Sales Ban Sparks Riots; at Least 10 Die

About 10 people have been killed and more than 100 injured in rioting in central China after the government slapped a nationwide ban on all forms of direct sales, officials said. The government banned direct selling to curb get-rich-quick schemes. Direct selling has also been linked in the official media to the growth of religious sects. The ban forced legitimate firms, including U.S. giants Avon Products Inc., Amway Corp., Sara Lee Corp. and Mary Kay Cosmetics, to suspend operations, sparking a potentially bitter trade dispute with the U.S.