By , SYDNEY (Reuters) - The border between Australia’s two most populous states will close from Tuesday for an indefinite period as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak of the coronavirus in the city of Melbourne.The decision announced on Monday marks the first time the border between Victoria and New South Wales has been shut in 100 years. Officials last blocked movement between the two states in 1919 during the Spanish flu pandemic.“It is the smart call, the right call at this time, given the significant challenges we face in containing this virus,” Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews...…By , SYDNEY (Reuters) - The border between Australia’s two most populous states will close from Tuesday for an indefinite period as authorities scramble to contain an outbreak of the coronavirus in the city of Melbourne.The decision announced on Monday marks the first time the border between Victoria and New South Wales has been shut in 100 years. Officials last blocked movement between the two states in 1919 during the Spanish flu pandemic.“It is the smart call, the right call at this time, given the significant challenges we face in containing this virus,” Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews...WW…

By , SYDNEY (Reuters) - South Australia reported 14 new coronavirus cases on Monday, a rapid spike in the state’s first outbreak since April, prompting officials to impose social distancing restrictions.The cluster also prompted some other Australian states to reimpose strict quarantine measures on anybody arriving from South Australia - just days after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he expected all internal borders to be open by Christmas.South Australia authorities first reported three locally-acquired COVID-19 cases on Sunday, saying the outbreak was caused by a worker from a...…By , SYDNEY (Reuters) - South Australia reported 14 new coronavirus cases on Monday, a rapid spike in the state’s first outbreak since April, prompting officials to impose social distancing restrictions.The cluster also prompted some other Australian states to reimpose strict quarantine measures on anybody arriving from South Australia - just days after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he expected all internal borders to be open by Christmas.South Australia authorities first reported three locally-acquired COVID-19 cases on Sunday, saying the outbreak was caused by a worker from a...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Australia on Tuesday suspended direct flights from India to prevent more virulent coronavirus variants entering the country following a surge in positive COVID-19 cases in the world's second-most populous nation.India's coronavirus death toll neared the bleak milestone of 200,000 with another 2,771 fatalities reported on Tuesday, while its armed forces pledged urgent medical aid to help battle the staggering spike in infections. The suspension of direct passenger flights between the two countries will remain...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Australia on Tuesday suspended direct flights from India to prevent more virulent coronavirus variants entering the country following a surge in positive COVID-19 cases in the world's second-most populous nation.India's coronavirus death toll neared the bleak milestone of 200,000 with another 2,771 fatalities reported on Tuesday, while its armed forces pledged urgent medical aid to help battle the staggering spike in infections. The suspension of direct passenger flights between the two countries will remain...WW…

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Australia on Tuesday suspended direct flights from India to prevent more virulent coronavirus variants entering the country following a surge in positive COVID-19 cases in the world's second-most populous nation.India's coronavirus death toll neared the bleak milestone of 200,000 with another 2,771 fatalities reported on Tuesday, while its armed forces pledged urgent medical aid to help battle the staggering spike in infections. The suspension of direct passenger flights between the two countries will remain...…Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.comSYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Australia on Tuesday suspended direct flights from India to prevent more virulent coronavirus variants entering the country following a surge in positive COVID-19 cases in the world's second-most populous nation.India's coronavirus death toll neared the bleak milestone of 200,000 with another 2,771 fatalities reported on Tuesday, while its armed forces pledged urgent medical aid to help battle the staggering spike in infections. The suspension of direct passenger flights between the two countries will remain...WW…

By SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia’s central bank will likely keep key rates at a record low of 0.1% at its monthly policy meeting next week, a majority of economists polled by Reuters showed, with rates seen at that level through the end of 2022.All but one of 24 economists surveyed by Reuters expect no change to policy at the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) April 6 board meeting. One economist predicted a 5 basis point cut to 0.05%.The economists expect no change to the cash rate until end-2022.The RBA slashed rates last year to an all-time low of 0.1% and launched a massive quantitative...…By SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia’s central bank will likely keep key rates at a record low of 0.1% at its monthly policy meeting next week, a majority of economists polled by Reuters showed, with rates seen at that level through the end of 2022.All but one of 24 economists surveyed by Reuters expect no change to policy at the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) April 6 board meeting. One economist predicted a 5 basis point cut to 0.05%.The economists expect no change to the cash rate until end-2022.The RBA slashed rates last year to an all-time low of 0.1% and launched a massive quantitative...WW…

By , (Reuters) - AstraZeneca said its COVID-19 vaccine was 76% effective in a new analysis of its U.S. trial - only slightly lower than the level in an earlier report this week criticised for using outdated data.Interim data published on Monday had put the vaccine’s efficacy rate at 79% but had not included more recent infections, leading to a highly unusual public rebuke from U.S health officials.The small revision to the efficacy rate will go a long way to putting the vaccine back on track for gaining U.S. emergency use authorisation - which it plans to seek in the coming weeks - and help...…By , (Reuters) - AstraZeneca said its COVID-19 vaccine was 76% effective in a new analysis of its U.S. trial - only slightly lower than the level in an earlier report this week criticised for using outdated data.Interim data published on Monday had put the vaccine’s efficacy rate at 79% but had not included more recent infections, leading to a highly unusual public rebuke from U.S health officials.The small revision to the efficacy rate will go a long way to putting the vaccine back on track for gaining U.S. emergency use authorisation - which it plans to seek in the coming weeks - and help...WW…

By SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales recorded its 11th day of zero local coronavirus cases on Thursday, allowing neighbouring Queensland state to lift border restrictions while Victoria state also hinted at relaxing travel with Sydney.Australian states imposed quarantine or hard border restrictions for travellers from New South Wales (NSW) after an outbreak in Sydney in late December, throwing Christmas holiday plans of thousands of Australians into chaos.The Sydney clusters have now been curbed, giving other states the confidence to reopen borders....…By SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales recorded its 11th day of zero local coronavirus cases on Thursday, allowing neighbouring Queensland state to lift border restrictions while Victoria state also hinted at relaxing travel with Sydney.Australian states imposed quarantine or hard border restrictions for travellers from New South Wales (NSW) after an outbreak in Sydney in late December, throwing Christmas holiday plans of thousands of Australians into chaos.The Sydney clusters have now been curbed, giving other states the confidence to reopen borders....WW…

Want to discuss? Please read our first.AdvertisementClose XAAA pigeon due to be put down in after apparently flying across the Pacific was spared the death sentence on Friday, after a leg tag identifying it as belonging to a U.S. bird organization was declared a fake.The tag suggested it had lost its way during a race in Alabama and flown more than 13,000 kilometres to Melbourne – thereby falling foul of strict quarantine regulations forbidding the importation of live animals or birds.But as a Twitter campaign for the bird – christened Joe by its supporters – to be returned safely to...…Want to discuss? Please read our first.AdvertisementClose XAAA pigeon due to be put down in after apparently flying across the Pacific was spared the death sentence on Friday, after a leg tag identifying it as belonging to a U.S. bird organization was declared a fake.The tag suggested it had lost its way during a race in Alabama and flown more than 13,000 kilometres to Melbourne – thereby falling foul of strict quarantine regulations forbidding the importation of live animals or birds.But as a Twitter campaign for the bird – christened Joe by its supporters – to be returned safely to...WW…

By SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia amended its national anthem to remove reference to the country being “young and free” amid calls to recognise that its Indigenous people are the oldest continued civilization in the world.The change to “for we are one and free” took effect on Friday.“We live in a timeless land of ancient First Nations peoples, and we draw together the stories of more than 300 national ancestries and language groups,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra.“And our anthem should reflect that. The changes we have made and we have announced today, I think,...…By SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia amended its national anthem to remove reference to the country being “young and free” amid calls to recognise that its Indigenous people are the oldest continued civilization in the world.The change to “for we are one and free” took effect on Friday.“We live in a timeless land of ancient First Nations peoples, and we draw together the stories of more than 300 national ancestries and language groups,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters in Canberra.“And our anthem should reflect that. The changes we have made and we have announced today, I think,...WW…