Authorities bust relic smuggling in Shanxi

TAIYUAN - Police in northern China's Shanxi province have seized over 5,000 historical artifacts and arrested hundreds of people in a crackdown on tomb raiding and relic smuggling this year.

39 village leaders sacked for crime links

The heads of 39 villages in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong were removed from office and put under investigation in the first eight months of the year for suspected involvement in mafia-style gangs.

Official: Transport pork, not live pigs

A senior agricultural official said China will increase the transport of pork, rather than live pigs, to meet demand for meat and reduce the risk of transmitting African swine fever.

Innovation could provide a brighter future for Taiwan's sky lanterns

The Chinese custom of flying lanterns goes back centuries. However, while the lanterns are symbols of peace and good fortune, they are now under threat.

Safety fears override cultural concerns

Sky lanterns, small hot air balloons that originated in China centuries ago, have been flown at traditional festivals for centuries, but in recent years they have been accused of posing a safety threat.

Warden sacked in wake of prisoners' holiday escape

The warden of a prison in northeastern China's Liaoning province has been dismissed after a prison break by two inmates during the National Day holiday.

Shanghai gears up for country's first import expo

SHANGHAI - With the China International Import Expo less than a month away, preparations for the event in Shanghai have entered the final stage and products from all over the world have begun to arrive in the city.

Rail passengers left standing angry at lack of refund

High-speed rail passengers who were forced to stand for up to three hours after a malfunction affected services in northern China over the National Day holiday have received an apology from the rail operator, but no refund.

Mistaken ID blamed for snatching of baby

An incident at a Beijing shopping mall in which three women snatched a baby from his stroller was not an attempted abduction but a case of mistaken identify, according to a case review by the capital's Public Security Bureau.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Most extensive analysis of genes unlocks secrets

WASHINGTON - Scientists from China and the United States have sequenced and analyzed a portion of the genomes of more than 140,000 pregnant women in China, the largest-scale genetic analysis of Chinese people to date. The work revealed associations between genes and reproduction, including the birth of twins and a woman's age at first pregnancy.

Demand for upscale gyms looking healthy

BEIJING - Yu Jing, 35, an office worker in Beijing, takes an expensive approach to fitness.