Tag: Australia

Australia Tries to Break Its Dependence on China for Lithium Mining

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australia tries to break its dependence on china for lithium mining

Deep in rural Western Australia, Pilbara Minerals’ vast processing plant looms above the red dirt, quivering as tons of a lithium ore slurry move through its pipes. The plant turns the ore from a nearby quarry into spodumene, a greenish crystalline powder that is about 6 percent lithium and sells for about $5,700 a ton. From there, the spodumene is shipped to China, where it is further refined so it can be used in the batteries that power goods like cellphones and electric cars. Australia mines about 53 percent of…

Your Wednesday Briefing: A Deep Look at Korean Comfort Women

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your wednesday briefing a deep look at korean comfort women

South Korea’s brutal sex trade The euphemism “comfort women” typically describes South Korean women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese during World War II. But long after Japan’s colonial rule ended, the sexual exploitation continued with Korean and American soldiers. After South Korea’s Supreme Court last year ordered the government to compensate 100 of the comfort women, the victims now aim to take their case to the U.S. Their legal strategy is unclear, as is what recourse they may find. Park Geun-ae, who was sold to a pimp…

Wreck of Japanese Ship That Sank Carrying Australian POWs is Found

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wreck of japanese ship that sank carrying australian pows is found

The wreck of a Japanese ship that sank in 1942 after it was torpedoed by an American submarine has been found, the Australian government said on Saturday. The ship was carrying hundreds of prisoners of war, most of them Australian, who all died, and the discovery resolves a painful episode in that country’s wartime history. A U.S. Navy submarine attacked the ship, the Montevideo Maru, in July 1942 as it traveled unescorted from Rabaul, a port in the Australian territory of New Guinea that had been captured by Japan earlier…

Submarine Deal With U.S. and U.K. Sparks Debate in Australia

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submarine deal with u s and u k sparks debate in australia

The Australia Letter is a weekly newsletter from our Australia bureau. Sign up to get it by email. When Prime Minister Anthony Albanese formally unveiled plans with the U.S. and U.K. on Monday to develop and deploy nuclear-powered attack submarines, it set off a chain reaction of questions and criticism at home, and notably within his own party. The plan, in which Australia initially will buy up to five U.S.-made submarines before building a new version with British and American help, is aimed at reinforcing American-led military dominance in the…

China Wine Tariff Pushes Australia’s Grape Growers Into Crisis

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china wine tariff pushes australias grape growers into crisis

For years, China’s thirst for Australian wine seemed insatiable. Chinese drinkers were so passionate about big-bodied red wines from Australia that many vineyards replaced white grapes with darker varieties. Wineries even reverted to using corks — instead of convenient screw tops — because Chinese consumers liked the traditional plug. But then everything unraveled. In April 2020, Australia’s prime minister at the time, Scott Morrison, called for an independent investigation into the origin of Covid-19. Beijing was furious, denouncing “political games” meant to assign blame for the pandemic. In response, China…

Australia to Buy U.S. Nuclear-Powered Submarines in Deal to Counter China

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australia to buy u s nuclear powered submarines in deal to counter china

SYDNEY — Australia will buy up to five Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines from the United States to be delivered in the 2030s, according to people briefed on the deal, which accelerates and deepens an ambitious defense agreement aimed at reinforcing American-led military dominance of the Asia-Pacific region to counter China’s military growth. Australia would then buy a new class of submarines with British designs and American technology in another stage of the deal. The arrangement — which would also include rotating American attack submarines through Perth, in Western Australia, by 2027…

Your Tuesday Briefing: California Mourns, as Death Toll Rises

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your tuesday briefing california mourns as death toll rises

The death toll rises in a mass shooting Another victim of the recent mass shooting in a thriving Chinese American suburb of Los Angeles died at a hospital yesterday, bringing the death toll to 11. Investigators continued to seek the gunman’s motive in the attack, which took place during a Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park. Here are updates. The victims of the massacre were in their 50s, 60s and 70s. Officials have identified two victims, My Nhan and Lilan Li, and details about the others are still emerging.…

Your Tuesday Briefing: A Major Ukrainian Strike

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your tuesday briefing a major ukrainian strike

Ukraine kills dozens of Russians Ukraine launched a major attack against a building housing Russian soldiers in the Donetsk region on New Year’s Day. A full picture of the casualties is still emerging. Ukraine claimed that “about 400” had died, while Russia said yesterday that 63 service members had been killed. But even with the lower figure, the attack was one of the deadliest strikes against Russian forces in Ukraine since the war began. Mistakes by Russian forces may have contributed to the toll. One Russian military blogger said that…

At G20 Summit, Xi and Biden Offer Rival Visions for Solving Global Issues

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at g20 summit xi and biden offer rival visions for solving global issues

BALI, Indonesia — While President Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, have eased tensions between their countries, they are vying for influence in Asia and beyond, offering competing stances on how to address poverty and the war in Ukraine. Mr. Xi has cast China as a steadfast partner to the region, rejecting what he described as the United States’ “Cold War mentality” of forming security alliances. At the Group of 20 summit on Tuesday, he spoke loftily about China’s “global initiatives” to fight poverty and strife, while remaining publicly…

Your Friday Briefing: Queen Elizabeth II Dies at 96

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your friday briefing queen elizabeth ii dies at 96

Queen Elizabeth II is dead at 96 Queen Elizabeth died peacefully yesterday afternoon after more than 70 years as the British head of state. She was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Here is her obituary, photos from her reign and live updates. The queen was widely revered as she presided over Britain’s adjustment to a post-colonial era and saw it through its divorce from the E.U. Her years as sovereign were a time of upheaval. Still, she sought to project the royal family as a bastion of permanence in a world of…