Australia

Australia suffers deadliest day of pandemic, expands booster eligibility

SYDNEY, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Australia suffered its deadliest day of the COVID-19 pandemic on Friday with nearly 100 deaths, but several large states said they expect hospital admissions to…

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Protests, citizenship festivities mark contentious Australia Day holiday

MELBOURNE, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Thousands rallied against the mistreatment of Indigenous people across Australia on Wednesday as citizenship ceremonies took place to mark the country's national day intended to…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Canberra, Australia

Aerial view of Parliament House in Canberra, Australia. Via EPA-EFE/ALEX ELLINGHAUSEN

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Australian children facing ‘generation-defining disruption’ due to pandemic, experts say

The indirect effects of the pandemic on children and adolescents are as substantial – if not more so – than the impact of being infected with Covid-19, paediatricians in Australia…

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Man pleads guilty to kidnapping Australian girl Cleo Smith

SYDNEY, Jan 24 (Reuters) - An Australian man pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of abducting a 4-year-old girl from an outback campsite, the Western Australia justice department said,…

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Two Australian states to test school students twice weekly for COVID

Australia reported 58 deaths from COVID-19 on Sunday, as the two most populous states, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria, said students would be tested twice weekly for the Omicron…

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Western Australia state to stay shut as Omicron stalks the east

SYDNEY, Jan 21 (Reuters) - The state of Western Australia has cancelled plans to reopen its borders on Feb. 5 citing health risks from a surge in Omicron cases elsewhere…

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Australia jobless number dives to lowest since 2008 as case builds for rate rise

SYDNEY, Jan 20 (Reuters) - Australian employment raced ahead in December as the jobless rate fell to its lowest point since 2008, showing strength that should help the economy weather…

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Melbourne looks at feasibility of hosting 2026 Commonwealth Games – report

Local government officials in Melbourne are looking at the feasibility of the city and surrounding region hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, local media reported on Wednesday. The 2022 edition of…

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Australia PM blames Omicron for testing woes as COVID-19 cases hit downward trend

SYDNEY, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday the shortages of at-home antigen tests were "not unique" to the country as authorities deal with a…

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Australia’s daily COVID-19 infections dip below 100,000

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's daily coronavirus infections on Sunday fell below 100,000 for the first time in five days, amid expectations that the Omicron wave had neared its peak in…

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UPDATE – Djokovic ‘extremely disappointed’ with cancellation of visa

UPDATE - MELBOURNE, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Tennis star Novak Djokovic boarded a plane bound for Dubai on Sunday evening, a Reuters journalist said, after the Australian Federal Court upheld…

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Australia COVID-19 infections hit record amid runaway Omicron outbreak

SYDNEY, Jan 13 (Reuters) - Australia on Thursday reported its biggest pandemic caseload with a runaway Omicron outbreak driving up hospitalisation rates as the surge put severe strain on supply…

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Djokovic free but Australia deportation threat still looms

Novak Djokovic swapped one court for another on Tuesday, hitting a few practice shots at Melbourne Park as he warms up for his bid to win a record 21st tennis…

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Virgin Australia to cut capacity by 25% as COVID-19 cases rise

SYDNEY, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Virgin Australia said on Monday it would reduce capacity across its network by around 25% for the rest of January and for February due to…

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Australia vows to ‘push through’ Omicron wave as infections cross 1 million

SYDNEY, Jan 10 (Reuters) - Australia must "push through" the fast-moving Omicron outbreak, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday, as infections surpassed 1 million, more than half in the…

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UPDATE – Australian court order Djokovic be released from immigration detention

MELBOURNE, Jan 10 (Reuters) - An Australian judge ruled on Monday that Novak Djokovic be released from immigration detention, finding the government's decision to revoke the tennis star's visa to…

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Australia’s New South Wales marks its highest COVID-19 death count

SYDNEY, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, recorded its highest number of daily COVID-19 deaths on Saturday as the Omicron variant sweeps the country and…

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Photo Story: Floods in Queensland, Australia

A house is seen surrounded by flood waters from the Mary River in the town of Tiaro, 198 kilometres north of Brisbane, Australia, 09 January 2022. Areas in Queensland's Wide…

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Djokovic had COVID-19 a month ago, had clearance to enter Australia – court filing

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Tennis world number one Novak Djokovic contracted COVID-19 last month but was not experiencing symptoms and had written clearance from Australia's immigration department before travelling to the…

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Sydney Omicron outbreak could peak by late January, modelling shows

SYDNEY, Jan 7 (Reuters) - The Omicron outbreak in Australia's most-populous state could peak by the end of January, official modelling showed on Friday, as authorities reinstated some restrictions in…

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Australia suffers record COVID cases, straining businesses and supply chains

SYDNEY, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Fuelled by the highly transmissible Omicron variant, Australia's daily coronavirus infections soared to a fresh peak on Thursday, overwhelming hospitals, while isolation rules caused labour…

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Australia COVID-19 cases surge, overloading testing system

SYDNEY, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Australia's daily COVID-19 cases hit a record high for a third day on Wednesday, further straining hospital resources and testing facilities as public anger grew…

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Australia COVID-19 cases surge, overloading testing system

Australian COVID-19 cases soared to a pandemic record on Tuesday as the Omicron variant ripped through most of the country, driving up hospitalisation rates as the once-formidable testing regime buckled…

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Australia to push ahead with reopening amid record COVID-19 cases

SYDNEY, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Australia's government said the milder impact of the Omicron strain of COVID-19 meant the country could push ahead with plans to reopen the economy even…

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Australia starts 2022 with record COVID cases

SYDNEY, Jan 1 (Reuters) - Australia started 2022 with a record number of new COVID-19 cases as an outbreak centred in the eastern states grew, and New South Wales eased…

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Photo story: New Year celebrations in Sydney

A view of the fireworks over the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge during New Year's Eve celebrations in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 31 December 2021. Fireworks at…

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Sydney gears up for New Year’s Eve celebrations despite record Omicron surge

SYDNEY, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Sydney, the Australian city worst-affected by the Omicron wave, will press ahead with New Year's Eve celebrations on Friday, with authorities encouraging revellers to come…

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Australia relaxes testing rules amid Omicron surge

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australia sought to relieve pressure on overrun COVID-19 testing facilities on Thursday by narrowing its definition of close contacts of infected people and relaxing requirements for tests, as…

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Australia COVID numbers hit a peak as Omicron outbreak strains domestic politics

ustralia recorded another record surge in COVID-19 infections on Tuesday as an outbreak of the highly infectious Omicron variant disrupted reopening of the economy, while state leaders argued over domestic…

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Australia records first Omicron death, authorities stick to reopening plan

SYDNEY, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Australia on Monday reported its first confirmed death from the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 amid another surge in daily infections, but the authorities refrained…

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Australia shortens booster wait as Omicron explosion turns holidays into chaos

Australia on Friday narrowed the wait time for people to receive COVID-19 booster shots as another record jump in daily infections resulted in cancelled flights and sent Christmas travel plans…

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Australian states reimpose mask mandates

SYDNEY, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Australia's two most populous states re-introduced COVID-19 curbs on Thursday as daily infections hit their highest amid an outbreak of the highly infectious Omicron variant…

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Warning issued for NSW residents as snake and spider numbers surge

The residents of the Australian state of New South Wales have been warned about a surge in snakes and spiders, thanks to weather patterns. The La Nina weather phenomenon will…

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Australia’s new COVID-19 cases hit record high

MELBOURNE, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Australia reported record high new COVID-19 cases on Saturday for a third day, with outbreaks growing in the two most populous states, however Prime Minister…

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Qantas to switch domestic fleet to Airbus in blow to Boeing

SYDNEY, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd said on Thursday it has chosen Airbus SE as the preferred supplier to replace its domestic fleet, switching from Boeing Co…

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Pubs, parties push Australia’s COVID-19 cases to record levels

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian authorities on Friday rushed to track down hundreds who attended a Taylor Swift album party in Sydney last week that has become a super-spreading event as…

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UK, Australia sign deal forecast to create 10 billion pounds in extra trade

LONDON/SYDNEY Dec 17 (Reuters) - Britain and Australia have signed a free trade deal projected to eventually boost bilateral trade by over 10 billion pounds ($13.3 billion), eliminating tariffs, opening…

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UPDATED: Four children killed and five others injured in Australia in bouncy castle fall

SYDNEY, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Four children were killed and several more badly injured in Australia after strong winds lifted an inflated jumping castle into the air during end-of-year school…

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Australia reopens borders to non-citizens despite Omicron worries

SYDNEY, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Australia on Wednesday reopened borders to vaccinated skilled migrants and foreign students after a near two-year ban on their entry, in a bid to boost…

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More border rules ease in Australia ahead of Christmas holidays

SYDNEY, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Coronavirus-free Queensland state opened its domestic borders to all vaccinated people on Monday for the first time in nearly five months, as Australians gear up…

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Australia shortens wait time for COVID-19 booster doses as Omicron cases rise

CANBERRA, Dec 12 (Reuters) - Australia said on Sunday it will shorten the wait time for people to receive a COVID-19 booster following a rise in cases of the Omicron…

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Coronavirus spreads in Australia’s pubs; Omicron cases linked to party boat

SYDNEY, Dec 9 (Reuters) - COVID-19 infections have been spreading in pubs and clubs in Australia's biggest city, including three new cases of the Omicron variant found among people who…

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Australia deputy PM tests positive for COVID-19 in Washington

SYDNEY, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Australia Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has tested positive for COVID-19 in Washington, DC while on an official visit, his office said in a statement…

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Australia to regulate crypto and BNPL in payments overhaul

SYDNEY, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Australia will create a licencing framework for cryptocurrency exchanges and consider launching a retail central bank digital currency as part of the biggest overhaul of…

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Italy’s Enel enters Australia’s crowded retail power market

MELBOURNE, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Italy's Enel Group on Monday said it would start selling power to Australian businesses, vying against oil giant Royal Dutch Shell and Australia's dominant electricity…

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Australia Omicron variant spreads, testing reopening plans

MELBOURNE, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The Omicron coronavirus variant spread in Australia on Saturday, testing plans to reopen the economy as a cluster in Sydney grew to 13 cases and…

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Australia records first Omicron community case

SYDNEY, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Australia on Friday reported its first community transmission of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, but authorities held steady on a plan to reopen the economy…

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Australia Omicron count edges higher, health authorities on edge

SYDNEY, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Australia's tally of people with the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 edged higher on Thursday, prompting state governments to bolster domestic border controls as health…

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Sydney braces for more Omicron cases but no lockdowns for now

SYDNEY, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Australian authorities on Wednesday flagged another probable case of the Omicron variant in Sydney as they braced for more infections after at least two international…

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Australia to introduce new laws to force media platforms to unmask online trolls

MELBOURNE, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Australia will introduce legislation to make social media giants provide details of users who post defamatory comments, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Sunday. The…

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UPDATED:Australia confirms two cases of Omicron COVID-19 variant

MELBOURNE, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Australia confirmed on Sunday that two people arriving from southern Africa over the weekend had tested positive for the Omicron coronavirus variant, adding to a…

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Australian regulator says crypto investors ‘on their own’ for now

SYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australia's corporate watchdog said on Monday it was working with lawmakers to develop rules for digital currencies but warned many crypto assets remained unregulated for…

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Australia to reopen to foreign visa holders in bid to revive economy

CANBERRA/SYDNEY, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Australia will allow foreign visa holders to enter the country from the start of December, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Monday, the latest step…

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Pro and anti-vaccination protesters take to Australia streets

MELBOURNE, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Several thousand people took to Australia's streets on Saturday protesting COVID-19 vaccination mandates, while smaller crowds gathered to support the measures that have elevated the…

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Australia calls for global action to fight online misinformation

SYDNEY, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Australia on Friday called for governments around the world to agree on "rules of the road" to fight the spread of misinformation and state-backed disinformation…

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‘Life back to normal’: More COVID-19 curbs eased in Melbourne

SYDNEY, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Melbourne's pubs and cafes can have unlimited patrons from Thursday night, while stadiums can return to full capacity as authorities lifted nearly all remaining COVID-19…

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