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Photo by Wee Ling Soh

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The Xinjiang Riots: What's happened so far

Twitter has been blocked (as has Danwei, presumably because of their coverage) and Internet is allegedly down everywhere in Urumuqi - basically, it's information crackdown time since the proverbial shit has hit the fan.

Today's Links: South China rains kill 20, displace 700K

  • South China rains kill 20, force 700,000 from homes [Xinhua] "Torrential rains and floods in southern China have left at least 20 people dead and two missing. More than 700,000 people have been relocated as downpours have destroyed houses, flooded crops, cut power, damaged roads and caused rivers to overflow, according to the latest figures from the provinces of Hunan, Fujian, Jiangxi and Guangdong and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. "
  • SHANGHAI BUILDING COLLAPSE: Hundreds protest [Straits Times] "HUNDREDS of Chinese homeowners protested outside government offices in Shanghai demanding refunds after a 13-story apartment building in a complex under construction toppled over, newspapers reported on Sunday. The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post said the protesters marched on Saturday through central Shanghai, holding handwritten signs and chanting: 'Lotus Riverside, refund (our) homes!'"
  • China apologizes to Mexico for tough swine flu stand [AFP] "China's Health Minister Chen Zhu Friday apologized to his Mexican counterpart for failing to warn him about the tough measures Beijing imposed on Mexicans to combat swine flu. "I regret that I did not talk first" to Minister Jose Angel Cordova, Chen said on the sidelines of a meeting in Cancun about the swine flu pandemic."

                                 

The weather held up, Carlton J. Smith made everyone shake their booties, and lots walked away with fabulous prizes (the Crocs had their own cheerleading team). All in all, it was an incredibly successful Fourth of July celebration!

Pencil This In: Acoustic open mic, an all universities mixer, and Shanghai Idol

When the summer heat starts making you drowsy this week, we recommend checking out some live music and art shows, networking with university alums, and ending the week with drunken KTV Shanghai Idol and the Not Me opening.

           

Spurred on by the light buzz from beer we had chugged for charity, we pounced upon some unsuspecting flag-waving partygoers during the July 4 Shanghaiist + Boxing Cat Brewery Party last weekend.

Guys must watch out for sexual harassment in China too!

Recently, a famous recruitment website did a special survey of sexual harassment in the workplace. To our surprise, it seems that one third of the male respondants said that they had encountered forms of sexual harassment.

  

We've talked at length about the national exams (or gaokao) that have been making our Chinese compatriots' lives hell the last month. Every year there's a couple of weird controversies, usually relating to cheating or illegal registration or the like, and this year was no exception.

Chinese writers churn out Michael Jackson bio in 48 hours

moonwalkinparadise.jpg If there was a world record for the quickest post-death biographies ever written, this one would probably win. Two Chinese writers have written an "instant book" on Michael Jackson spanning 130,000 words... in just 48 hours. Entitled "Moonwalk in Paradise - the Michael Jackson biography", the book became available for pre-order on Friday and landed on China's bookshelves on Saturday. The writers "didn't sleep for two days" and survived off of coffee and cigarettes until the book was done. Neither have ever met or interviewed Jackson, instead simply compiling the story from their "accumulated knowledge about the king of pop." Going by what our writing tends to look like after two days of no sleep, we bet the second half of this bio looks like brilliant, not-quite-lucid nonsense. Source: China Daily

Friday: NOT ME opening!

Party animals that we are, we were absolutely thrilled to find out that Shanghai was getting another live music venue. Not Me, a bar/lounge on Dongping Lu, will soon be hosting a score of Indie / Indie Electro / Electroclash / Dance Rock acts in the French Concession. But before we start rooting for Cut Copy or Friendly Fires to make their way over to (or at least get copious dance floor play in) Shanghai, there first must be a grand opening!

[Updated] Xinjiang riot leaves scores dead

Update: BBC News is now reporting that at least 140 are dead and over 800 injured. It also has video, which may be disturbing for some to watch.

Fatal bus crash on Shanghai's Yangpu bridge

yangpu bridge.JPG Last night at around 9:30pm, a No. 3 line bus lost control on the Yangpu Bridge and swerved into the opposite lane, colliding with cars and causing a 12 vehicle pile-up. Roughly 14 people were injured. Three were killed by the accident - the bus driver died on the spot and two others, a bus passenger and a driver of a taxi the bus crashed into - died of injuries after being sent to the hospital. Police are currently investigating the cause of the accident. Source: Xinmin and Xinhua

  • Seattlest owned up to its darkest, most claustrophobic fear--getting trapped in a badly maintained hellevator.
  • Around Shanghai: No more airplane temperature checks, but we're getting a Wall St. Bull and Linkin Park!

    • Shanghai has decided to stop on-board aircraft passenger temperature checks, to the dismay of budding photographers hoping to document the bizarre hazard suit teams. [Shanghai Daily]
    • Mudwrestling at Martini Bar? Those are two things we thought never would really mix, but it somehow happened. [SmartShanghai]
    • What a load of bull. Shanghai's planning on building a bigger version of Wall St.'s charging bull statue to be placed on the waterfront. It'll mark the tail end of China's Year of the Ox and... we guess, be auspicious somehow. [The Age]

    Interview: Grace Before Meals post-rocking Shanghai

    Coming to us off a European tour, Australian band Grace Before Meals is set to play at Yu Yin Tang tonight at the Indie China Showcase, along with six other bands from around China.

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    Editor: Elaine Chow
    Managing Editor: Dan Washburn
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