US electric automaker Tesla said Monday it had launched an investigation after a video circulating in China showed one of its cars suddenly burst into flames in a garage in Shanghai.

The security camera footage has become on the hottest topics on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform since it was posted on Sunday, now viewed 22 million times with the hashtag "Tesla self-ignites".

The video shows white smoke emerging from under what appears to be a Tesla Model S car in a parking garage before flames erupted around it.&nbsp;

Other footage shows that the fire destroyed an Audi next to it.

"We're actively contacting and cooperating with relevant departments to learn more about the incident. Based on current information, there were no casualties," Tesla wrote on its official Weibo account.

It is the latest incident to hit Tesla this year, just as it is stepping up its presence in China.

In January, Tesla recalled over 14,000 Model S cars in China as part of the global automotive sector's effort to replace potentially dangerous airbags made by Japan's Takata.

In March, a labelling hiccup made Shanghai customs temporarily suspend clearance for a batch of Tesla's cars.

The company is building its first overseas car factory in Shanghai to ramp up annual production, tapping into the world's biggest auto market and avoiding some of the impact of Sino-US trade tensions.

US electric automaker Tesla said Monday it had launched an investigation after a video circulating in China showed one of its cars suddenly burst into flames in a garage in Shanghai.

US electric automaker Tesla said Monday it had launched an investigation after a video circulating in China showed one of its cars suddenly burst into flames in a garage in Shanghai. The security camera footage has become on the hottest topics on China's Twitter-like Weibo platform since it was posted on Sunday, now viewed 22 million times with the hashtag "Tesla self-ignites". The video shows white smoke emerging from under what appears to be a Tesla Model S car in a parking garage before flames erupted around it. Other footage shows that the fire destroyed an Audi next to it. "We're actively contacting and cooperating with relevant departments to learn more about the incident. Based on current information, there were no casualties," Tesla wrote on its official Weibo account. It is the latest incident to hit Tesla this year, just as it is stepping up its presence in China. In January, Tesla recalled over 14,000 Model S cars in China as part of the global automotive sector's effort to replace potentially dangerous airbags made by Japan's Takata. In March, a labelling hiccup made Shanghai customs temporarily suspend clearance for a batch of Tesla's cars. The company is building its first overseas car factory in Shanghai to ramp up annual production, tapping into the world's biggest auto market and avoiding some of the impact of Sino-US trade tensions.

Tesla probes car fire in Shanghai

After a big slump in auto sale in China, all eyes are now on the upcoming Shanghai Auto Show 2019 to gauge the mood of investors. Questions are raised whether the US-China trade war is to be blamed for the recent slump.

China car market: The road ahead

At the Shanghai motor show, some of the biggest manufacturers you’ve never heard of displayed their newest models alongside familiar Western brands keen to crack the world’s most lucrative automotive market.

All eyes on Shanghai Auto Show 2019

The streets of China's finance hub were closed for hours on Saturday to welcome the 1000th Formula One Grand Prix in Shanghai with roaring engines. In the non-competition showcase, cars sped pass Xintiandi, which is the main attraction in Shanghai, to celebrate the milestone moment of Formula One history.

Drivers roar past the centre Shanghai in F1 road show

Shares of <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/world/us-judge-orders-talks-between-teslas-musk-securities-regulators-208033&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjW5dbz5snhAhUMr48KHUkHAJQQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3T2-MF6HF1o32HPqM8ZejE">Tesla </a>fell Thursday following a report the electric car company and electronics giant Panasonic are suspending plans to expand a battery plant due to weak demand for the vehicles.

Tesla Motors, which is led by Elon Musk, finished at $268.42, down 2.8 per cent.

Tesla and Panasonic froze a plan to boost the capacity of the Gigafactory 1 battery factory in the US state of Nevada "as concerns mount on Wall Street about weakening demand at Elon Musk's car company," Nikkei Asian Review reported.

The companies have stepped back as Panasonic's losses on the Tesla batteries deepened in the financial year that ended in March, Nikkei said.&nbsp;

Japan-based Panasonic had been seen pumping as much as $1.4 billion into the plan to boost Nevada production by around 50 per cent.

A Tesla spokesperson said, "we will, of course, continue to make new investments in Gigafactory 1, as needed.&nbsp;

"However, we think there is far more output to be gained from improving existing production equipment than was previously estimated."

Tesla directly criticized Nikkei's characterization of the situation in the subsequent email.

"We will, of course, continue to make new investments in Gigafactory 1, as needed," the Tesla spokesperson said in the follow-up statement.&nbsp;

"Most importantly, contrary to what is implied in this report, our demand for cells continues to outpace supply. It remains the fundamental constraint on Tesla vehicle and Powerwall/Powerpack production."

Nikkei also reported that Panasonic will suspend planned investment at Tesla's new Shanghai plant and will instead provide technical support to the project.

Panasonic has not made announcements about partnering with Tesla in Shanghai.

Shares of Tesla have had a volatile ride over the last year as Musk has overseen the ramp-up of the company's Model 3 sedan, the company's first vehicle directed at the middle market.

Investors have at times punished Tesla due to controversies surrounding Musk, who has sparred repeatedly with US securities regulators and appeared during one filmed interview last year to be smoking marijuana.&nbsp;

Company results have also been up and down. Shares were punished last week following disappointing first-quarter car deliveries.

Shares of Tesla fell Thursday following a report the electric car company and electronics giant Panasonic are suspending plans to expand a battery plant due to weak demand for the vehicles.

Shares of Tesla fell Thursday following a report the electric car company and electronics giant Panasonic are suspending plans to expand a battery plant due to weak demand for the vehicles. Tesla Motors, which is led by Elon Musk, finished at $268.42, down 2.8 per cent. Tesla and Panasonic froze a plan to boost the capacity of the Gigafactory 1 battery factory in the US state of Nevada "as concerns mount on Wall Street about weakening demand at Elon Musk's car company," Nikkei Asian Review reported. The companies have stepped back as Panasonic's losses on the Tesla batteries deepened in the financial year that ended in March, Nikkei said. Japan-based Panasonic had been seen pumping as much as $1.4 billion into the plan to boost Nevada production by around 50 per cent. A Tesla spokesperson said, "we will, of course, continue to make new investments in Gigafactory 1, as needed. "However, we think there is far more output to be gained from improving existing production equipment than was previously estimated." Tesla directly criticized Nikkei's characterization of the situation in the subsequent email. "We will, of course, continue to make new investments in Gigafactory 1, as needed," the Tesla spokesperson said in the follow-up statement. "Most importantly, contrary to what is implied in this report, our demand for cells continues to outpace supply. It remains the fundamental constraint on Tesla vehicle and Powerwall/Powerpack production." Nikkei also reported that Panasonic will suspend planned investment at Tesla's new Shanghai plant and will instead provide technical support to the project. Panasonic has not made announcements about partnering with Tesla in Shanghai. Shares of Tesla have had a volatile ride over the last year as Musk has overseen the ramp-up of the company's Model 3 sedan, the company's first vehicle directed at the middle market. Investors have at times punished Tesla due to controversies surrounding Musk, who has sparred repeatedly with US securities regulators and appeared during one filmed interview last year to be smoking marijuana. Company results have also been up and down. Shares were punished last week following disappointing first-quarter car deliveries.

Tesla shares fall over reports of battery plant suspension

Shanghai to become 1st Chinese city to have 5G network

Manchester United have added pre-season matches in Singapore, China and Wales, including a clash against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the club announced on Wednesday.

United will take on Inter Milan at the National Stadium Singapore on July 20, before travelling to Shanghai to face Spurs at the Hongkou Stadium on July 25.

The final match of the tour is scheduled against AC Milan at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Aug. 3.

These matches will be in addition to the two previously announced matches against Perth Glory and Leeds United on July 13 and July 17 respectively.

"These games, and the tour overall, will not only assist in our pre-season preparations, but also provide entertaining football and an opportunity to interact with our loyal fans in Australasia and Asia," United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said in a statement.

"This will be our third visit to Singapore and our fifteenth pre-season visit to China and we're excited to be returning to both countries to play against top-class opposition there."

At least four other Premier League clubs will visit China for their pre-season preparations with Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Wolverhampton

Wanderers taking part in the Premier League Asia Trophy in Nanjing and Shanghai.

United's last match in China was a defeat by Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai but that pre-season trip was remembered more for the clash with local rivals Manchester City which was cancelled due to torrential rain in Beijing.

Manchester United have added pre-season matches in Singapore, China and Wales, including a clash against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the club announced on Wednesday.

Manchester United have added pre-season matches in Singapore, China and Wales, including a clash against Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, the club announced on Wednesday. United will take on Inter Milan at the National Stadium Singapore on July 20, before travelling to Shanghai to face Spurs at the Hongkou Stadium on July 25. The final match of the tour is scheduled against AC Milan at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Aug. 3. These matches will be in addition to the two previously announced matches against Perth Glory and Leeds United on July 13 and July 17 respectively. "These games, and the tour overall, will not only assist in our pre-season preparations, but also provide entertaining football and an opportunity to interact with our loyal fans in Australasia and Asia," United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said in a statement. "This will be our third visit to Singapore and our fifteenth pre-season visit to China and we're excited to be returning to both countries to play against top-class opposition there." At least four other Premier League clubs will visit China for their pre-season preparations with Manchester City, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers taking part in the Premier League Asia Trophy in Nanjing and Shanghai. United's last match in China was a defeat by Borussia Dortmund in Shanghai but that pre-season trip was remembered more for the clash with local rivals Manchester City which was cancelled due to torrential rain in Beijing.

Manchester United to face Tottenham in Shanghai pre-season clash

China's birth rate in several regions, including the capital Beijing, fell again in 2018, the official China Daily said on Friday, despite government efforts to encourage couples to have more children.

Alarmed by the rapid ageing of its population, China relaxed its controversial "one-child policy" in 2016, allowing all couples to have two children instead of just one.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/death-toll-in-china-chemical-plant-blast-rises-to-12-204752">Also read:&nbsp;Death toll from east China factory blast jumps to 47, over 600 injured</a>

The change has failed to reverse what demographers say is a long-term trend of falling birth rates fuelled by growing prosperity and concerns about the high cost of raising children.

Beijing's birth rate fell to 8.24 per 1,000 people in 2018 compared to 9.06 in the previous year, China Daily said, citing figures from local authorities.

In the financial capital Shanghai, the birth rate dropped to 7.2 per 1,000, from 8.1 in 2017.

Beijing's total population fell for a second straight year in 2018, dropping 170,000 to 21.54 million people, though the decline could also be due to new policies aimed at shifting "non-capital functions" out of the city, China Daily said.

The birth rate in Liaoning, a rustbelt province where the population has dropped in recent years due to an exodus of young people, fell to 6.39 per 1,000, from 6.49 in 2017.

China recorded 15.23 million births last year, down 2 million from 2017 and the second consecutive annual decline, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Marriage rates are also falling throughout China, with the ratio of newly-registered marriages in the total population down to 0.72 per cent last year from 0.99 per cent in 2013, NBS data showed.

China's ageing problem was on the minds of delegates to the annual session of parliament this month, where some called for radical new measures to encourage new births.

Think tanks expect China's population to peak at 1.4 billion in 2029 and then begin an "unstoppable" decline that could reduce the workforce by as many as 200 million people by the middle of the century.

By 2050, China's dwindling number of workers will be under pressure to support more than 400 million people aged 60 or over, putting the country's pension, health and social service provisions under immense strain, experts say.

China's birth rate in several regions, including the capital Beijing, fell again in 2018, the official China Daily said on Friday, despite government efforts to encourage couples to have more children.

China's birth rate in several regions, including the capital Beijing, fell again in 2018, the official China Daily said on Friday, despite government efforts to encourage couples to have more children. Alarmed by the rapid ageing of its population, China relaxed its controversial "one-child policy" in 2016, allowing all couples to have two children instead of just one. Also read: Death toll from east China factory blast jumps to 47, over 600 injured The change has failed to reverse what demographers say is a long-term trend of falling birth rates fuelled by growing prosperity and concerns about the high cost of raising children. Beijing's birth rate fell to 8.24 per 1,000 people in 2018 compared to 9.06 in the previous year, China Daily said, citing figures from local authorities. In the financial capital Shanghai, the birth rate dropped to 7.2 per 1,000, from 8.1 in 2017. Beijing's total population fell for a second straight year in 2018, dropping 170,000 to 21.54 million people, though the decline could also be due to new policies aimed at shifting "non-capital functions" out of the city, China Daily said. The birth rate in Liaoning, a rustbelt province where the population has dropped in recent years due to an exodus of young people, fell to 6.39 per 1,000, from 6.49 in 2017. China recorded 15.23 million births last year, down 2 million from 2017 and the second consecutive annual decline, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Marriage rates are also falling throughout China, with the ratio of newly-registered marriages in the total population down to 0.72 per cent last year from 0.99 per cent in 2013, NBS data showed. China's ageing problem was on the minds of delegates to the annual session of parliament this month, where some called for radical new measures to encourage new births. Think tanks expect China's population to peak at 1.4 billion in 2029 and then begin an "unstoppable" decline that could reduce the workforce by as many as 200 million people by the middle of the century. By 2050, China's dwindling number of workers will be under pressure to support more than 400 million people aged 60 or over, putting the country's pension, health and social service provisions under immense strain, experts say.

China birth rates fall in several regions in 2018: Report

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/apple-cuts-first-quarter-production-plan-for-new-iphones-by-10-nikkei-asian-review-189136">Apple's mobile phones</a> are recently going through a price reduction wave on the Chinese market due to the company's weak business performance, with the latest iPhone model dropping as much as 1400 yuan (about $207) in some places.

Due to the unexpected low sales, Apple's mobile phones experienced a big price cut in the Chinese market. In an electronics store in Shanghai, all the iPhone products, from iPhone 7 to the latest model XS MAX, have been labelled with a price drop. Among them, the price of 256G iPhone XS MAX dropped from 10,999 yuan to 9,899 yuan (from $1626.4 to $1463.7).

"People's apple craze is on the wane, so we have to lower the price to ensure sales," said Zhou Shunliang, owner of the electronics store.

"The reason behind the price drops is that more people have turned to home-made brands," said a resident.

Various Chinese major e-commerce platforms have also launched price reduction strategies to promote sales. On Su'ning and Tmall online platforms, some iPhones are 1400 yuan ($354.9) cheaper than on Apple's official website. On Jingdong, the price of 64G iPhone 8 dropped by 700 yuan ($103.5), and the price of iPhone 8 plus dropped by 900 yuan ($133).

Some residents, however, said that the price reduction is still not enough, considering the extra high original price.

"The price drop is far from enough. I think it should be reduced by at least 30 per cent, then it would be a worthy price. The original price is too high," said a citizen.

"The latest model didn't sell well, as it is way too expensive," said another citizen.

'People's apple craze is on the wane, so we have to lower the price to ensure sales,' said the owner of the electronics store.

Apple's mobile phones are recently going through a price reduction wave on the Chinese market due to the company's weak business performance, with the latest iPhone model dropping as much as 1400 yuan (about $207) in some places. Due to the unexpected low sales, Apple's mobile phones experienced a big price cut in the Chinese market. In an electronics store in Shanghai, all the iPhone products, from iPhone 7 to the latest model XS MAX, have been labelled with a price drop. Among them, the price of 256G iPhone XS MAX dropped from 10,999 yuan to 9,899 yuan (from $1626.4 to $1463.7). "People's apple craze is on the wane, so we have to lower the price to ensure sales," said Zhou Shunliang, owner of the electronics store. "The reason behind the price drops is that more people have turned to home-made brands," said a resident. Various Chinese major e-commerce platforms have also launched price reduction strategies to promote sales. On Su'ning and Tmall online platforms, some iPhones are 1400 yuan ($354.9) cheaper than on Apple's official website. On Jingdong, the price of 64G iPhone 8 dropped by 700 yuan ($103.5), and the price of iPhone 8 plus dropped by 900 yuan ($133). Some residents, however, said that the price reduction is still not enough, considering the extra high original price. "The price drop is far from enough. I think it should be reduced by at least 30 per cent, then it would be a worthy price. The original price is too high," said a citizen. "The latest model didn't sell well, as it is way too expensive," said another citizen.

iPhones go through price reduction wave in China

Tesla Inc on Monday will break ground for its Shanghai Gigafactory where it will begin making Model 3 electric vehicles (EV) by year-end, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/elon-musk-and-his-social-media-debacles-in-2018-186779">Chief Executive Elon Musk</a> tweeted ahead of the formal start of construction of the firm's first Chinese plant.

The $2 billion factory - long under discussion - marks a major bet by the US electric vehicle maker as it looks to bolster its presence in the world's biggest auto market, where it faces rising competition from a swathe of domestic rivals and its sales have been hit by increased tariffs on US imports.

"Looking forward to breaking ground on the @Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory today!" Musk wrote in a post on Twitter.

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Looking forward to breaking ground on the <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Tesla</a> Shanghai Gigafactory today!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1082103637990625281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Musk has said previously he would attend the event in Shanghai. Tesla officials in China declined to comment.

The carmaker, which currently imports US-made vehicles to sell in China, is building the plant in an auto market that is set to contract this year for the first time in decades, though so-called new-energy vehicle (NEV) sales have been strong.

China raised the import tariff on US-made cars to 40 per cent in July, but cut it back to 15 per cent from the start of this year as part of a ceasefire in a trade war with the United States. The lower tariff will last until the end of March pending trade talks.

A local plant will help Tesla lower prices in the market to compete with a new generation of local rivals including Nio Inc, Byton and XPeng Motors.

"Affordable cars must be made on same continent as customers," Musk said in another tweet.

"Shanghai Giga will produce affordable versions of 3/Y for greater China. All Model S/X &amp; higher cost versions of Model 3/Y will still be built in US for WW market, incl China," he later added, referring to the worldwide market including China.

Alan Kang, a Shanghai-based analyst for consultancy LMC Automotive, said: "Tesla's sales (in China) have dropped over the past few months because of high price caused by the tariffs. And the competition is getting more and more fierce."

"With the construction of the Shanghai factory, the faster the better (for Tesla)," Kang said.

CONSTRUCTION TARGETS

Tesla has been pushing forward its plans for the plant after it secured the site in October, hiring staff, starting procurement for building materials and setting up a financial leasing company in the city.

The so-called Gigafactory would also be China's first wholly foreign-owned car plant, a reflection of China's broader shift to open up its car market even amid the whipsawing trade war.

Tesla plans to produce its Model 3 and Model Y cars in the initial phase of production at the Shanghai plant, with an annual capacity of 250,000 vehicles.

"Aiming to finish initial construction this summer, start Model 3 production end of year &amp; reach high volume production next year," Musk wrote in a separate post on Twitter.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Aiming to finish initial construction this summer, start Model 3 production end of year &amp; reach high volume production next year
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1082116267568377857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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"Shanghai Giga production of Model 3/Y will serve greater China region," Musk added in another one.

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Shanghai Giga production of Model 3/Y will serve greater China region
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1082118212546953216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Shares in Chinese suppliers to Tesla, including Tianjin Motor Dies Co Ltd and VT Industrial Technology Co Ltd, rallied on Monday after Musk's comments.

The Shanghai government last month said mayor Ying Yong had visited the site and urged Tesla to "accelerate" work on the factory. He said production would start to some degree in the second half of 2019.

China is the largest market for electric vehicles, and most forecasters predict EV sales in the country will accelerate rapidly as the government drives toward a goal of 100 per cent electric vehicles by 2030. 
&nbsp;

A local plant will help Tesla lower prices in the market to compete with a new generation of local rivals including Nio Inc, Byton and XPeng Motors.

Tesla Inc on Monday will break ground for its Shanghai Gigafactory where it will begin making Model 3 electric vehicles (EV) by year-end, Chief Executive Elon Musk tweeted ahead of the formal start of construction of the firm's first Chinese plant. The $2 billion factory - long under discussion - marks a major bet by the US electric vehicle maker as it looks to bolster its presence in the world's biggest auto market, where it faces rising competition from a swathe of domestic rivals and its sales have been hit by increased tariffs on US imports. "Looking forward to breaking ground on the @Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory today!" Musk wrote in a post on Twitter. Looking forward to breaking ground on the @Tesla Shanghai Gigafactory today! — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2019 × Musk has said previously he would attend the event in Shanghai. Tesla officials in China declined to comment. The carmaker, which currently imports US-made vehicles to sell in China, is building the plant in an auto market that is set to contract this year for the first time in decades, though so-called new-energy vehicle (NEV) sales have been strong. China raised the import tariff on US-made cars to 40 per cent in July, but cut it back to 15 per cent from the start of this year as part of a ceasefire in a trade war with the United States. The lower tariff will last until the end of March pending trade talks. A local plant will help Tesla lower prices in the market to compete with a new generation of local rivals including Nio Inc, Byton and XPeng Motors. "Affordable cars must be made on same continent as customers," Musk said in another tweet. "Shanghai Giga will produce affordable versions of 3/Y for greater China. All Model S/X & higher cost versions of Model 3/Y will still be built in US for WW market, incl China," he later added, referring to the worldwide market including China. Alan Kang, a Shanghai-based analyst for consultancy LMC Automotive, said: "Tesla's sales (in China) have dropped over the past few months because of high price caused by the tariffs. And the competition is getting more and more fierce." "With the construction of the Shanghai factory, the faster the better (for Tesla)," Kang said. CONSTRUCTION TARGETS Tesla has been pushing forward its plans for the plant after it secured the site in October, hiring staff, starting procurement for building materials and setting up a financial leasing company in the city. The so-called Gigafactory would also be China's first wholly foreign-owned car plant, a reflection of China's broader shift to open up its car market even amid the whipsawing trade war. Tesla plans to produce its Model 3 and Model Y cars in the initial phase of production at the Shanghai plant, with an annual capacity of 250,000 vehicles. "Aiming to finish initial construction this summer, start Model 3 production end of year & reach high volume production next year," Musk wrote in a separate post on Twitter. Aiming to finish initial construction this summer, start Model 3 production end of year & reach high volume production next year — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2019 × "Shanghai Giga production of Model 3/Y will serve greater China region," Musk added in another one. Shanghai Giga production of Model 3/Y will serve greater China region — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 7, 2019 × Shares in Chinese suppliers to Tesla, including Tianjin Motor Dies Co Ltd and VT Industrial Technology Co Ltd, rallied on Monday after Musk's comments. The Shanghai government last month said mayor Ying Yong had visited the site and urged Tesla to "accelerate" work on the factory. He said production would start to some degree in the second half of 2019. China is the largest market for electric vehicles, and most forecasters predict EV sales in the country will accelerate rapidly as the government drives toward a goal of 100 per cent electric vehicles by 2030.

Tesla CEO Musk says to break ground on Shanghai Gigafactory today

Dolce & Gabbana in 'racism' row; cancels Shanghai fashion show

Newborn African serval triplets debut in Shanghai

Roger Federer, who crashed out of the ongoing Shanghai Masters after losing to Borna Coric of Germany in their semi-final match, said he is happy with his performance as he is playing well on the court.

The 37-year-old added that he is now looking forward to the upcoming tournaments.

"I'm actually happy. I feel like I'm explosive out there, returning well," said Federer.&nbsp;

"Serving, I think, it's okay, could be even a little bit better. I don't think I played a match where I didn't get broken, so that's something a bit more unusual for me," he added.&nbsp;

"I must say I felt overall actually pretty good. It's definitely something I can build on now for Basel and then for London and maybe Paris. I'm happy how the body has felt this week," he concluded.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The World no 2 admitted that he could have done a better job in serving, adding, the Croatian had more punch than him.

Roger Federer, who crashed out of the ongoing Shanghai Masters after losing to Borna Coric of Germany in their semi-final match, said he is happy with his performance as he is playing well on the court.

Roger Federer, who crashed out of the ongoing Shanghai Masters after losing to Borna Coric of Germany in their semi-final match, said he is happy with his performance as he is playing well on the court. The 37-year-old added that he is now looking forward to the upcoming tournaments. "I'm actually happy. I feel like I'm explosive out there, returning well," said Federer. "Serving, I think, it's okay, could be even a little bit better. I don't think I played a match where I didn't get broken, so that's something a bit more unusual for me," he added. "I must say I felt overall actually pretty good. It's definitely something I can build on now for Basel and then for London and maybe Paris. I'm happy how the body has felt this week," he concluded. The World no 2 admitted that he could have done a better job in serving, adding, the Croatian had more punch than him.

Roger Federer not disappointed post final defeat

Chinese stock markets plunged to their lowest levels in four years on Thursday following a global rout.

The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 5.22 per cent, or 142.38 points, to 2,583.46, marking the lowest level since November 2014.&nbsp;

The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, plummeted 6.45 per cent, or 89.15 points, to 1,293.90, the lowest point since September 2014.

European markets

Europe's main stock markets slid by around 1.5 per cent at the start of trading on Thursday following heavier falls across Asia and on Wall Street.

London's benchmark FTSE 100 index slumped 1.4 per cent to 7,049.31 points compared with Wednesday's closing level.

In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 dropped 1.3 per cent to 11,558.98 points and the Paris CAC 40 shed 1.5 per cent to 5,128.22 points.

Trump's 'Fed is crazy' remark

The steep drop in Asia followed Wednesday's plunge in New York, with the Dow Jones dropping nearly 830 points -- the biggest fall since February -- after Trump's latest criticism of the Federal Reserve.

"I think the Fed is making a mistake," Trump told reporters as he arrived for a campaign rally ahead of the US mid-term elections.

Chinese stock markets plunged to their lowest levels in four years on Thursday following a global rout. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 5.22 per cent, or 142.

Chinese stock markets plunged to their lowest levels in four years on Thursday following a global rout. The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index dropped 5.22 per cent, or 142.38 points, to 2,583.46, marking the lowest level since November 2014. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, plummeted 6.45 per cent, or 89.15 points, to 1,293.90, the lowest point since September 2014. European markets Europe's main stock markets slid by around 1.5 per cent at the start of trading on Thursday following heavier falls across Asia and on Wall Street. London's benchmark FTSE 100 index slumped 1.4 per cent to 7,049.31 points compared with Wednesday's closing level. In the eurozone, Frankfurt's DAX 30 dropped 1.3 per cent to 11,558.98 points and the Paris CAC 40 shed 1.5 per cent to 5,128.22 points. Trump's 'Fed is crazy' remark The steep drop in Asia followed Wednesday's plunge in New York, with the Dow Jones dropping nearly 830 points -- the biggest fall since February -- after Trump's latest criticism of the Federal Reserve. "I think the Fed is making a mistake," Trump told reporters as he arrived for a campaign rally ahead of the US mid-term elections.

Chinese stocks sink to lowest levels since 2014

India and Pakistan will <a href="http://wionews.com/south-asia/uninterrupted-dialogue-with-india-only-way-to-resolve-all-disputes-pakistan-143008">not hold any formal meeting</a> on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) summit scheduled to begin tomorrow in China, India's ambassador to China&nbsp;Gautam Bambawale said.&nbsp;

Bambawale&nbsp;confirmed that the leaders of the two countries may talk during the summit but there will be "no formal meeting"&nbsp;with Pakistan.

"Neither have we nor has Pakistan asked for a formal meeting but during such summits leaders may talk on the sidelines but there will be no formal meeting (with Pakistan)", Indian Ambassador to China, Gautam Bambawale said.

He further said, "This is the first summit wherein India is participating with complete membership & so will Pakistan, terror will certainly be a substantial part of the&nbsp;discussion".

The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit, where the two leaders are expected to take stock of the implementations of ideas that they had decided during their informal summit in Wuhan last month.

Indian ambassador to China has confirmed that the leaders of the two countries may talk during the summit but there will be no formal meeting with Pakistan

India and Pakistan will not hold any formal meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation(SCO) summit scheduled to begin tomorrow in China, India's ambassador to China Gautam Bambawale said. Bambawale confirmed that the leaders of the two countries may talk during the summit but there will be "no formal meeting" with Pakistan. "Neither have we nor has Pakistan asked for a formal meeting but during such summits leaders may talk on the sidelines but there will be no formal meeting (with Pakistan)", Indian Ambassador to China, Gautam Bambawale said. He further said, "This is the first summit wherein India is participating with complete membership & so will Pakistan, terror will certainly be a substantial part of the discussion". The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Prime Minister Modi is expected to hold a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping during the summit, where the two leaders are expected to take stock of the implementations of ideas that they had decided during their informal summit in Wuhan last month.

'India, Pak leaders may talk but no formal meeting during SCO summit,' says Indian Ambassador to China

Oil&nbsp;prices&nbsp;eased slightly on Thursday following a rally in the previous session, as investors eyed a surprise increase in US&nbsp;crude&nbsp;oil&nbsp;inventories and looked to a possible rise in output when OPEC and other producers meet in June.

Oil&nbsp;prices&nbsp;rebounded on Wednesday as Russia's central bank expressed caution on plans to boost&nbsp;oil&nbsp;supply, while some analysts see positive market fundamentals despite the possibility of rising supplies.

"Though crude&nbsp;oil&nbsp;has receded significantly in the charts, market fundamentals remain supportive as robust global demand and declining stockpiles bolster&nbsp;prices&nbsp;upwards," Benjamin Lu, commodities analyst at Singapore-based broker Phillip Futures, said in a note.

Brent crude was down 38 cents, or 0.5 per cent, at $77.12 per barrel at 0643 GMT, after settling the last session up 2.8 per cent.

US&nbsp;West Texas Intermediate crude was down 20 cents, or 0.3 per cent, at $68.01 a barrel.

In the previous session, it settled up $1.48, or 2.2 per cent, at $68.21 per barrel.

Global inventories have been broadly falling, but US&nbsp;crude stockpiles rose by 1 million barrels in the week to May 25 to 434.9 million barrels, according to data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute (API).

That beat analyst expectations for a decrease of 525,000 barrels.

Data from the Energy Information Administration is due at 11 am&nbsp;EDT (1500 GMT) on Thursday, a day later than usual due to a US&nbsp;public holiday on Monday.

A possible output increase by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC members including Russia has been in focus.

Saudi Arabia, de facto leader of OPEC, and Russia have discussed boosting output by some 1 million barrels per day (bpd).

OPEC and some non-OPEC producers have committed to curbing their output by about 1.8 million bpd until the end of 2018, but they will meet in Vienna on June 22 to discuss whether their commitment should remain unchanged.

"With the OPEC meeting still another three weeks away,&nbsp;oil&nbsp;prices&nbsp;are likely to remain sensitive to headlines," ANZ bank said in a note.

A Gulf source familiar with the thinking of Saudi Arabia said OPEC and its allies aim to continue their agreement to cut&nbsp;oil&nbsp;output through the end of the year, but they are ready to make adjustments to offset any supply shortfall.

"We expect for&nbsp;oil&nbsp;prices&nbsp;to stand tall in the current week as OPEC 'talk&nbsp;prices&nbsp;up' before the Vienna meet," said Lu of Phillip Futures.

In Asia, Shanghai September crude&nbsp;oil&nbsp;futures rose 2.2 per cent by the midday break on Thursday, with open interest rising to a record on a weaker yuan and the rally in Brent and WTI overnight.

Data from the Energy Information Administration is due at 11 am EDT (1500 GMT) on Thursday, a day later than usual due to a US public holiday on Monday

Oil prices eased slightly on Thursday following a rally in the previous session, as investors eyed a surprise increase in US crude oil inventories and looked to a possible rise in output when OPEC and other producers meet in June. Oil prices rebounded on Wednesday as Russia's central bank expressed caution on plans to boost oil supply, while some analysts see positive market fundamentals despite the possibility of rising supplies. "Though crude oil has receded significantly in the charts, market fundamentals remain supportive as robust global demand and declining stockpiles bolster prices upwards," Benjamin Lu, commodities analyst at Singapore-based broker Phillip Futures, said in a note. Brent crude was down 38 cents, or 0.5 per cent, at $77.12 per barrel at 0643 GMT, after settling the last session up 2.8 per cent. US West Texas Intermediate crude was down 20 cents, or 0.3 per cent, at $68.01 a barrel. In the previous session, it settled up $1.48, or 2.2 per cent, at $68.21 per barrel. Global inventories have been broadly falling, but US crude stockpiles rose by 1 million barrels in the week to May 25 to 434.9 million barrels, according to data from industry group the American Petroleum Institute (API). That beat analyst expectations for a decrease of 525,000 barrels. Data from the Energy Information Administration is due at 11 am EDT (1500 GMT) on Thursday, a day later than usual due to a US public holiday on Monday. A possible output increase by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-OPEC members including Russia has been in focus. Saudi Arabia, de facto leader of OPEC, and Russia have discussed boosting output by some 1 million barrels per day (bpd). OPEC and some non-OPEC producers have committed to curbing their output by about 1.8 million bpd until the end of 2018, but they will meet in Vienna on June 22 to discuss whether their commitment should remain unchanged. "With the OPEC meeting still another three weeks away, oil prices are likely to remain sensitive to headlines," ANZ bank said in a note. A Gulf source familiar with the thinking of Saudi Arabia said OPEC and its allies aim to continue their agreement to cut oil output through the end of the year, but they are ready to make adjustments to offset any supply shortfall. "We expect for oil prices to stand tall in the current week as OPEC 'talk prices up' before the Vienna meet," said Lu of Phillip Futures. In Asia, Shanghai September crude oil futures rose 2.2 per cent by the midday break on Thursday, with open interest rising to a record on a weaker yuan and the rally in Brent and WTI overnight.

Oil prices ease after sharp gains; eyes on OPEC supply moves

Debt growth for Chinese companies has slowed to the lowest rate in more than a decade, which could provide relief for policymakers worried about the fallout from years of loose lending practices across the economy.

But this growing caution about taking on new debt, along with tighter profit margins and slowing revenue growth, could point to rising risks facing the world's second-largest economy amid fears of a slowing growth.

The overall debt levels of Chinese companies grew three per cent in the first quarter of this year&nbsp;of 1,843 firms listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen, the slowest pace in at least 13 years.

Combined total debts - including borrowing via loans and bond issuances - amounted to 13.2 trillion yuan ($2.1 trillion) at the end of March, the slowest pace of growth year-on-year since at least 2005, the analysis showed.

That amount was down 6.2 per&nbsp;cent from the fourth quarter, a steep drop after companies ramped up leverage during 2017.

Revenue growth, meanwhile, more than halved to 12.3 per cent in the first three months of 2018 from 26.7 per cent a year ago. Net profit margins were also squeezed to their lowest level&nbsp;in two years, with sectors like information technology particularly hard hit.

"What it says to me is that many of these companies are quite cautious in terms of expansion and taking on new debt," said Christopher Lee, Hong Kong-based managing director for corporate ratings at S&P Global, referring to the data.

"The side effects will be slower industrial growth and slower GDP growth than what was achieved in 2017," he added.

The signs of slowing revenue growth add to a series of data pointing to vulnerabilities in China's economy, even as policymakers try to navigate debt risks and defuse a trade row with the United States.

Despite the stronger-than-expected first-quarter economic growth, economists, still expect a gradual slowdown to around 6.5 per cent this year from 6.9 per cent in 2017, as rising borrowing costs weigh on consumption and investment.

China saw fixed asset investment grow at its slowest rate since 1999 in April, while retail sales growth hit a four-month low. Home sales have also slowed as the government tightens controls in order to fight speculation and tame property prices.

Firms, meanwhile, are worrying about higher financing costs, as the government cracks down on riskier lending practices.

"As soon as we have the cash then we'll make repayments because if our debt-to-asset ratio is too high then our costs are also high," said an official at Xinjiang Youhao Group, which runs supermarkets and malls. "We need to think about financing costs."&nbsp;

The retailer's total debt of 1.3 billion yuan is at its lowest level since 2012.

The slower growth could put credit in the spotlight. Cutting debt levels has been Beijing's aim, but any signs that this may have gone too far - risking a broader drag on the economy - could prompt a rethink about financial tightening.

"The stronger-than-expected credit slowdown since December 2017 has led policymakers to take some action towards easing," Oxford Economics said in a report this week, pointing to overall credit growth slowing more than expected this year.

Borrowing costs are on the rise. The weighted average lending rate for non-financial firms, a key indicator reflecting corporate funding costs, rose 22 basis points in the first quarter.

The proportion of loans priced above the benchmark borrowing rate also jumped by 9.9 per centage points to 74.4 per cent in the first quarter, the highest since China started releasing such numbers in 2004, according to Nomura.

Creditors and investors have also become more picky about where they put their money as credit risks have climbed, making it harder for some corporate issuers to raise funds.

Last month, 81 Chinese bond issues worth 47 billion yuan were postponed or cancelled. That followed 47.4 billion yuan of bond issues that suffered a similar fate in March.

Beijing Orient Landscape & Environment Co Ltd this month attracted just 50 million yuan for a bond issue that was meant to raise as much as 1 billion yuan.&nbsp;

A spate of bond defaults hasn't helped, with 11 companies in China defaulting on bond payments since January.

Beijing is already working to reduce business costs, cutting electricity prices twice in recent months, and is trying to channel more bank funding to smaller firms, which hasn't done much yet to ease concerns over rising costs.

"Because of rising defaults many investors are taking another look at the market and are becoming much more cautious in committing new investment," said S&P's Lee.

"Many investors now realize this deleveraging campaign and liquidity tightening is affecting a much broader number of companies than was initially thought."&nbsp;

The overall debt levels of Chinese companies grew three per cent in the first quarter of this year

Debt growth for Chinese companies has slowed to the lowest rate in more than a decade, which could provide relief for policymakers worried about the fallout from years of loose lending practices across the economy. But this growing caution about taking on new debt, along with tighter profit margins and slowing revenue growth, could point to rising risks facing the world's second-largest economy amid fears of a slowing growth. The overall debt levels of Chinese companies grew three per cent in the first quarter of this year of 1,843 firms listed in Shanghai and Shenzhen, the slowest pace in at least 13 years. Combined total debts - including borrowing via loans and bond issuances - amounted to 13.2 trillion yuan ($2.1 trillion) at the end of March, the slowest pace of growth year-on-year since at least 2005, the analysis showed. That amount was down 6.2 per cent from the fourth quarter, a steep drop after companies ramped up leverage during 2017. Revenue growth, meanwhile, more than halved to 12.3 per cent in the first three months of 2018 from 26.7 per cent a year ago. Net profit margins were also squeezed to their lowest level in two years, with sectors like information technology particularly hard hit. "What it says to me is that many of these companies are quite cautious in terms of expansion and taking on new debt," said Christopher Lee, Hong Kong-based managing director for corporate ratings at S&P Global, referring to the data. "The side effects will be slower industrial growth and slower GDP growth than what was achieved in 2017," he added. The signs of slowing revenue growth add to a series of data pointing to vulnerabilities in China's economy, even as policymakers try to navigate debt risks and defuse a trade row with the United States. Despite the stronger-than-expected first-quarter economic growth, economists, still expect a gradual slowdown to around 6.5 per cent this year from 6.9 per cent in 2017, as rising borrowing costs weigh on consumption and investment. China saw fixed asset investment grow at its slowest rate since 1999 in April, while retail sales growth hit a four-month low. Home sales have also slowed as the government tightens controls in order to fight speculation and tame property prices. Firms, meanwhile, are worrying about higher financing costs, as the government cracks down on riskier lending practices. "As soon as we have the cash then we'll make repayments because if our debt-to-asset ratio is too high then our costs are also high," said an official at Xinjiang Youhao Group, which runs supermarkets and malls. "We need to think about financing costs." The retailer's total debt of 1.3 billion yuan is at its lowest level since 2012. The slower growth could put credit in the spotlight. Cutting debt levels has been Beijing's aim, but any signs that this may have gone too far - risking a broader drag on the economy - could prompt a rethink about financial tightening. "The stronger-than-expected credit slowdown since December 2017 has led policymakers to take some action towards easing," Oxford Economics said in a report this week, pointing to overall credit growth slowing more than expected this year. Borrowing costs are on the rise. The weighted average lending rate for non-financial firms, a key indicator reflecting corporate funding costs, rose 22 basis points in the first quarter. The proportion of loans priced above the benchmark borrowing rate also jumped by 9.9 per centage points to 74.4 per cent in the first quarter, the highest since China started releasing such numbers in 2004, according to Nomura. Creditors and investors have also become more picky about where they put their money as credit risks have climbed, making it harder for some corporate issuers to raise funds. Last month, 81 Chinese bond issues worth 47 billion yuan were postponed or cancelled. That followed 47.4 billion yuan of bond issues that suffered a similar fate in March. Beijing Orient Landscape & Environment Co Ltd this month attracted just 50 million yuan for a bond issue that was meant to raise as much as 1 billion yuan. A spate of bond defaults hasn't helped, with 11 companies in China defaulting on bond payments since January. Beijing is already working to reduce business costs, cutting electricity prices twice in recent months, and is trying to channel more bank funding to smaller firms, which hasn't done much yet to ease concerns over rising costs. "Because of rising defaults many investors are taking another look at the market and are becoming much more cautious in committing new investment," said S&P's Lee. "Many investors now realize this deleveraging campaign and liquidity tightening is affecting a much broader number of companies than was initially thought."

China Inc tightens reins on debt, raises spectre of slowdown

Fearing abduction of an Indian national in central China's Zhejiang province, Indian authorities in Shanghai have sought details of his whereabouts from the Chinese government, diplomatic sources said today.

The Indian Consulate in Shanghai filed a "note verbale", a diplomatic communication, with the local office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, seeking details of Tabrez Akbarali Bana, a resident of Mumbai, the sources said.

Bana has been reported missing from the Chinese commodity market Yiwu for the past a few days, amid concerns that he may have been abducted by local businessmen over a trade dispute. 
He visited the police station in Yiwu a few days ago to complain about threats by the businessmen and has been reported missing since.

Indian officials fear he may have been abducted by the traders, who aggressively pursue foreign businessmen who owe them money.

Family sources say Bana may have been picked up by the traders because of a mistaken identity.

Hundreds of Indian traders visit Yiwu, the world's biggest commodity market, to purchase goods and sell them via retail outlets in India.

Similar cases involving trade disputes have been reported in the past in China. Two Indian traders - Sunder Agrawal and Deepak Raheja - had to face cases for allegedly cheating Chinese suppliers in 2012.

Indian officials fear he may have been abducted by the traders, who aggressively pursue foreign businessmen who owe them money.

Fearing abduction of an Indian national in central China's Zhejiang province, Indian authorities in Shanghai have sought details of his whereabouts from the Chinese government, diplomatic sources said today. The Indian Consulate in Shanghai filed a "note verbale", a diplomatic communication, with the local office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, seeking details of Tabrez Akbarali Bana, a resident of Mumbai, the sources said. Bana has been reported missing from the Chinese commodity market Yiwu for the past a few days, amid concerns that he may have been abducted by local businessmen over a trade dispute. He visited the police station in Yiwu a few days ago to complain about threats by the businessmen and has been reported missing since. Indian officials fear he may have been abducted by the traders, who aggressively pursue foreign businessmen who owe them money. Family sources say Bana may have been picked up by the traders because of a mistaken identity. Hundreds of Indian traders visit Yiwu, the world's biggest commodity market, to purchase goods and sell them via retail outlets in India. Similar cases involving trade disputes have been reported in the past in China. Two Indian traders - Sunder Agrawal and Deepak Raheja - had to face cases for allegedly cheating Chinese suppliers in 2012.

India national may have been abducted in China, govt seeks details from Shanghai

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is currently in Shanghai, China to promote film &quot;Secret Superstar&quot; which has crossed Rs 200 crore in just four days,&nbsp;way more than its lifetime business in India.

While in Shanghai with female cast Zaira Wasim, Aamir has been spotted having a good time on various TV show sets.&nbsp;

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Chinese table tennis coach Liu Guoliang with <a href="https://twitter.com/aamir_khan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aamir_khan</a>. <a href="https://t.co/eTEp2JQG8N">pic.twitter.com/eTEp2JQG8N</a>
&mdash; Raman (@Aamir_dangal) <a href="https://twitter.com/Aamir_dangal/status/955856188721086464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Couldn&rsquo;t sleep all night! Aamir&rsquo;s shining eyes and gentle eyesight still in my brain and surely become a wonderful memory for all over my life! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AamirKhan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AamirKhan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/aamir_khan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@aamir_khan</a> <a href="https://t.co/6L9sPzZLXD">pic.twitter.com/6L9sPzZLXD</a>
&mdash; Mingry (@Mingry_D) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mingry_D/status/955948656233930753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Global Megastar AAMIR KHAN <a href="https://t.co/vEWmHRE0GC">pic.twitter.com/vEWmHRE0GC</a>
&mdash; Secret Superstar ???? (@SSTheFilm_) <a href="https://twitter.com/SSTheFilm_/status/956038711271182336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2018</a></blockquote>
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As part of a promotional event, Khan was also seen shaking a leg on the song &#39;Sexy Baliye&#39;.&nbsp;

The film directed by&nbsp;Advait Chandan,&nbsp;is a story about a 15-year-old girl Insia played by Zaira Wasim who dreams of becoming a singing sensation.

&nbsp;

He is currently busy promoting his production 'Secret Superstar' starring Zaira Wasim in Shanghai

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan is currently in Shanghai, China to promote film "Secret Superstar" which has crossed Rs 200 crore in just four days, way more than its lifetime business in India. While in Shanghai with female cast Zaira Wasim, Aamir has been spotted having a good time on various TV show sets. Chinese table tennis coach Liu Guoliang with @aamir_khan. pic.twitter.com/eTEp2JQG8N — Raman (@Aamir_dangal) January 23, 2018 × Couldn’t sleep all night! Aamir’s shining eyes and gentle eyesight still in my brain and surely become a wonderful memory for all over my life! #AamirKhan @aamir_khan pic.twitter.com/6L9sPzZLXD — Mingry (@Mingry_D) January 23, 2018 × Global Megastar AAMIR KHAN pic.twitter.com/vEWmHRE0GC — Secret Superstar ???? (@SSTheFilm_) January 24, 2018 × As part of a promotional event, Khan was also seen shaking a leg on the song 'Sexy Baliye'. The film directed by Advait Chandan, is a story about a 15-year-old girl Insia played by Zaira Wasim who dreams of becoming a singing sensation.

Watch: Aamir Khan promotes 'Secret Superstar' in Shanghai, dances on Sexy Baliye

A van caught fire and ploughed into pedestrians on a crowded pavement outside a Starbucks in central Shanghai on Friday, injuring at least 18 people, three of them seriously, authorities and witnesses said.

The incident occurred at People&#39;s Park in the heart of the city during morning rush hour, when crowds of people would have been on their way to work.

A Shanghai police statement said a preliminary investigation indicated that the driver of the van, a 40-year-old man who was among the injured, had been smoking at the wheel which apparently ignited &quot;dangerous substances&quot; inside the vehicle.

Zhang Sai, a security guard at an adjacent building, told AFP the van was on fire when it veered out of control and mounted the curb, striking pedestrians and sending others scurrying to get out of the way.

&quot;It happened around 8:50 am (0050 GMT). The van was on fire before it crashed on the sidewalk,&quot; Zhang said.

Xu Xin, a 23-year-old restaurant employee, came upon the immediate aftermath during his morning jog to find injured people on the ground and bystanders calling emergency services.&nbsp;

Portable gas tanks that are often used to fuel stoves were inside the vehicle, he said.

&quot;The fire department carried gas tanks from the van, like those used in restaurants,&quot; Xu said.

The driver seemed unconscious while two other people in the van were badly burned, he added.

AFP journalists who arrived at the site found it had been quickly cleared by authorities.

A small police presence remained on hand standing watch. Damage to the fencing outside the Starbucks could be seen, but otherwise there was little evidence of an accident.

However, amateur video clips shot earlier and which circulated on Chinese social media showed several people sprawled on the pavement receiving medical treatment from fire and rescue personnel.

Other images showed a fire ablaze inside the van, which had come to a stop in front of a tree near the entrance to the Starbucks.

The coffee shop was locked up and a notice was taped to the door saying it had been closed, advising customers to go to other nearby outlets.

In 2013, two tourists were killed when a car rammed into bystanders on Beijing&#39;s iconic Tiananmen Square before bursting into flames.

Three attackers also died in the incident, which Beijing blamed on separatists from the restive western region of Xinjiang.

The incident occurred at People's Park in the heart of the city during morning rush hour

A van caught fire and ploughed into pedestrians on a crowded pavement outside a Starbucks in central Shanghai on Friday, injuring at least 18 people, three of them seriously, authorities and witnesses said. The incident occurred at People's Park in the heart of the city during morning rush hour, when crowds of people would have been on their way to work. A Shanghai police statement said a preliminary investigation indicated that the driver of the van, a 40-year-old man who was among the injured, had been smoking at the wheel which apparently ignited "dangerous substances" inside the vehicle. Zhang Sai, a security guard at an adjacent building, told AFP the van was on fire when it veered out of control and mounted the curb, striking pedestrians and sending others scurrying to get out of the way. "It happened around 8:50 am (0050 GMT). The van was on fire before it crashed on the sidewalk," Zhang said. Xu Xin, a 23-year-old restaurant employee, came upon the immediate aftermath during his morning jog to find injured people on the ground and bystanders calling emergency services. Portable gas tanks that are often used to fuel stoves were inside the vehicle, he said. "The fire department carried gas tanks from the van, like those used in restaurants," Xu said. The driver seemed unconscious while two other people in the van were badly burned, he added. AFP journalists who arrived at the site found it had been quickly cleared by authorities. A small police presence remained on hand standing watch. Damage to the fencing outside the Starbucks could be seen, but otherwise there was little evidence of an accident. However, amateur video clips shot earlier and which circulated on Chinese social media showed several people sprawled on the pavement receiving medical treatment from fire and rescue personnel. Other images showed a fire ablaze inside the van, which had come to a stop in front of a tree near the entrance to the Starbucks. The coffee shop was locked up and a notice was taped to the door saying it had been closed, advising customers to go to other nearby outlets. In 2013, two tourists were killed when a car rammed into bystanders on Beijing's iconic Tiananmen Square before bursting into flames. Three attackers also died in the incident, which Beijing blamed on separatists from the restive western region of Xinjiang.

18 hurt as burning van slams into crowd in Shanghai

Authorities in Shanghai on Thursday closed down Marriott International Inc&#39;s Chinese website for a week, punishing the world&#39;s biggest hotel chain for listing Chinese-claimed regions such as Tibet and Taiwan as separate countries in a customer questionnaire.

The US company issued an apology earlier in the day for the gaffe, which had drawn accusations of disrespecting Chinese sovereignty and calls for a boycott by angry netizens on Weibo, China&#39;s version of Twitter.

&quot;Marriott International respects Chinese sovereignty and its territorial integrity...We sincerely apologise for any actions that led to the misunderstanding on the aforementioned stance,&quot; the company said in a statement on its official Weibo account.

Aside from closing down the website, the Shanghai Cyberspace Administration said in the statement that it was shutting the Marriott&#39;s mobile phone application, in a move that would also disrupt bookings.

In a Mandarin-language questionnaire sent out to customers a few days ago, Marriott listed Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan as separate countries.

China claims sovereignty over all four of territories, though Taiwan is self-ruled and has democratic elections.

The Shanghai government said it had asked Marriott to &quot;take down all relevant content, conduct a thorough check on all contents it posted on its website and online application to prevent anything similar, and address the public&#39;s concern in a timely fashion to eliminate a negative impact.&quot;

It also said Shanghai&#39;s Huangpu district market supervision bureau was launching an investigation into Marriott, as it was suspected of violating China&#39;s cyber security law and advertisement law.

Last year, South Korean companies were hit heavily by Chinese economic retaliation over Seoul&#39;s deployment of a US missile shield system.

Marriott issued an apology earlier in the day for the gaffe, which had drawn accusations of disrespecting Chinese sovereignty

Authorities in Shanghai on Thursday closed down Marriott International Inc's Chinese website for a week, punishing the world's biggest hotel chain for listing Chinese-claimed regions such as Tibet and Taiwan as separate countries in a customer questionnaire. The US company issued an apology earlier in the day for the gaffe, which had drawn accusations of disrespecting Chinese sovereignty and calls for a boycott by angry netizens on Weibo, China's version of Twitter. "Marriott International respects Chinese sovereignty and its territorial integrity...We sincerely apologise for any actions that led to the misunderstanding on the aforementioned stance," the company said in a statement on its official Weibo account. Aside from closing down the website, the Shanghai Cyberspace Administration said in the statement that it was shutting the Marriott's mobile phone application, in a move that would also disrupt bookings. In a Mandarin-language questionnaire sent out to customers a few days ago, Marriott listed Tibet, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan as separate countries. China claims sovereignty over all four of territories, though Taiwan is self-ruled and has democratic elections. The Shanghai government said it had asked Marriott to "take down all relevant content, conduct a thorough check on all contents it posted on its website and online application to prevent anything similar, and address the public's concern in a timely fashion to eliminate a negative impact." It also said Shanghai's Huangpu district market supervision bureau was launching an investigation into Marriott, as it was suspected of violating China's cyber security law and advertisement law. Last year, South Korean companies were hit heavily by Chinese economic retaliation over Seoul's deployment of a US missile shield system.

Shanghai temporarily closes Marriott website in China after questionnaire gaffe

The second prototype of China&#39;s passenger aircraft, C919, successfully finished its very first test flight on Sunday, reports said.&nbsp;

This success has helped China move closer to its aim to penetrate the passenger jet market worldwide, which will approximately be worth USD 2 trillion in the next 20 years, reports said.&nbsp;

The C919 prototype took off from Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on Sunday morning.&nbsp;

&ldquo;The test flight lasted for around two hours during which performance of the plane&rsquo;s major systems and equipment like taking-off and landing, navigation and communication, speed acceleration and deceleration were tested,&rdquo; the state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

The first prototype of C919 completed its first flight in May this year and made its first intercity test flight last month.&nbsp;

The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China aims to produce six such planes for flight testing and has decided to conduct over 1,000 tests in total.&nbsp;

The prototype C919, with a normal range of 4,075 kilometers, was built to compete with Boeing&rsquo;s 737 and the Airbus A320.&nbsp;

With the successful maiden test flight, the aircraft will move into an airworthiness certification phase, which its manufacturer are aiming to obtain from Chinese regulators as well as Europe&rsquo;s aviation safety regulator.

The prototype C919, with a normal range of 4,075 kilometers, was built to compete with Boeing?s 737 and the Airbus A320.

The second prototype of China's passenger aircraft, C919, successfully finished its very first test flight on Sunday, reports said. This success has helped China move closer to its aim to penetrate the passenger jet market worldwide, which will approximately be worth USD 2 trillion in the next 20 years, reports said. The C919 prototype took off from Pudong International Airport in Shanghai on Sunday morning. “The test flight lasted for around two hours during which performance of the plane’s major systems and equipment like taking-off and landing, navigation and communication, speed acceleration and deceleration were tested,” the state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The first prototype of C919 completed its first flight in May this year and made its first intercity test flight last month. The Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China aims to produce six such planes for flight testing and has decided to conduct over 1,000 tests in total. The prototype C919, with a normal range of 4,075 kilometers, was built to compete with Boeing’s 737 and the Airbus A320. With the successful maiden test flight, the aircraft will move into an airworthiness certification phase, which its manufacturer are aiming to obtain from Chinese regulators as well as Europe’s aviation safety regulator.

China conducts successful test flight of second prototype of passenger jet

Pop singer Katy Perry has been &quot;indefinitely&quot; banned from entering China, PageSix reported on Saturday.&nbsp;

Perry, who is known as &#39;Fruit Sister&#39; in China was said to perform at&nbsp;the Victoria Secret&rsquo;s Fashion Show in Shanghai next week but her visa was denied by the Chinese officials due to a performance in 2015 in Taipei, Taiwan in which she wore a sequined, green dress that had sunflower appliques.

The outfit created a big controversy as the sunflower had been adopted the previous year by anti-China protesters as a symbol, media reports said. &nbsp;

The fact that she also supported a Taiwanese flag as a cape during the show&nbsp;did not help her case as China and Taiwan have not had the best relations for several years. However, her intention to make a political statement through this is unknown.&nbsp;

PageSix reported that the Chinese officials skim through artists&#39; social media profiles as well as previous news reports to understand if any activities have been adopted&nbsp;which could be posed offensive in any way whatsoever.

Supermodel Gigi Hadid was&nbsp;earlier denied entry to China following the Victoria&#39;s Secret Fashion Show because of an Instagram video posted by her showing her imitating a Buddha by squinting her eyes.&nbsp;

Reports say that Hadid had been criticized in China following the video and even apologized on the Chinese social media site, Weibo.

Other models including Julia Belyakova, Kate Grigorieva, and Irina Sharipova have also had their visas denied by the officials, reports confirmed.&nbsp;

According to media reports, Perry will be replaced by Harry Styles in the show.

Perry, who is known as the 'Fruit Sister' in China was said to perform at the Victoria Secret?s Fashion Show in Shanghai next week.

Pop singer Katy Perry has been "indefinitely" banned from entering China, PageSix reported on Saturday. Perry, who is known as 'Fruit Sister' in China was said to perform at the Victoria Secret’s Fashion Show in Shanghai next week but her visa was denied by the Chinese officials due to a performance in 2015 in Taipei, Taiwan in which she wore a sequined, green dress that had sunflower appliques. The outfit created a big controversy as the sunflower had been adopted the previous year by anti-China protesters as a symbol, media reports said. The fact that she also supported a Taiwanese flag as a cape during the show did not help her case as China and Taiwan have not had the best relations for several years. However, her intention to make a political statement through this is unknown. PageSix reported that the Chinese officials skim through artists' social media profiles as well as previous news reports to understand if any activities have been adopted which could be posed offensive in any way whatsoever. Supermodel Gigi Hadid was earlier denied entry to China following the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show because of an Instagram video posted by her showing her imitating a Buddha by squinting her eyes. Reports say that Hadid had been criticized in China following the video and even apologized on the Chinese social media site, Weibo. Other models including Julia Belyakova, Kate Grigorieva, and Irina Sharipova have also had their visas denied by the officials, reports confirmed. According to media reports, Perry will be replaced by Harry Styles in the show.

Katy Perry banned from entering China: Reports

Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant, said on Saturday its Singles&#39;&nbsp;Day sales extravaganza hit $25.4 billion, smashing its own record from last year and cementing it as the world&rsquo;s biggest shopping event.

Once a celebration for China&rsquo;s lonely hearts, Singles&#39;&nbsp;Day has become an annual 24-hour buying frenzy that exceeds the combined sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States, and acts as a barometer for China&rsquo;s consumers.

As tills shut midnight on Saturday, Alibaba&rsquo;s live sales ticker registered 168.3 billion yuan, up 39 percent from 120.7 billion yuan last year. The dollar figure was up more steeply due to the strength of the yuan against the greenback this year.

The event began soon after a star-studded event in Shanghai late on Friday. As midnight hit, a deluge of pre-orders helped drive a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-24-hour-online-shopping-binge-nears-16-billion-23970">billion dollars of sales on Alibaba&rsquo;s platforms in the first two minutes and $10 billion in just over an hour</a>.

&ldquo;In terms of scale it just dwarfs any other event out there,&rdquo; said Ben Cavender, Shanghai-based principal at China Market Research Group.

At just past the halfway mark, the headline gross merchandise volume swept past last year&rsquo;s dollar total just shy of $18 billion. Shortly afterwards, sales surpassed the 2016 total in the local currency.

The event gets shoppers around China scouting for bargains and loading up their online shopping carts, while delivery men - and robots - brace for an estimated 1.5 billion parcels expected over the next six days.

&ldquo;This is a big event for China, for the Chinese economy,&rdquo; Joseph Tsai, Alibaba&rsquo;s co-founder and vice chairman, said. &ldquo;On Singles&rsquo; Day, shopping is a sport, it&rsquo;s entertainment.&rdquo;

Tsai said rising disposable incomes of China&rsquo;s &ldquo;over 300 million middle-class consumers&rdquo; was helping drive the company&rsquo;s online sales - and would continue. &ldquo;This powerful group is propelling the consumption of China,&rdquo; he said.

The final total - more than the GDP of Iceland or Cameroon - leaves other shopping days in the shade. Cyber Monday in the United States saw $3.45 billion in online sales last year.

Investors closely watch the headline number, though some analysts say the way it is calculated is too opaque. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission launched a probe into Alibaba&rsquo;s accounting practices in 2016, including into its Singles&rsquo; Day data. That investigation is as yet unresolved.

Last year, the sales number rose by nearly a third at the eighth iteration of the event - though that was slower than the 60 percent increase logged in 2015.

Slower growth

At Alibaba&rsquo;s Friday night gala, the company&rsquo;s co-founder and chairman, Jack Ma, hosted guests including the actress Nicole Kidman, singer Pharrell Williams and Chinese musicians and film stars such as Zhang Ziyi and Fan Bingbing.

The excitement around the shopping blitz, however, masks the challenges facing China&rsquo;s online retailers such as Alibaba and JD.com Inc, which are having to spend more to compete for shoppers in a broader economy where growth is slowing.

&ldquo;A lot of the lower hanging fruit has been picked and there&rsquo;s increased competition for a share of consumer spending,&rdquo; said Matthew Crabbe, Asia Pacific research director at Mintel. The sale did though beat his forecast of 20 percent growth.

Online retailers were being forced to push offline as well as overseas to attract new shoppers, and the overall online retail market was close to &ldquo;saturation&rdquo;, raising questions about whether current rapid growth could be sustained.

&ldquo;They&rsquo;re having to spill over out of the purely online realm into the wider consumer market,&rdquo; Crabbe said.

This has sparked deals to buy bricks-and-mortar stores in China, and overseas tie-ups, especially in Southeast Asia. Technology, too, has been key, with virtual reality dressing rooms and live fashion shows to attract shoppers.

Alibaba also said it had turned 100,000 physical shops around China into &ldquo;smart stores&rdquo; for this year&rsquo;s event. Goods perused by people at the stores, but then bought and paid for on Alibaba&rsquo;s platforms, were added towards the sales total.

China Market Research Group&rsquo;s Cavender said brands were also increasingly making smaller price cuts to avoid &ldquo;margins getting killed&rdquo;, and were often asking for deposits in advance. In previous years, prices were often halved.

Fu Wenyue, a 23-year-old dresser in Shanghai, said offers this year were smaller but more &ldquo;personalized&rdquo; as brands used big data to hone their targets. Fu spent 4,000 yuan on clothes, cosmetics and kitchen utensils in pre-event sales, and kept shopping on the day.

&ldquo;In actual fact, I think I spent even more than I did last year,&rdquo; she said.

Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant, said on Saturday its Singles'?Day sales extravaganza hit $25.4 billion, smashing its own record from last year and cementing it as the world?s biggest shopping event

Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant, said on Saturday its Singles' Day sales extravaganza hit $25.4 billion, smashing its own record from last year and cementing it as the world’s biggest shopping event. Once a celebration for China’s lonely hearts, Singles' Day has become an annual 24-hour buying frenzy that exceeds the combined sales for Black Friday and Cyber Monday in the United States, and acts as a barometer for China’s consumers. As tills shut midnight on Saturday, Alibaba’s live sales ticker registered 168.3 billion yuan, up 39 percent from 120.7 billion yuan last year. The dollar figure was up more steeply due to the strength of the yuan against the greenback this year. The event began soon after a star-studded event in Shanghai late on Friday. As midnight hit, a deluge of pre-orders helped drive a billion dollars of sales on Alibaba’s platforms in the first two minutes and $10 billion in just over an hour. “In terms of scale it just dwarfs any other event out there,” said Ben Cavender, Shanghai-based principal at China Market Research Group. At just past the halfway mark, the headline gross merchandise volume swept past last year’s dollar total just shy of $18 billion. Shortly afterwards, sales surpassed the 2016 total in the local currency. The event gets shoppers around China scouting for bargains and loading up their online shopping carts, while delivery men - and robots - brace for an estimated 1.5 billion parcels expected over the next six days. “This is a big event for China, for the Chinese economy,” Joseph Tsai, Alibaba’s co-founder and vice chairman, said. “On Singles’ Day, shopping is a sport, it’s entertainment.” Tsai said rising disposable incomes of China’s “over 300 million middle-class consumers” was helping drive the company’s online sales - and would continue. “This powerful group is propelling the consumption of China,” he said. The final total - more than the GDP of Iceland or Cameroon - leaves other shopping days in the shade. Cyber Monday in the United States saw $3.45 billion in online sales last year. Investors closely watch the headline number, though some analysts say the way it is calculated is too opaque. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission launched a probe into Alibaba’s accounting practices in 2016, including into its Singles’ Day data. That investigation is as yet unresolved. Last year, the sales number rose by nearly a third at the eighth iteration of the event - though that was slower than the 60 percent increase logged in 2015. Slower growth At Alibaba’s Friday night gala, the company’s co-founder and chairman, Jack Ma, hosted guests including the actress Nicole Kidman, singer Pharrell Williams and Chinese musicians and film stars such as Zhang Ziyi and Fan Bingbing. The excitement around the shopping blitz, however, masks the challenges facing China’s online retailers such as Alibaba and JD.com Inc, which are having to spend more to compete for shoppers in a broader economy where growth is slowing. “A lot of the lower hanging fruit has been picked and there’s increased competition for a share of consumer spending,” said Matthew Crabbe, Asia Pacific research director at Mintel. The sale did though beat his forecast of 20 percent growth. Online retailers were being forced to push offline as well as overseas to attract new shoppers, and the overall online retail market was close to “saturation”, raising questions about whether current rapid growth could be sustained. “They’re having to spill over out of the purely online realm into the wider consumer market,” Crabbe said. This has sparked deals to buy bricks-and-mortar stores in China, and overseas tie-ups, especially in Southeast Asia. Technology, too, has been key, with virtual reality dressing rooms and live fashion shows to attract shoppers. Alibaba also said it had turned 100,000 physical shops around China into “smart stores” for this year’s event. Goods perused by people at the stores, but then bought and paid for on Alibaba’s platforms, were added towards the sales total. China Market Research Group’s Cavender said brands were also increasingly making smaller price cuts to avoid “margins getting killed”, and were often asking for deposits in advance. In previous years, prices were often halved. Fu Wenyue, a 23-year-old dresser in Shanghai, said offers this year were smaller but more “personalized” as brands used big data to hone their targets. Fu spent 4,000 yuan on clothes, cosmetics and kitchen utensils in pre-event sales, and kept shopping on the day. “In actual fact, I think I spent even more than I did last year,” she said.

China shopping festival smashes record with $25 billion haul

General Motors will recall more than 2.5 million vehicles in China over concerns about airbags made by troubled Japanese giant Takata, Chinese authorities said, dealing a blow to the US automaker in the world&#39;s largest car market.

GM and its joint venture partner Shanghai GM will start withdrawing vehicles fitted with the potentially faulty airbags beginning next month and will include Chevrolet and Buick cars, China&#39;s top consumer watchdog said.

They will replace the faulty airbags for free.

Takata has recalled about 100 million airbags produced for some of the world&#39;s largest automakers, including about 70 million in the US, because of the risk that they could improperly inflate and rupture, potentially firing deadly shrapnel at the occupants.

The defect has been linked to 16 deaths and scores of injuries globally, and the issue has led to the biggest car recall in history.&nbsp;

In China, the recalls involve 37 manufacturers and more than 20 million vehicles, of which 24 carmakers had recalled 10.59 million units by the end of June, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said Friday.

Last week, the watchdog announced that German carmaker Volkswagen and its joint ventures will recall 4.86 million vehicles in China over the airbag issue.

Of the vehicles being recalled, the vast majority were made in Chinese factories.

China is a crucial market for leading international carmakers, where they must operate as joint ventures with local partners.

GM has a long-standing presence in the country, where last year it sold 3.87 million vehicles making it the second-largest foreign manufacturer in the country, behind Volkswagen.

Suing a dead company

Japanese auto parts giant Takata in February pleaded guilty to fraud for hiding the defect, and paid a $1 billion fine.

The company filed for bankruptcy in June.

Earlier this month, Takata&#39;s largest client, Honda, reached a $605 million settlement in a lawsuit over defective airbags in millions of cars on American roads.

Honda joined Nissan, Toyota, BMW, Mazda and Subaru in agreeing a deal to settle a lawsuit, replace the defective airbags from now-bankrupt Takata, and to compensate car owners.

The latest agreement was filed in the US District Court in Miami.

The bankruptcy of Takata may frustrate the legal challenges by victims harmed by the company&#39;s exploding airbags, which were part of the largest auto safety recall ever.

For those injured and the families of those killed, the major question is what happens to their legal cases while a bankruptcy court sorts through competing claims from Takata creditors.

The bankruptcy could mean the major automakers may find the airbag producer will not reimburse them for their costs, despite an $875 million fund created by Takata in January.

GM and its joint venture partner Shanghai GM will start withdrawing vehicles fitted with the potentially faulty airbags beginning next month and will include Chevrolet and Buick cars, China's top consumer watchdog said.

General Motors will recall more than 2.5 million vehicles in China over concerns about airbags made by troubled Japanese giant Takata, Chinese authorities said, dealing a blow to the US automaker in the world's largest car market. GM and its joint venture partner Shanghai GM will start withdrawing vehicles fitted with the potentially faulty airbags beginning next month and will include Chevrolet and Buick cars, China's top consumer watchdog said. They will replace the faulty airbags for free. Takata has recalled about 100 million airbags produced for some of the world's largest automakers, including about 70 million in the US, because of the risk that they could improperly inflate and rupture, potentially firing deadly shrapnel at the occupants. The defect has been linked to 16 deaths and scores of injuries globally, and the issue has led to the biggest car recall in history. In China, the recalls involve 37 manufacturers and more than 20 million vehicles, of which 24 carmakers had recalled 10.59 million units by the end of June, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said Friday. Last week, the watchdog announced that German carmaker Volkswagen and its joint ventures will recall 4.86 million vehicles in China over the airbag issue. Of the vehicles being recalled, the vast majority were made in Chinese factories. China is a crucial market for leading international carmakers, where they must operate as joint ventures with local partners. GM has a long-standing presence in the country, where last year it sold 3.87 million vehicles making it the second-largest foreign manufacturer in the country, behind Volkswagen. Suing a dead company Japanese auto parts giant Takata in February pleaded guilty to fraud for hiding the defect, and paid a $1 billion fine. The company filed for bankruptcy in June. Earlier this month, Takata's largest client, Honda, reached a $605 million settlement in a lawsuit over defective airbags in millions of cars on American roads. Honda joined Nissan, Toyota, BMW, Mazda and Subaru in agreeing a deal to settle a lawsuit, replace the defective airbags from now-bankrupt Takata, and to compensate car owners. The latest agreement was filed in the US District Court in Miami. The bankruptcy of Takata may frustrate the legal challenges by victims harmed by the company's exploding airbags, which were part of the largest auto safety recall ever. For those injured and the families of those killed, the major question is what happens to their legal cases while a bankruptcy court sorts through competing claims from Takata creditors. The bankruptcy could mean the major automakers may find the airbag producer will not reimburse them for their costs, despite an $875 million fund created by Takata in January.

Now, GM to recall 2.5 mn vehicles in China over Takata airbags

An 80-year-old Chinese woman delayed a domestic flight from Shanghai this week for nearly six hours after throwing coins into an engine of the plane supposedly for good luck.

Shanghai police later said they would take no further action against the woman -- said to be a Buddhist -- due to her age, although Chinese Internet users were far less forgiving.

AFP looks at flights across the world that were delayed or failed to reach their destinations for unusual reasons.

Passengers rebel against drunk pilot

Passengers in Moscow demanded that the pilot for their Aeroflot flight to New York be removed because he was drunk. The first sign of trouble came when the pilot slurred his words during the pre-flight announcement, The Moscow Times said in February 2009. At a time when Aeroflot&#39;s reputation was already at rock-bottom due to a series of safety incidents, one passenger told the newspaper: &quot;The first thought that occurred to me was, &#39;This guy is drunk&#39;. His speech was so slurred it was hard to tell what language he was speaking.&quot; The pilot emerged from the cockpit of the Boeing 767 red-faced with bloodshot eyes and appeared unsteady on his feet. The crew was replaced and the flight later departed safely.

Fiery curry powder sparks smoke alert&nbsp;

An Air India passenger jet heading to Frankfurt was forced to return to Mumbai after a bag of curry powder set off smoke and fire alarms. Pilots on the Boeing 747 activated fire extinguishers after receiving a cockpit warning about a fire in the cargo hold in June 2009. But on the plane&#39;s return to India engineers said the alert had been triggered by a leaking bag containing curry powder. The bag was removed before the plane took off again after a 12-hour delay.&nbsp;

Passengers stung by delay&nbsp;

Snakes, rats, mice and scorpions have all prevented planes from taking off, but in January last year a bee delayed an Indonesian passenger plane for four hours after getting stuck in vital equipment and causing a problem with the aircraft controls. The flight, operated by Indonesian flag carrier Garuda, was scheduled to take off from the western island of Sumatra and head for Jakarta. But the pilot of the Boeing 737, which was carrying 156 passengers, decided not to take off after noticing a problem with the controls. The airline did not say whether the bee survived the ordeal.

&#39;Dirty dancer&#39; forces flight back

Sleepy early-morning passengers on a flight from Moscow to London may have thought they were dreaming when a drunken Russian woman staged erotic dances on the plane in August 2011. But the flight crew decided to return to Moscow as the woman, 39, was deemed to be causing an inconvenience to passengers, the RIA Novosti news agency said. &quot;The woman was in a state of insobriety, inconveniencing the passengers, taking off their glasses and dancing erotic dances,&quot; a spokesman for transport police said, quoted by the news agency. The woman was arrested on arrival.

Pilot loses artificial arm &amp; control&nbsp;

A pilot for a British budget airline briefly lost control of a flight after his artificial arm came loose during landing. The Flybe plane carrying 47 passengers was coming in to land at Belfast City Airport from Birmingham in February 2014 when the pilot&#39;s prosthetic forearm became detached from a special clamp fitted to the plane&#39;s yoke. This caused the plane to land with a &quot;bounce&quot;, but no one was injured. Flybe said it was proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The captain pledged to be more careful in future about checking the attachment on his artificial limb.

&#39;I&#39;m not qualified to land plane&#39;

Another British passenger plane was forced to turn back minutes before landing in Paris in 2008 because the pilot of 30 years&#39; experience was not qualified to land in fog. Speaking over the address system as the Flybe flight approached Charles de Gaulle airport, the pilot announced to startled passengers &quot;I am not qualified to land the plane&quot; and turned back to Cardiff. The Civil Aviation Authority described the incident as &quot;quite unusual but probably not unheard of&quot;.&nbsp;

A Chinese woman delayed a domestic flight from Shanghai after throwing coins into the engine of a plane, supposedly for good luck

An 80-year-old Chinese woman delayed a domestic flight from Shanghai this week for nearly six hours after throwing coins into an engine of the plane supposedly for good luck. Shanghai police later said they would take no further action against the woman -- said to be a Buddhist -- due to her age, although Chinese Internet users were far less forgiving. AFP looks at flights across the world that were delayed or failed to reach their destinations for unusual reasons. Passengers rebel against drunk pilot Passengers in Moscow demanded that the pilot for their Aeroflot flight to New York be removed because he was drunk. The first sign of trouble came when the pilot slurred his words during the pre-flight announcement, The Moscow Times said in February 2009. At a time when Aeroflot's reputation was already at rock-bottom due to a series of safety incidents, one passenger told the newspaper: "The first thought that occurred to me was, 'This guy is drunk'. His speech was so slurred it was hard to tell what language he was speaking." The pilot emerged from the cockpit of the Boeing 767 red-faced with bloodshot eyes and appeared unsteady on his feet. The crew was replaced and the flight later departed safely. Fiery curry powder sparks smoke alert An Air India passenger jet heading to Frankfurt was forced to return to Mumbai after a bag of curry powder set off smoke and fire alarms. Pilots on the Boeing 747 activated fire extinguishers after receiving a cockpit warning about a fire in the cargo hold in June 2009. But on the plane's return to India engineers said the alert had been triggered by a leaking bag containing curry powder. The bag was removed before the plane took off again after a 12-hour delay. Passengers stung by delay Snakes, rats, mice and scorpions have all prevented planes from taking off, but in January last year a bee delayed an Indonesian passenger plane for four hours after getting stuck in vital equipment and causing a problem with the aircraft controls. The flight, operated by Indonesian flag carrier Garuda, was scheduled to take off from the western island of Sumatra and head for Jakarta. But the pilot of the Boeing 737, which was carrying 156 passengers, decided not to take off after noticing a problem with the controls. The airline did not say whether the bee survived the ordeal. 'Dirty dancer' forces flight back Sleepy early-morning passengers on a flight from Moscow to London may have thought they were dreaming when a drunken Russian woman staged erotic dances on the plane in August 2011. But the flight crew decided to return to Moscow as the woman, 39, was deemed to be causing an inconvenience to passengers, the RIA Novosti news agency said. "The woman was in a state of insobriety, inconveniencing the passengers, taking off their glasses and dancing erotic dances," a spokesman for transport police said, quoted by the news agency. The woman was arrested on arrival. Pilot loses artificial arm & control A pilot for a British budget airline briefly lost control of a flight after his artificial arm came loose during landing. The Flybe plane carrying 47 passengers was coming in to land at Belfast City Airport from Birmingham in February 2014 when the pilot's prosthetic forearm became detached from a special clamp fitted to the plane's yoke. This caused the plane to land with a "bounce", but no one was injured. Flybe said it was proud to be an equal opportunity employer. The captain pledged to be more careful in future about checking the attachment on his artificial limb. 'I'm not qualified to land plane' Another British passenger plane was forced to turn back minutes before landing in Paris in 2008 because the pilot of 30 years' experience was not qualified to land in fog. Speaking over the address system as the Flybe flight approached Charles de Gaulle airport, the pilot announced to startled passengers "I am not qualified to land the plane" and turned back to Cardiff. The Civil Aviation Authority described the incident as "quite unusual but probably not unheard of".

Plane crazy: From China coin-thrower to dirty dancer

Several Chinese iPhone users have claimed that their handsets caught fire or exploded, according to a Shanghai consumer watchdog which called on tech giant Apple to address the complaints.

Fresh on the heels of Samsung&#39;s worldwide Galaxy Note 7 safety fiasco, the state-run Shanghai Consumer Council said it had received eight reports in recent months of iPhones that spontaneously combusted while being used or charged.

The report, seen on the council&#39;s website, was posted&nbsp;Friday.

It quoted one woman as saying her iPhone 6s Plus exploded in August, shattering the screen and leaving the battery and back of the phone blackened.

Apple provided the woman with a new iPhone but did not address the cause of the incident, the report said.

&quot;Apple should be responsible for consumers&quot; and deal with complaints in a timely manner, the council said.

&quot;A large amount of consumer complaints is not solved effectively.&quot;

The council said it has received a sixfold surge in total complaints against Apple in the past two months, including sudden shutdowns of the iPhone 6 and 6s even though batteries still have enough power.

The council did not make clear where the complaining iPhone users were located.&nbsp;

Apple last month offered to change iPhone 6s batteries for Chinese users who complained of what the company called &quot;accidental shutdown&quot;.

The offer was effective for handsets made between September-October, 2015.

At the time iPhone insisted the shutdowns did not constitute a safety problem.

AFP was unable to immediately obtain a response from Apple in China over the consumer watchdog report.

Samsung suffered a severe blow over its Galaxy Note 7&#39;s woes. The huge South Korean electronics manufacturer was forced to recall some 2.5 million units.

Apple saw its revenue in the Greater China market plunge 30 percent in the three months ended&nbsp;September 24, with analysts saying it faces rising competition from Chinese smartphone brands.

(AFP)

Fresh on the heels of Samsung's worldwide Galaxy Note 7 safety fiasco said it had received eight reports of iPhones.

Several Chinese iPhone users have claimed that their handsets caught fire or exploded, according to a Shanghai consumer watchdog which called on tech giant Apple to address the complaints. Fresh on the heels of Samsung's worldwide Galaxy Note 7 safety fiasco, the state-run Shanghai Consumer Council said it had received eight reports in recent months of iPhones that spontaneously combusted while being used or charged. The report, seen on the council's website, was posted Friday. It quoted one woman as saying her iPhone 6s Plus exploded in August, shattering the screen and leaving the battery and back of the phone blackened. Apple provided the woman with a new iPhone but did not address the cause of the incident, the report said. "Apple should be responsible for consumers" and deal with complaints in a timely manner, the council said. "A large amount of consumer complaints is not solved effectively." The council said it has received a sixfold surge in total complaints against Apple in the past two months, including sudden shutdowns of the iPhone 6 and 6s even though batteries still have enough power. The council did not make clear where the complaining iPhone users were located. Apple last month offered to change iPhone 6s batteries for Chinese users who complained of what the company called "accidental shutdown". The offer was effective for handsets made between September-October, 2015. At the time iPhone insisted the shutdowns did not constitute a safety problem. AFP was unable to immediately obtain a response from Apple in China over the consumer watchdog report. Samsung suffered a severe blow over its Galaxy Note 7's woes. The huge South Korean electronics manufacturer was forced to recall some 2.5 million units. Apple saw its revenue in the Greater China market plunge 30 percent in the three months ended September 24, with analysts saying it faces rising competition from Chinese smartphone brands. (AFP)

China users complain of combustible iPhones: consumer watchdog

Zenit St Petersburg forward Hulk has joined Shanghai SIPG for a record 55.8 million euros, the Russian club said today.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Zenit and Shanghai SIPG have come to an agreement regarding the transfer of the Brazilian forward. Compensation for the player will total 55.8 million euros and there will be add-ons,&quot; Zenit said in a statement on the website www.fc-zenit.ru.&nbsp; 
 
The transfer deal is the biggest in Russian football history.&nbsp; 
 
The 29-year-old Hulk, who has won 46 caps for Brazil and scored 11 goals, joined Zenit from Porto in 2012 for 40 million euros. He scored 56 goals for Zenit in 97 Russian Premier League matches and was the league&#39;s top scorer in the 2014-15 season with 15 goals. 
 
Zenit finished third last season. The club missed out on qualification for the Champions League and will play in the Europa League. 
 
Shanghai SIPG, fourth in the Chinese Super League, are coached by former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson. 
 
(Reuters)

The Zenit forward player has netted the biggest transfer deal in Russian football history

Zenit St Petersburg forward Hulk has joined Shanghai SIPG for a record 55.8 million euros, the Russian club said today. "Zenit and Shanghai SIPG have come to an agreement regarding the transfer of the Brazilian forward. Compensation for the player will total 55.8 million euros and there will be add-ons," Zenit said in a statement on the website www.fc-zenit.ru. The transfer deal is the biggest in Russian football history. The 29-year-old Hulk, who has won 46 caps for Brazil and scored 11 goals, joined Zenit from Porto in 2012 for 40 million euros. He scored 56 goals for Zenit in 97 Russian Premier League matches and was the league's top scorer in the 2014-15 season with 15 goals. Zenit finished third last season. The club missed out on qualification for the Champions League and will play in the Europa League. Shanghai SIPG, fourth in the Chinese Super League, are coached by former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson. (Reuters)

Hulk signs Shanghai SIPG deal for a record 55.8 million euros

Heavy rain around China&#39;s Yangtze river basin has left 128 people dead and scores missing, media said on 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&#39;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 on Friday as forecast.&nbsp; 
 
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 &quot;giant bathtub&quot; 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&#39;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&#39;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&#39;s national observatory issued an orange alert for storms across the country&#39;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. 
 
(AFP)

Flooding has forced some 1.3 million people to evacuate, at least 41,000 homes have been destroyed

Heavy rain around China's Yangtze river basin has left 128 people dead and scores missing, media said on 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 on 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. (AFP)

Heavy rains in China leave 128 dead

Walt Disney Co has opened the gates to its first theme park in China, prompting a rush from thousands of Mickey Mouse enthusiasts to be the first to storm Treasure Cove, ride the Roaring Rapids or visit Disney&#39;s tallest castle. 
 
Disney&#39;s largest overseas investment at $5.5 billion, the park is a bet on China&#39;s middle class and booming domestic tourism. The US firm hopes it will offset an otherwise lacklustre international theme park business, better known for cash-burning sites such as Euro Disney. 
 
&quot;China obviously represents incredible potential for the Walt Disney Company,&quot; chief executive Bob Iger told reporters at the park. Flanked by officials from local government partners today Iger cut a ribbon to officially open the resort - nearly two decades after he first scoped out the site in 1999. 
 
Not everything has gone quite to plan though. 
 
The opening gala - meant to be a bonanza of fireworks, live music and dance - was rained off on Wednesday night, while at Disney&#39;s park in Orlando, Florida, a young boy was grabbed by an alligator and killed. 
 
Disney, however, sees China as its greatest business opportunity since Walt Disney bought land in central Florida in the 1960s for what is now Walt Disney World - the world&#39;s most-visited theme park. The firm estimates 330 million people within a three-hour radius of Shanghai, the country&#39;s financial centre, will be able to afford to come to the park. 
 
Main Street has been replaced by Mickey Avenue to reduce the feel of Americana while attractions include a Chinese-style Wandering Moon tea house, a Chinese Zodiac-themed garden and a Tarzan musical featuring Chinese acrobats. 
 
Already expanding 
 
The iconic US firm is already expanding the Shanghai site to keep the home crowd keen, in a country where competition from a plethora of local theme parks and domestic cartoon characters promises to be fierce. 
 
The park&#39;s seven square kilometre plot of land means there is plenty of space to expand, Iger told reporters. 
 
&quot;There is actually construction going on this week. When we open we will continue the construction to expand what&#39;s on the opening day menu,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We have plenty of space to do that and we believe we&#39;ve got willing partners...We think we will probably do that sooner rather than later.&quot; 
 
Shanghai Disney could also help lure more consumers to its films. &quot;Zootopia&quot;, &quot;Captain America: Civil War&quot;, &quot;The Jungle Book&quot; and &quot;Star Wars: the Force Awakens&quot; are among the ten most-watched movies in China of 2016, reaping more than $690 million in ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo. Characters from those films will feature at the Shanghai resort. 
 
Disney, though, is facing intense competition from billionaire developers building homegrown parks and from domestic cartoon characters. Consumers also have an ambivalent attitude to its products, with some being sceptical about American values overriding Chinese traditions and culture. 
 
Iger received a presidential welcome from Xi Jinping in May, and Disney has been granted &quot;special&quot; trademark protection. But China&#39;s main military newspaper has also warned that &quot;Zootopia&quot;, a story about a rabbit police officer in an animal city, was a tool for spreading US propaganda and ideals. 
 
Furthermore, Disney will have to share the spoils. The resort is a joint venture with state-owned Shendi Group, which has a 57 per cent stake - a concession agreed during lengthy negotiations. 
 
Shendi is a consortium controlled by four large government-owned companies: Shanghai Media Group; hotelier Jin Jiang International, controlled by the city of Shanghai; supermarket-to-department store operator Bailian Group, and property developer Lujiazui Development Group. 
(Reuters)

It's a bet on China's middle class and booming domestic tourism but competition from billionaire developers making homegrow parks is intense

Walt Disney Co has opened the gates to its first theme park in China, prompting a rush from thousands of Mickey Mouse enthusiasts to be the first to storm Treasure Cove, ride the Roaring Rapids or visit Disney's tallest castle. Disney's largest overseas investment at $5.5 billion, the park is a bet on China's middle class and booming domestic tourism. The US firm hopes it will offset an otherwise lacklustre international theme park business, better known for cash-burning sites such as Euro Disney. "China obviously represents incredible potential for the Walt Disney Company," chief executive Bob Iger told reporters at the park. Flanked by officials from local government partners today Iger cut a ribbon to officially open the resort - nearly two decades after he first scoped out the site in 1999. Not everything has gone quite to plan though. The opening gala - meant to be a bonanza of fireworks, live music and dance - was rained off on Wednesday night, while at Disney's park in Orlando, Florida, a young boy was grabbed by an alligator and killed. Disney, however, sees China as its greatest business opportunity since Walt Disney bought land in central Florida in the 1960s for what is now Walt Disney World - the world's most-visited theme park. The firm estimates 330 million people within a three-hour radius of Shanghai, the country's financial centre, will be able to afford to come to the park. Main Street has been replaced by Mickey Avenue to reduce the feel of Americana while attractions include a Chinese-style Wandering Moon tea house, a Chinese Zodiac-themed garden and a Tarzan musical featuring Chinese acrobats. Already expanding The iconic US firm is already expanding the Shanghai site to keep the home crowd keen, in a country where competition from a plethora of local theme parks and domestic cartoon characters promises to be fierce. The park's seven square kilometre plot of land means there is plenty of space to expand, Iger told reporters. "There is actually construction going on this week. When we open we will continue the construction to expand what's on the opening day menu," he said. "We have plenty of space to do that and we believe we've got willing partners...We think we will probably do that sooner rather than later." Shanghai Disney could also help lure more consumers to its films. "Zootopia", "Captain America: Civil War", "The Jungle Book" and "Star Wars: the Force Awakens" are among the ten most-watched movies in China of 2016, reaping more than $690 million in ticket sales, according to Box Office Mojo. Characters from those films will feature at the Shanghai resort. Disney, though, is facing intense competition from billionaire developers building homegrown parks and from domestic cartoon characters. Consumers also have an ambivalent attitude to its products, with some being sceptical about American values overriding Chinese traditions and culture. Iger received a presidential welcome from Xi Jinping in May, and Disney has been granted "special" trademark protection. But China's main military newspaper has also warned that "Zootopia", a story about a rabbit police officer in an animal city, was a tool for spreading US propaganda and ideals. Furthermore, Disney will have to share the spoils. The resort is a joint venture with state-owned Shendi Group, which has a 57 per cent stake - a concession agreed during lengthy negotiations. Shendi is a consortium controlled by four large government-owned companies: Shanghai Media Group; hotelier Jin Jiang International, controlled by the city of Shanghai; supermarket-to-department store operator Bailian Group, and property developer Lujiazui Development Group. (Reuters)

Disney's China fairytale begins with $5.5 billion park opening, already eyes expansion

Shanghai jumped on Wednesday as traders brushed off a decision by MSCI to deny its inclusion in an influential list of global benchmarks, while Hong Kong joined a broad Asian rebound after recent heavy losses. 
 
The Shanghai Composite Index jumped 1.53 pe rcent, or 43.59 points, to 2,885.78 while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China`s second exchange, advanced 2.98 per cent, or 54.59 points, to 1,887.22. 
And Hong Kong rose 0.46 percent, or 92.83 points, to 20,480.36. 
(AFP)

The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, advanced 2.98 per cent, or 54.59 points, to 1,887.22

Shanghai jumped on Wednesday as traders brushed off a decision by MSCI to deny its inclusion in an influential list of global benchmarks, while Hong Kong joined a broad Asian rebound after recent heavy losses. The Shanghai Composite Index jumped 1.53 pe rcent, or 43.59 points, to 2,885.78 while the Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China`s second exchange, advanced 2.98 per cent, or 54.59 points, to 1,887.22. And Hong Kong rose 0.46 percent, or 92.83 points, to 20,480.36. (AFP)

Shanghai rallies, investors ignore MSCI disappointment

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