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Protest against Beijing turns violent in Australia | South China Morning Post

Pro-Hong Kong and pro-Beijing students have clashed during a protest in Brisbane, Australia against Hong Kong’s controversial extradition law on July 24. The protest at the University of Queensland, organised by Hong Kong international students, turned violent when scuffles broke out between opposing groups.

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Indonesia returns nearly 50 containers of waste to Australia, Europe and the US | South China Morning Post

Indonesia is sending 49 shipping containers filled with trash back where they came from – developed countries including Australia, France and the United States. Jakarta’s announcement on July 2, 2019, reflects increasing concern among southeast Asian nations, as governments in the region increasingly reject rubbish …

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Taking ballet to the streets of Hong Kong | South China Morning Post

Placing dancers near iconic backdrops such as Victoria Harbour and the Star Ferry, the artistic director of Hong Kong Ballet is making use of the city’s unique character to showcase the organisation’s work. The SCMP spoke with Septime Webre about a new marketing video and celebrations for Hong Kong Ballet’s 40th ann…

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Uber dives into project with Australian state to offer world’s first ‘ScUber’ submarine-hailing service | South China Morning Post

The Australian state of Queensland and ride-hailing company Uber are rolling out ScUber, the world’s first ride-hailing service providing trips on a submarine through the Great Barrier Reef. The rides can be booked from May 27 to June 18, 2019, at a cost cost about US$2,060 for each pair of riders.

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Australian politicians court more than 1.2 million ethnic Chinese citizens ahead of elections | South China Morning Post

Australia is home to more than 1 million Chinese-Australians – who make up about 5.6 per cent of the nation’s population. As the country heads to the polls for a federal election on May 18, 2019, political candidates have Chinese citizens in mind more than ever.

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Australia’s revolving door: seven prime ministers since 2007 – soon to be eight? | South China Morning Post

Australia’s federal election is scheduled for May 18, 2019, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison faces an uphill battle to keep his conservative coalition in government and retain the top job himself. Should the opposition Labor party win enough seats to form government, Bill Shorten would become Australia’s eighth pri…

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‘Shattered’ family of mosque shooting suspect voice sorrow after New Zealand attacks | South China Morning Post

Members of the family of Australian Brenton Tarrant, the suspect of mass shootings at two mosques in New Zealand, have voiced shock and sorrow during an interview at their home in New South Wales, Australia. Speaking on March 17, 2019, two days after the attack, Marie Fitzgerald described her grandson’s actions as “…

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Death toll rises to 50 in New Zealand mosque terror attacks | South China Morning Post

Police have confirmed the death toll of the mosque shootings in Christchurch, New Zealand has risen to 50, with another 50 wounded. Brenton Harrison Tarrant, a 28-year-old Australian citizen, appeared at court two days after the incident and was charged with murder. Three other suspects were arrested but believed no…

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Bushfires engulf Australia in record-breaking heat | South China Morning Post

Amid extreme hot and dry weather, bushfires have spread across large areas of Australia. Lightning strikes sparked the largest fire in Bunyip State Park, east of Melbourne, with emergency warnings issued and people evacuated. No injuries or deaths have been recorded but properties and large areas of land have been d…

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Inside the Harilela mansion in Kowloon Tong, one of Hong Kong’s most spectacular | South China Morning Post

The Harilelas, who moved from India to Hong Kong in the 1930s, made their fortune selling textiles to British and American forces during the second world war and then the Korean war. They subsequently developed a thriving tailoring business and went on to establish a hospitality group with properties in Asia, Austra…

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Airbus to scrap production of A380 superjumbo in 2021 | South China Morning Post

Aviation giant Airbus said it will stop making its A380 superjumbo in 2021 after Dubai-based carrier Emirates, the largest customer for the model, decided to cut its order. In a statement, Airbus said the airline is reducing its orderbook from 162 to 123 aircraft and as a result, the manufacturer has “no substantial…

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From Hunan to Victoria Harbour: the making of Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year fireworks extravaganza | South China Morning Post

Hong Kong rang in the Year of the Pig with dazzling circles of fireworks resembling pig snouts and the rings of Saturn. Some 23,888 pyrotechnic shells were used to light up the city’s skyline and iconic Victoria Harbour. But what’s the secret of the fireworks magic for the 23-minute extravaganza? The SCMP joined pyr…

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The Kings, Sultans, Raja, Emperor and Queen in today’s Asia | South China Morning Post

Royals reign over vast regions of Asia: Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Japan, Malaysia and Thailand are all monarchies, and so are Queen Elizabeth’s Commonwealth Realms in the region: Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu. Here’s a glimpse of Asia’s modern royalty.

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The Hong Kong man who chose to be homeless, and still has no regrets | South China Morning Post

Unlike many bloggers in Asia, Simon Lee does not live a glitzy, luxurious life. Lee chooses not to have a home or a job, and says his situation is a source of happiness. For the past seven years, the 52-year-old had been sleeping rough in Hong Kong’s Victoria Park not far from the upscale Causeway Bay shopping distr…

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First transgender contestant competes in Miss Universe pageant 2018 | South China Morning Post

This year’s Miss Universe competition included the first ever transgender contestant – Miss Spain Angela Ponce. Ponce, a 27-year-old model, said it was “an honour and pride” to take part in this historic moment of the contest. The 2018 Miss Universe title went to Catriona Gray, a Philippine-Australian.

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102-year-old great-granny becomes the world’s oldest skydiver | South China Morning Post

A 102-year-old great-grandmother is believed to have become the world's oldest skydiver after descending 14,000 feet (4,300 metres) through the South Australian sky. Irene O'Shea’s successful tandem dive at the age of 102 and 194 days broke the world record. She took the plunge to raise funds for a motor neurone dis…

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How Australia revitalises the troubled Great Barrier Reef | South China Morning Post

Global warming has put the Great Barrier Reef at risk. Rising water temperatures lead to coral bleaching and the death of coral – which has been an ongoing issue at the Great Barrier Reef. While the Australian government has spent millions on protecting the marine habitat, this is how scientists are now ambitiously …

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15-year-old pilot wins World Drone Racing Championships in Shenzhen | South China Morning Post

Some 128 pilots from all over the world gathered in Shenzhen to compete in the World Drone Racing Championships. Rudi Browning, 15, from Australia won the gold medal and US$24,000 in prize money. Switzerland’s Timothy Trowbridge won the world record title with an average speed of 114 km/h. In the women’s race, 11-ye…

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A love letter discovered in a drifting bottle in the ocean that ends sadly | South China Morning Post

Separated from his fiancée, a newly-engaged Chinese sailor proclaimed his love in a letter to his loved one, put it into a bottle, and threw it into the ocean. An Australian couple picked up the drifting bottle and started a search online for her. But as they discovered later, what seemed like a romantic love story …

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Australia’s wild Northern Territory wants to get ‘China-ready’ | South China Morning Post

Australia’s wild Northern Territory is hoping to double its number of Chinese visitors to 30,000 with an estimated expenditure of US$33 million by 2020. The first direct flight between Shenzhen and the NT capital Darwin has been operating since May 2018 and the local government has funded Chinese signs and menus.

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London’s V&A exhibition ‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ comes to Hong Kong | South China Morning Post

London’s Victoria and Albert Museum exhibition “Shoes: Pleasure and Pain” has come to Hong Kong on the final stop of an Asia tour. It combines anthropology and art to explore what shoes can reveal about their wearer, and how footwear choices reflect human and societal behaviour.

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Thomas the Tank Engine travels the world and makes some diverse new friends | South China Morning Post

Popular children’s TV character Thomas the Tank Engine is leaving his home station of Sodor for the first time in the show’s 73-year history. New series “Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!” sees the tank engine visit China, India and Australia and make some diverse new friends along the way.

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Drug overdose in Perth, Australia | South China Morning Post

Police say the drug that caused a mass overdose in Perth, Australia has been identified as a prescription medicine used for travel sickness. Police say tests show Hyoscine is the only identifiable drug detected in the sample from th house where nine foreign backpackers aged in their 20s were found delirious or uncon…

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