Family members of Rebiya Kadeer have accused her of organizing riots in Xinjiang and undermining harmony between ethnic groups. They apologized to victims of the July 5th riots in Urumqi and expressed discontent with her separatist activities. Officials in northwest China have sealed off a town of 10,000 people after two deaths from pneumonic plague. Over a dozen people have been infected with the contagious and deadly lung disease. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin explored the depths of Lake Baikal aboard a mini-submersible, adding to his image of adventure and masculinity. Scientists believe the lake contains over 1 trillion cubic meters of natural gas hydrates.