East Asia

The special list was compiled based on the ratings and comments collected from TripAdvisor, a popular site for travel and tourism. In the first place the White Beach, on the island of Visayas. Also in the top 10 three locations in India. Head of the Thai Department of Tourism: variety of places awarded, "you cannot find two alike."

In the interview at the White House, Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe and Barak Obama confirm the economic and political alliance between the two countries. Japan is the most important partner for the U.S. in Asia. Obama's silence on disputed islands between Japan and China.

Benedict XVI’s reflection of at the end of the week of spiritual exercises. The "it is good" with which God looks at the creation "is constantly contradicted by the evil in this world, by suffering, by corruption." He thanks the Curia, "even though our outward visible communion now ends - as Cardinal Ravasi said – our spiritual closeness remains a profound communion in prayer remains."

A statement says that "If in the past the it was the so-called superpowers, namely States, who sought to condition the election of the Pope in their favour, today there is an attempt to apply the weight of public opinion, often on the basis of assessments that fail to capture the spiritual aspect of this moment in the life of the Church". Father Lombardi: " Those who consider money, sex and power before all else and are used to reading diverse realities from these perspectives, are unable to see anything else, even in the Church, because they are unable to gaze toward the heights or descend to the depths in order to grasp the spiritual dimensions and reasons of existence.. "

Many buildings trembled in wake of quake registered in Guangdong. China, a highly active seismic zone, remembers the earthquakes in Sichuan, Yunnan, etc. ..

Benedict XVI has made important gestures towards China and its Church. But even now the Beijing government demands ultimate power over faithful and bishops. The Vatican dicasteries, overly concerned with compromise, failed to sufficiently support the pope’s line of courage, truth and openness. The Party in danger of collapse due to widespread corruption. The Church in China is rescued by the many faithful, willing to accept suffering, but unwilling to abandon the faith. The new pope has to start from Pope Benedict XVI’s Letter to Chinese Catholics. Card. Zen is traveling to Italy. February 27 next he will be at the last general audience of Pope Benedict XVI.

The former powerful party secretary in Chongqing fell from grace last year amid scandals. He is currently under arrest but formal charges have not yet been laid against him. He refuses to answer questions from the authorities and has had to be force-fed. He has not however been tortured.

Japan's hawkish leader meets Barack Obama, warns Beijing that it would not get nowhere with threats. He also slams China for teaching hatred of Japan, finding some support among Chinese bloggers.

Bishop Juan Ignacio Arrieta, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts, explains norms governing Vacant See and conclave. The long-awaited Motu proprio of Benedict XVI should only cover "particular points" of the "Romano pontifici eligendo ", for what concerns, now expected, resignation of a pope.

The boys, 17 and 18 years of age, demanded an end to the Chinese regime and the return of the Dalai Lama to Tibet. The UN Council for the Rights of the child wants to include self immolations of a minor among the violations of the rights of the child.

North Korea's envoy to the UN attacks South Korea, threatening to destroy it for bad behaviour. A North Korean website releases a video of US troops, president, burning.

Too many amateur Vaticanist watchers stigmatize the relationship between the pope and Islam as a "failure", starting with the "unfortunate" Regensburg address. Instead, that speech was prophetic for the Arab Spring and the global dialogue between religions and the secular world. It has opened up new areas of collaboration between Christians and Muslims.