Australia and Oceania

Thousands ordered to evacuate as floods hit Sydney

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Thousands of people in Sydney’s outer suburbs were ordered to evacuate Sunday, as Australia’s east coast was hit by record rainfall and widespread flooding. Emergency services issued the evacuation orders for several low-lying areas in the city’s north-west, a day after authorities warned of potentially “life-threatening” flash floods in New South Wales state. People had already begun flocking to evacuation centers in towns north of Sydney as torrential rains on Saturday […]

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Australian PM plays down Italy vaccine blockade

by Andrew BEATTY SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia’s prime minister on Friday played down the impact of Italy’s landmark decision to block the export of 250,000 Covid-19 vaccine doses due to be delivered. Scott Morrison insisted the blocked shipment of the AstraZeneca jabs was understandable and would not affect Australia’s vaccine program. “This particular shipment was not one we’d counted on for the rollout, and so we will continue unabated,” Morrison said. Italy explained the […]

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Strong aftershocks rock New Zealand’s North Island

  WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — Earthquakes continued to rock New Zealand’s North Island on Saturday with the US Geological Survey recording a magnitude 6.4 shock the day after a Pacific-wide tsunami alert sparked by a monster quake. There have been no reports of serious damage or injury from the quakes, nor from a host of smaller tremors, which were centred offshore from the eastern city of Gisborne. A swarm of quakes up to 8.1 […]

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New Zealand lifts tsunami evacuation orders after Pacific quakes

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — New Zealand lifted tsunami evacuation orders covering large swathes of its coastline Friday, declaring “the largest waves have now passed” after a swarm of powerful offshore earthquakes. “All people who evacuated can now return,” said the National Emergency Management Agency, which ordered tens of thousands of residents to flee for higher ground after a series of tremors early Friday. © Agence France-Presse

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Magnitude 6.9 quake hits New Zealand; tsunami warning issued

  AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AFP) — A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of New Zealand’s North Island Friday, the US Geological Survey said, triggering a tsunami warning from authorities. The USGS said the quake hit 180 kilometres (111 miles) northeast of the city of Gisborne at 1327 Thursday GMT (10:27 p.m. PHL time), at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometres. “Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts […]

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Ardern tells Kiwis to rebuke coronavirus rule-breakers

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern urged New Zealanders to “call out” Covid-19 rule-breakers Monday, as public anger built over a series of infringements that forced the country’s largest city back into lockdown. A frustrated Ardern — who has won widespread praise for her pandemic response — said the breaches that led to Auckland being shut down for the second time in a month were intolerable. She said some people involved in […]

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New Zealand’s largest city back in lockdown as Covid lingers

  WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ordered New Zealand’s largest city back into lockdown on Saturday as Covid-19 cases continued to be detected in the community. The latest restrictions in Auckland will last at least seven days and come less than two weeks after a three-day shutdown in the city. Ardern said a new coronavirus case confirmed on Saturday could not be directly connected to other positive tests over the last […]

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Australia passes landmark law requiring tech firms to pay for news

  by Andrew BEATTY Agence France Presse SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Facebook and Google will be forced to pay for Australian news under legislation passed Thursday that is being closely watched globally for precedents in the battle between Big Tech and media companies. The world-first law passed easily after the Australian government agreed to water down elements most fiercely opposed by the tech giants, in return for both agreeing to negotiate paid deals with local […]

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Dozens of whales strand at notorious New Zealand bay

  WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — Rescuers were racing Monday to save dozens of pilot whales that beached on a stretch of New Zealand coast notorious for mass strandings, wildlife officials said. The Department of Conservation (DOC) said the pod of 49 long-finned pilot whales was found early Monday at Farewell Spit, about 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of the South Island tourist town of Nelson. By mid-afternoon, nine of the whales had died and […]

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Australia administers first Covid-19 vaccines

  SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — Australia’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout began Sunday, with top officials among a small group receiving the first jabs a day before the vaccination programme starts in earnest. Prime Minister Scott Morrison was injected with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine at a medical centre in Sydney’s northwest, in what the government said was an effort to boost public confidence in the vaccinations. Jane Malysiak, an aged care resident and WWII survivor in her 80s, […]

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New Zealand ends snap virus lockdown in largest city

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AFP) — New Zealand lifted a snap Covid-19 lockdown in its largest city Auckland on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressing confidence the outbreak was contained. The stay-at-home order for the city of almost two million was issued on Sunday after three community cases emerged, the first lockdown in Auckland for almost six months. Ardern said close contacts of the three cases, all members of the same family, had all since […]

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Strong 6.2-magnitude quake rocks Vanuatu capital

  PORT VILLA, Vanuatu (AFP) — A strong earthquake struck Vanuatu’s capital Port Vila on Tuesday, with eyewitnesses reporting violent shaking and the US Geological Survey measuring a shallow 6.2-magnitude quake just off the South Pacific island’s coast. “Wow, haven’t felt one like that in years. My heart’s still in my mouth,” local journalist Dan McGarry posted on Twitter, “very large lateral movement”. Authorities said the quake occurred 90 kilometres (56 miles) west of the […]

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