In urban areas, the police have adopted a new scheme of community policing, marking out 1, 500 areas that are crime hotspots and assigning a permanent police presence to them.

ECONOMIST: Security in Colombia

If all goes according to plan, the Shenzhou IX space craft should be re-connected manually to Tiangong by Sunday morning, marking a giant leap for Chinese space travel and the first stages in a permanent space station within the next 8 years.

FORBES: China Astronauts Prepare For Historic Weekend Mission

Not only would it show the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games, but it will be the focus for a celebration marking the handover ceremony at the close of the Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday 24 August and be a permanent feature in the city.

BBC: Plan for Olympic screen for city