August 18: Tianjin blast prompts nationwide safety checks; 10b yuan in housing funds 'embezzled'
Politics and policy
The Chinese government ordered a nationwide check of workplace safety to correct any irregularities after the huge explosions at a warehouse in the port city of Tianjin killed at least 114 people and left 70 others missing. (AP)
A total of almost 10 billion yuan (HK$12 billion) designated for affordable housing was embezzled by contractors, financiers and government officials last year, according to the National Audit Office. (Xinhua)
The Communist Party and central government jointly issued a new guideline that imposes a stringent system of accountability for officials who fail to protect the environment and ecology of their jurisdictions. (People's Daily)
A historic soccer reform plan that is under way in China will remove the national sports department's control of the Chinese Football Association, giving the CFA full autonomy on financial and personnel matters, and international communications. (Xinhua)
Diplomacy
At least two mainland Chinese tourists and two Hongkongers were among the 21 killed in the Bangkok bomb attack on Monday. Another 28 tourists also from China were injured during the blast, according to a list given by Thailand's national police. (Xinhua)
Economy and business
China’s foreign-exchange reserves, the world's largest, are expected to drop by some US$40 billion a month as the central bank intervenes to support the yuan, according to a Bloomberg survey. (Bloomberg)
Technology
Weibo and Youku Tudou, respectively China's largest microblog and video-streaming site, both fell to four-month low in New York as concerns rose that the internet firms may report quarterly results this week that will trail analysts’ estimates. (Bloomberg)
Society
Social media users blasted a new Chinese film for depicting a summit of world leaders during the second world war, which embellished history by portraying revolutionary leader Mao Zedong as vital to a conference he never attended. (AFP)