It was earthquakes earlier this year, now, Northwest China has been hit with severe landslides triggered by heavy rain.

BBC: Travel in Asia during monsoon season

Mr. Deng last week told The Wall Street Journal that he had planned to bring his wife to Beijing from their home province of Shaanxi, in northwest China, but had been thwarted after unidentified men prevented them from getting into a taxi at the hospital late Friday night.

WSJ: Chinese Woman in Forced-Abortion Case Claims Harassment

As described by ice sculptor Joseph Amendola in his book Ice Carving Made Easy, written records dating back to 600 BC reveal that in the highlands of northwest China, farmers would flood their fields with water, wait for it to freeze, harvest blocks of ice and then store them in insulated facilities to help preserve perishables like seafood.

BBC: The origins of ice sculpting

As the only U.S. passenger outfits permitted to fly into China, United and Northwest will lose serious pricing leverage on lucrative flights if United-nemesis American Airlines and others squeeze into the arena.

FORBES: Can Glenn Tilton Fly This Thing?

The two navies engaged each other after the Philippine vessel a former Coast Guard cutter provided by the U.S. Navy attempted to arrest the crew of several Chinese fishing boats who were anchored at Scarborough Shoal, off the Philippines' northwest coast but which is also claimed by China.

WSJ: Philippine Warship, China Ships in Standoff