Chengdu
Communist Party political drama unfolds on the Internet for millions of Chinese to see
Never before has such a dramatic power transfer in China unfolded in the Internet era. Making this even more dramatic is controversial news this week that a one-time popular party leader has been suspended from his posts and his wife has been arrested and charged with murder. All this is unfolding on the Internet in China.
China’s earthquake, tectonics and the shape of things to come
The earthquake that struck China’s central region yesterday is the deadliest the country has seen since 1976. We talk with Roger Bilham, professor of geological sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder, about how both natural and man-made factors created such devastation.
Chinese earthquake death roll rises to 10,000
More than 12,000 are dead in the Sichuan province alone in the 7.9 earthquake that struck southwestern China yesterday.
Rescue efforts are being stalled by rain throughout the region, which is expected for the next few days. China says it would welcome international help, but even their own people are having trouble getting to the affected regions.
Edward Wong on the state of Chengdu; regional analysis from Global Insight
State media estimates nearly twenty thousand people have died in the 7.9 earthquake, and tens of thousands are still buried under rubble. Fifty thousand troops are conducting searches for survivors and delivering aid, but bad weather is making a hard job harder. The country’s prime minister is personally overseeing the operation.