25 m. ago China boy in blackboard plea for used bottle donations to fund sick mum’s treatment

A Chinese secondary school pupil who asked his classmates to save their used water bottles so he could sell them to help ease his family’s financial position has been praised online. The plea in the form of a blackboard message was written by a Grade Two pupil at No 5 Middle School in Huainan, in eastern Anhui province. His request went viral on social media at the end of November after fellow pupils shared it online, the Xiaoxiang Morning Herald reported. “My fellow students in Grade Three,...

Politics

65 m. ago Hong Kong blaze may have started on scaffolding between first and second floor

The fire that tore through the Wang Fuk Court housing estate in Tai Po and killed at least 159 may have started on scaffolding between the first and second floors of one of the blocks, according to preliminary investigations by Hong Kong fire services. The city’s fire services director also said a life-size replica of the floors in question might be built to help determine the exact ignition point. Andy Yeung Yan-kin revealed the preliminary findings in a group interview with mainland Chinese...

Politics

2 h. ago Operation Santa Claus backs expansion of Hong Kong teen counselling project

A project offering counselling to teenagers with depression and anxiety in Hong Kong will be expanded next year to reach more students, after about half of those it has helped showed no further signs of mental health problems, according to a local charity. Mind HK, the charity running the three-year initiative, also offers psychological support to people affected by the inferno at Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po, where at least 159 people were killed and 79 others injured after a blaze swept through...

Politics

2 h. ago Chinese Navy accuses Japan of interfering with training operations

Chinese Navy accuses Japan of interfering with training operations  chinadailyasia.com

Politics

2 h. ago Japan and Australia urge calm after Chinese radar locks on Japanese jets

Japan and Australia urge calm after Chinese radar locks on Japanese jets  InformNNY.com

Politics

3 h. ago Japan says Chinese fighter jets directed radar at its aircraft

Japan says Chinese fighter jets directed radar at its aircraft  Anadolu Ajansı

Politics

4 h. ago Why Chinese believe morally, ‘It’s better to marry a widow than a divorced woman’

A harsh folk saying from ancient China goes, “it is better to marry a widow than a divorced woman,” or Ning qu gua fu, bu qu sheng qi in Chinese. The expression reflects the rigid and often brutal moral standards that historically governed women’s lives. Literally, the phrase suggests that a man would rather marry a widow than a woman who had been cast off by her husband. The term sheng qi referred to a wife who was still alive but had been dismissed, implying that she was at fault or carried...

Politics

5 h. ago Chinese phonemakers seize on Apple’s AI struggles to grab market share

Chinese phonemakers seize on Apple’s AI struggles to grab market share  Financial Times

Politics

6 h. ago Tokyo accuses Chinese fighters of locking on Japanese jets northeast of Taiwan

A rare military confrontation occurred in the waters northeast of Taiwan near the Miyako Strait on Saturday when Japan claimed that Chinese naval fighters had conducted intermittent fire-control radar illumination – a tactical precursor to missile engagement – on its F-15J fighter jets. According to Japan’s Ministry of Defence, J-15 fighters launched from China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier performed two separate instances of radar targeting. The first incident happened between 4.32pm and 4.35pm...

Politics

7 h. ago Macron pins video of highlights from China visit, posts ‘Thank you China for your warm welcome!’ in Chinese

Macron pins video of highlights from China visit, posts ‘Thank you China for your warm welcome!’ in Chinese  Global Times

Politics

8 h. ago ByteDance’s agentic AI smartphone dials up a digital backlash by China’s top apps

ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has moved to tighten controls on its artificial intelligence-powered smartphone after several of China’s most widely used apps restricted its voice-operated functions. The company said it had scaled back the capabilities of Doubao, the agentic AI that runs on the device. In a statement issued on Friday, ByteDance said it would prevent the Nubia M153 AI phone from claiming incentives that were intended for active human users. It was also disabling the assistant’s...

Politics

8 h. ago First ‘home cat’ reached China 1,400 years ago via Tang dynasty Silk Road

From temple courtyards to trendy cafes, cats have long captivated hearts in China. Now, scientists have shed light on the pet’s origin in the country, suggesting its earliest presence dates back to the Tang dynasty (618-907), with its arrival via the Silk Road. A Tang dynasty provincial governor was recorded as the first person in Chinese history to name his dozens of cats. The avid cat lover also set aside a large area at home to play with them. Wu Zetian, China’s first and only woman emperor,...

Politics

9 h. ago China’s Pudu Robotics rolls out overseas charm offensive with robot dog

A pale-grey, nearly one-metre-tall, four-legged robot drew crowds at Tokyo’s International Robot Exhibition, lowering itself down some steps before lifting its right foreleg as if to greet onlookers. It rolled around one of the exhibition halls on wheels, avoiding obstacles in its path. The quadruped, dubbed the D5, is the latest model unveiled on Wednesday by Chinese robot maker Pudu Robotics at IREX – a biennial industry showcase at Tokyo Big Sight from December 3 to 6. It is Pudu’s second...

Politics

9 h. ago ‘Crafting process’ sees China woman get handmade doll’s eyes a decade after ordering

A Chinese woman who bought handmade doll’s eyes online has received the goods 10 years after placing the original order. The woman, surnamed Li, posted online that she recently received the custom-made products she bought online in 2015. She had completely forgotten about the order. Li received a text message from the online shop on November 25, notifying her about their arrival. She paid 515 yuan (US$73). The shop told her it would take two years for the eyes to be handmade overseas. Li agreed...

Politics

10 h. ago Wall Street Bets Chinese Stocks Will Extend $2.4 Trillion Rally

Wall Street Bets Chinese Stocks Will Extend $2.4 Trillion Rally  Bloomberg.com

Politics

11 h. ago The story of Paris’ famed Chinese restaurant Davé and its Hong Kong

The story of Paris’ famed Chinese restaurant Davé and its Hong Kong-born owner  South China Morning Post

Politics

11 h. ago Chinese fighter jets directed radar at Japanese aircraft, Japan says

Chinese fighter jets directed radar at Japanese aircraft, Japan says  Reuters

Politics

12 h. ago Chinese scientists develop promising stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s

Chinese medical experts have created an ultra-efficient stem cell approach to Parkinson’s disease, raising prospects for treatment for a condition for which there is no known cure. Parkinson’s disease is often referred to as a “movement disorder”. Its symptoms are caused by the brain failing to generate enough dopamine, due to the death or impairment of the neurons responsible for producing the chemical. While researchers around the world are exploring stem cell therapies to replenish lost...

Politics

14 h. ago Chinese Hospital Ship Visits Jamaica As US Gunboats Ply Caribbean

Chinese Hospital Ship Visits Jamaica As US Gunboats Ply Caribbean  gCaptain

Politics

17 h. ago Hong Kong national security law provision used for first time to make arrest

Hong Kong’s national security police have arrested a 71-year-old man on suspicion of disclosing details of one of their probes, invoking a provision that covers prejudicing such investigations for the first time. Police said the National Security Department conducted an enforcement operation on Saturday, and the suspect was arrested. He was accused of violating the provision of “no prejudicing of investigation of offences endangering national security” under Section 88 of the Safeguarding...

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