John Ai

​The girl took her own life after she was told she would be reported to police and school. Her parents could not pay for the stolen goods. Thousands of people violently clashed with police outside the supermarket. Ten protesters are arrested. The local mayor who tried to calm the situation was attacked.

Five strategic zones replace seven military commands. State-owned enterprises are set to hire 300,000 laid off soldiers, but the economic crisis will make that hard to achieve. Resistance to Xi’s reforms is developing within the PLA. Politburo must obey Xi Jinping.

​Despite a highly commercialised atmosphere, the Saviour's birth was celebrated across the nation. Meanwhile, as more and more Chinese mark the event, the authorities try to restrict Church activities.

The economic crisis in the country continues unabated, and state-owned companies continue to dominate the corporate sector. The recipes for "transformation" proposed by the leaders will bring unemployment and delocalisation, threatening the future of millions of young people now entering the job market. The authorities' response is greater social control, with arrests and restrictions, even in the religious sphere. The future does not bode well.

The Panshi Church belongs to the Three-Self Patriotic Movement, a government-controlled Protestant organisation, and had all the permits. In a single night, police removed the cross as the members of the congregation prayed, helpless and cordoned off from the building. In 2012, when the building was inaugurated, it had received glowing reviews in the local media, as it was “delicate in shape, beautiful in design, complete in religious functions”. The decision to remove the cross is part of the ‘Three Rectifications and One Demolition’ campaign, which has already “rectified” 425 churches.

Masses are being held at the funeral home where the body is on display. Mass was also celebrated at St Ignatius Cathedral, where the faithful placed a catafalque to honour the late underground bishop. Official and underground Catholics have come together to pay their respect to Mgr Fan.

AsiaNews publishes the reportage of a Chinese Catholic, who visited the diocese where Matteo Ricci lived and preached. A priest tells of the challenges and difficulties of the Church today, with many signs of hope.