Six In The Morning

Must-see Chinese TV becoming a snooze

New censorship rules are driving viewers away from the hours-long New Year's Gala, long a staple of the Chinese holiday.

By Barbara Demick and John Lee, Los Angeles Times
Reporting from Beijing— It is the television show that everybody watches and everybody loves to hate. On Sunday night, the eve of the Chinese New Year, a billion people could tune in for a ritual that is as deeply ingrained in the holiday tradition as watching the Rose Parade is for Americans. The show is CCTV's annual New Year's Gala, a five-hour pastiche of dancing, singing, comedy, magic tricks, propaganda and kitsch. CCTV claims that more than 90% of the Chinese population watches the show (more on that claim later), making it by far the most popular in China and one of the most watched television programs in the world.

Amazon setting up first 'fulfilment centre' in India
Giant warehouse in Mumbai signals that company is serious about expansion into Indian market

Reuters guardian.co.uk, Saturday 21 January 2012 00.29 GMT
Amazon is setting up its first "fulfilment centre" in India as the world's largest internet retailer tries to break into the world's second most populous nation. Fulfilment centres are giant warehouses that help Amazon and other online retailers store products, ship them and handle returns quickly. The fulfilment centre is based in Mumbai, the biggest city in the country, according to job listings on Amazon's Indian careers website.

EU's toughest sanctions yet put Iran on final warning over nuclear programme
Embargoes on oil and banking will hit ailing EU countries dependent on trade with Tehran

Saturday 21 January 2012
The toughest sanctions yet imposed on Iran will be unveiled by the European Union on Monday amid warnings it could be the last chance to resolve the nuclear stand-off before military strikes are considered. The punitive measures will include embargoes on oil, the country's central bank and financial institutions, with the aim of driving the Tehran regime to the negotiating table as it faces its revenue lifeblood being choked off.

Arctic Canada caught on 1919 silent film
One of the world's early documentaries featured unique footage of the lives of Arctic fur trappers in 1919.

By Chris Nikkel Documentary maker
In July 1919, the RMS Nascopie departed Montreal. It carried supplies bound for Arctic fur trade posts. But the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) ice-breaker had extra cargo on its annual trip. A film crew is on board. The ship headed north. As they travelled, a cameraman filmed the Nascopie crashing through ice floes. When the ship anchored, he went overboard, trudging across the ice with a tripod cradled in his arms. A second camera rolled from the deck, recording it all.

Hungarian PM backs down in dispute with European Union
The Irish Times - Saturday, January 21, 2012

DANIEL McLAUGHLIN
HUNGARIAN PRIME minister Viktor Orban has backed down from a possible court battle with the European Union and pledged to alter laws that have jeopardised Budapest’s bid to secure vital financial aid. His climbdown yesterday came as neighbouring Romania braced for an eighth night of protests against the government and its austerity measures, and Croats prepared to vote whether to join the EU at a time of economic uncertainty and political tension between members.

Curfew in Nigeria's Kano after deadly blasts
Immigration office and police stations come under attack in the largest city in country's mainly Muslim north.

Last Modified: 21 Jan 2012 05:55
The Nigerian city of Kano is under curfew after multiple explosions and gunfire in the area targeted an immigration office and several police stations. A witness told Al Jazeera that he had seen at least seven dead bodies, including five immigration officers and two civilians, following Friday's blasts. Authorities have not confirmed reports of casualties. An AFP news agency journalist heard what sounded to be about 20 explosions coming from two neighbourhoods in the city, the largest in Nigeria's mainly Muslim north. Smoke could also been seen coming from the areas. Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the attack, the Associated Press news agency reported. Ahmad Idris, Al Jazeera's correspondent in Abuja, said reports suggested at least eight police stations were targeted in addition to the zonal police headquarters.