Australia & Pacifics

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Days before the first anniversary of a shooting in Christchurch that killed 51 Muslim worshippers, a post appeared on an encrypted messaging app showing a balaclava-clad man outside one of the attacked mosques with a threat and a gun emoji.

The message was the latest in a number of threats against minorities in New Zealand, evidence of what experts say is an increase in hate crime and xenophobia since the mosque massacre by a suspected white supremacist on March 15 last year.

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (Reuters) - A man shot three times by an armed attacker who stormed a mosque in New Zealand last year says the incident has left him physically and mentally damaged for life.

Sheikh Hasan Rubel, 35, was offering prayers at the Al Noor mosque in Christchurch on March 15 last year when the gunman burst in and started shooting.

The attack, streamed live of Facebook, killed 51 Muslim worshippers and injured dozens of others in New Zealand’s worst mass shooting.

Two bullets ripped through Rubel’s pelvis while another one went through his leg.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday the government will soon announce measures to stimulate an economy hammered by the effects of the coronavirus outbreak, as the local share market came in for another turbulent session.

After global equities sold off heavily overnight following reports of a lockdown covering all of Italy, the Australian share market fell up to 4% in early trading before rebounding into positive territory by mid-session.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Qantas Airways Ltd (QAN.AX) will cut its international capacity by nearly 25% over the next six months and delay an order for Airbus (AIR.PA) A350 planes as part of sweeping changes in response to a coronavirus-led plunge in passenger demand.

The Australian airline also said on Tuesday it is cancelling plans for an A$150 million ($98.73 million) off-market share buyback to preserve cash.

CANBERRA, Mar 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The Australian government confirmed a COVID-19 stimulus package, to support businesses affected by the COVID-19 outbreak, Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, confirmed today.

The “substantial” package, which could be worth up to 10 billion Australian dollars (6.4 billion U.S. dollars), is expected to be announced within a week.

Sydney; 08 March 2020 (UMMN):  There have been numerous support protests around the world since Shaheen Bagh sit-in protest started, and there appear to be several in the pipe line. One such protest is being organised by the Citizens Forum for Democratic Rights on 22 March 2020. This is one of the many protests that have been planned across capital cities of Australia.

KABUL, March 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) - The US military has conducted an air strike against Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, just hours after President Donald Trump said he had had a “very good talk” with a leader of the group.

The US signed a deal with the Taliban on Saturday aimed at bringing peace to Afghanistan after years of war.

But a US forces spokesman said it launched an air strike on Wednesday in response to Taliban fighters attacking Afghan forces in Helmand province.

The Taliban called for de-escalation.

3 March 2020; AFP: New Zealand police said Tuesday they were investigating a threat made this week against one of the Christchurch mosques where 51 Muslim worshippers were killed in a mass shooting a year ago.

Amid plans to mark the one-year anniversary of the March 15 massacre, police said the threat to Christchurch's Al Noor mosque was posted this week on encrypted messaging app Telegram.

SYDNEY, Mar 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The Australian Associated Press (AAP) said, they will close their entire media operations, announcing today (Tuesday), their newswire service, which supplies every major news outlet in the country, is no longer viable.

Founded in 1935 and owned in partnership by News Corp, Nine Entertainment and Seven West, current editor-in-chief, Tony Gillies, said, “We have had a place like no other in journalism.”

“We exist for the public’s interest and I now fear for the void left by the absence of AAP’s strong, well-considered voice.”

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia’s central bank on Tuesday cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point to a record low of 0.5% in response to the economic shock of the new coronavirus.

The reduction at the Reserve Bank of Australia’s monthly meeting is the first since October and the fourth since June. It was announced hours before financial leaders and central bank governors of other major industrial nations planned to hold a teleconference to discuss ways to confront the crisis.