Briefly

Former vice-governor gets 12 years for bribes

Hao Chunrong, a former vice-governor of Liaoning province, was sentenced on Tuesday to 12 years in prison for taking bribes worth 18.8 million yuan ($2.66 million). The verdict was announced by the Dalian Intermediate People's Court in Liaoning. Hao was also fined 2 million yuan. Money and property that she received illegally will be turned over to the State treasury. The court determined that Hao took advantage of her official positions between 1999 and 2021, and provided companies and individuals with undue assistance in job promotions, land allocation, and project contracts and approvals. She illegally accepted property worth more than 18.8 million yuan.

Drilling of deep borehole begins in Xinjiang

The drilling of China's first borehole over 10,000 meters deep for scientific exploration began on Tuesday in the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. The operation started at 11:46 am on Tuesday. It represents a milestone in Chinese exploration, providing an unprecedented opportunity to study areas of the planet deep beneath the surface. With a design depth of 11,100 meters, the borehole is located in the hinterland of the Taklimakan Desert. During the drilling process, the equipment, including drill bits and drill pipes weighing more than 2,000 metric tons, will penetrate more than 10 continental strata.