Intel agencies scour reams of genetic data from Wuhan lab in Covid origins hunt
""Obviously there are scientists who are (security) cleared," one source familiar with the intelligence told CNN. "But Mandarin-speaking ones who are cleared? That's a very small pool. And not just any scientists, but ones who specialize in bio? So you can see how this quickly becomes difficult.""
--- You don't necessarily need scientists who speak Mandarin, translators with a more basic knowledge of the matter should suffice. They can then give their translations to specialised scientists. Takes more time, there may be more mistakes in the translations, but that can be worked out.
"Multiple sources told CNN that absent an unexpected windfall of new information, officials don't expect to uncover a "smoking gun" -- like intercepted communications, for example -- that would offer definitive proof for either theory"
--- We may never know...
Meanwhile, the Republicans issued a report with high confidence in a Chinese lab-leak: COVID-19 Escaped From China Lab
But, well, that's just the Republicans. So it has to be taken with quite a big grain of salt. I doubt, that they have better information than US secret services.
China pledges two billion vaccine doses to world: Xi
"China will "strive to provide" two billion Covid-19 vaccine doses to the world this year"
--- The world is saved! Another pledge by emperor Xi.
Mind you, 'provide' here means 'sell'. China usually does not donate.
"and donate $100 million to the international vaccine distribution system known as Covax"
--- & if it does, it is usually bound to the condition that money will spent on Chinese products. Hence, my guess is that Covax only gets these 100m to buy Chinese vaccines.
Chinese liquor and e-cigarette shares fall amid state ‘vice industry’ crackdown
"Shares in e-cigarette and liquor makers slumped on Thursday after reports in the Chinese media of adolescent e-cigarette use and links between alcohol and cancer spooked investors"
--- Notice that actual tobacco products are missing here. Could it be that this is because all major cigarette producers in China are state-owned? That's also why I doubt that Kweichow Moutai, mentioned in the article, could be the victim of a crackdown on alcoholic beverages. It is majority state-owned.
China restarts coal mines to meet surging power demand
"Last week authorities announced the restart of another 38 mines in Inner Mongolia, bringing the total number brought back online to 53.
The combined annual production capacity of these mines exceeds 110 million tonnes."
--- But..., but ...,
"But President Xi Jinping has also pledged to wean China off coal with a target of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality 30 years later."
--- OK, I admit, I doubted for a moment. But reading this again has reinforced my belief & trust in emperor Xi. He promised, then it will be. China to the climate rescue.
Biden administration proposes $750 million arms sale to Taiwan in a move likely to anger Beijing
"in a move likely to further inflame tensions with Beijing"
--- Really? What's left to inflame? If the author believes that a few howitzers will actually make relations worse she might not really be best for this job.
WHO concludes investigation of Chinese Goodwill Ambassador
"UNWatch earlier issued a critical statement against WHO’s failure to hold its GD’s to its Code of Conduct, which also includes the wife of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping, herself a member of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)."
--- Tedros may make some weak efforts to enforce scientific standards in the search for Covid-origins, but the WHO as such is obviously still deep in the pockets of the CCP.
China: How Delta threatens a prized zero Covid strategy
Biden extends temporary safe haven to Hong Kong residents in US amid China crackdown
How a fake network pushes pro-China propaganda
Hong Kong drops charges against Cantopop star and pro-democracy politician over election performance
--- Reuters: "Breakout: China’s rule by law, not rule of law"
--- WION: "Gravitas: Indian warships in the South China Sea"
--- CNN: "China's spiraling delta variant outbreak hits Wuhan"
Biden-Regierung genehmigt Waffen-Verkauf an Taiwan
"Washington schade mit der Genehmigung des Waffengeschäfts „in ernster Weise den chinesisch-amerikanischen Beziehungen und der Stabilität in der Taiwanstraße“"
--- Sprich: Es macht eine Invasion schwieriger & das gefällt uns nicht.
Hotspots stellen Flug- und Zugverkehr ein
"Die chinesische Regierung verfolgt eine sogenannte Null-Covid-Strategie: Treten in einer Stadt oder Provinz kleine Cluster auf, werden die betroffenen Gebiete abgeriegelt und alle Einwohner auf das Virus getestet. Die hochansteckende Delta-Variante scheint sich allerdings schneller auszubreiten, als China und andere Verfechter der Strategie testen können"
--- V.a. sind Sinopharm- & Sinovac-Impfstoffe wohl ziemlich nutzlos gegen Delta.
Olympia verstärkt Chinas Nationalismus
"In rund einem halben Jahr beginnen in der chinesischen Hauptstadt Peking die Olympischen Winterspiele. Eine überbordende Politisierung der Wettkämpfe ist schon jetzt absehbar."
--- Niemals! Die KPCh hat immer wieder gesagt, daß Sport nicht politisiert werden darf. & wenn man nicht mal mehr den Kommis vertrauen kann, wem dann?
Kryptowährungen : Chinas Bedeutung schwindet
Hongkonger Künstler Kacey Wong nach Taiwan geflohen
