Probe completes asteroid flyby

China's space probe Chang'e-2 has successfully completed a maneuver in which it flew by the asteroid Toutatis, about 7 million km from Earth, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense said on Saturday. The flyby was the first time an unmanned spacecraft launched from Earth has been so close to the asteroid, which is named after a Celtic god.

30-volume reviewof acupuncture

The first officially revised collection of information on acupuncture therapy was issued on Sunday, the result of seven years of work. The 30-volume China Acupuncture Treasury contains 97 ancient records on acupuncture, of which 48 were recently discovered. Published by Beijing Science and Technology Press, the collection features modern clinical medicine annotations to complement the ancient documents.

Cold front to bring strong winds

A cold front will sweep through a large part of China over the next three days, bringing lower temperatures and strong winds, the National Meteorological Center said on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to fall by 4 to 8 degrees in Central and East China from Sunday evening to Tuesday. Some areas in Northeast and North China and regions along the Yellow and Huaihe rivers will experience gales.

Political party opens congress

The 10th National Congress of the China National Democratic Construction Association, one of China's eight non-Communist political parties, opened in Beijing on Sunday. Liu Yunshan, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, China's highest body, delivered a congratulatory speech on behalf of the CPC Central Committee at the opening ceremony.

Medical students reconsider careers

Students dreaming of healing the sick are reconsidering their job options, after a spate of attacks targeting doctors have led them to fear that they could be targeted as well. A report in China Youth Daily illustrated the jitters medical students are feeling after two recent hospital attacks left one doctor and a head nurse dead and several others injured.

Professor says sorry for comment

A public health professor has apologized for his misleading statements that plasticizer found in liquor products and melamine adulterated in milk pose no health risks. Li Keji from Peking University said at a seminar organized by a liquor company that there is no evidence plasticizer is harmful to humans, and the impact of melamine varies from person to person.

Sichuan

Panda twins arrive from Japan

A pair of 6-year-old giant panda twins that were born in Japan have arrived in China. Ai Hin and Mei Hin arrived at the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Center on Friday after traveling from a zoo in Shirahama, in Japan's Wakayama prefecture. The center said they are in good health. The pandas were placed in a three-month quarantine.

Shandong

Bus accident kills 2 children

Two children were killed and three injured when their bus overturned into a ditch in Jiangzhuang township in Gaomi on Friday afternoon, local authorities said on Sunday. The bus carrying more than a dozen students from a local kindergarten ran off the road and overturned. The vehicle, not a school bus, was being used temporarily to help pick up children. Slippery roads and poor visibility due to rain were blamed for the accident.

Shanghai

Produce deals worth $203m

Trade and cooperation contracts worth 1.28 billion yuan ($203 million) were signed between farm produce enterprises and distributors from home and abroad at an ongoing industry expo in Shanghai, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Sunday. Fifty-five contracts were signed at the green food expo, covering a number of food products, including rice, liquor, meat, honey, fruits and vegetables, the ministry said on its website.

Heilongjiang

Driver suspected of rape caught

A school bus driver suspected of raping a junior high school student on Nov 30 in Sizhan township in Zhaodong has been caught, police said on Saturday. The driver, surnamed Liu, and a man surnamed Wang who is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl were captured earlier this month. Liu confessed after being caught. Wang, who ran away after the girl's family called police, was captured in Beijing.

Chongqing

Park based on cartoon to open

Hechuan district and a real estate developer plan to invest 3.5 billion yuan ($560 million) to build a Disneyland-like theme park based on a cartoon in the district's Shuanghuai township. The project will replicate the landscapes, figures and tools from the cartoon series Journey to Xiha. The 500-hectare park is expected to open in 2016.

Henan

HIV/AIDS patients' subsidies increased

Government subsidies to HIV/AIDS patients in the province were increased from 20 yuan ($3.20) to 200 yuan per month. The provincial civil affairs department said 80 percent of the subsidies are from the provincial budget with the rest coming from the city and county budgets, Henan Daily reported on Sunday. There are 37,205 HIV/AIDS patients living in Henan.

China Daily-Xinhua