ANHUI

8 dead in Hefei after truck hits car head-on

Eight people were killed in a traffic accident on Wednesday afternoon in Hefei, Anhui province. According to the local public security bureau, the accident occurred at around 1:50 pm near Changfeng county when a truck collided head-on with a car, killing seven people. Another person died later in hospital.

BEIJING

Favorable policies for rural college students

Students from China's rural and poor areas will continue to enjoy favorable policies when they apply for major universities in 2020, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Education. China will continue to carry out special enrollment plans to enable more students from rural and impoverished areas to go to major universities and colleges, said the circular, adding that a stricter review of applicants' qualifications will be carried out. With disparities in teaching standards among different regions, high school graduates from underdeveloped areas are at a disadvantage in the competition for a spot in the country's major universities.

300 festival activities held in poor areas

About 300 cultural activities featuring various forms of intangible cultural heritage will be held in China's impoverished counties during the upcoming Spring Festival and the Lantern Festival, according to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. A total of 140 teams will be dispatched to 142 impoverished counties to hold cultural activities featuring traditional operas, paintings, sports and other forms of intangible cultural heritage. The activities will include performances, folk festivities, exhibitions, lectures and exchange events.