Cook Islands China deal riles allies as West’s grip loosens
The recent spree of deals between the two is upsetting traditional allies wary of Beijing.
Russia, US hold talks, Putin says contacts inspire hope – Reuters
- Russia, US hold talks, Putin says contacts inspire hope Reuters
- Putin Praises Trump for Working to Thaw U.S.-Russia Tensions The New York Times
- Kremlin says dialogue with US should move forward but nobody expects quick solutions Reuters
- On Moscow streets, Russians welcome thaw in relations with Washington Voice of America
- Putin warns Europe against sabotaging US-Russia rapprochement Yahoo
Oscar-tipped Japanese MeToo film not shown in Japan
Shiori Ito became the face of Japan's MeToo movement after she accused a prominent journalist of rape.
Japan’s MeToo icon is up for an Oscar – but the film can’t air in the country
Shiori became the face of Japan's MeToo movement after she accused a prominent journalist of rape.
Greece gripped by massive strikes as suspicion and anger boil over – POLITICO Europe
- Greece gripped by massive strikes as suspicion and anger boil over POLITICO Europe
- Violent protests in Greece on rail crash anniversary as frustration at system failures boils over The Associated Press
- Clashes erupt in Greece as hundreds of thousands protest deadly train crash Reuters
- No Trains, No Planes and Huge Protests: Strike Brings Greece to a Halt The New York Times
- Greeks hold mass protests demanding justice after train tragedy BBC.com
Youths throw rocks at police in Athens as violence erupts amid train crash rally
Riot officers fire teargas at hundreds of hooded youths as protests across Greece mark anniversary of Tempe disaster
Peaceful protests in central Athens have been eclipsed by the eruption of full-scale clashes between rock-throwing youths and riot police, as demonstrations and strikes were held across Greece to mark the second anniversary of a fatal train crash.
Thousands of people who had crammed into Syntagma Square for a demonstration later fled, some even seeking refuge in the parliament, as riot police fired rounds of teargas at hundreds of black-clad hooded youths lobbying rocks at them.
Continue reading...Australia news live: Conroy says Chinese flotilla under ‘unprecedented’ naval surveillance as it sails south of Adelaide
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Safety net for laid off fashion group workers
Workers out of a job after the collapse of fashion retailer Mosiac Group will be guaranteed their entitlements after the federal government fast-tracked access to its worker safety net scheme.
Staff are largely women, many balancing part-time employment with care responsibilities, and highly reliant on their pay, so we want to ensure they have as much certainty as possible around their finances going forward.
Continue reading...North Korea says it launched cruise missiles in message to ‘enemies’
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw missile drills this week in the Yellow Sea, state media reports.
Feeling heat from Trump to ‘solve’ Gaza, Arab states losing patience with PA’s Abbas – The Times of Israel
- Feeling heat from Trump to ‘solve’ Gaza, Arab states losing patience with PA’s Abbas The Times of Israel
- Real problem with the Palestinians: Nobody wants them Washington Times
- Trump's "Favorite Dictator" Sends Warning over his Gaza Plan Newsweek
- Egypt rejects proposals to displace Palestinians Reuters
- Arab countries will give Trump a plan for Gaza ‘within weeks,’ Jordanian official sources say CNN
‘Business is not good’: Vietnam’s floating markets dwindle as economy soars
Cai Rang and other floating markets are in decline amid rapid economic development and improving infrastructure.
Creative Australia boss forced to refute rumour he had resigned as fallout over Khaled Sabsabi dumping continues
Adrian Collette sends all-staff email denying that he and the chair of Creative Australia’s board had quit amid calls for resignations
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The beleaguered CEO of Creative Australia, Adrian Collette, has quashed rumours that emerged overnight that he and the chair of the body’s board, Robert Morgan, had resigned.
“There is a rumour circulating on social media that Robert Morgan and I have resigned,” said his email to all staff of the government arts funding organisation, sent just after 8.30am on Friday.
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Continue reading...Five key takeaways as Donald Trump hosts UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Faced with criticisms of the UK's handling of free speech and trade, Starmer offered mild but indirect pushback.
Did the White House help end the Tate brothers travel ban?
The release of Tate and his brother came after discussions between US and Romanian officials.
Cyclone Alfred threat eases as BoM says it is now less likely to cross Queensland coast
Alfred is creating hazardous weather conditions from Townsville south to K’Gari, with gale force winds forecast on the Great Barrier Reef and dangerous surf between Yeppoon and Hervey Bay
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Tropical Cyclone Alfred is becoming less likely to make landfall on the Queensland coast after it briefly intensified to a category four.
Alfred briefly strengthened to a category four overnight but has since been downgraded back to a category three.
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Continue reading...Australian politicians unworried by Trump’s ‘what does that mean?’ response to Aukus question
US president was questioned about defence deal during meeting with UK prime minister Keir Starmer
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Australian politicians have played down a slip from Donald Trump, who initially failed to understand a question about Aukus posed by a British reporter.
The US president was questioned about the Australia-UK-US defence deal during a meeting with the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, in the Oval Office.
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Continue reading...Trump commends Zelensky ahead of White House talks
The US leader plays down earlier frictions and predicts a "very good meeting" on Friday.
Nations salvage funding deal to reverse wildlife decline – BBC.com
- Nations salvage funding deal to reverse wildlife decline BBC.com
- Biodiversity Talks in Rome End The New York Times
- Nations agree plan to finance nature protection, at second attempt Reuters.com
- Cop16 nature summit agrees deal at 11th hour but critics say it is not enough The Guardian
- Nations Back $200 Billion a Year Plan to Reverse Nature Losses Bloomberg
No reason for China to apologise to Australia for live-fire drills, ambassador says
Xiao Qian says exercises in Tasman Sea posed ‘no threat’ to Australia as previously unreported communications between pilots and air traffic controllers show confusion over drills
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China doesn’t even need to “think” about apologising over the way it notified Australia about live-fire naval drills off the Australian coast, the country’s ambassador says.
Xiao Qian told the ABC the drills last Friday and Saturday posed “no threat” to Australia and were “a normal kind of practice for many navies in the world”.
He said the notification of the drills had followed normal international practice, despite Australian authorities first becoming aware of them after they began, from a passing Virgin pilot.
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Continue reading...Jeffrey Epstein: more files released related to late sex offender and financier
Attorney general had indicated justice department would release files related to Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019
The US justice department has released additional files related to the late disgraced financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The justice department gave a statement on Thursday evening, saying the release largely contained documents that had been “previously leaked but never released in a formal capacity by the US government”.
Continue reading...HS2 ‘a casebook example of how not to run a major project’, MPs say
Scathing committee report lambasts DfT and HS2 for failing to work together effectively
HS2 has become “a casebook example of how not to run a major project”, according to the latest scathing report on the high-speed rail line from MPs on the public accounts committee (PAC).
The PAC lambasted the Department for Transport (DfT) and HS2 Ltd for failing to work together effectively, and told them not to waste the opportunity to get a grip on costs during the project’s latest “reset”.
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