Relatives of victims killed by terrorists on April 23 are overwhelmed by grief during a memorial in Kashgar, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, on April 29. Zhen Shixin / for China Daily

Society

Martyrs honored in Kashgar

Fifteen people who were killed on April 23 by terrorists in Kashgar, the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region were honored as martyrs and "anti-terrorism warriors" by the regional government on April 29. The terror attack in Sebuliya township, Bachu county, was the deadliest incident since the July 5 riot in 2009 in Urumqi, capital of the region, which left about 200 dead.

Nine community workers and six policemen (10 Uygur, three Han and two Mongolians) were killed. Six suspects were shot dead and eight arrested.

Nine people, including those injured during the attack, were also honored after the memorial service in Kashgar. More than 1,000 people, including the families of the dead and Nur Bekri, chairman of the region, observed a moment of silence for the victims.

In a breakthrough on April 29, police said they had arrested 11 suspects who had fled the scene. Police said they had found 20 explosive devices, raw materials for making explosives, knives, combat training equipment, and three jihadist flags.

Environment

After quake, floods on way

Residents of Ya'an, still trying to recover and rebuild from the devastating earthquake, are facing new challenges as the flood season is round the corner. The city in Sichuan province, hit by a magnitude-7 earthquake on April 20, is preparing for heavy rain from May to September. Loose debris will increase the danger of surging floodwaters, and buildings already structurally weakened could topple, experts said. The China Meteorological Administration and local authorities are stepping up efforts to combat the spread of disease through tainted floodwater and have been instructing people on how to cope with the situation, Chen Zhenlin, spokesman for the administration, said on April 28.

The recent quake has killed nearly 200 people. Ya'an is one of the wettest places in China with an average rainfall exceeding 1,200 millimeters from May to September, almost triple the national average, Chen said. The meteorological administration has experience of dealing with rainstorms in quake-hit areas. It had set up lightning protection facilities at several relocation sites after the Wenchuan quake in 2008 and is doing the same in Ya'an, Chen said.

Science

Chinese line up to fly to Mars

More than 600 applications from China have been received for a Dutch aerospace project that aims to send humans to Mars for permanent settlement.

The project, while triggering enthusiasm to explore outer space, has also triggered controversy, as the one-way trip is regarded as a suicide mission, with applicants being shipped to a planet that is considered uninhabitable for humans.

The project, Mars One, is being launched by a Dutch organization, and is scheduled to take four humans to the Red Planet in 2023.

Bas Lansdorp, co-founder of Mars One, said he is confident of turning the dream into reality, and plans to attract more than 500,000 applicants.

He said that in the final stage, when between 24 and 40 candidates have been fully trained, the final decision on choosing the first settlers will be made by a TV audience vote.

Employment

More scrutiny of expats urged

More efficient measures should be taken to ensure that foreigners with criminal records are banned from working in China, senior officials with the department that oversees attracting and managing international professionals said on April 29.

The officials' remarks came after a British man who is also wanted for allegedly raping a child in the United Kingdom and who had been a teacher at an international school in Beijing was detained in the Chinese capital on April 26. Neil Robinson, 46, who is in police custody and being investigated for illegally staying in China, is wanted in connection with the distribution of indecent images of children.

Such cases are, however, uncommon. An overwhelming majority of the foreign teachers in China are outstanding professionals, Xia Bing, an official from the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, said at a recent forum. Xia said the number of foreign teachers in China has been growing steadily. More than 180,000 cultural and educational foreign professionals worked in China in 2011, he said.

Transport

Taxis just a phone call away

Taxi drivers in Beijing will have to complete at least two jobs booked over the phone every day, according to a new regulation that will start from next month.

The move comes as authorities are pushing for more solutions to tackle the city's taxi shortage.

Passengers in the six major urban districts will be able to call a dedicated number for taxis between 7 am and 7 pm, while those within the Fourth Ring Road will be able to do so during other periods, the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport said on April 24. People older than 65 will be the priority group of the service, the committee said.

As of April 25, 10 of the larger taxi companies in Beijing had announced that they would jointly enforce the new regulation and provide a phone booking service.

China Daily - Xinhua

(China Daily 05/03/2013 page2)