IN BRIEF

Sports

'Best' Universiade closes

The 26th Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, ended on Aug 23, and the president of the International University Sports Federation, Claude-Louis Gallien, praised the event as the best ever.

China topped the gold medal list with a record 75, followed by Russia, 43, and South Korea, 27. The previous record of 69 had been set by the Soviet Union 38 years ago.

China's haul of 145 medals in Universiade history was also a record. Russia won 131 and Japan 87.

Safety

New rules for coal mines

New national standards are being introduced for safety technologies used in the country's accident-plagued coal mines.

A set of four standards on polymeric materials used for coal mining safety will take effect on Dec 1, the State Administration of Work Safety said.

The new rules relate to accidents including methane gas blasts, underground floods and shaft collapses, said Jiang Zhimin, secretary-general of the China National Coal Association.

Health records for workers

Employers are being required to keep health records for those exposed to health hazards in their workplaces, according to a directive issued by the State Administration of Work Safety.

The records will include the results of physical examinations workers undergo when they start a job, during their contract period and after the contract ends.

The directive also calls on work safety authorities to investigate all serious accidents caused by workplace dangers.

Environment

Plan to protect underground water

The State Council on Aug 24 adopted a national plan to protect the safety of underground water resources and avoid pollution.

The State Council ordered local governments to put pollution prevention and underground water control on their working agendas and to set up an underground water environmental supervision system by 2015.

According to the State Council, 18 percent of China's water supply comes from underground. Of 657 cities across the country, more than 400 are using underground water as a major source of drinking water.

Funding

Tibet cultural heritage protection

China has spent more than 60 million yuan (6.5 million euros) to preserve and develop Tibet's intangible cultural heritage (ICH) over the past six years.

The Ministry of Culture has allocated 32.6 million yuan for the preservation of the Tibet's ICH, said Yang Zhijin, vice-minister of culture. The government of Tibet autonomous region had also spent nearly 30 million yuan for its ICH, said Yang, who is also vice-president of the Chinese Association for Preservation and Development of Tibetan Culture.

Charitable funds to be made public

All charitable organizations will be required to make timely releases of information related to their fundraising, projects and distributions of donor's money, according to a new Ministry of Civil Affairs regulation, which will take effect in Septmeber.

The regulations stipulate that charitable organizations should publish information about donations within 24 hours of receiving them if they were made for disaster relief or similar purposes. In less pressing times, charities will have seven working days to make such information public.

Construction

Maglev line to open in Beijing

The country's first medium-low speed maglev line using Chinese technology is due to open in Beijing before March 2013, a chief project scientist has revealed.

The plan was to have the first train on the line by October next year, said Chang Wensen, China's chief project scientist for maglev technology and professor of the National University of Defense Technology.

The line, in Beijing's west, is expected to be at least 10 kilometers in length.

Towering dreams

Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei province, could be home to the country's tallest building if new plans get off the drawing board.

The Wuhan Planning and Designing Institute said a 666-meter skyscraper, if built according to the plans, would be 34 meters taller than the Shanghai Center, now being built.

"It's just a design, and I'm not sure if it would be achieved," an official at the institute surnamed Li said.

China Daily