Editor's pick: China's top legislature, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), opened its bimonthly session Monday to read a variety of draft law amendments concerning civil procedure, military service and other areas.

 • Terrorists to be named, assets seized

  A list of terrorists and their organizations will be published and their assets in the country will be frozen, according to a draft decision made by the State Council, paving the way for further crackdowns... [Full story]

 • China to legally define terrorist activities

 Terrorist acts are defined by the draft bill as those acts which are intended to induce public fear or to coerce state organs or international organizations by means of violence, sabotage, threats or other tactics. These acts cause or aim to cause severe harm to society by causing casualties...[Full story]

 • Lawmakers propose legislation against terror

 • Social groups may get right for litigation

 A draft legal amendment will enable government departments, prosecutors and civil society organizations to take big businesses to court on behalf of individuals or small groups of citizens when their interests are compromised. [Full story]

 • China mulls allowing public interest litigation

 The "public interest litigation", designed to deal with large-scale violations of public interests, would allow government and non-government organizations to take big businesses to court on behalf of individuals or small groups of citizens. [Full story]

 • ID cards may carry fingerprint data

 China's top legislature on Monday began to review a draft amendment to the Resident Identity Card Law, which requires fingerprints be added to people's resident identity cards in a bid to combat counterfeiting. [Full story]

 
 • Bill gives police more powers on ID check

 A proposal giving police the power to check ID cards during emergencies and to have people's fingerprints embedded in the cards is being submitted to lawmakers on Monday. [Full story]

 • NPC starts to read draft law on mental illness treatment

  China's top legislature on Monday started to read a draft law on mental health, which will require strict conditions and procedures for compulsory mental treatment if passed.

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) reviewed a draft of the Mental Health Law during its bimonthly session, which will run from Oct. 24 to 29. [Full story]

 • NPC to increase punishment for violations of work-related illness law

China's top legislature on Monday reviewed an amendment to a law regarding occupational illnesses that sets harsher punishment for violations.

Licensing authorities for construction projects will be given criminal sanctions if their actions violate the law, according to the draft amendment to the Law on Occupational Illness Prevention and Control that was submitted to the National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee for its second reading.

The authorities may be fired if they arbitrarily approve licenses for construction projects, the draft amendment states. [Full story]