Author: Rod Mcguirk
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Most senior Catholic charged with child sex abuse convicted
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MELBOURNE, Australia • The most senior Catholic cleric charged with child sex abuse has been convicted of molesting two choirboys moments after celebrating Mass, dealing a new blow to the Catholic hierarchy’s credibility after a year of global revelations of abuse and cover-up. Cardinal George Pell, Pope Francis’ top financial adviser and the Vatican’s economy…
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Same-sex marriage legalized in Australia
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CANBERRA, Australia — Australia’s Parliament voted Thursday to allow same-sex marriage across the nation, following a bitter debate settled by a much-criticized government survey of voters that strongly endorsed change. The public gallery in the House of Representatives erupted with applause when the bill passed. It changes the definition of marriage from solely between a…
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Australian Parliament allows same-sex marriages
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Members of parliament, from left, Cathy McGowan, Adam Brandt and Andrew Wilkie celebrate the passing of the Marriage Amendment Bill in the House of Representatives at Parliament House in Canberra, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017. Gay marriage was endorsed by 62 percent of Australian voters who responded to a government-commissioned postal ballot by last month. (Mick…
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Scientists potentially narrow MH370 search area to 3 spots
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A dead baby dolphin displayed by a member of Equinac in Mojacar, southern Spain. (Courtesy Equinac via AFP/Getty Images)
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Shark leaps into boat and lands on Australian fisherman
CANBERRA, Australia — A 73-year-old Australian fisherman said Monday that he caught a far bigger fish than he hoped for when a 2.7-meter (9-foot) great white shark leapt into his boat, knocking him off his feet. Terry Selwood was left with a badly bruised and bleeding right arm where the airborne shark struck him with…
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Pilot radioed in ‘Mayday’ call before Australian plane crash
DALLAS — A pilot repeatedly yelled out “Mayday” but did not say what the emergency was before his light plane crashed into the roof of an Australian shopping mall, killing himself and four American tourists, an accident investigator said Wednesday. Police blamed “catastrophic engine failure” when a twin-engine Beechcraft B200 Super King Air crashed into…
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Report: US close to accepting 100s of Australia’s refugees
CANBERRA, Australia — The United States and Australia were close to announcing a deal in which the United States would resettle hundreds of asylum seekers banished by Australia to Pacific island camps, a newspaper reported on Friday. The U.S. had agreed to accept up to 1,800 refugees held for up to three years at Australia’s…
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Court stops Australian funding of school chaplains
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Australian atheist campaigning to keep religion out of the education system won his second victory Thursday when the nation’s highest court ruled that it is unconstitutional for the federal government to fund a program that provides chaplains to schools. Ron Williams began his legal battle against the multimillion-dollar program after…
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Photos: Passengers rescued off ship stuck in Antarctic ice
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save CANBERRA, Australia — All 52 passengers trapped for more than a week on an icebound Russian research ship in the Antarctic were rescued Thursday when a Chinese helicopter swooped in and plucked them from the…
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Australia may start Afghanistan pullout in two years
CANBERRA, Australia — Australia may start withdrawing troops from Afghanistan in two years if its mission to train Afghan soldiers goes as planned, the defense minister said Wednesday. The timetable, while loose, was the most detailed yet given by Canberra for bringing troops home from an almost nine-year-old war that is increasingly unpopular among Australians.…