Hong Kong’s English-language newspaper of record, owned by Alibaba Group
Typhoon Dolphin has made landfall near Yuhuan, Zhejiang, with winds up to 151 km/h. Authorities warn of torrential rain through Aug. 10, prompting mass evacuations, flight cancellations and transport disruptions across Zhejiang, Shanghai and Jiangsu as the storm weakens inland.
Anthropic has alerted lawmakers to a campaign by operators linked to Alibaba’s Qwen lab that allegedly carried out 28.8 million exchanges with Claude across nearly 25,000 fraudulent accounts between April 22 and June 5, aiming to extract its capabilities. The company says the activity is the largest known distillation attack to date and calls for penalties and stronger safeguards.
A two-seat sport aircraft crashed into the Citic Tower in Beijing, killing the pilot and injuring 13 others in a scene that has raised questions about airspace controls and security in the capital. Officials say the incident was caused by personal reasons, with the pilot described as having insomnia and anxiety. Investigations are ongoing.
Federal subpoenas have compelled several New York Times journalists to appear before a Manhattan grand jury over reporting on security weaknesses in the Qatari-donated Air Force One. The subpoenas were signed by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and follow an FBI review; the Times says the move threatens press freedom and vows to fight the orders in court.
The Qatar-donated Air Force One has entered service but is undergoing security upgrades. Lawmakers have questioned funding and oversight as the jet is retrofit for presidential use, while the outgoing model remains in use for certain trips. The presidency is balancing diplomatic gifts with rigorous security needs amid ongoing scrutiny.
Isabel Rose, 26, from Hackney, has been convicted in Hong Kong over alleged rape and subsequent blackmail accusations. A judge has sentenced her to five years for blackmail and three years for perverting the course of justice, to be served consecutively to a prior sentence. The case centers on WhatsApp exchanges after the alleged assault and a dispute over compensation. Prosecutors say the timeline and messages demonstrate extortion; Rose denies the allegations.