| South Korean Taekwondo Athletes Under Pressure Posted: 24 May 2012 11:39 PM PDT | For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me The pressure is on for the South Korean taekwondo team. As the London Olympic games draw closer, the players know there is a lot on the line for them. [Kim Sei-Hyeok, General Manager Of Taekwondo Team]: "Taekwondo is our national sport, it originated in Korea, so we are under pressure to get many gold medals. It's natural for us to win gold medals, we'll be treated as traitors if we don't, that's what our media says." After a disappointing Athens Games, where they won two gold medals, the team returned to Beijing to win golds in all of the four categories they were allowed to participate in. Each country is only allowed to send representatives for maximum four out of the eight categories in taekwondo. The team is training everyday to keep in shape and is focusing on their strengths. [Hwang Kyung-Seon, Taekwondo Player]: "I have better footwork than my rival competitors, so I have focused on practicing those skills a lot." [Cha Dong-Min, Taekwondo Player]: "To beat those tall players, I practiced my timing (of attacking) by moving a lot. My aim is to return with a gold medal round my neck, as is our people's wish." Taekwondo, loosely translated as "way of the fist and foot", enjoyed a surge in popularity after it was exhibited as a demonstration sport at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. The 2012 London Olympics taekwondo competition will be held at the ExCeL arena in <b>...</b> | Views: 38 5 ratings | | Time: 01:41 | More in Sports |
|
| World Bank Cuts China's Growth Forecast to Decade Low Posted: 24 May 2012 11:22 PM PDT | For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me The World Bank's latest quarterly update on China says, "The Chinese economy is in the midst of a gradual slowdown." Chinese gross domestic product is expected to expand just 8.2 percent in 2012 -- its lowest in 13 years. Many analysts say China has to allow more private investment if it's to find new sources for economic growth. But for this to happen, China will need considerable government reforms. The World Bank report says, "Despite continued net capital inflows, foreign exchange reserves will accumulate more slowly. The longer-term outlook will depend on how China manages key structural challenges." The state-run Xinhua News Agency reports the Chinese regime would give guidelines to encourage private investment across the sectors, particularly predominantly state-owned electricity, oil and natural gas. Currently the amount of private investment is very small, being just 13.6 percent in the electricity and thermal power sector and only 9.6 percent in the financial industry. | Views: 0 0 ratings | | Time: 01:17 | More in News & Politics |
|
| "American Idol" Finalists Arrived on Red Carpet Posted: 24 May 2012 11:21 PM PDT | For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me It was the night for the next American Idol announcement. The 16-year-old half-Filipina, Jessica Sanchez, and the 21-year-old guitar player from Georgia, Philip Phillips, walked down the red carpet on Wednesday night (May 23). Fellow American Idol winners, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, and Scotty McCreery, were on hand to congratulate the two. [Scotty McCreery, Season 10 Winner of "American Idol"]: "They are nervous, but hopefully trying to take it all in. It will be a wild night for them and I hope they remember it all." [Lauren Alaina, Season 10 Runner-Up of "American Idol"]: "I like them both... I don't really know who I want to win. Philip is from Georgia and Jessica is the same age I was on the show. I wish them both the same success as they can possibly get. I don't know I can't really say." Grammy award-winning singer Chaka Khan, shared her wisdom to the two aspiring idols. [Chaka Khan, Singer]: "To get good management and a good lawyer, don't sign anything until your lawyer is there, collect half the money before you go on stage the per half when your finish. those are important things. Those are things I had to learn over a long period of time." The announcement of the winner was broadcasted live, featuring performances by Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Reba McEntire, Aerosmith, and more. The winner will be awarded a recording contract. | Views: 1 0 ratings | | Time: 01:29 | More in Entertainment |
|
| Analysis: China's 2011 J-20 Stealth Jet Test Flight and the Current Power Struggle Posted: 24 May 2012 11:17 PM PDT | For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me Did the Chinese regime's J-20 Stealth Jet test flight in 2011 foreshadow the current political power struggle? Well, the former US Ambassador to China, John Huntsman, has confirmed that Chinese regime leader Hu Jintao did not know about that test flight in January 2011, which took place during a visit by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates. Huntsman was in New York on Wednesday, attending an event organized by the National Committee on United States-China Relations. Huntsman said Secretary Gates was not pleased about the J-20 test flight, and brought it up with Chinese leader Hu Jintao. Huntsman said Hu was taken by surprise. [John Huntsman, Former US Ambassador to China]: "When Hu Jintao turned to the Defense Minister, and said something to the effect of, is this true? Did it fly? And I looked at that and I though, wow, this is a rare moment. And I think the Chinese side looked over at the US side and probably figured there were some Chinese speakers in the crowd. And the Liang Guanglie turned to General Ma who then turned to one or two others, and back the response came to President Hu Jintao: No Secretary Gates, you're not to take offence at this, it was only a scientific research experiment." Liang Guanglie is the Chinese Defense Minister, and General Ma is Ma Xiaotian, the General of the People's Liberation Army. So from what Huntsman said, it would appear <b>...</b> | Views: 42 2 ratings | | Time: 03:17 | More in News & Politics |
|
| Egypt Voters Eagerly Line Up for the Second Day of Voting Posted: 24 May 2012 11:12 PM PDT | For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me Today is voting day number two for Egypt's first freely contested presidential election. People are eagerly lining up to cast their ballot. Some did not attend the first day of voting on Wednesday to avoid the crowds. Others waited until the afternoon to avoid the heat of the day. Residents are basing their votes on different reasons. Some like Nasser Hassan want to keep politics and religion separate. [Nasser Hassan, Egyptian Voter]: "Look, to be honest I won't say who I voted for, but I kept my distance from all of the religious candidates. So anyone who is related to the Islamist movement, I stayed away from. That's because religion is supposed to be separate from politics." Some keep the needs of the country as top priority when voting. [Ali Ahmed Ismail Al-Garhi, Egyptian Voter]: "I voted based on what the country needs right now, and based on what is appropriate for the current circumstances. And what is appropriate is ideas put forward by the revolution, and for the revolution to continue and succeed." There are some who vote for the candidate they believe will guarantee more future freedom and peace. [Fatma Awad, Egyptian Voter]: "I want the candidate I vote for to do good things for the country, and to rescue the country from the mess that it is in. I want freedom, I want justice, I want the country to be safe. I want all these good things for our <b>...</b> | Views: 5 0 ratings | | Time: 02:07 | More in News & Politics |
|
| Prince Charles Participates in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Posted: 24 May 2012 11:03 PM PDT | For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, participated in Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee at the Legislative Building in Regina, Saskatchewan on Wednesday. The Diamond Jubilee is a celebration for the Queen's 60 year reign. Crowds of people awaited outside the building to greet them upon their arrival. According to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan's website, Prince Charles awarded the Diamond Jubilee medal to six individuals. The couple also unveiled a plaque made in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Legislative Building and to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. Honourable Dan D'Autremont, the Legislative Aeembly's Speaker, was presented with a block of oak from the Duchy of Cornwall woodlands. It will be carved into a Black Rod. | Views: 3 0 ratings | | Time: 00:50 | More in News & Politics |
|
| Senate Committee Calls for End to Repression of Falun Gong in China Posted: 24 May 2012 10:57 PM PDT | For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me A Senate Committee at the Czech Parliament deliberates on a resolution calling for an end to repression against followers of the Falun Gong spiritual practice in China. A Senate Committee at the Parliament of the Czech Republic has met to discuss a draft parliamentary resolution calling for an end to the persecution of Falun Gong adherents in China. The Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Human Rights and Petitions invited representatives of the Falun Gong movement, Amnesty International and the daughter of a Falun Gong practitioner currently jailed for his beliefs in China to take part in the meeting. The resolution calls for the People's Republic of China to lift the ban on the Falun Gong spiritual discipline and stop politically-motivated repression -- including torture -- against its members. It also identifies jailed Falun Gong adherents as prisoners of conscience and demands their release. The committee is also calling on the Czech government -- and the President -- to raise the issue of repression against Falun Gong directly with the Chinese authorities. [Jaromir Jermar, Committee Chairman]: "The Czech government and President [should] use all appropriate opportunities in dealing with government officials to press the People's Republic of China to stop the persecution of Falun Gong and to release all Falun Gong practitioners and prisoners of <b>...</b> | Views: 0 0 ratings | | Time: 01:42 | More in News & Politics |
|
| Ballet's "Oscars"—'Benois de la Danse'—Feted in Moscow Posted: 24 May 2012 10:54 PM PDT | For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me Stars of the ballet world win the coveted 'Benois de la Danse' prize on the Bolshoi stage in Moscow. This is where the prize-giving first began 20 years ago. The winners of the Benois de la Danse prize were announced on Tuesday, followed by a gala performance by previous prize winners on Wednesday. The Benois de la Danse prize, often dubbed the 'Oscars' of the dance world, was established in Moscow by the International Dance Association and was first awarded on the Bolshoi stage in April 1992. Bolshoi Ballet Master and famed choreographer, Yuri Grigorovich—the president of the prize jury— welcomed it home for its 20th anniversary. [Yuri Grigorovich, Bolshoi Ballet Master]: "I am really happy that this prize has returned to the very stage where it all began, to the stage of our Bolshoi Theatre. It's wonderful that 20 years on, we are celebrating here where it all began, as I said." Prizes were given for, among others, best male dancer and best choreographer. [Lar Lubovitch, Benois De La Danse Choreography Winner]: "For some crazy reason, I make dances. And what's more crazy is that the world allows me to do that. And my grandparents left Russia in between the first and second world wars, and they would be extremely proud to see me standing on the stage of the Bolshoi with this award." Michel Legrand was awarded as the best composer for 'Liliom'. On Wednesday <b>...</b> | Views: 0 0 ratings | | Time: 01:43 | More in Entertainment |
|
| Geng He's Third Family Letter Exposes the Darkness Behind the Persecution Posted: 24 May 2012 11:45 PM PDT | Geng He is the wife of well-known human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng. She published her third open letter to Gao. In the letter, Geng said she is missing Gao and is very worried about him. She also pointed out that the Black Hand who persecutes Gao Zhisheng illegally and separated her family is the Political and Judiciary Committee. She said Chen Guangcheng's success in achieving freedom gives her hope and encouragement. She will not give up pursuing freedom for Gao Zhisheng. During the interview, Geng told NTD that she hopes people in Mainland China can continually support and comfort Gao Zhisheng. Geng He has escaped the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) control, and received asylum from the US government. Recently, she published her third open letter to her husband Gao Zhisheng. In the letter, she told Gao, "After thousands of difficulties, (Chen) Guangcheng and his family have arrived to the US on May 19." Excerpt from the letter: "Without hearing your voice and without any information of you, I am distraught every day and my heart is floating." Geng told NTD that since March 24, the last time that Gao's family saw him in Xinjiang Shaya prison, the prison telephone can't receive calls. Geng He: "Even with Gao Zhisheng in prison, he should have basic rights. At least he should have visitation rights every month, or free communication with his brother, or be allowed to call his family once or twice. But there's no hope that he can have these rights." Geng He said that she <b>...</b> | Views: 1 1 ratings | | Time: 04:18 | More in News & Politics |
|
| World Bank Lowers China's Growth Forecast Posted: 24 May 2012 11:41 PM PDT | The World Bank released its latest report on East Asia and Pacific Economic Update on May 23. The report lowers China's economic growth forecast. The development model is purely driven by state investment. Low value-added export is unsustainable. The report suggests the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) adopts domestic demand-based stimulative policies. These policies can cut taxes, increase social welfare and implement "market-oriented reforms." Scholars remark that the CCP authorities inherently ignore the people's interests. Its policy of "enriching the regime while impoverishing the populace" will remain unchanged, the experts say. The World Bank report trims China's economic growth rate to 8.2% from 8.4% which it previously predicted. China's economic slowdown will lead to the lowest growth rate of emerging East' economies, says the report. World Bank urged China to adopt domestic demand-based policies to push the economy, instead of just boosting the state investments. The World Bank report suggests some measures: "Fiscal measures to support consumption, such as targeted tax cuts, social welfare spending and other social expenditures, should be viewed as the first priority." Prof. Frank Tian Xie (Business, Univ. of South Carolina): "The World Bank's view is correct, I think. Tax cuts, higher social welfare spending and other social expenditures support consumption, lifting China' economy. The same view was held by overseas scholars and economists over the past years <b>...</b> | Views: 10 1 ratings | | Time: 04:36 | More in News & Politics |
|
| Joint petition alerts CCP high officials, Politics and Law Committee threatens the villagers Posted: 24 May 2012 11:37 PM PDT | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com In early May, 300 villagers in Zhouguantun Village, Fuzhen Town, Botou City of Hebei Cangzhou, used their finger prints to create an official seal calling for the release of fellow villager Wang Xiaodong, who was arrested because of practicing Falun Gong. The petition letter, which was circulated amongst high level officials of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), caused a shock. However, the CCP Politics and Law Committee ruled by Zhou Yongkang began to threaten and retaliate against villagers, trying to find the original copy of that petition letter. At the same time the committee stepped up to raid Wang Xiaomei, Wang Xiaodong's younger sister. Currently, a Working Group has stationed itself in Zhouguantun Village. The staff of the Working Group threatened the villagers daily, forcing them to admit that they placed their finger prints against their will. However, the vast majority of villagers insisted that they were not forced against their will to do so. According to report of Epoch Times News Network, the local informed sources revealed that the National Security Police found the villagers with signatures. And the police asked each villager about the motivation of his/her signature and their involvement with Falun Gong. The police also filmed and made notes. The vast majority of villagers insisted that their signature was voluntary. Forced to escape with her 5-year-old son, Wang Xiaomei, Wang <b>...</b> | Views: 7 0 ratings | | Time: 03:27 | More in News & Politics |
|
| Human Rights Watch Report: China's Para-Police Abuses Citizens Posted: 24 May 2012 11:34 PM PDT | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com Chengguan, the city urban administrative officers in China have always been abhorred by Chinese people for their savage and cruel working style. In early May, the organization Human Rights Watch (HRW) announced that "there are serious problems in the CCP's Chengguan system which need to be urgently solved". Later on May 23rd, it released another 76-page-long report in Hong Kong, which describes and further criticizes how Chengguan illegally violates human rights. The report says that, there is still a lack official monitoring of Chengguan officers, who frequently impair public safety rather than protecting it. According to VOA, the international organization HRW named its report released on May 23rd "Just beat them and confiscate all", which is the conventional language used by Chengguan. The report records dozens of cases in which Chengguan has violated human rights by illegally detaining or beating the victims. Earlier on May 8th, HRW said that the CCP's Chengguan system had become the synonym of "illegal killing, use of violence, torture, detention, theft and extortion ". The latest report further pointed out that, "The Chengguan problems in Chinese cities are serious and need to be resolved urgently". According to the report, since 1997 Chinese Chengguan has had a bad reputation for arbitrarily using violence and not being punished even after violating the law. Officially, the City Urban <b>...</b> | Views: 1 2 ratings | | Time: 04:31 | More in News & Politics |
|
| Amnesty International: Harshest Chinese Regime Repression Since 1989 Posted: 24 May 2012 10:24 PM PDT | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com On May 24, Amnesty International (AI) released this year's State of the World's Human Rights report. It stated that in 2011, the Chinese regime launched one of the harshest crackdowns on dissent since June 4, 1989. Ge Lifang, Chairman of China Petitioner League said that the priority to consider now is whether the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) should still exist. The AI report mentioned various aspects of China's human rights. These included freedom of speech, activists' situations, land robbery and demolition. It also included human rights violations in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet. The report said that the CCP unleashed one of the harshest crackdowns on dissent since 1989. The CCP were fearful of a protest movement inspired by events in the Middle East and North Africa, in Feb 2011. Harassment, intimidation, arbitrary and illegal detention, and enforced disappearance towards dissent intensified. The report points out that China's economic strength during the global financial crisis increased the country's leverage in the domain of global human rights, mostly for the worse. China's Ministry of Finance 2011 budget report stated internal security spending was US$98 billion. This exceeded national defense budgets. The cost of maintaining "stability" was higher than the total budget of healthcare, diplomatic and financial supervision. Writer Wu Jianguo believes when a regime spends so much moneyto <b>...</b> | Views: 20 2 ratings | | Time: 04:23 | More in News & Politics |
|
Comments