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Restrictions are eased slightly in Melbourne and Ballarat as the vaccination rate surpasses 70%. Small outdoor gatherings for vaccinated people are permitted and outdoor exercise can now occur within a 10 km radius, instead of a 5 km radius.
2021-09-18

Indonesia reports 12,990 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total of new cases since late-January. It brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1.96 million. [https:--www.straitstimes.com-asia-se-asia-indonesia-reports-12990-new-coronavirus-infections-290-deaths ("The Straits Times")]*The Palestinian Authority cancels a planned vaccine exchange with Israel involving at least one million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, saying the first batch of doses Israel was going to send were near expiration. The swap was previously announced earlier in the day. [https:--www.aljazeera.com-news-2021-6-18-palestinians-to-get-1-million-covid-vaccine-doses-in-israel-swap (Al Jazeera)]*Oman speeds up its COVID-19 vaccination as the number of cases increases in the country, which has seen only a small percentage of the population vaccinated. [https:--www.reuters.com-world-middle-east-oman-slowest-vaccinator-gulf-pushes-campaign-amid-covid-19-surge-2021-06-18- (Reuters)]*Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin closes the Euro 2020 fan zone due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Russian capital. [https:--www.dw.com-en-moscow-closes-euro-2020-fan-zone-as-covid-cases-surge-a-57950652 (DW)]*Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announces that as of June 26, it will no longer be mandatory to wear a face mask outdoors. [https:--www.lavanguardia.com-vida-20210618-7539733-mascarilla-exteriores-espana-26-junio.html ("La Vanguardia")]*Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. [https:--www.lavanguardia.com-politica-20210618-7541594-pedro-sanchez-recibe-primera-dosis-vacuna-covid-19-madrid.html ("La Vanguardia")]***British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expands COVID-19 vaccinations to people aged 18 years and older amidst concerns about the Lineage B.1.617 Delta variant. [https:--www.nytimes.com-2021-06-18-world-uk-vaccine-eligibility.html ("The New York Times")]*Restrictions are eased in Melbourne as the number of cases decreases. Melbournians will now be allowed to travel anywhere in the state of Victoria, public gatherings increase to 20 people and masks are no longer required outdoors. Private gatherings of up to two people will be allowed, gyms and indoor entertainment reopen, and workforce capacities increase. These new restrictions bring Melbourne into line with the rest of Victoria. [https:--www.9news.com.au-national-victorian-lockdown-restrictions-melbourne-coronavirus-covid19-rules-what-can-i-do-61700b39-6f71-4bd3-85c8-c2fa1f99a520 (9 News)]***Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern receives her first dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. [https:--i.stuff.co.nz-national-health-coronavirus-300336289-important-milestone-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-gets-first-covid19-vaccine (Stuff.co.nz)]*Papua New Guinea receives 146,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from New Zealand, facilitated through the COVAX initiative. [https:--www.rnz.co.nz-international-pacific-news-445020-png-receives-146-thousand-vaccine-doses-from-nz (RNZ)]President Yoweri Museveni announces that the country has imposed new restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19, including a ban on vehicular movements except for essential workers. [https:--www.reuters.com-world-africa-uganda-imposes-new-anti-coronavirus-measures-stem-raging-pandemic-2021-06-18- (Reuters)]COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom
2021-06-18

Indonesia reports 12,990 new cases of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, which is the highest single-day total of new cases since late-January. It brings the nationwide total of confirmed cases to 1.96 million. [https:--www.straitstimes.com-asia-se-asia-indonesia-reports-12990-new-coronavirus-infections-290-deaths ("The Straits Times")]*The Palestinian Authority cancels a planned vaccine exchange with Israel involving at least one million doses of the Pfizer vaccine, saying the first batch of doses Israel was going to send were near expiration. The swap was previously announced earlier in the day. [https:--www.aljazeera.com-news-2021-6-18-palestinians-to-get-1-million-covid-vaccine-doses-in-israel-swap (Al Jazeera)]*Oman speeds up its COVID-19 vaccination as the number of cases increases in the country, which has seen only a small percentage of the population vaccinated. [https:--www.reuters.com-world-middle-east-oman-slowest-vaccinator-gulf-pushes-campaign-amid-covid-19-surge-2021-06-18- (Reuters)]*Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin closes the Euro 2020 fan zone due to an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the Russian capital. [https:--www.dw.com-en-moscow-closes-euro-2020-fan-zone-as-covid-cases-surge-a-57950652 (DW)]*Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announces that as of June 26, it will no longer be mandatory to wear a face mask outdoors. [https:--www.lavanguardia.com-vida-20210618-7539733-mascarilla-exteriores-espana-26-junio.html ("La Vanguardia")]*Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez receives his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. [https:--www.lavanguardia.com-politica-20210618-7541594-pedro-sanchez-recibe-primera-dosis-vacuna-covid-19-madrid.html ("La Vanguardia")]***British Prime Minister Boris Johnson expands COVID-19 vaccinations to people aged 18 years and older amidst concerns about the Lineage B.1.617 Delta variant. [https:--www.nytimes.com-2021-06-18-world-uk-vaccine-eligibility.html ("The New York Times")]*Restrictions are eased in Melbourne as the number of cases decreases. Melbournians will now be allowed to travel anywhere in the state of Victoria, public gatherings increase to 20 people and masks are no longer required outdoors. Private gatherings of up to two people will be allowed, gyms and indoor entertainment reopen, and workforce capacities increase. These new restrictions bring Melbourne into line with the rest of Victoria. [https:--www.9news.com.au-national-victorian-lockdown-restrictions-melbourne-coronavirus-covid19-rules-what-can-i-do-61700b39-6f71-4bd3-85c8-c2fa1f99a520 (9 News)]***Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern receives her first dose of the Pfizer–BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. [https:--i.stuff.co.nz-national-health-coronavirus-300336289-important-milestone-prime-minister-jacinda-ardern-gets-first-covid19-vaccine (Stuff.co.nz)]*Papua New Guinea receives 146,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine from New Zealand, facilitated through the COVAX initiative. [https:--www.rnz.co.nz-international-pacific-news-445020-png-receives-146-thousand-vaccine-doses-from-nz (RNZ)]President Yoweri Museveni announces that the country has imposed new restrictions to combat the spread of COVID-19, including a ban on vehicular movements except for essential workers. [https:--www.reuters.com-world-africa-uganda-imposes-new-anti-coronavirus-measures-stem-raging-pandemic-2021-06-18- (Reuters)]COVID-19 pandemic in the State of Palestine
2021-06-18

Some lockdown restrictions are lifted in regional Victoria as health authorities are confident that the current outbreak is limited to the state capital of Melbourne. Restrictions will remain in place in Greater Melbourne for another week. A 5 km travel limit is extended to 10 km, and QR check ins at public places are now mandatory.
2021-06-4

South Australia tightens its border restrictions with Victoria due to an increase in COVID-19 cases in Victoria. Travelers from Melbourne will be banned from entering South Australia, though people living in other parts of the state will still be permitted to cross the border.
2021-02-11

Victorian premier Daniel Andrews declares a state of disaster across the state and imposed stage 4 lockdown in Metropolitan Melbourne. The new measures include nighttime curfew, which will be implemented across Melbourne from 20:00 to 05:00 (AEST). The restrictions comes into effect at 18:00 (6 p.m.) and last until September 13.
2020-08-2

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews announces that masks will be mandatory in the Melbourne area.
2020-07-18

One person is killed and two others are injured by a knife-wielding man in Melbourne, Australia. The suspect, a 31-year-old Australian resident originally from Somalia, randomly stabbed pedestrians after exiting his burning, crashed utility truck that held multiple gas canisters. He was shot and killed attempting to stab responding police. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant claims responsibility.
2018-11-9

Scientists at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne announce their discovery of J1719-143, a planet made entirely of diamond orbiting a pulsar - only the second time such a planetary mass has been discovered.
2011-08-26

Men at Work are forced to give away 5% of their "Down Under" royalties after a Sydney court rules they plagiarised a flute solo from "Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree".
2010-07-6