Ukraine insisted Russia’s losses were far higher but did not immediately disclose its own casualties.
The UN General Assembly voted overnight to demand that Russia stop its offensive and immediately withdraw all troops.
The vote was 141 to 5, with 35 abstentions. It came after the 193-member assembly convened its first emergency session since 1997.
Countries that spoke up for Russia included Belarus, Cuba, North Korea and Syria.
China, Iraq, India and Iran were among those that abstained.
Assembly resolutions aren’t legally binding, but they do have clout in reflecting international opinion.
Meanwhile, Russia pounded Kharkiv – Ukraine’s second-largest city with a population of around 1.5 million people – with another round of aerial attacks that shattered buildings and lit up the skyline with balls of fire.
People clear the rubble outside the damaged Kharkiv regional administration building in the aftermath of a shelling. Photo: Sergey Kozlov/EPA
At least 21 people were killed and 112 injured over the past day, according to Oleg Sinehubov, head of the Kharkiv regional administration.
Arestovich said several Russian planes were shot down over Kharkiv, though that could not be confirmed.
A man looks at the gutted remains of Russian military vehicles on a road in the town of Bucha, close to the capital Kyiv, Tuesday, March 1, 2022. Photo: Serhii Nuzhnenko/AP
“Kharkiv today is the Stalingrad of the 21st century,” said Oleksiy Arestovich, a top presidential adviser.
But both sides said they were also ready to resume talks aimed at stopping the fighting, which had Ukraine under threat on multiple fronts.
SA agencies mulling vax mandate extensions
Government agencies including SA Health and the Education Department are considering what legislative levers they could pull to maintain their COVID-19 vaccine mandates once the major emergency declaration ends, state coordinator Grant Stevens says.
The police commissioner told reporters yesterday afternoon that vaccine mandates issued under South Australia’s Emergency Management Act would become “void” once the legislation lapses – potentially as soon as next month.
He said SA Police was liaising with government agencies such as SA Health and the Education Department to figure out how they could maintain their workplace vaccine mandates once the major emergency declaration ends.
“The reality is that when the declaration ceases – when it’s either revoked or is not extended – all of the directions that are issued under that declaration become void,” he said.
“If there is a workforce or a sector within the South Australian community that believes it’s necessary for their employees to be vaccinated, they’ll have to consider what other options are available to them – whether it be a management direction or industrial laws, or work health and safety legislation.
“It won’t be under a direction issued under the Emergency Management Act.”
Asked if that work was underway by agencies such as SA Health or the Department for Education, Stevens said: “I would expect so, yes”.
“My team is liaising with different sectors that are utilising mandates for their workforce at this point in time and that work is ongoing.”
It comes as the number of new COVID-19 infections in South Australia yesterday spiked to 2075 – the highest number since January 26, when 2401 cases were reported.
A man in his 50s and a man in his 70s who tested positive for COVID-19 died, while the number of people in hospital increased to 112 – 64 of whom were fully vaccinated.
Stevens said authorities were “closely watching” COVID-19 hospitalisation and case numbers to determine when to lift the emergency management declaration.
He said he recommended a further 28-day extension to the declaration, which would allow him to exercise powers during the state election so that those in quarantine could vote.
“This is a live consideration for us in relation to when the appropriate time will be to lift that major emergency declaration (but) I don’t think that time is now,” he said.
“It’s possible that this current application for an extension may be the last one, but we’ll have to assess the circumstances as we move through the next 28-day period.”
– Stephanie Richards
Unions raise concern about mental health service relocation in Adelaide’s northeast
South Australia’s health unions say a critical forensic mental health service at the former Oakden site is being relocated to a new location which is not clinically appropriate and puts patient safety at risk.
The Oakden-based Howard House outpatient treatment facility for forensic mental health patients has been sold to developers, according to the South Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Association, with the service told to vacate by March 29.
SASMOA, the ANMF and the Public Service Association say SA Health is proposing to relocate the service into existing facilities at James Nash House – a high security forensic psychiatric facility – and the North East Community Mental Health Service.
Concerns raised by the unions include a potential for high-risk mental health patients to come into contact with elderly or general mental health patients, or victims of offending coming into contact with their offenders.
SASMOA chief industrial officer Bernadette Mulholland called for the services to remain at Howard House until an alternative is found.
“It beggars belief that NALHN (Northern Adelaide Local Health Network) and SA Health have had this long to plan an alternative for these important services and they have come up with a completely inappropriate plan,” she said in a statement.
“The alternative being put forward by the employer is simply not clinically appropriate. It presents safety issues for both patients – who are in the high-risk category – and the community.”
Residents told to leave as NSW floods worsen
Flooded streets in Lismore, NSW, Wednesday, March 2, 2022. Photo: Jason O’Brien/AAP
Intense rain has continued in New South Wales with residents of around 130,000 homes in the path of heavy falls told to evacuate to escape flooding.
Residents in western Sydney xjmtzywwho endured floods in the Hawkesbury-Nepean region in March last year were told to leave on Wednesday night after around 600 gigalitres of water flowed over the Warragamba Dam wall.
More than 100mm of rain fell in multiple areas near the dam between 9am and 6pm on Wednesday.
Deputy Premier Paul Toole said the Georges River was likely to exceed the heights of the 2021 flood and residents were in for a “tough night” on Wednesday evening.
About 130,000 homes are in the path of the overflowing dam, and Toole wanted them to be empty before floodwaters hit.
“Get out now … we do not want to see those situations where people are on the roofs of their houses waiting to be rescued,” he said.
That was the case in Lismore on the Mid North Coast of NSW, after devastating floods hit there earlier this week.
Four deaths have been confirmed in the Lismore flood event so far.
Two women in their 80s and a man in his 70s were found dead in their flooded homes, while another man’s body was found floating down a Lismore street.
A fifth man died on the Central Coast last Friday morning after his car was swept away in floodwaters.
The SES received more than 2500 requests for assistance and conducted over 250 flood rescues in the 24 hours up to 4pm on Wednesday.
WA finally opens to rest of Australia
The arrivals hall at Perth airport was filled with joy and hugs after midnight when the first interstate planes to take advantage of Western Australia’s border reopening landed.
After spending almost 700 days behind a hard border during the coronavirus pandemic, WA is finally welcoming vaccinated travellers.
About 5000 people will arrive on Thursday across 22 domestic flights and five international flights and tens of thousands are expected to follow in the coming weeks.
WA has been closed to South Australia since Friday, December 3.
The first flight to hit the ground after midnight was a Qantas ‘red eye’ from Sydney.
Jubilant scenes lifted the domestic arrivals hall as the passengers entered the baggage collection area to be greeted by family and friends.
One of the travellers was federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese, who will be campaigning in the seats of Pearce and Hasluck from Thursday to Saturday.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was also expected to visit WA after the border came down but is isolating in Sydney as he recovers from COVID-19.
WA is the last jurisdiction in Australia to open its border to air travellers but there are some restrictions, including a requirement to be triple vaccinated and complete a travel entry pass.
“Australia is now finally back together,” Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said.
“This day has been a long time coming.
“It will be an emotional day for those reuniting with loved ones.”
Premier Mark McGowan originally planned to reopen in February but this was delayed due to the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 within Australia over the summer.
WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said he expected an influx of travellers after almost 23,000 travel applications were received by Wednesday morning.
Fitbit recalls one million watches after burns
The Fitbit Ionic has been recalled due to safety concerns. Photo: DReifGalaxyM31/Wikmedia Commons
Google-owned Fitbit has recalled one million of its Ionic smartwatches after dozens of users reported burn injuries as a result of the battery overheating.
The fitness gadget maker said anyone who bought the $US299 ($A411) watch with the model number FB503 should immediately stop using the product and contact Fitbit for packaging to return it.
