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Fran Lu

The Post rounds up the latest unusual news from around Asia.
We have found a man who calmly walked away from a bear, a parrot that travelled alone on a bullet train and a “dognapper” who stole puppies for an unexpected reason.
Bear guest
A Chinese man has been given the nickname “calm brother” by online observers after a video clip of him casually walking away from a bear that broke into his workplace went viral.
The man, surnamed Zhang, was sleeping at the front desk of a hotel in Tibet while working an overnight shift when a big brown bear broke in and started to scout for food.

Zhang was woken up by the bear as it walked up behind the front desk and stood next to his bed.
Instead of panicking, he waited until the bear was busy tearing open a pack of soft drinks and walked away, even grabbing his phone on the way out.
The police said they had received reports about a bear in the area, and luckily no one had been hurt.
Zhang’s reaction was the correct one, according to experts it is wise not to surprise or anger bears.
Zhang told Zhengguan News that he was simply shocked and did not know how to react.
Bird train

A Japanese woman from Kyoto, who uses the name Sally, posted on X on August 5 that she was searching for her missing pet parrot.
She said her family accidentally left a window open in the house after releasing the parrot from its cage and it flew out.
Sally’s initial search of the immediate area was fruitless. Then the missing bird story got weird.
It turned out the parrot had travelled alone to Tokyo on the Shinkansen bullet train.
An X user @Stroly_Map commented under her post two days later that a cute parrot that was filmed travelling alone on the train from Kyoto to Tokyo matched the description of Sally’s pet.
The parrot appeared comfortable around strangers and even jumped on the shoulder of the train guard as he went about his job.
Sally contacted the Tokyo police and was told her bird was safe and happy with them.
Of course, she took the bullet train to pick him up on August 8.
Puppy love
A man from southwestern China’s Guizhou province who was arrested for stealing puppies has defended his crime by saying the dogs were “too cute to resist”.

After a woman reported her six puppies were stolen on August 2, police checked surveillance cameras and located the man who took them.
They found the middle-aged thief, who has not been identified, in his home and retrieved the puppies.
Officers said the man told them he had taken the pets “simply because they were too cute”.


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Trending in China

Weird news: bear gets cool hotel reception, parrot boards train, puppy thief plays it cute

The Post rounds up some of the most recent weird and wonderful news stories from across Asia. Photo: SCMP composite/QQ.com

While the bear was otherwise engaged, the hotel staffer calmly got up and walked away. Photo: Weibo

Police said the parrot managed to board one of Japan’s high-speed trains unaided. Photo: X/@Stroly_Map

Cuteness was the best defence a puppy thief in China could come up with. Photo: Weibo

China husband kills himself after texts reveal nurse wife having sex with doctor

A husband in China has taken his own life after he inadvertently found out that his wife was having an affair with a doctor she worked with. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock

The cheating nurse was having an affair with a thoracic surgeon. Photo: Shutterstock

The couple were married in January and had been dating for five years. Photo: Shutterstock

Liu Xiaoqing, 68, ‘ageless goddess’ of China cinema stirs controversy with choice of young roles

We profile veteran China actress Liu Xiaoqing, who at the age of 68, is facing criticism for playing much younger characters. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo

Life has not always been plain sailing for iconic actress Liu Xiaoqing. Photo: Weibo

Liu has starred in more than 70 films and television dramas. Photo: Weibo

250 million react online as China Olympic hero closes supporters club over toxic fan culture

Chinese Olympic swimming hero Pan Zhanle has closed down his fan club amid concerns about the divisive nature of so-called fandom culture. Photo: SCMP composite/Xinhua/Sina

Pan’s decision to close down the fan club has sparked a lively online discussion. Photo: AFP

Pan played a major role in ending US dominance in the 4 x100 medley relay event. Photo: AP

China woman kicked off flight, causes delay after refusal to store luxury bag under seat

A woman airline passenger in China was kicked off an aircraft because she refused to store her luxury bag under the seat. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/Douyin

The unruly passenger and her offending bag on the seat beside her. Photo: Douyin/南京广播电视台

The woman’s behaviour caused a departure delay and disrupted the travel plans of her fellow passengers. Photo: Douy/南京广播电视台

China netizens accuse ‘two-faced’ skier Eileen Gu over links to ‘arrogant’ French swimmer

Champion Chinese skier Eileen Gu is facing online criticism after video emerged of her being initimate with a controversial French swimmer. Photo: SCMP composite/Weibo/IG@leon.marchand31

Champion skier Eileen Gu with her mother in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. Photo: Instagram/eileengu

Leon Marchand sparked controversy after he appeared to snub a Chinese coach. Photo: Reuters

Gu (second from left) at the Paris Olympics with China’s bronze medal-winning 4 x 100m medley relay swimming team. Photo: Xinhua

News

People & Culture

Animal antics have been in news across Asia with the common denominator being their interactions with humans


Among the oddest reports from around Asia this week is a wild bear that walked into a hotel, a pet parrot that boarded a train by itself and a puppy thief whose best defence was cuteness.


Viral stories

Japan

Weird news: bear gets cool hotel reception, parrot boards train, puppy thief plays it cute

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Animal antics have been in news across Asia with the common denominator being their interactions with humans

Bear guest

Animal antics have been in news across Asia with the common denominator being their interactions with humans