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Sichuan mafia boss faces trial on a raft of crimes, a leading tour operator cancels service to Malaysia, and the new 'Cathay' tulip is bound for Wuhan's botanical garden.

'Cathay' to bloom in Wuhan

Wuhan Botanical Garden of Chinese Academy of Sciences is going to introduce the new strain of tulip, known as "Cathay," that was named by Peng Liyuan, wife of President Xi Jinping, in the Netherlands on Sunday, Wuhan Evening News reported.

The garden has worked closely with the Dutch company that developed the new tulip strain to provide the plant's requirements. If this tulip can be planted at a large scale and meets the requirements of imports and exports of the two countries, the Wuhan Botanical Garden will purchase seed balls for planting. It is estimated that Wuhan residents will be able to watch Cathay blossom no earlier than mid-March next year.

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Sichuan gang leader faces trial

Liu Han, a Sichuan mafia boss accused of multiple charges, will face trial on Monday in Xianning Intermediated People's Court of Hubei province, Beijing Times reported.

Liu and 35 others will be tried in separate courts in Xianning city, according to a court announcement. Liu Han faces more than 10 charges, including financial crimes, murder, running casinos and illegally selling firearms.

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The Palace Museum, known to some Westerners as the Forbidden City, plans to open to the public for free in the off-season and adopt limited sales during the peak tourist season, Beijing News reported on Thursday.

The iconic site will intensify crackdowns on ticket scalpers and unlicensed tour guides, especially during the upcoming tourist season.

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Garden Expo Park to reopen on April 1

Beijing Garden Expo Park will reopen on April 1, with an entry price of 20 yuan ($3.2) per person, city officials said at a news conference on Wednesday. The park, with 69 exhibition areas, was closed in November for maintenance after serving as the site of the Beijing International Garden Expo. The Museum of Chinese Gardens, which is located in the park, will be free for tourists.

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Tour service cancels Malaysia flights

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One of China's largest tour operators, China Youth Travel Service, has suspended cooperation with Malaysia Airlines due to the alleged mishandling of its lost flight 370 and said it will cancel existing flight arrangements with the carrier, China Daily reported. The agency also promised full refunds to consumers who want to cancel trips that would have used the Malaysian carrier.

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Worried single woman opts to be single mom

A 33-year-old Nanjing woman who has not yet found her "Mr Right" and is worried about a lonely future is now six months pregnant after artificial insemination, Yangtze Evening News reported on Wednesday. "I worried about my future life without a child to rely on, so I decided to have a child by myself," said Nuo Xin. She said she still hopes to find a mate and hopes he will understand her decision.

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Mandarin requirement irks civil servants

Some civil servants are concerned about a requirement by the government that they speak standard Mandarin in their work, rather than the local Chinese dialect, china.cnr.cn reported. Mandarin will be required for office work when the province introduces the National Common Language Regulation on April 1. Some find the regulation a great challenge as most of them have been speaking a local dialect all their lives. They also believe using the dialect draws them closer to local residents.

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Girl, 7, rescues brother after fatal crash

A 7-year-old girl rescued her 3-year-old brother from their car after it was sandwiched between two trucks in a highway accident that killed their mother.

Xinhua News Agency's website reported on Wednesday that the two children received only minor injuries, while their father suffered head injuries.

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