Chinese autonomous driving startup We Ride became first in China to obtain license to test its self driving cars in Guangzhou without safety officer on Sun. Remote monitoring and control are still necessary, while no passengers allowed during the test. https://www.caixinglobal.com/2020-07-10/weride-to-test-fully-autonomous-vehicles-in-guangzhou-101578309.html
Rare water lily with seven corollas appears in south China
Rare water lily with seven corollas in full bloom was found in Lianhua Xian, a tourist area in Panyu, Guangzhou.
A rare water lily attracted many visitors to Panyu Lotus Hill Resort in south China’s Guangzhou City on Thursday. The species is called Nymphaea “Seven pedicles” and it is characterized by six corollas forming a circle around a corolla in the middle.
Yunnan Pu’er City Invaded by Yellow Ridge Bamboo Locusts, Affecting Nearly 100,000 Acres of Land
雲南普洱市林業和草原局透露，中國與老撾邊境的雲南普洱市近日出現黃脊竹蝗入侵，目前累計發生面積近10萬畝。由於持續入侵態勢嚴重，擴散速度加快，且有向農田擴散蔓延跡象，當局初步研判邊境一線7月至9月爆發黃脊竹蝗災害的可能性大，需做好監測、加強防控。
黃脊竹蝗俗稱竹蝗、蝗蟲，是中國產竹區的主要害蟲。
Ceracris kiangsu is a species of grasshoppers in the subfamily Oedipodinae, sometimes called the yellow-spined bamboo locust. It occurs in Indo-China and southern China, where it may become a locally significant agricultural pest.
截至7月8日，普洱市累計監測到入遷黃脊竹蝗群落活動區域98872.3畝（其中林地80525.6畝、農地18346.7畝），開展防治防控面積累計34416畝（其中林地24100畝、農地10316畝）；無人機飛防作業累計502架次。7月9日下午16時，在墨江縣文武鎮馬甫村監測到少量黃脊竹蝗遷飛入境，具體面積正在核實中。
據內媒報道，6月28日首次在普洱市江城縣牛倮河保護區與老撾接壤的邊界日從沿線發現黃脊竹蝗入侵。目前災情的發展趨勢，一是境外黃脊竹蝗持續入侵態勢嚴重，每天都能監測到新入侵種群；二是擴散速度加快，並有向周邊縣區蔓延趨勢；三是入侵種群有向農田擴散蔓延趨勢，對農作物存在潛在災害風險。初步研判，邊境一線7月至9月份黃脊竹蝗暴發成災的可能性大，需要做好監測、加強防控。
據了解，黃脊竹蝗俗稱竹蝗、蝗蟲，是中國產竹區的主要害蟲，常大面積危害。主要危害毛竹，其次危害剛竹、水竹，也會危害水稻、玉米。竹蝗大發生時，可將竹葉全部吃光，竹子當年枯死，第二年毛竹林很少出筍，竹林逐漸衰敗，被害毛竹枯死。
此前在非洲發生的蝗災由沙漠蝗引起，資料顯示，沙漠蝗以葉、枝、花、果實、種子、莖和樹皮為食。幾乎所有農作物和非農作物都可被沙漠蝗饞食，包括花生、玉米、高粱、大麥、大米、牧草、甘蔗、棉、果樹、大棗、蕉、蔬菜和雜草，威脅糧食安全。
The Shanghai block chain advisory expert committee
The Shanghai block chain advisory expert committee was officially unveiled at the 2020 World AI Conference (WAIC) on Fri. The committee will provide technology innovation, top-level planning, and talent training services in the blockchain industry development.
United Airlines and American Airlines have suspended flights to HK
Friday, July 10, 2020 United Airlines and American Airlines have suspended flights to HK due to the city’s COVID19 testing rules, as the city aims to prevent another outbreak. HK requires that all travelers and crew must be tested for COVID-19, and complete a 14-day quarantine if tested positive.
Kuaizhou-11 failed on its maiden flight mission
https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202007/11/WS5f090a52a310834817258b95.html#:~:text=The%20debut%20mission%20of%20Kuaizhou,satellites%20to%20two%20different%20orbits Kuaizhou-11, China’s largest solid-propellant rocket, failed on its maiden flight mission on Friday from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. An investigation into the cause of the failure is underway.
Sinopec oil fields has completed the drilling of the 8,725 meters of direct well
Sinopec announced on Monday that one of its oil fields has completed the drilling of the 8,725 meters of direct well in northwest China, the deepest in Asia. http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-07/09/c_139200431.htm
Statutory Maternity Leave to be Extended to 14 Weeks in Hong Kong
On 9 July 2020, the Legislative Council passed the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2019 (the Bill) enhancing the maternity leave benefits of female employees who are employed under a continuous contract of employment.
The key changes under the Bill are as follows:
- An increase in the statutory maternity leave entitlement from the existing 10 weeks to 14 weeks.
- The daily rate of maternity leave pay for the extended period of maternity leave (ie the additional four weeks) shall be at the rate of four-fifths of the employee’s daily average wages. The maternity leave pay for these four weeks of maternity leave is capped at HK$80,000 per employee.
The Government has committed to reimburse employers payment in respect of the extended period of maternity leave; details of the arrangement are not available yet. - The period of pregnancy mentioned in the definition of “miscarriage” will be shortened from 28 weeks to 24 weeks. A female employee who suffers a miscarriage at or after 24 weeks of pregnancy will be entitled to maternity leave (if other conditions are met).
- A certificate of attendance will be accepted as proof of entitlement to sickness allowance for a day on which a female employee attends a medical examination in relation to her pregnancy.
The amendments under the Bill are not in force yet. It is expected that the new measure will come into operation by the end of this year.
Minister Vulin: Violence on the streets is an attempt to forcibly seize power
Minister Vulin: Violence on the streets is an attempt to forcibly seize power and to provoke civil war in Serbia http://www.mod.gov.rs/eng/16210/ministar-vulin-nasilje-na-ulicama-je-pokusaj-nasilnog-preuzimanja-vlasti-i-izazivanja-gradjanskog-rata-u-srbiji-16210
New commercial communication satellite code-named Apstar-6D
China sent a new commercial communication satellite code-named Apstar-6D into planned orbit via a Long March-3B carrier rocket on Thursday. https://spacenews.com/apstar-6d-launches-on-long-march-3b-rocket/
The first satellite for a Chinese company planning a global system of geostationary satellites launched July 9 on a Long March 3B rocket.
Apstar-6D, a high-throughput satellite with a total capacity of 50 gigabits per second, launched at 8:11 a.m. Eastern from China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan China. China Great Wall Industry Corporation, the arm of China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) tasked with conducting commercial Long March launches, confirmed mission success in a press release after the launch.