Vietnam banned a DreamWorks film as it depicts controversial Chinese map

According to official Vietnamese media reports, Vietnam has pulled over a DreamWorks animated film "Abominable" from the cinema. A map of the scene shows China's unilaterally announced "nine-dot line" in the South China Sea.

The U-shaped line is a function used on maps of China to illustrate its broad range of claims for the resource-rich South China Sea, including large areas of land that Vietnam considers as the continental shelf, and has granted oil concessions on the continental shelf.

Five fires appear to have been deliberately lit in Sydney’s Glebe

Sydney police are investigating five fires that appear to have been deliberately lit last night.

Multiple crime scenes have been established in Sydney’s Glebe: the first site engulfed in flames was a shop front, the second a veranda of a home nearby, the third a garage fire, then a terrace fire at a house, and the last, a car fire.

The terrace fire at the home of 70-year-old Kelvin Isdahl, prompted an immediate evacuation.

NSW festivals to scale back police searches and introduce pill testing

Pill testing could soon be introduced to NSW music festivals and police may have to reduce drug detection operations, following the deaths of six young people at festivals between December 2017 and January 2019.

Coroner Harriet Grahame has been overseeing an inquest into the deaths, and her findings will be made public November 8th.

The Daily Telegraph has reported 40 draft recommendations have already been sent to NSW police and government departments.

Guided ride at Woolloongabba bikeway

A free Woolloongabba Ride ‘n’ Guide will take place tomorrow to help riders get to know the newly-completed Woolloongabba bikeway.

The bikeway was built to encourage residents towards healthier and eco-friendly routes to navigate the city.

For riders over 18, it will provide safety tips from biking instructors, and in conjunction with National Ride 2 Work Day, it will provide free breakfast with a booking.

The guide will run from 6:30am tomorrow.

 

Feral rabbit population down

The population of wild rabbits in an area south-west of Brisbane has decreased due to drought and a virus, bringing relief for farmers.

 

Conducted by the Darling Downs Moreton Rabbit Board, a survey of the Dalveen area found that 14,000 rabbits were born in the area each month, but rabbit numbers are now at their lowest in 30 years.

 

Local grazier John Gross said that “these rabbits have come in and just decimated the place and it's affected my income”. 

 

Kashmir conflict: mobile service resumed 72 days later

The Indian government suspended mobile phone connections, landlines and the Internet in the region before depriving some autonomy on August 5.

An estimated 4 million mobile phones are in use again, but the prepaid connection has not been restored. However, Internet services in the region continue to be suspended. 

Officials say that 80% of landline phones have been working since last month, but many people don't even have a landline connection.

Tim Cook defends Apple's removal of Hong Kong map app

Tim Cook has sent a letter to Apple employees defending the company's decision to remove an app used by Hong Kong protesters to coordinate actions and avoid police-focused applications.

However, the Chief Executive has been criticised for the fact that the Hong Kong Police's claims are “taking at face value" and are inconsistent with the experience of local international observers.

Calls for age kids become criminals to be lifted

Crossbench MPs are pushing for legislative changes that would lift the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14.

Centre Alliance’s Rebekha Sharkie says current laws allowing 10-year-olds to be held criminally responsible for their actions are inconsistent with international laws, where the average age of criminal responsibility is 14.

The law does not take evidence about children’s mental capacity into consideration, as they often do not understand what they are doing is a crime, Ms Sharkie said.