Turkey’s parliament approves Sweden’s NATO bid

Turkey’s parliament has approved Sweden’s NATO membership bid after more than four hours of debates.

The legislators ratified Sweden’s accession protocol by 287 votes to 55, with four abstentions on Tuesday.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming da…[Read more]

Thousands of flood damage victims still waiting on claims as insurers face ‘perfect storm’

After two years of floods inundating the east coast of Australia, thousands of customers are still waiting for claims to be processed.

Figures from the Insurance Council of Australia show that of 160,000 building insurance claims made across four major…[Read more]

Rio Tinto to buy all electricity from European Energy’s planned solar project near Gladstone

Australia’s largest solar project has reached a major milestone — agreeing to sell all its electricity to mining company Rio Tinto.

European Energy plans to build its Upper Calliope Solar Farm about 50 kilometres south-west of Gladstone in central Q…[Read more]

BOM declares Cyclone Kirrily with impacts expected on Queensland’s coast and islands

Cyclone Kirrily has been declared and is expected to be felt on Queensland’s coast and islands into Thursday morning.

The cyclone is currently a category one but is expected to cross the coast as a category two system on Thursday night, according to the Bureau…[Read more]

Booming renewable energy generation halves wholesale power prices across the national grid

Rapid growth in renewable generation slashed the wholesale cost of power in the national energy grid late last year, and dramatically reduced reliance on coal-fired power.

Prices more than halved in the final three months of 2023 compared to the same…[Read more]

Most taxpayers to get $804, but high-end tax cut halved as the government rewrites stage 3

he government will halve the stage 3 tax cuts for the highest earners and use the money to deliver an $804 tax cut across the board.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to confirm the details of the biggest policy shift in his government’s first…[Read more]

NATO allies Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria sign deal to clear Black Sea mines

Turkey, Romania and Bulgaria have signed an agreement to clear mines drifting in the Black Sea that have posed a threat to shipping since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine.

On Thursday, Turkish Defence Minister Yasar Guler said the deal establishes a Mine C…[Read more]

Princess Aiko to work at Japanese Red Cross Society from April

Princess Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, is set to work at the Japanese Red Cross Society from April after graduating from university, the Imperial Household Agency said Monday.

While planning to continue engaging in her official duties as an imperial…[Read more]

Japan says there is possibility moon lander power can be restored

Japan switched off its moon lander almost three hours after a historic touchdown to allow for a possible recovery of the craft when the sun hits its solar panels, the space agency said Monday.

With its unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM) mission — dubbed “Moon…[Read more]

Japan lawmakers seek security talks with Taiwan and U.S.

Japanese lawmakers look to arrange face-to-face strategic dialogue with their American and Taiwanese counterparts, seeking to bring the incoming administration of Taiwanese President-elect Lai Ching-te into discussions of cross-strait tensions.

The Japan-Republic of China Diet Members’…[Read more]

France temporarily bans Bay of Biscay fishing to protect dolphins

The month-long ban off the country’s West coast – the first since the end of World War II – is set to begin Monday and applies to both French and foreign fishermen. It follows calls by environmental activists to protect the marine mammals, pointing to a surge in dolphin deaths on…[Read more]

Macron urges French defence firms to boost production to support Ukraine

Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Macron has pushed the defence industry to switch to “war economy mode”, reiterating his call during a visit to the Cherbourg naval base in northwestern France.

“We must amplify the transformation we have begun” to respond…[Read more]

French farmers threaten to intensify protests over taxes, regulation

France’s largest farm union FNSEA is considering nationwide protests in the coming weeks, a spokesperson said on Friday, potentially expanding action by farmers in the southwest who have blocked a highway and dumped manure on public buildings.

Like their German counterparts w…[Read more]

French court annuls extradition of Italian mafia hitman-turned-pizza chef

In April 2023, the Lyon Court of Appeal had backed Greco’s extradition but the decision was suspended by an appeal to the Cour de Cassation.

The Cour de Cassation, basing its decision on a procedural flaw tied to the composition of the investigating chamber of the Lyon…[Read more]

Football star Benzema files defamation complaint against French minister

A tough-talking right-winger with designs on the French presidency, criticised Benzema after the former France striker and 2022 Ballon d’Or winner posted on X (formerly Twitter) in mid-October in support of the inhabitants of Gaza, who, he claimed, were victims of “…[Read more]

‘Natalist injunctions’: Macron sparks uproar with call to revive France’s birth rate

During a press conference on Tuesday, Macron said France needed to pursue what he called “demographic rearmament”.

The president pledged to offer better parental leave and combat infertility – which he called “the taboo of the century”.

“Leave our uteruses a…[Read more]

Turkey frees Israeli footballer detained over Gaza war reference in match

A Turkish court has released pending trial an Israeli footballer who was detained after displaying a message apparently marking 100 days since Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7.

Sagiv Jehezkel, 28, displayed a bandage on his wrist reading “100 days. 07/10” next to th…[Read more]

$900 fine for a delivery rider’s death: Do couriers have any rights?

The death of a motorcycle courier in an Istanbul road accident and the light sentencing of the man who allegedly killed him have sparked a debate about the conditions of gig workers at a time when they are an increasingly crucial engine of the global economy.

Mohammed Hassan S…[Read more]

Turkey court fines Somali president’s son for car crash that killed courier

A court in Turkey has convicted the son of Somalia’s president for the death of a motorcycle courier but commuted his sentence of two-and-a-half years in prison to a fine.

Prosecutors had requested that Mohammed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the son of Somali President Has…[Read more]