4 h. ago ‘Made for sex’: the hedonistic party palaces of New York’s Fire Island – and the blond bombshell who made them

It is a ‘queer Xanadu’, a sliver of sand where weekend-long revelling takes place in fabulous modernist beach-houses. As Fire Island gets its mojo back, we celebrate the Speedos-wearing architect who defined its lookPosters advertising a “bear weekend” cling to the utility poles on Fire Island, punctuating the wooden boardwalks that meander through a lush dune landscape of beach grass and pitch pine. It’s not a celebration of grizzlies, by the looks of the flyers, but of large bearded men in small swimming trunks, bobbing in the pools and sprawled on the sundecks of mid-century modernist homes. You might also find them frolicking in the bushes of this idyllic car-free island, a nature reserve of an unusual kind that stretches in a 30-mile sliver of sand off the coast of Long Island in New York.Over the last century, Fire Island Pines, as the central square-mile section of this sandy spit is known, has evolved into something of a queer Xanadu. Now counting about 600 homes, it is a pl...

Events

18 h. ago Senior uni staff rack up more than £160,000 visiting exotic locations since 2022

Aberdeen University vice-chancellor Professor George Boyne and his senior management team spent £126,992 on airfares alone to places including New York, Doha, India, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Economics

48 h. ago The Way We Talk review – sensitive drama explores deafness via three friends’ infectious warmth

Each character uses a different method of communication in Adam Wong’s drama, which benefits from the chemistry of its lead performersAn incisive film-maker with a keen eye for contemporary youth culture, Hong Kong director Adam Wong has returned with another sensitive ensemble drama. The film follows three twentysomething friends as they navigate various degrees of deafness. Alan, played by first-time deaf actor Marco Ng, is a cochlear implant (CI) user. He is also an ambassador for the surgery, which can help restore sound perception for those with hearing loss. Wolf (Neo Yau), his childhood friend, is a staunch user and supporter of sign language, which at one point was prohibited in local deaf schools; such institutions prioritised speech training, then believed to work better for hearing-impaired students. Sophie (Chung Suet Ying) is at a crossroads: she is a CI user who cannot sign, but yearns to learn.It would, of course, be simplistic to portray these different forms of comm...

Events

4 d. ago Jailed Hong Kong democracy activist Joshua Wong hit with new charges

Wong accused of conspiracy in move rights groups condemn as ‘outrageous’ attempt to keep influential dissident imprisonedJailed pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong has been hit with further national security charges, a move rights groups said showed the Hong Kong government was trying to keep dissidents behind bars for as long as possible.Wong, a well-known activist who has been in jail for more than four years either awaiting trial or serving sentences, is accused of conspiracy to collude with a foreign country. He appeared in court on Friday to hear the charge and did not apply for bail. Continue reading...

Events

5 d. ago HSBC’s Sir Mark Tucker to leave in September for return to insurer AIA

Chairman Sir Mark Tucker will leave HSBC on September 30 after eight years heading the board.

Politics

5 d. ago ‘Total discrimination’: Chinese students facing US visa ban say their lives are in limbo

Across the US, hundreds of thousands of Chinese students are now uncertain about their academic future and some are considering moving awayChinese students in the United States are questioning their future in the country after the state department announced last week that it would “aggressively” revoke visas for Chinese students and enhance scrutiny of future applications from China and Hong Kong.Chinese students hoping to study at Harvard, the US’s oldest and wealthiest university, are under particular pressure after the Trump administration announced on Wednesday that it was banning the school from enrolling new foreign students. The presidential proclamation cited Harvard’s links with China as a particular cause for concern. Continue reading...

Society

5 d. ago Crackdown launched on ‘rogue financial promotions’ by some influencers

Many finfluencers act legitimately but others tout products or services illegally and without authorisation, the Financial Conduct Authority said.

Politics

6 d. ago A quiet Tiananmen Square anniversary displays China's ability to suppress history

For most Chinese, the 36th anniversary of a bloody crackdown that ended pro-democracy protests has passed like any other weekday

Politics

7 d. ago Locals win war with National Trust by stopping 'abhorrent' building planned for internationally important nature reserve on Norfolk coast

The charity insisted the 85x27ft facility would improve the experience for visitors. But over 150 objections were received, many accusing it of commercialising the spot.

Society

8 d. ago ‘Half the tree of life’: ecologists’ horror as nature reserves are emptied of insects

A new point in history has been reached, entomologists say, as climate-led species’ collapse moves up the food chain even in supposedly protected regions free of pesticidesDaniel Janzen only began watching the insects – truly watching them – when his ribcage was shattered. Nearly half a century ago, the young ecologist had been out documenting fruit crops in a dense stretch of Costa Rican forest when he fell in a ravine, landing on his back. The long lens of his camera punched up through three ribs, snapping the bones into his thorax.Slowly, he dragged himself out, crawling nearly two miles back to the research hut. There were no immediate neighbours, no good roads, no simple solutions for getting to a hospital. Continue reading...

Events

8 d. ago Manchester United’s debacle in Asia boosts case against post

Clubs want to make money and engage fans, but what of the physical toll on tired players and environmental costs?As the dust settles on Manchester United’s post-season tour of Malaysia and Hong Kong, the question must be asked: was it worth it? United may have pocketed around £10m from their six-day, two-match visit to Asia but what they lost was arguably worse. And no, we’re not just talking about their 1-0 defeat against the “Asean All Stars” in Kuala Lumpur, a scratch, invitational side that had never previously played together.Omar Berrada, United’s chief executive, had excitedly hailed the tour as an “opportunity for us to collaborate with our valued commercial partners, and to deepen relationships with our fans”. That vision probably didn’t include Amad Diallo sticking his middle finger up at supporters, a gesture for which he refused to apologise, the winger insisting he did it in response to insults about his mother. Nor did it allow for Alejandro Garnacho sulking and yawnin...

Politics

8 d. ago Exclusive | Hong Kong McDonald’s spot close to topping London as world’s busiest

Exclusive | Hong Kong McDonald’s spot close to topping London as world’s busiest  South China Morning Post

Politics

1 week ago Alejandro Garnacho fires one word message after returning from Man Utd post

Manchester United have returned from a post-season tour of Malaysia and Hong Kong and Alejandro Garnacho appeared to be delighted that the trip has come to an end

Events

1 week ago Alejandro Garnacho makes Manchester United feelings clear with one

Latest Manchester United news following their post-season tour in Malaysia and Hong Kong

Politics

1 week ago Amad prepares for 'next step' after suffering Manchester United disappointment

Amad his issued a message on social media as an eventful post-season tour for Manchester United comes to an end in Hong Kong

Sport

1 week ago AP PHOTOS: Dragon boats thunder through Hong Kong waters to mark ancient Chinese festival

Throngs of people flocked to southern Hong Kong on Saturday to watch the iconic dragon boat races, a highlight of a Chinese festival with over 2,000 years of history.

Culture

1 week ago In Hong Kong, my daughter was dazzled by futuristic tech – and I glimpsed the world she’ll grow up in | Kojo Koram

When I was young, Britain felt like the apex of global civilisation. But as power migrates to autocracies, our belief in democracy seems complacentA few months ago, I travelled with my six-year-old daughter to Hong Kong. As we made our way out of the airport and boarded a train, we shared a brief moment that gave me pause to reflect on how different her conception of the world will be from the one I grew up with. We sat down on immaculate seats, surrounded by LED screens. She looked around and said: “Wow Daddy, we don’t have trains like this back in London.”As the week wore on, and she pointed out other things that she had never seen back home, her comment about the high-speed train took on a broader resonance. Used to Britain’s strained and crumbling public transport, my little girl had identified how economic power has migrated to a different model of capitalism over the past generation. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Chido Obi is making Rasmus Hojlund look worse at Manchester United

Man United youngster Chido Obi scored twice against Hong Kong in the second friendly of the post-season tour.

Politics

1 week ago Bruno Fernandes moment in Manchester United win summed up feelings

Man Utd won 3-1 against Hong Kong on Friday and here are the moments you might have missed from the game.

Politics

1 week ago Manchester United youngster Chido Obi makes exciting admission

Chido Obi scored twice as Man Utd won 3-1 against Hong Kong in their final post-season friendly on Friday afternoon.

Events