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Innovation drive helps grow farming area into smart hub

Four decades ago, Xiantao village in Chongqing's Yubei district was home to farmers working small plots of land from dawn to dusk, just as their ancestors had done for thousands of years.

Villagers crack code for improving rural profits

On the front wall of Yan Hongchang's house in Xiaogang village, Anhui province, is a QR code. Visitors scan the code to link to an e-commerce platform that sells agricultural products produced by local farmers and companies.

Experts urge oversight of experiments

The world urgently needs better international oversight of genome editing in human embryos, and to clarify the boundaries for related research, according to an editorial published in the journal Science on Friday.

Mastermind behind 100 billion yuan pyramid scheme gets 17 years in jail

Zhang Tianming, the mastermind behind a pyramid scheme involving more than 100 billion yuan ($14.5 billion), was sentenced to 17 years in prison and fined 100 million yuan at a court in Yongzhou, Hunan province, on Friday.

Fugitive returns from New Zealand

A fugitive who had been on the run in New Zealand for 11 years returned to China on Friday to face graft charges.

Ex-vice finance minister pleads guilty to taking bribes worth 67 million yuan

Zhang Shaochun, former vice-minister of finance, pleaded guilty during a trial on Friday in Beijing for taking bribes of about 67 million yuan ($9.71 million).

Town played as vanguard in economic opening-up

The lyrics in the song about Lancun town go "There's a long story about a train station told by grandpa, and another about a shoe factory sung by grandma".

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Mother stabbed to death; 12-year-old son is released

A decision by police to release a 12-year-old boy who is believed to have stabbed his mother to death in Hunan province has drawn public attention to the issue of how young offenders are handled if they are below the statutory age for criminal prosecution.

Number living in poverty cut by 85% in 6 years, official says

By the end of this year, the number of Chinese grappling with extreme poverty will total about 15 million - a dramatic 85 percent drop from nearly 100 million just six years ago, the country's anti-poverty chief said on Thursday.

Crackdown gains intensity on rhino, tiger trafficking

China is adding special focus to its effort to stop the illegal trade of products derived from rhinoceroses and tigers, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Thursday.