Pardons granted President Xi Jinping on Saturday signed and issued an order of special pardons* for nine categories of criminals on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Nine categories of criminals who are serving their sentences effective before January 1, 2019, will be pardoned, according to the order. Garbage-sorting and fines details People in Shanghai can be fined up to 200 yuan (US$29) from July 1 if they fail to sort garbage three times within 30 days, the city’s urban management and law enforcement authorities said on Wednesday. Violators of the city’s first domestic garbage regulations will be ordered to fix the problem first, or face a fine of between 50 yuan and 200 yuan. Astronomical relics Senior archaeologists have evaluated astronomical relics discovered in Central China’s Henan Province as the country’s earliest evidence for “observing the images and giving time,” advancing history by nearly 1,000 years. Archaeologists found the “Big Dipper Nine Stars” marker at the 5,000-year-old Qingtai Ruins in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital. VR treatment for drug addicts More than 1,000 drug users in Shanghai have undergone an eight-month virtual reality treatment program over the last three years to overcome their addiction. According to the local judicial department, more than 70 percent of the participants have reduced desire for drugs after undergoing the treatment. Ancient coffins Mysterious coffins high up off the ground, a historical and cultural heritage with hundreds of years of history in Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, remain safe and sound after the recent earthquakes. A 5.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Gongxian County in Sichuan on Saturday, killing four people, injuring 128 and damaging tens of thousands of houses. (SD-Agencies) | 