Day: July 6, 2026

China sentences official to death for taking $325m in bribes

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A court in eastern China has sentenced a former city official to death for taking more than 2.2bn yuan ($325m; £243m) in bribes over 30 years. Yang Youlin, who served in various positions in Nanjing city from 1993 to 2023, was also convicted of embezzlement, abuse of power and money laundering, with his ill-gotten gains amounting to one of the highest in recent years. The 69-year-old exploited his roles to help others secure engineering contracts, land transfers and financing, in exchange for money and valuables, said state media. Yang was…

8 dead, 1 missing in China tornado, days after warning of extreme weather ahead

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Eight people have died and one remains missing after rainstorms and tornadoes hit central China, while rescue parties in the south are continuing to evacuate residents amid flood warnings. Meteorologists warn that China faces “complex” flood prevention challenges this year, with heavy rain, typhoons, flooding and other geological disasters happening across the country. Parts of the central province of Hubei were hit with strong winds and rain on Monday night, according to the provincial Department of Emergency Management on Tuesday. In its easternmost city Huanggang, 173 people were injured, while…

Before we hail Hong Kong cinema’s return, let’s ensure its survival

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The Furious, Hong Kong’s latest action flick, is crushing it on Rotten Tomatoes and has garnered critical acclaim abroad – proof of what human-centric filmmaking can still deliver in today’s market. But before we rush to hail the return of Hong Kong cinema, a new breed of drama factory is quietly generating content at a velocity no human team could ever match. In mainland China, micro dramas generated by artificial intelligence (AI) have turned the industry upside down. A production schedule that once demanded months from a full crew can…

What does China’s long-range missile test in the South Pacific mean for Australia? | David Vallance

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At 12.01pm on Monday, a People’s Liberation Army Navy submarine test fired a ballistic missile into the South Pacific nuclear-free zone. This is the second time China has conducted a ballistic missile test in the Pacific in two years. Coming on the day Fiji became Australia’s fourth formal treaty ally, after the US, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, this test’s timing is interesting. It reads as a provocation at best, outright coercion at worst. It is not likely this was a spur-of-the-moment test. Even for a military whose sophistication…

Taiwan revives ‘anti-communist’ training for its military graduates after 24 years

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Taiwan has revived its “anti-communist patriotic education” programme for military academy graduates, reflecting growing concern over Beijing’s efforts to infiltrate the island’s armed forces after a string of espionage cases involving service members. The compulsory five-day course, held from July 1 for graduates of Taiwan’s eight military academies, restores the programme’s original name after a 24-year hiatus. Introduced in 1965, the programme was renamed “patriotic education” in 2002 but has reverted to its original title as the military seeks to strengthen awareness of security threats from Beijing. The defence ministry…

Chinese government tells critics not to ‘overinterpret’ missile test in Pacific as criticism grows

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China’s missile test in the Pacific did not comply with international law and was conducted with “insufficient notice” to nearby countries, official in the US and Australia have said, amid growing international condemnation. But a Chinese government spokesperson claimed the test was “safe” and part of “routine” military training, telling critics to “not over-interpret it.” China’s state news agency Xinhua reported the test involved “strategic missile carrying a dummy warhead” launched from a “strategic nuclear submarine of the navy”. China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, according to a translated version…

Norway urges China to help bring Russia to Ukraine peace talks

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Norway wants China to use its ⁠ties to the Russian ⁠leadership to help bring about ⁠a negotiated settlement to the war in Ukraine, also for the sake of better relations with Europe, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere said on Monday. “China is probably the country with the ‌best and most direct access to the Russian leadership. We expect, hope and strongly urge China to use that channel,” he told reporters after meeting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Oslo. The biggest chunk of their discussion was devoted to Ukraine,…

Can China repeat its EV success with robotaxis?

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Chinese companies are expanding globally, and fast. Their biggest commercial competitors are in the US. Waymo, Alphabet’s robotaxi business, remains the commercial leader, operating paid driverless services in several US cities. Amazon-owned Zoox and Tesla are expanding more cautiously, while Uber has abandoned the development of its own autonomous vehicles, which had been marred by a fatal accident in 2018. Uber, and its ride-hailing rival Lyft, are now partnering with Chinese firms. That gives them automatic “access to millions of customers that they wouldn’t have if they created their own…

Canada picks German firm for new submarine fleet, South Korean competitor loses out

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In a closely watched outcome, Canada on Monday chose a major German defence contractor over its South Korean competitor to build a US multibillion-dollar fleet of submarines, as mid-tier nations increasingly work together in the face of a less reliable United States. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that Ottawa chose Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS)’s package over Hanwha Ocean Company’s. The move is expected to strengthen ties between Canada and Nato, which is holding a two-day summit in Ankara, Turkey, starting on Tuesday. “As part of our commitments to defend…

Trump hints at public ‘contribution’ from US AI firms, sparking speculation

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US President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that leading American artificial intelligence companies would make a public “contribution” to the country, offering few details but fuelling speculation about a greater government role in the booming industry. Speaking in the Oval Office on Monday morning, Trump said tech companies “making tremendous amounts of money” will be making “a contribution to the people of our country”. “We’re going to have guardrails … You know that. But [AI] can be used for tremendous good. And mostly good, and some bad,” he said. Trump…