Australia & Pacifics

Melbourne, Dec 24 (PTI) Australian pace spearhead Mitchell Starc has described Virat Kohli as a "fantastic captain", having shared the dressing room with the India captain while representing Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League.

Kohli's on-field heated exchanges with Australia skipper Tim Paine in the second Test turned out to be a subject of discussion with many former players, including Mitchell Johnson, criticising the batting maestro's behaviour.

However, Starc backed Kohli.

16 Dec 2018; AFP: Australia's conservative prime minister on Sunday stood by his decision to recognise west Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, despite criticism from neighbouring Muslim countries.

Canberra became one of a handful of governments to follow US President Donald Trump's lead and recognise the contested city as Israel's capital, Prime Minister Scott Morrison had announced Saturday.

SYDNEY (AP) — Australia has decided to formally recognize west Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but won’t move its embassy until there’s a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced Saturday.

Morrison said in a speech that Australia would recognize east Jerusalem as Palestine’s capital only after a settlement has been reached on a two-state solution. The Australian Embassy won’t be moved from Tel Aviv until such a time, he said.

14 Nov 2018: AFP: Australia on Friday warned citizens to take care while travelling in neighbouring Muslim-majority Indonesia, ahead of an expected but contentious move to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to announce -- as soon as Saturday -- that his government will follow US President Donald Trump's lead and recognise the contested city as Israel's capital.

13 Dec 2018; DW: The commission will have two divisions: one to investigate the public sector and one for law enforcement agencies. The announcement attempts to nullify a major issue facing Scott Morrison's government ahead of elections.

Australia is to have a national anti-corruption commission aimed at stamping out corrupt and criminal behavior in police and politicians, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Thursday.

10 Dec 2018; AFP: India won their first Test on Australian soil in a decade Monday, bowling out the home side in a nail-biting finale to clinch the opening match of the series at Adelaide Oval with Rishabh Pant equalling a world-record along the way.

The hosts were set an improbable target of 323, which would have been a record run chase at the ground but gallantly battled to 291 before Josh Hazlewood became the last man to fall to Ravichandran Ashwin, who finished with 3-92. Shaun Marsh made 62 and Tim Paine 41.

Adelaide, Dec 8 (PTI) Virat Kohli was booed by a small section of the Adelaide Oval crowd when he stepped out to bat in the second innings against Australia, an act that has been criticised by rival batsman Travis Head and former skipper Ricky Ponting.

Kohli came out to bat after the fall of opener K L Rahul and was jeered by a small group of Australian fans. He received similar boos when he had headed to bat on the opening day.

Travis Head, however, wasn't impressed by the behaviour of the crowd.

Adelaide, Dec 8 (PTI) Virat Kohli was booed by a small section of the Adelaide Oval crowd when he stepped out to bat in the second innings against Australia, an act that has been criticised by rival batsman Travis Head and former skipper Ricky Ponting.

Kohli came out to bat after the fall of opener K L Rahul and was jeered by a small group of Australian fans. He received similar boos when he had headed to bat on the opening day.

Travis Head, however, wasn't impressed by the behaviour of the crowd.

6 Dec 2018; AFP: Pakistan's leg-spinner Yasir Shah Thursday became the fastest cricketer to take 200 Test wickets, breaking an 82-year-old record on the fourth day of the third Test against New Zealand.

The 32-year-old trapped nightwatchman Will Somerville leg before for four -- his second wicket of the New Zealand second innings -- to reach the milestone in his 33rd Test, beating Australian leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett's record of 36 Tests achieved against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1936.

5 Dec 2018; AFP: A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck near New Caledonia Wednesday, triggering a tsunami alert and emergency evacuations across a swathe of the South Pacific, but there were no reports of serious damage or injuries.

Authorities said the quake, followed by at least 20 strong aftershocks, was centred about 170 kilometres (100 miles) southeast of New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands at a depth of just 10 kilometres.

Island residents said the initial quake shook the walls of buildings and in places turned the sea foamy.