Thursday, 28 Mar 2024

Australasia

Australasia News – Read the latest Australasia breaking news, opinions, politics, weather, traffic, and more up-to-date Australasia news at News24x7world

Man accused of killing backpacker is jeered

The man accused of killing British backpacker Grace Millane was jeered as he appeared in a packed Auckland court. Ms Millane (22) died while travelling in New Zealand and her body was found in bushland on Sunday afternoon, about 30 feet from a highway outside the New Zealand city. The 26-year-old accused, who cannot be […]

Australia’s Migrant Camps Are ‘Crime Against Humanity,’ Lawsuit Claims

MELBOURNE, Australia — Asylum seekers who attempted to reach Australia by boat but were instead detained in offshore camps are suing the government, claiming that they have been subjected to “torture” and “crimes against humanity.” In two class action lawsuits filed in the country’s High Court on Friday, about 1,200 migrants detained on the islands […]

Police in Australia Offer Million-Dollar Reward in Gay Man’s 1988 Death

SYDNEY, Australia — Almost 30 years to the day after a gay mathematician from the United States was forced off a Sydney cliff in a hate crime, the police on Sunday announced a reward of 1 million Australian dollars for information leading to the perpetrators. The mathematician, Scott Johnson, was a 27-year-old doctoral student at […]

Lawyer’s murder hints at secrets of Australia mafia

The killing of criminal lawyer Joseph “Pino” Acquaro in Melbourne sheds light on the hidden machinations of the ‘Ndrangheta, says Australian crime writer Adam Shand. Liborio Benvenuto, who died in 1988, was the last of the old-time Australian godfathers. He understood his power but also its limits. His protege Joseph “Pino” Acquaro, who was murdered […]

Nickname ‘Kiwi’ ruled not discriminatory

A New Zealand woman has unsuccessfully argued that she was a victim of racial discrimination after being labelled a “Kiwi” by her colleagues in Australia. Julie Savage said she was disrespected when her boss and co-workers referred to her as “Kiwi” instead of her name. However an Australian tribunal ruled that she had not suffered […]

Australia students in mass climate protest

Thousands of Australian school students have urged greater action on climate change in protests across the country. The students skipped school on Friday to highlight what they say are inadequate climate policies by the Australian government. On Monday, Australian PM Scott Morrison rebuked their plans for “activism” during school hours and insisted his government was […]

In Australia, a Sudanese Basketball League Finds Itself Sidelined by Racist Fears

MELBOURNE, Australia — An Australian basketball association that runs tournaments for teenagers from the country’s South Sudanese community said that xenophobic attitudes had forced it to cancel its annual December tournament. The South Sudanese Australian National Basketball Association has been a pipeline for athletes who go on to play in colleges in the United States […]

Thousands told to flee Australia bushfire

Thousands of Australians have been told to evacuate their homes as a powerful bushfire threatens properties in Queensland. It follows the raising of the state’s fire danger warning to “catastrophic” – the highest level – for the first time. More than 130 bushfires are burning across Queensland, fuelled by strong winds, a heatwave and dry […]

‘Asleep’ pilot overshoots Australian island

A small plane overshot its destination in Australia by almost 50km (30 miles) after its pilot fell asleep in the cockpit, air safety officials say. The pilot was the only person on board the freight flight from Devonport to King Island in Tasmania on 8 November. The incident, classified as a case of “incapacitation”, is […]

Boeing 737 in first use against wildfire

A modified Boeing 737 has been used to fight a wildfire for the first time, Australian authorities say. The former passenger jet was deployed as a water-bombing aircraft in New South Wales on Thursday and Friday. It can carry more than 15,000 litres (4,000 gallons) of water and fire retardant – a large amount, though […]