12 h. ago Chinese woman charged in Paris gold theft from Natural History Museum

A Chinese woman has been arrested and charged over the theft of gold from the Natural History Museum in Paris, in one of several recent high-profile break-ins targeting French cultural institutions, a prosecutor said on Tuesday. The theft – by what the museum’s director at the time said was an “extremely professional team” – took place on September 16, about a month before an audacious jewellery heist at the world-famous Louvre Museum on Sunday. A 24-year-old Chinese woman was arrested in...

Culture

12 h. ago Hong Kong plane crash ‘could lead to manslaughter case if negligence found’

Hong Kong authorities could resort to manslaughter charges, which carry a penalty of life imprisonment, if a cargo plane crash that killed two airport staff members is found to have resulted from gross negligence, legal experts have said. Flight EK9788 veered off a runway during landing at Hong Kong airport on Monday morning and ploughed into the waters, knocking a security patrol vehicle into the sea and killing two people inside. All four crew members of the Emirates flight, which was operated...

Events

12 h. ago Plane crash in Hong Kong ‘could lead to manslaughter case if negligence found’

Hong Kong authorities could resort to manslaughter charges, which carry a penalty of life imprisonment, if a cargo plane crash that killed two airport staff members is found to have resulted from gross negligence, legal experts have said. Flight EK9788 veered off a runway during landing at Hong Kong airport on Monday morning and ploughed into the waters, knocking a security patrol vehicle into the sea and killing two people inside. All four crew members of the Emirates flight, which was operated...

Events

14 h. ago Apple’s iPhone and beauty products lead the charge in record

Alibaba Group Holding kicked off direct sales for its annual Singles’ Day shopping festival on Monday, with initial figures surpassing last year’s performance – a sign of strengthening domestic consumption during China’s biggest online retail event. Since direct sales began on Taobao and Tmall at 8pm on Monday, 80 brands had exceeded 100 million yuan (US$13.8 million) in sales within the first hour, while more than 30,000 brands doubled their takings from a year earlier, according to data...

Politics

14 h. ago ‘Light in our darkest days’: mum of slain Malaysian schoolgirl moved by support

Wong Lee Ping, the grieving mother of 16-year-old Yap Shing Xuen, whose brutal murder on October 14 shocked Malaysia, has expressed profound gratitude for the outpouring of community support, describing it as a beacon of light in our darkest hour. “We are truly touched and humbled by the outpouring of love, support, and presence from all of you during this painful period. Your care has been a light in our darkest days,” Wong expressed in a touching message shared on social media following her...

Politics

16 h. ago 4 smugglers arrested for bringing gold into Japan from Hong Kong in underwear

Four people have been arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle about 8kg of gold worth around 98.7 million yen (US$650,000) from Hong Kong to Japan by concealing gold powder in underwear, sources familiar with the matter revealed on Tuesday. Masamori Nishimura, 34, is believed to have orchestrated the smuggling attempt by instructing three women in their 20s and 30s to wear underwear with concealed gold powder on a flight in July last year, the sources said. The four admitted to the charges,...

Events

22 h. ago How Hong Kong pair landed in Myanmar scam farm ‘living a life worse than death’

Having lived in safe Hong Kong all her life, Nancy never imagined that an overseas job would lead to forced labour in a scam farm, a harrowing experience that lasted for half a year before she could be reunited with her family. “I was living a life worse than death, surviving purely by willpower,” said Nancy, who is in her twenties. Like thousands of others lured to Southeast Asian scam farms, Nancy was hoping to make some quick money when a “friend” referred her for a job making cross-border...

Events

23 h. ago US man who faked death and fled to UK gets at least 5 years for rape

An American who faked his own death and fled to Scotland to evade justice was sentenced Monday to five-years-to-life in prison for raping his ex-girlfriend 17 years ago. Nicholas Rossi, 38, who potentially could spend the rest of his days behind bars, went to great lengths to conceal his identity and flee after committing the rape in the western state of Utah in 2008, authorities said. State Judge Barry Lawrence pointed to this as an “aggravating factor” as he handed down the sentence in a Salt...

Events

26 h. ago Mysterious smoldering wreckage in Australian Outback is likely part of a Chinese rocket

Mysterious smoldering wreckage in Australian Outback is likely part of a Chinese rocket  Space

Events

27 h. ago Trump, Australian PM sign $8.5B critical minerals deal to counter China dominance in rare earths

Trump, Australian PM sign $8.5B critical minerals deal to counter China dominance in rare earths  Fox Business

Politics

29 h. ago Trump downplays Beijing threat to Taiwan as Australia touts rare earths deal

After nearly a year waiting to meet US President Donald Trump, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sought to argue his country’s strategic value Monday – only for the “America first” leader to dominate the encounter by opining that Beijing had no plans to invade Taiwan and posed no real threat in the Indo-Pacific. “China doesn’t want to do that,” he insisted on Taiwan, during a press gaggle alongside Albanese, but later stated that the island will be one of the topics of discussion when...

Politics

35 h. ago Taiwan sets out new rules outlining when troops can shoot down drones

Taiwan has for the first time formally outlined the circumstances under which its troops can shoot down incoming drones. The move is part of a broader effort by the island’s defence ministry to codify its rules of engagement and strengthen its ability to respond to mounting military pressure from mainland China. The new procedures, disclosed in the recently released National Defence Report 2025, set out a four-step standard operating procedure – identification and monitoring, alert and...

Events

37 h. ago What is ‘offering sacrifices to empty coffin’ ritual in Taiwan; why burn figurine

In a Taiwanese folk custom, when two family members die within the same year, straw figurines and duck blood are employed in a special ritual that involves burning an empty paper coffin, aimed at preventing a third death within the family. This traditional practice, known as “Sacrificing to an Empty Coffin”, or ji kong guan in Chinese, is usually conducted during the funeral of the second deceased. Grounded in the folk belief that “bad luck comes in threes,” the ritual seeks to ward off...

Events

38 h. ago Yu Menglong case: Why Chinese actor's death is linked to Beijing Art Museum?

Yu Menglong case: Why Chinese actor's death is linked to Beijing Art Museum?  WION

Events

41 h. ago 'Unprofessional' Chinese fighter jet incident raised with Beijing: Marles

'Unprofessional' Chinese fighter jet incident raised with Beijing: Marles  Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Politics

41 h. ago Hong Kong set for IPO flurry next week with Sany leading the charge

The Hong Kong stock exchange is poised for a blockbuster day next week, as four stocks – including Sany Heavy Industry, China’s largest construction machinery manufacturer – are set to debut, positioning the city to reclaim its status as the world’s top fundraising venue this year. Among the four stocks launching on October 28, Sany Heavy Industry, already listed in Shanghai, aims to raise the highest amount, targeting up to HK$12.36 billion (US$1.59 billion) by offering 580.42 million shares in...

Politics

56 h. ago Man charged after argument turns into deadly shooting in Sumter County

Man charged after argument turns into deadly shooting in Sumter County  WLTX

Events

62 h. ago China Rare Earth Squeeze Sparks Interest In Australian Nickel Assets

China Rare Earth Squeeze Sparks Interest In Australian Nickel Assets  Forbes

Politics

65 h. ago Nobody ‘cares’: a crocodile caused barely a ripple at an Australian resort pool

A crocodile took a dip in a luxury hotel pool in northeastern Australia this weekend but failed to stir guests who relaxed in the sun a few steps away. Video posted on social media showed the juvenile carnivore lying on the bottom of the pool at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort in Port Douglas. “I don’t want to alarm anyone but there is a crocodile in the Sheraton pool,” TikTok user Lisa Keller said in a video showing the scaly predator. A handful of tourists could be seen taking it easy on sun...

Politics

65 h. ago ‘Nobody cares’: crocodile causes barely a ripple in Australian resort pool

A crocodile took a dip in a luxury hotel pool in northeastern Australia this weekend but failed to stir guests who relaxed in the sun a few steps away. Video posted on social media showed the juvenile carnivore lying on the bottom of the pool at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort in Port Douglas. “I don’t want to alarm anyone but there is a crocodile in the Sheraton pool,” TikTok user Lisa Keller said in a video showing the scaly predator. A handful of tourists could be seen taking it easy on sun...

Politics