IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Answering the call to prayer

For Chinese residents living near narrow, tree-lined Jinrong Street in the center of Guangzhou, Guangdong province, Friday is the day when they are treated to a spectacle - a weekly event they can almost set their clocks by.

Building a culture far from home

Religion plays a crucial role in the life of African Muslims overseas, and the Guangzhou authorities should make greater efforts to embrace the distinct cultural traditions, said Adams Bodomo, a professor of African Studies at the University of Vienna.

An oasis of calm at the center of the hustle and bustle

I've always regarded Guangzhou as the epitome of the bustling Chinese mega city - both in terms of its huge population of migrant workers and its trade volume - so to step into Xianxian Mosque in the city's old town was like entering a time capsule. It left me with an enchanting sense of disbelief; I couldn't believe such an oasis of calm could exist in such a busy city.

White Crane dance takes flight

A new dance craze has been sweeping Faku county in Liaoning province. Like the traditional dances performed by generations of locals through the ages, the White Crane, which mimics the movements of the majestic bird for which it's named, is based on the natural world.

The regular visitor

Faku welcomes regular guests every year, enthusiasts who travel across China to follow in the footsteps of the white cranes to observe them and take photos.

'Model husband' shatters image of love

China's rapid economic development has been accompanied by an increasingly open attitude toward sexual matters, leading to greater public indifference about extramarital affairs among celebrities.

A cautionary tale for lovers

Wang Xiuquan is a senior marriage lawyer at the Beijing Chang'an Law Firm

Public perfection, private perfidy

Singer Faye Wong announced her divorce from her second husband Li Yapeng via her weibo account in September. Li replied within an hour, saying that the marriage had broken down because of irreconcilable differences. "What I want is a family, but you are destined to be a legend," he wrote.

Groups urge recognition of war crime

The elderly protesters held their placards in silence but their message came across loud and clear: A call for justice for "comfort women", a euphemism for those who suffered brutal sexual abuse by the Japanese Imperial Armed Forces during World War II.

'Comfort women' living with the shame that never ends

In mid-March, the municipal government of Nanjing, the capital of East China's Jiangsu province, announced that seven shabby buildings, numbers 2 to 18 in Liji Alley, would become subject to the laws related to the preservation of cultural relics.

Reforms give NGOs a level playing field

New rules relating to registration and donations are expected to see social organizations play a greater role in the provision of services, as He Dan reports.