| Stunning Zapotec Tomb Discovered In Mexico Posted: 24 Aug 2012 12:31 PM PDT | Zapotec human remains discovered in a stunning red jug with face carving, at the Atzompa archaeological site in Oaxaca, Mexico. Full Story: Archaeologists in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca last week unearthed the tomb of a high-ranking Zapotec figure at the Atzompa archaeological site. The tomb is located in a 1100 year old burial complex that was discovered in July. Three rooms were found. Although the first two were largely empty, in the third room was a stunning red jar with a carved face, which held human remains. There was also jewelery, pottery and a skull fragment thought to have been left as an offering. [Eduardo Garcia, Archaeologist]: "We have the things that we've recently found in the third room, which consist, as of now, of two urns, one individual, and a small offering in a tubular bowl." Historians believe that the burial complex was intended for distinguished members of the local society. [Jaime Vera, Co-ordinating Archaeologist at the Atzompa Site]: "This was a funerary building. In a manner similar to the tomb of Pakal (in Palenque, Chiapas), there is an inscriptions room. That allows us to more or less understand the significance of the funeral mound, that was built to contain these three rooms." Experts consider the Atzompa site, founded between 650 and 900 AD, to be a satellite city of the larger archaeological site of Monte Alban, one of the earliest and most important cities of Mesoamerica. Atzompa was first excavated in 2009, revealing <b>...</b> | Views: 3 0 ratings | | Time: 01:44 | More in News & Politics |
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| Amateur Spanish Fresco Restoration Fumbled Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:14 AM PDT | An amateur Spanish restoration painter, who insists she had permission, attempted to repair a century-old fresco of Jesus, to interesting results. Full Story: What once looked like this - now looks like this. It was a rare 19th century Spanish fresco known as "Ecce Homo" - painted by famed artist Elias Garcia Martinez and depicting the face of Jesus Christ. An amateur art restorer in her 80's, Cecilia Gimenez decided it needed some work. [Cecilia Gimenez, Amateur Art Restorer]: ''We saw that everything was falling down and we fixed it." [Reporter]: "Did somebody order these jobs?" [Cecilia Gimenez, Amateur Art Restorer]: "Of course, it was the priest! The priest knew! He did! How could we do something like that without permission? He knew! [Reporter]: "Did you do it secretly, didn't you?" [Cecilia Gimenez, Amateur Art Restorer]: ''No! Of course not! Everybody who came into the church could see me as I was painting. I didn't do anything secretly.'' The artist's granddaughter - Teresa Garcia - donated the fresco exhibited in Church in the Spanish city of Borja. [Teresa Garcia, Donated the Painting]: "Until now she just painted on the tunic, but the problem started when she painted the head as well, because she has destroyed this painting." The work had little financial value - but was treasured by the community. The town council will bring in experts to try to fix it - but said considering the painting was done in oils direct onto a church wall - they face a tough task. For <b>...</b> | Views: 137 10 ratings | | Time: 01:14 | More in Entertainment |
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| Lance Armstrong Doping Controversy Posted: 24 Aug 2012 10:00 AM PDT | Whilst Lance Armstrong continues to claim his innocence, the doping charges laid against him are becoming harder and harder to ignore... Full Story: Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong said on Thursday he would no longer fight doping charges by the US Anti-Doping Agency. The agency swiftly responded by saying it would strip him of his titles and ban him from competitive cycling. Armstrong is one of cycling's all time greats, and an inspiration to millions around the world. After beating testicular cancer, he went on to win the Tour de France an unprecedented seven times in succession, from 1999 to 2005. He emphatically denies the charges against him, yet maintains he no longer has the will to counter the accusations. Writing on his website Armstrong says: "There comes a point in every man's life when he has to say, 'Enough is enough. For me, that time is now. I have been dealing with claims that I cheated and had an unfair advantage in winning my seven Tours since 1999." The US Anti-Doping Agency affirm they have at least 10 former teammates and colleagues of Armstrong who will testify he used doping drugs during races from 1999 to 2005. They also maintain that blood samples taken from Armstrong between 2009 and 2010 are "fully consistent" with doping. In a written statement released to Reuters, Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency, says: "It is a sad day for all of us who love sport and our athletic heroes. This is a heartbreaking example of how <b>...</b> | Views: 32 3 ratings | | Time: 02:04 | More in Sports |
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| China Focus - China Focus - Are We Really Facing "Death by China"? Posted: 24 Aug 2012 09:41 AM PDT | "Death by China" director Peter Navarro talks about why he thinks the US-China relationship is broken, and what he thinks we should do about it. The documentary "Death by China" argues that the unbalanced economic relationship between the US and China is the most urgent problem facing the US today. The film has been controversial, with reviews calling it "heavy-handed" and "agitprop," though few have argued that the fundamentals of what the film portrays are wrong. Though it highlights issues in China such as pollution, human rights abuses, and toxic products, which is it careful to blame on Chinese authorities and not the Chinese people, the film also portrays the US government and multinational corporations as part of the problem. On China Focus, we sit down with "Death by China" director Peter Navarro to talk about why he says the US-China relationship is broken, and how he plans to make trade reform with China a key issue in the upcoming US presidential elections. Is the US really facing death by China? And if so, what can people do about it? For more news and videos visit ➡ ntdtv.org Follow us on Twitter ➡ http ➡twitter.com Add us on Facebook ➡ on.fb.me | Views: 30 4 ratings | | Time: 16:35 | More in Shows |
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| UN Syria Mission Chief Expected to Leave Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:20 AM PDT | Babacar Gaye, Chief of the UN Supervision Mission in Syria, is to have a meeting in the Iranian embassy in Damascus, and is expected to leave the violence-stricken country soon after. On Wednesday, the UN said that Iran has been supplying weapons to Syria, which agrees with contentions by many western officials and rebels of pro-Assad support from Tehran. UN observers have been pulling out of Syria recently, with the UN mandate having expired on August 19. Most of the monitors are expected to leave by Friday. The mission had been part of special envoy Kofi Annan's Six-Point plan, a diplomatic solution to a 17-month uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule. However, due to ongoing violence, the conditions to renew the mandate had not been met. Operations were suspended in June after observers came under fire, and many had already left the country. A civilian office will be maintained in the capital city of Damascus, holding four military observers and fifty civilians, in case a chance for diplomacy to end the violence arises. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntdtv.org Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 1 0 ratings | | Time: 01:05 | More in News & Politics |
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| Underwater Kiss Competition on Chinese Valentine's Day Posted: 24 Aug 2012 06:07 AM PDT | Seven couples dive into a giant aquarium for an underwater kiss competition in the Wuhan Haichang Polar Ocean World as a romantic way to celebrate Chinese Valentine's Day, or the Qixi Festival. The festival falls on Thursday this year, according to the lunar calendar. One of the criteria for shortlisting the seven couples from among a large number of applicants was - naturally - good swimming skills. And the one and only criterion for victory was the length of the kiss. [Winner of Underwater Kiss Competition]: "I think it's very romantic." The longest-kissing couple was rewarded with souvenirs and a one-year pass to the sea world in the city of Wuhan. [Winner of Underwater Kiss Competition]: "This is the first Qixi Festival we have experienced as lovers. It's an unforgettable memory for us to spend the festival by participating in the underwater kiss competition." For more news and videos visit ☛ ntdtv.org Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 39 3 ratings | | Time: 00:42 | More in Entertainment |
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| Arctic Ice to Hit Record Low, Researchers Alarmed Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:47 PM PDT | Sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is likely to shrink to a record small size sometime next week, and then keep on melting, according to scientist at the US National Snow and Ice Data Center. This summer has also seen unusual melting of the ice sheet covering Greenland, with NASA images showing that for a few days in July, 97 percent of the northern island's surface was thawing. The same month also saw an iceberg twice the size of Manhattan break free from Greenland's Petermann Glacier. The amount of sea ice in the Arctic is important because this region is a potent global weather-maker, sometimes characterised as the world's air conditioner. This year, the loss of sea ice in the Arctic has suggested a possible opening of the Northwest Passage north of Canada and Alaska and the Northern Sea Route by Europe and Siberia. As parts of the Arctic melted, 2012 also set records for heat and drought in much of the Northern Hemisphere temperate zone, especially the continental United States. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntdtv.org Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 83 7 ratings | | Time: 01:04 | More in News & Politics |
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| PETA Protests Canadian Seal Hunting Posted: 23 Aug 2012 11:04 PM PDT | PETA activists gathered at the Canadian embassy in Tokyo on Wednesday to protest hunting of seal products, which the group says is unnecessarily cruel to the animals. With an European Union ban on Canadian seal products that went into place in 2010, PETA contends that Asia has become the dominant market for said products. 70000 harp seals were killed during this year's seal hunt in Newfoundland, near double last year's number, but significantly short of the provincial limit of 400000. Prior to this jump, seal hunt totals had been decreasing, mostly due to the EU ban. [Jason Baker, VP of PETA]: "Every year tens of thousands of seals are cruelly bludgeoned to death just so that they can sell their oils and their pelts. The world is changing. The European Union no longer allows seal products to be sold, so now Canada is trying to sell its wares, pimp their wares in Asia so we're here to send a message to the people walking on the street, people inside that it's time to ban the slaughter. " To demonstrate their point, a person in a Grim Reaper outfit took a bat to a styrofoam, red-liquid spewing seal, similar to the hakapik seal hunting methods. Sealers insist that the proper clubbing with a hakapik is humane, resulting in instantaneous death, and that hunts are closely monitored. However, anti-seal-hunting activists dispute this, claiming body jerking post-clubbing is evidence of animal suffering. [Rie Ichikawa, PETA Supporter]: "I want the people that see this to completely <b>...</b> | Views: 90 8 ratings | | Time: 01:51 | More in News & Politics |
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| Check out the "Toilet Museum" Posted: 23 Aug 2012 10:50 PM PDT | A bathroom visit can now be an artful experience in the provincial town of Izhevsk in Russia. The city has turned its only public restroom into an art gallery titled "Toilet Museum." A wide variety of paintings hang above the urinals - mostly by the town's star artist Sergei Orlov who liked the unique setting. [Artist Sergei Orlov]: "It was interesting to make it in a toilet to see how this cultural layer will look in a toilet. To combine those two processes. We found it interesting to bring them together." The exhibit is to educate local residents who say that their bathroom breaks are now more satisfactory. [Toilet Visitor Tatyana]: "I got aesthetic pleasure. So I myself got full with something else too." And all of that for just 10 roubles, which is about 30 US cents. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntdtv.org Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 25 3 ratings | | Time: 01:02 | More in Travel & Events |
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| LL Cool J breaks suspect's face, ribs Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:20 PM PDT | The latest celebrity and entertainment headlines including LL Cool J fights off burglar in his home and Taylor Swift breaks more chart records. Lindsay Claiborn reports. Full story: Grammy-winning rapper and TV actor LL Cool J fought off a burglar in the kitchen of his Los Angeles house early on Wednesday (August 22) and held him there until officers arrived to take the man into custody. LL Cool J called police and the prowler, whose name has not been released, was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital. Country star Taylor Swift's latest single made a record-breaking entry in Wednesday's Billboard Digital Songs chart, scoring the biggest digital sales week ever for a song by a female artist. Swift's song "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," quickly rose through the charts and gained strong radio play after its release last week, selling 623000 downloads. The song also hit the Billboard Country singles chart, as Swift's music has attracted fans of both country and pop. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntdtv.org Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 86 3 ratings | | Time: 00:44 | More in Entertainment |
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| Radioactive Fish Found in Japan Posted: 23 Aug 2012 08:02 PM PDT | A Tepco sampling survey at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima nuclear plant has found fish around the plant that contain extremely high levels of radiation. Professor Shugo Watabe explains it is possible the fish accidentally ate mud that may have contained radioactive materials while feeding on shrimp. He says the contamination is likely to be limited but it was important to prevent contaminated fish from being sold or consumed. This is not the first time that fish from around Fukushima have been found with radiation but these are reportedly the highest levels found so far. Many fish from Fukushima are still prohibited from being sold to consumers. For more news and videos visit ☛ ntdtv.org Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 216 21 ratings | | Time: 00:43 | More in News & Politics |
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| August 23, 2012: Revisiting Sichuan and New Economic Data Posted: 23 Aug 2012 04:20 PM PDT | In today's China news, Premier Wen Jiabao has invited German Chancellor Angela Merkel on an official visit to China, state-run CCTV announced today. Merkel will be there between August 30 and 31. In 2008 a magnitude 8 earthquake shook Sichuan province. Official figures from the initial quake say nearly 70000 died, over 10000 were missing, and over 300000 injured. Four years later, a Chinese writer by the pen name of Tie Liu, meaning "Iron Current," visits the worst-hit areas of the earthquake. Tie Liu, whose real name is Huang Zerong, is a journalist and former editor of the Chengdu Daily. He tells NTD about the continued devestation. Manufacturing continues to slow in China this month. HSBC released its Flash Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index figures today. It dipped below the 50 mark point to a nine month low. It's been a tough year for the Aluminum Corp. of China. The state-owned metal giant posted a loss for the first half of the year of 3.25 billion yuan, or 510 million US dollars. China's farm produce prices increased for the fifth consecutive week, according to a report released by the Ministry of Commerce. Rainy and hot weather conditions have affected vegetable production, pushing up wholesale prices of 18 different vegetables. The report indicated a 2.2 percent increase over the previous week. | Views: 3 2 ratings | | Time: 11:14 | More in News & Politics |
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| HSBC's China Flash PMI down to 9-Month Low Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:20 PM PDT | Manufacturing continues to slow in China this month. HSBC released its Flash Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index figures today. It dipped below the 50 mark point to a nine month low. This is the third month straight that the PMI index, which measures inventory and export orders, has contracted. The August PMI, as measured by HSBC, was at 47.8. Markit Economics, a global information services company, says this shows that, (quote) "Chinese producers are still struggling with strong global headwinds." Markit Economics also said the figure highlighted the need for a change in monetary policy, saying that, (quote) "to achieve the stated policy goal of stabilizing growth and the jobs market, Beijing must step up policy easing to lift infrastructure investment in the coming months." The latest data adds to a sleuth of figures showing a significant slowdown in the Chinese economy. The official PMI index for August is yet to be released. Some analysts believe it will provide more conclusive data, because it includes many state owned enterprises. The credibility of official figures has come under question recently though, as critics say they are prone to state manipulation. For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 1 1 ratings | | Time: 01:34 | More in News & Politics |
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| Merkel to Visit China at End of August Posted: 23 Aug 2012 02:12 PM PDT | Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has invited German Chancellor Angela Merkel on an official visit to China, state-run CCTV announced today. Merkel will be there between August 30 and 31. State-run media said that Wen and Merkel will co-chair a second round of Chinese-German intergovernmental consultations. Merkel's last visit was in February, when she met with Chinese leader Hu Jintao on the Euro zone debt crisis. For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 12 2 ratings | | Time: 00:27 | More in News & Politics |
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| Sichuan Quake Victims Appeal for Help Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:50 PM PDT | In 2008 a magnitude 8 earthquake shook Sichuan province. Official figures from the initial quake say nearly 70000 died, over 10000 were missing, and over 300000 injured. Displaced people numbered in the millions. A catastrophe modeling firm AIR Worldwide placed the damages at around $20 billion. Four years later, a Chinese writer by the pen name of Tie Liu, meaning "Iron Current," visits the worst-hit areas of the earthquake. Tie Liu, whose real name is Huang Zerong, is a journalist and former editor of the Chengdu Daily. He says that despite billions of dollars raised for earthquake victims, damages to infrastructure and poor conditions remain. [Tie Liu, Chinese author:] "I took an eight day trip in the Tibetan area...I saw roads in terrible conditions that no one cared about. Even the police said I should expose this. Now they don't have the channel to report this because those in power, the corrupt officials, are just jostling for power and money" Many quake victims he spoke with say local authorities only focused on fixing roads they know central authorities will examine, ignoring the rest. [Tie Liu, Chinese author:] "A lot of the public asked me to make this known to central authorities, and expose this. They said a lot of recovery money was taken by corrupt officials to build mansions. The money given to the agricultural bureaus was embezzled by corrupt officials." NTD spoke to an earthquake victim who only gave her surname, Yu. She says in the hard-hit area of <b>...</b> | Views: 29 7 ratings | | Time: 02:24 | More in News & Politics |
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| Shanghai Named "Most Vulnerable to Coastal Flooding" Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:40 PM PDT | Shanghai, the largest city in China, has been named the most vulnerable to coastal flooding in a report from Natural Hazards Magazine. It singled out Shanghai among the nine main coastal cities around the world. The study included the coastal cities of Buenos Aires, Calcutta, Casablanca, Dhaka, Manila, Marseille, Osaka, Rotterdam and Shanghai. Researchers believe out of all these cities, Shanghai's ability to cope with a flood is the lowest--even weaker than economically poorer cities like Dhaka. The report included social, economic, political and administrative factors. Some Shanghai residents feel there is little hope if a tsunami was to hit and are worried about recent flooding in Beijing. [Ms. Shi, Shanghai Resident]: "August is the most worrying time for us, there are so many issues with flooding. We worry about it every time there's a hurricane. Flooding would be dreadful for Shanghai if there were a tsunami. If that takes place, it would be useless to try to evacuate. There would be no point trying, because everyone would just die." [Mr. Wang, Shanghai Resident]: "[Floods] took place in the 80s and 90s. At that time there were a few times when there were rainstorms in Shanghai, water was everywhere. In my opinion it was comparable to the July 21st flooding in Beijing. This time a typhoon has attacked Shanghai...I feel pretty worried because there are so many people and the [population] density is so high in Shanghai." The report says, (quote) "a high length of <b>...</b> | Views: 5 4 ratings | | Time: 01:58 | More in News & Politics |
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| Aluminum Corp. of China Posts $510 Million Loss Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:29 PM PDT | It's been a tough year for the Aluminum Corp. of China. The state-owned metal giant posted a loss for the first half of the year of 3.25 billion yuan, or 510 million US dollars. The reason is that aluminum prices are still going down, and buyers aren't buying from distributors in bulk because they believe prices will continue to decline. Right now it's hovering around 1800 US dollars per ton. Reuters cited an estimate from analysts at AZ China that local governments are propping up the sale of aluminum through subsidies. There may also be support coming from the central government. Back in 2009, the State Reserves Bureau bought up 590000 tons of surplus metal above the market price to prop up businesses. For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 3 2 ratings | | Time: 00:47 | More in News & Politics |
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| Farm Produce Prices Rise for a Fifth Week in China Posted: 23 Aug 2012 01:12 PM PDT | China's farm produce prices increased for the fifth consecutive week, according to a report released by the Ministry of Commerce. Rainy and hot weather conditions have affected vegetable production, pushing up wholesale prices of 18 different vegetables. The report indicated a 2.2 percent increase over the previous week. Retail prices of eggs went up by 1.3 percent, and wholesale cost of pork inched up 0.6 percent. The wholesale cost of rice, peanut oil and soy oil record a slight increase of 0.2 percent, 0.3 percent and 0.2 percent respectively from the earlier week. The price of rapeseed oil remained stable while the cost of wheat dropped 0.2 percent. Major production costs remained unaffected. Prices of mineral and chemical products increased, but cost of materials and steel were down. A 1.2 percent drop in wholesale prices was noted for eight staple aquatic products. On Tuesday, the Ministry of Agriculture reported a 1.38 percent price drop in July compared to June. The rise in farm produce prices is expected to further raise inflation in August. Food prices account for a major proportion in calculating the consumer price index, used as a measure for the country's inflation. For more news and videos visit ☛ english.ntdtv.com Follow us on Twitter ☛ http Add us on Facebook ☛ on.fb.me | Views: 13 2 ratings | | Time: 01:38 | More in News & Politics |
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| Way-out Before China's Radical Change Posted: 23 Aug 2012 09:51 PM PDT | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com "The moment of a nationwide anti-persecution has arrived. China is now on the eve of a radical change." Media reported that in 2010, the Chinese emigrating abroad rose by nearly 30%. Recent years have filled China with popular discontent. Nationwide large-scale rights defense protests have erupted. This year, the Wang Lijun and Bo Xilai incidents triggered political turmoil within the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). These exposures helped the public understand the CCP's anti-human nature. The anti-Japanese demonstration for defending Uotsuri Jima (Diaoyu Islands) turned into a resistance against the CCP. Over 120 million Chinese people have renounced the CCP. All these events show the public's despair with the regime. Conscientious group appealed to CCP officials to seek a way out ahead of the CCP's disintegration. In recent months, China has seen larger and more frequent mass protests. Gu Kailai's murder case uncovered her and Bo Xilai's greater evil. The couple's involvement in organ harvesting and selling bodies of Falun Gong practitioners has shocked the world. local massive police siege of a Class-A wanted suspect. Public suspicions arouse about Chongqing local massive police sieges of a Class-A wanted suspect. The anti-Japanese demonstration for defending the Diaoyu Islands evolved into an anti-CCP parade. Protestors even shouted, "Down with the CCP!" These events have made the world "focus on <b>...</b> | Views: 53 2 ratings | | Time: 04:42 | More in News & Politics |
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| Vietnam Veterans Protested Shielding Of Murderers Posted: 23 Aug 2012 09:52 PM PDT | Follow us on TWITTER: twitter.com Like us on FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com On August 23, thousands of Vietnam War veterans took part in a parade, surrounding the police department in Lecong Town, Foshan City, Guangdong Province. They protested against police' inaction in a murder case, suspecting them in shielding the murderer. Wearing military uniforms and waving banners, the veterans blocked the road in front of the police department's gate. They asked the authorities to uphold justice and punish the criminals. The authorities dispatched hundreds of armed and riot police, to be on alert, and three buses to be ready for arrests. According to Radio Free Asia' report, an eyewitness said, when the parade reached the police department, they sat down in silence about two hours, and left peacefully. The Jasmine website reported about a Vietnam War veteran' son murder in December last year. He was a security guard, and while trying to break up a fight got knifed six times, but the killer was not caught. The father suspects the murderer is shielded, and organized his comrades to protest in front of the police department. Haywood's Family Seeks Solid Compensation? For the murder of UK's Neil Haywood, Gu Kailai got a suspended death sentence, but neither her nor the other defendant Zhang Xiaojun said they will appeal. The victim's family has the right to protest, but Haywood's relatives kept silent until the sentence was announced. Now Hong Kong's Apple Daily quoted a source, that <b>...</b> | Views: 85 1 ratings | | Time: 02:53 | More in News & Politics |
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