Beijing

Crackdown on schoolbook bribes

The publication authority has vowed to curb commercial bribery involving teaching materials for school students amid mounting public complaints. In a circular issued on Thursday, the State General Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television prohibited any institution or individual from seeking profit through illegal means, such as getting kickbacks or asking for sponsorship during the publication and marketing of teaching and learning materials for middle and primary school students.

Fujian

Girl, 3, killed by bulldozer

A 3-year-old girl was killed by a bulldozer in Zhangpu county on Wednesday morning. The bulldozer was pushing mud onto a field belonging to a villager named Chen Saiqiao. Chen's 3-year-old granddaughter was playing behind the bulldozer when it began to back up, and Chen was unable to stop the vehicle in time. The local government's publicity department issued a notice on Wednesday, saying that workers were building a path near Chen's fields and mistakenly pushed mud onto one of her fields.

Shaanxi

Four detained for spreading rumors

Four people in Yan'an were detained for spreading rumors online, China Daily learned on Thursday. One of the four, surnamed Li, posted false casualty figures from a recent flood on his micro blog on June 13 to draw his ex-girlfriend's attention. The other three were also involved in spreading rumors about the disaster online. The four received punishment ranging from five to 10 days administrative detention.

Tibet

Afforestation project planned

The Tibet autonomous region is planning to invest 30 billion yuan ($4.9 billion) in an afforestation project along six major rivers in the region, a forestry official announced on Thursday. The project will focus on land suitable for afforestation along major rivers in Tibet, said Lei Guilong, head of the autonomous region's forestry department, at a meeting. The project will start from 2014 and is expected to be completed by 2030.

Sichuan

Men detained for kidnapping

Six suspects were detained on suspicion of kidnapping and beating a couple that guarded trees on a mountain in Wangcang county, West China Metropolis Daily reported on Thursday. Four of the suspects were reportedly hired by the other two, who were businessmen accused of being involved in illegal logging. The businessmen had prior conflicts with the couple. The couple survived the ordeal on July 28 by pretending to be dead.

Woman saved after suicide attempt

Police in Nanbu county, Nanchong city, rescued a young woman who spent nearly two hours balanced outside a window on the sixth floor of a building downtown on Monday evening. The woman, who is divorced, tried to commit suicide after her boyfriend broke up with her, according to West China Metropolis Daily. Police broke down the door to her apartment and rescued her.

Two boys drown swimming in river

Two boys aged 15 drowned near Yuandou Mountain in Luxian county on Monday afternoon, after four boys who were schoolmates went swimming in a river, scol.com.cn reported. Police and fishermen recovered the bodies about three hours later.

Mother, son to risk life for each other

A mother and her son in Gongxian county who have uremia both want to reduce their individual dialysis time in favor of the other because of a lack of money. They have mounting financial pressure as they need to spend about 2,000 yuan ($327) on dialysis every month and only earn 3,000 yuan a month.

China Daily - Xinhua

(China Daily USA 08/30/2013 page2)