Australia & Pacifics

Wellington, May 21 (AP) New Zealand's prime minister wants employers to consider switching to a four-day work week as a way to promote tourism, which has been hard-hit by the pandemic.

Jacinda Ardern said on Facebook Live people had learned a lot about work flexibility during the lockdown that was eased last week.

The nation's borders remain closed but Ardern said more flexible working arrangements could allow New Zealanders to travel more within their own country.

21 May 2020; AFP: A bitter row has broken out between Australian states, with some refusing to reopen domestic borders to outsiders despite a steep drop in coronavirus infections.

Several states making up more than three-quarters of the Australian continent shut their doors to compatriots from areas like Sydney and Melbourne in late March and are refusing to reopen them.

The debate has highlighted a dilemma set to face the world, as cities, regions or countries emerge from the pandemic at different speeds.

SYDNEY, May 18. /TASS/: Over 100 countries have backed Australia’s call for an independent inquiry into the origins of COVID-19, The Australian reported on Monday, citing the country’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne.

"There is positive support for an independent review into the pandemic to help the world learn the lessons necessary to protect global health," she said, as quoted by The Australian. "This is about collaborating to equip the international community to better prevent or counter the next pandemic and keep our citizens safe," Payne pointed out.

Wellington, May 16 (AP) New Zealand's leader found out there are no exceptions when it comes to social distancing after she was initially turned away from a cafe because it was too full under coronavirus guidelines.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her fiance, Clarke Gayford, decided to get brunch Saturday at Olive, a restaurant in the capital, Wellington. That was two days after the country relaxed many of its lockdown rules, including reopening restaurants.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia urged China on Sunday to respond to its requests to discuss easing tensions between the two trading partners after Canberra called for an international enquiry into the origins of the novel coronavirus.

China, accusing Australia of playing “petty tricks”, has recently suspended beef imports from four of Australia’s largest meat processors and is considering imposing hefty tariffs on imports of barley.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned citizens to brace for more bad news as data released on Thursday showed the country’s monthly job losses rose to a record high because of coronavirus lockdown measures.

The unprecedented employment data provided a stark illustration of the pandemic’s effect on the national economy, which had experienced an unbroken run of growth for more than two decades.

WELLINGTON, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — New Zealand reported no more COVID-19 cases for two consecutive days on Wednesday, with the total number of confirmed and probable cases remaining at 1,497, as the country is about to relax lockdown restrictions midnight.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told a press conference the death toll remained at 21 in the country, and 1,042 cases have recovered from the virus.

Two people are receiving hospital treatment, but neither is in ICU, Bloomfield said.

12 May 2020; AFP: More than 30 years after American Scott Johnson was killed in a suspected gay hate crime in Australia, police said Tuesday they had arrested and charged a man with his murder.

Detectives arrested the 49-year-old in the leafy Sydney suburb of Lane Cove on Tuesday and laid murder charges the same day.

The suspect's name was not released.

The breakthrough in the cold case came two months after the victim's family doubled a police reward in the case to Aus$2 million (US$1.3 million).

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Oil futures rose on Tuesday, boosted by an unexpected commitment from Saudi Arabia to deepen production cuts in June to help drain the glut in the global market that has grown as the coronavirus pandemic crushed fuel demand.

Brent crude LCOc1 futures climbed to a high of $30.11 a barrel and were up 0.8%, or 24 cents, at $29.87 at 0206 GMT, reversing some of the previous session’s losses. The benchmark fell $1.34 on Monday.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 futures were up 1.6%, or 38 cents, at $24.52 after touching a high of $24.77.

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand’s foreign minister on Tuesday said the country has to stand up for itself after China warned its backing of Taiwan’s participation at the World Health Organization (WHO) could damage bilateral ties.

Taiwan, with the strong support of the United States, has stepped up its lobbying to be allowed to take part as an observer at next week’s World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO’s decision-making body - a move which has angered China.