50 m. ago Japan ‘scary person rental service’ deals with mistresses, debt collection, bullies

A Japanese company has become an online hit for offering a “scary person rental service” to help clients sort out a range of “troubles”. An online user, known in Japan by the handle @yukitichqn, posted screenshots of the service’s web page on social media on August 28. The post has received 300,000 likes and 36,000 reposts. Called a “scary person rental service”, the service rents out menacing-looking members of staff with tattoos, hinting at their potential for violence. The firm promises that...

Economics

60 m. ago ‘Even if I was shot, I was fine with that’: a North Korean’s journey to freedom

A man whose early life in North Korea was so bleak that he was prepared to be shot in the back while making a break for freedom across the Chinese border has told his story after defecting to Japan in 2017. The man is one of many to have become involved with an Osaka-based charity that addresses North Korean human rights issues. The organisation provides speaking opportunities for North Korean defectors on podcasts and other platforms, allowing them to share information about the realities of...

Politics

2 h. ago China dad donates liver part to save baby girl, recovers at home to save money

A young Chinese father has moved countless people online after he donated part of his liver to save his baby daughter. The father, surnamed Shen, then doubled down on his loving and selfless act by staying at home in his rented flat and changing his own bandages post-surgery to cut costs. Shen and his wife, surnamed Tao, who were both born after 2000, married in 2024 in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, in southeastern China. They soon welcomed a daughter, Yiyi, who developed persistent jaundice after...

Society

4 h. ago Chinese flying taxi takes to the skies in Africa as firms eye global roll

A made-in-China automated electric air taxi took off in Africa for the first time this week, as a new generation of Chinese low-altitude aircraft attracts growing interest from global buyers. The product on show was a pilotless electric take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL) made by EHang Holdings, a Nasdaq-listed tech company from the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. It took to the skies during the Aviation Africa Summit and Exhibition, a major industry event involving 34 countries that was...

Economics

6 h. ago As Macao games approach, Brooklyn Nets partner with big Chinese media company on dance team reality show

As Macao games approach, Brooklyn Nets partner with big Chinese media company on dance team reality show  NetsDaily

Politics

8 h. ago Chinese automaker sparks excitement after revealing stats on incredible new model: 'Five stars'

Chinese automaker sparks excitement after revealing stats on incredible new model: 'Five stars'  The Cool Down

Politics

9 h. ago Chinese scientists unveil blueprint for asteroid defense and resource utilization, call for intl collaboration

Chinese scientists unveil blueprint for asteroid defense and resource utilization, call for intl collaboration  China Daily

Events

9 h. ago Anthropic’s Claude restrictions put overseas AI tools backed by China in limbo

An abrupt decision by American artificial intelligence firm Anthropic to restrict service to Chinese-owned entities anywhere in the world has cast uncertainty over some Claude-dependent overseas tools backed by China’s tech giants. After Anthropic’s notice on Friday that it would upgrade access restrictions to entities “more than 50 per cent owned by companies headquartered in unsupported regions” such as China, regardless of where they are, Chinese users have fretted over whether they could...

Politics

10 h. ago US woman who registered dog to vote in 2 elections charged with 5 felonies

A Californian woman accused of registering her dog to vote and casting two ballots in the dog’s name has been charged with five felonies, authorities said on Friday. Laura Lee Yourex, 62, allegedly registered her dog, Maya Jean Yourex, to vote and cast two mail-in ballots – in the 2021 California gubernatorial recall election of California Governor Gavin Newsom and the 2022 primary election, Orange County District Attorney spokeswoman Kimberly Edds said. The first ballot was counted; the second...

Politics

12 h. ago Olympic Champion Pan Zhanle Tries 50 Butterfly On For Size At Chinese Nationals

Olympic Champion Pan Zhanle Tries 50 Butterfly On For Size At Chinese Nationals  SwimSwam

Sport

13 h. ago World expects more Chinese films to present modern China: experts at Venice Film Festival

World expects more Chinese films to present modern China: experts at Venice Film Festival  Xinhua

Culture

16 h. ago Peter Mandelson warns US and UK must unite to halt Chinese tech supremacy

Peter Mandelson warns US and UK must unite to halt Chinese tech supremacy  Financial Times

Events

19 h. ago Reuters deletes video of Xi and Putin talking about longevity after Chinese TV demand

Reuters deletes video of Xi and Putin talking about longevity after Chinese TV demand  Українська правда

Politics

19 h. ago Russia vows to work with China in the Arctic, Beijing pledges AI cooperation

Russia has pledged to deepen Arctic cooperation with China, while Beijing said it was ready to work with Moscow on artificial intelligence (AI), in a continued deepening of ties days after the leaders of the two countries met in the Chinese capital. At the Eastern Economic Forum in its eastern economic hub of Vladivostok, Russia also pledged to deepen its energy and financial infrastructure ties with China and offer a mutual visa-free travel agreement. According to Russian news agency Tass,...

Politics

20 h. ago This Chinese Brand Just Resurrected Its Most Infamous Car As An EV

This Chinese Brand Just Resurrected Its Most Infamous Car As An EV  InsideEVs

Politics

21 h. ago China plotting mission to defend Earth from asteroids: top space researcher

China is planning an advanced mission to strike an asteroid and alter its orbit with a spacecraft to mitigate the threat of an impact, according to a top space researcher. If successful, China will become the second country after the United States to achieve this ability. Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China’s lunar exploration programme and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, revealed this “kinetic impact demonstration mission” on Friday, saying it would test the feasibility...

Events

21 h. ago China designing mission to defend Earth from asteroids: top space researcher

China is planning an advanced mission to strike an asteroid and alter its orbit with a spacecraft to reduce the risk an impact, according to a top space researcher. If successful, China will become the second country after the United States to achieve this ability. Wu Weiren, the chief designer of China’s lunar exploration programme and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, revealed this “kinetic impact demonstration mission” on Friday, saying it would test the feasibility of...

Events

22 h. ago ‘Mosquito’s eyes’ video of China toddler’s daily antics viewed 360 million times

A video featuring a two-year-old girl in China, filmed from a “mosquito’s-eye view” perspective, has garnered 360 million views and 41 million likes, with many internet users declaring it the cutest clip in the world. The footage was initially published in April by the toddler’s mother, who lives in Beijing, before being shared by a domestic camera producer on Instagram, as reported by the Shenzhen-based news portal Dute News. What sets this clip apart from many others showcasing children’s...

Politics

23 h. ago Chinese embassy calls US House Republicans' report targeting China

Chinese embassy calls US House Republicans' report targeting China-US research collaboration 'groundless'  Global Times

Politics

24 h. ago Shanghai spirit for new world order needs to be matched by the West

This time, it was not America’s Franklin D. Roosevelt, Britain’s Winston Churchill and the Soviet Union’s Joseph Stalin meeting in the Crimean city of Yalta to carve up a defeated Germany and reshape the post-war European order. Instead, it was China’s Xi Jinping, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and India’s Narendra Modi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in the Chinese city of Tianjin to consider the implications of a new and non-US-dominated global order. It was a historic occasion...

Politics