December 23 - 27, 2006

Due to the damage to regional communication networks, we were unable to produce the Daily News Brief on Tuesday December 27. We regret any inconvenience this may have caused.


Top News of the Day
Religion
Christian Leaders Sent to Prison over Protest
SCMP, December 24, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZKH6N9UVE.html
On December 23, eight underground Christian leaders accused of "inciting violence" in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, were tried and convicted. Pastor Shen Zhuke was sentenced to 3-1/2 years in prison, and the others were given sentences ranging from suspended sentences to three years' imprisonment. The group organized a protest against the demolition of their church, which the government argued was an illegal structure.

News
Corruption
排除干扰秉公办理 高官异地审判制度初露端倪 (Corrupt Senior Officials Tried Outside Home Provinces)
Xinhuanet, December 27, 2006
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2006-12/27/content_5529137.
htm

Corruption 'Still Quite Serious', Says Politburo
SCMP, December 26, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ9JZNQ3WE.html

Qingdao Party Chief Fired from All Posts
SCMP, December 25, 2006
http://www.scmp.com/topnews/ZZZOC6OQ3WE.html

Death Penalty
Death Term Handed to Top Officer Commuted
SCMP, December 23, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZYR9I9UVE.html

Environment
Conservation Comes First, Hu Warns Local Officials
SCMP, December 27, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZIJ8OQ3WE.html

Hukou
暂住證被轰违法 (Legality of Temporary Residence Permit Questioned)
Ming Pao, December 27, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20061227/cab1.htm

Human Rights Defender - Gao Zhisheng (高智晟)
Rights Lawyer Given Light Sentence
SCMP, December 23, 2006
http://www.scmp.com/topnews/ZZZT3Z3AUVE.html

• 
  Related Information
  HRIC Statement on Gao Zhisheng’s Sentence
  Human Rights in China, December 22, 2006
  http://www.hrichina.org/
  

Labor
Activist Criticize China Toy Factory
AP( via YahooNews), December 22, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061222/ap_on_re_as/china_bratz
_dolls_2

Law
Lawyers at Risk Trying to Apply the Law
SCMP, December 25, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ6SYNQ3WE.html

Media
记者东莞遭掳劫官禁报道 (Dongguan Authorities Prohibit Newspaper from Reporting on Robbery)
Ming Pao, December 27, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20061227/cca1.htm

《物权法》传媒禁唱反调 (Media Barred from Negative Reporting on the Property Rights Law)
Ming Pao, December 27, 2006
http://www.mingpaonews.com/20061227/caa1.htm

《百姓》披露江苏村民被强迁 关注土地问题受整肃 (Baixing Magazine Purged over Land Grab Report)
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/12/26/baixing/

Migrant Workers
四川民工陕西讨薪被殴致死 (Migrant Worker Beaten to Death for Demanding Backpay in Shaanxi)
BBC, December 24, 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/chinese/trad/hi/newsid_6200000/newsid_6
208300/6208315.stm

Olympics
Polluters to Take a Breather for Two Months Before Olympics
SCMP, December 27, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZO1NMQ3WE.html

Access to Foreign Media Crucial for Success of Games
SCMP, December 25, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZ9GLMQ3WE.html

China Stages Olympic Anti-terror Drill
AFP (via YahooNews), December 23, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061223/wl_asia_afp/oly2008chnc
hinasecurityattacks_0612230703041223070304

Population
In China, Aging in the Care of Strangers
Washington Post, December 21, 2006
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12
/21/AR2
006122101898.htmldyn/content/article/2006/12/21/AR2006122
101898.html

Poverty
Wealth Gap Widening, Survey Reveals
SCMP, December 26, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZRCMMQ3WE.html

Protests and Petitions
Medics Armed for Battle After Claimants Attack Hospital
SCMP, December 26, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZXCMMQ3WE.html

郑恩宠和拆迁户联名举报黄菊 (Zheng Enchong and Evictees Request Supreme People's Procuratorate to Prosecute Huang Ju over Corruption)
Radio Free Asia, December 26, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/12/26/zheng/

Religion
青草地家庭教会圣诞节活动被警方中止 (Protestant House Church's Christmas Celebration Stopped by Police in Beijing)
Radio Free Asia, December 25, 2006
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2006/12/25/christm
as/

Congress Increases Pressure for Sanctions over China's Religious Freedom Record
SCMP, December 23, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chitoday/ZZZ5D5N9UVE.html

Social Security
Basic Social Security Net to Cover All Farmers
SCMP, December 25, 2006
http://china.scmp.com/chimain/ZZZESYNQ3WE.html

Tibet
Dalai Lama Says China Boom Offers Hope for Tibet
AFP (via YahooNews), December 25, 2006
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061225/wl_afp/indiachinatibetreli
giondalai_06122506044141