American Girl comes to the DS with a new girl who's got a whole new story to tell. Julie Albright is a 9 year old girl growing up in the United States in 1975. Play as Julie at the time of America's bicentennial (1975-1976) following the American Girl: Julie series of books. Price: $19.99
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Miami cops Marcus Burnett, a family man and Mike Lowry, a ladies' man are given 72 hours to regain drugs stolen from their police station; matters are complicated when they have to pretend to be each other.Price: $39.99
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Fifty-five-year-old Wang, a fervent blogger, was found guilty of "stirring up trouble." The charge was based on a protest in 2010, when she demonstrated outside a court in eastern China where three people stood trial for criticizing an official.
Heavy security outside the northwest Beijing court on Friday kept the number of supporters down, though the initial hearing drew many more.
Wang's son, Qi Jianxiang, was allowed to enter the courtroom, but representatives from the European Union delegation and other embassies were turned away.
Addressing foreign and Hong Kong media after the verdict, Qi said his mother had not accepted the verdict, and the family would appeal.
[Qi Jianxiang, Wang Lihong’s Son]:
"She said, 'I think you all know that I'm innocent', and the judge said 'Well, we have a different understanding,' and my mother said she wants to send her regards to the Internet."
Much of Wang's activism has taken place online.
Wang's lawyer said the sentence was "relatively light" compared to the maximum of five years' jail that the court could have given.
But Wang’s son said she should never have been sentenced at all.
[Qi Jianxiang, Wang Lihong’s Son]:
"This is a blow. My mother never defended the rights of others for her own benefit, she always did it just to help others. But she is still given nine months in jail. I think everybody understands what it's like in China."
Wang was detained last March when the Chinese regime was rounding up dissidents who authorities feared could stir revolution that toppled governments across the Arab world.
In 2010 Wang took up the cause of a woman who believed her daughter had been killed after being raped at a brothel that she said ran under police protection.
The woman and two supporters who helped publicize the accusations on the Internet were jailed for libel.
When the three were tried last year, Wang and other demonstrators gathered outside a court in Fujian Province to demand their release. It was this demonstration of activism that lead to Wang's sentence.
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A boat passes by the scene of a ferry sinking accident in a river in Shaoyang County, central China's Hunan Province, Sept. 10, 2011. At least 11 people, mostly students from primary and middle schools, died and 16 others were injured after a ferryboat capsized and sank in the river on Friday afternoon. (Xinhua/Li Ga)
SHAOYANG, Hunan, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) -- Three government officials have been removed from their posts over a ferryboat sinking that had left 11 dead and one missing in central China's Hunan Province, local authorities said Saturday.
In the meantime, the Shaoyang County government confirmed that 50 people were aboard the overloaded vessel when it capsized and sank in the Fuyi River near the town of Tangtianshi on Friday afternoon.
Wu Shancheng, deputy head of Shaoyang County, and Tang Xianglong, head of the Tangtianshi township, were sacked Saturday afternoon, the Shaoyang County government announced in a statement.
A maritime official in the Shaoyang City, He Jianhua, was also sacked, while owners of the ferryboat and dredgers were detained for inquiry, according to the statement.
Eleven people, including nine female students from local primary and middle schools and two adults, were killed in the accident, which also left 20 injured.
Rescuers are still searching for one more missing, according to the government statement.
The Shaoyang County government had previously announced that 45 people were aboard the ferryboat, which was chartered by the schools to send the students back to their homes across the river,
The ferryboat was thought to have run into some riverside iron cables used for sand mining dredgers.
Sources with the Department of Transportation of Hunan Province confirmed that the ferryboat has a designed capacity of 14 people at most.
HANGZHOU, China—Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is aiming to handle one trillion yuan ($157 billion) of transactions in 2012 on its Taobao consumer sales platforms, the company's Chairman Jack Ma said Saturday.
Speaking at Alibaba Group's annual convention in Hangzhou, China, Mr. Ma said that the websites, consumer-to-consumer trade platform Taobao Marketplace, and business-to-consumer platform Taobao Mall, which were recently split into separate business units, will help spur consumer demand in the world's most populous nation. Taobao as a whole handled nearly 400 billion yuan of online transactions last year.
Mr. Ma also said he hopes to step ...
HANGZHOU, China—Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. is aiming to handle one trillion yuan ($157 billion) of transactions in 2012 on its Taobao consumer sales platforms, the company's Chairman Jack Ma said Saturday.
Speaking at Alibaba Group's annual convention in Hangzhou, China, Mr. Ma said that the websites, consumer-to-consumer trade platform Taobao Marketplace, and business-to-consumer platform Taobao Mall, which were recently split into separate business units, will help spur consumer demand in the world's most populous nation. Taobao as a whole handled nearly 400 billion yuan of online transactions last year.
Mr. Ma also said he hopes to step ...
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Night Watch is that rare film that--like The Matrix--is not only visually dazzling but creates an intriguing, seductive, and thrilling alternative world. A young man named Anton, after dabbling in black magic to bring back the wife who left him, discovers that the world is populated by fantastical Others (vampires, shape-shifters, witches, and more) who have chosen sides--Light or Dark--in an epic battle. A truce has been declared; both sides watch the other to ensure the truce is maintained. But a prophecy has predicted that a powerful Other will tilt the balance, and Anton--who is himself an Other--finds himself crucial to the prophecy's fulfillment. There's no question that Night Watch has weaknesses. Numerous plot holes get glossed over by pell-mell pacing, the visual conception of the apocalyptic battle between Light and Dark is curiously pedestrian (a bunch of knights fighting a bunch of guys in fur with swords--what happened to their various powers?), and more--but, much like similar problems with The Matrix, it doesn't matter. The alternative world Night Watch presents is so rich with possibilities that it takes on a life of its own, both as an imaginative universe and as a vivid metaphor for the moral complexities of our own lives--for example, though the forces of Light claim to be good, their often brutal actions call their virtue into question, and the forces of Dark make some compelling moral arguments on the topic. The movie is so overstuffed with ideas that many don't get fleshed out, but that only contributes to the sense of vitality and unexplored dimensions. Even the subtitles are used creatively. The impending sequels (this is the first film of a trilogy) may--like The Matrix--take all the stimulating possibilities Night Watch raises and drag them into the toilet, but for the moment, this is the sort of electric excitement that blockbuster movies promise but so rarely deliver. --Bret Fetzer
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Winner of the Man Booker Prize 2008, The White Tiger offers a story of coruscating wit and blistering suspense told by the most volatile, captivating, and utterly inimitable narrator that this millennium has yet seen.
The white tiger of this novel is Balram Halwai, a poor Indian villager whose great ambition leads him to the zenith of Indian business culture, the world of the Bangalore entrepreneur. On the occasion of the president of China’s impending trip to Bangalore, Balram writes a letter to him describing his transformation and his experience as driver and servant to a wealthy Indian family, which he thinks exemplifies the contradictions and complications of Indian society.
The White Tiger recalls The Death of Vishnu and Bangkok 8 in ambition, scope, and narrative genius, with a mischief and personality all its own. Amoral, irreverent, deeply endearing, and utterly contemporary, this novel is an international publishing sensationâ??and a startling, provocative debut.
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Powell Golden Dragon complete skateboards provide a high quality at an entry level price. They are the perfect first skateboard for beginners and a smart choice for price conscious advanced skaters. Powell Golden Dragon skateboards are created in a Chinese factory that uses our AirLam™ presses, maple veneer source and glue supplier. Powell Golden Dragon trucks are cast aluminum with the PGD logo embossed on the hanger. The axles are carbon steel as well as the kingpin. The bushings are high rebound polyurethane and make turning easy and smooth. The resulting deck is the best produced in Asia and we stand behind this skateboard with confidence. In addition, each component has been designed and built to our demanding specifications and then tested during production to ensure consistently high quality. Just like our successful REDS bearings, Powell Golden Dragon skateboards are well received and respected as a quality Skate One product. A message from professional skateboarder Steve Caballero: I have attached my name to Powell Golden Dragon because I believe these skateboards are perfect for beginners. You can’t beat the quality and price. It’s definitely a smart choice for price-conscious experienced skaters because of their performance. My goal is to make sure that new young skaters around the world get an opportunity to experience the joy that comes from being able to roll, turn, drop in, and do tricks, so they will enjoy skateboarding enough to continue on in the sport. We are super stoked to be able to finally offer something good for kids just getting started into this sport/lifestyle I have learned to enjoy so much over the years! Keep skating and skate for fun. Blessings, CAB
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LONDON, Sept 8 | Thu Sep 8, 2011 8:22am EDT
LONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - China's central bank chief poured cold water on Thursday on talk that Beijing could make the yuan fully convertible as soon as 2015.
People's Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said the ruling Communist Party's economic plan for 2011-2015 included the goal of scrapping restrictions that mean the yuan cannot be freely traded for purposes other than trade and investment.
But, speaking to reporters in London, Zhou added: "Up to now, the plan does not define a clear timetable for full convertibility."
He was commenting on media reports that quoted the president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China as saying he had been told by Chinese officials that Beijing would make the yuan fully convertible by 2015.
China has been promoting the international use of the yuan in trade for the past two years to reduce the country's reliance on dollar financing. A thriving market in yuan-denominated bonds and deposits has sprung up in Hong Kong as a result.
This has led some commentators to conclude that China would speed up efforts to meet its long-standing goal of making the yuan, also known as the renminbi, freely convertible.
Mark Williams, chief China economist at Capital Economics in London, said he was highly sceptical of the 2015 timeline.
"Full convertibility would require both that the renminbi first appreciates to around its fair market value and that the government is comfortable allowing conditions in its banking sector and financial markets to be dictated in part by foreign investors. Neither seems likely," he said in a report.
NO URGENCY ON SDR
Zhou is part of a government delegation visiting London for regular talks. Vice-Premier Wang Qishan, who has responsibility for economic and financial policy, is leading the delegation.
The central bank chief said China saw no "special urgency" in having the yuan included in the basket of currencies that make up the Special Drawing Right, the International Monetary Fund's in-house unit of account.
But Zhou said he welcomed discussion of the idea as part of the search for ways to improve the functioning of the global financial system.
The SDR comprises the dollar, euro, yen and sterling. Under current IMF guidelines, the yuan is not eligible for inclusion in the basket because it is not convertible.
Turning to the global economy, Zhou said tackling imbalances required a "concerted effort by all the major economies in the world" and said the Group of 20 major advanced and emerging economies was a good forum for such coordination.
Finance ministers and central bankers of the Group of Seven (G7) developed nations, which does not include China, meet in France this weekend to discuss the global economy. Zhou did not mention the G7 meeting.
Even as they coordinate, "each country should act to sort out their own domestic imbalances," he said. For its part, China was working to boost domestic demand, Zhou added.
Asked how China would respond to further quantitative easing by the Federal Reserve, the U.S. central bank, Zhou said he understood that the United States needed to secure an economic recovery.
But he added: "There should be coordination and, when setting monetary policy, countries should consider the impact on global liquidity."
China and other emerging economies criticised the last round of U.S. quantitative easing as destabilising for global markets.
Zhou said China welcomed London's aspirations to become an offshore trading centre for the yuan but said the city appeared to be moving "faster than we expected" and the market would ultimately decide.
Internationalising the yuan was a long-term process of exploration and experimentation, he said.
He said any move by London to trade the yuan would not affect the status of Hong Kong as an international centre because the territory had strong markets and played an important role in China's development.
(Editing by Alan Wheatley)
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BEIJING — An Islamic group said to be tied to Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility in an online video for recent violent attacks that killed dozens in China’s western Xinjiang region, an organization that tracks militant activity has said.
The SITE Intelligence Group said Wednesday that the video, by the little-known Turkestan Islamic Party, was issued in late August. In it, the group’s leader, Abdul Shakoor Damla, is reported to claim that attacks in July in Hotan and Kashgar, two southern Xinjiang cities, were acts of revenge against China’s government for its repression of the region’s ethnic Uighur population.
The Uighurs, a Turkic group, once were the majority in sparsely populated Xinjiang, but have been edged out by China’s majority Han population as Beijing has moved to exploit the area’s mineral resources and develop its economy. A July 2009 protest march by Uighurs in the capital, Urumqi, exploded into ethnic rioting that killed nearly 200 people, most said to be Han.
Government surveillance and police actions directed at Uighurs have risen sharply since then, and the area has experienced sporadic outbreaks of violence. China’s government says its economic development efforts have brought prosperity and jobs to Xinjiang Uighurs and blames all unrest on outside agitators and foreign-based terrorist groups.
Many terrorism analysts have called those claims overblown, but they say that the Turkestan Islamic Party appears to be a genuine group whose threats should be taken seriously.
The latest video includes footage showing a Uighur man identified as Memeti Tiliwaldi at what is said to be a terrorist training camp, probably somewhere in Afghanistan or in Pakistan’s lawless region near the China border. The Chinese police reported in early August that they had shot and killed Mr. Tiliwaldi, 29, after he was identified as one of those who staged a series of attacks in Kashgar on July 30 and 31 that left at least 18 people dead.
At the time, the authorities said the attackers had prepared for the attacks at a training camp inside Pakistan. Xinjiang has been under a security crackdown since early July, when an attack and battle at a police station in Hotan killed another 18 people, most identified as Uighur attackers.
Little is known about the Turkestan Islamic Party, which may have been formed early last decade but first became well known for threats to disrupt the 2008 Beijing Olympics with chemical, biological and conventional weapons attacks. In January 2010, the group issued a statement claiming that 15 of its members died in an American airstrike inside Afghanistan.
The group has also claimed responsibility for other violence in China, including an explosion on a Shanghai bus that killed three people and attacks in the coastal cities of Wenzhou and Guangzhou, but the Chinese government has dismissed those claims.
China has frequently credited a group called the East Turkestan Islamic Movement for violence in Xinjiang. The Turkestan Islamic Party appears to be a separate organization, although some analysts say the two may be related.
Senior U.S. Democrats urged the Obama administration and Congress to take action againt Chinese trade policies they said are unfairly hurting America's environmental technology sector and making it harder to create jobs.
Skip to next paragraph``China is systematically deploying an arsenal of trade distorting policies to corner the global market in green technology products, whether it be electric cars, wind turbines or solar products,'' RepresentativeSander Levin, a Michigan Democrat, said in a statement.
``Our efforts to put Americans back to work are made all the more difficult by China's policies, and it is time we take action to counter them -- either through aggressive use of our domestic trade laws or through WTO cases,'' Levin said as lawmakers returned from a month-long break.
Last week, Solyndra LLC filed for bankruptcy, becoming the third U.S. solar firm to succumb to pressure from lower-priced Chinese rivals in recent weeks.
Levin is the top Democrat on the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee, which has jurisdiction over trade.
Committee Chairman Dave Camp, a Michigan Republican, has promised hearings on China trade concerns but has not committed to passing legislation.
Concern about Beijing's trade policies is fueled by the huge U.S. trade deficit with China, which hit a record $273 billion in 2010 and could surpass that this year, and by persistently high U.S. unemployment.
``This deficit is, without question, the single most important issue on the trade agenda today, and we look forward to continuing to work with the administration and our Republican colleagues to address it,'' Representative Jim McDermott, a Washington Democrat, said.
House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer also told reporters on Tuesday Democrats would push for a vote on a bill to allow the Commerce Department to treat Chinese ``currency manipulation'' as an actionable subsidy under U.S. trade law.
Many U.S. lawmakers say China deliberately undervalues its currency against the dollar to give its companies an unfair price advantage in international trade.
WTO UPHOLDS OBAMA DECISION ON TIRES
Meanwhile, U.S. trade officials touted a U.S. victory against China at the World Trade Organization that was announced on Monday when many Americans were enjoying the Labor Day holiday weekend.
A WTO appellate body upheld President Barack Obama's decision in 2009 to impose emergency restrictions on imports of tires from China for three years.
China agreed as part of its entry in the WTO to allow countries to impose such ``safeguard'' restrictions through 2013 in response to a market-disrupting surge.
Obama hiked the normally 4-percent tariff on tires to 35 percent in the first year of the safeguard, 30 percent in the second and 25 percent in the third.
Tim Reif, general counsel in the U.S. Trade Representative's office, called the appellate decision a ''tremendous victory'' for the United States.
The United Steelworkers union, which pressed Obama to curb the imports, has credited his decision with saving jobs and encouraging U.S. tire manufacturers to expand operations.
But Ed Gresser, an analyst for ProgressiveEconomy, said trade data shows suppliers from South Korea,Taiwan and other countries in Asia increased their sales to the United States after Obama imposed his curbs.
Americans imported 75.5 million tires in first six months of 2011, not that much less than the 77.5 million in the first six months of 2008, Gresser said.
However, imports from China totaled just 15.3 million in the first of half of this year, compared to 24.9 million in the first half of 2008, he said.
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This Covent Garden production of Bizet’s Carmen, makes a vivid musical and dramatic impression. Director Francesca Zambello creates a properly Spanish atmosphere, filling the stage with a profusion of detailed characters. In Act One’s town square each of the many soldiers, strollers, cigarette factory girls, and children are individuals, so there’s a bustle of continuous, realistic activity. That attention to detail carries over to the rest of the opera, involving viewers in the action. Tanya McCallin’s sets are a perfect foil for the direction: simple, movable panels that serve as lightly sketched backdrops for the town square, a tavern, the smugglers’ mountain hideaway, and the final scene in front of the bull ring. But what makes this Carmen special is the singing and acting of the principals. Carmen is Anna Caterina Antonacci, a soprano known for the intensity she brings to her performances. Without taking anything to excess, her Carmen is a fiery temptress, sexy, insistent on setting her own terms for love and personal freedom. She sings all the set pieces well and, with tenor Jonas Kaufmann as her besotted lover, Don José, makes the final scene a hair-raising experience. If anything, Kaufmann trumps her with a beautifully sung, rounded portrait of the village boy turned soldier ensnared in a world beyond his experience. Kaufmann conveys the complexity of the character and etches his slow descent into obsessive madness. His rendition of the Flower Song is extraordinary for beauty of tone, phrasing and the soft singing essential to make this aria’s full impact. The toreador, Escamilio, is finely sung and acted by Ildebrando D’Arcangelo. He makes his entrance on horseback, sings the Toreador Song with brash arrogance, and projects this haughty, self-absorbed figure to perfection. And Norah Amsellem, as the village girl who loves Don José, uses her attractive soprano to depict her purity and innocence. Smaller roles are well done, with special mention due to bass Matthew Rose as Zuniga, the lieutenant of the guard. The vibrant conducting of Antonio Pappano is a big plus here; pacing is perfect, rhythms vibrantly precise, and melodies shaped with care. Under his baton, the Royal Opera House chorus and orchestra complete a rich, well-detailed performance of Bizet’s masterpiece. Lighting designs of Paule Constable add to the atmosphere of each scene, while television director Jonathan Haswell’s cameras always seem to be where they should be. --Dan Davis Carmen is an all-regions disc in 16:9 ratio. Sound options include PCM Stereo and DTS 5.1 Surrdound. Sung in French, subtitles include English, French, German, Spanish and Chinese.
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Feature-packed value is the hallmark of the pocket-sized Lingo TravelMate 16-language translator. Carry it with you everywhere on your travels and communicate freely and easily between any of 16 different languages while also managing the details of your travel itinerary! This compact translator will keep track of everything for you thanks to its world time clock as well as metric and currency converters.Price:
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Price: $0.00
The aptly named Magnifique boot from CL by Chinese Laundry offers on-trend style at a reasonable price. The sueded fabric upper features a roomy shaft for a pull-on fit, while the plush lining provides cozy warmth.Price: $65.00
Apple Inc. is planning to open its first store in Hong Kong this quarter, and Yahoo Inc.'s chief executive, Carol Bartz, was fired over the phone. WSJ's Alison Tudor and Yun-Hee Kim discuss.BEIJING—Apple Inc. is one step closer to beginning sales of iPad 2 tablet computers with cellular network compatibility for the first time in China, where the consumer-electronics giant is in the midst of an aggressive expansion.
According to China's Telecommunication Equipment Certification Center, a device by Apple with third-generation high-speed wireless data capabilities was issued the network access license needed for the company to begin official sales in China. The device, listed under model number "A1396," is compatible with the 3G standard WCDMA, and would work with the cellular network operated by Apple's local iPhone partner, China Unicom (Hong Kong) Ltd.
China Unicom declined to comment.
Apple already offers the 3G iPad 2 in Hong Kong through its partners, but currently only offers Wi-Fi versions of the device in mainland China. Still, consumers in China, which according to research firm IDC surpassed the U.S. as the world's largest PC market in the second quarter, have been purchasing 3G tablets through unofficial channels.
Apple has confirmed that they will be opening their first Hong Kong store later this quarter, plus the iPad2 will soon begin selling in China. WSJ's Ian Sherr has the details on digits.Separately, Apple spokeswoman Carolyn Wu said Tuesday that the company's first Hong Kong store, set to open this quarter, will be located in the city's central shopping and business district in the International Finance Center's upscale IFC mall, a commercial center and sightseeing spot along the city's waterfront. Ms. Wu also said that Apple is planning a new store in Shanghai later this quarter, which will be its biggest store in China. She declined to give more details or to comment on the 3G iPad 2.
Apple currently has four full-service Apple stores in mainland China, which receive the most traffic of any Apple stores in the world. The company otherwise relies on resellers to get its products into the market.
The new stores reflect Apple's confidence in rising demand for its products such as smartphones and tablet computers. Sales in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan helped boost the company's third-quarter results, newly appointed Chief Executive Tim Cook said in July. Greater China revenue surged six-fold to about $3.8 billion during the three months ended June 25.
Rosa de Acosta/The Wall Street Journal Apple is opening a store at the IFC mall in Hong Kong's central district."This has been a substantial opportunity for Apple and I firmly believe that we're just scratching the surface right now," Mr. Cook said at the time, referring to strong sales in Greater China. "I see an incredible opportunity for Apple there.
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This mahjong set is styled to have the look and feel of a traditional American Bakelite set. Buttery tiles sit atop comfortably beautiful wooden racks, and a wooden rosewood veneer case with felt lining gives this set an understated elegance. This set has 166 tiles, including all the 144 tiles for classical Chinese play as well as an extra 22 tiles for the American version of the game. With this set you can comfortably play either version. To play the Chinese version simply use the red dragons as the 'hong zhong' and the green dragons as the 'fa' tiles.Price: $77.99
Google Inc. (GOOG), which moved its Chinese search-engine service offshore last year to avoid the country’s online censorship rules, said China’s government renewed the company’s Internet license.
“We can confirm that the government has renewed our ICP license,” Google said in an e-mailed statement today, without elaborating. The company owns the world’s most popular search engine.
Google has been losing market share in China’s search market to Baidu Inc. since January 2010, when the Mountain View, California-based company said it was no longer willing to comply with China’s requirements for Websites to self-censor content. Two months later, Google redirected Chinese users to an unfiltered site in Hong Kong.
China, the world’s largest Internet market with 485 million Web users at the end of June, bans pornography, gambling and content critical of the ruling Communist Party. It already blocks Google’s YouTube site as well as social-networking websites run by Facebook Inc. and Twitter Inc.
To contact the reporter on this story: Mark Lee in Hong Kong at wlee37@bloomberg.net
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Young-Sam Cho at ycho2@bloomberg.net
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Solid entertainment from a new group of Disney animators. The story source is a Chinese fable about a young girl who disguises herself as a man to help her family and her country. When the Huns attack China, a call to arms goes out to every village, and Mulan's father, being the only man in the family, accepts the call. Mulan (voiced by Ming-Na Wen, sung by Lea Salonga) has just made a disastrous appearance at the Matchmaker and decides to challenge society's expectations (being a bride). She steals her father's conscription notice, cuts her hair, and impersonates a man to join the army. She goes to boot camp, learning to fit in with the other soldiers with some help from her sidekick, Mushu, a wise-cracking dragon (voiced by Eddie Murphy). She trains, and soon faces the Huns eye-to-eye to protect her Emperor.The film is gorgeous to look at, with a superior blend of classic and computer-generated animation. Directors Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook make the best of it: a battle in the snowy mountains is as thrilling as the best Hollywood action films. The menacing Huns are not cute but simple and bad. The wickedness is subtle, not disturbing. The film is not a full-fledged musical, as it has only five songs (the best, "Be a Man," is sung during boot camp). Eddie Murphy is an inspired choice for the comic-relief dragon, but his lines are not as clever as Robin Williams's in Aladdin. These are minor quibbles, though. The story is strong, and Mulan goes right to the top of Disney animated heroines; she has the right stuff. --Doug Thomas
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 Easy to use navigation features SmartDetour and auto re-route. View larger. |
 Access built-in AAA information from your GPS touch screen. View larger. |
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 Click to see a video on the Magellan Maestro 4250's Voice Command system. |
Note: AAA member roadside assistance requires AAA membership.
Bluetooth for Hands-Free Calling
The Maestro 4250's Bluetooth wireless technology lets you make hands-free phone calls with your Bluetooth-enabled phone. You can store or sync numbers and contact information through the easy-to-use touch screen, and even place calls directly through the Maestro 4250's integrated microphone and speakers.
Integrated Real-Time Traffic
The integrated traffic receiver offers onscreen RDS-TMC traffic incident reports in real-time. A free 3-month traffic service subscription makes it easy to avoid accidents, slow downs, road closures, severe weather and more. Your Maestro 4250 automatically recalculates your estimated time of arrival based on traffic conditions and prompts you to reroute when a quicker way is available.
 One of the thinnest portable GPS navigators on the market |
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WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- SNR Denton announced today that Jonathan D. Cahn, Marian M. Hagler and Guly Sabahi have joined the firm's Washington, DC, office as partners in its Corporate practice and the firm's award-winning 350-member Energy, Transport and Infrastructure sector team. Cahn will assume a leadership role as US head of Emerging Markets Energy Strategies.
Cahn, Hagler and Sabahi, who join SNR Denton from Baker & McKenzie LLP, have more than 25 years of experience in a diverse range of cross-border energy investment and financing transactions. "The sophisticated cross-border experience that Jonathan, Marian and Guly bring to SNR Denton expands our capability to lead on high-level M&A transactions in the energy industry worldwide," said Joseph J. Andrew, global chairman of SNR Denton. "This is a unique team -- known for its ability to create and structure relationships that work -- frequently where sensitive geopolitical issues are in play."
Cahn is widely credited with opening Central Asia to China energy investment when in 1997, as legal counsel to the government of Kazakhstan, he secured Kazakhstan's agreement to invite the China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation (CNODC) to participate in the privatization tender of Kazakhstan's oil company, Aktyubemunaigaz. CNODC not only acquired the Kazakhstan oil producer but agreed to build the pipeline between China and Kazakhstan. "Several years later, we were privileged to represent CNODC in the construction and financing of the pipeline," Cahn remarked.
A hallmark of Cahn's, Hagler's and Sabahi's practice has been the representation of Chinese companies making investments abroad, as well representing parties seeking investment or partnership with Chinese investors. This has involved a number of "firsts." The team led the representation of China Investment Corporation, China's sovereign wealth fund, in its first direct investment -- into Nobel Holdings Investments Ltd., the Russian oil company -- followed by representation of the Chinese National Overseas Oil Company (CNOOC) in its successful $3.2 billion investment in Bridas Energy Holdings Ltd., a first for CNOOC in Latin America. The team is currently representing other Chinese investors in major outbound investment transactions.
The partners' experience extends beyond representing Chinese energy investors to include work performed on behalf of Middle East and African investors, as well as international oil majors and infrastructure companies.
"We are elated to join the firm during this period of continued growth for SNR Denton, and we are looking forward to working with our excellent team throughout the Asia Pacific region, including in Beijing and Hong Kong," said Cahn. "Having been across the table from the firm's top-tier lawyers and professionals across the globe for many years, we know the strong presence SNR Denton enjoys in every corner of the ETI sector worldwide. Partnering together going forward will allow us to better serve our clients with the integrated approach their business needs demand."
Cahn received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and his B.A. from Harvard University. While at prior law firms, he was managing partner of Beijing, Almaty and Moscow offices. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is chair of the Board of Trustees of Phelps Stokes Fund, a 100-year old philanthropic organization known for its contributions to education and social development in the US, Africa and Latin America. Many organizations trace their roots to Phelps Stokes, including the United Negro College Fund (now UNCF), the American Indian College and the Jackie Robinson Foundation.
Hagler has more than 20 years of experience as a mergers and acquisitions lawyer in the energy sector, developing strategies for and advising on projects in the Middle East, North Africa, Latin America, Russia and Central Asia. She specializes in advising national oil companies and international energy companies on their foreign upstream acquisitions. She also frequently speaks and writes on investment strategy and international anti-money laundering compliance.
Hagler received her J.D. cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center, an M.S. degree cum laude from Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and her A.B. magna cum laude from the University of California at Berkeley. Hagler has served as an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University and is fluent in English and Russian.
Sabahi's practice focuses on the representation of state-owned companies and private investors in acquisitions and joint venture transactions involving oil and gas assets in the Middle East, Africa and the CIS. She has extensive experience structuring cross-border investment transactions; managing complex multi-jurisdictional diligence reviews of oil and gas companies and their upstream, midstream and downstream assets; advising on exploration and production agreements and related legal and fiscal regimes; and negotiating a wide variety of transaction agreements, including acquisition agreements, joint venture agreements and joint operating agreements.
Sabahi received an LL.B. with Distinction from Fergana State University and an LL.M. with Distinction from Georgetown University Law Center. She is fluent in English, Russian and Uzbek.
Cahn, Hagler and Sabahi complement a group of more than 70 new partners, counsel, principals and senior advisors who have joined SNR Denton worldwide since the combination that created the firm nearly a year ago.
SNR Denton is swiftly executing a commitment to build its Asia Pacific regional presence through expansion into this critical financial center. The firm is now among the fastest-growing law firms in China with locations in Hong Kong, Beijing and Singapore. SNR Denton has more than 60 lawyers and professionals in the region, and these latest arrivals further the firm's commitment to the region. This year, with the arrival of more than 50 lawyers and professionals, the firm has developed capabilities to serve clients beyond its offices and into Korea, Japan and other current and emerging regional markets.
Gary Klein and Andrew Killin of Klein Landau & Romm assisted SNR Denton in the recruitment of Cahn, Hagler and Sabahi.
About SNR Denton
SNR Denton is a client-focused international legal practice delivering quality and value. We serve clients in key business and financial centers from more than 60 locations in 43 countries, through offices, associate firms and special alliances across the US, the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Russia and the CIS, Asia Pacific and Africa, making us a top 25 legal services provider by lawyers and professionals worldwide. Joining the complementary top tier practices of its founding firms -- Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP and Denton Wilde Sapte LLP -- SNR Denton offers business, government and institutional clients premier service and a disciplined focus to meet evolving needs in eight key industry sectors: Energy, Transport and Infrastructure; Financial Institutions and Funds; Government; Health and Life Sciences; Insurance; Manufacturing; Real Estate, Retail and Hotels; and Technology, Media and Telecommunications. Please see snrdenton.com for more information and Legal Notices.
Media Contact: Elyse Blazey +1 212 398 7643, elyse.blazey@snrdenton.com
SOURCE SNR Denton
Copyright (C) 2011 PR Newswire. All rights reserved
William Pesek is based in Tokyo and writes on economics, markets and politics throughout the Asia-Pacific region. His journalism awards include the 2010 Society of American Business Editors and Writers prize for commentary.
More about William PesekAsia’s biggest rivalry is looking more and more one-sided. There’s no competing with China’s 9.5 percent growth as the U.S. sheds jobs, Europe unravels and Japan’s deflation deepens.
Even though Asia’s other rising superpower, India, is zooming along at 7.7 percent, try getting anyone to pay much attention.
Spend a few days in Mumbai and the conversation is all China, China, China. How can we compete? In what way is India’s economy superior? Why does our impressive post-Lehman-Brothers performance get no attention? Then head to China’s business center, Shanghai, and see if India even comes up. In fact, many Chinese businesspeople resent the suggestion that their economy has anything in common with India’s.
China may regret this oversight for two reasons. One, China’s winning streak probably will run into structural hurdles in the next five years. Two, for all their many differences, China and India have more challenges in common than Beijing may want to admit.
No matter how much the media, corporate glitterati and financial intelligentsia scrutinize China, we don’t know if it can beat the system, so to speak. No industrializing nation has ever avoided a financial crisis. Not one.
For all its smarts, $3 trillion of currency reserves and firm control over the economy, Beijing must contain inflation, reduce pollution, shift away from exports and avoid social unrest as millions of people flock to the cites from the countryside. Can China grow almost 10 percent year after year without a hitch? The odds don’t favor it given the worsening state of the global economy.
Here, it’s worth noting the challenges India and China share, and there are many. They include huge and growing gaps between rich and poor, corruption, asset bubbles, the risk that piles of loans will go bad if world markets crash anew, regional disparities, environmental degradation, huge appetites for resources, sex inequalities that mean boys outnumber girls and angst over their place in the world.
Caveats abound, of course. Few would say China’s corruption is as endemic as India’s, though China’s vulnerability to a Japan-style bad-debt crisis far exceeds India’s. The angst factor, too, requires nuance. Indians are perturbed that their rapid growth and democratic institutions don’t get more kudos globally. Chinese want a bigger say in global affairs but resent the developed world demanding too much from a developing nation.
Whither ‘Chindia’?
The commonalities have revived the buzz about “Chindia,” or the idea that as much as China and India might compete, they may well complement each other. China and India are the most populous nations, nuclear powers and the two fastest-growing major economies. China’s is already bigger than Japan’s and India’s may be only a few years away from topping Japan on a purchasing-power-parity basis.
China has a huge head start when it comes to the roads, bridges, ports and power systems needed to raise living standards, and it receives the bulk of Asia’s direct investment. India has done better in creating a genuine economy with globally competitive companies, innovative products and world- class entrepreneurs. Imagine if they worked together?
Yet the geopolitical rivalry is growing. Look no further than tensions related to global resource access, griping among Indians that China’s trade practices are undermining their manufacturing industries or Beijing’s suspicions about New Delhi’s close ties to Washington.
If ever there were a time for corporate executives and investors to follow the money, it’s now. At the moment, China clearly is the stronger capital magnet. By 2015, China’s millionaires may account for about half of the rich people across 10 major economies in Asia, excluding Japan, and hold more than half of the wealth, according to a study by Julius Baer Group and CLSA Asia Pacific Markets.
It’s not that simple, though. A new RAND Corp. report looks ahead to 2025 and finds that as China and India grow in prominence, each has certain advantages, but neither is primed to have a clear, across-the-board competitive edge over the other. And India’s advantages -- a growing working-age population, and open and flexible political and economic systems -- will be good things to have during the next 15 or so years.
China’s plusses over India are nothing to sneeze at. China graduates 70 percent more engineers annually than does India -- 600,000 compared with 350,000, RAND’s researchers say. Its vast investments in science and technology could dwarf India’s much- celebrated software industry.
Yet India may be moving into a period of major reforms as the anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare reverberates through the nation. Morgan Stanley Asia Ltd. economist Chetan Ahya isn’t exaggerating when he calls India the most promising structural growth story anywhere today. What if recent events in India compel the government to get its act together?
The thing is, no one knows. That goes, too, for whether China has struck upon some new formula for economic growth and can avoid a crash. All we can say for sure is that what we think we know about Asia today might be turned on its head in coming years. China versus India could be a case in point.
(William Pesek is a Bloomberg View columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.)
To contact the writer of this article: William Pesek in Shanghai at wpesek@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this article: James Greiff at jgreiff@bloomberg.net.
Apple has filed objections with Chinese regulators on a trademark filing for the logo of Sichuan Fangguo Food Co., Ltd., according to GoChenDoo. Apple sent a letter to the firm asking for the leaf seen in the image below to be removed from the logo and for the company to retract its application for the trademark in two categories, “Notebook Computers” and “Electronic Game Software,” two markets in which the food company does not compete, but in which Apple does.
Li Gousheng, an attorney for Beijing Zhucheng Law, which sent the letter on Apple’s behalf, said that Apple closely monitors new trademark applications in China. He added that if the two conditions listed above were met, Apple would withdraw its opposition to the trademark application.
The logos of Sichuan Fangguo Food Co., Ltd. and Apple, Inc.Fangguo CEO Zhao Yi called balderdash on Apple’s claims, noting that his logo was created in the 1980s, long before he had ever heard of Apple. Whether or not that will be germane to Chinese trademark disputes remains to be seen.
“There’s a leaf so you can tell it’s an apple, but it also contains two Chinese characters,” Mr. Zhao said. “The orientation is also different, and ours is a totally different shape. When I started Fangguo, I had never even heard of Apple.”
He added, “I’m Fangguo, it’s a fruit, if the leaf is removed, it’ll just look like a bomb. Anyway, the law firm who sent the letter hasn’t contacted me since they sent it.”
Those two Chinese characters also evoke another tech firm, Korea-based LG Electronics, as noted by CNet’s Chris Matyszczyk, who first spotted the GoChenDoo story, as well as commenters in that original article. No word yet if LG will be complaining about the “Notebook Computers” and “Electronic Game Software” categories.
LG Electronics logoIf you’re curious why a maker of food products would make a play on computers and games, he told GoChenDoo that he added those categories in the off-chance that someone came along in the future who wanted to use the Fangguo name in the computer field.
STOCKHOLM, Sept 7 | Wed Sep 7, 2011 8:53am EDT
STOCKHOLM, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The owner of ailing car maker Saab said on Wednesday that it was still confident of getting Chinese official approval for vital investments that are aimed at saving the company from bankruptcy.
Saab owner Swedish Automobile (SWAN.AS) earlier applied for court protection from creditors after months of production standstill.
It hopes that two Chinese firms, Pangda (601258.SS) and Youngman, will get the necessary official permission to invest in Saab.
"We of the opinion that the approval will be ... timely," Swedish Automobile chief executive Victor Muller told a news conference. He said approvals would come "relatively quickly". (Reporting by Patrick Lannin and Simon Johnson)
NEW YORK | Tue Sep 6, 2011 7:34pm EDT
NEW YORK (Reuters) - In a long-running case that has tested the limits of antitrust law, four Chinese companies accused of fixing vitamin C prices have been stripped of a key defense.
The defendant manufacturers had argued that Chinese law required them to coordinate production and prices of their exports. But in a decision made public on Tuesday, District Judge Brian Cogan in Brooklyn rejected that defense.
"The Chinese law relied upon by defendants did not compel their illegal conduct," Cogan said.
It's unclear whether the case will now proceed to trial. William Isaacson, an attorney for the plaintiffs, said his expert estimates damages to be $58.4 million. Under the law, plaintiffs can seek triple damages.
"Chinese companies are now going to be subject to the same antitrust rules as other international cartels, and that's the way it should be," said Isaacson.
The plaintiffs, two commercial buyers of vitamin C, alleged that the defendants agreed to fix prices in 2001. After the agreement was made, the plaintiffs said, spot prices for vitamin C shot to as high as $7 per kilogram in December 2002 from $2.50 per kilogram in December 2001.
The defendants did not contest the antitrust allegations but instead invoked the foreign sovereign compulsion doctrine, which protects foreign companies that are compelled by their own government to break U.S. law.
The defendants received support for their position from the Chinese government itself. In 2006, China's Ministry of Commerce filed a brief on behalf of the defendants. It was believed to be the first time the Chinese government had made an official appearance in a U.S. court.
The ministry argued that Chinese law compelled them to coordinate their production and pricing. It also argued that a ruling against the manufactures would "improperly penalize" them for "the sovereign acts of their government and would adversely affect implementation of China's trade policy."
Cogan rejected that argument.
"Although defendants and the Chinese government argue to the contrary, the provisions of Chinese law before me do not support their position, which is belied by the factual record," said Cogan. "I decline to defer to the Chinese government's statements to the court regarding Chinese law."
Attorneys for the defendants declined to comment or did not respond to messages seeking comment.
The case is Animal Science Products and The Ranis Company v. Hebei Welcome Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. et al, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, No. 05-00453.
(Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
SINGAPORE | Tue Sep 6, 2011 10:17pm EDT
SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China's campaign to protect its maritime industry during a severe downturn will become more costly for foreign companies as Beijing grabs a bigger slice of the profits for shipping iron ore, coal and grains to the world's second largest economy.
China's shipping sector -- led by state-owned COSCO Group -- has become one of the world's most influential with its fleet more than doubling over the last decade, matching the country's appetite for commodities and raw materials.
The global economic slowdown, however, has led to an oversupply of vessels and low freight rates, forcing Chinese shipping companies to take audacious action to support their businesses.
COSCO has demanded shipowners reduce the rental costs for their ships, while also piling on the political pressure for Beijing to stop competitors from entering the country.
"Being the key import country in the dry cargo business and almost everything else, they want to throw their weight around and secure more of the business themselves," said Anders Karlsen, analyst for Nordea Markets.
COSCO, China's top maritime conglomerate, recently angered many in the freight community by unilaterally halting payments for vessels it had chartered, so it could renegotiate better terms.
In response, shipowners threatened to seize COSCO-operated vessels.
"For any charterer not to pay hiring costs in an attempt to renegotiate charter rates is very bad business," said Arthur Bowring, managing director of Hong Kong Shipowners Association.
"If there are people out there doing that and COSCO is one of them, I do hope it will come back to bite them."
COSCO has reached agreements with shipowners on 18 vessels and expected to reach more soon.
Greece-based DryShips Inc (DRYS.O) said the Chinese firm had resumed payments on three of its vessels, although the terms were not disclosed.
Many of the shipping contracts under renegotiation were struck during the 2008 boom when the industry's largest capesize vessels were being rented by COSCO and others for more than $100,000 a day.
The dry bulk freight market has since plummeted due to the economic downturn and an oversupply of vessels, leaving COSCO paying 2008 prices for ships that now rent for less than $25,000 a day.
VALE SHIPS
The supply glut in the dry bulk freight market is expected to continue until at least 2013, partly due to plans by Brazilian mining giant (VALE5.SA) to roll out a fleet of mega bulk carriers -- a move adamantly opposed by COSCO and Chinese shipping companies.
In an unexpected move, a Vale official told Reuters on Monday it was looking to sell or lease its planned fleet of giant dry bulk ships to Chinese and other shipowners.
"Vale might be seeing the writing on the wall: sell out to China or risk damaging future iron ore sales prospects once new iron ore production projects come on stream," said Nigel Prentis, head of research, consulting & advisory, HSBC Shipping Services Ltd.
The move comes less than three months after Vale's first iron ore carrier, at 362 metres long the world's largest dry-bulk vessel, failed to gain access to Chinese ports and was forced to divert to Italy on its maiden voyage.
Market sources said the decision may make it easier for Vale to finalize negotiations with Chinese ports and win over the politically powerful shipping companies.
RESTRUCTURING
COSCO has urged its colleagues in the maritime community to be flexible with the world's largest dry bulk company as it struggles through a difficult period.
With shares of its flagship listed firm China Cosco Holdings Co Ltd (1919.HK) (601919.SS) down more than 50 percent so far this year, COSCO has decided to restructure its dry bulk freight units to cut costs and boost its bargaining power with shipowners.
A COSCO official told Reuters last week it hoped to consolidate COSCO Bulk Carrier, COSCO Hong Kong Shipping and Qingdao Ocean Shipping into one firm as soon as possible.
"Our counterparts should hope for the best for us because right now we are in the restructuring process of our bulk carriers," said a COSCO official, who wished not to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media on the subject.
"In maybe one or two years, China COSCO will be stronger, more efficient and a much more reliable friend to cooperate with. All the outside parties should see this issue in this way."
COSCO had 234 self-owned and 201 chartered-in dry bulk ships with a combined capacity of 3.79 million deadweight tonnes at the end of June.
(Additional reporting by Alison Leung in Hong Kong, Krishna Das in Bangalore, Silvia Antonioli and Jonathan Saul in London; Editing by Michael Urquhart)
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