Fake Tag Claim Offers Pigeon a Death Row Reprieve
A racing pigeon detained by Australian authorities and set to be destroyed over concerns it was an American intruder received a lifeline Friday, when experts revealed its leg tag was probably fake.
Category: Australia
World Ushers in New Year under COVID Shadow
Confetti fluttered on to frontline workers scattered across Times Square after fireworks burst above eerily quiet landmarks from Sydney Harbour Bridge to Copacabana beach, as the world ushered in the New Year with muted celebrations and said good riddance to a pandemic-ridden 2020.
World Begins Ushering in Locked-Down New Year
The world began ushering in the New Year Thursday, with pandemic controls muting celebrations for billions of people eager to bid farewell to a virus-ridden 2020.
2020: World Rocked by COVID-19, Trump and Black Lives Matter
The Covid-19 pandemic cast a long pall over 2020 but it also saw President Donald Trump beaten by Joe Biden in a tumultuous US election and the Black Lives Matter movement shake the world.
Christmas Celebrated Under Pandemic’s Shadow
Hundreds of millions across the world celebrated pared-down Christmas festivities on Friday due to coronavirus restrictions, as Pope Francis called for vaccines for everyone, describing them as “glimmers of hope in this period of darkness and uncertainty”.
Don Bradman’s Debut ‘Baggy Green’ Cap Sold for Record Aus$450,000
The “baggy green” worn on Test debut in 1928 by Australia’s greatest batsman Donald Bradman has sold for Aus$450,000 (US$340,000), a record for one of the cricket legend’s caps.
Maradona Mourned, Kobe’s Tragedy: Sports Deaths in 2020
Diego Maradona’s death last month shook the world of sport in a year which began with the tragic loss of basketball hero Kobe Bryant in a helicopter crash.
Australia Watchdog Sues Facebook over ‘Misleading’ VPN App
Australia’s consumer watchdog launched legal action against Facebook on Wednesday, alleging the social media giant “misled” thousands of Australians by collecting user data from a free VPN service advertised as private.
‘Completely Smashed’ – Oceania Gamers Suffer eSports Setback
Despite a global boom, the closure of one of the southern hemisphere’s biggest eSports leagues has left its players in Australia and across Oceania facing an uncertain future.
Japan Space Agency Hails Return of Asteroid Dust on Earth
Japan space agency officials on Sunday hailed the arrival of rare asteroid samples on Earth after they were collected by space probe Hayabusa-2 during an unprecedented mission.
Laser-Guided Lightning May Help Prevent Wildfires
Small, portable laser pointers could be used to guide lightning strikes, with a study suggesting the technology may prevent bolts from sparking wildfires, a researcher told AFP Thursday.
From China to Queensland: The Extraordinary Life of Ballet Dancer Li Cunxin
Since Li Cunxin was plucked from rural China to join Madame Mao’s elite ballet school, through his exile in the US and now the pandemic, his life has been a reluctant pas de deux with politics.
The World’s Largest Pink Diamond Mine has Shut its Doors
The world’s largest pink diamond mine has shut its doors after exhausting its reserves of the expensive gems, global mining giant Rio Tinto said Tuesday.
Japan’s Unbeaten ‘Monster’ Inoue KOs Moloney in Las Vegas Debut
Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue defended his unified WBA and IBF bantamweight world titles in his Las Vegas debut on Saturday with a seventh-round knockout of Australia’s Jason Moloney.
Virus-Beating Melbourne Enjoys ‘Big Day’ Reopening
Australia’s second-biggest city Melbourne reopened to exhilaration and relief on Wednesday, as residents began trickling back to shops and restaurants after a months-long coronavirus lockdown was lifted.
