Nationwide mourning held for quake dead

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    The Chinese people continued to donate for the quake-hit zone in northwestern province of Qinghai on Tuesday, while getting ready for a nationwide mourning for those killed in the April 14 earthquake on Wednesday.
   
    A TV charity show on Tuesday evening raised 2.175 billion yuan （about 319 million U.S. dollars） in donations for the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu, where the 7.1-magnitude quake has left at least 2,064 people dead, 175 missing, and 12,135 injured by Tuesday.
   
    In the small hours of Wednesday, most websites and news portals in China have already turned black and white as part of the national mourning, which will be formally kicked off on Wednesday morning.
   
    A NATIONAL DAY OF MOURNING
   
    The Chinese flag will be lowered to half-mast around the country and at embassies and consulates abroad Wednesday in a show of respect for those killed in Qinghai Province, the State Council ordered Tuesday.
   
    Public entertainment would also be suspended Wednesday, the State Council, China's cabinet, said in an announcement.
   
    Following the announcement, the Ministry of Culture issued an urgent circular, ordering administrative departments to strengthen supervision of entertainment venues and to punish those violating the rule.
   
    Besides entertainment venues such as cinemas, theaters, karaoke bars, dance clubs and Internet cafes, website groups should also suspend all online services of music, games, comics, films and TV shows.