Japan to probe popular animal cafes amid hygiene, welfare concerns
SCMP •

Japan to probe popular animal cafes amid hygiene, welfare concerns

Japan plans to look into popular animal cafes, where visitors can interact with anything from cats to capybaras, following concerns about hygiene and the creatures’ welfare, authorities said on Thursday. Japan has hundreds of the cafes where campaigners say animals are sometimes kept in cramped spaces, and that their popularity encourages the capture and illegal trade of rare wildlife. A fact-find...

Nepal floods: missing Australians identified as children as young as 11 among those yet to be found

Nepal floods: missing Australians identified as children as young as 11 among those yet to be found

The Guardian •

Nepali tour operator fears 15 Australians who had been on a trek near the border with China have died after devastating floodNepal flash flood live updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA New South Wales couple on a spiritual pilgrimage are among the first Australians identified as missing after flash flooding ravaged the Nepal-Tibet border.Venkatraman Balakrishnan, 52,...

Philippines’ rising military pensions risk triggering budget ‘time bomb’

Philippines’ rising military pensions risk triggering budget ‘time bomb’

SCMP •

The Philippines’ push for military modernisation is being squeezed by a ballooning pension bill for its troops as fears mount over its ability to finance newer ships, aircraft and other defence assets. The Department of National Defence has proposed spending 142.95 billion pesos (US$2.3 billion) on military and uniformed personnel (MUP) pensions in 2027, out of a total proposed defence budget of 3...

City firms race to prepare for FCA crackdown on bullying and harassment

City firms race to prepare for FCA crackdown on bullying and harassment

The Guardian •

Rules will require hedge funds, insurers and pension firms to report all non-financial wrongdoing The City’s largest hedge funds, insurers and pension funds are racing to prepare for sweeping rules that will stop nearly 40,000 companies from hiding bullying and harassment cases from the financial watchdog.From the start of next month, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will expand a crackdown ...

A teaspoon of healthy soil holds more life than humans, yet most species remain unknown

A teaspoon of healthy soil holds more life than humans, yet most species remain unknown

Times of India •

A single teaspoon of soil contains a vibrant ecosystem, housing more life than the entire human population. Yet, many undiscovered soil fungi continue to elude science, complicating our grasp of soil vitality. Activities such as deforestation and excessive tillage jeopardize this crucial underground network. The deterioration of soil health not only releases carbon but also accelerates global warm...

Levy secretly added to Victorian public transport fares scrapped as Labor admits it ‘did not pass the pub test’

Levy secretly added to Victorian public transport fares scrapped as Labor admits it ‘did not pass the pub test’

The Guardian •

Premier confirms levy, which was intended to help pay for the multibillion-dollar Suburban Rail Loop and other Big Build projects, will be abolishedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Victorian premier, Ben Carroll, has announced he will abolish a levy secretly slapped on public transport users 18 months ago to help p...

Nearly 1,500 missing, mostly tourists, after Nepal-Tibet flash flood kills at least 165

Nearly 1,500 missing, mostly tourists, after Nepal-Tibet flash flood kills at least 165

The Guardian •

Entire villages swept away after glacial collapse triggers flood in mountainous region popular with trekkers and pilgrimsNepal-Tibet flash flood – latest updatesWhat we know so farHave you been affected by the flash floods?Nearly 1,500 people are missing, the majority of them tourists, authorities have said, after a catastrophic flash flood hit Nepal and Tibet, roaring down valleys and wiping out ...

Nepal flash flood: more than 1,500 missing, mostly tourists, after disaster kills at least 165 at Tibet border

Nepal flash flood: more than 1,500 missing, mostly tourists, after disaster kills at least 165 at Tibet border

The Guardian •

Entire populated areas swept away after glacial collapse causes catastrophic flood in mountainous region popular with trekkers and pilgrimsNepal-Tibet flash flood – latest updatesWhat we know so farHave you been affected by the flash floods?Nearly 1,500 people are missing, the majority of whom are tourists, authorities have said, after a catastrophic flash flood hit Nepal and Tibet, roaring down v...

Hong Kong gold imports fall 18% in July as mainland giants rush to build vaults

Hong Kong gold imports fall 18% in July as mainland giants rush to build vaults

SCMP •

Gold flows into Hong Kong eased to about 107 tonnes in July despite mainland corporate buyers pouring capital into new bullion vaults, as they bet on the city’s strategic ambition to establish itself as Asia’s premier hub for the precious metal. The city’s non-monetary gold imports fell about 18 per cent from June, a month that registered a decade-long high as banks built up inventory ahead of the...

Australia news live: Pauline Hanson adds to confusion over One Nation’s immigration policy; fugitive developer Jean Nassif to face Icac hearing

Australia news live: Pauline Hanson adds to confusion over One Nation’s immigration policy; fugitive developer Jean Nassif to face Icac hearing

The Guardian •

Follow today’s news liveNepal flash flood disaster – live updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says Dfat officials are ready to provide consular assistance to Australians in Nepal, after the devastating flooding in the country.A local tourism official said they believed 34 Australians were missing in the area, among hundreds of for...

‘Panicked’: pause to US visa interviews affects more than 100 Hong Kong applicants

‘Panicked’: pause to US visa interviews affects more than 100 Hong Kong applicants

SCMP •

More than 100 Hong Kong-based applicants have been affected by the indefinite postponement of US immigrant visa interviews worldwide, consultants have said, with student and travel applications also disrupted. The global pause, which marks a sharp tightening of legal immigration under the Trump administration, has left some Hong Kong applicants fearing the United States could scrap the entire path...

‘Panic’ as US immigrant visa interview pause hits at least 100 Hong Kong applicants

‘Panic’ as US immigrant visa interview pause hits at least 100 Hong Kong applicants

SCMP •

At least 100 Hong Kong-based applicants have been affected by the indefinite postponement of US immigrant visa interviews worldwide, immigration consultants say, with student and travel visa applications also disrupted. The global pause, which marks a sharp tightening of legal immigration under the Trump administration, has left some Hong Kong applicants fearing the US could scrap the entire immig...