China dissident Ai Weiwei launches scathing attack on the Chinese government

BEIJING (REUTERS).- Dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei has launched his first scathing attack on the Chinese government since his release from secretive detention in late June, accusing officials of denying citizens their basic rights. In a strongly worded commentary published late on Sunday on the website of Newsweek magazine, Ai — whose detention sparked an international outcry — said the capital Beijing was “a city of violence.” He criticized the government for rampant corruption, the judicial system and its policy on migrant workers [...]

Germany’s Ruhr Region Turns from Coal to European Capital of Culture

ESSEN (AP).- The Emscher river in western Germany’s The Ruhr region was one of the country’s most polluted for decades, so bad that parents spooked children with warnings they could die if they fell into the poisonous stew of sewage and chemical waste. Today, a much-cleaner Emscher is the backdrop to more than 20 new art installations — the latest European effort to transform blighted industrial areas into cultural destinations for tourists and to breathe new life into the region. [...]