Crossbenchers warn Labor's NDIS overhaul is moving 'too far, too fast'
Crossbench senators and the Greens have criticised the Albanese government's proposed overhaul of Australia's National Disability Insurance Scheme, warning that the changes could move "too far, too fast". Their comments came after a final Senate inquiry report was released on Friday afternoon, as the bill to curb the scheme's growth appeared set to pass parliament as early as next week. The debate centres on a program that supports more than 770,000 Australians with disabilities and is currently valued at $52bn.The inquiry report was delivered by a Labor-chaired committee, which recommended that the bill pass. But Greens senator Jordon Steele-John and... [Continue Reading]
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Nigel Farage regains Clacton seat as by-election result is confirmed
Nigel Farage has regained the Clacton parliamentary seat after winning the by-election he triggered by resigning from Parliament a month earlier. The result returns the Reform UK leader to Westminster and confirms the outcome in the seaside constituency in eastern England. Farage did not attend the count, saying police had advised him there was a plan to disrupt the event.According to the supplied reports, Farage won 62.8% of the vote, while Count Binface secured 26.7%, more than a quarter of ballots cast. Turnout was 44%, below the 59% recorded at the 2024 general election, though the reports said that level... [Continue Reading]
Australia advances news bargaining law to force tech platforms to pay publishers
Australia is set to move ahead with a new news bargaining incentive bill after Labor and the Coalition agreed on amendments that would require major digital platforms to make more deals with publishers. The legislation is designed to make companies such as Facebook and TikTok contribute to media outlets for the value they derive from news on their services. It is expected to be introduced into parliament on Wednesday.Under the revised plan, tech companies would have to strike at least eight deals with news publishers, up from the previous minimum of six. The scheme would also limit how much of... [Continue Reading]
Day News Recap: Hormuz tensions deepen as Iran, US and Russia drive a volatile global day
Iran kept the Strait of Hormuz closed and linked any reopening to US demands, while President Donald Trump repeated his claim that the United States has total control of the waterway and will keep it shut. Transit through the strait fell to a one week low, with only eight vessels crossing, underlining the pressure on one of the worldโs most important shipping lanes. ๐ ๐ ๐US forces also stepped up pressure at sea, with Central Command saying a Navy MH 60 helicopter fired missiles into the engine room of the Panama flagged M/V Vela Nova after repeated warnings were ignored.... [Continue Reading]
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Iranian Quds Force chief visits Baghdad for talks on disarming armed groups
An Iraqi source has said the head of Iran's Quds Force, Esmail Qaani, made an unannounced visit to Baghdad earlier this week for talks on the Iraqi government's plan to disarm armed groups. The source said Qaani held behind-the-scenes meetings with Iraqi political and security leaders, as well as commanders of Shia paramilitaries, on Monday. The discussions reportedly focused on bringing weapons under state control as Baghdad moves toward a September 30 deadline.According to the source, the Iranian message delivered through Qaani was that there should be no handover of faction weapons at the present time. The source said Tehran... [Continue Reading]
Lebanon abolishes death penalty as parliament backs historic reform
Lebanon's parliament has approved a law abolishing capital punishment, confirming a major change to the country's criminal justice system. The vote took place on Tuesday in the 128-member assembly, and the new penalty replaces death sentences with life imprisonment with aggravated hard labour. The reform makes Lebanon the first country in the Middle East to formally end the death penalty.The move gives legal force to a long-standing pause in executions. Lebanon has observed an unofficial moratorium since January 2004, but courts have continued to issue death sentences, and 85 people were still facing such sentences at the end of 2025,... [Continue Reading]
Germany approves draft law to expand spy agency powers after recent attacks
Germany's government has approved a draft law that would lift many of the postwar restraints on the country's intelligence agencies. The move comes after two recent security incidents that have intensified pressure on ministers to show they can respond more effectively to modern threats. The bill still needs parliamentary approval before it can take effect.Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said the changes would turn the intelligence services into "genuine secret services" and give them the operational capabilities needed to confront modern state terrorism and extremist groups. He said Germany should be able to operate on an equal footing with partner services... [Continue Reading]
Breakfast News Recap: Middle East shipping crisis deepens as Colombia quake toll climbs and North Korea fires missile
Rescue teams in Colombia are still searching for survivors after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake killed 216 people, with the death toll continuing to rise as emergency crews work through the wreckage. ๐In the Middle East, oil prices climbed again as renewed attacks on shipping sharpened fears over the Strait of Hormuz and other vital maritime routes. Iran's top security official said the strait will stay closed unless the United States meets Tehran's conditions, while the US military said it disabled a Panama flagged ship near an Iranian port after repeated warnings were ignored. ๐ ๐ ๐The maritime violence widened further... [Continue Reading]
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Ukraine says it has sent new proposals to the United States on ending war with Russia
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Kyiv has handed the United States new proposals aimed at ending the war with Russia. He made the announcement in a nightly video address on Tuesday, saying the plan had been conveyed to the American side. The statement comes as both Ukraine and Russia have suggested that US negotiators may soon visit their countries.Zelenskyy said Washington could help strengthen Ukraine's defences, especially its air defences, while increasing pressure on Moscow to prepare for an end to the war rather than prolonging it. He did not disclose the contents of the proposals. The war began in... [Continue Reading]
Japan may be drawn into Albanese melon joke row as controversy spreads
Japan may be forced to respond to a diplomatic row it had so far tried to avoid after renewed controversy in Australia over a joke by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese about melons gifted to him by Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae. The issue, which had largely passed unnoticed in Japan for about a month, has now begun to circulate more widely in Japanese news and social media. The latest attention came as Albanese faced questions in parliament in Australia over remarks he made on a podcast about the gift.The comments at the centre of the dispute referred to two melons... [Continue Reading]
Hungary parliament elects Andras Baka as new president
Hungary's parliament has confirmed Andras Baka as the country's next president in a secret ballot, marking another significant change under the new political leadership in Budapest. The National Assembly voted on Tuesday to approve the former Supreme Court chief, who was nominated by the Tisza party. He is due to take office on August 19.Lawmakers backed Baka by 140 votes to six, with no abstentions, according to the parliamentary result. Fidesz, the party that dominated Hungarian politics until its defeat in April, boycotted the vote. Tisza lawmakers said Baka's experience would be an important asset as they lay the foundations... [Continue Reading]
Russia bars Yabloko from parliamentary elections after Supreme Court ruling
Russia's Supreme Court has barred Yabloko, the country's only registered anti-war party, from contesting next month's parliamentary elections. The ruling removes the party from the ballot for the September vote and comes after a case brought by Rodina, a pro-Kremlin nationalist party. Supporters gathered outside the Moscow courthouse as the hearing ended, and many chanted "Shame!" when the verdict was announced.Judge Vyacheslav Kirillov said the court had granted claims seeking to annul the registration of Yabloko's federal list of candidates for the State Duma. The case accused the party of publicly supporting an extremist organisation through material on its website... [Continue Reading]
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Hungary's Tisza party nominates Andras Baka for president ahead of parliamentary vote
Hungary's governing Tisza party has nominated former Supreme Court chief Andras Baka as its candidate for president, in a move that underlines its effort to reshape the country's state institutions after its election victory in April. The nomination was announced on Saturday by Prime Minister Peter Magyar, and parliament is expected to elect Baka on Tuesday. Tisza holds a constitutional majority, making the outcome appear largely settled.Baka, who is 73, was chosen by secret ballot within Tisza's parliamentary group, according to Magyar. Party lawmakers said he had consistently defended the separation of powers, the rule of law and judicial independence.... [Continue Reading]
Opposition MP throws eggs at Kosovo acting prime minister during parliament session
An opposition lawmaker threw eggs at Kosovo's acting prime minister, Albin Kurti, during a plenary session in parliament on Saturday. The incident disrupted proceedings as lawmakers argued over delays in forming parliamentary leadership after the June snap election. Police officers and other members of parliament intervened as the confrontation unfolded in the chamber.The MP identified in the row as Time Kadrijaj, from the Alliance party, threw at least four eggs in Kurti's direction. The incident happened after Kurti told parliament he needed more time to hold talks with other parties before proposing a candidate for speaker. The exchange came during... [Continue Reading]
Sri Lanka prison riots leave 3 dead and 23 injured amid suspected gang links
Sri Lankan authorities have brought several prison disturbances under control after riots at multiple facilities left three inmates dead and 23 others injured. The unrest unfolded at prisons including New Magazine Prison in Colombo, Kuruwita prison and an open prison in Negombo. Police, riot squads and special forces were deployed as officers worked to restore order.Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told parliament that one prisoner was killed when 40 inmates broke out of their cells at New Magazine Prison late on Thursday. He said two more prisoners died during a second riot at Kuruwita prison on Friday morning, about 80km... [Continue Reading]
Is the Italian Prime Minister the Visionary Leader Europe Needs? An Analysis of Executive Decisiveness, National Security, and the Contrast in European Integration Policies
A Continent in Institutional Deadlock While the rest of Europe remains entangled in a web of bureaucratic deadlock and human rights litigation, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has quietly established herself as a leader operating far ahead of her continental peers. For years, European leaders have debated how to handle radicalism and unchecked migration, often waiting for institutional consensus that arrives too late. Meloni, conversely, has demonstrated a willingness to prioritize state security over political correctness, offering a blueprint for a continent facing asymmetric threats. The Contrast in European Legislative Approvals The contrast between Italyโs swift, executive decisiveness and the... [Continue Reading]
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