Chinese Sculptor Gao Zhen Arrested and Tried for Insulting Revolutionary Heroes
Chinese artist Gao Zhen was arrested in Beijing in mid-2024 on charges of insulting revolutionary heroes and martyrs due to his sculptures satirizing Mao Zedong.Gao, who emigrated to the United States in 2022, was detained at his studio on the outskirts of Beijing while visiting with his family.Authorities seized his artworks and prevented his wife and seven-year-old son from leaving China.Last month, Gao faced a secretive trial with limited media coverage on suspicion of insulting revered revolutionary figures, a charge that could result in up to three years in prison.Local media reports at the time described him as a "so-called... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 20 Apr 2026 01:00 LONDON
China's Economy Grows Faster Than Expected in Q1 2026 Despite Iran War Impact
China's economy expanded by 5% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, surpassing economists' forecasts despite ongoing global disruptions linked to the US-Israel war with Iran.Official data released on April 16 showed GDP growth exceeded the anticipated 4.8% figure.This marks the first official GDP release since Beijing lowered its annual growth target to between 4.5% and 5% in March, the lowest since 1991.The growth rebound from the previous quarter's 4.5% was primarily driven by manufacturing, with exports such as cars identified as a significant positive factor.However, the economy continues to face challenges, including a decline in property investment.The timing of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 16 Apr 2026 06:42 LONDON
Chinese national sentenced to one year for smuggling live queen ants out of Kenya
A Chinese national, Zhang Kequn, has been sentenced to one year in prison and fined 1 million Kenyan shillings for attempting to smuggle over 2,000 live queen garden ants out of Kenya.The sentencing took place at a Nairobi court on April 15, 2026.Zhang was arrested at Nairobi's main airport in March while trying to travel to China with the ants concealed in his luggage.He initially pleaded not guilty but later changed his plea to guilty.The court described Zhang as not "entirely honest" and lacking remorse.Judge Irene Gichobi emphasized the need for a stiff deterrent sentence due to rising cases of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 15 Apr 2026 18:39 LONDON
Founder of China's Evergrande Pleads Guilty to Fraud Charges
Hui Ka Yan, founder of the Chinese property developer Evergrande, has pleaded guilty to embezzlement and corporate bribery charges during a public hearing held on 13 and 14 April 2026 in Shenzhen.The Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court confirmed that the verdict will be announced at a later date.Hui expressed remorse during the hearing, which was reported by Chinese state media.Evergrande's collapse in 2021 triggered a significant slump in China's property market, affecting investors and domestic banks.At the time, the company had around 1,300 projects across 280 cities and was known as the world's most indebted property developer with debts of approximately... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 14 Apr 2026 08:06 LONDON
Opinion: US Should Seek Cooperation with China on AI Development
A recent opinion piece argues that the United States cannot surpass China in artificial intelligence (AI) development and should instead pursue cooperation with Beijing.The article highlights China's significant progress in AI technology, suggesting that American leaders reconsider their current competitive stance.It emphasizes that collaboration could be more beneficial than rivalry in advancing AI capabilities.The piece draws on observations from a visit to China, noting the country's advancements in AI research and applications.It calls for a shift in US policy to adapt to the evolving technological landscape shaped by China's growth.This perspective matters as AI is a critical area of technological... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 14 Apr 2026 02:42 LONDON
Estonian Intelligence Warns EU Influencers of Chinese Recruitment via Fully Funded Trips
Estonia's domestic intelligence agency has issued a warning about China's use of fully funded trips and professional networking platforms to recruit European Union politicians, academics, and journalists.The agency highlighted that these trips, often lavishly hosted by the Chinese Embassy, may carry implicit expectations that could compromise journalistic freedom and independence.The Estonian Internal Security Service, known as Kapo, detailed in its annual report that China invites Estonian citizens on all-expenses-paid visits to various provinces, including Nanjing and Suzhou.These visits are designed to influence participants and create opportunities for recruitment by Chinese intelligence services.Kapo noted that in October 2025, the Chinese Academy... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 13 Apr 2026 14:33 LONDON
The Madness of Power, From Balfour to the Edge of World War Three
A Voice in the Wilderness of War: Who Still Dares to Speak Truth While Empires March There are moments in history when the world suddenly accelerates toward disaster, moments when anyone who has studied history can feel the temperature rising even before the explosions reach their peak. The current escalation in the Middle East is one of those moments. According to the facts we now see unfolding, the United States and Israel made the unilateral decision to attack Iran without the approval of the United Nations, without a global coalition mandate, and without the support of most of the international... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 06 Mar 2026 17:20 LONDON
The Proving Ground, When “Decent” Reporting Meets High-Tech Warfare
For two decades I have watched wars unfold not only on battlefields, but on screens. Today’s incident over Kuwait, involving the downing of a U.S. F-15 Strike Eagle, is not just another headline in the Iran conflict. It may be a signal that something larger is unfolding behind the noise. Iranian state outlets rapidly circulated imagery of an ejected pilot. Washington responded cautiously. But beneath the spectacle lies a deeper question, whose technology was truly being tested? The Gulf as a live-fire laboratory For years, China has refined export-ready variants of its air defense systems, particularly the HQ-9 family and... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 02 Mar 2026 09:36 LONDON
Shadows of Fire: The Long Arc of Iran–United States Tensions
A Region on Edge: The Latest Escalation In recent months, tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified once again, fueled by disputes over regional security, nuclear development, maritime incidents in the Persian Gulf, and the broader strategic balance in the Middle East. Officials in Washington have expressed renewed concern over Iran’s uranium enrichment levels, while leaders in Tehran have accused the United States of economic warfare through sanctions and diplomatic isolation. The fragile equilibrium that followed earlier rounds of indirect negotiations appears increasingly strained, with both sides engaging in sharp rhetoric at the United Nations, reinforcing military postures... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 19 Feb 2026 08:49 LONDON
There Is Good in Every Bad
Power, Greed, Oil, and the Theater of Modern Geopolitics The Business Model of Power Donald Trump does not govern like a traditional politician. He governs like a negotiator who believes every geopolitical crisis is leverage, every war threat is a bargaining chip, and every market panic is an opportunity. When markets tremble, someone profits. The question is, who? Global markets react instantly to political tension. Gold rises when conflict looms. Oil spikes when instability threatens production. Stock markets collapse on fear, then rebound on reassurance. Volatility is not chaos, it is opportunity. Historically, gold has surged during major geopolitical crises,... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 18 Feb 2026 17:11 LONDON
