Latest Australia News

Cyclone weakens to a tropical low while bringing rain and wind to Australia's northern coast

Mar. 19, 2024 02:42 AM EDT

SYDNEY (AP) — A cyclone weakened to a tropical low Tuesday while bring heavy rain and winds to Australia's Northern Territory. The storm would continue to track west through inland parts of the Northern Territory over the coming days, the Bureau of Meteorology said. ...

Stock market today: Asian shares are mixed after Bank of Japan ups key rate for 1st time in 17 years

Mar. 19, 2024 01:25 AM EDT

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares are mixed in Asia after the Bank of Japan hiked its benchmark interest rate for the first time in 17 years, ending a longstanding negative rate policy. In a widely anticipated move, the BOJ raised its overnight call rate to a range of 0 to 0.1%, up from minus...

Google, Meta and others face tough questions in Australia over cyber extremism threats

Mar. 18, 2024 22:21 PM EDT

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia's online safety regulator has put social media giants on notice, requiring them to explain what they are doing to to protect people from violent extremists and terrorists. The country's eSafety regulator announced Tuesday that it had issued legal notices to...

China's foreign minister meets New Zealand counterpart, beginning trip that also includes Australia

Mar. 18, 2024 07:40 AM EDT

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Monday that his country is ready to work with New Zealand to deepen trade and economic ties and address climate change. Wang met his New Zealand counterpart, Winston Peters, at the start of a tour that will also...

Uber pays $178 million to end legal fight with Australian taxi drivers

Mar. 17, 2024 21:24 PM EDT

SYDNEY (AP) — Global rideshare giant Uber will pay 272 million Australian dollars ($178 million) to settle a long-running dispute with Australian taxi and hire car drivers who lost out when the company entered the Australian market. A class action against Uber had been expected to...

Today in History: March 17, Golda Meir becomes prime minister of Israel

Mar. 17, 2024 00:03 AM EDT

Today in History Today is Sunday, March 17, the 77th day of 2024. There are 289 days left in the year. This is St. Patrick’s Day. Today’s highlight in history: On March 17, 1969, Golda Meir took power in Israel, beginning a stint as prime minister...

Lured by the passion for soccer, growing number of foreign players join Argentina's women's league

Mar. 15, 2024 18:42 PM EDT

BUENOS AIRES (AP) — After watching Lionel Messi lift the World Cup trophy for Argentina, Japanese striker Ichika Egashira packed her bags and took a plane to the other side of the planet to play where her soccer hero was born. The 21-year-old Egashira didn't speak Spanish or...

Australia resumes funding for UNRWA and pledges more Gaza aid

Mar. 15, 2024 02:09 AM EDT

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia will restore funding to the United Nations relief agency for Palestinians, weeks after the agency lost hundreds of millions of dollars in support following Israeli allegations that some of its Gaza-based staff participated in the Oct. 7 attack. The...

A family is shaken in Peacock's 'Apples Never Fall,' starring Annette Bening

Mar. 13, 2024 12:28 PM EDT

There's a scene in the new Peacock drama “ Apples Never Fall ” in which Annette Bening 's character weeps after having too much to drink at a family party. “Nobody can break your heart like your own children," she laments. Bening, a mother of four with husband Warren Beatty,...

Passenger describes people 'bounced off the roof' on plane that dropped during flight to New Zealand

Mar. 12, 2024 04:07 AM EDT

SYDNEY (AP) — As officials investigate what caused a “strong shake” before a sudden plunge on a plane traveling between Australia and New Zealand, a passenger on Tuesday described a wild ride, with people without seatbelts thrown from their seats and some crashing into the plane's ceiling. ...