Australia

Sydney; 17 March 2020 (UMM): A video footage captured on the helmet camera of an Australian soldier in Afghanistan, obtained by Four Corners of Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC News), shows a Special Air Service (SAS) soldier shooting an unarmed Afghan.

SYDNEY, March 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Australia on Sunday announced anyone arriving into the country will face mandatory 14-day self-isolation, in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“We are going to have to get used to some changes in the way we live our lives,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, adding the measure will come into effect from midnight (1300 GMT Sunday).

Australia will also ban cruise ships from foreign ports from docking in Australia for 30 days, with the order to be renewed on a rolling basis, Morrison said.

Sydney, Mar 13 (PTI) Australian fast bowler Kane Richardson has been tested for the novel coronavirus after he reported illness and will miss the first ODI against New Zealand on Friday.

The right-arm pacer, who returned with the Australian team from South Africa earlier this week, informed the medical staff of a sore throat on Thursday and was tested for the virus, though the results of the test are awaited.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday the government will soon announce measures to stimulate an economy hammered by the effects of the coronavirus outbreak, as the local share market came in for another turbulent session.

After global equities sold off heavily overnight following reports of a lockdown covering all of Italy, the Australian share market fell up to 4% in early trading before rebounding into positive territory by mid-session.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Qantas Airways Ltd (QAN.AX) will cut its international capacity by nearly 25% over the next six months and delay an order for Airbus (AIR.PA) A350 planes as part of sweeping changes in response to a coronavirus-led plunge in passenger demand.

The Australian airline also said on Tuesday it is cancelling plans for an A$150 million ($98.73 million) off-market share buyback to preserve cash.

CANBERRA, Mar 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The Australian government confirmed a COVID-19 stimulus package, to support businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, confirmed today.

The “substantial” package, which could be worth up to 10 billion Australian dollars (6.4 billion U.S. dollars), is expected to be announced within a week.

Sydney; 08 March 2020 (UMMN):  There have been numerous support protests around the world since Shaheen Bagh sit-in protest started, and there appear to be several in the pipe line. One such protest is being organised by the Citizens Forum for Democratic Rights on 22 March 2020. This is one of the many protests that have been planned across capital cities of Australia.

SYDNEY, Mar 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The Australian Associated Press (AAP) said, they will close their entire media operations, announcing today (Tuesday), their newswire service, which supplies every major news outlet in the country, is no longer viable.

Founded in 1935 and owned in partnership by News Corp, Nine Entertainment and Seven West, current editor-in-chief, Tony Gillies, said, “We have had a place like no other in journalism.”

“We exist for the public’s interest and I now fear for the void left by the absence of AAP’s strong, well-considered voice.”

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s central bank on Tuesday cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a record low of 0.5% in response to the economic shock of the new coronavirus.

The reduction at the Reserve Bank of Australia’s monthly meeting is the first since October and the fourth since June. It was announced hours before financial leaders and central bank governors of other major industrial nations planned to hold a teleconference to discuss ways to confront the crisis.

2 March 2020; AFP: Australian summers are lengthening by a month or more while winters are getting shorter due to climate change, according to an analysis by a leading think tank released Monday.

The Australia Institute said large swathes of the country were experiencing an additional 31 days of summer temperatures each year compared to the 1950s.

While Sydney was just under the average with an extra 28 hot days a year, Melbourne added 38 warmer days since the middle of the 20th century.