Journalists at censored Chinese newspaper strike deal

GUANGZHOU (AFP) - Journalists at a Chinese newspaper embroiled in a row over censorship have struck a deal to return to work, reports said on Wednesday as protesters demanding press freedom gathered for a third day.

Demonstrators have this week massed outside the Guangzhou offices of the Southern Weekly, a popular liberal paper that had an article urging greater rights protection replaced with one praising the ruling party.

Reports said negotiations between government officials and the newspaper had reached an agreement that would see the journalists produce the next edition, due out on Thursday.

The South China Morning Post said the province’s Communist chief, a rising star in the party, had stepped in to mediate in the rare public dispute testing the new party leadership under Mr Xi Jinping, installed in November.