Briefly

Industrial waste dumping investigated

The government of Jinzhong, Shanxi province, has sent a team to Pingyao county to investigate land where industrial waste was allegedly dumped, China National Radio reported on Tuesday. An earlier report on Monday said that some local enterprises dug dozens of meters deep on farmland near three villages — Xiangzhuang, Jiguo and Zhukeng — and hauled away the soil. Later, they filled the holes by dumping a large amount of fly ash, the main solid waste produced by coal-fired power plants, and some dark green, oily liquid with a strong odor. The initial removal of the soil and the waste dumping destroyed more than 13 hectares of arable land and seriously affected the safety of drinking water and agriculture, the report said.

530 ancient, rare trees saved in China

China's law enforcement officials have recovered and saved 530 time-honored and uncommon woody plants since a campaign was launched in September last year against the trafficking of ancient and rare trees. Public security agencies have investigated and solved 135 criminal cases, leading to the arrest of more than 360 suspects for cases involving illegal logging, destruction, purchase, transportation, processing, and sales of ancient and rare trees, according to the Ministry of Public Security. The ministry co-launched the operation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Douyu subject to monthlong oversight

A work team from China's top internet regulator has been dispatched to livestreaming giant Douyu to supervise the platform after it was found to have a serious issue with streaming pornography and vulgarity. The Cyberspace Administration of China issued the notice on its website on Monday, adding that supervision will last a month and that the work team is made up of personnel from Hubei province. On April 30, the administration also announced that cyberspace regulators shut down 4,200 websites and banned nearly 70 apps suspected of involvement in criminal activities, such as providing illegal news and pornography, between January and March.

Tibetan antelopes start yearly migration

Pregnant Tibetan antelopes have begun their annual migration to the heart of Northwest China's Hoh Xil National Nature Reserve, where they intend to give birth, the reserve's management office said on Monday. This year's annual migration of Tibetan antelopes began nine days earlier than last year. Since April 26, over 270 antelopes have embarked on the journey. Wu Xiaomin, an expert on the species' protection, attributed the early migration to the steady growth of the antelopes' population, climate change and the species' tendency to spread out over the years.

Centuries-old stele discovered in Hebei

A 502-year-old stele of an official has been discovered in North China's Hebei province, according to local authorities. Carved on a slab of bluestone, the stele dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was found in Zhaopai village of Xingtai city. At 130 centimeters tall, 75 cm wide and 22 cm thick, the stele was erected at the tomb of a local official named Zhao Siming. According to Lan Jianhui, a local expert in culture and history, the stele was relatively well-preserved, and its discovery will be helpful for the study of politics, culture, history and customs in the area during the mid-Ming Dynasty.

China Daily - Xinhua