Announcement
DC5m United States china in english 24 articles, created at 2016-10-20 03:29
1 Starbucks plans to double stores in China in 5 years NEW YORK (AP) — Starbucks is pushing ahead with its expansion into mainland China, saying Wednesday it's on track to have 5,000 stores by 2021, more than dou... (1.06/2) 2016-10-19 12:53 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk
2 China taking samples of radioactive material after North Korea nuclear test China is concerned about the possibility of radioactive contamination after North (1.06/2) Korea's fifth nuclear test. 2016-10-19 11:41 2KB www.upi.com
3 Duterte visit watched for shift to China Talks this week between President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be closely scrutinized for signs of how seriously the new Philippine leader intends to (1.02/2) pursue a shift away from Washington and toward Beijing, a move that could have a major impact on regional power dynamics. 2016-10-20 00:00 6KB globalnation.inquirer.net
4 8 PH-China gov’t deals to be signed At least eight government-to-government deals are expected to be signed between the Philippines and China on Thursday, including an agreement that will boost President (1.02/2) Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs. 2016-10-20 00:00 4KB globalnation.inquirer.net
5 Nick Kyrgios pulls out of Rotterdam Open to play in NBA celebrity game (1.02/2) Tournament director Richard Krajicek says Kyrgios, who was banned by the ATP for eight weeks for his behavior in Shanghai, won’t play in February 2016-10-19 15:27 3KB www.theguardian.com
6 Chinese billionaire on UN case seeks relaxed bail conditions
(1.02/2) NEW YORK (AP) — A Chinese billionaire confined to a luxury Manhattan apartment while awaiting trial in a United Nations bribery case is asking a judge to let... 2016-10-19 15:22 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk
7 US to deploy missile defense to South Korea 'soon' The United States said Wednesday that it would deploy a missile-defense system to South Korea as soon as possible, despite opposition from China. US Secretar... (1.02/2) 2016-10-19 15:07 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk
8 Alleged serial killer Stephen Port 'filmed meeting victim' A jury is shown CCTV footage of an alleged serial killer meeting a man in east London
(1.02/2) he is accused of murdering hours later. 2016-10-19 22:53 2KB www.bbc.co.uk 9 Solon cautions President on megadeals with China
Beware of Chinese bearing gifts. 2016-10-20 00:00 4KB newsinfo.inquirer.net
(1.02/2)
10 Underwater drone fitted with video imaging will help search for MH370 The Dong Hai Jiu 101, a vessel searching for missing MH370 in the Indian Ocean, will (1.02/2) begin using a drone fitted with video-imaging capabilities to aid efforts. 2016-10-19 11:48 2KB www.upi.com
11 ‘Ready Player One,’ ‘Blade Runner 2’ to Get Imax Releases
(1.02/2) Imax will release Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One,” “Kong: Skull Island,” and a sequel to “Blade Runner” as part of a new multi-picture pact with Warn… 2016-10-19 11:05 2KB variety.com
12 Kyle Bass on 'circus clown' Trump, China's banking system and coming stagflation (0.01/2) Kyle Bass shares his market views in an interview with CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin. 2016-10-19 15:10 1KB www.cnbc.com
13 Bears-Packers Capsule
CHICAGO (1-5) at GREEN BAY (3-2) 2016-10-19 15:34 2KB www.charlotteobserver.com
14 China's still growing, but fears are rising that it won't last The growth heightens worries around spending and how long officials can continue to allocate large sums of capital into the economy. 2016-10-19 15:08 4KB www.cnbc.com
15 Hong Kong: Tensions flare over pro-freedom politicians Pro-China politicians stage walk out of legislative session to halt swearing-in of two pro- independence lawmakers. 2016-10-19 14:11 2KB mwcnews.net
16 China, through the lens of Scottish photographer John Thomson The 200 black and white images were taken by Scottish photographer John Thomson between 1873 and 1874. He captured rural peasants, senior officials and landscapes (pictured). 2016-10-19 14:06 4KB www.dailymail.co.uk
17 China's Hainan island slammed by Typhoon Sarika Flights cancelled and roads rendered impassable after raging storm uproots tress and triggers heavy rain. 2016-10-19 13:36 1KB mwcnews.net 18 This Chinese sculpture has a precious secret Specialists at Mossgreen art auction house have discovered a 700-year-old Ming Dynasty banknote hidden inside a wooden Buddhist sculpture. 2016-10-19 13:36 4KB rss.cnn.com
19 Hilarious moment a naughty panda cub takes a tumble as it tries to climb onto a chair A playful baby panda fell on its back after failing to mount a seat. Its keeper quickly came to its rescue before comforting the bear. The video is believed to be filmed in a panda breeding centre in China. 2016-10-19 13:30 2KB www.dailymail.co.uk
20 Pervert is beaten by bus passengers after he sexually harassed a woman in Dalian, China The man was caught touching two women on a bus in China. He also threatened to attack one of them. Fellow passengers beat up the man with a wooden stick to teach him a lesson. 2016-10-19 13:23 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk
21 Chinese Reality Show Just A Parade Of Corrupt Officials China has a new reality show that mixes the excitement of modern reality television with classic government propaganda. The first episode of "Always on the Road," an eight-episode, reality-style 2016-10-19 20:33 3KB dailycaller.com
22 For foreign home buyers, this U. S. city is the next big thing Ever since Vancouver hit foreign home buyers with a 15% tax, Chinese investors are buying homes in Seattle. 2016-10-19 12:47 3KB rss.cnn.com
23 Trump masks are being made by Chinese factory for Halloween Incredible pictures show inside a factory in China that is making Donald Trump Halloween masks. Pictures taken on October 18 show the masks which will be sold for three yuan (£3.63). 2016-10-19 12:25 1KB www.dailymail.co.uk
24 IBM, Walmart, university to put Chinese food products on blockchain By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss NEW YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters) - IBM, U. S. retailer Walmart and Tsinghua University on Wednesday announced a joint effort to track th... 2016-10-19 11:57 3KB www.dailymail.co.uk Articles
DC5m United States china in english 24 articles, created at 2016-10-20 03:29
1 /24 Starbucks plans to double stores in China in 5 years
(1.06/2) NEW YORK (AP) — Starbucks is pushing ahead with its expansion into mainland China, saying Wednesday it's on track to have 5,000 stores by 2021, more than doubling the number of its coffee shops in the country. The Seattle- based coffee chain is looking to China to fuel its growth. It's grown rapidly since opening its first Chinese store in 1999, though famously suffered a misstep nearly a decade ago when protests over a shop inside the Forbidden City led to it being closed. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has said China could one day surpass the U. S. as the chain's largest market. There are about 13,000 Starbucks stores in the United States. Among chain coffee shops, Starbucks had a 74 percent market share in mainland China in 2015, according to market research company Euromonitor. The company's closest competitors are McDonald's Corp.'s McCafe and Whitbread PLC's Costa Coffee, both of which had market shares slightly above 9 percent, according to Euromonitor. Starbucks has been adding unique flavors to attract Chinese customers, such as a Black Forest Latte, a mix of cherry juice, cocoa powder and coffee. And in September it began selling its Teavana tea brand at its China locations. Chinese customers spend more time in Starbucks shops and are buying more food than Americans, Schultz told The Associated Press. Late next year, Starbucks plans to open a 30,000-square-foot store in Shanghai that Schultz called a "Disneyland for coffee. " Named the Starbucks Roastery and Reserve Tasting Room, the store will be similar to one opened in Seattle nearly two years ago, where customers can watch coffee beans get roasted and sip mixed coffee drinks. To oversee its expansion in China, Starbucks Corp. said Wednesday that it named Belinda Wong as the first CEO of its Chinese business. Wong was president of Starbucks China, and has worked for the company for 16 years.
Starbucks Plans to Double Starbucks plans to double Stores in China in 5 Years its stores in China and have abcnews.go.com 5,000 locations there by 2021... and says the country could become a BIGGER market than the US dailymail.co.uk 2016-10-19 12:53 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk
2 /24 China taking samples of radioactive material after North Korea nuclear test (1.06/2) SEOUL, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- China is concerned about the possibility of radioactive contamination after North Korea 's fifth nuclear test.
In a northeastern Chinese region adjacent to the North Korea border, authorities in Yanbian are conducting pollution tests to determine the presence of radioactive material, local newspaper Yanbian Daily reported Tuesday.
China's environmental protection ministry planned the tests that are being administered in conjunction with the country's radiation safety agency and a provincial environmental agency, according to the newspaper.
The test was described as an investigation into "natural radioactive substances" but the timing of the test is inviting speculation about Beijing's concerns about Pyongyang's continued development of nuclear weapons.
The test would be conducted at 155 points across eight cities and prefectures in the area, and is to include samples of air and water, according to the report, with a special focus on groundwater samples and water that is deemed safe for drinking.
Nine different kinds of biological sampling are to take place.
The Yanbian environmental protection agency also collected air and soil samples between August and September, which were then sent to a central laboratory for analysis.
North Korea's fifth nuclear test on Sept. 9 produced a 5.3 magnitude earthquake near the Punggye-ri nuclear site.
The Tumen River separates the two sides and the nuclear site is located about 120 miles from the city of Yanji in Yanbian.
Some residents in the city with a population of about 400,000 felt their homes shake at the time of the fifth test, according to Yonhap.
In January, state-owned Chinese news network CCTV tweeted a photograph of students in Yanji after an evacuation, immediately after Pyongyang conducted what it called a "successful" hydrogen bomb test. US warns North Korea of 'overwhelming' response to any use of nuclear weapons theguardian.com
2016-10-19 11:41 Elizabeth Shim www.upi.com
3 /24 Duterte visit watched for shift to China (1.02/2) BEIJING—Talks this week between President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping will be closely scrutinized for signs of how seriously the new Philippine leader intends to pursue a shift away from Washington and toward Beijing, a move that could have a major impact on regional power dynamics.
Mr. Duterte’s elevation to the presidency three and a half months ago has already turned relations between Washington and Manila on their head.
His courtship of Beijing could create further disruptions given the prospect of a longstanding US treaty ally lining up with Washington’s key rival for influence in Asia.
Mr. Duterte was greeted by Foreign Minister Wang Yi on arrival at Beijing’s main airport on Tuesday evening. He was set to meet on Thursday with Xi, Premier Li Keqiang and third-ranking official Zhang Dejiang, the head of the legislature.
“This is a historic visit and presents an opportunity for relations between China and the Philippines to restart on a fresh, more positive footing,” Wang told reporters earlier on Tuesday.
Mr. Duterte was due to return home on Friday.
US ‘pivot’ to Asia
Under Mr. Duterte’s predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, the decades-old US-Philippine alliance had flourished.
A quarter-century after a wave of anti-US nationalism forced the closure of American military bases in the Philippines, Manila was poised to allow more access for US forces to counter an assertive China—an important boost for President Barack Obama’s “pivot” placing more emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. Those gains now hang in the balance, although the Obama administration says it would welcome a reduction in the China-Philippine tensions that had spiraled over the disputed South China Sea, increasing the risk of a military conflict that could embroil the United States, which has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines.
“The prospect of the Philippines pulling out of a long stretch of very tense relations with Beijing is a desirable one,” Daniel Russel, top US diplomat for East Asia, told reporters in Washington last week.
Although the United States and China are often portrayed as great powers vying for the loyalty of small nations in
Asia, neither side wants a confrontation.
But there’s uncertainty in Washington about where the talks between Mr. Duterte and Xi will lead.
No break with US
In an interview last week with China’s state broadcaster, Mr. Duterte said he wasn’t looking to sever the historical connection with the United States.
“No, I am not breaking away. I just want to be friendly with everybody,” he said in the interview, which was broadcast by CCTV on Wednesday.
The United States says it supports dialogue on territorial issues, so long as the Philippines sticks by a July ruling from an international tribunal in a case brought by Aquino’s administration that found that China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea were invalid under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“I do not believe that public opinion in the Philippines or the national interest of the Philippines would support the relinquishing of Philippine rights, territory or sovereignty, and I can’t imagine that is
[Mr.] Duterte’s intention,” Russel said.
If Manila were to sideline that ruling in reaching an accommodation with Beijing—perhaps with the prospect of increased access to fisheries or some other economic benefit—it would undermine what has been a sustained US diplomatic effort to get the world to respect the tribunal ruling and for China to adhere to international law in seas crucial for trade.
The US advocacy for freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution of disputes has been a pillar of Obama’s outreach into Southeast Asia, where nations have looked to Washington to bolster its presence to counter China’s assertive behavior.
The planned rotation of US forces at five Philippine military bases, agreed by Aquino, was viewed as essential to that effort.
Future cooperation
But Mr. Duterte’s outbursts against the United States have put in doubt future military cooperation. He has said that the Philippines is stopping joint military exercises and that he opposes joint patrols with the US Navy in the South China Sea.
He has also said he wants US counterterrorism troops out of Mindanao and has criticized Obama and the US ambassador in Manila in crude terms for condemning his bloody extrajudicial crackdown on illegal drugs.
Administration officials say that the US commitment to the alliance remains “ironclad” and that they have gotten no official notification about the removal of US military assets and personnel.
Chinese officials have refrained from commenting on Mr. Duterte’s domestic program and say they expect the Philippine leader’s visit to help build trust and place the territorial dispute back on their preferred bilateral track.
Mr. Duterte has said he merely wants to obtain renewed access for Filipino fishermen to Scarborough Shoal, known in the Philippines as Panatag Shoal, which China seized in 2012.
Both sides have played up the economic benefits of improved relations, with scores of Philippine business leaders accompanying Mr. Duterte and China considering financing billions of dollars in infrastructure projects.
Dual-track thought
Beijing would be happy to shelve the issue altogether, focusing instead on economic exchanges, said Chinese government-backed scholars.
“In general, the talks between Mr. Duterte and the Chinese leaders will focus on economic aid to the Philippines and the Chinese leaders will continue to stick to the dual-track thought in handling the South China Sea issue,” said Li Jinming, professor at the Institute for South China Sea Studies, Xiamen University.— AP
Philippines’ Duterte Not Planning to Raise South China Sea Disputes in China Visit wsj.com
2016-10-20 00:00 INQUIRER.net globalnation.inquirer.net
4 /24 8 PH-China gov’t deals to be signed (1.02/2) BEIJING—At least eight government-to-government deals are expected to be signed between the Philippines and China on Thursday, including an agreement that will boost President Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs.
The deals do not include joint exploration for energy in the West Philippine Sea, waters in the South China Sea within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Inquirer, quoting senior administration officials who spoke on condition of anonymity, reported on Wednesday that talks were going on between Philippine and Chinese officials for joint exploration in an uncontested area of the South China Sea, including Recto Bank.
Joint exploration
Speaking to journalists at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Beijing, Mr. Duterte said there would be no discussions with Chinese officials about joint exploration.
“I do not think that would be right [to propose to Chinese President Xi Jinping],” Mr. Duterte said. “If you plan to give up something, if you plan to share what you have, if it is really yours, then you cannot talk about it openly on your own.”
Congressional nod required
He explained that any proposal for joint exploration requires “the consent of Congress and every Filipino involved.”
“So at this time, I am not empowered to do that,” Mr. Duterte said. “I cannot give something, and I cannot also add what has not been given me.”
Mr. Duterte, in China for a state visit, will witness the signing of the agreements at Hebei Room of the Great Hall of the People here.
Based on confidential documents obtained by the Inquirer, a “protocol on cooperation” is in the works between the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Narcotics Control Bureau of China’s Ministry of Public Security.
PDEA Director General Isidro Lapeña is expected to sign the cooperation deal on narcotics control.
It is widely believed that many of the drug lords operating in the Philippines have links to drug kingpins in
China.
The Philippine delegation is also working on several other bilateral agreements covering economic and investment cooperation, strengthening of trade links, conduct of feasibility studies involving commerce, financing cooperation and tourism.
This landmark state visit to China is thus seen to resolve the diplomatic chill between the two countries, whose relationship had turned sour in the last three years due to a territorial dispute.
Scarborough Shoal China was reported on Tuesday as considering giving Filipino fishermen conditional access to Scarborough Shoal, which China seized from the Philippines in 2012, forcing Manila to challenge Beijing’s claim to 90 percent of the South China Sea in the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
The court handed down a decision on July 12, invalidating China’s claims and ruling that Beijing had violated Manila’s sovereign rights to fish and explore for resources in waters within its 370-kilometer EEZ in the South China Sea.
Scarborough Shoal, known to Filipinos as Panatag Shoal, is well within the Philippines’ EEZ.
China, which did not take part in the arbitration, rejected the tribunal’s decision, calling it “waste paper.”
Mr. Duterte has said he will not raise the tribunal’s ruling during his visit.
Almost 100 deals
Since 1975, when the Philippines established diplomatic ties with China, the two countries have concluded almost 100 bilateral agreements covering political, defense, trade and investments, judicial cooperation, air services, cooperation in combating transactional crimes, consular cooperation, tourism, culture, sports, media exchange, agriculture, science and technology, sister cities and people-to-people exchanges.
In 2015, Philippine exports to China amounted to $17.64 billion, while imports stood at $6.17 billion.
China ranked as the Philippines’ second largest trading partner last year. It remains the Philippines’ third largest export destination and the biggest source of imports. TVJ
Duterte to witness signing of private sector deals business.inquirer.net
2016-10-20 00:00 Daxim L globalnation.inquirer.net
5 /24 Nick Kyrgios pulls out of Rotterdam Open to play in NBA celebrity game (1.02/2) Nick Kyrgios has pulled out of the Rotterdam Open in February so he can play in the NBA all- star celebrity game instead, tournament director Richard Krajicek confirmed on Wednesday.
Kyrgios was suspended for eight weeks on Monday for a perceived lack of effort during the Shanghai Masters last week. The Australian clashed with fans and the chair umpire, and walked off court in the middle of a point.
The 21-year-old had signed up to play in the tournament in Holland next year, but Krajicek said Kyrgios had been released from his contract so he can take part in the NBA’s mid- season showpiece in New Orleans.
“Kyrgios is a big NBA fan and the chance to be on the court with Michael Jordan is unique for him,” Kraijcek said in a statement. “We do not think it makes much sense to have him on our court if he is not 100% motivated. With a field which already includes [Stan] Wawrinka, [Rafael] Nadal, [Dominic] Thiem and [Robin] Haase, we think we have enough quality on show.”
“Kyrgios prefers his passion beyond his profession,” Krajicek added. “We wanted to hold him to his contract. You see what can happen when he is tired and [tennis] has little meaning, as in China. We do not want that. So we decided to terminate his contract. We want a top tennis player seen on the court.
“If every week he is focused on tennis, he might be mentally burned out after six months. He needs an outlet.”
The ATP said it would consider reducing Kyrgio’s eight-week penalty if he agreed to see a sports psychologist. However, if the ATP’s conditions are not met, Kyrgios will not be allowed to return to the court until the Australian Open in January. Kyrgios took part in a Twitter Q&A on Wednesday morning. When asked if he intended to meet with a psychologist, Kyrgios replied: “Probs not.”
The player posted a lengthy apology online after his behaviour in Shanghai, which came days after he won the Japan Open, the third and biggest title of his career.
He said: “I, of course, know how important the fans are to the success of our sport and I personally love the interaction with fans in the many different cities throughout the world on the tennis circuit. I am someone who gives a huge amount of time to my fans because I love and value their support. Their energy is what motivates me to reach for the top of the game. I regret that my year is ending this way and that I will not have a chance to continue chasing the ATP Finals.”
Krajicek, who won Wimbledon in 1996, has added US Open champion Wawrinka to the Rotterdam field in place of Kyrgios. Kyrgios pulls out of Rotterdam Open to play basketball dailymail.co.uk
2016-10-19 15:27 Guardian sport www.theguardian.com
6 /24 Chinese billionaire on UN case seeks relaxed bail conditions (1.02/2) NEW YORK (AP) — A Chinese billionaire confined to a luxury Manhattan apartment while awaiting trial in a United Nations bribery case is asking a judge to let him explore the city a little. Ng Lap Seng has asked a Manhattan federal judge to let him go to a park, a museum or on a shopping trip at least once a week. Ng is under 24-hour guard while he awaits a January trial. The 68- year-old businessman has pleaded not guilty to charges accusing him of funneling over $1 million to pressure diplomats into supporting construction of a U. N. conference center in Macau. Ng was arrested in September 2015. For the last year, he has worn an electronic bracelet at the apartment where he has remained on $50 million bail.
Chinese Billionaire on UN Case Seeks Relaxed Bail Conditions abcnews.go.com
2016-10-19 15:22 Associated Press www.dailymail.co.uk
7 /24 US to deploy missile defense to South Korea 'soon'
(1.02/2) The United States said Wednesday that it would deploy a missile-defense system to South Korea as soon as possible, despite opposition from China. US Secretary Of State John Kerry confirmed that the THAAD system would soon be sent to the peninsula at a meeting with South Korean ministers in Washington. Washington sees the US-built Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system as protection against North Korea's pursuit of missile and nuclear technology. But China has warned it sees it as a threat to the balance of power in the region, fearing it would make its own nuclear deterrent less credible. "The United States will do whatever is necessary to defend ourselves and to honor the security commitment we have made to our allies," Kerry said. "And we will deploy as soon as possible a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery to our Korean ally," he added. Kerry and US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter were welcoming South Korea's foreign minister, Yun Byung-Se, and defense minister, Han Min-Koo. Washington and Seoul agreed to install THAAD this summer following repeated nuclear and missile tests by Kim Jong-Un's authoritarian Pyongyang regime. The move angered Beijing, the main trading partner of otherwise isolated North Korea and a key player in international efforts to control the regime. Last week, Chinese General Cai Jun told a defense forum in Beijing that THAAD is "not conducive to the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula. "
Carter says U.S. committed to protect South Korea article.wn.com
2016-10-19 15:07 Afp www.dailymail.co.uk
8 /24 Alleged serial killer Stephen Port 'filmed meeting victim'
(1.02/2) A jury has been shown CCTV footage of an alleged serial killer meeting a man in east London he is accused of murdering hours later.
Stephen Port was captured on film with Jack Taylor outside Barking station on 13 September 2015. The pair then walked together to Mr Port's flat.
Mr Taylor, 25, was found dead the following day near a churchyard.
Mr Port, 41, denies 29 charges including murder, rape, sexual assault and administering drugs.
The Old Bailey was read messages sent between the pair on gay dating app Grindr in which they had arranged to meet at 03:00 BST. The defendant can be seen in the video walking to the station and joining Mr Taylor, who arrived by taxi.
Jurors were told that Mr Port "blocked" Jack Taylor's Grindr account at 07:20, before deleting his own Grindr account later that day.
Mr Taylor, from Dagenham, was found dead on 14 September near a churchyard in Barking, where the bodies of two other men - Gabriel Kovari and Daniel Whitworth - had been discovered in 2014.
Earlier, the jury heard from a 26-year-old man who said Stephen Port injected him twice with drugs while they had sex at the defendant's home last year.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court the pair started having sex in a "normal" way in the bedroom when Mr Port left for the bathroom.
When he returned, the man said he felt "a sharp pain and very intense sting" after he was injected with a "plastic syringe" he had not seen the defendant carrying.
Shortly afterwards, the accused returned to the bathroom and then injected the man again, the court heard.
"On this occasion I jumped off the bed and told him you can't do that - I'm not comfortable," he said.
The man told the court he "started to get dizzy" but continued having sex.
When Mr Port went to the bathroom for a third time, the man said he decided to leave.
He told the jury: "I asked him outright what he'd given me" and Mr Port replied that was a lubricant.
The trial continues.
Jury shown chilling CCTV of forklift driver walking with 'gay serial killer' to his flat just hours before he was killed with lethal dose of date-rate drug GHB dailymail.co.uk 2016-10-19 22:53 www.bbc.co.uk
9 /24 Solon cautions President on megadeals with China
(1.02/2) Beware of Chinese bearing gifts.
An opposition lawmaker on Wednesday cautioned the Duterte administration against entering into any “megadeals” with China, including joint exploration ventures in disputed waters in the South China Sea, saying it might compromise the Philippines’ stake in the area.
READ: 16 deals sweeten PH-China pot
“A joint exploration with China while skipping around the issue of how to resolve Chinese incursion into the West Philippine Sea is tantamount to giving up on our sovereign claims,” Akbayan Rep. Tomasito Villarin said, using the local name for waters within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.
But House of Representatives Minority Leader Danilo Suarez and Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza said there was nothing intrinsically wrong with entering into a joint venture with China, provided there were safeguards so the Philippines would not be at a disadvantage in sharing.
Energy deal
The Inquirer reported on Wednesday that the Philippines was poised to enter into a deal with China on joint exploration for energy resources in the heavily disputed South China Sea.
The deal, which will be forged during President Duterte’s visit to China this week, will cover exploration, initially in uncontested areas “closer to the Philippines,” including Recto Bank.
But Villarin, a member of an independent minority faction, said such a move might not be wise at a time when Mr. Duterte should be focusing on asserting the decision of the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that invalidated China’s claim to 90 percent of the South China Sea.
“Winning our case at the UN arbitral tribunal and asserting it fulfills the constitutional mandate of having an independent foreign policy. But asking permission from China to fish [in] Philippine waters degrades our status as a sovereign nation and will subject us to international ridicule,” Villarin said.
Last week, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Mr. Duterte risked impeachment if he gave up sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal or Panatag Shoal, which China seized from the Philippines in 2012.
Mr. Duterte said he agreed with Carpio.
Sellout
“At this critical juncture when continuing Chinese aggression has compromised our territorial integrity, specifically at Panatag Shoal, any large-scale investment deal with China will be seen as a sellout,” Villarin said.
Speaking at a press forum, Suarez said he welcomed the idea of a joint exploration with China. “A joint exploration does not mean we are giving up our territorial claims,” he said.
Atienza, on the other hand, said a joint venture “did not necessarily mean bad or deplorable or illegal,” likening it to mining contracts.
“But we have to see the specifics. If it’s seen that after the discovery of oil, we will only own 10 percent, that would be bad,” he said.
Villarin said the idea of Chinese megadeals reminded him of the aborted NBN-ZTE scandal— corruption-ridden national broadband deal—and the Northrail project for which the Philippines overpaid the Chinese contractor for unfinished work.
He also cited problems in business agreements forged by China with other developing countries.
“In Uganda, the Chinese government committed to invest in an ambitious $1.5 billion eco-city project in 2008, but it never materialized,” he said. TVJ
Philippines president cozies up to China after talking tough about the U.S. latimes.com
2016-10-20 00:00 DJ Yap newsinfo.inquirer.net
10 /24 Underwater drone fitted with video imaging will help search for MH370 (1.02/2) CANBERRA, Australia, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- The Dong Hai Jiu 101, a vessel searching for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in the southern Indian Ocean, will begin using an underwater drone fitted with video-imaging capabilities to aid efforts.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau, or ATSB, on Tuesday said the Dong Hai Jiu 101 will be fitted with Phoenix International Holding's Remora III remotely operated vehicle, or ROV, which has video cameras. ROVs have recently been prevented from searching for MH370 due to weather conditions.
"The ROV will be tasked to reacquire and investigate, through video imaging, a range of sonar contacts which have been identified during previous deep tow operations," the ATSB said in a statement. "None of the sonar contacts targeted for reacquisition exhibit the characteristics of a typical aircraft debris field and are therefore not classified as category 1 sonar contacts. However some exhibit man-made properties and therefore must be investigated further to be positively eliminated. "
The ATSB said more than 68,000 square miles of the southern Indian Ocean have been searched so far. If MH370 is not found or if no credible evidence is found that could lead to a specific location of the aircraft, the search will be suspended after the completion of the 75,000 square mile search area.
The ATSB predicts the search of the 75,000 square mile area will be completed in January or February due to winter weather conditions.
MH370 disappeared on March 8, 2014, after leaving Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia en route to Beijing with 227 passengers and 12 crew members on board. Malaysian authorities concluded the flight had ended in the Indian Ocean, but no confirmed MH370 debris was found until last year when a right wing flaperon was discovered on Reunion Island, east of Madagascar.
Underwater drone to investigate sonar contacts in MH370 hunt deseretnews.com
2016-10-19 11:48 Andrew V www.upi.com
11 /24 ‘Ready Player One,’ ‘Blade Runner 2’ to Get Imax Releases
(1.02/2) Imax will release Steven Spielberg’s “ Ready Player One ,” “Kong: Skull Island,” and a sequel to “Blade Runner” as part of a new multi-picture pact with Warner Bros.
The agreement includes up to 12 new films from the studio’s upcoming slate. It’s a collection of titles that also includes “LEGO Batman Movie,” “Minecraft,” several DC Comics titles, and a sequel to “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” “Ready Player One” is an adaptation of a popular young adult book, and stars Mark Rylance and Tye Sheridan. The follow-up to Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner,” with Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, was recently titled “Blade Runner 2049.” “Kong: Skull Island,” is a spinoff to 2014’s “Godzilla,” is toplined by Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson.
In addition, Imax said that Christopher Nolan will use one of the company’s cameras to capture key sequences of his World War II adventure film “Dunkirk.” The Warner Bros. release hits theaters next summer.
“We’re proud to re-up our 13-year partnership with the Warner Bros. family,” said Greg Foster, CEO of IMAX Entertainment. “This extension includes titles from some of the industry’s most acclaimed filmmakers, such as our friends Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, David Ellison, David Heyman, and David Yates”
Imax is seen as the preferred format of fanboys and fangirls, a group of moviegoers who tend to turn out in force for comic book movies and fantasy adventures. The format also enables movie theaters to charge a premium on tickets, which bolsters revenues.
'Wonder Woman,' 'Ready Player One' and others headed to IMAX screens in new Warner Bros. deal latimes.com
2016-10-19 11:05 Brent Lang variety.com
12 /24 Kyle Bass on 'circus clown' Trump, China's banking system and coming stagflation (0.01/2) Hedge fund manager Kyle Bass shared his market views in an exclusive interview with CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin on Wednesday.
On China's banking system: "It's already reached a point where it's going to have a problem with losses. ... They have to recapitalize their banking system," he said.
On the U. S. economy: "2017 is going to be a year of increasing inflation and economic growth lagging. We're moving into a stagflationary environment in my view," Bass said.
On the election: "In the end Trump 's a circus clown and Hillary is the only thing we've got. I think you have to vote for Hillary," he said.
Bass is founder and managing partner of Hayman Capital Management. He is known for profiting and betting against subprime mortgages during the financial crisis in 2008.
To watch the broadcast interview in its entirety, you must be a CNBC PRO subscriber .
Hedge fund star Kyle Bass sees 'stagflation' coming in 2017 cnbc.com
2016-10-19 15:10 Tae Kim www.cnbc.com
13 /24 Bears-Packers Capsule CHICAGO (1-5) at GREEN BAY (3-2)
Thursday, 8:25 p.m. EST, CBS, NFL Network
OPENING LINE — Packers by 10½
RECORD VS. SPREAD — Chicago 1-5, Green Bay 2- 2-1
SERIES RECORD — Bears lead 94-92-6
LAST MEETING — Bears beat Packers 17-13, Nov. 26, 2015
LAST WEEK — Bears lost to Jaguars 17-16; Packers lost to Cowboys 30-16
AP PRO32 RANKING — Bears No. 30, Packers No. 11 BEARS OFFENSE — OVERALL (7), RUSH (23), PASS (4).
BEARS DEFENSE — OVERALL (11), RUSH (18), PASS (10).
PACKERS OFFENSE — OVERALL (26), RUSH (16), PASS (25).
PACKERS DEFENSE — OVERALL (10), RUSH (3), PASS (21).
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Teams meeting for 193rd time in NFL's oldest rivalry, going back to 1921. ... Thanksgiving night win last year by Bears snapped Packers' four-game series winning streak and spoiled return of former Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre to Lambeau Field. ... Bears are among last in league in scoring (16.8 points), 25th in red zone offense (47.4 percent). ... Brian Hoyer first Bears QB to throw at least 300 yards passing in four straight games. ... RB Jordan Howard second among NFL rookies with 303 yards rushing. ... WR Cameron Meredith with 20 catches, 243 yards past two games. ... OL Josh Sitton, released by Packers before season opener, has ankle injury. ... DE Akiem Hicks has sack in two of past three games. ... Packers offense first in league in third-down conversions (49.3 percent). ... Team minus-3 in turnover margin on season, with season-high four giveaways in loss last week to Dallas... QB Aaron Rodgers 20th in league in passer rating (88.4). ... Rodgers has 14 TDs and 127.0 rating in past four meetings against Chicago. ... Offensive line has allowed nine sacks, tied for fifth in league. ... Defense third in league against run (72.4 yards per game), but allowed season-high 191 last week to Cowboys. ... LB Julius Peppers had sack and forced fumble last week. Former Bear has 2½ sacks in past three against Chicago. ... Fantasy Tip: WR Ty Montgomery career- high 10 catches for 98 yards last week. Packers also line up Montgomery in backfield at times, so role could expand with injuries to RBs Eddie Lacy and James Starks. Montgomery fumbled twice last week, losing one.
2016-10-19 15:34 The Associated www.charlotteobserver.com
14 /24 China's still growing, but fears are rising that it won't last China delivered growth bang in line with estimates at 6.7 percent for the third quarter , suggesting that the government's fiscal stimulus continues to support the world's second largest economy.
But the growth also heightens worries around the government's spending habits and raises questions as to how long officials can continue to allocate large sums of capital into the economy to sustain these growth rates .
The International Monetary Fund recently warned that China's debt problem is becoming unsustainable and should be addressed sooner rather than later by Beijing. China's debt to GDP ratio is at 250 percent. "Growing levels of Chinese debt are one of the biggest risks to our mostly positive outlook," said Sameer Samana, global quantitative strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. "The most recent numbers on aggregate financing and new yuan loans were 24 percent and 22 percent above consensus estimates, which shows that policy-makers are still choosing debt-fueled growth over reforms and that is unsustainable because it creates a lot of excess capacity and inefficient growth,"
Influential hedge fund managers also have been voicing their concern around China's debt problem. Hayman Capital's Kyle Bass told CNBC's "Power Lunch" that wasn't confident in China's growth story specifically when it pertained to the country's banking system.
"They have to recapitalize their banking system…what I'm saying is you have to be very careful studying how fast and how recklessly they built their assets," Bass said.
Distressed investors have been looking at China's banks and the non-performing loans they are sitting on as a potential investment opportunity, sources told CNBC.
"Unfortunately, it all comes back to timing and when this will become a larger issue and how it will be resolved, and it may be less of a short-term issue than a long-term issue," Saman said. "I think there is some hope on the part of investors that with the in-line [GDP] report last night, they will get some breathing room to go back to enacting reforms, but we'll have to wait and see if they follow through on that. "
One sector that has benefited from China's large stimulus efforts is the property industry, which makes up about 15 percent of China's GDP.
Home sales have been rising due in part to this larger migration from smaller cities to metropolitan cities that offer better pay and more promising opportunities. But the good time may be ending.
"The government is now seeking to shift down a gear in the property market," said Duncan Wrigley, head of research at NSBO. "Home sales are expected to slow after over 20 cities tightened home sales policy, in terms of mortgage terms and restricting the maximum number of properties each individual can buy. Developers will keep building the properties that they have already sold off-plan (as the majority of home sales in China are). But this points to a drag on growth going into 2017. "
Despite worries about China's growth story, emerging markets have been outperforming this year. The MSCI Emerging Market Index is up 17 percent in 2016 while the Shanghai Composite is down 12 percent during the same time frame.
Whether EMs can continue to recover may depend on China's ability to rebound.
Capital Economics is not confident in the these markets rallying writing to clients "there are growing risks of a downturn in China in the medium term. "
2016-10-19 15:08 Seema Mody www.cnbc.com
15 /24 Hong Kong: Tensions flare over pro-freedom politicians | Print | E-mail Wednesday, 19 October 2016 10:11 Pro-China politicians stage walk out of legislative session to halt swearing-in of two pro-independence lawmakers.
Dozens of pro-Beijing politicians have staged a walk-out from the Hong Kong legislature to stall the swearing in of two pro-independence legislators in the Chinese-administered city.
The topic of independence has long been taboo in the former British colony, now governed under the "one country, two systems" principle since its return to China in 1997.
The government failed in an unprecedented legal attempt on Tuesday to halt the swearing-in of the two.
The politicians marched out of the legislative chamber, leaving Chinese and Hong Kong flags in their place, to deprive it of a quorum.
It is unclear when swearing-in will take place.
The government will formally challenge the decision of legislative authorities to allow Baggio Leung, 30, and Yau Wai-ching, 25, to retake their oaths in the High Court next month.
Yau and Leung sparked outrage among Hong Kong's pro-Beijing establishment when their first oaths were rejected by legislative officials last week.
'Hong Kong is not China'
Then they pledged allegiance to the "Hong Kong nation" and displayed a banner declaring that "Hong Kong is not China", using language some legislators portrayed as derogatory Japanese slang.
The pair are part of a new generation of Hong Kong activists determined to force issues of self- determination and independence on to the mainstream political agenda.
A judicial review will take place on November 3.
Outside, hundreds of pro-Beijing protesters thronged the grounds of the legislature, some carrying placards of the pair dressed in Japanese army uniforms that denounced them as "traitors" and "dogs".
Others chanted that the pair must step down to protect China's "dignity".
The judicial review looms amid an unprecedented constitutional battle in the free-wheeling global financial hub, testing its rule of law and the separation of powers between the government and legislative branch.
Some senior judges and government officials fear privately that the issue could force Beijing to invoke rarely used powers to re-interpret Hong Kong's mini-constitution, or push through new laws.
2016-10-19 14:11 Reuters mwcnews.net
16 /24 China, through the lens of Scottish photographer John Thomson Rare early photographs revealing what life in China looked liked more than 140 years ago have emerged for the first time. The stunning collection comprises 200 black and white images of Far East landscapes and wide-ranging personal portraits of everybody from rural peasants to senior government officials. Produced at a time when camera technology was still in its infancy, they were taken by celebrated Scottish photographer John Thomson between 1873 and 1874 during his 4,000-mile expedition across the country. The amazing images are the first volume of photos from that time in China to ever be included in a travel book. And now one of only a handful of the album copies still in existence is set to go under the hammer at Sotheby's auction house with an estimate of £35,000. Thomson, the son of a tobacco spinner, became fascinated by Asian culture after moving to Singapore to set up a business with his watchmaker brother William. As a result he decided to throw caution to the wind by travelling to previously unexplored, remote areas of China where people had never seen westerners or camera equipment before. Locals saw him hauling around a makeshift photographic studio along with his huge wooden camera, tripods, jugs of chemicals and other bulky equipment all over the country. The result was a hugely diverse collection of pictures that included images of labourers hard at work in the field, ornately dressed actors, Manchu soldiers posing with their weapons and portraits of some of the most powerful government officials in the country. Thomson was renowned for his meticulous approach and his use of the 'wet-collodion' process meant he had to persuade his subjects to stay still for long periods while he captured their likeness. Such was his reputation on returning to the UK, he toured the country giving talks about his experiences and was eventually appointed an official royal photographer by Queen Victoria. Richard Fattorini, Sotheby's books and manuscripts specialist, said: 'John Thomson was a true pioneering visual anthropologist. 'He was absolutely fascinated by China - its people, their way of life, the culture and architecture - and he wanted to capture a whole cross-section of the country's society in these photographs. 'For him to have travelled that sort of distance at that time is an amazing achievement in itself, let alone when you consider he would have had all sorts of camera equipment and chemicals with him. He would have had none of the travel luxuries we have today. 'He was quite a remarkable man - an intrepid explorer who was dedicated to his art.' Thomson, who first became interested in photography as an apprentice at an optical equipment manufacturer in Edinburgh, was inspired to travel by French naturalist and explorer Henri Mouhot who wrote of rediscovering ancient cities in the Cambodian jungle. In total he spent a decade exploring the Far East and also produced photo books covering Malaya and Sumatra. This album is part of a huge collection of Chinese manuscripts and photographs amassed by Belgian lawyer Bernard Hanotiau over the last 25 years which are being sold by Sotheby's. Mr Fattorini added: 'Bernard Hanotiau has collected all the books, he has had a public exhibition and he had done everything he wanted to do with the collection. 'He feels now it is time for other people to enjoy it as much as he has.' The photo album will be sold in London on November 7.
2016-10-19 14:06 Rachael Burford www.dailymail.co.uk
17 /24 China's Hainan island slammed by Typhoon Sarika | Print | E-mail
Wednesday, 19 October 2016 09:36 Flights cancelled and roads rendered impassable after raging storm uproots tress and triggers heavy rain.
Typhoon Sarika slammed into China's southern island province of Hainan on Tuesday.
It made landfall shortly after 9am local time (1GMT), bringing winds as strong as 160 kilometres per hour.
More than 520,000 people were evacuated as the storm bore down on the island.
Flights were cancelled and roads were rendered impassable as the storm raged.
Qionghai City reported 258mm of rain in just two days. This is well over half the rainfall expected in the entire month of October.
The storm is now disintegrating over northern Vietnam and southern China, bringing flooding across the region.
As Sarika fizzles out, another typhoon is bearing down on the Philippines. Super Typhoon Haima is a more powerful system which is expected to hit eastern Luzon at approximately 15 GMT on Wednesday.
This second typhoon is then expected to make a second landfall near Hong Kong on Friday.
2016-10-19 13:36 MWC News mwcnews.net
18 /24 This Chinese sculpture has a precious secret And for Ray Tregaskis, head of Asian art at Australia-based Mossgreen auction house, the rare opportunity felt like the discovery of a lifetime.
Tregaskis came across the treasure while inspecting the underside of a 14th- century wooden Buddhist sculpture.
There, hidden inside the cranial cavity, he found a crumpled-up piece of paper.
Upon closer inspection, the unassuming parchment turned out to be a 700-year-old Ming Dynasty banknote -- among the earliest printed currency in China.
"This is the first time, that we know of, that a banknote has been discovered inside a wooden Buddhist sculpture," says Tregaskis.
"We were surprised, astonished, and once we had translated (the text), very excited! "
Full of surprises
Antique Buddhist sculptures are well-known treasure troves, but this banknote proved to be a unique discovery.
"It's typical to find materials such as mantra rolls, relics, grains, incense and semi-precious stones that have been placed inside gilt bronze sculptures by a monk or lama," says Luke Guan, a Mossgreen Asian art specialist.
"But we've never heard of anyone finding money inside a wooden sculpture before. "
It's impossible to know for sure how the money ended up hidden inside the artwork, but thanks to dates printed on the note, Mossgreen's specialists have been able to verify the age of the sculpture and better understand its history.
Most likely, they believe a patron may have placed the banknote inside while commissioning repairs -- an estimated 40 or 50 years after the sculpture was first made.
This date itself is estimated to be sometime in the 14th century, as both the bank note and carving style suggest the artwork was created during China's Hongwu period.
The wood sculpture represents the head of a Luohan, a wise person who has passed through the four stages of Enlightenment and reached Nirvana, in Buddhist culture.
Appearing calm and confident, the sculpture's expressive features are clearly visible in the exaggerated lines and curves of the face.
According to Guan, the sculpture would have been part of a series of anywhere from 16 to 500 sculptures, usually kept inside a Buddhist temple for worship.
Sign of the time
The banknote itself is more than 700 years old, and was made during China's Ming Dynasty, which spanned almost 300 years, from 1368 to 1644.
The period under the Hongwu Emporer, Zhu Yuan Zhang -- the founder and first emperor of the Ming dynasty -- was a prosperous era fueled by strong international trade and a growing population.
During this time, China replaced its traditional currency of silver and gold with paper money.
The bill is endorsed by the emperor himself, with three official red seals and a line that reads: "Authorized by the Department of Finance, this bank note has the same function of coins. Those who use counterfeit banknotes will be beheaded, the whistle-blower will be rewarded 250 Liang silvers plus all the properties of the criminal. The third year of Hong Wu period. "
The "one guan" banknote was the highest denomination available at the time, and was equivalent to "one liang" of silver -- which is a face value of about 660 RMB or roughly $98. If sold alone, its auction value today is estimated to be between $2,000 and $4,000.
Aside from its inherent value, the banknote lends additional insight into the era.
At the time, bills in China were crafted from handmade mulberry bark paper and printed using a carved woodblock, a technology that has played an important role throughout Chinese history.
Dating back to 868 AD, this printing method enabled the dissemination of information, art and literature.
The sculpture and banknote embark upon a world tour this fall and can be viewed in Melbourne, Australia from October 21-23, London, UK from November 3-6 and Hong Kong from November 24-27. The sculpture and banknote will return to Mossgreen in Sydney, Australia in December, ready for auction.
The pair are part of the "Raphy Star Collection of Important Asian Art " and together are estimated to fetch between $30,000 to $45,000.
2016-10-19 13:36 Kate Springer rss.cnn.com
19 /24 Hilarious moment a naughty panda cub takes a tumble as it tries to climb onto a chair This is the adorable moment a baby panda took a tumble after failing to climb onto a wooden chair. The hilarious video clip was posted on October 13 by iPanda , a Weibo channel operated by Chinese state media CCTV. After the little bear fell onto the ground, its keeper helped it get up and tried to comfort it. The video is believed to be filmed in a panda breeding centre in China. At the beginning of the clip, the little bear can be seen standing on its hind legs with its upper body clinging onto the wooden seat. The male keeper was focused on writing notes next to the animal. Three other panda cubs could be seen snoring on the playground equipped with balls and toys. The naughty panda cub tried to climb onto the chair as its carer concentrated on his paperwork. The baby panda put its claws firmly on the chair and its upper body was learning towards the chair. Standing upright, the black-and-white animal tried to move its hind legs closer to the chair. However, it seemed that the chair was a bit too slippery for the bear to hold onto. At one moment, it lost its balance and fell to the ground. However, the determined bear got up quickly and continued its attempt. This time, it decided to climb from the back of the chair with both front legs. However, the strategy didn't seem to work well as the bear suddenly took a tumble and hit the ground. The keeper hurried to rescue the panda cub which was trapped under the chair. The little panda can be heard moaning in pain. The keeper then rubbed the cub's face and belly to offer it some comfort before putting it next to the other cubs. The other three dubs snored throughout the process as if nothing happened. However, the naughty cub soon started eyeing the chair - apparently wanting to mount it again. The keeper quickly realised its plan and removed the chair from the playground.
2016-10-19 13:30 Julian Luk www.dailymail.co.uk
20 /24 Pervert is beaten by bus passengers after he sexually harassed a woman in Dalian, China A man has learned a painful lesson after he threatened to attack a woman who he had harassed sexually. His behaviour enraged other fellow passengers, who surrounded him and beat him up. The man, who was taking a bus in Dalian, China, touched two women sexually. When the second woman walked away from him, he threatened to assault her. The incident reportedly took place on bus No. 405 in the Dalian on October 17. A report by local TV station said the man, surnamed Di, had sexually harassed two young female passengers. CCTV footage shows that the man got on the bus at around 3:45pm. Di first touched the face of a woman who stood near the front door. The victim tried to avoid his strokes, but she did not speak up. Di, wearing a grey and black jacket, then proceeded to the middle section of the bus. He stroked the hair of another woman, surnamed Bi, for a few times. Bi also tried to avoid him. However the man followed her threatening to attack her. Having failed to touch Bi, the man suddenly claimed that his wrist got hurt and he suffered a bone fracture. He pretended to cry and demand for a compensation from Bi. The bus driver heard the argument. He stopped the bus and tried to call the police. The man asked the driver to open the door and release him, but his request was ignored by the driver. Afterwards, the man approached Bi again and shouted at her, according to a video posted by social media user Zui Huo Huo Ge. Two male passengers stood in front of Bi to guard her. Di went on condemning the woman for hurting his hand. He could be heard saying: 'If you report to police, you have to give me money.' As he tried to approach Bi, the woman screamed. Several passengers got outraged by Di's behavior. They surrounded the man and started beating him up with a huge wooden stick. After a while, the man could be seen with a bleeding nose as he was made to knee on the floor. His jacket was also ripped off. 'You behave just like a hooligan on public transport. You deserve it,' an angry male passenger said. The same passenger then hit the man with the wooden stick. Di kept begging for mercy: 'Don't hit me. Don't. Don't.' Local police arrived at the scene shortly. The man and two the female passengers were taken to the police station for investigation. Dalian police said at its Weibo page that the injured man had been sent to hospital for treatment. 2016-10-19 13:23 Julian Luk www.dailymail.co.uk
21 /24 Chinese Reality Show Just A Parade Of Corrupt Officials China has a new reality show that mixes the excitement of modern reality television with classic government propaganda.
The first episode of “Always on the Road,” an eight- episode, reality-style documentary series produced by China Central Television and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, aired Monday. This new television series will present at least 10 government officials brought down on corruption charges to the general public, reports BBC.
The show reportedly has millions of viewers. “People everywhere are talking about Always on the Road,” the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, an internal government watchdog, said in a statement.
“Always on the Road” encourages Chinese citizens and officials to learn from the selflessness of Chinese President Xi Jinping, explained the Times of India.
Xi has waged a war against corruption since he took office in 2013. Last year, 336,000 government officials were charged with corruption, said Sixth Tone. The campaign targets senior officials, which are known as “tigers,” and low-level officials, or “flies.”
The first episode opened with Xi’s 2015 New Year’s address, where he celebrated the holiday by stating the government “must continue to rule with discipline and uphold the sword of anti- corruption.”
The show then presented Bai Enpei, the former party secretary for Yunnan Province, Zhou Benshun, a former Hebei party chief, and Li Chuncheng, a former deputy party boss in Sichuan. Bai was sentenced to life in prison after receiving a reprieve from what was initially a death sentence, Zhou is still awaiting trial, and Li was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
“Life is like a live broadcast, there is no going back,” Li said before bursting into tears.
Bai and his wife Zhang Huiqing accepted bribes for over a decade. One guest speaker on the show revealed that Zhang once requested a jade bracelet worth $2.2 million. Zhou reportedly accepted bribes from investors. Once, he “borrowed” $1.5 million from an investor. There was never any intent to pay back the money.
But, Zhou’s crimes don’t stop there. He also apparently buried a turtle with Buddhist religious scrolls, which is forbidden for party officials. It is unclear what kind of sentence will be passed down for Zhou’s millions in bribes and turtle burial foul. The second episode came out Tuesday. It featured Wan Qingliang, a former Guangzhou party boss who was sentenced to life in prison last month for corruption.
“I thought this was what everyone did, and I just went with the flow,” Wan said.
Follow Ryan on Twitter
Send tips to ryan@ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].
2016-10-19 20:33 dailycaller.com
22 /24 For foreign home buyers, this U. S. city is the next big thing Ever since the Canadian city hit foreign home buyers with a 15% tax , hungry Chinese bargain hunters are looking elsewhere to invest in real estate. Their next target? Seattle.
"People who were thinking about investing in Vancouver have shifted their interest over here to Seattle," said May Wan, a Seattle real estate agent who works primarily with buyers from Asia.
She recently worked with a client who was shopping in Vancouver and is now looking in Seattle. Home prices in Vancouver had been exploding, jumping 25% since 2014 , thanks largely to demand from foreign buyers. The city abruptly passed the tax in August in an effort to cool down the market.
The number of sales involving a foreigner buyer in Vancouver dropped to 0.7% in the month following the new tax, according to data from the British Columbia government. That's a stark difference from the two months prior to the tax's implementation, when foreign buyers made up 16.5% of all sales.
Related: 6 global cities that could be in housing bubble
At the same time, real estate agents in Seattle are reporting an uptick in Chinese buyers lately.
"Historically, Seattle has attracted less real estate money from China compared to Los Angeles and New York, but we are catching up for a lot reasons, and Vancouver is one of the reasons" said James Owen, an agent with Windermere Real Estate. Seattle real estate broker Janie Lee closed two deals recently with buyers who were previously thinking about Canada and pivoted to Seattle.
"Foreign buyers are 55% of all transactions in the state," said Lee, who works with foreign buyers and speaks six Chinese dialects. She added that the rise in property values in China allows buyers to sell one condo in their home country to afford two single-family homes in some parts of the Northwest.
"We have inquiries from realtors in Vancouver interested in bringing their buyers to Seattle," said Wan.
Related: The 10 hottest housing markets for 2016
Owen has noticed a difference at open houses too. During a recent showing, about 16 of the 20 house hunters were from another country.
"Most of the time they have cash, so for the sellers it's great. "
To take advantage of the new business opportunities, Owen has been trying to learn Mandarin.
Seattle agents are also actively marketing their homes to attract Chinese buyers. "We know that a large proportion of the offers are going to come from the Chinese," Owen said. "We are definitely trying to put those premier properties in front of them. "
Related: Here's some good news for house hunters
While many international buyers are investors looking for a safe haven to park their cash, some are also looking to live in the states and become citizens.
But Seattle isn't exactly cheap.
Prices have increased 11.2% since last year, the second biggest gain in the nation, according to S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Indices.
"Local folks may not be able to afford their next home at the local income rate," said Lee.
2016-10-19 12:47 Kathryn Vasel rss.cnn.com
23 /24 Trump masks are being made by Chinese factory for Halloween At a latex factory in Shenzhen, there's masks of one particular presidential candidate that are being rushed out in time for Halloween. Shenzhen's Lanbingcai Latex Crafts Factory in southern China is selling Donald Trump masks for distribution across the country. For just 30 yuan (£3.62) buyers can dress up as The Donald for Halloween, a man who claims that if he were to become president, he would take back jobs from China and return them to America. Photos taken at the factory in Shenzhen, southern China on October 18 show the production line of Donald masks. At the Dongguan factory, which employs some 15,000 people, it takes as many as 200 workers to move a single pair of shoes from the concept stage to the loading dock. However the shoes will soon be made in Africa due to cheaper labour costs. 2016-10-19 12:25 Sophie Williams www.dailymail.co.uk
24 /24 IBM, Walmart, university to put Chinese food products on blockchain By Gertrude Chavez- Dreyfuss NEW YORK, Oct 19 (Reuters) - IBM, U. S. retailer Walmart and Tsinghua University on Wednesday announced a joint effort to track the movement of food products in China using blockchain technology to improve food safety in the world's second-largest economy. Blockchain technology, which powers the digital currency bitcoin, enables data sharing across a network of individual computers. It has gained popularity worldwide due to its usefulness in recording and keeping track of assets across practically all industries. Chinese food safety practices have raised concern about contamination in China and in countries where Chinese food products are imported, and the new project aims to trace the movement of meat, vegetables and other products. China's government has identified food authentication and supply chain tracking as a critical step to quickly find and eliminate sources of contamination. With blockchain, the movement of food products can be digitally tracked from suppliers including farms to the store shelves and ultimately to consumers. IBM said this could be done on the blockchain, which provides a permanent record of transactions that cannot be altered. This would serve as a viable alternative to traditional paper tracking and manual inspection systems, IBM added. "Advanced technology has reached into so many aspects of modern life but it has lagged in food traceability, and in particular in creating more secure food supply chains," said Bridget van Kralingen, senior vice president, industry platforms, at IBM in New York. When applied to the food supply chain, product information such as farm origin details, batch numbers, factory and processing data, expiration dates, storage temperatures and shipping details are digitally connected to food items, and the information is entered on the blockchain at every step of the process, IBM said. The information in each transaction is agreed upon by all members of the business network. Once a consensus is reached, it becomes a permanent record that cannot be changed, IBM said. The record created by the blockchain can also help retailers like Walmart better manage the shelf-life of products in individual stores, further strengthening safeguards related to food authenticity. The world's largest retailer also announced the opening of the Walmart Food Safety Collaboration Center in Beijing in response to China's initiatives on food safety, and said blockchain technology would be a major part of the program. Walmart said it will be using IBM Blockchain based on the Linux Foundation's Hyperledger Project, which is an open source software project that builds blockchain tools. Tsinghua University, located in Beijing, will serve as an academic partner and advisor on the blockchain project. (Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss; Editing by Will Dunham)
2016-10-19 11:57 Reuters www.dailymail.co.uk Total 24 articles.
Created at 2016-10-20 03:29
Items detected: 2194, scanned: 2194, accumulated: 24, inserted: 24, empty media: 3, not matched limits: 163, skipped: {total: 2170, by unique value: 195, by limits: 28, by similarity: 10, by unicity: 0, dates: 24, by classifier: 1937, by blacklist: 0, by mandatory tag: 2170}, bad dates: 1, similar from same domain: 196; tag `description` the same value found 33 times; tag `title` the same value found 298 times; the same images URLs found 10 times; total 17 languages detected: {u'fr': 8, u'en': 1956, u'nl': 8, u'sv': 1, u'pt': 1, u'af': 4, u'ca': 6, u'de': 12, u'it': 6, u'da': 5, u'tl': 5, u'so': 1, u'no': 4, u'cy': 1, u'ro': 5, u'id': 1, u'es': 4}