PHILIPPINES
Tremor rattles Manila
Seismologists said a magnitude 6 earthquake has jolted the capital, Manila, rousing people from their sleep. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. Renato Solidum of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the predawn quake centered under the sea about 43km southwest of the town of San Antonio in the northwestern province of Zambales, but was too deep under the seabed to cause significant damage or casualties.
CHINA
Lunar visit plan advances
The nation’s plan to land an uncrewed ship on the moon before returning it to Earth has moved another step forward with a test craft shifting into lunar orbit for further tests. The service module of a lunar orbiter that flew back to Earth in November last year had been positioned in what is known as the second Lagrange point to bring it in into sync with Earth’s orbit. China plans to land a spacecraft christened Chang’e 5 on the moon in 2017.
CHINA
Car show models canned?
Scantily clad female models at vehicle displays could be banned from this year’s Shanghai motor show, state media outlets reported on Saturday. Female models have been a mainstay at international auto shows for decades and participated in last year’s Beijing International Automotive Exhibition. Chinese automaker Zhejiang Geely Holding Group public relations director Yang Xueliang on Friday wrote online that he had been told: “Auto show models are to be banned this year.” He was quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying: “It is best to cancel the performances, to let visitors enjoy a quiet exhibition.” No reason has been given for the possible ban.
‘IN A DIFFERENT PLACE’: The envoy first visited Shanghai, where he attended a Chinese basketball playoff match, and is to meet top officials in Beijing tomorrow US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday arrived in China on his second visit in a year as the US ramps up pressure on its rival over its support for Russia while also seeking to manage tensions with Beijing. The US diplomat tomorrow is to meet China’s top brass in Beijing, where he is also expected to plead for restraint as Taiwan inaugurates president-elect William Lai (賴清德), and to raise US concerns on Chinese trade practices. However, Blinken is also seeking to stabilize ties, with tensions between the world’s two largest economies easing since his previous visit in June last year. At the
Nearly half of China’s major cities are suffering “moderate to severe” levels of subsidence, putting millions of people at risk of flooding, especially as sea levels rise, according to a study of nationwide satellite data released yesterday. The authors of the paper, published by the journal Science, found that 45 percent of China’s urban land was sinking faster than 3mm per year, with 16 percent at more than 10mm per year, driven not only by declining water tables, but also the sheer weight of the built environment. With China’s urban population already in excess of 900 million people, “even a small portion
UNSETTLING IMAGES: The scene took place in front of TV crews covering the Trump trial, with a CNN anchor calling it an ‘emotional and unbelievably disturbing moment’ A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former US president Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said yesterday. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) said the man was declared dead by staff at an area hospital. The man was in Collect Pond Park at about 1:30pm on Friday when he took out pamphlets espousing conspiracy theories, tossed them around, then doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire, officials and witnesses said. A large number of police officers were nearby when it happened. Some officers and bystanders rushed
Beijing is continuing to commit genocide and crimes against humanity against Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in its western Xinjiang province, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a report published on Monday, ahead of his planned visit to China this week. The State Department’s annual human rights report, which documents abuses recorded all over the world during the previous calendar year, repeated language from previous years on the treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang, but the publication raises the issue ahead of delicate talks, including on the war in Ukraine and global trade, between the top U.S. diplomat and Chinese