Australia & Pacifics

AUCKLAND, Aug 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern kicked off her Labour Party’s election campaign Saturday riding high in the opinion polls after a successful response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Ardern’s popularity as preferred prime minister — often referred to as “Jacindamania” — topped 60 percent in the latest surveys following her leadership through the Christchurch mosque attacks, the White Island volcanic eruption and the pandemic.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A bright side for plant nurseries of Melbourne’s first pandemic stay-at-home order was that many householders took the time to garden. But the latest lockdown in Australia’s second-largest city is far tougher.

More than 250,000 people were thrown out of work on Thursday. Those whose jobs are deemed essential need government-issued permits to travel the near-empty streets of a virtual ghost town to get to their jobs.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Three men have been rescued from a tiny Pacific island after writing a giant SOS sign in the sand that was spotted from above, authorities say.

The men had been missing in the Micronesia archipelago for nearly three days when their distress signal was spotted Sunday on uninhabited Pikelot Island by searchers on Australian and U.S. aircraft, the Australian defense department said Monday.

Melbourne, Aug 2 (AP/PTI) The premier of Australia's hard-hit Victoria state has declared a disaster among sweeping new coronavirus restrictions across Melbourne and elsewhere from Sunday night.

An evening curfew will be implemented across Melbourne from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Premier Daniel Andrews says the state of disaster proclamation gave police greater power.

Sydney, Jul 28 (AP/PTI) Police arrested a leader of an anti-racism protest and shut down the demonstration before it started Tuesday after courts ruled the gathering in downtown Sydney was illegal due to the pandemic threat.

Organiser Paddy Gibson was among a number of people arrested in a park known as The Domain before the rally was due to start at noon. Two police officers were photographed leading a defiant Gibson away.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian police on Tuesday arrested six people and ordered about 50 others to disperse after they gathered in Sydney for a Black Lives Matter protest despite an official ban because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The march was planned to highlight the deaths of Aboriginal people in custody, building on momentum from global rallies for racial justice and against police brutality.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia has joined the United States in stating that China’s claims in the South China Sea do not comply with international law in a declaration likely to anger China and put more strain on their deteriorating relations.

The United States this month rejected China’s claims to offshore resources in most of the South China Sea, drawing criticism from China which said the U.S. position raised tension in the region.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — There were few bare faces among rush-hour commuters in Australia’s second-largest city on Thursday morning as Melbourne residents were largely complying with a new law making face coverings compulsory.

Melbourne and neighboring semi-rural Mitchell Shire are coronavirus hot spots that have been in lockdown for two weeks. Wearing a mask or face covering in public became mandatory for Melbourne’s 5 million residents from 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday.

SYDNEY, July 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) —Huge waves have pummelled the Australian state of New South Wales, eroding some coastal areas and putting homes at risk of collapse.

In beach suburbs to the north of Sydney, residents lost decks and fences as the surf lapped at the edge of properties.

Authorities say they have recorded waves as high as 11m this week off the city’s coastline.

The wild surf has been caused by a strong low pressure system.

On Friday, the Bureau of Meteorology (Bom) re-issued a “hazardous” surf warning for the state’s entire 2,100km coastline.

Canberra, Jul 17 (AP/PTI) A strong earthquake has struck near coastal Papua New Guinea.

The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said a hazardous tsunami was possible within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the epicenter, which would include eastern coastal areas of the country.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the 7.0 magnitude quake struck Friday north-northwest of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea, and was 80 kilometers (53 miles) deep. The tsunami warning center said the magnitude was a stronger 7.3.