Advertisement
Advertisement
-
TOPIC COLLECTION

Oceania

Included topics:
Officials inspecting a mosque’s speakers in Jakarta. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Row over speakers on Indonesian ‘island of 1,000 mosques’ sparks debate on rules

A New Zealander’s disruption of a prayer session over the use of loudspeakers at a mosque has prompted some to call for a law on their use.

videocam
Malaysia

‘They do listen sometimes’: Malaysians cheer US U-turn on controversial envoy

New Zealand

Wellington mayor dives into sewage row in New Zealand waters

Hong Kong stocks rebound in relief rally as global AI scare fades

Hang Seng Index climbs as concerns over AI disruption ease, with investors awaiting Nvidia earnings to gauge sentiment.

Hong Kong shares track a rebound in global tech shares overnight after jitters faded that AI could upend business models. Photo: Shutterstock

US warns of deep distrust even as officials seek stable China ties for summit

Congressional hearings reflect bipartisan concern and highlight persistent advanced tech market tension as key Trump-Xi summit looms.

videocam
26

Why Brics can’t do away with US dollar even as currency cooperation rises

Brazil says there has been no proposal or talks within Brics to create a common currency across the bloc.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

‘Alpha male’ Nick Adams dropped as Trump’s Malaysia envoy nominee

His controversial nomination, opposed by Malaysians, was ‘returned to the president’ last month.

Nick Adams said his new role would soon be revealed. Photo: Instagram/nickaone

Can Cadbury chocolate-fed Wagyu outshine Japan’s finest beef?

Raising cattle on confectionery might sound crazy, but to Australian Wagyu producer Mayura Station, it’s ingenious and makes a difference.

Letters | Can Hong Kong’s Exchange Fund capture the growth of tomorrow?

Readers discuss the Hong Kong Monetary Authority’s investment strategy in comparison with Singapore’s Temasek, Australia’s media bargaining mechanism, and Chinese New Year Cup ticketing.

Hong Kong stocks retreat on AI worries, China markets rally in Year of the Horse

Tech heavyweights drag Hong Kong stocks lower as investors fret over AI disruption following Wall Street’s decline.

All major benchmarks in the US fell overnight over a pessimistic scenario in which advances in AI would disrupt white-collar employment. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong court dismisses appeals of 12 activists over landmark subversion case

Court also upholds acquittal of Lawrence Lau Wai-chung, with Department of Justice to consider appealing ruling.

A correctional services vehicle transports the appellants to court. Photo: Dickson Lee

Smells like popcorn: Chinese scientists’ gene-edited tomato offers aroma tweak

By silencing two genes with CRISPR/Cas9 tool, Chinese team creates a tomato with a surprisingly sweet scent.

videocam
4

Satellite images show first glimpse of China’s Type 095 nuclear submarine

Next-generation SSN features advanced acoustic stealth and strike capacity, narrowing tech gap with rival US.

24

Beijing monitors Australian frigate Toowoomba’s passage through Taiwan Strait

Anzac-class frigate ‘conducted a routine transit through the South China Sea’, Australian defence department says.

videocam
4
A Royal Australian Navy helicopter flies above the HMAS Toowoomba as it sails in the South China Sea. Photo: Handout

Germany’s ruling party seeks social media ban for children aged below 14

Spain, Greece, France, Britain and other countries are looking at similar social media bans or curbs.

Social media apps displayed on a mobile phone. Germany’s ruling party has called for fines against online platforms that fail to enforce social media curbs for children. Photo: Reuters

Opinion | Who will save the world from a US-China AI arms race?

Unrestrained military AI could doom us all. The window for a global middle-power alliance to rein in the superpowers is closing fast.

videocam

Hong Kong stocks fall as market reopens after 3-day Lunar New Year holiday

Tech heavyweights Alibaba, Baidu and Kuaishou drop as trading commences in the Year of the Horse.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Washington offers US$200 million to boost US smartphone industry in Indo-Pacific

State Department subsidies for US companies to shore up US artificial intelligence supply chain in region and counter China’s dominance.

videocam
39
Jacob Helberg, the State Department’s Under Secretary for Economic Affairs, believed the US$200 million in government funding would make “millions of smartphones more competitive”. Photo: Getty Images

Former Biden official says US must work with allies to counter China

Kurt Campbell warns Trump’s strategy risks weakening Washington leverage as policy machinery erodes and Beijing sharpens its approach.

videocam
28

‘Rude and ignorant’: OnlyFans model slammed for Bali bikini theft

Gemma Doyle, 26, says she stole the US$21 swimsuit ‘for fun’, but has now paid more than US$1,100 to avoid a stint in Indonesian prison.

My Take | Forget Canada, the real 51st American state appears to be gullible Australia

Aside from the first island chain of encirclement against China, much of the other island ‘defence’ chains look more like vassalising the not so ‘lucky country’ among others in the South Pacific.

26
US President Donald Trump greets Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the White House in Washington on October 20, 2025. File photo: AFP

Australian citizen in Syria with alleged Isis ties banned from returning home

This is the first known use of a temporary exclusion order introduced in 2019 to prevent high-risk citizens from returning to Australia.

Australian family members of suspected Isis militants walk toward a van bound for the airport during the first repatriation operation of the year at Roj Camp in eastern Syria on Monday. Photo: AP

‘Knowing your friend’: Japan to join US-Philippines drills for first time

Australia also joins the fray as the US and its allies shift away from simple bilateral deals towards tighter regional security networks.

Video | Robber catches fire during heist attempt

Australian police are looking for two men in connection to the fiery robbery attempt.

‘This is great’: first-ever Antarctic sleeper shark filmed in frigid waters

Filmed at 490-metre depth, the sighting challenges beliefs about shark habitats in the Southern Ocean.

A sleeper shark swims into the spotlight of a video camera in Antarctica in January 2025. Photo: Minderoo-UWA Deep-Sea Research Centre, Inkfish, Kelpie Geoscience via AP

Bipartisan push grows for Quad summit before Trump’s China trip

Lawmakers urge White House to rally Indo-Pacific partners ahead of high-stakes Xi meeting, citing leverage and coordination concerns.

10
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (third from left) met in January 2025 with Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, and Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi at the State Department in Washington. Photo: Reuters

Australian man who sent lizards in popcorn bags jailed record 8 years

Investigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from seized parcels destined for Hong Kong, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Romania.

Sydney stabbing: man killed in ‘random’ attack on busy shopping street

Emergency services rushed to the Merrylands shopping strip after reports that a man had stabbed multiple people before fleeing on foot.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Oceania
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Oceania. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.