https://www.scmp.com/rss/322243/feed Australasia's latest news, current affairs, politics and regional issues. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agencies Agencies President Donald Trump’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran that will see Tehran temporarily reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz brought welcome relief to Asian markets on Wednesday. With Trump’s deadline approaching for the Islamic Republic to reopen the waterway or face obliteration, he announced a halt to attacks for two weeks and said he had received a “workable” 10-point proposal. Iran later said it had agreed to safe passage in the strait, through which a fifth of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349331/cautious-optimism-asia-after-us-iran-agree-ceasefire-reopen-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349331/cautious-optimism-asia-after-us-iran-agree-ceasefire-reopen-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:52:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse One of Australia’s most-decorated soldiers was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly murdering unarmed prisoners while serving in Afghanistan, police and local media said following a sweeping war crimes investigation. The Australian Federal Police said they arrested a 47-year-old former Australian soldier, who was widely named in local media as Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith. Federal police commissioner Krissy Barrett said the soldier had been linked to a string of murders while serving... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349228/decorated-australian-soldier-faces-5-murder-charges-afghan-war-crime-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349228/decorated-australian-soldier-faces-5-murder-charges-afghan-war-crime-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 06:06:07 +0000 Yogi Putranto Yogi Putranto Control of the seas has long defined power in the Asia-Pacific. From strategic chokepoints to contested fishing grounds, maritime space has shaped the region’s economic lifelines and geopolitical tensions. But a quieter contest is unfolding – less visible, yet potentially more consequential. It is not a contest over territory but over data. As satellite surveillance, digital tracking and advanced analytics transform how the ocean is monitored, a new question emerges: who controls the information... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348997/asia-pacific-real-maritime-contest-over-satellite-surveillance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3348997/asia-pacific-real-maritime-contest-over-satellite-surveillance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 01:30:11 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australia’s government has received guarantees from major fuel exporting nations in Asia that supplies will proceed as normal despite the disruptions caused by the war in Iran, Assistant Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said. In an interview with Sky News on Sunday, Thistlethwaite said that he had sought and received pledges from Japan, South Korea and Singapore that shipments of fuel to Australia would continue, amid concerns that some countries might curb exports to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349087/australia-receives-fuel-export-guarantees-singapore-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3349087/australia-receives-fuel-export-guarantees-singapore-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 10:31:34 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A New Zealand doctor has sent the US embassy in Wellington an invoice for his clinic’s fuel bills, saying that President Donald Trump and his administration should take responsibility for starting a war that has sent oil prices spiralling. Shane Dunphy asked the embassy to reimburse him for the NZ$2,790.95 (US$1,600) in petrol vouchers he gave staff at Onslow Medical Centre in the capital so that they could travel to work, The Guardian newspaper reported. “Because of the current fuel crisis,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348977/new-zealand-doctor-bills-us-embassy-rising-fuel-costs-payment-expected-within-7-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3348977/new-zealand-doctor-bills-us-embassy-rising-fuel-costs-payment-expected-within-7-days?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:25:40 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the US-Israeli war on Iran appears to have achieved its key initial aims of curbing Tehran’s nuclear and missile capabilities – and questioned what further goals remain. “We did express support for the original objectives: preventing Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon and degrading its capacity to endanger its neighbours,” Albanese said in a speech on Thursday at the National Press Club in Canberra. “And now those objectives have been... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348745/australias-albanese-says-iran-war-goals-met-asks-what-more-left-achieve?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348745/australias-albanese-says-iran-war-goals-met-asks-what-more-left-achieve?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 04:45:10 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong China’s exports of jet fuel have declined sharply in recent weeks amid the US-Israel war on Iran, leaving countries including Australia and Japan facing a supply crunch and scrambling to find alternative sellers. China is Asia-Pacific’s largest jet fuel and kerosene exporter, but shipments from the country fell nearly 40 per cent month on month in March to 204,000 barrels per day, figures from trade data provider Kpler showed. The cutback is likely to hit hardest in Australia and Japan, which... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348642/australia-and-japan-face-jet-fuel-supply-crunch-china-cuts-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348642/australia-and-japan-face-jet-fuel-supply-crunch-china-cuts-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:22:29 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press When a hiker fell from a 55-metre (180-foot) waterfall in wild New Zealand bush, rescuers were forced to evacuate the badly hurt woman without her dog, which could not be found. After strangers raised thousands of dollars for a search, border collie Molly was flown to safety by a helicopter pilot who was determined to reunite pet and owner. A week earlier, an emergency rescue helicopter found Jessica Johnston with bruises and lacerations after a fall at a rocky spot at the waterfall on the South... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348639/dog-lost-week-new-zealand-bush-found-after-strangers-fund-us6300-air-search?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348639/dog-lost-week-new-zealand-bush-found-after-strangers-fund-us6300-air-search?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:14:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australian police said on Monday that they shot dead a fugitive gunman wanted for killing two officers, ending a seven-month manhunt for one of the country’s most-wanted criminals. Desmond Freeman fled into dense bushland in August last year after shooting and killing two police officers on a rural property in Victoria state. Hundreds of police have pursued Freeman through the region’s rugged terrain over the past seven months, pouring resources into one of Australia’s largest manhunts. Police... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348332/australian-police-killer-shot-dead-after-7-month-manhunt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348332/australian-police-killer-shot-dead-after-7-month-manhunt?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 01:03:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse At least one of the world’s largest LNG plants remained closed on Sunday after a cyclone knocked out power to thousands of people in Western Australia. The outages were restricting already stretched fuel supplies caused by the war in the Middle East. Woodside Energy, which processes fuel from one of the world’s biggest offshore gas operations, said on Sunday that its Karratha plant remained offline. “We have commenced remobilising our workforce to some of our offshore facilities and inspections... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348292/australias-karratha-lng-plant-closed-after-cyclone-amid-fuel-shortages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3348292/australias-karratha-lng-plant-closed-after-cyclone-amid-fuel-shortages?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:44:04 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk A Chinese national accused of raping and strangling a woman during a violent home invasion appeared in a New Zealand court on Wednesday to face charges, seven months after he was extradited from Singapore. Zhang Xuesong reportedly fled to China following the alleged March 2024 Auckland break-in, complicating efforts to arrest him as no extradition treaty exists between the two countries. The 41-year-old subsequently visited Singapore, where he was returned to New Zealand last September. Zhang,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347853/man-extradited-singapore-new-zealand-faces-rape-home-invasion-charges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347853/man-extradited-singapore-new-zealand-faces-rape-home-invasion-charges?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 08:40:19 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Distrust in Australian police among Queensland’s Indian diaspora is set to deepen after an officer was caught on body camera hurling expletives at an Uber driver, leading the victim to sue the force in federal court. The officer said, “f*****g Indians, mate, they are a bunch of f*****g perverts” to a colleague in 2023, before they charged the man with committing an indecent act for allegedly masturbating in public, court records showed. A court later quashed the charges because two witnesses... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347022/australian-police-officers-pervert-remark-against-indian-driver-sparks-outrage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3347022/australian-police-officers-pervert-remark-against-indian-driver-sparks-outrage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:50:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The captain of the Iranian women’s football team which played in the Asian Cup in Australia has withdrawn her bid for asylum, state media said on Sunday, making her the fifth member of the delegation to change her mind. A former player and a Persian-language television channel based outside Iran said the players had been pressured to reverse their stance through threats against families back home. But Iranian authorities have in turn accused Australia of pressuring the players to stay. Captain... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3346688/iran-says-womens-football-captain-has-withdrawn-australia-asylum-bid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3346688/iran-says-womens-football-captain-has-withdrawn-australia-asylum-bid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 18:00:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Australia’s decision to send a surveillance aircraft and air-to-air missiles to the Gulf highlights the difficult position the country now faces: supporting US and regional partners while trying to avoid being drawn deeper into the widening conflict. Analysts said the government was “walking a very fine line” with the deployment, signalling support for partners under Iranian attack while stopping short of committing Australia to offensive operations. At the same time, they said Canberra was... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346459/australia-walks-very-fine-line-gulf-deployment-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3346459/australia-walks-very-fine-line-gulf-deployment-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 05:39:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters Australia will deploy a military surveillance aircraft to the Middle East and send missiles to the United Arab ‌Emirates but will not put troops on the ground in Iran, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday. Australia’s military support would help the Gulf countries defend themselves against unprovoked attacks from Iran, Albanese said, stressing Australia was “not a ⁠protagonist”. “Our involvement is purely defensive,” Albanese told reporters. “And it’s in defence ‌of Australians who... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3346027/australia-send-missiles-uae-deploy-reconnaissance-plane-no-troops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3346027/australia-send-missiles-uae-deploy-reconnaissance-plane-no-troops?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 01:15:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Five players from Iran’s visiting women’s football team claimed asylum in Australia on Tuesday, seeking protection after they were branded “traitors” at home for refusing to sing the national anthem. Iranian players fell silent as the anthem played ahead of a tournament match in Australia last week, an act seen as a symbol of defiance against the Islamic Republic. US President Donald Trump was among those urging Australia to offer the players asylum, citing grave fears for their safety if they... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345992/concern-iran-womens-football-team-rises-australia-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345992/concern-iran-womens-football-team-rises-australia-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 10:08:02 +0000 Reuters Reuters ⁠Australia has raised concerns with ⁠China following an “unsafe and ⁠unprofessional” encounter between two military helicopters, the defence department said on Friday. An Australian military helicopter was flying over international waters in the Yellow Sea when it was intercepted by a Chinese helicopter on Wednesday, a statement ‌said. The Chinese helicopter matched the Australian aircraft’s altitude before “closing in to an unsafe distance”, increasing speed and then rolling towards it,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345781/australia-complains-china-after-encounter-between-military-helicopters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345781/australia-complains-china-after-encounter-between-military-helicopters?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 18:27:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Three Australian military personnel were on board an American submarine that sank an Iranian navy ship off Sri Lanka this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Friday. Speaking to Sky News, Albanese said: “I can confirm that there were three Australian personnel on board that vessel”. The personnel were on board the submarine as part of training arrangements under Aukus, a multidecade defence pact with Britain and the United States, Albanese said. “These are long-standing third country... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345638/albanese-says-australian-troops-were-board-us-submarine-sank-iranian-ship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345638/albanese-says-australian-troops-were-board-us-submarine-sank-iranian-ship?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:11:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Asian carriers are among the best positioned airlines to weather the war in the Middle East as travellers scramble for flights – and pay premiums – to escape the conflict. Asian airlines have emerged as one of the go-to choices for people leaving the Middle East in the wake of US and Israeli strikes on Iran. Extensive airspace closures mean carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways have essentially ground to a halt, creating opportunities for rivals that can fly non-stop between Europe and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345520/asian-airlines-emerge-top-travellers-fight-flights-out-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345520/asian-airlines-emerge-top-travellers-fight-flights-out-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 05:15:23 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Men are almost twice as likely as women to be employed in the best-paid jobs in Australia, according to the country’s latest government gender gap report. Male employees account for 64 per cent of roles in the nation’s upper quartile of compensation, jobs that have a total average annual pay of A$221,320 (US$155,000), the Workplace Gender Equality Agency said in a report on Tuesday. Though female representation in the top category has increased slightly, women remain 1.4 times more likely than... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345333/australias-best-paid-jobs-are-twice-likely-go-men-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345333/australias-best-paid-jobs-are-twice-likely-go-men-women?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 01:36:17 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg New Zealand’s tourism industry still needs to do more if it is to regain its title as the nation’s biggest earner of overseas revenue. While foreign visitor spending gained 7 per cent to a record NZ$18.1 billion (US$11 billion) in the 12 months through March 2025, it still lags behind the dairy industry’s NZ$23.1 billion of exports in the same period, according to government data released on Tuesday in Wellington. Tourism overtook dairy as the nation’s top overseas earner in 2016 and remained... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345202/tourism-once-new-zealands-top-overseas-earner-lags-behind-dairy-post-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345202/tourism-once-new-zealands-top-overseas-earner-lags-behind-dairy-post-pandemic?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 01:31:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The warming El Nino weather phenomenon could form later this year, potentially pushing global temperatures to record heights. There is a 50-60 per cent chance of El Nino developing during the July-September period and beyond, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The World Meteorological Organization will issue an update on El Nino on Tuesday. Here’s what you need to know about El Nino and its cooler sister, La Nina. Why the name? El Nino and La Nina are two... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3345180/el-nino-may-return-2026-making-planet-even-hotter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3345180/el-nino-may-return-2026-making-planet-even-hotter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 14:43:31 +0000 Reuters Reuters Australia’s internet regulator said it might push search engines and app stores to block artificial intelligence services that failed to verify user ages after a review found more than half had not made public any steps to comply by a deadline next week. The warning reflects one of the most aggressive efforts globally to rein in AI companies, which face a growing number of lawsuits for failing to stop – and even encouraging – self-harm or violence, while researchers caution that such platforms... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345063/australia-mulls-forcing-app-stores-search-engines-axe-unsafe-ai-services?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3345063/australia-mulls-forcing-app-stores-search-engines-axe-unsafe-ai-services?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 02:07:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The mayor of New Zealand’s capital city took an afternoon dip on Wednesday hoping to assuage public fears after a breakdown at a local waste water treatment plant pumped raw sewage into the ocean and sprayed faecal matter on coastal homes. Millions of litres of raw sewage have flowed into the waters off Wellington’s picturesque south coast beaches since the breakdown of the Moa Point facility on February 4. Sporting swimming trunks and a rash guard shirt, Mayor Andrew Little dived face first... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3344537/wellington-mayor-takes-dip-prove-sea-safe-after-sewage-leak-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3344537/wellington-mayor-takes-dip-prove-sea-safe-after-sewage-leak-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 03:41:27 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Australian OnlyFans model Gemma Doyle has faced a torrent of online abuse and death threats after being caught stealing a bikini from a boutique “for fun” while holidaying in Bali. Doyle, 26, apologised and admitted to shoplifting the garment from a boutique on the Indonesian resort island after CCTV footage of the incident circulated on social media. “I am aware of the stories going around and it’s true, I was on one and I was being a bit silly and I stole a swimsuit,” she said in a video... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343984/australian-onlyfans-models-bali-bikini-theft-triggers-death-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3343984/australian-onlyfans-models-bali-bikini-theft-triggers-death-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 06:08:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Canberra banned an Australian citizen with alleged ties to the militant Islamic State (Isis) group from returning home from a detention camp in Syria, the latest development in the case of fraught repatriation of families of Isis fighters. The woman was planning to join another 33 Australians – 10 women and 23 children – and fly on Monday from Damascus, Syria, to Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said on Wednesday. But the group was turned back by Syrian authorities to the Roj... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343932/australian-citizen-syria-alleged-isis-ties-banned-returning-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343932/australian-citizen-syria-alleged-isis-ties-banned-returning-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 12:16:32 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Japan plans to deploy 300 elite ground soldiers to the Philippines for this year’s Salaknib military exercise, marking the first time the bilateral US-Philippine drills will include troops from additional partners. Officials and analysts say the move signals an operational shift away from simple bilateral engagements towards tight-knit “minilateral” security coordination among US allies, with a growing focus on remote island defence and contingencies in the Taiwan Strait and the South China... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343891/japan-join-us-philippines-military-drills-first-time-knowing-your-friend?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3343891/japan-join-us-philippines-military-drills-first-time-knowing-your-friend?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:10:01 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Sydney man who tried to post native lizards, dragons and other reptiles out of Australia in bags of popcorn and biscuit tins has been sentenced to eight years in jail, authorities said on Tuesday. The eight-year term handed down on Friday was a record for wildlife smuggling, federal environment officials said. A district court in Sydney gave the man, 61-year-old Neil Simpson, a non-parole period of five years and four months. Investigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from seized parcels... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343823/australian-smuggler-jailed-record-8-years-mailing-lizards-popcorn-bags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343823/australian-smuggler-jailed-record-8-years-mailing-lizards-popcorn-bags?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:53:29 +0000 dpa dpa A man was killed and two other people critically injured on Tuesday in a stabbing attack in Australia’s financial capital, police said. Emergency services were called to a suburb in Sydney’s west at about 10am after reports that a man had stabbed multiple people before fleeing on foot, New South Wales Police said in a statement. The stabbing took place along a busy shopping strip. Paramedics treated three people for serious injuries, including a man aged in his thirties or forties who died at... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343792/sydney-stabbing-man-killed-random-attack-busy-shopping-street?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343792/sydney-stabbing-man-killed-random-attack-busy-shopping-street?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 04:05:47 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australian police have recovered a trove of stolen Egyptian artefacts and charged a 52-year-old man with a nighttime smash and grab at a museum. The man was accused of breaking a window and making off with the priceless treasures in the early hours of Friday from the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology in the Queensland town of Caboolture. Police said they found all the stolen goods – except for a wooden cat sculpture believed to be around 2,600 years old and from the 26th dynasty of ancient... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343719/australian-police-arrest-man-recover-stolen-egyptian-artefacts-after-museum-heist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343719/australian-police-arrest-man-recover-stolen-egyptian-artefacts-after-museum-heist?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 07:12:01 +0000 Reuters Reuters Heavy rain and strong winds disrupted flights, trains and ferries, forcing the closure of roads across large parts of New Zealand’s North Island on Monday, while snapping power links to tens of thousands. Domestic media reported a few flights had resumed operating by afternoon from the airport in Wellington, the capital, although cancellations were still widespread after authorities said most morning flights were disrupted. Air New Zealand said it hoped to resume services when conditions ease... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343699/absolutely-terrifying-new-zealand-storm-leaves-30000-homes-without-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343699/absolutely-terrifying-new-zealand-storm-leaves-30000-homes-without-power?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:26:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australia unveiled AU$3.9 billion (US$2.8 billion) in spending on Sunday as a “down payment” on a new facility to build nuclear submarines under the tripartite Aukus security pact with Britain and the United States. The Aukus pact aims to arm Australia with a fleet of cutting-edge submarines from the United States and would provide for cooperation in developing an array of warfare technologies. The submarines, the sale of which will begin in 2032, lie at the heart of Australia’s strategy of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343637/australia-unveils-billions-new-nuclear-submarines-under-aukus-security-pact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343637/australia-unveils-billions-new-nuclear-submarines-under-aukus-security-pact?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 12:12:22 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow New Zealand’s government has come under fire for keeping its talks with the United States over critical minerals under wraps, as opposition parties level accusations of secrecy amid mounting concern about environmental damage and foreign influence. Analysts say Wellington is reluctant to promote any formal agreement with Washington or invite public debate on the issue, even as both governments have confirmed that they are “exploring further opportunities” on critical minerals cooperation. In a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343516/new-zealand-catches-flak-secret-us-critical-minerals-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343516/new-zealand-catches-flak-secret-us-critical-minerals-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China’s travel industry is expecting a sharp increase in visitors to Australia during this month’s extended Lunar New Year holiday, as millions of tourists fan out across the world for a nine-day break. Industry insiders said the lure of wine, seafood, nature and flexible small-group itineraries was driving interest in the island country. Australia is projected to attract “the most travellers from China” during the break, with bookings likely to more than double over last year’s total, according... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343560/great-barrier-reef-calling-chinese-tourists-make-australia-lunar-new-year-hotspot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343560/great-barrier-reef-calling-chinese-tourists-make-australia-lunar-new-year-hotspot?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 08:00:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Australia is demanding criminal charges over a 2024 Israeli air strike on an aid convoy in Gaza that killed seven people, including an Australian aid worker, the country’s prime minister said on Wednesday in a case that has drawn sweeping condemnation and strained relations between the two countries. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he conveyed the request to visiting Israeli President Isaac Herzog during a meeting earlier in the day. Australian Zomi Frankcom was one of four World Central... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343184/australia-presses-israels-herzog-criminal-charges-over-strike-killing-zomi-frankcom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343184/australia-presses-israels-herzog-criminal-charges-over-strike-killing-zomi-frankcom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 09:10:36 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Australia has summoned the Laotian ambassador to protest against what a victim’s family described as an “absolute injustice” after 10 people linked to a deadly methanol poisoning case received suspended sentences and fines equivalent to US$130. The case stems from a fatal incident in the riverside town of Vang Vieng, a popular tourist destination in Laos, in November 2024. Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles, both 19, died after drinking methanol-tainted alcohol at Nana... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343154/australia-demands-answers-laos-over-methanol-poisoning-injustice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343154/australia-demands-answers-laos-over-methanol-poisoning-injustice?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 05:20:48 +0000 Reuters Reuters Thousands gathered across Australia on Monday to protest the arrival of Israeli ‍President Isaac Herzog, who is on a multi-city trip aimed at expressing solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community following a deadly mass shooting last year. Herzog is visiting Australia this week following an invitation from Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in the aftermath of the December 14 shooting at a Hanukkah event at Sydney’s Bondi Beach ⁠that killed 15. The visit has attracted the ire of some... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3342906/israeli-president-herzogs-visit-australia-met-protests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3342906/israeli-president-herzogs-visit-australia-met-protests?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:47:53 +0000 Jeoffrey Maitem Jeoffrey Maitem Australia has emerged as an alternate defence partner to long-time US ally the Philippines amid mounting uncertainty over American commitment to security in the Indo-Pacific. Canberra’s evolving ties with Manila hinge on its own strategic interests that may now align more closely with the Southeast Asian country’s than even those of Washington, observers say. Australia has committed to building eight infrastructure projects this year at five military bases in Luzon. Canberra will lead the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342824/why-australia-picking-tab-philippine-military-upgrades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342824/why-australia-picking-tab-philippine-military-upgrades?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Feb 2026 02:00:14 +0000 C. Uday Bhaskar C. Uday Bhaskar For the India-China-US triangle, the new US-India trade deal, announced with Trumpian flourish on social media on Monday, has potentially significant economic, geopolitical and strategic implications. US President Donald Trump’s post, which came after a phone call with Narendra Modi, said the Indian prime minister had committed to “BUY AMERICAN”, including over US$500 billion of US products. It also said Modi had “agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3342263/why-new-us-india-trade-agreement-big-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3342263/why-new-us-india-trade-agreement-big-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse One of Australia’s most famous gangsters walked free on Friday after prosecutors said they would drop a planned retrial on drug trafficking charges. Sixty-year-old Tony Mokbel – a key figure in Melbourne’s years-long gangland war – was jailed for 30 years in 2012 after pleading guilty to masterminding an elaborate drug syndicate. But his case fell apart after it was revealed that his high-profile lawyer at the time, Nicola Gobbo, was feeding information to police while supposedly defending her... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3342617/australian-drug-lord-tony-mokbel-walks-free-i-dont-regret-anything?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3342617/australian-drug-lord-tony-mokbel-walks-free-i-dont-regret-anything?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 06:05:23 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Australia and Indonesia’s leaders signed a security deal on Friday, one of a series of agreements that Canberra has secured with neighbouring countries to reinforce ties and limit China’s influence in the region. At a signing ceremony, President Prabowo Subianto met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said before he travelled to Jakarta that the pact was a “watershed moment” in ties. It “represents a major extension of our security and defence cooperation and demonstrates that our relationship... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342607/australia-indonesia-sign-deal-extend-security-cooperation-watershed-moment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3342607/australia-indonesia-sign-deal-extend-security-cooperation-watershed-moment?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 04:55:37 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Any decision by Australia to regain control of Darwin Port is likely to differ from Panama’s move to nullify a contract on its geostrategically vital canal, as fears of Chinese retaliation and a limited security consensus limit Canberra’s options, analysts said – though they warned the issue could still reopen strains in the bilateral relationship. Panama’s Supreme Court ruled on Friday against a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings, ending its rights to operate two ports on the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3342192/china-ties-make-darwin-port-bigger-test-australia-panama-port-dispute-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 05:54:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Rescuers praised a teenage boy’s “superhuman” survival instincts after he swam four hours through choppy waters off Australia to find help for his family. The 13-year-old boy swam 4km (2.5 miles) back to shore to raise the alarm after his mother and two younger siblings were swept out to sea while kayaking and paddleboarding near the Western Australian tourist town of Quindalup. Marine rescue volunteer Paul Bresland said the teenager’s four-hour swim saved his family, who were eventually found... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3342168/superhuman-teen-swims-4-hours-save-family-swept-out-sea-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3342168/superhuman-teen-swims-4-hours-save-family-swept-out-sea-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 02:12:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An Australian woman died after her backpack caught on a ski lift on a Japanese mountain and she became suspended mid-air, police said on Monday. The 22-year-old woman was preparing to get off the lift on Friday morning at Tsugaike Mountain Resort in Hakuba Valley, a popular ski destination in the central region of Nagano. But a loose buckle from her backpack became caught in the lift chair, according to the lift operator, Tsugaike Gondola Lift. The woman, who had secured the rucksack with a... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342119/australian-woman-dies-after-getting-caught-japan-ski-lift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3342119/australian-woman-dies-after-getting-caught-japan-ski-lift?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 10:20:32 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo Subdued Chinese demand was a key contributor to a decline in Australia’s wine exports last year, according to the Australian government agency that promotes the industry. With consumer sentiment and evolving tastes reshaping the Chinese market, shipments to mainland China fell 17 per cent year on year to A$755 million (US$532.10 million) – the biggest single factor in an 8 per cent fall in Australia’s total wine exports last year – Wine Australia said in a report released on Wednesday. The weak... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341760/how-changing-tastes-china-are-hitting-australias-wine-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341760/how-changing-tastes-china-are-hitting-australias-wine-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 03:17:00 +0000 Richard Heydarian Richard Heydarian At Davos, US President Donald Trump declared he had “always had a very good relationship with President Xi” Jinping, calling the Chinese leader “an incredible man”, “highly respected by everybody”. Trump also praised TikTok’s decision to transfer parts of its US business to a consortium of US investors, thanking Xi on social media. This broadly friendly rhetoric is likely to be a signal of Washington’s keen interest in finalising a trade deal with the world’s second-largest economy. Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341461/trumps-power-politics-paving-way-g2-world-order-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341461/trumps-power-politics-paving-way-g2-world-order-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Parts of Australia sweltered in record temperatures of close to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday as the country sweated through a prolonged heatwave. The rural towns of Hopetoun and Walpeup in Victoria state registered preliminary highs of 48.9 degrees, which if confirmed overnight would top records set on the day in 2009 when 173 people were killed in the state’s devastating Black Saturday bushfires. No casualties were reported from Tuesday’s heatwave, but Victoria... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341450/australia-swelters-temperatures-near-50-degrees-record-breaking-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341450/australia-swelters-temperatures-near-50-degrees-record-breaking-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 13:06:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters An Australian boy had died in hospital after being bitten by a shark in Sydney Harbour, his family said on Saturday after a series of shark attacks along the country’s east coast. Nico Antic, 12, was attacked on Sunday as he and friends were jumping off rocks in Vaucluse, around 9km (5.5 miles) from Sydney’s central business district. He was pulled from the water by friends and taken to hospital with severe injuries to both legs. “We are heartbroken to share that our son, Nico, has passed away,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341094/australian-boy-12-dies-week-after-shark-attack-sydney-harbour?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341094/australian-boy-12-dies-week-after-shark-attack-sydney-harbour?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 06:00:37 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse New Zealand police have found human remains beneath mud and debris from a landslide that struck a campsite in the popular holiday spot of Mount Maunganui, and are now moving to recover more victims. Efforts to rescue at least six people buried alive at the park ended on Saturday. Police Superintendent Tim Anderson said it could take several days to locate all of the bodies, after a mountain of dirt and debris tumbled onto a campsite in Mount Maunganui on Thursday. Anderson said it was... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341081/new-zealand-landslide-human-remains-found-operations-move-rescue-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3341081/new-zealand-landslide-human-remains-found-operations-move-rescue-recovery?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 01:44:21 +0000 Associated Press,Reuters Associated Press,Reuters A gunman was at large after a shooting in a town in Australia’s New South Wales state on Thursday left three people dead and another wounded, police said. Emergency services were called to two locations at Lake Cargelligo, a town of around 1,500 people, after 4pm. Two couples, a man and woman, had been shot in each location within minutes, Police Assistant Commissioner Andy Holland said. Both women and a man died. Another man was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition, he said. Police... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3340823/3-killed-shooting-australia-manhunt-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3340823/3-killed-shooting-australia-manhunt-under-way?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 08:16:02 +0000