Briefs, January 19, 2013

Another smog warning was issued in Beijing yesterday, days after the air quality index had returned to acceptable levels after going off the charts last weekend. Weather forecasters in the capital issued a yellow alert yesterday, warning of heavy smog and urging residents with respiratory diseases to stay indoors. The city government's reading of harmful PM2.5 particulates on the East Fourth Ring Road reached the "hazardous" level of 549 micrograms per cubic metre at 11pm. The US embassy said the air pollution level was "beyond the index" and its PM2.5 reading hit 603. The World Health Organisation considers a figure of more than 25 unsafe. Smog covering vast areas of the east and centre closed highways and delayed flights in several provinces. Forecasters predicted that pollution in the capital would ease tomorrow with the arrival of snow. Keith Zhai

A man in Guangdong who had been seeking the payment of overdue wages killed himself and injured seven others in an explosion. The public security bureau in Guangzhou said police received a report of the explosion at a residential community at 3.53pm. An initial investigation showed the man had demanded back-pay from a company located in the quarter. He later ignited explosives on his body, killing himself and injuring seven others. Xinhua

The website of the outspoken political magazine Yanhuang Chunqiu is back online. The magazine's website registration with the telecom regulator was cancelled almost two weeks ago, sparking fears that its calls for reform and constitutional governance had touched a raw nerve. The regulator said at the time that the magazine had failed to update its registration in time. The magazine filed an update and yesterday said on its microblog that it had received notice of the reactivation of the website's registration. Staff Reporter