Australia

Sydney, May 7 (AFP) Australia's election became a little more raucous on Tuesday when a protestor tried -- but failed -- to crack an egg on Prime Minister Scott Morrison's head.

The attacker's egg, thrown from close range, appeared to bounce off the politician at a Country Women's Association event in New South Wales.

The woman was wrestled away by Morrison's close protection security detail and could later be seen leaving the venue holding an egg carton.

CANBERRA, May 5 (Xinhua): Australians caught abusing or harassing people online will face up to five years imprisonment under laws proposed by the nation's Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

According to the Guardian Australia, Morrison declared on Sunday that "trolls have no place in Australia," pledging a crackdown on social media bullies if he wins the general election on May 18.

Under current laws, those caught using social media to harass or cause offense to face a maximum of three years of jail time.

SYDNEY, May 4 (Xinhua): Tooth decay levels are three times higher among indigenous children, with consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks and irregular brushing of teeth forming major factors behind the global dental condition, according to latest Australian research.

30 Apr 2019; DW: A secretly filmed video dealt a heavy blow to Australia's One Nation party ahead of an election, after the country's Nine Network TV showed a clip of populist leader Steve Dickson groping and propositioning strippers during a US trip in September.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A major Australian media company announced on Tuesday it has agreed to sell 170 regional and rural newspapers for 115 million Australian dollars ($81 million).

Nine Entertainment said it signed an agreement to sell the newspapers to shareholder Antony Catalano and Thorney Investment Group. The sale is to be completed by June 30.

Catalano last year took court action in a failed attempt to block the merger of Nine, a television network, with Fairfax Media, Australia’s largest newspaper publisher after News Corp.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s prime minister and his political rival said on Wednesday they were not tailoring their political messages to suit Chinese censors as the politicians increasingly use Chinese social media to woo Chinese-speaking voters.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison and opposition leader Bill Shorten each have accounts with China’s largest social media platform, WeChat, which they use to target the Chinese diaspora ahead of federal elections on May 18.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A drive-by shooting outside a popular Melbourne nightclub in Australia early Sunday left one man dead, another critically wounded and two others injured, police said.

Police said shots were fired from a car into a crowd standing outside the two-story Love Machine club, hitting three security guards at the nightclub and one patron.

Police appealed for anyone with video footage or information to come forward. They have made no arrests so far.

11 Apr 2019; DW: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Thursday that fresh parliamentary elections will be held on May 18.

The vote will present a challenge for the conservative government, which will seek a third term in office.

Morrison made the announcement after holding a meeting with Governor General Peter Cosgrove to dissolve parliament and plan the vote. Cosgrove represents Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Australia's head of state.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s prime minister on Thursday called a May 18 election that will be fought on issues including climate change, asylum seekers and economic management.

“We live in the best country in the world,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters after advising the governor-general to authorize the election.

“But to secure your future, the road ahead depends on a strong economy. And that’s why there is so much at stake at this election,” he added.

SYDNEY (AP) — Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush won his defamation case on Thursday against a Sydney newspaper publisher and journalist over reports he had been accused of inappropriate behavior toward an actress.

The 67-year-old Australian had sued The Daily Telegraph’s publisher and journalist Jonathon Moran over two stories and a poster published in late 2017.