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DEVASTATING CENTRAL CHINA

FLOODS

WASH AWAY CARS, DROWN SUBWAY PASSENGERS State media initially claimed no deaths as authorities opened reservoirs By Todd Crawford and Leo Timm Vision Times

loods have displaced 1.24 million people in central China’s Henan Province, with hundreds of thousands forced to evacuate their homes as the region experienced its heaviest rainfall in over 60 years. Eighty-nine counties in the province were affected, The heavy rainfall burst the banks of several major river systems in the region, flooding streets in many cities in the province and forcing authorities to suspend railway services. “A red alert has been issued. Zhengzhou authorities have enhanced surveillance to local rivers, reservoirs and infrastructure construction, and have suspended the operations of companies at risk and those with furnaces to prevent accidents,” reported the state-run Global Times. Zhengzhou, the provincial seat

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with a population of around 12 million, was especially hard hit, flooded streets and squares, waterlogged cars, and a subway line submerged on July 20.

Underground and underwater

The Global Times reported that “some passengers were trapped in the Line 5 subway in Zhengzhou by waist-high floods on Tuesday afternoon,” adding that “rescuers noted that the water has subsided in the subway and all passengers were safe.” However, video captured in Zhengzhou shows drowned subway passengers who were caught in an underground torrent. One video shows passengers chest-deep in water flowing into their darkened car, while in

another clip, numerous corpses are seen laid out on a station platform. At press time, authorities have announced more than 25 deaths from the disaster. Five hundred people were trapped in the Zhengzhou subway, and 12 people died. One netizen described the terror of being stuck in the subway. “I was really scared, but the most terrifying thing was not the water, but the diminishing air supply in the carriage,” a social media user with the handle Qiji Qiyuan wrote in a post. She passed out from lack of oxygen after seeing other passengers vomit and shake, and was rescued two hours later. According to a report by The Epoch Times, Zhengzhou residents said that the authorities had announced they would release water from reservoirs in the evening of July 20, but instead opened the floodgates that morning instead. Continued on A4

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Former US General

Criticizes Afghanistan Withdrawal, China Seeks Cooperation With Taliban By Prakash Gogoi Visiontimes

etired General David Petraeus, a former American military commander in Afghanistan, believes withdrawing troops from the nation is a mistake. In an interview with CNN, the general stated that the situation on the ground was getting dire “with each passing week.” Petraeus says that America will eventually “look back and regret” the decision. “The Afghan National Security Forces had been fighting and dying in very large numbers. And they still are. The problem now is they’re not sure if someone is coming to the rescue, and that injects a very considerable amount of uncertainty into the battlefield,” Petraeus said in the interview. Afghan National Army (ANA) soldiers stand guard at the back of a vehicle at a road checkpoint outside Bagram Air Base. (Images:ZAKERIA HASHIMI/Getty Images)

of terrorist factions. However, he does not expect the groups to pose any threat to the United States “in the near term,” because American presence in Afghanistan has reduced their capabilities and strengthened the U.S. intelligence network. ANAsoldier takes a selfie with his mobile phone inside the Bagram US air base after all US and NATO troops left. (Getty Images)

In an interview with Times of India, Petraeus said that the lack of American backing would force Afghan troops to do what some have already done – “desert their posts, flee the Taliban or surrender.” Although he is unimpressed with the current Afghan leadership, Petraeus is sure that a Taliban regime would be far worse. The ex-general foresees Al-Qaeda and its associated Khorasan Group establishing sanctuaries in territories under the control

China involvement

U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan has paved the way for regional players like China, Pakistan, and India to play a larger role in the country. China is reportedly seeking to cooperate with the Taliban. A Chinese foreign ministry report published on July 14 cites foreign minister Wang Yi as saying “the Taliban, as a major military force in Afghanistan, should recognize its responsibility toward the country and the nation, make a clean break with all terrorist forces and return to Afghanistan’s

political mainstream with a sense of responsibility for the country and the people.” In a write-up at the Global Times, Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin defended the Taliban, claiming that the U.S. does not classify the Afghan Taliban as a terrorist organization. However, the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence does categorize the group as a terrorist entity. Hu went on to write that antagonizing the Taliban would not be beneficial for China.

Pakistan and Taliban

Meanwhile, Pakistan is reportedly extending its support to Taliban forces. Afghanistan Vice President Amrullah Saleh accused the Pakistani Air Force of providing air support to the Taliban in certain regions. “Pakistan air force has issued official warning to

(Images:ZAKERIA HASHIMI/Getty Images)

the Afghan Army and Air Force that any move to dislodge the Taliban from Spin Boldak area will be faced and repelled by the Pakistan Air Force,” Saleh tweeted. India has invested over three billion dollars in Afghanistan’s reconstruction efforts over the past two decades, which includes the

Zaranj Salma dam and the Afghan Parliament building. Taliban militants have fired mortars on the Salma Dam, which is a major source of irrigation and electricity in the Chishti Sharif district. The Afghan National Water Authority warned of catastrophic consequences if the dam is destroyed.

US Government Spied on Microsoft Users, Vice President Asks for Stronger Privacy Laws By Arvind Datta Visiontimes

n June 30th, the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft, Tom Burt, testified before the House Committee on the Judiciary, revealing that the U.S. government has been spying on Microsoft users. Burt pushed for stronger privacy protection laws. He highlighted how cloud infrastructure has changed the way federal agencies obtain private information. Prior to cloud technology, law enforcement agents had to present subpoenas and search warrants to obtain a person or entity’s personal documents. As a result, targets would receive advance notices. However, the process has 212-730-6962

(Image: Alex Wong / Getty Images)

now changed with the adoption of cloud services. “But for citizens, businesses, and organizations throughout America, this expectation of privacy is unknowingly misplaced. Their own government is secretly demanding users’ data, without their knowledge, from cloud service providers,” Burt said in

the testimony. The demands are made by exploiting a subsection of the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA), a 35-year old law passed in 1986 that extended restrictions on government wiretaps of telephone calls to electronic data of computers. He added that Microsoft

and other companies receive “boilerplate secrecy orders” not supported by factual or legal analyses. The company states that it receives almost 2,400 to 3,500 orders from federal law enforcement every year, roughly averaging seven to 10 orders per day. These orders comprise one-third of all legal demands received by Microsoft. The fact that courts approve of clandestine surveillance of so many Americans is a “sea change” when compared to the past. To secretly search someone’s physical office, law enforcement will have to prove to a judge why the search is justified. “However, if they want to search your virtual office, they just serve a simple warrant on your cloud provider and obtain secrecy

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through a boilerplate process,” Burt said. The Microsoft executive called on the judiciary committee to make changes to the ECPA, which he termed an “antiquated law.” He proposed the following changes: • Congress should end indefinite secrecy orders. • The government should be required to notify cloud users targeted by secret search orders once the secrecy expires. • Congress should establish a standard that makes secrecy orders meaningful. • The standard of a secrecy order must be consistent with the First Amendment. • Greater transparency is needed regarding secrecy orders. • Congress should codify a statutory right allowing

cloud service providers to challenge secrecy orders deemed harmful. Burt said that government accountability hinges on transparency and secrecy orders should not be the norm, but instead a rare exception. “Providing notice to an individual the government targets with a warrant or other demand for information is a critical protection against government overreach. Safeguarding one’s constitutional rights requires knowledge that those rights are at risk. Without notice, an individual is left in the dark, unable to raise privileges or other objections that may be applicable, and unable to protect their rights in court,” Burt stated. subscription@visiontimes.com

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Tesla Plans $199-a-Month ‘Full Self-Driving’ Service to Remove ‘Burdensome Parts’ of Driving

JUL 23- JUL 29, 2021 |

By Prakash Gogoi Visiontimes

esla has begun offering a “Full Self-Driving” (FSD) autopilot drive assistance system as a monthly subscription service to its users. The system claims to assist drivers with the “most burdensome parts” of driving like “steering, accelerating and braking for other vehicles and pedestrians within its lane.” It works alongside other features of Tesla cars like collision warning, emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. The FSD feature is available on vehicles that have the FSD computer 3.0 (or above) together with the Basic Autopilot or Enhanced Autopilot installed. Tesla owners who do not have these configurations will need to purchase a $1,500 worth hardware upgrade to make their vehicles FSDready. At present, the FSD features are only available to “eligible vehicles in the United States.” FSD autopilot offers features like Traffic-Aware Cruise Control, Autosteer, Auto Lane Change, Navigate on Autopilot, Summon, Autopark, Smart Summon, and Traffic and Stop Sign Control. Although Tesla is marketing the service as “Full Self-Driving,” it is not actually fully autonomous. The company itself admits that a human overview is required when the system takes over control of the vehicle. “These features are designed to become more capable over time; however the currently enabled features do not make the vehicle autonomous. The

Church Statues Destroyed in New York, Acts of Violence Against Faith By Prakash Gogoi Vision Times

wo religious statues outside ‘Our Lady of Mercy’ Catholic parish in Queens, New York, were destroyed by a woman on July 17 at approximately three in the morning. The incident was caught on video. The two statues, ‘St. Therese the Little Flower’ and ‘Blessed Mother,’ date back to the opening of the church back in 1937, making them over eighty years old. The woman holding a hammer, jumped over the barrier and shook the two

statues loose. She then pushed the statues to the sidewalk and hit them with the hammer, stomping on them and spitting wildly. The attacker then fled the scene. According to police, the same woman had knocked down both statues a few days earlier on July 14. At that time, the monuments were not damaged. However, this was not the case with the July 17 attack. Father Frank Schwarz, Pastor at Our Lady of Mercy Roman Catholic Church, told reporters that the two statues have been “pretty much

destroyed.” The church custodian had bolted the statues to the ground following the previous attack. However the woman was able to remove them during the latest act of vandalism, after which the statues were desecrated. “Both of these statues have stood in front of the church since it was built… It is heartbreaking, but sadly it is becoming more and more common these days… I pray that this recent rash of attacks against Catholic churches and all houses of worship will end, and religious tolerance may become more a part of our society,”

Schwartz stated. The pastor believes that the attacker was in a rage as she “deliberately” destroyed the holy monuments. Schwartz said that he will be calling on parishioners to pray for the attacker. “I think she’s probably more in need of prayers than anything else,” he said. Schwartz also noted that while attacks on places of worship have become “disturbingly much more commonplace”; he didn’t know “how to respond to that.” The New York Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit and the 112th Precinct

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currently enabled features require a fully attentive driver, who has their hands on the wheel and is prepared to take over at any moment,” from the company website. Users can get an “Enhanced Autopilot to FSD capability” service at a monthly fee of $99 or a “Basic Autopilot to FSD capability” at $199 per month. Users can also buy the FSD service outright for $10,000.

Customers who previously bought Tesla’s Enhanced Autopilot package, which it is not selling any longer, can subscribe to FSD for a lower price of $99 a month but may require the HW3 upgrade. Tesla seeking a source of recurring revenue

During the company’s first-quarter earnings call in April, CFO Zachary Kirkhorn had pointed out that the subscription service would generate recurring revenue for the company. “If you look at the size of our fleet and you look at the number of customers who did not purchase FSD up front or on a lease and maybe want to experiment with FSD, this is a great option for them… As the portfolio of subscripare both investigating the incident. The police have released the security video as part of their search for the woman and have asked the public to help in identifying the perpetrator.

Other attacks

In May, a statue of Jesus was smashed outside a Catholic church in Brooklyn. The attacker had pushed over the statue that depicted the crucifixion of Jesus and broke it into pieces and then torched an American flag. The church pastor David Cassato had called the vandalism “truly an act of hatred.” The crucifix statue was installed in 2019 in memory of Cassato’s mother. “I went over and spoke to the students in the school about what happened, telling them that hate never

tion customers builds up, then that becomes a pretty strong business for us over time,” Kirkhorn stated. According to vehicle automation standards set by SAE International, a professional association and standards developing organization for engineers, Tesla is only a Level-2 vehicle. “SAE Level 1 and 2 driving automation systems have been given the name ‘Driver Support Systems’ as a counterpart to the term ‘Automated Driving Systems’ used for SAE Levels 3-5,” the organization’s standards state. SAE warns users of Level-2 vehicles that they must “constantly supervise” the automation features and that they should steer, brake, or accelerate “as needed to maintain safety.” In fall 2020, Consumer Reports tested Tesla’s FSD driving capabilities. It found that the Autopark feature would make errors in recognizing parking spaces and often made mistakes when it came to positioning straight between parking lines. The Smart Summon feature, which enables the car to be driven remotely to a location in a parking lot, was found to drive the vehicle over to the wrong side. It also failed at halting the vehicle at stop signs. The Navigate on Autopilot features had several issues as well. “We found the performance to be inconsistent, with the system sometimes ignoring exit ramps on the set route, driving in the carpool lane, and staying in the passing lane for long periods of time. The feature also would completely disengage at times for no apparent reason,” the review states. wins… We are, and must be, a community that continues to share the message of Easter, that which is of love, hope, and forgiveness,” Cassato had said, reported the New York Post. In July last year, the statue of the Virgin Mary in Boston was attacked. The statue, located outside St. Peter’s church, was set on fire. The attacker had apparently set fire to the plastic flowers adoring the statue. The flame and smoke eventually ended up damaging parts of the monument. Another statue at the Diocese of Brooklyn was also vandalized the same month. The vandal scribbled the word “IDOL” onto the Virgin Mary statue located at Cathedral Prep School and Seminary in Queens. The statue is nearly a hundred years old.

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Wall Street Behemoths Ate Reddit’s Gamestop Lunch

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By Neil Campbell

EDITION AdobeSto

JaNuarY 15-21, 2021

ccording to Wall Street behemoth JPMorgan, the fairytale spun by pundits about Reddit’s WallStreetBets organizing to “squeeze” badly positioned hedge fund short sellers of video game retailer Gamestop (NYSE: GME) in what has been affectionately dubbed the “Gamestop Rebellion” is simply false. Peng Cheng, the JPMorgan quantitative and derivatives strategy analyst, wrote to clients in a note: “Although retail buying was portrayed as the main driver of the extreme price rally experienced by some stocks, the actual picture may be much more nuanced,” according to CNBC.

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American UN

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By Neil Campbell

r No ry Secreta US TreasuL J

The Biden n Administratio to ng will be willi the make use of tools full array of a to hold Chin accountable. to Our approach sed date has focu on a unilateral and, approach — d as a result, coul e have been mor effective.

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nt of an governme ng The authoritari leader Xi Jinpi China and its t their y open abou and have been boldl beat the west in ambitions to fits of advances reap the bene technology. The and DNA science has a regime even communist catchy festo with a published mani in China 2025. name... Made

When a resident of Anxi village in the Sichuan province of China set a match to a small pile of garbage in the gutter two years ago, a loudspeaker blared out his name and address and ordered him to extinguish the blaze immediately. He jumped with fright, quickly put out the flames and scurried away.

Four year s ago we launche d great nati a ona effort to rebu l our country ild renew its , to spirit, and to rest ore allegiance the of governmen this t citizens. In to its sho we embarke rt, on a mission d make Am to erica great aga in for all Americans .

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Russia Insists Ties With China

‘ The Best Ever ’ But Tensions Loom By Prakash Gogoi Visiontimes

n July 15, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov met with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, with both agreeing that bilateral relations between the two nations were “the best ever.” They were attending an international conference in Tashkent titled “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity, Challenges, and Opportunities.” At the meeting, the Russian diplomat cited the June 28 joint statement issued by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The statement was made following a videoconference between Putin and Xi as part of the 20th anniversary of the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation signed on July 16, 2001. “Let me single out the quote from the statement, which stipulates that our ties today outpace the form of interstate interaction that was the military-political alliances of the Cold War period. This is the most essential benchmark for our relations in all areas without exception,” Lavrov said at the meeting. “While not being a military and political alliance, such as those formed during the Cold War, the RussianChinese relations exceed this form of interstate interaction,” the joint statement said.

Their bilateral relationship is not rian environmentalist Alexander Kol“opportunistic,” is free from “ideolootov, locals were afraid that “China gisation,” and observes “non-interferwill gulp down our national heritage,” ence” in each other’s internal affairs. reported France24. The joint statement went on to say Protests have also erupted against that both countries had “resolved the Chinese timber logging in Siberia, with (Images:LOUAI BESHARA/Getty Images) border issue” some fearing and have “no that such activmutual territoities will lead to rial claims.” the destruction Although Rusof the forest. In sia is promoting a 2016 article, the idea of a staRussia expert ble, friendly relaStephen Blank tionship with warned that China, critics “not only has the believe the real- Syria's Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad (R) receives his Chinese counter- modernization of ity is far differ- part Wang Yi at the airport in the capital Damascus, on July 17, 2021. the RFE (Russian ent. Geographic, Far East) run military, and economic conflicts are aground, the tie to China is becoming reportedly mounting between the two an alliance where Russia depends more nations. on China than China does on Russia.” Central Asia is another area of contenGeographic competition tion between Russia and China. Russia Chinese business expansion into has traditionally viewed countries like Russian territory has sparked conKyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, cerns of a potential takeover. In RusTurkmenistan, and Tajikistan as within sia’s sparsely populated Far East its sphere of influence. However, China region, Chinese-funded projects are is strengthening its hold over the region being increasingly viewed as threats. A through Belt and Road initiative invest2019 report by The Wall Street Journal ments. Some media outlets have criticites locals calling the influx of entercized Beijing for interfering in the affairs prises a “Chinese invasion.” of Central Asian nations, accusing the In 2019, Siberians held major proChinese regime of bribing local officials. tests against a Chinese water bottling plant that sourced water from Military and economy Lake Baikal. A petition asking for the Trade between Russia and China has removal of the plant collected a milflourished in recent years. In 2020, lion signatures. According to Sibebilateral trade exceeded 100 billion

dollars for the third straight year, with China serving as Russia’s largest trading partner for the 11th consecutive year. Russia’s agricultural and energy exports have risen, complementing China’s growing demand for the products. However, the trade agreements have come with strings attached. For one, Russia has apparently been forced to sell gas at lower prices. After the annexation of Crimea in 2014, Russia had to face sanctions. Putin signed a 400 billion dollar annual natural gas supply deal with China. Experts believe that China was able to decrease prices to more favorable amounts. In terms of the military, though both countries have participated in joint exercises, Russia has been displeased by China’s theft of its military technologies. In 2019, Yevgeny Livadny, chief of intellectual property projects at Russian state-backed holding company Rostec, called China out for its criminal activities. In addition, Russia’s military has supported India against China. Following the China-India skirmish in the Himalayan border last year, Russia supplied India with advanced weapons. Russia is also helping India in the development of highland tanks, submarines, and fifth-generation aircraft. Though Russia does have an edge over China in terms of military technology, the gap is quickly eroding.

Devastating Central China Floods Wash Away Cars, Drown Subway Passengers Continued from FRONT ‘Once-in-a-millenium’ rain

According to the national meteorological observatory, precipitation in Zhengzhou reached 201.9 millimeters per hour breaking the previous record of 198.5 millimeters set in 1975. Between the hours of 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 17, and 8 p.m. Tuesday, July 20, a total of 617.1 millimeters of rain fell on Zhengzhou, or nearly as much precipitation the city gets on average in an entire year (640.8 millimeters). Hydrologist Wang Weiluo told state media that the flooding subway was not caused directly by rain, but the decision by local authorities to release water from overflowing reservoirs. Water levels in 31 large and midsized reservoirs had topped flood 212-730-6962

control limits, with further flooding feared in mountainous parts of the province. The flooding is also being blamed for an explosion at an aluminum plant in Dengfeng, Henan after water surged through the factory walls and hit a high-temperature solution tank, resulting in a massive fireball at the facility. It’s currently being reported that no injuries or fatalities are believed to have occured at the plant. Since July 16, more than 144,660 residents have been affected by the torrential rains in Henan and 10,152 people have been relocated to safe ground, reported Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday. However, the number affected is suspected of being grossly underestimated as flooding is occurring across Henan, one of China’s most populous provinces with 99 million residents.

Nationwide floods

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Away from the provincial capital, 17 counties and districts under the jurisdiction of Pingdingshan, Anyang, Jiaozuo, Sanmenxia, Nanyang, Xinyang, Zhoukou, and Zhumadian cities have been affected. More than 9,200 hectares of crops were flooded, representing direct financial losses of about $11 million. China’s National Meteorological Center issued an orange rainstorm warning at 10 a.m. on July 20. The agency predicted further rain across Henan, as well as in bordering provinces, including southern Hebei and southeast Shanxi. Experts are blaming the torrential rains on Typhoon In-fa, which developed over the Philipine Sea and slammed into China. Typhoon In-fa is the ninth depression of the

2021 Pacific typhoon season. China has been wracked with floods over the last several weeks. In June, multiple provinces in the southern portion of the country experienced heavy rains, leaving millions displaced and many dead. This month, videos posted to social media showed highways and fields in China’s Inner Mongolia region flooded after multiple dams were breached by high water levels and destroyed. Last year, floods of a severity not seen since 1998 hit most of China, with the 3,900-mile-long Yangtze River hit the hardest. Multiple cities and agricultural areas were inundated, including many regions flooded after local governments opened up reservoirs in a bid to protect dams and areas deemed of significant value, such as the massive Three Gorges Dam. subscription@visiontimes.com

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A man rests against a bicycle in a lane in Guangzhou on May 24, 2021.

Signs of Fiscal and Food Shortages

Amid Slowing Economic Growth By SinoInsider

he Chinese Communist Party (CCP) celebrated its centennial in July with a parade in Tiananmen Square and paeans to the Party’s prowess. The celebratory mood, however, did not quite cover the glint of trouble that came with the announcement of China’s second quarter economic figures. On July 14, the Chinese authorities reported 7.9 percent growth from April to June，. When benchmarked with most forecasts, which anticipated over 8 percent growth, the Chinese economy seemed to have performed acceptably. However, the pace of growth slowed dramatically from the 18.3 percent of the first three months of 2021, with quarter-to-quarter growth of just 1.3 percent. The lethargic growth pace indicates that the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is struggling with the global pandemic economy and deteriorating domestic conditions. Economic weakness was indirectly affirmed when the People’s Bank of China unveiled a surprise reserve ratio requirement (RRR) cut a day after the release of second quarter economic data.

Clearing up ‘illegal’ pay as food shortages loom

The CCP does not only have the economy to be concerned about. In recent weeks, signs of government fiscal shortages and food supply issues have been bubbling to the surface. Early in June, the

A man sits at a field on February 22, 2021 in the rural area of Shanghai, China. (Image:Hugo Hu/Getty Images)

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PRC central government urged local governments to take additional and stricter measures to “clear up illegal civil servant pay and subsidies.” Pictures of local government documents on the matter that were circulated on social media suggested that the central government’s order was of a high priority. For instance, the Nanchang Water Conservancy Bureau issued a “red-letter head” notice — the red ink indicating a more urgent directive as compared to not ices printed in black ink — withdrawing government incentives for civil servants. In complia nce w it h the central government order, local governments started forcing civil servants this month to unconditionally return all bonuses and subsidies issued this month. The move is a blow to civil servants. Bonuses and subsidies make up a substantial sum of their total annual remuneration. Disgruntled government workers took to social media to air and vent their grievances. Those from southern cities in

Guangdong Province noted that they had been notified of bonus and subsidy suspension as early as July 3. When complaining on social media about the local government’s recent request for teachers in Dexing City, Jiangxi Province, to return their “highquality bonuses,” civil servants revealed that performance bonuses for teachers in the first quarter of 2021 was 20,000 yuan (about $3,092). In other words, teachers in Dexing would make at least 80,000 yuan less in quarterly bonuses in 2021, an unwelcome prospect in tough economic times. In S h a n ghai, the municipal government had reportedly stopped handing out bonuses for the entire first quarter of the year. Civil servants from Shenzhen said some work units have been tabulating employee income for recent years — a sign that preparations are being made not just to cut remunerations, but to extract previous payment from government employees.

Efforts by Beijing to trim the civil service and save costs usually amount to nothing.

Risks of smashing the ‘iron rice bowl’

Cutting civil servant remuneration is not a small matter for the CCP. The Party is well aware that civil servants, who are assured an “iron rice bowl” working for the government, form the backbone of its supporters in the regime. The CCP’s constant search for mass support and regime security means that efforts by Beijing to trim the civil service usually amount to nothing. In practice, Beijing often ends up creating even more government offices and departments, further increasing pressure on state coffers. The case of Foping County in Shaanxi Province is illustrative. With a small population of

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30,000, the county has a whooping 2,194 civil servants, or an official-to-civilian ratio twice the national average. Offices of 13 government departments throng either side of a 1-kilom-

and Strategic Reserves Administration deputy director Xu Ming and Shi Zhonghua, the former chairman of the stateowned Beidahuang Grain Group — were probed.

China's National Civil Servant Exam in 2019.(Image:VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

eter stretch of road in the backwater country. Foping County even has a Maritime Safety Administration despite being situated in landlocked Shaanxi. Finally, the county government took in tens of millions of yuan in fiscal revenue each year over the past three years, but averaged nearly 790 million yuan in fiscal expenditure each year over the same period. The bulk of the county’s fiscal expenditure consisted of wages for civil servants. Beijing is well aware that supporting a bloated civil service will lead to ruin for the regime, especially when the economy is weak and underperforming. That civil servants are receiving serious pay cuts hint at the scale of government fiscal shortages. Slashing civil servant bonuses and subsidies will help alleviate government fiscal shortages in the short term, but puts the CCP at risk of alienating a core group of supporters when crises are mounting for the PRC. Meanwhile, the CCP anticorruption campaign began targeting senior officials in the regime’s food apparatus around the middle of the month. On July 12, Ni Meitang, a firstrank inspector with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, was investigated. The following day, two former officials — former National Food

As in the case of civil servant pay cuts, the probes into the senior food apparatus officials obliquely reveal problems that the CCP will never publicly admit. Officials at the deputy bureau level and higher have scarcely been touched by Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign since it was launched after the 18th Party Congress in 2012. Part of the reason why the food apparatus appeared to escape scrutiny until recently is its relative unimportance as a lever of power, unlike the military or the political and legal affairs apparatus. Another reason why the food apparatus was “untouched” for a long time is Beijing’s likely unwillingness to risk regime security by squeezing it too tightly, too soon. Local officials looking to cover up malfeasance could destroy evidence in ways that would hurt the regime, including burning granaries. That Xi is moving in on the food apparatus now, however, indicates that the risk of not rooting out corruption has exceeded the risk of doing so. Put another way, the actions or inactions of food apparatus officials are contributing to food shortages or potentially worse developments, and Beijing has no choice but to crack down now and get the situation in hand before greater crisis strikes. 212-730-6962

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News analysis

Falun Gong

Under Renewed Pressure in Hong Kong

as Establishment Lawmakers Call for Ban

By Leo Timm Vision Times

New security chief declines to comment on legality of spiritual group persecuted in mainland China, but says investigation underway

Falun Gong practitioners, including those residing in Hong Kong, have been vocal in their efforts to raise awareness about the Chinese Communist Party’s 22-year-long persecution of their faith. The Epoch Times, an overseas outlet founded by Falun A banner that reads “Heaven Will Destroy the CCP" and "Heaven Will Protect China" is seen vandalized in the streets of Hong Kong.

alun Gong, the spiritual practice banned and persecuted in mainland China since 1999, is coming under pressure in Hong Kong, where pro-Communist Party figures have been clamoring for legal action against the qigong discipline. During a session of the city’s Legislative Council (LegCo) on July 7, pro-Beijing lawmakers demanded Hong Kong authorities take greater action against Falun Gong, pointing to the National Security Law (NSL) imposed last year, as well as Article 23 of the Basic Law. Elizabeth Quat, Junius Ho, Paul Tse, and other pro-Beijing legislators called for the local Falun Dafa association to have its funding investigated, while questioning why the spiritual practice has not yet been banned in the city. Falun Dafa is another name for the group. Founded in 1992 by Li Hongzhi, Falun Gong consists of meditative exercises and traditional moral teachings. Despite the Chinese authorities’ initially warm attitude towards the practice, it was banned on July 20, 1999 on orders of thenCommunist Party head Jiang Zemin, who argued that Falun Gong’s popularity made it a threat to the Party’s rule. Adherents of Falun Gong in mainland China are subject to widespread and extreme human rights abuses, from jail and social ostracization to forced labor, torture, and death by organ harvesting.

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that “human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security” in Hong Kong, including freedoms of expression, press, and assembly. Reading from his notes,

Image: Minghui.org

Liang, who has headed the Hong Kong Falun Dafa Association since 2019, said that many of Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong had fled from the mainland, and now fear for their future in the city.

Gong adherents, runs frequent criticism of the CCP and communism. But The Epoch Times has yet to incur legal repercussions, an evident contrast with the fate of independent pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily, which was forced to shutter in late June after its assets were frozen and multiple staff tried. And while Falun Gong practitioners handing out materials on the streets of Hong Kong have met with harassment from both police and suspected thugs, they have been able to mostly continue their activities.

No comment on plans for Falun Gong

Junius Ho, a controversial pro-establishment lawmaker who shook hands with a triad member involved in the July 2019 attacks on pro-democracy demonstrators, asked how the Hong Kong government was planning to deal with Falun Gong and other “subversive” groups. Chris Tang Ping-keung, the secretary for security recently promoted from Hong Kong police chief, said an investigation on Falun Gong was in progress, but did not state the government’s stance on the group. Tang stressed that opposition to the Party and the socialist system was a breach of the NSL, but also cited the NSL’s Article 4 as saying

Tang said that “nobody is above the law” and that the Hong Kong authorities would act in accordance with the law. In response to Tse’s inquiry, he stated that the NSL had made law enforcement “more effective” and that the government has always been removing “unauthorized” publications, including those of Falun Gong, from government premises. Sarah Liang, president of Hong Kong’s Falun Dafa Association, said that Quat’s insinuation was “completely unfair.” She noted that the Association had avoided all protests and gatherings to comply with pandemic restrictions, and was a lawfully registered organization. “We are lawful citizens and believers, and we do not hope to see the suppression of our group spread from the mainland to the city,” she said.

Shadow over Hong Kong

Groups affiliated with or serving as fronts for the CCP have harassed or attacked Falun Gong practitioners in Hong Kong over the last decade. Liang was previously stalked by an unidentified man this May, who eventually assaulted her with a baseball bat near her home. Her legs were heavily bruised in the encounter. And earlier this year, thugs

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vandalized Falun Gong roadside stands, causing The Epoch Times thousands in damages. Unattended posters defaming Falun Gong have also appeared on the streets. According to The Epoch Times, the posters are written in simplified Chinese (the script used in mainland China) and in the style of Chinese state-run media’s attacks on Falun Gong. Founded in 1992 by Li Hongzhi, Falun Gong consists of meditative exercises and traditional moral teachings. Despite the Chinese authorities’ initially warm attitude towards the practice, it was banned in July 1999 on orders of then-Communist Party head Jiang Zemin, who argued that Falun Gong’s popularity made it a threat to the Party’s rule. Adherents of Falun Gong in mainland China are subject to widespread and extreme human rights abuses, from jail and social ostracization to forced labor, torture, and death by organ harvesting. Feng Chongyi, an associate professor in China Studies at the University of Technology in Sydney, told The Epoch Times that the proBeijing lawmakers’ inquiries were the opening moves of a pressure campaign by the CCP to target Falun Gong in Hong Kong. “Everything might appear to be done in accordance with the law,” Feng said. “But beneath it was a stepby-step plan to make Falun Gong disappear in Hong Kong. This is obvious.”

Politics behind the scenes

SinoInsider, a New Yorkbased think tank, agreed that the Party was setting up the scene to extend the repression of Falun Gong to the former British colony.

Elizabeth Quat, a Hong Kong legislator with a proBeijing party, speaks in LegCo on July 7, 2021.

“If the CCP is preparing to move in on Falun Gong in Hong Kong, then the July 7 LegCo exchange between pro-establishment lawmakers and Secretary for Security Chris Tang is merely an act to provide a veneer of legitimacy to future proceedings,” SinoInsider wrote in a July 8 newsletter. According to SinoInsider, the persecution of Falun Gong belongs to the negative political legacy of Jiang Zemin, who started the campaign. Many officials who actively took part in the nationwide repression were promoted by Jiang and his lieutenants; the Jiang faction Lack of a clear stance leaves open the possibility that should Xi — a leader whom SinoInsider and other China watchers see as far weaker than his strongman image lets on — feel sufficient danger to his power and person, he could reverse the anti-Falun Gong campaign, cornering his rivals by pinning blame for the human rights disaster on the Jiang faction. As the rule of the CCP itself hinges on perceptions of its legitimacy, reversing the persecution of Falun Gong would directly endanger the regime. But the analysts at SinoInsider see the regime in such a crisis — economic, social, environmental, and diplomatic — that the warring factions may care more about preserving themselves, rather than the Party. “Tang’s careful, nondefinitive response, as well as his senior position in the Hong Kong government and supra-authority national security apparatus, suggest that he is following explicit Party Central guidance in handling the Falun Gong issue in Hong Kong,” SinoInsider observed. subscription@visiontimes.com

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A woman holds a placard reading "We are not laboratory subjects! Freedom to refuse experimental injection" during a demonstration against the Macron administration’s use of mandatory vaccine passports, which come with jail time for businesses and individuals who circumvent them, to erode the nation’s vaccine hesitancy in Nantes, western France, on July 17, 2021. (Image: SEBASTIEN SALOM-GOMIS/AFP via Getty Images)

A spectator shows an identity paper as she has her health passport checked (Image:ALAIN JOCARD/ AFP via Getty Images)

France to Imprison Vaccine Passport-Defying

Business Owners for up to 1 Year By Niel Campbell Vision Times

raft text of a new French law announced by President Emmanuel Macron on July 12 requiring citizens to present a clean Health Pass QR code scan, the country’s vaccine passport app, to prove their vaccination status or a negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test contains a provision for prison time for business owners and individuals who circumvent the rules, according to reports. Macron’s new restriction will

apply to any citizens wishing to enter the nation’s bars, restaurants, theatres, shopping centers, or hospitals, and also applies to public transit. The changes come with heavy penalties to those who choose to defy the policy. On June 15, The Guardian reported individuals who are caught inside such venues and unable to provide a valid vaccine passport code scan will face up to six months in jail and/ or a €10,000 fine, while business owners who do not enforce vaccine passports will face up to a year in prison and/or a €45,000 fine.

As a result of France installing a system all-too-analogous to the notorious color-coded social credit system QR scan the Chinese Communist Party used to put a stranglehold on Wuhan residents at the beginning of the outbreak, many French have surrendered their vaccine hesitancy. In December of 2020, an Ipsos poll in partnership with the globalist World Economic Forum found France was the country with the highest rate of vaccine hesitancy. Only 40 percent said they intended to take the injection when it became available, compared to China who

led the pack at 80 percent. 72 percent of French respondents said they were concerned about side effects. A July 19 article by New York Times said as a result of the Macron administration’s vaccine passport requirements, 1.7 million people booked an appointment the same day to schedule an injection. On Friday, July 16, 880,000 people submitted to a dose of one variety of the experimental vaccines available on the market. According to the NYT vaccine tracker, 40 percent of the country’s 67 million citizens are now

2030: Massive Floods From ‘Moon Wobble’ to Potentially Cause Havoc in Coastline Cities Around the World By Jonathan Walker Vision Times

n July 7, a NASA study warned that the U.S. coast could be subjected to high tide f loods, in the future, during a lunar cycle that would raise sea levels. The space agency predicts the event will occur in the mid2030s when the lunar cycle will “amplify rising sea levels caused by climate change.” The study was conducted by members of the NASA Sea Level Change Science Team from the University of Hawaii who track changes

in sea levels. NASA stated that although the study was focused on U.S. coastlines, the findings of the study were applicable all over the world. Researchers analyzed 89 tide gauge locations in every coastal state and territory in the U.S. apart from Alaska. Tidal patterns are known to be influenced by the moon’s orbit and that every 18.6 years, the moon has a naturally occurring “wobble” along its gravitational trajectory that results in extremely high and low tides. During the first half of the 18.6-year cycle, the earth’s

daily tides are suppressed, which means that high tide levels are lower than normal. In the other half, the tides get amplified resulting in high tide levels becoming higher. At present, the moon is in its “tide-amplifying” part of the cycle. However, present sea levels have not reached the point where high tides can breach flooding thresholds. In the mid-2030s, when the next tide-amplifying cycle returns, it is anticipated that the potentially higher sea levels could lead to increased floods. The study revealed that

almost the entirety of the U.S. mainland coastline, Hawaii, and Guam could see a surge in flood numbers from the higher seas inflated by the lunar cycle. At that stage, the far northern coastlines would not be affected for another decade or so due to land areas rising as a consequence of longterm geological processes.

Infrastructure impact

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the floods could overwhelm storm drains, cripple road connectivity, and cause exten-

fully vaccinated and 55 percent have taken one dose. The Guardian said that France’s primary medical appointment website, Doctolib, was expecting to push 4.5 million injections a week. But not all French are so submissive. NYT also said more than 100,000 hit the streets to protest what they call “dictatorship.” Sensing their country is embarking on a slippery slope towards formal totalitarianism, some protestors “Wore a yellow star that said ‘nonvaccinated,’ others carried signs or shouted slogans that compared the health pass to a Nazi-era measure.” BBC reported on July 19 that two vaccine sites had been vandalized by protestors. One was flooded with a firehose, the second targeted by arson. Health Minister Olivier Veran said on the day of the announcement, “The choice is between another lockdown or the health pass – this is not punishment, nor blackmail,” according to The Guardian. A spokesperson for a French hotel and catering industries association told the UK paper of the measures, “Our role is to welcome people, to give pleasure. This will turn us into gendarmes.”

sive damage to infrastructure over time. NASA explained that these floods would play out in clusters that could continue for a month or longer, depending on how the Sun, Earth, and Moon are positioned at the time. Talking to NZHerald, Phil Thompson, the lead author of the study said, “If it floods 10 or 15 times a month, a business can’t keep operating with its parking lot under water. People lose their jobs because they can’t get to work. Seeping cesspools would become a public health issue.” NASA hopes that the study helps cities that could be potentially hit by these floods take preventative measures to keep the damage to a minimum.

In an interview with Reuters, Ben Hamlington, coauthor of the study, stated that their research would be of significant interest to city planners since it could help them decide on how to establish the infrastructure of a city. “This is eye-opening for a lot of people, it’s really critical information for planners. And I think there’s a great amount of interest in trying to get this information from science and scientists into the hands of planners… A building or particular piece of infrastructure, you may want to be there for a very long amount of time, whereas something else you may just want to protect or have access to for a few years,” Hamlington said.

COVID-19 Vaccine rollout has sped up

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Rhineland-Palatinate, Kordel,on 15 July 2021

Flooded highway in Erftstadt, Germany,on 17 July 2021

HUNDREDS DEAD IN EUROPEAN FLOODING, Insurance Companies Face Huge Claims

eavy rainfall over the past few days has triggered intense floods in parts of Europe, leading to widespread damages and several deaths. More than 199 people have died as of press time, mostly in Germany and the Low Countries. Over 1,300 people in Germany are missing as of July 16. The storms migrated from France to central Europe, where they persisted for over two days. The lowpressure storm system, called “Bernd,” was caught between areas of high pressure to its east and west. It eventually trapped moisture from the Mediterranean that later on burst into Central Europe in the form of torrential rains. Between July 14 and July 15, Germany, the country most affected by the floods, received massive amounts of rainfall. In fact, the country is estimated to have been slammed with two months of rain in just 24 hours. A map tweeted by Deutscher Wetterdienst, Germany’s meteorological agency, showed that the country’s western regions had faced a 1-in-100 year deluge. A few days before the heavy rains, a European weather agency had issued warnings of extreme floods. However, many places never got the time to prepare for the catastrophe. “It went so fast. You tried to do something, and it was already too late,” a resident of Schuld told Germany’s ARD public television. According to Professor Hannah Cloke, a hydrologist who set up the European Flood Awareness System, alert warnings of serious rains and floods were sent to authorities. The warnings never got through in some regions. The professor said that the system was set up in the aftermath of the massive European floods in 2002 to prevent such an event from happening again. However, the latest floods have exposed some serious vulnerabilities in the system. "We should not be seeing this number of deaths from floods in 2021. It's just unacceptable. There's something going wrong with the system,” Cloke said to BBC.

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Image:CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images

By Prakash Gogoi Vision Times

The German state of RhinePalatinate alone has registered 110 deaths. A helper stands in front of uprooted trees in Kreuzberg, RhinelandPalatinate, western Germany, on July 20, 2021.

Countries affected

Germany’s North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous state in the country, has recorded 46 deaths from the floods as of July 18. “The floods have literally pulled the ground from beneath many people’s feet… They lost their houses, farms, or businesses,” Governor Armin Laschet said at a press conference. Railway company Deutsche Bahn said that more than 370 miles of railway lines in the state were affected by the overflowing waters. In the district of Ahrweiler, Rhineland-Palatinate, the Ahr river floods killed 18 people and destroyed several buildings. The German Ministry of Defense has declared an emergency in the hardest-hit parts of the country. The German state of Rhine-Palatinate alone has registered 110 deaths. "I tell those affected: we will not leave you alone in those difficult and scary times," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during a news conference. Around 15,000 police officers, emergency service workers, and soldiers have been deployed in search and rescue efforts. In Belgium, residents of Liege were asked to evacuate on July 15 due to fears that the River Meuse could overflow and that a dam bridge might collapse. Many farms were damaged, with crops being destroyed by the floods. Some rail-

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Dernau, western Germany, on July 18, 2021

Image::CHRISTOF STACHE/AFP via Getty Images

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Image::Sebastian Schmitt/picture alliance via Getty Images

A8 | JUL 23 - JUL 29, 2021

way lines had to be closed. In Wallonia, thousands of homes were left without electricity. A few municipalities lost access to potable tap water. The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, a motor racing circuit in Stavelot that is due to host the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix on August 29, has suffered damage. Belgium put in a request of assistance to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on July 14. The entity has sent a flood rescue team. It has also arranged for the Copernicus emergency satellite to provide assessment maps of the flood-affected regions. "The EU stands in full solidarity with Belgium at this difficult time and is providing concrete support. We express our condolences to the families who lost loved ones. I would like to thank the local and French first responders for their efforts. We stand ready to provide further assistance,” Janez Lenarcic, Commissioner for Crisis Management, said in a statement. In the Netherlands, several villages in Limburg were evacuated after a dyke on the Juliana Canal broke on July 16. 300 military personnel were deployed to assist with the mass evacuation. The government has officially declared the flooding a disaster.

billion (USD1.2 billion),” the report said. GDV, the German insurers’ association, predicts that companies will face the highest claims from heavy rain, storms, and floods since 2013 this year. Back in 2013, the country’s property, casualty, and auto insurers had to cough up 9.3 billion euros ($11.0 billion) in claims. In 2017, the industry registered its second most expensive year since 2013 with more than 3 billion euros ($3.54 billion) in claims. GDV has already estimated damage from June’s severe weather to total 1.7 billion euros (around $2 billion). Some regions in Germany and Belgium that were devastated by the floods began the task of cleaning up their neighborhoods as the waters started receding. German soldiers towed cars from a flooded highway in Erftstadt using armored vehicles as part of the cleanup efforts. The rains have now moved to eastern and southern parts of Germany. Heavy rainfall has swelled rivers in the Alpine regions and overwhelmed the towns located in the region. During her visit at Schuld, one of the worst hit German towns, Merkel said that the devastation was “surreal.” Merkel’s potential successor Armin Laschet faced online backlash after he was caught laughing during a visit to the flood-hit town of Erftstadt. Laschet Insurance is expected to succeed the report said. The floods will Merkel in the Septembe a pricey affair ber 2021 election. for the insurance Politician Lars Klingindustry. A report beil blamed Laschet’s by Impact Forecasting, a division of behavior as “lacking in decency and insurance broker Aon, stated that appalling” in an interview with a thousands of properties had been local newspaper. “They say that peoaffected by the floods. ple’s character shows in times of cri“Considering the expansive and sis,” Klingbeil said. extensive level of damage in many Following strong criticism, Laschet locales, the July 12-15 flood event took to Twitter to say that he regrets alone is anticipated to result in an the “impression that arose from a economic cost exceeding EUR1.0 conversational situation.”

Considering the expansive and extensive level of damage in many locales, the July 12-15 flood event alone is anticipated to result in an economic cost exceeding EUR1.0 billion (USD1.2 billion),”

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Stories From the Students’ Rules :

The Spirit of Discretion and Conscientiousness

By Vision Times Staff

The

“Standards for Being a Good Student and Child” (Di Zi Gui, 弟子規) is a traditional Chinese textbook for children that teaches morals and proper etiquette. It was written by Li Yuxiu in the Qing Dynasty, during the reign of Emperor Kang Xi (16611722). In this series, we present some ancient Chinese stories that exemplify the valuable lessons taught in the third chapter of Di Zi Gui— "Discretion in Daily Life."

Not tempted by gold in a rice paddy Conscientiousness and focus are paramount in any endeavor. The Di Zi Gui goes: 事勿忙忙多錯勿畏難勿輕問 Do not rush any matter Haste means many mistakes Fear not difficulties Nor to ask advice or clarify doubts Guan Ning was a scholar during the Three Kingdoms period. From a young age, he developed the habit of doing things with great carefulness and concentration. When he was young, Guan Ning had a classmate called Hua Xin, and the two used to study and farm together. One day while Guan Ning was hoeing in the rice paddy, he hit

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The Di Zi Gui tells us the importance of minding details when in movement or taking action: 緩揭簾勿有聲寬轉彎勿觸稜 Unravel curtains slowly Without causing noise Make turns widely Without hitting corners 執虛器如執盈入虛室如有人 When holding an empty vessel Hold it as as though it were full When entering an empty room Enter as though it were occupied We should conduct ourselves properly, even when no one is around to see it or when we are not being watched by others. A famous line uttered by ancient Chinese scholar Yang Zhen illustrates this principle.

upon a rock that turned out to be a gold nugget. He threw the gold out of the rice paddy and continued hoeing. Hua Xin saw Guan Ning throw away the gold nugget and picked it up. He examined it from all angles and then looked at his classmate for a long time before he too decided to throw it away. Why did Guan Ning throw away the gold nugget? This was because he was a man of virtue. He treated farming as part of his identity and welcomed the hardship of farming as joy. He viewed the gold nugget, which would provide him a comfortable life, as a test and distraction from his farming work, and thus from his spiritual cultivation.

Refusing a gift of gold at midnight

Yang Zhen (54–124 AD) was a celebrated scholar of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Yang Zhen lost his father at a young age and grew up in poverty. But he had a passion for studying and was very diligent, accumulating a wealth of knowledge and becoming a learned scholar. In fact, there was a popular saying among scholars at the time that Yang Zhen was the “Confucius” of the era. Yang Zhen taught for over 20 years before he eventually became a government official. Because he was over fifty years old at the time, many people, including Yang Zhen himself, did not expect him to be accepted for an official position. But Yang Zhen's good reputation became known to General Deng Zhi, who invited him to become an official. Later, Yang Zhen became the prefect of Jinzhou County and Donglai County. Yang Zhen was very fair and honest and did not seek personal gain. He held himself strictly to the principle of being an "official with clean hands," or one who was

Cutting the mat Unfortunately, the friendship between Guan Ning and Hua Xin did not last. On anot her occasion, t he two friends were studying together when they heard the sound of drums and gongs outside their window. The noise was from a grand procession of high-ranking officials and their guards-ofhonor passing by. Guan Ning continued

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uncorrupted. While serving as prefect of Jinzhou, Yang met a man Wang Mi whom he found was very talented. So under his recommendation, Wang Mi was promoted to the position of magistrate of Changyi County. Later, Yang Zhen was promoted to the position of prefect of Donglai County. On his way to Donglai, he passed by Changyi, where he was warmly welcomed by Wang Mi. In the evening, Wang Mi paid a visit to Yang Zhen. The two men were absorbed in pleasant conversation for many hours, until they realized how late it was. As Wang Mi was about to leave, he took out some gold and said, "It is a rare opportunity to see you, my great mentor. I have prepared a little gift to express my gratitude for your guidance." Yang Zhen replied, "Because I knew of your talents, I recommended you for an official position, hoping that you could be fair and incorrupt. What you did just now was against my expectations of you. The best way you can repay me is by serving the country well, instead of giving me anything."

However, Wang Mi insisted, "It's the middle of the night, no one else will know about this except you and me. Please accept it." Yang Zhen immediately became very stern and said, "What are you saying? Heaven knows, Earth knows, you know, and I know. How can you say that no one else knows? Though no one else is here, isn't our conscience here?" Upon hearing this, Wang Mi reddened with embarrassment and left hastily with his gold. Later, Yang Zhen was transferred to Zhuo County. He was fair and just, and his whole family lived a simple life. His friends tried to persuade him to leave some property to his offspring, but he replied with a smile, "I am leaving my reputation of being an uncorrupted official as inheritance to my children, isn't that riches enough?" It is easy to obey one's ethical principles in front of others but hard to behave consistently when one is alone. Yang Zhen's refusal of the gift of gold demonstrates his exemplary spirit of staying upright and honest, even when he is not watched by others — a value that is worth learning from.

to focus on his book, but Hua Xin could hardly sit still. Finally, he could not resist but go outside to watch the procession until it was gone in the distance. When Hua Xin returned, Guan Ning took out a knife and cut in half the mat on which they were seated, saying, "We should no longer be friends." Confucius once said, "Do not work with people who have different values from yours." Mo Zi also once said, "One who stays near ink gets stained black", meaning that one will inevitably be influenced by the behavior of one's company. Though what Guan Ning did may seem extreme, he did not make the decision lightly. After observing Hua Xin's behavior in various situations, Guan Ning realized that they differed too much in personality. Hua Xin was easily distracted by

money and power, and was careless in his attitude to studying, which would have made it more difficult for Guan Ning to maintain his own focus while working. Therefore, Guan Ning cut the mat in half, and stayed away from Hua Xin from then on. "Guan Ning severing the mat" (管寧割席) became an idiom referring to the end of a friendship. Recently, the idiom was referenced in reverse by Hong Kong protesters vowing to “never break ranks” (不割席) with each other even though different factions in the leaderless pro-democracy movement hold differing views and use different methods. They are keenly aware that their common adversary is the Chinese Communist Party, which has steadily eroded the freedoms Hong Hong enjoys under “one country, two systems.”

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LIFESTYLE

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How to Star on Instagram Using

Low-Budget Filming Techniques By Raven Montmorency

sing some low-budget filming techniques, your creativity will know no bounds. When you try to shackle yourself within the traditional and known ways, you often end up being on the side of losing more than gaining — especially in financial terms. Filmmaking is a passion many of us cherish, but we often feel that we are not good enough to showcase our work. And honestly, it’s not that most of us don’t actually have the correct equipment, but that we don’t have the know-how to use low-budget filming techniques to create shots worthy of Martin Scorsese. If you are a content creator, you will likely have an Instagram account. If so, look for Karen X. Cheng. She is a digital creator who is breaking down all rules with her low-budget film techniques. Want that famous reverse planet shot from Interstellar for your next beach reel? Easy. Get a 360-degree camera (it does not cost a fortune) and edit it on your phone!

Karen Cheng’s success Karen Cheng is a digital content creator and often shoots videos to advertise products without using heavy-duty or bulky equipment. She is like a onewoman army when it comes to filming. A browse through her Instagram account is sure to inspire creativity. In her work, she uses everyday household objects to produce videos that are on par with some high-level shoots. She shares all her low-budget film techniques on her account.

Trend in low-bu g shots usi ng dget fi l ming techni ques Th Here, e ‘stair ating a she has cap tured n opti we a ca camer a on a l illusion. Th stunning ab l l sho er a i s s rotati fishing rod e technique tract video t’ ng , t of a s s are and smo oth tr a

he ta si sl nsitio optica l sta owly unree mple. Set th ir well, cren as t h bilizin e 36 0 l. Even d e ca m g era go feature m though th egree e ca m anage es dow s to ca n. pture a

The ‘in terstel lar sho t’

Chen captu g ta kes the I re n edits t s the waves sta360 cam he foo e a tage o nd the tide ra and plac e n her s iPhon as she wa s it on a sel lks for fie stic e’s bui k lt-in e ditor. a while. The . She Ca n y n ou bel , she The ca ieve it m ? er a i s in pla s e ce t fa lls b . When th up on a ch e es ack on the ch fight sequen t mount an a ir a n d anot ce is shot, d an office th ch her pe rson p e other pe air is put rson s u l ls t h im e c ha i r back ply This e w ard. ffect i s st u n n i ng w hen d on zoom e correct ly s, she . has a For Cheng ’s do f r ie n camer a stead d hold ing l ly ing ba y and then w t he ck a s alkplaced objects are in t e r a’s he campat few ed h . A its play in and g w it h t he hues

The ‘fi ght

The ‘d olly

shot’

zoom’

Equipment Often, you see photos and videos on a social media platform and are blown away by the way that shot is made. Be it a gimbal or a drone shot, these capture certain elements so beautifully that you wonder about the price tags on all the equipment used. But in reality, when you look at the behind-thescenes of these upcoming creators, you will see that the images and videos are shot using the camera on a budget phone and then edited using any simple editing app. Surprised? But that is the fact. Even a mid-budget phone’s camera together with some creativity and a general idea about composition and editing will take you miles in the world of visual creators. If you are seriously considering making a mark as a visual creator, you need to invest time into learning the processes that go behind the making of the scene. Once you understand that, you’ll be in a much better position to use any old object in order to achieve the same stunning effects as the pros, without all the expense.

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HEALTH

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JUL 23- JUL 29, 2021 |

A11

A d o b e S to c k

Susan is a 40-year-old woman who had trouble falling asleep and often woke up around 2 a.m. It was difficult for her to get back to sleep. However, she also suffered from occasional migraine headaches, pain all over her body, heartburn, and PMS. She complained about her irritable mood and had a chronically bitter taste in her mouth. According to Chinese medicine, Susan suffered from stagnated liver chi and accumulated heat that affected her heart and liver. After roughly 30 sessions of acupuncture and customized herbal remedies during a three-month period, Susan was finally able to sleep through the night without sleeping pills.

Say Goodbye to

Natural supplements

lnsomnia By Armin Auctor

nsomnia affects millions of individuals, their families, and their communities. Sufferers have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, or they wake up too early and are unable to get back to sleep. People who suffer from insomnia usually wake up feeling tired. Insomnia happens occasionally to people who are experiencing very stressful life events, consuming too many caffeinated beverages or alcohol, or suffering from pain or other physical discomforts. Once the contributing factors are dealt with, these people will no longer suffer from insomnia.

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Modern treatment for insomnia

Chronic insomnia affects the quality of life, mood, memory, and cognitive functions, and it impairs work performance. Doctors may prescribe sleeping pills like Benzodiazepine receptor agonists that affect brain neurotransmitters. In addition to the possibility of developing physical and psychological dependence, long-term use of these medications often produces side effects, such as residual daytime sedation, cognitive impairment, inhibited motor skills, and rebound insomnia.

Insomnia is just a signal of an imbalance in the human body.

Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland, normally starting in the mid or late evening and diminishing in the early morning. It helps regulate sleep-and-wake cycles. People take melatonin for conquering jet lag and insomnia. People should use only man-made melatonin with the guidance of their doctors, rather than purchasing it on their own. Melatonin may help immune functions as well. However, melatonin has side effects, such as daytime grogginess, lowered body temperature, and vivid dreams. Valerian root is a herb that has been used for centuries for relieving anxiety and initiating sleep. People with insomnia should take it right before bedtime. Valerian root needs to be used for a period of two to four weeks if the insomnia is chronic. Possible side effects of Valerian root include mild headaches or indigestion, abnormal heartbeat, and even insomnia in some people. Unfortunately, Valerian root smells like sweaty socks.

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Traditional Chinese medicine

According to the theories of ancient Chinese medicine, insomnia is the result of imbalanced chi, involving multiple organs and meridian systems. The organ and meridian systems commonly involved in chronic insomnia are the heart, liver, kidney, and spleen. That said, patients with chronic insomnia might have different types of chi imbalance or problems with a variety of organ systems and meridians. Therefore, they will suffer from different clinical symptoms and need to be treated appropriately. Everyone who suffers from chronic insomnia is somewhat different in the traditional Chinese medical perspective. The best course of action would be to be evaluated by an experienced Chinese medicine doctor and follow the treatment plan faithfully. Treating insomnia does more than improve sleep; it improves health and prevents more serious illnesses from happening.

John is 35 years old, works a stressful job that requires extra time in the evenings and weekends. He worries a lot about his work and family. He has trouble falling asleep and wakes up frequently throughout the night. His muscles ache, and he has trouble losing weight. He looks pale and tired. He feels foggy-headed and has heart palpitations at times. John was diagnosed with “spleen qi” and “heart blood deficiency.” Therefore, his acupuncture and herbal remedy treatment were designed to improve spleen function and blood circulation. He also has to make changes in his diet and work hours.

Mary is a 50-year-old woman who started suffering from insomnia after she entered menopause. She felt anxious, irritable, and hot all the time. She would sometimes sweat profusely during the night. Mary also suffered from lower back pain, and her heart would often beat fast with palpitations. Mary was suffering from “kidney yin deficiency” and had lost control of “heart fire.” Her acupuncture and herbal treatments focused on improving kidney and heart function. As a result, her sleep improved, as well as her mood, hot flashes, and night sweats.

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CULTURE

A12 | JUL 23 - JUL 29, 2021 Public Domain

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The Chinese phoenix, also known as Fenghuang, is regarded as the epitome of all birds, an omen that foretells harmony, and a symbol of high virtue, prosperity, compassion, and grace. Fenghuang is believed to have been born from the sun (or out of fire) and is considered the ruler of all birds, for it embodies the characteristics of many other feathered species.

How the

Chinese

Phoenix

Got Its

Feathers

By Jessica Kneipp

A meaningful melody

The melody of the Fenghuang bird’s song is said to have been sung in the the five Chinese harmonic notes and its song is the inspiration for the Chinese harmonic scale. The figure of the phoenix appears on objects dating from thousands of years ago at the very, very beginning of Chinese culture. Some sources claimed that this mythic bird has its roots in a prehistoric, possibly ostrich-like huge bird that lived a long time ago in China.

Legend of The Chinese phoenix did not how the always look like the colorful Chinese firebird that we all recognize. In fact, it started out as an phoenix got unremarkable bird with very its feathers ordinary plumage. But it had

one advantage — it worked very hard. Unlike other birds that loved to eat and play all day, the phoenix was very busy from dawn till dusk. It would pick up the fruits and seeds discarded by other birds and store them in a cave. When the forest encountered a severe drought, the birds could not find any food and were starving to death. The phoenix hurriedly opened its cave and shared the stored fruits and seeds with all the other birds. After the drought, every bird picked out the most beautiful feather from their body and made a brilliant coat for the phoenix, and unanimously elected the phoenix as the ruler of birds. From then on, birds from all corners of the Earth would gather every year to celebrate the phoenix’s birthday. This day became known as “When the birds worship the Phoenix.”

A mystical creature Fenghuang, (Chinese phoenix) is one of three early Chinese mythical animals, the others being the unicorn and the dragon. A phoenix and dragon are often portrayed together, as they represent a balance of forces — the Yin and the Yang — that harmonize the world. The phoenix is also known as the “August Rooster” since the bird sometimes takes the place of the Rooster in the Chinese zodiac.

A powerful name

For generations, Chinese have named food, girls, and musical instruments after the Chinese character for the phoenix, having an expectation that they will be as splendid as the phoenix.

Confucius virtues and color In the ancient Chinese classical literature, Shanhaijing — The Classic of Mountains and Seas (3rd century B.C.–1st century A.D.), the five colors of the bird’s feathers were said to represent the five Confucius virtues. Red, green, yellow, black, and white feathers symbolize charity, uprightness, knowledge, faithfulness, and politeness. The phoenix does not tell lies or abuse power; it is a kind creature and said to only consume morning dew so as not to cause harm to any animals or plants. In troubling times, the phoenix mythology suggests it flies to the heavens so that its presence can only symbolize peace.

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