BEIJING - EIGHT pandas were being readied for their journey back to central China on Sunday, ending a 10-month stay at the Beijing Zoo that was extended after their nature reserve was badly damaged in last year's massive earthquake, state television said.

TAIPEI - THE number of Chinese tourists in Taiwan hit a daily record on Sunday after the two former bitter rivals eased travel restrictions as part of improved relations, the Economic Daily reported.

BEIJING - A PROVINCE in north China that supplies Beijing with much needed water is itself facing serious shortages of the resource, state media reported ahead of World Water Day on Sunday.

Li Qinglin, director of Hebei's water conservation department, said water shortages had become a big problem for the province's social and economic development, the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Saturday.