The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Shanghai, China - Authorities are investigating what may be one of the biggest corruption cases in recent Chinese history, involving a network of superhighways being built around Beijing in advance of the 2008 Olympics. Bi Yuxi, the party official who was in charge of the construction project, is in custody. The Beijing Youth Daily reports that he has been charged with embezzlement and is accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes. He has also been expelled from the Communist party. The multibillion-dollar project, said to be the world's largest set of highways and expressways, has created thousands of jobs. As well as preparing Beijing for Olympic activity, it's designed to ease congestion caused by China's rapid economic growth and an explosion in the number of passenger car sales. Najaf - Militant Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr says he will continue to fight the U.S.-led occupation of Iraq to the death. Three people were reported killed and another 19 wounded on Monday as fighting in al-Sadr's stronghold of Najaf continued for a fifth day with U.S. forces battling the Mahdi Army militia. Rome - A cargo ship rescued 74 illegal immigrants found near death on a small boat drifting in the Mediterranean. More than 30 others may have died and been tossed overboard. The immigrants, from West African countries Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone, were trying to make their way to Italy.
