Thousands evacuated from Australian tourist haven as bushfires rage
SYDNEY – Thousands of residents and holiday makers have been told to evacuate a swathe of Victoria as soaring temperatures and strong winds fan massive bushfires in the Australian state. With…
Vietnam court sentences ex-minister to life in MobiFone corruption scandal
HANOI – A court in Vietnam has sentenced a former information minister to life in prison after finding him guilty of taking $US3 million in bribes in connection with a controversial…
Kylie invites politics-weary Brits to “call on your friends in Australia”
MELBOURNE – Australian popstar Kylie Minogue has invited weary Britons to forget politics and “call on your friends in Australia” in a tourism campaign launched in Britain on Christmas Day.…
Vietnam seizes two tonnes of ivory, pangolin scales
HANOI – Vietnamese authorities have seized more than two tonnes of pangolin scales and ivory from Africa, state media reported. Trade in ivory and pangolin is illegal in Vietnam but wildlife trafficking remains…
Australian firefighters die as flames circle Sydney; prime minister cuts short holiday
SYDNEY – Two volunteer Australian firefighters died on Thursday night in the battle against blazes around Sydney, prompting Prime Minister Scott Morrison to cut short a vacation to return to…
Vietnamese grass is greener in battle against plastic straws
LONG AN – A Vietnamese entrepreneur is promoting an environmentally friendly way to sip drinks by using grass stems to make reusable, biodegradable straws. Tran Minh Tien, 32, runs his…
Famed Australian corporate raider charged with child pornography offences: media
SYDNEY- Australian police have charged former corporate raider Sir Ron Brierley with child pornography offences, Australian media reports. Brierley – who shot to fame by launching takeover bids for Australian…
Vietnam hopes for Chinese restraint in South China Sea in 2020
SINGAPORE – Vietnam said it hoped China would show restraint in the South China Sea next year after a Chinese oil survey vessel and its escorts spent months within Vietnam’s…
Ecstasy on the barbie: Australia seizes more than half a tonne of drugs smuggled in barbecues
SYDNEY – Australian police have arrested two men for allegedly smuggling 645 kilograms of ecstasy hidden inside hundreds of aluminium barbecues, the culmination of a six-month investigation spanning three countries.…
Qantas to put more experienced crew on board world’s longest flights: sources
SYDNEY – Qantas Airways Ltd plans to have more experienced pilots on board the world’s longest non-stop flights than on its current long-haul flights for the first 18 months as…
