DIVING DEEPER: Jiaolong, the Chinese manned deep-sea submersible, is loaded on to the Xiangyanghong 09 scientific exploration ship on July 26. The submersible successfully reached a depth of 5,143 meters in its third test dive on July 28, which aimed to advance its functionality ahead of a future attempt at 7,000 meters (CFP)

Job Data

China's urban unemployment rate stood at 4.1 percent at the end of June with 9.08 million people registered as unemployed, the Ministry of Human Resources and SocialSecurity said on July 25.

The rate had remained steady since the first quarter, spokesman Yin Chengji said at a press conference.

The country created 6.55 million job opportunities in the first six months of the year and 2.9 million workers who had previously been laid off were reabsorbed into the job market, Yin said.

The spokesman said the country would continue efforts to boost employment during the rest of the year by introducing favorable tax policies and providing financial support.

The government aims to keep the urban unemployment rate below 4.6 percent and create more than 9 million new jobs in 2011.

IPR Protection

The Ministry of Public Security's campaign to halt the production and sale of counterfeit goods has seen Chinese police conduct more than 13,000 raids on pirate dens and knock-off markets.

The initiative was launched in November 2009. By July 26, sources within the ministry said, the police had detained nearly 29,500 suspects and broken up more than 4,900 wholesalers or groups involved in intellectual property rights (IPR) violations.

Police have solve more than 15,800 IPR violation cases with a combined value of 13.11 billion yuan ($2.03 billion).

Dolphin Shelter

A rescue and breeding base for endangered Chinese white dolphins went into trial operation on July 23 in the southeastern seaside resort of Xiamen, Fujian Province. It is the first of its kind in the country.

The base, located on the city's Huoshaoyu Islet, includes a rescue center and a breeding area and can accommodate up to four to six white dolphins. It will serve as a hospital for injured or stranded dolphins.

Previously rescuers had to return injured white dolphins to the sea after providing simple medical treatment due to the lack of a rescue base.

The base will also be used as a rehabilitation center for children with infantile autism and brain paralysis. Dolphin therapy has proved effective in treating autism and the dolphins will act as "doctors" during the children's recovery period.

The Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences estimates about 2,000 white dolphins currently live off China's coast.

Tainted Meat Case

Five people involved in producing and selling clenbuterol-tainted meat have been convicted of the crime of "endangering public security by using dangerous means."

Clenbuterol is a chemical that can be fed to pigs to make them leaner and ready for market sooner. The chemical is poisonous to humans and is banned as an additive in stock feed in China.

On July 25, the Intermediate People's Court of Jiaozuo City, central China's Henan Province, gave Liu Xiang the death penalty with a two-year reprieve and Xi Zhongjie a life sentence. The ruling said they were responsible for producing and selling more than 2,700 kg of clenbuterol. Three collaborators got 15 years, 14 years and nine years in jail, respectively.

The clenbuterol they produced or sold was distributed to eight provincial regions, including Henan, Shandong and Jiangsu, the indictment says.