AN annual fireworks display in Hong Kong marking China’s National Day has been called off as pro-democracy protests show no sign of ending.
The city issued a terse statement saying the October 1 show over its famed Victoria Harbour had been cancelled “in view of the latest situation and having regard to public safety”.
Major protests are expected on October 1, which will be the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party-governed People’s Republic of China.
Hong Kong has experienced often-violent demonstrations all summer as many residents fear the Chinese government is eroding the rights and freedoms the semi-autonomous territory is supposed to have under a “one country, two systems” framework.
Dozens of supporters of China waved Chinese flags and sang the national anthem in a mall, while anti-government protesters booed them.
MEANWHILE, a fire at a school in Liberia has killed at least 27 people, many of them thought to be children, police said.
The fire broke out at around midnight and gutted a dormitory and another building at the Islamic school about seven miles east of the capital Monrovia. Only the imam, a teacher and two students managed to escape. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
President George Weah has visited the scene.
ELSEWHERE, Indonesia is sending 547 containers of waste back to wealthy nations including the UK after discovering they were contaminated with used plastic and hazardous materials.
The move came amid a growing backlash in south-east Asia against being a dumping ground for the world’s rubbish.
Nine containers with at least 135 tons of waste were sent back to Australia.
The government announced in July that it had sent back nearly 60 containers of waste from Australia that were supposed to contain only paper but included household waste, used cans, plastic bottles, oil packaging, used electronics, used nappies and used footwear.
AND finally, cash-starved Air India is putting its crew on a diet, changing their in-flight menu to special low-fat meals.
Dhananjay Kumar, the state-run airline’s spokesman, said the objective is to provide healthy and cost-effective meals to crews on domestic and international flights.
Kumar declined to comment on media reports that the cost per meal, mostly vegetarian, will come down to a third of the existing cost of 500-800 rupees (£5.60-£9).
The decision comes at a time when the Indian government is trying to divest from Air India, which has debts of nearly 580 billion rupees (£6.5 billion).
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