Briefly

Modified AG50 makes maiden flight

A modified AG50, China's new-generation light-sport aircraft, made a successful maiden flight on Monday, according to the Aviation Industry Corporation of China. The modified AG50 aircraft conducted the flight at an airport in Jingmen, central China's Hubei province. The flight was stable and all aircraft systems performed well, the country's leading aircraft manufacturer AVIC said. The move marked the completion of the AG50's modification, as well as the modified aircraft's entry into its airworthiness validation flight test phase, AVIC noted.

Ex-chairman handed 12-year sentence

Tang Shuangning, former chairman of China Everbright Group, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for embezzlement and accepting bribes, according to a verdict issued on Tuesday by a court in North China's Hebei province. Tang has also been fined 1.3 million yuan ($181,000), and his illegal gains will be returned to the victims or turned over to the state treasury, according to the verdict of the Intermediate People's Court of Tangshan. An investigation into Tang revealed that in April 2003, he used his position at the People's Bank of China to take public property worth about 3 million yuan into his possession. As Tang had turned himself in and remained cooperative during proceedings, the court granted him leniency.

Xinhua