Australia & Pacifics

Wellington, Apr 17 (AFP) New Zealand police on Wednesday ended the routine arming of frontline officers as the terrorism threat level was lowered a month after the Christchurch mosques massacre.

Police and security agencies reduced the threat level from high to medium, meaning authorities judge that another attack, violent criminal behaviour, or violent protest remains "feasible" rather than "very likely".

The level is still higher than it was before the March 15 attacks, when the threat was deemed to be "low".

WELLINGTON, April 15 (Xinhua) -- A latest poll released on Monday showed that New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern reached her highest ever rating as preferred prime minister.

According to the One News/Colmar Brunton Poll, Ardern's popularity reached 51 percent as preferred prime minister compared to 5 percent for Simon Bridges, the opposition National Party leader.

Ardern said following Monday's poll that she knew "when I'm fulfilling people's expectations and when I'm not, but my focus is still on doing the best I can."

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Six people appeared in a New Zealand court Monday on charges they illegally redistributed the video a gunman livestreamed as he shot worshippers at two mosques last month.

Christchurch District Court Judge Stephen O’Driscoll denied bail to businessman Philip Arps and an 18-year-old suspect who both were taken into custody in March. The four others are not in custody.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand’s governor general on Thursday formally signed into effect sweeping gun laws outlawing military style weapons, less than a month after a man used such guns to kill 50 people and wound dozens at two mosques in Christchurch.

Governor General Patsy Reddy signed the bill as police said a gun buyback program will be announced to collect the now-banned weapons. The weapons will be illegal starting at midnight, but police said a brief amnesty program will be in effect until details of the buyback are announced.

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

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

CANBERRA, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Australia's aviation authority has granted approval for drone delivery system to take to the skies in the nation's capital city Canberra.

Project Wing, a venture of Google's parent company Alphabet, was on Tuesday given the green light to begin full operations in Canberra by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

It comes after an 18-month trial of using drones to deliver food, drinks and medication in the Canberra suburb of Bonython was deemed successful.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has named a sitting Supreme Court justice to head New Zealand’s top level investigation into the actions of security agencies and other issues related to the mosque shootings last month.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry will look into the gunman’s activities before the attack, including how he obtained a gun license in New Zealand and purchased weapons and ammunition, and his use of social media and possible connections with others in New Zealand or overseas.