The Hindu reports:

China imposes curbs on mail service

China's postal service has suspended mailing of parcels with sealed liquids and powder as part of ramped up security measures for the Beijing Olympics.

The new step from June 1 to October 31 was to tighten security ahead of and during the Games in August, a State Post Bureau spokesman said.

Chemical products, powder goods, unidentified metal and mechanical and electrical products, sealed containers with unidentified gas or liquid are also banned from delivery, state-run Xinhua news agency said.

A safety certificate from local public security authorities is required to be produced by those having the necessity to mail parcels with the listed items, it said.

Beijing Postal bureau said last month that it would step up inspections of parcels being sent to Olympics host cities, including Shenyang, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai and Qinhuangdao...

...The head of Interpol Ronald Noble warned in Beijing recently that an attempted act of terrorism was a "real possibility" and China must be prepared for a possible strike by Al Qaeda or some other terrorist group during the Olympics.

New Danwei cohort Lydia Wallace today tried to mail a laptop to a friend in another city. She was told: "Come back after October"; the restrictions seem to be in force already.