Rappler's latest stories on australia
Australia admits 'failing' to improve Aboriginal lives
Aboriginal Australians make up about 3% of the total national population of 25 million, but remain the country's most disadvantaged community.

Australia announces reopening of offshore detention center
Australian prime minister Scott Morrison approves the reopening of the facility claiming new laws just passed by parliament would increase the number of people trying to arrive in Australia illegally

Embattled Aussie PM suffers historic defeat over refugees
Prime Minister Scott Morrison is defeated by MPs who insist refugees held in offshore facilities have the right to be transferred to Australia for medical treatment

Australia watchdog tips tough rules to curb power of Google, Facebook
'We cannot simply leave the production of news and journalism to market forces,' says the head of Australia's competition watchdog, in light of Google and Facebook's dominance in digital ad spend
'Hundreds of thousands' of cattle feared dead after Australia floods
About half of Australia's 25-million strong cattle herd is bred in Queensland state, and graziers say the floods – described as a once-a-century event – could devastate their industry

Massive drug bust exposes Mexico-Australia cartel ties
The investigation appears to reveal cooperation between Mexican cartels and Australian biker gangs

Australia using new decryption powers even before planned review
(UPDATED) The Australian Federal Police reveals agents have already used the new decryption law while investigating drug trafficking and child exploitation cases

Australian parliament computer network breached
Officials decline to comment on the nature of the breach, but say there is no initial evidence data had been accessed

'Worst over' as Australia begins flood clean-up
Communities remain cut off and thousands are still without power in the state of Queensland

Major EU nations rally behind Guaido as Venezuela leader
(UPDATED) Russia, one of the main allies of Maduro's regime, slams what it dubs European 'interference' in the oil-rich but impoverished Latin American country, saying it is an attempt 'to legitimize usurped power'

Military steps in as Australia floods bring crocs to the streets
Australia's tropical north typically experiences heavy rains during the monsoon season, but the recent downpour has seen some areas get a year's worth of rainfall in a week

'Unprecedented' flooding to hit northeast Australia
(3rd UPDATE) 'It's basically not just a one-in-20-year event, it's a one-in-100-year event,' says Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk

Grim outlook for Aussie right points to another switch of PM
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison may be forced to leave after less than a year on the job

Huawei ban blamed as new Australian mobile network axed
The company, TPG, claims having its 'principal equipment vendor' Huawei barred from 5G networks meant the project was no longer viable
Record-breaking floods hit north Australia
The conditions continue to cause havoc for farmers and livestock

Australian detained in China receives consular visit – official
Embassy staff made a consular visit to Yang Jun in the afternoon, according to a brief statement released by the Australian department of foreign affairs

Australia demands China treat detained national 'fairly'
Yang Hengjun – a novelist, democracy advocate and former Chinese diplomat – is detained and charged with 'espionage' upon arriving in China from the United States

Pack of dingoes attack 6-year-old boy at Australia's Fraser Island
Mark Schipanski says his 6-year-old son Michael was running up a sand dune with his mother when the dingoes saw him and 'went straight into the chase-and-kill instinct'

CA upholds Australian firm's right to 50-year PCSO thermal paper supply deal
The Court of Appeals denies the motion for reconsideration filed by Philippine Gaming Management Corporation and rules in favor of TMA

'Zebra' tribal body paint cuts fly bites 10-fold – study
It is known that zebras get bitten far less than animals with a single fur color, so a team of researchers decided to see if the light stripes painted on humans would have a similar deterrent effect

Saudi teen's asylum case being judged at lightning speed
Rahaf Mohammed Qunun's savvy use of Twitter throughout her ordeal at Bangkok airport galvanizes a global campaign and calls for her to be granted asylum

Australian charged with sending dangerous parcels to diplomatic missions
Police allege Savas Avan sent 38 parcels containing a dangerous substance to consulates and embassies in Melbourne, Canberra, and Sydney

Suspicious packages delivered to diplomatic missions in Australia
'The packages are being examined by attending emergency services,' the Australian Federal Police says in a statement

Nadal says ‘no pain’ as Australian Open looms
Rafael Nadal is 'feeling better' after withdrawing from Brisbane International

LOOK: Serena posts inspirational message to working parents
With her daughter Alexis Olympia in tow at the Hopman Cup, Serena Williams gives a salute to all working moms and dads

WATCH: Serena, Federer pose for GOAT selfie
Sharing the court for the first time, Serena Williams and Roger Federer make sure to capture the moment

IN PHOTOS: World welcomes 2019 with fireworks and festivities
Here's how the world celebrates the new year

Federer relishing 'once in a lifetime' Serena clash
Two of the greatest players in tennis history face off for the first time in the mixed teams event of the Hopman Cup

Australia swelters in record-breaking heatwave
In major cities, the thermometer pushes towards 40 degree Celsius with the heat set to linger into the new year

FIBA drops the hammer
In the aftermath of the infamous Philippines-Australia brawl, basketball's world governing body hands down its decision
Brawl that shocked the world
Gilas Pilipinas and Australia figure in what's dubbed 'the worst basketball brawl' in recent years
‘Miss Queensland’: How Australian media is reporting Catriona Gray’s victory
Aussie publications highlight Catriona's Australian heritage – though some of their headlines are offending Pinoy netizens

Australia reaffirms Israel decision despite backlash
A contentious embassy shift from Tel Aviv – a proposal made during a crucial Sydney by-election that critics said was timed to attract Jewish voters – will not occur until a peace settlement is achieved

Palestinians slam Australia's move on Jerusalem
A senior Palestinian official says the Australian decision to open a trade office in the city violated international law

Australia recognizes west Jerusalem as capital of Israel
Australia also commits to recognizing a future state of Palestine with east Jerusalem as its capital

Aussie school kids lead mass coal mine protests
Protestors called on both the government and the opposition to put a halt to the Adani coal mine project in Queensland state

Rappler Talk: Ambassador Amanda Gorely on Australia-PH relations
The Australian ambassador wraps up her Philippine tour with updates on humanitarian support, and trade and investment opportunities

Australia passes cyber snooping laws with global implications
Global communications firms say the legislation would force them to create vulnerabilities in their products, such as by decrypting messages on apps, which could then by exploited by bad actors

'Hundreds' of Aussie convictions in doubt after mob lawyer named as informant
While the courts only mentioned Mokbel and his associates, more than 600 cases could be tainted, according to Melbourne's Herald Sun

UN, doctors hammer Australia over refugee camps
A top official for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees accuses 'bureaucrats and politicians' of overruling doctors and putting lives at risk at camps on Nauru and Manus

Tech giants warn Australia against law to break encryption
The bill would give security agencies wide powers to force telecommunications and technology companies to give them access to encrypted devices and messaging apps

Australia proposes stripping native-born extremists of citizenship
'People who commit acts of terrorism have rejected absolutely everything that this country stands for,' says Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison

Released Bali Nine drug-smuggler returns home to more legal woes
Police want to question Renae Lawrence about outstanding arrest warrants dating from before her ill-fated departure for Bali in 2005

Muslim leaders reject Australia PM's terror comments
The Australian Grand Mufti and other senior Muslim figures in Australia say they are 'deeply concerned and disappointed' with comments by Prime Minister Scott Morrison

Indonesia frees Bali Nine drug smuggler Lawrence from prison
(UPDATED) It is likely that Renae Lawrence will be deported shortly after her release

3 charged over alleged Melbourne terror plot
Police say the men are 'certainly inspired by ISIS,' but have no known links to a specific organization

Swimmer killed by stingray, 2 mauled by sharks in Australia
There have been 13 'unprovoked' shark attacks off the vast continent's coast this year

Pence says U.S. to partner in Papua New Guinea military base
Australia, which has long-standing military ties with the US, has already announced plans to redevelop PNG's Lombrum Naval Base on Manus Island

Duterte belittles ASEAN-Australia event: What will they feed us, kangaroo?
President Rodrigo Duterte lashes out against criticism that he was 'lazy' for skipping events at the recent ASEAN Summit in Singapore

Japan PM Abe visits Australia's Darwin, 75 years after WWII bombing
Shinzo Abe is the first Japanese leader to visit the port city where more than 250 people were killed during World War II bombing raids – the worst-ever foreign attacks on Australia
