Tag Archives: Australia

Buzzfeed News reports: A young man has died in an apparent suicide the day after footage of him leading a protest against drag queens, alongside members of a right-wing student group, went viral. Wilson Gavin, who was president of the University of Queensland’s conservative Liberal National Club, was heavily criticised for his part in the protest after the footage was …

The Washington Post reports: Australia’s bushfire crisis worsened Thursday night into Friday as hot, dry and windy conditions redeveloped across the country’s hard-hit southeast, causing two large blazes to merge into one. The new “megafire” measures about 1.5 million acres, about the size of the state of Delaware or roughly eight times as large as New York City. “What we’re …

The Friendly Atheist reports: The part of the Mormon Church that oversees the Pacific region has claimed responsibility for causing it to rain in Australia, saying a prayer and fasting event brought life-saving precipitation down on a country where fires have burned 12.35 million acres of land (so far). The Pacific Area Presidency, made up of an area president and …

CNN reports: The Australian state of New South Wales has declared a state of emergency and could begin forced evacuations from fire-stricken areas, as emergency crews battle deadly blazes and brace for a dangerous weekend ahead. State Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Thursday that the emergency declaration would come into effect Friday morning as weather conditions are expected to deteriorate significantly …

The BBC reports: Sydney’s Lord Mayor has defended the decision to press ahead with the city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display, despite calls it should have been cancelled due to the bushfire crisis. Speaking earlier on Tuesday, Clover Moore said the celebration would “give hope to people”. Parts of Australia have been ravaged by bushfires intensified by high temperatures and …

Reuters reports: Thousands swarmed to beaches on Australia’s east coast on Tuesday to escape fierce wildfires bearing down on several seaside towns, as the government readied naval vessels and military helicopters to aid firefighting and evacuations. Government officials called for Australian military support and assistance from U.S. and Canadian fire crews as authorities confirmed two people had died overnight, taking …

Reuters reports: Australia’s most populous state declared its second emergency in as many months on Thursday as extreme heat and strong winds stoked more than 100 bushfires, including three major blazes on Sydney’s doorstep. A day after Australia recorded its hottest day on record, thick smoke blanketed the harbor city, shrouded the Opera House and brought many outdoor activities to …

The BBC reports: Rugby player Israel Folau has drawn anger for linking Australia’s bushfire crisis to the nation’s same-sex marriage and abortion laws. Folau, who was sacked by Australia in May for making anti-gay remarks on social media, described the fires as a “little taste of God’s judgement”. Six people have died since last month in blazes raging in eastern …

BBC reports: Two Australian states have declared a state of emergency as bushfires bring a “catastrophic” threat to heavily populated areas of the nation’s east. At least three people are dead and thousands have been displaced by three days of dangerous weather conditions in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland. But officials say the worst danger will come on Tuesday …

The Sydney Morning Herald reports: Sydney has won the right to host the international WorldPride event in 2023 after defeating Montreal and Houston in a vote in Athens on Sunday. Members of the worldwide InterPride network voted for Sydney to host the event in 2023, which will coincide with the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham …

CNN reports: Australian airline Qantas has completed the longest non-stop commercial passenger flight, researching the potential impacts of ultra-long haul flights on pilots, crew and passengers. With 49 people on board, the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner flight completed the 10,066-mile journey from New York to Sydney in 19 hours and 16 minutes. Cameras were mounted in the cockpit to record pilot …

The New York Times reports: 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 hopes will discredit the Mueller investigation, according to two American officials with knowledge of the call. The White House restricted access to the call’s transcript to …

Reuters Australia reports: Australia on Thursday proposed legislation to protect people who express their religious faith outside of the workplace, a few months after Rugby Union international Israel Folau was sacked for posting on social media that hell awaited “drunks, homosexuals, adulterers”. Attorney-General Christian Porter said the proposal would allow Australians to express their religious beliefs away from the workplace …

ABC News reports: The government agency that manages Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has downgraded its outlook for the corals’ condition from “poor” to “very poor” due to warming oceans. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority’s condition report, which is updated every five years, is the latest bad news for the 345,400 square kilometer (133,360 square miles) colorful coral network …

From the office of Australian PM Scott Morrison: Websites hosting harmful and extreme content from terrorists will be blocked by the Morrison Government in the latest measure to keep Australians safe online. The Government has accepted the recommendation of the Taskforce to Combat Terrorist and Extreme Violent Material Online to establish a clear and unambiguous content blocking framework for crisis …

Hemant Mehta reports at The Friendly Atheist: Israel Folau is eager to sue Rugby Australia for terminating his contract after he said gay people would burn in hell, and despite being fairly wealthy himself, he launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise $3 million. The company soon shut the page down saying they don’t allow fundraisers that “tolerate the promotion of …

The BBC reports: A controversial fundraising page set up by sacked Australian rugby player Israel Folau has been shut down for promoting the exclusion of LGBT people, website GoFundMe says. Folau had his contract with Rugby Australia (RA) terminated in May after he said that “hell awaits” gay people. He asked for public donations to help him with a legal …

CNN International reports: Israel Folau, who was sacked by Rugby Australia following a homophobic social media post, is crowdfunding A$3 million (US$2.1 million) to pursue a legal battle against the governing body. Folau, a devout Christian who has been capped 73 times by his country, was found guilty of a code of conduct breach and stripped of his contract last …

The New York Times reports: The Trump administration considered imposing tariffs on imports from Australia last week, but decided against the move amid fierce opposition from military officials and the State Department, according to several people familiar with the discussions. Some of President Trump’s top trade advisers had urged the tariffs as a response to a surge of Australian aluminum …

Radio New Zealand reports: The Australian teenager who smashed an egg onto the head of Fraser Anning says he has donated more than $100,000 [$70K USD] to the survivors of the Christchurch terrorist attack. Will Connolly, whose act gained him the nickname Egg Boy on social media, said the money was raised through crowdfunding to cover his legal fees after …