query: Jennifer Hudson was a finalist of American Idol.

pos: Jennifer Hudson Jennifer Kate Hudson ( born September 12 , 1981 ) is an American singer , actress and spokesperson . She rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol , coming in seventh place .   As an actress , she made her film debut portraying Effie White in Dreamgirls , for which she gained worldwide acclaim and won an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , a BAFTA Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress . She has also appeared in such films as Sex and the City , The Secret Life of Bees and Black Nativity . She has made numerous television appearances , including guest roles on Smash , Empire and Inside Amy Schumer . In 2015 she made her Broadway debut in the role of Shug Avery in the 2015 revival of The Color Purple .   As a singer , Hudson has released three studio albums . Her debut album Jennifer Hudson , released in 2008 , debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA , with sales exceeding a million copies worldwide . The record was nominated for four Grammy Awards , winning the 2009 Grammy Award for Best R&B Album . Her second album I Remember Me , released in 2011 , also debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA . Her third and most recent album JHUD peaked in the top ten and featured the Grammy-nominated track `` It 's Your World '' . She also became the principal singer of The Color Purple musical album , which earned her the 2017 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program ( shared with the cast of The Color Purple ) .   In October 2008 , after Hudson 's mother , brother and nephew were killed in a shooting , Hudson stepped out of the public eye for three months . Hudson resumed her public appearances in 2009 , with high-profile performances at Super Bowl XLIII , the Grammy Awards , American Idol , and The Oprah Winfrey Show . Hudson has been described as a friend of former President Barack Obama , who invited her to appear with him at a fundraiser in Beverly Hills during his first term in May 2009 . She also performed at the White House at the `` Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement '' event . In 2013 , she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . In 2016 , Hudson was announced as a coach on the 2017 Series of The Voice UK . The following year , Hudson was announced as a coach on the thirteenth season of The Voice .

neg: Lost Highway (Bon Jovi album) Lost Highway is the tenth studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi , released on June 19 , 2007 through Island Records . Produced by John Shanks and Dann Huff , the album was recorded at Black Bird Studios , Nashville and NGR Recording , Hollywood .   The album influences the band 's rock sound with that of country music following the success of a country version of the band 's 2006 single `` Who Says You Ca n't Go Home '' , a duet with Jennifer Nettles , which reached No. 1 on the U.S. country chart in May 2006 . Following the success had with the duet version of `` Who Says You Ca n't Go Home '' , there are two songs on the album produced in collaboration with other artists , namely `` We Got It Going On '' featuring Big & Rich and the single `` Till We Ai n't Strangers Anymore '' featuring LeAnn Rimes .   Described by Jon Bon Jovi as a `` Bon Jovi album influenced by Nashville '' , the album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 , becoming Bon Jovi 's first ever album to debut at No. 1 and their third album to reach that position in the United States . The album was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2008 Grammy Awards .

neg: Rising Star (U.S. TV series) Rising Star was a short-lived American reality television singing competition which began airing on ABC on June 22 , 2014 . It was based on the international franchise series Rising Star itself based on the Israeli singing competition HaKokhav HaBa ( meaning `` The Next Star '' ) made by Keshet Broadcasting Ltd. . The program format lets viewers vote for contestants via mobile apps . It was filmed live in Los Angeles . The show is also carried in Canada , with advertising simultaneous substitution and voting access on CTV .   Jesse Kinch was the winner of Rising Stars first and only season with a vote of 76 % . Macy Kate holds the record of highest vote with 93 % and she came in 9th place . Daniel & Olivia hold the record of lowest vote with 6 % and they came in last place . Rising Star was cancelled after the season .

neg: Blake Lewis (EP) Blake Lewis is an EP by Blake Lewis , the runner-up on the sixth season of American Idol . It was released digitally on May 22 , 2007 .

neg: Merry Christmas II You Merry Christmas II You is the second Christmas album and thirteenth studio album by American singer and songwriter Mariah Carey . It was released by Island Records on November 2 , 2010 . Recording began in April 2010 and continued while Carey became pregnant . She was the executive producer of Merry Christmas II You and worked with various record producers , including Bryan-Michael Cox , Jermaine Dupri , Randy Jackson , James Poyser , Marc Shaiman , James `` Big Jim '' Wright and Johnny `` Sev '' Severin of RedOne . The album features Carey 's mother Patricia Carey as a guest vocalist on `` O Come All Ye Faithful '' / `` Hallelujah Chorus '' . The album is composed of original songs and covers , ballads and uptempo tracks . It incorporates R&B , soul and house music in its composition .   The album received mixed reviews from music critics , who complimented its relaxed yet lively and contemporary feel , while others felt it was predictable and too overproduced in places . It debuted at number four on the United States Billboard 200 album chart , and reached number one on both the Top R&B / Hip-Hop Albums and Holiday Albums chart . It was later certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , denoting shipments exceeding 500,000 copies . Elsewhere , however , the album failed to make an impact , reaching the top thirty in Australia and Hungary , and the top fifty in Austria and Italy . It missed out on the top one-hundred in the United Kingdom by one position , peaking at one-hundred and one on the albums chart .   The album produced four singles , including the US Adult Contemporary record-breaking song `` Oh Santa ! '' . It reached number-one in its second week , the quickest ascent in the history of the chart and the only song to do so . Other singles included `` Auld Lang Syne ( The New Year 's Anthem ) '' , a single release version of `` When Christmas Comes '' in 2011 with John Legend and `` Christmas Time Is in the Air Again '' in 2012 . To support the album , Carey made promotional appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Lopez Tonight , and hosted her own television special called Mariah Carey : Merry Christmas to You .

neg: Stefano Langone Stefano Langone ( born February 27 , 1989 ) , known as Stefano in his recording career , is an American singer from Kent , Washington . Langone placed seventh on the tenth season of American Idol .

neg: Grammy Award for Best New Artist The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959 . Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out , for records released in the previous year . The award was not presented in 1967 . The official guidelines are as follows : `` For a new artist who releases , during the Eligibility Year , the first recording which establishes the public identity of that artist . '' Note that this is not necessarily the first album released by an artist .   It is sometimes asserted , with varying degrees of sincerity , that winning the award is a curse , as several award winners ( particularly from the late 1970s and early 1980s ) were never able to duplicate the success they experienced in their debut year . This viewpoint was expressed by former Starland Vocal Band member Taffy Danoff in a 2002 interview for VH1 's 100 Greatest One Hit Wonders : `` We got two of the five Grammys -- one was Best New Artist . So that was basically the kiss of death and I feel sorry for everyone who 's gotten it since . ''   The category is also notable for being the only one of its kind in which a Grammy Award was vacated . This occurred in 1990 after it was revealed winners Milli Vanilli did not contribute their own vocals on their debut album . The award was revoked , but was not handed out to another artist .   Of the 54 awards presented in the category since its inception , the honor has been presented to 25 solo female artists , 18 duos or groups , and 11 solo male artists . Between 1997 and 2003 , all the winners were solo female artists . Also , from 1993 to 2005 , no winner was a solo male artist . In 2006 , John Legend broke this trend , which started with Marc Cohn in 1992 . Only four artists have won both Best New Artist and Album of the Year in the same year : Bob Newhart in 1961 , Christopher Cross in 1981 , Lauryn Hill in 1999 and Norah Jones in 2003 .   Of all the winners , only three have been country artists . In 1997 , LeAnn Rimes became the first country artist to win the award . She was followed by Carrie Underwood in 2007 and Zac Brown Band in 2010 . Additionally , 2017 marked the first time that two country artists were nominated in this category in the same year .   1984 marked the first time that all of the nominees were from outside of the United States ( Winner Culture Club , Eurythmics , and Musical Youth were from England , Big Country was from Scotland , and Men Without Hats were from Canada ) .

neg: America: A Tribute to Heroes America : A Tribute to Heroes was a benefit concert created by the heads of the four major American broadcast networks ; Fox , ABC , NBC and CBS . Joel Gallen was selected by them to produce and run the show . Actor George Clooney organized celebrities to perform and to staff the telephone bank . The marketing and public relations was headed by Warner Bros. . EVP Corp Comm with assistance from the marketing and publicity departments of all four broadcast networks . It was broadcast live by the four major American television networks and all of the cable networks in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in 2001 . Done in the style of a telethon , it featured a number of national and international entertainers performing to raise money for the victims and their families , particularly the New York City firefighters and New York City police officers . It aired September 21 , 2001 , uninterrupted and commercial-free , for which it won a Peabody Award . It was released on December 4 , 2001 , on compact disc and DVD .   On a dark stage illuminated by hundreds of candles , twenty-one artists performed songs of mourning and hope , while various actors and other celebrities delivered short spoken messages . The musical performances took place at three studios in Los Angeles ( CBS Television City ) , New York , and London , while the celebrity messages took place at Los Angeles . Some of the musicians including Neil Young and Eddie Vedder were heard working the phone banks taking pledges . The money raised amounted to over $ 200 million , and was given to the United Way 's September 11 Telethon Fund .   In 2004 , Rolling Stone magazine selected this concert , along with the later The Concert for New York City , as one of the 50 moments that changed rock and roll .   The show was also simulcast in Canada ; Young and another Canadian singer , Celine Dion , performed .

neg: Holly Henry Holly Mae Heinrich ( born March 31 , 1994 ) , better known by her stage name Holly Henry , is an American singer/songwriter from Minnesota . She took her stage name when competing in the fifth season of the United States version of reality singing competition The Voice . She subsequently built an international fan base as a Partner with YouTube and through original music releases .

neg: Lil Rounds Lil Rounds ( born October 20 , 1984 ) is an American singer from Memphis , Tennessee , who was the seventh place finalist on the eighth season of American Idol . Following the conclusion of Idol , Rounds was signed to a record deal with Bungalo Records . Her debut album was to be released in 2010 but has been pushed back for a 2011 release . Rounds is now recording her album independently .

neg: Hudson Global Hudson Global Inc. ( HSON ) is a global talent solutions company headquartered in New York , NY . The company 's core service offerings include Permanent Recruitment , Temporary Contracting , Recruitment Process Outsourcing ( `` RPO '' ) and Talent Management Solutions .   Hudson 's Q1 2017 financial results were as follows :  • Revenue of $ 103.4 million increased 2.2 percent from the first quarter of 2016 and increased 5.4 percent in constant currency .  • Gross margin of $ 42.4 million increased 2.8 percent from the first quarter of 2016 and increased 6.0 percent in constant currency .   • Net loss of $ 1.3 million , or $ 0.04 per basic and diluted share , compared with net loss of $ 3.5 million , or $ 0.10 per basic and diluted share , for the first quarter of 2016 .  • Adjusted EBITDA ( non-GAAP earnings before interest , income taxes , depreciation and amortization , non-operating income , goodwill and other impairment charges , business reorganization expenses , stock-based compensation expense and other expenses ) of $ 0.4 million , compared with an adjusted EBITDA loss of $ 2.0 million in the first quarter of 2016 .

neg: American Idol (season 13) The thirteenth season of American Idol , styled as American Idol XIII , premiered on the Fox television network on January 15 , 2014 . Ryan Seacrest returned as host for his thirteenth season . Keith Urban was the only judge from the twelfth season to return . Former judge Jennifer Lopez , who returned after one season absence , and Harry Connick , Jr. joined the judging panel following the departures of Mariah Carey , Nicki Minaj and Randy Jackson .   On May 21 , Caleb Johnson was announced the winner of the season , with Jena Irene as runner-up .

neg: List of awards and nominations received by Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lopez is an American singer , actress , dancer , fashion designer and producer . She began her career as an actress for a minor role in the film My Little Girl . Lopez gained her first regular high-profile job as a Fly Girl dancer on In Living Color in 1991 , where she remained for two seasons and remained a regular until she decided to pursue an acting career in 1993 . She received her first leading role in the Selena biopic of the same name in 1997 which made $ 35.5 million at box office . She ventured into the music industry in 1999 , with her debut studio album , On the 6 , preceded by the number-one single `` If You Had My Love '' . In 2001 , she released her second studio album J.Lo which sold over 12 million copies worldwide . she has released eight studio albums overall , as of today . Lopez has sold over 80 million records worldwide . She has won 133 awards from 324 nominations including 3 American Music Awards , 1 BET Awards , 1 Billboard Music Award , 10 Billboard Latin Music Awards , and 2 World Music Awards . In 2014 , she received the prestigious Billboard Icon Award for her contribution in music .

neg: A Moment Like This `` A Moment Like This '' is the debut single by American singer Kelly Clarkson , the winner of the first season of American Idol . It was released as a double-A side with `` Before Your Love '' and topped the Billboard Hot 100 . The song was later included on her debut album , Thankful ( 2003 ) . It is her coronation song from American Idol .   In 2006 , the song was recorded and released by British singer Leona Lewis , the winner of the third series of The X Factor . Her version gained the Christmas number one , outselling the rest of the top 40 combined . Lewis ' version has sold 914,000 copies as of 2015 .

neg: Britney/Brittany `` Britney/Brittany '' is the second episode of the second season of the American television series Glee , and the twenty-fourth episode overall . Written and directed by series creator Ryan Murphy , it premiered on the Fox network on September 28 , 2010 , and pays tribute to Britney Spears . Glee club member Brittany S. Pierce ( Heather Morris ) experiences an anesthesia-induced hallucination in which she recreates iconic Spears moments , and comes to self-realization , and several club members follow suit . Co-captains Rachel ( Lea Michele ) and Finn ( Cory Monteith ) experience difficulties in their relationship , and club director Will Schuester ( Matthew Morrison ) becomes jealous of guidance counselor Emma Pillsbury 's ( Jayma Mays ) new boyfriend , Dr. Carl Howell ( John Stamos ) .   Following the first season episode `` The Power of Madonna '' , which served as an homage to Madonna , Murphy planned two tribute episodes for Glee second season , of which `` Britney/Brittany '' is the first . He was approached by Spears about using her songs , and deemed her one of the most important female musicians of the decade , having inspired many of the show 's young cast to pursue musical careers . Spears makes several cameos in the episode , appearing in the students ' dream sequences . `` Britney/Brittany '' was also intended as a showcase for Morris , whose character was originally a background character on the show , but was promoted to a series regular after her character proved to be a fan favorite .   The episode features seven musical performances , six of which were released as singles . It was watched by 13.51 million American viewers , Glee third largest audience ever , and attracted mixed reviews from critics . ToddVanDerWerff of The A.V. Club criticized its slightness of plot and incongruous musical numbers ; however , James Poniewozik of Time praised the episode for embracing its fantasy nature . Entertainment Weekly Tim Stack was dismayed by the close recreations of Spears videos , preferring Glee more original interpretations of its cover versions , yet MTV 's Aly Semigran felt that the performance of `` I 'm a Slave 4 U '' was one of the best sequences in the show 's history . Michele 's rendition of '' ... Baby One More Time '' attracted negative reviews , though her performance of Paramore 's `` The Only Exception '' was generally well received . Spears ' cameo received mixed reviews , with even those critics who received it favorably expressing relief that she did not appear for longer . Morris ' performance attracted critical praise , particularly for her dancing skills .

neg: Siedah Garrett Siedah Garrett ( born June 24 , 1960 ) is an American singer and songwriter , who has written songs and performed backing vocals for many recording artists in the music industry , such as Michael Jackson , The Pointer Sisters , Brand New Heavies , Quincy Jones , Tevin Campbell , Donna Summer , Madonna , Jennifer Hudson among others . Garrett has been nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Song , and won the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 50th Grammy Awards for co-writing `` Love You I Do '' ( performed by Jennifer Hudson ) for the 2006 musical film , Dreamgirls .

neg: Jennifer Paige Jennifer Paige ( born September 3 , 1973 ) is an American singer and songwriter . She is best known for the 1998 pop hit `` Crush '' .

neg: 2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards The 2014 iHeartRadio Music Awards , was the inaugural music award show presented by iHeartMedia 's platform iHeartRadio and NBC . The awards were held on May 1 , 2014 , at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles . The awards show was announced on February 26 , 2014 . The nominations were compiled by the results of Mediabase charts , listener feedback and digital straming data from the iHeartRadio platform and announced on March 26 , 2014 . The awards recognized the biggest artists and songs of the year . The show was directed by Hamish Hamilton . The voting took place on iHeartRadio 's official webpage except for the `` Instagram Award '' , where voting took place on social network Instagram .   Rihanna led the nominations with eight and also became the biggest winner of the night with four wins including Artist of the Year and Song of the Year .   NBC 's telecast of the iHeartRadio Music Awards drew 5.4 million viewers overall and a rating of 1.7 in the key 18-to-49-year-old demographic .

neg: Crystal Bowersox Crystal Lynn Bowersox ( born August 4 , 1985 ) is an American singer-songwriter and actress , who was the runner-up on the ninth season of American Idol . She was the first female finalist in three years .   Bowersox 's debut album , Farmer 's Daughter , was released on December 14 , 2010 by Jive Records . Bowersox released her second album , All That for This , on March 26 , 2013 .

neg: Before Your Love `` Before Your Love '' is a song recorded by American pop singer Kelly Clarkson . It was released as her debut single alongside `` A Moment Like This '' on September 17 , 2002 , following her win as the first American Idol winner . It went on to become the best-selling single of 2002 in the United States . A new mix of song was later included on her debut album , Thankful ( 2003 ) .

neg: American Idol (season 9) The ninth season of American Idol premiered on January 12 , 2010 and concluded on May 26 , 2010 on Fox . Simon Cowell , Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi returned to the judging panel . Ellen DeGeneres joined the panel as a replacement for Paula Abdul after guest judges filled in during the auditions . Idol Gives Back also returned for the season and was held on April 21 , 2010 , during the top seven results show . The top 24 semi-finals format used in the fourth through seventh seasons also returned this season . Cowell , DioGuardi and DeGeneres all left the show after this season ended , although only Cowell 's departure was announced in advance . This was the second season where neither of the final 2 contestants had been in the bottom 2 or 3 prior to the finale , with the first being the seventh season . This was also the third consecutive season a male contestant had won , the longest streak for either gender . It was the first season since sixth season where a female made it to the finale and was also the first time since seventh season seven that both the finalists released a different song as a debut single .   Lee DeWyze , a folk rocker from Mount Prospect , Illinois won the competition , beating the runner-up Crystal Bowersox .   Eight contestants from this season were signed to record labels . The signed artists are Lee DeWyze , Crystal Bowersox , Casey James , Michael Lynche , Siobhan Magnus , Tim Urban , Didi Benami , and Lacey Brown .


query: Hong Kong is incapable of being consistently ranked as the world's most freest economic entity.

pos: Hong Kong Hong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People 's Republic of China , is an autonomous territory on the Pearl River Delta of China . Macau lies across the delta to the west , and the province of Guangdong borders the territory to the north . With a total land area of 1,106 km2 and a population of over 7.3 million of various nationalities , it ranks as the world 's fourth most densely populated sovereign state or territory .   After the First Opium War ( 1839 -- 42 ) , Hong Kong became a British colony with the perpetual cession of Hong Kong Island , followed by the Kowloon Peninsula in 1860 and a 99-year lease of the New Territories from 1898 . Hong Kong was later occupied by Japan during World War II until British control resumed in 1945 . In the early 1980s , negotiations between the United Kingdom and China resulted in the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration , which paved way for the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong in 1997 , when it became a special administrative region ( SAR ) of the Peoples Republic of China with a high degree of autonomy .   Under the principle of `` one country , two systems '' , Hong Kong maintains a separate political and economic system from China . Except in military defence and foreign affairs , Hong Kong maintains its independent executive , legislative and judiciary powers . In addition , Hong Kong develops relations directly with foreign states and international organisations in a broad range of `` appropriate fields '' .   Hong Kong is one of the world 's most significant financial centres , with the highest Financial Development Index score and consistently ranks as the world 's most competitive and freest economic entity . As the world 's 8th largest trading entity , its legal tender , the Hong Kong dollar , is the world 's 13th most traded currency . It 's also a member of the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) . Hong Kong 's tertiary sector dominated economy is characterised by simple taxation with a competitive level of corporate tax and supported by its independent judiciary system . However , while Hong Kong has one of the highest per capita incomes in the world , it suffers from severe income inequality .   Hong Kong is renowned for its deep natural harbour , which enables ready access by international cargo ships , and its impressive skyline , with a very high density of skyscrapers ; the territory boasts the second largest number of high rises of any city in the world . It has a very high Human Development Index ranking and the world 's longest life expectancy . Over 90 % of the population makes use of well-developed public transportation . Seasonal air pollution with origins from neighbouring industrial areas of Mainland China , which adopts loose emissions standards , has resulted in a high level of atmospheric particulates .

neg: Mainland Affairs Council The Mainland Affairs Council ( MAC ) is a cabinet-level administrative agency under the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China . The MAC is responsible for the planning , development , and implementation of policies between the Republic of China on Taiwan and the People 's Republic of China which administers mainland China , Hong Kong and Macau . The MAC counterpart body by the PRC is the Taiwan Affairs Office . Both states officially claim each other 's territory , however the Republic of China controls only Taiwan and surrounding islands , and therefore is usually known as `` Taiwan '' , sometimes referred to as the `` Free Area '' of the Republic of China by the Constitution of the Republic of China . The People 's Republic of China controls mainland China as well as Hong Kong , Macau , Hainan , and other islands and is therefore usually known simply as `` China '' .   The Mainland Affairs Council is administered by a cabinet level Minister . The current Minister is Katharine Chang .   The council plays an important role in setting policy and development of relations with mainland China and advising the central government . The agency funds and indirectly administers the Straits Exchange Foundation which is the official intermediary with the PRC .

neg: Chinese economic reform The Chinese economic reform refers to the program of economic reforms termed `` Socialism with Chinese characteristics '' in the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) that was started in December 1978 by reformists within the Communist Party of China , led by Deng Xiaoping .   China had one of the world 's largest and most advanced economies prior to the nineteenth century . In the 18th century , Adam Smith claimed China had long been one of the richest , that is , one of the most fertile , best cultivated , most industrious , most prosperous and most urbanized countries in the world . The economy stagnated beginning in the 16th century and even declined in absolute terms in the nineteenth and much of the twentieth century , with a brief recovery in the 1930s .   Economic reforms introducing market principles began in 1978 and were carried out in two stages . The first stage , in the late 1970s and early 1980s , involved the decollectivization of agriculture , the opening up of the country to foreign investment , and permission for entrepreneurs to start businesses . However , most industry remained state-owned . The second stage of reform , in the late 1980s and 1990s , involved the privatization and contracting out of much state-owned industry and the lifting of price controls , protectionist policies , and regulations , although state monopolies in sectors such as banking and petroleum remained . The private sector grew remarkably , accounting for as much as 70 percent of China gross domestic product by 2005 . From 1978 until 2013 , unprecedented growth occurred , with the economy increasing by 9.5 % a year . The conservative Hu-Wen Administration more heavily regulated and controlled the economy after 2005 , reversing some reforms .   The success of China 's economic policies and the manner of their implementation has resulted in immense changes in Chinese society . Large-scale government planning programs alongside market characteristics have greatly decreased poverty , while incomes and income inequality have increased , leading to a backlash led by the New Left . In the academic scene , scholars have debated the reason for the success of the Chinese `` dual-track '' economy , and have compared them to attempts to reform socialism in the Eastern Bloc and the Soviet Union ; as well as the growth of other developing economies .

neg: Stock exchanges of small economies A Stock exchange is a corporation or mutual organization which provides facilities for stockbrokers and traders to trade stocks and other securities . It may be a physical trading room where the traders gather , or a formalised communications network .  Creation of a stock exchange is a strategy of economic development : it provides a means of raising capital for investment .  Stock markets may enhance economic activity through the creation of liquidity : a liquid equity market makes investment more attractive because it allows individuals to acquire equity and when required to sell it quickly and cheaply . At the same time , companies enjoy permanent access to capital raised through equity issues .  It has been found that countries that open stock markets grow faster , on average , than the control groups .   An alternative view is that market liquidity may also hurt economic growth , because it encourages short-termism . A downside of raising capital on a stock exchange is that it may result in loss of company control , typically to powerful large investors . Foreign ownership of securities and assets is often unappealing . Extremely low income levels keep share ownership beyond the reach of most people in developing countries .   Countries without a stock exchange include Democratic Republic of the Congo .   The Mongolian Stock Exchange was the world 's smallest stock exchange by market capitalisation .

neg: Internet censorship in Hong Kong There is very little Internet censorship in Hong Kong beyond laws that criminalize the distribution of unlicensed copyrighted material and obscene images , particularly child pornography . Hong Kong law provides for freedom of speech and press , and the government generally respects these rights in practice . Freedom of expression is well protected by the Hong Kong Bill of Rights . No websites , regardless of their political views , are blocked and government licenses are not required to operate a website . There is some monitoring of the Internet . Democratic activists claim central government authorities closely monitor their e-mails and Internet use .

neg: List of largest Chinese companies This article lists the largest companies in China in terms of their revenue , net profit and total assets , according to the American business magazines Fortune and Forbes . In 2014 , Fortune '' 's Global 500 list of the world 's largest corporations included 95 Chinese companies , with combined revenues of US$ 5.8 trillion . That same year , Forbes '' reported that five of the world 's ten largest public companies were Chinese , including the world 's largest bank by total assets , the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China . Many of China 's largest companies are state-owned enterprises , due to the significant presence of the governing Chinese Communist Party in the national economy .

neg: Foreign relations of Hong Kong Under the Basic Law , the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is exclusively in charge of its internal affairs and external relations , whilst the Government of the People 's Republic of China is responsible for its foreign affairs and defence . As a separate customs territory , Hong Kong maintains and develops relations with foreign states and regions , and plays an active role in such international organisations as World Trade Organization ( WTO ) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ( APEC ) in its own right under the name of Hong Kong , China .

neg: Pro-Beijing camp Pro-Beijing camp , pro-China camp or pro-establishment camp refers to a political alignment in Hong Kong which generally supports the policies of the Beijing government towards Hong Kong . The term `` pro-establishment camp '' is regularly in use to label the boarder segment of the Hong Kong political arena which has the closer relationship with the establishment , namely the Government of the People 's Republic of China ( PRC ) and the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region ( HKSAR ) . It is also portrayed as the `` Patriotic Front '' by the pro-Beijing media and sometimes portrayed as `` loyalists '' by the pro-democracy camp .   The pro-Beijing evolved from Hong Kong 's pro-Communist faction , which was often called the `` leftists '' , who have had a long history of following directions of the Communist Party of China ( CPC ) towards Hong Kong . It launched the 1967 Leftist Riots against the British colonial rule in Hong Kong and had a long rivalry with the pro-Kuomintang bloc . After the Sino-British Joint Declaration was signed in 1984 , affirming Chinese sovereignty over Hong Kong from 1997 , the traditional leftists realigned itself and formed a `` United Front '' with the conservative pro-business elites to counter the emergence of the pro-democracy camp in the 1990s and ensure a smooth transition of the Hong Kong sovereignty in Beijing 's interest .   Since the handover in 1997 , the pro-Beijing camp has become the major supporting force of the Hong Kong government and maintained control of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong ( LegCo ) , with the advantages in the indirectly elected functional constituencies . It generally embraces the conservative values politically , socially and economically and Chinese nationalistic and patriotic sentiments .

neg: Economy of Brazil Brazil has the world 's ninth largest economy by nominal GDP , and the eighth largest by purchasing power parity . The Brazilian economy is characterized by an inward-oriented economy .   Brazil 's economy is the largest of Latin America and the second largest in the Americas . From 2000 to 2012 , Brazil was one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world , with an average annual GDP growth rate of over 5 % , with its economy in 2012 surpassing that of the United Kingdom , temporarily making Brazil the world 's sixth largest economy . However , Brazil 's economy growth decelerated in 2013  and the country entered a recession in 2014 .   According to the World Economic Forum , Brazil was the top country in upward evolution of competitiveness in 2009 , gaining eight positions among other countries , overcoming Russia for the first time , and partially closing the competitiveness gap with India and China among the BRIC economies . Important steps taken since the 1990s toward fiscal sustainability , as well as measures taken to liberalize and open the economy , have significantly boosted the country 's competitiveness fundamentals , providing a better environment for private-sector development .   In 2012 Forbes ranked Brazil as having the 5th largest number of billionaires in the world , a number much larger than what is found in other Latin American countries , and even ahead of United Kingdom and Japan . Brazil is a member of diverse economic organizations , such as Mercosur , Unasul , G8 +5 , G20 , WTO , and the Cairns Group .

neg: Prostitution in China Shortly after taking power in 1949 , the Communist Party of China embarked upon a series of campaigns that purportedly eradicated prostitution from mainland China by the early 1960s . Since the loosening of government controls over society in the early 1980s , prostitution in mainland China not only has become more visible , but can now be found throughout both urban and rural areas . In spite of government efforts , prostitution has now developed to the extent that it comprises an industry , one that involves a great number of people and produces a considerable economic output . Prostitution has also become associated with a number of problems , including organized crime , government corruption and sexually transmitted diseases . For example , a Communist Party official who was a top provincial campaigner against corruption was removed from his post after he was caught in a hotel room with a prostitute .   Prostitution-related activities in mainland China are characterised by diverse types , venues and prices . Prostitutes themselves come from a broad range of social backgrounds . They are almost all female , though in recent years male prostitutes have also emerged . A large number of Russian women work as prostitutes in China . Venues typically include hotels , karaoke venues and beauty salons .   Officially , prostitution is illegal in mainland China . The government of China has vacillated , however , in its legal treatment of prostitutes themselves , treating them sometimes as criminals and sometimes as behaving with misconduct . Since the reemergence of prostitution in the 1980s , government authorities have responded by first using the legal system , that is , the daily operations of institutions like courts and police . Second , they have relied on police-led campaigns , clearly delineated periods of intense public activity , as a form of social discipline . Despite lobbying by international NGOs and overseas commentators , there is not much support for legalisation of the sex sector by the public , social organizations or the government of the PRC .   While the sale of sexual intercourse remains illegal throughout mainland China , as of 2013 erotic massage , or more commonly known as massage with `` happy endings , '' is legal in the city of Foshan in Guangdong province . In June of that year , the Foshan Court determined that the sale of erotic massage is not the same as prostitution .

neg: Metropolis Daily Metropolis Daily is the Hong Kong edition of Metro ( Metro International ) , which publishes free newspapers around the world with 25 editions in 16 countries in 14 languages . It is the first free newspaper in Hong Kong .   The Hong Kong version was first launched on April 15 , 2002 ; it is distributed for free in the racks located in 49 Mass Transit Railway ( MTR ) stations except the Airport Station .   According to the Hong Kong Audit Bureau of Circulations in September 2002 , the daily circulation of the newspaper was 302,197 copies , making it the third largest daily newspaper in Hong Kong . The paper is distributed from Monday to Friday ( except for public holidays ) , by hand or from the newspaper stands in 49 MTR stations and 11 other key central locations , such as big shopping malls owned by MTR Corporation Limited like Paradise Mall , Telford Plaza , and Luk Yeung Galleria ( 綠楊坊 Pinyin : lǜ yáng fāng ) . Since it is free of charge and easily accessible , many people like to get one on their way to school or work . The paper attracts a younger generation of readers with a great purchasing power likewise , therefore many advertisers are interested in promoting their products on Metropolis Daily . The operating costs of the paper are mainly covered by the classified advertisements in the newspaper .   However , the influence of the paper is not yet significant . Though around one tenth size of other newspapers printing local first-hand news reported by fresh journalists , its main news sources are actually the television , radio news , press releases and wired news . As one Metropolis '' ' reporter said , `` Nobody seems to know that we made an exclusive story . ''   The paper is in Chinese in most parts , together with an English international section . According to Metropolis , the paper can be read in a `` 19-minute commute '' as the articles inside are usually short and laconic ; readers can scan through the paper so quickly that they can grab a brief understanding of the news within minutes . Although the paper is a tabloid , i.e. a minute-sized newspaper giving the stories in a condensed form , it includes many sections , which make the paper very rich in contents .  These sections include :  local news ( including one page written in Simplified Chinese ) ;  Chinese news ;  international news ;  finance ;  sports ;  entertainment ;  side stories ;  English news digest ;  editorial column ;  television program schedule ; and  film section .   Readers can read the on-line edition of Metropolis all over the world by simply registering as users at its official site , and it is totally free . Besides , there is also a club called `` Club Metro '' '' offering discounts in films , sports and travel to its members . Readers can enjoy these benefits once they have joined the club . There are 700,000 worldwide members in this club .

neg: Monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a group , usually a family called the dynasty , embodies the country 's national identity and one of its members , called the monarch , exercises a role of sovereignty . The actual power of the monarch may vary from purely symbolic ( crowned republic ) , to partial and restricted ( constitutional monarchy ) , to completely autocratic ( absolute monarchy ) . Traditionally and in most cases , the monarch 's post is inherited and lasts until death or abdication , but there are also elective monarchies where the monarch is elected . Each of these has variations : in some elected monarchies only those of certain pedigrees are , whereas many hereditary monarchies impose requirements regarding the religion , age , gender , mental capacity , etc. . Occasionally this might create a situation of rival claimants whose legitimacy is subject to effective election . Finally , there have been cases where the term of a monarch 's reign is either fixed in years or continues until certain goals are achieved : an invasion being repulsed , for instance . Thus there are widely divergent structures and traditions defining monarchy .   Monarchy was the most common form of government until the 19th century , but it is no longer prevalent . Where it exists , it is now usually a constitutional monarchy , in which the monarch retains a unique legal and ceremonial role , but exercises limited or no official political power : under the written or unwritten constitution , others have governing authority . Currently , 47 sovereign nations in the world have monarchs acting as heads of state , 19 of which are Commonwealth realms that recognise Queen Elizabeth II as their head of state . All European monarchies are constitutional ones , with the exception of the Vatican City which is an elective monarchy , but sovereigns in the smaller states exercise greater political influence than in the larger . The monarchs of Cambodia , Japan , and Malaysia `` reign , but do not rule '' although there is considerable variation in the degree of authority they wield . Although they reign under constitutions , the monarchs of Brunei , Morocco , Oman , Qatar , Saudi Arabia and Swaziland appear to continue to exercise more political influence than any other single source of authority in their nations , either by constitutional mandate or by tradition .

neg: Oriental management Oriental management , doing research on both the latest and historical theories and practices of management both inside and outside China and operation rules of management , is one of the modern management schools . Oriental management , based on the unique traditional culture of eastern countries , especially China , has integrated the essence of management thoughts from both the east and the west , after decades of study . The theoretical foundations of oriental management are Chinese Management , Western Management and Overseas Chinese Management.The concept of `` human orientedness '' , `` human morality '' and `` human behavior '' , which is the essence and core value of oriental management , was created by Prof. Su Dongshui , who is the founder of oriental management school , in the early 1990s . The research scope of oriental management is not confined to business , but extending to almost all fields of management , including individual governance , management analysis , family governance , business governance and state governance . By exercising and implementing the `` Fifteen philosophical elements '' , including rules of governing a state , flexibility against changes , human orientedness , application of power , pragmaticism , regarding harmony as priority , attaching importance on using tools , state governance by law , embarking on a business with credit and good faith , being well planned , stratagem in decision making , subtle using of tactics , being highly efficient and uncorrupted , being industrious in making a fortune , and entelechy with reason , the highest purpose or ultimate value of oriental management is harmonious society in which everybody fulfills his comprehensive and free development .

neg: United Kingdom company law The United Kingdom company law regulates corporations formed under the Companies Act 2006 . Also governed by the Insolvency Act 1986 , the UK Corporate Governance Code , European Union Directives and court cases , the company is the primary legal vehicle to organise and run business . Tracing their modern history to the late Industrial Revolution , public companies now employ more people and generate more of wealth in the United Kingdom economy than any other form of organisation . The United Kingdom was the first country to draft modern corporation statutes , where through a simple registration procedure any investors could incorporate , limit liability to their commercial creditors in the event of business insolvency , and where management was delegated to a centralised board of directors . An influential model within Europe , the Commonwealth and as an international standard setter , UK law has always given people broad freedom to design the internal company rules , so long as the mandatory minimum rights of investors under its legislation are complied with .   Company law , or corporate law , can be broken down into two main fields . Corporate governance in the UK mediates the rights and duties among shareholders , employees , creditors and directors . Since the board of directors habitually possesses the power to manage the business under a company constitution , a central theme is what mechanisms exist to ensure directors ' accountability . UK law is `` shareholder friendly '' in that shareholders , to the exclusion of employees , typically exercise sole voting rights in the general meeting . The general meeting holds a series of minimum rights to change the company constitution , issue resolutions and remove members of the board . In turn , directors owe a set of duties to their companies . Directors must carry out their responsibilities with competence , in good faith and undivided loyalty to the enterprise . If the mechanisms of voting do not prove enough , particularly for minority shareholders , directors ' duties and other member rights may be vindicated in court . Of central importance in public and listed companies is the securities market , typified by the London Stock Exchange . Through the Takeover Code the UK strongly protects the right of shareholders to be treated equally and freely trade their shares .   Corporate finance concerns the two money raising options for limited companies . Equity finance involves the traditional method of issuing shares to build up a company 's capital . Shares can contain any rights the company and purchaser wish to contract for , but generally grant the right to participate in dividends after a company earns profits and the right to vote in company affairs . A purchaser of shares is helped to make an informed decision directly by prospectus requirements of full disclosure , and indirectly through restrictions on financial assistance by companies for purchase of their own shares . Debt finance means getting loans , usually for the price of a fixed annual interest repayment . Sophisticated lenders , such as banks typically contract for a security interest over the assets of a company , so that in the event of default on loan repayments they may seize the company 's property directly to satisfy debts . Creditors are also , to some extent , protected by courts ' power to set aside unfair transactions before a company goes under , or recoup money from negligent directors engaged in wrongful trading . If a company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due , UK insolvency law requires an administrator to attempt a rescue of the company ( if the company itself has the assets to pay for this ) . If rescue proves impossible , a company 's life ends when its assets are liquidated , distributed to creditors and the company is struck off the register . If a company becomes insolvent with no assets it can be wound up by a creditor , for a fee ( not that common ) , or more commonly by the tax creditor ( HMRC ) .

neg: Taxation in Hong Kong Under Article 108 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong , the taxation system in Hong Kong is independent of , and different from , the taxation system in mainland China . In addition , under Article 106 of the Hong Kong Basic Law , Hong Kong enjoys independent public finance , and no tax revenue is handed over to the Central Government in China . The taxation system in Hong Kong is generally considered to be simple , transparent and straightforward among jurisdictions in the world . Taxes are collected through the Inland Revenue Department ( IRD ) .   Since the Common Law System is applied in Hong Kong , judgements by the Courts and Boards of Review in tax law cases are resorted to assist the interpretation of taxation rules and concepts . Furthermore , the Inland Revenue Department also issues Departmental Interpretation and Practice Notes ( DIPNs ) from time to time to clarify and elaborate on the tax rules and to smoothen the tax collection process .   Taxes collected in Hong Kong can be generally classified as :  Direct tax -- including Salaries Tax , Property Tax and Profits Tax ; the guiding statue is Inland Revenue Ordinance ( Cap 112 ) ;  Indirect tax -- including Stamps Duty , Betting Duty , Estate Duty ( abolished on 11 February 2006 ) and others .   In the fiscal year 2013/14 , Profits tax , an income tax on corporations constituted the largest source of tax collected by the government , followed by Salaries Tax , an income tax on individuals .

neg: History of the People's Republic of China (2002–present) The People 's Republic of China became more influential economically in the 1990s and 2000s and was beginning to be widely recognized as an emerging superpower . In 2010 , China became the world 's second largest economy by GDP . At the same time , numerous social problems emerged and intensified . As Paramount leader Jiang Zemin , NPCSC Chairman Li Peng and PRC Premier Zhu Rongji , gradually retired from their position of power , `` fourth-generation '' leaders , led by CPC General Secretary Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao , faced with increasing social unrest , attempted to steer the country towards a new direction . From the path of focusing solely on economic development , Hu and Wen placed focus on creating an overall balance under the idea of the Scientific Outlook on Development to create a socialist harmonious society . In this process , there was an unprecedented shift in stance towards favouring rural development and farmers , as well as other generally populist policies . The Hu-Wen government , on the same token , attempted to restrict some personal freedoms , especially those associated with political content on the Internet .   China 's increased prominence on the global stage has also brought with it general skepticism and intense scrutiny , especially in the lead up to the 2008 Summer Olympics and after the March 2008 protests in Tibet . The government continues to be criticized on human rights abuses and the various product quality scandals that have increasingly damaged the country 's integrity and continues to raise suspicions about the country 's safety standards . The majority of China 's population , however , point to the immense progress the country has made and generally discredit criticisms of China as being embedded in cultural and historical misunderstandings and rooted in paranoia of China 's potential dominance on the world stage . These ideological clashes , fused with rhetoric from Beijing , has led to an intense wave of nationalism ( or Socialist patriotism ) surfacing in Chinese populations around the world .   As of mid-2012 , government statistics show that for the first time ever over 50 % of the Chinese population now live in urban areas , marking a milestone in the urbanization of China . The majority of modern city dwellers are migrants and their children who moved to cities during the economic boom of the last 30 years started by Deng Xiaoping 's policy of economic liberalization .

neg: Hong Kong Cantonese Hong Kong Cantonese is a dialect of the Cantonese language commonly spoken in Hong Kong , as well as Macau . Although the Hong Kong people largely identify this variant of Chinese with the term `` Cantonese '' , a variety of publications in Mainland China describe the variant as Hong Kong speech .   There are slight differences between the pronunciation used in Hong Kong Cantonese and that of the Cantonese spoken in the neighbouring Chinese province of Guangdong , where Cantonese ( based on the Guangzhou dialect ) is a main lingua franca .   Over the years , Hong Kong Cantonese has also absorbed foreign terminology and developed a large set of Hong Kong-specific terms . These differences from the Guangzhou dialect are the result of British rule between 1841 and 1997 , as well as the closure of the Hong Kong-China border immediately after the establishment of the People 's Republic of China in 1949 .

neg: City Telecom (Hong Kong) City Telecom ( H.K. ) Limited ( CTI , ) was established in 1992 . It is a provider of residential and corporate fixed network and international telecommunications services in Hong Kong , currently the second largest provider of broadband internet in the country . CTI played a significant role in liberalizing the international telecommunications market monopoly in Hong Kong since their launch of services .   CTI 's wholly owned subsidiary , Hong Kong Broadband Network Limited ( `` HKBN '' ) , is a major fixed telecom network services operator , providing the world 's fastest residential 1 Gbit/s , 200Mbit/s , 100Mbit/s , 50Mbit/s and 25Mbit/s broadband Internet access , telephony , IP-TV and corporate data services with their self-built Metro Ethernet IP network , which is the largest alternative end-to-end network in Hong Kong . Since their establishment , the Group has aggressively marketed itself and its services to capitalize on the growth and deregulation of the Hong Kong telecommunications market . HKBN is the first ISP to deploy Fibre-To-The-Home ( FTTH ) in the local residential market in September 2007 while the other competitors still predominately use copper wires for their last mile .   City Telecom was listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited ( Stock Code : 1137 ) in August 1997 with an ADR Listing on the Nasdaq National Market ( Ticker Symbol : CTEL ) in the US in November 1999 . In addition to the operations in Hong Kong , the Group also has branch offices in Canada and Guangzhou .   The Group had the strongest turnover growth since FY2000 , with the consolidated turnover grew by 14.2 % year-on-year to HK$ 1,303.0 million for the year ended 31 August 2008 . This solid growth was primarily contributed by their increase in Fixed Telecommunications Network Service business ( FTNS ) of 23.8 % to HK$ 1,011.0 million . Besides , the Group 's profits attributable to their shareholders increased by 333.2 % to HK$ 125.2 million with basic earnings per share reaching HK$ 19.7 cents .

neg: Stateless nation Stateless nation is a political term for ethnic/national minority that does not possess its own state and is not the majority population in any nation state . The term implies that the group `` should have '' such a state . Members of stateless ethnic groups may be citizens/nationals of the country in which they live , or they may be denied citizenship by that country . Stateless nations are usually not represented as a nation in international sports such as FIFA , Olympics or in international communities such as the United Nations . Nations without state are classified as fourth world nations . Some of the stateless nations have a great heritage and a long tradition of statehood in the past and some were always a stateless nation , which was dominated by another nation for a large part of its history .   Stateless nations either are dispersed across a number of states ( for example , the Yoruba people are found in the African states of Nigeria , Benin and Togo ) or form the native population of a province within a larger state ( such as the Uyghur people in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region within the People 's Republic of China ) . Some stateless nations historically had a state , which was absorbed by another ; for example , Tibet 's declaration of independence in 1913 was not recognized , and it was invaded in 1951 by the People 's Republic of China which claims that Tibet is an integral part of China , while the Tibetan government-in-exile maintains that Tibet is an independent state under unlawful occupation . Some ethnic groups were once a stateless nation that later became a nation state ( for example , the nations of the Balkans such as the Croats , Serbs , Bosniaks , Slovenes , Montenegrins , Kosovars and Macedonians were once part of a multinational state of Yugoslavia . Since the breakup of Yugoslavia many nation states were formed ) .   Stateless nations can have large population . For example , The Tamils are a stateless nation in South Asia with a population of more than 70 million . They form one of the largest ethnic groups in South India . Governments may respond differently on stateless nations in their states . For example , the suppression of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka led to one of the longest and most violent separatist conflict between 1983 and 2009 . However , a similar ethnic conflict was absent among Tamils in India during this period , because they were peacefully integrated into the federal structure of India . Multiple stateless nations can reside in the same region . For example , Catalans , Basques , Aragonese , Galicians , Asturians , Valencians , Andalusians in Iberian Peninsula or the Brahui , Santhals and Balochs in South Asia .   The Romani people are another stateless people . They may be a special case being distributed among numerous countries with no clear homeland ; as a traditionally `` nomadic '' people , the Romani/Roma are a classical `` stateless nation '' without aspiration to sovereign territory . As not all states are nation states , there are a number of ethnic groups who live in a multinational state without being considered `` stateless nations '' .

neg: Human rights in Tibet Human rights in Tibet is a contentious issue . According to a 1992 Amnesty International report , judicial standards in China , including in Tibet , were not up to `` international standards '' . The report charged the Chinese Communist Party government with keeping political prisoners and prisoners of conscience , including the death penalty in its penal code , ill-treatment of detainees and inaction in the face of ill-treatment of detainees , including torture , the use of the death penalty , extrajudicial executions , forced abortions and sterilisation . The status of religion , mainly as it relates to figures who are both religious and political , such as the 14th Dalai Lama , is a regular object of criticism .   Reported abuses of human rights in Tibet include restricted freedom of religion , belief , and association . Specifically , Tibetans have faced arbitrary arrest and maltreatment in custody , including torture at the hands of Chinese authorities . Freedom of the Press in the PRC is still absent , and Tibet 's media is tightly controlled by the Chinese leadership , making it difficult to determine accurately the scope of human rights abuses . A series of reports published in the late 1980s claimed that China was forcing Tibetans to adhere to strict birth control programs that included forced abortions , sterilizations , and even infanticide .   Before the Invasion of Tibet in 1951 , Tibet was ruled by a theocracy and had a caste-like social hierarchy . Official crackdowns in the region generally center on `` the three evils of separatism , terrorism and religious extremism , '' which give pretext for abuses .

neg: Corruption in China Corruption in China post-1949 lies in the `` organizational involution '' of the ruling party , including the Communist Party of China 's policies , institutions , norms , and failure to adapt to a changing environment in the post-Mao era caused by the market liberalization reforms initiated by Deng Xiaoping . Like other socialist economies that have undertaken economic reforms , such as post-Soviet Eastern Europe and Central Asia , reform-era China has experienced increasing levels of corruption .   Cadre corruption in China has been subject to significant media attention since Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping announced his Anti-corruption campaign following the 18th National Congress which was held in November 2012 . Despite this high-profile anti-graft drive , in 2014 China was ranked No. 100 in Transparency International 's Corruption Perceptions Index , which is 20 places lower than 2013 , when it ranked No. 80 . According to 2016 results of Corruption Perception Index of Transparency International , China ranks 79th place out of 176 countries . This puts China on par with Algeria and Suriname , and comparable to Armenia , Colombia , Egypt , Gabon , Liberia , Panama , Bolivia , Mexico , Moldova and Niger . China ranked less corrupt than neighbours Myanmar , Vietnam , Laos , North Korea , Russia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tajikistan , Afghanistan , Pakistan and Nepal but more corrupt than neighbours Australia , New Zealand , Singapore , India , Bhutan , Macau , Hong Kong and Mongolia . Means of corruption include graft , bribery , embezzlement , backdoor deals , nepotism , patronage , and statistical falsification .   Public surveys on the mainland since the late 1980s have shown that it is among the top concerns of the general public . According to Yan Sun , Associate Professor of Political Science at the City University of New York , it was corruption , rather than democracy as such , that lay at the root of the social dissatisfaction that led to the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 . Corruption undermines the legitimacy of the CPC , adds to economic inequality , undermines the environment , and fuels social unrest .   Since then , corruption has not slowed down as a result of greater economic freedom , but instead has grown more entrenched and severe in its character and scope . Business deals often involve participation in corruption . In popular perception , there are more dishonest CPC officials than honest ones , a reversal of the views held in the first decade of reform of the 1980s . China specialist Minxin Pei argues that failure to contain widespread corruption is among the most serious threats to China 's future economic and political stability . Bribery , kickbacks , theft , and misspending of public funds costs at least three percent of GDP . China , though not a member of the OECD has participated as an observer in the OECD Working Group on Bribery in International Business Transactions , see OECD Anti-Bribery Convention .


query: Manchester City F.C. was bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group.

pos: Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is a football club in Manchester , England . Founded in 1880 as St. Mark 's ( West Gorton ) , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894 . The club moved to the City of Manchester Stadium in 2003 , having played at Maine Road since 1923 .   The club 's most successful period was in the late 1960s and early 1970s when they won the League Championship , FA Cup , League Cup and European Cup Winners ' Cup under the management team of Joe Mercer and Malcolm Allison . After losing the 1981 FA Cup Final , the club went through a period of decline , culminating in relegation to the third tier of English football for the only time in their history in 1998 . Having regained their Premier League status in the early 2000s , the club was purchased in 2008 by Abu Dhabi United Group and has become one of the wealthiest in the world . Since 2011 the club have won five major honours , including the Premier League in 2012 and 2014 .   By 2015 -- 16 , Manchester City had the fifth-highest revenue in the footballing world with an annual revenue of $ 463.5 million . In 2016 , Forbes magazine estimated they were the world 's sixth most valuable football club , worth $ 1.92 billion .

neg: Manchester F.C. Manchester F.C. may refer to one of the following association football teams :  Manchester City F.C.  Manchester United F.C.  Manchester 62 F.C.  Manchester SC  F.C. United of Manchester  Manchester Central F.C.  Manchester Rugby Club

neg: El Mokawloon SC Nadi El Mokawloon El Arab El Riyadi ( Arab Contractors Sporting Club , نادي المقاولون العرب الرياضي ) , widely known as El Mokawloon El Arab between the locals , is an Egyptian football club based in Nasr City , Cairo . Founded in 1973 by the famous and influential Egyptian engineer , contractor , entrepreneur , and politician Osman Ahmed Osman .   The club is owned by the construction and engineering contracting company Arab Contractors . The club currently plays in the Egyptian Premier League .

neg: 1979–80 Manchester United F.C. season The 1979 -- 80 season was Manchester United 's 78th season in the Football League , and their fifth consecutive season in the top division of English football . They finished the season second in the league , just two points behind champions Liverpool , and qualified for the 1980 -- 81 UEFA Cup . It was the first season at the club for new midfielder Ray Wilkins , signed in the 1979 close season for a club record fee of # 750,000 . However , United had gained a reputation for playing generally dull football under Sexton , and by the end of his third season as manager they had still yet to win a major trophy , as Liverpool ruled supreme in the English league .

neg: History of Arsenal F.C. (1966–present) The history of Arsenal Football Club from 1966 to the present day covers the third , fourth , and fifth periods of success in Arsenal 's history , including three Doubles , a Cup Double , and success in European football .   Following Bertie Mee 's appointment in 1966 , Arsenal won the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup , their first European trophy , in 1969 -- 70 , and their first League and FA Cup double in 1970 -- 71 . The Double-winning side , however , was soon broken up and the following decade was characterised by a series of near misses : Arsenal lost three FA Cup finals ( 1971 -- 72 , 1977 -- 78 , and 1979 -- 80 ) and the 1979 -- 80 Cup Winners ' Cup final on penalties . The club 's only success during this time was an FA Cup win in 1978 -- 79 against Manchester United .   After stagnation in the 1980s , the return of former player George Graham as manager in 1986 brought a third period of glory . Arsenal won the League Cup in 1986 -- 87 , the Football League Centenary Trophy in 1988 , two League title wins in 1988 -- 89 and 1990 -- 91 , the FA Cup and League Cup double in 1992 -- 93 and a second European trophy , the Cup Winners ' Cup , in 1993 -- 94 . However , Graham 's reputation was tarnished when it was revealed that he had taken kickbacks for signing certain players and he was sacked in 1995 .   Arsenal fifth period of success came with the appointment of Arsène Wenger in 1996 . Under him , Arsenal won a second league and cup double in 1997 -- 98 and then a third in 2001 -- 02 . In addition , the club were victorious in the 2002 -- 03 and 2004 -- 05 FA Cups , and won the Premier League in 2003 -- 04 without losing a single match . In 2005 -- 06 became the first London club to reach the UEFA Champions League Final , and lost 2 -- 1 against FC Barcelona . During the following close season , they left their longstanding home of Highbury to the new Emirates Stadium nearby .

neg: Constitution of the United Arab Emirates The Constitution of the United Arab Emirates provides a legal and political framework for the operation of the United Arab Emirates ( UAE ) as a federation of seven emirates . The Constitution came into effect on 2 December 1971 and was permanently accepted in May 1996 . Authored by Adi Bitar , a forming judge and legal advisor , the Constitution is written in 10 parts and has 152 Articles . The United Arab Emirates celebrates the formation of the Union ( and acceptance of the federal constitution ) as National Day .   The Historically independent kingdoms , the modern emirates that constitute the United Arab Emirates and the modern kingdoms of Qatar and Bahrain entered into a treaty with the United Kingdom in 1853 and agreed to a `` perpetual maritime truce '' with the UK ; the kingdoms were collectively referred to as the Trucial States or as Trucial Oman . Disputes between the states were often arbitrated by the United Kingdom . In the late 1960s , the Trucial States Council was formed by the emirates , Qatar and Bahrain . The United Kingdom in 1968 announced its decision to end the treaty relationships with the kingdoms . The nine kingdoms attempted to form a union of Arab Emirates , but were unable to agree upon the terms of the union . While Bahrain and Qatar became independent countries , the other seven emirates attempted to form a temporary , federal union in 1971 .   In 1971 , the Constitution , authored by Judge Valintine , was established as a temporary legal and political framework . Article 9 of the Constitution states that the Capital shall be a new town on the border of Dubai and Abu Dhabi , to be completed within seven years and to be called `` Al Karama '' ; however , a provision in the same article provided for Abu Dhabi to be the `` temporary '' capital of the Union and for Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan , ruler of Abu Dhabi , to be the President of the United Arab Emirates .   In 1979 , a draft `` permanent '' constitution was prepared which allowed for the creation of a unified military and judicial system . Initially , the emirate of Dubai was strongly opposed to the unification of the military forces and , along with Ras al Khaimah , refused to attend Supreme Council meetings of the union . Mediations by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as well as by other UAE rulers reduced differences between Shiekh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum , ruler of Dubai and Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan , ruler of Abu Dhabi .   In 1994 , Abu Dhabi was made the permanent capital of the UAE , and in May 1996 , six years after Rashid bin Saeed al Maktoum 's death , Dubai agreed to a permanent constitution , and one that would unify the armed forces of the UAE . However , Dubai , like Ras al Khaimah , maintains its own judicial courts , which are not subject to governance from the Supreme Court of the UAE .

neg: City-state A city-state is a sovereign state that consists of a city and its dependent territories . Historically , this included cities such as Rome , Athens , Carthage , and the Italian city-states during the Renaissance -- but today only a handful of sovereign city-states exist , with some disagreement as to which are city-states . A great deal of consensus exists that the term properly applies to Singapore , Monaco , and Vatican City .   A number of other small states share similar characteristics , and therefore are sometimes also cited as modern city-states . Namely , Qatar , Brunei , Kuwait , Bahrain , and Malta , which each have an urban center comprising a significant proportion of the population , though , all have several distinct settlements and a designated or de facto capital city . Occasionally , other small states with high population densities , such as San Marino , are also cited , despite lacking a large urban centre characteristic of traditional city-states .   Several non-sovereign cities enjoy a high degree of autonomy , and are sometimes considered city-states . Hong Kong and Macau , along with independent members of the United Arab Emirates , most notably Dubai and Abu Dhabi , are often cited as such .

neg: 2001–02 Birmingham City F.C. season The 2001 -- 02 season was Birmingham City Football Club 's 99th in the Football League . They finished in 5th position in the 24-team Football League First Division , thus qualifying for the play-offs , and were successful in the final , beating Norwich City in a penalty shootout to gain promotion to the Premier League . Birmingham entered the 2001 -- 02 FA Cup at the third round and lost to Liverpool in that round , and after entering the League Cup in the first round , lost to Manchester City in the third .   Trevor Francis was dismissed as manager in October with Birmingham mid-table in the First Division . Mick Mills and Jim Barron acted as caretakers until December , when former Crystal Palace manager Steve Bruce was appointed . French manufacturers Le Coq Sportif supplied Birmingham 's kit for the fourth consecutive season , and mobile phone retailer Phones4U were the new shirt sponsors . Tommy Mooney was top scorer with 15 goals , of which 13 were scored in the league .

neg: Mike Ashley (businessman) Michael James Wallace `` Mike '' Ashley ( born 9 September 1964 ) is an English billionaire retail entrepreneur in the sporting goods market . He is also the owner of Newcastle United after paying around # 135 million to buy the club .   Ranked 15th ( in Britain only ) in the 2012 version of Forbes magazine with estimated wealth of # 1.5 billion , Ashley was seen as an intensely private person , who never attended industry functions or gave interviews . Philip Beresford , who compiles the annual Sunday Times list , said neither he nor his staff have ever managed to contact Ashley , and in 2006 described him as `` easily Britain 's answer to the late Howard Hughes '' .   Since Sports Direct International Plc went public , and his purchase of Newcastle United where he took to sitting in the stands with fans , Ashley took on a more public and accessible persona . However , after the departure of Kevin Keegan as manager and the club 's relegation , he has only made low key appearances when attending Newcastle matches . As of October 2014 , Ashley also owns an 8.92 % stake in Scottish football club Rangers .

neg: City Life (magazine) City Life was a Manchester-based news , arts and listings magazine that was published between December 1983 and December 2005 . It was a distinctive blend of radical politics and coverage of the increasingly exciting Manchester youth culture scene of the early 1980s , coinciding with the rise of Factory Records and The Haçienda .   The magazine was started by a small group of former Manchester University students , Ed Glinert , Chris Paul and Andy Spinoza , on a shoestring budget in a run-down building in Portland Street in the city centre .   Glinert ran spiky and revelatory news stories about city politics and the great and good . Spinoza edited the arts and features and contributed a wide range of interviews and criticism . Paul was production editor and edited the sports section .   When launched in 1983 , the magazine was in a strong tradition of ` alternative ' Manchester publications which included ( in reverse chronology ) , City Fun , Manchester Flash , New Manchester Review and Mole Express , all of whose approach was to publish political and cultural content not reflected in the mainstream media of the city .   Despite City Life 's shoestring beginnings , it developed rapidly in professionalism and grew in prominence and influence in Manchester and beyond . Its life can be divided into two distinct periods , the first being the period 1983-89 when it was run as a workers ' co-operative which grew from the initial founding trio to 16 staff at its peak .   There is a consensus that this ` independent ' period was when the title had a rawer and radical edge than under its later ownership . Its political stories caused consternation and complaints - there were numerous spats with councils , quangos and occasionally blank spaces where legal injunctions had caused stories to be pulled just prior to printing .   Similarly , its arts writing can be seen as a vibrant record of a ground-level cultural renaissance taking place with the opening of new facilities as the Hacienda ( 1982 ) , the Green Room performance venue ( 1984 ) and the Cornerhouse visual arts centre ( 1985 ) ; this upsurge was typified by the imaginative re-using of old and vacant city centre buildings for arts and leisure , and can be seen as a key building block of what was later hailed as the physical regeneration of Manchester city centre through widespread commercial investment and property development .   In 1989 , it was bought by the Guardian Media Group ( GMG ) , publishers of The Guardian and The Manchester Evening News . GMG changed the style of the magazine , focusing more on listings and interviews , and branching out into publishing guide books and sponsoring events such as the City Life Food and Drink Festival and the City Life Comedian of the Year competition .   City Life formed a loose association in 1984/5 with some other regional listings magazines including Due South Magazine ( Southampton ) , Venue ( Bristol ) , Coaster ( Bournemouth ) , and The List ( Glasgow and Edinburgh ) . Of these only Venue and The List survive , having been continually published since 1982 and 1985 respectively .   In November 2005 it was announced that City Life was to close a solus publication , with the edition published on 7 December being the final one .   City Life now lives on as a 20-page supplement every Friday within the Manchester Evening News and continues to be the most read Whats On guide on the North of England ( 333k readers . Source : JICREG April 2014 ) . Its website http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/ regularly generates over a million page views every month from more than 250k unique users ( Source : Omniture September 2014 )   CityLife 's sister title ` CityLife Extra ' is a Free solus publication delivered every Thursday to 16k City Centre apartments and a further 6k copies handed out with the Manchester Evening News . Over half of its 64 pages are devoted to `` Urban Life '' , advertising property for sale in the city .

neg: History of Manchester City F.C. (1880–1928) This page chronicles the history of Manchester City in further detail from its early years in 1880 to 1928 . See Manchester City F.C. for an overview of the football club .

neg: Blackburn Rovers F.C. Blackburn Rovers Football Club -LSB- ˈblækbɜrn_ˈroʊvərz -RSB- is a professional association football club based in Ewood , Blackburn in the county of Lancashire , England . It competes in League One following its relegation from the Championship at the conclusion of the 2016 -- 17 season .   The club was established in 1875 , becoming a founding member of The Football League in 1888 . It is one of only three clubs to have been both a founder member of the Football League and the Premier League ( the others being Aston Villa and Everton ) . In 1890 , Rovers moved to Ewood Park . Blackburn Rovers have been English champions three times , and have won six FA Cups and one Football League Cup . Blackburn are the only extant club to have won three consecutive FA Cups . The club has spent the majority of its existence in the top flight of English football ( 72 years ) .   In 1992 , Rovers gained promotion to the new Premier League a year after being taken over by local entrepreneur Jack Walker , who installed Kenny Dalglish as manager . In 1995 , Rovers became Premier League champions . In the 1998 -- 99 season , the club was relegated . It was promoted back to the Premier League two years later , in the 2000 -- 01 season . It has qualified for the UEFA Cup four times : once as League Cup winners , twice as the Premier League 's sixth-placed team and once via the Intertoto Cup . The 2011 -- 12 season marked the club 's 72nd , non-consecutive , year in the top flight . Rovers are currently one of only six clubs to have won the Premier League , along with Arsenal , Chelsea , Manchester United , Manchester City and Leicester City .   The club 's motto is `` Arte et Labore '' , `` By Skill and Hard Work '' in Latin .

neg: 1983–84 Manchester United F.C. season The 1983 -- 84 season was Manchester United 's 82nd season in the Football League , and their 9th consecutive season in the top division of English football . As FA Cup holders they suffered a shock exit at the hands of Third Division underdogs Bournemouth in the third round , but did reach the semi-finals of the European Cup Winners ' Cup and were narrowly defeated by Juventus . They frequently led the league during the season but eventually finish fourth , having been held to a draw in 14 out of 42 games despite losing just eight times . Perhaps the most memorable game of the season was the European Cup Winners ' Cup quarter-final clash with Barcelona of Spain , a side featuring Diego Maradona . After going 2 -- 0 down in the first leg , United achieved a remarkable 3 -- 0 win in the return leg at Old Trafford .   It was the breakthrough season at the club for young striker Mark Hughes , who scored four times late in the season , and the final season at the club for midfielder Ray Wilkins who exited Old Trafford at the end of the campaign to sign for Milan . Captain Bryan Robson stayed at the club despite an attempt to sign him by Italian side Juventus .   The close season saw the arrival of wingers Gordon Strachan and Jesper Olsen .

neg: Tony Towers Mark Anthony Towers ( born 13 April 1952 ) is an English former professional footballer who played for Manchester City , Sunderland , Birmingham City , Rochdale and England as a midfielder .   Towers made his professional debut five days after his seventeenth birthday in April 1969 , playing for Manchester City in a 3 -- 0 defeat against Southampton . He made a handful of appearances the following season , and scored his first goal , against Leeds United , in one of them . Towards the end of the season , he had a run in the first team , and was part of the team which won the 1970 European Cup Winners Cup . He became a first team regular in the 1970 -- 71 season , acting as a utility player . In 1972 , under Malcolm Allison 's management , Towers settled into a midfield role , usually wearing the number 11 shirt . He was part of the Manchester City side for the 1974 League Cup Final , but the final proved to be his penultimate game for the Manchester club , as two weeks later he transferred to Sunderland in an exchange deal involving Dennis Tueart and Mick Horswill .   Towers made his Sunderland debut against Fulham in March 1974 . His performances at Sunderland resulted in him receiving an England call-up in 1976 for the British Home Championship . He made appearances in the matches against Wales and Northern Ireland , and added a third cap two weeks later in a friendly against Italy .   In the 1977 close season Towers joined Birmingham City for a fee of # 140,000 . He made his Birmingham debut on 20 August 1977 in a 4 -- 1 defeat to Manchester United . He made 92 League appearances for the club , the last coming in 1979 -- 80 . In 1981 , Towers moved to the Montreal Manic of the North American Soccer League ( NASL ) . He remained with Montreal through the 1983 season . He then began the 1984 season with the Tampa Bay Rowdies before being traded to the Vancouver Whitecaps , and then finishing his career back in England with Rochdale .

neg: Ultimate Soccer Manager Ultimate Soccer Manager or USM is a association football management video game serie for MS-DOS , Commodore Amiga and Windows 95 , produced by Impressions and distributed by Sierra from 1995 to 1999 . The game was a massive hit in Europe ( except in Germany , where it was worse received due to some similarities with managers produced by local software houses such as Software 2000 and Ascaron ) , although it gained little support in Japan .   The series was noted for its micromanagement , where the player had to do the job of the team manager and much of that of the chairman , from player training up to bank balance management . Other well-known features were to bung an opposing team for preferential market treatment , rig or betting on the outcome of the players ' team matches . Interviews after the match where some answers were printed with different interpretations on the next days ' newspaper ( the player could reply a question about the game with `` It was a game of two halves '' , and `` He amazed us after the game by giving us an insight into the rules of football '' would be printed on the newspapers ) .   In all three games , the game always kept the same visual style : the main screen is a bird 's eye view of the stadium facility ( where clicking on the grass brings the squad selection screen or in the stands for the stadium builder ) and all screens are presented like the player was inside an office ( TCM 2004 used a similar interface option ) . To increase the feeling of `` being there '' , tables are accessed via teletext , news from a newspaper and fixtures are available by clicking on a sheet attached on a clipboard .   While improving with each game , most features were the same from the start of the series . The game compared favourably in all areas but AI against its leading competitor , Championship Manager . While similar in name , it has no relations with Ultimate Soccer .

neg: Brian Kidd Brian Kidd ( born 29 May 1949 ) is an English football coach and former player , who is currently the co-assistant coach of Manchester City , alongside fellow co-assistants Mikel Arteta and Domènec Torrent , and manager Pep Guardiola .   Under the previous leadership of Manuel Pellegrini , Kidd was the co-assistant manager , alongside Rubén Cousillas .   Kidd 's first spell as assistant manager of the club came under manager Roberto Mancini , who moved Kidd from the youth setup to become his sole assistant manager . After one year , Kidd became a co-assistant , initially alongside Attilio Lombardo and latterly alongside David Platt . Following the departure of Mancini , Kidd had a brief spell as caretaker manager of Manchester City for two games at the close of the 2012 -- 13 season , as well as the USA tour .   Kidd was also assistant to Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson from 1991 to 1998 . In this role he was pivotal in the development of a group of young footballers known as Fergie 's Fledglings . Kidd himself was a former player with United and City , and was a member of Manchester United 's European Cup-winning team in 1968 .

neg: English football bribery scandal The 1905 English football bribery scandal was an event of corruption that surfaced at the conclusion of the 1904-05 football season . It centred on the accusations that Manchester City player Billy Meredith had been offered bribes to purposely lose their final league match of the season against Aston Villa .   It resulted in the manager of Man City ( Tom Maley ) and former Chairman ( W.Forrest ) being banned from English football sine die , 2 directors ( Allison and Davies ) suspended for seven months , a further five directors dismissed , and a total of 17 players were banned from ever playing for the club again . Among the players banned was Billy Meredith , who was banned from football for 18 months and was transferred to City 's local rivals Manchester United before the end of his ban .

neg: Firoz Kassam Firoz Kassam ( born 1955 ) is a British businessman . Born and brought up in Tanzania , of Indian descent , he came to Britain at the age of 19 . He owned Oxford United F.C. from 1999 to 2006 , and was named the 309th wealthiest person in the UK in the Sunday Times Rich List 2009 with an estimated fortune of # 180 million .   Starting out with a fish and chip shop , Kassam made his fortune as a slum hotelier and in the 1980s was labelled a `` merchant of misery '' . He bought run-down London hostels and hotels and was paid by local councils to fill them with homeless people and asylum seekers , until the inmates rebelled over the conditions in which they were being housed .   In 1999 , Kassam bought Oxford United F.C. for # 1 , also taking over its debts , estimated to be in the region of # 13m . In 2000 , he resumed building a 12,500-capacity stadium at Minchery Farm on the edge of Oxford , which he called the Kassam Stadium . Construction of this stadium had actually been in progress since 1997 , but was suspended in the early stages due to the club 's financial problems . The fourth side of the stadium was left empty due to Oxford 's decline in the league , as they had dropped down two divisions while the stadium was being built . The development includes a hotel , cinema , bowling alley , gym , health centre and restaurants . Oxford United played its first game there on 18 August 2001 , in Division Three of the Football League . Kassam sold the football club in 2006 , but retained ownership of the stadium through his company Firoka with Oxford United ( and later also London Welsh RFC ) as tenants . Oxford United 's old home , the Manor Ground in Headington , was sold by Kassam , first to his own holding company for # 6 million , and then to developers for # 12 million in 1999 . The ground has since been demolished and developed into the Manor Hospital , which opened in October 2004 .   Kassam also owns the historic mansion and grounds of Heythrop Park which he purchased in 1999 for # 15m . The site recently underwent a # 50 million rebuilding programme and has been developed into a luxury hotel and spa with an 18-hole championship golf course and restored landscape gardens . In August 2005 , he purchased Studley Castle in Warwickshire , a hotel and conference centre formerly owned by Phoenix Venture Holdings , the consortium who owned carmaker MG Rover from 2000 until 2005 .   In February 2006 , Kassam 's Firoka company was announced as the preferred bidder for the redevelopment of Alexandra Palace in London . The whole Palace would be given to Firoka on a 125-year lease for commercial uses . As it is held on a charitable trust , and Firoka is a private company , this proposal was very controversial . It was subject to agreement of the charity commission , which received 350 objections to the lease to develop a multi-use exhibition , leisure and entertainment complex . On 5 October 2007 in the High Court , Mr Justice Sullivan granted an application by a member of the conservationist Save Ally Pally group to quash the Charity Commission 's Order authorizing the lease .

neg: 1986–87 Manchester United F.C. season The 1986 -- 87 season was Manchester United 's 85th season in the Football League , and their 12th consecutive season in the top division of English football .   The pressure on manager Ron Atkinson after last season 's failed title challenge remained strong after United lost their opening three games of the season , and despite some decent results in the following few weeks , United bowed out of the League Cup in a fourth round replay defeat at Southampton , prompting the dismissal of Atkinson on 6 November 1986 after more than five years in charge .   Alex Ferguson was confirmed as Atkinson 's successor within hours , recruited from Scottish side Aberdeen , where he had enjoyed considerable success in the previous seven years . United recovered well in the league after his appointment and finished 11th , managing to scratch up some impressive results including winning both of their league clashes with Liverpool ( results which helped deprive Kenny Dalglish 's side of the league title ) , a 4 -- 1 home win over Newcastle United on New Year 's Day 1987 , a 2 -- 0 home win over a resurgent Arsenal and a 2 -- 0 win at Old Trafford in the Manchester derby which helped push City towards relegation . Their win at Liverpool also made them the only team to win at Liverpool in the league all season .   However , United were prevented from finishing even higher in the league by a few disappointing results after Ferguson 's arrival , beginning with a 2 -- 0 defeat in their first game under Ferguson at Oxford United , losing both of their clashes with newly promoted Wimbledon , being beaten at Old Trafford by Norwich City just after Christmas and suffering a 4 -- 0 defeat at Tottenham near the end of the season , although by the time of the Tottenham game it was mathematically impossible for United to either win the title or suffer relegation ( there was no prospect of European qualification due to the ongoing ban on English clubs in Europe following the Heysel disaster two years earlier ) . United also failed to win any another away games in the league apart from the visit to Liverpool on Boxing Day .   United 's improvement under Ferguson during the season was achieved without making any major signings , although it was widely expected that he would spend heavily on new players during the 1987 close season . He went on to pay Celtic # 850,000 for high-scoring striker Brian McClair . He strengthened the defence by paying Arsenal # 250,000 for experienced full-back Viv Anderson . Unsuccessful bids were also made for several other players : Ferguson expressed an interest in bringing striker Mark Hateley back to England from Milan , but the player opted to remain overseas and signed for AS Monaco instead . He also made a bid to bring Peter Beardsley back to the club from Newcastle United , but the England international forward instead joined Liverpool for a British record fee . Ferguson was offered the chance to sign Watford winger John Barnes , but declined to make an approach for the player due to his faith in Jesper Olsen in the same position .

neg: Manchester Regional Arena Manchester Regional Arena is a multipurpose stadium in Manchester , England , primarily used for athletics , football and rugby league .

neg: 1936–37 Manchester City F.C. season The 1936 -- 37 season was Manchester City F.C. 's forty-sixth season of league football .