Pacific

1 dead, 5 missing in Fiji due to tropical cyclone Ana

Suva [Fiji], February 1 (ANI/Xinhua): One person died and five others went missing in Fiji as tropical cyclone Ana hit the South Pacific island nation.

2021-02-01T03:32:44.805360+00:00 IST

Aussie scientists embark on voyage to count Antarctic krill

Canberra [Australia], January 29 (ANI/Xinhua): Australia's national science agency has launched a voyage to Antarctica in an attempt to measure krill numbers.

2021-01-29T04:16:28.589292+00:00 IST

Pregnant women in Australia warned of COVID-19 vaccines risk

Canberra [Australia], January 27 (ANI/Xinhua): Australian women who are pregnant have been advised against receiving COVID-19 vaccines until more data is available.

2021-01-27T02:26:41.985732+00:00 IST

Wonderful coincidence that Australia Day is India's Republic Day: Australian PM Morrison

Canberra [Australia], January 26 (ANI): As January 26 marks the celebration of India's Republic Day and also Australia Day, Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday extended greetings to India on the occasion, calling it a wonderful coincidence.

2021-01-26T07:34:59.001100+00:00 IST

New Zealand's COVID-19 vaccine slated for possible approval next week

Wellington [New Zealand], January 26 (ANI/Xinhua): The green light for New Zealand's first COVID-19 vaccine could be granted in just over a week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Tuesday.

2021-01-26T04:59:15.012284+00:00 IST

5.8 magnitude quake hits Auckland Islands, New Zealand region

Wellington [New Zealand], January 24 (ANI/Xinhua): An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 jolted Auckland Islands, New Zealand region at 05:47 GMT on Sunday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

2021-01-24T09:05:38.715885+00:00 IST

Papua New Guinea hit by 5.7 magnitude earthquake

Port Moresby [Papua New Guinea], January 23 (ANI/Sputnik): A 5.7 magnitude earthquake was registered on Saturday in the eastern part of Papua New Guinea, the US Geological Survey said.

2021-01-23T04:49:52.165816+00:00 IST

Many Australians urge PM to rebuke MP for COVID disinformation

Canberra [Australia], January 18 (ANI/Xinhua): Three-quarters of Australians have called on Prime Minister Scott Morrison to censure a member of parliament over COVID-19 disinformation.

2021-01-18T03:52:38.220969+00:00 IST

Fiji Health Ministry trains staff for COVID-19 vaccination

Suva [Fiji], January 15 (ANI/Xinhua): Fiji's health ministry is prepared to securely handle the COVID-19 vaccine from its procurement to the vaccination process and is training staff to administer it.

2021-01-15T06:37:33.667713+00:00 IST

Australia's Queensland mulls using mining camps for quarantine of int'l travellers

Brisbane [Australia], January 14 (ANI/Sputnik): The Australian state of Queensland is considering using mining camps as quarantine sites for international travellers as the region looks to contain the spread of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant first identified in the United Kingdom, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said on Thursday.

2021-01-14T07:19:42.270912+00:00 IST

New Zealand to allow in 1,000 returning international tertiary students

Wellington [New Zealand], January 14 (ANI/Xinhua): The New Zealand government on Thursday approved an exception class for 1,000 international tertiary students, degree level and above, who began their study in New Zealand but were caught offshore when border restrictions began.

2021-01-14T05:24:10.086575+00:00 IST

Threat from 'devastating' South Australian bushfire downgraded

Canberra [Australia], January 12 (ANI/Xinhua): The threat from a fast-moving grass fire in South Australia (SA) has eased after thousands of hectares of land were burned.

2021-01-12T03:01:09.528949+00:00 IST

Brisbane ends lockdown after no new COVID-19 cases detected

Sydney [Australia], January 11 (ANI/Xinhua): A three-day lockdown of Australia's third-largest city of Brisbane will be lifted after no new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 were recorded over the weekend, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk revealed Monday.

2021-01-11T07:06:29.633909+00:00 IST

New Zealand identifies 31 new cases of COVID-19

Wellington [New Zealand], January 10 (ANI/Xinhua): New Zealand has identified 31 new cases of COVID-19 during the past three days, said the Ministry of Health in a statement on Sunday.

2021-01-10T03:45:37.535592+00:00 IST

6.1 magnitude earthquake hits Isangel, Vanuatu

Port Vila [Vanuatu Island], January 8 (ANI/ Xinhua): An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 jolted 146 km SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu at 05:01:04 GMT on Friday, the US Geological Survey said.

2021-01-08T05:51:20.620011+00:00 IST

Australia's third-largest city enters 3-day lockdown following local mutant strain virus case

Sydney [Australia], January 8 (ANI/Xinhua): Australia's third-largest city of Brisbane will enter a three-day lockdown from Friday afternoon after a local resident was found to be infected with the mutant strain of COVID-19.

2021-01-08T05:17:01.178416+00:00 IST

Australian health minister announces earlier start for COVID-19 vaccine rollout

Canberra [Australia], January 6 (ANI/Xinhua): Australia's Health Minister Greg Hunt announced on Wednesday that the country's coronavirus vaccine rollout will begin weeks earlier than previously planned.

2021-01-06T06:07:31.555008+00:00 IST

19 new COVID-19 cases detected in New Zealand as border restrictions tightened

Wellington [New Zealand], January 3 (ANI/Xinhua): Nineteen new COVID-19 cases were reported at the New Zealand border in the last three days, as the country announcing tightened border restrictions on Sunday.

2021-01-03T05:27:29.545251+00:00 IST

Face masks to be mandatory in Sydney as Aussie states concerned by linked COVID cluster

Sydney [Australia], January 2 (ANI/Xinhua): Wearing face masks will be mandatory in Australia's biggest city of Sydney as locally acquired COVID cases continue to grow.

2021-01-02T09:20:53.666311+00:00 IST

We are one and free: Australia amends anthem to honour indigenous people

Canberra [Australia], January 2 (ANI): Australia brought in the New Year differently this year by tweaking their national anthem 'Advance Australia Fair' slightly to recognize the country's Indigenous history and communities, said Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

2021-01-01T21:21:18.526602+00:00 IST

5.1-magnitude quake hits Kermadec Islands region

Kermadec [New Zealand], January 1 (ANI/Xinhua): An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.1 jolted the Kermadec Islands region at 0120 GMT on Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

2021-01-01T03:30:59.615161+00:00 IST