Tag: Australia

Object found in the Milky Way ‘unlike anything astronomers have seen’

by Maddison Connaughton Agence France-Presse SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) – Australian researchers have discovered a strange spinning object in the Milky Way they say is unlike anything astronomers have ever seen. The object, first spotted by a university student working on his undergraduate thesis, releases a huge burst of radio energy three times every hour. The pulse comes “every 18.18 minutes, like clockwork,” said astrophysicist Natasha Hurley-Walker, who led the investigation after the student’s discovery, using […]

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Covid-hit Australian warship delivers disaster aid to Tonga

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) — A coronavirus-hit Australian warship docked in Tonga on Wednesday, delivering desperately needed aid to the volcano-and-tsunami-struck nation under strict “no-contact” protocols. Tongan Health Minister Saia Piukala said the crew of the HMAS Adelaide would follow drastic health protocols to ensure the remote Pacific kingdom remains one of the few places in the world still free of Covid-19. “The ship will berth and no contacts will be made. Australians from the ship […]

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Rio Tinto begins underground work at vast Mongolia copper mine: state media

ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AFP) – Underground operations have finally begun at a copper mine in Mongolia, official media has reported, ending years of delays for Anglo-Australian giant Rio Tinto. The massive Oyu Tolgoi gold-copper mine has been mired in controversy for years and disrupted by protests from locals worried about environmental damage and foreign influence. While it started production from an open-pit mine several years after Mongolian authorities inked a deal in 2009, Rio Tinto secured […]

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Covid outbreak on ship threatens Tonga aid efforts

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga (AFP) – A Covid-19 outbreak on an Australian warship threatened to disrupt Tonga eruption aid efforts Tuesday, as survivors of the deadly volcanic blast described how they fled with only the clothes on their backs. The January 15 eruption generated huge tsunami waves and blanketed the Pacific kingdom in toxic ash when it obliterated an uninhabited island with explosive forces more powerful than a nuclear bomb. Australia has led international relief efforts, rushing […]

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Djokovic plans 2023 Australian Open return: tournament chief

Novak Djokovic intends to play the Australian Open in 2023, tournament chief Craig Tiley said Sunday while blaming “miscommunication” for his deportation ahead of this year’s event. The world number one’s visa was cancelled ahead of the season-opening Grand Slam over his Covid-19 vaccination status, an incident that tarred the lead-up. He flew out of Melbourne a week ago after failing in a last-gasp bid to stay and target a record 21st major title following […]

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‘Disappointed’ Djokovic says he will leave Australia

Novak Djokovic said Sunday he was “extremely disappointed” by Australia’s decision to deport him but he would comply and leave the country. Hours earlier, three judges at the Federal Court had unanimously dismissed the unvaccinated Serbian superstar’s last-gasp attempt to overturn the government’s cancellation of his visa. “I respect the Court’s ruling and I will cooperate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country,” the 34-year-old world number one said in […]

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Djokovic visa move protects Australian ‘sacrifices’: PM

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Friday his government cancelled Novak Djokovic’s visa to protect Australia’s hard-won gains against the Covid-19 pandemic. “Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the result of those sacrifices to be protected,” Morrison said in a statement. © Agence France-Presse

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Australian town hits record high temperature of 50.7C

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A remote town in Western Australia has equalled the country’s hottest day on record, reporting a scorching 50.7 degrees Celsius (123.26 degrees Fahrenheit), the Bureau of Meteorology said. Such temperatures could become commonplace in Australia due to global warming, the country’s Climate Council warned. The coastal town of Onslow hit the blistering high on Thursday afternoon. “NEW Western Australian maximum temperature record and equal National temperature record!” the state’s Bureau of […]

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Europe eyes lithium ‘white gold’ rush as cars go green

by Isabel MALSANG Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) – Europe is seeking to expand its lithium mining and refining capacity and wean itself off imports as the “white gold” becomes a vital resource in the fight against climate change. Alongside nickel and cobalt, lithium allows electricity to be stored and transported, making them essential in electric battery production as car manufacturers move away from polluting fossil fuels. But Europe mostly depends on external sources for […]

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Novak Djokovic’s Australia controversy timeline

World number one Novak Djokovic has languished in a Melbourne detention centre since Thursday morning after having his Australian visa cancelled over his Covid-19 vaccine status. The 34-year-old, who is hoping to defend his Australian Open title and win a record 21st Grand Slam title, faces being deported if he loses a court appeal scheduled for Monday. AFP looks at how the drama, which has reverberated around the world, has unfolded: Tuesday, January 4 — […]

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Osaka vows to have fun after making winning return from long break

MELBOURNE, Australia (AFP) — Naomi Osaka said Tuesday that she aims to enjoy herself on court this year as she won on her return to action following a tearful exit at the US Open in September. The four-time Grand Slam champion, who has fallen to 13 in the rankings, said after her third-round defeat at Flushing Meadows that she was “dealing with some stuff” and would take an indefinite break from tennis. The former world […]

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Australia’s Omicron surge drives infections record, testing rush

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) – Australia reported a record daily tally of nearly 50,000 Covid-19 cases Tuesday as the Omicron variant raced through the population and sent people scrambling for tests. While the Omicron surge has apparently left relatively few dangerously ill, it has driven a rush on increasingly scarce self-administered rapid antigen kits and created hours-long queues at centres providing more reliable PCR tests. Australia had successfully suppressed infections for much of the pandemic through […]

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