lin yan

A Chinese firm bought an insurer for CIA agents - part of Beijing's trillion dollar spending spree

lin yan Nov 18, 2025, 5:11 AM

Since 2018, the United States has been tightening its laws to prevent its rivals from buying into its sensitive sectors – blocking investments in everything from semiconductors to telecommunications.But the rules weren't always so strict.In 2016, Jeff Stein, a veteran journalist covering the US intelligence community, got a tip-off: a small insurance company that specialised in selling liability insurance to FBI and CIA agents had been sold to a Chinese entity.

Business

The last places on Earth to see truly dark starry nights

lin yan Nov 18, 2025, 5:11 AM

Astrophysicist and documentary photographer Jordi Busqué shares 11 photos of the night's sky that transcend the boundaries of science and...

Business

From seabirds to sea turtles: the fatal toll of plastic revealed

lin yan Nov 18, 2025, 12:03 AM

Scientists have analysed 10,000 marine animal autopsies to understand how plastic ingestion leads to death.

Sports

Seven countries, one winner: The best Christmas market in Europe

lin yan Nov 18, 2025, 12:03 AM

After years of sweating through summer festivities in Australia, one family swapped sunscreen for snow – and found festive bliss...

Tech

A chef's guide to Boston's best clam chowder

lin yan Nov 17, 2025, 11:06 PM

Chef Jeremy Sewall has cooked around the world, but home in Boston, he's known for his clam chowder. Here are...

Health

US lifts restrictions on flights in time for Thanksgiving travel

lin yan Nov 17, 2025, 11:06 PM

The US transportation department has lifted its emergency order to cut flights across the country, saying enough air traffic controllers are now coming to work to alleviate safety concerns.

Lifestyle

The magic of the world's rarest blood type

lin yan Nov 17, 2025, 1:51 PM

Only one in every six million people have the Rh null blood type. Now researchers are trying to grow this...

Health

China's investment spree in UK gave it access to military-grade technology, BBC told

lin yan Nov 17, 2025, 1:12 PM

China has financed tens of billions of pounds' worth of investment in UK businesses and projects this century, some of...

Lifestyle

'They're just so much further ahead': How China won the world's EV battery race

lin yan Nov 17, 2025, 1:12 PM

In 2005, China only had two EV battery manufacturers. Twenty years later, it produces more than three-quarters of the world's...

Lifestyle

AI firm claims Chinese spies used its tech to automate cyber attacks

lin yan Nov 17, 2025, 1:12 PM

The makers of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot Claude claim to have caught hackers sponsored by the Chinese government using the...