Human breast milk exposé

Despite being ruled as not a general market commodity by the Ministry of Health as early as 2000, human milk is being sold online to treat acne or else drunk by others as a health supplement. On August 29, online news media The Paper published an exposé on abuses of the trade of human breast milk, which is labeled for sale to mothers who are unable to produce enough themselves. The Paper warned of the health risks of purchasing these products, many of which have not been screened to relevant health standards.

Primary school-aged boy band disbanded

Panda Boys, a boy band with members ranging from 7 to 11 years old, disbanded just four days after their debut amid public backlash. Netizens accused Asia Starry Sky Group, the agency behind the band, of exploiting their child performers and parents for buying into “idol worship.” , denied the criticism.

Hunan TV suspends host over rape allegations

Last Tuesday, well-known talk show host Qian Feng was suspended by Hunan TV due to accusations of date rape by Xiao Yi, an entertainer who worked for the station. Xiao Yi, who exposed Qian on Weibo, says she met the host while working on his show in 2018, and that Qian invited her to dinner and raped her after getting her drunk.

Mother-killer sentenced to death

On Thursday, the Intermediate People's Court of Fuzhou sentenced Wu Xieyu to death for murdering his mother in 2019, and for fraud and identity theft. The Peking University graduate was famously apprehended in Chongqing's airport in 2019, aged 24, with more than 30 stolen ID cards in his possession, three years after police found his mother dead in her home. Wu's lawyer says he will appeal the verdict.

Actress Zhao Wei cancelled

On Thursday night, multiple online streaming platforms (including Tencent Video, iQiyi and Youku) removed the name of film star and director Zhao Wei from all the hugely popular TV shows she starred in. No reason has been given as yet why the TV superstar (made famous by shows like My Fair Princess) has been scrubbed off the web, but netizens speculate it may be due to ties with disgraced tech firm Alibaba and deposed Hangzhou municipal party secretary Zhou Jiangyong, or else because she had signed recently cancelled film star Zhang Zhehan to her agency.

Drunken man saved by his own snores

A drunk man in Hanzhong, Shaanxi province—who fell off 20-meter cliff but was stopped by tree branches, then fell asleep—was rescued after passersby noticed his thunderous snores and called for help. During the rescue operation, which involved around ten rescuers and more bystanders, the undisturbed man kept sleeping and snoring, and later was found to have suffered only a few bruises

Tibetan antelopes off endangered species list

China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration has announced that Tibetan antelopes are no longer on the country’s list of endangered species. According to the Administration, the number of Tibetan antelopes in China has increased from fewer than 70,000 in the 1980s and 1990s to nearly 300,000 in present day, making the protection level to 'near-threateneed'.

Despite the news, the regulations on protecting Tibetan antelopes will still be in effect. According to Chinese law, the illegal hunting, acquisition, purchase, transport, and sale of rare and endangered wild animals and their products are all illegal.

Shanghai subway seizure-sufferer still psyched for service

A man who suffered a seizure on the morning commute to his job caused a stir when the first thing he said when he came to, his face covered in blood, was that he wanted to go to work. Netizens are viewing it as another example of excessive company control over their workers. Meanwhile on Thursday, the Supreme People's Court ruled that the “996 work schedule” (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week), common in China's tech and other industries, is “a serious violation of the law pertaining to maximum work hours.”

5-year-old calls for rescue after getting trapped in elevator

A 5-year-old girl in Tianmen, Hubei province, was praised by netizens for staying calm and following “textbook” procedures to call for help after getting stuck in an elevator in an apartment building. Calling the emergency number 119 from her smart watch, the girl clearly stated her location and the floor she was on, even describing a hotel nearby, to help the firefighters find her.