In a significant demonstration, tens of thousands of protesters marched through the streets of Brussels to oppose the austerity reforms implemented by the government of Prime Minister Bart De Wever. Police estimates place the participation around 80,000, although union representatives claim that the number exceeded 100,000. Protesters expressed their discontent with banners and chants, marking a substantial turnout against the controversial measures. The protests were part of a broader mobilization initiated by trade unions in response to proposed changes in the pension and unemployment systems. This event highlights rising tensions surrounding economic policies that many believe disproportionately affect lower and... [Continue Reading]
Severe flash flooding has impacted the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, causing significant distress as residents required rescue from homes and vehicles. The event unfolded this afternoon when heavy rains inundated areas including Lismore, Byron Bay, Bangalow, and Mullumbimby. Local reports indicate a staggering 106mm of rain fell in just three hours at Coopers Shoot, near Bangalow, leading to swift and dangerous flooding conditions. The incident commenced around noon, catching many residents off guard as a severe weather system moved through the region. Kristine McDonald, the deputy zone commander for the State Emergency Service (SES), noted that the... [Continue Reading]
Beijing is using AI to help its radars better detect low-altitude drones, according to a top Chinese military scientist who cited drone swarm tactics in the US’ ongoing attack on Iran as an emerging pressure on radar. This development was revealed on Wednesday by Xu Jin, a leading air-defence radar expert and a member of China’s top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). On the sidelines of Beijing’s “two sessions”... [Continue Reading]
United States and Chinese trade negotiators will meet in Paris on Sunday and Monday, seeking to ready a deal ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit to Beijing at the end of the month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng, according to US and Chinese government statements. Neither side gave specific details about the discussions. The sixth round of Bessent-He trade talks comes amid volatility in oil markets due to... [Continue Reading]
On April 25, 2025, the UK government launched an online notification system for entities involved in providing petroleum products to Syria under a specific humanitarian assistance exception. This exception permits the supply of fuel and related financial services despite the ongoing Syria sanctions regime enacted through the Syria (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. The notification form is a new requirement aimed at ensuring transparency and regulatory oversight by the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI). The humanitarian relief exception targets entities classified as 'relevant persons' who supply or finance petroleum products used to alleviate civilian hardship in Syria. Given the... [Continue Reading]
China face Taiwan in a highly charged quarterfinal at the Women's Asian Cup, which already has a political focus. [Continue Reading]
Early on March 13, Israeli airstrikes targeted several locations across Lebanon, killing three civilians and injuring others. The strikes involved Israeli drones and warplanes hitting a car in Tyre’s Shaaitiyeh area, a residential home in Nabatieh’s Aba town, and vehicles in Beirut’s Jnah neighborhood. Additional drone attacks targeted apartments in the Naba’a-Bourj Hammoud area. These strikes affected civilians directly, resulting in fatalities including a woman and injuries to family members, while also damaging homes and infrastructure. The choice of targets spread across multiple districts highlights Israel’s intent to disrupt militant operations but raises concerns about civilian casualties and wider instability.... [Continue Reading]
The war in Iran, which is deeply unpopular in Europe, has put Trump’s closest European allies, a constellation of right-wing and populist leaders, on the defensive. [Continue Reading]
Japanese authorities were investigating how a large steel cylinder suddenly emerged from the ground during sewer construction work and rose to the height of a four-storey building in the city of Osaka. [Continue Reading]
George Russell leads team-mate Kimi Antonelli as Mercedes dominate qualifying for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix. [Continue Reading]
Plastic products in the EU could soon be labelled "recycled" , even when they contain barely any recycled material. A new definition backed by most member states allows plastics with as little as 2.5 percent waste-derived content. Critics warn that the rule relies on accounting tricks that may mask fossil-based plastic production. [Continue Reading]
NSW premier says latest distribution calculation, with a reduction in the state’s share of revenue relative to its population, is unfair and ‘past its use-by date’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s richest state will receive an extra $5.5bn in GST revenue thanks to a sweetheart deal struck with Western Australia in 2018, as the New South Wales premier attacked the latest distribution calculation as unfair and “past its use-by date”.The Commonwealth Grants Commission on Friday released its recommendations on how a projected $102.5bn in goods and services tax should be carved up between the states... [Continue Reading]
Spare a thought for the iceberg A23a which, after an extraordinary 40-year life voyaging around the southern Atlantic Ocean, is this month expected to die unnoticed close to the island of South Georgia, a mess of “brash ice, small icebergs and bergy bits”. A23a was one of the largest “megabergs” to be spawned in our lifetimes. When it broke away from the Filchner Ice Shelf into the Weddell Sea in Western Antarctica in 1986, it covered an area of around 4,000 sq km – about the size of Hong Kong... [Continue Reading]
A ship that was found to be carrying nearly 5 tonnes of cocaine near French Polynesia earlier this year has been escorted into Sydney Harbour after issuing a distress call. [Continue Reading]
Two drones target Oman's Sohar province, killing two foreign nationals and injuring others, state news agency reports. [Continue Reading]
Anya Hindmarch is putting her best Boot forward... [Continue Reading]
US lawmakers introduce Justice for Hind Rajab Act [Continue Reading]
An inquiry into the potential split of a southern New South Wales health district has heard that hospitals have been unable to hire staff to fill critical gaps. [Continue Reading]
Israel continues its military offensive in Lebanon, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict. The latest Israeli airstrikes, reported early on Friday, have resulted in the deaths of at least 16 individuals in Beirut and southern Lebanon. This assault represents a dramatic intensification of military actions aimed at Hezbollah and is part of a broader strategy involving the United States and its allies against Iran. The Israeli military targeted areas previously untouched in this conflict, including an early morning strike on a car in the Jnah neighborhood of southwestern Beirut, which killed one person according to the Lebanese Ministry... [Continue Reading]
Greg's back on his bike. This time, for 630 miles. [Continue Reading]
A French officer has been killed in a drone attack in Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan region, a tragic confirmation from President Emmanuel Macron. This unfortunate incident, which occurred amid ongoing escalations in the Middle East conflict, marks a significant development as Macron labeled it the first French military death linked to current hostilities in the region. The attack took place on Thursday, and several other soldiers were also reported wounded. President Macron conveyed the news through a post on the social media platform X, stating that the member of the armed forces “died for France during an attack in the Erbil... [Continue Reading]
Supreme Court judge rules convictions should have been recorded against a teenager who entered a Mackay home and molested a girl in her bedroom. [Continue Reading]
A US military KC-135 refuelling aircraft has crashed in western Iraq after a suspected mid-air collision involving another KC-135. The incident occurred during US operations in the region, prompting immediate rescue efforts to locate the crew members on board the downed aircraft, which is reported to have had at least five personnel. The second aircraft involved in the incident managed to land safely, according to US Central Command (Centcom). Central Command has stated that neither hostile nor friendly fire was a factor in the aircraft's loss. Instead, the crash was described as a tragic event occurring “in friendly airspace during... [Continue Reading]
The Australian Federal Police have charged a man over a series of alleged antisemitic online threats. [Continue Reading]
US space agency says it is working towards new date after February launch delayed by technical difficultiesNasa said on Thursday that the long-delayed launch of Artemis II, the first crewed flyby mission to the moon in more than 50 years, could come as soon as 1 April.“We are on track for a launch as early as April 1, and we are working toward that date,” Lori Glaze, a senior Nasa official, told a press conference, after technical difficulties delayed a launch originally expected in February. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
As soaring copper prices make the metal highly sought after, more cable thieves are targeting some of Malaysia’s busiest urban rail lines, causing significant inconvenience to commuters and headaches for authorities aiming to combat the scourge. Thefts of copper-embedded cables have led to disruption in train services linking Kuala Lumpur’s northern suburbs to the federal administrative capital of Putrajaya in recent weeks. Among the services affected are the high-speed MRT Putrajaya and Kajang... [Continue Reading]
In January, the US-based magazine Newsweek reported that China had started dredging sand on an obscure feature in the Paracel Islands, the archipelago known as Xisha by the Chinese and Hoang Sa in Vietnam. More recent satellite images suggest that China has significantly expanded its reclamation, with the once-submerged Antelope Reef appearing to have a substantially larger surface area. The reef, one of more than 30 islands that make up the Paracels in the South China Sea, is claimed by Beijing... [Continue Reading]
A drone attack on a joint French-Kurdish base in northern Iraq has killed one French soldier and wounded several others. [Continue Reading]
Two Chinese holiday-makers killed in Queensland floodwater were in contact with their friends hours before their tragic deaths. [Continue Reading]
Violence in the Middle East is intensifying as Israel, Hezbollah, and Iran exchange strikes, extending instability across the region. Attacks targeting maritime routes, notably in the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, have disrupted global energy shipments, driving crude prices close to $100 per barrel. This threatens economic stability beyond the region, affecting global markets and energy security. The civilian toll is mounting, with widespread displacement and increased humanitarian needs. In response, United Nations agencies are expanding relief operations to support affected populations. The UN Security Council recently condemned Iranian attacks on regional states in a resolution led by... [Continue Reading]
‘When I saw the footage, I was crying.' [Continue Reading]
The lead investigator in the trial of two Melbourne men over the 1999 murder of Canberra grandmother Irma Palasics tells a court his first major suspects were Mrs Palasics's family members. [Continue Reading]
Israel's attacks in Lebanon are striking areas in Beirut not hit in this conflict, nor during the 2024 war. [Continue Reading]
Essendon and Hawthorn meet at the MCG for the latest instalment in their famous AFL rivalry, as former Bombers captain Zach Merrett faces the Hawks for the first time since his failed trade attempt. Follow live. [Continue Reading]
In an oil-producing country where 60 percent of people are under 25, nearly half the population lives in poverty. [Continue Reading]
Tens of thousands of people marched in Brussels to protest austerity reforms introduced by Prime Minister Bart De Wever’s government. [Continue Reading]
Carlos Alcaraz will meet Daniil Medvedev in the Indian Wells semifinals, while Jannik Sinner faces Alexander Zverev. [Continue Reading]
Vietnam produced the largest trade surplus with the United States in January, overtaking both Mexico and China, latest official US data shows, as its exports rose sharply while Chinese direct shipments to the United States fell. Hanoi has been negotiating a trade deal with Washington for months but no agreement has been reached because of the large trade gap and disagreements over tariff rates the US wants to impose on Vietnamese goods, officials have said. In January, Vietnam’s trade surplus... [Continue Reading]
Analysts had been expecting 0.2% growth for the UK economy at the beginning of the year. [Continue Reading]
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Friday to discuss ways to increase pressure on Russia to end its war in Ukraine. The meeting comes as US-brokered peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have stalled and the US said on Monday it will waive some sanctions on Russian oil due to the spiralling war in the Middle East. [Continue Reading]
The UK government revealed a major reform plan to transform its nuclear infrastructure delivery system, following a review by an independent Nuclear Regulatory Taskforce that branded the current framework as overly complicated and process-heavy. These reforms intend to speed up project delivery while cutting costs and strengthening national and energy security. The overhaul addresses longstanding criticisms that red tape and bureaucracy have slowed down the construction of vital nuclear facilities. The taskforce, led by John Fingleton, advocated for a smarter regulatory approach prioritizing safe outcomes over procedural hurdles. The government aims to implement all recommended changes by the end of... [Continue Reading]
Two former leaders of a now-disbanded alliance behind Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen Square vigil have a case to answer in a high-profile trial after judges ruled the evidence supported prosecutors’ allegations that the activists incited others to overthrow the Communist Party of China leadership. Three High Court judges on Friday found that the evidence appeared to suggest Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung committed a subversion offence as leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic... [Continue Reading]
In a significant escalation of hostilities, Israel has launched heavy airstrikes on Tehran and other locations as the conflict with Iran continues to intensify. These strikes are part of a broader confrontation that has seen increased military actions from both sides, with Iranian allies also initiating retaliatory assaults across the Gulf region. The situation has led to severe disruptions in shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil supply, raising global energy prices. The United Nations Security Council has expressed concern over the escalating violence, urging both parties to seek diplomatic solutions. New reports confirm that... [Continue Reading]
The US Central Command says rescue efforts are under way after a refuelling aircraft went down over western Iraq. [Continue Reading]
Former staff blow the whistle on horror conditions at a NSW hospital, including mouldy vents, inadequate separation of sewage and drinking water, and the use of sanitary pads to soak up rainwater leaking into wards. [Continue Reading]
Jack Draper is penalised with a controversial hindrance call as Daniil Medvedev ends the Briton's Indian Wells title defence in the quarter-finals. [Continue Reading]