17 h. ago China awards winners of Beijing International Children’s Film Festival

China awards winners of Beijing International Children’s Film Festival  TV BRICS

Society

19 h. ago Hong Kong court orders authorities to review murderer’s life sentence anew

A Hong Kong court has ordered authorities to review a murder convict’s life sentence anew after finding it wrong in law for them to oppose his early release just because he has not served enough time. Lo Hon-hing on Wednesday won a judicial challenge in the High Court that compels the Long-term Prison Sentences Review Board to adopt a “holistic” approach in assessing his suitability for early release, also taking into account his rehabilitation and the risk he poses to society. The ruling does...

Events

20 h. ago China toy platform refund policy requires parents slap child for unapproved spending

A major Chinese second-hand platform has sparked online controversy after allegedly requiring a mother to submit an uninterrupted five-minute video of herself slapping her child as a condition for processing a refund. The case drew public attention when Li Yun, the mother of an unidentified 11-year-old girl, tried to get a refund after discovering that her daughter had secretly spent over 500 yuan (US$70) on trading cards on the Qiandao app. Qiandao is widely regarded as China’s leading platform...

Society

22 h. ago Russia launches deadly barrage on Ukraine after Putin–Trump summit shelved

Russia launched multiple drone and missile strikes on Ukraine as the latest peace attempts by US President Donald Trump appeared to be floundering. The attack killed at least six civilians, including two children, with more than a dozen injured across the country in the early hours of Wednesday, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a post on X. Zelensky said that 10 regions came under attack, including Kyiv, Odesa and Dnipro, adding that while the attack primarily targeted energy...

Politics

23 h. ago Return to China of cancer researcher Wang Qianben reunites esteemed family

The recent return to China of cancer researcher and professor Wang Qianben marks the reunion of a family of high-achieving Chinese scientists and the culmination of a decades-long journey for Wang Qi, a renowned traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) researcher in Beijing In the 1970s, Wang Qi bestowed upon his two sons names laden with ambition – Wang Qianfei (“to fly forward”) and Wang Qianben (“to run forward”). Now, both his children have returned home from the United States as distinguished...

Science

23 h. ago 12 Hong Kong children hospitalised with flu prompt urgent vaccination calls

Twelve children have been admitted to intensive care with influenza since September, Hong Kong’s health minister has said, urging parents to arrange vaccinations as soon as possible. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau renewed calls for flu vaccination on Wednesday after two more severe paediatric cases were reported on consecutive days, both involving two-year-old children. Lo said the summer flu season begun unusually late, in early September, and warned of a possible overlap between the summer...

Science

23 h. ago Severe flu cases among Hong Kong children prompt urgent vaccination calls

Twelve children have been hospitalised with severe influenza since September, Hong Kong’s health minister has said, urging parents to arrange vaccinations as soon as possible. Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau renewed calls for flu vaccination on Wednesday after two more severe paediatric cases were reported on consecutive days, both involving two-year-old children. Lo said the summer flu season has started unusually late, in early September. He warned of a possible overlap between the summer...

Politics

23 h. ago Sixfold surge in flu outbreaks at Hong Kong schools as 13 severe cases reported

Hong Kong schools have reported a more than sixfold surge in influenza outbreaks since the start of the academic year compared with the winter flu season earlier this year, with 13 children hospitalised since September. The government renewed its calls on Wednesday for children to receive flu jabs after another three severe paediatric cases were reported on consecutive days. The Centre for Health Protection said the latest severe case involved an 11-year-old girl who had previously been in good...

Science

36 h. ago California man Sun Yaoning to plead guilty to acting as Chinese agent

A California man has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government in Southern California while working as a campaign adviser for a local politician. Sun Yaoning, also known as Mike Sun, is expected to appear in court in Los Angeles on Monday to enter his plea under a deal with federal prosecutors, according to a copy of the agreement available in online court records. It was signed by Sun, his lawyer and a prosecutor earlier this month. If the plea is accepted...

Politics

43 h. ago From pledges to policy: Indonesia’s Prabowo marks 1 year in office

As Prabowo Subianto marks his first year as Indonesia’s president, the former general is grappling with the challenge of turning his populist campaign promises into lasting policy. While early initiatives such as free meals for children have drawn praise, concerns over civil liberties, economic sluggishness and foreign policy decisions threaten to overshadow his administration’s achievements. Prabowo, who was sworn in on October 20 last year, campaigned on a platform of ambitious social...

Events

44 h. ago Ryan Adams calls Australia ‘worst country ever’ after Melbourne meltdown

US singer-songwriter Ryan Adams has labelled Australia as the “worst country ever” in an expletive-laden tirade after wrapping up a controversial anniversary tour, while also hinting he may have played his final international gig. Adams recently performed in Australia and New Zealand to mark the 25th anniversary of his debut solo album, Heartbreaker, but the shows were marred by his tirade against fans, who called the October 12 concert in Melbourne a “train wreck” after he abruptly stormed off...

Politics

45 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

52 h. ago Chinese mum dies saving baby from South Korea fire caused by woman’s pest hunt

A woman in her 30s died after saving her two-month-old baby from a fire accidentally started by a neighbour attempting to kill a cockroach using a lighter and spray in Osan, South Korea’s Gyeonggi province, police said on Monday. According to Osan police station, the fire broke out around 5.35am on Monday in a mixed-use building where a woman in her 20s, identified only by her surname A, lived on the second floor. She tried to catch a cockroach by spraying flammable mist and igniting it with a...

Events

53 h. ago Outrage in China as reports surface of human teeth found in sausages, dim sum

Multiple instances of diners discovering human teeth in food have reignited food safety concerns in China. On October 13, a woman reported finding a row of three artificial human teeth in a sausage she bought for her child in northeastern China’s Jilin province. She bought the grilled sausage from an outdoor stall. Initially, the vendor denied that the teeth were present when the sausage was sold but later apologised after local market supervision authorities became involved. On the same day,...

Politics

3 d. ago Chinese scientists discover secret to healthy ageing in naked mole

The remarkable longevity and disease resistance of naked mole rats are linked to a version of a protein involved in DNA repair that is also found in humans, Chinese scientists have discovered. The team led by researchers from Shanghai’s Tongji University found that introducing this modified protein in flies and mice reduced the genetic damage associated with ageing and helped to extend lifespan, according to results of their study published earlier this month. Their findings suggest that the...

Science

3 d. ago Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: educator with a trailblazing holistic approach

When Hongkonger Joanne Fong Tze-hang was six, she realised after watching her uncle care for animals that if love could change them, it could change people too. That was when she decided she wanted to be an educator. As the principal of HHCKLA Buddhist Chan Shi Wan Primary School today, Fong said she believes education should prepare children not merely to excel in exams but, more importantly, to grow as thoughtful, compassionate individuals. “Academic performance matters, but a child’s...

Events

3 d. ago Japanese mum, 34, struggles to raise 6 sons, spends US$4,600 a month on family

A woman in eastern Japan with six handsome sons has been coping with the enormous challenge of spending 700,000 yen (US$4,600) a month to keep her family afloat. Recently, the Japanese variety show Mum’s Secret Garden produced by ABEMA featured the 34-year-old mother. Her name is Monko and she is from Chiba prefecture just east of Tokyo, and she went viral thanks to her beautiful looks. At just 16, she reportedly gave birth to her first son, Ryuki, and dropped out of school to care for...

Economics

3 d. ago “Suitcase of Cash” and Secret Meeting Deepen Britain’s Beijing Espionage Crisis

“Suitcase of Cash” and Secret Meeting Deepen Britain’s Beijing Espionage Crisis  The Bureau | Sam Cooper | Substack

Events

3 d. ago 3 held in Hong Kong as new smuggling tactic of dropping cocaine at sea uncovered

Hong Kong police have arrested three men after discovering around 69kg of suspected cocaine worth HK$42 million, with traffickers believed to have hired divers to retrieve the drugs from near-shore waters, a tactic encountered by officers for the first time. A police spokesman said on Sunday that officers had conducted an anti-drug operation in Tsing Yi near Stonecutters Bridge the previous day and spotted three men loading three large bags into a suspicious private car. They stopped the trio...

Politics

3 d. ago Japanese man pays US$4,000 for date with idol, discovers bodyguard is her husband

A man in Japan paid 600,000 yen (US$4,000) for a dream date with his favourite idol, only to discover that a bodyguard she had in tow was her husband. Touka Toozuki, an underground idol from Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo, is known for her petite frame and sweet looks. Unlike mainstream pop stars, underground idols perform in small local venues and manage themselves without big talent agencies. Toozuki has built a following of more than 80,000 on social media, where she describes herself as...

Economics