A number of former football referees and officials, including a FIFA World Cup referee, were convicted of corruption charges in Northeast China yesterday. Nine defendants were given sentences of up to seven years in prison, and other cases are still pending. more ›

Heating up the Chinese blogosphere is a comment made by an official in Henan: "Will you speak for the Party? Or will you speak for the people? (你是准备替党说话，还是准备替老百姓说话？)", insinuating that the two are mutually exclusive. Zhengzhou urban planning development vice director Lu Jun made the comment, allegedly in anger, to a reporter probing a suspicious property scheme. It was broadcast nationwide, nominated as the catch phrase for 2009, and Lu was named "the official who dares most to speak the truth" by Chinese netizens. Lu, who was suspended by his embarrassed superiors, has denied making the comment. Source: Shanghai Daily. Picture from SCOL (Chinese) more ›