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Australia Braces for Heatwave as More than 100 Fires Burn

Out of control bushfires forced residents in eastern Australia to flee their homes on Saturday, as other parts of the country braced for a heatwave due next week.

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Gay Saudi Journalists Detained in Australia after Asylum Bid

Two gay Saudi journalists who sought asylum in Australia after being threatened at home over their relationship have been held for weeks at an immigration detention centre, their lawyer said Wednesday.

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UN Rights Chief Urges Australia to Overhaul Detention Policies

The UN's top rights official urged Australia to reform its criminal and refugee detention systems on Tuesday, just days after the country's prime minister took a veiled swipe at the international body.

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Iranian Held in Australia for 13 Months Returns Home

An Iranian student detained in Australia for 13 months on accusations of circumventing US sanctions on military equipment has returned to Tehran after being released, state television reported Saturday.

The news came shortly after Canberra said an Australian couple held in Iran on spying charges had flown home.

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Iran Charges Three Detained Australians with Spying

Iran has charged three detained Australians with spying, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili said on Tuesday, cited by Tasnim news agency.

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Three Australians Detained in Iran

The Australian government on Wednesday said three citizens had been detained in Iran, the latest in a series of Westerners to be seized by authorities in Tehran.

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Australia Says Diplomats Must Respect Free Speech after HK Protest

Australia on Saturday warned foreign officials in the country against undermining the right to free speech, following a confrontation between students backing Beijing and pro-Hong Kong democracy activists at a university rally.

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Australia's Conservatives Secure Majority Government

Australia's ruling conservative coalition is set to secure a governing majority in its shock election victory over the centre-left Labor Party, the national broadcaster ABC projected Monday.

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Exit Polls Tip Labor to Win Australia Election

Exit polls in Australia's climate-dominated election campaign pointed on Saturday to a win for Labor after six years of conservative rule.

Between 16 and 17 million people were expected to vote across the vast island-continent in a bitterly fought election that may be the first anywhere decided by climate policy.

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Polls Tighten as Aussie Leaders Make Final Campaign Pitches

Australia's political leaders made last-gasp pitches to voters on Friday, on the eve of an election that polls show is going down to the wire.

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