Australia

Defence has confirmed members of Operation Tonga Assist discovered asbestos material while clearing debris and destroyed local infrastructure on Atata Island after the January disaster.

The revelation comes as HMAS Adelaide begins returning home from a troubled six-week deployment that saw the Navy's largest warship hit by a COVID-19 outbreak and crippling power failures on board.

He made the statement while welcoming the HMAS Canberra which is part of the Australian Government’s Operation TONGA Assist 22 at the Vuna Wharf, in Nuku’alofa on Tuesday.

PM Hu’akavameiliku extended the messages to High Commissioner Rachel Moore.

“I am very mindful of the severe flooding in Brisbane and parts of New South Wales and on behalf of His Majesty’s Government and the people of Tonga would like to extend our sympathy and condolences to the Government of Australia and the people of Australia,” he said.

HMAS Canberra was guided by Guardian Class Patrol Boat VOEA Ngahau Siliva which was gifted by Australia to His Majesty’s Armed Forces’ under the Pacific Maritime Security Program.  HMAS Adelaide and Supply were in company.

The Australian High Commissioner, Rachael Moore said it was a significant day today for the two countries, with Australia’s two largest ships, HMAS Adelaide and HMAS Canberra, and one of two new Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment ships HMAS Supply in Tongan waters under Operation Tonga Assist 2022.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk compared the weather to a cyclone event, as Brisbane, the Queensland capital, was bracing for flooding on Sunday, before the rainfalls ease by Monday.

They will target specific Russian individuals and corporations "who are at the heart of this bullying and aggressive behaviour".

"The reason we're doing this is there must be a price for the unprovoked, unlawful, unwarranted, unjustified attacks and threats and intimidation that has been imposed by Russia on Ukraine," Morrison tells reporters in Sydney on Thursday.

Ukrainians currently in Australia and with visas that expire by 30 June will have them extended by six months.

He's dismissive of Vladimir Putin's claim that he is sending troops to separatist areas for a peacekeeping mission.

The "suggestion they are peacekeeping is nonsense", he says.

He says he hopes that diplomatic efforts can avoid a violent confrontation and says he will be "in lock-step" with other countries in quickly putting in place sanctions on Russia.

"Russia should step back. It should unconditionally withdraw. It's unacceptable, it's unprovoked, it's unwarranted," he says.

The country imposed some of the world's strictest travel bans after shutting itself off in March 2020 due to Covid.

Australians and some others were allowed to return from late last year, but most foreigners have had to wait.

There were tearful reunions at Sydney Airport on Monday as hundreds of people began arriving on flights.

One young girl, Charlotte, shared an emotional hug with her grandfather. She told the local Nine Network: "I've missed him so much and I've looked forward to this trip for so long."

A friend confirmed Simon Nellist died in the attack on Wednesday.

Police have not yet formally identified the victim and his family have not commented.

Australian authorities are still searching for the great white shark, with swimmers banned from the water and most city beaches shut after Wednesday's attack.

Mr Nellist - who was a diving instructor - was mauled by a great white shark just off Little Bay in east Sydney. He was a member of the city's Scuba Diving Social Club and a regular swimmer at the beach, BBC Sydney correspondent Shaimaa Khalil reports.

Emergency services were called to Little Bay beach near Malabar on Wednesday afternoon where human remains were found in the water, police say.

Authorities in the New South Wales state have not named the victim, and an investigation is under way.

Little Bay and several nearby beaches are now closed.

At the time of the attack at 16:30 local time (05:30 GMT) on Wednesday, there were dozens of people swimming, paddle boarding and fishing on the nearby rocks, according to Sky News Australia.

This ultra-cold chain equipment will enable Tonga to have the capability to accept large quantities of vaccines, such as Pfizer, which require storage between -90 to -60 degrees Celsius.

Australia has committed to providing comprehensive Covid-19 booster coverage for Tonga, and this ultra-cold chain equipment, and the first consignment of 55,000 Pfizer vaccines are part of Australia’s AUD 2.3 million regional Vaccine Access and Health Security Initiative (VAHSI) for our Pacific family.