Kai Feng
Two 12-year-old girls have been charged with assault and granted conditional bail after allegedly attacking a Chinese woman and her husband in a Sydney park. 21m ago 21 minutes ago Fri 23 May 2025 at 7:34am
Manufacturers in China race to fulfil US orders as the reciprocal tariff pause takes effect, but the renewed trade war has already caused some businesses to take drastic measures. Sat 17 May Sat 17 May Sat 17 May 2025 at 7:41pm
As leaders from around the world pay tribute to the late Pope Francis, China's President Xi Jinping has not offered his condolences. Wed 23 Apr Wed 23 Apr Wed 23 Apr 2025 at 3:39am
Chinese social media has exploded with memes mocking the Trump administration's hefty tariffs on the country. Fri 11 Apr Fri 11 Apr Fri 11 Apr 2025 at 9:11am
China's new open-source AI chatbot DeepSeek has stoked pride at home but prompted concerns about censorship and data security abroad. Sun 2 Feb Sun 2 Feb Sun 2 Feb 2025 at 7:07pm
How much do you know about the Year of the Snake and unique Lunar New Year traditions in Asian countries? Put your knowledge to the test with these 10 questions and see if you're a true Lunar New Year expert! Tue 28 Jan Tue 28 Jan Tue 28 Jan 2025 at 7:06pm
China's first blockbuster video game has sold millions of copies in just days. It brings the classic Chinese tale Journey to the West to audiences worldwide. But its release has also sparked criticism. Tue 27 Aug Tue 27 Aug Tue 27 Aug 2024 at 3:56am
Australia has been importing cooking oils from one of the companies implicated in a food safety scandal in China, the Department of Agriculture has confirmed. Fri 12 Jul Fri 12 Jul Fri 12 Jul 2024 at 7:59pm
The Australian government is doubling the cost of student visa fees for international students, prompting outrage from student representatives who say that the price hike will drive potential students to competitors. Mon 1 Jul Mon 1 Jul Mon 1 Jul 2024 at 7:18am
For some young Asians, Lunar New Year isn't as rosy and celebratory as many people believe. It's also a time when they are grilled by parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties about why they're not married yet, or if they are married, why they don't have children yet. Fri 16 Feb Fri 16 Feb Fri 16 Feb 2024 at 10:31pm
Chinese companies invest billions in Belt and Road nickel refining projects in Indonesia, but for people working on the frontline, conditions can be deadly.
Mon 6 Nov Mon 6 Nov Mon 6 Nov 2023 at 11:02pm
Like many Australians, Aboriginal elder Hassan Gardiner is very disappointed that Australia rejected a Voice to Parliament on Saturday, but he is also hopeful with what it has achieved. Sun 22 Oct Sun 22 Oct Sun 22 Oct 2023 at 10:15pm
Would you spend $200,000 on a pair of sneakers you can't even wear? Here's why some people do. Thu 2 May Thu 2 May Thu 2 May 2024 at 9:03am
China's president Xi has not visited the places devastated by the two weeks of torrential rain and flooding, which has angered and confused many people. Sun 13 Aug Sun 13 Aug Sun 13 Aug 2023 at 9:05pm
On Chinese social media, users referred to the Wagner chief by using the names of historical Chinese rebels to share their views on China's heavily censored internet. Tue 27 Jun Tue 27 Jun Tue 27 Jun 2023 at 2:52am
Shocking images of a 10-week-old baby covered in scratches inflicted by another child at a Melbourne childcare centre have sparked cause for concern among parents this week. So, what can parents do to prevent injuries at childcare? Fri 16 Jun Fri 16 Jun Fri 16 Jun 2023 at 4:53am
Starting this month, thousands of workers in a Chinese city will be paid their wages entirely in digital yuan, in what has been described by the central government as a "milestone" for the currency. Sat 13 May Sat 13 May Sat 13 May 2023 at 7:40pm
China has blacklisted more than 2,000 Taiwan-made products in the wake of Nancy Pelosi's visit, but the self-ruled island's most important export — microchips — is not one of them. Thu 11 Aug Thu 11 Aug Thu 11 Aug 2022 at 7:01pm
The phenomenon has attracted tens of millions of fans leaving many confused trying to figure out who this man is, and what his "followers" are doing. Wed 27 Jul Wed 27 Jul Wed 27 Jul 2022 at 1:03am
I live in Australia but my parents and extended family live in Inner Mongolia. This Lunar New Year I'm determined not to let the pandemic again ruin the two most important parts of our celebrations: family reunion and good food. Sun 30 Jan Sun 30 Jan Sun 30 Jan 2022 at 6:43pm
Authorities in China order 13 million people into lockdown in neighbourhoods and workplaces in the northern city of Xi'an after a localised outbreak of COVID-19. Thu 23 Dec Thu 23 Dec Thu 23 Dec 2021 at 9:42pm
When Chinese-Australian artist Jian Guo joined the People's Liberation Army during the peak of the Sino-Vietnamese War, he and his comrades used to listen to Radio Australia illegally. That's how he heard the song that changed his life. Mon 6 Dec Mon 6 Dec Mon 6 Dec 2021 at 12:21am
China is adhering to its COVID-zero policy and that could leave many Chinese Australians who are eager to go back facing a tough choice. Sun 31 Oct Sun 31 Oct Sun 31 Oct 2021 at 4:55am
Forced to anchor in China's Bohai Sea for more than seven months, Indian seafarers on a cargo ship loaded with 160,000 tons of Australian coal are celebrating their return home. Tue 2 Feb Tue 2 Feb Tue 2 Feb 2021 at 7:13pm
Tong Gong usually goes back to her hometown during China's Lunar New Year holiday — but with China fighting new coronavirus outbreaks, she's staying put this year.
Fri 15 Jan Fri 15 Jan Fri 15 Jan 2021 at 7:31pm
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News.com.au
36 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Real estate agency under fire after video hitting back at ‘couch critics' goes viral
A Sydney real estate agency is copping significant backlash after sharing a 'tone deaf' video seemingly boasting about renting out a property. The video, shared by CMP Real Estate property associate Jazmin Refik, references the leasing of a six bedroom, five bathroom home in Leppington, located more than 50km southwest of Sydney's CBD. In the now-viral clip, Ms Refik stands outside the home with property manager, Natasha Pincevic, with the pair boasting about renting out the home for $1450 a week, despite saying it has 'no pool', is in 'the middle of nowhere' and has a 'job site next door'. The video appears to be a follow-up to another post made prior to the home being leased, where the pair showed all the different features of the property and branding it a 'hidden luxury gem'. 'Would YOU pay $1,450 per week for this?' the video was captioned. While the video gained some positive responses, there were quite a few social media users who baulked at the price. '$1450 in the middle of nowhere lol,' one said. 'Man that's a lot for rent! Maybe if it had a pool then yeah agreed,' another wrote. One added: 'No pool, no views and who's gonna clean all that space!' Despite the criticism, the home did end up being rented out for the price listed, with the most recent video clearly in response to the negative comments. However, many social media users clearly didn't appreciate the tone of the video, sparking even further backlash. CMP Real Estate agency even jumped into the comment section and explained the context of the video, claiming it was a 'clap back to the couch critics'. 'Sarcasm included. And if you know the Sydney market, you'd know this price is actually standard for this type of house in this area. Wild, but true,' the agency wrote. However, this explanation seemed to do little to quell the furious response, with people branding the video 'tone deaf' and 'cooked'. 'They're literally listing the disadvantages for the tenant & advantage for the owner, l�ike it's something to be proud of. I'm a homeowner, & literally feel sorry for the tenant who rented this,' one person wrote. 'Is this meant to be a joke?' one person questioned. 'This is supposed to be a flex?' one commenter asked, with another adding, 'I think you are meant to say this off camera guys'. Amid all the criticism, there were some people who came to the defence of the agents, claiming they were just doing their job. 'Not the agent's fault it's the market price, supply and demand decides the price,' one person wrote. 'They found very good tenants that can afford $1450 p/w, it wouldn't have rented if it was over priced,' another said. In a statement to the Daily Mail, the agency claimed the video had been taken out of context and was meant as a tongue in cheek response to critics. CMP founder Christina Pincevic also defended the price of the rental, saying the agency has 'leased homes of similar size for over $2000 before'.
News.com.au
37 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Rice prices Japan's hot political issue, on and off the farm
All is calm at Satoshi Yamazaki's rice farm, with its freshly planted rows of vivid-green seedlings, but a row over the cost of the staple in Japan is threatening to deal the government a blow at the ballot box. Shortages of the grain caused by a supply chain snarl-up have seen prices almost double in a year, fuelling frustration over inflation -- and voters could let their anger be known in upper house elections due next month. To help ease the pain for consumers and restaurants, the government started tapping emergency stockpiles in March, having only previously done so during disasters. Yamazaki, who grows about 10 percent of his rice organically using ducks to eat pests, said he understands high prices are "troubling" for ordinary people. But he stressed that thin profits are a concern for many of those who produce it. "There's a gap between shop prices and what farmers sell rice for to traders and the like," he told AFP in the northern Niigata region. "Not all the money paid at shops becomes our income," said Yamazaki, a 42-year-old father of seven. A mosaic of factors lies behind the shortages, including an intensely hot and dry summer two years ago that damaged harvests nationwide. Since then some traders have been hoarding rice in a bid to boost their profits down the line, experts say. The issue was made worse by panic-buying last year prompted by a government warning about a potential "megaquake" that did not strike. - 'Old' rice - Meanwhile, the rising price of imported food has boosted the popularity of domestic rice, while record numbers of tourists are also blamed for a spike in consumption. Farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi has pledged to cut prices quicker by selling stockpiled rice directly to retailers -- attracting long queues to some shops. It appears to be working: the average retail price has edged down for a second week to 4,223 yen ($29) for five kilograms (11 pounds), down from a high of 4,285 yen in May. That hasn't stopped opposition politicians -- with an eye on the elections -- and online critics branding the reserve rice "old", with some likening it to animal feed. But analysts also blame Japan's decades-old policy of cutting rice-farming land. The policy was introduced to support prices that were being hit by falling demand brought about by changes in the Japanese diet. Under the 1971 policy, farmers were told to reduce the amount of space used to grow the grain in favour of other crops. That saw the amount of land used for rice paddies -- not including for livestock feed -- plunge below 1.4 million hectares (3.5 million acres) in 2024, from a peak of 3.3 million hectares in 1960. While the policy was officially abolished in 2018, it has continued in a form of incentives pushing farmers towards other commodities like soybeans. Adding to the crisis is Japan's ageing population. Many rice farmers are old and their children have no interest in taking over. Eighty percent of rice farmers are part-time with less than two hectares of fields but they account for only 20 percent of production, said agronomy expert Kazunuki Oizumi, professor emeritus of Miyagi University. Their main revenue comes from other jobs or pensions, he added. - Agriculture 'destroyed' - Toru Wakui, chairman of a large-scale farm in the northern Akita region who has for decades fought against the acreage reduction, said Japan should "seek an increase in rice production and exports to foreign markets". "If you only think about the domestic market while increasing output, of course prices will fall," he told AFP. "We need to look for markets abroad." "The 55 years of acreage reduction destroyed Japan's agriculture," said Wakui, 76, who urged Koizumi in a letter last month to "declare an expansion in rice production". He also said Japan should consider a scheme to help young people start agriculture businesses without the burden of initial investment in fields and machinery, by involving other sectors including banks and trading companies. Public support for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government has tumbled to its lowest level since he took office in October, which local media say was partly caused by the surge in inflation and soaring rice costs. He has told parliament that increasing production is "an option" to temper prices, but said food security and the livelihood of producers was also important. For the farmer Yamazaki, "wanting cheap rice with high quality" is a pipe dream. "We farmers are a little baffled by the limelight that suddenly shifted to us," he said. kh/kaf/dan
ABC News
42 minutes ago
- ABC News
Buying property? What to look out for when a home has been staged
If you've been inspecting properties to buy, you've probably come across homes that have been styled. "Most agents will highly recommend doing a staging to create that 'wow factor', because an empty property has no personality," says buyer's agent Rich Harvey, based in Sydney/Gadigal Country. "It's been proven you get more money [in the sale] even though you might spend between $5,000 and $15,000 for styling." Staging usually involves bringing in hired furniture, artwork, plants, linen and other decorative items for the duration of the listing. While styling might impress you as a prospective buyer, can it also mislead you? Vivian Trantan is a buyer's agent in Brisbane/Meanjin, and says styling is about getting buyers' attention. "When it comes to marketing, it's about capturing their attention in the first few seconds when looking at photos of properties online. Mr Harvey says while creating an emotional connection between a buyer and a property is an advantage for the seller, staging can also be helpful for the buyer. "The buyers can visualise how they would style the home, what type of furniture they would get," Mr Harvey says. "They can see how to use the room and its functionality." Former property stylist Alex Mills says when staging a home, she would appeal to the demographic most likely to be interested in purchasing. "For first home buyers, I might lean into selections that make the space feel warm, comfortable and approachable," says Ms Mills, who now works as an interior stylist and photographer in Newcastle/ Mulubinba. "For a multi-million-dollar property … I might lean into a more editorial or high-end look." For partial staging, she would always recommend that personal elements, such as family photos or personal items, be removed from the space. "Buyers don't want to feel like they are walking into someone else's home," she says, adding they instead want to feel like "I could see myself living here". When Ms Mills was looking to buy a property, she was "swept up in the magic" of a perfectly staged home, even while working in the industry. "The kind of home that looks so beautiful in both the online photos and when you walk through, that it's hard not to fall in love and put your best offer forward." She recommends buyers keep in mind that staging can distract from other "less obvious red flags" you should keep an eye out for. Mr Harvey says you need to be mindful "not to fall in love with the cushions or the couch". "That won't be there when you settle. "You've got to look at the bones of the property, the floor plan, room sizes, natural light, and storage." He says to bring a tape measure when inspecting a property. "Make sure your king-size bed will fit in that second bedroom," for example. He says stylists may opt for double beds in a master room to make a room appear larger. "With cushions scaled down to make [the bed] look bigger than it really is." Opting for round tables over rectangle tables is another trick to create the illusion of more space, according to Mr Harvey, as is using light-coloured items and palettes to brighten rooms. He also warns about throw rugs covering floor damage, mirrors to make spaces look deeper, lamps and other artificial light to brighten dark rooms, and furniture placed in "awkward" corners to make them appear usable. "They might have a tiny little writing desk, and you think, 'Why is that there?'. Nothing else will fit, that's why," Mr Harvey says. Ms Trantan says large pieces of furniture may also be used to hide damage to walls. "Condensation, dampness, mould — that can easily be tucked away in certain corners." She says to also take note of cupboards, doors and windows. Are there missing door handles, for example? "Some things aren't as noticeable when a property is staged or had some kind of uplift," such as a basic renovation or fresh coat of paint. Also check if any key items are missing from the space. Is there a TV? And if not, is there room to fit one? With so many people showing up to property inspections these days, it can be hard to get a good look at the space, says Ms Trantan. She says people should be comfortable about taking their time to "get a peek around those corners", look behind couches and beds, under rugs, and even inside cupboards if the property is vacant. "The biggest tip I can provide would be to really take your time as you work through these spaces. "If the property is owner-occupied or tenanted, you may need to be more respectful in those cases." But remember, most major issues should be picked up with a building and pest inspection, says Mr Harvey. "Make your offer subject to that. Don't go to an auction without having completed a building and pest." The ACT government requires a building and a pest inspection report to be made available to a buyer before a property is offered for sale. Most other governments recommend that prospective home buyers obtain a building inspection before purchasing a property, and that the buyer make it a condition of the sale contract that they must be happy with the results of the inspection before the sale is finalised. "Ask the agent if there has been a history of water damage, or history of issues owners have had to deal with," he says as an example," says Mr Harvey. Ultimately, he says don't let the "wow factor" sway your emotions. "Buying a home is emotional, but don't let rugs and cushions sway your decision."
