Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — With countdowns and fireworks, revelers in major city centers across the Asia-Pacific region ushered in the first new year without COVID-19 restrictions since the pandemic began in 2020.

While COVID-19 continues to cause death and dismay, particularly in China, which is battling a nationwide surge in infections after suddenly easing anti-epidemic measures, countries had largely lifted quarantine requirements, restrictions for visitors and relentless testing that had limited travel and places people can go to.

CANBERRA, Dec. 27 (Xinhua) -- Australians have been urged to stay safe around water following a spate of drowning deaths.

Several people died on Sunday and Monday as people across Australia sought beaches to escape from a Christmas long weekend heatwave.

It takes Australia's summer drowning death toll to 11, prompting a warning from the Royal Life Saving Society (RLSS) as the country enters the most dangerous period for water safety.

There were 145 drowning deaths in Australia in the summer of 2021/22 - the most in more than 20 years.

CANBERRA, Dec 24 (NNN-AAP) – Premier of Australian state of South Australia (SA), warned, flooding in the state’s Riverland region could peak at the highest level in more than 60 years.

SA Premier, Peter Malinauskas, today told reporters that, the flow of the River Murray is expected to peak at approximately 190 gigalitres of water per day, over the next week, which is at the lower level of projections, before falling to about 100 gigalitres by Feb.

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Australian police are investigating the extremist views of three people who shot and killed two officers and a neighbor at a rural property before they were killed hours later by police in a gunfight.

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Six people, including two young police officers, were shot and killed at a property in rural Australia after officers who arrived to investigate reports of a missing person were ambushed, authorities said Tuesday.

Police said the violence began about 4:45 p.m. Monday when four officers arrived at a remote property in Queensland state.

CANBERRA, Dec 12 (NNN-AAP) – The Australian government has announced new laws that will force big companies to disclose their emissions reduction efforts.

In a speech today, Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, said, the proposed Australian climate risk disclosure system would provide clarity and certainty for investors and businesses looking to manage climate risks and invest in new opportunities.

Under the plan, big businesses, including banks would be compelled to reveal publicly what they are doing, to reduce their carbon emissions and fight climate change.

SYDNEY, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Australia's New South Wales Ministry of Health (NSW Health) has launched an investigation into a Salmonella outbreak following a conference with more than 200 people present last week.

NSW Health said on Wednesday that 69 attendees from NSW, the Northern Territory and Queensland are known to be unwell with symptoms of food poisoning, of which 27 people have confirmed Salmonella infections. At least 31 of them are so far known to have attended emergency departments.

CANBERRA (Australia), Dec 7 (APP): The largest-ever Australia-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship Group with 38 members has been established at the 47th Parliament of Australia.

The group comprises members from both the Houses of the Australian Parliament – the Senate and the House of Representatives with representation from all the Australian States.

The Parliamentary Friendship Group is chaired by Maria Vamvakinou MP from the ruling Australian Labor Party (ALP), while Rowan Ramsey MP from the opposition Liberal Party is the vice chair.

CANBERRA, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- The number of new coronavirus cases in Australia has risen for consecutive weeks.

According to the latest weekly update from the Department of Health, more than 100,000 new COVID-19 cases were reported across Australia in the seven days to Nov. 29 -- an average of 14,346 per day.

It marks a 20 percent increase from 11,953 new cases per day in the previous week.

SYDNEY, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- China's first medical team in the Solomon Islands on Wednesday provided free health services to people in Gizo, capital of the Western Province, which marked the third free clinical activity the team has conducted since its arrival in the country.

With the support of Gizo Hospital, the medical team set up a temporary clinic utilizing the hospital's consulting rooms and corridors.