News & Politics

A quiet suburb of Chengdu was thrust into the national spotlight this summer when a 74‑year‑old retiree, identified only by his surname Li, was duped into signing a contract to become a live‑streaming e‑commerce seller. The agreement, marketed as an “AI‑enhanced live‑streaming” opportunity, required Li to pay a fee of 2,690 yuan (about $380). The price of the promise was modest, but the betrayal of trust has ignited a firestorm of outrage across China’s social‑media landscape and sparked fresh calls for stricter oversight of the country’s booming live‑stream commerce sector.

News & Politics

China’s “First Cup of Milk Tea” Craze Overloads Delivery Riders and Triggers Labor and Sustainability Concerns

When the Chinese solar term Lìqiū – the official start of autumn – rolled around the first week of August, social‑media feeds in China lit up with a new kind of headline: “Victims of the first cup of milk tea in autumn have appeared.” What began as a cheeky meme has morphed into a nationwide conversation about a seasonal rush that is straining everything from delivery riders to printed receipts, and raising questions about consumer culture, labour practices and even environmental policy.

A sudden mudslide struck the remote village of Malian 滩 in Mapo Township, Yuzhong County, on the outskirts of Lanzhou, Gansu Province, late on August 7. Around 10:20 p.m., continuous heavy rain triggered a torrent of earth and debris that swept through the hillside, engulfing homes and roads. Local officials quickly confirmed that three residents have been swept away and remain missing, prompting an urgent search-and-rescue operation that continues even as the downpour shows no sign of abating.