Topic: Christmas Island

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Tragedy at sea puts Australia's refugee policies to the test

More than 800 people seeking asylum from places like Afghanistan and Sri Lanka have died on the trip to Australia since 2009, including the recent drowning of a 1-year-old.
Amelia Earhart search missions begins: five others that failed

An expedition to search for the lost aircraft of Amelia Earhart leaves Hawaii Tuesday with high hopes. But many have tried, and failed, to find conclusive evidence before.
130 rescued from boat of asylum seekers headed to Australia

After a boat trying to reach Australia capsized, 130 survivors, most of them women and children, were rescued near Indonesia. It's the second boat of asylum seekers to capsize in a week.
Rescue operation under way for capsized boat of asylum seekers headed to Australia

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority reported that an Australian Navy ship and a cargo ship had rescued 73 survivors near Indonesia.
Australia refugee swap with Malaysia faces key test

Australia plans to airlift refugees from an intercepted boat to Malaysia next week. It will film their forced return and post it on YouTube to deter future refugees from trying to reach its shores.
08/04/2011 10:51 am
Toward justice and freedom for all

A Christian Science perspective.
12/23/2010 08:35 am
Asylum seekers search continues in rough Australian waters

Asylum seekers: Navy and customs officers plucked 42 survivors — including nine children — from the raging surf off Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean soon after their boat broke apart and sank Wednesday.
12/16/2010 04:40 pm
Terrorism & Security Christmas Island boat tragedy fuels debate over Australian policy on asylum seekers

Australia is struggling to balance humanitarian responsibilities to asylum seekers with national concerns about the economic impact of their migration.
12/15/2010 01:37 pm
Christmas Island shipwreck tragedy

Dozens of asylum seekers, probably from Iraq, were thrown into the sea when their boat sank off the coast of Christmas Island, near Australia. At least 27 have died. Rescue efforts are underway.
12/15/2010 09:24 am
Australia's Julia Gillard struggles to sell asylum center plan to neighbors

Illegal immigration has long been a political hot potato in Australia, which has a lot of foreign-born residents and an economy that is increasingly integrated with Asia. Australia's neighbors aren't biting on Julia Gillard's asylum center plan.
11/04/2010 08:12 am
Australia plan to divert asylum seekers gets cool reception

Australia's new leader Julia Gillard met resistance to her first major policy initiative: diverting asylum seekers to East Timor. The tiny country's prime minister says he was not consulted by Ms. Gillard.
07/09/2010 01:11 pm
Sagging in polls, Australia's government toughens stance on asylum seekers

Australia's Labor government, which recently fell behind in the polls for the first time since taking power, has imposed a freeze on asylum seekers from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka.
05/17/2010 09:23 am
Rising tide of asylum-seekers: Will Australia let them in?

Australian Prime Minister Rudd faces twin crises as he weighs how to handle Sri Lankan Tamil refugees picked up at sea by Australian and Indonesian ships and taken to Indonesian ports. The "boat people" are refusing to disembark.
10/30/2009 01:00 am
Global News Blog Sri Lanka boat people, caught in Indonesia, test Australia

The latest boat people are Sri Lankan refugees caught in Indonesia while fleeing to Australia highlights the tricky waters countries must navigate between offering asylum and stopping human traffickers.
10/19/2009 01:00 am
Terrorism & Security Australia no longer to detain asylum seekers

As immigrants from Iraq and Afghanistan pour into the country, human rights groups praise the new policy. But critics say it will undermine national security.
07/30/2008 01:00 am