Palmyra's Temple of Bel 'still standing'

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Palmyra's ancient Temple of Bel is still standing despite an attempt by Islamic State (IS) militants to blow it up, Syria's antiquities chief has said.

The Temple of Bel is considered the most important structure of its kind at the site

Maamoun Abdulkarim confirmed there was a large explosion within its perimeter but said the basic structure of the 2,000-year-old site was intact.
But the extent of the damage is unclear with witnesses unable to get close to the temple.

The Temple of Bel, or Baal, is of unique design, according to Unesco

Initial reports said the site had been partially destroyed.
Mr Abdulkarim, head of the Syrian Department of Antiquities and Museums, said "our information is provisional, but it indicates that any damage done was partial, and the basic structure is still standing".

Last week, IS blew up the much smaller Baalshamin temple at the site. However, Mr Abdulkarim says that the explosion at the Temple of Bel was "different" to the "huge quantity of explosives" used to destroy the Baalshamin.
However, he said they would have to wait for pictures to emerge as "witnesses can't get close enough to be sure what damage was done."

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China punishes 197 over stock market and Tianjin 'rumours'

stock market officials are among those arrested, 

Chinese authorities have punished 197 people for spreading rumours online about the recent stock market crash and fatal explosions in Tianjin, according to state news agency Xinhua.

A journalist and stock market officials are among those arrested, Xinhua said. It gave no other details.
Chinese shares fell by nearly 8% after a week of volatile trading that spread fear to global markets.
The Tianjin explosions killed 150 people - with 23 still missing.

The area around the explosions in Tianjin remains closed

A total of 367 people remain in hospital after the 12 August blast at a warehouse where large amounts of toxic chemicals were stored. Twenty are in critical condition, according to Xinhua.
Separately, the UK's Financial Times says Chinese leaders feel they mishandled their stock market rescue efforts.
The paper, quoting an account of a meeting of senior regulatory officials on Thursday, said the government had decided to abandon attempts to boost the stock market and instead step up efforts to punish people suspected of "destabilising the market".
Chinese authorities tightly control information online and have previously prosecuted internet users for spreading rumours.

The rumours described by the latest statement include reports that a man had jumped to his death in Beijing due to the stock market slump and that as many as 1,300 people were killed in Tianjin blasts, Xinhua said.
The news agency said "seditious rumours about China's upcoming commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II" were also among the offences.

























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