FEATURED ARTICLEChina cracks down on Ramadan in Xinjiang (August 2, 2012, Passport)The Chinese government has ordered restrictions on Ramadan observances in the northern province of Xinjiang, home to the majority of China’s Muslim Uighur minority, leading Uighur leaders to warn of the potential for new violence in the restive region. Al Jazeera reports that party officials and students under the age of 18 have been banned from fasting during the Holy Month while government websites have urged local Communist Party leaders to impose further restrictions on religious activity.GOVERNMENT / POLITICS / FOREIGN AFFAIRSChina paper says leaders must listen after riots (July 30, 2012, AFP)China’s most influential newspaper on Monday urged authorities to listen to people’s worries about pollution, after fears over a new waste water pipeline sparked weekend riots. “The public’s awareness of environmental issues and their rights is increasing at a rapid pace,” said an editorial in the People’s Dailythe mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist party. China should strive to “establish an open and transparent decision-making mechanism, and build a tolerant environment for public opinion”, it said. Authorities in the eastern Chinese city of Qidong agreed Saturday to cancel plans to build a new water pipeline after thousands of local people took to the streets, overturning cars and ransacking government offices. They were concerned that the pipeline, from a Japanese-owned paper factory, would pollute a nearby fishing port.China jails 20 people on terrorism charges in Xinjiang (August 2, 2012, The Guardian)Chin has sentenced 20 people to up to 15 years in jail for advocating violence and separatism in Xinjiang, where religious practices have been restricted in a government clampdown on dissent. Courts in Aksu, Kashgar and Urumqi heard five cases involving the 20 and found they had used the internet and removable storage devices to organise, lead and participate in terrorist groups, the state-run Xinjiang Daily said on Thursday. Four of those jailed made illegal explosives, it reported the courts as saying. The report did not cite any bombings or other violence blamed on the defendants, and named only five people, all with Uighur names.RELIGIONChina: Religion Report From U.S. State Department Biased, Ignorant (July 31, 2012, The Huffington Post)China said Tuesday that a U.S. report describing repression of religion in China and elsewhere is a political tool based on groundless accusations that displays Washington’s arrogance and ignorance. The annual State Department report released Monday highlighted what it said was a lack of religious freedom in China as well as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran and North Korea. It said there had been “a marked deterioration during 2011 in the government’s respect for and protection of religious freedom” in China, and that there was “severe” repression of religious freedom in Tibetan areas and the far western region of Xinjiang, home to a significant number of Muslims. The Chinese response came in a commentary published by the official Xinhua News Agency, which said the report was “continuing a notorious practice of blatantly interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.”HEALTHNo-bribery agreement to be signed in hospitals (August 2, 2012, China Daily)Patients and doctors will need to sign a mutual no-bribery agreement before hospitalization, a draft guideline released on Wednesday by the Ministry of Health. The agreement is a commitment between patients and doctors. After signing the agreement, the patients should not bribe the doctors while the doctors should not receive patients’ red envelops. The agreement will be included in the patients’ health record. The draft guideline aims at guarding against any corruption in public hospitals. It is part of the effort to build clean hospitals in the second half of this year. It also proposed some measures to halt excessive medical treatment and illegal medicine and medical equipment supply.EDUCATION / CULTUREThousands Protest in Hong Kong over Chinese Curriculum (July 30, 2012, The New York Times)Victoria Park, the starting point for Hong Kongs increasingly frequent mass demonstrations, was a sea of umbrellas on Sunday as tens of thousands of protesters, including what seemed like an army of mothers with their babies in strollers, thronged the citys main commercial district to protest the introduction of Chinese national education in local public schools, a curriculum change due to be rolled out beginning in September. The crowd of mostly working- and middle-class families was peaceful, if sweaty and energized. To blasting Cantopop tunes, they shouted, chanted and held up signs saying things like No thought control. The most popular banner had a cartoon brain with a big X over it. Most parents said they had no problem with national education, or their children learning about Chinas language, culture and politics. But they took issue with this specific curriculum, which is heavy on pro-Communist Party propaganda and light on major events like the Cultural Revolution and the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown in Beijing.17,000 graduates to serve in W China (July 31, 2012, Xinhua)A total of 17,000 graduates will be sent to west China to conduct volunteer work and hold positions at the community level, according to a statement from a symposium held by the Central Committee of the China Communist Youth League on Tuesday. As of present, the plan of sending graduates to serve in the west, jointly established by government bodies, including the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Finance in 2003, has dispatched more than 170,000 graduates in 10 groups to serve at the community level in central and west China for one to three years. Moreover, 14 groups, or more than 6,500 young volunteers, have been sent to teach in poverty-stricken areas for one year since the first group of volunteer teachers was dispatched in 1999.SOCIETY / LIFENumber of wealthy Chinese breaks record (August 1, 2012, Xinhua)The number of Chinese worth more than 10 million yuan (1.6 million U.S. dollars) broke the million mark in 2011 for the first time, with 1.02 million people now in this elite group, according to the Hurun Report. The group includes 63,500 billionaires, it said. Of these million-plus wealthy individuals, 84 percent are concentrated in the eastern, northern and southern regions of China, with Beijing home to the greatest number, at 179,000 people.Zhangs China Rail Video Sparks Outcry a Year After Crash (August 1, 2012, Bloomberg)Three-time Oscar-nominated Chinese director Zhang Yimou said he was shocked by allegations of funding violations for a video he helped produce for the rail ministry, which is trying to burnish its image after a crash last year killed 40 people. After a public outcry over the 18.5 million yuan ($2.9 million) the ministry paid in 2010 for the five-minute video, Zhang told state-run Xinhua TV he got an after-tax payment of 2.5 million yuan for the film, which showcases trains and railways across China. He provided advice and ideas and didnt know how the rest of the money was spent, he said. Revelations about the video have reignited the public outcry to root out corruption at the ministry that was first sparked by last years fatal crash on Chinas high-speed rail network.76 dead in downpours across China in one week (August 2, 2012, Xinhua)Severe downpours since July 27 have left 76 people dead and 30 missing across China, the Ministry of Civil Affairs said Thursday. As of Aug. 2, flooding, mudslides, falling rock and windstorms triggered by downpours affected over 9.25 million people in 23 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, according to the ministry.About 592,000 residents were forced to relocate, and they have been provided with daily necessities since 36,000 buildings collapsed in the disasters, the ministry said in a press release. The ministry collected 4,000 tents and 12,000 quilts and distributed these materials among those affected by the adverse weather in Shanxi province, Inner Mongolia autonomous region, Heilongjiang province and other regions.SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY / ENVIRONMENTChina will send first rover to moon in 2013 (July 31, 2012, Shanghai Daily)China will launch its third lunar probe, Chang’e-3, to land on the moon in the second half of 2013, the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence has announced. The launch of the Chang’e-3, named after the Chinese goddess of the moon, is part of the second step of China’s three-phrase lunar probe project of orbiting, landing and returning, the administration said. The Chang’e-3 will release the country’s first moon rover to patrol the lunar surface after it makes a soft landing on the moon, said Ye Peijian, chief commander of the Chang’e-2 and Chang’e-3 missions. It is expected to be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.Mudslides kill 22 in Xinjiang and Yunnan (August 1, 2012, Shanghai Daily)The death toll from a mudslide that buried an iron ore mine in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region yesterday has climbed to 18. As of 9 am today, the bodies of 18 victims had been recovered at the mine located in the township of Araltobe, Xinyuan County in Kazak Autonomous Prefecture of Ili, while 10 others remained missing, a spokesman with the county government told a news conference. The disaster, which occurred 12:30 am yesterday, buried 28 people living in a work shed at the mine. They were identified as mine workers. Most were from the provinces of Yunnan and Fujian, while some were local residents, the spokesman said. The mudslide contained about 1 million cubic meters of debris, and was 2,000 meters long, 50 meters wide and six meters deep, he said. The chances of survival for the missing people, probably still buried under the debris, were slim.Hong Kong suffers worst air pollution in two years (August 2, 2012, The Guardian)The worst pollution in two years smothered Hong Kong for a second day on Thursday, prompting warnings to the elderly and sick to stay indoors and obscuring one of the world’s most famous views. Pollution readings were “very high” in business and shopping districts such as Central, Western, Causeway Bay and Mongkok, air monitoring stations showed. The levels have surpassed only once in March 2010 when a sandstorm in northern China covered Hong Kong in dust. “Bad air is trapped here. But even though external circumstances can’t blow away the pollutants, the problem still lies fundamentally in vehicular emissions in Hong Kong itself,” said Patrick Fung of Clean Air Network, a local pro-environment group. The view of the cramped skyscrapers of Hong Kong Island and Victoria Peak was obscured from across the harbour in Kowloon.BUSINESS / ECONOMICS / FOREIGN TRADEChina manufacturing at slowest pace in eight months (August 1, 2012, BBC News)Manufacturing activity in China registered its slowest increase in eight months in July, renewing fears of a slowdown in the economy. The Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) dropped to 50.1 from 50.2 in June, official data showed. A reading above 50 indicates an expansion in activity, while below 50 means a contraction. Economists had expected the Chinese economy to pick up in the second half of this year. Factory output was still expanding, but new orders, including export orders, had contracted in July more than in June, according to data from the state-affiliated China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing.LINKS TO DETAILED ARTICLES AND BLOGSCatholic dynamic shifts in China (July 26, 2012, Asia Times Online)The resignation of Shanghai’s new bishop from China’s Patriotic Catholic Association at his July 7 ordination has forced Beijing and the Vatican towards a crossroads in relations. While some in the Holy See welcomed Ma Daqin’s move as an overdue challenge to the influential body, which Rome has long sought to reform, Beijing viewed it as an unacceptable affront to its authorityLegacy lingers for Yanzhou church (July 29, 2012, China Daily)With a history of more than 4,000 years, Yanzhou in Shandong province often shares the honor of being the hometown of Confucianism because of its proximity to Qufu, the Sage’s birthplace. It’s also a place, as local government promotes it, where Buddhism and Christianity flourished together in history. While Buddhism is easy to trace – the more than 1,000-year-old Xinglong pagoda stands tall in the center of the city – the Christian footprint is harder to find.The final act (July 30, 2012, Analects)But when the party and state are finished deciding this once-powerful couple’s fate, Mr Bo could end up serving a lengthy sentence for alleged offences of his own.PLA Conducts Missile Tests In Tibet (July 30, 2012, Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis)Sometime in early July 2012, Chinas Peoples Liberation Army conducted a high altitude exercise with a new type of surface-to-air missile somewhere in the Tibetan plateau under its Lanzhou Military Area Command (MAC). This was reported by the PLA Daily Online and also by the Tibet Online news portal on 20 July 2012.China’s Leaders Head to the Beach(July 30, 2012, Foreign Affairs)The scandal surrounding the downfall of Chongqing party boss Bo Xilai has revealed the problems with President Hu Jintao’s unrelenting emphasis on harmony among the country’s top leaders. Unless things change soon China’s legendary economic growth could grind to a halt.What Chinas leaders fear most (July 30, 2012, The Diplomat)By charging Bo Xilais wife with murder, China’s political leaders have set a dangerous precedent.Communists Expand China Youth Outreach as Leadership Shift Looms (July 30, 2012, Bloomberg)Rather than as a source of ideological inspiration, Chinas young have flocked to the party as a networking tool and resume builder in an economy dominated by state-owned enterprises.Qidong Protest Prompts Anti-Japan Sentiment(July 30, 2012, China Real Time Report)Protests in the eastern Chinese city of Qidong ended with victory for opponents of a government-run pipeline project that they claimed would increase pollution in local waters . But it also appears to have exacerbated anti-Japanese sentiment both locally and on the Chinese Internet.How I Learned Chinese (part 3) (July 31, 2012, Sinosplice)Now, a good 5 years later, Ive got a lot more perspective on the big picture of what was going on with my Chinese development back then. So its high time I continued the accountWeibo brings change to China(July 31, 2012, BBC News)The breadth and nature of public debate in China has been drastically changed by the use of social media, but is it really just a poor replacement for real social change?Hong Kongs Gender Gap Grows(July 31, 2012, China Real Time Report)Women in Hong Kong looking for romance cant turn to the latest government statistics for inspiration. According to official figures, the citys gender imbalance is currently the worst on record: Hong Kongs sex ratio is 876 men for every 1,000 women.The Horrible Truth About Beijings New Homeless (August 1, 2012, Tea Leaf Nation)The recent devastating floodwaters that hit Chinas capital ten days ago may have receded, but thousands of residents who dwell in Beijings basement tenementsmany migrant workers with few other options in the expensive capitalhave been left homeless, their subterranean flats flooded. And it appears that authorities, as well as many netizens, couldnt seem to care less.IKEA stores, a wonderland for Chinese freeloaders (August 1, 2012, Ministry of Tofu)Taking a nap, freeloading on air-conditioning, sipping free coffee, and organizing a speed dating eventIt seems that quite a number of Chinese go to IKEA stores for anything but furniture shopping.Unease Among the Moneyed Ranks(August 1, 2012, China Real Time Report)Among every 1,300 mainland Chinese, one is a multimillionaire, says a new study but it also shows not everybody is feeling positive vibes up in first class.China: The paradox of foreign education (August 1, 2012, BBC News)There was a time when Chinese students who obtained higher education abroad were considered to be the most fortunate of their generation.Gambling epicentre Macau suffers growth slowdown (August 1, 2012, The Guardian)Macau, where casino gambling is legal, a victim of China’s slowing economy as high-rollers rein in spendingWatch: The downfall of China’s ‘Jackie Kennedy’(August 1, 2012, Shanghaiist)The myth of a free Hong Kong economy (August 2, 2012, Asia Times Online)Hong Kong has been hailed as the world’s freest economy for more than two decades. Yet the main sectors of the economy are dominated by a few families, with limited land availability at the heart of their vast wealth.In Pictures: Chinese medicine and its ancient practices (August 2, 2012, BBC News)Peoples Daily: Chinas Real Challenge is the Next 5-10 Years (August 2, 2012, China Digital Times)The following OP-ED is published on the Peoples Daily (overseas edition) on July 31, 2012. CDT thanks to Dr Scott Harold of RAND Corporation for providing this translation.Migrants Exit Guangdong as China Powerhouse Turns Growth Laggard (August 2, 2012, Bloomberg)The region that drove Chinas rise after market barriers started coming down in 1978 is among the nations slowest- growing as faltering demand cuts exports and workers exit for the central and western areas powering the nations expansion.Bo Xilai: The Unanswered Questions (August 2, 2012, New York Review of Books)The Chinese Communist Party has always put great emphasis on smooth surfaces, maintaining political face through a decorous exterior. Men at the top dye their hair black and every strand must be in place. But sometimes there are cracks in the smoothness and outsiders are given a glimpse into the mafia-like world that lies behind it.Translation: Why China Has Two Internets, Not One, And What To Do About It (August 3, 2012, Tea Leaf Nation)Its an oldie but a goodie. Two years ago, Shen Yin, co-founder of The Founder magazine, wrote about two unnamed friends, L and W. L focused his business on Chinas poor laborers, while W focused his on its elite. From Ls success, and Ws comparative frustration, Shen felt the reader could learn about the bifurcation of Chinas Internet and its society.Sidney Rittenberg: Reflections on a lifetime in China (August 3, 2012, Danwei)The following is an interview conducted by email with Rittenberg about the film and his experiences in China:Causes of Fangshan’s Disaster (August 3, 2012, The Economic Observer)An investigation of the areas hit hardest by the Beijing flood shows that man-made factors were largely to blame for the scale of the destruction. Poor warning systems, industrial waste and coal mining aggravated the disaster. Concerns have especially risen over Changyang town of Fangshan district, which has built extensively in what was once a flood diversion zone.SPECIAL SECTION: LONDON OLYMPICSNi Yulan and the agonies of Chinese justice (July 30, 2012, CNN)In China, only gold medals count(July 31, 2012, Offbeat China)The Chinese Reviews Are In: London Opening Ceremonies Beautiful, But Cant Match Beijing (July 313, 2012, Tea Leaf Nation)Olympics swimming: China’s long road to glory(July 31, 2012, BBC News)Chinese Netizens Say Accusers of Olympic Swimmer Ye Shiwen Just Jealous (July 31, 2012,Tea Leaf Nation)Bad press for China at the Olympics (August 1, 2012, Foreign Policy)Badminton debacle prompts soul-searching in China (August 2, 2012, The Washington Post)ARTICLES IN CHINESE: (August 2, 2012, Gospel Times) (August 2, 2012, Gospel Times) (August 2, 2012, Gospel Times) 7 (August 3, 2012, Gospel Times)LINKS FOR RESEARCHERSThe Relationship between Religious Legislation and Civil Society (Pacific Institute for Social Sciences)RESOURCES best antivirus software for windows 7 CCTV5 Olympics Special Report: London Olympics (Chinas coverage of the London Olympics)