10 detained for H7N9 rumors

    Police detained at least 10 people for spreading rumors* about the H7N9 bird flu, State media said on April 10. The death toll* from the virus had risen to 14 by yesterday.

    Authorities detained the people in six provinces — Shaanxi, Guizhou, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui and Fujian — saying some of them had posted “fake information” online about new cases of the virus in their areas.

    One man detained in Anhui was given seven days of administrative detention* for posting untrue information about infections on Chinese microblogs.

    Ex-rail minister charged

    On April 10, China formally charged Liu Zhijun, former minister of railways, with corruption and abuse of power.

    Liu faces a lengthy* jail sentence or possibly death.

    Liu “misused his power and caused big losses to public property and the interests of the State and the people,” the official Xinhua News Agency said. “Beijing’s second intermediate court* has already accepted the case in accordance with* the law and will choose a date for a trial,” Xinhua added.

    72-hr. visa-free visits allowed

    Guangzhou is expected to become the third Chinese city to allow visitors from overseas to stay in the city for 72 hours without a visa, according to Tan Wangen, general manager of China Southern Airlines.

    Tan said the policy will boost* the local economy and tourism in Guangdong Province.

    Since January 1, citizens of 45 countries have been allowed to stay in Beijing and Shanghai for a maximum of 72 hours without a visa.

    6 detained for cheating Shenzhen education officials said 130 people were caught cheating* on the national English-language test for professional qualification on March 30.

    Six of those who were detained* were using either fake ID cards or electronic devices, the Daily Sunshine said on April 11.

    The city’s testing center used a variety of technical means with the aim of spotting cheating during the test.

    (SD-Agencies)