Crying horse captures hearts in China
At Yiwu International Trade City, China’s largest wholesale market, shoppers are crowding into a small stall ahead of the Lunar New Year.
According to the Reuters, they are hunting for an unusual hit: a red plush horse with a frown, a gold bell on its neck, and shy-looking eyes. The toy has gone viral online as China prepares to welcome the Year of the Horse.
Nicknamed the “crying horse” by social media users, the toy was meant to smile. A factory mistake turned its mouth upside down, creating a sad expression instead. Shop owner Zhang Huoqing said to Reuters that the flawed toy spread online after a customer failed to return it.
The gloomy horse has struck a chord with young Chinese workers who say it reflects job stress and long hours. It also fits the rising trend for “ugly-cute” collectibles. Vendors say demand is surging, with shelves quickly selling out as the holiday approaches.
Taiwan monitoring 'abnormal' China military leadership changes after top general put under investigation
Taiwan is monitoring what it called "abnormal" changes to China's military leadership after its most senior general was put under investigation, and will use various methods to decipher Beijing's intentions, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Monday (Jan 26), Reuters reported.
China announced on Saturday that Zhang Youxia, second-in-command under President Xi Jinping as vice-chairman of the Central Military Commission, and another senior officer, Liu Zhenli, were under investigation for suspected serious violations of discipline and law.
"We will continue to closely monitor abnormal changes among the top levels of China's party, government, and military leadership. The military's position is based on the fact that China has never abandoned the use of force against Taiwan," Koo told reporters at parliament, according to Reuters.
India to slash tariffs on cars to 40% in trade deal with EU, sources say
India plans to slash tariffs on cars imported from the European Union to 40% from as high as 110%, sources said, in the biggest opening yet of the country's vast market as the two sides close in on a free trade pact that could come as early as Tuesday, Reuters reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has agreed to immediately reduce the tax on a limited number of cars from the 27-nation bloc with an import price of more than 15,000 euros ($17,739), two sources briefed on the talks told Reuters.
This will be further lowered to 10% over time, they added, easing access to the Indian market for European automakers such as Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, according to Reuters.
US storm leaves 1 million without power, forces 10,000 flight cancellations
More than 1 million customers in the U.S. as far west as New Mexico were without electricity and over 10,000 flights were canceled on Sunday during a monster winter storm that paralyzed eastern and southern states with heavy snow and ice, Reuters reported.
As snow, sleet, freezing rain and dangerously frigid temperatures swept into the eastern two-thirds of the nation on Sunday, the number of power outages continued to rise. As of 2:16 p.m. EST (1916 GMT) on Sunday, more than 1 million U.S. customers were without electricity, according to PowerOutage.us, with at least 330,000 in Tennessee and over 100,000 each in Mississippi and Louisiana. Other states affected included Texas, Kentucky, Georgia, West Virginia and Alabama.
More than 10,800 U.S. flights scheduled for Sunday were canceled, according to flight tracking website FlightAware. Over 4,000 flights were canceled on Saturday, according to Reuters.
