Train speeds drop after revamp

More high-speed trains, including those on trunk lines, will start running at slower speeds from Sept 3, according to a new schedule issued by the Ministry of Railways.

The high-speed trains with a designed speed of 350 km/h will be allowed to run at 300 km/h, while trains operating at 250 km/h will operate at 200 km/h.

The new plan will affect the timetable of 498 pairs of trains that belong to 18 railway sub-bureaus across the country. This was the second time in August that the ministry made adjustments to slow train speeds to improve safety.

Culture

Online music comes under scanner

The Ministry of Culture has ordered domestic websites to halt playback and download services for 100 songs from other markets that were not officially approved before being uploaded to the Internet.

"A website that is engaged in the operation of an online music product must go through the procedures with the ministry before providing playback and download services for the song on the Internet," said Li Jian, an official in the ministry.

Domestic search engines and websites have to review and cancel services dealing with the listed songs by Sept 15 or they will face investigations and penalties.

Food

Crackdown on additive makers

Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested in a nationwide crackdown on the making and selling of a banned and hazardous food additive in the past six months.

Police seized 2.5 tons of clenbuterol, a toxic chemical that is illegally used in animal feed to make pigs leaner, and six underground laboratories were shut down during the crackdown.

In all, at least 989 people have been detained for being involved in manufacturing, storing and selling the additive, including those in a criminal ring that was involved in the manufacture and sales of the chemical in 63 cities.

Internet

Stiff penalties for hackers

Hackers who broke into 20 or more computers will be jailed for up to seven years from Sept 1, according to a new judicial interpretation issued jointly by the Supreme People's Court and Supreme People's Procuratorate.

People who hack from 20 to 100 computers, or steal from 10 to 50 user names and passwords for online-payment or stock accounts, will get at least three years in prison. Hackers who break into more computers and steal more passwords will face jail terms of up to seven years.

Society

Pressure takes toll on sex lives

The pressure of modern society is taking a toll on sexual satisfaction, experts say following the release of an online survey.

About 34 percent of people polled in the survey said that they are unsatisfied with their sex lives, with 6.5 percent "very unsatisfied". Another 32 percent condemned their sex lives as "just so-so".

China Daily