China http://kunc.org en Pffff: Hong Kong's Six-Story Rubber Ducky's Been Deflated http://kunc.org/post/pffff-hong-kongs-six-story-rubber-duckys-been-deflated That giant rubber duck floating in Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/06/181596873/photo-the-six-story-rubber-ducky-thats-charming-hong-kong" target="_blank">which we posted about on May 6</a>, is down for maintenance.<p>And when we say down, we mean it. It's been deflated.<p>But fans shouldn't despair. <a href="https://twitter.com/hkharbourcity/status/334304192569151488" target="_blank">Ducky's hosts</a> say it just "needs to freshen up" and will return. Wed, 15 May 2013 15:34:00 +0000 Mark Memmott 44338 at http://kunc.org Pffff: Hong Kong's Six-Story Rubber Ducky's Been Deflated Five Years After A Quake, Chinese Cite Shoddy Reconstruction http://kunc.org/post/five-years-after-quake-chinese-cite-shoddy-reconstruction Five years after the massive Wenchuan quake in China's Sichuan province left about 90,000 dead and missing, allegations are surfacing that corruption and official wrongdoing have plagued the five-year-long quake reconstruction effort.<p>The official press is <a href="http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/indepth/2013-05/13/c_132377883.htm%20">full of praise</a> for how "all Chinese have a reason to be proud of what the concerted efforts of the entire nation achieved in creating a new life for the survivors."<p>But an NPR investigation shows that behind the impressive facade the old problems still Mon, 13 May 2013 19:05:00 +0000 Louisa Lim 44241 at http://kunc.org Five Years After A Quake, Chinese Cite Shoddy Reconstruction Republicans Focus On Democrats' Political Misdeeds http://kunc.org/post/republicans-focus-democrats-political-misdeeds Transcript <p>DAVID GREENE, HOST: <p>It's MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm David Greene.<p>STEVE INSKEEP, HOST: <p>And I'm Steve Inskeep.<p>Again and again, President Obama's administration tries to pivot attention toward East Asia. Administration officials believe China and its neighbors are where the economic future lies.<p>GREENE: And yet it's the Middle East that keeps demanding the president's attention. It brings to mind that line from F. Mon, 13 May 2013 08:21:00 +0000 Steve Inskeep 44211 at http://kunc.org A 'Cooked Seed' Sprouts After All, In America http://kunc.org/post/cooked-seed-sprouts-after-all-america Anchee Min's best-selling memoir <em>Red Azalea</em> told the story of her youth in China during the Cultural Revolution. Sun, 12 May 2013 12:34:54 +0000 NPR Staff 44184 at http://kunc.org A 'Cooked Seed' Sprouts After All, In America In Hollywood Twist, China Gets Its Own 'Iron Man' http://kunc.org/post/hollywood-twist-china-gets-its-own-iron-man Transcript <p>(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "IRON MAN 3")<p>ROBERT DOWNEY JR.: (as Tony Stark) No politics here. Just good old-fashioned revenge.<p>ARUN RATH, HOST: <p>That's Robert Downey Jr. in "Iron Man 3," which opened in theaters last weekend and has grossed nearly 800 million worldwide. The movie also broke box office records in China where Marvel Studios tried something new. Sat, 11 May 2013 22:26:00 +0000 44192 at http://kunc.org