| Savers Move to Ethical Banking - 68 sec
Zhang:
As finances are in turmoil worldwide, the ethical bank, Triodos, says it is seeing an increase in business. They offer customers an alternative way to invest their funds. Lets see how theyre doing it?
STORY:
There is an alternative bank on the high street in Belgium and its offering customers a different way of investing their funds.
As banks around the world struggle for cash, Triodos reports that since the end of last month it has seen an average of 70 new accounts opened a day.
But what is the attraction of this bank?
Oliver Marquet, is the bank's director.
[Oliver Maquet, Director of Tridos]:
"What we do is invest in the real economy. We finance ecological buildings, we finance windmills, and we finance cultural projects. We don't invest in mortgage bonds wrapped in obligation nor in purely virtual products"
Belgium has been forced to come to the aid of two of its banks, and people continue to be concerned about their savings.
[Julie Duhamel, Belgian]:
"Like everyone I am really worried. Because from the moment you struggle to put money to one side, whatever our jobs, well, we are all worried, we don't really have a clue where to put our money, we tried to get insurance. I think we would like just a little bit more explanation."
[Maya Bosovic, Slovenian]:
"Now with the Fortis bank, like I think many others, I am thinking what to do? Should I change?' Should I stay?'"
Triodos believes it has that staying power, through developing relationships with its customers.
[Oliver Maquet, Director of Tridos]:
"We always explain to our clients what we are doing with their money and every year, we organize a meeting with all our clients and shareholders in order to talk to them about our strategy."
The bank does not trade on the stock exchange, but it has seen its revenue progressively increase, and has offices in Spain, Germany and the UK.
During these turbulent financial times analysts say banking will transform, and investors will be forced to err on the side of caution by looking into different ways of managing their equity.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Savers Belgium Ethical Banking Triodos business investing funds finance ecological cultural mortgage
 | | Update on CCP Resignations - 43 sec
ZHANG:
Now, an update on the number of people who've renounced their affiliation with the Chinese Communist Party.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Resignations Update people renounced CCP affiliation
| | Thai Protest Leaders Surrender - 28 sec
ZHANG:
Leaders of a long-running anti-government protest in Thailand surrendered to police today. The seven leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, are charged with inciting unrest.
Thailand's Court of Appeals earlier threw out treason charges for the protesters, and the ringleaders are expected to be released on bail.
They may soon be back at Government House, where five months of protesting has left two people dead around 400 injured.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Thailand Leaders PAD anti-government police Court Alliance Democracy
| | Sri Lankan Minister Survives Bomb Blast - 67 sec
ZHANG:
And Sri Lanka's agriculture minister survived a suicide attack on Thursday. It's the second such attack on a prominent person this week in the country.
STORY:
A suicide bomber attacked a convoy ferrying Sri Lanka's agricultural minister in Colombo yesterday. One person is killed and at least five wounded including the minister's deputy.
Officials say the minister was unharmed.
[Dr. Wilfred Atapattu, Colombo South Hospital]:
"One patient was transferred to the Colombo hospital for further management and another patient is undergoing emergency operation. Three patients are being treated in our hospital."
The blast comes on a day when the government asked the parliament to raise its defense budget in an unyielding push to end the war with the Tamil Tigers.
Nobody claimed immediate responsibility for the attack, but the military immediately blamed the Tamil Tigers.
This was the second bomb-attack in Sri Lanka this week. On Monday, a blast killed a retired general who had entered politics, as well as 27 others.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Sri Lanka agricultural Minister Bomb Blast suicide attack convoy Colombo Tamil
| | People Hiding Their Cash at Home - 73 sec
Zhang:
Well it seems people have gone back to the "keep it under the mattress" mentality. Home safes are the modern way it's done when we don't trust the banks. Here's more.
STORY:
Even though governments around the world are rushing to guarantee the
deposits in their nation's banks, nervous customers aren't convinced.
When the banking system seems to be falling apart, the British like to keep
their cash as "safe as houses".
It's good news for this shop in London:
[Anthony Setchell, Sales Manager, Home Safes]:
"Well, we've noticed a real upturn in sales. We are trading nearly
three times as much as we were at the same time last year and installations
have gone up as well, so much so that we are thinking of taking on a new
member of staff because our current guys are overworked"
There aren't any customers on view here - they get a little twitchy when
the cameras start to roll - but the sales manager tells us there are plenty of
them about:
[Anthony Setchell, Sales Manager, Home Safes]:
"We've noticed an increase in enquiries relating to storing cash in
safes rather than valuables which is what we were previously getting most
calls about."
It's a sign of the times - no more complex derivatives; bits of paper and
virtual wealth that nobody seems to have understood.
Instead, today's insecure punters want something a little more, well,
concrete.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News governments banks British People Safes sales
| | Nobel Prize for Literature - 86 sec
Zhang:
The Swedish Academy awards the prestigious $1.4 million prize for literature to a French writer. It's the first time a French writer has won the Nobel literature prize since 1985.
STORY:
A buzz of excitement fills the Swedish Academy in Stockholm as an audience
waits to hear who has won the 2008 Nobel prize for literature.
It falls to the permanent secretary of the academy, Horace Engdahl to make
the announcement.
[Horace Engdahl, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy]:
"The Nobel prize in literature for 2008 is awarded to the
French writer Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, author of new departures, poetic
adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the
reigning civilisation".
Le Clezio is the author of more than 30 works and has been writing since
the age of seven or eight.
Born in 1940 he first found fame in 1963 with his first novel Proces Verbal
which won a prize.
He has since written a variety of novels, essays and short fiction.
[Horace Engdahl, Permanent Secretary of the Swedish Academy]:
"Because he is a great writer of variety who has gone through
many different stages in his development as a writer and has come to include
other civilizations, other modes of thought, other modes of living than the
Western in his writing. Because he is a great prose writer, both as a kind of
lyrical prose writer and as a narrator."
The award marked the first time a French writer has won the Nobel
literature prize since 1985.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Literature Nobel Prize Swedish Academy Stockholm Engdahl "Le Clezio" humanity
| | Melamine Found in "Olympic Milk" - 42 sec
ZHANG:
Sanyuan, the sole food and beverage supplier for the Beijing Olympics, has been caught producing melamine-contaminated milk.
Chinese authorities (the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine) found the toxin in three batches of Sanyuan's high-fiber high-calcium milk powders made in late June and early September, according to a report released on September 30.
Melamine was also detected in a batch of Sanyuan's infant formula produced on September 9.
Before the report, Sanyuan was the only listed dairy producer in China that had avoided being associated with milk contamination.
Earlier testing had cleared Sanyuan products of melamine, causing its share price to surge, but now it's just one of many companies caught up in the scandal.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Melamine "Olympic Milk" Beijing Olympics contaminated milk Chinese authorities Sanyuan China scandal
| | Market Report - Panic Grips Asian Investors - 86 sec
ZHANG:
Asian shares plummeted in quick reaction Friday to the Wall Street nosedive, as investor panic reigned across the region. The market carnage was swift and steep across Asia with multi-year lows seen from Sydney to Seoul.
The Nikkei at one point fell over 10 percent and was poised for its biggest drop since 1987, while Korean shares fell so rapidly the exchange suspended program sales for five minutes.
Reuters equities editor-in-charge Nathan Layne says risk aversion is still the prevailing sentiment.
[Nathan Layne, Reuters Equities Editor]:
"We've haven't seen anything like this obviously since 1987 when the big stock market crash happened and I think we're at that level yet the notion we're already in a crisis and there's no end in sight and that's why people are dumping stocks."
Treasury yields tumbled across Asia as investors fled scorched equity markets for the relative safety of sovereign debt and gold, which jumped nearly 40 dollars an ounce.
Singapore confirmed what many other Asian nations are expected to soon announce -- that its economy is in recession, and the central bank cut rates in response.
Ahead of a Group of Seven nations meeting later Friday, traders say coordinated central bank actions so far have not eased investor fear or funding tightness, while even more action is now expected.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Market Report Panic Asian Investors stocks crisis Sydney Seoul Nikkei ReutersTreasury sovereign
| | Indian Bodybuilding Championship - 59 sec
ZHANG:
These bodybuilding contestants in India are surely are strong enough to lift anyone's spirit. And they're getting attention from many locals.
STORY:
This bodybuilding competition in India's central Gwalior is promoting healthy living among the youth.
During the two-day event, body builders strutted their stuff across stage. The fitness fanatic spectators cheered the contestants on all through the competition.
Each demonstration was performed to well known and popular tunes.
Mohammed Shamsher Khan, who had never won a national championship, proudly took home the gold medal.
[Mohammed Shamsher Khan, Gold Medal Winner]:
I have been practicing body building for nearly four years now. I have participated in bodybuilding championships locally but unfortunately I have not been able to win any national championship. I practice for one and a half hours daily."
The highlight of the competition seemed to be the physically challenged contestants, who surprised everyone with their perfectly chiseled physique.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News bodybuilding competition India healthy fitness fanatic spectators national championship
| | Han Couture Restores Traditional Values - 83 sec
ZHANG:
NTDs global Han Couture design competition aims to revive knowledge about Chinas traditional clothing. Lets go to our team in New York to find out about the spiritual beliefs intertwined with traditional styles of Chinese dress.
STORY:
NTDs Global Han Couture Design Competition is taking the best of Chinas ancient dress and putting it back in to the spotlight.
Designers from around the world have spent hours researching traditional design methods, and how they relate to the ancient beliefs in heaven, and living in harmony with nature.
[Lily Yan Zhou, Han Couture Judge]:
"In the old days, people designed the clothes according to nature harmony. This clothes we call shenyi, and for shenyi has for example cross collar represent the road on the earth, and we have the huge big round circle sleeves, represent the road, the round road, of heaven. And in the back this clothes, there is a seam running up and down in the back, it is represent human in the middle path, and takes the middle road, human takes the middle road, between heaven and earth. And also theres waist band. There is a waist band tied around tied around there is, and it is round the midriff, there are rules that we have, the rules are from heaven and earth, and we tied the rules. So that way it gives us a balance between heaven and earth. And now she is in harmony. And that is how in the old days thats how people designed their clothes."
Competition organizers say the costumes truly reflect the traditional style of dress from Chinas ancient dynasties, from times of the great Tang.
[Alice Yim, Han Couture Producer]:
Actually the reason I took over this project was because I felt that as a Chinese person I dont know even enough of the traditional Chinese clothing. And, all I knew was the Qing Dynasty, the qipao, and actually that is just the minority costume outfits. So I felt like the golden time was the Tang Dynasty. There are so much more to appreciate and so much more authentic.
And its really the Han people who live in China, the ming people, who used to wear it. And it has so much history behind it like represents heaven and earth and respect god and there is so much to learn and by doing this project I really learned so much and I see so many Chinese designs from all over the world try to rediscover this. And so this is something that is just amazing and I want to be part of this.
The competition runway shows and award ceremony will be held next Sunday at the Prince George Ballroom in New York.
This is Sarah Matheson, NTD, New York.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Han Couture China traditional clothing ancient spiritual beliefs nature harmony
| | Building Collapses on People in Egypt - 55 sec
ZHANG:
A six family home collapsed in Egypt trapping people and killing at least 11, some are still missing. It looks like the landlord added an illegal floor to the 50 year old building. Heres more.
STORY:
This was once home to six families.
Now it is the tomb of many of those people.
The building in Alexandria Egypt collapsed burying those inside.
At least 11 are feared dead and two more are missing.
Egypt's state news agency reported the dead included a mother found clutching her baby.
The building owner added a new floor to the 1950's structure in violation of building regulations.
Sources said residents had complained to the local authorities that the building was unsafe.
The authorities had ordered the removal of the fifth floor and other structural changes. But the orders were never implemented.
Building collapses are common in Egypt because of lax building standards and poor maintenance.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Alexandria Egypt Building Collapse Security structure maintenance violation authorities
| | Eutelsat Protest in Brussels - 88 sec
ZHANG:
And in Brussels NTD representatives are calling on French satellite company Eutelsat to resume our broadcast to China. European Members of Parliament and other rights groups joined their voices to call for a swift resolution. Lets hear what they had to say.
[Olivier Basille, Reporters Without Borders]:
The European Parliament is so much larger than this, and at least we should receive support from the other groups as well because we are talking about European companions here. And the fact that if Eutelsat does something to NTD today, perhaps they can do it with another company as well.
[Helga Trupel, German MEP]:
It's a very weak position by the European Commission not to protest, to put pressure, to put political pressure on Eutelsat, because I think that is our duty.
[Olivier Basille, Reporters Without Borders]:
The censorship of the internet is made with support of European companies and U.S. companies, that is another point. The thing that happens on the internet happens today on the satellite, and today it will be perhaps the mobile phones as well. So it has to be done today, not tomorrow.
[Carrie Hung, NTD Spokesperson]:
To be sure, this scandal is not the work of a few unethical merchants, but a systemic collusion between an entire industry and its government regulators. Without an independent and free press to uncover this whole-sale corruption, problems are only revealed when disasters strike.
[Inge Hermans, Friends of Tibet]:
It's very clear that China is suppressing everybody that wants to make some commercial deals with them, so I'm not surprised of that, and I think the European Commission and the European Parliament should do everything to take the pressure away for Eutelsat and let them once more open the transmission to China.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News French satellite Eutelsat Protest Brussels broadcast China European Parliament resolution
| | China's Tainted Milk: Who's At Fault? - 374 sec
Who is at fault with Chinas tainted milk? In this episode of China Focus, Anna Chan finds out from China Analyst, Jason Ma.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News China Tainted Milk Analyst
| | CCP Supporter Attacks NYC District Leader - 44 sec
ZHANG:
Now, continuing coverage of attacks in Flushing, New York City.
22nd Assembly District Leader Martha Flores-Vasquez says she was attacked by an alleged Chinese communist supporter on October 4. It's the latest in a series of similar attacks in Flushing, but previously, the attacks had all been against Falun Gong practitioners. This is the first such attack against a politician.
In fact, after the attacker realized who Ms. Flores-Vasquez was, the Chinese man said he did it because he thought Ms. Flores-Vasquez was a Falun Gong practitioner.
We will keep you updated as we learn more about what happened.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News CCP attacks Flushing NYC politician Leader Flores-Vasquez
| | Blast in Pakistani Capital - 82 sec
Zhang:
Pakistan has suffered another blow. A suicide bomber got into police headquarters in the capital pretending to sell sweets, then detonated the bomb. Heres the full report.
STORY:
This is the scene of the latest bombing in Islamabad.
Tangled mettle and rubble is all that is left of this police headquarters.
The bomber managed to breach the security cordon and gain access to the building.
Police said the attacker was carrying two baskets of sweets. He presented one to a policeman, and detonated the bomb.
Islamabad's chief of police wants to know how security was breached.
[Asghar Raza Gardazi, Chief of Police]:
"There are three injured people. There are many questions which we want to find out - how did the vehicle have ingress inside? Because we have (given) instructions to them that all the vehicles should be parked outside. There was a parking (lot) made outside the police lines for that purpose. We have yet to see how did it have ingress."
The number of casualties is low, as most of the police were on patrol close to the parliament building, where the newly appointed intelligence chief was briefing the government on security issues.
But the blast comes at a time when security forces in the country are on high alert.
More attacks are feared as Pakistan intensifies its offensive on militants in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News Islamabad Pakistan vehicle bomb police security parliament blast
| | Alarming Milk Statistic - 27 sec
ZHANG:
Some new numbers to tell you about China's tainted milk powder. The Reuters News Agency is reporting that as many as 94-thousand babies may actually be sick from the product. That's more than double the number the Chinese Communist Party's health ministry reporter to the World Health Organization. State run statistics say four babies have died, more than ten-thousand are seriously ill, and another 36-thousand are affected, but don't need serious medical treatment.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: Ntd NTDTV News China tainted milk powder CCP health ministry medical treatment
| | U.S. Stock Markets Turbulent - 104 sec
CHAN:
Now let's look at the latest developments on Wall Street. Central banks are cutting interest rates to try and get some stability and positivity back into the market. But by lunchtime, investor sentiment had turned decidedly negative. Let's take a look.
STORY:
U.S. markets went on a wild ride early Wednesday as investors digested a coordinated emergency rate cut from central banks around the world. Led by the Federal Reserve's half-point rate cut, which brings the Fed Funds rate to 1-1/2 percent, central banks including the ECB, slashed rates after a period in which many stock markets around the world have suffered their biggest drops - ever.
But the rate cuts did not totally convince U.S. investors that better days are ahead. Within the first hour of the trading day the Dow swung in a near 400-point range from top to bottom as sellers refused to let go.
David Reilly is director of portfolio strategy at Rydex Investments.
[David Reilly, Rydex Investments]:
"The market's reaction may be an instantaneous rally but they can't be held because the market's overall concern is that the magnitude of the crisis is theoretically, or possibly is, larger than what the central banks and the regulators have been throwing at the crisis."
Not even some much-needed promising signs from the housing market could put fears to rest. Pending home sales showed a surprise jump in August - rising to their best level in over a year.
And buyers appear to be coming out of hiding. Mortgage applications bounced off a one-month low last week as lower interest rates sparked some deal making.
Those signals, however, not strong enough to shake off Wall Street fears - the worst for the economy may be yet to come.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: ntd ntdtv news
| | Riders with a Mission - 135 sec
CHAN:
And in Israel a unique bicycle trip took place. It wasn't just for fun, but mainly to raise money for sick children in hospitals. Our Israeli team drove along.
STORY:
The mission - to raise money for children who are recovering from transplant operations at the Schneider Medical Center in Israel.
[Dr. Simchi, Anastheseologist, Schneider Hospital]:
"We went all the way from the north border of Israel, ended up in the Sea of Galilee, from there we drove all the way around the sea of Galilee to Beit Shean."
It's a joint effort of the Medical Center's staff and English paramedics from Liverpool.
[Ron Shank, Paramedic, Liverpool]:
"We searched the Internet and came across Schneider Medical Center and decided that was the one for us."
Part of the money raised will go to a hospice in England called Clairhouse.
[John Evans, Clairhouse Children's Hospice]:
"Clairhouse is a much smaller version of the children's hospital that we have here in Schneider. We cater for children who are dying unfortunately and we are a very small outfit but at the same time we have to raise money by fundswe are not given money by the government."
Liz Schick from Switzerland is also riding along. She had a transplant operation but that isn't stopping her from cycling around the world.
[Liz Schick, Liver Transplant Recipient]:
"10 years ago I had a liver transplant. And my husband said to the doctor before the transplant: 'will she be able to do sports after the transplant?' And the doctor said: 'yes.'"
The first thing Liz plans to do after the trip is to visit the children at the hospital, to show them that like her, they too, can have a bright future.
[Liz Schick, Liver Transplant Recipient]:
"The other day I went to Schneider (hospital) and met a lot of the children that just had transplants and I going to go back there this afternoon and say to them "Hey guys, I was up at the front."
The cyclists cover dozens of miles and everyone is in high spirits.
After three days the journey ends at Schnieder Medical Center with a closing ceremony.
And for the children Liz is preparing a surprise:
[Liz Schick, Liver Transplant Recipient]:
"We organise camps every year for children who have had transplants and some of those children in the beds at Schneider (hospital) now will be in Switzerland in the Alps next year, or the year after, so - transplantation works!"
NTD Israel.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: ntd ntdtv news
| | Chinese Milk Tainted with More than Just Melamine - 64 sec
CHAN:
And now for an update on China's poisonous milk scandal. The poisons in some milk might not be just from pure melamine, but actually from melamine scrap that has other chemicals in it.
Melamine is a nitrogen-rich chemical. It is normally used for processing products like plastic, glue, textiles, flame-retarding agents and rubber antioxidants.
It does not have any nutritional value, but it can be added to milk or animal feed to make it look like it has more protein when tested.
By itself, however, melamine is not toxic in low doses, so it's still not clear how the tainted milk has caused kidney stones and kidney failure in thousands of babies.
But melamine scrap—which is a leftover by-product of processing coal into melamine—may contain more than just melamine itself. Because of the way it's processed, it can also have residue from toxic chemicals like urea, ammonia, acetic acid, and sodium nitrite in it—and this may be why it's been so toxic for so many children.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: ntd ntdtv news
| | Worrisome Chinese Real Estate - 105 sec
CHAN:
In China the first week of October is called the "Golden Week" in the real estate trading market. It's usually the busiest time for property trading, with great promotions and deals. But this year it wasn't very booming... as sales took a sharp decline. NTD spoke with one economist to find out why.
STORY:
According to the statistics from the Beijing Property Trading Management Network, from the 29th of September to the 4th of October, only about 70 households were traded daily... a drop of more than 70 percent from last year's sales. And this is happening all throughout China.
Economist Dr. Jian Tianlun believes that there is not enough competition in the property trading market because the Chinese Communist Party changes land prices sporadically. That means buyers are waiting it out for the best price. Recent global stock market downturns are also having an effect.
Dr. Jian used a property named "The city of charm" in Hangzhou as an example. The property value raised to a peak of $12,000 per square meter from $9,200 per square meter. Six months later the price dropped back to $9,000.
Economist Dr. Jian is concerned by the rapid price changes.
[Dr. Jian Tianlun, Economist]:
"This could be a huge turning point. The Chinese property trading market could fail, especially after the fall of the stock market, because of the unstable financial market, the broken chain of funds from the developers and banks, or because buyers are unable to afford the price. All of these factors could cause the failure of Chinese property trading market."
The Shanghai Composite Index fell about 17 point on Thursday, closing at 2074.
Auteur : NTDTV
Tags: ntd ntdtv news
|
|
