‘Zero-energy companionship’: bizarre hobby takes seed among China’s stressed young adults

26 October 2026 at 12:47

Faced with a stagnant jobs market, many are spurning children or pets in favour of ‘raising bricks’

Young adults in China looking for a cheaper, low-maintenance alternative to having children or pets have found an answer: raising bricks.

Bricks may not be as cuddly as cats or as life-affirming as human offspring, but they also cost next to nothing. “No cats, no dating, I started raising a brick,” wrote one brick parent on social media.

‘Pull Out the Sick Trees’: Xi’s Constant Purges Pave Way for Next Term

NYT > Top Stories

By: Chris Buckley

26 October 2026 at 07:00

The Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who is likely preparing to secure a fourth term in power in 2027, has complained that officials cannot be trusted.

President Xi Jinping of China is expected to secure a fourth term as leader of the ruling Communist Party next year. He has warned that too many officials fail to faithfully carry out his orders.

Xi Jinping’s corruption crackdown in the spotlight as China prepares for meeting of top leaders

World news | The Guardian

By: Amy Hawkins in Beijing

26 October 2026 at 03:58

The fifth plenum comes against a backdrop of years of purges that have had some analysts wondering if the issue is corruption or a lack of loyalty

When Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, he pledged to stamp out corruption all through the ranks of the Communist party. More than a decade later, the pace of investigations has not slowed. Last year, China’s disciplinary authorities opened investigations into more than 1 million people, including more than 100 officials at or above ministerial or provincial level.

As Chinese Communist party (CCP) officials kick off an important meeting this week, discipline – and party loyalty – is high on the agenda. For those who try to read the tea leaves of elite Chinese politics, concern about the apparent lack of discipline is dominating CCP discussions.

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