Australia
'Serious mistakes' made over Ruby Princess outbreak
Health authorities in Australia have been heavily criticised in an official inquiry into the Ruby Princess cruise ship coronavirus outbreak. The inquiry found "serious errors" by New South Wales Health in its handling of suspected cases on board. All 2,700 passengers were allowed to disembark in
Australia records deadliest day but fewer new infections
Australia has recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic amid a second wave of infections in Melbourne. Victoria state - of which Melbourne is the capital - reported 19 deaths on Monday. Victoria has now seen about two-thirds of Australia's total 314 deaths and approximately 21,400 c
Ningaloo Reef: Second woman injured by whale at Australia tourist hotspot
A woman has been injured by a humpback whale in Western Australia in the second such incident in less than a week. The woman was on a snorkeling tour at the popular Ningaloo Reef when she was struck on Thursday. It came just days after another Australian woman suffered fractured ribs and interna
Mandatory hotel quarantine for NSW arrivals from Victoria
People who enter the Australian state of New South Wales from neighbouring Victoria will have to go into mandatory hotel quarantine from Friday. The new measures have been introduced due to rising coronavirus infections being reported in Victoria. Visitors will need to remain at a hotel for 14 d
Australia's ambassador to Iran visits jailed academic Kylie Moore-Gilbert in new prison
Australia's ambassador to Iran has visited in prison an Australian academic convicted of espionage, saying she is "well". Kylie Moore-Gilbert, a Melbourne University lecturer on Middle Eastern studies who was sentenced to 10 years' jail, has already served two years in Tehran's Evin prison since
Australian government to reopen Christmas Island detention centre during Covid-19 crisis
Coalition plans to transfer refugees and asylum seekers currently detained in Melbourne and Sydney. The Australian government will reopen the detention facility on the remote territory of Christmas Island to house people currently in immigration detention on the Australian mainland. The Australi
Australia to introduce pandemic leave disaster payment
Australia will introduce a pandemic leave payment for workers who have run out of sick leave but need to be quarantined because they have been directed to stay at home due to the novel coronavirus, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Monday.The announcement comes as the country deals with a second wa
Australia’s Victoria imposes curfew, state of disaster to contain COVID-19
A state of disaster was declared in Australia’s Victoria on Sunday, with the local government implementing a night curfew as part of its harshest movement restrictions to date to contain the coronavirus.State Premier Daniel Andrews said that the new restrictions, to be in place for six weeks
Coronavirus: Victoria declares state of disaster after spike in cases
The Australian state of Victoria has declared a state of disaster and imposed new lockdown measures after a surge in coronavirus infections. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said the restrictions would come into effect on Sunday at 18:00 (09:00 BST). Under the new rules, residents of the state c
Australia’s Victoria requires masks for Melbourne hit by COVID-19
People in Melbourne must now wear masks when leaving their homes as Victoria, Australia’s second most-populous state, marked two weeks of triple-digit increases in new coronavirus infections on Sunday.Melbournians not wearing face coverings will be fined A$200 ($140), said Victoria Premier Dan
Australia offers safe haven to Hong Kongers, sparking China fury
Australia offered pathways to permanent residency for thousands of people from Hong Kong on Thursday in response to China’s crackdown on dissent, drawing a furious reply from Beijing.Prime Minister Scott Morrison said his government was suspending its extradition agreement with the city and, i
Australia’s Victoria reports 108 new coronavirus cases, biggest jump in over 3 months
SYDNEY - Australia’s second most-populous state, Victoria, reported its biggest jump in coronavirus cases since late March on Saturday, forcing it to expand stay-at-home orders to two more suburbs and sending nine public housing towers in a complete lockdown.The southeastern state recorded 108
Coronavirus: Australia reports first death in a month
Australia's second most populous state on Wednesday said a man in his 80s died overnight from the coronavirus, the country's first death from the virus in more than a month, as the state logged a double digit rise in cases for the eighth straight day. Victoria state reported 20 overnight cases, Vic
New Zealand clears its last COVID-19 case
New Zealand has no active COVID-19 cases after the country’s final patient was given the all clear and released from isolation, health authorities said Monday.The milestone was “really good news” and an achievement the whole of New Zealand could take heart from, health department d
Australia probing US police assault on its journalists: Foreign minister
Australia is investigating a US police attack on two Australian television journalists outside the White House, the foreign minister said Tuesday, expressing “strong concerns” about the assault caught live on camera.“We have asked the Australian embassy in Washington, DC to investi
Australia searches for 2,700 cruise passengers
Australia issued an urgent call for 2,700 cruise ship passengers who disembarked in central Sydney to isolate themselves and contact authorities Friday, after four travelers tested positive for COVID-19. New South Wales authorities said they had deemed the New Zealand-bound Ruby Princess “low
Heavy rains dampen fires in Australia's Queensland state, cause flooding
Australia’s bushfire-stricken state of Queensland saw heavy rainfalls on Sunday dampening some of the fires that have razed 2.5 million hectares (1.2 million acres) of land since September, but the wet weather caused major flooding. Some areas received a quarter of the annual average rainfall
Smoke haze settles over Australian capital as bushfires burn
Smoke haze from bushfires raging in Australia spread to the capital Sunday 12-8-2019, as firefighters raced to contain more than 140 blazes ahead of a heatwave forecast early this week. Australia is experiencing a horrific start to its fire season, which scientists say began earlier and is more ex
