Increasingly, the focus of new possibilities opened up by melting ice, polar routes have become a place of geopolitical confrontation. Although Russian officials continue to project an image of equal cooperation with China, Russia actually finds itself in a vulnerable position.
The Beijing News in the wake of the Southern Weekend refuses to publish an article imposed by communist propaganda. After a long standoff, the government wins, but entire editorial staff protests online. Meanwhile back at the newsstand, albeit with some difficulty, the Guangzhou weekly that first started the protest against government censorship.
For the 19th consecutive year the Heritage Foundation crowns the Territory as the "world’s freest economy”. But the lack of progress in the field of civil and political liberties, caused by ties with mainland China, are likely to undermine these efforts.
Every day, about 43 people take their own life in the country. School- and work-related stress are among the main causes. Social alienation and grief induced by suicide in the family are other causes. South Korea has Asia's highest suicide rate. The government should "work to counter the trend," said Mgr Lazarus You Heung-sik, bishop of Daejeon. Given the country's low birth rate, "If the [high suicide] trend continues, the whole society could find itself on the edge of a cliff."
A new book presents the 50 best pastry recipes. Cooking is one way of "taking care of others." Proceeds from book sales will be devolved to the Camillian hospital in Luo Dong.
This is the aim of the organisation's new secretary general, Vietnam's Le Luong Minh, who wants a new round of discussions to reach a global code of conduct. Rules on navigation and borders are not only a regional issue, but something vital for everyone.
Journalists at one of China's better known weekly papers are told that the province's chief censor would be eventually removed, and that they would not be punished for going on strike. Although party loyalists have branded them "traitors", their support base has grown.
The American fast food giant targeted by authorities and customers: it uses – along with its partner Yum - chicken from farms that use hormones and antibiotics to make them grow faster. Since 2005 wave of food scares in China seems impossible to stop.
The weekly's journalists, who turned against government censorship, are on strike backed by ordinary Chinese, other papers and even a movie star. China's new leaders must now choose between reform or (again) crackdown.
The announcement leaked yesterday clashes with messages of a very different nature from state media: "The authorities want to reform, not eliminate, the laojiao." And human rights activists show little confidence: "Maybe it's just a cosmetic change, change a name and they are happy."
Reportedly announced today by Meng Jianzhu, Secretary for CPC Political and Legal Affairs. Cancellation regards laojiao and not Laogai. The system of "re-education through labor (laojiao) affects up to 2 million people who work for 15 hours a day for minimal pay. Among the victims are Christians, members of the Falun Gong and dissidents. The message of an inmate found hiding in a toy sold in the U.S. Internal and external pressures against criminal justice system, to point of boycott of products the result of forced labor.
Four Beijing ships entered the territorial waters surrounding the atolls in the East China Sea. Over the weekend an attempt to gain “entry” to airspace. Japanese aircraft on alert, ready to respond. It is the 21st violation since Tokyo nationalized the islands in September.
The Southern Weekend took to the streets against state censorship and the article removed on 1 January. Hundreds of ordinary people alongside journalists: strike, demonstrations, support blogs, photos and chrysanthemum petals to commemorate the death of press freedom. The regime under pressure and other newspapers attack: "We need a review of state censorship."
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