Tourists visit the Great Wall of China at Badaling, about 90 minutes from Beijing. Ryan Carter / The National
Tourists visit the Great Wall of China at Badaling, about 90 minutes from Beijing. Ryan Carter / The National
Tourists visit the Great Wall of China at Badaling, about 90 minutes from Beijing. Ryan Carter / The National
Tourists visit the Great Wall of China at Badaling, about 90 minutes from Beijing. Ryan Carter / The National

China prepares to open more of Great Wall to tourists


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BEIJING // Beijing will open two new parts of the Great Wall to tourists to meet high demand for one of the world’s most famous tourist attractions, state media reported Saturday.

The municipal government will open the Huanghuacheng and Hefangkou sections of the Great Wall to the public and expand the popular Mutianyu and Badaling sites in the capital’s northern suburbs, the official Xinhua News Agency said. No specific dates were given.

On weekends and holidays, the existing four public Great Wall sites often are crammed with tourists. Xinhua said some tourists instead scale closed sections of the wall and cause damage to the historic structure.

Kong Fanzhi, chief of Beijing’s cultural relics bureau, told Xinhua the new measures aim to ease the congestion at the open sections of the wall.

Most of the wall in Beijing is in good condition, Wang Yuwei, a cultural relics protection official, was quoted as saying.

The Great Wall of China is a series of fortifications built throughout centuries to protect the country’s ancient empire.

Wang said the city is building a Great Wall database, which will be open to the public.

Key features of new policy

Pupils to learn coding and other vocational skills from Grade 6

Exams to test critical thinking and application of knowledge

A new National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance, Assessment, Review and Analysis for Holistic Development) will form the standard for schools

Schools to implement online system to encouraging transparency and accountability

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Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

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Day 5, Dubai Test: At a glance

Moment of the day Given the problems Sri Lanka have had in recent times, it was apt the winning catch was taken by Dinesh Chandimal. He is one of seven different captains Sri Lanka have had in just the past two years. He leads in understated fashion, but by example. His century in the first innings of this series set the shock win in motion.

Stat of the day This was the ninth Test Pakistan have lost in their past 11 matches, a run that started when they lost the final match of their three-Test series against West Indies in Sharjah last year. They have not drawn a match in almost two years and 19 matches, since they were held by England at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi in 2015.

The verdict Mickey Arthur basically acknowledged he had erred by basing Pakistan’s gameplan around three seam bowlers and asking for pitches with plenty of grass in Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. Why would Pakistan want to change the method that has treated them so well on these grounds in the past 10 years? It is unlikely Misbah-ul-Haq would have made the same mistake.

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

Saturday (UAE kick-off times)

Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)

Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)

West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)

Sunday

Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)

Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)

Everton v Liverpool (10pm)

Monday

Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory