a success

China's Tianzhou 1 cargo spacecraft has begun a three-month independent flight after detaching from the Tiangong II space laboratory on Wednesday morning, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

Residents join anti-littering effort

In Gansu province's Gannan Tibetan autonomous prefecture, "No Littering" is not just printed on signs along the streets but is also written into every village's covenant - a list of rules for which residents voted - so it sticks in people's minds.

Eco-farmer nurtures dreams of tourism

Editor's note: In the run-up to the 19th Communist Party of China National Congress, China Daily sent six reporters to villages nationwide to live for a month and take a look at how people are working under China's poverty eradication plan.

From livestock to rat breeding, he gains confidence - and cash

A once-impoverished farmer turned to breeding a rare animal in his hometown - bamboo rats - hoping to bring a measure of prosperity both to his neighbors and himself.

Social media sales bring health risks

Because of a legal and regulatory vacuum, social media in China have become a hotbed for the sale of fake and substandard food and drugs that pose a risk to people's health, experts said.

Website helps police combat fraud

A website set up by software security giant Qihoo 360 to combat telecom fraud has helped police nationwide crack more than 100 cases in the past two years, the company said on Tuesday.