China soccer chiefs jailed for corruption

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Two Hong Kong tycoons have been named in a Macau corruption trial involving a jailed former government official, dealing a further blow to the region's reputation after a series of scandals that have rocked the financial centre of Hong Kong. Joseph Lau, chairman of property developer Chinese Estates Holdings , and the chairman of BMA Investment and South China Football Club, Steven Lo, were mentioned in the trial of Ao Man-long, Macau's former secretary for transport and public works. ...

A school drop-out who became China's richest man by building an electronics and home appliance empire was jailed Tuesday for 14 years for bribery and insider trading, capping a stunning fall from grace.Observers said Huang Guangyu -- once known as the "Price Butcher" for the low prices at his massive GOME chain of stores -- had been held up as an example of unscrupulous corporate greed and corruption.

A Chinese court convicted four Rio Tinto employees, including an Australian national, on bribery and trade secrets charges on Monday, issuing jail terms from seven to 14 years in a case closely watched by foreign investors and the steel industry.

The former head of China's football association, Nan Yong and his predecessor, Xie Yalong are both sentenced to 10-and-a-half-years in jail each for corruption.

China's celebrated Shaolin Temple is training young kungfu disciples to play football in the far-off hope of reversing the flagging fortunes of the national team, state media reported.In a case of life imitates art the initiative will likely draw comparisons with hit 2001 Hong Kong comedy "Shaolin Soccer" about a group of washed-up monks from the temple who apply their superhuman moves on the soccer pitch.

A court in China Tuesday sentenced the "godmother" of an organised crime gang to 18 years in jail after a sensational trial which gripped the nation with lurid tales of sex and corruption.The ruling by a municipal court in Chongqing was the latest in a series of trials stemming from a huge crackdown on the underworld in the southwestern city of more than 30 million.

A Chinese court sentenced four employees of mining giant Rio Tinto with jail terms of seven to 14 years on bribery and commercial secrets charges.» E-Mail This     » Add to Del.icio.us

A Chinese court slapped four employees of mining giant Rio Tinto with jail terms of seven to 14 years on bribery and commercial secrets charges, unexpectedly harsh sentences that included a decade of imprisonment for Australian Stern Hu.