Page 29 - Australia

Australia demands answers from Twitter on how it tackles online hate

Australia's online safety watchdog has issued a legal notice to Twitter demanding an explanation of what the social media giant is doing to tackle a surge in online hate since Tesla CEO Elon Musk bought the platform. Australia's eSafety Commission describes itself as the world's first government agency dedicated to keeping people safer online. The agency said Thursday that it received more complaints about online hate on Twitter in the past 12 months than any other platform and had received an increasing number of reports of serious online abuse since Musk took over the company in October. The Australian agency's boss, eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, said she sent a notice to the San Francisco-based company Wednesday with 36 detailed questions on how Twitter's policies about hateful conduct are enforced. If Twitter does not respond with factual and truthful responses to all questions within 28 days, an Australian judge could fine the company up to 700,000 Australian dollars

Philip Green appointed as Australia's next High Commissioner to India

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Friday announced the appointment of Philip Green as Australia's next High Commissioner to India. Green, who was most recently Australia's ambassador to Germany, would succeed incumbent Barry O'Farrell. "The Australia-India relationship has never been closer. Australia and India share perspectives, challenges and a democratic heritage," Wong said, announcing Green's appointment. "We are working together, through our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and as Quad partners, to promote a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, where sovereignty is respected," the foreign minister said. Green has previously served as Australia's High Commissioner to Singapore, to South Africa, and to Kenya.

Senator says sexually assaulted by 'powerful men' in Aus Parliament

The accused was expelled by his party but remains a senator

India, Australia add 15 new areas for talks on comprehensive trade deal

Collaboration in space, mining and sports are among 15 new areas mutually identified by India and Australia for negotiations under the comprehensive free trade agreement, a senior government official said on Thursday. For the first time, these new segments would become part of a trade pact being negotiated by India. Additional Secretary in the Department of Commerce Rajesh Agrawal said that the third round of talks for the proposed comprehensive economic cooperation agreement (CECA) will end on June 16 and the next round of talks is scheduled in July. India and Australia have already implemented an interim trade pact in December last year and now negotiations are underway to expand the base of that pact for a CECA. "In addition to five areas which we had committed and which will be taken up under CECA, there are 15 new areas where mutual interest has been shown by both sides," Agrawal told reporters here. The official teams on both sides are discussing these areas to finalise the

Automobile maker Mahindra & Mahindra launches SUV XUV700 in Australia

Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd on Wednesday said it has launched its flagship SUV XUV700 in Australia. Given the strategic importance of the market, the introduction of the XUV700 in Australia marks the company's ambitious global expansion strategy and signifies the beginning of a new phase for the brand in the country, Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) said in a statement. Mahindra Australia, a subsidiary of M&M, is actively working on expanding its network. The focus is on enhancing accessibility and convenience for customers in metro locations, it added. "The introduction of the XUV700 in Australia marks a significant step for the Mahindra brand here," M&M President - Automotive Sector Veejay Nakra said. He further said, "The XUV700 has been engineered to cater to global markets and given its sensational success in the Indian market, we are confident that customers in Australia too will appreciate its class-leading attributes, advanced features, modern technology, and global ..

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Bus carrying wedding guests in Australia rolls over; 10 killed, 25 injured

A bus carrying wedding guests rolled over on a foggy night in Australia's wine country, killing 10 people and injuring 25, police said Monday. The 58-year-old driver was arrested and being held at a Cessnock police station and will be charged, Police Assistant Commissioner Tracy Chapman said. She would not detail the allegations, including whether speed was a factor, but told reporters "there is sufficient information... for us to establish that there will be charges." The crash happened just after 11.30 pm in foggy conditions at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive in the town of Greta in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales state north of Sydney. The guests had earlier attended a wedding at the Wandin Estate Winery and were heading for their accommodation in the town of Singleton, Chapman said. One guest told Seven News it had been a nice day and a fairytale wedding. The 25 people injured were taken to hospitals by helicopter and by road. A further 18 passengers were ...

Australia has 50% chance of sliding into recession this year, says CBA

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia on Friday downgraded its economic forecasts following a recent cash rate increase, saying the country has a 50 per cent chance of sliding into recession this year

Mother alone does not have right over child: HC in Shikhar Dhawan's case

Delhi court has ordered Aesha, estranged wife of cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, to bring their son to India for family gathering observing that a mother alone does not possess exclusive rights over a child

Australia's economic growth slows amid inflation, cost-of-living increases

The household saving ratio fell from 4.4 per cent in the last quarter of 2022 to 3.7 per cent, the lowest figure since 2008

China bullying Australia over appearance of Tibetan Prez in Canberra

The Chinese side urges the Australian side to see through the nature of the Dalai Clique, respect China's core interests and major concerns

Reserve Bank of Australia raises interest rate to 4.1% with 12th hike

Australia's central bank on Tuesday lifted its benchmark interest rate for a 12th consecutive time, to 4.1 per cent, and warned further rises could follow. The Reserve Bank of Australia boosted the cash rate by a quarter of a percentage point at its latest monthly meeting. That followed a higher-than-expected 6.8 per cent annual inflation rate reported for the January-March quarter. Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe said it would take time for inflation to fall to the target range of 2 per cent to 3 per cent. This further increase in interest rates is to provide greater confidence that inflation will return to target within a reasonable timeframe, Lowe said in a statement. The cash rate is now at its highest level since April 2012. The bank first started jacking up interest rates in June 2022. Lowe said further increases might be needed. The board will continue to pay close attention to developments in the global economy, trends in household spending, and the outlook for inflati

India face tough Australia challenge as it aims to end ICC title drought

A formidable bunch of Indian cricketers will require a perfect blend of skill and temperament when it clashes with an equally-strong Australia in the World Test Championship final, starting Wednesday, with an aim to end a decade-long global trophy jinx. India have been the most consistent side over the past two WTC cycles and also reached knockout phases of major white-ball tournaments over the last 10 years but a trophy has eluded them. The last major ICC trophy India won was way back in 2013 when it bagged the Champions Trophy in England. Since then, the side has lost three finals and on four occasion it bit dust at the semifinal stage. It also made an exit at the preliminary stage of the 2021 T20 World Cup. The country has been pretty much driving the finances of the sport and considering the vast talent pool on offer, the expectations of dominating the game on field seem only fair. Out of the six series India played in this cycle, their only series loss came in South Africa and

China's economic coercion fails to hurt Australia's economy: Report

China's decision of imposing a trade ban backfired as it affected its economic growth

Australian PM stresses need for diplomacy, guardrails in dealing with China

As tensions grow between the United States and China in the Asia-Pacific, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told a gathering of top defense officials on Friday that open channels of communication are critical for preserving peace, while also advocating effective deterrence. Albanese, who has been expanding Australia's military power in response to China's growing military assertiveness in the South China Sea, the South Pacific and the East China Sea, said he has also been working to stabilise the country's diplomatic relations with China. We recognise there are fundamental differences in our two nations' systems of government, our values and our world views, he said in his keynote address to the annual Shangri-La dialogue. But we begin from the principle that whatever the issue, whether we agree or disagree, it is always better and it is always more effective if we deal direct. Both US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and China's new defense minister, Gen. Li Shangfu, wer

Australia raises minimum wage by 5.75% amid inflation effective from July 1

The spike was largely driven by an increase in fuel prices after the end of the temporary cut in the government's fuel excise tax

Australia's lower house passes referendum on Indigenous Voice to parliament

This means Australians are now one step closer to voting on whether to establish an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the country's first referendum since 1999

Australia must accept truth about relationship with China: Defence minister

Australia's Defence Minister Richard Marles said that the country must accept 'inconvenient truths' about its relationship with China, news.com.au reported

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Indians banned in some Australian universities amid fraud applications

Punjab, Gujarat, and Haryana have been identified as states posing the highest risk of attrition in these universities