The latest death in a sudden epidemic of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Shanghai happened on Tuesday, when a three-year-old girl - originally from Jiangsu Province - was taken to a hospital in the morning with high fever and died later that night. Her kindergarten's classes has been halted to prevent the disease from spreading. Like the three previous deaths, she was a migrant child. In the first five months of this year, Shanghai saw a 150% rise in HFMD, with 90% of the patients under five years old. more ›

• Common sense reigns as IOC ends worldwide torch relay [Yahoo! Sports] "The International Olympic Committee decided to end the globetrotting torch relay, discontinuing an event that began with the Athens Games in 2004 and was used again by the organizers of the Beijing Games this past August. For future games, the torch will only tour the country where the games are being hosted."
• China News: Ai Weiwei: Q&A On Earthquake Toll Accounting Efforts [China Digital Times (CDT)] "Artist, activist, and blogger Ai Weiwei is leading an effort to publish the names of those who died in the May 12 Sichuan earthquake. The action has invited responses from around the globe — and questions from those most nearby, in China. Netizens asked Ai questions ranging from his thoughts on tofu dregs construction to his feelings regarding social responsibility. Ai has responded to dozens of questions found on the posts entitled “做客天涯 (一)” and “做客天涯 (二).” Below is a selection of five of these questions and responses. Translated by CDT." (Blocked in China)
• Analysts dismiss 'cyber spy' claims [China Daily] "Top analysts yesterday refuted claims by researchers hired by the Dalai Lama that China runs a cyper spy network, branding them "exaggerated" and an attempt to paint the nation as a "threat". "This is purely another political issue that the West is trying to exaggerate," said Song Xiaojun, a Beijing-based strategy and military analyst."

Photo by 2 dogs. more ›

HFMD in at least six provinces and on the rise more ›

"Chinese President Hu Jintao vowed on Wednesday to continue a recently begun dialogue with the Dalai Lama, though he offered veiled accusations the Tibetan spiritual leader is causing more problems than he is solving." more ›

HFMD in at least six provinces and on the rise more ›

Photo from Aileen Koh: Be on the lookout for these reddish spots on the hands and feet of your child. more ›

From nocas via our Contribute page:

today we went to the restaurant downstairs and finally took a picture of this gem in the menu (which i dont think neither of us would have the courage to taste). and just now i found out that this same virus is actually lethal and killing children in anhui province. not nice.