February 22, 2006

Top News of the Day

Rural Issues - Rural Development
今年种粮补贴150亿 (China Earmarks 15 Billion Yuan for Agricultural Subsidies in 2006)
Wen Wei Po, February 22, 2006
During the closing ceremony of a high-level seminar that had the theme of "building a new socialist countryside,” Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao pledged to increase funding for the modernization of rural areas. China's countryside is lagging far behind the stunning economic growth that cities have experienced over the last two decades.
http://www.wenweipo.com/news.phtml?cat=002CH&news_
id=CH0602220001

Related News
Bold Plan to Ease Rural Poverty Unveiled
SCMP, February 22, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ6QETH8JE.html


News

Civil Society – NGOs /
Poverty
NGOs Win Bid for Poverty Relief
China Daily, February 22, 2006
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-02/22/
content_522658.htm

Corruption /
Public Health
四川36名医院院长受贿被查 (36 Hospital Chiefs in Sichuan Investigated for Corruption)
People's Daily, February 22, 2006
http://legal.people.com.cn/GB/42733/4129200.html

Education
中国义务教育的“商品化” (The “Commercialization” of China's Compulsory Education)
Radio Free Asia, February 21, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/02/21/
jiaoyu/

Human Rights / Olympics
Rights Woes May Stain Games: John Kamm
SCMP, February 22, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ0IGTH8JE.html

Media - Censorship / Press Freedom
讨论：《冰点》能否引发新闻体制改革？ (Discussion: Will the "Freezing Point" Incident Trigger Media Reforms?)
Radio Free Asia, February 22, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/02/21/
bingdian/

Mao's Nervous Minders Pursued Us Everywhere
The Guardian, February 22, 2006
http://www.guardian.co.uk/china/story/0,,1713280,00.html

Media - Internet Censorship
中国两会前夕 北京关闭三个左派网站 (Beijing Shuts Down 3 Left-Wing Web Sites on the Eve of the Upcoming Political Consultative Conference and National People's Congress)
Chinesenewsnet.com, February 22, 2006
http://www1.chinesenewsnet.com/gb/MainNews/SinoNews/
Mainland/cna_2006_02_21_22_00_19_442.html22_00_19
_442.html

Google为新中国网站辩护 (Google Rebukes Claims That it Operates Without a License in China)
BBC, February 22, 2006
http://news8.thdo.bbc.co.uk/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_4730000/
newsid_4737200/4737232.stm.stm

Google.cn "Very Likely" Replace Uncensored Google.com - Beijing News
China Digital Times, February 21, 2006
http://chinadigitaltimes.net/2006/02/googlecn_very_likely_
replace_uncensored_googlecom_beiji.phpom_beiji.php

Media - Public Access to Information
新规整顿垃圾电邮 (New Regulations on Junk Mail)
Ming Pao, February 22, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/

Politics
Cancer Diagnosis May Force Leader off Politburo
SCMP, February 22, 2006
http://www.scmp.com/topnews/ZZZOEAUH8JE.html

Rural Issues - Rural Development / Poverty - Rural Poverty
Document Spells Out Plans for Rural Revival
People's Daily, February 22, 2006
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200602/22/eng20060222_
244793.html

05年农民和城镇居民收入3.22:1 城乡差距继续扩大 (Ratio of Rural Income to Urban Income Widens to 3.22:1 in 2005)
EastDay.com, February 22, 2006
http://china.eastday.com/eastday/node81741/node81762/
node119558/userobject1ai1868616.html8616.html

Wen Promises More Funds to Improve Farmers' Lives
SCMP, February 22, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ2QETH8JE.html

Chinese Gov't to Spend More on Countryside
AP( via YahooNews), February 21, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060221/ap_on_re_as/china_
politics;_ylt=AinatVMTePvrAHheMFhvMnYBxg8F;_ylu=X3o
DMTBjMHVqMTQ4BHNlYwN5bnN1YmNhdA--

Society
Face Recognition System to Improve Public Identification
Xinhuanet, February 22, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-02/21/content
_4208578.htm

Tibet / Education
Tibetan School Draws International Students
Radio Free Asia, February 22, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/social/2006/02/21/
tibet_dogga/

Tibet / Protests and Petitions
Tibetan Youths Detained over Anti-Fur Campaign
Radio Free Asia, February 21, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/english/tibetan/2006/02/21/tibet_fur/