Iran and Oman reach understanding on coordinates of route through Hormuz, Iran ministry says

• Ten European countries have restored border checks, signaling a potential decline in European solidarity and the viability of the Schengen common area. • The tension escalated on August 26, 2026, after Italy imposed restrictions on travelers from Spain, prompting an immediate retaliatory response from Madrid.

• Russia has issued a formal warning to the United Kingdom regarding its ongoing production of drones. • Diplomatic efforts are reportedly making progress concerning the Strait of Hormuz, though the practical impact remains unclear.

• President Trump stated that the U.S. is "achieving a very big victory" in the ongoing war with Iran, asserting that military operations will continue for as long as necessary. • As the conflict approaches the six-month mark, Trump confirmed there is currently no specific timetable for resuming peace talks with the Iranian government.

• Media narratives and expert analyses are increasingly focusing on a projected 2026 war involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. • Current discourse largely portrays Iran as the primary antagonist in the lead-up to this potential conflict.

• During a UN Security Council debate on Tuesday, officials warned of a "vicious conflict-hunger cycle" where war drives famine, which then fuels further violence. • The crisis is manifesting globally, with farmers fleeing land in Somalia, drone strikes hitting markets in Sudan, and gang violence isolating communities in Haiti.

Nepali tour operator fears 15 Australians who had been on a trekking tour near border with China have died after devastating floodingA Nepali tour operator says he fears that 15 Australians trekking with his company in a valley ravaged by flash flooding have died.Sagar Pandey, the founder and chief executive of Himalayan Glacier Trekking, said he has lost all contact with his tour group of 47 people, which included 15 Australians. Continue reading...

Premier confirms levy, which was intended to help pay for the multibillion-dollar Suburban Rail Loop and other Big Build projects, will be abolishedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA levy secretly slapped on Victorian public transport users – designed to help pay for the Suburban Loop and other Big Build projects – will be scrapped, the state premier has announced.Ben Carroll announced on Thursday that he would move to abolish the levy “because there was no transparency in its creation and implementation”. Continue reading...

Officers called to northern beaches home on Sunday evening before 16-year-old dies in hospital on Tuesday night after what source says was sexual strangulation actFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew South Wales police are investigating the death of a 16-year-old girl after a suspected sexual strangulation act.Police said emergency services were called to a home in Elanora Heights in Sydney’s northern beaches on Sunday evening in response to a welfare concern report. Continue reading...

Quota to fall by a third to Coalition-era levels in move that the Greens say makes Australia ‘meaner and weaker’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s annual refugee intake will fall by a third next financial year, as Labor works to drive down migration levels over increasing political pressure from One Nation.Currently set at 20,000 arrivals per year, the annual refugee quota will drop back to Coalition-era levels of 13,750 in 2027-28. Continue reading...

Giant burrowing cockroaches with added cameras and medical injectors are being tested as potential ‘first responders’ in earthquakesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastFor people trapped under rubble in an earthquake or similar disaster, the arrival of a fleet of cockroaches could one day be the difference between life and death.Biorobotics engineers have been working on the design of six-legged cyborg insects with cameras and miniature medical injectors for search and rescue missions. Continue reading...

Actor says she had the ‘weirdest six months of my life’, after being diagnosed days after her Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek died of cancerBusy Philipps has revealed she had a brain tumour removed, which was diagnosed shortly after her Dawson’s Creek co-star James Van Der Beek died from bowel cancer.The 47-year-old, born Elizabeth Philipps, starred in the hit US teen drama as Audrey Liddell opposite Van Der Beek, who died in February aged 48 after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. Continue reading...

Airline declines to predict impact of new carry-on luggage charge on Jetstar revenue or ticket sales, saying it is offering customers ‘choice’Qantas has recorded its lowest pre-tax profits in four years, at $2.06bn, after the US war on Iran pushed up its fuel costs by $610m.Australia’s national airline also announced it would phase out its Airbus A380 models as it prepares to add new planes to its fleet, handing down annual results on Thursday. Continue reading...