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SYDNEY, May 29 (Reuters) - The leader of Western Australia resigned on Monday in a surprise announcement, citing exhaustion, after guiding the resource-rich state through the COVID pandemic. Premier Mark McGowan, elected in 2017, is a member of Australia's ruling Labor Party, which also holds a large majority in Western Australia. But the truth is I'm tired, extremely tired. McGowan won a landslide re-election in 2021, with his COVID policies that effectively isolated the state from the rest of Australia proving wildly popular. Western Australia is the country's largest state by area and is rich in resources including iron ore and natural gas.

☆ The US Navy has its eyes on a new submarine base that will help it keep track of China's growing undersea fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

As part of the AUKUS agreement, US and British subs will operate out of western Australia by 2027. The deal on the base comes as rivals, mainly China, increase their submarine activity in the region. Ray Mabus, then US navy secretary, departs a Chinese Yuan-class submarine in Ningbo in November 2012. The Defense Department report also says China's six operational Jin-class nuclear-powered ballistic-missile subs are likely already conducting "near-continuous at-sea deterrence patrols," a sign that China's submarine force continues to improve its operational capabilities. For the US Navy, those developments make the ability to base subs closer to the Western Pacific a greater priority.

☆ Ocean census aims to discover 100,000 marine species
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Researchers have embarked on an ambitious global initiative to discover and record marine life hidden in the world’s oceans. Ocean Census aims to identify 100,000 unknown species in the next 10 years, allowing scientists to better understand and protect the deep-sea ecosystem. The initiative builds on past projects such as the Census of Marine Life, which concluded in 2010 and identified 6,000 potential new ocean species. Ocean Census will also help to identify how marine ecosystems are responding to the climate crisis, and assess how marine life could adapt to a warmer climate. The project is being led by Nekton, a UK-based marine science and conservation institute, and funded by The Nippon Foundation, a nonprofit foundation based in Japan.

☆ Touching the sky: A rare solar eclipse and a new hotel in the clouds
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Courtesy Amelia Earhart Hangar MuseumAmelia Earhart wasn’t just the first woman to fly solo over the Atlantic. Camelot Theme Park (England): Set in the leafy Lancashire countryside, the Magic Kingdom of Camelot resurrected tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Scott Audette/AP Pripyat Amusement Park (Ukraine): This theme park was orphaned in 1986 following the Chernobyl meltdown just five kilometers (three miles) away. Considered the first theme park in Southeast Asia, it featured an artificial lake, huge swimming pool with giant water slides and a Prehistoric Animal Kingdom. Anne Jones/Alamy Stock Photo 10 fascinating theme parks that have closed forever Prev NextThat’s the question posed by these no-longer-in-operation theme parks around the world.

☆ Solar eclipse tourism in Exmouth, Western Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Lilit Marcus | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Thursday’s hybrid solar eclipse will last for 62 seconds. That’s the hope for Exmouth and the surrounding Ningaloo Coast in Western Australia, which are hoping that April 20th’s once-in-a-decade natural phenomenon could kick off a tourism boom that lasts well beyond the eclipse. “They’re pretty intimidated but also very excited,” Roger Cook, Deputy Premier of Western Australia state, tells CNN about the residents of Exmouth. And there’s some evidence of the region’s growing prominence on the international stage: CNN Travel selected Western Australia for our list of the best places to visit in 2023. Altogether, Western Australia state spent 20 million AUD ($13.5 million) on infrastructure updates for the eclipse, which included everything from water and sanitation services to additional parking.

☆ Western Australia assesses Cyclone Ilsa's 'path of destruction'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, April 15 (Reuters) - Emergency authorities in Western Australia were assessing damage on Saturday from a tropical cyclone that hit the state's northwest, sparing heavily populated areas but affecting several remote communities. Ilsa, downgraded to a severe weather system, made landfall in the sparsely populated Pilbara region of Western Australia early on Friday with an intensity rating of 5, the highest. Western Australia Department of Fire and Emergency Services Assistant Commissioner Rick Curtis said crews were surveying damage in the "very large area" hit by Ilsa. "It’s quite a remote part of Western Australia so getting support services to the area will take some time and effort." Australia's weather forecaster warned of possible severe weather on Saturday in parts of the neighbouring Northern Territory, including potential flooding in the outback town of Alice Springs, as the ex-cyclone tracked east.

☆ Australia signs land deal for proposed battery material plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The proposed facility in Western Australia, the country's largest mining state, would be Australia's first to produce nickel-cobalt-manganese precursor cathode active material, used to make components for the lithium-ion batteries common in electric vehicles. IGO acting CEO Matt Dusci said the land deal was a "critical step" to better integrate into the battery supply chain. "We believe the area where Australia can be most competitive is in mid-stream battery chemical processing," Dusci said in a statement. A final investment decision for the project is subject to a feasibility study, due in mid-2024, and finding a project partner with battery chemical processing experience. Western Australia, which holds a majority of the country's critical mineral reserves, is at the forefront of the push to build processing capacity.

☆ World Transplant Games: The unexpected journeys of four athletes to one of the biggest competitions you've probably never heard of
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Eryn Mathewson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

British supporters gesture during the opening ceremony of the XXI World Transplant Games 2017 in Malaga, Spain on June 25, 2017. Jorge Guerrero/AFP/Getty ImagesWhat are the World Transplant Games? The World Transplant Games is not a household name like the Special Olympics or the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. The Road Race starts at the 2019 World Transplant Games in Newcastle-Gateshead, United Kingdom. Price is currently recovering from a non-transplant related surgery, but said she’s ready to make her second appearance at the World Transplant Games.

☆ Cyclone Ilsa rapidly intensifies as it approaches landfall in Western Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-13 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Brisbane, Australia CNN —A massive cyclone swirling off Australia’s western coast will likely make landfall as a category 5 storm – the strongest on the national scale – according to the country’s official forecaster. “Communities in those coastal areas hopefully are already hunkered down, ready to ride this one out. The last major cyclone of this strength to hit the Western Australian coast was Cyclone George in 2007 with winds that reached 275 kph (170 mph). The strongest storm ever to hit any part of Australia was Cyclone Monica, which arrived in 2006 with sustained winds around 290 kph (180 mph), as it swept across the eastern and northern parts of Australia. That cyclone missed highly populated areas but brought down trees and caused severe damage to vegetation along with a storm surge up to six meters high.

☆ Cyclone Ilsa threatens to hit Western Australia as strongest storm in a decade
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Tourists staying along the portion of coast between Broome and Port Hedland have been told to move from the projected path of the storm. Broome and Port Hedland are relatively small towns with a combined population of around 30,000 people. Many people employed by the iron ore mines live and work in Port Hedland. On Tuesday, the Pilbara Port Authority said it was clearing boats from all berths in the inner harbor of the Port Hedland port, and urged recreational boat owners to secure their vessels. Darren Klemm, Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner of Western Australia, said it had been 10 years since a cyclone of that size had hit the WA coast.

The assessment of China's military said China's fleet of six Jin-class ballistic missile submarines were operating "near-continuous" patrols from Hainan Island into the South China Sea. Equipped with a new, longer-range ballistic missile, they can hit the continental United States, analysts say. Communications are crucial and complex for ballistic missile subs, which must remain hidden as part of their mission. The Chinese military has emphasised that the Central Military Commission, headed by President Xi Jinping, is the only nuclear command authority. Russia is thought to keep most of its 11 ballistic missile submarines largely in bastions off its Arctic coasts, while U.S., French and British boats roam more widely, three analysts said.

☆ Deepest-ever fish caught and filmed off Japan by scientists
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, April 3 (Reuters) - Fish have been caught more than 5 miles (8 kilometres) under the surface of the ocean for the first time ever - and filmed even deeper - by a joint Japanese-Australian scientific expedition. The snailfish, of the Pseudoliparis belyaevi species, are the first to be caught below 8,000 metres, the expedition said. It wasn't immediately clear how big the fish were, but the species has been recorded as reaching a length of close to 11 centimetres (4.3 inches). "The Japanese trenches were incredible places to explore; they are so rich in life, even all the way at the bottom," said Jamieson, founder of the Minderoo-UWA Deep Sea Research Centre. "We tell people from the very early ages, as young as two or three, that the deep sea is a horrible scary place that you shouldn't go and that grows with you with time," said Jamieson.

☆ A camera caught a fish swimming more than 8,300 meters below the surface near Japan, making it the deepest observation of a fish ever recorded
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Researchers spotted the fish in the Izu-Ogasawara trench near Japan, the outlet reported. Previously, the deepest recorded fish was seen at 8,178 meters in the Mariana Trench in 2018Top editors give you the stories you want — delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Previously, the deepest recorded fish was spotted 8,178 meters down in the Mariana Trench, according to BBC News. The previous deepest recorded fish in the Mariana Trench was identified as a Mariana snailfish, which had been known to scientists since 2014, Insider reported at the time. "We predicted the deepest fish would be there and we predicted it would be a snailfish," Jamieson said according to the outlet.

☆ China's strong demand for commodities to overtake post-2008 crisis, mining giant says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Australian iron ore giant began business in China with a 180,000-metric ton shipment of iron ore in 2008, according to the company's website. At that time, China managed to avoid a prolonged recession with a massive stimulus program that supported infrastructure development — which drove up demand for commodities. What we're seeing now is uniform demand across China. "What we're seeing now is uniform demand across China," Forrest said, "and uniform demand but increasing, thankfully, in the supply chain, the ecosystem which will create [for the] renewable energy industry." In the six months ended Dec. 31, Fortescue said it shipped a record 96.9 million metric tons of iron ore — up 4% from a year ago.

☆ Lithium Industry Looks to Australia for Refining, Not Just Mining
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Yusuf Khan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +4 min

Chinese companies refine it into lithium sulfate and then process it into the lithium hydroxide used to make cathodes for batteries. China plays an outsize role in battery production, accounting for 44% of all lithium refining globally and 70% of battery cell production, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence. Some companies also are building European facilities for the next stage of the process: refining lithium sulfate into lithium hydroxide. Lithium mining projects in Germany and Portugal have emerged, although the permitting process can be complex, particularly if there is local opposition. In the meantime, new processing facilities can be built in three to five years, creating more opportunities for lithium mining companies.

☆ Girl killed in shark attack on Australia's west coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Police believe the victim was with friends and jumped off a jet ski to swim with a pod of dolphins in the river when the shark attack occurred. People were being urged to take extra caution in the Swan River around Fremantle in the wake of the mauling. The last fatal shark attack in Western Australian waters was in November 2021 when a 57-year-old man was killed by a great white shark at Perth's Port Beach. A man was severely injured by a bull shark while swimming in the Swan River in January 2021. Australia ranked behind only the United States in the number of unprovoked shark bites on humans in 2021, according to the University of Florida's International Shark Attack File.

☆ A bull shark likely behind fatal attack of 16-year-old girl swimming in a river, say authorities
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Bethany Dawson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Authorities in Perth, Western Australia, believe that a bull shark is responsible for a fatal attack. Bull sharks, which can live in salt and fresh water, can be aggressive though fatal attacks are rare. Bull sharks are the most dangerous sharks in the world, according to many experts, because they hunt along shorelines where people gather to swim. One of the biggest bull sharks recorded was 13 feet long and weighed 990 pounds. The Swan River had not seen a fatal shark attack since January 1923, when a bull shark killed a 13-year-old boy.

☆ Missing radioactive capsule found on roadside in Western Australia after week-long search
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Western Australia. A radioactive device belonging to mining firm Rio Tinto was found on the roadside after coming off the back of a truck. A missing radioactive capsule used in Rio Tinto 's mining operations that sparked a radiation alert in Western Australia has been found. Authorities said it would now be transported securely to a Western Australia health facility in Perth. I'd like to apologise to the wider community of Western Australia for the concern it has generated," he said.

☆ Australia’s Nuclear Safety Agency Joins the Hunt for Missing Radioactive Capsule
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Rhiannon Hoyle | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

ADELAIDE, Australia—Authorities intensified their search for a missing capsule containing radioactive material in Australia’s far west, deploying car-mounted detection equipment for the first time as they began to retrace a truck’s nearly 900-mile journey across the Outback. The capsule, which is less than a third of an inch long and contains Cesium-137, is believed to have fallen from a truck somewhere between Rio Tinto PLC’s Gudai-Darri mine and Perth, the capital of Western Australia. An initial search using hand-held radiation monitors failed to find the capsule, which was discovered to be missing on Jan. 25, prompting a public health alert.

Due to the tiny size of the capsule and the huge distances involved, authorities warn the chances of finding it are slim. Department of Fire and Emergency Services/APHow rare is it to lose a radioactive device? Radiation Services WA says radioactive substances are transported throughout Western Australia on a daily basis without any issues. A conveyor belt transports iron ore at the Gudai-Darri mine operated by the Rio Tinto in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, June 21, 2022. At that rate, the capsule could be radioactive for the next 300 years, said Deb from RMIT University.

☆ Explainer: How did a radioactive capsule go missing in Australia and how dangerous is it?
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Australian authorities are mounting an extensive search for a tiny radioactive capsule believed to have fallen out of a road train - a truck with multiple trailers - that travelled 1,400 km (870 miles) in Western Australia. When it was unpacked on Jan. 25, it was found broken apart, with one of its four mounting bolts as well as screws and the capsule missing. Authorities suspect vibrations from the road train caused the gauge to break apart and the capsule fell out. The road train travelled from the mine in the state's remote Kimberley region and arrived at a storage facility in the suburbs of Perth on Jan. 16. The search involves at least five other government agencies including the Department of Defence, the police, the Australian Nuclear and Science Technology Organisation and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.

☆ Australia searches for tiny radioactive capsule believed to be lost on desert highway
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Rio Tinto apologized on Monday for the loss of a tiny radioactive capsule believed to have fallen from a truck that has sparked a radiation alert across parts of the vast state of Western Australia. It is unclear how long the radioactive capsule, part of a gauge used to measure the density of iron ore feed, has been missing. The gauge was picked up by a specialist contractor from Rio's Gudai-Darri mine site on Jan. 12. Authorities suspect vibrations from the truck caused the screws and the bolt to come loose, and the radioactive capsule from the gauge fell out of the package and then out of a gap in the truck. The silver capsule, 6 millimeters in diameter and 8 mm long, contains Caesium-137 which emits radiation equal to 10 X-rays per hour.

☆ Mining giant Rio Tinto apologizes for sparking radiation alert after losing device in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A vehicle travels through the Gudai-Darri mine operated by the Rio Tinto Group in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, Australia, in June 2022. The company has apologized after a radioactive capsule used at the site went missing. Mining giant Rio Tinto on Monday apologized after the loss of a small radioactive capsule used in its operations caused a radiation alert in Western Australia. It was delivered by a third-party contractor from Rio Tinto's Gudai-Darri site to Perth for repairs on Jan. 12, arriving on Jan. 16. Rio Tinto, one of the world's biggest mining firms, says it routinely transports and stores dangerous materials and has controls in place to manage risks.

☆ Search underway for radioactive capsule missing in Australia
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY, Jan 28 (Reuters) - Parts of Western Australia were under a radiation alert on Saturday after authorities said a radioactive capsule used in mining was lost en-route to the state's capital, Perth. Authorities in Australia's largest state issued the alert on Friday for a "radioactive substance risk" in several regions, including Perth. The capsule went missing while being driven in a truck from a mine to a Perth storage facility, the state's health agency said. The truck left the site on Jan. 12 but the capsule was not discovered missing until this week, which was when emergency services were alerted, according to authorities. Western Australia chief health officer Andrew Robertson said the capsule, if kept close to the body, could cause skin redness and radiation burns.

☆ Western Australia in grip of 'devastating' flood emergency, Australia PM says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A view of flooding in Fitzroy Crossing, Australia January 3, 2023 in this picture obtained from social media. Callum Lamond/via REUTERSSYDNEY, Jan 7 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Saturday his government was ready to provide whatever support was needed to residents of Western Australia state as record-breaking floods isolated far-flung communities there. Albanese said his Labor government was "working constructively" with the Western Australia government on the crisis in the sparsely populated region that also includes the resort town of Broome. Western Australia emergency authorities said Australian Defence Force aircraft were being used to assist flood-hit communities, and Chinook helicopters were en-route to help relocated impacted residents. The nation's weather forecaster said severe weather was no longer occurring in the state but that "the situation will continue to be monitored and further warnings will be issued if necessary".

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