China's first electric boat completes trial run

02:11, January 06, 2020

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  Grid project completion brings stable electricity to southern Xinjiang

  A 3.6-billion-yuan ($514.29 million) grid project was officially completed and started operation in the southern Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region by the end of December, six months ahead of schedule.A technician instructs a resident in the southern Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region on how to use electrical heating. (Photo: China Daily)The projects completion indicates that all townships in the northwestern Chinese region are supplied with stable electricity, according to a statement released by the Kashgar Electricity Supply Company.The grid project, which mainly benefits the four major prefectures of Kashgar, Hotan, Aksu and Kezilesu Kirgiz in the desert area of southern Xinjiang, is expected to play an important role in helping local counties and townships shake off poverty in the coming years.Hu Zhengyu, deputy director of the Construction Department of Kashgar Electricity Supply Company, said the grid project has greatly improved power transmission and supply capacity in Xinjiang and is expected to play a big part in local economic construction.Construction began about a year ago, he added.Kadir Mamut, a farmer from the town of Teram village in Yengiostang of Yopurga county, said he uses the stable electricity supply to irrigate his crop fields.In previous years, he had to use diesel oil to irrigate and that increased production costs, he said.Gulqekra Ibrayimjan, who comes from Tashikurgan Tajik autonomous county, said she can now use a refrigerator and other household appliances.She said she plans to buy a new oven to toast bread in the near future.

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  Three jailed in China's 'gene-edited babies' trial

  File photo: CGTNSHENZHEN, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researcher He Jiankui was sentenced to three years in prison and fined 3 million yuan (about 430,000 U.S. dollars) for illegally carrying out human embryo gene-editing intended for reproduction, in which three genetically edited babies were born, a court in south Chinas Shenzhen city said Monday.The Nanshan District Peoples Court of Shenzhen said He, former associate professor with the Southern University of Science and Technology, and two others were convicted of illegal medical practice.Zhang Renli and Qin Jinzhou from two medical institutes in Guangdong Province received jail terms of two years, and 18 months with a two-year reprieve, respectively, as well as fines.According to the verdict, the three, not qualified to work as doctors, had knowingly violated the countrys regulations and ethical principles to practice gene editing in assisted reproductive medicine.The verdict and previous investigations showed Hes team fabricated an ethical review certificate and recruited eight volunteer couples (with males who tested positive for HIV) intending to produce HIV-immune babies. They implanted genetically-engineered embryos into the females body and impregnated two of them, who gave birth to three babies.It said their acts were "in the pursuit of personal fame and gain" and have seriously "disrupted medical order."The three pleaded guilty during the trial.He claimed in November 2018 that the worlds first genetically edited babies were born with their DNA altered to prevent them from contracting HIV. The news made a scientific splash and prompted an immediate investigation from authorities.

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  China's leading electric car producer Byton launches global partnership at CES

  (Photo: Sohu)LAS VEGAS, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Chinas leading electric car manufacturer Byton has announced global partnership at the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, in a bid to upgrade the driving experience in its first production model M-Byte electric SUV.Bytons global partners include ViacomCBS and Access for in-car theater experience; AccuWeather, offering real time weather updates; Aiquido for voice control of apps; CloudCar, providing a cloud-based infrastructure; Road.Travel for online trip booking; and XPERI for digital HD Radio."When Byton committed to creating the first smart device on wheels, this is exactly the kind of engagement we had in mind," Byton CEO Daniel Kirchert told a press conference on Sunday. "The Byton M-Byte with its unique user experience will offer developers the opportunity to present in-car interactions in a way that is more engaging than ever before."Headquartered in Nanjing, China, Byton is the only Chinese electric car producer to attend the CES 2020, which will kick off on Tuesday.The M-Byte is scheduled for volume production in mid 2020, first available in the Chinese market and later in the U.S. and European markets in 2021, Kirchert told Xinhua.The electric SUV features a digital cockpit that improves the driving experience, including an eye-catching 48-inch Shared Experience Display that is the worlds largest in-car display for a production automobile, a driver tablet at the center of the steering wheel, a touch pad between the driver and the front passenger, independent rear-seat entertainment screens and multiple interaction modes with the vehicle.Byton also announced a developers program to enable innovators to create applications for in-car experience, centered on the 48-inch display.Founded in 2016, Byton set up its manufacturing base and research and development center in Nanjing, and established offices in Munich, Germany, and Silicon Valley, the United States."We ...