China Blocks NYT Website

The New York Times dared to mess with China, and now it has been banned. The paper published a blockbuster investigation into Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao's finances yesterday, reporting that his family has risen from poverty to extraordinary wealth since he took power. Wen's mother, a 90-year-old widow, accumulated millions—at least on paper—without much in the way of details, the paper reported. Jiabao’s relatives, including his wife, control assets worth at least $2.7 billion. The Chinese government accused the Times of a "smear" campaign against Wen, and then blocked the paper's website as well as references to the article on blogging platforms. The Times story comes just days before Wen transitions power over to the next generation of leaders.