ReportWire

Tag: Australia

  • Robust or vulnerable? Experts are split on Australia’s economic outlook

    Robust or vulnerable? Experts are split on Australia’s economic outlook

    [ad_1]

    A customer looking at the price of limes at a fruit stand in Sydney. According to Australia’s Bureau of Statistics, Australia’s inflation rate rose to 6.1 in June, a 21-year high.

    Lisa Maree Williams | Getty Images News

    The Bank of Queensland said it’s “quite bullish” on Australia’s “very robust economy” — but not everyone agrees.

    “We’ve got a very robust economy, which I think when you look at the global challenges, the likelihood of us actually coming out of this in good shape is quite high,” George Frazis, CEO of Bank of Queensland, told CNBC on Wednesday.

    “The [Reserve Bank of Australia] has moved fairly quickly to deal with inflation … that’s why I think there’s a good chance that we’ll have a soft landing in Australia,” Frazis said.

    The RBA last week raised interest rates by 25 basis points to 2.6%, and cited the rising cost of living.

    “As is the case in most countries, inflation in Australia is too high,” the Australian central bank said. “Global factors explain much of this high inflation, but strong domestic demand relative to the ability of the economy to meet that demand is also playing a role.”

    Frazis cited “very high household savings” and “very low unemployment” as driving forces for the robust economy, despite pressure on housing prices.

    “And this is on the backdrop where housing prices have actually increased by 39% over the last two years,” clarifying later that the figure referred to price increases in Australia between June 2019 to April this year.

    Figures from Corelogic, one of Australia’s leading property data providers, indicate that national Australian housing values increased by 28.6% in the past two years. Some capital cities experienced price rises of 39% and more.

    While the housing sector is highly vulnerable to higher interest rates, actual housing construction should remain solid for a while…

    Shane Oliver

    chief economist, AMP Capital

    The linchpin of whether the housing market gets disrupted or not, according to Frazis, lies with the unemployment numbers, which he said were at an “all-time low.”

    Australia’s unemployment rate stood at 3.5% in August, and household savings ratio fell to 8.7% in the March to June quarter.

    “Our view is that [unemployment] is likely to continue and that is the key driver of housing getting disrupted or not.”

    The bank’s CEO also expressed confidence that Australia is “well buttressed” against any kind of cataclysmic event within the housing market, citing homeowners were saving up and being ahead on repayments.

    However, he maintained that disruption in the Australian housing market is “unlikely” to materialize.

    No room for complacency

    However, not everyone carries the same optimism as Frazis.

    According to a financial stability review on RBA, Australia’s higher interest rates will increase borrowers’ debt repayments.

    The report pointed out that income growth has not kept up with inflation in Australia and households are left with less capacity to service their debt. Additionally, a small share of borrowers with high debt and low savings are “vulnerable” to payment difficulties.

    We're quite bullish on the Australian economy, says Bank of Queensland

    “Debt-servicing challenges will become more widespread if economic conditions, particularly the level of unemployment, turn out to be worse than expected and housing prices fall sharply,” the report continued. 

    In addition, Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones cautioned that Australia’s economy is not “hermetically sealed” from the forecasted downturn of the international economy, Sky news reported. 

    Jones added that the country’s major trading partners are in a “precarious” and deteriorating” situation, which is going to impact Australia.

    He also noted that as inflation rises, the economy slows around the world. This will in turn have an impact on Australia’s growth forecast.

    “We just cannot be complacent about those numbers,” he said.

    The International Monetary Policy Fund recently announced that one-third of the world is headed for a recession, which could include economic superpowers like China and the U.S.

    Slower growth, but no recession

    One economist suggested a modest outlook for Australia’s economy, and predicted the country’s growth will slow to around 2%, as opposed to falling into recession.

    High household debt in Australia could could hurt consumer spending, according to Shane Oliver, chief economist at AMP Capital. However, inflation and lower wage growth also meant that this risk is lower, he added.

    Australian dollar banknotes of various denominations are arranged for a photograph in Sydney, Australia, on Friday, Aug. 4, 2017. High household debt in Australia could risk compromising consumer spending, according to Shane Oliver, chief economist at AMP Capital. However, inflation and lower wage growth also meant that this risk is lower, he added.

    Brendon Thorne | Bloomberg | Getty Images

    “While the housing sector is highly vulnerable to higher interest rates, actual housing construction should remain solid for a while thanks to a big pipeline of approved but yet to be completed home building projects,” said Oliver.

    The economist added that Australia’s gas prices have not shot up anywhere near as much as that in Europe, and the falling Australian dollar will provide a buffer against global weakness.

    — CNBC’s Su-Lin Tan contributed to this report.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • 12-meter floods to inundate thousands of properties, Australian emergency services warn | CNN

    12-meter floods to inundate thousands of properties, Australian emergency services warn | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese toured flooded areas of the southeastern state of Victoria Sunday – as emergency services warned waters up to 12 meters were expected to inundate thousands of properties.

    Albanese said the scenes were “devastating” on his visit to the town of Bendigo and on a helicopter ride over the town of Rochester, where a 71-year-old man was found dead in a flooded backyard Saturday.

    “By the end of today over 100 ADF [Australian Defence Force] personnel will be on the ground in Victoria,” Albanese told reporters.

    ADF personnel are assisting in the flood rescue, recovery and efforts to protect against the water levels expected to rise in the coming days.

    Speaking alongside Albanese, Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews said 355 roads remain closed in Victoria due to flooding and “around 6,000” properties around the town of Mooroopna remain without power.

    “There is a really significant challenge there – just the amount of water and the levels it’s reaching,” Andrews said.

    Emergency warnings are in effect in and around the Shepparton area, including a “too late to leave” warning for residents.

    Floodwaters in that area are expected to rise to 12.2 meters, which would flood more than 7,000 properties, the Victoria State Emergency Service’s Tim Wiebusch said on Sunday.

    The death on Saturday of the 71-year-old brought the number of people killed in flooding across Australia’s southeast this past week to two.

    On October 11, the body of a 46-year-old man was discovered in a submerged vehicle near Bathurst in New South Wales.

    Victoria Police said the exact circumstances surrounding the latest death, of the 71-year-old, remain unclear.

    Hundreds of people have been rescued already, according to Wiebusch, who has warned that more evacuation orders will be issued over the coming days.

    Wild weather has battered Australia recently. The historic rainfall, brought about by La Niña conditions, has caused rivers to swell beyond their banks and left thousands homeless.

    Speaking on Saturday, Andrews had said the number of flooded houses and isolated communities would “almost certainly grow as we see flooding peak.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • 20 years after Bali bombings, ‘the ache does not dim’

    20 years after Bali bombings, ‘the ache does not dim’

    [ad_1]

    DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — Hundreds gathered Wednesday on the Indonesian resort island of Bali to commemorate 20 years since a twin bombing killed 202 people, mostly foreign tourists, including 88 Australians and seven Americans.

    Services were held simultaneously in several places in Australia and at Bali’s Australian Consulate in the city of Denpasar, where Australian survivors of the 2002 terrorist attack and relatives of the deceased were among the 200 in attendance to pay tribute.

    Survivors are still battling with their trauma from the Saturday night in October 2002, when a car bomb in Sari Club and a nearly simultaneous suicide bomb at nearby Paddy’s Pub went off. That night remains seared into the national memories of Indonesians, Australians and many others.

    After the attack, the bustling tourist area was quiet for a time, but it has since returned to a state of busy weekends, packed traffic and tourists. What used to be Sari Club is now a vacant lot, while Paddy’s Pub has resumed its operation 100 meters (300 feet) from its original location.

    A monument stands less than 50 meters (yards) from the bombing sites with the names of the those who died inscribed on it. People regularly come to pray and place flowers, candles, or flags with photos of their loved ones.

    A photo of two women tied with a bouquet of fresh chrysanthemums and roses sits next to a laminated paper that reads: “To our beautiful girls Renae & Simone. It is twenty years on and not a day has gone by without thinking of you both, and how we lost two treasures. Our hearts will cry for you forever. We love and miss you so very much. Your loving Dad and Brothers.”

    Twenty years later, the pain is still felt.

    “We will always remember those 202 innocent people, most under the age of 40, the youngest just 13 years old. We stand with the survivors, relatives and families and support them at this time. And we remember the valor and the quiet courage of those who saw the worst of humanity and responded with the best,” Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Tim Watts said at the memorial service in Denpasar.

    Andrew Csabi, one of the survivors in attendance in Denpasar, said he is grateful to the first responders who issued first aid without self-preservation the night after the bombing, and to the government who medically evacuated them to Darwin, saving many lives.

    “So I was granted a second chance at life and I make every minute count. I was often told that my life is bad for a reason. And how lucky I am. Yes, I am lucky I made it home and I will honor that privilege,” Csabi said.

    Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attended a service in his hometown, Sydney, at the beachside suburb of Coogee. Six members of the Coogee Dolphins Rugby League Football Club died in the blasts.

    Albanese paid tribute Wednesday to the strength and unity the Coogee community had shown since the tragedy.

    “Twenty years ago, the shock waves from Bali reached our shores. Twenty years ago, an act of malice and calculated depravity robbed the world of 202 lives, including 88 Australians. Twenty years on, the ache does not dim,” Albanese said.

    At a ceremony at Australian Parliament House in the national capital Canberra, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong welcomed Indonesian Ambassador Siswo Pramono, who was among the dignitaries.

    “Ambassador, on behalf of the Australian government, I warmly welcome you and acknowledge the strength, the courage and the cooperation of our two peoples,” Wong said in Bahasa, the official language of Indonesia.

    “Today, we remember what was taken. Today, we remember what was lost. And we wonder what might have been had they all come home,” Wong added.

    Pramono said the terrorist attack had created a “better and stronger bond” between Indonesia and Australia.

    “Twenty years ago today, a hideous crime struck and it was one of the saddest days in Indonesian history,” Pramono told the gathering.

    “Family and friends were left with overwhelming grief and even though a lot of hearts were broken and our loved ones were taken from us, there are some things that a terrorist couldn’t take: our love and compassion for others and the idea that people are equal in rights and freedoms,” Pramono added.

    The 2002 attack in Bali, carried out by suicide bombers from the al-Qaida-linked group Jemaah Islamiyah, started a wave of violence in the world’s most populous Muslim nation. Three years later, another bomb attack the island and killed 20 people. Numerous attacks followed, hitting an embassy, hotels, restaurants, a coffee shop, churches, and even police headquarters across the archipelago nation.

    Two decades after the Bali bombings, counterterrorism efforts in the world’s most populous Muslim country remain highly active. Indonesia founded Densus 88, a national counterterrorism unit, in the wake of the attacks. More than 2,300 people have since been arrested on terrorism charges, according to data from the Center for Radicalism and Deradicalization Studies, a non-government Indonesian think tank.

    In 2020, 228 people were arrested on terrorism charges. The number rose to 370 last year, underscoring authorities’ commitment to pursue suspects even as the number of terrorist attacks in Indonesia has fallen.

    The pursuit of suspects related to the Bali bombings has also continued, most recently resulting in the arrest of Aris Sumarsono, 58, whose real name is Arif Sunarso but is better known as Zulkarnaen, in December 2020. The court sentenced him to 15 years in prison for his role. Indonesian authorities also suspect him to be the mastermind of several other attacks in the country.

    In August, Indonesia’s government considered granting an early prison release to the bombmaker in the Bali attack, Hisyam bin Alizein, 55, better known by his alias, Umar Patek, who has also been identified as a leading member of Jemaah Islamiyah.

    Indonesian authorities said Patek was an example of successful efforts to reform convicted terrorists and that they planned to use him to influence others not to commit terrorist acts. But the Australian government has expressed its strong opposition to his possible release.

    ___

    McGuirk reported from Canberra, Australia.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Homes inundated by swollen rivers in Australian floods

    Homes inundated by swollen rivers in Australian floods

    [ad_1]

    CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Homes were flooded in Melbourne and other cities in Australia’s southeast on Friday with rivers forecast to remain dangerously high for days.

    About 70 residents were told to leave the suburb of Maribyrnong in Melbourne’s northwest, along with hundreds in the Victoria state cities of Benalla and Wedderburn, authorities said. Melbourne is Australia’s second-most populous city with 5 million people.

    About 500 homes in Victoria were flooded and another 500 had been isolated by floodwater, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said. Those numbers would increase, he said.

    Most of the state was experiencing a “very, very, significant rainfall event and it comes, of course, with the ground completely sodden,” Andrews said.

    “The real challenge now is we’ve got another rain event next week and the Bureau (of Meteorology) forecasting more rain throughout the next six-to-eight week period and it won’t take a lot of additional water for there to be further flood events,” Andrews added. “So this has only just started and it’s going to be with us for a while.”

    Andrews said 4,700 homes were without power, more than the 3,500 that Victoria State Emergency Service had reported earlier on Friday.

    The Bureau of Meteorology said major-to-record flooding was occurring or was forecast to occur on many rivers in Victoria and the island state of Tasmania to the south.

    North of Victoria, moderate-to-major flooding was occurring along several rivers in inland New South Wales state, the bureau said.

    A 63-year-old man was reported missing in floodwater in New South Wales on Tuesday and a person was reported missing in central Victoria on Friday, officials said. No details of the person missing from the Victorian town of Newbridge have been released.

    Police on Tuesday found the body of a 46-year-old man in his submerged car in floodwater near the New South Wales city of Bathurst, west of Sydney, a day after he died.

    The State Emergency Service said it had carried out 108 flood rescues in Victoria in the past 48 hours.

    State Emergency Service commander Josh Gamble said complacency was the main reason for people getting into trouble.

    “That is quite significant and we haven’t had that many flood rescues for quite some time, for some years in fact,” Gamble said.

    “Many of these people are putting their own lives at risk, their own children in some circumstances, but more importantly, other community members and responders and that’s in all parts of the state not just metropolitan areas,” Gamble added.

    Evacuation orders were also in place for the town of Rochester on the Campaspe River, north of Melbourne, and the central Victorian towns of Carisbrook and Seymour on the Goulburn River.

    In New South Wales, 550 people have been isolated or evacuated from the town of Forbes as the Lachlan River flooded, authorities said.

    South of Forbes, parts of the city of Wagga Wagga were evacuated due to the Murrumbidgee River breaking its banks.

    “Fortunately, the Murrumbidgee River peaked on Thursday and we’re starting to see the floodwaters decline in those areas,” New South Wales State Emergency Service official Andrew Edmunds said.

    In Tasmania, north coast residents were moving to higher ground with river levels forecast to rise and the major port of Devonport was closed on Friday due to flooding of the Mersey River.

    The bureau said flood peaks on the Meander and Macquarie rivers in Tasmania were likely to be the highest on record.

    The North Esk and Mersey rivers may peak around the same levels as they did during major floods in 2016, when three people drowned, the bureau said.

    The bureau last month declared that a La Niña weather pattern, which is associated with above-average rainfall in eastern Australia, was underway in the Pacific.

    The bureau forecast that the La Niña event may peak during the current Southern Hemisphere spring and return to neutral conditions early next year.

    La Niña is the cooler flip side of the better-known drying El Niño pattern. La Niña occurs when equatorial trade winds become stronger, changing ocean surface currents and drawing up cooler deep water.

    It is the third La Niña since 2019 became Australia’s hottest and driest year on record.

    That year came to a catastrophic conclusion with wildfires fueled by drought that directly or indirectly killed more than 400 people, destroyed more than 3,000 homes and razed 19 million hectares (47 million acres) of woods, farmland and city fringes.

    Sydney, New South Wales’ capital and Australia’s largest city, last week beat its 1950 record to make 2022 its wettest-ever year.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Flood warnings as southeast Australia lashed by heavy rain

    Flood warnings as southeast Australia lashed by heavy rain

    [ad_1]

    CANBERRA, Australia — Flood warnings were issued, hundreds of homes were evacuated, thousands more lost power and a man was missing as heavy rain lashed southeast Australia on Thursday.

    Rivers across Australia’s most populous states, New South Wales and Victoria, and the island state of Tasmania were rising dangerously with catchments soaked by months of above-average rainfall.

    Around 250 homes in the New South Wales city of Forbes, west of Sydney, were ordered to be evacuated by Thursday night ahead of major flooding.

    The State Emergency Service issued an order for 17 streets including the central downtown precinct to be evacuated by 8 p.m., (0900 GMT) with the Lachlan River expected to reach a major flood peak of 10.6 meters (34 feet, 9 inches) by Friday.

    Police said a 63-year-old man was last seen on Tuesday on a rural property on the Lachlan River near the New South Wales town of Hillston, west of Sydney. He was reported missing hours later but emergency crews have failed to find any sign of him.

    Police on Tuesday found the body of a 46-year-old man in his submerged car in floodwater near the city of Bathurst, west of Sydney.

    To the south in Victoria, emergency crews rescued at least 23 people driving through floodwaters in rural areas after heavy overnight rain, officials said.

    Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews urged people not to drive or walk into floodwaters.

    “It’s very dangerous for you, and it’s also very dangerous for the person who has to come to rescue you,” Andrews said.

    State Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp said the heavy rain would reach metropolitan Melbourne, Victoria’s capital and Australia’s most populous city after Sydney, late Thursday.

    Officials have been door-knocking along the Maribyrnong River in inner-Melbourne to ensure residents were ready to evacuate if necessary.

    “We will see significant rainfall across the metropolitan area and … see potential for flash flooding,” Crisp said.

    Sarah-Jane Gill, a manager at the Rochester Riverside Holiday Park in the town of Rochester, north of Melbourne, said she had evacuated guests on Thursday as the Campaspe River rose.

    “It is scary. You laugh in the face of it all, but we’re very nervous,” Gill said.

    The Bureau of Meteorology has issued major flood warnings for the Campaspe and another four Victorian waterways.

    The Campaspe’s peak at Rochester on Friday could exceed a record 9.12 meters (29 feet, 11 inches) set in 2011. That could flood 250 Rochester homes above the floorboards and isolate another 700 homes, the State Emergency Service said.

    Nearly 10,000 homes in Victoria were without power overnight, with hundreds yet to be restored, said the State Control Center, which manages Victoria’s emergencies, and electricity distributor Powercor.

    In the northern Tasmanian town of Railton, 90 homes were threatened by floodwaters after overnight rain.

    The State Emergency Service issued an emergency warning for Railton, urging residents to prepare to evacuate.

    The state’s northern half was on high alert for flash flooding, with heavy rain forecast to continue into Friday morning.

    State Emergency Service director Leon Smith said flood peaks in northern Tasmania might reach levels last experienced in 2016 when three people drowned.

    “It is a very dynamic situation that we’re monitoring, but inevitably we will see flooding that will have significant consequences,” Smith said.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Nirmala Sitharaman to visit US for annual meetings of the IMF-World Bank

    Nirmala Sitharaman to visit US for annual meetings of the IMF-World Bank

    [ad_1]

    Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman will visit USA on October 11, 2022. During her visit, Sitharaman will attend the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governor (FMCBG) Meetings.

    The Finance Minister will take part in bilateral meetings with countries like Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Bhutan, New Zealand, Egypt, Germany, Mauritius, UAE, Iran and Netherlands. She will hold one-on-one meetings with leaders & heads of OECD, European Commission and UNDP. The Finance Minister is also scheduled to meet the US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and David Malpass, President, World Bank separately to discuss issues of mutual interest.

     Sitharaman will deliberate on the multiplier effects created in India through the interlinkages of ‘Technology, Finance and Governance’ at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), John Hopkins University during the visit.

    “During the latter part of the visit, the Union Finance Minister will attend roundtable meetings with USIBC and USISPF on themes to ‘Strengthen Investment and Innovation in India-US Corridor’ and “Investing in India’s Digital Revolution”. These meetings are aimed at showcasing India’s attractiveness as an investment destination and will have the participation of leading business leaders and investors,” the Finance Ministry stated.

    Also read: Paytm sees a big jump in loan disbursals, run rate reaches Rs 34,000 cr in September

    Also read: PM Modi announces new international airport for Gujarat’s Bharuch

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Australian police make first arrest in Optus hack probe

    Australian police make first arrest in Optus hack probe

    [ad_1]

    CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A police investigation of a cyberattack on an Australian telecommunications company in which the personal data of more than one third of Australia’s population was stolen has resulted in its first arrest, investigators said Thursday.

    Police launched Operation Hurricane in cooperation with the U.S. Federal Bureau Investigation after Optus, Australia’s second-largest wireless carrier, lost the personal records of 9.8 million current and former customers on Sept. 21.

    The hacker dumped the records of 10,000 of those customers on the dark web last week as part of an attempt to extort $1 million from Optus, a subsidiary of Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., also known as Singtel.

    A 19-year-old Sydney man was arrested on Thursday and charged with using the dumped data in a text message blackmail scam, police said in a statement.

    The man, who has not been identified publicly, has yet to appear in court on two charges that carry prison sentences of up to 10 and seven years.

    Police allege he sent text messages to 93 Optus customers demanding 2,000 Australian dollars ($1,300) be deposed in a bank account or the data would be used in a financial crime. None of the targets paid.

    One of the extortion targets, identified only as Belinda and described as a mother of a 5-year-old child with cancer, told Nine Network News last week, “To be honest, it’s just not what we need.”

    “I guess they’re just trying to hopefully pressure people into paying,” she told Nine.

    Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Justine Gough said the investigation is continuing.

    “The Hurricane investigation is a high priority for the AFP and we are aggressively pursuing all lines of inquiry to identify those behind the attack,” Gough said.

    “Just because there has been one arrest does not mean there won’t be any more arrests,” she added.

    The Australian government announced changes to its telecommunications law to protect vulnerable Optus customers.

    The changes to the Telecommunications Regulations allow Optus and other providers to better coordinate with financial institutions and governments to detect and mitigate the risk of cybersecurity incidents, fraud, scams and other malicious cyber activities, a government statement said.

    Optus ran full-page ads in Australian newspapers on Saturday under the headline, “We’re deeply sorry.”

    The ad included a link to an Optus website that details actions that customers can take to avoid identity theft and fraud.

    The government can change regulations without legislative approval. But the government hopes to pass changes to the Privacy Act in Parliament during the final four weeks of its 2022 session in response to the Optus breach.

    The changes would include increased penalties for companies with lax cybersecurity protections and curbs on the quantities and types of customer data that businesses can amass, as well as the duration for which personal information can be kept.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Tennis star Kyrgios to fight charge on mental health grounds

    Tennis star Kyrgios to fight charge on mental health grounds

    [ad_1]

    CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios will apply to have an assault charge dismissed on mental health grounds, his lawyer told an Australian court on Tuesday.

    Lawyer Michael Kukulies-Smith appeared on behalf of Kyrgios in a court in the tennis star’s hometown of Canberra and asked for an adjournment so forensic mental health reports could be prepared.

    Magistrate Glenn Theakston adjourned the case until Feb. 3, when Kyrgios’ lawyers are expected to apply to have the charge dismissed under a section of the local crimes law.

    The 27-year-old Australian tennis star will appear in court in person on that date for the first time since he was charged by police by summons in July.

    The law gives magistrates the power to dismiss a charge if they are satisfied an accused person is mentally impaired, and dealing with an allegation in that way would benefit the community and the defendant.

    The common assault charge, which has a potential maximum sentence of two years in prison, relates to an incident in January 2021 that was reported to local police last December.

    The charge reportedly relates to an incident involving his former girlfriend.

    Kukulies-Smith told the court his client’s mental health history since 2015 made the application appropriate, citing a number of public statements made by Kyrgios.

    In February, Kyrgios opened up about his performance at the 2019 Australian Open, saying what appeared to be a positive time in his life had been “one of my darkest periods.”

    “I was lonely, depressed, negative, abusing alcohol, drugs, pushed away family and friends,” he wrote on Instagram. “I felt as if I couldn’t talk or trust anyone. This was a result of not opening up and refusing to lean on my loved ones and simply just push myself little by little to be positive.”

    Kyrgios made further references to his mental health struggles during his runs to the final at Wimbledon and the quarterfinals at the U.S. Open.

    After ending Daniil Medvedev’s U.S. Open title defense last month to reach the quarterfinals, Kyrgios expressed pride at lifting himself out of “some really tough situations, mentally” and “some really scary places” off the court.

    Theakston questioned whether Kyrgios would need to appear in court for the February hearing, but Kukulies-Smith said his client wanted to attend.

    Kyrgios was scheduled to play at the Japan Open later Tuesday against Tseng Chun-hsin of Taiwan.

    Speaking in Tokyo before his matter returned to court, Kyrgios said it was “not difficult at all” to focus on tennis despite the pending charge.

    “There’s only so much I can control and I’m taking all the steps and dealing with that off the court,” he told reporters. “I can only do what I can and I’m here in Tokyo and just trying to play some good tennis, continue that momentum and just try to do my job.”

    ___

    More AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Women to get more rest between hoop games at next World Cup

    Women to get more rest between hoop games at next World Cup

    [ad_1]

    SYDNEY (AP) — Players at this year’s World Cup had a few concerns about the competition, including the compact schedule and the timing of the tournament, and the women took their complaints right to the top.

    FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis talked with many of the players during the course of the recently competed tournament. He offered a quick solution for the rest concerns, but changing the date will take more work.

    The next World Cup in 2026 will once again feature 16 teams instead of the 12 at this year’s tournament — and players will have more time to recuperate between the final rounds.

    “We will not play three days in a row, that will not happen again,” Zagklis said. “This is not something we want to see repeated. It’s too heavy on the players.”

    At this year’s tournament, the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games were played over three straight days. Overall, teams that reached the gold-medal game would have played eight games in 10 days. The 2018 World Cup had a break between the quarters and the medal round.

    While the scheduling change is a welcomed positive step for the players, there’s still the issue of timing. The WNBA tried to work with FIBA by shortening its season. Still, the league’s playoffs continued until the start of the World Cup, forcing about a dozen players to basically travel a few thousand miles, get off a plane and start playing for their national teams.

    Many European leagues tip off soon after the World Cup ends, so it’s difficult to move it to a later start date.

    Zagklis said FIBA will be working with the stakeholders to provide the best possible solution for the players — though indicating the change will likely have to come from the WNBA or the other pro leagues.

    “The World Cup is turning next year 70 years old, the women’s world has been there much before virtually every women’s league in the world and it is the top female competition,” Zagklis. “So the calendar starts again with the World Cup.”

    USA Basketball chairman Martin Dempsey said there is a sense of urgency for FIBA to address the scheduling problem, especially with the WNBA set to expand over the next few years.

    “The time to have that conversation is before it happens, not after,” Dempsey said. “So we really do need to figure out with the ‘W,’ the NBA and FIBA how to keep all of these enterprises viable because we don’t want to run the risk of creating a very diluted World Cup.

    “We’ve got to have a really serious ongoing conversation about how to keep things in sync so that they don’t clash.”

    Five of the U.S. players competed in the WNBA Finals that ended three days before the World Cup started. Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and tournament MVP A’ja Wilson missed the first two games for the U.S.

    Before the scheduling change was announced, players made their positions clear.

    “I don’t know if FIBA gave a damn about anyone,” Plum said.

    “Rest would be a good thing,” Wilson said. “Having some time between would definitely help.”

    The site for the 2026 World Cup hasn’t been announced yet and getting to Australia might have been the most difficult place for everyone because of its location.

    Serbia coach Marina Maljković noticed how tired many players were. She coaches in Turkey in the winter and said players across the leagues need a break.

    “You see a lot of players that lacked freshness. You can see it, any single team going from club season to WNBA, WNBA to national team,” Maljković said. “This year it’s very, very complicated. … Talking to players, they really suffered this season because of the tight schedule everywhere. I guess there will be smart people who will sit around the table and see what we can do about that.”

    Aside from the logistical issues, the World Cup was a huge success in Australia. The total attendance of 145,519 was the highest in the history of the competition. There were nearly 16,000 fans at the gold-medal game between the U.S. and China, which was the largest since the 1953 championship game played in Chile in a stadium that had 35,000 fans.

    “By all metrics, we have seen a tremendous effort by the hosts,” Zagklis said. “Record sales in merchandise, record attendances, fantastic atmosphere in the games, so it’s hard to challenge the conclusion that we’ve been able to experience the best World Cup ever.”

    ___

    More AP women’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Women to get more rest between hoop games at next World Cup

    Women to get more rest between hoop games at next World Cup

    [ad_1]

    SYDNEY — Players at this year’s World Cup had a few concerns about the competition, including the compact schedule and the timing of the tournament, and the women took their complaints right to the top.

    FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis talked with many of the players during the course of the recently competed tournament. He offered a quick solution for the rest concerns, but changing the date will take more work.

    The next World Cup in 2026 will once again feature 16 teams instead of the 12 at this year’s tournament — and players will have more time to recuperate between the final rounds.

    “We will not play three days in a row, that will not happen again,” Zagklis said. “This is not something we want to see repeated. It’s too heavy on the players.”

    At this year’s tournament, the quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games were played over three straight days. Overall, teams that reached the gold-medal game would have played eight games in 10 days. The 2018 World Cup had a break between the quarters and the medal round.

    While the scheduling change is a welcomed positive step for the players, there’s still the issue of timing. The WNBA tried to work with FIBA by shortening its season. Still, the league’s playoffs continued until the start of the World Cup, forcing about a dozen players to basically travel a few thousand miles, get off a plane and start playing for their national teams.

    Many European leagues tip off soon after the World Cup ends, so it’s difficult to move it to a later start date.

    Zagklis said FIBA will be working with the stakeholders to provide the best possible solution for the players — though indicating the change will likely have to come from the WNBA or the other pro leagues.

    “The World Cup is turning next year 70 years old, the women’s world has been there much before virtually every women’s league in the world and it is the top female competition,” Zagklis. “So the calendar starts again with the World Cup.”

    USA Basketball chairman Martin Dempsey said there is a sense of urgency for FIBA to address the scheduling problem, especially with the WNBA set to expand over the next few years.

    “The time to have that conversation is before it happens, not after,” Dempsey said. “So we really do need to figure out with the ‘W,’ the NBA and FIBA how to keep all of these enterprises viable because we don’t want to run the risk of creating a very diluted World Cup.

    “We’ve got to have a really serious ongoing conversation about how to keep things in sync so that they don’t clash.”

    Five of the U.S. players competed in the WNBA Finals that ended three days before the World Cup started. Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum and tournament MVP A’ja Wilson missed the first two games for the U.S.

    Before the scheduling change was announced, players made their positions clear.

    “I don’t know if FIBA gave a damn about anyone,” Plum said.

    “Rest would be a good thing,” Wilson said. “Having some time between would definitely help.”

    The site for the 2026 World Cup hasn’t been announced yet and getting to Australia might have been the most difficult place for everyone because of its location.

    Serbia coach Marina Maljković noticed how tired many players were. She coaches in Turkey in the winter and said players across the leagues need a break.

    “You see a lot of players that lacked freshness. You can see it, any single team going from club season to WNBA, WNBA to national team,” Maljković said. “This year it’s very, very complicated. … Talking to players, they really suffered this season because of the tight schedule everywhere. I guess there will be smart people who will sit around the table and see what we can do about that.”

    Aside from the logistical issues, the World Cup was a huge success in Australia. The total attendance of 145,519 was the highest in the history of the competition. There were nearly 16,000 fans at the gold-medal game between the U.S. and China, which was the largest since the 1953 championship game played in Chile in a stadium that had 35,000 fans.

    “By all metrics, we have seen a tremendous effort by the hosts,” Zagklis said. “Record sales in merchandise, record attendances, fantastic atmosphere in the games, so it’s hard to challenge the conclusion that we’ve been able to experience the best World Cup ever.”

    ———

    More AP women’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Australian court to hear claims over alleged sexual assault in Parliament House | CNN

    Australian court to hear claims over alleged sexual assault in Parliament House | CNN

    [ad_1]


    Brisbane, Australia
    CNN
     — 

    A highly anticipated sexual assault trial began in Australia Tuesday in a case that has raised questions about the culture in the nation’s Parliament and the actions of ministers when the claims emerged.

    Former Liberal Party staffer Bruce Lehrmann has pleaded not guilty to sexual intercourse without consent relating to the alleged assault of his ex-coworker Brittany Higgins at Parliament House in Canberra in March 2019.

    The alleged assault was said to have taken place in the former defense minister’s office, a location that prompted criticism and questions over security levels within the nation’s political hub.

    Witnesses are expected to include politicians, security officials and the journalists who broke the story in February 2021, when Higgins went public with the allegations.

    ACT Supreme Court Justice Lucy McCallum is presiding over the trial, which is expected to last four to six weeks before a 12-member jury retires to deliver its verdict.

    The prosecution’s case is being led by the ACT’s director of public prosecutions, who must prove beyond reasonable doubt that Lehrmann acted without consent. The charge of sexual intercourse without consent carries a potential prison term of up to 12 years.

    The trial had been repeatedly delayed, partly due to media commentary around the high-profile case that attracted significant press attention when Higgins came forward.

    Higgins has since become a prominent advocate for women’s rights.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • It’s flu vaccine time and seniors need revved-up shots

    It’s flu vaccine time and seniors need revved-up shots

    [ad_1]

    Doctors have a message for vaccine-weary Americans: Don’t skip your flu shot this fall — and seniors, ask for a special extra-strength kind.

    After flu hit historically low levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be poised for a comeback. The main clue: A nasty flu season just ended in Australia.

    While there’s no way to predict if the U.S. will be as hard-hit, “last year we were going into flu season not knowing if flu was around or not. This year we know flu is back,” said influenza specialist Richard Webby of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

    Annual flu shots are recommended starting with 6-month-old babies. Flu is most dangerous for people 65 and older, young children, pregnant women and people with certain health problems including heart and lung diseases.

    Here’s what to know:

    REVVED-UP SHOTS FOR SENIORS

    As people get older, their immune system doesn’t respond as strongly to standard flu vaccination. This year, people 65 or older are urged to get a special kind for extra protection.

    There are three choices. Fluzone High-Dose and Flublok each contain higher doses of the main anti-flu ingredient. The other option is Fluad Adjuvanted, which has a regular dosage but contains a special ingredient that helps boost people’s immune response.

    Seniors can ask what kind their doctor carries. But most flu vaccinations are given in pharmacies and some drugstore websites, such as CVS, automatically direct people to locations offering senior doses if their birth date shows they qualify.

    Webby advised making sure older relatives and friends know about the senior shots, in case they’re not told when they seek vaccination.

    “They should at least ask, ‘Do you have the shots that are better for me?’” Webby said. “The bottom line is they do work better” for this age group.

    If a location is out of senior-targeted doses, it’s better to get a standard flu shot than to skip vaccination, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    All flu vaccines in the U.S. — including types for people younger than 65 — are “quadrivalent,” meaning they guard against four different flu strains. Younger people have choices, too, including shots for those with egg allergies and a nasal spray version called FluMist.

    WHY FLU EXPERTS ARE ON ALERT

    Australia just experienced its worst flu season in five years and what happens in Southern Hemisphere winters often foreshadows what Northern countries can expect, said Dr. Andrew Pekosz of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

    And people have largely abandoned masking and distancing precautions that earlier in the pandemic also helped prevent the spread of other respiratory bugs like the flu.

    “This poses a risk especially to young children who may not have had much if any previous exposure to influenza viruses prior to this season,” Pekosz added.

    “This year we will have a true influenza season like we saw before the pandemic,” said Dr. Jason Newland, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Washington University in St. Louis.

    He said children’s hospitals already are seeing an unusual early spike in other respiratory infections including RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, and worries flu likewise will strike earlier than usual — like it did in Australia.

    The CDC advises a flu vaccine by the end of October but says they can be given any time during flu season. It takes about two weeks for protection to set in.

    The U.S. expects 173 million to 183 million doses this year. And yes, you can get a flu shot and an updated COVID-19 booster at the same time — one in each arm to lessen soreness.

    FLU SHOTS OF THE FUTURE

    The companies that make the two most widely used COVID-19 vaccines now are testing flu shots made with the same technology. One reason: When influenza mutates, the recipes of so-called mRNA vaccines could be updated more quickly than today’s flu shots, most of which are made by growing influenza virus in chicken eggs.

    Pfizer and its partner BioNTech are recruiting 25,000 healthy U.S. adults to receive either its experimental influenza shot or a regular kind, to see how effective the new approach proves this flu season.

    Rival Moderna tested its version in about 6,000 people in Australia, Argentina and other countries during the Southern Hemisphere’s flu season and is awaiting results.

    ___

    The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Jewish organization calls for lifetime bans if fans are found to have made Nazi salutes | CNN

    Jewish organization calls for lifetime bans if fans are found to have made Nazi salutes | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    The New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies has called on Football Australia to issue lifetime bans to fans found to have displayed Nazi symbols and salutes during Saturday night’s Australia Cup final.

    On Sunday, Football Australia said it will go through all the video footage and images at its disposal from Saturday night’s Australia Cup final in Sydney after it was widely reported that some fans made “the Hitler Salute.”

    At Commbank Stadium, a near-record 16,461 crowd watched Macarthur FC beat Sydney United 58 2-0.

    But the match was marred by “anti-social behaviour” and eight people were evicted from the stadium during the final, Football Australia said in a statement.

    According to reports in Australian media, some fans chanted and booed during the Welcome To Country ceremony, a sacred Indigenous tradition.

    Pictures on social media also appeared to show Nazi salutes being performed by some supporters of Sydney United 58, a club founded by Croatian immigrants in 1958.

    Football Australia, the sport’s governing body, said it would hold discussions with Sydney United 58, warning that the club and individual fans could face sanctions.

    Sydney United 58 did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

    In its statement, Football Australia said it “strongly condemns the actions of a small minority of individuals who engaged in behaviour that is not consistent with Football Australia’s values and wider community expectations.”

    It added: “Football Australia is today assessing all footage and images available of certain individuals which are of concern to our organisation and the broader Australian football community, including the displaying of the “Hitler salute”.”

    The governing body said it was “working closely” with stadium management and New South Wales Police and would take “strong and swift action.”

    Darren Bark, chief executive of NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, said in a statement to CNN: “These vile symbols and salutes have no place in modern Australian society. They represent the ultimate manifestation of evil – an evil which led to the murder of millions of innocent civilians during WWII, including six million Jews and thousands of Australian diggers who lost their lives fighting against the Nazis during WWII.”

    He added that the board, “urges the governing body to take strong action against any fan who participated in these acts, including implementing lifetime attendance bans.”

    “Football Australia should also work with Sydney United to address the concerning views which are venerated by some of its fans,” he continued.

    The crowd’s noise during the Welcome to Country, performed by Erin Wilkins before the game, “reached unacceptable levels,” Football Australia acknowledged.

    “We regret that this occurred and are reviewing all available footage and audio to further analyse the incident,” it said in its statement.

    “Football Australia has been in direct communication with Erin Wilkins during and since the match and will continue to receive hers and the Football Australia National Indigenous Advisory Group’s guidance on this matter.”

    Craig Foster, former Sydney United and Australia player, tweeted: “All involved need to be held accountable including the club.”

    Football Australia co-CEOs Beau Busch and Kathryn Gill said in a statement: “On the pitch the match reflected the universal values of fairness, respect and courage that should define our sport. Unfortunately, in the stands these values were shattered.”

    The statement added: “Our sport must now respond and the players are committed to playing an important role. An effective response will not be developed by focusing on whether or not these actions were inflicted by a minority.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • US women win fourth straight gold at World Cup, top China

    US women win fourth straight gold at World Cup, top China

    [ad_1]

    SYDNEY — The names on the U.S. team have changed, the Americans’ dominance has not.

    A’ja Wilson scored 19 points, Kelsey Plum added 17 and the United States beat China 83-61 on Saturday to win its fourth consecutive gold medal at the women’s basketball World Cup.

    “It feels great,” said Wilson, who was selected as the tournament’s MVP. “We came here on a mission, we got it. We got gold. Now we’re going home with some hardware. It feels great to us. Australia was great to us. I didn’t see any kangaroos, but it’s OK because we are leaving with a gold.”

    This was one of the most dominant teams in the Americans’ storied history in the World Cup that now has won 11 gold medals. They now have won four straight gold medals for the first-time ever. This was also the biggest win in a gold-medal game, surpassing the 20-point wins that the Americans had done twice.

    “Everybody wants to beat us. Everybody wants what we have and that’s gold medals and victories,” Breanna Stewart said.

    What started with Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi has now been passed down to Wilson and Stewart. With Alyssa Thomas the oldest player at 30, the domination could continue for years to come.

    “It’s been an incredible journey just to continue to lay that foundation down like so many of the greats in front of us have,” Wilson said. “Now it’s our turn to step up and be in that situation.”

    As they’ve done all tournament, the Americans did it on both ends of the court, playing stellar defense as well as using a high-powered offense.

    The U.S. (8-0) finished the World Cup averaging 98.8 points — just short of the mark held by the 1994 team that averaged 99.1. They won by an average of 40.8 points, topping the mark held by the 2010 team.

    The game was a sellout with nearly 16,000 fans — the biggest crowd to attend a women’s World Cup game since the inaugural tournament in 1953 in Chile.

    Led by Li Yueru and Wu Tongtong, China hung around. The Chinese team trailed 33-28 late in the second quarter before the U.S. went on a 10-2 run highlighted by fast-break layups by Stewart and Wilson to extend the advantage to double-digits.

    Jin Weina hit a 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer to get China back to within 10.

    The U.S. was just too good to let the upset happen, outscoring China 25-14 in the third. The Americans did have one scary moment when Thomas went down after a collision with Li in the lane. She was helped off the court, but returned a few minutes later.

    “It was a tough game as we expected,” Thomas said. “By no means is this game easy. We stuck to it and pulled out a win.”

    China won its first medal since the 1994 World Cup when the team also took the silver and are a rising power in women’s basketball. After the game, the team posed for a photo with their flag and men’s great Yao Ming, who is the president of the Chinese Basketball Association.

    Li finished with 19 points and Wu added 13 before leaving the game in the fourth quarter after her knee gave out driving to the basket. She had to be carried off the court.

    The victory was the 30th in a row in World Cup play for the Americans, who haven’t lost since the 2006 semifinals against Russia. The Soviet Union holds the World Cup record with 56 straight wins from 1959-86. This is only the second time in the Americans’ storied history they’ve reached four consecutive gold medal contests. They also did it from 1979-90, winning three times.

    This U.S. team, which has so many new faces on it, also continued to dominate the paint even without 6-foot-8 Brittney Griner, outscoring its opponents by an average of 55-24.

    These two teams met in pool play and China gave the U.S. its toughest game, losing by 14 points.

    CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE

    Wilson, Chelsea Gray and Plum are part of an incredible group that won a World Cup and WNBA title in the same year. There have been 14 total now.

    WOMEN’S WORLD

    FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis was pleased that half of the officials in the tournament were female and five of the 12 head coaches were women. Both China and the U.S. had women in charge of their teams, marking the second straight time that two female coaches made it to the gold medal game.

    MISSING IN ACTION

    The U.S. was without Kahleah Copper for the second straight game after injuring her left hip in the win over Serbia in the quarterfinals. Copper landed hard on her hip driving to the basket and had to be helped off the court. China was missing its star guard Li Meng, who sat out a second consecutive game with what Chinese media reported as having a fever due to body fatigue.

    ———

    More AP women’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Australia wins bronze, Lauren Jackson scores 30 in finale

    Australia wins bronze, Lauren Jackson scores 30 in finale

    [ad_1]

    SYDNEY — Lauren Jackson admitted she couldn’t have imagined a better ending to her Hall of Fame career.

    Jackson willed Australia to a win in the bronze medal game at basketball‘s World Cup, scoring 30 points to lead the Opals to a 95-65 win over Canada on Saturday.

    “I could have never dreamed of this,” Jackson said. “I can’t imagine it. I can’t actually articulate how I feel right now. It’s a dream come true. The fact that it’s over, there’s nothing bittersweet. It’s so, so special and I’ve the pleasure doing it here. It’s been perfect.”

    It was a throwback performance for the 41-year-old mom, who came back to the Opals after retiring in 2016 because of injuries. Jackson said on social media Saturday that this would be her final game for Australia and that she was “lucky to have this opportunity to represent Australia and also say goodbye. I didn’t get that chance all those years ago.”

    “To say goodbye this way is just magnificent,” Jackson said. “I couldn’t imagine that.”

    She played in 43 World Cup games in her career, matching Brazil’s Janeth Arcain for most all-time. Jackson won three bronze medals and led the Opals to their lone gold in 2006.

    The U.S. won its fourth straight World Cup gold medal, defeating China 83-61.

    Australia (6-2) was coming off a disappointing last-minute loss to China in the medal round. After a sluggish start, Jackson got the team going scoring nine points in the opening 20 minutes as Australia led 51-43 at the break. Kia Nurse kept Canada in the game with 19 points in the first half. She didn’t score in the second half.

    Jackson then took over scoring 12 of her points in the third quarter when Australia extended the lead to 71-54. Jackson, who had been used sparingly throughout most of the tournament, broke out an array of post moves that were reminiscent of her dominant MVP seasons in the WNBA playing for Seattle.

    Her three-point play with 1:07 left in the third gave Australia a 17-point advantage — its biggest lead of the game to that point.

    Australia coach Sandy Brondello, who played with Jackson on the national team, put Jackson back in with just under 6 minutes left and took her out to a rousing ovation with 2:22 remaining as she hit two free throws to end her night. Jackson received hugs from her teammates, who then lifted her up after the final buzzer.

    “It was a fairytale ending and I couldn’t be more happy for her,” Brondello said.

    Canada (4-3) was looking for its first medal since 1986 when the North American country won the bronze. Even with the loss, the Canadians advanced further than they had in any World Cup in 36 years.

    The teams met in pool play with Australia coming away with a 75-72 win that helped them earn the top seed in the group.

    TIP-INS:

    Jackson became the all-time leading scorer in World Cup medal-round games, surpassing her friend Diana Taurasi’s mark of 63. Jackson finished with 81. … Jackson has now scored over 30 points in a medal game twice — the only player to do it. She had 31 against South Korea in 2002.

    ———

    More AP women’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • ‘Predatory,’ widespread sexual harassment on Australia’s Antarctic research bases, report finds | CNN

    ‘Predatory,’ widespread sexual harassment on Australia’s Antarctic research bases, report finds | CNN

    [ad_1]



    CNN
     — 

    Australian women working on research bases in Antarctica have been plagued by a widespread culture of sexual harassment, a recently released report found.

    The report, commissioned by the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), notes that the women reported unwelcome requests for sex, inappropriate sexual comments and displays of offensive or pornographic material.

    “Given the underrepresentation of women in the AAP (Australian Antarctica Program) (especially during winter) some women also described the culture as ‘predatory’ and objectifying,” the report said, while other participants described a homophobic culture on stations.

    The report, conducted by associate professor Meredith Nash from the University of Tasmania, also revealed female expeditioners feel they “must go to great lengths to make their menstruation invisible” and go through “additional psychological and physical labor to manage” menstruation, including changing their menstrual products without privacy or adequate sanitation.

    Australia’s Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek said in an interview with Australian public broadcaster ABC she was “gobsmacked” to read the report.

    “Let me be absolutely clear: there is no place for sexual harassment or inappropriate behavior in any workplace,” Plibersek said in a statement Thursday, calling the treatment described in the report as “unacceptable.”

    The report made recommendations on how to change the culture at the stations, including the creation of an “equity and inclusion task force.”

    Plibersek said Australia’s Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water is working through the recommendations.

    Australia is not alone in combating these issues.

    The report on the Australian research bases in Antarctica comes a month after the US National Science Foundation (NSF) released an assessment of the US Antarctic Program which found that “sexual harassment, stalking, and sexual assault are ongoing, continuing problems in the USAP community.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Canada into women’s World Cup semis for 1st time since 1986

    Canada into women’s World Cup semis for 1st time since 1986

    [ad_1]

    SYDNEY — No one on Canada’s roster was alive the last time the team won a medal at the women’s World Cup. Now the Canadians are a win away from securing one for the first time since 1986, when they captured the bronze.

    Kia Nurse scored 17 points to lead a balanced Canada team to a 79-60 win over Puerto Rico on Thursday in the quarterfinals.

    “It’s really special,” Nurse said. “It’s been a work in progress for us and we all felt the disappointments. Quarterfinals have been our downfall for a long time and to be able to get over that hump. … I think our country is continuing to get really excited about basketball in the grassroots programs and this is just the start of what we can accomplish.”

    Next up is a matchup Friday with the U.S., which beat Serbia 88-55.

    “It’s always our goal to win a quarterfinal and make it to the semifinals. The medal rounds is where we want to be,” Canada’s Bridget Carleton said.

    The other semifinal will pit China against either Belgium or host Australia. China advanced with an 85-71 win over France. While the medal drought isn’t as long as Canada’s, China hasn’t won one since 1994 when the Asian nation took the silver.

    Canada (5-1) and Puerto Rico were tied 4-4 before the Canadians scored the next 12 points to start a 22-7 burst to close the quarter.

    The lead ballooned to 44-23 at the half. Puerto Rico couldn’t really cut into its deficit in the second half thanks in part to Nurse and the fact that Canada committed only four turnovers the entire game. After spending 11 months recovering from an ACL injury, she saw her first game action in the World Cup. She had her best game of the tournament against Puerto Rico.

    The loss ended a great run for Puerto Rico, which advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time in its history. The players hoped the unprecedented run could bring some joy to the island which is recovering from Hurricane Fiona.

    “The word legacy sums it up,” said Arella Guirantes, who had 19 points to lead Puerto Rico (2-4). “To leave something like that for the youth that’s coming up is bigger than any win or loss that we can have. . . . It means a lot to be a part of the beginning of a legacy. I have no doubt in my mind that we’ll be back and will be better.”

    UNITED STATES 88, SERBIA 55

    Alyssa Thomas had 13 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists to help the U.S. beat Serbia.

    Kelsey Plum scored 17 points and A’ja Wilson added 15 to lead the Americans (6-0), who will face Canada.

    The Americans had run through pool play, winning by 46.2 points per game and hadn’t faced any kind of challenge. Serbia (3-2) wasn’t afraid though, going right at the U.S. The Serbians scored the first basket of the game — marking the first time the Americans trailed in the tournament.

    It was back-and-forth for the first 17 minutes, with the U.S. failing to go on any major run. Then, with 2:59 left in the half and the U.S. up by five, Kahleah Copper drove to the basket and was fouled. She landed hard on her hip and had to be helped off the court by the U.S. training staff. Copper, who has been a sparkplug for the U.S. in her first tournament, didn’t return.

    Plum replaced Cooper and hit the two free throws, starting a 12-0 run to close the half as the Americans led 50-33 at the break. Serbia didn’t challenge that deficit in the second half.

    Yvonne Anderson led Serbia with 14 points.

    CHINA 85, FRANCE 71

    Li Meng scored 23 points and Huang Sijing added 18 to help China top France.

    China (5-1) led 60-58 late in the third quarter before scoring the final six points of the period to extend the advantage to eight. France could only get within five the rest of the way

    China’s run is a big turnaround from 2018 when the team finished sixth.

    “I remember 2018, I know this is a very strong team,” said Chinese center Han Xu, who had 13 points and nine rebounds. “We learned a lot.”

    Marine Fauthoux scored 19 points and Gabby Williams added 17 for France (3-3).

    ———

    More AP women’s basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Australia mulls tougher cybersecurity laws after data breach

    Australia mulls tougher cybersecurity laws after data breach

    [ad_1]

    CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Australian government said on Monday it is considering tougher cybersecurity rules for telecommunications companies and blamed Optus, the nation’s second-largest wireless carrier, for an unprecedented breach of personal data from 9.8 million customers.

    Optus said last Thursday it had become aware the day before of the cyberattack which obtained the details of 9.8 million people — of Australia’s population of 26 million.

    Cybersecurity Minister Clare O’Neil told Australian Broadcasting Corp. the hack was an “unprecedented theft of consumer information in Australian history.”

    For 2.8 million current and former Optus customers, the breach involved “significant amounts of personal data,” including driver’s licenses and passport numbers, O’Neil said.

    Those 2.8 million people are at significant risk of identity left and fraud, she said.

    “The breach is of a nature that we should not expect to see in a large telecommunications provider in this country,” O’Neil told Parliament.

    In some countries, such a breach would result in fines “amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars,” O’Neil said.

    Australian law doesn’t currently allow for Optus to be fined for the breach.

    “A very substantial reform task is going to emerge from a breach of this scale and size,” O’Neil said.

    “One significant question is whether the cybersecurity requirements that we place on large telecommunications providers in this country are fit for purpose,” she added.

    Australian Federal Police said in a statement that reports the stolen data had already been sold were under investigation.

    Australian investigators are working with overseas law enforcement agencies to determine who was behind the attack and to help shield the public from identity fraud, the statement said.

    “To protect the integrity of the criminal investigation, the AFP will not divulge what information it has obtained in the first few days” of the investigation, police said.

    Jeremy Kirk, a Sydney-based cybersecurity writer, said he used an online forum for criminals who trade in stolen data to ask someone who claimed to have downloaded the Optus information how it was accessed.

    Optus appeared to have left an application programming interface, a piece of software known as an API that allows other systems to communicate and exchange data, open to the public, she said.

    “It looks like it was a failure to secure the software system, so anybody on the internet could find it,” Kirk told Ten Network television.

    O’Neil didn’t detail how the breach occurred, but described it as a “quite a basic hack.”

    Optus had “effectively left the window open for data of this nature to be stolen,” she said.

    O’Neil called on Optus to offer compromised customers free credit monitoring to protect them from identity theft, a request that the Sydney-based company complied with later on Monday.

    Optus announced it was offering its “most affected” customers free 12-month subscriptions to Equifax Protect, a credit monitoring and identify protection service.

    Optus said the information that had been accessed by an unidentified third party included customers’ names, dates of birth, phone numbers and email addresses.

    Police and other government security agencies worked through the weekend to protect affected customers, O’Neil said.

    Government agencies were also working with the banking sector to protect customers.

    “This is complex. It’s legally and technically complex, but we are working on a solution,” O’Neil said.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the breach as a “huge wake-up call for the corporate sector.”

    Albany foreshadowed potential changes to privacy provisions so that banks can move more quickly to protect their own customers after such a breach.

    “We know that in today’s world there are actors — some state actors, but also some criminal organizations — who want to get access to people’s data,” Albanese said.

    Optus chief executive Kelly Bayer Rosmarin said in a statement last week that, “We are devastated to discover that we have been subject to a cyberattack that has resulted in the disclosure of our customers’ personal information to someone who shouldn’t see it.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Sydney WorldPride Welcomes the World With Giant Human Progress Flag

    Sydney WorldPride Welcomes the World With Giant Human Progress Flag

    [ad_1]


    SYDNEY, June 24, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Nearly 1,000 Sydneysiders have created a giant human Progress Flag on the steps of the Sydney Opera House. 

    The colourful display marks the 44th anniversary of the first Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and sends a message of welcome to the world as Sydney, Australia gears up to host WorldPride in 2023, with the hotly-anticipated tickets going on sale from 15 July. Locals and visitors alike can sign up to access early bird tickets. 

    Sydney’s famous Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is a must-do in the calendar of global Pride festivals – and Sydney WorldPride will be a 17-day celebration of Australian LGBTQIA+ fabulousness, with over 300 events across the city. 

    Taking place from 17 February to 5 March 2023, Sydney WorldPride will celebrate Australia’s brilliant and diverse LGBTQIA+ community, in a city renowned for its diversity, inclusivity and proud LGBTQIA+ population.

    More than 500,000 people are expected to participate in Sydney WorldPride and the festival will feature much-loved events including the world-famous Mardi Gras Parade, which will be returning to Oxford Street for the first time in three years. 

    In addition, there will be exciting one-off Sydney WorldPride major events: 

    • Live & Proud – Sydney WorldPride’s Opening Concert, presented by American Express – we’re getting the party started with this opening concert, hosted by Courtney Act and Casey Donovan. 
    • Pride Villages – for 10 days from 24 February, sections of Crown Street and Riley Street will be closed and become home to stalls, dining and performances. On the final weekend of Sydney WorldPride, a section of Oxford Street itself will be closed to create a giant street party.
    • Bondi Beach Party, presented by Optus – for one day only, the sandy jewel of Sydney will become the city’s hottest club for 12,000 people.
    • Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference – the largest LGBTQIA+ human rights conference ever held in the Asia-Pacific region.
    • Blak & Deadly: The First Nations Gala Concert – experience a rainbow explosion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ artistry, across a two-hour concert hosted by Steven ‘Faboriginal’ Oliver at the Sydney Opera House.
    • First Nations Gathering Space – held at Carriageworks and running across six nights, featuring exhibits, theatre, dining and drag.
    • Rainbow Republic, presented by Optus – six hours of live music, DJs and performances await you at The Domain, for a queer megamix of international and local acts.
    • Ultra Violet – an inclusive LGBTQIA+ women’s party at Sydney’s Town Hall where burlesque stars, cabaret performers and drag kings take to the stage.
    • Domain Dance Party – dance with 10,000 of your mates at the biggest LGBQTIA+ outdoor dance party Australia has ever seen. 
    • Pride March – 50,000 people will join this historic Pride march across one of the world’s most-recognisable landmarks, the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

    Local and international headliners for major events will be revealed later this year.

    Sydney WorldPride Chief Operating Officer, Gabriel Pinkstone, said: “In just a few months, Sydney will be transformed as more than 500,000 people come together for the global family reunion LGBTQIA+ people have been waiting for.”

    “Sydney WorldPride is a party with a purpose, and will celebrate Sydney’s most iconic locations, from Bondi Beach to the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.”

    “It’s the biggest summer event of 2023 and we can’t wait to welcome everyone back to celebrate Pride with Australia’s diverse LGBTQIA+ community.”

    As well as Sydney WorldPride’s major events, there will be over 60 specially curated arts events and more than 20 sporting events as part of WorldPride Arts and WorldPride Sports. WorldPride Arts have been made possible thanks to Create New South Wales (NSW).

    Sydney WorldPride will also feature a special one-off event in Newcastle called Pink Salt, an outdoor long table dinner to be hosted at The Station, featuring live performances and outrageous design.

    Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade, Minister for Tourism and Sport and Minister for Western Sydney, Stuart Ayres, said: “Sydney WorldPride 2023 will showcase our incredible and inclusive city to a global audience and will re-establish Sydney as a must-visit destination for visitors.”

    “It’ll be the first time this event has been held in the Southern Hemisphere and has the potential to be the biggest event Sydney has seen since the Sydney 2000 Olympics.”

    “As a city and a state, we are embracing the freedom we have earned through the hard times of the past two years.”

    “The NSW Government continues to invest in world-class entertainment, hospitality and events; our goal is to be the events capital of the Asia-Pacific and supporting Sydney WorldPride 2023 helps achieve this.”

    “NSW is ready to host this event and we are encouraging visitors to make the trip to enjoy the best that Sydney has to offer.”

    Local artists, producers and party promoters are also being invited to take part in Pride Amplified, a dedicated open-access program for arts, culture, experiences and parties, with hundreds of events expected to take place across Greater Sydney. 

    Clover Moore, the Lord Mayor of the City of Sydney, said: “The City is proud to be a fierce ally of the rainbow community and we are delighted to welcome the world to Sydney for Pride in 2023!”

    “This is a fantastic moment for Sydney. Hosting WorldPride 2023 is an affirmation of our city as a richly diverse and accepting society, open to the world and inclusive of all, and a wonderful opportunity to help our arts, tourism and hospitality sectors that were so hard hit by the Covid pandemic.”

    Gil Beckwith, Chief Financial Officer, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, said: “We’re incredibly excited to welcome the world’s LGBTQIA+ communities to our city for Sydney WorldPride and Mardi Gras.” 

    “This event will not only showcase the iconic surrounds of Sydney and NSW as a premier tourist destination, but it will also boost the profile of the Mardi Gras Festival to international audiences, creating a legacy that will have an important impact on the growth of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras and our community in years to come.”

    TICKETS

    Every year, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras is the hottest summer event in Sydney, with international headliners and visitors from around the globe joining one of the world’s most renowned Pride festivals. 

    Tickets go on sale to the general public at 09:00 AEST on 15 July via SydneyWorldPride.com.

    To secure early access to Sydney WorldPride tickets, sign up now at sydneyworldpride.com to access pre-sale tickets from 09:00 AEST on 11 July. Mardi Gras Members not only get pre-sale access but discounted tickets on many Mardi Gras events. 

    American Express Card Members will also have access to a selection of Sydney WorldPride pre-sale tickets from 9 am AEST, 11 July via the American Express website (T&Cs apply).

    Sydney WorldPride is proud to offer $49 + booking fee tickets to select events for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through MobTix, and for select concession card holders through our Affordability Program.

    Special thanks to Gildan Brands Australia for their generous donation of over 1,000 Gildan t-shirts worn by the participants in the Human Progress Flag. 

    MEDIA CONTACT:  Matt Fraser: mfraser@originalspin.com.au phone +61 401 326 007

    ABOUT WORLDPRIDE

    WorldPride is a global event licensed by InterPride, which is awarded to a different host city every 2-3 years.  

    Like the Olympics, cities bid to host the event and deliver a comprehensive program of arts, culture and festivals designed to engage global LGBTQIA+ audiences. The first WorldPride took place in Rome in July 2000, followed by Jerusalem (2006), London (2012), Toronto (2014), Madrid (2017), New York (2019) and Copenhagen + Malmo (2021). 

    FULL LIST OF 2023 EVENTS

    A full list of the Sydney WorldPride festival’s events is as follows: 

    Source: Sydney WorldPride

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Australian Pet Ownership Reaches All Time High, Say Experts

    Australian Pet Ownership Reaches All Time High, Say Experts

    [ad_1]

    More Australians own pets now than ever before, reports Aussie Pet Doors – find out why.

    Press Release
    –

    Jun 22, 2022


    MELBOURNE, Australia, June 22, 2022 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, an increasing number of Australian families, couples and individuals have welcomed pets into their households for a variety of reasons. In fact, according to the leading provider of dog beds Australia-wide, Aussie Pet Doors, Australian pet ownership has reached record highs over the past two years. Aussie Pet Doors explains why owning a pet is so attractive to so many people.

    More than two million Australian households have acquired a pet since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, says Aussie Pet Doors. According to recent surveys carried out by Animal Medicines Australia, nearly 70 percent of all Aussie households own a pet; of that 70 percent, 50 percent own a dog. These numbers represent record-breaking levels of pet ownership across the country – but pet experts aren’t surprised.

    Throughout Australia during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, households experienced extensive lockdowns and isolated periods. Restrictions were in place, keeping people from meeting their friends and family, going out for drinks and meals, and in some cases, even staying out past a certain time of night. One small freedom that remained intact throughout the pandemic, however, was the ability to leave the home to exercise outdoors. This prompted many Australians to adopt or buy pets – especially dogs – who could accompany them while exercising outside. 

    Pet ownership also curbed the loneliness and isolation of extreme lockdowns and provided many households with the opportunity to pour their energy into training and taking care of the pet. Aussie Pet Doors reports that during this time, sales in dog beds, outdoor pet equipment, toys and more were through the roof as owners bought up all the necessary supplies.

    Experts say that the loving nature of pets was a very welcome ray of light during tough lockdowns and many pet owners report that their new companions made it easier for them to make it through each day. To shop dog beds – large and small – plus a range of other pet accessories, visit Aussie Pet Doors today.

    Please call us on 1300 558 577 to ensure someone can assist you, or email us at sales@australianpetdoors.com.au

    Source: Aussie Pet Doors

    [ad_2]

    Source link