July 26, 2013
Translated by Luo Shuqi and Pang Lei

Stories that got top billing on China's major web portals on Friday morning include coverage of fire at a nursing home in Heilongjiang province during the early hours of this morning. (CRI)

There's also plenty of coverage of the arrest of a man for killing a 2 year-old child in Beijing during a dispute with her mother over parking space. (Xinhua)

In terms of international news, many major web portals are giving prominent placement to reports about the Chinese Vice President's visit to North Korea to mark the 60th anniversary of the signing of a ceasefire agreement that marked the end of the Korean War (Xinhua). Media reports mention that Vice President Li conveyed a message from Chinese President Xi Jinping to Kim Jong Un.

Also many websites are linking to a commentary piece published by the Xinhua News Agency about the upcoming trial of Bo Xilai.

Keep reading below for a translated digests of some of the other stories being reported by mainland Chinese media outlets today.

Another Individual Released from Re-education Through Labor Seeks Compensation
Beijing Times
Ren Jianyu (任建宇), a former "graduate village official" who was sent to a re-education-through-labor camp because of "negative opinions and information" that he posted online, has applied for monetary compensation of approximately 167,000 yuan. Ren was originally sentenced to two years in a re-education through labor camp in September of 2011. However, following an appeal by his father and a high-profile campaign to release Ren, on Nov 19, 2012, the Chongqing Municipal Re-education Commission (重慶市勞教委) revoked the detention decision and he was set free. Ren says that he has had trouble finding a job after his "laojiao" experience and that he faces serious financial difficulties. Earlier this month, another woman who had her reeducation-through-labor sentence overturned successfully appealed a decision not to award her compensation. For more details about Ren's case and other examples of overturned "speech crime" cases in Chongqing, see this EO article from last year.
Original article: [Chinese]

Economic Growth in Central China Slows
21st Century Business Herald
According to provincial economic growth figures for the first half of the year released over recent weeks, growth in key economic indicators in five of the six provinces that make up central China began to slow. Although official statistics say that Anhui's provincial economy grew by 10.9 percent in the first half, the fastest rate of growth among the six central provinces, other provinces such as Hunan, Henan and Jiangxi, saw key growth rates decline. Growth rates in the region are still above the national average, but are starting to slow under the influence of overcapacity in some industries.
Original article: [Chinese]

MOHRSS: Employment Situation of College Graduates Similar to Last Year
China National Radio
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (MOHRSS) announced on July 25 that in the first half of 2013, the employment situation of college graduates remains generally the same as last year. Yin Chengji (尹成基), the spokesperson for the MOHRSS, said that there were 6.99 million college graduates this year and therefore guaranteeing a desirable employment rate for them is a top priority on MOHRSS's agenda. Yin's remarks that the local governments need to effectively execute policies to promote employment and to help students realize their entrepreneurial ambitions. Another official, Hu Chunqing (胡純清), says that internships are a good option for college graduates because it keeps graduates busy and at the same time improves their capabilities.
Original article: [Chinese]

Domestic LNG Prices Set to Soar
China Business News
A person with ties to China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), one of China's top three state-owned oil and gas giants, told a reporter from China Business News yesterday that the company had released an internal document requesting that all liquified natural gas (LNG) plants around the country lift the price of gas for non-residential consumers that they provide to distribution companies to the highest possible price. Experts say that this could lead to a 1,400 yuan per ton increase in the cost of liquefied natural gas. Experts predict that domestic LNG prices will rise considerably in August and that many small downstream firms and gas stations will be forced to leave the market due to the huge increase in costs. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced changes to the way natural gas is priced in China last month, lifting the government set price for non-residential users by 15 percent. At the the same time the NDRC removed all restrictions on the pricing of LNG. An employee of CNPC said the change to wholesale prices could end up doubling the price paid by end users in some regions. LNG terminals that accept LNG imports from Australia, Qatar, Indonesia and other countries are also set to raise domestic prices by more than 10 percent at the start of August. On July 10, China Securities Journal also reported that LNG plants in China were considering lifting their ex-factory prices by around 1,500 yuan per ton. The paper said that this would represent a 30 percent increase from the current average price of 4,500 yuan a ton. For more background on changes to China's resource prices, read this post.
Original article: [Chinese]