Page 5 - Australia

Dave Franco-starrer digitally altered in China, gay couple made straight

A same-sex wedding scene in the film 'Together' was digitally altered to show a heterosexual couple. Chinese viewers realised the change only after comparison screenshots spread online

India, Australia sign agreement to promote organic products' trade

India and Australia on Wednesday signed an agreement to facilitate trade of organic products including wine and agri produce in each other's countries, the commerce ministry said on Wednesday. Under the mutual recognition arrangements (MRA), both will recognise each other's organic standards and certification systems. "The MRA...is expected to boost India's organic exports further by reducing barriers, ensuring certification equivalence, and supporting more organic products and producers," it said. The implementing agencies for the MRA are India's Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), Government of Australia. The arrangement covers organic products that are grown and processed in the two countries. It includes unprocessed plant products, processed foods and wine, it said. With organic produce commanding 30-40 per cent higher prices, farmers benefit from improved livelihoods,

WhatsApp, Reddit hit by Australia's social media ban; check full list here

eSafety Commissioner has written to 16 firms, warning that the ban may apply to their services and encouraging them to use the 'self-assessment' tool

Australia keeps migration cap steady: Which visa remains top priority? | Immigration

Despite growing anti-immigration protests in Australia, the government has confirmed that the permanent migration intake for 2025–26 will remain at 1,85,000 places, the same as last year.

Australia keeps immigration cap at 185000 with 71% skilled, defies protests

Australia keeps 2025-26 Migration Program at 185,000 places, adding a new talent and innovation visa even as anti-immigration protests rise

Australia warns social media firms over age checks before ban on children

Australian authorities said Tuesday that social media platforms should not demand age verification for all account holders starting from December, when a ban on children under 16 having accounts goes into effect in the country. The government released guidelines on how platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Reddit, X and Instagram should apply the world's first ban on children using social media from December 10. It says verifying the ages of all account holders would be unreasonable. We think it would be unreasonable if platforms reverified everyone's age, said Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant, who drafted the guidelines. Her use of the word reverified" suggested the platforms usually already had sufficient data to verify a user was older than 16. She said the platforms have targeting technology to focus on those under 16. "They can target us with deadly precision when it comes to advertising. Certainly they can do this around the age of a child, she ...

Australians say Indians out! But immigrants call Aussies 'welcoming'

Anti-immigration Rally in Australia: Anti-migrant rallies unsettle Indian community in Australia, but many still see safety, stability and opportunity

‘Go back’ rallies in Australia: Why Indians are in the crosshairs | Immigration

Anti-immigration rallies in Australia have sparked fresh debate on migration. Protesters claim the system is broken — and Indians, the second-largest migrant group.

Australia's ANZ to pay $160 mn over bond deal, customer violations

The penalties are a troubling milestone for Australia's fourth-largest bank, which last week announced 3,500 job cuts as new CEO Nuno Matos looks to improve profitability

Medicinal cannabis sparks concern in Australia over psychosis, poisonings

More than 1,000 unapproved medicinal cannabis products are available in Australia. People often take these for conditions where we have no strong evidence they work

Australia approves world-first vaccine to save koalas from chlamydia

A regulator has approved a world-first vaccine to protect koalas from chlamydia infections, which are causing infertility and death in the iconic native species that is listed as endangered in parts of Australia. The single-dose vaccine was developed by the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland state after more than a decade of research led by professor of microbiology Peter Timms. The research showed the vaccine reduced the likelihood of koalas developing symptoms of chlamydia during breeding age and decreased mortality from the disease in wild populations by at least 65%. The recent approval by Australia's veterinary medicine regulator means the vaccine can now be used in wildlife hospitals, veterinary clinics and in the field to protect the nation's most at-risk koalas, Timms said on Wednesday. We knew a single-dose vaccine with no need for a booster was the answer to reducing the rapid, devastating spread of this disease, which accounts for as much as half of koala .

Steve Waugh-backed Australia Essence launches nine luxury brands in India

Australia Essence debuts nine Australian luxury brands in India spanning wellness, lifestyle, food and beverages, betting on the rise of aspirational premium consumers

National Australia Bank cuts 410 jobs, expands roles in India, Vietnam

NAB changes come one day after rival ANZ Group said it would cut 3,500 jobs over the next year as new chief executive Nuno Matos aims to cut duplication and simplify the bank's structure

Australian PM demands apology from senator for anti-Indian migrant remark

Senator Jacinta Price claimed Indian migrants inflate living costs and vote Labor, drawing sharp criticism from PM Albanese and the Indian community

Anti-immigration protests in Australia: Indians power economy, not flood it

Attorney Jordan Tew says Indian migrants are "helping Australia thrive", not overwhelming its economy or services

Australia's anti-immigration group targets Indian migrants: What happened

Thousands marched in Australian cities under the 'March for Australia' banner; officials condemned the rallies as racist and neo-Nazi driven

Man arrested after ramming car into gates of Russian consulate in Sydney

Police said a 39-year-old man drove into the consulate gates after refusing to speak with officers, injuring a 24-year-old constable before being arrested

Australia faces far-right rallies as Indian diaspora continues to grow

Far-right rallies target Indian migration in Australia, as govt condemns racism and diaspora emerges as nation's fastest-growing community

Australian govt condemns campaigns against rising Indian migration

The Australian government has disapproved of the campaigns taking place across various cities against increasing migration of Indians, saying this "brand of far-right activism grounded in racism and ethnocentrism" has no place in the country. March for Australia rallies against immigration were held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, Hobart, among others, according to the group's website. The Anthony Albanese government stands against the events planned for the weekend, the Australian government said in a release on Thursday. All Australians, no matter their heritage, have the right to feel safe and welcome in our community, the statement said. Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs, was quoted as saying, There is no place in our country for people who seek to divide and undermine our social cohesion. Nothing could be less Australian. Minister for Multicultural Affairs Anne Aly said, Multiculturalism is an integral and valued part of our national identity.

India in talks with UAE for financial help to build 1 mn homes in Australia

India is in "deep negotiations" to create 1 million homes in Australia and has reached out to the UAE for financial help on the same, Union Minister Piyush Goyal has said. Goyal, who handles the Commerce and Industry portfolio, pegged this as a USD 500 billion opportunity. "I am in deep negotiation with my counterpart in Australia to create 1 million homes. 1 million homes. Anybody wants to do the maths? A million homes in Australia would be at least USD 500 billion opportunity," Goyal said while speaking here over the weekend. He did not elaborate on details of the project, like the location in Australia, the exact spending by Canberra on it, or India's role in the project. Goyal said New Delhi is proposing to allow Indian workers to go to Australia, get trained on the necessary skill sets required to build homes as per local standards and create the housing. According to some reports, there is a mismatch between demand and supply in Australia, which is blamed for the high home .