https://www.scmp.com/rss/519495/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Australian comedian Jenny Tian set off a wave of deep laughter across an Adelaide audience at a recent comedy festival by saying she had tired of democracy at home. So, Tian explained, she moved to the US to give “fascism” a whirl instead. The 30-year-old showbiz pro was born to Chinese parents, making her race a rarity in Western stand-up comedy. But the crowd was a near sell-out. I saw Tian’s March performance during a visiting media tour of Australia after days of meetings with national... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348468/australias-180-degree-shift-5-years-ago-china-favour-us-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3348468/australias-180-degree-shift-5-years-ago-china-favour-us-out?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:09 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Australian households will be able to access three hours a day of free solar power under an energy-saving programme that the government unveiled on Tuesday and will begin next year. “We want to see the benefits of renewable energy flow to all,” Energy Minister Chris Bowen told national broadcaster ABC. In a statement, he said that the Solar Sharer scheme will be rolled out from next year in some jurisdictions, including New South Wales and South Australia, before a possible expansion. “It’s not... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3331507/australia-offers-free-solar-power-households-green-energy-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3331507/australia-offers-free-solar-power-households-green-energy-push?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Nov 2025 10:46:02 +0000 Reuters Reuters Optus, Australia’s second largest telecoms carrier, said on Sunday that a departure from regular processes on a network upgrade sparked a technical failure that disrupted emergency call services for 13 hours and has been linked to four deaths. There has been growing outcry in Australia over the glitch, which Optus said occurred during a network firewall upgrade from 12.30am on Thursday until about 1.30pm and potentially impacted 600 customers. The government on Friday said it would investigate... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3326296/australia-investigating-optus-emergency-calls-outage-linked-4-deaths?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3326296/australia-investigating-optus-emergency-calls-outage-linked-4-deaths?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 09:33:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Australian government said on Saturday that telecoms firm Optus “let Australians down” after three people died during a network outage that prevented calls to emergency services. Amid a growing outcry, two of the dead were identified as an eight-week-old boy and a 68-year-old woman, police in South Australia said. The two other fatalities were men aged 74 and 49, police in Western Australia said. Optus CEO Stephen Rue said in a statement late on Saturday that he was “deeply saddened” at news... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3326241/baby-among-3-dead-australia-after-optus-network-failure-hits-emergency-calls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3326241/baby-among-3-dead-australia-after-optus-network-failure-hits-emergency-calls?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 07:10:08 +0000 dpa dpa South Australia has become the first place in the world to ban fish-shaped plastic soy sauce packets. The ban took effect on Monday in the Australian state as part of efforts to cut pollution, reduce carbon emissions and protect marine life, the South Australian government said in a statement. “Each fish-shaped container is used for just seconds yet remains in the environment for years, causing harm and contributing to microplastic pollution,” the statement said. The ban targets pre-filled 30ml... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3323864/australian-state-bans-plastic-fish-soy-sauce-containers-world-first?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3323864/australian-state-bans-plastic-fish-soy-sauce-containers-world-first?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Sep 2025 04:36:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A woman who turned 21 on the day of Australia’s federal election in May has been declared the nation’s youngest ever senator. And like many female candidates who run for election in Australia, Charlotte Walker was not expected to win. The former union official won the governing centre-left Labor Party’s third Senate seat for South Australia state in a complicated rank order voting system. A party’s third choice rarely wins. She had the lowest vote count of the six newly elected senators for the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3312105/australias-youngest-ever-senator-21-and-she-wasnt-expected-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3312105/australias-youngest-ever-senator-21-and-she-wasnt-expected-win?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 07:16:35 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Australians in New South Wales are facing yet another extreme weather challenge even as thousands are still reeling from days of storms and unprecedented flooding. Massive dust clouds blanketed parts of the state, including the capital of Sydney, on Tuesday, creating conditions which experts warn are hazardous to health. Authorities warned of “extremely poor” air quality in some suburbs, with PM10 particle levels exceeding 600 – far above the “good” threshold of 40, according to environmental... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3311987/new-south-wales-battered-hazardous-dust-storm-wake-record-floods?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3311987/new-south-wales-battered-hazardous-dust-storm-wake-record-floods?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 May 2025 09:54:37 +0000 The first openly gay man to play in Australia’s domestic soccer league says he is still subject to death threats four years after going public about his sexuality. Josh Cavallo, who plays for Adelaide United in the A-League, told the FIFPro Footballers Unfiltered podcast that “in a world of football, being a gay … player is a very toxic place”. “I still think we’re a very, very long way from being accepted in this space, unfortunately,” he said. Cavallo was 21 in 2021 when he decided to come... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3302992/openly-gay-australian-football-player-still-faces-online-death-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3302992/openly-gay-australian-football-player-still-faces-online-death-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Mar 2025 08:32:40 +0000 Freya Maclay’s story has touched many people – and tugged on every emotion. She was born in Hong Kong in August 2022 after her parents, Simone and Ally, had spent three years trying to conceive. Freya was their miracle baby. But almost a year later, their joy turned to heartbreak when Freya was diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease, a rare condition in which toxins build up in the brain and spinal cord, leading to seizures, vision and hearing loss, paralysis and eventually death – there is no... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3271801/hong-kong-baby-incurable-tay-sachs-disease-teaches-parents-celebrate-each-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3271801/hong-kong-baby-incurable-tay-sachs-disease-teaches-parents-celebrate-each-day?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jul 2024 03:15:10 +0000 An Indonesian court sentenced an Australian man to six months of medical rehabilitation on Thursday after finding him guilty of possessing methamphetamine on the tourist island of Bali. Troy Andrew Smith, from Port Lincoln in South Australia state, was arrested on April 30 after police raided his hotel in Legian, a popular tourist spot near Kuta Beach, and seized 3.15 grams (0.1 ounce) of crystal methamphetamine inside a toothpaste container from his room. Police found a further 0.4 grams of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3269239/australian-caught-methamphetamine-bali-hotel-sentenced-6-month-drug-rehabilitation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3269239/australian-caught-methamphetamine-bali-hotel-sentenced-6-month-drug-rehabilitation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2024 02:30:13 +0000 Chinese Premier Li Qiang’s visit to Australia on Sunday focused on positive aspects of the bilateral relationship including shared giant pandas and a rebounding wine trade as he promised a new breeding pair of the rare bears. China’s most powerful leader after President Xi Jinping arrived late on Saturday in Adelaide, the capital of South Australia state, which has produced most of the Australian wine entering China since crippling tariffs were lifted in March that had effectively ended a 1.2... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3266797/chinas-li-qiang-promises-australia-more-pandas-pick-pair?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3266797/chinas-li-qiang-promises-australia-more-pandas-pick-pair?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2024 07:24:13 +0000 Premier Li Qiang has said Australia and China must look for common ground despite their differences at the start of a visit where trade will feature prominently on the agenda. Li arrived in Adelaide on Saturday after a three-day trip to New Zealand and before a stopover in Malaysia. He was greeted by Foreign Minister Penny Wong, South Australian premier Peter Malinauskas and Chinese ambassador Xiao Qian. “China-Australia exchanges have a long history and the friendship between the two peoples... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3266756/chinese-premier-li-qiang-tells-australia-lets-try-set-aside-our-differences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3266756/chinese-premier-li-qiang-tells-australia-lets-try-set-aside-our-differences?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Jun 2024 11:13:56 +0000 A court on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali on Thursday began the trial of an Australian man who faces up to 12 years in prison if convicted of possessing methamphetamine under the country’s tough drug laws. Troy Smith, from Port Lincoln in South Australia, was arrested on April 30 after police raided his hotel near Kuta beach, a popular tourist spot, and seized 3.15 grams (0.1 ounce) of crystal methamphetamine from his room, authorities said. The arrest followed a tip that Smith had... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3266472/australian-faces-12-years-prison-indonesia-alleged-drug-possession-bali?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3266472/australian-faces-12-years-prison-indonesia-alleged-drug-possession-bali?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Jun 2024 09:21:38 +0000 On May 29, India woke up to the news that its capital city was burning up with extreme heat. Reports said New Delhi had recorded a staggering temperature of 52.9 degrees Celsius (127.2 degrees Fahrenheit). News outlets were quick to point out that this was the second highest temperature on record globally, second only to the 56.7 degrees recorded in Death Valley, California, in 1913. Not long after the record-breaking temperature was publicised, the India Meteorological Department said it could... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3265190/how-asias-demand-air-con-threatens-its-climate-change-goals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3265190/how-asias-demand-air-con-threatens-its-climate-change-goals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jun 2024 07:30:10 +0000 You’re strolling along the beach when you see a sign that says, “Beyond this point you may encounter nude bathers”. Do you make a swift U-turn and hurry back the way you came, or continue walking, eyes peeled for a patch of sand where you can discard your clothing? Nude sunbathing isn’t widely accepted in Asia. In Thailand, public indecency laws forbid nudity and parting with your swimsuit is a legal grey area in Bali, Indonesia. Officially no nudist beaches exist, but that does not stop... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3261288/8-worlds-best-nudist-beaches-miami-florida-berlins-wannsee-and-vancouvers-wreck-beach?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3261288/8-worlds-best-nudist-beaches-miami-florida-berlins-wannsee-and-vancouvers-wreck-beach?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 May 2024 10:15:11 +0000 Australian wineries are bracing for a more challenging Chinese market after a more than three-year absence, even after Beijing lifted high punitive import tariffs for the product in March. A broad slowdown in the Chinese economy and changes in the market landscape are among the factors leading wine sellers to rethink their strategies and rebuild influence in a market that has offerings from other destinations, including Chile, Italy and France. “There’s a weak desire of consumers buying new... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3261354/australian-wine-returns-china-how-will-industry-cope-when-good-old-days-are-gone-and-adversity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3261354/australian-wine-returns-china-how-will-industry-cope-when-good-old-days-are-gone-and-adversity?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 May 2024 00:00:13 +0000 A Singapore-born veterinary surgeon based in Adelaide, Australia has been sanctioned and fined A$5,000 (US$3,289) for engaging in a series of inappropriate acts involving animals, Australian news media reported. Marcus Tan Wei Sheng, who studied in Australia for six years before first working in veterinary practice in 2019, has not been banned from practising as a veterinary surgeon there but has to do so under strict conditions and supervision, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3261267/singapore-born-veterinary-surgeon-fined-and-sanctioned-sex-acts-animals-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3261267/singapore-born-veterinary-surgeon-fined-and-sanctioned-sex-acts-animals-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2024 02:35:41 +0000 Angus Chung Yik-lai graduated from his apprenticeship in emphatic style after guiding Colourful Emperor to a dominant win for his boss Tony Cruz at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. Chung lapped up his 70th Hong Kong victory, standing high in his irons and pumping his fist as Colourful Emperor exploded clear to make the second section of the Class Three ParisLongchamp Handicap (1,200m) a one-act affair. After sitting outside the lead in the early stages, the Holy Roman Emperor gelding hit the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3261096/angus-chung-completes-apprenticeship-explosive-happy-valley-win-colourful-emperor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3261096/angus-chung-completes-apprenticeship-explosive-happy-valley-win-colourful-emperor?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 May 2024 15:52:13 +0000 Entertainment, star names and awareness of culture are the three key ingredients Greg Norman has used to build LIV Golf, with the Australian confident the formula can be transplanted anywhere to capitalise on pent-up demand. Now in its second full season and spanning 14 tournaments, the Saudi-backed league and its 54-hole format, punctuated by thumping music, has injected itself as a rival to the PGA Tour, poaching a slew of high-profile talent. Its fledgling success is nowhere more evident than... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3260330/entertainment-star-names-culture-greg-norman-sees-adelaide-success-formula-blueprint-all-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3260330/entertainment-star-names-culture-greg-norman-sees-adelaide-success-formula-blueprint-all-liv-golf?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Apr 2024 10:30:19 +0000 When Betty Grisoni was at rock bottom and overcome with suicidal thoughts, running saved her life. It gave her a sense of accomplishment and a reason to struggle out of bed each day. Describing herself as “a classic Hong Kong story”, the French life coach arrived in the city more than 20 years ago and threw herself into a life of working and playing hard. “I was not paying attention to my physical and mental health and I just crashed and burned. I found myself with depression and ignored it for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3257044/how-exercise-helps-treat-depression-better-counselling-or-leading-medications-and-runner-who-says-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3257044/how-exercise-helps-treat-depression-better-counselling-or-leading-medications-and-runner-who-says-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Mar 2024 08:15:20 +0000 Australia insisted on Friday that a landmark deal to develop Aukus nuclear-powered submarines with London and Washington was “going to happen”, despite mounting fears about costs, capabilities and the possible return of Donald Trump. Under the fledgling Aukus deal, the three long-time allies have pledged to jointly strengthen their military muscle in a bid to counter China’s rise. Defence chiefs this week unveiled ambitious plans to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines, a key pillar... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3256293/australia-insists-aukus-nuclear-powered-submarines-going-happen-despite-fears-about-costs-potential?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3256293/australia-insists-aukus-nuclear-powered-submarines-going-happen-despite-fears-about-costs-potential?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 Mar 2024 01:20:49 +0000 Australia said on Thursday the UK’s BAE Systems would build a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, a key step in fulfilling the landmark Aukus security pact between Canberra, London and Washington. Australia’s Submarine Agency said BAE would produce the state-of-the-art vessels, which will be delivered from the early 2040s. The agency did not reveal the exact number of submarines that will be built or financial details of the deal, but Australian defence officials have said the country would get... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3256258/uks-bae-build-fleet-nuclear-powered-submarines-australia-under-aukus-pact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3256258/uks-bae-build-fleet-nuclear-powered-submarines-australia-under-aukus-pact?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Mar 2024 12:02:30 +0000 This is the 32nd instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope. When my mother had a stroke four years before the first signs of dementia were visible to us, she lost her ability to read. After her stroke she developed a rare condition called pure alexia – acquired reading impairment without losing the ability to spell and write; she went, overnight, from being able to read words on a page to not being able to... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3255529/how-stroke-raises-dementia-risk-short-term-and-decades-later-losing-ability-read-or-speak-causes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3255529/how-stroke-raises-dementia-risk-short-term-and-decades-later-losing-ability-read-or-speak-causes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2024 20:15:18 +0000 Australian grape grower Tony Townsend destroyed half of his 14-hectare (35-acre) vineyard last year. The fields were healthy and vibrant, but he estimates he would have lost about A$35,000 (US$23,000) harvesting them. While a heatwave is holding him back from ripping out the rest, he plans to finish the job once the weather cools – losing all the vines he’s tended for the past decade. “I enjoyed being in the wine industry, but it was just economically unviable to continue this way,” said... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3255072/there-too-much-wine-why-some-winemakers-are-ripping-vines-and-dont-see-future-wine-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3255072/there-too-much-wine-why-some-winemakers-are-ripping-vines-and-dont-see-future-wine-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Mar 2024 20:15:12 +0000 Brenton Avdulla returns to his home country full of confidence in his bid for an upset win on Kuroyanagi in Saturday’s Group One Blue Diamond Stakes (1,200m) at Caulfield. The Australian jockey’s top form in Hong Kong, headlined by a brilliant winning ride on Howdeepisyourlove on February 12, caught the eye of South Australian trainer Will Clarken and led to him being offered the Blue Diamond ride. The coveted two-year-old feature is one of 12 overseas races to be simulcast by the Jockey Club on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3252965/brenton-avdulla-returns-australia-top-form-ahead-blue-diamond-stakes-tilt-caulfield?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3252965/brenton-avdulla-returns-australia-top-form-ahead-blue-diamond-stakes-tilt-caulfield?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Feb 2024 07:09:34 +0000 It was his biggest win in nearly three months and Brenton Avdulla’s recent victory aboard Howdeepisyourlove did more than just help rejuvenate the Australian jockey’s then-stuttering season. In an effort that earned the praise of master trainer John Size, Avdulla speared Howdeepisyourlove, who was behind midfield on the rail turning for home, through traffic late to snatch victory. Size wasn’t the only trainer impressed by Avdulla’s efforts, with the ride prompting South Australian trainer Will... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3252909/how-brenton-avdullas-howdeepisyourlove-peach-led-ride-aboard-blue-diamond-chance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3252909/how-brenton-avdullas-howdeepisyourlove-peach-led-ride-aboard-blue-diamond-chance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Feb 2024 01:14:42 +0000 Australia on Tuesday outlined a decade-long plan to double its fleet of major warships and boost defence spending by an additional US$7 billion, in the face of a quickening Asia-Pacific arms race. Under the plan, Australia will get a navy of 26 major surface combatant ships, up from 11 today. “It is the largest fleet that we will have since the end of the Second World War,” said Defence Minister Richard Marles. Australia will build six Hunter-class frigates, 11 general-purpose frigates and six... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3252514/australia-unveils-us7-billion-plan-more-double-size-its-naval-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3252514/australia-unveils-us7-billion-plan-more-double-size-its-naval-fleet?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Feb 2024 03:20:29 +0000 The UN top court on Friday said Israel must prevent genocidal acts in Gaza and facilitate “urgently needed” humanitarian aid into the besieged territory, handing down rulings in a case that has drawn global attention. The court urged Israel to refrain from any possible genocidal acts as it presses its military operation in the Gaza Strip, but stopped short of ordering a ceasefire. Israel must take “immediate and effective measures to enable the provision of urgently needed basic services and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3249964/world-court-requests-immediate-halt-israels-offensive-gaza-allow-more-humanitarian-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3249964/world-court-requests-immediate-halt-israels-offensive-gaza-allow-more-humanitarian-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Jan 2024 12:48:23 +0000 Large swathes of Australia sweltered on Sunday in a heatwave, the nation’s weather forecaster said, raising bushfire risk in an already high-risk fire season amid an El Nino weather pattern. Heatwave alerts at “extreme” level, the highest danger rating, were in place for a second day for parts of Western Australia and were extended to South Australia, while areas of Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory were under “severe” warnings, the weather forecaster said. It cautioned... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3249216/australia-sweats-heatwave-lifting-bushfire-risk-highest-danger-level-some-states-amid-el-nino?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3249216/australia-sweats-heatwave-lifting-bushfire-risk-highest-danger-level-some-states-amid-el-nino?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jan 2024 01:18:20 +0000 It’s that time of year again when Hong Kong racing fans eat too much, drink too much and like the early-season runs of Derby-eligible gallopers too much. Last term, Beautyverse became the first nominal Derby favourite at Sha Tin on November 6 when he won his Hong Kong debut in Class Two from the outside gate over a 1,600m trip that most students of Australian form thought was shorter than his optimal distance. Those punters who declared Beautyverse, the artist formerly known as 2022 South... https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3246427/unbelievable-excitement-hong-kong-derby-countdown-ramps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/racing/article/3246427/unbelievable-excitement-hong-kong-derby-countdown-ramps?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Dec 2023 23:00:19 +0000 Japan’s space exploration agency has repurposed its Hayabusa-2 spacecraft to intercept two distant asteroids and to start testing the technology required for a man-made vehicle to destroy an asteroid that is on a collision course with the Earth. Officials from Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) have not said if the Hayabusa-2 will attempt to intercept and change the course of the asteroids, but a space expert has suggested that may well happen when the craft nears both the end of its... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3245767/japan-test-technology-destroy-small-and-fast-asteroid-set-collide-earth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3245767/japan-test-technology-destroy-small-and-fast-asteroid-set-collide-earth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Dec 2023 00:30:16 +0000 Australia may have asserted that its acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines under Aukus is not aggravating the “arms race”, but the deal and the three-nation alliance could still fuel a defence build-up in the Asia-Pacific and heighten regional tensions, security analysts say. At the national press club in Canberra on Tuesday, Australian Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy reiterated the importance of the submarines to the country’s defence while debunking “myths” about the trilateral deal... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3243149/australias-aukus-nuclear-submarines-could-fuel-regional-arms-race-despite-assurance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3243149/australias-aukus-nuclear-submarines-could-fuel-regional-arms-race-despite-assurance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Nov 2023 12:59:44 +0000 Mussels, those clam-like, stationary, palm-sized creatures found in waters around the world, have for centuries been an important source of seafood for humans and a good source of vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. But for marine biologists, the bivalve mollusc is also a kind of unsung aquatic hero. Aside from providing habitats for organisms that attach to them, mussels filter considerable amounts of water while feeding, and, in the process, clean pollutants from the waters they live in.... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3240966/could-humble-asian-mussel-become-aquatic-eco-warrior-our-world-warms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3240966/could-humble-asian-mussel-become-aquatic-eco-warrior-our-world-warms?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Nov 2023 13:00:21 +0000 Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth have more than celebrity in common. These Hollywood stars have also tried, or follow, intermittent fasting – to stay in shape and improve their overall health. Called IF for short, intermittent fasting is a dietary approach that alternates between periods of feeding and fasting. IF practitioners restrict their eating window to a certain number of hours a day or certain days of the week, voluntarily fasting the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3241002/intermittent-fasting-has-fans-jennifer-aniston-chris-hemsworth-and-it-may-lower-type-2-diabetes-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3241002/intermittent-fasting-has-fans-jennifer-aniston-chris-hemsworth-and-it-may-lower-type-2-diabetes-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Nov 2023 10:15:07 +0000 A warming Earth and its increasingly extreme weather events may be handing advantages to invasive animal species, according to a global analysis by scientists in China and the United States. The study found that non-native animals were less sensitive to extreme weather events than their native counterparts, and that events such as heatwaves, cold spells, storms, floods and droughts might help invaders establish themselves and spread. When combined with ongoing changes in Earth’s climate,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3240760/chinese-led-study-suggests-extreme-weather-helping-invaders-replace-native-animals-globally?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3240760/chinese-led-study-suggests-extreme-weather-helping-invaders-replace-native-animals-globally?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Nov 2023 05:30:08 +0000 Australia’s failed referendum on the Indigenous Voice has set back the government’s plans to cut the nation’s constitutional ties to Britain’s King Charles, a minister said Thursday. Australians last week overwhelmingly rejected the referendum that would have enshrined in the constitution an Indigenous advisory body to Parliament. The loss reduced the chances of another referendum soon to make the country a republic with an Australian president as head of state instead of the British monarch,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3238452/australias-failed-indigenous-rights-vote-sets-back-canberras-plans-cut-ties-britains-king-charles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3238452/australias-failed-indigenous-rights-vote-sets-back-canberras-plans-cut-ties-britains-king-charles?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Oct 2023 04:34:06 +0000 Australians rejected giving Indigenous people constitutional recognition and greater rights in a landmark referendum on Saturday, Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said. “Australians have not voted for a change to the constitution”, Marles said, as partial results pointed to a resounding defeat for the reform. “We very much respect this result”. Australian Broadcasting Corp said that the states of New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australiarejected the amendment that would have... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3237956/australia-set-reject-landmark-indigenous-voice-referendum-early-votes-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3237956/australia-set-reject-landmark-indigenous-voice-referendum-early-votes-show?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Oct 2023 08:52:17 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. I felt a touch of déjà vu when I read the op-ed warning of dangerous superpower tension in the South China Sea (“South China Sea: US-China confrontation looms large”, September 29). All the more so... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3237012/australia-boosts-its-defence-capabilities-will-young-citizens-volunteer-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3237012/australia-boosts-its-defence-capabilities-will-young-citizens-volunteer-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Oct 2023 03:30:17 +0000 Hong Kong national security police detained the parents-in-law of fugitive former legislator Ted Hui Chi-fung and his wife’s brother for questioning on Tuesday as part of ongoing investigations into eight activists wanted by the force, the Post learned. A source familiar with the case said officers raided the Yuen Long home of Hui’s parents-in-law and their son in the morning. They were then escorted to two police stations in Tuen Mun and Yuen Long. Fugitive former Hong Kong politician Ted Hui... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3234231/hong-kong-national-security-police-detain-parents-law-fugitive-ted-hui-questioning-over-links-ex?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3234231/hong-kong-national-security-police-detain-parents-law-fugitive-ted-hui-questioning-over-links-ex?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Sep 2023 06:14:18 +0000 Adam Simpson Adam Simpson More than three months after Thailand’s national elections – and many anti-democratic manoeuvres in parliament – the country finally has a new prime minister, Srettha Thavisin. But given the chaotic nature of Thai politics, this was perhaps not even the biggest news of the week. Hours before the partially military-appointed Thai parliament elected Srettha to the post, one of the country’s most prominent political figures, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, returned from his self-imposed... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3232332/thaksins-back-thailands-anti-democratic-forces-are-strong-ever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3232332/thaksins-back-thailands-anti-democratic-forces-are-strong-ever?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Aug 2023 02:30:10 +0000 Beijing has hit back at the US for “desecrating” Hong Kong’s rule of law after city authorities were accused by Washington of “ongoing harassment” against the family members of five wanted activists and a jailed opposition figure. A spokesman for China’s foreign affairs office in Hong Kong on Sunday hit back at the US, describing such claims as double standards since Washington had its own “airtight” national security legislation and employed a “long-arm jurisdiction” to impose “illegal and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3232417/hong-kong-slams-us-demonising-citys-national-security-agency-after-country-accuses-authorities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3232417/hong-kong-slams-us-demonising-citys-national-security-agency-after-country-accuses-authorities?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Aug 2023 12:09:04 +0000 Roads are the lifelines of civilisation, connecting people, cultures and landscapes. Here are a few that stand out from the crowd. 1. Most famous road Linking Chicago and Los Angeles, Route 66, also known as the Main Street of America, has been immortalised in song and on screen and is certainly a candidate for the title of world’s most famous road. Also in the running, the stylish, stately Avenue Champs-Élysées will take centre stage at the 2024 Paris Olympics, while Australia’s sublimely... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3232243/worlds-most-famous-road-and-highest-longest-most-dangerous-straightest-and-curviest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3232243/worlds-most-famous-road-and-highest-longest-most-dangerous-straightest-and-curviest?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Aug 2023 10:15:12 +0000 A fugitive former Hong Kong politician wanted by police for alleged national security offences has become a lawyer in Australia. Ted Hui Chi-fung, a former Hong Kong lawmaker who jumped bail and fled the city in 2020, said in a Facebook post on Monday that he had been admitted as a lawyer by the Supreme Court of South Australia. Hong Kong national security law: police offer HK$1 million rewards for arrest of 8 Hui, who now lives in Adelaide, South Australia, said he had passed integrity vetting... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3231821/fugitive-former-hong-kong-politician-ted-hui-admitted-lawyer-south-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3231821/fugitive-former-hong-kong-politician-ted-hui-admitted-lawyer-south-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Aug 2023 11:05:42 +0000 In a general amnesty announced recently on state television, Myanmar’s military junta removed six years from the jail term of Aung San Suu Kyi, the 78-year-old leader of the government removed by a coup in February 2021. This came a week after the junta had moved her into house arrest following a year in solitary confinement. But it still leaves Suu Kyi facing a 27-year jail term on bogus charges. The junta also lopped four years off former president Win Myint’s sentence, and reportedly released... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3230706/why-myanmars-brutal-military-junta-can-never-defeat-aung-san-suu-kyi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3230706/why-myanmars-brutal-military-junta-can-never-defeat-aung-san-suu-kyi?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Aug 2023 06:00:22 +0000 Top executives at Australian wine producer Penfolds recently sat at a long table full of the company’s bottled offerings with local government officials and guests, seemingly oblivious to the beautiful scenery of Shangri-La surrounding them in southwest China’s Yunnan province. Instead, their focus was locked on the three Australian critics who were gently swirling wine in their stemware. For managing director Tom King, it was a defining moment, as Penfolds’ first wine made with Chinese grapes,... https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3228990/china-australia-ties-thaw-critics-score-penfolds-first-made-china-wine-it-worth-us100-bottle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/article/3228990/china-australia-ties-thaw-critics-score-penfolds-first-made-china-wine-it-worth-us100-bottle?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jul 2023 20:00:18 +0000 Now that almost all Covid-19 travel restrictions have been lifted, global air travel has largely returned to pre-pandemic levels. In early June, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) issued a report saying airlines expect to carry 4.35 billion passengers worldwide this year, close to the record of 4.54 billion in 2019. And with the summer travel season in full swing, people have been departing Hong Kong in droves to holiday in perennial favourites Japan, Thailand and South Korea, as... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3227120/hong-kong-flights-barcelona-chicago-chennai-adelaide-and-more-direct-international-air-routes-still?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3227120/hong-kong-flights-barcelona-chicago-chennai-adelaide-and-more-direct-international-air-routes-still?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jul 2023 23:15:08 +0000 Australia on Saturday became one of the first countries in the world to allow the use of MDMA and magic mushrooms for medical treatment, in a bid to tackle certain mental health conditions. From July 1, authorised psychiatrists will be able to prescribe the drugs, also known as ecstasy and psilocybin, for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and some types of depression. Authorities in Canada and the United States allow the medical use of one or both of the drugs, but only in clinical... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3226230/australia-legalises-psychedelic-drugs-mdma-magic-mushrooms-mental-health-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3226230/australia-legalises-psychedelic-drugs-mdma-magic-mushrooms-mental-health-treatment?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jul 2023 09:50:18 +0000 BHP Group is calling for Australia to lift a long-standing ban on nuclear power as the country moves to decarbonise its electricity system. Nuclear “must be part of the conversation” in Australia, Laura Tyler, chief technical officer at the world’s biggest miner, said in an interview on Wednesday. “To make sure we have that safe, reliable energy mix, we need to be able to mix it up” with nuclear complementing wind, solar, batteries and other sources of electricity, she said. “Everything needs to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3225798/worlds-biggest-mining-company-calls-australia-scrap-nuclear-power-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3225798/worlds-biggest-mining-company-calls-australia-scrap-nuclear-power-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:37:38 +0000 For the first time, Australians have been referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for investigation into alleged Afghan war crimes. That Senator Jacqui Lambie has instigated this process is even more extraordinary as it’s the first time any Australian MP has taken that step. Lambie’s ICC referral focuses on the legal responsibility of Australian Defence Force (ADF) commanders who knew, or should have known, about alleged war crimes committed by their forces in Afghanistan. This move... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3225055/why-international-criminal-court-unlikely-prosecute-alleged-australian-war-crimes-afghanistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3225055/why-international-criminal-court-unlikely-prosecute-alleged-australian-war-crimes-afghanistan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jun 2023 18:00:12 +0000