5 h. ago How Chinese ritual uses unboiled egg balancing on mirror or knife to detect spirit possession

Traditional Chinese folk superstition sees some families seek help from “egg-standing exorcists” who try to balance raw eggs on mirrors or kitchen knives to detect spirit possession. If the egg manages to stand upright, legend has it that a wandering spirit has taken over the person’s body. Traditionally, a superstition known as Cai Zhuang Ke, which is often referred to as “spirit possession”, is used to determine whether a sudden illness or extreme lethargy is caused by a wandering spirit or...

Politics

3 d. ago ‘Fundamental disagreement’ with Trump remains over Greenland, Denmark says

A top Danish official said on Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remains with US President Donald Trump after highly anticipated talks in Washington with Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides, however, agreed to create a working group to discuss ways to work through differences as Trump continues to call for a US takeover of the semi-autonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark. “The group, in our view, should focus on how to address the...

Politics

3 d. ago Denmark cites ‘fundamental disagreement’ with Trump over Greenland after White House talks

A top Danish official said on Wednesday that a “fundamental disagreement” over Greenland remained with US President Donald Trump after holding highly anticipated White House talks with Vice-President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The two sides, however, agreed to create a working group to discuss ways to work through differences as Trump continues to call for a US takeover of the semi-autonomous territory of Nato ally Denmark. “The group, in our view, should focus on how to...

Politics

1 week ago South Korea’s Lee Sees Japan Ties as Vital as China Relations

South Korea’s Lee Sees Japan Ties as Vital as China Relations  Bloomberg.com

Politics

1 week ago Trump team praises US media for keeping its Venezuela raid plan secret

In the wake of last weekend’s US military action in Venezuela, the US news media got something it has seldom heard from the Trump administration: a “thank you”. Secretary of State Marco Rubio credited news organisations that had learned in advance about last Saturday’s strike that led to the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro with not putting the mission in jeopardy by publicly reporting on it before it happened. Rubio’s acknowledgement was particularly noteworthy because US Defence...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong receives twice as many mainland Chinese visitors on New Year’s Day

Twice as many mainland Chinese visitors arrived in Hong Kong on New Year’s Day compared with the same day in 2025, with one lawmaker attributing the surge to a three-day holiday across the border this year. Alan Chan Chung-yee, a legislator and chief operating officer of Miramar Group, also said on Friday that deteriorating relations between China and Japan had driven some mainland travellers to visit Hong Kong instead of Japan. “To mainlanders, Hong Kong has a better Christmas atmosphere as the...

Politics

3 w. ago China says it hopes firms seek lawful, balanced solutions over TikTok deal By Reuters

China says it hopes firms seek lawful, balanced solutions over TikTok deal By Reuters  Investing.com

Economics

3 w. ago China says it hopes firms seek lawful, balanced solutions over TikTok deal

China says it hopes firms seek lawful, balanced solutions over TikTok deal  Reuters

Economics

3 w. ago US to grant South Korea exception on nuclear submarine fuel supply

South Korea and the US have agreed to pursue a separate agreement to formalise Seoul’s right to build nuclear-powered submarines, and working-level talks will begin early next year, the Asian country’s national security adviser said on Wednesday. Speaking to reporters after visiting Washington, Wi Sung-lac said he discussed the issue and other security arrangements with senior US officials including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Energy Secretary Chris Wright. His trip was aimed at...

Events

3 w. ago US Secretary of State Rubio seeks to balance relations with Japan, China

US Secretary of State Rubio seeks to balance relations with Japan, China  Asia News Network

Politics

4 w. ago Rubio says won’t force deal on Ukraine as Europeans join Miami talks

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday promised not to force Ukraine into any agreement to end Russia’s invasion as European allies joined fresh talks in Miami. The weekend talks come as Russian President Vladimir Putin in an annual news conference vowed to press ahead with his military offensive in Ukraine, hailing battlefield gains nearly four years into his war. US President Donald Trump’s envoys have pressed a plan in which the United States would offer security guarantees to Ukraine,...

Politics