Health insurance premiums rose by up to 17 per cent in one month, research finds

Experts have urged Australians to re-examine their health insurance policies and assess their needs after research found premiums surged by up to 17 per cent.
Australians were hit with premium increases far higher than the industry-wide price rise of 3.03 per cent in…[Read more]

Australian economy records weakest growth in almost three years

Australia’s economy is on the verge of crawling to a standstill, with gross domestic product rising by just 0.1 per cent in the first three months of the year.
New national accounts data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed the weak growth – the lowest quarterly f…[Read more]

Premature interest rate cut ‘won’t be good’ for struggling households, RBA governor says

Michele Bullock has issued a word of caution to the Australians hoping for an interest rate cut, warning it won’t bring any relief unless inflation is under control.
The Reserve Bank governor said while she wants to provide relief to households str…[Read more]

A family yearns for answers years after Turkish refugee’s torture, death

In 2022, the Turkish coastguard found Baris Buyuksu barely alive with signs of torture, in the Aegean Sea.

Athens, Greece – As noted in his autopsy, 30-year-old Baris Buyuksu had several tattoos.

On the inside of his left arm was the invocation, “be patient”, in Turkish…[Read more]

Turkey halts trade with Israel over ‘humanitarian tragedy’ in Gaza

Turkey has suspended all trade with Israel over its offensive in Gaza, citing the “worsening humanitarian tragedy” in the strip.

The Turkish trade ministry said the measures would be in place until Israel allowed an “uninterrupted and sufficient flow” of aid into Gaza.
Trade…[Read more]

British Steel secures major Turkish rail contract

British Steel has secured a deal to supply rail for a new high-speed railway in Turkey, the company has confirmed.
The contract will see “tens of thousands of tonnes” of track produced in Scunthorpe to connect the port of Mersin with the cities of Adana, Osmaniye and Gaziantep.
In April, British…[Read more]

French military instructors in Ukraine would be ‘legitimate target’, Russia says

French military instructors training soldiers in Ukraine would be a “legitimate target” for Russian strikes, Moscow’s top diplomat said Tuesday, amid reports France could send trainers to the country.

France does not officially have military personnel assisting or…[Read more]

Macron, Zelensky to discuss Ukraine’s needs in Paris on Friday

“As Russian strikes intensify on the front line and against energy infrastructure, the two presidents will discuss the situation on the ground,” the presidential palace said Tuesday.

The meeting between the two leaders is set to take place after D-Day commemorations.

The Ukrainian…[Read more]

Planet warming at ‘unprecedented pace’, according to new study

Looking at decade averages, temperatures climbed 0.26 degrees Celsius from 2014 to 2023, said the study published in the journal Earth System Science Data.

In that same period, average global surface temperatures reached 1.19C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial benchmark for…[Read more]

Vivid attractions cancelled due to ‘severe weather’

Wild weather that dumped rain across the country has forced closures at one of one city’s most popular winter events.

A wild week-long weather pattern that dumped rains across Sydney has forced closures at one of the city’s most popular winter events.

A number of attractions at this year’s…[Read more]

World’s rarest album to go on display in Australia

An album so rare and valuable that only a few ears have ever listened to it is set to go on display at an Australian gallery, giving the public a taste of the uber-exclusive tracks.

Housed in an ornate silver box, Once Upon a Time in Shaolin – recorded in secret by the Wu-Tang Clan over six…[Read more]

Turkey’s new Mesopotamia Express takes visitors through the country’s rich history

Running 1,051km from Ankara to Diyarbakır, it passes through stark, mountainous landscapes and some of the country’s most important historical sites.

Train travel is having a moment. From the Tren Maya in Mexico to the European Sleeper connecting Brussels and…[Read more]

Turkey drone strikes in Syria kill 4 US-backed SDF fighters, wound 11 civilians

Turkish drone strikes in northeastern Syria on Friday evening killed four US-backed fighters and wounded 11 civilians, the Kurdish-led force said.

The strikes on areas held by the US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces came a day after Turkey’s p…[Read more]

French security authorities foil plan to attack football events during Paris Olympics

France’s security authorities have foiled a plan to attack soccer events during the Paris Olympics, the country’s interior minister said Friday.

Gerald Darmanin said in a statement that members of the General Directorate of Internal Security arrested an…[Read more]

Ratings agency S&P downgrades French credit score from AA to AA-

Ratings agency S&P on Friday downgraded France’s credit score for the first time since 2013, citing a deterioration in the country’s budgetary position.

S&P justified its decision to lower its rating for the EU’s second-largest economy to “AA-” from “AA” by saying the budget…[Read more]

Macron calls the rise of far-right parties an ‘ill wind’ for Europe

France’s President Emmanuel Macron on Monday raised the alarm over the “ill wind” of the rise of the far right in European politics, during a state visit to Germany ahead of key EU elections.

Macron noted a “fascination with authoritarian regimes” in Europe, singling out Vikto…[Read more]

European elections: French parties compete for seats at the EU parliament

Europeans will be voting from June 6-9 for members of the European Parliament, where France holds 81 of the 720 seats up for grabs. French voters will choose among candidate lists submitted by the country’s political parties; those hoping to lead their parties to EU v…[Read more]

Nadal defeated by Zverev in likely French Open farewell

Rafael Nadal’s record-breaking French Open career came to its likely end when the 14-time champion slumped to a demoralising first-round defeat against Alexander Zverev.

Nadal, who turns 38 on June 3, went down 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 to world number four Zverev on Monday, suffering only his f…[Read more]

World Bank, Türkiye kick off $400M project for resilient forests

The government of Türkiye and the World Bank have launched a $400 million (TL 12.90 billion) project to strengthen the country’s capacity to protect people and forests from wildfires, the lender announced Thursday, and a ceremony was held in Ankara.

“Türkiye is vulnerable to floo…[Read more]

Türkiye showcases defense might in major int’l military exercise

Hosting a major military drill that saw the participation of approximately 11,000 personnel from some 45 countries, Türkiye Thursday once again showcased the advancements of its prosperous defense sector among peers in the western Izmir province.

Held in Izmir’s Seferhisar d…[Read more]