Huankantou, China
Thousands of villagers rioted this week after two elderly women were killed protesting pollution. Some 200 elderly women have been camped out for weeks outside a chemical factory, claiming that its fumes are causing birth defects in the region. When police tried to break up their tent city and remove the protesters, two women were run over and killed. As word of the incident spread, the entire region erupted, and rock-throwing mobs overran police stations and other government offices. It took 3,000 riot police and a pitched battle to restore order.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
‘Extraordinary asymmetry’: the history of Israeli prisoner swapsIn The Spotlight Exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian detainees is the latest in a series of trades in which Israeli lives appear to count for more
-
October 14 editorial cartoonsCartoons Tuesday's political cartoons include peace in Palestine, government playoffs, and barking up Pam Bondi's tree
