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Strangers lock toddler in plane bathroom to stop her tantrums

The video of a controversial incident on a plane has caused outrage, as two women reprimanded a screaming toddler by locking her in the bathroom on the aircraft. On a Juneyao Airlines flight from Guiyang to Shanghai, China, in late August, a one-year-old child, who was travelling with her grandparents, reportedly sobbed non-stop during the nearly three-hour flight according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/08/30/lifestyle/strangers-lock-crying-tot-in-airplane-bathroom-to-educate-her/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NY Post</a>. After being fed up with the toddler's tantrum, two women who were strangers to the family reportedly transported her to the bathroom to “educate her.” Shockingly, the child’s grandmother consented to the treatment. The punitive pair then shared the video of this alleged “potty training” on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok. In the clip, the women can be seen seated in the locked lavatory with the screaming infant, as one of the women is heard saying, “If you stop crying, aunty will take you back to grandma” and “We won’t let you out unless you stop crying.” As the girl stopped crying, the woman filming the video picked her up and told her: “If you make any noise again, we’ll come back (to the bathroom).” One of the women was initially proud of her cruel and unusual-seeming form of discipline, as she wrote that the tantrum was so disruptive that “many passengers were using tissues to block their ears” while others “had moved to the back of the plane to escape the noise.” According to a statement from the airline, the little girl's mother, who was not travelling with them, reportedly sympathised with the self-appointed aeroplane posse’s behaviour. Since the video went viral, and was subsequently deleted, Juneyao Airlines’ reps have since condemned the pairs’ actions and apologised for the incident and “oversight of the crew”. Despite the video being wiped from the social media site, many were quick to slam the behaviour of the women, saying their discipline was completely unacceptable. “Adults in their 30s can have emotional breakdowns, but people don’t allow toddlers to have theirs,” one person commented, Another wrote, “The grandmother and the two aunts should be sued, and social services should intervene. If there are parents like this, children will suffer in the future.” “When will these people understand that babies have the right to cry and the right to travel, they are part of society, and so are babies!!!!!!!” declared a third. Image credits: Weibo

Travel Trouble

Chinese zoo's "panda" display under fire

A zoo in China has come under fire after visitors noticed something strange about the baby panda display. Taizhou Zoo, in the eastern Jiangsu Province, advertised their baby panda enclosure, which was actually just two small Chow Chow dogs dyed black and white. The tickets to the display which are believed to have gone public late last week, read "Xiong Mao Quan" which translates to "panda dogs", Chinese newspaper The Global Times reported. Footage of the animals in the enclosure has gone viral, with many sharing their confusion over the zoo's special enclosure. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Taizhou Zoo in Jiangsu Province dyed two chow chow puppies black and white and promoted them as so-called “panda dogs.” <a href="https://t.co/Jo7q1dBzZJ">pic.twitter.com/Jo7q1dBzZJ</a> — Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) <a href="https://twitter.com/shanghaidaily/status/1786948655880290806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 5, 2024</a></blockquote> A staff member at the zoo, Liu Qiuming, told the local publication the panda scheme was used to attract more visitors and better their experience, as the zoo does not have any pandas of its own. The display has reportedly raised concerns of fraud but another staffer has insisted the zoo has not tricked or manipulated its visitors, given the direct translation of the exhibit. "This is just a new display we offer to visitors. We are not charging extra," a ticket seller told The Global Times. "The wording featuring Chow Chow dogs is correct and exactly describes what they are, so we are not cheating our visitors." Image credits: X (Twitter)

International Travel

Tourist arrested for disgusting act at sacred UNESCO World Heritage Site

A tourist has been arrested after he committed this disgusting act on top of the Leshan Giant Buddha, a sacred UNESCO World Heritage Site in China. The man allegedly found a blind spot away from CCTV cameras, climbed over the security fence and on top of the statue. Once he reached the top of the monuments head, he proceeded to pull down his pants and urinate in front of horrified visitors who filmed the act. Security guards quickly removed the unidentified man and handed him over to police, after being informed of his actions. It is reported that the man was taken to a nearby hospital for psychiatric evaluation. The UNESCO World Heritage Site itself is a 71-metre-tall monument, which is considered to be the largest and tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. The Leshan Giant Buddha monument is located in the Sichuan Province of China, and was carved out of a cliff face between 713 and 803 AD. The statue and surrounding Mount Emei Scenic Area have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. This act is one of many incidences of tourists behaving badly across the world. In June 2023 a German tourist was detained after <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/tourist-accused-of-causing-over-8-000-in-damages-to-iconic-roman-statue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">climbing up</a> a 16th-century Fountain of Neptune, and was accused of causing over $8,000 in damages to the iconic statue. Prior to that, an Irish tourist landed himself into <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/tourist-busted-for-carving-name-into-world-s-most-famous-roman-relic" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trouble in Rome</a> after carving his and his girlfriend's name onto the walls of the Colosseum. Images: News.com.au

Travel Trouble

Flight cancelled after parents demand free upgrade for their child

A flight was delayed for hours before being ultimately cancelled after two parents demanded that their child was upgraded to first class for free. A plane in China was grounded for three hours after the parents caused a ruckus with the cabin crew, and were eventually kicked off the aircraft. According to a fellow passenger, the argument kicked off when an unsupervised child began to sob uncontrollably after boarding a flight from Chengdu to Beijing. As it turned out, the inconsolable toddler’s parents were seated in first class but had only bought their child an economy ticket. It was then that the angry dad confronted the staff, demanding that his son be moved to first class at no extra cost. According to the South China Morning Post, the irate dad explained that because he had already paid for two first class tickets, his child’s upgrade should be free. In the clip shot by a fellow passenger, the outraged dad began berating a group of passengers, crew members, and security guards as they repeatedly explained why his child isn’t entitled to an upgrade. “Stop swearing at me,” fumed the father. “You have no right to do that.” When a security guard attempts to de-escalate the situation, the parent lays into him, shouting: “What gives you the right to order me about?” This prompts a woman to retort: “You’ve wasted too much of our time and we won’t tolerate it any longer.” After three hours of back and forth, the couple were eventually kicked off the plane, while the flight was cancelled. The entitled passenger has since been rinsed on social media with one commenter fuming, “This man is so selfish.” Others suggested solutions for the father that didn’t involve the airline giving the man an extra first-class seat. “He can switch seats,” advised one person. “Let him sit in economy class, and have the mum take care of the child in the first-class cabin.” Some on social media were quick to chastise the airline for their handling of the situation, with one person writing, “Keeping the quarrel going for hours? The problem-solving skills of the crew are poor.” Image credits: Twitter

Travel Trouble

Zoo's upright bear accused of being just a guy in a suit

A Chinese zoo has had to be completely trans-bear-ant about its popular sun bear, following allegations that it was actually a human in disguise. The Hangzhou Zoo in China gained international recognition after video footage of their sun bear standing on its hind legs and waving at visitors caused many to paws and look twice. Many were bear-side themselves with excitement as theories that it was a human in disguise continued to spread. The local Hangzhou Daily first reported on the attention that the four-year-old sun bear named Angela was receiving. “Because of the way they stand, some people online question whether they are ‘humans in disguise’,” they wrote. As Angela gained popularity, experts were summoned and had to confirm that the bear was in fact fur-real. Ashleigh Marshall, an expert from Chester Zoo, told BBC News that the animal “is definitely a real bear,” and affirmed to doubtful visitors that sun bears do often “look a lot like people in costumes”. The animal expert also pointed out that the folds on the sun bear’s back weren’t because the costume was loose, but its actual function is to protect the bear from predators and allow them to “turn around” and fight back if attacked. Various representatives of the zoo have had to come out and release statements addressing the controversy. A spokesperson has reportedly said that the state-run facility would never intentionally deceive people, in an audio clip circulating on popular Chinese social media platform WeChat. “Some people think I stand like a person,” read another social media post, written from the point of view of the bear. “It seems you don't understand me very well.” Another spokesperson for the zoo has also denied the allegations and said that a human in a fur bear suit “would not last more than a few minutes before collapsing” in the 40°C summer temperatures. Images: Twitter / WeChat

International Travel

8 fictional places you can visit in real life

Step into the world of your favourite book, movie or TV show with a visit to these fictional locations that represented the original. Hogwarts, Harry Potter You won’t see anyone playing Quidditch on the lawns, but Alnwick Castle in Northumberland in the UK played Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films (with a little digital trickery thrown in). The castle has been the home of the Dukes of Northumberland for more than 700 years and is in high demand with film and TV crews – it also stars in the Downton Abbey Christmas specials. Jurassic Park The lush jungle foliage and towering waterfalls of the island of Kauai in Hawaii served as the backdrop for Stephen Spielberg’s rampaging dinosaurs in all three Jurassic Park movies. You can rent a four-wheel drive and travel through the national park where the movie was filmed though, sadly, none of the dinosaurs remained behind after shooting wrapped. West Egg, The Great Gatsby F Scott Fitzgerald modelled West Egg on Great Neck in Long Island, New York. This area on the north coast of Long Island was known as the Gold Coast because of the huge mansions, polo fields, golf courses and country clubs built there by America’s super wealthy (think Vanderbilt, Astor or Guggenheim). The very grand Oheka Castle in nearby Huntington partly inspired Gatsby’s house. Amity Island, Jaws Don’t go in the water! The beach on Amity Island was the setting for the first scene in the classic 1970s horror movie, Jaws. As well as looking the part of the perfect American seaside resort, the shallow water of the bay made it easier for the crew to operate the mechanical sharks. Hundred Acre Wood, Winnie the Pooh Just over an hour from London you can walk in the footsteps of Winnie the Pooh and Christopher Robin through Ashdown Forest. There’s only about 25 square kilometres of wooded area left from what was once a mighty forest, but it is still quintessentially English and one could almost expect Pooh, Tigger and Piglet to come bounding around a shady corner. Greenbow, Forrest Gump Life is like a box of chocolates in Varnville, South Carolina, which served as the fictional town of Greenbow in the Oscar winning movie Forrest Gump. The old Southern mansion that Forrest and his mamma lived in was a fake however, built just for production (and torn down right after), and even some of the Vietnam War scenes were shot around Varnville. Thank goodness for special effects. King’s Landing, Game of Thrones The historic Maltese capital of Mdina played the part of Kings Landing in the first series of Game of Thrones. The medieval walled city is in the centre of the island and has a population of just 300 – many of whom weren’t happy about the series. Maltese officials complained about the damage done and filming moved to Croatia for the following series. Hobbiton, The Lord of the Rings The three Lord of the Rings movies were such a smash hit that the village of Hobbiton was completely rebuilt in the original film location near Matamata in the North Island of New Zealand. You can step inside the tiny hobbit holes, visit the Green Dragon Inn and (of course) buy a souvenir at the gift shop. Images: Getty

International Travel

Seinfeld: how a sitcom ‘about nothing’ changed television for good

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-abrams-122305">Nathan Abrams</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a> A quarter of a century ago, on 14 May 1998, the final episode of Seinfeld was broadcast, ending one of the most significant sitcoms of all time after nine seasons and 180 episodes. In fact the self-styled “show about nothing” was so important we can talk about the pre-Seinfeld and post-Seinfeld eras. Set in Manhattan, Seinfeld focused on the minutiae of daily life for four friends: Jerry (Jerry Seinfeld), his best friend, George Costanza (Jason Alexander), his ex-girlfriend Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), and his neighbour Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards). Such a setup might sound familiar to fans of 90s American comedy shows. But Seinfeld abandoned the traditional sitcom structure of an A story and a B story and instead gave each character their own storyline, full of self-aware and metatextual jokes. While co-creators Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld wanted a single-camera, filmlike aesthetic, the network, NBC, forced them to adopt a multi-camera setup taped in front of a live studio audience to supply the laughter track. Eventually, David and Seinfeld subverted that by shooting more scenes using single cameras and externally so that they could not be taped in front of a studio audience. They also employed a rapid-paced, quick-cutting, music-led style that was then unusual for sitcoms. This created the opportunities for expanding the narrative and cinematographic possibilities we’ve seen since. Seinfeld was a forerunner of the cinematic television we watch today. Consider the elaborate single-camera set pieces of the comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime, or the epic, cinematic look of Netflix’s Better Call Saul. Seinfeld tackled a host of then-taboo topics, which were part of everyday life, including antisemitism, same-gender relationships and masturbation. But because censorship and social mores at that time would not allow the characters to say the word “masturbation”, instead they referred to who can be the “master of their domain”. Such topics are commonplace these days. All four characters are antiheroes. None of them is particularly likeable nor were they intended to be. They are morally ambiguous, malicious, selfish, self-involved and extremely petty. They refuse to improve themselves, evolve or even manifest the slightest desire for change. They learn no lessons and the arc of the entire series revisits those they have wronged. Similar characters can be found in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367279/">Arrested Development</a> and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0472954/">It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia</a>. Also, consider Walter White from <a href="https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/70143836">Breaking Bad</a> and <a href="https://www.hbo.com/the-sopranos">Tony Soprano</a>. If all four leads in Seinfeld are bad, then George is the worst. Modelled on co-creator, Larry David, he is the epitome of male privilege. Such characters populate the televisual landscape today, not least in David’s later show, <a href="https://www.hbo.com/curb-your-enthusiasm">Curb Your Enthusiasm</a>, in which he stars as a version of himself. Elaine Benes stands out as a strong female character for the time. In one episode, in the face of a shortage of contraception, she judges whether her sexual partners are “sponge-worthy” or not. Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays her with a tremendous physical comedy, as well as comic timing. She was unapologetic, and her sexuality and work life are foregrounded. Clearly, this set the template for her later series, <a href="https://www.hbo.com/veep">Veep</a>. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1njzgXSzA-A?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Festivus is celebrated on December 23 each year, thanks to Seinfeld.</figcaption></figure> The show generated billions of dollars in revenue, making NBC US$150 million (about £93 million) a year at its peak. By the ninth and final season, Jerry Seinfeld was earning US$1 million an episode. NBC executives tried to get him to return for a tenth season by offering him US$5 million an episode, but Seinfeld turned it down. Among the show’s fans was the legendary director Stanley Kubrick. “He was crazy about The Simpsons and Seinfeld,” his friend <a href="https://scrapsfromtheloft.com/movies/kubrick-by-michael-herr/">Michael Herr recounted</a>. As a Kubrick expert, I even suspect that the set design influenced his final film, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120663/">Eyes Wide Shut</a> (1999). Watching Seinfeld again now – and I have re-watched every episode – some of it lands terribly today. Take the episodes with Babu Bhatt, a Pakistani immigrant who runs a restaurant across the street from Jerry’s apartment. He appears in three episodes of the show and is known for his catchphrase, “Very bad man!” which he uses to insult Jerry. The problem is that Babu is played by actor Brian George, who was born in Jerusalem to Iraqi Jewish parents, and is clearly wearing makeup and affecting a south Asian accent. At the same time, the lack of diversity in Seinfeld is striking. New York is represented by Manhattan alone, rather than any of the other four boroughs that make up the metropolis. Its image of the Big Apple is white and middle class. As journalist and screenwriter Lindy West has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/09/politically-correct-jerry-seinfeld-comedy-marginalised-voices">observed</a>, the series featured only 19 black people, 18 of whom were one-off characters such as “the waiter” and “the guy who parks cars”. There was only one recurring black character – Kramer’s lawyer, Jackie Chiles – whose mimicry of OJ Simpson’s lawyer, Johnnie Cochran, makes him look like a real shyster. So, while Seinfeld may feel like a dated product of the late 1990s, it was ahead of the curve aesthetically, structurally and in terms of narrative and characterisation. Today’s television would be unthinkable without it.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201497/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Image credit: Getty <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nathan-abrams-122305">Nathan Abrams</a>, Professor of Film Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bangor-university-1221">Bangor University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/seinfeld-how-a-sitcom-about-nothing-changed-television-for-good-201497">original article</a>.

"Thermonuclear bad": Millions of deaths expected in China's Covid wave

Experts have warned deaths will be "in the millions" as China faces an unprecedented Covid wave, which is set to become "thermonuclear bad". The most recent wave of the infections began after Chinese President Xi Jinping finally began to relax his "zero-Covid" policy, which has seen the country under heavy lockdowns for months at a time. Within days of the restrictions easing, Covid cases began to explode, with hospitals already “completely overwhelmed” and bodies reportedly piling up at morgues. Public health officials in China have admitted it is possible that 800 million people could be struck down by Covid in the coming months. However, the nation has officially recorded just two deaths since reopening, although there are now widespread reports that the true figure is far higher, with workers at the Beijing Dongjiao Funeral Parlour – the venue tasked with handling Covid deaths – claiming they were overwhelmed with bodies in recent days. The claims have sparked rumours of a government cover up, with international experts sounding the alarm over a tragedy in the making. Harvard-trained US epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding recently shared a video on Twitter purportedly showing rows of seriously ill Covid patients crammed into a clearly stretched hospital, with some seen lying on the floor or slumped in chairs, warning that things were getting “thermonuclear bad”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> ⚠️THERMONUCLEAR BAD—Hospitals completely overwhelmed in China ever since restrictions dropped. Epidemiologist estimate >60% of 🇨🇳 & 10% of Earth’s population likely infected over next 90 days. Deaths likely in the millions—plural. This is just the start—🧵<a href="https://t.co/VAEvF0ALg9">pic.twitter.com/VAEvF0ALg9</a> — Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrEricDing/status/1604748747640119296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2022</a></blockquote> “Hospitals completely overwhelmed in China ever since restrictions dropped,” he posted, adding that epidemiologists estimate more than 60 per cent of China and 10 per cent of the Earth’s population is likely to be infected with the virus over the next 90 days. “Deaths likely in the millions – plural. This is just the start,” he posted. His claims were backed up by a recent forecast by health data analysts Airfinity, which predicted China faces between 1.3 and 2.1 million deaths between now and the end of March. Fellow epidemiologist Ben Cowling agreed with the terrifying figures, telling <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/12/15/1143002538/china-appears-to-be-facing-what-could-be-the-world-s-largest-coronavirus-outbrea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NPR</a> the surge is “going to come very fast, unfortunately”, and predicting that “hospitals are going to come under pressure possibly by the end of this month”. Dr Eric Feigl-Ding went on to explain that nobody would be immune to the fallout from China’s latest crisis, predicting that the world would soon be hit by severe shortages of crucial medical supplies including antibiotics and fever medications. “What happens in China doesn’t stay in China — Wuhan was our lesson three years ago. The global fallout of this 2022-2023 wave will not be small,” he warned, adding that he believed the “global economic fallout from China’s new mega tsunami wave will be ugly”. Image credits: Twitter

Caring

China’s influence in Myanmar could tip the scales towards war in the South China Sea

The fate of Myanmar has major implications for a free and open Indo-Pacific. An undemocratic Myanmar serves no one’s interests except China, which is consolidating its economic and strategic influence in its smaller neighbour in pursuit of its <a href="https://cimsec.org/chinese-maritime-strategy-indian-ocean/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">two-ocean strategy</a>. Since the coup China has been – by far – the main source of <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/myanmar-economy-idUSL4N2U721T" target="_blank" rel="noopener">foreign investment</a> in Myanmar. This includes <a href="https://www.myanmar-now.org/en/news/junta-approves-25bn-power-plant-project-backed-by-chinese-companies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US$2.5 billion</a> in a gas-fired power plant to be built west of Myanmar’s capital, Yangon, that will be 81% owned and operated by Chinese companies. Among the dozens of infrastructure projects China is funding are high-speed rail links and dams. But its most strategically important investment is the <a href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/china-myanmar-economic-corridor-and-chinas-determination-see-it-through" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China-Myanmar Economic Corridor</a>, encompassing oil and gas pipelines, roads and rail links costing many tens of billions of dollars. The corridor’s “jewel in the crown” is a deep-sea port to be built at Kyaukphyu, on Myanmar’s west coast, at an estimated <a href="https://www.bnionline.net/en/news/kyaukphyu-deep-sea-port-poses-challenges-maday-islanders-and-local-fisheries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cost of US$7 billion</a>. This will finally give China its long-desired “back door” to the Indian Ocean. Natural gas from Myanmar can help China reduce its dependence on imports from suppliers such as Australia. Access <a href="https://www.diis.dk/en/research/myanmar-chinas-west-coast-dream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to the Indian Ocean</a> will enable China to import gas and oil from the Middle East, Africa and Venezuela without ships having to pass through the contested waters of the South China Sea to Chinese ports. About <a href="https://chinapower.csis.org/much-trade-transits-south-china-sea/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">80% of China’s oil imports</a> now move through the South China Sea via the Malacca Strait, which is just 65 kilometres wide at its narrowest point between the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia’s Sumatra. Overcoming this strategic vulnerability arguably makes the Kyaukphyu port and pipelines the most important element of China’s <a href="https://theconversation.com/china-is-financing-infrastructure-projects-around-the-world-many-could-harm-nature-and-indigenous-communities-168060" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Belt and Road initiative</a> to reshape global trade routes and assert its influence over other nations. <h2>Deepening relationship</h2> Most of China’s infrastructure investment was planned before Myanmar’s coup. But whereas other governments and foreign investors have sought to distance themselves from the junta since it overthrew Myanmar’s elected government in February 2021, China has deepened its relationship. China is the Myanmar regime’s most important international supporter. In April Foreign Minister Wang Yi said <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wang-yi-aung-san-suu-kyi-china-myanmar-diplomacy-d68de69436c1462f647f6475b6315c92" target="_blank" rel="noopener">China would support Myanmar</a> “no matter how the situation changes”. In May it used its veto power on the United Nations Security Council to thwart <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/russia-china-block-un-statement-034542265.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a statement expressing concern</a> about violence and the growing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar. Work continues on projects associated with the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor. New ventures (such as the aforementioned power station) have been approved. More projects are on the cards. In June, for example, China’s embassy in Myanmar announced the completion of <a href="https://www.thestar.com.my/aseanplus/aseanplus-news/2022/06/08/feasibility-study-completed-for-myanmar039s-wan-pong-port-improvement-project" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a feasibility study</a> to upgrade the Wan Pong port on the Lancang-Mekong River in Myanmar’s east. <h2>Debt trap warnings</h2> In 2020, before the coup, Myanmar’s auditor general Maw Than <a href="https://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/costly-borrowing-06102020151951.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">warned of growing indebtedness</a> to China, with Chinese lenders charging higher interest payments than those from the International Monetary Fund or World Bank. At that time <a href="https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Forty-per-cent-of-Myanmar%E2%80%99s-government-debt-held-by-China-46071.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">about 40%</a> of Myanmar’s foreign debt of US$10 billion was owed to China. It is likely to be greater now. It will only increase the longer a military dictatorship, with few other supporters or sources of foreign money, remains in power, <a href="https://www.eastasiaforum.org/2021/06/23/how-the-coup-is-destroying-myanmars-economy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dragging down Myanmar’s economy</a>. Efforts to restore democracy in Myanmar should therefore be seen as crucial to the long-term strategic interests of the region’s democracies, and to global peace and prosperity, given the increasing belligerence of China under Xi Jinping. Xi, now president for life, this month told the People’s Liberation Army to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/09/xi-jinping-tells-chinas-army-to-focus-on-preparation-for-war" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prepare for war</a>. A compliant and indebted Myanmar with a deep-sea port controlled by Chinese interests tips the scales towards that happening. A democratic and independent Myanmar is a counter-strategy to this potential. <h2>Calls for sanctions</h2> Myanmar’s democracy movement wants the international community to impose <a href="https://specialadvisorycouncil.org/cut-the-cash/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tough sanctions</a> on the junta. But few have responded. The United States and United Kingdom have gone furthest, banning business dealings with Myanmar military officials and state-owned or private companies controlled by the military. The European Union and Canada have imposed sanctions against a more limited range of individuals and economic entities. South Korea has suspended financing new infrastructure projects. Japan has suspended aid and postponed the launch of Myanmar’s first satellite. New Zealand has suspended political and military contact. Australia has suspended military cooperation (with some <a href="https://www.dfat.gov.au/international-relations/security/sanctions/sanctions-regimes/myanmar-sanctions-regime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pre-existing restrictions</a> on dealing with military leaders imposed following the human rights atrocities committed against the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41566561" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rohingya</a> in 2017. But that’s about it. Myanmar’s closest neighbours in the ten-member Association of South-East Asian Nations are still committed to a policy of dialogue and “<a href="https://thediplomat.com/2022/11/will-asean-finally-change-its-approach-toward-myanmar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">non-interference</a>” – though <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2022/05/malaysian-fm-says-asean-envoy-welcomes-idea-of-engaging-myanmars-nug/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Malaysia</a> and <a href="https://thediplomat.com/2022/11/indonesian-fm-says-myanmar-military-to-blame-for-countrys-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indonesia</a> are increasingly arguing for a tougher approach as the atrocities mount. The <a href="https://myanmar.iiss.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project</a> says the only country now more violent than Myanmar is Ukraine. Given its unique geo-strategic position, self-interest alone should be enough for the international community to take greater action. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/chinas-influence-in-myanmar-could-tip-the-scales-towards-war-in-the-south-china-sea-189780" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Legal

Man hides hefty lottery win from wife and child

A Chinese man has kept his eye watering 219 million yuan (AUD$47,068,869) lottery win a secret from his wife and child so they don’t become lazy. Known only as Mr Li to conceal his identity, the man dressed up in a yellow cartoon costume when he accepted the huge win on October 24 at the lottery office in Nanning, in the southern region of Guangxi. “I did not tell my wife and child for fear that they would be too complacent and would not work or work hard in the future,” he told Nanning Evening News. Mr Li confessed that he bought 40 lottery tickets all of which had the same seven numbers, with the lottery company paying out 5.48 million yuan (AUD$1,177,811) for each ticket. Eventually he found out that he had the winning lottery numbers of 2, 15, 19, 26, 27, 29, and 2 and went to claim his prize. After receiving the hefty sum, Mr Li donated 5 million yuan (AUD$1,074,597) to charity and is still unsure of what to do with his fortune. Mr Li has been playing the lottery for a decade and only won minor prizes until this time round. “I regard buying the lottery as a hobby, and my family does not care. Plus, I do not spend much money on it, and the lottery provides a ray of hope for me,” he told the South China Morning Post. Image: Guangxi Welfare Lottery Centre

Money & Banking

Nobel economics prize: insights into financial contagion changed how central banks react during a crisis

This year’s <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/economic-sciences/2022/prize-announcement/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nobel prize in economics</a>, known as the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences, has gone to Douglas Diamond, Philip Dybvig and former Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke for their work on banks and how they relate to financial crises. To explain the work and why it matters, we talked to Elena Carletti, a Professor of Finance at Bocconi University in Milan. Why have Diamond, Bernanke and Dybvig been awarded the prize? The works by <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/uploads/2022/10/popular-economicsciencesprize2022.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diamond and Dybvig</a> essentially explained why banks exist and the role they play in the economy by channelling savings from individuals into productive investments. Essentially, banks play two roles. On the one hand, they monitor borrowers within the economy. On the other, they provide liquidity to individuals, who don’t know what they will need to buy in future, and this can make them averse to depositing money in case it’s not available when they need it. Banks smooth out this aversion by providing us with the assurance that we will be able to take out our money when it’s required. The problem is that by providing this assurance, banks are also vulnerable to crises even at times when their finances are healthy. This occurs when individual depositors worry that many other depositors are removing their money from the bank. This then gives them an incentive to remove money themselves, which can lead to a panic that causes a bank run. Ben Bernanke fed into this by looking at bank behaviour during the great depression of the 1930s, and showed that bank runs during the depression was the decisive factor in making the crisis longer and deeper than it otherwise would have been. The observations behind the Nobel win seem fairly straightforward compared to previous years. Why are they so important? It’s the idea that banks that are otherwise financially sound can nevertheless be vulnerable because of panicking depositors. Or, in cases such as during the global financial crisis of 2007-09, it can be a combination of the two, where there is a problem with a bank’s fundamentals but it is exacerbated by panic. Having recognised the intrinsic vulnerability of healthy banks, it was then possible to start thinking about policies to alleviate that risk, such as depositor insurance and reassuring everyone that the central bank will step in as the lender of last resort. In a bank run caused by liquidity (panic) rather than insolvency, an announcement from the government or central bank is likely to be enough to solve the problem on its own – often without the need for any deposit insurance even being paid out. On the other hand, in a banking crisis caused by insolvency, that’s when you need to pump in money to rescue the institution. What was the consensus about bank runs before Diamond and Dybvig began publishing their work? There had been a lot of bank runs in the past and it was understood that financial crises were linked to them – particularly before the US Federal Reserve was founded in 1913. It was understood that bank runs made financial crises longer by exacerbating them. But the mechanism causing the bank runs wasn’t well understood. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/489027/original/file-20221010-11-on0vn4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/489027/original/file-20221010-11-on0vn4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/489027/original/file-20221010-11-on0vn4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489027/original/file-20221010-11-on0vn4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489027/original/file-20221010-11-on0vn4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=405&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489027/original/file-20221010-11-on0vn4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489027/original/file-20221010-11-on0vn4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/489027/original/file-20221010-11-on0vn4.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=509&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Police controlling an angry crowd during a Paris bank in 1904" /></a><figcaption>A bank run in Paris in 1904. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-illustration/paris-police-hold-back-crowd-making-242294071" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Everett Collection</a></figcaption></figure> How easy is it to tell what kind of bank run you are dealing with? It’s not always easy. For example, in 2008 in Ireland it was thought to be a classic example of bank runs caused by liquidity fears. The state stepped up to give a blanket guarantee to creditors, but it then became apparent that the banks were really insolvent and the government had to inject enormous amounts of money into them, which led to a sovereign debt crisis. Speaking of sovereign debt crises, the work by Diamond and Dybvig also underpins the literature on financial contagion, which is based on a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/262109" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2000 paper</a> by Franklin Allen and Douglas Gale. I worked with Allen and Gale for many years, and all our papers have been based on the work of Diamond, and Diamond and Dybvig. In a similar way to how state reassurances can defuse a bank run caused by liquidity problems, we saw how the then European Central Bank President Mario Draghi was able to defuse the run on government bonds in the eurozone crisis in 2011 by saying that the bank would do “<a href="https://qz.com/1038954/whatever-it-takes-five-years-ago-today-mario-draghi-saved-the-euro-with-a-momentous-speech/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whatever it takes</a>” to preserve the euro. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tB2CM2ngpQg?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> The prize announcement has attracted plenty of people on social media saying we shouldn’t be celebrating Bernanke when he was so involved in the quantitative easing (QE) that has helped to cause today’s global financial problems – what’s your view? I would say that without QE our problems would today be much worse, but also that the prize recognises his achievements as an academic and not as chair of the Fed. Also, Bernanke was only one of the numerous central bankers who resorted to QE after 2008. And it is not only the central bank actions that make banks stable. It’s also worth pointing out that the changes to the rules around the amount of capital that banks have to hold after 2008 have made the financial system much better protected against bank runs than it was beforehand. Should such rules have been introduced when the academics first explained the risks around bank runs and contagion? The literature had certainly hinted at these risks, but regulation-wise, we had to wait until after the global financial crisis to see <a href="https://www.ecb.europa.eu/pub/pdf/fsr/art/ecb.fsrart201405_03.en.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reforms such as</a> macro-prudential regulation and more stringent micro-prudential regulation. This shows that regulators were underestimating the risk of financial crises, perhaps also pushed by the banking lobbies that had been traditionally very powerful and managed to convince regulators that risks were well managed. If retail banks become less important in future because of blockchain technology or central bank digital currencies, do you think the threat of financial panic will reduce? If we are heading for a situation where depositors put their money into central banks rather than retail banks, that would diminish the role of retail banking, but I think we are far from that. Central bank digital currencies can be designed in such a way that retail banks are still necessary. But either way, the insights from Diamond and Dybvig about liquidity panics are still relevant because they apply to any context where coordination failures among investors are important, such as sovereign debt crises, currency attacks and so on.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/192208/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> Written by Elena Carletti. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/nobel-economics-prize-insights-into-financial-contagion-changed-how-central-banks-react-during-a-crisis-192208" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: The Nobel Foundation

Money & Banking

5 actors who are banned from China

China carefully decides which American movies make their way into Chinese mainstream media. While the Chinese Government is more open to American movies now, there are still a few Hollywood stars who have gotten on the government’s bad side. 1. Brad Pitt Brad Pitt featured in the 1997 film Seven Years in Tibet as the 14th Dalai Lama’s tutor. Due to how the film portrayed the Chinese occupation of Tibet, officials took offense to the movie and decided they would bar the main people involved in the film from China. Pitt was banned from the country for 19 years and was only allowed back in 2016. 2. Richard Gere During the 1993 Academy Awards, Richard Gere made an impromptu speech about the human rights abuses that China had inflicted on Tibet. Gere was presenting the award for best art direction but skipped the pre-arranged comments to highlight the issue in Tibet. The Academy Award producers were furious and vowed to ban Gere from any future awards shows. Chinese officials also banned him from the country. Many major studios won’t cast Gere anymore as they want Chinese distribution to increase their profit. Gere has now focused his career on appearing in independent films and has received great reviews for his performances. 3. Sharon Stone In 2008, Sharon Stone commented on the Sichuan Earthquake at the Cannes Film Festival. Stone said she believed the disaster, which killed 90,000 people, was the result of a bad karma built up by the Chinese for oppressing the Dalai Lama. The Chinese government responded to her remarks by banning all her movies from China. It appears as if she didn’t receive an actual ban herself to enter but it’s most likely she wouldn’t be warmly welcomed. 4. Harrison Ford Harrison Ford has been a long-time advocate for human rights and in 1992 he was involved in Tibetan issues. His wife at the time, Melissa Matheson, worked with Martin Scorsese on the script for film Kundun which focused on the story of the 14th Dalai Lama. Ford had the opportunity to meet the Dalai Lama and he became an advocate for Tibet. In 1995, Ford testified before the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee about the need for Tibetan independence and highlighted all of China’s human rights abuses. Ford and Matheson were banned from the country but he still continues to advocate for Tibet. 5. Miley Cyrus The Disney star turned controversial popstar offended the Chinese government when she took a photo of herself imitating Asians by pulling back the skin around her eyes. The Organisation for Chinese Americans had strong words about the photo and the Chinese Foreign Minister said, “Miss Cyrus has made it clear she is no friend of China or anyone of East Asian descent. We have no interest in further polluting our children's minds with her American ignorance." Cyrus apologised and blamed the press for taking things out of context and attacking her and then later apologised again after her first one was criticised for not being genuine. The ban still remains in place. Image credits: Getty Images

Movies

Hero dad coward-punched while trying to rescue car crash victim

A 63-year-old father is fighting for his life after being coward-punched in the head while helping a teen in a car accident. Rob Seddon rushed to help a 17-year-old who crashed his Toyota Corolla into a caravan outside his home on Skyhawk Ave in Hamlyn Terrace on the Central Coast around 10pm on Saturday. Along with other neighbours, Mr Seddon assisted the teen before they were ambushed by a group of males who attacked them. Mr Seddon was allegedly hit from the back on the head which caused him to fall backwards, hit his head and lose consciousness. He was flown to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition where he underwent brain surgery and remains in intensive care in a coma. Mr Seddon’s 21-year-old son was also allegedly attacked and suffered a broken nose. “I could hear the sheer horrible noises from this guy that was being hurt, I had tears in my eyes, I knew it was bad,” neighbour Diane Gardner told Nine News. “It was absolutely horrible. You could hear his pain and he wanted help.” Police are asking anyone with information about the alleged attackers to come forward. The 17-year-old driver who crashed into Mr Seddon’s caravan was breathalysed at the scene and returned a positive blood-alcohol reading. He was then charged with negligent driving and drink-driving on P-plates. Images: Nine News

Caring

Woolies worker seriously stabbed while stacking shelves

A Woolworths worker who was allegedly randomly stabbed with a 40cm has opened up about the terrifying ordeal. Donna Grocott was stacking shelves in the pet aisle at Woolworths in Ellenbrook Central in northeast Perth when she was allegedly stabbed in the back of her hip by Cassandra Hickling on August 16. The 44-year-old worker was rushed to hospital with the 40cm knife still lodged in her back and required seven staples after it was removed. She also suffered injuries to her fingers but says she is lucky to be alive after the knife failed to puncture any major organs. “I feel very fortunate that my injuries were not worse,” Ms Grocott said. “I’d like to thank the people who helped me at the store and the emergency responders and the hospital staff for taking care of me.” Hickling, 35, was arrested at her home and charged with attempted murder. She remains behind bars awaiting her court appearance at the end of the month. Midland Police Detective Sergeant Tania Mackenzie confirmed the women did not know each other and that Hickling purchased the knife from a different shop. “(It is) something I’ve never heard of happening before in my career,” she said. “It was just someone going about their day-to-day work, stacking shelves in the shopping centre. “There’s been no one else in the aisle and she’s been approached by the suspect who has (allegedly) stabbed her with a filleting knife.” Woolworths is offering counselling to staff. Images: 7News/Facebook

Caring

Food blogger eats protected species

A Chinese food blogger has landed herself in hot water after illegally cooking and eating a protected great white shark. The foodie, known as Tizi, shared a video of herself eating the protected species which authorities believe she bought illegally from a seafood shop in the southwestern city of Nanchong in Sichuan province. She then recorded herself laying down next to the 2 metre long great white shark to show its size in comparison to her. The shark was then cut into several pieces before it was barbecued and the head boiled in a broth. “It may look vicious, but its meat is truly super tender,” Tizi says in the video. Viewers were outraged at Tizi for eating the protected species, with some challenging her to prove that the animal was “bred in captivity”. Tizi has since removed the video from her account and is being investigated by authorities for illegally cooking and eating the protected species. If found guilty, Tizi faces five years’ imprisonment or criminal detention and a fine for purchasing rare and endangered wildlife products. Images: Weibo

Travel Trouble

Curious detail about flag in Top Gun: Maverick

Moviegoers in Taiwan applauded an advanced screening of Top Gun: Maverick when Tom Cruise’s character came on screen wearing a jacket showing their flag. The Hollywood actor hits the screen in his bomber jacket which features patches of the flags from Taiwan, Japan and the United States, along with a United Nations symbol. When the trailer was released back in 2019, Cruise’s character Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell was wearing a jacket but this time the Taiwan flag appeared to be missing. The glaring omission of the Taiwanese flag sparked criticism that Hollywood was appeasing China. The Taiwanese flag has long been a political eyesore for Beijing, which claims sovereignty over the island and considers it to be Chinese territory under the “one China principle”. Taiwan however has continued to fight against being considered Chinese territory and to be recognised as independent. There are now rumours swirling that Top Gun: Maverick won’t be shown in China due to the representation of the Taiwan flag. “Hollywood is now pushing back,” Chris Fenton, a former movie executive who wrote a book about Hollywood and Chinese censors, told Bloomberg. “The market is simply not worth the aggravation anymore in attempting to please Chinese censors.” Image: Twitter

Movies

Jacinda Ardern welcomed as “good friend” by Joe Biden

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has left talks with US President Joe Biden on a positive note, saying the interaction pointed to the “warmth” in their relationship as political leaders. Ms Ardern was initially scheduled to meet with Mr Biden for one hour during her ongoing US tour, but the pair continued to talk for another 30 minutes, as reported by <a href="https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/jacinda-ardern-wows-us-president-joe-biden-in-white-house-meeting/news-story/a05ab88bfe0e2bfcc93a29f337db4684" target="_blank" rel="noopener">news.com.au</a>. “I think that is a demonstration of the warmth in our relationship,” Ms Ardern said after the meeting. Mr Biden welcomed Ms Ardern as a “good friend”, citing the last time they met at the launch of the Indo-Pacific Framework and said: “We need your guidance”. “You understand that your leadership has taken on a critical role in this global stage - and it really has,” Mr Biden said. The pair also discussed gun control, online extremism, Ukraine, climate change, and the growing influence of China in the Pacific, with the last issue becoming the main focus as the US attempts to bolster its presence in the region. “We are in an incredibly difficult international environment,” Ms Ardern said. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeP0hflvMcD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CeP0hflvMcD/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern)</a> </div> </blockquote> According to a senior administration official, the leaders had a “very warm” and “direct” conversation, as the Biden administration looks to step up its cooperation to support the Pacific Island states. “The President and the Prime Minister met for well over an hour,” the official said. “The conversation was very warm, very direct, and there was a great understanding between the two of them, as you would expect. “And there really was discussion about the shared vision for the Indo-Pacific and the importance, in particular, of stepping up engagement with the Pacific Island states.” In a joint statement after the meeting, both leaders expressed their concern about the security agreement between the People’s Republic of China and the Solomon Islands, which also caused a stir in Australia in April. “In particular, the United States and New Zealand share a concern that the establishment of a persistent military presence in the Pacific by a state that does not share our values or security interests would fundamentally alter the strategic balance of the region and pose national-security concerns to both countries,” the statement read. “A freer and more open Indo-Pacific depends on preserving the international rules-based order in the maritime domain. “To that end, we reaffirm our support for freedom of navigation and overflight, in the South China Sea and beyond, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). “We oppose unlawful maritime claims and activities in the South China Sea that run counter to the rules-based international order, particularly UNCLOS. “We reiterate our grave concerns regarding the human-rights violations in Xinjiang, and the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, which undermines the high degree of autonomy enshrined in the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.” The meeting comes as China’s Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, finishes his ten-day tour of the Pacific Island region, having visited eight nations in total and raising concerns that deals similar to that between China and the Solomon Islands would be struck with other countries. Within hours of Ms Ardern and Mr Biden’s meeting, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian accused the US of “distorting the truth that the cooperation between China and the Pacific Island countries has been in line with regional benefits”. “China and Solomon Islands have no intention to establish military bases,” Mr Zhao said. Australia is also making efforts to meet with leaders in the region, with newly-sworn-in Foreign Minister Penny Wong jetting off to Samoa and Tonga for her second visit to the Pacific in nine days. “We want to make a uniquely Australian contribution to help build a stronger Pacific family - through social and economic opportunities including pandemic recovery, health, development and infrastructure support, as well as through our Pacific labour programs and permanent migration,” Ms Wong said in a statement. “We will increase our contribution to regional security: we understand that the security of the Pacific is the responsibility of the Pacific family, of which Australia is a part. “We will stand shoulder to shoulder with our Pacific family in addressing the existential threat of climate change. And we will deepen cultural and sporting ties.” Image: Getty Images

International Travel

Father offers 20 homes to help lure wife for son

A father desperate for his son to get married has gifted him 20 homes in hopes of luring a wife. The dad, from Hebei Province in China, arrived at a matchmaker event carrying a pink bag filled with the estates to show off to potential wives for his 24-year-old son. Footage of the moment was shared on popular chat service Weibo with Wang, who signed up the father to the service claiming he was not showing off. “The father is not trying to show off. He just wanted to display his sincerity and find a daughter-in-law of equal status,” Wang told Jimu News. “He said his son has a stable job and has many good qualities.” Some people however said the father was taking it a bit too far and his son might feel pressured into something he doesn’t want. “That kind of pressure is a bit too much. Maybe the son doesn’t even want to get married,” one person wrote. “How bad is his son? Do good guys really have this much difficulty finding a girlfriend?” someone asked. “How’s this supposed to help? They are premarital property by law,” another commented. “Would the father add the name of his daughter-in-law to the property ownership certificates? All of the certificates?” another questioned. China has recently allowed married couples to have three children instead of one to help increase the population. Image: Shutterstock

Money & Banking

Fears over new Omicron subvariant

There are fears in China that a new subvariant of Omicron has been discovered. The country recorded 13,000 cases of Covid-19 but found a different strain in a patient with mild symptoms. Health officials in Suzhou, west of Shanghai, said the subvariant came from the BA.1.1 branch of Omicron. “This means a new variant of Omicron has been discovered locally,” Zhang Jun, deputy director of the Suzhou Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, told state press agency Xinhua. GISAID, the global database for mutations to be recorded, did not match with the new subvariant. The subvariant has not yet been reported in any other parts of China or globally. However, another variant has been reported in Dalian city, in northern China, which also does not match with any other variant in the database. China is still aiming to eliminate the virus and placed the city of Shanghai, a population of 26 million, into lockdown last week to help lower cases. Image: Getty

News

How a man has lived in an airport for 14 years

In order to escape the rules imposed by his family, a man from China has thought of a unique way to live as he chooses. Wei Jianguo, who is in his 60s, moved into Beijing Capital International Airport over 14 years ago after his family told him he needed to quit drinking and smoking. Mr Wei has a set up with his food, belongings and sleeping bag in a waiting area of the airport, where he smokes and drinks as much as he likes: a habit he supports with his monthly government allowance. He says he is unable to return home because he has “no freedom there”, as his family disapproves of his unhealthy habits. “My family told me if I wanted to stay, I had to quit smoking and drinking,” he said. “If I couldn't do that, I had to give them all my monthly government allowance of 1,000 yuan ($210 AUD). But then how would I buy my cigarettes and alcohol?” Mr Wei moved into the airport in 2008, as he settled in Terminal 2 which is known as the “warmest” spot. The man said that he has given up looking for work, after he was let go from a job where he worked at an internal combustion engine factory in his 40s for being “too old”. While he goes out if he needs to do any shopping, he doesn't like to leave the airport because he “won't get cold that way”, Mr Wei told Pear Video. The news outlet also spoke with airport staff about Mr Wei’s residency, who said the man is harmless, despite being quite a loud drunk. One worker said that Mr Wei had been encouraged to leave a few times, but “every time we mentioned it he was drunk and lost his temper”. According to China Daily, Mr Wei has not been the only resident in the airport, with six people believed to be living there in 2018, with one dweller “notorious” for blasting Chinese opera music to passing travellers. Image credits: Getty Images

International Travel

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