Oceania

Important breakthrough in Australia in fight against coronavirus

A team of scientists in Australia said on Wednesday they have successfully developed a lab-grown version of coronavirus, the first to be recreated outside of China, in a breakthrough that…

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Australia confirms fifth coronavirus case from last flight out of Wuhan

Australia confirmed on Monday its fifth case of a new coronavirus, with health officials saying the case involved a 21-year-old woman who was on the last flight out of the…

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Australia considering evacuation of its citizens from Wuhan

Australia Foreign Minister Marise Payne said diplomatic staff are working with Chinese authorities in an effort to get Australian citizens out of the Chinese city dubbed 'ground zero' in…

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Thousands rally across Australia for ‘Invasion Day’ protests

Thousands of people joined Invasion Day protests in cities across Australia Sunday to mark the beginning of British colonisation of the vast continent. January 26 is officially recognised as…

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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…

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First Coronavirus case confirmed in Australia

One man in Victoria has been confirmed to have contracted the deadly coronavirus, and two men in NSW are likely victims as the outbreak spreads. China has confirmed 1,287 cases…

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Fatal crash for Australia air tanker fighting fires

An aircraft fighting bushfires in Australia lost contact with ground control after it crashed, officials said on Thursday, as soaring temperatures and strong winds fanned blazes in the country’s southeast…

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Study suggests platypus in Australia could soon be extinct

A study by the University of New South Wales released by on 20 January 2020 and published in the Biological Conservation journal suggests that platypus could be extinct, depending on…

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Photo Story: Aftermath of a hailstorm in Canberra

Photos of damaged cars are seen parked outside the Treasury Building after a hail storm hit Canberra, Australia, 20 January 2020. Melbourne and Canberra have been hit by heavy…

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Storms wreak havoc in Australia but bushfires ‘far from over’

Storms have brought heavy rain to fire-hit regions of eastern Australia - but authorities warn the nation's bushfire crisis is still "far from over". More than 80 blazes were still…

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Heavy rains hit some blaze-hit regions in Australia

Heavy rains and thunderstorms have lashed parts of Australia's east coast, dousing some of its fires but bringing a new threat of flooding to some areas. There have been downpours…

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Australia’s bushfire-stricken east welcomes drenching rain

Intense thunderstorms with heavy rains dampened bushfires on Australia’s east coast on Friday and brought relief to farmers battling years of drought, but the city of Melbourne braced for another…

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Australia faces wait until March for rains to douse bushfires

Australia will have to wait until March for rains heavy enough to bring sustained relief from dry weather that has fuelled deadly bushfires, the country's weather bureau has said. Over…

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Australian tourism industry seeks urgent help as cost of bushfires grows

Australia’s peak tourism body estimated the country’s bushfire crisis has so far cost the industry almost A$1 billion ($690 million) and called for urgent help from the government to lure…

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Australia kills 5,000 camels over environmental concerns

Helicopter shooters killed more than 5,000 wild camels in Australia, in a campaign aimed at eliminating the threat posed by these animals to the local population in the midst of…

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Australian wildfire smoke stokes health fears

Fire alarms have been sounding in high-rise buildings across downtown Sydney and Melbourne as dense smoke from distant wildfires confuse electronic sensors. Modern government office blocks in the Australian…

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Australian Government pledges $50m for wildlife impacted by bushfires as koalas may become endangered

The Australian Federal Environment Minister is concerned koalas could now be endangered in some areas as the Government establishes a $50 million emergency fund to address the devastating loss of…

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Disgraced Cardinal George Pell reportedly moved to new prison in Australia

Disgraced Cardinal George Pell has reportedly been moved from his central Melbourne prison to a high security facility in regional Victoria after a drone was flown over the jail. “Corrections…

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Experts warn some species in Australia will go extinct due to fires

Two wildfires have merged to form a massive inferno in south-eastern Australia, as experts warned some species are likely already to be extinct. The “megafire” engulfing nearly 1.5 million acres in New…

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Death toll rises as another firefighter killed in Australian wildfires

Another firefighter lost his life while battling the Australian wildfire crisis, taking the death toll to 27 people since September. Bill Slade, 60, was killed by a falling tree on…

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Wildfire crisis closes several embassies in Australia

The wildfires devastating parts of Australia have forced the closure of a number of embassies in the capital Canberra, where state authorities issued an alert that a return to hot…

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Photo story: The fire activity in Australia

A handout photo made available by NASA Earth Observatory of a satellite image showing long, thin plumes of smoke from bushfires burning in Australia stretching across the Pacific Ocean, issued…

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Sydney Opera House lights up to support bushfire-affected communities, firefighters

Projections are seen on the sails of the Sydney Opera House in recognition of the communities affected by fires across rural and regional Australia, in Sydney, Australia, 11 January 2020.…

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Photo Story: The battle against the bushfires in south-eastern Australia

The NSW Rural Fire Service Large Air Tanker (LAT) drops fire retardant on the Morton Fire burning in bushland close to homes at Penrose in the NSW Southern Highlands, some…

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Photo Story: The fires ravaging Australia’s Kangaroo Island

Handout photos made available by NASA Earth Observatory of a satellite image showing burned land and thick smoke over Kangaroo Island, Australia, 09 January 20202 (issued 10 January 2020). According…

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Australians urged to flee as huge bushfires revive with fury

Australian authorities urged nearly a quarter of a million people to evacuate their homes on Friday and prepared military backup as soaring temperatures and erratic winds were expected to fan…

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New front in fight against Australian bushfires…fake news

Australia’s bushfire crisis has led to what appears to be a deliberate misinformation campaign started by climate-change deniers claiming arson is the primary cause of the ongoing fires, despite months…

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More than 1 billion animals killed by Australian wildfires

More than 1 billion animals are now thought to have been killed by the record-breaking wildfires in Australia, according to a prominent scientist whose new estimate is more than double…

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Photo Story: Australia’s Kangaroo island burn scars can be seen from space

A handout photo made available by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of a satellite image captured via NOAA-20, high resolution bands 4, 2, 1, showing roughly half of…

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Australia issues new evacuation alerts as monster bushfires regenerate

Australian authorities issued new warnings and evacuation notices across the country’s heavily populated southeast on Thursday as a return of hot weather fanned huge bushfires threatening several towns and communities.…

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Smoke from Australia bushfires drifts as far as South America

Smoke from wildfires in Australia is drifting across the Pacific to cities in South America, and may have reached the Antarctic, the UN World Meteorological Organisation has said. Smoke from…

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Storms bring relief but also new threat to Australian wildfires

Thunderstorms and showers brought some relief for firefighters battling deadly wildfires across Australia’s drought-parched east coast on Wednesday, but also raised concerns that lightning will spark more fires before dangerous…

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Elton John pledges $1 million to victims of ‘apocalyptic’ bushfires in Australia

Sir Elton John has announced a $1 million donation to victims of the “apocalyptic” bushfires in Australia during his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour. News.com.au writes that the British music…

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24 charged for deliberately setting fires in NSW, Australia

There have been 24 people charged with deliberately setting fires among 183 facing legal action in the state, according to the New South Wales Police Force. In addition to those…

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New Zealand Prime Minister named ‘Pacific Person of the Year’

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been named 'Pacific Person of the Year' by regional publication Islands Business magazine. It is only the second time the title has been given to…

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Fitting tribute to firefighter who died battling bushfires

Firefighters formed a guard of honour to farewell volunteer Andrew O’Dwyer who’s been remembered as a proud NSW Rural Fire Service member whose greatest achievement was his young daughter. Mr…

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South Australia’s iconic Kangaroo Island could see rare species wiped out after devastating bushfires

Kangaroo Island is renowned for its native wildlife — the koalas are disease-free, the bees create the purest honey and it is home to one of Australia's rarest marsupials. But…

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Australia to pay ‘whatever it takes’ to fight wildfires

Australia’s government said Monday it was willing to pay “whatever it takes” to help communities recover from deadly wildfires that have ravaged the country. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the…

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Air quality in Melbourne plummets as smoke from fires shrouds Victorian cities in haze

The bushfire smoke blanketing Melbourne and much of Victoria is expected to persist for at least the first half of the week, and air pollution in the city is forecast…

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Photo story: Wildfires in Australia from space

A satellite photo made available by MAXAR Technologies shows wildfires east of Orbost, Australia, on the 04 January 2020. So far, the country's devastating bushfires caused the death of 24 persons.…

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Rain falls in Australia but warnings of huge blazes ahead

Rain is falling in Australia and temperatures have dropped - but officials warn that fires ravaging the country will "take off" again. Sooty rain fell down the east coast, from…

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Pink leads celebrity donation initiative to help in Australian bushfires crisis

Singer Pink is leading an initiative among a host of celebrities on social media to collect donations to help confront the Australia's bushfire crisis. Pink revealed that she'll personally donate…

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Authorities warn Australian bushfires developing their own weather systems

The bushfires ravaging Australia are generating so much heat that they are creating their own weather systems including dry lightning storms and fire tornadoes. On Saturday, the New South Wales…

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3,000 army reservists are deployed in Australia as victims of fires increase

An extra 3,000 army reservists have been called up to help tackle Australia's bushfires with the situation expected to worsen over the weekend. Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed the death…

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Photo story: Largest peacetime evacuation in Australia’s history of people affected by bushfires

Handout photos made available by the Australian Department of Defence shows evacuees from Mallacoota, Victoria State, being transported on a landing craft to Royal Australian Navy (RAN) MV Sycamore, at…

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Close to half a billion animals potentially killed in Australian fires

Close to half a billion animals in Australia’s New South Wales state may have been killed in wildfires since September -- and the number could climb. Research, led by the…

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Australian Navy rescues people endangered by fires

The Australian navy has begun evacuating people trapped in the fire-ravaged town of Mallacoota on the Victoria coast. Two ships, HMAS Choules and MV Sycamore, will pick up about…

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Smoke from Australian bushfires drifting as far away as New Zealand

Smoke from huge bushfires in Australia is drifting as far away as New Zealand, 2,000km (1,200 miles) away, leading to haze and a burnt smell in the air. Australia is…

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NSW declares week-long state of emergency because of bushfires

The premier of the Australian state of New South Wales has declared a week-long state of emergency in response to the escalating bushfire threat. High temperatures and strong winds are…

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Photo Story: Australia bids farewell to firefighter who died battling bushfires

A handout photo made available by the New South Wales (NSW) Rural Fire Service (RFS) shows NSW RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons (L) during the funeral of NSW RFS firefighter Geoffrey…

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Race to flee ‘leave zone’ in Australia as fresh threat looms from bushfires

Thousands of people are fleeing a vast "tourist leave zone" in Australia amid forecasts of ferocious bushfire conditions in coming days. Since September, Australia's bushfire crisis has killed 18 people…

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Thousands of people trapped by bushfires ravaging Australia

Thousands of people were trapped as their small seaside town was threatened by one of the bushfires that have been ravaging parts of Australia. Around 4,000 people gathered at the…

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Photo Story: Memorial service for White Island volcano victims

Mourners leave a memorial service for White Island volcano victims Anthony, Elizabeth and Winona Langford, at Marist College North Shore auditorium in Sydney, Australia, 30 December 2019. At least seven…

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Australian cities cancelling fireworks display as fire danger worsens

New Year’s Eve fireworks in Australia’s capital city have been cancelled as the wildfire danger worsens in oppressive summer heat, and pressure was building Monday for Sydney’s iconic celebrations to…

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Photo Story: Satellite image of the mysterious ‘Marree Man’ geoglyph in South Australia

A handout photo made available by the NASA Earth Observatory of a satellite image showing a giant geoglyph known as Marree Man, or Stuart's Giant, near the outback town of…

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Some Australian in path of bushfires told it is too late to evacuate

Emergency warnings for bushfires have been issued across parts of Australia - with some locals being urged to take shelter indoors because it is now too late to evacuate. Officials…

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Satellite image of the fires in Australia’s southeastern states

A handout photo made available by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of a satellite image showing part of mainland Australia, where historic bushfires still rage in the southeastern…

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