Yunnan

Ex-deputy governor expelled from Party

Shen Peiping, former vice-governor of Yunnan province, was expelled from the Communist Party of China and dismissed from public office following a graft investigation, a party discipline inspection agency said Wednesday. The investigation found that Shen took advantage of his post to seek profits for others, accepted "a huge amount in bribes" and committed adultery, said a statement from the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.

Hubei

Poor county overspends on conference center

A poverty-stricken county exceeded an approved budget when it spent 80 million yuan ($13 million) to build a conference center, Beijing Youth Daily reported on Wednesday. The cost of the project in Fangxian county was 26 million yuan more than the authorized figure. The floor area of the huge building, which resembles the China Pavilion at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, is 1,800 square meters greater than the approved size.

Beijing

Nearly all Chinese cities fail air quality standards

Only nine of 161 major Chinese cities have met the country's new and stricter air quality standards in the first half of this year, according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection. Zhoushan, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Zhanjiang, Yunfu, Beihai, Sanya and Lhasa met the new standards, it said. In February 2012, the nation issued a new air quality standard that monitors ozone, carbon monoxide, PM10, PM2.5, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

325 railway officials probed for corruption

Prosecutors investigated 325 railway officials on allegations of corruption from May 2013 to May 2014, said the Supreme People's Procuratorate on Wednesday. Prosecutors prevented economic losses of as much as 109.5 million yuan ($17.76 million), the procuratorate said.

Alleged thief tries to steal from 2 policemen

A theft suspect encountered two policemen when he attempted to steal money in Tian'anmen Square, Beijing Times reported on Wednesday. The suspect, surnamed Sun, went to the square at 4 am on July 22 intending to rob people watching the daily flag-raising ceremony. However, when he tried to unbutton a man's pocket, the victim informed him he was a policeman. The officer let him go, as he had not managed to take anything. Then Sun stole cash from another man but was caught by the first man who had kept an eye on him. The second man turned out to be another policeman.

3 men accused of extorting prostitutes

Three men are on trial accused of extorting 280,000 yuan ($45,400) from two prostitutes in December, Beijing News reported on Wednesday. Two of them allegedly posed as customers and made appointments with two prostitutes. The third man then met the prostitutes dressed as policemen, detained them and demanded a payoff. The court has not yet pronounced its verdict.

Jiangsu

Film fans face security checks at 43 cinemas

Security checks have been introduced at 43 cinemas in Nanjing, Yangtze Evening News reported on Wednesday. Visitors bringing beverages have to drink them before entering, and personal belongings must be left in cloakrooms. Anyone refusing to comply is sent away with a refund. Film fans are asked to arrive five to 10 minutes early because of the time taken to carry out the checks.

Zhejiang

Family of 4 drown after quarrel over affair

A row over a wife's affair led to the deaths of her, her husband and their two sons when she decided to commit suicide by jumping into a river, Today Morning News reported on Wednesday. The husband recently discovered that his wife was having an affair. On Monday night they quarreled, and the distraught wife then jumped into a river near their house. The husband and the sons, aged 25 and 22, followed her into the water, but none of the four could swim, and all drowned.

Man accused of defacing 12 areas at West Lake

Police arrested a 21-year-old man for defacing 12 scenic spots in Hangzhou's West Lake with red spray paint, chinanews.com reported on Tuesday. The man spray-painted a number of direction signs and relics, including two tombstones. The red paint has been removed and an investigation is underway, local police said.

Henan

Animals are grazing in dried-up reservoirs

Dengfeng city is suffering from a serious drought, with 48 of its 55 reservoirs dried up and 15 of its 16 seasonal rivers reduced to a trickle. The situation has become so bad that some reservoirs are being used as pasture by herdsmen. Henan has been experiencing high temperatures and a severe lack of rain, and many parts of the province have suffered from widespread drought since June, CCTV reported.

Shanxi

Death of man freed by police is investigated

Prosecutors are investigating the case of man who was found dead outside a hospital in Dingbian county a day after he was arrested for taking drugs. Police said the officers who apprehended the man decided not to detain him, as he was suffering from heart disease. Zhang's brother refused to accept the explanation and referred the matter to the procuratorate, hsw.cn reported.

Chongqing

Wild boar mauls 66-year-old man

A 66-year-old man died after a wild boar mauled him near Shiyan village. He and several other villagers were trying to capture the boar, Chongqing Morning News reported on Wednesday, when the 90-kg boar retaliated. The boar was eventually killed.

Shaanxi

Shop owner convicted of selling spy devices

A shopkeeper in Yan'an has been found guilty of selling spying equipment and was sentenced to six months in prison by a local court, Procuratorial Daily reported on Wednesday. The Baota District People's Court in Yan'an said Luo Jiazhu purchased 15 spying equipment devices - including a phone wiretap and secret audio recorders - online and sold four at his store.

Fujian

4 arrested for offering fetus gender tests

Xiamen police have arrested four people suspected of offering illegal medical tests that can purportedly detect the gender of a fetus, the city's bureau of public security said on Tuesday. In May, a woman told local family planning authorities that she bought a "fetus gender test" from people who sold them from the back of their car. Their tests found that she was carrying a girl. She had an abortion the next day and learned the fetus was male, police said. Police investigated the four for a month before arresting them on July 5.

Hebei

Province announces closure at 56 mines

Fifty-six mines have been closed in the province, said Wei Fenghua, an official with the Hebei Land and Resources Department, on Wednesday. Ten were illegal and the rest were within 300 meters of expressways or railways. In April, the province launched a campaign to close mines near densely populated areas. It said 632 mines were close to railways, expressways and cities.

Heilongjiang

Student charged with selling intelligence

A graduate student from Harbin was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of selling intelligence information to foreigners, Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday. During his research on aerospace science and technology, the man, surnamed Chang, allegedly collected intelligence and sold it overseas for more than 200,000 yuan ($32,000) to "foreign individuals" who contacted him online, it said.

China Daily-Xinhua

(China Daily 08/07/2014 page2)