HONG KONG — Hong Kong’s electoral reform bill was introduced in the city’s legislature on Wednesday, setting in motion changes that will give Beijing greater control over the process while reducing the number of directly elected representatives. The bill is part of efforts to rein in political protests and opposition […]

Paramedics have assessed at least 12 toddlers at a Caulfield creche following an apparent mass allergic reaction after the children drank a smoothie. Paramedics were called to Chabad House on Glen Eira Road just before 3.30pm on Wednesday, but no children were taken to hospital. Chabad House on Glen Eira […]

Workers are getting more eager to return to the office as just a quarter say they want to mostly work from home after the pandemic, new poll finds Opinium poll for the Prospect trade union suggests drop in support for WFH Poll shows 24 per cent want to work mostly […]

PRINCE Harry and William spoke on the phone ahead of their first face-to-face meeting in a year at Prince Philip’s funeral.  The brothers will be reunited at the ceremony at Windsor Castle on Saturday afternoon – with Kate Middleton expected to act as a peacemaker. * Read our Prince Philip […]

Noise pollution is stopping trees from growing by scaring away birds who spread seeds, study finds Scientists recorded numbers of nut pine and desert juniper in New Mexico, US There were 2.5 nut pine seedlings per plot of land with noise level of 30 decibels  But there were none at […]

As a new coronavirus variant sweeps Japan, Olympics organisers are racing to make contingency plans, set spectator limits and prepare to isolate infected participants. Here’s what you need to know. Clap but don’t cheer. No high-fives. Wear your mask at all times except when competing, training, eating or sleeping. Do […]

Cairo: Egyptian authorities impounded a massive cargo vessel that blocked the Suez Canal last month amid a financial dispute with its owner, the canal chief and a judicial official said. Lieutenant General Osama Rabie said the hulking Ever Given would not be allowed to leave the country until a compensation […]

Washington: President Joe Biden has decided to leave American troops in Afghanistan beyond the May 1 deadline negotiated with the Taliban by the Trump administration, and has set the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks as the new goal, US officials said. Biden has been hinting for weeks that […]

Anti-lockdown Sweden had the highest rate of Covid-19 infections in Europe per capita last week Sweden has recorded 625 new infections per million people in the past seven days The number is vastly higher than neighbouring Nordic countries and other European states including Germany and the United Kingdom  Sweden made […]