Australia & Pacifics

SYDNEY (AP) — Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Thursday that Australians were “shocked, saddened and devastated” by the deaths of five people including three children after a car fire in apparent domestic violence.

Hannah Baxter, 31, and her children Aaliyah, 6, Lainah, 4, and Trey, 3, died after their car was set alight on a street in suburban Brisbane on Wednesday morning.

Baxter’s estranged husband and the children’s father, Rowan Baxter, allegedly doused his family with gas before setting the car alight.

15 February 2020; AFP: Australia's "black summer" of devastating bushfires is finally coming to a close, but bitter arguments over how to tackle climate-fuelled disasters are raging on.

When firefighters announced this week that all blazes in the hard-hit state of New South Wales were under control for the first time since September, the relief was palpable.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - China is threatening the sovereignty of small Pacific Islands and undermining the region’s stability, a top U.S. military commander said on Thursday, in comments likely to inflame tension with China.

U.S.-China relations improved in January with the signing of a trade deal that defused an 18-month row that has hit global growth but strains remain.

SYDNEY, Feb 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – With homes and businesses battered by the extreme weather on Australia’s east coast, energy provider Ausgrid asked for help from the military, to clear debris and repair electricity.

Speaking with Sky News Wednesday (this) morning, New South Wales (NSW) Minister for Energy and Environment, Matt Kean, confirmed that a request had been made to the Australian military.

“Their CEO (Richard Gross) raised it with me yesterday and I fully support it,” he said, adding, the state government would expedite the call out of the army.

CANBERRA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has released a list of 113 animal species hit hardest by the nation's bushfire crisis.

The list, which was compiled by a panel of experts convened by Environment Minister Sussan Ley, includes 19 mammals, 20 reptiles, 13 birds, 17 frogs, 17 freshwater fish species, 22 spiny crayfish and five invertebrates.

Every species on the list has been prioritized for "urgent management intervention" over the next 12 months.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s highest court ruled Tuesday the government can’t deport Aboriginal people as part of its policy of ridding the country of foreign criminals.

The High Court ruled in a 4-3 decision that indigenous Australians cannot be deported even if they do not hold Australian citizenship.

The court had heard the case of two men who were born overseas but identified as being from indigenous tribes: Brendan Thoms and Daniel Love.

CANBERRA, Feb. 10 (Xinhua) -- Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has identified Indonesia as a key player in his push to diversify the Australian economy.

Morrison on Monday met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo in Canberra days after the Indonesian parliament ratified a comprehensive free trade deal between the two countries.

Widodo became the first Indonesian leader to address the Australian parliament since Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono did so in 2010.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Drought, wildfires and now flooding have given Australia’s weather an almost Biblical feel this year. The good news is that a recent deluge in eastern parts of the country has drenched deadly fires and helped ease a crippling drought.

But experts say it will take some time yet to know to what extent the rainfall has replenished dried-up rivers and quenched parched soil in some inland areas most affected by the 3-year drought.

SYDNEY, Feb 9 (NNN-XINHUA) – An earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.2, jolted off Papua New Guinea today (Sunday), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The quake, which occurred at 0604 GMT, was centred at 122 km south of Kokopo, with a depth of 31.3 km, said the USGS.

WELLINGTON, Feb 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) – Milk New Zealand Diary Ltd said, on Friday, that, it has donated 2,000 cases of dairy products to Wuhan city, in central China, which is battling the novel coronavirus epidemic.

“We donated 2,000 cases of Theland 4.0 protein milk, and 1,000 cases of HawkeSpring natural spring water, to the Shanghai medical team,” said Terry Lee, managing director of Milk New Zealand Diary.

“It has been confirmed by our logistics staff in China, all of them have been delivered to Wuhan city with no delay,” said Lee.