Charter to be changed

The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the country's top political advisory body, will open its annual session on Saturday in Beijing, a spokesman said Friday.

Lawmakers and political advisers have arrived from around country

Thousands of national lawmakers and political advisers have arrived in Beijing for the "two sessions", a key annual event on China's political calendar.

Financial regulatory reform to be expanded

This year is seen as a big turning point in building China's financial system, especially for the likely restructuring of the nation's financial regulatory framework to more effectively fend off systemic risks.

Northeast bullet train section begins trial runs

The Liaoning section of the Beijing-Shenyang high-speed railway began its first trial run on Thursday morning, testing the line's power supply equipment, according to project officials.

Shanghai to extend its public smoking ban to city's parks

Authorities in Shanghai have launched a pilot project to extend the city's smoking ban to its parks under a new code released on Wednesday.

Fishing moratorium to last until June 30

The annual fishing ban on China's rivers from March 1 to June 30 began on Thursday. The ban covers the main streams, tributaries and lakes along the Yangtze, Huaihe, Minjiang and Pearl rivers.

Jiuzhaigou scenic area to reopen next week

Jiuzhaigou, a scenic area on the UNESCO World Natural Heritage list in Sichuan province, will partially reopen on March 8 after a devastating earthquake in August.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Guideline: Unfinished homework OK

Students in two districts in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, no longer need to stay up late to finish their homework. Authorities have called for a limit on out-of-class assignments to ensure that children get enough sleep.

High fashion struts its stuff on Roof of the World

Dozens of clothing stores around Tsemonling Street, 1.5 kilometers east of Lhasa's world-famous Potala Palace, were swamped with shoppers before Tibetan New Year, as customers sought customized traditional outfits.

Safety Chinese travelers' top concern

Safety has become the No 1 issue among China's outbound tourists, with most taking into serious consideration the security of destinations when making holiday plans, according to a report.

Model prosecutor brought positive change to Tibet

On Sunday in Hefei, Anhui province, nearly two months after Zhou Huiming died, the veteran prosecutor was honored for his nearly three decades of service to the justice system.