Page 19 - Australia

Australia student visa changes: Indians seek Dubai, Germany as alternative

For students who may be reconsidering Australia, destinations like Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Ireland, Dubai, Singapore, New Zealand, and Malta are becoming attractive

Australia student visa rule: Rs 16 lakh minimum bank balance now mandatory

The savings requirement ensures that students have enough money to cover their travel, course fees, and living costs during their stay

US, Oz and Philippine forces sink a ship during war drills in S China Sea

Military force from the United States, Australian and the Philippines launched a barrage of high-precision rockets, artillery fire and airstrikes to sink a ship Wednesday as part of largescale war drills in waters facing the disputed South China Sea that have antagonized Beijing. Military officials and diplomats from several countries, along with journalists, watched the display of firepower from a hilltop along a sandy coast in Laoag City on Wednesday in Ilocos Norte, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s northern home province. More than 16,000 military personnel from the United States and the Philippines, backed by a few hundred Australian troops and military observers from 14 countries were participating in annual combat-readiness drills called Balikatan, Tagalog for shoulder-to-shoulder, which started on April 22 and will end on Friday. It's the latest indication of how the United States and the Philippines have bolstered a defense treaty alliance that started in the ...

Global housing shortages hinder immigration-driven growth across world

For decades, the rapid inflow of migrants helped countries including Canada, Australia and the UK stave off the demographic drag from aging populations and falling birth rates

Oz carrier Qantas Airways faces $79 mn penalty for flight cancellations

Qantas was sued in August by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which accused it of selling tickets to thousands of flights after they were cancelled

Australia to grow more yellow chana after India removes 40% import duty

The removal of 40% import duty on desi chana by India will incentivise Australian farmers to increase both the acreage and production of Bengal gram for export to India

Defence chiefs from US, Oz, Japan, Philippines vow to deepen cooperation

Defence chiefs from the US, Australia, Japan and the Philippines vowed to deepen their cooperation as they gathered on Thursday in Hawaii for their second-ever joint meeting amid concerns about China's operations in the South China Sea. The meeting came after the four countries last month held their first joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, a major shipping route where Beijing has long-simmering territorial disputes with a number of Southeast Asian nations and has caused alarm with its recent assertiveness in the waters. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters at a news conference after their discussion that the drills strengthened the ability of the nations to work together, build bonds among their forces and underscore their shared commitment to international law in the waterway. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles said the defense chiefs talked about increasing the tempo of their defense exercises. Today, the meetings that we have held represent a very

South Korea confirms talks on joining AUKUS pact with US, UK and Australia

AUKUS, formed by the three countries in 2021, is part of efforts to push back against China's growing power in the Asia Pacific region.

Australia expels 2 Indian spies for espionage attempt in 2020: Reports

Australia expelled two Indian spies in 2020 for allegedly trying to "steal secrets" about sensitive defence projects and airport security, the Australian media reported on Tuesday. While The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald said two Indian spies were booted out, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) did not mention any number. There was no immediate comment from Indian officials on the Australian media reports. "Indian spies were kicked out of Australia after being caught trying to steal secrets about sensitive defence projects and airport security, as well as classified information on Australia's trade relationships," the ABC report said. The so-called foreign "nest of spies" disrupted by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) in 2020 was also accused of closely monitoring Indians living in Australia and developing close relationships with current and former politicians, it said. The reports came a day after The Washington Post named an Indian RA

Australian regulator looking at MDH, Everest spices for possible recall

Earlier, some MDH and Everest spice mixes were recalled in Singapore, while Hong Kong suspended their sales over high levels of ethylene oxide

Enough is enough: Australia unites against gender violence, demands action

Protests have swept across Australia in response to a surge in recent instances of violence against women, with demonstrators advocating for the declaration of gender-based violence as a national emer

Teens plotted to buy guns, attack Jews after Sydney bishop was stabbed

Four teenagers plotted to buy guns and attack Jewish people days after a bishop was stabbed in a Sydney church, according to police documents cited in news reports on Monday. Five teens, aged 14 to 17, were charged in a Sydney court on Thursday last week with a range of offenses including conspiring to engage in or planning a terrorist act. Police alleged they all adhered to a religiously motivated, violent extremist ideology and were part of a network that included a 16-year-old boy charged with stabbing Assyrian Orthodox Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel on April 15 as a church service was being streamed online. According to a police fact sheet tendered to the Sydney Children's Court, two of the defendants charged last week discussed buying guns on April 19, the same day the bishop's alleged attacker was charged, News Corp Australia newspapers reported. Gun ownership is heavily restricted in Australia under tough national laws, but there is a black market for firearms in Sydney. Four of

Australian PM describes domestic violence as a 'national crisis'

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Monday described domestic violence as a national crisis after thousands rallied around the country against violence toward women. Thousands protested in cities around Australia on Sunday to draw attention to the deaths of 27 women so far this year allegedly caused by acts of gender-based violence in a population of 27 million. Albanese said on Monday the rallies were a call to action for all levels of Australian government to do more to prevent gender-based violence. "Quite clearly, we need to do more. It's not enough to just have empathy, Albanese told Nine Network television. "The fact that... a woman dies every four days on average at the hand of a partner is just a national crisis, he added. There were 17 rallies held across Australia over the weekend, with an estimated 15,000 people demonstrating in the city of Melbourne. Albanese said he will host a meeting or Australian state and territory leaders on Wednesday to discuss a ...

Musk slams Australian court over 'censorship' of alleged X terror posts

The pushback by the world's third-richest person sets up a new front in the battle between the world's largest internet platforms and countries and nonprofits

Elon Musk loses Australia court hearing over Sydney knife attack posts

In a hearing Monday night in Sydney, the Federal Court of Australia ordered X must hide all recordings of a terrorist attack at a church in the city on April 15 until Wednesday

Australia condemns X's fight against removal of Sydney attack images

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese criticised the broadcast of violent images and said some social media content exacerbated the pain of many people

Woodside Energy revenue falls from prior quarter on lower LNG, oil prices

Australia's largest LNG exporter said production from its Bass Strait project in Victoria and Pyrenees and Pluto LNG projects in Western Australia fell in the first quarter

Six victims die in Sydney stabbing, attacker shot, say police officials

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese extended condolences to those affected via a post on X

Australian prosecutors drop billionaire Andrew Forrest's case against Meta

He had pursued the lawsuit under Australian laws that allow an individual to criminally prosecute a foreign corporation with the consent of the attorney general

After Australia, New Zealand tightens work visa rules for immigrants

New Zealand aims to introduce several measures, such as an English language requirement for low-skilled jobs and a minimum skills and work experience threshold for most employer work visas