Chinese village apologises for fake cotton wool snow

A tourist village in China‘s Sichuan province has apologised after facing backlash for using cotton wool and soapy water to create fake snow.

The Chengdu Snow Village project, in its defence, said the weather was warm and the snow village did not take shape as anticipated during the Lunar New Year holiday at the end of January.

The newly-opened tourist zone in suburban Chengdu faced flak shortly after opening for the holidays as visitors complained that the snow on top of cottages and scattered on forest paths was cotton.

“I feel cheated. I think my intelligence has been insulted!” one tourist said in a video on Chinese social media.

“In today’s age of well-developed Internet, scenic spots must advertise truthfully and avoid deception or false advertising, otherwise they will only shoot themselves in the foot,” wrote another user.

Photos on WeChat showed large cotton wool sheets strewn about the grounds, only partially covering leafy areas. A thick snow layer appeared to blanket the houses in the zone, which on a closer inspection, turned out to be fake.

A worker at the Snow Village’s management office admitted the fake snow made of cotton was cleaned up following public outrage.

“It snowed every winter in the past. So we upgraded this area to become a tour site and promoted it widely before its opening,” the unnamed worker was quoted by the Shanghai Morning Post as saying.

“We were waiting for the arrival of snow. Unfortunately, the weather did not side with us,” the worker said.

The Chengdu Snow Village in a statement on 8 February said: “In order to create a ‘snowy’ atmosphere the tourist village purchased cotton for the snow…but it did not achieve the expected effect, leaving a very bad impression on tourists who came to visit.”

The village said it “deeply apologises” for the changes and that tourists could get a refund. The site has since been closed, Reuters reported.

Last year, a famous waterfall in the Henan province was accused of incorporating pipes to add more water flow during the dry season.

Catholic priest knifed to death in Myanmar church by anti-junta rebels

A Roman Catholic priest was killed inside a church in conflict-torn Myanmar by about a dozen anti-junta rebels.

Reverend Donald Martin Ye Naing Win, 44, was attacked on 14 February with a knife by 10 members of the rebel group People’s Defence Force (PDF) in Sagaing region’s Shwebo township, which is under the control of armed rebels.

The priest from Mandalay Archdiocese was killed while serving in his assigned parish in Kangyitaw Village, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Myanmar said in a statement.

The killing comes just days before the nation marks the fourth anniversary of the coup when General Min Aung Hlaing toppled the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021, plunging the nation into a civil war.

“We received the news that Father Donald Martin Ye Naing Win, a priest of the Catholic archdiocese of Mandalay, was brutally murdered by a group of armed men,” Cardinal Charles Bo, head of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Myanmar, said in a statement.

“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the news. We urge those responsible to take appropriate action and ensure justice is served, so that such incidents do not occur again in the future,” he said.

An unnamed PDF official told news agency AFP that the members of the group entered the church around 9pm and forced the priest to kneel, before killing him with a knife. The armed men were arrested shortly after the incident, according to reports. The motive for the killing was not immediately clear.

The priest was laid to rest on Sunday in Pyin Oo Lwin town.

The Kangyitaw village is on the border of Shwebo and Wetlet townships with a moderate Christian presence. The village suffered junta arson attacks in 2023, according to The Irrawaddy.

The conflict between the junta and the armed rebels has left more than 6,000 civilians dead, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners monitoring group.

China accuses US of ‘backpedalling’ over Taiwan policy

China has responded angrily after the US appeared to quietly alter its stance on Taiwan during an update to the State Department website.

A change to the department’s fact sheet on Taiwan last week saw the phrase “we do not support Taiwan independence” removed from the document, among other minor tweaks.

Beijing accused the Trump administration of “gravely backpedalling” from Washington’s longstanding position on the issue, which is collectively known as the one China policy. The policy prevents the US from establishing formal diplomatic relations with Taiwan’s democratically-elected government, while aiming to discourage China from taking the island by force.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said with the change the US sent the wrong message to “separatist forces” on the island. “We urge the US to … stop emboldening and supporting Taiwan independence and avoid further damaging China-US relations and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait,” Mr Guo said on Monday.

The Taiwan Strait is a narrow waterway that separates the island of Taiwan from China’s east coast.

China considers Taiwan a part of its sovereign territory and has not ruled out “reuniting” with it by force if necessary. Taiwan, which split from the mainland in 1949, rejects Beijing’s claim saying that only its people can decide their future.

The revisions to the State Department website added a reference to Taiwan’s cooperation with a Pentagon technology and semiconductor development project and says the US will support Taiwan’s membership in international organisations “where applicable”. Despite not having diplomatic relations with Taiwan, the US is one of the Taipei government’s closest de facto allies and the island’s single largest arms supplier.

Beijing regularly denounces any international recognition of Taiwan or contact between Taiwanese and foreign officials, viewing it as encouragement for Taiwan’s self-governed status.

The State Department in a statement said it was a “routine” update to its website and that the “fact sheet was updated to inform the general public about our unofficial relationship with Taiwan”.

“The United States remains committed to its one China policy,” the spokesperson told Reuters, referring to Washington officially taking no position on Taiwan’s sovereignty and only acknowledging China’s position on the subject. “The United States is committed to preserving peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait,” the spokesperson said.

Taiwan’s government welcomed the revision.

“The ministry of foreign affairs has noted that the US State Department updated the ‘Current State of US-Taiwan Relations’ page … with text that is positive and friendly toward us, reflecting the close and amicable partnership between Taiwan and the United States,” it said.

It is not the first time the State Department has removed the phrase. It did so in May 2022 but restored it a few weeks later after a strong protest from China.

It is unclear why the it changed the language again and whether it signals any shift in policy under US president Donald Trump, who returned to the White House last month.

Philippines says China plane flew ‘dangerously’ close to its aircraft

The Philippine coast guard on Tuesday accused a Chinese Navy helicopter of flying “dangerously” close to its patrol plane on Tuesday in a disputed area of the South China Sea.

The Chinese helicopter flew within 10 feet of the Filipino plane as the pilot reportedly warned the Chinese: “You are flying too close, you are very dangerous.”

The helicopter was attempting to force a Cessna Caravan turbo-prop plane belonging to the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources out of what China claims is its airspace over the disputed Scarborough Shoal, according to Manila.

The Philippine coast guard said its aircraft was conducting a maritime domain awareness flight over the Shoal – a prime fishing patch located inside the Philippines‘ exclusive economic zone. “This reckless action posed a serious risk to the safety of the pilots and passengers,” the coast guard said in a statement.

China responded to the allegations, saying the Philippine aircraft “illegally intruded” into China’s airspace. China’s military organised naval and air forces to monitor, warn and drive away the aircraft, the Chinese military’s Southern Theatre Command said, adding that the move by the Philippines “severely violated” China’s sovereignty.

Named after a British ship that was grounded on the atoll nearly three centuries ago, the Scarborough Shoal is one of the most contested maritime feature in the South China Sea, where Beijing and Manila have clashed repeatedly.

China has become increasingly assertive in pursuing its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, a vital waterway for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce, which is crucial to international trade.

A 2016 arbitration ruling invalidated China’s expansive claim but Beijing continues to openly defy it.

The Chinese and Philippine militaries have previously clashed on the waters, with both nations blaming the other for aggression.

Last September, China accused a Philippines coast guard ship of deliberately colliding with a Chinese vessel. As the Philippine ship maneuvered, it “deliberately collided” with the Chinese coastguard ship “in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, resulting in a collision”, China had claimed.

In January, Manila mobilised its air and sea assets after accusing China of intimidation with the deployment of a “monster” Chinese coast guard vessel shortly after the Philippines signed two laws defining the country’s maritime zones and right to resources.

The Chinese foreign ministry had then said delimiting the Scarborough Shoal was a “natural step by the Chinese government to lawfully strengthen marine management and is consistent with international law and common practices”.

Vietnam brands human rights organisation as terrorist group

The Vietnamese government has branded a US-based refugee aid group as a terrorist organisation.

Vietnam‘s ministry of public security added Boat People SOS to its list of terrorist groups and doxxed the private information of the group’s president.

The ministry said in a press release BPSOS “operates under the guise of ‘refugee relief’ but in fact, it uses this activity to connect with and assist organisations and individuals in carrying out anti-Vietnam activities“.

It claimed the group and its leadership assisted a “number of individuals participating in the organisation Montagnards [Stand] for Justice (MSJ)”.

The government has accused the MSJ – an organisation that advocates for the religious freedom of ethnic minorities – of carrying out terrorist attacks on two People’s Commune headquarters in Vietnam’s Central Highlands in June 2023.

At least 10 defendants were sentenced to life in prison on terrorist charges and others were awarded jail between four years to 20 after 100 individuals were tried in the case.

The government subsequently designated MSJ as a “terrorist organisation” – a move that was criticised by UN experts for failing to “meet the requirements of due process and judicial protection under international human rights law”.

The Vietnamese government has escalated its clampdown on dissent by arresting activists, journalists, lawyers and critics with large followings on social media along with banning rights groups.

Founded in the 198Os, BPSOS was set up to help so-called boat people flee Vietnam by sea and now aids victims of religious persecution and human trafficking in Vietnam, according to its website.

Nguyen Dinh Thang, the executive director of BPSOS, said the terrorist designation was meant to intimidate those who spoke out against repression.

“The international community knows very well who has cooperated with the Boat People SOS committee for the past several decades, including the US government, more than 40 countries in the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance and the human rights institutions of the United Nations,” he told Radio Free Asia.

He said by putting the terrorist designation, the Vietnamese government was hoping to frighten those who speak out to the international community to denounce religious repression in the country.

“They expected that people in the country would not dare to contact us or provide information about violations for us to transfer to the international community,” Nguyen Dinh Thang added.

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a UK-based rights group, criticised the Vietnamese government’s move to designate BPSOS as a terror group.

Nguyen Dinh Thang is “a champion of human rights, in particular the right to freedom of religion or belief”, said Mervyn Thomas, founder president of CSW.

“The fact that he has been targeted like this is a sign that his voice is reaching the ears of the Vietnamese authorities, who are now attempting to silence and intimidate him.”

UN nuclear chief arrives in Japan to inspect Fukushima soil storage

Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog, will visit Fukushima this week to inspect vast storage sites holding soil contaminated by the 2011 nuclear disaster.

The Japanese government is yet to finalise a disposal plan for the 13 million cubic metres of soil, enough to fill multiple stadiums, which was stripped from the region to reduce radiation levels.

Mr Grossi, who leads the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), is set to tour the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant on Wednesday.

He will also examine storage facilities containing soil and 300,000 cubic metres of ash from incinerated organic material. While Japan intends to recycle around 75 per cent of the soil found to have low radioactivity levels for infrastructure projects, the remainder will be disposed of outside Fukushima by 2045.

Authorities aim to determine the final disposal site within the year, with regional leaders urging swift action.

A report published by the IAEA in September confirmed that Japan’s soil recycling and disposal strategy aligns with international safety standards. However, experts warn of significant challenges.

Olivier Evrard, research director at France’s Atomic Energy Commission, told AFP that stripping the topsoil was effective in reducing contamination near waterways but came with drawbacks. “It had an enormous cost, it generated a massive amount of waste and still poses fertility issues” for agriculture, he said.

The Fukushima disaster was triggered by a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, leading to a reactor meltdown in the worst nuclear accident since Chernobyl.

The ongoing clean-up includes the delicate task of removing 880 tonnes of radioactive fuel and debris from the site, with only a tiny sample retrieved so far by a robotic claw.

Grossi’s visit coincides with efforts to reassure international communities over the discharge of treated wastewater from the plant. Experts from the IAEA and nations including China and South Korea will collect seawater and fish samples to verify safety standards.

Since August 2023, plant operator Tepco has been releasing 1.3 million tonnes of filtered water, with all radioactive elements except tritium removed to permissible levels. The IAEA has backed the process, but critics, including China and Russia, have imposed seafood bans on Japan.

Meanwhile, Japan is shifting its nuclear policy.

A new strategic energy plan proposes maximising nuclear power rather than reducing reliance on it, as previously stated in government policies. The plan projects that nuclear energy will supply 20 per cent of Japan’s electricity by 2040, with 30 reactors in operation. Renewable energy is expected to rise to between 40 and 50 per cent, while coal usage is set to decline.

As of 2023, nuclear power provides for roughly 8.5 per cent of the country’s energy needs and renewables about 23 per cent, according to data from the trade ministry.

The move has sparked opposition from environmental groups, who warn of safety risks associated with ageing reactors. Aileen Smith, executive director of Green Action, criticised the government’s approach.

“Many nuclear plants are old, and the technology they use is even older. The costs of retrofitting are high, so even operating existing plants is no longer commercially viable,” she told the Guardian.

Others, like Hisayo Takada of Greenpeace Japan, argue that extending reactor lifespans to 60 years or beyond is a “major experiment” with catastrophic potential.

Despite safety concerns, Japan’s government insists nuclear power is crucial to meeting growing electricity demands and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

However, campaigners argue that investment should focus on renewables instead. “The climate crisis demands rapid decarbonisation,” Ms Takada said.

“The only technologies that can deliver on the short timescale we face are improved energy efficiency and expanding renewable energy.”

Man jailed for life over rape and murder of Irish backpacker

A 31-year-old man has been jailed for life over the rape and murder of a 28-year-old Irish tourist in Goa, India.

Danielle McLaughlin’s body was found with severe injuries in a forested area near Palolem beach in Canacona village in March 2017.

The trial court had on Friday found Vikat Bhagat guilty of raping and murdering the 28-year-old backpacker.

The verdict came after nearly eight years of legal proceedings, with the victim’s family’s lawyer saying that the sentence brought justice.

“It was a difficult task for the prosecution to put together all the circumstantial evidence to convince the court beyond reasonable doubt about this conviction,” Vikram Verma said.

McLaughlin’s mother Andrea Brannigan had travelled to Goa for the verdict. She told reporters she was “glad and relieved” that the sentencing was over.

India tightened laws on rape and set up fast-track special courts after the brutal 2012 gang-rape of a young woman on a Delhi bus, a case that shocked the country.

At the verdict hearing on Friday, Ms Brannigan issued a statement which read: “I lost my eldest daughter, she was stolen from us, she was stolen from her sisters and friends.

“She was also stolen the opportunity of becoming a mother herself.

“There was a lot stolen from us and from her.”

Mr Verma said that Bhagat received life imprisonment under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 376 (rape), along with a Rs 25,000 (£250) fine.

Bhagat was also convicted for destruction of evidence, carrying a two-year sentence and an INR 10,000 (£100) fine, though all sentences will run concurrently.

According to prosecutors, Bhagat exploited his friendship with the victim to lure her to an open, isolated field, where he sexually assaulted her on the intervening night of 13 and 14 March 2017.

He then struck her head and face with a glass bottle before strangling her. A post-mortem examination later determined that the cause of death was brain damage and strangulation.

McLaughlin’s sister, Joleen McLaughlin Brannigan, also was in India for the verdict and sentencing.

“We have lost nearly eight years of our lives fighting for Danielle,” she said after the verdict.

“We are so thankful that we can now start grieving her immeasurable loss.

“She made the most of her 28 years, and lived every day to the fullest.

“She was so kind, and always so happy – she didn’t deserve what he put her through.

“We are so grateful to be able to be here for the verdict and see Goa that Danielle loved so much.”

Under Indian law, rape victims are typically not named to protect them from social stigma which is prevalent in India. However, in this case, McLaughlin’s family has chosen to speak to the media to raise awareness about her case.

McLaughlin, from Buncrana, travelled to India in February 2017, where she stayed for two weeks before being murdered.

The Liverpool John Moores University student had been sharing a beach hut with an Australian friend, and the two had been celebrating the festival of Holi in a nearby village. She left the village at night, and her body was discovered the following day by a local farmer in a remote area.

Kim Sae-ron’s cause of death revealed

Kim Sae-ron’s cause of death has been reported as suicide following the South Korean actor’s death on Sunday.

Kim — who was just 24 — was discovered by a friend at her home in Seongdong-gu, Seoul.

“We believe she made an extreme choice and plan to handle it as a suicide,” police told reporters, according to the Seoul-basedYonhap News Agency.

She was known recently for performing in the Korean drama series Bloodhounds, released on Netflix in 2023.

However, much of her screen time in the series was reportedly reduced in the wake of a drunk driving incident in May 2022.

A court fined the star 20 million won ($13,850) in April 2023.

In a social media post at the time, Kim apologized for her drunk-driving incident, writing: “I had an accident yesterday on May 18, around 8 am in Gangnam, I made a big mistake by being drunk at that time.

“I am also very sorry to the production crew, including fellow actors and staff, for interrupting the production of the work that is being shot and the work that was being prepared.

“Once again, I am deeply sorry for the inconvenience. There is no excuse for this unfortunate incident and I am disappointed and so ashamed of my mistake. I will reflect and reflect again and again so that this never happens again. I’m sorry.”

Kim was born in 2000 and debuted as a child actor in 2009, with appearances in the 2010 action film The Man from Nowhere and the 2012 thriller The Neighbour.

Tributes poured in for Kim on social media, with one fan writing: “This is truly heartbreaking news. My deepest condolences to Kim Sae ron’s family, friends, and fans. May she rest in peace, and may those who loved her find strength during this difficult time.”

Another added: “I am still in denial, wishing it was all just a bad dream. Rest in Peace, Kim Sae-ron.”

“The world is just so cruel, people please be kind,” commented someone else on X/Twitter.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.

If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.