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Founder of China Evergrande Group and once one of China’s richest men, Xu Jiayin has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in Shenzhen, China.

Xu was convicted of multiple financial crimes, including fundraising fraud, illegal deposit-taking, securities fraud and embezzlement.

The court also imposed a fine of RMB 8.82 billion on China Evergrande Group, while Evergrande Real Estate was fined RMB 7 billion.

In addition, the court ordered the seizure of Xu’s personal assets as part of the judgment.

Xu’s conviction follows continued fallout from the collapse of Evergrande, once one of China’s largest property developers.

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

South Korean and Chinese leaders held their summit in Beijing on Monday to discuss issues ranging from economic cooperation and supply chains to peace on the Korean peninsula. President Lee Jae-myung, who arrived in China on Sunday on his first state visit to the neighbouring country since taking office in 2022, met Chinese President Xi Jinping to strengthen ties between the two nations.

South Korea, which hosts major US military presences, is trying to defuse tensions with North Korea which tested several ballistic missiles on Sunday hours before Lee’s departure. The two leaders exchanged views on matters of cross-border investment, specifically regarding the digital economy and trade in key minerals.

China is South Korea’s biggest trade partner, as several of its top conglomerates, like Samsung and Hyundai Motor, operate major production facilities in the country.

Lee and Xi had last held an official meeting in November 2025 at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Peru. During that meeting, the two leaders were warm, describing bilateral ties as mutually beneficial with Xi calling the two countries “inseparable partners” who have contributed to each other’s economic development.

Former US Trade Representative for China Affairs, Jeff Moon, said, “South Korea is just one of many countries seeking reassurances of access to rare-earth supplies, so the Chinese have probably developed a standard approach. That includes a licensing process that verifies that all Chinese rare earths will be used for civilian purposes and not for military uses.”

Past restrictions by China on critical mineral supplies to Seoul followed US arms sales, including THAAD deployment in 2017. Analysts estimated that Beijing’s earlier retaliation caused billions of dollars in losses to South Korea’s retail and tourist sectors.

On Sunday, just before Lee departed for China, North Korea launched ballistic missiles into the waters off its eastern coast. South Korea’s national security office convened an emergency meeting in response to the launch, which Seoul said saw missiles fly around 900 kilometres.

North Korea has a pattern of carrying out such military actions, seen as provocative by South Korea, Japan and the US, at times when high-level diplomatic engagements are scheduled.

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9News Nigeria

China has achieved one of the highest home‑ownership rates in the world, with nearly 90% of households owning their own homes.

This milestone is particularly striking given China’s population of approximately 1.4 billion people, nearly six times larger than Nigeria’s estimated 240 million.

Experts note that this level of home ownership reflects decades of government policies promoting housing access, including urban development programs, subsidized housing and initiatives to support home loans. 

While most Chinese citizens “own” their homes, the system differs from many Western countries: land remains state-owned, and households typically purchase long-term leases for land use along with the structures built on it.

The home-ownership rate varies between urban and rural areas, with rural households often showing higher ownership rates, while urban residents contend with higher housing costs. 

Despite these variations, China’s figures far outpace global averages and have positioned the nation as a model for large-scale housing access.

Reports, however, caution that high ownership rates do not necessarily indicate affordability or absence of debt, as many households carry substantial mortgages or maintain multiple properties as investments.

With a population size vastly exceeding that of many countries, including Nigeria, China’s achievement indicates the scale and ambition of its housing policies offering lessons in both urban planning and public policy for developing nations facing growing housing demands.

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

The National People’s Congress (NPC) and its standing committee enacted a total of 36 new laws since 2021.

Shen Chunyao, director of the NPC Standing Committee’s Legislative Affairs Commission said this at a press conference on Friday.

Since 2021, the NPC, China’s top legislative body, and its standing committee, also made 63 revisions to existing laws, passed 35 decisions on legal issues and major matters, and issued one legal interpretation, he said.

Currently, China has 306 laws in effect, more than 600 administrative and supervisory regulations, and over 14,000 local regulations, according to Shen.

Legislative work over the past five years was conducted with the following aims: to facilitate high-quality economic development and create a favorable internal and external environment for all causes.

Other aims are to enhance legal institutions to improve people’s livelihoods, and reinforce the legal guarantee for environmental protection, Shen said.

Focusing on these aspects, China has enacted a series of key laws, such as the private economy promotion law, the anti-foreign sanctions law, the personal information protection law, and the Yellow River protection law, said Shen.

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9News Nigeria

Trump’s trade war is back and China’s not blinking. 

President Trump, who returned to the White House in January 2025, has doubled down on his assertive “America First” policy, reigniting pressure on China through sweeping tariffs, sanctions, and executive orders targeting key sectors like artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and semiconductors. 

Despite Washington’s moves, China has responded with characteristic restraint and resilience, projecting quiet determination.

A key pillar of Beijing’s confidence is its massive domestic market of over 1.4 billion citizens. 

This enables the Chinese leadership to lean into its “dual circulation” economic strategy, boosting local consumption while carefully managing its international trade relations.

Unlike the U.S., which is deeply influenced by electoral cycles and political polarization, China’s one-party system allows its leadership to pursue decades-long strategic objectives without interruption. 

This long-game mentality has given China the patience and bandwidth to endure economic standoffs.

Moreover, China has actively diversified its trade partnerships across the Global South, Europe, and Asia, particularly through agreements like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), reducing dependency on the U.S. market.

The Chinese state’s deep involvement in the economy further fortifies its position. 

With the ability to direct credit, support key industries, and manage prices, Beijing is capable of absorbing shocks in ways market-driven economies like the U.S. cannot.

Following prior U.S. crackdowns on firms like Huawei and DJI, China has poured resources into technological self-reliance. 

The government continues to back its domestic chip manufacturing, green energy, and AI sectors, hoping to cut dependence on Western tech giants and shield itself from future export bans.

The Chinese Communist Party has also harnessed nationalist sentiment to rally public support around the trade war. 

State-controlled media have framed the dispute as a matter of sovereignty and resistance to foreign interference, reinforcing unity and confidence in leadership decisions.

Meanwhile, China remains indispensable to global supply chains, especially in manufacturing and raw material processing. 

Despite U.S. calls for decoupling, many American and Western companies still rely heavily on Chinese infrastructure, logistics, and labor, complicating any real effort to shift away.

China also has tools like currency manipulation and foreign reserve management, including its vast holdings in U.S. Treasuries, which serve as subtle leverage in this economic standoff.

Under President Trump’s second term, the U.S. has reasserted a more aggressive trade stance. 

New rounds of tariffs, tightened restrictions on Chinese investments, and calls for American companies to “reshore” production have characterized the current U.S. strategy. 

Trump has also leaned on executive orders and emergency powers to target Chinese-linked platforms and entities he deems a threat to national security or economic dominance.

In contrast, China is playing the long game, moving carefully, avoiding provocations, and quietly building strength from within. 

For Beijing, this is not just about trade; it’s about reshaping global power structures in its favor.

As both nations dig in, the trade war appears less like a temporary dispute and more like a defining contest of the 21st century, between two powers with radically different systems, visions, and approaches to economic warfare.

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9News Nigeria

The central parity rate of the Chinese currency Yuan, strengthened 50 pips against the dollar on Monday.

This is according to the China Foreign Exchange Trade System.

The central parity rate of the Yuan against the dollar is based on a weighted average of prices offered by market makers before the opening of the interbank market each business day.

In China’s spot foreign exchange market, the Yuan is allowed to rise or fall by two per cent from the central parity rate each trading day.

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9News Nigeria

CHINA: There are speculations trailing Real Estate Business in China. Great cities are adversely affected by high increase of property acquisition. This recent development is attracting public attention as a charge on the younger generation in China to commence property investment.

Yuan Shi stated the clarification that Between skyrocketing home prices, the housing market debt default crisis, and a shifting culture, China’s younger generation is facing a vastly different housing market than their parents.

Go to college, find a job, buy a house, get married: For decades, homeownership has been seen as an essential part of life in China. Based on that long-standing truth, analysts are forecasting optimistic outcomes for China’s housing market. However, all this may come to an end if China’s younger generation ceases to acquire residential properties.

From 2010 to 2020, the proportion of Chinese adults aged 25 to 34 who own homes fell from over 70 percent to 50 percent, with major cities seeing nearly 30 percent of young adults renting their homes, compared to just 11 percent of those aged 45 to 54.

This change has been years in the making. Between skyrocketing home prices, the housing market debt default crisis, and a shifting culture, China’s younger generation is facing a vastly different housing market than their parents.

In cities like Shanghai, and Beijing, the price-to-income ratio – the cost of housing relative to annual wages – has reached staggering heights. And it’s not those mega-cities alone.

Shenzhen, for instance, also boasts one of the world’s most unaffordable property markets, where the average home costs 43 times the median annual income. In similar metropolises like London or New York, the ratio hovers around 15-20.

China’s housing bubble began forming in the early 2000s, driven by rapid urbanization and speculative investment.

The government chose to encourage property purchases to generate economic growth, which led to a cultural mindset that investment in real estate was a sure-fire path to wealth.

Developers raced to meet demand, creating entire “ghost cities” filled with vacant but purchased units – symbols of speculative overreach.

This speculative frenzy has placed extraordinary pressure on younger buyers. A 2023 survey found that the majority of first-time buyers rely on family wealth for down payments, with over 70 percent of homebuyers receiving financial assistance from their parents. But many more are locked out of the housing market without parents’ support.

Even as prices soar, the risks of purchasing a home are growing. The collapse of major developers like Evergrande in 2021 made national headlines, serving as a cautionary tale for China’s overheated property sector.

Once a symbol of the country’s rapid urbanization and economic growth, Evergrande’s staggering $300 billion debt exposed systemic vulnerabilities within the housing market. Construction projects were left unfinished, homebuyers were stranded with mortgages on non-existent properties, and investor confidence plummeted.

Evergrande’s default crisis was not an isolated case. Other developers, including Sunac and Country Garden, have also struggled to repay mounting debts amid tightening government regulations and slowing demand. Concerns over the financial health of property developers have crippled buyer trust in the housing market.

And it doesn’t help that the government isn’t providing compensation for the damage done to current buyers. Pre-paid homes are left half-built, with no water or electricity, leaving their buyers with a shattered future and debts that they are obligated to pay for 20 or even 30 years.

China’s housing bubble began forming in the early 2000s, driven by rapid urbanization and speculative investment. The government chose to encourage property purchases to generate economic growth, which led to a cultural mindset that investment in real estate was a sure-fire path to wealth. Developers raced to meet demand, creating entire “ghost cities” filled with vacant but purchased units – symbols of speculative overreach.

This speculative frenzy has placed extraordinary pressure on younger buyers. A 2023 survey found that the majority of first-time buyers rely on family wealth for down payments, with over 70 percent of homebuyers receiving financial assistance from their parents. But many more are locked out of the housing market without parents’ support.

Even as prices soar, the risks of purchasing a home are growing. The collapse of major developers like Evergrande in 2021 made national headlines, serving as a cautionary tale for China’s overheated property sector.

Once a symbol of the country’s rapid urbanization and economic growth, Evergrande’s staggering $300 billion debt exposed systemic vulnerabilities within the housing market. Construction projects were left unfinished, homebuyers were stranded with mortgages on non-existent properties, and investor confidence plummeted.

Evergrande’s default crisis was not an isolated case. Other developers, including Sunac and Country Garden, have also struggled to repay mounting debts amid tightening government regulations and slowing demand. Concerns over the financial health of property developers have crippled buyer trust in the housing market.

And it doesn’t help that the government isn’t providing compensation for the damage done to current buyers. Pre-paid homes are left half-built, with no water or electricity, leaving their buyers with a shattered future and debts that they are obligated to pay for 20 or even 30 years.

The common perception of property as a safe investment has been shattered. Housing, once considered a pillar of financial security, is now viewed by many as a risky gamble, forcing younger generations to reconsider before betting their future on an unstable market.

China’s housing market faces a pivotal moment. If prices continue to rise unchecked while economic growth slows, the disconnect between wages and housing costs will widen further, threatening both social stability and consumer confidence.

But for now, China’s younger generation remains caught between tradition and reality. The dream of owning a home still holds powerful cultural sway, but for many, the pursuit is giving way to pragmatism. If systemic changes – such as meaningful price corrections or improved housing policies – do not materialize, China’s youth may reshape the country’s relationship with homeownership entirely.

As Zhang Li, a 27-year-old freelance designer, put it: “Our parents saw a house as the foundation for their lives. But for us, it feels more like a burden than a blessing.”

Credit Report By Yuan Shi

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum, has suggested the adoption of Chinese model for leadership selection in Nigeria.

He said that the model is a good way of fetching quality people among citizens for leadership roles.

He said this while speaking at the 24th National Conference of the Nigerian Institution of Agricultural Engineers held at the Nigerian Society of Engineers’ headquarters, Abuja.

The governor emphasised the need for a more structured and merit-based approach to election into leadership positions at all levels.

He argued that if properly utilised, Nigeria could benefit greatly from the Chinese Model.

“I am always referring to the election system in China. In China, they do selection versus election. First, they will identify credible leaders with proven integrities based on past records. They evaluate the potential of all those who have been in a public office over a period of time; then, they select the best. After that, they subject the best for election,” he explained.

The governor also called on Nigerians to be committed in becoming good followers while advocating for good leadership.

He noted that effective governance can only be achieved with both good leadership and followership.

“Our problem here in Nigeria is not only about the leadership but also followership. I believe we need to shift our focus to two critical components rather than one: leadership as well as the followership.

“I strongly believe there will be no meaningful achievements without good leadership. However, followership is equally important, so as much as we need good leaders, we also need good citizens who can distinguish between their right and left,” he said.

Zulum was accompanied to the event by APC party members, legislative member and some officials of his cabinet.

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9News Nigeria

China has expressed its willingness to extend more loans to Nigeria, continuing a pattern of financial support aimed at aiding Africa’s largest economy in addressing its infrastructure and development needs.

The news comes as Nigeria grapples with rising debt and economic challenges under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, sparking mixed reactions from economic analysts and citizens alike.

The offer from China is reportedly focused on supporting infrastructure development, particularly in sectors like rail transport, energy, and telecommunications—areas where China has historically played a significant role in Nigeria’s modernization efforts. 

However, the potential new loans have revived debates over the long-term implications of Nigeria’s growing debt to China.

History of Chinese Loans to Nigeria

China has been a key lender to Nigeria for over a decade, with its involvement becoming particularly prominent during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. 

Under Jonathan, Chinese loans were used to fund critical infrastructure projects such as the Abuja-Kaduna rail line and power plant projects across the country.

This trend continued under former President Muhammadu Buhari, who heavily relied on Chinese financial aid to fund large-scale projects. 

The $1.5 billion Lagos-Ibadan railway project, which was commissioned in 2021, is one of the most prominent examples of Nigeria’s deepening reliance on Chinese funding. 

Additionally, Buhari’s administration secured loans for various road and bridge projects, including the Second Niger Bridge, which was completed under his tenure.

By the end of Buhari’s presidency in 2023, Nigeria’s debt to China had ballooned to over $4 billion, raising concerns among economic analysts about the sustainability of such borrowing. 

Critics worried about the potential for Nigeria to fall into a “debt trap” with China, with fears of asset forfeiture if Nigeria failed to meet its debt obligations.

Current Concerns and Reactions

As President Bola Tinubu’s administration navigates through economic reforms aimed at reducing inflation, boosting revenue, and tackling unemployment, China’s offer of additional loans has been met with cautious optimism. 

While many view China’s ongoing investment as crucial to Nigeria’s infrastructure development, others worry about the long-term effects of increasing the national debt, particularly with Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio reaching concerning levels.

Nigeria’s Finance Minister has stated that any new loans would be subject to stricter scrutiny and better terms, ensuring they are used for projects that will generate revenue and create jobs for Nigerians. Nevertheless, the potential for increased debt burdens remains a hot topic of debate.

Economic analysts have also raised questions about the transparency of these loans, urging the government to ensure that future deals are made with clear repayment terms and without compromising Nigeria’s sovereignty.

China’s willingness to lend more money to Nigeria comes at a critical time, as the nation faces daunting economic challenges. While the loans could provide a much-needed boost to infrastructure development, the concerns surrounding debt sustainability and dependence on Chinese funding are likely to persist. 

As President Tinubu’s government continues to chart its path forward, the balance between securing international loans and safeguarding Nigeria’s financial future remains a delicate issue.

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

• ” I transferred over N60 million to her GT Bank account, N18 million for her to start a business, N4 million house and N6 million for University education among others.
• “Whenever I go to pick her up for dinner at home her mum always welcomes me with open arms,” he said.
• Frank told the court that in February 2022, the deceased married someone else.”I was heartbroken and disappointed so I relocated to Abuja.

“Ummukulsum later told me she was divorced and asked me to come back to her and promised to marry me for the second time.

He said on Sept.13, 2022 Ummukulsum asked for money to continue her house project in Abuja.He said he told her that he does not have the money and she got very angry with him and stopped taking his calls.

“She thought I was broke that was why I don’t want to spend much money on her like before.”She told me that she has found a new love and later sent her picture with the new lover on my WhatsApp which provoked me,” he told the court.

NAN reports that on Dec.23, 2022, the court had ordered the recall of Ummukulsum’s mother (Pw1), police constable(Pw6) and Chief Medical Officer, for re-cross examination.Earlier, the defence counsel, Dan’azumi, led in evidence asked Fatima Zubairu (Pw1) the deceased mother if she took part in performing the funeral rights of her daughter.

“Did anyone tell you the kind of injury she sustained on her body”Pw1 said she did not take it but was told she had 11 cuts on her body.

Dan’azumi also asked the police constable, Aminu Halilu (Pw2), if he has ever seen exhibit 1( knife used in committing the offence).

“Can you remember the date you came across this exhibit? Did you recover it at the scene and were there blood stains on it?”Pw6 “yes I saw exhibit 1 on Sept.17, someone brought it to the station on our way to the SCID there was a stain of blood and visited the crime scene before I received the knife.

“I did not recover anything at the scene,” he said.

The Prosecutor, who is also the Attorney General of Kano State, Musa Abdullahi-Lawan, alleged that the defendant on Sept.16, 2022, stabbed the deceased with a knife in her house at Janbulo quarters Kano.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Justice Sanusi Ado-Ma’aji, adjourned the matter until Jan.12, for the continuation of the defence.

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9News Nigeria

The Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and seven other pro-democracy activists have been sentenced to up to 14 months in prison for organising, taking part in and inciting participation in a banned vigil last year for victims of China’s 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

According to The Guardian, the former British colony, which returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the promise of wide-ranging freedoms, traditionally holds the largest 4 June vigil in the world, but police have rejected applications for the past two events, citing coronavirus restrictions.

Critics said authorities used the pandemic restrictions as an excuse to block the commemoration. The city government rejected that.

The sentencing is the latest blow to the city’s democracy movement, which has resulted in dozens of activists being arrested, jailed or fleeing the Chinese-ruled territory since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law last year.

The judge, Amanda Woodcock, said the defendants “ignored and belittled a genuine public health crisis” and “wrongly and arrogantly believed” in commemorating 4 June rather than protecting the health of the community.

Lai, a 74-year-old media tycoon who is already in jail, the barrister Chow Hang-tung, 36, and activist Gwyneth Ho, 31, received sentences of 13, 12 and six months respectively. They were found guilty by the court on Thursday.

The three, the highest profile of the eight, had pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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9News Nigeria

The Presidency has announced that President Buhari’s government will continue to collaborate with China in the areas of critical infrastructure.

A press statement released by the State House’s Deputy Director of Information, Abiodun Oladunjoye stated that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will continue to collaborate with the Chinese government in the area of the provision of critical infrastructure in the country.

Speaking Friday in Abuja when he received in audience the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria His Excellency Cui Jianchun in his office, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina said:

“Nigeria has a high respect for China and what China is helping Nigeria to achieve particularly in the area of infrastructure. President Buhari came at a time of severe infrastructure deficit in the country and resolved to make a difference and he is making that difference with the assistance of China. Nigeria appreciates China a lot for these and will continue to collaborate with it.”

The Presidential spokesman said the Nigerian President had been to China two times in furtherance of the relationship and looks forward to greater collaboration, assuring the Ambassador that the media office of the President was ready to join hands with the Chinese in advancing the relationship.

In his remarks, Ambassador Cui Jianchun who was recently posted to Nigeria said he was at the Villa to solicit for the support of the media office of the President and also to express his gratitude for the strong relations with his country and to seek ways to make it stronger.

He expressed his delight at witnessing the flag off of the Lagos to Ibadan rail project and unfolded his 5GIST Nigeria-China ‘Growth, Development Progress (GDP) strategy to take the bilateral relations to higher levels.

Ambassador Jianchun who is the 14th Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria said the 5-Goal strategy revolved around Political Support; Economic Cooperation; Military Collaboration; International Coordination and People to People Bond among others, built on the existing Belt and Road Initiative of the Chinese government.

He said he looked forward to celebrating 50 years of friendship and bilateral relations between the two countries in October.
Also at the event was the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

Nigeria, China Sign Agreement To Establish Committee On Diplomatic Ties

The Nigerian government has signed an agreement with China to establish an intergovernmental committee to coordinate the agreements between both countries.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama during a meeting on Tuesday with the Chinese Envoy, Wang Yi discussed issues relating to Nigeria-China relations.

Several issues such as railway, education, prisoner-exchange programme, access to vaccines for Nigeria as well as health were discussed.

The meeting also discussed the possibility of a direct flight between both countries which according to the minister the discussion has gone to an advanced stage.

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9News Nigeria

The unnamed patient died of circulatory system failure after contracting the bubonic plague, health authorities have confirmed, although it’s unknown how they caught it.

Chinese authorities have sealed off an entire village after one of its residents died of bubonic plague.

The death in Suji Xincun village, Inner Mongolia was reported to authorities in Baotou city on Sunday. Yesterday the patient was confirmed to have been suffering from bubonic plague.

The patient died of circulatory system failure, the Baotou Municipal Health Commission announced in a statement. It’s unclear how they caught the disease.

In an effort to prevent the spread of the plague — especially in the midsts of another global pandemic — authorities completely sealed off Suji Xincun village, meaning no one can get in or out.

They also ordered all homes in the village to be disinfected daily. Every resident was tested for the plague and all have tested negative, the statement says.

As a precaution, nine close contacts and 26 “secondary” contacts of the dead patient have been quarantined although they also all tested negative.

Damao Banner, the district in which the village is located, has been put on a Level 3 alert for plague prevention, the second lowest of a four level system.

The public health measure “forbids the hunting and eating of animals that could carry plague and asks the public to report any suspected cases of plague or fever with no clear causes, and to report any sick or dead marmots.”

It will remain in place in the district for the rest of the year.

Marmots, a type of large ground squirrel eaten in some parts of China and Mongolia, have been linked to past plague outbreaks in the area.

The animal is believed to have caused a 1911 plague epidemic which killed about 63,000 people in northeast China.

In July, two brothers who had eaten marmot meat tested positive for the plague, leading to a Level 3 alert for Bayunnur, a city in western Inner Mongolia.

The Suji Xincun death is the first death confirmed to have been linked to the plague in China this year.

Bubonic plague is caused by bacteria transmitted to humans via infected animals and flea bites. The disease causes painful, swollen lymph nodes, fever and coughing.

The Black Death pandemic wiped out almost two-thirds of Europe’s entire population in the mid-14th-century, but the discovery of antibiotics in modern medicine means most infections can be treated effectively.

The plague has made a comeback in recent years, prompting the World Health Organisation to categorise it as a “re-emerging disease”.

There are fears that if the disease isn’t contained, it could cause devastating mass outbreaks as the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic.

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

Another deadly disease has hit China as the world battle the Coronavirus pandemic.

Authorities in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia are on high alert after a suspected case of bubonic plague, the disease that caused the Black Death pandemic, was reported Sunday.

The case was discovered in the city of Bayannur, located northwest of Beijing, according to state-run Xinhua news agency. A hospital alerted municipal authorities of the patient’s case on Saturday. By Sunday, local authorities had issued a citywide Level 3 warning for plague prevention, the second lowest in a four-level system.

The warning will stay in place until the end of the year, according to Xinhua.

Plague, caused by bacteria and transmitted through flea bites and infected animals, is one of the deadliest bacterial infections in human history. During the Black Death in the Middle Ages, it killed an estimated 50 million people in Europe.

Bubonic plague, which is one of plague’s three forms, causes painful, swollen lymph nodes, as well as fever, chills, and coughing.

Bayannur health authorities are now urging people to take extra precautions to minimize the risk of human-to-human transmission, and to avoid hunting or eating animals that could cause infection.

“At present, there is a risk of a human plague epidemic spreading in this city. The public should improve its self-protection awareness and ability, and report abnormal health conditions promptly,” the local health authority said, according to state-run newspaper China Daily.

Bayannur authorities warned the public to report findings of dead or sick marmots — a type of large ground squirrel that is eaten in some parts of China and the neighboring country Mongolia, and which have historically caused plague outbreaks in the region.

The marmot is believed to have caused the 1911 pneumonic plague epidemic, which killed about 63,000 people in northeast China. It was hunted for its fur, which soared in popularity among international traders. The diseased fur products were traded and transported around the country — infecting thousands along the way.

Though that epidemic was contained within a year, marmot-related plague infections have persisted decades later. Just last week, two cases of bubonic plague were confirmed in Mongolia — brothers who had both eaten marmot meat, according to Xinhua.

Last May, a couple in Mongolia died from bubonic plague after eating the raw kidney of a marmot, thought to be a folk remedy for good health. Two more people got pneumonic plague — another form of the disease, which infects the lungs — months later across the border in Inner Mongolia.

9News Nigeria

He said; “When I was training for fights – I ate a lot of meat, cheese, bread. I devoured everything besides pork. I used to eat a lot. As I got older I didn’t like the way I was feeling. I had a lot of arthritis, joint problems and I was morbidly obese.” It was his wife who turned him on to going meat free.In this new video Tyson has sculpted arms, abs and an overall slender frame as he showed off a grey beard.

Boxing legend, Mike Tyson has shown off his insanely toned physique while throwing his signature fast punches in a new video. The 53-year-old former professional boxing champion was shirtless in the new video shared on Chinese social media site Weibo, as he threw punches while signalling he is back to boxing.

Tyson recenlty came out to reveal that he was coming out of retirement to stage a boxing comeback for charity and uploaded a video on his instagram page last week showing him throwing his signature fast knock out punches.His rival, Evander Holyfield, who Tyson famously bit off his ear in 1997 during a fight, also came out last week to reveal he was coming out of retirement, with fans optimistic the pair could stage a mouthwatering fight.

Tyson revealed he had to lose weight after making the decision to abandon meat and focus on a vegetarian diet in 2013

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9News Nigeria

China has approved early-stage human tests for two experimental coronavirus vaccines as it battles to contain imported cases and prevent a second wave of COVID-19.

The experimental vaccines are being developed by a Beijing-based unit of Sinovac Biotech and by the Wuhan Institute of Biological Products, an affiliate of state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group, state news agency Xinhua reported on Tuesday.

Al Jazeera’s Sarah Clarke, reporting from Hong Kong, said China’s National Health Commission also confirmed the trials will go ahead.

In March, Beijing gave the green light to another clinical trial for a coronavirus vaccine candidate developed by the military-backed Academy of Military Medical Sciences and biotech firm CanSino Bio, shortly after US drug developer Moderna said it had begun human tests for their vaccine with the US National Institutes of Health.

“We can confirm now that three particular vaccines are being tested in China, and the National Health Commission has said it will have to clear a number of conditions before they can enable mass production of the vaccines globally,” said Clarke.

As of Tuesday, China reported 82,249 coronavirus cases and 3,341 deaths. There were no fatalities over the past 24 hours.

‘Very bold decision’

Scientists around the world are racing against time to develop a vaccine for coronavirus, which has killed more than 119,000 people and infected more than 1.9 million globally.

The first approved vaccine in China has started its second phase of the trial, Clarke reported.

“A total of 500 people signed up to volunteer for that in the first phase, which looked at the safety of this vaccine, and the second phase has now introduced a placebo control group,” she said.

But even as hope for a cure is raised, John Nicholls, clinical professor of Pathology at the University of Hong Kong, said: “Vaccines can’t be rushed”.

His team was one of the first outside mainland China to reproduce the virus in a laboratory for research.

“Normally with vaccines you start off with small animals and then move to primates and then to the humans,” Nicholls told Al Jazeera. “It seems that with this one they have gone straight to the humans, which is a very bold decision.

“Most of the mortality in this disease is in the elderly, so the best thing would be to actually see what the anti-body response is in the elderly rather than the young,” he added.

9News Nigeria

The Nigeria Center for Disease Control NCDC, has dispelled rumors that the medical kits brought in from China are contaminated. Rumors have been rife that the medical equipments donated to Nigeria by Jack Ma, Chinese billionaire businessman, were contaminated. The NCDC on April 5, debunked the rumors saying the the medical kits are good and are effective when safely used by health workers

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Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Friday urged Americans to call on the U.S. government to lift sanctions as Iran fights the worst coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East, state media reported.

“U.S. government sanctions have led to many ordinary Iranians losing their health, jobs and income,” Rouhani said in a message carried by state media. “Now is the time for the American people to shout loudly at the U.S. government to demand an answer … and not allow the U.S. history to be blackened further.”

The United States sent Iran a blunt message this week: the spread of the coronavirus will not save it from U.S. sanctions that are choking off its oil revenues and isolating its economy.

Iran is the Middle Eastern nation worst hit by coronavirus, with its death toll climbing to 1,284 and one person dying from it every 10 minutes and 50 becoming infected every hour, the health ministry said.

The United States, which argues that its “maximum pressure” campaign to curb Iran’s nuclear, missile and regional activities does not stop the flow of humanitarian goods, imposed new sanctions this week.

The Trump administration blacklisted five companies based in the United Arab Emirates, three in mainland China, three in Hong Kong and one in South Africa for trade in Iran’s petrochemicals.

“Washington’s increased pressure against Iran is a crime against humanity,” an Iranian official told Reuters. “All the world should help each other to overcome this disease.”

Some analysts suggested the Trump administration should do more to speed the flow of humanitarian goods into Iran, though they saw little evidence to suggest this was in the offing.

“Our policy of maximum pressure on the regime continues,” Brian Hook, the U.S. Special Representative for Iranian Affairs, told reporters. “U.S. sanctions are not preventing aid from getting to Iran.”

On Monday, China called on the United States to give Iran sanctions relief for humanitarian reasons but U.S. officials, foreign diplomats and analysts saw no signs of this.

“While Iran is an epicenter of this virus outbreak and facing true economic catastrophe … there will be no relief on sanctions,” said Elizabeth Rosenberg of the Center for a New American Security think tank.

Hook said Washington sent a diplomatic note to Tehran offering help with coronavirus “and it was quickly rejected.”

He also blamed Iran’s leadership for its coronavirus woes, saying that Iran “spends billions on terrorism and foreign wars” and that if it spent one tenth of this “on a better health care system, the Iranian people would have been much better off.”

In what might be a gesture to Washington, Tehran released U.S. citizen Michael White from its custody though he must stay in Iran.

Suzanne Maloney of the Brookings Institution think tank said Iran allowing White or other detained U.S. citizens to fly home might appeal to President Donald Trump.

“I still don’t believe this administration wants to provide a lot of leeway to the Iranian authorities but that doesn’t mean they can’t or shouldn’t be looking for every opportunity to” get medical supplies into Iran, she said.

The outbreak in Iran was likely to spread as Iranians travel for the Nowruz new year’s celebration, she added, saying this could hurt U.S. security partners across the region.

“Iran is Italy, only on steroids,” Maloney said, alluding to the outbreak in Italy, whose coronavirus death toll on Thursday overtook that of China, where the virus emerged.

Mark Dubowitz, an Iran hawk with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies policy group, said Washington could send medical goods to Iran via private groups but should not ease sanctions.

“At the very time Iranian-backed Shi’ite militias in Iraq are killing Americans and Brits and others, this would be exactly the wrong time to be providing any kind of economic relief to the regime,” he said, referring to last week’s attack on a military camp in Iraq that killed one British and two U.S. personnel..

“We should be sending medical supplies directly to Iranians through non-governmental organizations and bypass the regime.”

Iranians appeared to have mixed feelings about whether Washington was making its outbreak worse.

“America’s sanctions are preventing Iran from getting necessary medicine and equipment to fight against this virus. They have to lift it,” said dentist Arash Hosseini, 52, in Tehran.

But Twitter user @fnikjoo, suggested sanctions relief would just provide “Money to support more terrorists in the region and beyond.”

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9News Nigeria

China is hungry for Australian beef, but every second kilo shoppers buy could be fake

The Chinese appetite for beef has reached unprecedented levels, with Australian exports to China up 73 per cent on last year, making it our biggest export market for beef.

Key points:

• In September, China was Australia’s biggest export market for beef
• Experts say meat fraud is rife and difficult to track
• A Brisbane-based company is using blockchain to securely track the origins of exported beef

Chinese consumers are prepared to pay hundreds of dollars a kilogram for the right cut of steak from a country they trust, but often don’t get what they think they’re buying.

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) estimates that every second kilogram of beef sold in China under the banner of being Australian isn’t Australian beef.

PwC agribusiness leader Craig Heraghty said it was notoriously difficult to put a finger on the exact meat fraud figure.

“Based on clients we have spoken to who are selling red meat into that market, based on distributors on the mainland and based on discussions with feedlotters serving the Chinese market, we have come up with that estimate — and it’s probably a lowball estimate,” he said.

PHOTO: China’s appetite for Australian beef has almost doubled over the past 10 years, but ‘fake steaks’ are becoming increasingly common. (ABC Landline: Pip Courtney)

Warwick Powell, founder of Brisbane-based company Beefledger, said China-based industry insiders were developing a view that for every 10 kilograms of beef sold, 1 kilogram is actually what it claims to be.

It either doesn’t originate from the country it claims to come from, is not the cut of meat it claims to be, or is not beef at all.

“It could be pork, duck breast or horse,” Mr Powell said.

Katherina Li, founder and chief executive of Beijing-based e-commerce platform Liberty Post, agrees food fraud is a big problem undermining consumer confidence in China.

“There is a very high risk of fake product by using cheaper products that pretend to be Australian beef,” she said.

“It’s a well-known tactic here.”

PHOTO: Former Hong Kong financier Warwick Powell now heads Beefledger. (ABC Landline: Prue Adams)

Using tech to combat fraud

Mr Powell’s company is launching a blockchain program in China later this month to ensure customers buying Australian beef can be confident they’re getting what they’ve paid for.

“We are putting the systems in place that minimise the risk of ‘fake steak’ being delivered,” Mr Powell said.

He said the high-tech system will verify all aspects of the beef supply chain from the feedlot to the fork.

With support from Food Agility, a co-operative research centre funded by the Federal Government and industry, Beefledger is employing a digital system using ‘smart contracts’ to replace forgeable letters of credit.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.VIDEO: How blockchain is used for agriculture (ABC News)

Information about cattle location, health, transport and processing is uploaded into the Beefledger blockchain interface at every point in the supply chain.

“Blockchain is a decentralised technology that stores data through a consensus process where many people are involved in affirming the data and it is very, very difficult to change or alter it afterwards,” Mr Powell said.

He said new technologies do much more than track provenance though.

“We can secure data to track the conditions of transport, more accurately predict shelf life and use-by dates and connect consumers with producers,” he said.

“We can also encourage members of the supply chain to do the right thing by offering incentives through newly established cryptocurrencies.”

PHOTO: Cattle are fitted with smart tags, which capture information to be added to the blockchain leger. (ABC Landline: Prue Adams)

Anyone in the Beefledger community can participate in the network by purchasing BEEF tokens.

Beefledger, which sent its first batch of beef to China last year, will showcase its high-tech system in a six-city roadshow in China from November 18.

It’s a timely launch. Last week Chinese President Xi Jinping called for faster development in blockchain and cryptocurrency in China.

“In China, we believe blockchain technology is the future for tracking food and fighting fraud,” Ms Li said.

“That’s why we are pleased to have Beefledger products on our platform.”

PwC’s Mr Heraghty praised companies trying to give honest information to verify origins and authenticate meat but had a warning.

PHOTO: Through blockchain, everyone in the supply chain is supposed to add as much data as possible, including photographs and their metadata. (ABC Landline: Pip Courtney)

“The weakest link in the chain is not blockchain or any technology, the weakest link is the piece of sticky tape that puts the label on the package,” he said.

Where there is human involvement, there can still be a substitution.

“You have to think like a fraudster and see where you can copy a label or a QR code,” Mr Heraghty said.

“I’m not talking about Beefledger here, but the illusion of traceability is a worrying trend I see.”

Source: ABC News Australia

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9News Nigeria

The government of Nigeria yesterday signed a contract with state-owned China Railway Construction Corporation Limited (CRCC) to build a major new railway linking the capital Abuja to the port city of Warri, a distance by air of approximately 440km.

The project is valued at $3.9bn, Nigerian media reported , adding that it would be a public-private partnership, with Nigeria providing an equity stake of 15%, CRCC an equity stake of 10%, and the remaining 75% borrowed from Cina’s Export-Import (Exim) Bank.

The project includes the construction of a new port at Warri, reports said.
CRCC will operate the railway and the port to recover its investment.

Heading south from Abuja, the line will pass through the city of Baro. A branch line will be built to Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

Announcing the contract, Nigeria’s transport minister Rotimi Amaechi said CRCC was in charge of all rail projects in Nigeria.

CRCC Limited is a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation, which has many subsidiaries.

“The entire railway for now in Nigeria is constructed 100 per cent by the CRCC,” reports quote him as saying. “I think that the good working relationship we have had with the CRCC is the reason we have not been able to engage other companies.”

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9News Nigeria

US President Donald Trump’s latest accusation of currency manipulation has foreign-exchange analysts game-planning the administration’s next move.

Trump tweeted Wednesday that Europe and China are playing a “big currency manipulation game”, days after he declared a tariff ceasefire with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

For market observers, the president seemed to suggest going beyond mere jawboning. His call to “MATCH, or continue being the dummies who sit back and politely watch as other countries continue to play their games” has strategists considering the possibility that the US Treasury could intervene to weaken the dollar.

The US has not intervened in FX markets since 2011, when it stepped in to strengthen the dollar as part of an international effort after the yen soared in the wake of that year’s devastating earthquake in Japan.

But with Trump’s repeated complaints about dollar strength – even after the US refrained from formally labeling China a currency manipulator at the end of May – anything is on the table, according to Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce.
Presidential ‘obsession’

“The obsession with currency manipulation – a month after the last Treasury report had different conclusions – means we should be prepared for anything,” said Bipan Rai, CIBC’s North American head of foreign-exchange strategy. “The Treasury hasn’t intervened to weaken the dollar for decades, but we wouldn’t be surprised if that changes potentially under Trump.”

The euro touched the day’s high on Trump’s tweet Wednesday before retreating.

The latest missive did little to rattle the offshore yuan, which is roughly unchanged near 6.88 per dollar.

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index is down about 0.5% this year, after a 3.2% gain in 2018. But using a Federal Reserve trade-weighted measure, the dollar is not far below the strongest since 2002, which threatens to make US exports less competitive abroad.

The risk of intervention increases should the Fed decide not to ease policy at its meeting this month, Rai said. Trump has staged a campaign against Fed Chairman Jerome Powell in recent months, comparing the central bank to a “stubborn child” last month for not cutting rates.

Trump may ramp up his jawboning efforts as other major central banks start to ease, said Anthony Doyle, global cross-asset investment specialist at Fidelity International.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if jawboning was to increase in coming months,” Doyle said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “Generating inflationary pressures, generating competitiveness through a lower currency is one tool that central banks can use to support their economies and it’s the only game in town at the moment.”

Not enough

Even if the Fed does lower rates in a few weeks – a move that bond traders overwhelmingly expect – that might not be enough for the president, according to Bank of America Corp.

“The president is likely to get his way at least for the time being,” foreign-exchange strategist Ben Randol said via email.
“However, the problem arises if US economic outperformance continues and the dollar proves accordingly resilient,” he said.

“In that case, the temptation to intervene in FX markets will increase if Fed cuts don’t do the trick.”

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9News Nigeria

Police in Nigeria are investigating the murder of three Chinese people whose burnt bodies were found in Lagos over a week ago.

According to the official radio station of Zhejiang province, the three Chinese victims were employees at a furniture factory in Nigeria’s largest city owned by a businessman from Ruian city and they were killed “in a cruel manner” on December 15.

The three people went missing after dinner and their bodies were found the next day, the factory owner, surnamed He, told the station.

Two of the victims, surnamed Zhang and Hong, came from Zhejiang province while the third, named Sun, was from Shandong.

The Chinese consulate-general said on Saturday that the circumstances of the case were “complicated” without providing further elaboration.

“It took [local police] hours to find them, their bodies were badly burned. The way they were treated was extremely cruel,” the factory owner told the radio station.

Chinese diplomats have urged local authorities to step up the investigation, said the consulate-general’s statement.

China has close political and trade ties with Nigeria, with roughly one-third of its foreign direct investment coming from China in 2016.

According to Chinese ambassador to Nigeria Zhou Pingjian, there are about 40,000 to 50,000 Chinese people in the African country, mostly Chinese workers and businessmen as well as people of Chinese descent.

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9News Nigeria

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday that China should free two Canadian citizens who were detained this week after authorities in Canada arrested a senior Chinese technology executive on a U.S. extradition warrant.

Pompeo’s comments were the first by a senior U.S. official on the arrests, which Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said could escalate a growing trade conflict between China and the United States.

“The unlawful detention of two Canadian citizens is unacceptable,” Pompeo told reporters after talks in Washington, D.C., with Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland. “They ought to be returned … We ask all nations of the world to treat other citizens properly.”

Canadian officials were granted consular access on Friday to one of the two detainees in China and were still trying to contact the second, the Foreign Affairs Minister

Pompeo China detained the two — businessman Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, a former diplomat and an adviser with the International Crisis Group (ICG) — after Canadian police arrested Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd.’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Dec. 1.

ICG President Robert Malley also called for Kovrig’s release on Saturday.
“Michael’s arrest is unjust. He should be freed immediately,” Malley said in a statement.

“Far from being secretive, Michael’s work was open for all to see, Chinese officials first and foremost,” he said. Kovrig did not do anything to endanger China’s national security, either as a diplomat or at the ICG, Malley said.

U.S. prosecutors accuse Meng of misleading multinational banks about Iran-linked transactions, putting the banks at risk of violating U.S. sanctions. Meng, who is the daughter of Huawei’s founder, has said she is innocent.

Potentially complicating the case, U.S. President Donald Trump made comments this week that legal experts say may have undermined the U.S. basis for extradition.

Asked about the remarks, Freeland said: “We all agree that the most important thing we can do is to uphold the rule of law, ensure that Ms. Meng’s right to due process is respected and that the current judicial process in Canada remains apolitical.”

Trudeau, in his strongest comments on the matter to date, said China’s detention of the two men was “not acceptable.”

China rejects Trudeau’s insistence that the government cannot interfere with the judiciary. Meng was released on bail this week but has to remain in Canada.

“This is one of the situations you get in when the two largest economies in the world, China and the United States, start picking a fight with each other,” Trudeau told Citytv in Toronto.

“The escalating trade war between them is going to have all sorts of unintended consequences on Canada, potentially on the entire global economy. We’re very worried about that,” he said.

Lu Shaye, China’s ambassador to Canada, told a university conference on Friday that the prospects for deeper business ties were good despite the dispute. He declined to comment when pressed by reporters about Trudeau’s remarks.

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BEIJING (9News Nigeria) – At week’s end, global investors and policy makers will likely be given a stark reminder of the costs of a bitter Sino-U.S. trade war, with a Reuters poll predicting that China’s third-quarter growth will slow to its weakest pace since the global financial crisis.

Domestic demand has been faltering in recent months as U.S. President Donald Trump’s campaign to force China to make sweeping changes to intellectual property, industrial subsidy and trade policies start to depress export earnings.

Beijing has been trying to ward off a sharper slowdown in the world’s second-largest economy by stepping up policy support and softening its stance on a de-risking campaign, as the full impact of higher U.S. trade tariffs has still to be felt.

And analysts said more support measures will be needed as risks to China’s growth outlook have increased since the second half of the year.

A poll of 68 economists showed gross domestic product likely grew 6.6 percent in July-September from a year earlier, slowing from the previous quarter’s 6.7 percent and hitting the weakest pace since the first quarter of 2009.

The predicted third-quarter growth would still be higher than the government’s full-year target of around 6.5 percent.

“The downward pressure on the economy is relatively big as consumption weakens and infrastructure investment has yet to stabilize” from a slowdown, said Tang Jianwei, senior economist at Bank of Communications in Shanghai.

“It’s necessary to make policy adjustments as the external pressure increases.”

Recent economic data have pointed to weakening domestic demand ranging from infrastructure investment to consumer spending, as a multi-year crackdown on riskier lending and debt has pushed up companies’ borrowing costs.

Growth in China’s vast factory sector in September stalled after 15 months of expansion, with export orders falling the most in more than two years, according to private survey showed. An official survey also confirmed that manufacturers were coming under stress.

There are signs that firms have ramped up shipments before broader and stiffer U.S. tariffs take effect, which likely explains an unexpected acceleration in China’s exports growth in September and a record trade surplus with the United States.

The yuan CNY=CFXS has lost about 6 percent against the dollar this year, which may also have taken the sting out of the U.S. tariffs, but could fan risks of capital outflows.

Export-reliant Chinese cities and provinces are already showing the strain. Guangdong, China’s biggest province by gross domestic product, reported a drop in exports in the first eight months from a year earlier.

The world’s two biggest economies last slapped tit-for-tat tariffs on each other’s goods on Sept. 24, with Washington levying duties on about $200 billion of Chinese goods. Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on virtually all of China’s goods exports to the United States.

MORE POLICY SUPPORT SEEN LIKELY

Policymakers have in recent months unveiled measures to lower financing costs, cut taxes and fast-track more infrastructure projects, although analysts believe such modest stimulus may take time to put a floor under the slowing economy.

The People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has cut reserve requirements for lenders four time this year, with the latest cut taking effect on Oct. 15, injecting more liquidity to stimulate bank lending. But the central bank faces obstacles in funneling more credit to cash-strapped small businesses, which are vital for boosting economic growth and creating jobs.

China’s central bank governor Yi Gang said on Sunday he still sees plenty of room for adjustment in interest rates and the reserve requirement ratio (RRR), as downside risks from trade tensions with the United States remain significant.

China releases second quarter GDP on October 19, along with September industrial output, retail sales, property sales and investment, and fixed asset investment data.

Economists in the poll estimated GDP grew 1.6 percent quarter-on-quarter, versus 1.8 percent in the second quarter.

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9News Nigeria

The Republic of South Korea has concluded arrangements to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on mineral resources signed with the Nigerian government in 2004.

South Korean Ambassador to Nigeria, Lee In-tae, disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bwari, saying his country was willing and ready to invest in the sector.

He explained that South Korea want to find the best way to collaborate with Nigeria in the mining sector since there were abundant mineral resources in the country and strengthen trade between the two countries.

“South Korean investors who are interested to invest in Nigeria, but were hampered by dearth of geological information on types of mineral and make it available where they are found, have now picked interest in its mining” he added.

Speaking earlier, Bwari told the envoy that the Federal Government was ready to learn from South Korea in the area of mineral development and economy.
Meanwhile, in its efforts to boost technology and small businesses, the Lagos State Government has established a Knowledge, Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (KITE) Centre in Yaba.

The centre is linked to the $24 million investment of Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg in Nigerian start-ups, which brought him to the country in 2016.

©All Africa

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9News Nigeria

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) will increase its venture in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, especially its offshore investments, to about $17 billion.Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Beijing-based Corporation, Yuan Guangyu, disclosed this during a visit to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Abuja at the weekend, saying Nigeria was a key destination for the national oil firm.

CNOOC, one of the three big Chinese national oil entities, originally focuses on offshore upstream exploration and production, while the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) favours onshore upstream exploration and production. China Petrochemical Corporation Group, SINOPEC, the third of the tripod, focuses on refining and marketing.

Apart from over $14 billion, which Guangyu said the country has already invested in oil and gas sector in Nigeria, he disclosed that the group would stake additional $3 billion in its existing portfolio in the country’s offshore oil and gas operations.

Leading a team of CNOOC top executives to NNPC’s corporate headquarters, Guangyu called for common grounds of beneficial interest that could boost productivity of both countries’ oil firms.

Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Maikanti Baru, said the corporation was open to new investments and opportunities.Baru, who was represented by Chief Operating Officer (COO), Ventures Autonomous Business Unit of the NNPC, Victor Babatunde Adeniran, said the corporation would foster meaningful and mutually beneficial relations with credible entities like the CNOOC.

©All Africa

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9News Nigeria

China’s R&F plans to invest up to $2 billion to revive operations at Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO), the southern African nation’s industry and commerce minister said on Tuesday.

Saddled by high debt and gross mismanagement, ZISCO ceased production in 2008 at the height of Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown.

Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha said that teams from R&F had been travelling to Zimbabwe in the past six months to perform due diligence and negotiate the deal.

He did not provide further details on the deal, but said that between $1 billion and $2 billion would be required to restart the steelmaker’s operations.

“We have already agreed with them on the framework of their operation … But there is a lot of work to be done,” Bimha said late on Monday.

“We believe that in the next 18 months we will be able to see the production of a million tonnes of steel (a year)”.

Essar Africa Holdings, a unit of India’s Essar Group, had agreed to invest in ZISCO in 2011 but the deal collapsed in 2015.

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9News Nigeria

China said it would take action to defend its interests if the United States damaged trade ties between them.

The Ministry of Commerce stated this on Tuesday, after US President, Donald Trump, authorized an inquiry into China’s alleged theft of intellectual property.

Trump’s move, the first direct trade measure by his administration against China, comes at a time of heightened tension over North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, though it is unlikely to prompt near-term change in commercial ties.

U.S Trade Representative, Robert Lighthizer, will have a year to check whether to launch formal investigation of China’s policies on intellectual-property, which the White House and US industry groups say are harming US businesses.

The United States should respect objective facts, act prudently, abide by its World Trade Organization pledges, and not destroy principles of multilateralism, an unidentified spokesman of China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement.

“If the U.S side ignores the facts and disrespects multilateral trade principles in taking actions that harm both sides’ trade interests, China will absolutely not sit by and watch.

“It will inevitably adopt all appropriate measures, and resolutely safeguard China’s lawful rights.”

The ministry said that the U.S should “treasure” the cooperation and favourable state of China-US trade relations, and warned that any US action to damage ties would “harm both sides’ trade relations and companies”.

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9News Nigeria

China says India has been building up troops along its side of the border and demands an “immediate withdrawal” amid an increasingly tense stand-off in a remote frontier region high in the Himalayas.

The stand-off on a plateau, which lies at the China-India-Bhutan junction, is one of the worst border disputes between the nuclear-armed rivals in more than 30 years.

On Thursday, China’s Foreign Ministry demanded India must “immediately withdraw troops” from the region, known as Donglang in Beijing, and Doklam in New Delhi, if it cherishes peace.

The plateau is currently disputed between China and Bhutan with India supporting Bhutan’s claim over it.

“It has already been more than a month since the incident, and India is still not only illegally remaining on Chinese territory, it is also repairing roads in the rear, stocking up supplies, massing a large number of armed personnel,” China’s foreign ministry said in a statement.

“This is certainly not for peace.”

India, meanwhile, denied any such military buildup.

In a statement to parliament on Thursday, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj urged dialogue based on a written common understanding regarding the border intersection reached in 2012.

“India always believes that peace and tranquility in the India-China border is an important pre-requisite for smooth development of our bilateral relations,” Swaraj said, according to a transcript of her remarks released by her office.

“We will continue to engage with the Chinese side through diplomatic channels to find a mutually acceptable solution.”

‘Bottom line’

The standoff began in June when Chinese troops began building a road through the plateau.

India sent troops at Thimpu’s request, and warned China that construction of the road near their common border would have serious security implications.

The road gives China access to the so-called Chicken’s Neck, a thin strip of land connecting India’s central mass to its remote northeastern regions.

Indian officials say about 300 soldiers from either side are now facing each other about 150 metres apart.

In a separate statement, China’s Defence Ministry said the country had shown goodwill and that its forces had exercised utmost restraint, but warned “restraint has a bottom line”.

“No country should underestimate the Chinese military’s confidence in and ability to fulfil its mission of safeguarding peace, and should not underestimate the Chinese military’s determination and will to defend the country’s sovereignty, security and development interests,” it said.

China’s military has held live fire drills close to the disputed area, and state television on Friday said more exercises had been conducted recently, though did not give an exact location.

In an editorial, the official China Daily said China was not in the mood for a fight, noting how the standoff has been “unusually restrained”.

“However, if good manners do not work, in the end, it may be necessary to rethink our approach. Sometimes a head-on blow may work better than a thousand pleas in waking up a dreamer,” the English-language paper added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to visit China early in September for a summit of BRICS leaders.

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9News Nigeria

China has demanded that India pull back its troops from a contested region high in the Himalayas, warning New Delhi not “to push your luck” amid a festering border dispute.

According to Indian officials, about 300 soldiers from either side face each other about 150 metres apart on the Doklam plateau, an area also claimed by India’s ally Bhutan.

The standoff began in June when Chinese troops started building a road onto the plateau towards India’s border.

Bhutan sought help from India, which sent troops across the border from the northeastern state of Sikkim.

On Monday, Colonel Wu Qian, a Chinese defence ministry spokesman, said India must not underestimate Beijing’s determination to safeguard what it considers sovereign territory belonging to China in the Doklam plateau.

“China’s determination and resolve to safeguard national security and sovereignty is unshakable,” Wu told reporters.

“Here is a wish to remind India, do not push your luck and cling to any fantasies,” he added.

Shake up status quo

India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the border road has serious security implications.

“If China unilaterally changes the status quo of the tri-junction, it becomes a matter of security concern for India,” Swaraj said in parliament last week.

Although the Doklam plateau is not part of Indian territory, India is sensitive to Chinese building activity in the region as it would give Beijing access to the so-called “chicken neck”, a thin strip of land that connects India and its remote northeastern states.

India has called for a withdrawal of forces and a negotiated settlement to the standoff.

Wu, however, reiterated that the withdrawal of Indian border guards was a precondition to resolving the situation.

“Shaking a mountain is easy but shaking the People’s Liberation Army is hard,” he said.

“We strongly urge India to take practical steps to correct its mistake, cease provocations, and meet China halfway in jointly safeguarding the border region’s peace and tranquillity,” he said.

He added that the military had taken emergency measures in the region and would continue to increase focused deployments and drills.

The crisis is expected to be discussed when India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval visits Beijing this week for a security forum under the BRICS group of large developing nations that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

China and India share a 3,500km frontier, large parts of which are disputed.

The two nuclear-armed powers fought a bloody border war in 1962.

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9News Nigeria

American superstar singer, Justin Bieber has been banned from performing in China for bad behavior.

According to a statement released by Beijing’s Municipal Bureau of Culture, “Bieber’s lifestyle overseas and his words and actions when he last performed in China had generated public dissatisfaction.

“Given efforts to purify the performing arts environment in China, it was not appropriate to bring in artists with bad behavior.

“We hope Justin Bieber will continue to improve his behavior as part of his growth, and become a singer truly loved by the public.”

The Canadian pop star performed in China in 2013 when media coverage centered on him stripping on stage in Beijing to reveal his bare torso, being carried up the steps of the Great Wall of China, and riding a segway, again shirtless, through the streets.

The multiple award winning singer, has become notorious for a string of indiscretions and scandals in recent years, shedding the clean-cut image he had when he burst onto the scene as a teenager.

Bieber is currently on his third world tour, with Asian dates in Japan, India, Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia.

Bieber’s official website does not show any scheduled tour dates in mainland China. But there appears to be some confusion about a possible stop in Shanghai.

Bieber is billed to perform in Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore in September and October, according to his website but no Chinese dates have been announced.

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9News Nigeria

BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s two-child policy is showing “notable results” with the fertility rate expected to rise through to 2020, a senior health official said on Saturday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of China’s annual meeting of parliament, Wang Peian, vice-minister of the National Health and Family Planning Commission said there were “notable results” in 2016, with the largest annual number of newborn babies since 2000.

Wang said 18.46 million live births were recorded last year, two million more than the average of the previous five years.

The total fertility rate also rose to 1.7 children per woman, compared to 1.5-1.6 between 2000 and 2015, he added.

China introduced its controversial “one-child policy” in the 1970s to limit population growth, but authorities are now concerned the country’s dwindling workforce will not be able to support an increasingly ageing population.

In 2015, China said it would allow all married couples to have two children, to address those concerns.

Wang said the rising trend will continue through to 2020, during which the annual number of newborns is expected to range between 17 million and 19 million.

“We are very optimistic,” he added.

China’s birth rate, one of the world’s lowest, was considered an achievement by the government, which was concerned about over-population, but has since become a source of anxiety for authorities worried about an ageing workforce.

Source – Reuters

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria has arrested two Chinese nationals, Taolung Shen and Xu Jing Yau, who were said to have dealt in substandard tyres worth over N5bn.

The suspects, according to a statement on Sunday, were paraded following their arrest, and the sealing of the warehouse where they had been cloning different sizes of tyres under different brand names.

The suspects, the statement added, churned out the substandard tyres into the Nigerian market under brand names such as Powertrac, Aptany, Harmony, Duraturn, Bearway, City Tour, Winda, Glory, Chachland, City Grand, Grandsonte and Sunny.

According to SON, the suspects brought the substandard tyres into Nigeria by stuffing them into one another.

“Sometimes as many as five tyres were stuffed into one and the tyres would have bent and ruptured in several places, thereby looking weak and slack.

“But the Chinese adorned the tyres with new labels and shinny linings to create the impression of being new and healthy,” SON said.

Some of the tyres found in the warehouse had post-dated manufacturing dates.

The agency’s Director General, Osita Aboloma, who conducted journalists round the warehouse, described the tyres as dead on arrival, saying allowing the sale of such tyres in the country amounted to “surreptitiously taking away the lives of millions of Nigerians.”

He observed that by stuffing the tyres into one another and conveying them through the sea from China to Lagos, the quality of the tyres had already been compromised.

Aboloma also noted that the crude way the tyres were separated on arrival in Nigeria and the poor storage facility, without sufficient aeration, in the warehouse had further compromised their quality.

“The SON Directorate of Compliance intercepted one of their trucks on the highway, tracked it and then this.

“You can see the amount of danger that these people are posing to our people and our economy just because they want to make huge profit at the expense of the lives of Nigerians.

“It is a clear case of investing millions in illicit business in order to take away the lives of millions of Nigerians, to destroy the lives of millions of Nigerians. If we allow something like this, it will amount to killing Nigerians,” Aboloma said.

The DG said there would be no hiding place for people who dealt in adulterated products in the country.

“I want to reiterate that there is no hiding place for those who deal in substandard products as they would be caught and their products confiscated. Today’s feat is an example,” he said.

Aboloma advised users of automobile tyres nationwide on the need to be extra-cautious when making purchases of such products.

He urged tyre users to henceforth demand that dealers indicate the manufacturing dates on the receipts, so as to make the seller take responsibility on any product sold by them.”

Source – The Punch

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9News Nigeria

A woman stunned commuters by taking her male friend for a walk through rush hour traffic on a DOG LEASH .

The bizarre sadomasochist act saw the woman – resplendent in a blue skirt and high heels – yanking her ‘dog’ through the busy streets.

Unsurprisingly, drivers and motorcyclists on their way home during afternoon rush hour were dumbfounded at the sight on the street of Fuzhou, capital of East China’s Fujian Province, where the man in jeans and a black T-shirt acted like a dog.

Sex dungeon at nudist spa with kinky cages to be bulldozed after losing High Court battle

Many had never seen anything like it before and began frantically taking photos, while those who saw the tell-tale signs of S&M also whipped out their phones and began frenetically taking pictures of the scene.

According to witnesses, the woman would occasionally stop during her walk and stroked or petted the man’s head, telling passers-by that he was her “dog”, successfully raising the eyebrows and dropping the jaws of all present.

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The bizarre acts drew so much attention that Fuzhou City police eventually arrived on the scene and told the couple to stop whatever it was that they were doing – though reports did not say on what grounds they were ordered to do so.

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The woman untied the leash from the man’s neck and the pair disappeared into a shopping centre, reports said.

Netizens on Chinese social media site Weibo – commonly referred to as Chinese Twitter – are still trying to figure out the pair’s relationship and also the message they were trying to send.

Sadomasochism is the act of giving or receiving pain or humiliation in pursuit of sexual gratification.

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

Heavy rain around China’s Yangtze river basin has left 128 people dead and scores missing, media said Tuesday, with more damage feared from a typhoon expected to land this week.

Flooding has forced some 1.3 million people to evacuate vast areas near China’s longest river and its connected waterways, the official Xinhua news agency cited the civil affairs ministry as saying.

Millions more are threatened by the continuing downpour, which began at the end of June and has already destroyed at least 41,000 homes, it said.

Water levels in Taihu Lake near Shanghai are at their highest level in decades, according to Beijing News, which said the area faces a serious risk of flooding if a typhoon hits Friday as forecast.

A farmer in eastern China broke down in tears as waters rose around his thousands of pigs, photos posted on state media showed.

Other images showed a sports stadium in the central province of Hubei turned into a “giant bathtub” by the rainfall.

Damage so far is estimated at over 38.16 billion yuan ($5.73 billion) and 42 people are missing, according to Xinhua.

Flooding is common during the summer monsoon season in southern China, but rainfall has been particularly heavy this year and many areas have been lashed by torrential rains this week.

Rain is expected to move north in the coming days towards the Huai river, Beijing News reported.

China’s Vice Premier Wang Yang warned last month that a strong El Nino effect this year would increase the risk of flooding in the Yangtze and Huai river basins.

An El Nino effect was linked to China’s worst floods of recent years when more than 4,000 people died in 1998, mostly around the Yangtze.

The Beijing News quoted a meteorologist as saying that rain patterns this year were more disparate than in 1998, diminishing the risk of a similar toll.

China’s national observatory issued an orange alert for storms across the country’s south and east last week — the second highest warning in a four-tiered system.

Whole villages were levelled and at least 98 killed in the eastern province of Jiangsu last month after the region was hit by a storm with hurricane-force winds and the worst tornado in half a century.

Source: Vanguard Nigeria

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria

9News Nigeria