Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

In a heartbreaking end to <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="India" source="keywords">India</keyword>'s <keyword id="20326420" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="boxing" source="keywords">boxing</keyword> campaign at the Paris 2024 Olympics, <keyword id="20376840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lovlina-Borgohain" source="keywords">Lovlina Borgohain</keyword>, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist, bowed out after a hard-fought quarterfinal bout against China's <keyword id="20488214" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Li-Qian" source="keywords">Li Qian</keyword> in the women's 75kg category. Borgohain lost 1-4 in a match marked by repeated cautions for clenching and holding, signalling the end of India’s journey in the boxing ring this Olympic season.<br /><br />The <keyword id="20201970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-squad" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Indian squad" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Indian squad">Indian squad</keyword> at these Games featured a mix of veterans and rising stars: Amit Panghal (51kg), <keyword id="20420031" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nishant-Dev" source="keywords">Nishant Dev</keyword> (71kg), <keyword id="20376839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nikhat-zareen" source="keywords">Nikhat Zareen</keyword> (50kg), <keyword id="21773837" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="preeti-pawar" source="keywords">Preeti Pawar</keyword> (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg). Despite a spirited effort, the results were mixed, with initial optimism ultimately tempered by fierce international competition.<br />      <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112264216" title="Paris Olympics: India beat Great Britain 4-2 in shoot-out to qualify for semifinals of men&amp;#39;s hockey" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Nishant Dev, seen as a strong medal contender, faced a similar fate. He exited in the men's 71kg <keyword id="20288129" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="quarterfinals" source="keywords">quarterfinals</keyword> after a tough match against Italy's Marco Verde. Dev’s performance, though commendable, fell short of securing a podium finish, adding to the collective disappointment of the Indian team.<br /><br />The <keyword id="20006192" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Paris-Olympics" source="keywords">Paris Olympics</keyword> proved to be a testing ground for Indian boxers, showcasing their resilience and skill against formidable global opponents. Lovlina started strong, matching Li Qian's intensity in the early rounds. However, Li's tactical adjustments in the later stages of the match turned the tide, ending Borgohain's run in a decisive manner.<br />      <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112258635" title="Star shooter Manu Bhaker set to be India&amp;#39;s flagbearer in Paris Olympics 2024 closing ceremony" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>As the dust settles, India's boxing federation and its ardent supporters will look back at these performances with an eye toward the future. The experiences and lessons from Paris 2024 will be invaluable in refining strategies and training regimens. This reflective period will be essential as India gears up for the next Olympic cycle, aiming to make a stronger impact on the world stage<br /><br /><em>(with inputs from agencies)</em><br />

Paris Olympics: Lovlina Borgohain’s hard-fought loss in tough quarterfinals ends India’s boxing medal dreams

World Championship medallists <keyword id="20376839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nikhat-Zareen" source="keywords">Nikhat Zareen</keyword>, <keyword id="20376840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lovlina-Borgohain" source="keywords">Lovlina Borgohain</keyword> and <keyword id="20420031" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nishant-Dev" source="keywords">Nishant Dev</keyword> will wade through draws that are at best tricky in their quest to achieve India's best Olympic medal tally in boxing when the competition kicks off here on Saturday.<br /><br /><keyword id="20287995" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-boxers" source="keywords">Indian boxers</keyword> have fetched three medals in the Olympics so far, all bronze. While Vijender Singh remains the only male to have achieved the feat back in the 2008 Beijing Games, women stars MC Mary Kom (London, 2012) and Borgohain (Tokyo, 2021) later added to the overall haul. <br /><br /> The six boxers in Paris were handed draws ranging from slippery to difficult on Thursday. Expectations are high from the group and two-time reigning world champion Zareen is at the forefront. The 28-year-old has an uphill task ahead as three of the top medal contenders in the light-flyweight (50kg) division -- China's Wu Yu, Thailand's Chuthamat Raksat and Uzbekistan's Sabina Bobokulov -- are in her half. <br /><br /> Zareen opens her campaign against Germany's Maxi Klotzer on Sunday, following which she will meet top-seeded Asian Games and reigning flyweight world champion Wu. If Zareen crosses this hurdle, she may meet either eighth-seeded Asian Games silver medallist Raksat or Bobokulova. <br /><br /> Both boxers have defeated the Indian recently. While Raksat got the better of Zareen at the Asian Games last year, Bobokulova beat her at the Strandja Memorial final in February. But the tenacious Hyderabadi would be up for the challenge and if she gets through two rounds, she would become a favourite for gold. <br /><br /> The seasoned <keyword id="20499145" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amit-Panghal" source="keywords">Amit Panghal</keyword> (51kg) has had a rollercoaster of a ride this Olympic year -- from not being the first choice in his weight class in the national team to making the cut for Paris in the one and only chance he got. <br /><br /> Time out from the national team deflated his confidence but he has unfinished business to address, having made a first-round exit in Tokyo. Panghal has received a first-round bye and meets African Games champion, Zambia's Patrick Chinyemba, who had lost to the Indian at the Commonwealth Games, in the round of 16. <br /><br /> He faces Asian Games silver medallist Thitisan Panmod of Thailand in the quarterfinals and could potentially meet Rio Olympics and reigning world champion Hassanboy Dusmatov from Uzbekistan or Tokyo bronze-winner Kazakh Saken Bibossinov in the semifinal. <br /><br /> The immensely talented Nishant, one of the most consistent performers in the Indian squad, has got the best draw. With a first round bye, the debutant will take on Ecuador's Rodriguez Tenorio in the pre-quarters on Thursday. <br />If Nishant gets past Tenorio, he will meet Mexico's Pan American Games champion Merco Verde in the quarterfinals. He may come up against top seed Sewon Okazawa of Japan in the semifinals. <br /><br /> Borgohain will be chasing history, to add to her 69kg bronze. The Assamese boxer, who has bulked up to 75kg, will clash with Norway's Sunniva Hofstad in the first round. However, Borgohain has a tough test waiting for her in the quarterfinal in the form of Chinsese Li Qian, the reigning Asian Games champion and also a two-time Olympic and world medallist. <br /><br /> Although Borgohain defeated Qian at the world event last year, she lost in the previous two meetings -- Asian Games and the Czech Grand Prix. A win in the quarters may pit Borgohain against either fifth-seeded world silver medallist Australian Caitlin Parker or Morocco's heavyweight world champion Khadija El-Mardi. <br /><br /> Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar (54kg), competing in her debut Games, will fight with Vietnam's Vo Thi Kim Anh in the first round. A win will take her to the round of 16 where world silver-medallist Yeni Arias of Colombia awaits her. Another debutant Jaismine Lamboria, who has dropped from 60kg to 57kg just ahead of the final qualifier, has got perhaps the most difficult draw. <br /><br /> She takes on Tokyo silver-medallist, former world champion Nesthy Petecio of Philippines, in her opening bout. Should she win, Jaismine would be up against France's European Games champion and world bronze winner Amina Zidani. <br /><br /> The boxing events at the Paris Games will take place at two venues. The early rounds will be held at the North Paris Arena while the iconic Stade Roland-Garros will host the semifinals and finals.

All eyes on Nikhat, Lovlina as boxers open Olympic campaign hoping to negotiate difficult draws

As the <keyword id="20201477" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paris-2024-Olympics" source="keywords">Paris 2024 Olympics</keyword> unfolds, <keyword id="20430758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-athletes" source="keywords">Indian athletes</keyword> are poised to shine on the global stage, promising thrilling performances and unforgettable moments. This week, from August 1 to August 6, India's sports enthusiasts have a packed schedule of must-watch events.<br /><br />Key highlights include the promising <keyword id="20241095" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Manu-Bhaker" source="keywords">Manu Bhaker</keyword> in the <keyword id="22628612" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="25m-Pistol-event" source="keywords">25m Pistol event</keyword>, a high-stakes <keyword id="6362179" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hockey" source="Orion">hockey</keyword> match between India and Belgium, and <keyword id="30621" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="badminton" source="Orion">badminton</keyword> prodigy <keyword id="20123154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lakshya-Sen" source="keywords">Lakshya Sen</keyword>'s crucial games. With each athlete carrying the hopes of a nation, the coming days are set to showcase the spirit and talent of Indian sports, making it a week not to be missed.<br /><h2>Thursday, August 1</h2><h3>11:30 AM: Men’s 20km Race Walk</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vikash Singh, Paramjeet Singh Bisht and Akshdeep Singh<br /><h3>12:30 PM: Golf Men’s Individual Stroke Play Round 1</h3>Indian athletes competing: Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shubhankar Sharma<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Shooting (Kusale wins Bronze medal)</h3>50 Rifle 3 Positions Men’s Final with Swapnil Kusale<br /><h3>1:20 PM: Women’s 20km Race Walk</h3>Indian athletes competing: Priyanka<br /><h3>1:30 PM: Hockey</h3>Men’s Pool B with India v Belgium<br /><h3>2:30 PM: Boxing</h3>Women’s 50kg Preliminaries Round of 16 with Zareen Nikhat vs China’s Wu Yu<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Men’s Individual Archery</h3>1/32 Elimination Round with Pravin Ramesh Jadhav vs China’s Kao Wenchao<br /><h3>3:30 PM: Shooting</h3>50m Rifle 3 Positions Women’s Qualification with Sift Kaur Samra and Anjum Moudgil<br /><h3>3:45 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br /><h3>4:30 PM: Badminton</h3><ul><li>Men’s Doubles Quarterfinal with Shetty/Rankireddy vs Malaysia’s Chia/Soh</li><li>Men’s Singles Round of 16 with H S Prannoy and Lakshya Sen</li></ul><h3>7:05 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nethra Kumanan<br /><h3>10:00 PM: Badminton</h3>Women’s Singles with V Sindhu Pusarla vs China’s HE Bing Jiao<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112191180" title="Swapnil Kusale wins Bronze in men&amp;#39;s 50m rifle 3 positions event, India’s third medal at Paris Olympics 2024" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Friday, August 2<br /></h2><h3>12:30 PM: Golf</h3>Men’s Individual Stroke Play Round 2 with Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar<br /><h3>12:30 PM: Shooting</h3>25m Pistol Women’s Qualification Precision with Esha Singh and Manu Bhaker<br /><h3>1:30 PM: Shooting</h3>Day 1 of Skeet Men’s Qualifications with Anant Jeet Singh Naruka<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Mixed Team Archery</h3>⅛ Elimination Round with India v Indonesia<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Rowing</h3>Men’s Single Sculls Final D with Balraj Panwar<br /><h3>1:30 PM: Judo</h3>Champ-de-Mars Arena Mat 1 with Tulikaa Maan vs Cuba’s Idalys Ortiz<br /><h3>3:45 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nehtra Kumanan<br /><h3>4:45 PM: Hockey</h3>Men’s Pool B with India v Australia<br /><h3>7:05 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br /><h3>9:40 PM: Women’s 5km</h3>Round 1 with Ankita and Parul Chaudhary<br /><h3>11:40 PM: Men’s Shot Put Qualification</h3>Indian athletes competing: Tajinderpal Singh Toor<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112164992" title="India&amp;#39;s Lakshya Sen stuns world number 3 to secure pre-quarterfinal spot in men&amp;#39;s badminton at Paris Olympics" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Saturday, August 3</h2><h3>12:30 PM: Shooting</h3>Day 1 of Skeet Women’s Qualifications with Raiza Dhillon and Maheshwari Chauhan<br /><h3>1:00 PM: Archery</h3>Women’s Individual ⅛ Elimination Rounds with Deepika Kumari vs Germany’s Michelle Kroppen and Bhajan Kaur vs Indonesia’s Diananda Choirunisa<br /><h3>3:45 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br /><h3>5:55 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nethra Kumanan<br /><h3>12:02 AM: Boxing</h3>Men’s 71kg Quarterfinals with Nishant Dev vs Mexico’s Marco Alonso Verde Alvarez<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112102370" title="Who is Manu Bhaker, the first Indian woman to win a Bronze Medal in Shooting at the Olympics?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Sunday, August 4</h2><h3>12:30 PM: Shooting</h3>Stage 1 of 25m Rapid Fire Pistol Men’s Qualification with Vijayveer Sidhu<br /><h3>3:02 PM: Boxing</h3>Women’s 75kg Quarterfinals with Lovlina Borgohain vs China’s Li Qian<br /><h3>3:35 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br /><h3>6:05 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nethra Kumanan<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112168919" title="Ticket collector like Dhoni, son of female sarpanch makes rare Olympic final" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Monday, August 5</h2><h3>1:30 PM: Table Tennis</h3>Women’s Team Round of 16 with India v Romania<br /><h3>3:45 PM: Sailing Women’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Nethra Kumanan<br /><h3>6:10 PM: Sailing Men’s Dinghy</h3>Indian athletes competing: Vishnu Saravanan<br />        <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112137862" title="&amp;quot;Took me long to overcome&amp;quot;: History-maker Bhaker on her Tokyo Olympics 2020 gun malfunction" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div><h2>Tuesday, August 6</h2><h3>1:30 PM: Table Tennis</h3>Men’s Team Round of 16 with India v China<br />

25m pistol with Manu Bhaker, Lakshya Sen pre-quarterfinals: Don't miss these exciting Indian Olympics games from Aug 1-6!

<p class="drop-cap">She has wrinkle-free, porcelain skin, her hair glistens in every type of light, and her eyes sparkle with joy all the time. She does what you want, whenever you want, and her smile never fades. She's the hardest-working influencer a brand could ask for - she never sleeps, and she takes no breaks.</p><p>Her name is Ling, and she's a social media influencer with more than 130,000 followers on Weibo, China's version of Twitter. She is also not real, but that hasn't stopped her from netting ad deals with <a href="https://m.weibo.cn/7401480248/4547945233389347">Tesla</a> and <a href="https://m.weibo.cn/7401480248/4549458014767284">Nayuki,</a> <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-23/bubble-tea-chain-said-to-raise-656-million-in-hong-kong-ipo">one of China's biggest bubble tea chains</a>.</p><p>Ling guarantees a trouble-free experience for advertisers and marketers in an age of celebrity scandals and influencer controversies. Unlike the <a href="https://www.insider.com/david-dobrik-timeline-backlash-vlog-squad-rape-allegation-durte-dom-2021-3">David Dobriks</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/jake-paul-controversies-timeline-looting-scandals-racist-slurs-drama-2020-6">Jake Pauls</a> of the world, an AI presence like Ling is engineered to perfection down to the last wisp of hair on her head. Her ultimate selling point is that she brings absolute peace of mind to the <keyword id="31174" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="brands">brands</keyword> she works for - something that unpredictable human celebrities and influencers could not possibly ensure. </p><p>Ling was <a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1188764.shtml">created last May</a> by Chinese <keyword id="107950" type="TECHNOLOGY" weightage="60" keywordseo="artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</keyword> (AI) start-up Shanghai Xmov Information Technology and Beijing Cishi Culture Media Company, and is purpose-built to be featured in ads on any social platform, from Instagram to TikTok. </p><p>She's a new breed of what the Chinese call "virtual idols," which have become favorites among China's major brands, particularly in light of high-profile celebrity scandals that have rocked the country. Most recently, labels from <a href="https://www.insider.com/kris-wu-accused-sexual-abuse-allegations-brand-cut-ties-2021-7">Porsche to Bulgari dropped Chinese megastar Kris Wu en-masse</a> after authorities in Beijing arrested him <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-58042353">on accusations of rape.</a></p><p>Wu was a fan favorite to front brand ad campaigns, which were <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Caixin/China-police-detain-Canadian-pop-star-Kris-Wu-on-suspicion-of-rape">estimated to have netted him upwards of $3 million each</a>. But with his <a href="https://www.insider.com/chinese-prince-of-pop-kris-wu-arrest-beijing-metoo-movement-2021-8"></a><a href="https://www.insider.com/chinese-prince-of-pop-kris-wu-arrest-beijing-metoo-movement-2021-8">fall from grace</a>, it's easy to see why an AI-created spokesperson might be preferable to the real thing. </p><p>Moreover, it's hard not to identify where Ling's allure lies. Instead of <a href="https://www.insider.com/khloe-kardashian-unedited-photo-exposes-reality-of-social-media-2021-4">filtering celebrities' faces</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/celebrity-photoshop-fail-instagram-facebook-magazine-2018-4">photoshopping selfies beyond recognition</a> to meet <a href="https://www.insider.com/ideal-face-of-makeup-throughout-history-2019-4">modern</a> <a href="https://www.hollywoodinsider.com/beauty-standards-education/">beauty</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-perfect-male-body-changed-2017">standards</a>, brands have now commenced with the vagaries of human imperfection. Ling is more perfect than even the most beautiful woman because that's exactly what she's been engineered to do.</p><p>Insider spoke to marketing experts and consumers to discover why virtual idols are taking off like never before.</p><h2>Virtual idols are fast becoming a billion-dollar industry in China</h2><p class="drop-cap">The rise of virtual idols seems a logical outcrop of a social media industry built on pushing users further and further to the bottom of an uncanny valley. Facetune and photo filters have almost turned in on themselves, and it's now not uncommon for women to pursue <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZOpLpSNW6c">cosmetic surgery</a> to turn themselves into IRL versions of the airbrushed, filtered photos they post on their social media profiles. </p><p>"Five or ten years ago, people might have brought in a picture of a magazine cover supermodel. Now they're bringing in a picture of themselves but just in a slightly optimized way, where Facetune or a Snapchat filter will give them a millimeter more of a cheekbone projection, or a fuller lip, or a straighter nose," plastic surgeon Dr. Laura Devgan told <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZOpLpSNW6c">Vice</a> in 2018. </p><p>All this unreality primed audiences for the rise of the virtual influencer. It's tough to estimate just how much of the influencer market virtual influencers take up, but Bloomberg reported last October that Lil Miquela, a virtual influencer with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lilmiquela/?hl=en">3 million followers on Instagram</a>, makes around $8,500 for a sponsored post. And unlike social media influencers who were <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-04-01/how-social-media-influencers-are-affected-by-coronavirus-shutdown?sref=nNlG1rCa">constrained by the pandemic and forced to stay in lockdown mode</a>, Lil Miquela was free to work, even <a href="https://twitter.com/lilmiquela/status/1288984623817646082?lang=en">debuting a song at the online-only Lollapalooza last year</a>. </p><p>Miquela, created by the marketing agency Brud, recently joked on her Instagram account that she was celebrating her 19 birthday - for the sixth time. </p><p>Virtual or not, Miquela is a wealthy 19-year-old. UK marketplace <a href="https://www.onbuy.com/gb/blog/the-highest-earning-robot-influencers-on-instagram~a243/">OnBuy</a> estimates that Miquela earned around $11 million for her <a href="https://www.businessoffashion.com/community/people/trevor-mcfedries-sara-decou">Brud</a> last year, far beyond the <a href="https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Social-Media-Influencer-Salary">average social media influencer's annual salary of $46,703</a>. Her earnings are a sizeable chunk of the <a href="https://www.emarketer.com/content/us-influencer-spending-surpass-3-billion-2021">$3 billion US marketers spent on influencers last year.</a></p><p>Virtual influencers "are cheaper to work with than humans in the long term, are 100% controllable, can appear in many places at once, and, most importantly, they never age or die," said Christopher Travers, the founder of <a href="https://www.virtualhumans.org/about" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">virtualhumans.org</a>, in an interview with Bloomberg.</p><p>Virtualhumans.org catalogs the growing sphere of virtual influence - from the pig/man chimera <a href="https://virtualhumans.org/human/john-pork">John Pork</a> to the "virtual diva" <a href="https://virtualhumans.org/human/aisha-the-robot">Aisha.</a> Some are more <a href="https://virtualhumans.org/human/ellahttps://virtualhumans.org/human/liam-nikuro">lifelike</a> than <a href="https://virtualhumans.org/human/ion-gottlich">others.</a> Nearly all present an idealized Instagram image - young, attractive, and thin.</p><p>But China's AI sector is taking its AI idols in a different direction, creating influencers that can be customized to a brand's needs. </p><p>The country's first virtual idol was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I2yy6KqnwM">Luo Tianyi,</a> a pint-sized two-dimensional animated girl with oversized eyes and a heart-shaped face who <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmtdJTb6MyQ">got famous for her cloyingly sweet voice and anime-style songs</a>. Launched in 2012 and created by tech firm <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/1656478D:CH">Shanghai Henian Technology Co.,</a> Luo has more than five million fans on <a href="https://weibo.com/luotianyi0712?nick=Vsinger_%E6%B4%9B%E5%A4%A9%E4%BE%9D">Weibo</a>. In her decade of stardom, she's also achieved mainstream appeal, even sharing a stage with popular Chinese <a href="https://futurism.com/virtual-idol-hologram-luo-tianyi-lang-lang-live">piano virtuoso Lang Lang</a> in 2019.</p><div type="image" title="Lian Tianyi endorsing Kentucky Fried Chicken" height="1401" width="1868" msid="85291953" hostid="261"></div><p>And the industry is booming. According to a <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-06-12/virtual-singers-headline-multibillion-dollar-industry-in-china">Bloomberg</a> report from June, the virtual idol industry reaches an audience of an estimated 390 million people in China, with an accompanying animation and merchandise industry worth around $35 billion.</p><p>Chinese marketing research firm <a href="https://www.iimedia.cn/c460/79521.html">iiMedia Research</a> estimates the virtual idol industry pulled in $540 million in 2020 from brand endorsements alone. The research firm charted the industry's growth from 2017 to 2020 and projected a 70% year-over-year growth rate. This means China's virtual influencer business could be worth close to $960 million in 2021.</p><p>It is unclear exactly how many virtual idols there are in China right now, but Insider estimates its numbers to be in the hundreds. Several big names have also emerged in the industry to rival Luo and Ling. <a href="https://space.bilibili.com/282994/">Yousa</a>, for one, is a virtual singer on Bilibili, the Chinese version of YouTube, who has more than 3 million subscribers. Also on Bilibili is Angie, a <a href="https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1SV411v7xx/?spm_id_from=333.788.recommend_more_video.-1">fresh-faced,</a> <a href="https://www.bilibili.com/video/BV1SK4y197By">piano-playing</a> AI influencer with <a href="https://weibo.com/u/5788981598?from=page_100505_profile&amp;wvr=6&amp;mod=like&amp;is_all=1amp;is_all=1">over 10,200 fans on Weibo</a>. </p><h2>Virtual influencers and idols are part of a 'new breed' of celebrity with 'formidable star power'</h2><div type="image" title="ling virtual influencer" height="1503" width="2000" msid="85291956" hostid="261"></div><p class="drop-cap">May Yee Chen, an expert at the marketing research firm Wunderman Thompson, told Insider that while <a href="https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/1229-a-brief-history-of-virtual-pop-stars/">the idea of a virtual idol might have originated in Japan</a>, it has taken off in China.</p><p>"We are seeing an evolution to more niche influencers with more specialized audiences that don't fit the mega-influencer mold of Kim Kardashian," Chen said. </p><p>"Virtual idols are just another variation in the increasingly rich digital world where we are all spending more time socializing, shopping, and being entertained," she added.</p><p>Elison Lim, associate professor in the Nanyang Business School at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, told Insider that virtual influencers and idols are part of a "new breed" of celebrity with "formidable star power." </p><p>"Brands are drawn to the huge fan-base and influence that such virtual idols have on their followers. There is also a sense of novelty around virtual idols which is not only refreshing but signals tech-savviness for the brands using them," Lim said.</p><p>Lim told Insider that virtual idols, compared to celebrities, have "obvious advantages" of being flawless and perfect in every way, from the way they look to their voices and personality. In addition, Lim noted that tech-enabled enhancements had made virtual idols much more lifelike and realistic, going from largely two-dimensional presences to 3D personalities. </p><p>"They are also immortal. These traits of perfection and immortality are highly desired and are aspirational to many," Lim added.</p><p>Lim noted that human idols are "naturally imperfect" and said that brands have become warier in using celebrity endorsers, who might be prone to missteps and scandals. </p><p>"Brands using troubled human celebrities could get implicated in such instances by association, and this could pose PR challenges that are difficult to recover from. Virtual idols, whose personas and 'lives' are decided and controlled by their creators, don't have such problems and are therefore less risky endorsers," Lim said.</p><p>But Lim noted that many AI idol creators struggle to strike a balance between robotic perfection and relatability. </p><p>Witness, for example, Lil' Miquela "crying" in a bathroom, "mascara" running down her face. </p><p>"Human celebrities have the advantage of being real and complex and more authentic," Lim said. "They have good days and bad days like normal humans, and this could make them more relatable to mainstream consumers."   </p><h2>Consumers say human celebrities "keep it real," but virtual idols have a 'cool factor'</h2><div type="image" title="wang yibo" height="1500" width="2000" msid="85291957" hostid="261"></div><p class="drop-cap">Virtual idols have long had an appeal across East <keyword id="21718" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Asia">Asia</keyword>. </p><p>In Japan, for instance, <a href="https://gizmodo.com/vtubing-is-more-than-just-livestreaming-with-cute-anime-1846237827#:~:text=For%20the%20unfamiliar%2C%20VTubing%20is,persona%20voiced%20by%20Nozomi%20Kasuga.">v-tubing (or virtual YouTubing)</a>, where an individual <a href="https://www.xsens.com/blog/virtual-youtuber">manipulates a 3D avatar of themselves from a technical set-up called a "rig,"</a> has increased in popularity in recent years. Popular Japanese v-tubers, called <a href="https://www.holostars.tv/">"Holostars,"</a> are managed by an agency called <a href="https://cover-corp.com/">Cover Corp.</a> and can earn <a href="https://omr.com/en/vtubers-hololive-kizuna-ai/">seven-figure sums</a> from merchandising, ad deals, and donations from their subscribers. </p><p>They also offer creators safe ways to express themselves.</p><p>"Since there is the assurance of complete anonymity and the persona protects the talent's private life, there is the feeling that the person behind the character can reveal more, rather than less of themselves, paradoxical as that might be," said Singaporean student Bernice Lim, 21, a fan of Kageyama Shien, a virtual influencer who operates an avatar with furry cat ears. </p><p>Stella Qian, a Shanghainese woman in her 30s, follows the virtual influencer Ling. Qian said the AI idol's perfection made her "effortlessly cool" and a "moving art piece." </p><p>Qian said because Ling's so perfect, she doesn't even bother to compare herself to the virtual star - and that's actually freeing.</p><p>"No woman can be like her because it's impossible to be something that's not real. That's her appeal," Qian told Insider. "I don't care that she's not a real person. She's pretty to look at, and that is all I need from an advertisement for makeup or bubble tea."</p><h2 class="faq-answer">Retail experts say their virtual idols may be immune to scandals, but there are real drawbacks to using them</h2><div type="image" title="angie ah xi virtual influencer" height="768" width="1024" msid="85291958" hostid="261"></div><p class="drop-cap">Chen, the expert from Wunderman Thompson, told Insider that while virtual idols provide the flexibility of being whatever you want them to be while remaining immune to bad behavior and sex scandals, there are drawbacks. </p><p>"Where a human celebrity usually comes with his or her own capital and reputation, the virtual idol's persona and pull needs to be created from scratch," Chen said. </p><p>And, said Hong Kong-based marketing expert and brand consultant Miro Li, virtual idols aren't always "100% perfect," despite being a new trend in <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword>.</p><p>"For one, there can be technical issues and glitches. Virtual idols might be easily controlled, but it's still possible for the people working behind the scenes to make mistakes," Li said.</p><p>Li cited an incident where Japanese virtual idol group <a href="https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/4018580">Hololive was banned on Bilibili</a> for using the word "Taiwan" in a broadcast, alluding to the island's independence from the Chinese mainland.</p><p>And despite not needing to eat or clothe themselves, they still come with a hefty price tag.</p><p>"Overall, virtual idols can be cheaper compared to human celebrities. But top virtual idols can also be very expensive to hire too. Just one shout-out by a top virtual influencer during a live stream could cost upwards of $140,000," Li said.</p><p>"All in all, virtual idols are a safer choice for brands and will no doubt become an important marketing method in the future, but they will not completely replace the human celebrity," Li added. </p><p>Meanwhile, some Chinese fans still think there's a lot of value in human celebrities fronting ad campaigns - warts and all. </p><p>Gigi You, 22, lives in Guangdong, China, and says she prefers human stars like <a href="https://m.weibo.cn/profile/5492443184">Chinese actor and singer Wang Yibo</a> in campaigns. Wang is <a href="https://inf.news/en/entertainment/173a9806bfb38acb6e56c010ca4c295d.html">one of China's most popular spokespeople</a> and has fronted ad campaigns for everything from <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/the-global-ambassadors-of-miniso-support-brand-during-the-epidemic-1029438445">lifestyle product store Miniso</a>, to <a href="https://m.weibo.cn/status/4665685647821371?">orange juice</a>, <a href="https://m.weibo.cn/status/4666048039620492?">arm massagers</a>, and <a href="https://m.weibo.cn/status/4668588768624862?">vacuum cleaners</a>.</p><p>"No matter how lifelike these virtual influencers look, they're still not real people. It's a little scary, and I wouldn't trust their endorsement of a product," You told Insider. "I know that singers and actors are paid to do advertisements, but their endorsement is still way more believable than a virtual man or woman."</p>

China is tempting customers with its flawless AI idols - virtual influencers who don't gain weight, never age, and keep their computer-generated noses out of controversy

Top 100 richest people in the world: Some interesting facts

<p>This is <span class="Lbl">Qian Hongyan</span>, an 18-year-old girl who lives in <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword>. She may seem like your average teenager, but she has a pretty unique backstory.</p>
<p><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source on-image">REUTERS/Jason Lee</p></div></div></p>
<p>Qian lost both her legs in a car accident in 2000 when she was just four years old. Growing up in rural <span class="Lbl">Luliang county, southwestern China's Yunnan province,</span> her family had to improvise.</p>
<p><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source on-image">REUTERS/Chen Yawei </p></div></div></p>
<p>These pictures, taken in 2005 when Qian was just ten, show how. Qian learned to walk on her hands, using a basketball cut in half to steady herself. According to Xinhua news agency, she <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2011-08/21/c_131064016.htm">was dubbed "basketball girl" by locals</a>.</p>
<p><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source on-image">REUTERS/China Daily</p></div></div></p>
<p>In 2005, <span class="Lbl">after attention in the Chinese press, Qian traveled to Beijing to receive free artificial limbs at the China Rehabilitation Centre. This photo, from 2007, shows her receiving a larger set of limbs after she had grown.</span></p>
<p><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source on-image">REUTERS/Jason Lee</p></div></div></p>
<p>Xinhua <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2011-08/21/c_131064016.htm">reports that <span class="Lbl">Qian</span> was born to an impoverished family</a>, and that she had to accept that when her medical treatment ended in 2007, she would not be able to continue her education with her peers. She was 11-years-old.</p>
<p><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source on-image">REUTERS/Jason Lee</p></div></div></p>
<p>However, Qian found other opportunities. She joined a local <keyword id="13988" type="SPORT" weightage="60" keywordseo="Swimming">swimming</keyword> club for the disabled, the first of its kind in the country, sponsored by the Yunnan Provincial Federation of the Disabled.</p>
<p>At first, she found it difficult.</p>
<p>"I had to give much more than other kids when I learned to swim," Qian told <a href="http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/life/2011-10/16/content_13915294.htm">China Daily in 2011</a>. "It seemed there was no way I could float in the water. I was choked."</p>
<p><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source on-image">REUTERS/Jason Lee</p></div></div></p>
<p>However, she went on to become a successful athlete, training <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/photo/2011-08/21/c_131064016.htm">for four hours every day</a>. She hopes to one day win medals for her country in the Paralympic Games.</p>
<p><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source on-image">REUTERS/Jason Lee</p></div></div></p>
<p>This week, <span class="Lbl">she returned to the China Rehabilitation Centre in Beijing</span>. Now 18 years old, she is ready for her adult prosthetics.</p>
<p><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source on-image">REUTERS/Jason Lee</p></div></div></p>
<p>Qian Hongyan, the so-called "basketball girl," has become something of a celebrity in China. Reports on the progress of her artificial limbs make national news. Her fame has even spread abroad, with <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/society/facebook-qian-hongyan-handicapped-photo/">photographs of becoming viral sensations on</a> Facebook.</p>
<p>Her success may mark the changing fortunes of China's disabled. "In the past," Her coach, Li Ke-qiang, <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7556652.stm">told the BBC in 2008</a>, "people despised the disabled. They thought they were all beggars, just asking for money."</p>
<p>"But now, when they see disabled swimmers like these, they can see how hard they're driving themselves. And that's a start."</p>
<p><div class="image-container"><div class="image"><p class="source on-image">REUTERS/Jason Lee</p></div></div></p>

China's Inspirational 'Basketball Girl' Gets New Legs

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>The word has finally come down from inside the ever-so-restrained People's Bank of China, as one member of the bank's monetary policy team <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/03/11/us-china-economy-pboc-idUSKBN0M71E320150311">told Reuters that there would be no major intervention taken to pump more cash into the slowing Chinese</a> economy unless inflation dips below 1%.</p><p><span>In January China's headline consumer price inflation hit 0.8%, then it bounced back up to 1.4% in February.</span></p><p>Board member and economics professor Qian Yingyi told Reuters that policy makers would be watching inflation figures in March and April to see if deflation was worsening.</p><p>"If it's stable between 1 and 2 percent, it's very, very comfortable. But above 2 percent, there is a little bit of worry about inflation. Below 1 (percent), there will be bit of a worry about deflation," he said.</p><p>But until then, all the Wall Street analysts warning of the deadly combination of debt and deflation, everyone calling for inter<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">vention with every bad data point - they can stop wasting their breath.</span></p><p>Wall Street has been talking about this issue in earnest since last fall. Its argument is pretty basic. The Chinese economy is slowing as it transitions from one based on investments to one based on consumption. Until consumers have enough purchasing po<span style="line-height: 1.5em;">wer, China's corporations make less money.</span></p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_left"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>At the same time, Chinese corporations have a ton of debt. They need revenue to make payments on that debt - to the already debt loaded Chinese banking system - and keep operations going. </p><p>Last fall, Societe Generale analyst Wei Yao argued that this problem went even beyond debt restructuring and government easing measures.</p><p>"China's debt problem lies with the corporate sector, and so PPI deflation can cause more damage to debt dynamics than CPI deflation. The cure should be capacity consolidation and debt restructuring, rather than<br>another stimulus package targeted to boost investment demand," she wrote.</br></p><p>So as deflationary pressures have continued analysts have kept wondering when the PBOC will step in and do something. It's in note after note.</p><p>"Widening PPI deflation and soft CPI inflation, especially after adjusting for seasonal effects, point to persistent deflation risks," wrote Barclays after February's number came out. "In our view, the monetary policy needs to be more "proactive" in order to deal with the cyclical challenges in the near term."</p><p>Of course, this is especially disconcerting because economists and analysts see deflationary pressure not just in China, but around the world.</p><p>So the PBOC finally responded. </p><p>And their response was: 'Guys, we got this... until we don't.'</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div></p><p> </p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tallest-china-building-video-gopro-selfie-2015-3">Someone climbed the tallest building in China still under construction and the video is intense</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="9vMmFwczrf0pr2rOYaYEChhumsSsJhb9" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

China just subtly told Wall Street to mind its own business

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image"><p class="source"><span>REUTERS/Stringer</span></p><p class="caption">An electronic screen is seen on a building amid heavy smog in Shenyang, Liaoning province October 28, 2013. </p></div><p></p></div>Chinese companies have offered up a fresh idea to help pollution-weary travellers while cashing in on public concerns over dirty air at the same time -- smog insurance.</p>
<p>The country's top online travel agency Ctrip.com and the leading insurer Ping An have "started to sell haze travel insurance", the state-run China Daily reported.</p>
<p>The fresh idea comes as popular frustration mounts over the dense smog that frequently cloaks wide swathes of the country, prompting national leaders to confront the issue after years of downplaying it.</p>
<p>In the insurance scheme, in exchange for premiums of 10 to 15 yuan ($1.60 to $2.40), Ctrip and Ping An have promised to cough up as much as 50 yuan a day to travellers subjected to hazardous skies.</p>
<p>Terms and conditions apply -- for example, the tourist must have booked a tour through Ctrip lasting three to seven days.</p>
<p>The insurance so far only covers six major cities, where standards vary.</p>
<p>In Beijing and Xian, a popular tourist site home to the ancient Terracotta Warriors, the air pollution index will have to top 200 on a specific mobile phone app.</p>
<p>In the northeastern city of Harbin and in Chengdu in the southwest the minimum index is 150, and for Shanghai and the southern city of Guangzhou, 100.</p>
<p>Air quality readings in those cities frequently exceed those figures.</p>
<p>But despite the seemingly favourable odds, a few frequent travellers were not holding their breath.</p>
<p>"The premium does not go directly to tackle the heavily polluted air. I would like the money to be put to better use," Tian Yiyi, a sales representative, told the China Daily.</p>
<p>Qian Yigang, a technician, told the paper no amount of compensation would suffice.</p>
<p>"People travel around for fun," he said. "If their mood is upset by poor atmospheric conditions, it cannot be rewound or fixed by money."</p>
<p>Public anger over pollution spiked in January this year when an "airpocalypse" shrouded the capital in thick smog, with particulate matter shooting 40 times past UN standards and horrifying images spreading worldwide.</p>
<p>Premier Li Keqiang vowed to "declare war" on pollution at the country's annual legislative gathering this month, and announced new measures to add to a raft of others issued over the past year.</p>
<p>China's pollution problem -- blamed on decades of no-holds-barred economic development -- has fuelled the capitalist spirit of other entrepreneurs too.</p>
<p>Chen Guangbiao, a billionaire recycling tycoon known for publicity stunts, drew attention following the "airpocalypse" by offering to sell so-called cans of fresh air.</p>
<p>In December last year a hospital in Chengdu opened a "smog clinic", the official news agency Xinhua reported.</p>
<p>Within 10 days it saw more than 100 patients "with sore throats, runny noses and coughs", the clinic's director was cited as saying.</p>
<div class="nc_footer">
<p>Copyright (2014) AFP. All rights reserved.</p>
</div>
<p></p>

You Can Now Buy 'Smog Insurance' In China

<p><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 1.5em;"><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><p class="source"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/toehk/8232844186/">toehk / Flickr</a></p></div><p></p></div></span>BEIJING (Reuters) - As Yu Qiyi's interrogation entered its 39th day, officials from the Chinese Communist Party's anti-corruption watchdog debated how to get a confession out of the detained man, the chief engineer at a state-owned firm in eastern Wenzhou city.</p>
<p>One official noted he had forced Yu's head under water the night before. A day later, Yu died after being dunked repeatedly in a bucket of ice-cold water.</p>
<p>Six officials were convicted last month of torturing Yu to death. Testimony given in the case, seen by Reuters, illustrates the brutality of a secretive detention system for party members and the drive to get confessions as President Xi Jinping presses on with an aggressive anti-corruption campaign.</p>
<p>Lawyers say the case - highly unusual because Yu's interrogators were charged - also renews questions about the legality of the process given rampant abuses in the system.</p>
<p>The party introduced the detention system, called "shuanggui", in 1990 to weed out corrupt members as the temptation to take bribes sky-rocketed on the back of <span class="highlight"><span class="highlight"><keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword></span></span>'s nascent economic boom.</p>
<p>Detentions can last indefinitely, with family members often kept in the dark about the fate of their loved ones.</p>
<p>"If there are more corruption investigations, there is greater use of 'shuanggui'," said Nicholas Bequelin of New York-based Human Rights Watch.</p>
<p>"Because of the political premium that is put on the anti-corruption campaign, I assume this will create the incentive for more abuses."</p>
<p>Prominent human rights lawyer Mo Shaoping called "shuanggui" unconstitutional.</p>
<h3>"TERRIFIED OF WATER"</h3>
<p>Yu, 42, was detained on March 1. It is not precisely clear why he was being investigated. His family's lawyers believe it was possibly related to a land deal.</p>
<p>The court on September 30 sentenced five officials from the party's Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in Wenzhou to between four and 14 years in jail. A sixth official, from the local prosecutor's office, was jailed for eight years.</p>
<p>It was a rare instance of legal punishment handed down over the abuse of a party official detained under "shuanggui", lawyers for Yu's family said. They said the case went to court because of a public outcry over Yu's death as well as the family's doggedness in seeking justice.</p>
<p>One of the convicted officials, Cheng Wenjie, said senior officials from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in Wenzhou gave the go-ahead for the water punishment.</p>
<p>"Yu Qiyi was terrified of water," Cheng told investigators in testimony that detailed the debate on how to get Yu to confess.</p>
<p>"If we continue dunking him in water, we might be effective, so the leaders said continue," according to a transcript of his remarks given to the court in the nearby city of Quzhou, where the trial was held.</p>
<p>His testimony and those of others were part of the defense statement given by Chi Susheng, a lawyer for Li Xiang, another of the six accused. Chi posted the testimonies online, where they have gotten little attention.</p>
<p>Wu Qian, Yu's ex-wife, told Reuters she believed Yu was innocent of any graft accusations. Yu, she said, had "thought he was just assisting with the investigation into other people".</p>
<p>She said Yu told her that commission officials had notified him in January 2012 he was being investigated. Wu added she had no contact with him while he was under detention.</p>
<p>The Wenzhou commission did not respond to a request for comment.</p>
<h3>BO XILAI HELD FOR 17 MONTHS</h3>
<p>Graft oils the wheels of government at almost every level in <span class="highlight"><span class="highlight">China</span></span>, which ranked 80th out of 176 countries and territories on Transparency International's corruption perceptions index, where a higher ranking means a cleaner public sector.</p>
<p>Nearly all senior government personnel as well as top executives at state-run firms are members of the Communist Party.</p>
<p>Like his predecessors, Xi Jinping has warned that corruption threatens the party's very existence.</p>
<p>Spearheading his crackdown on graft is Wang Qishan, head of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.</p>
<p>Wang warned party investigators on Wednesday that their jobs were on the line if they failed to root out corruption, telling them to use "shock and awe" on their targets, in comments published on the commission's website. He gave no details on tactics to get results.</p>
<p>Xi himself has vowed to catch high-flying "tigers" as well as low-ranked "flies".</p>
<p>"Shuanggui" is used for both.</p>
<p>Ousted politician Bo Xilai, sentenced to life in jail last month for corruption and abuse of power, was held for 17 months. In court, he recanted an earlier confession to party investigators saying it was made due to psychological pressure.</p>
<p>Two other party officials died while in detention between April and June this year, according to a lawyer involved in those cases who declined to be identified for fear of retribution.</p>
<p>Commission officials in Beijing declined to comment.</p>
<p>Party members suspected of corruption first go into "shuanggui" as opposed to police detention.</p>
<p>Nearly all are forced to confess, said a lawyer who has represented eight clients held under the system.</p>
<p>"This tool has become a knife hanging over the head of every party member," said the lawyer, who declined to be identified as he has been warned by authorities not to speak to foreign media.</p>
<p>"It makes the people below obedient."</p>
<p>Once a confession had been extracted, most cases are handed to the judiciary, added Mo Shaoping, the human rights lawyer.</p>
<h3>"WE ARE ALL ANTS"</h3>
<p>The brutality against Yu drew public outrage. Photos of his bruised corpse were put on the Internet by his family before the six officials were indicted.</p>
<p>One Chinese netizen posted an online comment calling the abuse of Yu "fascist". Another said: "In the face of strong power, we are all ants, there's no exception even for people within the system."</p>
<p>Even official news agency Xinhua weighed in, saying in an online posting that "if you do not lock power into the system's cage, it will be difficult for anyone to feel a sense of security".</p>
<p>This week, <span class="highlight"><span class="highlight">China</span></span>'s prosecutor-general, Cao Jianming, said some investigators relied too much on confessions rather than evidence, although he did not refer to the party's detention system.</p>
<p>The cause of Yu's death was "inhalation of liquids leading to pulmonary dysfunction", according to the defense statement from Chi, the lawyer representing one of the accused.</p>
<p>"When I arrived at the scene, I was very shocked because he had changed dramatically, he was emaciated," said Yu's ex-wife, Wu. "The doctor told me there was no point in resuscitating him, there was no hope."</p>
<p>One official responsible for guarding Yu testified that he beat the detainee on a number of occasions.</p>
<p>"Because he wasn't honest, (I) beat him twice," said Yang Huan. "Each time, (I) slapped him about two to three times. After that, (I) dragged him once to the toilet and slapped him about four to five times."</p>
<p>On March 13, when Yu nodded off to sleep, another guard kicked him, according to testimony from Zhang Yuexiang, a worker assigned to watch over Yu.</p>
<h3>ONE DETAINEE RECOUNTS SUICIDE ATTEMPT</h3>
<p>Lawyers and scholars familiar with "shuanggui" said they were not aware of any data on the number of party members who had been detained under the system. But they say it's a frequent practice.</p>
<p>"There's definitely a correlation between shuanggui and Xi Jinping's anti-graft campaign because the disciplinary commission will first use shuanggui and then pursue judicial proceedings. It's a useful tool for the government," said human rights lawyer Si Weijiang, who is advising Yu's family.</p>
<p>"There's no time constraints, there are no legal rules to follow, the person in shuanggui has no right to a lawyer."</p>
<p>The former head of a police station in eastern Jiangsu province who was held for 42 days in 2004 told Reuters he tried to commit suicide because of the abuse he suffered.</p>
<p>"They hung a 20-kg sandbag around my neck to try to force me to admit I had taken bribes," he said. "When you experience those kinds of things, you want to commit suicide but they made me wear a helmet so that I couldn't smash my head against the wall in an attempt to die."</p>
<p>The former officer, who declined to be identified for fear of retribution, said he eventually confessed. He said the case was the result of a personal vendetta from a former colleague.</p>
<p>The officer, now 48, said he was sentenced to a year in jail for bribery.</p>
<p>The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection in Jiangsu did not respond to a faxed query from Reuters.</p>
<p>But an interrogator in Chongqing - the southwestern city run by Bo Xilai before his downfall - defended the detention system, saying abuses were not the norm.</p>
<p>"It's just colleagues having a discussion, we don't have any right to come into physical contact with them," said the interrogator, surnamed Wang, who declined to give his full name. "We have basic procedures and measures that we must follow."</p>
<p>In the early hours of April 9, the six officials in Wenzhou panicked when they heard Yu had died in hospital, according to testimony by Cheng Wenjie, one of the convicted officials.</p>
<p>Cheng said Liu Xianfeng, a senior official within the Wenzhou commission, told him and two others to accept responsibility for the case "because the leaders said the fewer people who are involved, the better".</p>
<p>One official who testified to police, Chen Zheyi, said that Liu had told him to delete surveillance footage of Yu's questioning. Liu could not be reached for comment.</p>
<p>When asked by police why he gave instructions to do so, Liu said in testimony that he did not want to involve too many people.</p>
<p>"Whoever I can protect, I should protect," Liu said. "Besides, it's not good for the media to get wind of this."</p>
<p>(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom. Editing by Dean Yates)</p>

You Searched For "Li Qian" and got 9 results

Paris Olympics: Lovlina Borgohain’s hard-fought loss in tough quarterfinals ends India’s boxing medal dreams

BI India Bureau

All eyes on Nikhat, Lovlina as boxers open Olympic campaign hoping to negotiate difficult draws

PTI

25m pistol with Manu Bhaker, Lakshya Sen pre-quarterfinals: Don't miss these exciting Indian Olympics games from Aug 1-6!

BI India Bureau

China is tempting customers with its flawless AI idols - virtual influencers who don't gain weight, never age, and keep their computer-generated noses out of controversy

Cheryl Teh

Top 100 richest people in the world: Some interesting facts

BI India Bureau

China's Inspirational 'Basketball Girl' Gets New Legs

Adam Taylor

China just subtly told Wall Street to mind its own business

Linette Lopez

You Can Now Buy 'Smog Insurance' In China

Agence France Presse

China's Secretive Judicial System Laid Bare In Torture-By-Drowning Case

Sui-Lee Wee, Reuters

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides