First stage of Australia’s largest wind farm powered up

The first stage of the largest wind farm in the southern hemisphere has been officially switched on in Victoria’s south west.
Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio announced that once fully operational, the wind farm would power more than 760,000 homes.
The Golden Plains Wind Farm, located at…[Read more]

‘It gets hold of you’: Crystal meth from Myanmar floods Australia streets

Australian police estimate about 70 percent of the highly-addictive drug on the streets comes from the war-torn country.

Myanmar’s remote jungle hills may be a world away from sun-soaked Australia, but the two countries share an insidious bond – crystalline methamp…[Read more]

Zelensky presents Ukraine ‘victory plan’ to Macron in Paris

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Paris on Thursday to present his plan for defeating the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the French president who pledged the meeting would reaffirm France’s “unwavering support” for Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on…[Read more]

When Europe’s railroad dining cars were the height of luxury

On October 4, 1883, the legendary Orient Express departed Gare de l’Est in Paris for the very first time, slowly winding through Europe on its way to Constantinople, as Istanbul was then known. During a seven-day round trip, the service’s 40 passengers — including several promine…[Read more]

Marine Le Pen’s niece starts own party: What it means for French far-right

Marion Marechal, 34, has launched Identite-Libertes, through which she hopes to strengthen France’s ‘national camp’.

The niece of French far-right leader Marine Le Pen has founded her own political party aimed at becoming a new force in the country’s growing right-win…[Read more]

Democrats and Republicans push to expand the Senate battleground map with long-shot races

A few states on the edge of the battle for Senate control — Florida, Maryland, Nebraska and Texas — are seeing late bursts of ads as the parties seek upsets.

For the last two years, the battle for the Senate has focused on a handful of closely watched sta…[Read more]

Trump is in a better polling spot now than he was against Clinton or Biden

WASHINGTON – If polls are any guide – and there are many questions about them – Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is in better shape now than he was at this time in 2020 and in his winning White House campaign of 2016.

Yes, Trump trails Democratic presidential…[Read more]

One dead, 23 rescued from inside Colorado tourist mine after equipment malfunction

At least one person is dead and four others are injured after an equipment malfunction temporarily trapped two dozen people underground in a Colorado tourist mine, Teller County sheriff’s officials said Thursday.

Twenty-three people who were trapped Thursday in…[Read more]

‘The tornado was inside our house’ – Florida reels after Milton

Crystal Coleman sits outside the remnants of her home in St Lucie County, Florida, and wonders where she and her daughter will spend the night.

One of at least a dozen tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton tore through this low-income community on Florida’s east coast, killing at…[Read more]

French treasure hunt for buried owl statue ends after 31 years

A mass treasure hunt appears to have come to an end, after an announcement in France that a buried statuette of a golden owl has finally been unearthed – after 31 years.

A 31-year-long treasure hunt that drew in thousands of enthusiasts across France appeared to have come to an end T…[Read more]

Judge rules public can view video evidence in French mass rape trial

Warning: This story contains distressing details from the start.

A French judge has reversed a ruling in the trial of a man who is accused of drugging his wife to sleep and recruiting dozens of men to abuse her for over a decade.

Lawyers for Gisèle Pelicot, 72, had earlier…[Read more]

PM Barnier tells parliament France must trim its ‘colossal’ debt

New French PM promises ‘targeted tax hikes’ and spending cuts in order to cut budget deficit, national debt.

France’s new Prime Minister Michel Barnier has outlined the policy programme of his new government, seeking to shore up its fragile position just three weeks after taking of…[Read more]

France’s left rages at Emmanuel Macron for shutting it out of power despite election victory

A furious French left called for mass protests across more than 130 towns and cities Saturday after French President Emmanuel Macron named a right-wing prime minister, despite the left’s surprising victory in July’s tumultuous elections.

The New Popular…[Read more]

Ishiba omits divisive proposals in first policy speech as PM

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba gave his first policy speech to parliament on Friday, omitting some of the most divisive proposals he made during last month’s Liberal Democratic Party presidential campaign and instead prioritizing quickly actionable measures.
While he did not touch on p…[Read more]

The man behind Japan’s $170bn bid to prop up the yen

For several years, Masato Kanda hardly slept.

“Three hours a night is an exaggeration,” he laughs as he speaks to the BBC from Tokyo.

“I slept for three hours consecutively before being woken up but I then went back to bed, so if you add them up, I got a bit more.”

So why was this 59…[Read more]

Japan PM warns ‘today’s Ukraine could be tomorrow’s East Asia’

TOKYO: Japan´s new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba warned in his first policy speech on Friday that “today´s Ukraine could be tomorrow´s East Asia”, saying that the world is becoming ever more divided.

The 67-year-old former defence minister, who took office this week, also dubbed th…[Read more]

Runway closed at Japan airport after WWII bomb explodes on taxiway

An unexploded World War II-era bomb exploded on a taxiway at Miyazaki Airport in southwestern Japan on Wednesday morning, forcing the closure of its runway, although no injuries were reported, authorities said.

Video footage from the Civil Aviation College, which uses the airport…[Read more]

NYC mayor Adams pleads not guilty to federal corruption charges

Eric Adams says he will fight charges stemming from alleged illegal campaign contributions from Turkish sources.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has pleaded not guilty to corruption charges stemming from alleged bribes taken from Turkish diplomats and businesspeople.

Adams, 64,…[Read more]

Turkish Parliament to discuss measures against Israeli expansion

Turkish lawmakers are set to assemble for a closed session next week to discuss Israel’s expansionist policies and Türkiye’s potential measures against it, according to a report in Turkish newspaper Sabah.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Yaşar Güler will be briefi…[Read more]

Gaza GDP shrunk nearly 90% due to ‘devastating’ war: IMF

A year of Israel’s attacks on Gaza has had a “devastating impact on the economy” in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported on Thursday.

That includes a nearly 90% decline in Gaza’s gross domestic product (GDP), severely affecting livelihoods in the…[Read more]