Canberra, Australia | Xinhua | The Australian government has flagged an increase to the country’s migrant intake. Brendan O’Connor, minister for skills and training, said the new Labor government was considering raising the annual migration cap from its current level of 160,000 with more skilled migrants, including health care workers …
Read More »Djokovic detained at Australian airport in COVID-19 vaccination dispute
Melbourne, Australia | THE INDEPENDENT | Tennis star Novak Djokovic has been held in Melbourne, hours after arriving for the Australian Open supposedly with a vaccination exemption. Border Force officials are still assessing his documents to support his exemption. According to officials, a COVID infection in the past six months – …
Read More »Researchers call for phasing out of cigarette sales in Australia
Sydney, Australia | Xinhua | Researchers from Australia’s University of Queensland’s (UQ) School of Public Health called for a restriction of tobacco sales in Australia as the next step towards phasing out tobacco related products completely. In a perspective article published in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) on Monday, UQ …
Read More »What’s it about the USA, UK, Australia partnership?
WORLD AFFAIRS | Isidoros Karderinis | The new AUKUS Partnership, the new geopolitical alliance of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, to enhance security in the Indian and Pacific Oceans zone envisages the provision of the necessary technology by the United States and Great Britain to Australia be …
Read More »Britain, Australia reach free trade deal
London, UK | XINHUA | Britain has secured a free trade deal with Australia — the first major trade agreement negotiated from scratch since the former left the European Union (EU), the British government announced Tuesday. According to the tariff-free pact, British cars, Scotch whisky and confectionery would be cheaper …
Read More »Quarantine-free travel between COVID-free New Zealand and Australia starts April 19
Wellington, New Zealand | XINHUA | New Zealand’s successful management of COVID-19 pandemic means quarantine-free travel between New Zealand and Australia will start on April 19, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Tuesday. The conditions for starting to open up quarantine free travel with Australia have been met, Ardern told a …
Read More »Chinese FM spokesperson: Australian Govt should apologize to Afghan people
Beijing, China | XINHUA | The Australian government should formally apologize to the Afghan people for the violent crimes committed against the civilians, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday. It should make a solemn promise to the international community that such atrocities will never happen again, spokesperson Hua …
Read More »Australia threatens WTO action as dispute with China deepens
Sydney, Australia | AFP | Australia threatened Tuesday to take China to the World Trade Organisation to counter a fresh round of punitive sanctions, as the two countries clashed over an investigation into the origins and spread of the coronavirus. Canberra said it may seek remedial action to overturn almost 81 …
Read More »Serena ends three-year title drought, gives winnings to bushfire appeal
Auckland, New Zealand | AFP | Serena Williams ended a three-year title drought and donated her winner’s cheque to victims of the Australian bushfires in an emotional WTA Auckland Classic final on Sunday. Williams raised expectations for this month’s Australian Open, where she can equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand …
Read More »Thousands trapped on Australia beaches encircled by huge fires
Sydney, Australia | AFP | Thousands of holidaymakers and locals were forced to flee to beaches in fire-ravaged southeast Australia Tuesday, as blazes ripped through popular tourist areas leaving no escape by land. Four thousand people were trapped on the foreshore of the town of Mallacoota and many others sought …
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