Australia

Bushfire forces schools to close across Australia’s south

More than 100 schools in Australia’s southeast were closed on Wednesday and officials warned people in high-risk zones to be ready to evacuate as forecast high temperatures risked opening a…

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Bushfire conditions worsen in east and west Australia

Rising temperatures, lightning strikes and gusty winds further raised fire danger on both coasts of Australia on Sunday as the country already battles more than 120 bushfires and firefighters workday…

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Australia braces for heavy winds, lightning amid bushfire threat

Australia braced on Friday for strong winds that could whip up bushfires in two states over the weekend and add to a toll of more than 270 homes destroyed and…

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Qantas completes “double sunrise” test flight from London to Sydney

Qantas Airways Ltd completed a 19-hour 19 minute non-stop test flight from London to Sydney on Friday as it nears a decision on whether to order planes for what would…

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US designer Tommy Hilfiger in Sydney

US designer Tommy Hilfiger poses for a portrait at the Park Hyatt in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 14 November 2019. The iconic US designer is in Sydney as part…

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Photo Story: U2 perform at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane

Irish rock band U2 perform at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia. The Joshua Tree Tour 2019 will see U2 return to New Zealand and Australia for the first time since…

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Qantas to operate another non-stop London to Sydney research flight

Australia’s national carrier is preparing for its second ultra-long haul research flight, as part of scientific studies into minimising jetlag for passengers and improving crew wellbeing. The first research…

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Death toll rises in Australian bushfires, authorities alarmed at scale of fires

Australian authorities say a fourth person has died in a week of massive bushfires on the nation's east coast. The 58-year-old man's body was found in northern New South Wales…

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Photo Story: Bushfires in New South Wales as seen from space

A handout photo made available by NASA Earth Observatory shows a satellite image of destructive bushfires raging near the coast of New South Wales, Australia, 07 November 2019 (issued 08…

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Australian bushfires turn deadly

Two people were found dead and at least 100 homes were destroyed as bushfires raged across eastern Australia, authorities said on Saturday. The New South Wales Rural Fire Service (NWS RFS) said…

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Record number of fires in New South Wales

Australian authorities say an "unprecedented" number of emergency-level bushfires have threatened the state of New South Wales (NSW). More than 90 blazes were raging across the state on Friday. The…

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Photo Story: The fire in Western Australia from Space

A handout photo made available by NASA Earth Observatory of a satellite image showing of fire and smoke in southern Western Australia, Australia, 05 November 2019 (issued 07 November 2019).…

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Photo Story: Bushfires spread across New South Wales in Australia

Residents look at a bushfire reaching their house in Forster, New South Wales, Australia, 07 November 2019. According to media reports, firefighters are battling to contain at least five bushfires…

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Photo Story: An Evening with John Travolta speaking tour in Sydney

US actor John Travolta speaks on stage during 'An Evening With John Travolta' at The Star in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 06 November 2019. Travolta is currently in Australia…

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UK and Australia team up to use space technology to protect Pacific from climate change and natural disasters

The UK Space Agency is looking for project ideas, to be delivered through UK aid, that use the data collected by satellites to improve decision-making for disaster risk reduction, ocean…

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Photo Story: Drugs found hidden in hot chili sauce bottles in Sydney

A handout photo made available by New South Wales Police on 31 October 2019 shows bottles of sriracha chilli sauce containing methylamphetamine that were seized in Sydney, Australia. A joint…

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Qantas grounds Boeing 737 plane due to ‘cracking’

Australian airline Qantas has grounded one of its Boeing 737 NG planes after discovering "cracking" in one section. The carrier said several airlines were inspecting their 737 NG fleets after…

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Hazardous smoke blankets Sydney

Sydney was wreathed in hazardous smoke on Thursday as strong winds fanned dozens of bushfires across Australia’s east coast, prompting health warnings for the city that is home to more…

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Hundreds of koalas feared dead in Australian bushfire

More than 350 koalas are believed to have been burned alive in an out-of-control bushfire that has ravaged Australia’s southeast coast, which has been plagued by drought. The fire is thought…

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Australia takes Google to court over geolocation practices

Australia is taking Google to court over geolocation data-collection practices. The Australian Consumer Commission (ACC) has filed a lawsuit on allegations that the electronics behemoth misleads the public on how…

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Photo Story: final climb on Uluru ahead of permanent ban

Hundreds of tourists have flocked to Australia's Uluru to take part in the final climb at the sacred site. The giant red monolith, formerly known as Ayers Rock, will be…

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Suspicious bags shut down business district in Melbourne

An Australian Bomb Response Unit officer inspects a suspicious bag in central Melbourne, Australia, 23 October 2019. According to local media reports, on 23 October, parts of Melbourne central business…

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Australian media unites to rally for press freedom

Australian media companies have redacted their front pages to highlight the constraints on media organisations under strict national security legislation. National mastheads, including The Australian and the Financial Review, ran…

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Record-breaking direct New York to Sydney flight touches down

The first non-stop commercial airline flight from New York to Sydney has landed after 19 hours 16 minutes in the air. A total of 49 passengers and crew were on…

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Iconic Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo set to kick off in Sydney

A series of photos of the preview of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia on Wednesday. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is an annual…

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Australian awarded $7m for 19 years of wrongful imprisonment

David Eastman arrives at the Supreme Court in Canberra, Australia, 04 October 2019 (reissued 14 October 2019). The Canberra Supreme Court on 14 October 2019 awarded David Eastman a compensation…

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Photo Story: Extinction Rebellion protest in Perth

Red Rebels activists from the Extinction Rebellion (XR) during protests in Perth, Australia, 11 October 2019. The Extinction Rebellion climate protests movement has planned a 'spring rebellion' civil disobedience week…

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Photo Story: Dutch Prime Minister Rutte visits Australia

NSW State Librarian Dr John Vallance shows the Tasman Map mosaic to Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte (C) and David Coleman MP (R) whilst on a tour of the State…

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Natalie Imbruglia announces birth of Max Valentine Imbruglia, first child after IVF pregnancy

Australian pop singer Natalie Imbruglia has announced the birth of her first child, after revealing she had used IVF to get pregnant. Imbruglia, 44, announced that she was expecting in…

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Australian prosecutors argue no grounds for Cardinal George Pell’s final sex crimes appeal

Prosecutors have urged Australia’s High Court to refuse to hear a final appeal by former Vatican treasurer George Pell against his convictions for sexually abusing two 13-year-old boys in the…

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Photo Story: Authorities fight bushfires in New South Wales

Firefighters during the fight against a bushfire burning in Busbys Flat, northern New South Wales, Australia on Wednesday 9 October 2019. According to media reports, up to 30 homes may…

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Former boxing champion Jeff Fenech to undergo heart surgery

Retired Australian professional boxer Jeff Fenech, who is of Maltese descent, remains in a Bangkok hospital where he will be undergoing a heart operation on an infected valve The three-time…

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Trump pushed Australia’s PM to help in discrediting Mueller’s investigations

US President Trump pushed the Australian prime minister during a recent telephone call to help Attorney General William P. Barr gather information for a Justice Department inquiry that Mr. Trump…

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Photo Story: Annual Riverfire fireworks display in Brisbane

Fireworks are seen over the Story Bridge and Brisbane skyline during the annual Riverfire fireworks display in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 28 September 2019. Riverfire, a fireworks spectacular, marks the last…

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Metallica cancels Australian tour after singer James Hetfield enters rehab again

Metallica has postponed its forthcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand as singer and co-founder James Hetfield has gone back into rehab. The US heavy metal band was due to…

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Photo Story: Dead humpback whale washed up on a beach in Australia

A handout photo made available by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELW) of a humpback whale that washed up on Boag Rocks, near St Andrews and Gunnamatta…

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Photo Story: Riverfire preparations in Brisbane

A Royal Australia Air Force (RAAF) C-17A Globemaster flies near city buildings during a low-level flight over Brisbane, Australia, 26 September 2019. The flight was a rehearsal for the city's…

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Abortion now legal across Australia

Abortion has been decriminalised across Australia after the last remaining state where it was illegal, New South Wales (NSW), voted to reform its laws. The bill, passed on Thursday, overturns…

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Bomb scare in Melbourne

Police and Bomb Response Unit officers stand next to vehicles at a car wash in Melbourne, Australia, 26 September 2019. A man has been arrested after he was found…

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Australian Government Commits to Join NASA in Lunar Exploration and Beyond

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has announced his nation’s intention to join the United States’ Moon to Mars exploration approach, including NASA’s Artemis lunar program. The announcement took place at…

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Australian students kick off global climate strike

Thousands of school students walked out of their classrooms and onto Australian streets on Friday to kick off a global strike demanding world leaders gathering for a UN Climate Action…

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Photo Story: KAWS exhibition in Melbourne

A seven-meter tall bronze sculpture at the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne. The scuplture, entitled 'GONE' is displayed during the 'KAWS: Companionship in the Age of Loneliness' exhibition by…

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UK and Australia commit to rapid and ambitious free trade agreement

The UK and Australia will today agree to begin trade negotiations as soon as possible after the UK leaves the EU on 31 October. British International Trade Secretary Liz Truss…

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Decommissioning of HMAS Melbourne in Australia

Royal Australian Navy officers and sailors from HMAS Melbourne participate in a Freedom of Entry Parade in Melbourne, Australia, 14 September 2019. Royal Australian Navy officers and sailors from HMAS…

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Photo Story: Prince Edward visits Sydney

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Prince Edward, Earl of Essex react as Prince Edward is called to speak at the Sydney Town Hall in Sydney, Australia, 13 September 2019. It…

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Photo Story: Media preview of ‘The Art Of Banksy’ in Sydney

Works of art by Banksy displayed during a media preview of 'The Art Of Banksy' at Moore Park's Entertainment Quarter in Sydney, Australia, 12 September 2019. The Art Of Banksy,…

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Two British-Australian women detained in Iran

Two British-Australian women have been arrested and detained in Iran. One of the women is a blogger who had been travelling through Asia with her Australian boyfriend and the second…

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Australian firefighters battling over 100 fires

Australian firefighters are battling more than 100 bush fires across two eastern states as authorities warned that parts of the country could expect a severe bush fire season this summer.…

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Photo Story: Birdsville Races in Queensland

Scenes from the Birdsville Races in Birdsville, Queensland, Australia, 06 September 2019. Birdsville is situated on the edge of the Simpson Desert, 1,590 km west of Brisbane; its normal population…

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Photo Story: White Night in Melbourne

A series of photos of performers in action at the opening night of White Night at Birrarung Marr, Melbourne, Australia. White night, a festival of art and culture has launched…

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Photo Story: The message is in the shoes

A detail of the shoes of American basketball player Donovan Mitchell of the USA during match 1 of the Pre-FIBA World Cup series between Australia and the USA at Marvel…

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Qantas to test 19-hour flights to New York

Qantas will run test services of its planned 19-hour flights to determine whether passengers and crew can withstand the marathon journeys. The airline wants to operate non-stop services from Sydney…

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Cardinal George Pell loses appeal against sexual abuse convictions

Cardinal George Pell, the most senior Catholic cleric to be convicted of sexual abuse, has failed in a legal bid to quash his convictions in Australia. Pell, the former Vatican…

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Sydney running out of water due to drought

Australia’s biggest city Sydney is running down its water supply at the fastest rate on record with dams expected to fall below half maximum capacity due to the worst drought…

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Photo Story: Rodeo in Queensland

David Mawhinney fails to control his steer during the steer wrestling event at the Mount Isa Mines Rodeo in Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia. This year's event marks 60 years of…

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Large parts of Australia hit by wild weather

Large parts of Australia are being engulfed by severe winds, snow, wild surf and rain that are effecting Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales Destructive winds have battered…

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Photo Story: Anti-abortion protest in Sydney

Anti-abortion protesters hold signs during a rally outside the New South Wales Parliament House in Sydney, Australia, 01 August 2019. The protest took place as New South Wales Independent MP…

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