Heywood Family Lawyer Doesn’t Approve Of Ann Heywood’s WSJ Statement

File photo of China's former Chongqing Municipality Communist Party Secretary Bo looking on during a meeting at China's parliament in Beijing
On August 11, Ann Heywood, the mother of murdered British businessman Neil Heywood, issued a statement that appeared in the Wall Street Journal. ("The full text of a statement," according to WSJ.) "Given the circumstances of Neil's murder, I have been surprised and disappointed that, despite repeated discreet approaches to the Chinese authorities, there has been no substantive or practical response," she wrote. (It was then reported that the family was asking for $5 million in compensation.) Read more »

Bo Guagua Issues Statement Ahead Of Father’s Trial

Bo Guagua issues statement to the New York Times
In a two-paragraph statement to the New York Times, Bo Guagua -- the son of Bo Xilai and Gu Kailai, convicted last August of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood -- said he has been denied contact with his parents for the past year and a half, and hopes his father gets a chance to defend himself at his trial that is scheduled for Thursday. Read more »

Fans Are Clamoring For Stephon Marbury To Become The Next Coach Of Chinese Basketball

Chinese basketball snubbed handshake 3
Panagiotis Giannakis, former head coach of the Greek basketball team, arrived in May to begin a four-year contract to lead the Chinese basketball team through the 2014 FIBA World Championships in Spain and the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. As of this writing, however -- following a blowout loss to Chinese Taipei in the quarterfinals of the FIBA Asia Championship two weeks ago -- it doesn't look like Giannakis will survive the month. Read more »