Briefly

BEIJING

Science and technology workers are honored

China honored 10 research teams and 286 science and technology workers on Saturday－National Science and Technology Workers Day. Ten groups, including the team working on a third-generation gallium nitride semiconductor, were given Scientific Innovation and Advancement Award medals. Twenty-eight people, including several researchers who made contributions to the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, were given award badges, while 258 workers were awarded certificates. The triennial award was first issued in 2017.

Yellow River sewage outlets to be mapped

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment has launched a campaign to comb the banks of the Yellow River to map all sewage outlets to fight pollution. The campaign aims to boost protection of the environment and promote high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, the ministry said. The campaign will first map the sewage outlets and then monitor the pollutants they discharge, trace pollution to its source and develop tailor-made remediation measures. The campaign will last for two to three years, with the mapping of the outlets to be completed this year.

Poverty relief promoted on digital platforms

China has launched a special poverty relief initiative to be executed through digital platforms. Until the end of September, the operation, jointly initiated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, aims to provide job opportunities for poor migrant workers and 52 poverty-stricken counties with the support of digital platforms. Local human resource and poverty alleviation departments will coordinate with companies to offer jobs including express and takeout delivery, warehouse management and vehicle repair, the ministry said.

ZHEJIANG

8,000-year-old shell mound unearthed

Archaeologists have discovered a prehistoric shell mound that is 8,000 years old at the Jingtoushan ruins in Zhejiang province, they announced on Saturday. The ruins, in Ningbo, were discovered in 2013 during a drilling survey to prepare for the construction of a factory. Archaeologists later identified the site as the earliest and most deeply buried shell mound site in coastal China. Tests by the carbon-14 lab at Peking University concluded the site was between 7,800 and 8,300 years old. A large number of exquisite artifacts such as pottery and stone tools, along with animal remains, have been unearthed since digging began in September.

Xinhua