China is capable of a direct missile strike on Australia and the threat is growing as Beijing amasses long-range and hypersonic weapons and builds islands in the South China Sea, an Australian think tank said on Sunday.
A Lowy Institute report found the main threat to Australia was from Chinese missiles fired from ships, submarines and a new intermediate-range ballistic missile that could reach the island continent from China.
China’s capacity to strike Australia would grow over the next decade…
Deadly Mindanao quake raised seabed, causing marine die-off
A powerful earthquake that killed at least 61 people in the Philippines this week raised the seabed by as much as two metres (6.6 feet), exposing coral and harming marine life, the environment department said on Sunday.
The 7.8-magnitude tremor in southern Mindanao island on Monday has also left at least 40 people missing, according to updated tolls from the disaster agency.
Local residents first reported the geological phenomenon known as “coastal uplift” two days after the quake, which…
India military transport plane crash kills 5
Five Indian air force personnel were killed when a military plane crashed while landing at a base in the country’s remote northeast on Saturday, the military said in a statement.
“The Indian Air Force deeply regrets the loss of five personnel in the An-32 accident at Jorhat”, a city in Assam state, the air force said in a statement.
It did not say how many people were on board at the time, or whether there were any survivors.
However, an air force official, speaking on condition of anonymity as…
Myanmar’s junta says everything’s back to normal. Yangon clubbers don’t believe it’s true
In a blaring nightclub in wartime Myanmar, partied-out revellers doze until dawn by the dance floor, wary of journeying home despite the end of a post-coup curfew.
Lasers streak the smoke-filled air and music is cranked up to 150 decibels, according to one DJ – as loud as a jet engine at take-off – but the weekend clubbers slumbering on sofas dotted around the warehouse-sized Yangon venue do not stir.
“That became a habit, they’re used to it,” said one 29-year-old veteran of the capital’s elite…
China’s ban on Philippine defence chief and family seen as warning shot to Manila
China’s decision to ban Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr and his family from Chinese territory has taken Beijing’s maritime feud with Manila into unusually personal territory, with analysts saying the move appeared aimed at warning other Philippine officials against taking a hard line.
The sanctions, announced by China’s foreign ministry on Thursday following Teodoro’s recent criticism of Beijing, also prohibit Chinese organisations and individuals from engaging in transactions,…
Can Singapore-linked growth deliver votes for Johor’s ruling party?
The state elections in Johor and Negeri Sembilan, scheduled for July 11 and August 1, have opened two battlegrounds where economic issues take precedence over the political wrangling of Malaysia’s coalition parties.
The ballot will also test whether Singapore-linked rail projects, economic zones and a data centre investment push have translated into support among Johor’s 2.73 million voters grappling with higher living costs.
Nominations to fill 56 seats in the Johor state assembly will begin on…
Running a sweepstake at work: the UK law
Workplace sweepstakes are a popular way to build engagement around sporting and other events. However, many common formats fall within the scope of the Gambling Act 2005 and can be unlawful unless they fit within a specific exemption.
World Cup sweepstakes ‘could trigger gambling law scrutiny’
Employers that encourage World Cup sweepstakes as means of engaging colleagues and building team spirit should ensure they are carefully structured, to avoid them falling foul of gambling laws in Britain, an expert has said.
UK regulator warns banks again of e-money and stablecoin contagion risk
UK banks should review their route to the consumer market for stablecoins and e-money in light of a recent reminder from the financial regulator and additional information on its expectations.
Hacking of Philippine Senate’s website spotlights widening political crisis
The Philippine Senate’s political crisis has spilled into cyberspace after its official website went offline on Thursday following its defacement with a warning accusing lawmakers of betraying public trust.
“The people deserve truth. The people deserve accountability. The people deserve better. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect Us,” the message said, using a closing phrase long associated with the global hacktivist collective Anonymous.
The incident comes as the Senate remains locked…