Tag Archives: Australia

The New York Times reports: Defying a statewide stay-at-home order and a worsening local outbreak driven by the Delta variant, 3,500 mostly maskless protesters clashed with police officers on Saturday in downtown Sydney, Australia’s largest city. The protest, against the city’s month-long lockdown, raised fears of adding to Sydney’s caseload. “You don’t have to be an epidemiologist to work out …

The Washington Post reports: New Zealand has suspended a travel bubble with Australia for two months as an outbreak of a hyper-transmissible variant of the novel coronavirus threatens the nation’s earlier success in containing the pandemic. More than 200,000 people have flown between New Zealand and Australia since the quarantine-free travel corridor opened in April. But a delta variant outbreak …

The Wall Street Journal reports: The International Olympic Committee on Wednesday awarded the 2032 Summer Games to Brisbane, Australia, after designating the city earlier this year as the sole contender. Brisbane, about 450 miles north of Sydney, will become the third Australian city to host the Games after Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000. It is the first Olympic …

The Sydney Morning Herald reports: Far-right British commentator Katie Hopkins was set to be deported from Sydney on Monday evening after she boasted about flaunting COVID-19 controls and the federal government cancelled her visa. NSW Police also issued Ms Hopkins a $1000 fine for failing to wear a mask on Friday night while in hotel quarantine in Sydney. Ms Hopkins, …

Australia’s The Advertiser reports: Getting into Australia is near on impossible at the moment. Except, it seems, if you are Hollywood royalty. There are reports that reality star Caitlyn Jenner has taken up one of a severely limited number of airline seats so she can take part in Channel 7 series Celebrity Big Brother. A group representing Australians stranded abroad …

Australia’s ABC News reports: The highly contagious Delta strain of COVID-19 infected everyone who attended a Sydney birthday party except for the six people who were vaccinated, the NSW Government said. The West Hoxton party — described as a “super spreader” event — has become one of the most significant transmission events in the NSW breakout with 24 of the …

CNN reports: Sydney will enter a hard two-week lockdown on Saturday night local time as authorities try to contain a fast-spreading outbreak of the highly infectious Delta coronavirus variant in Australia’s largest city, the state leader said. More than a million people in downtown Sydney and the city’s eastern suburbs were already under lockdown due to the outbreak, but health …

Australia’s ABC News reports: A South Australian woman who was arrested for allegedly failing to stop at a COVID-19 border crossing, after posting an anti-mask video live on social media, has been refused bail. Celeste Lockwood, 37, from Renmark, appeared at the Berri Magistrates Court on Thursday charged with aggravated driving dangerously to escape a police pursuit, driving disqualified and …

Australia’s Today Show reports: Qantas CEO Alan Joyce [photo] is calling for more Australian companies to come forward with perks and incentives encouraging the public to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The airline’s vaccine incentive program, which launches in July, will offer several deals including unlimited travel for a year for 10 lucky families. “We are looking at giving 1000 points …

The New York Times reports: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand announced on Tuesday that her nation would establish a travel bubble with Australia, allowing travelers to move between the countries without needing to quarantine for the first time since the pandemic began. The bubble, which will open just before midnight on April 19, is expected to deliver a …

The Daily Beast reports: The Australian parliament was rocked by yet more sex abuse allegations Monday when footage of a senior government staff member masturbating onto the desk of a female lawmaker was leaked by a whistleblower. The disgusting video—obtained by The Australian newspaper and Channel Ten—led to the immediate firing of the unnamed aide, but it came alongside other …

CBS News reports: Facebook announced Thursday it has blocked Australians from viewing and sharing news on the platform because of proposed laws in the country to make digital giants pay for journalism. Australian publishers can continue to publish news content on Facebook, but links and posts can’t be viewed or shared by Australian audiences, the U.S.-based company said in a …

The Associated Press reports: The Australian Open will be allowed to continue but without crowds after the Victoria state government imposed a snap, five-day lockdown starting Saturday in response to a COVID-19 outbreak at a quarantine hotel. Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews on Friday announced a state-wide lockdown starting a minute before midnight local time, imposing restrictions that prevent residents from …

The Victor Harbor Times reports: Sydney has largely banned crowds for its world-renowned pyrotechnic display, while Melbourne’s fireworks are cancelled. NSW restrictions were tightened further on Wednesday as the state battles to control its growing outbreak. Residents in Greater Sydney, including Wollongong, Central Coast and Blue Mountains, will be restricted to hosting five visitors in their homes, including children. And …

Australia’s ABC News outlet reports: A company commercialising seaweed feed product, which slashes the amount of greenhouse gases cattle burp and fart into the atmosphere, has won a $1 million international prize for its work reshaping the food system. According to the science agency, methane emissions from livestock make up around 15 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Future Feed …

The BBC reports: International air travelers will in future need to prove they have been vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to board Qantas flights, the airline says. The Australian flag carrier’s boss, Alan Joyce, said the move would be “a necessity” when vaccines are available. “I think that’s going to be a common thing talking to my colleagues in other …

The Guardian reports: South Australia’s six-day lockdown will end three days early at midnight on Saturday after it was revealed a male who tested positive for Covid-19 had lied to contact tracers over working in a pizza bar where another case had worked. The state’s premier, Steven Marshall, made the admission after contact tracers further investigated a male with Covid-19 …

Reuters reports: In their first calls with Joe Biden since the U.S. election, the leaders of Japan, South Korea and Australia on Thursday reaffirmed plans to form close ties with the president-elect to tackle issues including climate change and regional security. The three key Asian allies – Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Australian Prime …

The Washington Post reports: A seven-hour “flight to nowhere” advertised by Australian airline Qantas sold out within 10 minutes on Thursday. To comply with restrictions on interstate travel, the flight will depart Sydney on Oct. 10 and return on the same day, with no stops along the way. But passengers are promised views of the Great Barrier Reef, the Uluru …

Bloomberg News reports: Prime Minister Scott Morrison signaled that Australia’s borders may remain closed to most international visitors until the middle of next year as the coronavirus crisis escalates across the world. Morrison was asked whether he shared the view of Qantas Airways Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce that there was little chance of traveling overseas for at least …