Australia

November 14, 2024 3:57 PM

Over half of Australian species decline following 2019-20 megafires: report

Over half of Australia’s animal and plant species experienced population declines following the 2019-20 megafires, according to new research. The study, published by Melbourne’s Deakin University in Nature, analyzed the impact of the Black Summer bushfires on 1,380 animal and plant species across Australia, as reported by Xinhua News Agency. Findings show that 55 percent of species experienced declines after the fires, either due to reduced overall abundance or occupying fewer sites. The ...

November 5, 2024 10:24 AM

Australia, India say US election result won’t impact Quad group

Australia and India's foreign ministers said on Tuesday they were confident the Quad group of the U.S., India, Australia and Japan would continue to cooperate in the Indo-Pacific region regardless of the outcome of the U.S. presidential election. Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong told reporters in Canberra she had met Mike Pompeo, who served as Secretary of State in the previous Trump Administration, ahead of the U.S. election and had "a very good discussion". "One of the priorities for ...

October 15, 2024 12:40 PM

La Nina is becoming less likely, Australia’s weather bureau says

The likelihood of a La Nina weather event in coming months has decreased, Australia's weather bureau said on Tuesday, adding that if the phenomenon did appear, it would be weak and short-lived. The development of La Nina and its opposite, El Nino, are of huge importance to global agriculture, with La Nina typically increasing rainfall in eastern Australia, Southeast Asia and India and reducing rainfall in the Americas. "The chance of a La Nina event developing in the coming months has decrease...

September 25, 2024 3:53 PM

WikiLeaks’ Assange to make first public appearance since release in Strasbourg

WikiLeaks' founder Julian Assange is set to make his first public appearance since being freed from a British jail when he gives evidence to the Council of Europe next month, his organisation said on Wednesday. Assange, 53, returned to Australia in June after a deal was struck for his release which saw him plead guilty to violating U.S. espionage law, ending a 14-year British legal odyssey. His wife Stella, who he married while in a top security London jail, said he would need some time to reg...

September 25, 2024 3:28 PM

India, Australia in talks for a comprehensive economic cooperation agreement: Australian Minister

Australia is actively negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) with India, Australia's Minister for Trade and Tourism, Don Farrell, said on Wednesday. His remarks followed a meeting with India's Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Piyush Goyal, in Adelaide. Farrell described the CECA as an "ambitious" trade agreement that aims to enhance economic ties between the two nations. He said, "Our government has also finished consultations on a new roadmap for Australia's ec...

September 16, 2024 3:27 PM

Australia to legislate minimum age for social media usage

Anthony Albanese, the Prime Minister of Australia, said that they will legislate a minimum age for social media to keep children safe. Albanese said that it's about supporting parents and keeping kids safe. In a post on X, he said, "We'll legislate a minimum age for social media to keep children safe He added, "Parents tell me they're worried about what age their kids should be on social media. We'll introduce legislation in this term of Parliament to enforce a minimum age for social media and ...

August 28, 2024 9:28 PM

Australia limits foreign students in migration crackdown

Australia said on Tuesday it would limit the enrolment number of new international students to 270,000 for 2025, as the government looks to rein in record migration that has contributed to a spike in home rental prices. The decision follows a raft of actions since last year to end COVID-era concessions for foreign students and workers in Australia that helped businesses recruit staff locally while strict border controls kept overseas workers out. "There's about 10% more international students ...

August 22, 2024 4:44 PM

Australia’s ‘right to disconnect’ law set to come into force

Australian employees will from Monday have the right to ignore their bosses outside working hours thanks to a new law which enshrines the "right to disconnect." The law, which passed in February, protects employees who refuse to monitor, read or respond to contact from their employers outside work hours. Similar laws giving employees a right to switch off their mobile devices are already in place in France, Germany and other countries in the European Union. As the law moved through parliament...

July 13, 2024 3:18 PM

Australia PM tells Russia to ‘back off’ after claims over espionage arrests

Russia accused Australia of inciting "anti-Russian paranoia" for charging a Russian-born couple with espionage, prompting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday to tell Moscow to "back off". The married couple, who hold Australian citizenship, were arrested on charges of working to access material related to Australia's national security, though no significant compromise was identified, the Australian Federal Police said on Friday. "There is widespread information about the arrest in Bris...