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☆ Paw patrol: China’s most popular new police officer is a corgi
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Jessie Yeung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —China’s most popular new police officer is making waves on social media with his stubby legs, wide grin and wagging tail. Fuzai is a reserve police dog and started training when he was two months old, according to state media. Weifang public security bureau/DouyinSome of these peers are featured on Fuzai’s official account on Douyin – the Chinese version of TikTok - with the account run by Weifang police. Weifang public security bureau/DouyinAt the end of the line is Fuzai – strapped to the back of an officer, paws dangling, like a fuzzy backpack. The country’s police forces range from public security departments and neighborhood patrols to more heavy-handed state security and paramilitary forces as well as a highly secretive civilian spy agency.

Persons: CNN —, ”, pooch, Fuzai, –, Wang Yanan, emojis Organizations: CNN, corgi, Weibo, bloodhound, China Daily, Chinese Communist Party Locations: Shandong, China, …, Liaoning

☆ Red rice yeast: Japan orders recall of ‘beni koji’ products over suspected link to four deaths
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Himari Semans | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

All three supplements contain “beni koji” - rice fermented with red yeast – an ingredient said to lower cholesterol levels that is traditionally used in food seasoning and preservation, and rice wine production. Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s website says its beni koji products use a strain of bacteria in fermentation that does not produce citrinin. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Thursday said the government was investigating the deaths and the suspected link to beni koji, adding it was prepared to act. Across the Taiwan Strait, the island’s Food and Drug Administration ordered distributors to suspend the import of more than 150 products containing beni koji, including those made by Kobayashi. And in Singapore, authorities recalled a sparkling sake, a type of rice wine, by Kyoto-based Takara Shuzo, which uses beni koji in its production.

Persons: Kobayashi, beni koji, Benikoji, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical’s, “, Fumio Kishida, ”, Takara Shuzo, beni Organizations: Tokyo CNN, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Wednesday, Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, CNN, Weibo, Drug Administration Locations: Japan’s, Osaka, beni, Asia, China, Japan, Taiwan Strait, Singapore, Kyoto

☆ China’s Xiaomi joins the crowded EV race with ‘dream car’ to take on Tesla
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-28 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —Xiaomi formally launched its much-anticipated electric car — the new Speed Ultra 7 (SU7) sedan — on Thursday night in Beijing. “Xiaomi wants to build a ‘dream car’ comparable to Porsche and Tesla,” he said on Weibo Wednesday. On Thursday, Xiaomi announced that prices for SU7 models would range from 215,900 yuan ($29,874) to 299,900 yuan ($41,497). Xiaomi’s SU7 has been on display in showrooms in 29 cities across mainland China since Monday, according to Lei. People look at Xiaomi's first electric vehicle SU7, displayed in a newly opened Xiaomi store in Beijing on March 25, 2024.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Xiaomi, Lei Jun, “ Xiaomi, ”, Xiaomi, SU7, Lei, Tingshu Wang, It’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Porsche, Tesla, Weibo, Counterpoint Research, Reuters, Porsche Taycan, Tesla’s Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, EVs

☆ Op-ed: The effusive China tour is a failing playbook for Apple, Tim Cook, and every CEO
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Dewardric L. Mcneal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

This ritual, epitomized by high-profile engagements — such as Apple CEO Tim Cook's effusive overtures and statements of commitments to China — signals that American corporate titans think the strategy can still work. Tim Cook's narrative of China as "critical" to Apple , coupled with his admiration for the country's advanced manufacturing capabilities, embodies the ethos of this engagement playbook. Apple's Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook attends the China Development Forum in Beijing on March 24, 2024. It's not that the Apple CEO is doing anything wrong. Chinese Apple superfans jostled to enter the smartphone maker's newest store as it opened on March 21 night.

Persons: Tim Cook's, Tim Cook, Pedro Pardo, Jim McNerney, Xi Jinping's, Mark Zuckerberg, Deirdre O'Brien, Strstr, Xi, Xi Jinping, Li Qiang Organizations: Apple, American, titans, U.S, Apple's, China Development Forum, AFP, Getty, Boeing, Airbus, Volkswagen, Qualcomm, Google, Facebook, Huawei, Afp Locations: China, Beijing, Weibo, Shanghai

☆ A deadly Boeing 737 crash in China is still shrouded in mystery as the government says it found nothing abnormal before the plane nose-dived
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewChinese authorities say they've yet to identify the cause of a Boeing 737 crash that killed 132 people two years ago, reporting that investigators found nothing abnormal occurring before the fatal incident. The report, published Wednesday by the Civil Aviation Administration of China, covers the government probe into the crash of flight MU5735, which was operated by China Eastern Airlines. AdvertisementBloomberg reported shortly after the crash, citing flight tracker data, that the plane hit the ground while traveling near the speed of sound. A rescuer ties a safety rope to a tree at the plane crash site in Tengxian County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, March 26, 2022. When asked to comment on the report, a Boeing spokesperson referred BI to the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Persons: —, MU5735, Lu Boan Organizations: Service, Boeing, Civil Aviation Administration, China Eastern Airlines, Business, Staff, Street, Bloomberg, Getty Images, Civil Aviation Administration of China Locations: China, Guangxi Zhuang, Teng County, Tengxian County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Xinhua, Kunming, Guangzhou, Weibo

☆ Rural men in China say they're too poor to afford the massive dowries expected of them. People on social media say it's just an excuse.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewA Chinese state media report about rural men struggling to afford exorbitant dowries has triggered backlash online from people who say the bachelors are missing the point. State-run outlet Legal Daily published an article on Monday covering the dating lives of three rural men in their early 30s, who said they can no longer keep up with rising "betrothal prices." Many accounts, who listed themselves as female on their profiles, say men are using the unattainable dowries as an excuse for their undesirability as partners. It's not about the dowries, people sayRising dowries have unsettled Chinese officials already fretting about plummeting national birth and marriage rates. AdvertisementMeanwhile, it's become increasingly clear that officials are concerned by the growing prevalence of singlehood among rural men, with state media often discussing such bachelors leading loveless lives.

Persons: —, Cheng Wei, Mu Zheng, Mu, It's, shouldn't, it's, loveless Organizations: Service, Business, National University of Singapore, Monday, BI, dowries Locations: Jiangxi, Weibo, China, Beijing

☆ Apple to launch Vision Pro in China this year, Tim Cook says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

In a video posted on one of CCTV's accounts on Chinese social media site Weibo, Cook was heard responding "yes," when asked if the Vision Pro would launch in China this year. In China, Apple will compete against local headset players such as Pico, which is owned by TikTok's parent company ByteDance. Cook has been in China for the past few days, touring a new Apple store in Shanghai and attending the China Development Forum in Beijing. "I am very confident in it (China)," Cook said, according to news package posted on one of CCTV's Weibo accounts. "I love China, I love being here, I love the people and the culture.

Persons: Cook, China Organizations: Apple, China Development Forum, Huawei Locations: U.S, Weibo, China, Pico, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ China's Xiaomi will price its Tesla EV rival under $69,400, CEO says ahead of Thursday launch
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Arjun Kharpal | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

On Thursday, Xiaomi will officially launch the SU7 electric vehicle and begin taking orders. Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun on Monday teased the price of the Chinese firm's first electric vehicle ahead of its official launch this week. Xiaomi Group President Weibing Lu told CNBC previously that the company is targeting the premium segment of the electric car market. The EV market is in the midst of a price war which was sparked by Tesla at the end of 2022. "Three years ago, I announced that Xiaomi was going to enter the EV market.

Persons: Xiaomi, Lei, Lei Jun, Weibing Lu, Li Auto, Tesla Organizations: Weibo, Xiaomi, CNBC, stoke, EV Locations: Hefei, Anhui Province, China, Xiaomi

☆ A UPenn student started a YouTube channel. In weeks, her face was stolen on China's social media.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

That message included a link to a video on Xiaohongshu, a social media platform rapidly gaining steam in China. The student started her self-empowerment channel in November and has so far published eight videos and seven YouTube Shorts. The Xiaohongshu deepfakes of other YouTubers do the same. In a matter of about 10 minutes, BI found deepfake videos of at least five caucasian women on Xiaohongshu. But at least one Chinese deepfake version of Blakely has a different agenda to share on Xiaohongshu.

Persons: —, Olga Loiek, Loiek, Vladimir Putin, Loeik, Weibo, someone's, Lyu Siwei, it's, Haibing Lu, they've, Xiaohongshu, Natasha, she's, Annie, Sophia Elena, Katyusha, China, Lana Blakely, Blakely, Elizabeth Filips, Serbia, Filips, Lyu, Vincent Conitzer, Conitzer, Lu, Lyu who's, he's, Roy, Ari Lightman, she'll Organizations: Service, Business, Kremlin, YouTube, WhatsApp, Facebook, Media, University at Buffalo, Santa Clara University, University of Pennsylvania, BI, Russia, Institute for, Oxford University, Social, Carnegie Mellon University Locations: Munich, China, Moscow, Ukraine, Santa, China's Heilongjiang, Germany, Xiaohongshu, Russian, Russia, Stockholm, Xiaohongshu London, Pakistan

Hong Kong CNN —China’s coast guard used water cannon against Philippine boats in a contested area of the South China Sea on Saturday, the latest in a string of maritime clashes between the two countries. The AFP also accused the Chinese coast guard of performing a “dangerous maneuver” by crossing the bow of the resupply vessel before using the water cannon. It said China subsequently installed floating barriers to “prevent further entry of any vessels.”A Philippine Coast Guard vessel had been “impeded and encircled” by a Chinese coast guard ship and two Chinese “maritime militia” vessels, the agency said, cutting it off from the resupply boat. The ship is now mostly a rusted wreckage and is manned by Philippine marines stationed on rotation. The latest run-in came just four days after Secretary of State Blinken told a news conference in Manila that the United States had an “ironclad commitment” to defending the Philippines in the South China Sea.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Jay Tarriela, Thomas, “, Thomas Shoal, Blinken Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Armed Forces, AFP, Philippine Coast Guard, Convention, BRP Sierra Madre, Philippine, Sierra Madre, Weibo Locations: Hong Kong, South, Philippine, China, Philippines, AFP, ”, Beijing, Manila, Palawan, BRP Sierra, Madre, Sierra, China’s, United States, South China, People’s Republic of China, Washington

☆ China's military, state media slam U.S. after report on SpaceX spy satellites
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-19 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese military and state-run media on Sunday accused the United States of threatening global security, days after a Reuters report which found Elon Musk's SpaceX was building hundreds of spy satellites for a U.S. intelligence agency. Chinese military and state-run media on Sunday accused the United States of threatening global security, days after a Reuters report which found Elon Musk's SpaceX was building hundreds of spy satellites for a U.S. intelligence agency. A social media account run by the People's Liberation Army, or PLA, said the SpaceX program exposed the United States' "shamelessness and double standards" as Washington accuses Chinese tech companies of threatening U.S. security. "We urge U.S. companies to not help a villain do evil," Junzhengping, an account run by the PLA, posted on social media platform Weibo on Sunday. Wang Yanan, chief editor of Aerospace Knowledge, a magazine overseen by the ruling Communist Party, was quoted in an interview as saying the SpaceX satellite project posed "a challenge to global security and stability".

Persons: Elon, SpaceX's, Wang Yanan Organizations: Reuters, SpaceX, National Reconnaissance Office, NRO, People's Liberation Army, PLA, U.S ., Aerospace, Communist Party Locations: United States, Washington, U.S, Weibo

☆ Looking for leads, not love: Job seekers in China turn Tinder into a networking tool
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-17 | by ( Larissa Gao | Helen Chen | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Similar posts suggesting dating apps as a way to find jobs are not uncommon on Chinese social media. "By using dating apps, we can reach more people," Liang said. But with dating apps, you hang out with strangers for a couple of hours and they can already provide you with tons of their personal information." "I cannot believe people would even go on dating apps to find jobs," read one comment on Weibo, China's equivalent of X. Tinder users in China "are already very selective because the vast majority of users were pursuing degrees overseas," Zeng said.

Persons: Liang, Geng, Tinder, Romy Liu, Liu, Zoey Zeng, Zeng Organizations: NBC News Locations: Huaibei, East China's Anhui, China, Weibo, Hangzhou, Paris, France

☆ McDonald's outlets across Australia, New Zealand, and Japan have been hit by a technical outage
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Kwan Wei Kevin Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

McDonald's outlets in multiple countries have been hit by a technical outage. Restaurants in Australia, New Zealand, and Japan have been left unable to process orders. McDonald's Japan said on X that it was experiencing a "system failure." A similar statement was also issued by McDonald's New Zealand, according to The New Zealand Herald. Related storiesMcDonald's Japan said in an X post on the same day that it was experiencing a "system failure" as well.

Persons: McDonald's, —, It's Organizations: Service, McDonald's Australia, McDonald's, New Zealand Herald, Taiwan, Weibo Locations: Australia, New Zealand, Japan, McDonald's Japan, Zealand, Auckland , New Zealand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China

☆ China's richest man is under fire over conspiracy theories that say he's secretly promoting Japan
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

China's richest man is being targeted by nationalists who say he's not patriotic enough. AdvertisementZhong Shanshan, the richest man in China, has been beset this month by accusations from an online nationalist crowd that he isn't loyal enough to his country. Some think Nongfu Spring loves JapanThe hostility escalated this week into claims that Nongfu Spring was intentionally planting elements of Japanese culture into its product marketing. CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images and Jinhee Lee/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesAnother complaint accused Nongfu Spring of using a red bottle cap that resembles the Japanese flag. China's nationalist groups have been notorious for turning on typically celebrated figures and businessmen.

Persons: Zhong Shanshan, Zong Qinghou, —, Zhong, he's, Zong, Zhong Shuzi, Jinhee Lee, NurPhoto, Mr Zong, Hu Xijin, shouldn't, Hu, Li Guoqing, Li, Zong Fuli, Mo Yan Organizations: Service, Nongfu, Hong, Hangzhou Wahaha, Hangzhou Wahaha Group, Getty Images, Weibo, Mount, Publishing, Getty, Global Times, The Global Times, Rongsheng Petrochemical, China Newsweek, China News Service, Business Locations: Japan, China, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, American, Tokyo, Mount Fuji

☆ If the US bans TikTok, China will be getting a taste of its own medicine
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

But American apps have long been barred in China. “The TikTok bill appears likely to become law and China’s displeasure seems ironic, if not hypocritical, given its stance toward American social apps,” said Brock Silvers, managing director at Kaiyuan Capital. The Chinese government has said it strongly opposes a forced sale of TikTok, and it has the legal ability to do so. A man walks past the headquarters of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, in Beijing. “While China has completely banned [these] American apps, TikTok enjoys all the benefits of America’s free and open legal and political systems,” he said.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — TikTok, ByteDance doesn’t, Wang Wenbin, ”, Brock Silvers, Wang, Joe Biden, TikTok, CNN Beijing’s, Trump, Greg Baker, “, Winston Ma, Silvers, Alex Capri, Craig Singleton, “ We’ve, ” Capri Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, US, Foreign Ministry, Google, Kaiyuan, Chinese Commerce Ministry, ByteDance, Trump, CNN, Commerce Ministry, Getty, New York University School of Law, Foundation, National University of Singapore Business School, Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Weibo, Twitter, Facebook Locations: China, Hong Kong, United States, Beijing, TikTok, ByteDance, AFP, Washington, Washington , DC

☆ Nongfu Spring: Bottled water empire of China’s richest man Zhong Shanshan is facing a boycott by nationalists
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Zhong and his drinks firm Nongfu Spring, the country’s biggest maker of bottled water, are the latest targets of an army of internet zealots. WeiboThe nationalists have also highlighted the fact that prominent US investment funds, including Vanguard and BlackRock, are major shareholders of Nongfu Spring. “Taking advantage of Mr Zong’s death, a lot of slander against me and Nongfu Spring appeared on the internet. “Whether Wahaha or Nongfu Spring, we always insist on the same thing — producing good products for the people,” he said. Nongfu Spring is just the latest major target of China’s nationalists.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Zhong Shanshan, Zhong, Zong Qinghou, Zong, Zhong’s, —, “ Zhong Shuzi, ”, “, He’s, Mr Zong’s, ” Zhong, influencers, netizens, “ Zong, Wei Jiang, Mo Yan, Mao Zedong, Stringer, Li Ning Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Wahaha, Danone, Weibo, ”, Vanguard, BlackRock, Nongfu, American, Wahaha’s, CNN, Zhejiang Daily, Communist Party, Auto, Zhejiang University of Finance, Economics, People’s Liberation Army, AFP, Getty, Nike, Adidas, United, Toyota, Honda Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, American, Weibo, Nongfu, Zhejiang, Hami, China's, Xinjiang, AFP, United States, Japan

☆ China restaurant explosion in Sanhe, Hebei kills at least one, injures 22
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Hong Kong CNN —A deadly suspected gas explosion ripped through a residential neighborhood in northern China on Wednesday, leaving a scene of devastation and multiple people wounded. The blast ripped through a four-story building, state media said. Local residents said on social media they heard a loud bang in the early morning and felt their buildings trembling. Buildings across the street from the blast site were also impacted, with glass shattered and shop signs damaged, footage aired on CCTV showed. Last June, a gas explosion at a barbecue restaurant in northwest Ningxia region killed 31 people.

Persons: Weibo Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, CCTV, Weibo, Firefighters Locations: Hong Kong, China, Sanhe, Hebei province, Beijing, Weibo, Ningxia

Hong Kong/Beijing CNN —China has described a potential TikTok ban as “an act of bullying” that would backfire on America. Cybersecurity experts say that the national security concerns surrounding TikTok remain a hypothetical — albeit troubling — scenario. US officials have not publicly presented evidence that the Chinese government has accessed the user data of US TikTok users, an outcome that lawmakers say their bill is intended to prevent. In recent comments to reporters, Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mike Gallagher, who chairs a House select committee on China, rejected characterizations of the bill as a TikTok ban. “It puts the choice squarely in the hands of TikTok to sever their relationship with the Chinese Communist Party.

Persons: ByteDance, ” Wang Wenbin, Wang, ”, Mike Gallagher, “ It’s, TikTok, “, Tiktok Organizations: Beijing CNN, CNN Wednesday, Senate, Wisconsin Republican, Chinese Communist Party, Weibo Locations: Hong Kong, Beijing, China, America, American, tatters

☆ A Chinese airline warned passengers not to throw coins into plane engines after an Airbus A350 was delayed for 4 hours
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

China Southern Airlines warned passengers on social media not to throw coins at planes. In a video, a flight attendant tells confused passengers someone threw "three to five coins" into the engine. AdvertisementA major Chinese airline has warned passengers not to throw coins into its planes' engines after an incident last week. China Southern Airlines posted a five-minute video on Weibo explaining how actions like "throwing coins at the plane" can delay flights and threaten safety. CNN reported that it happened on another Chinese Southern Airlines flight in 2017, when an elderly passenger said it was "a prayer for a safe flight."

Persons: —, 📹亡 Organizations: China Southern Airlines, Service, Weibo, Liberty Times, Airbus, Southern Airlines Locations: Hainan, Beijing, Sanya

☆ He was once hailed as the pride of China. Now nationalists are coming for this Nobel laureate
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Nectar Gan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Now, some of China’s most zealous online nationalists have a new target in their crosshairs: the country’s first officially recognized Nobel laureate. Mo Yan receives the 2012 Nobel Literature Prize from King Carl Gustaf of Sweden during an award ceremony on December 10, 2012 in Stockholm. He accused Wu of creating a publicity stunt by “maliciously framing” the Nobel laureate and taking his words out of context. In 2011, he was named the vice chairman of the state-run Chinese Writers Association – an appointment that could not have been made without the blessing of the party. In 2022, Sima Nan, a nationalist pundit known for his inflammatory criticism of the United States, famously accused Mo’s Nobel win of being a Western effort to smear China.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — They’ve, Mo Yan, Xi Jinping, Xi, Wu Wanzheng, Mao Xinghuo, Wu, Guan Moye, –, Mo, King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, Jonathan Nackstrand, ” Zhang Yongsheng, Hu Xijin, Hu, ”, Murong Xuecun, “ Xi, Mao, Writers Association –, Liu Xiaobo, Liu, caricaturize, “, doesn’t, Sima Nan, Mo’s Nobel, ” Murong Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Communist Party, Communist, Getty, Red Guards, Tongji University, Global Times, Writers Association, Chinese Writers Association Locations: China, Hong Kong, Mo, Weibo, Stockholm, AFP, Shanghai, Beijing, Shandong, United States

☆ 4 economic reports the market cares about most next week, including a fresh look at inflation
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Within the Club, we heard this week from Foot Locker on Wednesday, then from Costco and Broadcom on Thursday. The big economic data drop of the week arrived Friday with February's nonfarm payrolls report . The center of attention is Tuesday's February consumer price index report . On Thursday, the February produce price index is due out. ET: Producer Price Index 8:30 a.m.

Persons: FactSet, Locker, Foot Locker, February's nonfarm, Jerome Powell, he's, we'll, MANU, LEN, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Mostafa Bassim Organizations: Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial, Costco, Broadcom, Commerce, Federal, PPI, Ballard Power Systems, Fortrea Holdings, Casey's, Vail Resorts, MTN, Daniels, Midland, Kohl's Corporation, Kanzhun, Game Technology, Manchester United, Blade Air Mobility, Clover Health, Beauty Health, Energy Vault Holdings, PHX Minerals, Guild Holdings, Finance, Heron Therapeutics, ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, Arcos Dorados Holdings, ARCO, Petco, Wellness Company, Farms, Sonoma, WSM, ESS Tech, DICK'S Sporting, Inc, Futu Holdings, Bear, Autolus Therapeutics, III Apparel, Solo Brands, Weibo Corporation, Embraer, CNBC, Washington DC, Anadolu, Getty Locations: U.S, Asana, ASAN, Williams, Washington, United States

☆ Aespa’s Karina apologizes to K-pop fans after relationship reveal sparks backlash
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-07 | by ( Jessie Yeung | Yoonjung Seo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Seoul, South Korea CNN —Are K-pop stars allowed to love? Under Karina’s apology post on Wednesday, the comment section was flooded with fans rallying in support. “No idols (K-pop stars) should apologize for dating in 2024,” one top comment read. And while there were messages of support there, too, there were plenty of disgruntled fans who weren’t satisfied with Karina’s apology. “Other fans pointed out that Karina’s apology hadn’t mentioned the status of her relationship – speculating that was simply confirmation they were still dating.

Persons: Karina, Lee Jae, wook, ”, “, Hyuna, Dawn, Jisoo, Ahn Bo, hyun, Aespa, hadn’t Organizations: South Korea CNN, Chosun Ilbo, Entertainment, Triple H, CNN, Twitter Locations: Seoul, South Korea, Asia, Instagram, Japan, Weibo

☆ China is getting hyped over a suggestion that people get more than 5 days of paid time off
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Current laws give employees five days of annual paid time off, which increases to 10 days after they have worked 10 years, and 15 days if they have worked for 20 years or more. Fok's proposal would let young workers scale their annual leave from five to 10 days until they hit the 10-year mark. His suggestion sparked hopes on Weibo, China's version of X, that the country might soon align with international paid leave standards. The International Labor Organization recommends three weeks of paid annual leave. AdvertisementShanghai-based outlet The Paper ran an informal poll on Tuesday, asking if its readers felt they could take vacation days.

Persons: —, Kenneth Fok, Fok, we've, Jack Ma Organizations: Service, People's, China Youth, International Labor Organization, China, Daily, Business, Ministry of Human Resources, Social Security, Pew Research Center Locations: China, Hong Kong, Kong, Beijing, Weibo, Shanghai

☆ A Window Into Chinese Government Has Now Slammed Shut
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Li Yuan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For more than 30 years, the Chinese premier’s annual news conference was the only time that a top leader took questions from journalists about the state of the country. It was the only occasion for members of the public to size up for themselves China’s No. It was the only moment when some Chinese might feel a faint sense of political participation in a country without elections. On Monday, China announced that the premier’s news conference, marking the end of the country’s annual rubber-stamp legislature, will no longer be held. The search term “news conference” was censored on Weibo, and very few comments remained by Monday evening Beijing time.

Organizations: Democratic People’s, Weibo, Monday, National People’s Locations: China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Weibo, Beijing

☆ China is debating if it's finally time to let people marry at 18 as it grapples with a dwindling population
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A top advisor suggested that China lower its marriage age to 18, and people aren't happy with him. It's a further sign that China's population woes can't be solved through family policy alone. His proposal, however, went viral and was quickly slammed online, a further sign that China's population woes are rooted beyond just family policies. "I thought at least those who have experienced childbirth should propose these reproduction suggestions," said one top comment with 7,500 likes on Weibo, China's version of X. China's population decreased by around 2 million people in 2023, while its birth rates have declined to their lowest levels since 1949, per government statistics.

Persons: Gan Huatian, It's, —, Gan, Mao Zedong's Organizations: Service, National Committee of, Political Consultative, National People's Congress, West China Hospital, Business Locations: China, Beijing, Sichuan, Weibo

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