Most Beijing newspapers today reported about new government measures intendend to fight AIDS in the capital. According to Beijing Morning Post, the three main measures are:

Distributing condoms in public facilities like universities, hotels, bars, karaoke venues and construction sites;
Offering herione addicts clean new needles;
Methadone treatment for heroine addicts.

The Beijing government has also launched a new policy of free treatment for HIV and AIDS patients, but the these people need to have a Beijing residence permit. According to People's Daily, at the end of 2003, Beijing had 1,648 AIDS patients, comprising 338 Beijing residents, 1,215 workers from other provinces, and 95 foreigners.

The page pictured above is from Beijing Youth Daily. The image shows health workers delivering condoms to construction workers.

Other hot news of the day:
- Most newspapers like Beijing Daily Messenger reported on the preparations for the Asia Football Cup, which starts in Beijing tomorrow.
- The court case of responsible persons involved in the mine explosion that happened in Chongqing in December last year was reported by most of the papers.