DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Dry Weather Hampers Mass Christmas Island Crab Migration
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Cordelia HsuSYDNEY (Reuters) - Unusually dry weather has delayed the annual migration of millions of Christmas Island red crabs from the island's interior to the sea where they mate. There are over 100 million red crabs on Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean, much of which is designated as a national park. Authorities say "exceptionally dry" conditions have put a dampener on this season's migration, where the mass of red crabs usually blocks off traffic in a normal year. This year is the first time the crabs have migrated as late as February since Parks Australia started tracking migration in the 1980s, he added. The migration sees the crabs journey from the interior of the island to the ocean, where they mate.

Persons: Cordelia Hsu SYDNEY, Brendan Tiernan, Cordelia Hsu, Alasdair Pal, Michael Perry Organizations: Authorities, Parks Australia Locations: Sydney

☆ Canada, Australia, New Zealand Call for Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - The leaders of Canada, Australia and New Zealand on Thursday called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, according to a joint statement released in response to reports about Israel's planned military operation in Rafah. "We are gravely concerned by indications that Israel is planning a ground offensive into Rafah. A military operation into Rafah would be catastrophic," the statement by the Prime Ministers of the three countries said. "An immediate humanitarian ceasefire is urgently needed." War in Israel and Gaza View All 209 Images(Reporting by Lewis Jackson; Editing by Alasdair Pal)

Persons: Israel's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Lewis Jackson, Alasdair Pal Organizations: SYDNEY, Hamas Locations: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Gaza, Rafah, Israel

☆ Australian War Hero Appeals Defamation Ruling on Reports He Was Complicit in Afghan Unlawful Killings
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Lewis JacksonSYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian court on Monday began hearing the appeal of a decorated war hero, who is fighting a court defamation ruling that found media groups had proven their reports he played a part in the unlawful killings of four Afghans in Afghanistan. He called the reports false and based on claims of failed soldiers who were jealous of his accolades, and sought unspecified damages. The civil court defamation finding required a lower threshold of proof than a criminal court would. Roberts-Smith, 45, whose portrait hangs in the Australian War Memorial, has not been charged with any crimes. The lengthy legal battle has racked up huge costs for Roberts-Smith and his financial backer, Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes.

Persons: Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, Ben Roberts, Smith, Roberts, Kerry Stokes, Stokes, Lewis Jackson, Alasdair Pal, Michael Perry Organizations: Former SAS, Victoria Cross, Nine Entertainment, Australian, Roberts, Seven West Media, Sydney Morning Herald Locations: Afghanistan

The deal was expected to fail after Origin's largest shareholder, A$300 billion ($198 billion) pension fund AustralianSuper, said it would reject the A$9.39 per share offer. AustralianSuper owns about 17% of Origin, which was enough to block the bid. Origin already has plans to develop 4 gigawatts by 2030, and Chairman Scott Perkins reaffirmed that strategy, adding that the company was open to working with other investors. "The way we've seen the energy transition is there's been plenty of scope for third party capital to invest alongside Origin," Perkins told reporters after the vote. In its statement, AustralianSuper said it would be a willing capital partner for Origin as it "prepares to transition over the coming decades".

Persons: Dado Ruvic, AustralianSuper, Brookfield, Scott Perkins, Perkins, Scott Murdoch, Lewis Jackson, Alasdair Pal, Miral Organizations: Brookfield, REUTERS, SYDNEY, Origin Energy, EIG Partners, Thomson Locations: Brookfield, Australia's, Sydney

☆ New Zealand to Introduce RBNZ Reforms, Lift Cigarette Sale Ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Zealand's new government will introduce legislation to reform the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's mandate and lift a ban on the sale of cigarettes to future generations within its first 100 days, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said in a statement on Wednesday. The centre-right National Party, led by Luxon, returned to power alongside the populist New Zealand First party and libertarian ACT New Zealand after six years of rule by governments led by the left-leaning Labour Party. Luxon, who was sworn in on Monday, said its 49-point action plan was focused on the economy, easing the cost of living and restoring law and order. The coalition will also push ahead with its plans to repeal amendments to the Smokefree Environments and Regulated Products Act 1990, including a world-first ban on the sale of cigarettes to future generations. (Reporting by Lewis Jackson in Sydney, Editing by Alasdair Pal)

Persons: Christopher Luxon, Luxon, Lewis Jackson, Alasdair Pal Organizations: SYDNEY, Reserve Bank of New, National Party, New Zealand First, ACT New Zealand, Labour Party, Zealanders, Coalition Government Locations: Sydney

SYDNEY, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Australia's top civil servant in its interior ministry was sacked on Monday after an inquiry found he breached impartiality rules. Michael Pezzullo, the powerful head of the department responsible for internal security, stepped aside in September while the investigation was conducted. It was not immediately possible to reach Pezzullo for comment. The inquiry followed a joint investigation by two Australian newspapers and a TV programme that alleged Pezzullo had intervened in politics to promote favoured politicians, attack opponents and push for media censorship. Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Michael Pezzullo, Anthony Albanese, Pezzullo, Alasdair Pal, Lincoln Organizations: SYDNEY, Australian Public Service, Liberal Party, Thomson Locations: Sydney

☆ Australia PM Fires a Top Bureaucrat Over Influence Probe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Alasdair PalSYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's top civil servant in its interior ministry was sacked on Monday after an inquiry found he breached impartiality rules. Michael Pezzullo, the powerful head of the department responsible for internal security, stepped aside in September while the investigation was conducted. It was not immediately possible to reach Pezzullo for comment. The inquiry followed a joint investigation by two Australian newspapers and a TV programme that alleged Pezzullo had intervened in politics to promote favoured politicians, attack opponents and push for media censorship. (Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast)

Persons: Alasdair Pal SYDNEY, Michael Pezzullo, Anthony Albanese, Pezzullo, Alasdair Pal, Lincoln Organizations: Australian Public Service, Liberal Party Locations: Sydney

☆ Planting 'koala corridors' to save Australia's endangered marsupial
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Jill Gralow | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BANGALOW, Australia, Nov 22 (Reuters) - When Lucy was rescued from a rural property in New South Wales two years ago, she was suffering from chlamydia, a disease widespread among koalas. Today, she's one of the lucky residents of tree corridors in the Australian state dedicated to protecting the marsupial by preserving its rapidly shrinking habitat. "Our corridors are actually trying to get them away from humans, from cars, from dogs," said Linda Sparrow, president of Bangalow Koalas. [1/5]Lucy, an adult female Koala sits in a eucalyptus tree planted by Bangalow Koalas, in Bangalow, Australia in this undated image. Saul Goodwin/Handout via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsFounded in 2019, Bangalow Koalas has planted over 336,000 trees on 119 properties, contributing to koala conservation and boosting the local ecosystem.

Persons: Lucy, Linda Sparrow, Bangalow, Bangalow Koalas, Saul Goodwin, Handout, Sparrow, Lindy Stacker, Jill Gralow, Alasdair Pal, Miral Organizations: Australia, REUTERS Acquire, Australian Koala Foundation, World Wildlife Fund, Thomson Locations: BANGALOW, Australia, New South Wales, Northern Rivers, Bangalow, Northern, Queensland

☆ Flights cancelled, residents to evacuate as Papua New Guinea volcano erupts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] Ash column rises from Mount Ulawun, as seen from an aeroplane window, Papua New Guinea November 21, 2023, in this picture obtained from social media. Enoch Lapa/via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Some residents of a remote Papua New Guinea island were preparing on Tuesday to evacuate from the vicinity of an erupting volcano that shot a cloud of ash into the sky forcing the cancellation of some flights. Flights from the island's Hoskins airport had been cancelled, the broadcaster said, adding that the volcano was still erupting. Papua New Guinea is on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horse-shoe shaped band of volcanoes and fault lines circling the edges of the Pacific Ocean. Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Enoch Lapa, Clement Bailey, Hoskins, Alasdair Pal, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, NBC, Thomson Locations: Mount Ulawun, Papua New Guinea, Papua, Guinea, New Britain, Sydney

The logo of Australian energy company Origin is pictured in Melbourne, Australia, July 3, 2016. REUTERS/Jason Reed/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Australian pension fund AustralianSuper said on Monday it had rejected an "eleventh hour" offer from a Brookfield-led consortium and its partner EIG to drop its opposition to their $10.5 billion bid for Origin Energy and join the takeover. AustralianSuper said it was Origin Energy's largest shareholder, but did not specify the size of its stake as it has done in previous releases. Brookfield argues its bid, which comes with the commitment of A$20 to A$30 billion worth of investment, will decarbonise Origin Energy faster than if the company remains in public hands. However, AustralianSuper said on Monday it was also open to stumping up cash to fund Origin's transition.

Persons: Jason Reed, AustralianSuper, EIG, Luke Edwards, Lewis Jackson, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Origin Energy, Financial, Brookfield, Renewable, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Australia, Brookfield, Sydney

☆ Australia signs security, migration pact with Pacific's Tuvalu
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] A man riding a motorbike is seen reflected in a puddle of water in Funafuti, Tuvalu, August 13, 2019. Under the treaty announced by Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Tuvalu counterpart Kausea Natano, Australia will also vet Tuvalu's security arrangements with other nations. An Australian government official said this requirement covered any defence, police, port, telecommunications, energy or cyber security arrangements by Tuvalu. Although Australia has defence agreements with other Pacific Islands nations, in a region where China recently struck a security pact with Solomon Islands and is seeking to expand its policing ties and infrastructure projects, the Tuvalu treaty goes much further in positioning Australia as its primary security partner. Australia sees deeper economic and social integration with the Pacific Islands as a way to ensure the security of the region, a government official said.

Persons: Mick Tsikasvia, Anthony Albanese, Kausea Natano, Albanese, Natano, " Albanese, Kirsty Needham, Alasdair Pal, Lewis Jackson, Kim Coghill, Christopher Cushing, Lincoln, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Australia's, Tuvalu, Pacific, Tuvalu Falepili, Australia, Canberra, Thomson Locations: Funafuti, Tuvalu, Australia, Taiwan, Beijing, Cook, China, Solomon Islands, Hawaii, Washington, Sydney

☆ Australia to Offer Climate Refuge to All Residents of Tuvalu - Report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will on Friday announce the country will offer climate asylum to all residents of Tuvalu, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, citing sources. Tuvalu, a collection of nine low-lying islands in the Pacific, is one of the world's most at-risk countries from climate change. All 11,200 residents of the country will be offered refuge in Australia, SMH reported. (Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Kim Coghill and Christopher Cushing)

Persons: Anthony Albanese, SMH, Alasdair Pal, Kim Coghill, Christopher Cushing Organizations: SYDNEY, Australia, Sydney Morning Herald Locations: Tuvalu, Australia, Sydney

Erin Patterson speaks to the media outside her home in Leongatha, Victoria, Australia in a screengrab obtained on November 3, 2023, AAP/Nine News via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. Patterson, 49, is charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder, according to court documents. Local media reported Don and Gail Patterson were the parents of Erin Patterson's ex-husband Simon Patterson, who was also present at the lunch. The mysterious deaths have gripped Australia, where deaths from eating mushrooms are relatively rare. "Anyone who collects and consumes wild mushrooms of unknown species is putting themselves at risk of potential poisoning and serious illness," the state's health department said.

Persons: Erin Patterson, Patterson, Don Patterson, Gail, Heather Wilkinson, Don, Gail Patterson, Erin Patterson's, Simon Patterson, Ian, Dean Thomas, Alasdair Pal, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Nine, ZEALAND, Melbourne . Local, Police, Thomson Locations: Leongatha, Victoria, Australia, AUSTRALIA, SYDNEY, Melbourne ., Sydney

☆ Australia police arrest woman over mushroom lunch that killed three
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"Today's arrest is just the next step in what has been a complex and thorough investigation by homicide squad detectives and one that is not yet over," Dean Thomas, the detective in charge of the investigation, told a news conference on Thursday. Police will interview the woman, who has not been charged and whom they did not name, once the search is complete, he added. State broadcaster ABC reported the woman had told police she did not intend to poison her guests and had herself been hospitalised after the lunch. Deaths from consuming mushrooms are relatively rare in the country, which has several species, including the "death cap" mushroom, that are dangerous enough kill a human. Reporting by Renju Jose and Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast and Gerry DoyleOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dean Thomas, Don Patterson, Gail, Heather Wilkinson, Ian, Renju Jose, Alasdair Pal, Lincoln, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Police, ABC, Thomson Locations: Victoria, Leongatha, Melbourne, Australia, Sydney

SYDNEY, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Residents in three areas in Australia's northern Queensland state were ordered to evacuate their homes on Wednesday, as bushfires burned out of control. People in two adjacent areas, near the town of Dalveen, were on Wednesday ordered to evacuate immediately. AAP Image/Darren England via REUTERS Acquire Licensing Rights"Every Australian's heart goes out to the people... who are being impacted once again by these bushfires," Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers, whose electorate is in the state, told a news conference on Wednesday. "It was a pretty horrifying experience," NSW resident Michelle Balint told state broadcaster ABC on Wednesday, recounting a wall of flames racing across the family's land. Authorities on Wednesday imposed a third evacuation warning in the far north of the state, near Watsonville.

Persons: Darren England, Jim Chalmers, Michelle Balint, Alasdair Pal, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Firefighters, REUTERS Acquire, NSW, ABC, Authorities, Stefica Bikes, Thomson Locations: Australia's, Queensland, Australia, New Zealand, Dalveen, Wallangarra, New South Wales, NSW, Watsonville, Sydney

Former architect and tour guide Peter Sekules poses for a photo at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia September 29, 2023. REUTERS/Alasdair Pal/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Sydney Opera House celebrated its 50th birthday on Friday, with a laser show planned to illuminate the iconic building. Officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 20 October 1973, the Opera House is widely regarded as one of the greatest architectural designs of the 20th century, with 10.9 million people visiting every year. As part of the 1956 Opera House international design competition, 233 designs were submitted by architects from around the world with Jorn Utzon from Denmark chosen as the winner. The Sydney Opera House was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2007.

Persons: Peter Sekules, Alasdair Pal, Queen Elizabeth II, Robin Fox, Anthony Albanese, Jorn Utzon, Construction, Utzon, Lincoln Organizations: Sydney Opera House, REUTERS, Rights, Opera, Sydney Opera, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, Australian, Denmark

☆ The love affair of a retired Australian architect with the Opera House
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Stefica Nicol Bikes | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Immediately recognisable by its sails glistening over the waters of Sydney Harbour, the UNESCO-listed Sydney Opera House is one of the world’s most photographed buildings. [1/4]Former architect and tour guide Peter Sekules poses for a photo at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia September 29, 2023. Sekules says he tried to instil that philosophy when he decided to start his architectural career working alongside Australian architect Peter Hall, who took over the Opera House project after Utzon resigned. According to the Sydney Opera House, more than 10.9 million people visit the building every year. The Sydney Opera House was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2007.

Persons: Peter Sekules, Sekules, Jorn Utzon, Alasdair Pal, Utzon, Peter Hall, Queen Elizabeth II Organizations: SYDNEY, UNESCO, Sydney Opera, Sydney Opera House, Reuters, Sydney Opera House Concert, REUTERS, Opera House, Opera, Stefica Bikes, Thomson Locations: Sydney Harbour, Denmark, Sydney, Australia

SYDNEY, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Australia's top court on Wednesday quashed a levy on electric vehicles (EVs) by the state of Victoria, in a case that could make it more difficult for other states to pursue similar legislation. In 2021, Victoria introduced a levy of between A$0.02 ($0.013) and A$0.025 per km travelled in EVs, a tax that faced a wide range of opposition. After a case brought by two EV owners, the High Court ruled Victoria's excise duty can only be levied by the federal government. The states of New South Wales and Western Australia have previously announced plans to introduce similar legislation. Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Christian SchmollingerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: David Hertzberg, Noah Schultz, Alasdair Pal, Christian Schmollinger Organizations: SYDNEY, EV, ABC, Australia Institute, Thomson Locations: Victoria, EVs, New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australian, Sydney

SYDNEY, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday he accepted his share of blame for the failure of a referendum question on Indigenous recognition that could weaken his authority. Albanese staked significant political capital on a "Yes" vote, pushing ahead despite the opposition Liberal party opposing it. He faced Liberal leader Peter Dutton during parliamentary question time on Monday for the first time since the referendum failure. The referendum outcome is seen as a major setback for reconciliation efforts with the country's Indigenous community and risks damaging Australia's image in the world regarding how it treats people in that community. Remote areas dominated by Indigenous communities voted strongly in favour of the referendum question, Albanese said, in contrast to the rest of the country.

Persons: Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Peter Dutton, " Albanese, Tracey Nearmy, Dutton, Alasdair Pal, Kirsty Needham, Stephen Coates, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Australian, Liberal, Old Australian, House, REUTERS, Labor, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Great Britain, Sydney

Voters walk past Vote Yes and Vote No signs at the Old Australian Parliament House during The Voice referendum, in Canberra, Australia, October 14, 2023. REUTERS/Tracey Nearmy/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 16 (Reuters) - Australia's parliament will on Monday meet for the first time since the failure of a referendum on Indigenous recognition that could weaken the authority of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Albanese staked significant political capital on a "Yes" vote, with the opposition Liberal party opposing it. The outcome is a major setback for reconciliation efforts with the country's Indigenous community and damages Australia's image in the world regarding how it treats them. The country's main business newspaper, the Australian Financial Review, called the result "heartbreaking" for the country's Indigenous community, that make up around 3.8% of the population and have suffered from centuries of neglect and discrimination since colonisation by Great Britain in 1788.

Persons: Tracey Nearmy, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, Peter Dutton, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates Organizations: Old Australian, House, The, REUTERS, Rights, Liberal, Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial, Thomson Locations: Canberra, Australia, Great Britain, Sydney

A general view of Chevron's Wheatstone LNG facility in Pilbara coast, Western Australia, as seen in this undated handout image obtained by Reuters on September 8, 2023. Chevron/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Negotiations over a stalled pay and conditions deal between Chevron and unions at its liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in Australia made progress on Friday, but fell short of sealing an agreement to end months of labour disputes at the major export sites. Friday's talks are the second round being mediated by the FWC within the past month. The unions halted weeks of strikes in late September at the facilities that supply around 6% of the world's LNG after an earlier round of talks produced a deal. Weeks later, however, the unions accused Chevron of reneging on certain commitments and said they would resume strikes on Oct. 19.

Persons: Friday's, Weeks, Lewis Jackson, Susanna R, Alasdair Pal, Miral Organizations: Reuters, Chevron, Handout, REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Wheatstone, Western Australia, Australia, Chevron, reneging, Europe, London

☆ Explainer-What Is Australia's Indigenous Voice to Parliament Referendum?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

Here's what you need to know about Australia's Voice to Parliament campaign:WHO ARE AUSTRALIA'S INDIGENOUS PEOPLE? Australia's Indigenous population plummeted after British colonisation began in 1788 as they were dispossessed of their land, exposed to new diseases, forced to work in slave-like conditions, and killed by colonisers. The country also created Maori seats in parliament, allowing the Indigenous population to choose to vote for candidates for these seats or participate in the general election. HOW DID THE VOICE REFERENDUM COME ABOUT? In 2022, Labor's Anthony Albanese became prime minister and said Australians would have their say in a referendum to include an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.

Persons: Praveen Menon SYDNEY, colonisers, Labor's Anthony Albanese, Lidia Thorpe, Praveen Menon, Alasdair Pal, Stephen Coates Organizations: WHO, Torres Strait, Nations, Te reo, Torres Strait Islander, Albanese's Labor Party, Greens, Independent, Green, Liberal Party, Party, Liberals, Nationals Locations: Australia, Canada, Waitangi, Uluru, New Zealand, Sydney

☆ Australian journalist Cheng Lei back home after China release
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/6] Australian journalist Cheng Lei poses for a selfie at an unknown location in this undated picture obtained by Reuters on August 11, 2023. Nicholas Coyle/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Australian journalist Cheng Lei, who had been detained in China on national security charges for more than three years, returned home on Wednesday after being released, Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. Cheng, who was tried in secret in March 2022, arrived in Melbourne and has been reunited with her two children and family, Albanese told a press conference. Albanese said he expected to visit China this year and told reporters dialogue with China was "a good thing". Albanese said Australia "continued to advocate" for another detained Australian journalist, Yang Hengjun, who has been held since January 2019.

Persons: Cheng Lei, Nicholas Coyle, Handout, Anthony Albanese, Cheng, Albanese, Penny Wong, I've, Xi Jinping, Ryan Neelam, " Albanese, Yang Hengjun, Yang, Adam Ni, Kirsty Needham, Laurie Chen, Alasdair Pal, Clarence Fernandez, Miral Organizations: Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Australia's, Lowy Institute, Independent, Thomson Locations: Australian, China, Melbourne, Australia, Beijing, Independent China, Canberra, Sydney

[1/4] Participants of a pro-Palestinian rally react outside the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, October 9, 2023. AAP Image/Dean Lewins via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsSYDNEY, Oct 10 (Reuters) - Australian police said on Tuesday they were investigating a pro-Palestinian protest outside Sydney Opera House, after footage emerged of a small group appearing to chant anti-Semitic slogans at the demonstration. Around 1,000 pro-Palestinian supporters marched through downtown Sydney on Monday evening to the city's iconic Opera House, which the government had illuminated in the colours of the Israeli flag following Saturday's attacks by Hamas which Israel says killed over 900. Unverified footage shared by the Australian Jewish Association and featured on Sky News appeared to show a small group outside the Opera House lighting flares and chanting "gas the Jews". Protest organiser Palestine Action Group Sydney defended its right to protest "apartheid" in Israel but said a small number of "vile antisemitic attendees" had no place in their movement.

Persons: Dean Lewins, Israel, Anthony Albanese, Lewis Jackson, Alasdair Pal, Michael Perry Organizations: Sydney Opera House, REUTERS Acquire, Rights, Sydney, Opera House, Gaza's Health, Australian Jewish Association, Sky News, Opera, Palestine, Group Sydney, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, South Wales, Israel

☆ Residents in rural Australia evacuate homes as floods follow fires
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY, Oct 5 (Reuters) - Residents of towns in the Australian state of Victoria were on Thursday warned it was still unsafe to return home, as flash floods followed bushfires that also forced people to flee. People in several towns along the Macalister River in the southeastern state were told to evacuate late on Wednesday after waters rose to dangerously high levels. Rains eased on Thursday, though disaster management officials said large amounts of water still needed to be flushed through the river systems. "The good news is (there is) no more serious rain expected," he told state broadcaster ABC. Emergency warnings urging evacuated residents not to return remain in place for several towns in the area.

Persons: David Baker, Alasdair Pal, Josie Kao Organizations: SYDNEY, Authorities, Emergency Service, ABC, Thomson Locations: Australian, Victoria, Sydney

Search resuls for: "Alasdair Pal"

25 mentions found