Author: Andrew Rogers

Beijing experienced a major tourism boost during the 2025 Golden Week holiday. The city hosted 119,000 overseas arrivals, a 48% increase compared to the previous year. Tourist spending also rose sharply, reaching 1.23 billion yuan, up 54.1% year-on-year. The surge reflects growing international interest in Beijing as a travel destination. Cultural attractions, historical landmarks, and festive events during Golden Week attracted large crowds of both domestic and foreign visitors. Hotels and hospitality services reported high occupancy rates. Many hotels introduced special packages and promotions to accommodate the influx of tourists. Travel agencies noted strong demand for guided tours and sightseeing…

China’s inbound tourism surged dramatically in the first half of 2025, thanks to its expanded visa-free entry policy. The policy, now applicable to citizens from 74 countries, contributed to a 53.9% increase in international visitors, totaling 13.64 million travelers. The growth highlights China’s efforts to reopen its borders and attract global tourists after years of travel restrictions. Easing visa requirements has made the country a more accessible destination for vacationers, business travelers, and cultural explorers alike. China’s visa-free entry initiative allows eligible travelers to visit major cities and scenic regions without lengthy visa procedures. Travelers from Europe, Asia, North America,…

A Chinese vessel deliberately rammed a Philippine government ship near Thitu Island in the South China Sea, Manila’s coast guard reported on Sunday. The incident highlights ongoing tensions in the region, where China claims nearly all waters despite an international ruling rejecting its extensive territorial claims. The Philippine coast guard said the collision occurred at 9:15 a.m. when a Chinese coast guard ship first fired its water cannon at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, a government vessel managed by Manila’s fisheries bureau. Just three minutes later, the Chinese vessel intentionally struck the stern of the Philippine boat, causing minor structural damage.…

Beijing’s housing market is showing signs of stress as the city grapples with an economic slowdown. Property prices in the capital have declined in recent months, while buyer demand has weakened, creating uncertainty in the real estate sector. Experts say these trends are linked to broader economic challenges, including slower industrial growth and tightening credit conditions. For years, Beijing has been one of the most active property markets in China, attracting investors and homebuyers from across the country. Rapid urbanization and population growth had fueled a long period of rising property prices. However, recent economic indicators suggest that the pace…

Women who skip their first breast cancer screening appointment are 40% more likely to die from the disease, according to a major study from Sweden. Researchers at the Karolinska Institute tracked around 500,000 women who received their first mammogram invitation between 1991 and 2020. Published in the British Medical Journal, the study followed participants for up to 25 years. Nearly one in three women (32%) did not attend their first screening. These women were more likely to miss future screenings, be diagnosed with advanced-stage cancer, and face a higher mortality rate — 9.9 deaths per 1,000 over 25 years, compared…

The world’s oceans have crossed a critical boundary for marine life, according to the latest annual assessment from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. The 2025 Planetary Health Check found that ocean acidity has risen by 30-40% since the industrial era, largely due to fossil fuel emissions. This marks the seventh of nine planetary boundaries now breached, alongside climate change, land use, and freshwater stress. Scientists warn that cold-water corals, tropical reefs, and Arctic ecosystems are particularly at risk. Acidification weakens marine organisms’ ability to build shells and skeletons, threatening oysters, molluscs, clams, and indirectly species like salmon and…

Amazon will shut all 19 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, just four years after opening the first in London. Five of the outlets will be converted into Whole Foods Market stores, as the company shifts its focus to the organic grocery chain it acquired in 2017. The Fresh concept, launched in Ealing in 2021, allowed shoppers to leave without using tills by tracking items with cameras and sensors. But demand waned after the pandemic, and Amazon failed to compete with established supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s. The company did not confirm how many staff will be…

Vodafone franchisees warned in 2020 that commission cuts were affecting their mental health, four years before a group of 62 launched a £120m high court claim. A survey of 119 franchisees revealed stress, anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and low trust in the company. The claim alleges Vodafone “unjustly enriched” itself at the expense of small business owners, some of whom reported personal debts over £100,000 and suicidal thoughts. Vodafone says it “strongly refutes” the allegations and describes the case as a “commercial dispute,” while also launching a fourth investigation into its franchising division.

Europe is considering a “drone wall” along its eastern flank to counter Russian aerial threats, particularly in the Baltic region. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius have emphasized the project as critical for credible defence, with talks planned among EU defence ministers to coordinate implementation. The initiative involves Poland, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, aiming to integrate multilayered anti-drone systems into national and NATO defences. At the core of the project is Eirshield, developed by Estonian company DefSecIntel and Latvia’s Origin Robotics. The system combines radars, cameras, and AI-driven automation to detect and…

Massive Attack have removed their catalogue from Spotify in protest at founder Daniel Ek investing €600m (£520m) in the military AI company Helsing. Ek’s firm, Prima Materia, led Helsing’s latest funding round, with the company developing AI technology for battlefield analysis and military drones. The band said the decision was driven by a “moral and ethical burden,” arguing that revenue from their work on the platform ultimately funds lethal technologies. The announcement coincided with their support of the No Music for Genocide initiative, a campaign where over 400 artists and labels block music from streaming services in Israel. Massive Attack…