A giant fish sculpture made from 2,360 traditional Chinese lanterns and over 2,000 bamboo sticks lights up Hong Kong's Victoria Park in celebration of Mid-Autumn Festival. (By Song Xianglong/The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- Chinese human rights lawyer released,
- Greenpeace highlights China’s toxic produce,
- South Korea pressured over deportations, and
- Asia’s Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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ET-Chinese human rights lawyer Guo Feixiong was released from prison September 13. Although in poor health and weakened by the ordeal of five years imprisonment, he declared himself unchanged in his core.

Prior to his detention in September 2006, Guo was active in the ‘weiquan’ or rights defense movement. The weiquan is a loose collection of lawyers and intellectuals that sought to protect the rights of ordinary Chinese through litigation.

Guo defended poor peasants whose land had been stolen, Christians, Falun Gong practitioners, and others who have suffered under the Chinese regime. He was a close associate of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, who advocated for Guo

Demonstrating against the communist regime's tyranny, protesters are met by a police blockade in Hong Kong. (Courtesy of NTD Television)

In this bulletin:

- China’s hacker army enters Vietnam dispute,
- Hong Kong angry over Chinese leader’s security,
- Greenpeace investigation details toxic sportswear, and
- Bell rings for peace on Taiwan island.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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ET-News reports in June told of escalating confrontations between China and Vietnam over the sovereignty of some islands in the South China Sea. But the Epoch Times says these reports missed a cyber war that broke out between the two countries.

Armies of hackers from both countries set about hacking the websites of the opposing country. Chinese hackers called it a self-defense attack. They became furious after Chinese media reported Vietnamese hackers had broken into a Chinese website on June 2 and posted provocative messages.

Chinese patriotism had already been inflamed by repeated media reports Vietnam was occupying China

Up to 50 million farmers have had their lands taken under China's land reform policy. Most are not satisfied with the compensation they're given, according to a recent Chinese think tank study. (The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- Beijing mounts new Xinjiang crackdown,
- Report highlights land reform burden,
- An unlikely education in Taiwan, and
- Smartphone patent battle.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-The Chinese regime has started August 11, another hard-line security crackdown on ethnic violence in the western region of Xinjiang.

On Tuesday August 16 local authorities said the ‘strike-hard’ operation would run until October 15. Chinese authorities blame Uighur Muslim separatists for recent violence, alleging the Uighur attackers are terrorists who had training in Pakistan.

The World Uyghur Congress informed NTD the Chinese regime is trying to make the global community believe that Uighur Muslims are terrorists to justify their crack down. Adding recent unrest came about because the Uighur Muslims have become desperate, living under the Chinese regime

Participants in a march in Washington, DC in July celebrate 100 million withdrawals from the Chinese Communist Party and its affiliated organizations. (Edward Dai/The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- Facing restrictions Chinese journalists blog news instead,
- Movement to quit CCP reaches 100 million participants,
- New Tibetan political head sworn in, and
- Taiwan’s population rapidly ageing.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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ET-Faced with restrictions on permissible reports, Chinese journalists have turned to Sina.com and other blogs to make important stories known.

In the wake of last month

Native forest, South Esk, Tasmania. An agreement to protect Tasmania's forests was recently reached. (Courtesy of Environment Tasmania)

In this bulletin:

- Chinese media break reporting restrictions over train crash,
- China now cloning entire stores,
- Independent broadcaster safely aboard new satellite, and
- Thailand elects first female prime minister.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-Since the high-speed train crash in Wenzhou July 23, the Chinese regime

Malaysian police use tear gas against protesters calling for electoral reform in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday July 9, 2011. (James Chow/The Epoch Times)

In this bulletin:

- Beijing’s glory projects turning sour,
- Grow-your-own taking off in Chinese cities,
- Tibetans jailed for celebrating Dalai Lama’s birthday, and
- Malaysia defends heavy handed reaction to protests.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-A new highway in China

The snubfin dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni), just one of the 1,060 new species recorded in New Guinea by the WWF. (Isabel Beasley/Wikimedia)

In this bulletin:

- China slammed for extending journalist’s detention,
- Beijing tested by torrential rain,
- Support keeps independent Taiwan broadcaster on-air, and
- World’s largest tropical island yields new species.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-Press freedom advocates have criticised the Chinese regime for sentencing a journalist to eight more years in jail. Qi Chonghuai was expecting to be released Saturday June 25 after having served a four-year sentence.

But on June 9th authorities in northeastern Shandong Province extended his term. They found him guilty of the same charges he was accused of four years ago.

After Qi Chonghuai exposed local corruption in 2007, he was convicted of extortion and blackmail. While in prison, he also wrote articles about the ill treatment of inmates, which were published on overseas news services. Qi himself was beaten in prison and forced to do hard labour.

On June 9th, authorities accused him again of extortion and blackmail, plus an additional charge of stealing advertising revenue from a former employer. They found him guilty and extended his sentence to eight more years.

International media advocates have condemned the move.

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NTD-Torrential rains left much of Beijing paralysed Thursday June 23. Residents struggled to make it home, with parts of the subway system closed and treacherous road conditions.

Now Beijing

Hong Kong - financial hub of Asia-Pacific and the city you're most likely to find new millionaires in. (By Dennis Wong/Flickr)

In this bulletin:

- China’s economic growth not increased happiness,
- Chinese artist Ai Weiwei released by authorities,
- Hong Kong leads surge in Asia-Pacific millionaires, and
- Australian’s touched by Dalai Lama’s words on compassion and kindness.

But first our SOH focus on China.

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NTD-A letter smuggled out of China has detailed the harassment and beatings suffered by blind Chinese rights activist Chen Guangcheng and his family.

It