China scandal ‘exposes elite’s impunity’

A sensational political scandal unfolding in China has exposed the high level of impunity enjoyed by elites at a time when social tensions are rising, highlighting the need for change, observers say.

For love or money?

Theories abound in China about Bo family’s link to Briton’s murder

Princelings still rule despite Bo’s ouster

Their political clout will rise further when leadership transition takes place this year

Corruption rampant in state-owned enterprises in mainland China

For talented young mainlanders, they have proved to be secure, safe ... and great avenues for illicit gain

China’s selective reading of history weakens its South China Sea claims

Philip Bowring says China’s ethnocentric reading of the past neither bolsters its territorial claims in the South China Sea, nor helps to promote peace with its neighbours

KMT spies infiltrated colonial police

Special Branch - the counter-espionage arm of the colonial police - was infiltrated by Kuomintang spies plotting terrorist attacks on the mainland and in Hong Kong, intelligence reports released by the British government reveal.

Shoddy schools, grand offices

Audit in wake of Sichuan disaster points to school building flaws, overspending on vanity projects, but fails to mention scale of misconduct nor any sanctions

Taylor Swift - Untouchable Unplugged

Robin Gibb - I Started A Joke

Robin, thanks for your wonderful music. You would be missed.

Eric Clapton Tears in Heaven Unplugged

Briton killed after threat to expose Chinese leader's wife

The British businessman whose murder has sparked political upheaval in China was poisoned after he threatened to expose a plan by a Chinese leader's wife to move money abroad, two sources with knowledge of the police investigation said.

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Gu sisters' US$126m business web

The sisters of Gu Kailai, who is suspected of murdering Briton Neil Heywood, controlled a web of businesses from Beijing to Hong Kong to the Caribbean worth at least US$126 million, regulatory and corporate filings show.

Bo’s links to armed forces probed

Ties between ousted Chongqing party boss and senior officers investigated

An English ‘fixer’ out of his depth in murky waters

Neil Heywood, allegedly murdered by the wife of Bo Xilai, was almost as mysterious in life as in death

China Inquiry Widens to Wealth of Powerful Couple

What began as a scandal involving the mysterious death of Neil Heywood, the British businessman whose body was found in November in a Chongqing hotel room, appears to be evolving into a broader investigation into the wealth of a politically powerful Chinese couple, Bo Xilai and his wife, Gu Kailai, and their financial interests.

Trading with China? Be careful

After-sales services set to boom

Frenzied growth in car purchases is abating on the mainland, creating room for repair chains to expand

China: Developers dangle promise of retirement paradise

Invest at least 350,000 yuan (S$70,000) a year in an insurance policy and get to live for free when you retire in a high-end elderly home at various places across China.

Chinese buy German firms with knowhow

The buyers are looking for growth engines, and not just raw materials or patents

Blinded by prejudice

Chen Yiyu, chief of central government research fund, says that despite enormously improved standards, Chinese research still faces discrimination on world stage

Aussie lawyer found guilty over insult in Perth

An Australian lawyer who abused a security officer at a Perth courthouse and told him to go back to Singapore was found guilty of professional misconduct by a tribunal in her country.

Pressure on local cadres to combat counterfeit goods

The central government has pledged to combat fake and shoddy products by monitoring local governments’ efforts to counteract them as part of their annual achievement appraisals.

Taoist robe in fashion show: Police reports filed

At least two Taoists have filed police reports over the use of a Taoist priest’s robe in a fashion show organised by the Floral Designers Society Singapore (FDSS) last month.

We deserve red card for expat package, says StarHub

StarHub yesterday apologised for running an expatriates-only football promotion that offered gifts worth $50.

Wealthy foreigners can’t ‘buy’ PR status anymore

MAS ending scheme allowing those who parked $10m here to fast-track applications

Bo’s sacking adds new twist to leadership reshuffle

Crisis has led to much speculation over which party faction will gain as horse-trading continues

Robert Parker report: 'Appearance of impropriety' in Campo/Miller arrangements

The Wine Advocate's arrangements in Spain last year created 'inappropriate ambiguity' and fell short of the high standards the organisation sets itself, an investigation has found.

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Checks and balances lacking

CCP must find way to transfer power in a stable manner

Betrayal, murder and graft

When the crime-fighting exploits of Mr Wang Lijun inspired a TV series in China more than a decade back, few could have predicted that the real-life adventures of the protagonist would be so much more exciting.

Wife said to be holding foreign passport

Being a murder suspect may not be the only trouble for Madam Gu Kailai, 53, wife of purged Chinese leader Bo Xilai.

Bo’s fall sparks shock, scepticism in China

Many express support for him; media rally people behind ouster

‘Resolute’ decision to expel Bo is praised by media

The mainland’s media yesterday rallied behind the decision to expel Bo Xilai from the Communist Party’s top echelons, hailing his dismissal as a victory for party discipline and the rule of law.

Legal eagle’s fall from grace

The former top lawyer who married a princeling, then became a ‘stay-at-home mother’, is now under arrest

Murder case that could end in the death penalty

Fate may await Bo’s wife if charged and convicted

Bo a victim of his own ambition

Rising star, destined to become a key member of the new leadership, who went the way of countless others in history and failed in the pursuit of ultimate glory

China's small exporters must adapt or die

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Briton’s Wanderings Led Him to Heart of a Chinese Scandal

“I think most of us who knew Neil felt that the truth was probably much more mundane, and that whatever happened to him will turn out in the end to be the result of some kind of romantic venture, something that took him into a realm that others hadn’t been, that ended up getting out of hand.”

Bo Xilai ousted, wife probed for Briton's murder

Chinese politician Bo Xilai, once a rising star, has been stripped of his elite Communist Party post while his wife is probed for the murder of a British national, state media said Tuesday.

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Penang's famed food hawkers see tradition lose steam

For well over a century, Penang's food hawkers have been conspicuous by the clouds of steam, pungent aromas and devoted crowds surrounding them. But some fear it is a dying art as a new generation shuns taking over their parent's modest curbside stands, threatening beloved recipes and a slice of the island's multi-cultural character.

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First US Marines arrive in Australia

The first batch of an expected 2,500 US Marines to be deployed in Australia began work Wednesday as Washington bolsters its presence in a strategically vital region, to the irritation of China.

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Lawyer seeks court order to probe DPP

A lawyer has sought a court order to investigate his complaint of alleged misconduct by a deputy public prosecutor (DPP).

ICAC arrests tycoon brothers

Sun Hung Kai bosses Thomas and Raymond Kwok detained with former chief secretary Rafael Hui in unprecedented probe into bribery and misconduct

Leaders signal accord on Bo

Crackdown on internet rumours of a coup shows that a consensus has now been reached about how to deal with the former Chongqing boss

Executive reportedly held over links to Bo Xilai

Shide Group chairman who allegedly paid school fees for son of ex-party boss fails to show at Boao Forum

Arms sales to China: Russia in a quandary

Such deals are lucrative and help maintain ties but security is a risk

Tony Chan in move to halt trial over forgery charges

Tony Chan Chun-chuen, the businessman accused of forging a will he claimed to be from late Chinachem chairwoman Nina Wang Kung Yu-sum, is seeking to halt his trial for good, a court heard yesterday.

StarHub unveils price plan for Euro 2012 matches

StarHub, Singapore’s official broadcaster of Euro 2012, will offer all 31 tournament matches ‘live’ across its pay TV, online and mobile platforms. Viewers can purchase the Euro 2012 Pay-Per-View Pack from Tuesday, March 27.

U.K. Seeks Probe Into China Death

The U.K. has asked the Chinese government to launch an investigation into the death of a British businessman who claimed to have close links to the family of Bo Xilai, the Communist Party leader whose downfall has thrown Chinese politics into turmoil.

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一念执着 - 胡歌&阿兰

刘诗诗 - 等你的季节

步步惊心 - 三寸天堂

Health worries may cloud fun of shisha smoking fad

“Depending on the type of shisha tobacco, in one session the smoker can inhale the equivalent of 100 to 400 cigarettes,” said James Middleton, director of non-profit organisation Clear the Air, in an e-mail to the South China Morning Post.

Sun Yee On crackdown was six years in the making

A Shenzhen police crackdown last week on a gang linked to Hong Kong’s Sun Yee On triad was six years in the making. And it has cost some officials their jobs because of their suspected ties to organised crime, according to mainland media.

Myanmar struggling to handle new surge in visitors

Now that Myanmar is opening to the outside world, good luck getting a hotel room.

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Police bust sex camp on Luofu Mountain

Farmhouse ran expensive courses to help those in unhappy marriages to achieve sexual liberation

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Party steps up efforts to keep generals in line

An ideological campaign led by Hu Jintao continues to seek the unequivocal allegiance of the military ahead of party’s leadership reshuffle later this year

HDBs more unaffordable than private homes

Housing and Development Board (HDB) resale homes in Singapore are more unaffordable than private homes, PropertyGuru can exclusively reveal. They are also classed as being ‘severely unaffordable’.

The man who helped 'simplify' Chinese

 

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Ferrari Crash Death in Beijing Might be Party Official’s Illegitimate Son

 

Can you still recognise this car, let alone Ferrari?

China official account ties toppled Bo to police inquiry

China's government sacked an ambitious senior official, Bo Xilai, after his attempt to block a criminal investigation involving his family, according to two former officials.

Report on Ousted China Official Shows Effort at Damage Control

Communist Party leaders sacked Bo Xilai, the powerful party chief of metropolitan Chongqing, after being told that he had schemed to remove his police chief and impede a corruption investigation involving his family, according to a preliminary report on Mr. Bo’s actions circulated among government officials.

Singapore couple's unique Liverpool FC-themed wedding

Bo Xilai sacking tied to probe

The reports on numerous online news sites, including dwnews.com and Boxun.com, said Bo transferred his police chief, Wang Lijun, in late January after Wang informed him of an investigation into one of Bo’s relatives.

Marine Cove tenants say final goodbyes

Remaining outlets at East Coast Park enclave shut their doors for good

China’s palate ripens for European vineyards, chateaux

Chinese state-owned firms, private corporations and wealthy individuals are buying European vineyards as they look to capitalise on a growing domestic thirst for foreign wine.

Chan faces punishment over failure to disclose assets

Embattled fung shui master Tony Chan Chun-chuen could be jailed for allegedly failing to disclose his assets, if a new legal action succeeds.

Boy, 10, arrested over kick to head in soccer match

Juvenile bailed on suspicion of assault causing actual bodily harm after incident involving rival player, 12

Uproar over tourism plan for Buddha’s birthplace

Buddhist organisations unhappy about Maoist leader leading project

Chongqing officials rally around Hu

Chongqing officials have closed ranks with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leadership, pledging loyalty to President Hu Jintao amid mixed feelings among the city’s residents about the dramatic sacking of their leader Bo Xilai.

Bo’s fall brings out his fans - and also the harsh critics

Commentators split after dismissal of controversial party boss in Chongqing by central committee

With Bo Xilai down, nine leaders who may soon run China

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French tennis pro Michaël Llodra apologizes for screaming "Fucking Chinese!" during match

French tennis player Michaël Llodra (ranked No. 41 in the world) recently pulled off a Vincent Chin-esque double-whammy of racial insensitivity, after he reportedly screamed "****ing Chinese!" at a Korean-American woman in attendance during his first round match against Ernests Gulbis at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. He has since taken to his website to apologize in a classically non-apologetic fashion, by qualifying that he is not a racist, and that he lost his temper because the Indian Wells court being uncooperative, and also because tournament organizers scheduled his matches poorly.

Yasukuni shrine urinals in Harbin

Official Translations of Chinese Food Names

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Is this how white trash play soccer?

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Premier Wen chides Chongqing

Party leader says authorities must ‘learn lessons’ of Wang Lijun scandal and that results of inquiry will be made public - but he doesn’t mention Bo Xilai

China removes top leadership contender Bo from post

The Communist Party boss of China's southwestern city of Chongqing, Bo Xilai, has been removed, state news agency Xinhua said on Thursday, following a scandal involving a senior aide who took refuge in a U.S. diplomatic mission last month.

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Israel Betrays America into War with Iran

Dealer in US accused of selling counterfeit wine

Indonesian taken into custody in LA on mail and wire fraud charges

Samsung bases new iPad

Tax case loss caps bad week for Tony Chan

Court of Appeal backs government’s claim for HK$330 million in late dues, rejecting the fung shui master’s excuse of mishaps in the mail

Deputy held after threat to tell all on ex-police chief

A deputy to Chongqing’s People Congress has been detained by police after threatening to speak out about the city’s former police chief, who is rumoured to have attempted to defect to the United States last month, the deputy’s lawyer said yesterday.

Bo Xilai absent from top meeting

A high-flying Chinese politician dogged by a scandal involving a subordinate possibly seeking U.S. asylum missed an important session of the national legislature Thursday, raising speculation about new setbacks to his political ambitions.

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China gambles on Cambodia's shrinking forests

It was once the unspoiled jungle home for tigers, elephants, bears and gibbons. But today Botum Sakor National Park in southwest Cambodia is fast disappearing to accommodate a much less endangered species: the Chinese gambler.

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翁立友 - 我問天

Professor rebuked by ministry for Hong Kong insults

Disciplinary action may be taken against a Peking University professor whose disparaging remarks against Hongkongers has triggered a cross-border war of words, the Ministry of Education says.

Shanghai car parks ... a space odyssey

Drivers can spend an hour hunting for somewhere to leave their vehicles, with 367,000 more spots needed

Plagiarism claims hound ‘running dogs’ professor

 

Peking University professor Kong Qingdong, who hit the headlines recently for calling Hongkongers “running dogs”, has been accused by a scholar of plagiarising a book he wrote 17 years ago.

Singapore's version of locusts advertisement

“Do you want Singapore to spend $36,000,000 yearly to sponsor at least two thousand foreign scholars?

Singaporeans have also had enough!

The locust plague has spread from Hong Kong to Singapore.

We strongly request the PAP government to tighten the overly lax immigration policy!

Stop immigrants from ‘invading’ Singapore unrestricted!

Protect the rights of Singaporeans and defend local culture.

We strongly request NUS disciplinary committee to mete out the most severe punishment to ingrate MOE scholar Sun Xu!”

Wealthy people more likely to cheat

Greed, unethical behaviour exposed in experiments

Singapore’s Prime Minister Ponders Tricky By-Election Test

These are increasingly prickly questions for Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong to ponder, after the dismissal of an opposition lawmaker two weeks ago threw up the potential of a third electoral fight for Singapore’s ruling establishment within a year.

Judge slams Tony Chan as dishonest and immoral

A judge called Tony Chan Chun-chuen “thoroughly dishonest and untrustworthy” yesterday while explaining his decision to freeze the fung shui master’s assets and stop him from dodging a HK$130 million legal bill to the late billionaire Nina Wang Kung Yu-sum’s estate.

Death penalty for selling ‘gutter oil’

China cracks down on production, sale and use of tainted recycled oil in cooking

Mainland developers escalate price war as sales fall

Mainland developers have started another round of large-scale price cuts after property sales slumped in January.

A taste of China in Bordeaux

Chinese snap up five more chateaux in the past few weeks

Chinese collecting Bordeaux chateaux

Investors buy up venerable producers in famous region to supply French wine to newly affluent mainlanders who are increasingly developing a taste for it

Taiwan Denies Singapore Cutting Military Ties

Taiwan denied reports Monday that Singapore is suspending its long-standing military cooperation with the island after news of a rare visit by Taiwan’s defense minister to the city state was made public.

Mother of girl set on fire vows court action

Despite huge medical bill, family refuses private settlement as online appeal gathers momentum

Young Girl Burned & Disfigured By Son of Government Official

17-year-old boy Tao Rukun (陶汝坤), whose father is a government official in the Audit Office of Hefei City, forced into 16-year-old girl Zhou Yan’s(周岩) house, and poured lighter fluid over Zhou Yan’s head then lit it on fire, resulting in over 30% burned area and disfigured face, neck and chest.

 

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Tokyo governor backs rape of Nanking denial

 

Tokyo’s outspoken conservative governor said yesterday he agreed with the mayor of Nagoya’s statement that the 1937 rape of Nanking by Japanese troops never happened.