August 21, 2008

Top News of the Day
Protests and Petitions
Two Women Sentenced to ‘Re-education’ in China
New York Times, August 21, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/21/sports/olympics/21protest.html
Two elderly petitioners, Wu Dianyuan (吴殿元), 79, and Wang Xiuying (王秀英), 77, have been sentenced to Re-education-Through-Labor after applying several times to demonstrate in the official "protest zones" during the Olympics. The women were applying to protest against insufficient compensation after being forcibly evicted and relocated from their homes in 2001. They were told of their sentence on Monday, August 18, when they went to the police station to inquire on their protest applications. Authorities have yet to sanction a single protest during the Olympics.

Related information:
Two Beijing Residents Sentenced to Reeducation-Through-Labor After Applying for Permits to Demonstrate in Olympics "Protest Zones"
Human Rights in China, August 19, 2008
http://www.hrichina.org/public/contents/72405

News
Bilateral Ties
French Politicians Urged Not to Damage China-France Relations
China Daily, August 21, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/21/content_6955914.htm

Related news:
French Rights Minister to Meet Dalai Lama
Agence-France Presse (via Google), August 20, 2008
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gp7JGavi074HXg23qIjHBRfWfCBg

UK's Brown to Raise Human Rights with China
Reuters, August 20, 2008
http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSLK40835620080820

Children
Fewer Kids Available for Adoption by Foreigners
China Daily, August 20, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/20/content_6952813.htm

Environment
Call for Reform of Energy Pricing
China Daily, August 21, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/21/content_6956638.htm

China to Regulate Recycling of Electronic Waste
Xinhuanet, August 20, 2008
http://rss.xinhuanet.com/newsc/english/2008-08/21/content_9562603.htm

Hong Kong
Beijing Will Use Gold Medalists in Hong Kong Election
International Herald Tribune, August 20, 2008
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/08/20/asia/hong.php

Labor
Dozens Taken to Hospital after China Gas Leak
Reuters, August 20, 2008
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/PEK42540.htm

Olympics
As Olympics near End, Human Rights Groups Slam Lack of Pressure on China
Associated Press (via News Day), August 20, 2008
http://www.newsday.com/sports/nationworld/sns-ap-oly-human-rights,0,4912304.story

China's Internet Chiefs Ban Names of the Games
Xinhuanet, August 21, 2008
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/20/content_9535178.htm

IOC Says Wants to See Beijing Protest Parks Used
Reuters, August 20, 2008
http://in.reuters.com/article/worldOfSport/idINIndia-35094520080820

Media Frustration Builds during Olympic Games
Australian Broadcasting Corporation, August 20, 2008
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/news/stories/200808/s2341868.htm

Related information:
Ninth IOC/BOCOG Press Conference
IOC/BOCOG, August 20, 2008
http://en.beijing2008.cn/live/pressconference/mpc/n214565643.shtml

More Americans Held as China Steps up Scrutiny
Reuters, August 20, 2008
http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUKPEK2795320080820

Olympic Dream Leads to Greener Lifestyle
China Daily, August 21, 2008
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-08/21/content_6955827.htm

Opera during Olympics Will Showcase Relations between China and Tibet
Los Angeles Times, August 20, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-olytibet20-2008aug20,0,5545432.story

Politics
Mao's Successor Hua Guofeng Dies
British Broadcasting Corporation, August 20, 2008
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7572298.stm

Protests and Petitions
iTunes Blocked in China after Protest Stunt
The Sydney Morning Herald, August 21, 2008
http://www.smh.com.au/news/off-the-field/tibet-tunes-i-dont-think-so/2008/08/20/1218911831534.html

Olympic Petitioner's Story
Radio Free Asia, August 20, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/english/women/olympic-08202008214120.html

Related news:
RFA独家：本台记者走访奥运示威区：一名请愿者向记者哭诉冤情（视频） (RFA Exclusive Interview with Petitioner who Tells of Injustice (with Video))
Radio Free Asia, August 20, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/aoyun-08202008163324.html

奥运期间许多教会人士和访民受打压控制 (Petitioners and House Church Practitioners under Harassment and Control during Olympics)
Radio Free Asia, August 21, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/church-08202008093957.html

上海访民许正清为被打压的访民呼吁 (Shanghai Petitioner Xu Zhengqing Issues Public Appeals Calling for Support and Attention to Pressure on Petitioners during Olympics)
Radio Free Asia, August 20, 2008
http://www.rfa.org/mandarin/yataibaodao/xuzhengqing-08202008093840.html

Religion
Beijing Bishop Urges Pope to Visit China
Associated Press (via Google), August 20, 2008
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h4low64OvnoS4hKG-Cq9_Joi0BtAD92M7TTO0

State Security
Probe on E-mail Hacking
South China Morning Post, August 21, 2008
http://www.scmp.com/portal/site/SCMP/menuitem.2af62ecb329d3d7733492d9253a0a0a0/?vgnextoid=31836c44cb0eb110VgnVCM100000360a0a0aRCRD