zhou shifeng, the activist mentioned by the chief justice, was a beijing lawyer, until he was given sevend in the city of tianjin, in a hearing that was closed to journalists. the detention of government opponents has increased under president xijinping. amnesty international called it a political charade. china, though, seems unabashed about its tough policy towards decent. —— dissent. in a recent speech, the chief justice said there was no such thing as an independent judiciary in china. the legal system's main role is to protect the ruling communist party. jailing activists is simply part of that work. michael bristow, bbc news. the republic of palau is a small island nation of roughly 22,000 people, and a popular tourist destination in micronesia. it is also vulnerable to climate change. rising sea levels and coral bleaching are among the problems in palau. the country's president told my colleague sharanjit leyl how concerned people are on the islands. very vulnerable. in fact, we're experiencing right now, at the moment, the effects of sea level rise. the saltwater is seeping up to