Sandstorms can occur in summer, experts say

It's possible to have sandstorms in early summer in Beijing under certain conditions, an expert said on Monday as the municipal meteorological observatory issued a blue alert for extreme weather.

Quake hits Jilin; no injuries reported

A 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit the Ningjiang district of Songyuan, Jilin province, early Monday, according to the Beijing-based China Earthquake Networks Center.

Local authorities told to stop rigid approach to pollution

The Ministry of Environment and Ecology released a guideline on Monday urging local authorities to avoid a "one size fits all" approach in fighting pollution and to minimize negative impacts on people's lives and production.

IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Experts say labels should identify salmon and trout

Species may be misrepresented in markets to get a higher price

Test planting of saltwater rice begins

Renowned Chinese agricultural scientist Yuan Longping and his research team planted saltwater-tolerant rice on six plots of saline-alkali land on Monday.

Chinese amputee takes on a mountain

Xia Boyu, 69, reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma, the highest mountain in the world, on May 14, seven days after leaving his base camp on the Nepal side of the mountain.

Big money aimed at top universities

China will devote more resources to reforming its manufacturing sector with new, innovative technologies, while improving the higher education system's ability to produce quality talent capable of original, groundbreaking work, officials said on Saturday.

Car stuck at high speed, driver says; analysis finds all systems normal

A report released on Saturday said the cruise control and braking functions of a Mercedes-Benz C200L were normal, after the driver claimed the car was locked at high speed on March 14.

China completes drilling of deep borehole

The deepest borehole to be drilled for scientific purposes by Asians - the first to penetrate a continental layer of strata from the earth's Cretaceous period - was completed in northeastern China on Saturday, four years after it began. It reached a depth of 7,018 meters.

SCO political parties agree to cooperate

Representatives from countries in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization have agreed to institutionalize their forum of political parties to facilitate exchanges for better development of the organization.

Freight rail tunnel breaks through early

Workers on Sunday morning completed the digging of a tunnel for the world's longest heavy-freight railway - which will stretch from coal-rich northern China to the country's central provinces - five months ahead of schedule, the project contractor said.