Topic: Australia

All Content

In Italy, racist taunts for footballers and ministers alike

The appointment of Italy's first black government minister has brought racist sentiment to the surface.
3 new foreign mystery novels that are worth your travel time

Craving a foreign excursion? Try the next best thing – one of these mystery novels set in far-away lands.
Was Africa the motherland of dinosaur predecessors?

The ancestors of dinosaurs might have established themselves in present-day Tanzania and Zambia, suggest newly discovered fossils.
What's a monster hurricane doing on top of Saturn? (+video)

A monster hurricane at Saturn's north pole, spotted by NASA's Cassini spacecraft, has an eye 1,250 miles wide and inner eye wall winds of 330 miles an hour. Its energy source is a mystery.
Culture Cafe Monkees announce tour will cross the US this summer (+video)

Monkees announce tour: The Monkees reunion tour will kick off July 15 and could expand into an international tour, according to band member Micky Dolenz. Tickets for the Monkees summer tour will go on sale May 3.
'Derrick' actor: Nazi with SS? Dutch TV pulls show

'Derrick' actor: Nazi with SS? The late German actor Horst Tappert, known for his role as TV sleuth Stefan Derrick, was reportedly a member of a Nazi SS unit during World War II.
Earth's cooling came to sudden halt in 1900, study shows

An international study used tree rings and pollen to build the first record of global climate change, continent by continent, over 2,000 years.
The Monitor's View The right way to put more women in boardrooms

Japan and Germany each announced goals last week to put more women in top company slots. Yet their approaches differ. And new research indicates gender qualities can't be stereotyped according to sexual differences. This suggests official bias based on sex could be misplaced.
Asian shares dip amidst slowing economic recovery

Worries about trends in global growth, drove down U.S. and European equities, commodities and Asian markets on Wednesday. Earnings forecasts continue to be revised downward, say analysts.
New Zealand legalizes gay marriage

On Wednesday, gay rights supporters celebrated the passage of a bill that will allow same-sex couples to marry for the first time in New Zealand. Though thousands of New Zealanders do not support the measure, polls show two-thirds do. Some say the bill may spur a boom in same-sex travelers from nearby Australia.
Global News Blog New Zealand becomes first country in Asia-Pacific to legalize same-sex marriage

The change in New Zealand's law could pressure neighbors such as Australia to consider revising their laws.
Opinion Mexico should take a more active stance on US immigration reform

The Mexican government cannot afford the luxury of ignoring what is happening on immigration reform in the big and powerful North. And yet, it has taken a passive attitude. There are good historical reasons for this, but not a good one today.
Italians move northward to trade 'la dolce vita' for 'das süsse Leben'

Italian emigration jumped 30 percent from 2011 to 2012, with Germany and Switzerland the most popular destination for Italians looking for work.
Opinion Immigration reform needs flexibility on work visas

The US system for work visas hasn't changed much since 1965, despite fluctuations in the economy and in demand for foreign workers. Immigration reform must include more flexibility. One way is to create an independent body that regularly advises Congress on visa limits.
Adam Scott: First Australian to win the Masters golf tournament (+video)

Adam Scott won the Masters in a thrilling playoff against Argentinian Angel Cabrera Sunday. Adam Scott is the first Australian to win at Augusta, Ga.
Baby mementos: Would you want this hanging from your neck?

Baby mementos vary from parent to parent. What's worth saving? Hair? Teeth? Breast milk processed into a pendant? You can buy a kit for that on Etsy.
Komodo dragon attack repelled by woman with a broom

Komodo dragon attack handled by 83-year-old Indonesian woman with a broom. The Komodo dragon is the largest living species of lizard. Attacks by Komodo dragons are rare, but growing.
Joan Baez returns to Vietnam after 41 years. Why? (+video)

Joan Baez is back in Hanoi for the first time since December 1972, when American B-52s were raining bombs on Vietnam. Joan Baez visited a bunker in Hanoi and sang "Oh Freedom," a song she often sung during civil rights rallies in the 1960s.
Opinion 4 ways US can boost cyber security

The US needs a proactive cyber foreign policy that goes beyond naming and shaming. Here are four steps the US can take to bolster its diplomatic efforts to address cybersecurity threats.
Antarctic ice samples: What do they say about global warming?

Antarctic ice core samples, up to 150,000 years old, may help scientists estimate whether it will take 50 years - or 500 years - for the Ross Ice Shelf to collapse at the current rate of climate change.
Victims' groups cool to Pope Francis's first comments on abuse scandal

On Friday, the new pope addressed the child abuse scandal for the first time since his election, calling for a continuation of his predecessor's unpopular approach.
Backchannels How Myanmar's Buddhist-Muslim conflict has reached into Indonesia

In Indonesia, a brawl between Muslim and Buddhist detainees from Myanmar left eight dead today. Both sides are caught in a painful cycle of events.
Backchannels A gold rush in Indonesia you've never heard of

Buru Island, once used by Soeharto's New Order regime to house political prisoners, has been swept with gold fever.
Face-sized tarantula lives in trees in Sri Lanka

Face-sized tarantula: With a leg span of up to 8 inches across, the Poecilotheria rajaei, is one of the larger species of tarantula.
The Monitor's View Australia's example in healing the sexually abused

A special panel begins work taking testimony from Australians sexually abused as children in institutions, such as churches and police stations. Allowing victims to speak will be a first step toward personal healing and national reform.