In what can be called the seizure of the largest heroin shipment ever detected in Australia, the country's police said on Saturday that it has arrested a Malaysian national with illicit drug worth an estimated A$140 million ($104 million).&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/seven-hong-kong-activists-jailed-over-unauthorised-protest-in-2020-421179" hreflang="en">Seven Hong Kong activists jailed over unauthorised protest in 2020</a>

In a statement, the police said, the shipment, which was 450-kg (990-pound) in weight, was as heavy as a grand piano. It was detected in a sea freight container of ceramic tiles, which were being sent from Malaysia and going to be delivered to a Melbourne business. &nbsp;

The police have not disclosed the name of the arrested man. The person has been charged with importing and attempted possession of a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment in this offence, the police said. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bali-earthquake-kills-three-injures-seven-421194" hreflang="en">Bali earthquake kills three, injures seven</a>

Krissy Barrett, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Southern Command, in a statement said, “The Australian Federal Police was working with the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP). We continue to work together in identifying and disrupting transnational organised crime syndicates that seek to harm both our nations and generate millions of dollars of profits from criminal activity." &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In what can be called the seizure of the largest heroin shipment ever detected in Australia, the country's police said on Saturday that it has arrested a Malaysian national with illicit drug worth an estimated A$140 million ($104 million).

In what can be called the seizure of the largest heroin shipment ever detected in Australia, the country's police said on Saturday that it has arrested a Malaysian national with illicit drug worth an estimated A$140 million ($104 million). Also Read: Seven Hong Kong activists jailed over unauthorised protest in 2020 In a statement, the police said, the shipment, which was 450-kg (990-pound) in weight, was as heavy as a grand piano. It was detected in a sea freight container of ceramic tiles, which were being sent from Malaysia and going to be delivered to a Melbourne business. The police have not disclosed the name of the arrested man. The person has been charged with importing and attempted possession of a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. The maximum penalty is life imprisonment in this offence, the police said. Also Read: Bali earthquake kills three, injures seven Krissy Barrett, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Southern Command, in a statement said, “The Australian Federal Police was working with the Royal Malaysia Police (RMP). We continue to work together in identifying and disrupting transnational organised crime syndicates that seek to harm both our nations and generate millions of dollars of profits from criminal activity." (With inputs from agencies)

Police seize $104-million record shipment of heroin in Australia

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has confirmed that he will be attending the crucial COP26 summit in the UK, the confirmation comes after world leaders face mounting pressure over increase in Carbon mission.

Australian PM Scott Morrison to attend COP26 Summit

The second phase of the Malabar Exercise has now begun in the Bay of Bengal. This time the maritime exercise features all four of the Quad Countries i.e India, US, Australia, Japan.

Malabar Naval Exercise: U.S navy chief hosts Indian counterpart

There is increasing concern among environmentalists that biodiversity is declining in Australia. Environmentalists have urged the Australian government to do more in order to stem a decline in biodiversity.

Xinhua news agency reports that environmental groups have urged Environment Minister Sussan Ley to make a pledge on halting biodiversity loss at the UN Biodiversity Conference.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/world-animal-day-2021-conservation-efforts-bring-animals-back-from-extinction-in-wild-418112">World Animal Day 2021: Conservation efforts bring animals back from extinction in wild</a>

Despite committing to a global goal of conserving at least 30 per cent of land by 2030, Australia hasn't made any specific pledges.

According to Brendan Wintle, director of the Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Australia risks becoming a "global pariah" on the issue.

As per his estimates, Australia needs to spend up to two billion ($2 billion) Australian dollars ($1.4 billion) a year to curb biodiversity loss.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/wildlife-on-a-glidepath-to-mass-extinction-red-list-chief-410711">Wildlife on a glidepath to 'mass extinction': Red List chief</a>

"We can afford it, but we're not doing it, and that's on our leadership and our society," Wintle was quoted by Nine Entertainment newspapers in a report.

Over 7 million hectares of threatened species habitat have been cleared in Australia since 2000, mainly for agriculture.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/australia-13-more-species-have-now-gone-extinct-367675">Australia: 13 more species have now gone extinct</a>

Earlier this year, government officials acknowledged that 13 native Australian species, including 12 mammals, have gone extinct. Counting these species, Australia has now lost 34 mammal species.

In the view of Nat Pelle of the Australian Conservation Foundation, the country has more at stake owing to its rich biodiversity.

Watch | Gravitas: World Animal Day 2021

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-world-animal-day-2021-418259/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"We should decide as a planet -- and Australia especially -- not to allow threatened species to become extinct," he said.

According to a spokesperson for Ley, the government is working on a biodiversity framework.

(With inputs from agencies)

There is increasing concern among environmentalists that biodiversity is declining in Australia. Environmentalists have urged the Australian government to do more in order to stem a decline in biodiversity.

There is increasing concern among environmentalists that biodiversity is declining in Australia. Environmentalists have urged the Australian government to do more in order to stem a decline in biodiversity. Xinhua news agency reports that environmental groups have urged Environment Minister Sussan Ley to make a pledge on halting biodiversity loss at the UN Biodiversity Conference. Also read | World Animal Day 2021: Conservation efforts bring animals back from extinction in wild Despite committing to a global goal of conserving at least 30 per cent of land by 2030, Australia hasn't made any specific pledges. According to Brendan Wintle, director of the Threatened Species Recovery Hub, Australia risks becoming a "global pariah" on the issue. As per his estimates, Australia needs to spend up to two billion ($2 billion) Australian dollars ($1.4 billion) a year to curb biodiversity loss. Also read | Wildlife on a glidepath to 'mass extinction': Red List chief "We can afford it, but we're not doing it, and that's on our leadership and our society," Wintle was quoted by Nine Entertainment newspapers in a report. Over 7 million hectares of threatened species habitat have been cleared in Australia since 2000, mainly for agriculture. Also read | Australia: 13 more species have now gone extinct Earlier this year, government officials acknowledged that 13 native Australian species, including 12 mammals, have gone extinct. Counting these species, Australia has now lost 34 mammal species. In the view of Nat Pelle of the Australian Conservation Foundation, the country has more at stake owing to its rich biodiversity. Watch | Gravitas: World Animal Day 2021 "We should decide as a planet -- and Australia especially -- not to allow threatened species to become extinct," he said. According to a spokesperson for Ley, the government is working on a biodiversity framework. (With inputs from agencies)

Environmentalists tell Australia, it 'needs more efforts to halt biodiversity decline'

Tennis players planning to compete in the Australian Open at Melbourne Park should get vaccinated for COVID-19 to give themselves the best chance of playing the Grand Slam, an Australian government official has said.

Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, has introduced a vaccine mandate for all professional athletes but authorities have yet to clarify whether athletes from overseas or other Australian states must also vaccinate. 
Victoria sports minister Martin Pakula urged players to leave no room for doubt.

"If I was an ATP or WTA player, I`d be getting vaccinated," Pakula told local radio station SEN.

"That will give them the best opportunity to play in the Australian Open with the more minimal restrictions that might be in place for those people."

Both the women`s WTA and men`s ATP tours have urged players to get vaccinated but some have expressed reservations, including Australian Open men`s champion Novak Djokovic, who is opposed to vaccine mandates.

Tennis Australia, which organises the Grand Slam, has not disclosed any arrangements for players for the upcoming tournament in January.

But fully vaccinated players are expected to enjoy more freedoms to move around and may be able to avoid the country`s mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

Australia`s borders remain effectively shut to non-residents, and Pakula said he did not know whether unvaccinated people would be allowed to enter the country by the time of the Australian Open which starts Jan. 17.

"That`s going to be the subject, I suspect, of discussion at national cabinet and amongst the federal cabinet," he said.

"As for the rules that might apply around the Australian Open, specifically, we`re in discussions with Tennis Australia and the department of health about that."

Melbourne has been locked down for months as authorities battle to control an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant while rolling out vaccinations.

Victoria will lift some lockdown restrictions when 70% of adults are fully vaccinated, which should be late October according to official projections.

Tennis players planning to compete in the Australian Open at Melbourne Park should get vaccinated for COVID-19 to give themselves the best chance of playing the Grand Slam, an Australian government official has said.

Tennis players planning to compete in the Australian Open at Melbourne Park should get vaccinated for COVID-19 to give themselves the best chance of playing the Grand Slam, an Australian government official has said. Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, has introduced a vaccine mandate for all professional athletes but authorities have yet to clarify whether athletes from overseas or other Australian states must also vaccinate. Victoria sports minister Martin Pakula urged players to leave no room for doubt. "If I was an ATP or WTA player, I`d be getting vaccinated," Pakula told local radio station SEN. "That will give them the best opportunity to play in the Australian Open with the more minimal restrictions that might be in place for those people." Both the women`s WTA and men`s ATP tours have urged players to get vaccinated but some have expressed reservations, including Australian Open men`s champion Novak Djokovic, who is opposed to vaccine mandates. Tennis Australia, which organises the Grand Slam, has not disclosed any arrangements for players for the upcoming tournament in January. But fully vaccinated players are expected to enjoy more freedoms to move around and may be able to avoid the country`s mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival. Australia`s borders remain effectively shut to non-residents, and Pakula said he did not know whether unvaccinated people would be allowed to enter the country by the time of the Australian Open which starts Jan. 17. "That`s going to be the subject, I suspect, of discussion at national cabinet and amongst the federal cabinet," he said. "As for the rules that might apply around the Australian Open, specifically, we`re in discussions with Tennis Australia and the department of health about that." Melbourne has been locked down for months as authorities battle to control an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant while rolling out vaccinations. Victoria will lift some lockdown restrictions when 70% of adults are fully vaccinated, which should be late October according to official projections.

Get vaccinated if you want to play Australian Open, minister tells players

Dealing with depression is difficult, often people battling depression refrain from stepping out of their homes. But a gym in Australia has come up with a special programme to deal with mental illness.

Australia: Hobart gym announces free membership to beat depression

A Taiwan official has asked Australia to support its bid to join the CPTPP pan-Pacific trade pact, which China opposes, saying Taiwan can boost high technology trade flows and demand for Australian minerals.

Support for Taiwan's bid would also "send a strong message" to Australian businesses impacted by China's recent boycotts of Australian products, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office representative, Elliott Charng, told a parliament committee in Canberra on Tuesday.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-does-not-seek-military-confrontation-says-president-419014">Taiwan does not seek military confrontation, says president</a>

"Economic sanctions imposed on Australia by China reinforce the argument of engaging with Taiwan more closely and more deeply," he told the committee. Each member of the 11-nation CPTPP, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, has to approve new members and the committee will recommend Australia's response.

The regional trade group, formed in 2018, currently includes Canada, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. It has received applications from Britain, China and Taiwan to join.

The bids by China and Taiwan in the past month have sparked tension, with Beijing opposing Taiwan's application, and Taiwan accusing Beijing of bullying.

China is Australia's largest trading partner, with exports reaching a record A$19.4 billion in the month of July on the back of iron ore demand. However diplomatic relations have soured in recent years.

Australia was Taiwan's third-largest source of agricultural goods, worth US$607 million last year, and the CPTPP would provide structure to do business and enhance cybersecurity cooperation, said Charng, who is Taiwan's de facto ambassador in Australia.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wont-bow-to-china-will-bolster-our-national-defence-taiwan-president-tsai-ing-wen-419560">Won't bow to China, will bolster our national defence: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen</a>

"The opposition from China is not unexpected. China will use every way to avoid Taiwan participating in any international organisations," he said.

China said on Monday it had lodged stern representations with Australia over "inappropriate" comments by former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott who last week visited Taiwan, which is claimed by China, in a personal capacity, and met Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

Abbott told reporters there on Friday Taiwan met the criteria for joining the CPTPP, however "fear of upsetting China" could cause some members to object to Taiwan's application, and urged countries to move beyond "rhetorical support" for Taiwan and provide practical support.

China has also lobbied the Australian parliament committee to help it join the CPTPP, describing the strength of Chinese trade with Australia and avoiding mention of billions of dollars in punitive sanctions imposed by Beijing.

A Taiwan official has asked Australia to support its bid to join the CPTPP pan-Pacific trade pact, which China opposes, saying Taiwan can boost high technology trade flows and demand for Australian minerals.

A Taiwan official has asked Australia to support its bid to join the CPTPP pan-Pacific trade pact, which China opposes, saying Taiwan can boost high technology trade flows and demand for Australian minerals. Support for Taiwan's bid would also "send a strong message" to Australian businesses impacted by China's recent boycotts of Australian products, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office representative, Elliott Charng, told a parliament committee in Canberra on Tuesday. Also Read | Taiwan does not seek military confrontation, says president "Economic sanctions imposed on Australia by China reinforce the argument of engaging with Taiwan more closely and more deeply," he told the committee. Each member of the 11-nation CPTPP, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, has to approve new members and the committee will recommend Australia's response. The regional trade group, formed in 2018, currently includes Canada, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. It has received applications from Britain, China and Taiwan to join. The bids by China and Taiwan in the past month have sparked tension, with Beijing opposing Taiwan's application, and Taiwan accusing Beijing of bullying. China is Australia's largest trading partner, with exports reaching a record A$19.4 billion in the month of July on the back of iron ore demand. However diplomatic relations have soured in recent years. Australia was Taiwan's third-largest source of agricultural goods, worth US$607 million last year, and the CPTPP would provide structure to do business and enhance cybersecurity cooperation, said Charng, who is Taiwan's de facto ambassador in Australia. Also Read | Won't bow to China, will bolster our national defence: Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen "The opposition from China is not unexpected. China will use every way to avoid Taiwan participating in any international organisations," he said. China said on Monday it had lodged stern representations with Australia over "inappropriate" comments by former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott who last week visited Taiwan, which is claimed by China, in a personal capacity, and met Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen. Abbott told reporters there on Friday Taiwan met the criteria for joining the CPTPP, however "fear of upsetting China" could cause some members to object to Taiwan's application, and urged countries to move beyond "rhetorical support" for Taiwan and provide practical support. China has also lobbied the Australian parliament committee to help it join the CPTPP, describing the strength of Chinese trade with Australia and avoiding mention of billions of dollars in punitive sanctions imposed by Beijing.

Taiwan asks Australia to support regional trade bid

A tech body backed by the Australian units of Facebook, Google and Twitter said on Monday it has set up a special committee to adjudicate complaints over misinformation, a day after the government threatened tougher laws over false and defamatory online posts.

The issue of damaging online posts has emerged as a second battlefront between Big Tech and Australia, which last year passed a law to make platforms pay licence fees for content, sparking a temporary Facebook blackout in February.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/facebook-makes-an-attempt-to-stop-the-illegal-sale-of-amazon-rainforest-419379">Facebook makes an attempt to stop the illegal sale of Amazon rainforest</a>

Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week labelled social media "a coward's palace",&nbsp;while the government said on Sunday it was looking at measures to make social media companies more responsible, including forcing legal liability onto the platforms&nbsp;for the content published on them.

The Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI), which represents the Australian units of Facebook Inc, Alphabet's Google and Twitter Inc, said its new misinformation oversight subcommittee showed the industry was willing to self-regulate against damaging posts.

The tech giants had already agreed a code of conduct against misinformation, "and we wanted to further strengthen it with independent oversight from experts, and public accountability," DIGI Managing Director Sunita Bose said in a statement.

A three-person "independent complaints sub-committee" would seek to resolve complaints about possible breaches of the code conduct via a public website, DIGI said, but would not take complaints about individual posts.

The industry's code of conduct includes items such as taking action against misinformation affecting public health, which would include the novel coronavirus.

DIGI, which also counts Apple Inc and TikTok as signatories, said it could issue a public statement if a company was found to have violated the code of conduct or revoke its signatory status with the group.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-instagram-stop-working-yet-again-twitterati-open-bag-of-memes-419307">Facebook, Instagram stop working yet again; Twitterati open bag of memes</a>

Australian communications minister Paul Fletcher, who has been among senior lawmakers promising tougher action against platforms hosting misleading and defamatory content, welcomed the measure.

"I'm pleased that DIGI is announcing an important development to strengthen the way the code will protect Australians from misinformation and disinformation," he said in a statement.

But Reset Australia, an advocate group focused on the influence of technology on democracy, said the oversight panel was "laughable" as it involved no penalties and the code of conduct was optional.

"DIGI's code is not much more than a PR stunt given the negative PR surrounding Facebook in recent weeks," said Reset Australia Director of tech policy Dhakshayini Sooriyakumaran in a statement, urging regulation for the industry.

A tech body backed by the Australian units of Facebook, Google and Twitter said on Monday it has set up a special committee to adjudicate complaints over misinformation, a day after the government threatened tougher laws over false and defamatory online posts.

A tech body backed by the Australian units of Facebook, Google and Twitter said on Monday it has set up a special committee to adjudicate complaints over misinformation, a day after the government threatened tougher laws over false and defamatory online posts. The issue of damaging online posts has emerged as a second battlefront between Big Tech and Australia, which last year passed a law to make platforms pay licence fees for content, sparking a temporary Facebook blackout in February. Also Read | Facebook makes an attempt to stop the illegal sale of Amazon rainforest Prime Minister Scott Morrison last week labelled social media "a coward's palace", while the government said on Sunday it was looking at measures to make social media companies more responsible, including forcing legal liability onto the platforms for the content published on them. The Digital Industry Group Inc (DIGI), which represents the Australian units of Facebook Inc, Alphabet's Google and Twitter Inc, said its new misinformation oversight subcommittee showed the industry was willing to self-regulate against damaging posts. The tech giants had already agreed a code of conduct against misinformation, "and we wanted to further strengthen it with independent oversight from experts, and public accountability," DIGI Managing Director Sunita Bose said in a statement. A three-person "independent complaints sub-committee" would seek to resolve complaints about possible breaches of the code conduct via a public website, DIGI said, but would not take complaints about individual posts. The industry's code of conduct includes items such as taking action against misinformation affecting public health, which would include the novel coronavirus. DIGI, which also counts Apple Inc and TikTok as signatories, said it could issue a public statement if a company was found to have violated the code of conduct or revoke its signatory status with the group. Also Read | Facebook, Instagram stop working yet again; Twitterati open bag of memes Australian communications minister Paul Fletcher, who has been among senior lawmakers promising tougher action against platforms hosting misleading and defamatory content, welcomed the measure. "I'm pleased that DIGI is announcing an important development to strengthen the way the code will protect Australians from misinformation and disinformation," he said in a statement. But Reset Australia, an advocate group focused on the influence of technology on democracy, said the oversight panel was "laughable" as it involved no penalties and the code of conduct was optional. "DIGI's code is not much more than a PR stunt given the negative PR surrounding Facebook in recent weeks," said Reset Australia Director of tech policy Dhakshayini Sooriyakumaran in a statement, urging regulation for the industry.

Facebook-backed group launches misinformation adjudication panel in Australia

A Tasmanian high school is bringing renewable energy technologies to its community and inspiring the next generation of problem solvers. The Zayed Energy Hub at Huonville is connecting energy innovators in the town and giving students the opportunity to combat climate change.

Energy hub is giving students a renewed sense of purpose in Australia

Police officials of New South Wales have launched an investigation after more than a dozen kangaroos were found dead on an Australian coast.<o:p></o:p>

New South Wales police have reported that 14 kangaroos were found dead at two sites near the Batemans Bay on Saturday morning.<o:p></o:p>

Police officials reached the Long Beach area at 7 am after the department received several reports of a number of kangaroos lying dead on the beach.<o:p></o:p>

Officials found five adult kangaroos and one dead joey in Blairs Road and Sandy Place. However, later the officials were informed that seven more adult kangaroos and a joey were dead in the Maloneys Beach area.<o:p></o:p>

While the investigation hasn’t found conclusion yet, officials have reported that initial inquiries have suggested that these kangaroos may have been deliberately killed by someone.<o:p></o:p>

The police department has meanwhile decided to thoroughly examine CCTV footage and are also interviewing several witnesses.<o:p></o:p>

Meanwhile, the police officials have also appealed locals to come forward with any relevant information. For now, the police has asked for more information on drivers of two white vehicles that were spotted around Blairs Road and Sandy Place at Long Beach and Maloneys Drive, as well as Hibiscus Close at Maloneys Beach, between 10pm on Friday and 12.30am on Saturday.

<o:p>This has come at a time when several experts around the globe are warning about reducing population of kangaroos, partly due to climate crisis and partly due to increased animal cruelty.</o:p>

Police officials of New South Wales have launched an investigation after more than a dozen kangaroos were found dead on an Australian coast. New South Wales police have reported that 14 kangaroos were found dead at two sites near the Batemans Bay on Saturday morning.

Police officials of New South Wales have launched an investigation after more than a dozen kangaroos were found dead on an Australian coast. New South Wales police have reported that 14 kangaroos were found dead at two sites near the Batemans Bay on Saturday morning. Police officials reached the Long Beach area at 7 am after the department received several reports of a number of kangaroos lying dead on the beach. Officials found five adult kangaroos and one dead joey in Blairs Road and Sandy Place. However, later the officials were informed that seven more adult kangaroos and a joey were dead in the Maloneys Beach area. While the investigation hasn’t found conclusion yet, officials have reported that initial inquiries have suggested that these kangaroos may have been deliberately killed by someone. The police department has meanwhile decided to thoroughly examine CCTV footage and are also interviewing several witnesses. Meanwhile, the police officials have also appealed locals to come forward with any relevant information. For now, the police has asked for more information on drivers of two white vehicles that were spotted around Blairs Road and Sandy Place at Long Beach and Maloneys Drive, as well as Hibiscus Close at Maloneys Beach, between 10pm on Friday and 12.30am on Saturday. This has come at a time when several experts around the globe are warning about reducing population of kangaroos, partly due to climate crisis and partly due to increased animal cruelty.

Australia: Police suspect mass slaughter as 14 kangaroos found dead in New South Wales

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Paris, hoping to contain the fallout from the AUKUS deal. France has agreed to send their envoy back to Australia with the intention of mending ties. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Blinken in France to contain AUKUS fallout

Ending weeks of diplomatic protest over Canberra's decision to scrap a contract to buy French submarines, France announces return of its ambassador to Australia.

France announces return of its ambassador to Australia

Football Australia (FA) pledged to launch an independent probe after historic allegations of sexual harassment in the women's game were raised by some of the former members of the national team. Recently retired international striker Lisa De Vanna said she had been the victim of sexual assault, harassment and bullying during her career.&nbsp;

Recently, US international Megan Rapinoe tweeted on allegations of misconduct against former North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley and while commenting on the post, Lisa said that she had witnessed women in the game abusing younger female players, and organisations protecting the abusers.&nbsp;

FA, which took over running the sport in 2005, said it was unaware of the specific allegations raised by De Vanna but would investigate if she and Dobson lodged formal complaints

FA CEO James Johnson said it would investigate any abuse allegations and Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) would oversee an independent complaints process for former players and staff. Johnson added he had met with De Vanna but some of the allegations she made in the media had not been raised at the time.&nbsp;

In an official statement, that is dated October 6, FA wrote: "Over and above Football Australia’s formal complaints handling protocols, we have also been engaging with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) to develop an additional process for independently investigating allegations of a historical nature as they relate to former players and staff – such as Lisa and Rhali. We will announce the joint initiative with SIA once the details have been finalised."

The 36-year-old De Vanna, who has played 150 times for her country over two decades, told Sydney's Daily Telegraph, "Have I been sexually harassed? Yes. Have I been bullied? Yes. Ostracised? Yes. Have I seen things that have made me uncomfortable? Yes".

"In any sporting organisation and in any environment, grooming, preying and unprofessional behaviour makes me sick."

De Vanna said incidents included being propositioned in the changing room showers and teammates pulling her down and "dry humping" her.

She said she was a teenager at the time and did not know how to handle the situation but had broken her silence because "it is still happening across all levels and it's time to speak up".

De Vanna's former manager Rose Garofano said she told the then-governing body Soccer Australia and was assured the issues would be dealt with in-house.

Another ex-player, Rhali Dobson, said she was also harassed as a youngster.

"A lot of it is pushed under the rug. It was a case of grooming when I first came on the scene," she told the Telegraph.

"Australian football takes a zero-tolerance approach to any conduct which breaches the standards and values expected of people involved in the game," it said.

"We have... been engaging with Sport Integrity Australia to develop an additional process for independently investigating allegations of a historical nature as they relate to former players and staff -- such as Lisa and Rhali," it said.

"We will announce the joint initiative with SIA once the details have been finalised."

Football Australia's move comes after independent reviews found evidence of toxic culture and abuse in women's gymnastics and hockey.

Swimming Australia this year set up an independent panel to investigate issues relating to women and girls, while admitting "unacceptable behaviour" dating back decades.

(With inputs from agencies)

Football Australia (FA) pledged to launch an independent probe after historic allegations of sexual harassment in the women's game were raised by some of the former members of the national team.

Football Australia (FA) pledged to launch an independent probe after historic allegations of sexual harassment in the women's game were raised by some of the former members of the national team. Recently retired international striker Lisa De Vanna said she had been the victim of sexual assault, harassment and bullying during her career. Recently, US international Megan Rapinoe tweeted on allegations of misconduct against former North Carolina Courage head coach Paul Riley and while commenting on the post, Lisa said that she had witnessed women in the game abusing younger female players, and organisations protecting the abusers. FA, which took over running the sport in 2005, said it was unaware of the specific allegations raised by De Vanna but would investigate if she and Dobson lodged formal complaints FA CEO James Johnson said it would investigate any abuse allegations and Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) would oversee an independent complaints process for former players and staff. Johnson added he had met with De Vanna but some of the allegations she made in the media had not been raised at the time. In an official statement, that is dated October 6, FA wrote: "Over and above Football Australia’s formal complaints handling protocols, we have also been engaging with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) to develop an additional process for independently investigating allegations of a historical nature as they relate to former players and staff – such as Lisa and Rhali. We will announce the joint initiative with SIA once the details have been finalised." The 36-year-old De Vanna, who has played 150 times for her country over two decades, told Sydney's Daily Telegraph, "Have I been sexually harassed? Yes. Have I been bullied? Yes. Ostracised? Yes. Have I seen things that have made me uncomfortable? Yes". "In any sporting organisation and in any environment, grooming, preying and unprofessional behaviour makes me sick." De Vanna said incidents included being propositioned in the changing room showers and teammates pulling her down and "dry humping" her. She said she was a teenager at the time and did not know how to handle the situation but had broken her silence because "it is still happening across all levels and it's time to speak up". De Vanna's former manager Rose Garofano said she told the then-governing body Soccer Australia and was assured the issues would be dealt with in-house. Another ex-player, Rhali Dobson, said she was also harassed as a youngster. "A lot of it is pushed under the rug. It was a case of grooming when I first came on the scene," she told the Telegraph. "Australian football takes a zero-tolerance approach to any conduct which breaches the standards and values expected of people involved in the game," it said. "We have... been engaging with Sport Integrity Australia to develop an additional process for independently investigating allegations of a historical nature as they relate to former players and staff -- such as Lisa and Rhali," it said. "We will announce the joint initiative with SIA once the details have been finalised." Football Australia's move comes after independent reviews found evidence of toxic culture and abuse in women's gymnastics and hockey. Swimming Australia this year set up an independent panel to investigate issues relating to women and girls, while admitting "unacceptable behaviour" dating back decades. (With inputs from agencies)

Football Australia to probe abuse allegations after Lisa De Vanna said she suffered 'sexual harassment'

France is returning its ambassador to Australia to repair the damage caused by a canceled submarine contract. French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told parliament the ambassador would now return to Canberra with "two objectives".

France returns ambassador to Australia after submarine row with two goals

Taiwan is playing host to senators from France and the former Australian Prime Minister in order to build allies and counter growing Chinese aggression.

Taiwan President meets French senators

Australian medical tech manufacturer Ellume said it had recalled almost 200,000 at-home COVID-19 tests in the United States over an increased chance of false positives.

Ellume's rapid at-home coronavirus test last year became the first to receive emergency use authorisation in the US.

The US Food and Drug Administration issued an alert Tuesday over the "potential for false positive results with certain lots of the Ellume COVID-19 Home Test, due to a recently identified manufacturing issue".&nbsp;

"Negative results do not appear to be affected by the manufacturing issue," the statement said.

"The FDA is working closely with Ellume to assess the company's additional manufacturing checks and other corrective steps to help ensure that the issue is resolved."

A spokesman for Ellume told AFP on Wednesday that 195,000 of the 3.5 million tests shipped to the United States had been affected.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-reports-2355-new-covid-19-cases-as-vaccination-push-continues-417536">Australia reports 2,355 new COVID-19 cases as vaccination push continues</a>

Among them were tests provided to the Department of Defense for distribution to community health programmes.

In a statement dated October 1, the company said the voluntary recall was ordered after false positive results were reported in some product batches at higher rates than expected.&nbsp;

"I offer my sincere apologies -– and the apologies of our entire company –- for the stress or difficulties people may have experienced due to a false positive result," founder Sean Parsons said.

The firm said it had identified the cause of the issue and implemented additional controls, and had resumed distributing the tests to US retailers.&nbsp;

"We have and will continue to work diligently to ensure test accuracy, in all cases," Parsons added

Australian medical tech manufacturer Ellume said it had recalled almost 200,000 at-home COVID-19 tests in the United States over an increased chance of false positives.

Australian medical tech manufacturer Ellume said it had recalled almost 200,000 at-home COVID-19 tests in the United States over an increased chance of false positives. Ellume's rapid at-home coronavirus test last year became the first to receive emergency use authorisation in the US. The US Food and Drug Administration issued an alert Tuesday over the "potential for false positive results with certain lots of the Ellume COVID-19 Home Test, due to a recently identified manufacturing issue". "Negative results do not appear to be affected by the manufacturing issue," the statement said. "The FDA is working closely with Ellume to assess the company's additional manufacturing checks and other corrective steps to help ensure that the issue is resolved." A spokesman for Ellume told AFP on Wednesday that 195,000 of the 3.5 million tests shipped to the United States had been affected. Also Read | Australia reports 2,355 new COVID-19 cases as vaccination push continues Among them were tests provided to the Department of Defense for distribution to community health programmes. In a statement dated October 1, the company said the voluntary recall was ordered after false positive results were reported in some product batches at higher rates than expected. "I offer my sincere apologies -– and the apologies of our entire company –- for the stress or difficulties people may have experienced due to a false positive result," founder Sean Parsons said. The firm said it had identified the cause of the issue and implemented additional controls, and had resumed distributing the tests to US retailers. "We have and will continue to work diligently to ensure test accuracy, in all cases," Parsons added

Australian firm recalls US Covid tests over false positives

Australia’s trade surplus widened to a record in August as strength in liquefied natural gas and coal exports more than offset a pullback in iron ore prices, a windfall to mining profits and tax receipts.

Australia's trade surplus surprises with record high on commodity demand

Get a gist of the COVID situation in different parts of the world. The COVID situation is grim in Australia. Cases have suddenly increased in New Zealand owing to the Delta variant of Coronavirus. Countries including Israel have mandated COVID vaccines for its citizens. Meanwhile, Mauritius has recorded a drop in weekly COVID cases.

COVID situation in different parts of the globe get grim

According to new research, the 2019–20 bushfires had a devastating impact on 11 species of native Australian bees.

The scientists in Australia have analysed the effect of the fires on 553 native bee species. Almost one-third of all species of bees discovered in the country to date. &nbsp;

In the analysis, 11 species are found to be eligible to get listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list of threatened species. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/people-in-this-country-sing-to-sharks-and-then-catch-them-by-hand-417406" hreflang="en">People in this country 'sing' to sharks and then catch them by hand</a>

Before the fires, only three Australian species of bees were threatened. &nbsp;

Two bee species, Leioproctus nigrofulvus or the solitary bee and Leioproctus carinatifrons, now fit the IUCN’s criteria for an endangered listing. During the bushfires, large areas of their native habitat were burnt. Nine bee species were assessed to be “vulnerable”. &nbsp;

Using publicly available data, the researchers modelled the bees’ extinction risk from the wildfires. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/la-palma-volcano-eruption-forces-stay-home-order-for-some-residents-417621" hreflang="en">La Palma volcano eruption forces stay-home order for some residents</a>

An adjunct lecturer at the University of Adelaide, study co-author Stefan Caddy-Retalic, said it was surprising that a single fire event pushed 11 species of bees much closer to extinction. &nbsp;

Although there are 1,654 known bee species in Australia, the scientists believe the real figure may be more. &nbsp;

“There are so many native bees that are still left to discover – a lot of these species are at risk of being lost before they’re even found, which is an incredible indictment on the impact that we’re having on Australia’s biodiversity,” Caddy-Retalic said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;&nbsp;

According to new research, the 2019–20 bushfires had a devastating impact on 11 species of native Australian bees. The scientists in Australia have analysed the effect of the fires on 553 native bee species.

According to new research, the 2019–20 bushfires had a devastating impact on 11 species of native Australian bees. The scientists in Australia have analysed the effect of the fires on 553 native bee species. Almost one-third of all species of bees discovered in the country to date. In the analysis, 11 species are found to be eligible to get listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list of threatened species. Also Read: People in this country 'sing' to sharks and then catch them by hand Before the fires, only three Australian species of bees were threatened. Two bee species, Leioproctus nigrofulvus or the solitary bee and Leioproctus carinatifrons, now fit the IUCN’s criteria for an endangered listing. During the bushfires, large areas of their native habitat were burnt. Nine bee species were assessed to be “vulnerable”. Using publicly available data, the researchers modelled the bees’ extinction risk from the wildfires. Also Read: La Palma volcano eruption forces stay-home order for some residents An adjunct lecturer at the University of Adelaide, study co-author Stefan Caddy-Retalic, said it was surprising that a single fire event pushed 11 species of bees much closer to extinction. Although there are 1,654 known bee species in Australia, the scientists believe the real figure may be more. “There are so many native bees that are still left to discover – a lot of these species are at risk of being lost before they’re even found, which is an incredible indictment on the impact that we’re having on Australia’s biodiversity,” Caddy-Retalic said. (With inputs from agencies)

Bushfires pushed 11 bee species towards extinction in Australia

Australia reported 2,355 new cases of the Delta coronavirus variant on Saturday, as the push to vaccinate the country`s population continues in order to end lockdowns and allow for the reopening of international borders.

An 18-month ban on international travel is set to be gradually lifted from next month for some states when 80 per cent of people aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated.

Fifty-five percent of Australians were fully inoculated as of October 1, but nearly 80 per cent have received at least one shot.

Victoria state, which reported a record 1,488 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, ordered on Friday about a million employees across industries to receive at least one dose of a COVID vaccine by October 15 to keep working.

The state, where about a quarter of Australia`s population of 25 million live, has been in a hard lockdown since August 5.

New South Wales (NSW) state, battling the country`s biggest Delta outbreak, reported 813 cases and 10 deaths on Saturday. Nearly 88% of the state`s eligible population have been partially vaccinated and 65 per cent fully.

Sydney, the NSW state capital, has been under lockdown since June 26, with some restrictions scheduled to be lifted on October&nbsp;11 and more later in the month.

NSW is expected to be the first state to fully open up once the 80 per cent&nbsp;vaccination is reached, but authorities have warned case numbers are expected to soar and hospitals will come under strain as Australia learns to live with COVID-19.

"I`m worried about how we are going to cope with it culturally," Kirsty Keating, an Australia citizen originally from Scotland who lives in Sydney, told Reuters about the country`s reopening.

"Like most of the people I know overseas have lived with COVID and we haven`t and I think it could put a pressure on our health system and make everybody very tense."

Australia slammed the international border shut in March 2020. Since then, only a limited number of people have been granted a permit to leave the country for critical business or humanitarian reasons.

Citizens and permanent residents have been allowed to return from abroad, subject to quota limits and a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in a hotel at their own expense.

"I think it`s great coming up to Christmas that people get to reunite with their families," Peter Hendriks, a priest in Sydney, told Reuters about the decision to reopen borders.

Australia reported 2,355 new cases of the Delta coronavirus variant on Saturday, as the push to vaccinate the country`s population continues in order to end lockdowns and allow for the reopening of international borders.

Australia reported 2,355 new cases of the Delta coronavirus variant on Saturday, as the push to vaccinate the country`s population continues in order to end lockdowns and allow for the reopening of international borders. An 18-month ban on international travel is set to be gradually lifted from next month for some states when 80 per cent of people aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated. Fifty-five percent of Australians were fully inoculated as of October 1, but nearly 80 per cent have received at least one shot. Victoria state, which reported a record 1,488 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, ordered on Friday about a million employees across industries to receive at least one dose of a COVID vaccine by October 15 to keep working. The state, where about a quarter of Australia`s population of 25 million live, has been in a hard lockdown since August 5. New South Wales (NSW) state, battling the country`s biggest Delta outbreak, reported 813 cases and 10 deaths on Saturday. Nearly 88% of the state`s eligible population have been partially vaccinated and 65 per cent fully. Sydney, the NSW state capital, has been under lockdown since June 26, with some restrictions scheduled to be lifted on October 11 and more later in the month. NSW is expected to be the first state to fully open up once the 80 per cent vaccination is reached, but authorities have warned case numbers are expected to soar and hospitals will come under strain as Australia learns to live with COVID-19. "I`m worried about how we are going to cope with it culturally," Kirsty Keating, an Australia citizen originally from Scotland who lives in Sydney, told Reuters about the country`s reopening. "Like most of the people I know overseas have lived with COVID and we haven`t and I think it could put a pressure on our health system and make everybody very tense." Australia slammed the international border shut in March 2020. Since then, only a limited number of people have been granted a permit to leave the country for critical business or humanitarian reasons. Citizens and permanent residents have been allowed to return from abroad, subject to quota limits and a mandatory 14-day quarantine period in a hotel at their own expense. "I think it`s great coming up to Christmas that people get to reunite with their families," Peter Hendriks, a priest in Sydney, told Reuters about the decision to reopen borders.

Australia reports 2,355 new COVID-19 cases as vaccination push continues

India and Australia released a joint statement on Friday saying that both the countries are hoping to reach a landmark trade deal by end of 2022. They announced formal relaunch of stalled negotiations.

Last year, bilateral trade between the countries stood at 17 billion US Dollars last year. India exported its key services sector while Australian coal went the other way.

Both countries are members of the Quad grouping with the United States and Japan.

Following trade ministers' talks in New Delhi, the two countries backed the "expeditious negotiation" of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement.

In the meantime they plan to reach an "early harvest" interim deal by the end this year under which some duties will already be cut.&nbsp;

The two sides hope for a "balanced trade agreement that encourages expanded trade and investment flows to the benefit of both of our economies, and that reflects a shared commitment to the rules-based international trading system", the statement said.

India was Australia's seventh-largest trading partner and sixth-largest export market in 2020. 
Negotiations on a comprehensive deal between India and Australia were launched more than a decade ago but stalled in 2015.

In recent months New Delhi has also sought to revive trade talks with other countries including the United States, the European Union and Britain.

Indian media quoted Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan as saying that trade could double in the coming years if the comprehensive accord is sewn up.&nbsp;

"And it will double in all areas because the complementarity between our economies is so great," Tehan was quoted as telling a news conference in India on Thursday.

(With agency inputs)

India and Australia released a joint statement on Friday saying that both the countries are hoping to reach a landmark trade deal by end of 2022. They announced formal relaunch of stalled negotiations.

India and Australia released a joint statement on Friday saying that both the countries are hoping to reach a landmark trade deal by end of 2022. They announced formal relaunch of stalled negotiations. Last year, bilateral trade between the countries stood at 17 billion US Dollars last year. India exported its key services sector while Australian coal went the other way. Both countries are members of the Quad grouping with the United States and Japan. Following trade ministers' talks in New Delhi, the two countries backed the "expeditious negotiation" of a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement. In the meantime they plan to reach an "early harvest" interim deal by the end this year under which some duties will already be cut. The two sides hope for a "balanced trade agreement that encourages expanded trade and investment flows to the benefit of both of our economies, and that reflects a shared commitment to the rules-based international trading system", the statement said. India was Australia's seventh-largest trading partner and sixth-largest export market in 2020. Negotiations on a comprehensive deal between India and Australia were launched more than a decade ago but stalled in 2015. In recent months New Delhi has also sought to revive trade talks with other countries including the United States, the European Union and Britain. Indian media quoted Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan as saying that trade could double in the coming years if the comprehensive accord is sewn up. "And it will double in all areas because the complementarity between our economies is so great," Tehan was quoted as telling a news conference in India on Thursday. (With agency inputs)

Quad partners India and Australia to ink trade deal by end 2022 

In a historic deal, the world's oldest tropical rainforest, Australia's Daintree, has been returned to its Aboriginal owners. &nbsp;

This UNESCO World Heritage site is over 180-million-year-old. It is also home to several Aboriginal people. &nbsp;

The national park will now be managed by the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people in association with Queensland's state government. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/new-zealands-kea-parrots-trained-to-use-touchscreens-but-cant-tell-difference-between-real-and-virtual-world-416966" hreflang="en">New Zealand’s kea parrots trained to use touchscreens, but can’t tell difference between real and virtual world</a>

The Daintree, which is one of Australia's top tourism drawcards, is famed for its ancient ecosystem and rugged, natural beauty, which includes wild rivers, forest vistas, gorges, waterfalls and white sandy beaches. It also borders the Great Barrier Reef. &nbsp;

The deal also entails other national parks of Queensland, such as Cedar Bay (Ngalba Bulal), Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) and Hope Islands. It is a total area of over 160,000 hectares. &nbsp;

While handing over formal ownership back to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people on Wednesday, the government of Queensland recognised "one of the world's oldest living cultures". &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canaries-volcano-lava-reaches-sea-raising-toxic-gas-fears-416824" hreflang="en">Canaries volcano lava reaches sea, raising toxic gas fears</a>

Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon in a statement said, "This agreement recognises their right to own and manage their country, to protect their culture, and to share it with visitors as they become leaders in the tourism industry." &nbsp;&nbsp;

The deal came after four years of discussions, reported local media. &nbsp;

Negotiator Chrissy Grant said, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people wished to eventually solely manage the forests and other wet tropics regions. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a historic deal, the world's oldest tropical rainforest, Australia's Daintree, has been returned to its Aboriginal owners. This UNESCO World Heritage site is over 180-million-year-old.

In a historic deal, the world's oldest tropical rainforest, Australia's Daintree, has been returned to its Aboriginal owners. This UNESCO World Heritage site is over 180-million-year-old. It is also home to several Aboriginal people. The national park will now be managed by the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people in association with Queensland's state government. Also Read: New Zealand’s kea parrots trained to use touchscreens, but can’t tell difference between real and virtual world The Daintree, which is one of Australia's top tourism drawcards, is famed for its ancient ecosystem and rugged, natural beauty, which includes wild rivers, forest vistas, gorges, waterfalls and white sandy beaches. It also borders the Great Barrier Reef. The deal also entails other national parks of Queensland, such as Cedar Bay (Ngalba Bulal), Black Mountain (Kalkajaka) and Hope Islands. It is a total area of over 160,000 hectares. While handing over formal ownership back to the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people on Wednesday, the government of Queensland recognised "one of the world's oldest living cultures". Also Read: Canaries volcano lava reaches sea, raising toxic gas fears Environment Minister Meaghan Scanlon in a statement said, "This agreement recognises their right to own and manage their country, to protect their culture, and to share it with visitors as they become leaders in the tourism industry." The deal came after four years of discussions, reported local media. Negotiator Chrissy Grant said, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people wished to eventually solely manage the forests and other wet tropics regions. (With inputs from agencies)

In a deal, Aboriginal owners get back world's oldest tropical rainforest

As the battle against the third wave of COVID-19 continues, Australia has surpassed 100,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease. &nbsp;

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As per the figures from the Department of Health, there were 99,032 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in the country on Monday afternoon. &nbsp;

On Tuesday morning, over 1,700 new locally acquired cases were reported. It took the total number of confirmed cases to beyond 100,000 since the beginning of the pandemic. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-japan-to-ease-emergency-measures-gradually-as-number-of-cases-fall-416687" hreflang="en">COVID-19: Japan to ease emergency measures gradually as number of cases fall &nbsp;</a>

Health Minister Greg Hunt on Tuesday said that from November 1, Australians will be able to test themselves for COVID-19 at home. He also invited test manufacturers to apply for at-home use. &nbsp;

"This is an important additional protection for Australians. One of the important things is that we can supplement what is known as PCR testing - the testing that we all know if we go to a Commonwealth or a state clinic - with the home testing," Hunt told reporters. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-pandemic-ceos-of-pfizer-and-moderna-say-life-will-be-back-to-normal-in-a-year-416527" hreflang="en">Covid pandemic: CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna say life will be back to normal in a year</a>

In a media release, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said that to support the safe use of rapid antigen self-tests, it will make a new regulation that will allow companies to formally apply for TGA regulatory approval after October 1 to legally supply their self-tests for use at home in Australia. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

As the battle against the third wave of COVID-19 continues, Australia has surpassed 100,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease. Watch: × As per the figures from the Department of Health, there were 99,032 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in the country on Monday afternoon.

As the battle against the third wave of COVID-19 continues, Australia has surpassed 100,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus disease. Watch: × As per the figures from the Department of Health, there were 99,032 confirmed cases of COVID-19 reported in the country on Monday afternoon. On Tuesday morning, over 1,700 new locally acquired cases were reported. It took the total number of confirmed cases to beyond 100,000 since the beginning of the pandemic. Also Read | COVID-19: Japan to ease emergency measures gradually as number of cases fall Health Minister Greg Hunt on Tuesday said that from November 1, Australians will be able to test themselves for COVID-19 at home. He also invited test manufacturers to apply for at-home use. "This is an important additional protection for Australians. One of the important things is that we can supplement what is known as PCR testing - the testing that we all know if we go to a Commonwealth or a state clinic - with the home testing," Hunt told reporters. Also Read | Covid pandemic: CEOs of Pfizer and Moderna say life will be back to normal in a year In a media release, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) said that to support the safe use of rapid antigen self-tests, it will make a new regulation that will allow companies to formally apply for TGA regulatory approval after October 1 to legally supply their self-tests for use at home in Australia. (With inputs from agencies)

COVID-19: Australia surpasses 100,000 cases as third wave continues

News outlet CNN has said it scrapped its Facebook presence in Australia claiming that the social media behemoth refused to disable the comments section, while also citing the country’s high court ruling which made publishers responsible for defamatory comments posted by users on social media.

The move reportedly makes CNN the first major news organisation to pull its Facebook presence in Australia.

CNN said that Facebook declined a request to help it and other publishers disable public comments in the country following the ruling.

CNN's main Facebook page showed an error message when accessed from Australia on Wednesday.

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Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-media-may-rethink-facebook-presence-416130">Australian media may rethink facebook presence</a>

“We are disappointed that Facebook, once again, has failed to ensure its platform is a place for credible journalism and productive dialogue around current events among its users,” a CNN spokeswoman said in a statement.

A Facebook spokesperson suggested that the Australian defamation law needed reform and the company looked forward to “greater clarity and certainty in this area”.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/court-rules-australian-news-outlets-can-be-sued-for-comments-on-social-media-posts-411728">&nbsp;Court rules Australian news outlets can be sued for comments on social media posts</a>

“While it’s not our place to provide legal guidance to CNN, we have provided them with the latest information on tools we make available to help publishers manage comments,” the spokesperson told Reuters.

Social media is a central channel for distributing content in Australia, with about two-thirds of the country's 25 million population on Facebook, according to industry figures.

About a third of the country's population used Facebook to source news in 2021, a University of Canberra report said.

“The fact that a foreign outlet like CNN are pulling out shows the degree of concern that Australia's laws have not kept up with the pace of technological change,” Matt Collins, a prominent defamation lawyer, told Reuters.

CNN would have no equivalent exposure in the United States and relatively little exposure in Britain or other English-speaking countries like New Zealand, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

News outlet CNN has said it scrapped its Facebook presence in Australia claiming that the social media behemoth refused to disable the comments section, while also citing the country’s high court ruling which made publishers responsible for defamatory comments posted by users on social media.

News outlet CNN has said it scrapped its Facebook presence in Australia claiming that the social media behemoth refused to disable the comments section, while also citing the country’s high court ruling which made publishers responsible for defamatory comments posted by users on social media. The move reportedly makes CNN the first major news organisation to pull its Facebook presence in Australia. CNN said that Facebook declined a request to help it and other publishers disable public comments in the country following the ruling. CNN's main Facebook page showed an error message when accessed from Australia on Wednesday. Also read | Australian media may rethink facebook presence “We are disappointed that Facebook, once again, has failed to ensure its platform is a place for credible journalism and productive dialogue around current events among its users,” a CNN spokeswoman said in a statement. A Facebook spokesperson suggested that the Australian defamation law needed reform and the company looked forward to “greater clarity and certainty in this area”. Also read | Court rules Australian news outlets can be sued for comments on social media posts “While it’s not our place to provide legal guidance to CNN, we have provided them with the latest information on tools we make available to help publishers manage comments,” the spokesperson told Reuters. Social media is a central channel for distributing content in Australia, with about two-thirds of the country's 25 million population on Facebook, according to industry figures. About a third of the country's population used Facebook to source news in 2021, a University of Canberra report said. “The fact that a foreign outlet like CNN are pulling out shows the degree of concern that Australia's laws have not kept up with the pace of technological change,” Matt Collins, a prominent defamation lawyer, told Reuters. CNN would have no equivalent exposure in the United States and relatively little exposure in Britain or other English-speaking countries like New Zealand, he added. (With inputs from agencies)

CNN pulls out of Facebook in Australia, citing defamation risk

The England and Wales Cricket Board expects the uncertainty over the team’s Ashes tour due to Australia’s stringent COVID-19 quarantine measures to continue till the last moment, chairman Ian Watmore has said.

England players have threatened to pull out of the series unless they get assurances that their family members will be allowed to join them in Australia during the five-test series in December and January.

Australia’s borders are effectively shut in an effort to control the pandemic, with caps on international arrivals and limited places available in the country’s mandatory hotel quarantine regime.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/trouble-for-virat-kohli-senior-cricketers-complained-about-indian-skippers-attitude-to-bccis-jay-shah-report-416835">Trouble for Virat Kohli? Senior cricketers complained about Indian skipper's attitude to BCCI's Jay Shah: Report</a>

"There is no simple date it must be decided by, apart from when that plane goes to Australia," Watmore told the Daily Mail.

"Joe (Root) and the players not involved in the (Twenty20) World Cup will be leaving in the first week of November so we have until then to change things.

"We are trying to build up a picture, either confident or less confident, of the conditions. There are issues to sort out with Cricket Australia, there are issues for CA to sort out with their government and for the federal government to sort out with state governments. It is a complicated picture."

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he has asked his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, to help ease strict quarantine rules when they met in Washington last week.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2021-why-does-he-have-to-be-that-guy-again-asks-shane-warne-on-r-ashwin-eoin-morgan-altercation-416770">IPL 2021: Why does he have to be that guy again, asks Shane Warne on R Ashwin-Eoin Morgan altercation</a>

Australia plans to ease border and quarantine restrictions by the end of 2021 when at least 80% of adults are expected to have received two COVID-19 vaccination shots but some individual states might have separate rules.

Watmore said the players were eager to travel, considering the importance of the Ashes rivalry.

"CA know what we need to make the tour successful and they`re working to deliver it. We need to see the detail, check it out with the players and management and either push back or commit," said Watmore.

"It’s not a red-line type of discussion, but we’re working hard to provide an environment in which our players and their families want to go and perform to their best.

"If Australia can deliver that, great, if not we may have to have more challenging discussions." 
<o:p></o:p>

The England and Wales Cricket Board expects the uncertainty over the team’s Ashes tour due to Australia’s stringent COVID-19 quarantine measures to continue till the last moment, chairman Ian Watmore has said.

The England and Wales Cricket Board expects the uncertainty over the team’s Ashes tour due to Australia’s stringent COVID-19 quarantine measures to continue till the last moment, chairman Ian Watmore has said. England players have threatened to pull out of the series unless they get assurances that their family members will be allowed to join them in Australia during the five-test series in December and January. Australia’s borders are effectively shut in an effort to control the pandemic, with caps on international arrivals and limited places available in the country’s mandatory hotel quarantine regime. ALSO READ | Trouble for Virat Kohli? Senior cricketers complained about Indian skipper's attitude to BCCI's Jay Shah: Report "There is no simple date it must be decided by, apart from when that plane goes to Australia," Watmore told the Daily Mail. "Joe (Root) and the players not involved in the (Twenty20) World Cup will be leaving in the first week of November so we have until then to change things. "We are trying to build up a picture, either confident or less confident, of the conditions. There are issues to sort out with Cricket Australia, there are issues for CA to sort out with their government and for the federal government to sort out with state governments. It is a complicated picture." British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that he has asked his Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, to help ease strict quarantine rules when they met in Washington last week. ALSO READ | IPL 2021: Why does he have to be that guy again, asks Shane Warne on R Ashwin-Eoin Morgan altercation Australia plans to ease border and quarantine restrictions by the end of 2021 when at least 80% of adults are expected to have received two COVID-19 vaccination shots but some individual states might have separate rules. Watmore said the players were eager to travel, considering the importance of the Ashes rivalry. "CA know what we need to make the tour successful and they`re working to deliver it. We need to see the detail, check it out with the players and management and either push back or commit," said Watmore. "It’s not a red-line type of discussion, but we’re working hard to provide an environment in which our players and their families want to go and perform to their best. "If Australia can deliver that, great, if not we may have to have more challenging discussions."

England board chief says Ashes remains a 'complicated picture'

The technical probe into the three-day fire incident at a massive Tesla battery site in Australia has revealed that it may have been probably sparked by a coolant leak, safety regulators said on Tuesday. &nbsp;

The blaze had destroyed two giant Tesla batteries completely. &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Safety regulator Energy Safe Victoria’s technical probe said, "The most likely root cause of the incident was a leak within the Megapack cooling system that caused a short circuit that led to a fire in an electronic component." &nbsp;&nbsp;

The fire broke out at Victoria Big Battery project, which is being built by French renewable energy firm Neoen using Tesla batteries. The site is near Geelong, about an hour's drive from Melbourne. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tesla-chief-elon-musk-praises-china-again-416500" hreflang="en">Tesla chief Elon Musk praises China again</a>

The fire started on July 30 with a 13-tonne lithium battery, which is the size of a shipping container. It took firefighters three days to bring it under control. &nbsp;&nbsp;

In a statement, incident controller Ian Beswicke had said, "There was one battery pack on fire to start with, but it did spread to a second pack that was very close to it." &nbsp;&nbsp;

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The battery site, which is one of the largest in the world, is designed to store energy produced by renewables and send power to the grid. &nbsp;

Neoen Australia managing director Louis de Sambucy had said no one was injured in the incident. &nbsp;

In the review, the safety regulator said to have relied on an examination of the scene, a Tesla investigation, video footage and data from the incident. In the probe, both Tesla and Neoen had cooperated, it said. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The technical probe into the three-day fire incident at a massive Tesla battery site in Australia has revealed that it may have been probably sparked by a coolant leak, safety regulators said on Tuesday.

The technical probe into the three-day fire incident at a massive Tesla battery site in Australia has revealed that it may have been probably sparked by a coolant leak, safety regulators said on Tuesday. The blaze had destroyed two giant Tesla batteries completely. Watch: × Safety regulator Energy Safe Victoria’s technical probe said, "The most likely root cause of the incident was a leak within the Megapack cooling system that caused a short circuit that led to a fire in an electronic component." The fire broke out at Victoria Big Battery project, which is being built by French renewable energy firm Neoen using Tesla batteries. The site is near Geelong, about an hour's drive from Melbourne. Also Read: Tesla chief Elon Musk praises China again The fire started on July 30 with a 13-tonne lithium battery, which is the size of a shipping container. It took firefighters three days to bring it under control. In a statement, incident controller Ian Beswicke had said, "There was one battery pack on fire to start with, but it did spread to a second pack that was very close to it." Also Read: Facebook is delaying an Instagram app for users under the age of 13 The battery site, which is one of the largest in the world, is designed to store energy produced by renewables and send power to the grid. Neoen Australia managing director Louis de Sambucy had said no one was injured in the incident. In the review, the safety regulator said to have relied on an examination of the scene, a Tesla investigation, video footage and data from the incident. In the probe, both Tesla and Neoen had cooperated, it said. (With inputs from agencies)

Coolant leak likely behind blaze at Australia's Tesla battery site, says probe

Dylan Voller was already a polarising figure in Australia when the disturbing, violent and demonstrably false accusations against him began to appear on Facebook.

Voller had become famous overnight in 2016 after a television news exposé on the mistreatment of juveniles in the country’s criminal detention system broadcast a photograph of him, at age 17, hooded and strapped to a chair by guards. The image, likened by some to those of prisoners at Abu Ghraib in Iraq, shocked many Australians, prompting a national investigation.

Beneath articles about the investigation written by major Australian news outlets and posted to their Facebook pages, several commenters attacked Voller. Some made false accusations, including that Voller had raped an elderly woman and attacked a Salvation Army volunteer with a fire extinguisher, blinding him.

Instead of confronting the commenters directly, Voller sued the news media outlets, arguing that they were defaming him by permitting the comments on their Facebook pages. Crucially, he didn’t ask them to pull down the comments before filing his lawsuit, essentially arguing that they should be liable for comments they might not even be aware of.

“The comments were getting shared around, and I worried that people would think they were true,” Voller said.

His victory this month before the country’s top court could be a blow to Facebook’s ability to draw eyeballs to its content. It also further muddies the waters in a global debate over who should be held liable for what is said on social media.

Voller must still prove he was defamed. But in response to the top court’s decision that the media outlets could be held liable for online comments from others, some Australian news outlets are reconsidering what kinds of content they put on Facebook, potentially limiting engagement with readers.

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“We won’t post stories about politicians, Indigenous issues, court decisions, anything that we feel could get a problematic reaction from readers,” said Dave Earley, audience editor at Guardian Australia.

Facebook has added a feature that allows a page administrator to entirely turn off comments on a post. But Earley said the platform had been reluctant to offer more finely tuned options for moderation because comments drive engagement — a key to Facebook’s business model.

“It’s to their benefit for there to be comments on everything,” Earley said.

Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about Voller’s lawsuit.

For Facebook, which has long insisted that it is a neutral vessel for public discourse, the court’s ruling may offer a type of indirect amnesty. While the company may still face defamation suits in Australia, plaintiffs there will be more likely to take local people and media companies to court.

And if adopted more widely, the view endorsed by Australia’s court could stifle the sort of freewheeling discourse that often keeps users glued to social media.

The ruling extends liability for user comments to anyone with a public Facebook page, not just news outlets. For example, the administrator of a Facebook community could be sued for comments left under a post, even if the administrator was unaware of them.

The Australian ruling comes at a moment when many places around the world are grappling with how to assign accountability for what is said on social media. In the United States, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act holds that online platforms have automatic immunity from what people say in third-party comments.

The legislation, which has been called a “gift to the internet” because of its pro-speech stance, has recently come under scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum, though for opposite reasons. Democrats have argued that Section 230 should be repealed so that social media companies can be held accountable for misinformation and hate speech spreading widely on their platforms. Republicans who dislike the law say online platforms are using it to silence conservative views.

Elsewhere, in an extreme attempt to legislate against moderation, President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil tried but failed to bar social media companies from removing inflammatory or misleading content, including his claims that if he loses the election next year the results will have been rigged. The British Parliament is considering a plan to give media regulators the power to force platforms to remove illegal and harmful content.

Still, the wide reach of the Australian decision makes the country an “extreme outlier,” said Daphne Keller, director of the platform regulation program at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center.

The most comparable measure, she said, was a 2015 ruling in the European Court of Human Rights that said the owner of an online forum can be liable for harmful comments left there, even before the owner realises it. But a European court a year later said the ruling applied only to hate speech, not defamation.

“The court held that a rule like this would violate internet users’ fundamental right for freedom of expression,” Keller said.

While the Australian ruling directly affects only Facebook page administrators in the country, it could have global implications. In 2002, a court ruled that an Australian citizen could sue an American media company for a defamatory article published overseas. At the time, the ruling was characterised as a “devastating blow to free speech online,” potentially obliging publishers to censor themselves. In the United States, legislation was later passed to make such a foreign defamation ruling unenforceable.

But with this new ruling, Australian residents could still go after international media companies with bureaus outside the United States for any comment ever left on their social media pages.

“The concern is that this will make Australia a magnet for international defamation disputes,” Matt Collins, an Australian lawyer and defamation expert, said.

Even before Australia’s top court backed Voller, the young man who sued the media outlets, his argument had prevailed in a lower court and had already been felt throughout the country. Last year, the owner of a community Facebook page for a wealthy suburb of Sydney shut it down after receiving the threat of a defamation suit stemming from a comment somebody had left about a rival group.

Collins worries that similar cases will be brought by those hoping to quash public discourse on certain topics.

“The best public interest journalism and commentary is often defamatory and controversial,” he said. “This decision plainly chills the freedom to discuss these matters on these online platforms.”

Voller has defended his lawsuit. Now 24, he has publicly apologised for the crimes that landed him in juvenile detention, including assault, robbery and car theft. He has cited both his time in juvenile detention and the rumors circulating about him as damaging to his mental health.

Voller, an Indigenous man who is now a youth justice campaigner, said the court’s ruling would help protect vulnerable people in his community from the type of abuse he suffered online.

“Some of the comments made me feel suicidal,” he said. “I’m doing something right if I’m making people think about how to limit this type of thing from happening to other people in the future.”

Dylan Voller was already a polarising figure in Australia when the disturbing, violent and demonstrably false accusations against him began to appear on Facebook.

Dylan Voller was already a polarising figure in Australia when the disturbing, violent and demonstrably false accusations against him began to appear on Facebook. Voller had become famous overnight in 2016 after a television news exposé on the mistreatment of juveniles in the country’s criminal detention system broadcast a photograph of him, at age 17, hooded and strapped to a chair by guards. The image, likened by some to those of prisoners at Abu Ghraib in Iraq, shocked many Australians, prompting a national investigation. Beneath articles about the investigation written by major Australian news outlets and posted to their Facebook pages, several commenters attacked Voller. Some made false accusations, including that Voller had raped an elderly woman and attacked a Salvation Army volunteer with a fire extinguisher, blinding him. Instead of confronting the commenters directly, Voller sued the news media outlets, arguing that they were defaming him by permitting the comments on their Facebook pages. Crucially, he didn’t ask them to pull down the comments before filing his lawsuit, essentially arguing that they should be liable for comments they might not even be aware of. “The comments were getting shared around, and I worried that people would think they were true,” Voller said. His victory this month before the country’s top court could be a blow to Facebook’s ability to draw eyeballs to its content. It also further muddies the waters in a global debate over who should be held liable for what is said on social media. Voller must still prove he was defamed. But in response to the top court’s decision that the media outlets could be held liable for online comments from others, some Australian news outlets are reconsidering what kinds of content they put on Facebook, potentially limiting engagement with readers. Also read | Japan's Princess Mako to give up one-off payment in controversial marriage: Media “We won’t post stories about politicians, Indigenous issues, court decisions, anything that we feel could get a problematic reaction from readers,” said Dave Earley, audience editor at Guardian Australia. Facebook has added a feature that allows a page administrator to entirely turn off comments on a post. But Earley said the platform had been reluctant to offer more finely tuned options for moderation because comments drive engagement — a key to Facebook’s business model. “It’s to their benefit for there to be comments on everything,” Earley said. Facebook did not respond to requests for comment about Voller’s lawsuit. For Facebook, which has long insisted that it is a neutral vessel for public discourse, the court’s ruling may offer a type of indirect amnesty. While the company may still face defamation suits in Australia, plaintiffs there will be more likely to take local people and media companies to court. And if adopted more widely, the view endorsed by Australia’s court could stifle the sort of freewheeling discourse that often keeps users glued to social media. The ruling extends liability for user comments to anyone with a public Facebook page, not just news outlets. For example, the administrator of a Facebook community could be sued for comments left under a post, even if the administrator was unaware of them. The Australian ruling comes at a moment when many places around the world are grappling with how to assign accountability for what is said on social media. In the United States, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act holds that online platforms have automatic immunity from what people say in third-party comments. The legislation, which has been called a “gift to the internet” because of its pro-speech stance, has recently come under scrutiny from both sides of the political spectrum, though for opposite reasons. Democrats have argued that Section 230 should be repealed so that social media companies can be held accountable for misinformation and hate speech spreading widely on their platforms. Republicans who dislike the law say online platforms are using it to silence conservative views. Elsewhere, in an extreme attempt to legislate against moderation, President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil tried but failed to bar social media companies from removing inflammatory or misleading content, including his claims that if he loses the election next year the results will have been rigged. The British Parliament is considering a plan to give media regulators the power to force platforms to remove illegal and harmful content. Still, the wide reach of the Australian decision makes the country an “extreme outlier,” said Daphne Keller, director of the platform regulation program at Stanford University’s Cyber Policy Center. The most comparable measure, she said, was a 2015 ruling in the European Court of Human Rights that said the owner of an online forum can be liable for harmful comments left there, even before the owner realises it. But a European court a year later said the ruling applied only to hate speech, not defamation. “The court held that a rule like this would violate internet users’ fundamental right for freedom of expression,” Keller said. While the Australian ruling directly affects only Facebook page administrators in the country, it could have global implications. In 2002, a court ruled that an Australian citizen could sue an American media company for a defamatory article published overseas. At the time, the ruling was characterised as a “devastating blow to free speech online,” potentially obliging publishers to censor themselves. In the United States, legislation was later passed to make such a foreign defamation ruling unenforceable. But with this new ruling, Australian residents could still go after international media companies with bureaus outside the United States for any comment ever left on their social media pages. “The concern is that this will make Australia a magnet for international defamation disputes,” Matt Collins, an Australian lawyer and defamation expert, said. Even before Australia’s top court backed Voller, the young man who sued the media outlets, his argument had prevailed in a lower court and had already been felt throughout the country. Last year, the owner of a community Facebook page for a wealthy suburb of Sydney shut it down after receiving the threat of a defamation suit stemming from a comment somebody had left about a rival group. Collins worries that similar cases will be brought by those hoping to quash public discourse on certain topics. “The best public interest journalism and commentary is often defamatory and controversial,” he said. “This decision plainly chills the freedom to discuss these matters on these online platforms.” Voller has defended his lawsuit. Now 24, he has publicly apologised for the crimes that landed him in juvenile detention, including assault, robbery and car theft. He has cited both his time in juvenile detention and the rumors circulating about him as damaging to his mental health. Voller, an Indigenous man who is now a youth justice campaigner, said the court’s ruling would help protect vulnerable people in his community from the type of abuse he suffered online. “Some of the comments made me feel suicidal,” he said. “I’m doing something right if I’m making people think about how to limit this type of thing from happening to other people in the future.”

Australian media may rethink facebook presence

The quiet French coastal city of Cherbourg has suddenly become the epicenter of an international trade dispute. This after Australia revealed that it is scrapping the 40 billion dollar submarine border.

Stabbed in the back? Australia terminates $40 billion submarine deal with France

WION is constantly tracking all updates of the first in-person QUAD summit. What has the historic meeting achieved? Palki Sharma shares her insights on it

WION's Executive Editor Palki Sharma shares her insights on historic QUAD summit

The young brains behind the site CovidbaseAU for tracking Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Australia have been revealed in quite a dramatic way as the teenagers and close friends, who created the site, got their first doses of the Moderna vaccine in Melbourne on Thursday (September 23).&nbsp;

The CovidbaseAU site tracks COVID-19 data in Australia, including in-depth breakdowns of vaccinations, state-wise cases also tells about the tests and Covid-related events.&nbsp;

The official Twitter handle of the CovidbaseAU posted an image of 14-year-old Wesley with Jack and Darcy, both 15 years old. On the Twitter page, the boys also wrote that they looked forward to joining the 25.30% of age group 12-15 in Victoria who had received at least one dose of vaccine.&nbsp;

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During their interaction with ABC TV on Friday, they said, "Being really interested in data, we decided to take what we've been doing and create something with it. We spend a lot of time on it to try to make it as comprehensive as possible," said Jack, the data collector who came up with the idea of the site. Jack has created all the charts seen on the site and has been responsible for tracking the data over time.&nbsp;

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Looking forward to being added to that 25.30% tomorrow😁 <a href="https://t.co/2O3rnOVQb8">pic.twitter.com/2O3rnOVQb8</a>
— CovidBaseAU 🦠📊🇦🇺 (@covidbaseau) <a href="https://twitter.com/covidbaseau/status/1440934232163950596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 23, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The official site of the CovidbaseAU revealed how Jack came up with the idea of creating a data-driven platform after the Covid pandemic wreaked havoc in July 2020 globally. He said he began to learn different sources and started to track the data on an excel spreadsheet.&nbsp;

He continued to track data until around February this year when he, with two other close friends came up with the idea to take the data that he had collected and make it mainstream.&nbsp;

Darcy is the coder, who makes "all the magic" happen on the site. "All throughout 2020 Jack kept showing me all the data he had collected. And around February 2021 I suggested that he put all the data on a website. So he asked me to make it. Next thing I knew I had about 400 charts to embed," he said as quoted by the CovidbaseAU site.&nbsp;

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The site called Wesley a "cool dude", who make the advertisements, logos, etc. "But my most important role and the role they desperately needed the most is MORAL SUPPORT. When their hopes were down, when they were about to give up, when they needed motivation I was the one who totally dragged them out of the dumps and forced them to get a GRIP and start working again," said Wesley on the app's site.&nbsp;

What is CovidbaseAU?

CovidbaseAU has been tracking COVID-19 statistics since April 2021, breaking down Australian and global data on infections, hospitalisations, deaths and vaccinations.&nbsp;

The site is designed to bring the majority of publically available data into one central source as the stats in Australia are reported very differently depending on the state and territory.&nbsp;

The site also states that it's not official data and they cannot guarantee that every data point is 100% accurate.&nbsp;

The young brains behind the site CovidbaseAU for tracking Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Australia have been revealed in quite a dramatic way as the teenagers and close friends, who created the site, got their first doses of the Moderna vaccine in Melbourne on Thursday (September 23).

The young brains behind the site CovidbaseAU for tracking Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Australia have been revealed in quite a dramatic way as the teenagers and close friends, who created the site, got their first doses of the Moderna vaccine in Melbourne on Thursday (September 23). The CovidbaseAU site tracks COVID-19 data in Australia, including in-depth breakdowns of vaccinations, state-wise cases also tells about the tests and Covid-related events. The official Twitter handle of the CovidbaseAU posted an image of 14-year-old Wesley with Jack and Darcy, both 15 years old. On the Twitter page, the boys also wrote that they looked forward to joining the 25.30% of age group 12-15 in Victoria who had received at least one dose of vaccine. ALSO READ | 'Side-eyeing Chloe’ to cash in on her popularity by selling her meme as NFT During their interaction with ABC TV on Friday, they said, "Being really interested in data, we decided to take what we've been doing and create something with it. We spend a lot of time on it to try to make it as comprehensive as possible," said Jack, the data collector who came up with the idea of the site. Jack has created all the charts seen on the site and has been responsible for tracking the data over time. Looking forward to being added to that 25.30% tomorrow😁 pic.twitter.com/2O3rnOVQb8 — CovidBaseAU 🦠📊🇦🇺 (@covidbaseau) September 23, 2021 × The official site of the CovidbaseAU revealed how Jack came up with the idea of creating a data-driven platform after the Covid pandemic wreaked havoc in July 2020 globally. He said he began to learn different sources and started to track the data on an excel spreadsheet. He continued to track data until around February this year when he, with two other close friends came up with the idea to take the data that he had collected and make it mainstream. Darcy is the coder, who makes "all the magic" happen on the site. "All throughout 2020 Jack kept showing me all the data he had collected. And around February 2021 I suggested that he put all the data on a website. So he asked me to make it. Next thing I knew I had about 400 charts to embed," he said as quoted by the CovidbaseAU site. ALSO READ | Chinese clothing brand faces heat over inappropriate messages, anti-India depictions printed on kids' shirts The site called Wesley a "cool dude", who make the advertisements, logos, etc. "But my most important role and the role they desperately needed the most is MORAL SUPPORT. When their hopes were down, when they were about to give up, when they needed motivation I was the one who totally dragged them out of the dumps and forced them to get a GRIP and start working again," said Wesley on the app's site. What is CovidbaseAU? CovidbaseAU has been tracking COVID-19 statistics since April 2021, breaking down Australian and global data on infections, hospitalisations, deaths and vaccinations. The site is designed to bring the majority of publically available data into one central source as the stats in Australia are reported very differently depending on the state and territory. The site also states that it's not official data and they cannot guarantee that every data point is 100% accurate.

Designer, coder and cool dude: Teenagers behind Australia's COVID-19 data tracking website

A new report by Australian National University has revealed that many parents are struggling to find support for their children.&nbsp;

As a part of the study, the university surveyed 3,135 Australians age 18 and older in August. Out of this, 763 were parents with children age 18 and under living in their household from the time the pandemic hit. The samples had 1,368 children between them.

When parents were asked about the mental health of their children, it was concluded that they had seen the largest negative impact on the mental health of those aged five to 18 years.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/covid-has-decreased-life-expectancy-for-men-but-not-for-women-study-415365">Also read | Covid has decreased life expectancy for men, but not for women: Study</a>

Professor Nicholas Biddle, who happens to be one of the co-authors of the study said that 71% of parents of young people aged 15 to 18 reported worsening mental health conditions for their children.

He was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "A lot of this is due to the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and in particular extended lockdowns".

“Compared to other surveys earlier in the pandemic, these negative mental health impacts have become a lot worse in their eyes. And it’s across the board for most children.”

The analysis further highlighted that &nbsp;61.8% of parents and carers with children aged five to nine think their kids had worsening mental health conditions, while 63.4% with children aged 10 to 14 said the same.

A new report by Australian National University has revealed that many parents are struggling to find support for their children. As a part of the study, the university surveyed 3,135 Australians age 18 and older in August.

A new report by Australian National University has revealed that many parents are struggling to find support for their children. As a part of the study, the university surveyed 3,135 Australians age 18 and older in August. Out of this, 763 were parents with children age 18 and under living in their household from the time the pandemic hit. The samples had 1,368 children between them. When parents were asked about the mental health of their children, it was concluded that they had seen the largest negative impact on the mental health of those aged five to 18 years. Also read | Covid has decreased life expectancy for men, but not for women: Study Professor Nicholas Biddle, who happens to be one of the co-authors of the study said that 71% of parents of young people aged 15 to 18 reported worsening mental health conditions for their children. He was quoted by The Guardian as saying, "A lot of this is due to the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and in particular extended lockdowns". “Compared to other surveys earlier in the pandemic, these negative mental health impacts have become a lot worse in their eyes. And it’s across the board for most children.” The analysis further highlighted that 61.8% of parents and carers with children aged five to nine think their kids had worsening mental health conditions, while 63.4% with children aged 10 to 14 said the same.

Australian parents say mental health of their children is worsening in pandemic

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