Top World News

Feb 12, 2026 - World

Leaders to discuss once-taboo policy of favouring European companies, in attempt to regain economic competitivenessEU leaders are expected to diverge on whether “Buy European” is an answer to Europe’s waning economic fortunes, at a summit on how to secure the continent’s future in a more volatile global economy.At a moated castle in the east Belgian countryside, the EU’s 27 leaders will gather on Thursday for a brainstorming session on how Europe can regain its economic competitiveness vis-a-vis the US and China, at a time of economic threats and political turbulence. Continue reading...

Feb 12, 2026 - World

This blog is now closedLiberal party on brink of dumping first female leader with Taylor’s backers confident of defeating LeyGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMcCarthy threatens pulling funding levers on states on Close the Gap outcomesMalarndirri McCarthy says there are funding levers the government could pull to put more pressure on the states to improve on Closing the Gap outcomes.We have levers that we can pull and I know that through the Northern Territory Remote Area Investment, the NTRA, that is certainly an agreement between the commonwealth and the Northern Territory where I have pushed for those levers to be looked at.So we are halfway through that and we see this expiring in 2031. So we have another five years to really get to the end of this and hopefully close that gap. And that is our aim.There are certainly many, many moments of frustration. There is no doubt about that. Not just with the Northern Territory, there are other jurisdictions that we continually need to work with.But the NT specifically, I’ve reached out directly to the chief minister, I have raised directly the concerns around the incarceration rates, but also the deaths in custody that we’ve had in the last 12 months, really, in the NT in particular. Continue reading...

Feb 12, 2026 - World

A handful of votes may decide the next Liberal leader, with Sussan Ley to stare down her challenger, Angus Taylor, on Friday morningThe Libspill is on: Taylor v Ley set for Liberal leadership showdown on Friday morning – podcastGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Liberal party is on the brink of dumping its first female leader, with Angus Taylor’s backers confident of defeating Sussan Ley in Friday’s leadership vote.The embattled opposition leader faced a tide of 10 resignations by 7pm on Thursday, with frontbenchers including Dan Tehan, Michaelia Cash, Jonathon Duniam, James McGrath and Dean Smith all abandoning Ley to vote for Taylor. Continue reading...

Feb 12, 2026 - World

Prime minister stresses importance of repairs to graves in Gaza being conducted as soon as possible in meeting with Isaac HerzogFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has raised the issue of Australian war graves bulldozed by the Israeli military in Gaza directly with the Israeli president, Isaac Herzog.Dozens of Australian war graves – mostly soldiers who died in Palestine during the second world war – were bulldozed by the Israel Defense Forces across April and May last year. Satellite images show the southern corner of the Gaza Commonwealth War Cemetery being obliterated, with headstones destroyed and soil pushed by machinery into an earthen berm. Continue reading...

Feb 12, 2026 - World

Nigel Dalton says he sought to redeem himself ‘in the eyes of God’ by crossing the floor in an attempt to overturn the LNP’s abortion debate gag orderFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe rebel Liberal National party Queensland MP Nigel Dalton, who earlier this week defied the state’s premier, David Crisafulli, over the abortion law debate, has encouraged others “to put on the full armour of God” and speak out on the issue.In an interview posted on YouTube, Dalton told the anti-abortion activist Joanna Howe his “history with anti-abortion has been probably 30-odd years in the making”. Continue reading...