China

North Korea has been denied international aid because of its military provocations and nuclear programme, but heavy rains in July killed 119 people, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless. Rather than worry about his people, Kim Jong-un entertains top Chinese official at a state dinner in his first diplomatic foray.

Kofi Annan’s resignation casts a dark shadow over the situation in Syria. The escalation of violence is the responsibility of Assad and the opposition, whose plans for the nation’s future rest on eliminating each other. Divisions mire the Security Council: member states choose sides and sponsor their military and economic support. Annan: We need a comprehensive political process. The Pope: "wisdom of heart " to reach a political settlement.

Uyghur leader slams recent convictions of 20 Uyghurs on terrorism charges as well as the central government's restrictions on Uyghurs in Xinjiang during the sacred month of Ramadan.

Citing the pope's message on peace, Card Tauran says, in order to educate the young, "we need authentic witnesses, and not simply people who parcel out rules and facts". Everyone should be a herald "of justice and peace," a builder "of a culture which respects the dignity and the rights of every citizen," a message particularly important for Arab revolutions.

Beijing has asked its players to "publicly apologies" for disqualification from the Olympic tournament. The Asian Federation has expelled eight players for unsportsmanlike conduct. Yu Yang and Wang Xiaoli speak of "shattered dreams" and erroneous rules. China's internet users defend their darlings and find an ally in the British Guardian newspaper.

On a visit to U.S. Congress, the blind dissident denounces: "China has not kept its promises to me and other dissidents. But change is inevitable, because more and more people are demanding respect for their rights". While in London the values of universal brotherhood are celebrated(on paper), the regime continues to persecute those who ask for democracy.

New rules proposed by the Civil Affairs Department would impose new restrictions on NGOs in the name of transparency. Financial statements must be more readily available and use of funds must be restricted. "Transparency is good, but it should be applied to all societal fields," source tells AsiaNews.

The female athletes whistled by audience and reprimanded by referee, are now under investigation by the Federation. They come from South Korea (two couples), China and Indonesia. The 16 year old Ye Shiwen of China also wins 200 medley; wrath of bloggers for the "shameful" allegations of doping against her. The American Phelps becomes a legend, with the 19th Olympic medal.

For Chinese military leaders, Beijing's recent actions are designed to safeguard national interests and "lawful rights". China continues to favour a bilateral approach, but still interferes with the economic plans of its neighbours and criticises Japan over its territorial claims in the East China Sea.

The area of contention is off the western island of Palawan. For the Philippine government the area, rich in natural gas, is located within its national territory. Energy Secretary: "our rights are not negotiable." Local and foreign companies expected to attend auction, including Total, Eni and Shell.

The authoritative Liu Peng, Academic of Social Sciences in Beijing, illustrates the fragility interwoven within the Chinese state, whose ideology is not shared by the majority of the population. To avoid the country’s collapse, leaders must pay attention to the beliefs and religions of their subjects. Liu Peng affirms in a masterly way that faith (such as a religious belief, ideology, science) is an essential dimension of each individual, the very foundation that gives us motivation to live . For this reason faith must be free of constraints. Part II of the article "The Achilles heel of Chinese power: religion."

What happened in Shifang and Wukan could lead people to think that Communist authorities have changed the ways they address the growing number of social protests in China. But they would be wrong. Although the party wants to show that it is close to the people, it is also trying to keep young people away from politics and stop the action of dissidents and human rights activists. Beijing must be careful though. Young people have been the real driving force of every revolution and young Chinese are increasingly working for change. Here's an analysis by Willy Lam, an expert in the matter, which AsiaNews is publishing with permission from the Jamestown Foundation.