Beijing enjoys brief respite, but choking smog to return on Tuesday

Heavy smog that blanketed northern China at the weekend cleared somewhat on Monday, with flights in Beijing back to normal, but it was likely only to be a brief respite with more choking smog expected to return to the wintry north within 24 hours. Weather forecasts on Monday showed the smog would return to Beijing and nearby Tianjin city from Tuesday. Authorities have been issuing smog alerts across China's north since mid-December, leading to orders for hundreds of factories to cut production o