TOPIC

Offbeat

A Texas woman asked a couple for a “minimum” of US$150 in exchange for her unborn baby, according to police. Photo: Dreamstime / TNS

Woman tried to sell unborn baby on Facebook for ‘minimum of US$150’, police say

Mother was arrested and charged with sale or purchase of a child, Houston Police Department records show. Her bond was set at US$30,000.

videocam

China driver in ox-tow protest as used US$14,000 Tesla he bought fails to charge

Chinese government workers urge women to get pregnant in latest birth rate push

31

Profile | From ‘little fat kid’ to China muscle goddess, Bian Ruiying recalls transformation

She wants everyone to realise the world is not only for men.

Bian Ruiying, once teased as a “little fat kid”, has become a champion bodybuilder. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin

Profile | China gadget maker ‘Useless Edison’ to keep creating despite retirement rumours

Inspired by science fiction and Hong Kong comedy, rural inventor vows to continue making laugh-making creations of little use.

Profile | Who is China’s ‘beautiful robot’ hotpot eatery boss, gifted in automated dance?

Robotic dance expert stuns passers-by with incredible moves while handing out flyers for restaurant in street.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Hello Kitty Cafe Vancouver an instant hit with fans of the cute cat

Former Hong Kong executive can’t restock the merch shelves fast enough at Hello Kitty Cafe Vancouver. Expansion across Canada beckons.

Hello Kitty poses at the food and drinks counter in the Hello Kitty Cafe Vancouver. Its owner, Ken Lam Cheuk-hang, talks about the cafe’s unexpected success, and bringing joy to fans from Canada and beyond. Photo: Hello Kitty Cafe Vancouver

British chef Jamie Oliver urges followers to help solve the ‘grate cheese robbery’

Nearly 1,000 wheels of cloth-wrapped artisanal cheddar stolen by a con artist posing as a wholesale distributor.

Overeating ‘Russian Leonardo DiCaprio’ forced to join army, fight in Ukraine

Moscow-based Hollywood star lookalike piles on pounds as work dries up, enlists in Russian army to make ends meet.

Blade-proof umbrellas to be deployed on Japanese trains to fend off knife attacks

The umbrellas were developed to protect passengers after a spate of violent incidents that have taken place aboard the country’s trains.

5
West Japan Railway Co (JR West) demonstrating the new blade-proof umbrellas during a press conference at its headquarters in Osaka on Thursday. Photo: Weibo / Weapon-XN

Malaysians mock all-male British circus act for conservative north

The Great British Circus Malaysia announced a male-only act for Kelantan state in an apparent bid to abide by strict Islamist guidelines.

A contortionist puts his head between his legs in a promotional video for the Great British Circus. Photo: Facebook/GreatBritishCircusMalaysia

Japan yakuza member arrested on suspicion of fraud after cutting off own finger

Masahiro Nouchi claimed he had lost his finger in an industrial accident, with his medical costs covered by national health insurance.

videocam

Japan passengers pay extra for taxi bodyguards, ninjas with dramatic drop-offs

There are also rides featuring a rear window projection screen displaying a popular horror movie character.

Japan keeper probed over theft of monkey rations which leaves zoo short of food

Officials at popular, century-old facility call in police after noticing that their animal food bank was running short on supplies.

Police in Japan are investigating a zookeeper suspected of stealing animal food supplies for his own use, and profit. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

US woman flees after home is invaded by up to 100 raccoons

The woman says she started feeding a family of the animals decades ago, but their numbers suddenly ballooned and they became aggressive.

Footage provided by the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office shows a large group of raccoons on a woman’s property in Poulsbo, Washington. Photo: Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office via AP

What did the biggest bug on Earth look like? Scientists recreate its head

Arthropleura fossils tell the story of an ancient, many-legged creature that could grow up to 2.7 metres (nine feet) long.

Elderly Hong Kong man arrested for allegedly exercising nude in public park

Suspect, 68, would jog around soccer pitch at housing estate exposing his buttocks and then remove shorts completely in public park, residents say.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Meet China ‘Spider-Woman’ who scaled 108-metre cliff without safety gear

Practitioner of ancient Miao tradition who can climb 30-storey building with bare hands.

Luo Dengpin, from Ziyun Miao and Buyei autonomous county in Guizhou, is the world’s only female practitioner of the Miao tradition of bare-handed rock climbing. Photo: SCMP composite/Douyin/IMDb

These shoe vibrators are made for walking, directing the visually impaired

A shoe-mounted device developed by a Honda-backed start-up sends direction prompts by vibration, and app sounds alerts for potential hazards.

videocam

Japan admits editing ‘embarrassing’ cabinet photo amid social media mockery

The untidy patches of white shirt and sagging trousers captured by local media had mysteriously vanished from the official cabinet photo.

South Korean Mercedes owner insults driver, refuses to pay over body odour

A bystander who witnessed the incident, which has stirred anger, transferred US$18 fee to the driver instead.

A car owner in South Korea refused to pay a substitute driver, citing the man’s body odour as the reason. Photo: Shutterstock

Wasp menace claims life of university student in Malaysia

Despite previous complaints, the wasps have continued to threaten residents’ safety, leading to further hospitalisations.

Cutting down a nearby tree believed to be home to the wasps did not help matters. Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto

A short history of Asia’s fascination with cults and their dark secrets

Delve into chilling tales of followers lured by false promises of salvation – and the cult leaders who preyed on their vulnerabilities.

Chinese scientists find world’s oldest cheese buried with Xinjiang mummies

DNA tests suggest Bronze Age people who lived in far west China 3,500 years ago made kefir cheese, challenging beliefs about ancient diets.

5

Malaysian resort stops using shotguns to kill crows after backlash

As tourists dined nearby, a local outcry forced officials to reconsider their crow control tactics in the bustling Penang resort area.

A crow crosses a road in Melaka. Crows, like pigeons and rats, are classified as public pests in Malaysia due to their potential to spread diseases. Photo: Shutterstock

Ghostly prowlers: new species of spookfish discovered in New Zealand

The elusive Australasian Narrow-nosed Spookfish has a cartilage-based skeleton, haunting black eyes and smooth, scale-free skin.

The Australasian Narrow-nosed Spookfish was found living in the deep waters of Australia and New Zealand. Photo: National Institute Of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd / Handout via AFP

China woman’s 58-page exposé on cheating boyfriend costs him his job

Incident was top trending post on Chinese social media platform Weibo with 300 million views in one day.

China ‘iron butt’ woman travels to 42 cities, spends just US$2,800 on tickets

Blogger travels across the mainland, Russia, Thailand, and Indonesia on budget trips, sometimes paying US$14 for flight.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Offbeat
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Offbeat. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
last updated:
9 September, 2024
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement