IN BRIEF

Anhui

Former vice-governor gets life for bribes

The former vice-governor of Anhui province, Yang Zhenchao, was sentenced to life in prison for accepting bribes, along with embezzlement and abuse of power, according to a court in Shanghai on Wednesday. Yang accepted bribes of more than 80 million yuan ($11.6 million) from 2008 to 2016, according to the Shanghai No 1 Intermediate People's Court. Yang also abused his power, leading to public economic losses of 915 million yuan, the court said.

Shandong

Industrial metal smugglers captured

Twenty-one people have been caught in Qingdao in connection with a ferrosilicon smuggling operation. They are suspected of smuggling as much as 80,000 metric tons of the material - a metal alloy used in production of other metals - worth 650 million yuan ($95 million), according to customs officials in Qingdao. On April 14, a ship registered as Fushun 16 appeared in Shandong. More than 150 customs and police officers intercepted the ship and suspects. A total of 2,350 tons of ferrosilicon was seized. More was confirmed to have been sold or stored, the authorities said. China has restricted the export of ferrosilicon since 2005.

Guizhou

12 confirmed dead in tunnel blast

All 12 workers who were trapped after an explosion in a partially built railway on Tuesday have been confirmed dead. Their bodies were found after a 14-hour rescue effort in the gas-filled tunnel. More than 2,000 rescuers and medical workers braved high carbon monoxide levels and dust to search for the trapped workers after the explosion ripped through tunnel around 2:50 pm in Dafang county. Twelve other people were injured. An investigation into the cause of the explosion is ongoing.