Australia & Pacifics

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The United States is expected to have resettled more than 1,100 refugees by early next year under a deal President Donald Trump reluctantly honored with Australia, an Australian official said on Monday.

President Barack Obama’s administration struck a deal in 2016 to accept up to 1,250 refugees from Iran, Bangladesh, Somalia and Myanmar whom Australia had banished to Pacific island camps.

Trump condemned the deal as “dumb” but agreed to honor the U.S. commitment, subject to “extreme vetting” of the refugees.

Melbourne, Oct 18 (AP/PTI) Australia's second-largest city, Melbourne, has loosened lockdown restrictions as new and active COVID-19 continue to decline.

From midnight Sunday, Melbourne residents will no longer face limits on the time they can spend away from their homes for education or recreation. Previous restrictions allowing Melburnians to travel only 5 kilometers (3 miles) from home will increase at midnight to 25 kilometers (15 miles).

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — A day after winning a second term in a landside victory, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Sunday she sees the election result as an endorsement of her government’s efforts to stamp out the coronavirus and reboot the economy.

Speaking at a cafe near her Auckland home, Ardern said she expects to form a new government within three weeks and to prioritize work on the virus response.

“We’re cracking on very quickly with the work we need to do as a new team,” Ardern said.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern won a second term in office Saturday in an election landslide of historic proportions.

With most votes counted, Ardern’s liberal Labour Party was winning 49% of the vote compared to 27% for its main challenger, the conservative National Party.

SYDNEY, Oct 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Australia joined the Netherlands in slamming Russia’s decision to withdraw from consultations over its involvement in the 2014 downing of flight MH17 over Ukraine, which killed 298 people, mostly Dutch and Australian citizens.

Since 2018, the three countries have held discussions aimed at uncovering the cause of the disaster, in which a Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 was hit by a Soviet-designed missile, killing all on board.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — In the final days of campaigning before New Zealand holds an election on Saturday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is being greeted like a rock star.

Hundreds of students are crammed into a common area at the Victoria University of Wellington to hear her speak, and her message of hope is being punctuated by thunderous applause. One student volunteer looks on the verge of tears while others are shrieking or singing.

It’s an unusually emotive display in a country where people often pride themselves on keeping things low key.

CANBERRA, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has called for a royal commission into the media domination of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation.

Rudd, who served as PM between 2007 and 2010 and again for three months in 2013, has launched a petition urging the government to establish a royal commission to "ensure the strength and diversity of Australian news media."

Melbourne, Oct 11 (AP/PTI) The premier of Australia's Victoria state is stepping up his fight with members of the public who don't comply with pandemic regulations, saying close contacts of those infected who refuse a test will have to spend 21 days in quarantine.

The state government has announced mandatory quarantine will be extended by 10 days for close contacts if they decide not to be tested on the 11th day of isolation. The change will come into effect at midnight Sunday.

CANBERRA, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- Australia's outgoing Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has been nominated as the secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Thursday.

Cormann, who was born in Belgium, is the longest-serving finance minister in Australian history for having held the portfolio for seven years.

He announced his retirement from politics in July after 13 years as a senator.

AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern cast her vote in Auckland on Saturday for the 2020 General Election.

On Saturday morning, Prime Minister and Labour Party leader Jacinda Ardern cast her vote with fiancé Clarke Gayford in Auckland. Ardern later confirmed to the public that she voted for the Labour Party.

New Zealand Green Party co-leader James Shaw cast his vote on Saturday morning in Wellington.