Joint Sino-US effort smashes child sex sites

An organization running pedophile sites, part of a group of Chinese-language porn websites, has been smashed following a joint operation between China and the United States.

Sunshine Entertainment Alliance, which was based in New York, operated at least 18 websites containing disturbing images of children, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Thursday.

Indictments have been filed against Wang Yong, 26, a permanent resident of the United States originally from Fujian province.

Top court to toughen sea pollution penalties

The country's top court plans to improve rules and regulations to better handle rising disputes over marine pollution, a senior judge has said.

According to the existing laws and regulations on pollution, the maximum fine for marine pollution is just 200,000 yuan ($31,000).

The remarks were made while ConocoPhillips China, the operator of two leaking oil platforms in northern China's Bohai Bay, faces compensation demands for the oil spills.

TIBET

New chief named by Party

Chen Quanguo has been appointed secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) committee of the Tibet autonomous region, the CPC Central Committee announced on Thursday.

Zhang Qingli, Chen's predecessor, will be moved to another position, the CPC Central Committee said in a statement.

XINJIANG

Deaths linked to tainted vinegar in Xinjiang

Police on Monday blamed tainted vinegar for causing a mass poisoning that killed at least 11 people and sickened about 120 others at a Ramadan meal in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

An initial probe showed that the villagers of Sangzhu had drunk vinegar from two plastic barrels that had previously contained antifreeze on Aug 19 .

The police are still waiting for results from toxicity tests to confirm the source of the poisoning, they said.

JIANGXI

Fight breaks out at hospital

Police in the provincial capital of Jiangxi are investigating a fight between hospital staff and relatives of a patient who died in the hospital, according to a news release on Wednesday.

The attack happened after Fan Runyin, a local resident, died from cerebral hemorrhage in the First People's Hospital of the city of Nanchang on Aug 19 after an operation, according to the news release.

Witnesses said dozens of Fan's upset relatives and friends came to the hospital after his death and were challenged by more than 50 staff members holding wood clubs on Tuesday. The fight left 15 people injured and three vehicles burned, according to the news release.

SHENZHEN

'Best' Universiade comes to an end

The 26th Summer Universiade was concluded on Tuesday in Shenzhen, hailed by Claude-Louis Gallien, president of the International University Sports Federation, as the "best ever".

The games were the largest ever, involving a record 10,603 participants, with 7,132 athletes and 3,471 officials from 151 countries and regions.

Three Universiade records were broken in athletics, swimming and archery.

China topped the gold- medal list with a record 75, followed by Russia, 43, and South Korea, 27.

NEWS WATCH

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) has launched a probe into a Chinese pilot's alleged refusal to let a Qatar Airway's jet that was running short of fuel land first.

On Aug 13, air-traffic controllers at Shanghai's Hongqiao airport instructed other flights to give way to the Qatar Airways flight, but a pilot of Juneyao Airlines' flight HO1112 refused to carry out the order and insisted on landing first. The Qatar Airways plane later was able to land safely.

China Daily - Xinhua

(China Daily 08/28/2011 page2)