Former bank official found guilty of bribery

Li Jiping, former vice-president of China Development Bank, pleaded guilty to taking bribes while standing trial in Xinyang, Henan province, on Friday. From 2001 to 2021, Li was found to have used his work positions, including director of the bank's policy research office and head of the bank's branch in Sichuan province, to seek benefits for some departments and individuals in various matters such as loan approval and project contracting, and accepted bribes worth over 57.3 million yuan ($7.89 million) in return, according to an indictment provided by prosecutors in Xinyang. With evidence provided, the prosecutors said that Li should be held criminally liable for taking bribes. During the trial, Li and his lawyer also shared opinions on the evidence, and Li confessed to the crime in his final statement.

Giant panda Eimei dies at 32 in Chengdu

The giant panda Eimei, or Yong Ming in Chinese, died in Chengdu on Jan 25 due to multiple organ failure at the age of 32, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding announced on Friday. At age two, Eimei was sent to Adventure World, an amusement park in Shirahama of Japan's Wakayama prefecture, as part of the long-term giant panda breeding cooperation plan between China and Japan. During his time in Japan, Eimei mated with two female pandas, becoming the father of 16 and creating the largest giant panda family outside of China.

China Daily