The spectacular arrest of famed Hong Kong actor Max Mok (莫少聪), 50, by Beijing police for allegedly taking drugs has been widely reported in the media. As this video shows, the actor, best known for his role in the 1990s drama series Once Upon a Time in China by director Tsui Hark, was busted at home in Beijing together with two of his friends, including his manager. Commenters have been horrified at the way Mok has been humiliated on public television for the relatively minor crime of smoking pot, and many have wondered if this wasn't the handiwork of someone else in the industry who reported on him to the police. In the video, a tired-looking Mok insists, "I really didn't do it... Even if you give it to me for free, I don't want any of it." But later when shown the results of his drug test, Mok concedes that he took two hits, but only because there were lots of friends around who kept pushing it to him, and he found it hard to reject them. Mok's buddies also tested positive for ketamine, but their faces were blurred out in the news report. Moral of the story? If you ever get busted for smoking pot some day, then you only really need to start worrying if you're as famous as Max Mok.
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• 87 kg marijuana bust at Beijing airport [Danwei] "The front page of today's Beijing News features a photo of two Beijing airport customs officers, a passenger and the contents of his luggage: 87 kg of marijuana. According to the report, the man flew to Beijing from Lagos via Doha on March 2. He went though customs without his hold luggage. On March 3, he returned to the airport to pick up his overweight baggage, when his plastic-wrapped cargo attracted the interest of the customs officers."
• China Demands West Takes Responsibility for Imports' Carbon Footprint [ClimateBiz] "Speaking at a meeting of large polluters in Washington intended to deliver progress ahead of international talks in Copenhagen later this year, Li Gao said China should not pay for emissions arising from the manufacture of goods that are exported for use in rich nations. Speaking to the BBC, Li said any successor to the Kyoto Accord agreed in Copenhagen should recognize that rich countries are indirectly responsible for a large chunk of China's carbon emissions." A meeting of large polluters?
• Soldier's story a new look at Tiananmen crackdown [AP] "In bearing witness about his role in the military crackdown on the 1989 student demonstrations in Beijing, Zhang says he hopes to add momentum to calls for an investigation and reassessment of the protest movement — and to further its ultimate goal of a democratic China. 'I feel like my spirit is stuck there on the night of June 3,' Zhang, 40, said in an interview at his home in the dusty northern city of Tengzhou, referring to the date in 1989 on which the final assault began."

Is it just us or does he sound and look a little stoned here? more ›

DMG Entertainment has said it will not cancel its endorsement deal with Michael Phelps (菲尔普斯), notwithstanding the scandal over a published photo of him smoking a bong. The group said on Tuesday that it will be "standing by Michael." more ›

Visitors to the Life Art Center, also known as that place on Maoming Lu with lots of bad art and Southern Barbarian, may have noticed something a little out of the ordinary lately: Shanghai's first head shop (that we know of at least). more ›

What's the verdict, readers? more ›