Beijing

Condolences for Taiwan after quake

The Beijing-based Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits sent a letter of condolence to the Taiwan-based Straits Exchange Foundation on Monday regarding a quake that shook the island on Sunday. ARATS expressed its concerns about casualties and damage, and asked the SEF to convey its "sincere sympathy" to those affected. Four people died, 20 others were injured and one person has been reported missing due to the earthquake that shook Nantou county, according to the island's disaster response authorities.

90% of parents for sex education

More than 90 percent of parents support educating minors about sex and incorporating the lessons into school education, Beijing News reported on Monday, citing a survey. The survey was conducted by the newspaper and an NGO, the Maple Women's Psychological Counseling Center. It came after a series of molestation scandals involving children. The results showed children received little such education from schools or from parents, and they have weak awareness or capability to cope with such sexual offenses.

Tsinghua offers online courses

Tsinghua University will offer several Internet courses as part of an attempt to develop an online syllabus, principal Chen Jining said at the Massive Online Education Forum held in Beijing on Monday. There has been a boom in online education since Massive Open Online Courses first became popular in American universities last year. In May, Tsinghua and Peking University joined edX, a joint venture set up by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology last year.

PhD talents set to boost development

China has started selecting suitable PhD holders to support the country's underdeveloped western regions. This year's "Doctors Service Group", the 14th batch since 1999, was initiated by the Organization Department of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Communist Youth League as a major campaign to provide talent for the development of western areas. This year's selection will focus on key fields and industries such as bio-technology, environmental protection, energy resources, agricultural technology, health and tourism.

Heilongjiang

Barn fire caused by short circuit

A fire that ripped through a large grain storage center in Lindian county, Heilongjiang province, on Friday was caused by a short circuit, the fire control headquarters of the Heilongjiang Public Security Bureau said. On Monday, nine people, including the barn's director Gao Yanping, were transferred to the local public security bureau and charged with negligence in a major-liability accident, said Lindian county's public security bureau.

Shanghai

City encourages private medicare

Shanghai is encouraging more private-sector investment to promote the city's healthcare reform. Over the past three years, more than 300 private hospitals have been approved in the city, according to the Shanghai Health and Family Planning Commission. Private medical bodies have been listed in the city's health management and planning work. Elderly care, mental health, pediatrics and obstetrics will be key fields in developing private medical bodies.

Jilin

Bus drivers told to stop eating garlic

Some bus drivers in Changchun, Jilin province, are being encouraged to wash their hair frequently and refrain from eating garlic, under new guidelines, City Evening News reported on Monday. The guidelines, issued by the city's Public Traffic Group northwest branch, apply to more than 500 bus drivers undergoing training. The training also includes traffic safety, vehicle service and driving.

Zhejiang

Bird strike stops high-speed train

A shattered cockpit window caused by a bird forced a high-speed train from Hangzhou to Beijing to stop. The accident happened on Sunday morning when the high-speed train hit a pigeon in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu province, Modern Express reported. The train arrived in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, where the passengers had to alight and take another train to Beijing.

Test rule arouses controversy

Starting from Sunday, parents in Zhejiang province applying for birth certificates for children who were born more than one year earlier are required to provide paternity test results, according to China National Radio. The measure was introduced to prevent baby trafficking. However, whether parents and the child are biologically related is a private matter, said Zhu Wei, a doctorate candidate of law in an online comment.

Shaanxi

Police chopper crash kills two

Two people died and another person was severely injured after a police helicopter crashed during a training mission in Shaanxi province on Monday. The helicopter, operated by the public security bureau of Xi'an, the capital of Shaanxi, crashed near a village in Lantian county around 6 pm, killing two people aboard the helicopter, according to Xi'an police and the Lantian government.

Hunan

10 dead, 15 hurt in mine blast

Ten people have been confirmed dead and 15 others injured after a gas explosion in a coal mine in Hunan province. The blast occurred on Sunday night at the Simachong mine in Shaodong county, Shaoyang, an official with the Shaodong publicity department said on Monday. Thirty-nine miners were working underground when the accident happened, and 29 of them have been lifted to safety. Police have detained eight people believed to be responsible for the blast, including the mine's legal representative and managers.

Xinhua - China Daily

(China Daily 06/04/2013 page2)