Plant explosion kills 1

    AN explosion at a chemical plant in Shandong Province killed at least one person, local media reported yesterday, just weeks after the massive Tianjin blasts killed 159.

    The explosion occurred Monday night at the Diao Kou Xiang Bin Yuan Chemical Co., according to the local government.

    Number registration

    MOBILE phone users who do not register their name and number face having services cut under new regulations introduced yesterday.

    Foreigners should take their SIM card and passport to register at a branch of their service provider, said officials. Chinese users should register using their ID card.

    Failure to do so will see international calls, bill checking services, text messages and standard calls blocked.

    3 detained over fire

    A FIRE that killed five people in Central China’s Hubei Province was caused by human error and three people have been detained, investigators said yesterday.

    The fire, on the fourth floor of a five-story workshop at Tuochuang industrial park in Wuhan City, occurred around 4 p.m. Aug. 26. One person died at the scene, four more died later in hospital after jumping from the burning building in a bid to escape.

    Fuel prices cut

    CHINA announced yesterday that it will cut the retail prices of gasoline and diesel from today.

    The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the nation’s top economic planner, said retail prices of gasoline will fall by 125 yuan (US$19.6) per ton, or 0.09 yuan per liter, while that of diesel will drop by 120 yuan per ton, or 0.1 yuan per liter.