WENZHOU, China (Reuters) – Rescue workers on Sunday dug through the tangled wreckage of two trains that crashed in eastern China, killing at least 35 and injuring 210 in China’s deadliest train disaster since 2008.

A high-speed train on Saturday smashed into a stalled train near the city of Wenzhou, some 860 miles south of Beijing, raising new questions about the safety of the fast-growing rail network.

ZISIQIAO VILLAGE, China (Reuters) – This sleepy village nestled in the heart of vast farmland in China’s eastern Zhejiang province hides a deadly secret.

A step into the homes of any of the farming families here brings visitors eye-to-eye with thousands of some of the world’s most feared creatures — snakes, many of them poisonous.

By Royston Chan and Aly Song

ZISIQIAO VILLAGE, China (Reuters Life!) – This sleepy village nestled in the heart of vast farmland in China’s eastern Zhejiang province hides a deadly secret.

A step into the homes of any of the farming families here brings visitors eye-to-eye with thousands of some of the world’s most feared creatures — snakes, many of them poisonous.

ZHUJI, China (Reuters) – China has mobilized troops to help with flood relief and raised its disaster alert to the highest level after days of downpours forced the evacuation of more than half a million people in central and southern provinces.

The official China Daily said more than 555,000 people had been evacuated in seven provinces and a municipality after rains in recently drought-stricken areas caused floods and mudslides in the Yangtze River basin.

YANGZHOU, China (Reuters) – North Korea’s secretive leader Kim Jong-il toured east China Monday, continuing a visit that suggests he is taking fresh interest in the success of reforms in Asia’s biggest economy and his isolated country’s only major benefactor.

China’s leaders have repeatedly prodded Kim to open up North Korea’s impoverished and state-dominated economy, something analysts say he has been reluctant to do for fear it could undermine his family dynasty’s hold on power.

YANGZHOU, China (Reuters) – North Korea’s secretive leader Kim Jong-il toured east China on Monday, continuing a visit that suggests he is taking fresh interest in the success of reforms in Asia’s biggest economy and his isolated country’s only major benefactor.

China’s leaders have repeatedly prodded Kim to open up North Korea’s impoverished and state-dominated economy, something analysts say he has been reluctant to do for fear it could undermine his family dynasty’s hold on power.

YANGZHOU, China (Reuters) – North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-il toured east China on Monday, continuing a secretive visit that has highlighted the bond between his isolated regime and Asia’s biggest economy.

This time, Kim appeared to be making a fresh show of interest in China’s economic success, which Communist Party leaders in Beijing have repeatedly prodded him to emulate and open North Korea’s state-dominated economy to more outside investment and market forces.

CHANGCHUN, China (Reuters) – A train from North Korea headed through China on Saturday on secretive journey that may be a mission by leader Kim Jong-il’s to shore up ties with Pyongyang’s sole major supporter.

Neither Beijing nor Pyongyang has said whether Kim, and maybe his son and heir apparent Kim Jong-un, is visiting China on the distinctive North Korean train. Both sides are habitually secretive about such trips.

CHANGCHUN, China (Reuters) – A secretive convoy from North Korea reached the northeast Chinese city of Changchun on Saturday, in what may be the latest stop by the North’s ruler Kim Jong-il as he seeks to shore up ties with his country’s sole major supporter.

Neither Beijing nor Pyongyang has said whether he, or possibly his son and heir apparent Kim Jong-un, is visiting China. Both sides are habitually secretive about such trips, and there have been no definitive sightings.

SHANGHAI, April 22 (Reuters) – Striking truck drivers
gathered for a third day on Friday in Shanghai’s main harbour
district amid heavy police presence and signs the action has
already started to curb exports from the country’s busiest
container port.

A crowd of up to 600 people milled about outside an office
of a logistics company near the Baoshan Port, one of Shanghai’s
ports. Some threw rocks at trucks whose drivers had not joined
in the strikes, breaking the windows of at least one truck.