SHIJIAZHUANG -- Twenty-two people have been prosecuted for posing as reporters and blackmailing companies in North China's Hebei province, according to local police. Since March last year, the group had traveled to ten counties in Hebei, including the capital Shijiazhuang, Hengshui, and Cangzhou with fake journalist documents they had made or bought, according to Hengshui police. "The suspects drove around different towns looking for smoking chimneys or companies discharging sewerage. Then they blackmailed the companies and threatened them with media exposure if they refused to pay," said Ge Tao, police officer. The group are suspected of collecting 340,000 yuan (about $50,000) in blackmail payouts. They also blackmailed two butcheries with no environmental irregularities and collected 2,000 yuan from them, police said. Police began the investigation after receiving information from the public last November. 202mm to inchesrubber wristbands custom cheapflash drive wristbandmake rubber braceletscustom wristbands no minimumcustomise fidget spinner
BEIJING - China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have scheduled a joint maritime exercise to take place later this year, a Chinese ministry spokesperson said Thursday.The purpose of the joint drill is to enhance mutual trust, expand exchange and cooperation, and safeguard regional peace and stability, said Wu Qian, spokesperson with the Ministry of National Defense.The parties are currently working together to arrange the details, he said.Wu also confirmed that lieutenant general Liu Xiaowu, deputy commander of the Western Theater Command, will head a border defense delegation to Pakistan and India in the near future.Liu will meet and hold talks with the two countries' military leaders on topics including theater-level exchange, border management and control, as well as cooperation in border defense.
