AUSTRALIA

AUSTRALIA NEWS

Australia allows import of Indian pomegranates

7:14 pm September 10, 2020

Kolkata: India will now be able to export pomegranates to Australia for the first time if certain biosecurity conditions are met, a senior diplomat said on Thursday. The development comes after the completion of an import protocol for fresh pomegranates from India, which followed an import risk assessment involving significant collaboration and discussion between Indian and Australian authorities, […]

Australian newspaper cartoon of US candidates Kamala Harris and Joe Biden criticized as racist

Australian newspaper cartoon of U.S. candidates Harris and Biden criticized as racist

1:10 pm August 24, 2020

Sydney: A cartoon in Australia’s biggest national newspaper was denounced as racist by some top government figures on Friday for a portrayal of U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his running mate Kamala Harris that critics said was racist. The cartoon by Johannes Leak in The Australian newspaper, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch’s […]

Australia will respond 'very seriously' to war crime allegations: PM Morrison

India-Australia friendship based on Bharosa, Samman: Aus PM Morrison

3:18 pm August 14, 2020

Melbourne: Describing India as a “longstanding friend” of Australia, Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday sent a special message of trust, respect, and friendship to Indians across the world ahead of the country’s 74th Independence Day. Morrison said the “deep friendship” between Australia and India was about more than trade and diplomacy. “Founded on Bharosa (trust) and Samman (respect) – it is a friendship with depth, […]

Melbourne, Home-made cloth face masks may need a minimum of two layers, and preferably three, to prevent the dispersal of viral droplets associated with COVID-19, according to a study. Researchers, including those from the University of New South Wales in Australia, noted that viral droplets are generated by those infected with the novel coronavirus when they cough, sneeze, or speak. As face masks have been proven to protect healthy people from inhaling infectious droplets as well as reducing the spread from those who are already infected, several types of material have been suggested for these, but based on little or no evidence of how well they work, the scientists said. In the current study, published in the journal Thorax, the researchers compared the effectiveness of single and double-layer cloth face coverings with a surgical face mask (Bao Thach) at reducing droplet spread. They said the single layer covering was made from a folded piece of cotton T shirt and hair ties, and the double layer covering was made using the sew method described by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The scientists used a tailored LED lighting system and a high-speed camera to film the dispersal of airborne droplets produced by a healthy person with no respiratory infection, during speaking, coughing, and sneezing while wearing each type of mask. Their analysis showed that the surgical face mask was the most effective at reducing airborne droplet dispersal, although even a single layer cloth face covering reduced the droplet spread from speaking. But the study noted that a double layer covering was better than a single layer in reducing the droplet spread from coughing and sneezing. According to the researchers, the effectiveness of cloth face masks is dependent on the number of layers of the covering, the type of material used, design, fit as well as the frequency of washing. Based on their observations, they said a home made cloth mask with at least two layers is preferable to a single layer mask. "Guidelines on home-made cloth masks should stipulate multiple layers," the scientists said, adding that there is a need for more research to inform safer cloth mask design.

Home-made face masks may need at least two layers to stop COVID-19 spread: Study

8:28 pm July 24, 2020

Melbourne: Home-made cloth face masks may need a minimum of two layers, and preferably three, to prevent the dispersal of viral droplets associated with COVID-19, according to a study. Researchers, including those from the University of New South Wales in Australia, noted that viral droplets are generated by those infected with the novel coronavirus when they cough, sneeze, […]

India favourably considering Australia’s entry into Malabar exercise: Sources

11:16 pm July 10, 2020

New Delhi: India is a favourably considering Australia’s keen interest to be part of the next edition of the Malabar naval exercise which is scheduled to be held later this year, people familiar with the development said on Friday. If India decides to include Australia in the exercise, then it will comprise all members of the “Quad” or Quadrilateral coalition which […]