The HRIC Daily Brief is a daily selection of news stories and commentary related to human rights in China, drawn from Chinese- and English-language news and online media sources that we monitor daily. In addition to headlines and source links, HRIC also provides English translation of Chinese headlines.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

January 30, 2008

News
Corruption

截至去年10月底国家已追回或归还被挤占挪用资金近42亿元 (From 2006 to October 2007, China Recovered 4.2 Billion Yuan in Embezzled Funds)
Xinhuanet, January 30, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newscenter/2008-01/30/content_7525595.htm

Disasters
Power Plants Feel the Pinch As Mainland Weather Crisis Worsens
South China Morning Post, January 29, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=988c4f8a4d0c7110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Troops Help Stranded Chinese as Snow Kills 50
Reuters, January 29, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSPEK11184620080129

Food Security
China Issues Emergency Circular on Food Safety
Xinhuanet, January 30, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/30/content_7524840.htm

Government
中国推动村庄合并大村庄制成趋势 (Government Promotes Trend of Merging of Small Villages to Make "Big Village System")
People's Daily (available at Xinhuanet), January 30, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2008-01/30/content_7524379.htm

Human Rights Defender - Ye Guoqiang (叶国强)
北京维权人士叶国强被释放后身陷困境 (After Release, Rights Defender Ye Guoqiang's Health Deteriorates)
Radio Free Asia, January 29, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/xinwen/2008/01/29/

Human Rights Defender - Xu Zhengqing (许正清)
许正清出狱数十访民迎接 上海枉法侵权再成焦点 (Human Rights Defender Xu Zhengqing Released From Prison)
Radio Free Asia, January 29, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/29/xu_zhengqing/

Related Information
Case Update: Shanghai Petitioner Xu Zhengqing Released from Prison
Human Rights in China, January 29, 2008
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/47237

Human Rights Defender - Li Guohong (李国宏)
维权人士李国宏以绝食争取到探视权 (Li Guohong Goes on Hunger Strike to Fight For Visitation Rights)
Radio Free Asia, January 29, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/29/li/

Human Rights Defender - Zhang Zilin (张子霖)
泛蓝联盟成员张子霖案延期到春节后开庭 (Trial for Pan-Blue Alliance Member Zhang Zilin Postponed Until After Spring Festival)
Radio Free Asia, January 29, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/29/zhang/

Media
Spreading the News: The Future of Rural Newspapers Is Largely Tied to the Economic Fortunes of Their Readership
South China Morning Post, January 28, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=4f537d24f1bb7110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD

Migrant Workers
Migrant Workers Advised to Stay in Cities for Spring Festival Amid Heavy Snow
Xinhuanet, January 29, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/29/content_7517049.htm

Olympics
15件“涉奥”案共逮捕38人 (Beijing Investigated 322 Corruption Cases in 2007, 15 Involving Olympics)
The Beijing News, January 30, 2008
http://www.thebeijingnews.com/news/olympic/2008/01-30/014@085748.htm

Police
公安部通报2007年全国社会治安形势 (Ministry of Public Security Discusses 2007 Public Order Situation)
Xinhuanet, January 30, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2008-01/30/content_7524868.htm

Poverty
Low-income Rural, Urban Families to Get More Subsidies as Prices Rise
Xinhuanet, January 29, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/29/content_7522343.htm

Protests and Petitions
河南兰考县政府低价强征农田引起村民抗议 (Henan, Lankao County Farmers Protest Low-Priced Land Grab)
Radio Free Asia, January 29, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/29/nong/

Public Health
China Reports Bird Flu Outbreak in Poultry in Tibet
Reuters, January 29, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSPEK78849

Three Gorges
中国三峡水坝及其对全球影响的讨论会 (Panel: China's Three Gorges Dam Project and It's Impact on the World)
Radio Free Asia, January 29, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/shenrubaodao/2008/01/29/sanxia/