https://www.scmp.com/rss/519225/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Far-flung Pacific nations ⁠are reeling from the impact of a global ⁠fuel crisis as authorities scramble to manage energy supplies while families must grapple ⁠with fuel curbs and higher costs for food and access to healthcare. Global oil supplies are running down as the US-Israeli war with Iran disrupts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which typically carries about 20 per cent of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas flows. Aid agencies have warned that the crisis has driven up prices... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350937/pacific-islanders-skip-food-medicine-amid-global-fuel-shortage-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350937/pacific-islanders-skip-food-medicine-amid-global-fuel-shortage-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 01:37:07 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on March 29, 1976. By Jack Beattie World ‘sevens’ for HK? A seven-a-side rugby union world cup competition – and possibly staged in Hongkong! That’s the exciting prospect that emerged after yesterday’s first International “Sevens” Championships held at the Hongkong Football Club. Last night Rothmans and Cathay Pacific, the joint-sponsors of this unique event, which had 12 countries competing, were playing it a bit coy – but both agreed that a similar promotion... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3348128/first-hong-kong-sevens-rugby-tourney-held-1976-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3348128/first-hong-kong-sevens-rugby-tourney-held-1976-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 02:30:07 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Australia should lead the creation of a formal Five Eyes-style intelligence club in the Pacific amid China’s growing presence in the region, a prominent foreign policy think tank has suggested. Dubbed “Pacific Eyes”, the proposed intelligence-sharing alliance could help to plug institutional gaps that “external powers” – particularly Beijing – were eager to exploit, the Sydney-based Lowy Institute said in a report released on Tuesday. It recommended that the dedicated framework initially consist... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329818/pacific-eyes-intelligence-body-would-offset-chinas-growing-presence-region-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3329818/pacific-eyes-intelligence-body-would-offset-chinas-growing-presence-region-report?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 11:30:08 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Australia’s Jetstar Airways has ordered an investigation after a plane prepared to take off with a cargo door open, an incident a labour group called “horrific” and attributed to poorly paid, overstretched ground staff at Sydney airport. Footage of the aircraft, heading to Ballina in northern New South Wales, on social media shows the door beyond the jet’s right side wing still open while moving slowly on the runway. The Qantas Group-owned carrier said it was currently investigating the incident... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3328319/australias-jetstar-prepares-fly-cargo-door-open-sparking-outrage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/article/3328319/australias-jetstar-prepares-fly-cargo-door-open-sparking-outrage?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Oct 2025 05:46:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Pacific Island leaders issued a call for an “ocean of peace” on Wednesday, urging respect for their sovereignty at a summit clouded by China’s alleged meddling and great power competition in the strategically vital region. After a day of largely closed-door talks in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara, the 18 Pacific Islands Forum leaders endorsed a Fiji-backed push for a statement proclaiming the region’s cohesion and its desire for peace and climate action. A heavy police presence guarded... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3325042/pacific-islands-leaders-call-ocean-peace-forum-after-china-claims-make-waves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3325042/pacific-islands-leaders-call-ocean-peace-forum-after-china-claims-make-waves?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Sep 2025 09:15:21 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo The International Criminal Court (ICC) is fighting back against the United States’ repeated sanctioning of its judges and prosecutors. But it can’t do it alone without global support from 125 of its member states against the American Goliath. Sadly, with heavy tariffs and other economic coercion hanging over their heads, many have chosen to stay silent. Washington has imposed new sanctions on four more ICC judicial officers, a move widely seen as protecting Israel. But that’s not the only... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3322976/world-must-stand-us-bullying-international-criminal-court?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3322976/world-must-stand-us-bullying-international-criminal-court?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 13:00:09 +0000 Agencies Agencies The Trump administration is ramping up pressure on the International Criminal Court (ICC) for pursuing investigations into US and Israeli officials for alleged war crimes. The State Department on Wednesday announced new sanctions on four ICC officials, including two judges and two prosecutors, who it said had been instrumental in efforts to prosecute Americans and Israelis. As a result of the sanctions, any assets the targets hold in US jurisdictions are frozen. The sanctions are just the latest... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3322575/us-sanctions-icc-judges-prosecutors-probes-alleged-american-israeli-war-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3322575/us-sanctions-icc-judges-prosecutors-probes-alleged-american-israeli-war-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Aug 2025 18:52:41 +0000 Kalinga Seneviratne Kalinga Seneviratne In a unanimous decision, a 15-member bench of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague in the Netherlands ruled on July 23 that government failures to protect vulnerable populations and ecosystems from climate change could amount to breaches of international law. The court’s non-binding ruling, which says that countries must comply with climate treaties, has been hailed as a great victory for youth activism from small island nations facing the brunt of the climate crisis. The... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3319809/world-courts-ruling-opens-door-wider-climate-justice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3319809/world-courts-ruling-opens-door-wider-climate-justice?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Jul 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A landmark ruling by the United Nations’ top court has found that governments, and by extension corporations, could be in breach of international law if they fail to take adequate action on climate change. Legal experts say the decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is likely to accelerate climate litigation, bolster demands for reparations from vulnerable nations and shape future lawsuits against both states and fossil fuel producers. In its first advisory opinion on the climate... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3319421/un-ruling-offers-lifeline-climate-threatened-communities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3319421/un-ruling-offers-lifeline-climate-threatened-communities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Jul 2025 09:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The United Nations’ top court announced on Wednesday that if countries fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change, they could be in violation of international law. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court, was delivering an advisory opinion in a landmark case about nations’ obligations to tackle climate change and the consequences they may face if they don’t, calling it an “urgent and existential” threat to humanity. “Failure of a state to take... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3319330/world-court-weighs-legal-duties-states-climate-changes-urgent-existential-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3319330/world-court-weighs-legal-duties-states-climate-changes-urgent-existential-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 13:58:27 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow For the first time in its history, Australia’s flagship military exercise has moved beyond its own shores, drawing in Pacific island nations as Canberra and Washington push to “regionalise” strategic deterrence across the Indo-Pacific. Neighbouring Papua New Guinea (PNG) is hosting parts of this year’s Talisman Sabre exercise, which began on July 13 and runs until August 4, with activities involving Australian and US troops. “This is an important demonstration of the deepening integration... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319230/talisman-sabre-australia-us-push-pacific-deterrence-amid-chinas-security-overtures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3319230/talisman-sabre-australia-us-push-pacific-deterrence-amid-chinas-security-overtures?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 06:00:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters Fiji is opposed to China setting up a military base in the Pacific islands, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said on Wednesday, adding that Beijing did not need such a base to project power, as shown by last year’s intercontinental ballistic missile test. Strategically placed between the United States and Asia, the Pacific islands are a focus of rivalry between Washington and Beijing for security ties. The islands were trying to cope with a big, powerful China seeking to spread its influence,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3316612/fiji-rejects-idea-chinese-military-bases-pacific-islands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3316612/fiji-rejects-idea-chinese-military-bases-pacific-islands?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 06:37:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters Tuvalu, a tiny Pacific nation that scientists predict will be submerged by rising seas, said it was seeking written assurance from the United States that its citizens would not be barred from entry after being apparently mistakenly included in a list of 36 countries facing visa bans. An internal diplomatic cable signed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio showed the United States, which has already barred entry for citizens from 12 countries, was considering expanding travel restrictions to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3316568/tiny-pacific-nations-fear-us-travel-bans-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3316568/tiny-pacific-nations-fear-us-travel-bans-why?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 02:02:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Less than half of working-age women are employed across Pacific island nations due to outdated laws and other barriers, the World Bank said in a new report on Tuesday. The World Bank economic update for the Pacific, which said closing the gender gap could boost economic growth, also forecast regional growth slowing to 2.6 per cent this year, down from 5.5 per cent in 2023. With 57 per cent or around 500,000 women not in work across the Pacific, the report said boosting female participation to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3314696/most-pacific-island-women-dont-work-world-bank-wants-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3314696/most-pacific-island-women-dont-work-world-bank-wants-change?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Jun 2025 04:03:08 +0000 Leanne Mirandilla Leanne Mirandilla “Bula!” The Fijian greeting is the first thing I hear as my car pulls up to the entrance of the Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort. A woven necklace is placed around my neck and a fruity drink pressed into my hand as a guitar serenade starts up. “Welcome home.” Check into enough resorts and it might be easy for such receptions to feel run-of-the-mill – but there’s something in the wideness of my welcoming committee’s smiles that has me smiling back at the genuine warmth. “Bula” is the standard Fijian... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3313363/looking-luxury-eco-getaway-fiji-try-jean-michel-cousteau-resort-named-after-famed-oceanographer-its?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3313363/looking-luxury-eco-getaway-fiji-try-jean-michel-cousteau-resort-named-after-famed-oceanographer-its?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 04:00:13 +0000 If America wanted to convince Southeast Asia to side together against China, Donald Trump’s “universal” tariffs have just shot the nation in one foot. If the idea was to militarise the South Pacific – by pressuring those tiny island states to go along – with help from Australia under the Aukus military alliance – America has blown off its other foot. I can imagine Xi Jinping quoting Napoleon, who famously told his generals to hold their horses during a major campaign. “Gentlemen,” he said, “let... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3305413/united-states-not-china-turns-out-be-real-bogeyman?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3305413/united-states-not-china-turns-out-be-real-bogeyman?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Apr 2025 13:00:08 +0000 Researchers have long wondered how iguanas got to Fiji, a collection of remote islands in the South Pacific. Most modern-day iguanas live in the Americas – thousands of miles and one giant ocean away. They thought maybe they scurried there via Asia or Australia before volcanic activity pushed Fiji so far away. But new research suggests that millions of years ago, iguanas pulled off the 8,000km (5,000-mile) odyssey on a raft of floating vegetation – masses of uprooted trees and small plants. That... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3302767/scientists-think-theyve-finally-figured-out-how-iguanas-got-fiji?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3302767/scientists-think-theyve-finally-figured-out-how-iguanas-got-fiji?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 02:00:25 +0000 There is a strong wind blowing as Semi Murray, our kayaking instructor, lets us start practising in a choppy sea. Backwards paddling, turning, rotating and how to rescue someone who has capsized are all covered after one experienced kayaker tipped over. Already, our tour is proving to be an adventure. Over the next four days we will be paddling through the Yasawas, an 85-kilometre (53-mile) chain of volcanic islands and atolls in northwest Fiji. “No worries,” Murray says. “Here on Fiji there are... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298345/kayak-trip-through-fijis-yasawa-archipelago-paddle-around-paradise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298345/kayak-trip-through-fijis-yasawa-archipelago-paddle-around-paradise?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Feb 2025 03:15:08 +0000 A man from Memphis in the US state of Tennessee was sentenced to life in prison for murdering his wife during their honeymoon in Fiji in 2022, a court official said on Friday. Bradley Robert Dawson, 40, will have to serve at least 18 years in prison before he can be considered for release, a Fiji High Court registry official in Lautoka said. Dawson was convicted in December of murdering his wife, Christe Chen, who was then 36, at the exclusive Turtle Island resort in the Yasawa archipelago two... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3298662/us-man-sentenced-life-murdering-wife-fiji-resort-during-honeymoon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3298662/us-man-sentenced-life-murdering-wife-fiji-resort-during-honeymoon?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2025 05:53:14 +0000 The Fiji government on Thursday said police were investigating incidents involving two crew members of Australian airline Virgin Australia who were allegedly victims of rape and theft in Nadi in the early hours of New Year’s Day. The crew members were in the popular tourist destination on a layover before they were supposed to fly off the following day, Acting Commissioner of Police Juki Fong Chew said in a statement. Virgin, which said it was aware of the alleged incidents, has sent people to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3293084/virgin-australia-flight-crew-members-allegedly-raped-robbed-fiji?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3293084/virgin-australia-flight-crew-members-allegedly-raped-robbed-fiji?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Jan 2025 00:55:29 +0000 Chef Janice Wong’s installations may at first seem as though they belong in an art museum. Her dynamic floor-to-ceiling canvases are covered with splatters of colour, and are reminiscent of the works of Jackson Pollock, the American abstract expressionist best known for his drip paintings. But Wong, who was named Asia’s best pastry chef in 2013 and 2014 by the World’s 50 Best Restaurants and won the Pastry Innovation Award from French restaurant guide La Liste in June 2024, does not create her... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3276965/her-chocolate-art-walls-spread-moments-joy-singapore-fiji-meet-janice-wong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3276965/her-chocolate-art-walls-spread-moments-joy-singapore-fiji-meet-janice-wong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Sep 2024 23:15:07 +0000 Beijing is expected to seek to deepen security ties and restore trust with Fiji when Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka visits China this week. The 10-day visit comes just months after a review of a controversial policing agreement signed in 2011 that allowed Chinese police officers to be stationed in Fiji. At the time of the review, Rabuka – who ousted long-time leader Frank Bainimarama in the 2022 election – said he saw “no need” for the deal. He said: “If our systems and our values differ, what... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3274402/fiji-leaders-visit-gives-china-chance-restore-trust-after-biggest-failure-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3274402/fiji-leaders-visit-gives-china-chance-restore-trust-after-biggest-failure-pacific?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 14 Aug 2024 04:00:16 +0000 Antoine Dupont kicks off Olympic action at the Paris Games on Wednesday in a move that could not have been better scripted. Rugby sevens will be held from July 24 to 30, with three days apiece for the men and women’s tournaments at the Stade de France. Dupont, the captain of Toulouse and France in the 15-a-side format, has become one of the faces of the Games after his successful switch to the abbreviated game. His absence from last season’s Six Nations did not sit right with many France fans,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/article/3271527/paris-olympics-fiji-seek-outshine-antoine-dupont-and-defend-rugby-sevens-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/article/3271527/paris-olympics-fiji-seek-outshine-antoine-dupont-and-defend-rugby-sevens-legacy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Jul 2024 09:30:07 +0000 Edgar Cardoso said the manner of his appointment as Kitchee head coach was “not so easy”, but obtaining a senior managerial post had been a “life target”. The 41-year-old Portuguese unofficially took charge late last season, with interim boss Kim Dong-jin relegated to a subsidiary role as Kitchee’s campaign nosedived. Last month, Cardoso was confirmed as the permanent replacement for Kim, who will take charge of Kitchee’s under-22s. “The team was going through a strange and difficult moment [at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3269645/kitchees-new-coach-edgar-cardoso-says-fresh-signings-can-turn-clubs-fortunes-around?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3269645/kitchees-new-coach-edgar-cardoso-says-fresh-signings-can-turn-clubs-fortunes-around?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jul 2024 12:00:17 +0000 Osea Kolinisau led Fiji to their first-ever Olympic gold medal when rugby sevens made its debut at the Summer Games in 2016 and now, as a coach, he is turning to old teammate Jerry Tuwai to help the Pacific nation’s bid for a three-peat. Kolinisau, the inspirational Fiji captain at Rio de Janeiro eight years ago, was drafted in to coach the men’s national sevens squad earlier this year when they were struggling in the world series. He has only recently recalled 35-year-old Tuwai – the two-time... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3269130/paris-olympics-jerry-tuwai-back-fiji-fold-olympic-champs-target-rugby-sevens-3-peat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3269130/paris-olympics-jerry-tuwai-back-fiji-fold-olympic-champs-target-rugby-sevens-3-peat?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 05:07:11 +0000 China’s rugby sevens boss Lu Zhuan wants the country’s women’s team to overcome a tough draw at the Paris Olympic Games next month where he will be seeking to outdo their Tokyo Games ranking. China, who finished seventh among 12 teams in Japan in 2021, were drawn in Pool A alongside New Zealand, Fiji and Canada – all of whom are World Series grand finals sides. “As difficult the draw may look, we hope to make the most of our momentum to challenge the world’s top teams,” Lu said. “Our target is... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3268619/paris-olympics-china-rugby-sevens-boss-wants-improve-tokyo-despite-tough-group?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3268619/paris-olympics-china-rugby-sevens-boss-wants-improve-tokyo-despite-tough-group?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Jun 2024 13:00:09 +0000 China secured the final place in the women’s rugby sevens tournament at the Paris Olympics on Sunday, with South Africa taking the last spot in the men’s draw at the expense of Great Britain. Both sides qualified for the Games after winning the Olympic repechage over the weekend in Monaco, where 12 teams in each draw battled it out for the last available place at the Games up for grabs. Hong Kong’s men and women both made it to the quarter-finals of their competitions, but were comfortably... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3267752/paris-olympics-china-women-cruise-through-monaco-seal-final-rugby-7s-spot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3267752/paris-olympics-china-women-cruise-through-monaco-seal-final-rugby-7s-spot?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jun 2024 02:06:46 +0000 Athletes on Tuvalu train on the airport runway in the absence of a running track, but the tiny Pacific nation will still manage to send a one-man sprint team to the Paris Olympics. Karalo Maibuca will jet across the world to race for Tuvalu in the men’s 100 metres at next month’s Games. The 25-year-old was flag-bearer three years ago in Tokyo, a role he will reprise in the French capital – he is his country’s sole representative. Tuvalu has a population of around 11,000 and is made up of a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3267245/paris-olympics-tuvalu-nation-where-athletes-train-airport-runway-send-one-man-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3267245/paris-olympics-tuvalu-nation-where-athletes-train-airport-runway-send-one-man-team?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2024 16:00:09 +0000 China has called for direct peace talks between Russia and Ukraine “as soon as possible” as it shunned a weekend gathering in Switzerland that aimed to boost international support for Kyiv’s position. “China calls on the parties to the conflict to demonstrate political will, come together, and start peace talks as soon as possible to achieve a ceasefire and halt military actions,” Geng Shuang, China’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations, told the United Nations Security Council... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3266809/china-calls-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-soon-possible-after-skipping-swiss-summit-shunned-moscow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3266809/china-calls-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-soon-possible-after-skipping-swiss-summit-shunned-moscow?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2024 12:00:09 +0000 No matter where you look, the global polycrisis envelops us, throwing together climate change, pandemic threats, food insecurity, technological competition, trade conflict and hot wars. Confidence has faltered in open trade, globalisation and multilateral cooperation as a foundation for eliminating poverty and driving global economic growth. In their place, global leaders are turning inward. They are bringing into favour industrial policies, protectionism in the form of both tariffs and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3266579/world-facing-polycrisis-needs-multilateralism-more-ever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3266579/world-facing-polycrisis-needs-multilateralism-more-ever?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jun 2024 01:30:09 +0000 A shorter quarantine period for pet dogs and cats coming into Hong Kong may reduce demand for smuggling across the border, an expert and lawmaker have said, respectively calling for a reduction from four months to one or waiving the rule for vaccinated animals. Environmental authorities earlier said they were in the final stages of a study on reducing the current 120-day quarantine period for pet dogs and cats from locations considered to be high risk for rabies, such as mainland China, Macau,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3265989/reducing-hong-kongs-pet-quarantine-period-might-curb-cross-border-smuggling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3265989/reducing-hong-kongs-pet-quarantine-period-might-curb-cross-border-smuggling?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jun 2024 04:00:21 +0000 Characterised by white sand beaches and clear cerulean waters, the Fijian archipelago comprises more than 330 South Pacific islands, most of which were formed more than 150 million years ago through volcanic activity. Early settlers were said to be fierce warriors and cannibals, but a lot has changed since then; much of Fiji’s charm lies in the friendliness of its people and their natural hospitality. It all begins the moment you arrive at the airport – that will most likely be Nadi... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3265812/fijis-clear-waters-white-sand-beaches-and-friendly-islanders-make-it-tropical-paradise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3265812/fijis-clear-waters-white-sand-beaches-and-friendly-islanders-make-it-tropical-paradise?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Jun 2024 20:15:08 +0000 Fiji’s prime minister wound back the clock on Wednesday by winning a bronze medal at an international athletics championships, aged 75. Sitiveni Rabuka, who competed for Fiji at both rugby and athletics in his youth, finished on the podium for his age category in the shot put at the Oceania championships held in Suva. World leaders taking part in sports events is nothing new, but it is rare for one to walk away with a medal from an international competition. Rabuka earned his bronze with a throw... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3265463/fijis-75-year-old-pm-wins-international-athletics-medal-shot-put?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3265463/fijis-75-year-old-pm-wins-international-athletics-medal-shot-put?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jun 2024 07:44:58 +0000 China’s women stormed onto the global rugby sevens circuit following a comprehensive dismantling of Belgium at the HSBC SVNS Series grand finals in Madrid. The Chinese won tight encounters with hosts Spain and rivals Japan before thumping Poland for a perfect pool campaign. Their group clean sweep set up a playoff with Belgium for a spot in next year’s elite series. First-half tries from Ma Xiaodan and Yang Feifei, both converted by Chen Keyi, put China in charge. Hu Yu crossed twice after... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3265132/china-women-earn-place-among-rugby-sevens-elite-superstar-dupont-inspires-france-success-ahead-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3265132/china-women-earn-place-among-rugby-sevens-elite-superstar-dupont-inspires-france-success-ahead-home?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jun 2024 04:48:09 +0000 Hong Kong women scored three unanswered tries to end their Asia Rugby Championship with victory over Kazakhstan on Saturday, one of the most significant wins in the Test team’s 26-year history. A 22-0 triumph helped head coach Royce Chan Leong-sze’s side finish second behind Japan, earning them a spot at the global WXV3 tournament and keeping their hopes of reaching the 2025 Rugby World Cup in England alive. Chan had arranged a surprise visit from families and friends to the team hotel for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3265026/hong-kong-women-keep-world-cup-dream-alive-prove-too-powerful-kazakhstan-asia-rugby-championship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/fifteens/article/3265026/hong-kong-women-keep-world-cup-dream-alive-prove-too-powerful-kazakhstan-asia-rugby-championship?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2024 13:51:26 +0000 A policeman in riot-hit New Caledonia killed a man on Friday after being attacked by protesters, as President Emmanuel Macron warned against the French Pacific territory turning into a new “Wild West.” The latest fatality was a blow to hopes for calm after Macron’s visit, which some officials had seen as heralding an end to more than a week of violence that has now killed seven people. Macron flew on Thursday to the southwest Pacific archipelago, located some 17,000 kilometres (10,600 miles)... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3263997/new-caledonia-riots-man-shot-dead-police-after-protesters-attack-prosecutors-office?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3263997/new-caledonia-riots-man-shot-dead-police-after-protesters-attack-prosecutors-office?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2024 09:57:27 +0000 The Philippines’ purchase of Japanese patrol vessels amid growing tensions in the South China Sea is the latest indication of Tokyo’s growing role as a security provider in the region, observers say, as they point to the need to confront Beijing through deterrence and more “aggressive diplomacy”. Analysts perceived such a role from Japan to be necessary with the United States preoccupied with two wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The Philippine Foreign Affairs Department said on its website last Friday... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3263790/japan-selling-patrol-vessels-philippines-tokyo-confronting-beijing-more-aggressive-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3263790/japan-selling-patrol-vessels-philippines-tokyo-confronting-beijing-more-aggressive-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2024 00:00:14 +0000 French President Emmanuel Macron’s ambitions to deepen French influence in the Pacific, where China is expanding its security ties, could be put at risk by the heavy-handed response to civil unrest in New Caledonia, Pacific analysts and officials said. Deadly riots erupted this week among indigenous Kanak, after Paris changed voting rules to allow more French residents to join electoral rolls in the Pacific territory. The violence and the arrival of hundreds of police from Paris are reigniting... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3263149/macrons-response-french-territory-new-caledonia-risks-helping-china-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3263149/macrons-response-french-territory-new-caledonia-risks-helping-china-analysts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2024 13:52:28 +0000 Sima Taparia, the star of breakout Netflix series Indian Matchmaking, is so famous in Mumbai, India, that she appears on a series of official stamps released on May 2. The reality series, which follows modern matchmaker Sima Auntie – as she is also known – as she works, provides insight into the everyday lives of India’s youth. It has been nominated for a Hollywood Critics Association Television Award and two Emmys, and she appeared on Elite Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Indians list in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3262605/indian-matchmaking-queen-sima-auntie-being-stamp-her-own-marriage-and-getting-stopped-50-times-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3262605/indian-matchmaking-queen-sima-auntie-being-stamp-her-own-marriage-and-getting-stopped-50-times-day?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2024 03:15:15 +0000 New Zealand celebrated twin success for the second straight tournament while Argentina did enough to claim the men’s HSBC SVNS Series title, on an exhilarating closing day of the Singapore Sevens. Both Kiwi teams reigned supreme at last month’s Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens, repeating their dominance from 2023. And New Zealand on Sunday turned Singapore black, too, to lay down a marker ahead of the Paris Olympics in July. The women inflicted a second-half blitz on Australia to win a rip-roaring... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3261496/singapore-sevens-double-joy-kiwis-who-lay-down-olympic-marker-argentina-win-first-world-series-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3261496/singapore-sevens-double-joy-kiwis-who-lay-down-olympic-marker-argentina-win-first-world-series-title?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 May 2024 13:08:23 +0000 Alicia Lucas, the 2016 Olympic rugby gold medallist, said Australia’s women were “out-and-out firing”, after their destructive form booked a Singapore Sevens semi-final meeting with France on Sunday. The green-and-gold routed Fiji 60-0 in their closing group fixture on Saturday before a 24-14 quarter-final win over Ireland that belied a one-sided game. Singapore is poised for a dream final as it hosts a women’s competition alongside its men’s event for the first time. New Zealand breezed through... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3261445/singapore-sevens-australia-firing-stay-track-decider-new-zealand-phenomenal-womens-event?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/article/3261445/singapore-sevens-australia-firing-stay-track-decider-new-zealand-phenomenal-womens-event?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 May 2024 13:43:46 +0000 Great Britain men’s hopes of avoiding a shoot-out to preserve their elite HSBC SVNS Series status were severely dented on a topsy-turvy opening day of the Singapore Sevens. The Britons were beaten 19-5 by Ireland in their opening Pool C fixture, but retain hope of progressing to the quarter-finals after stunning Olympic champions Fiji 19-14 in their second match. They were done no favours by results elsewhere in the pool, however. USA, the only team within reach of ninth-placed GB in the overall... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3261402/singapore-sevens-great-britain-world-series-status-jeopardy-following-mixed-opening-day-michael?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3261402/singapore-sevens-great-britain-world-series-status-jeopardy-following-mixed-opening-day-michael?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2024 14:14:12 +0000 Brian O’Driscoll said Ireland’s thriving men’s sevens team have banished their “impostor syndrome”, and are ready to claim a landmark first HBSC SVNS Series tournament victory. The Irish’s latest opportunity to break their duck, five years after beating Hong Kong in a straight shoot-out for core world series status, comes at the Singapore Sevens, which begins on Friday. Added incentive for the final event of the regular season is supplied by Ireland’s position on the shoulders of Argentina at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3261203/singapore-sevens-resurgent-ireland-banishing-impostor-syndrome-legend-odriscoll-bullish?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3261203/singapore-sevens-resurgent-ireland-banishing-impostor-syndrome-legend-odriscoll-bullish?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 May 2024 09:30:21 +0000 New Zealand’s women go into next weekend’s sevens World Series stop in Singapore on top of the standings, and veteran Tyla King warned the team had still not reached its full potential. Victory in Hong Kong earlier this month was the Black Ferns’ third in a row, after wins in Vancouver and Los Angeles, and put them just ahead of Australia on points difference. There was a bump in the road in the form of a 26-21 loss at the hands of France in the pool stages, and King said that had tempered the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3260504/veteran-tyla-kings-ominous-warning-singapore-sevens-opponents-new-zealand-have-yet-reach-their-full?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/international-rugby/article/3260504/veteran-tyla-kings-ominous-warning-singapore-sevens-opponents-new-zealand-have-yet-reach-their-full?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Apr 2024 00:00:15 +0000 Japan’s coastguard has extended an initiative designed to help other nations’ counter Chinese expansion in the South China Sea to two Pacific island countries: the Marshall Islands and Micronesia. The Mobile Cooperation Team (MCT) initiative was first set up in 2017 as part of Tokyo’s efforts to train and equip the coastguards of Southeast Asian nations that felt threatened by China’s presence in the disputed waterway. With Beijing actively looking to expand its sphere of influence further into... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3259940/japan-extends-anti-china-coastguard-training-push-south-china-sea-pacific-islands?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3259940/japan-extends-anti-china-coastguard-training-push-south-china-sea-pacific-islands?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Apr 2024 00:00:20 +0000 Beijing’s bid to build influence across the Solomon Islands hit a major snag on Friday, with the pro-China premier of the Pacific nation’s most populous province losing his seat in countrywide elections. Malaita premier Martin Fini – who has overseen the swift expansion of Chinese interests in the province – lost his re-election bid, according to the election commission. For years, the province of Malaita refused to accept aid or investment from China, bucking the trend as Beijing’s influence... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3259560/setback-china-solomon-islands-pro-beijing-provincial-leader-loses-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3259560/setback-china-solomon-islands-pro-beijing-provincial-leader-loses-election?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Apr 2024 02:43:42 +0000 The United States and China are expected to finish 1-2 in the gold and the overall medal counts at the Paris Olympics, which open in 100 days. The United States is projected to win 123 medals overall, including 39 golds. China is projected to win 35 gold and 89 medals overall. The two also finished 1-2 in both categories three years ago in the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympics. This forecast was done by Nielsen’s Gracenote Sports, which supplies statistical analysis for sports leagues around the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3259307/paris-olympics-2024-united-states-china-expected-win-most-medals-hosts-france-set-triple-gold-medal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3259307/paris-olympics-2024-united-states-china-expected-win-most-medals-hosts-france-set-triple-gold-medal?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:51:11 +0000 The United States’ coastguard has rejected comments by a Chinese diplomat that its recent boardings of Chinese fishing boats in the Pacific alongside local police are illegal, saying the joint patrols are at the behest of Pacific nations to protect coastal fisheries. Six Chinese fishing boats were reportedly found to be violating Vanuatu’s fisheries law last month after being inspected by local police who were on board the first US Coast Guard boat to patrol the waters of the Pacific island... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3258467/us-coastguard-rejects-chinese-claim-it-illegally-boarded-fishing-boats-pacific-host-nations-invite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3258467/us-coastguard-rejects-chinese-claim-it-illegally-boarded-fishing-boats-pacific-host-nations-invite?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Apr 2024 04:33:52 +0000 World Rugby chief Alan Gilpin said Hong Kong, “the jewel in the sevens crown”, was “definitely back” following a heady three days on and off the field. A large slice of the narrative around this year’s 47th edition has centred on the tournament saying goodbye to its celebrated Hong Kong Stadium home. However, the sport’s CEO said there was “more work to do” before the global governing body could “fully confirm” the proposed 2025 move to Kai Tak Sports Park. “We have been talking about Kai Tak... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3258193/hong-kong-sevens-2024-world-rugby-chief-alan-gilpin-says-more-work-do-move-kai-tak-2025-confirmed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3258193/hong-kong-sevens-2024-world-rugby-chief-alan-gilpin-says-more-work-do-move-kai-tak-2025-confirmed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Apr 2024 09:30:09 +0000 The Hong Kong Sevens closed in a barrage of fireworks and confetti on Sunday, as New Zealand’s men and women successfully defended their titles and a sell-out crowd sang themselves hoarse for the final time at the sport’s spiritual home. Expected to move to Kai Tak Sports Park next year, city leader John Lee Ka-chiu said this weekend’s tournament at Hong Kong Stadium, its home in various guises since 1982, had taken on a “special significance”. In a Facebook post, Lee called the Sevens a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3258159/hong-kong-sevens-ends-bang-kiwis-seal-back-back-wins-and-world-rugby-chief-hails-jewel-sports-crown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/3258159/hong-kong-sevens-ends-bang-kiwis-seal-back-back-wins-and-world-rugby-chief-hails-jewel-sports-crown?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Apr 2024 15:34:39 +0000