【英语简明新闻】Headline News 2016 January 9

Heavy smog likely to affect Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei next week Heavy air pollution is likely to affect the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region next Tuesday and Wednesday. Air pollution is also forecast to hit parts of Shandong, Shanxi, Henan and Inner Mongolia, all in north China. The forecast was made by the China National Environmental Monitoring Center as a new year routine that started on Jan. 1, 2016. The forecast covers three key regions, including Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions. The forecast on the official website of the center also includes three-day forecast for provincial regions and real-time air quality readings for major cities. 2500 Small, Polluting Firms to Shut in Beijing in 2016 Municipal authorities in Beijing have announced that the capital will shut down 25-hundered small and polluting firms this year as part of the latest environmental protection efforts in the city. All those firms are located in the capital's Suburban districts including Fengtai, Fangshan, Tongzhou and Daxing. These enterprises are set to be completely shut down in the year of 2017. Beijing also aims to basically eliminate coal use in 6 downtown districts in 2 years and help 600 thousand households shift from coal to clean energy in 5 years. China producer prices down 5.2 pct in 2015 Latest official figures show China's Producer Price Index, which measures wholesale inflation, dropped 5.2 percent year on year in 2015. In December, the PPI was down nearly 6 percent compared to a year ago, unchanged from that of November and marking the 46th straight month of decline. Meanwhile, the same set of data also shows consumer prices grew 1.4 percent last year, year on year. This is well below the government's 3-percent target set for the year and it is also below the 2-percent growth registered in 2014. In December, growth in the consumer price index, the main gauge of inflation, increased to 1.6 percent from November's 1.5-percent rise. Mexico Captures Top Drug Lord "El Chapo" For the Third Time Mexico once again captured the world's top drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman on Friday, in the northwestern city of Los Mochis. On Friday evening, Guzman was flown by a Marines helicopter, to the same prison from which he escaped six months ago. The kingpin's capture gave a much needed political boost for Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, whose administration was embarrassed by Guzman's previous escape. Guzman's cartel has smuggled billions of dollars' worth of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and meth into the US. His capture is also expected to ease US-Mexico relations. He had escaped from prison twice previously. Refugee bus crash kills 8 in western Turkey A bus carrying illegal refugees has overturned in western Turkey, killing 8 people and injuring 42 others. The driver of the bus and seven refugees died on the scene when the accident occurred in the province of Balikesir early Friday. The injured, including seven in critical condition, have been sent to hospitals for treatment. The bus was carrying migrants attempting to travel to the Greek island of Lesbos. Police have launched an investigation into the accident. The International Organization for Migration reports that more than 3,000 refugees fleeing war-torn Syria have lost their lives on the way to Greek islands via Turkey. Death toll in Nigeria's Lassa fever outbreak rises to 40 Nigeria has confirmed the death of 40 people out of 86 reported cases of the Lassa fever. The country's Minister of Health Isaac Adewole urged the public to avoid contact with rodents and rats as well as food contaminated by rats. He also advised communities to improve on their hygiene, especially food hygiene. The minister added that the country has sent out response teams to the affected 10 states, to assist in investigating and verifying the cases as well as in the tracing of contacts. Tibet Sees Increase in Air Traffic Tibet Autonomous Region in southwest China saw a record 3.6 million air passengers in 2015, up 15 percent from 2014. The region opened 13 new air routes for its five airports last year, bringing its operating routes to 63. 40 cities are now linked to Tibet by air. A local official said Tibet will see more air routes in the current 13th Five Year period. The official also said the region will encourage airlines to add international flights to other Asian destinations. China Sees Drastic Increases in Number of Marathons and Running Races The Chinese Athletics Association sponsored or co-sponsored 134 marathons and road running races last year, a 160% increase compared to 2014. The association said the number included 53 marathons and 43 half marathons, drawing 1.5 million participants from 90 countries and regions.