China

The megacity of Chengdu has announced the shutdown after a scorching heat wave and repeated power outages. Mass shutdowns also occurred in Chongqing and Shenzhen. Web user who had predicted the restrictions at the beginning of the week was arrested for "creating unrest".

Chinese authorities offer condolences, but the former Soviet leader is held responsible for the end of a great empire. Many in China believe he made a huge mistake in trusting the West. Deng Xiaoping considered him an 'idiot'. Shortly after his visit to Beijing in May 1989, the regime ordered the Tiananmen massacre.

Xi Jinping could be picked for a third, historic term, possibly after mediation with factions opposed to him. However, the pandemic weighs on China’s economy, weakening his position.

In six months of war Beijing has not shown itself to be a reliable partner for Moscow. Chinese people have little interest in what is happening in Ukraine, except for their opposition to the West. Chinese industries and banks fear secondary sanctions from the US and Europe.

Taiwanese ready to shoot down Chinese unmanned aircraft. Communist China maintains military pressure on the 'rebel' island. Washington: Beijing maneuvers will not create a "new normal" along the Taiwan Strait. Biden prepares $1.1 billion arms sale to Taipei.

Poor weather conditions and pandemic have hit the profits of Chinese firms. Dangers come also from the reorganisation of supply chains by the United States and the real estate crisis. Government interventions have failed to stimulate domestic demand, a problem for Xi ahead of the 20th Communist Party Congress.

Originally from Hanzhong, he was educated at PIME seminaries in Shaanxi and Henan but was able to become a priest only after the Cultural Revolution. The great Archbishop of Xian, Mgr Li Duan, sent him to what was then the Apostolic Prefecture of Hinganfu, a very poor area, and ordained him bishop in 2000. Ill for several years, Bishop Ye was joined by Coadjutor Bishop Wang Xiaoxun in 2016 with the approval of the Holy See.

Today's headlines: food, showers, haircuts: Filipino Catholics in aid of Manila''s poor; rains and floods of "historic" magnitude in Pakistan, more than 900 victims since June; Tokyo approves 2.5 million fund for funeral of former PM Abe; in Iran, women attended a men's top league soccer match for the first time since 1979.

The trial for the Catholic tycoon, founder of the Apple Daily newspaper - in jail for 20 months - will begin on 1 December. It will be entrusted to a panel of three specially appointed judges, dropping a cornerstone of the local system's legal protections. Lai has announced that he will plead not guilty to charges of "sedition and conspiracy with foreign forces" for which he faces life imprisonment.

Nearly 5.5 billion euros in June: the highest figure since January 2013. In July, the youth unemployment figure was close to 20 percent. Goldman Sachs lowers its forecast for GDP growth in 2022 to 3 percent.

According to official data from the Ministry of Finance, China is followed by Japan at 32% and India at 10%. The International Monetary Fund wants an agreement with the creditors to grant the short-term aid needed to tackle the crisis that has brought the country to its knees. Beijing would like to provide new loans rather than waive debt, for fear that other borrowers of Belt and Road Initiative loans will demand the same treatment.

The prelate will head the Beijing body which enshrines independence of Chinese Catholicism. He was ordained in 2007 with the consent of the Holy See. Bishop Ma Yinglin becomes "honorary president". Bishop Shen Bin of Hainmen at the head of the Council of Bishops. The National Assembly reinforces rhetoric of patriotism and Sinicisation and the need to "unite and lead the the vast number of Catholics to accept Xi Jinping's thinking as their guide".