Byron writers festival cancelled and warnings for Sydney’s City2Surf due to east coast rain dump

Major flood warning remains in place along Namoi River as parts of coastline receive almost double August monthly rainfall in eight days

Heavy rainfall across Australia’s eastern states has prompted the cancellation of the Byron writers festival and…[Read more]

Australia joins UK, Germany, Italy and New Zealand in condemning Israel’s planned Gaza City takeover

Joint statement warns Netanyahu’s new ground offensive will worsen ‘catastrophic humanitarian situation’ as international outrage grows

Australia’s foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has joined fresh international condemnation of Israel’s…[Read more]

Albanese and Luxon urge Israel to reconsider Gaza City takeover during ‘warm, generous’ meeting

Australian and New Zealand leaders reject possible US trade retaliation over recognising Palestinian statehood and reaffirm plans to deepen security ties

Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, and his New Zealand counterpart, Christopher Luxon…[Read more]

Türkiye begins natural gas shipments to Syria

The first natural gas shipments from Türkiye to Syria have begun, Türkiye’s Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar announced on Saturday.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Türkiye-Syria natural gas pipeline, Bayraktar said natural gas from Azerbaijan will be delivered to Syr…[Read more]

Italy praises Türkiye’s cooperation in migration management

Italy on Friday hailed Türkiye’s cooperation in curbing irregular migration, saying it has delivered “excellent results,” according to an official statement.

In a statement, the Italian government said that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan…[Read more]

One Gazan family’s struggle to find their next meal

Every morning in a sweltering tent in Gaza, Abeer and Fadi Sobh wake to the same grim task: finding enough food to keep their six children alive.

The couple has three options: Maybe a charity kitchen will be open and they can get a pot of watery lentils. Or they can try jostling through c…[Read more]

Former PM Gabriel Attal wants to make his mark with a name change for Macron’s Renaissance party

Gabriel Attal, former prime minister and current head of Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party, sent questions to Renaissance members on July 31 about the party’s future and name, as a way to redefine its identity and shape it to suit him ahead of the…[Read more]

France suspends Gaza evacuations after student antisemitism row

France has suspended its programme for receiving Palestinians fleeing Gaza.

The freeze will be in place while authorities investigate a Palestinian student in France who has been accused of making antisemitic remarks online, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has said.

The…[Read more]

Long delays for passengers at Port and LeShuttle

People leaving the UK via the Port of Dover or Eurotunnel Le Shuttle at Folkestone are facing delays as the summer holiday getaway begins.

At Dover, travellers are being warned of a 90-minute processing time at the French border during check-in.

Traffic is building in the town, with TAP…[Read more]

Palestinian statehood vote at Victorian Labor conference heaps more pressure on PM

Labor Friends of Palestine’s motion also called on federal government to extend sanctions to all members of Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet

Victorian Labor members have voted to immediately recognise Palestine, heaping further pressure on the Albanese government to…[Read more]

Albanese praises Indigenous truth-telling in Victoria after failure of Voice to Parliament

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese acknowledged the work of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, the nation’s first truth-telling inquiry, on Saturday.

As the annual Garma Indigenous festival kicks off in north-east Arnhem land, the Northern Territory justice…[Read more]

UN chief urges Australia to aim higher as it debates climate goals

The UN’s climate chief has urged Australia to take more ambitious climate action, as debate over the country’s emissions reduction targets heats up in parliament.

“Bog standard is beneath you,” Simon Stiell told the country, arguing “colossal” economic rewards could be reaped by…[Read more]

Cheaper medicines coming for all Australians in new bill this week

Australians can hopefully expect their medicine bills slashed very soon as the federal government brings key legislation to cut costs this week.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to fulfil a key election commitment with a bill this week to reduce the price of medicines…[Read more]

Australia faces nervous wait as Trump’s tariff deadline looms

Australia is no closer to learning whether it will be hit by a higher tariff by the United States, despite President Donald Trump saying he’ll be handing down fresh duties later this week.
The so-called “reciprocal” tariffs were paused for 90 days, and the White House has recently…[Read more]

The rise of Japan’s far right was supercharged by Trump – and tourists

Japanese politics is a usually steady ship, verging on the boring most of the time.

Not anymore.

Last Sunday, a once obscure far-right party, Sanseito, surged from one to 15 seats in the elections, making them a serious contender in Japan’s political scene.

With their…[Read more]

Japan to start new residency system for foreign workers

The government has adopted a basic policy to start a new residency qualification system for accepting human resources from overseas in April 2027, in a bid to secure foreign talent.
In line with the move, the current technical intern training system will be abolished. The industry sectors to…[Read more]

Ceasefire ultimate goal in Russia-Ukraine talks: FM

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Wednesday that the ultimate goal of Russia-Ukraine talks is a ceasefire that will pave the way for peace.

Speaking at the Türkiye-Russia-Ukraine trilateral meeting in Istanbul as the Turkish metropolis hosts the third round of peace talks between Moscow and…[Read more]

July 15 association to expose coup, FETÖ facts in 54 countries

A new international initiative to share the truth about the July 15 coup attempt by the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ) has been launched, July 15 Association Chair Ismail Hakkı Turunç announced on Thursday.

Speaking at a news conference held at Istanbul’s Çamlıca Tower, Turunç s…[Read more]

Ankara condemns Israeli parliament’s call to annex occupied West Bank

Türkiye has strongly condemned the Israeli parliament’s recent resolution urging the government to annex the occupied West Bank, denouncing the move as a flagrant violation of international law and a dangerous provocation.

In a written statement issued Wednesday, the Fo…[Read more]

Wildfire kills 10 firefighters, rescue workers in Turkiye amid extreme heat

Local media report that 24 firefighters and rescuers were trapped by the wildfire, and that victims were ‘burned alive’.

At least 10 firefighters and rescue workers were killed and 14 others injured while battling a wildfire in Turkiye’s northwestern Eskisehir provi…[Read more]