NSW Labor to adopt tougher pokies stance as Sydney inner west mayor says ‘momentum for real reform unstoppable’

• High-level delegations from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey arrived in Tehran on July 3 to attend the funeral of the late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. • Turkey notably served as the only NATO member nation present, signaling a shift in regional diplomatic dynamics despite long-standing Western sanctions on Iran.

• An analysis criticizes Al Jazeera for amplifying a spontaneous video clip of schoolchildren in Somaliland to create a manufactured political crisis. • The report argues that the network's editorial decision to broadcast the footage to millions transformed a minor incident into a significant international event.

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to regional peace and the resolution of conflicts through diplomatic means. • During a joint press conference in Istanbul with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Erdogan emphasized that sustainable solutions require the collective will and support of regional nations.

• Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapan stated on Saturday that the world is currently facing deep and multidimensional crises. • He argued that conflicts rooted in ethnic, religious, linguistic, cultural, and geographical identities cannot be solved through domination.

• A leaked State Department cable revealed by The Nation magazine shows Washington instructing embassies to apply diplomatic pressure on Cuba. • The U.S. government claims Cuba's economic decline is driven by incompetence and mismanagement, while asserting that Cuban authorities have obstructed $100 million in offered humanitarian aid.

• A new report warns that the Trump administration's strategic emboldening of Pakistan may lead to long-term negative consequences for the United States. • The analysis suggests that providing Pakistan with excessive strategic importance has reduced external pressure on the country to address its internal governance failures.

• Professor Yan Xuetong of Tsinghua University argues that the ongoing crisis in Iran demonstrates a decline in U.S. strategic credibility and its ability to protect regional allies. • The situation highlights a perceived failure of the Trump administration to maintain control over regional dynamics and stability.

Farage is under pressure over £5m gift, byelection losses and rise of rival Restore but allies say exit speculation is ‘wishful thinking’“Of course he’s tired. He’s just done two months campaigning every day on the road, it would be weird if he wasn’t. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to quit,” says one friend of Nigel Farage who has spent time with him in recent weeks.Westminster has been ablaze with rumours that Farage is growing weary in the job of leading Reform UK after the bruising scandal around his decision to accept a £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. Continue reading...

Nicholas Stern joins growing number backing Miliband, saying he has vision and experience to revive economyA former chief economic adviser to the Treasury has called on Andy Burnham to appoint Ed Miliband as chancellor, arguing the energy secretary has a “bold” vision to revive the economy.Nicholas Stern, a professor at the London School of Economics who was a senior figure in the Treasury during Gordon Brown’s tenure, said only Miliband had the experience and the strategic vision to accelerate investment and rebuild public trust in the state’s ability to “get things done”. Continue reading...

Anthony Albanese mocks ructions on conservative side of politics and says three rightwing parties are caught up in ‘race to the bottom’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLiberal frontbencher Dan Tehan says he does not want to be in a rightwing coalition with One Nation, despite senior colleagues urging closer ties with Pauline Hanson and polls suggesting her rise will make it difficult for the opposition party to ever govern in its own right again.Prime minister, Anthony Albanese, on Sunday mocked the Liberal, National and One Nation parties as an “axis of grievance” on the conservative side of politics, but Tehan said a formal alliance was not being discussed among his colleagues. Continue reading...

Ezra Jin, founder of Zion Church, lands in the US and reunites with family who are ‘overwhelmed with joy’The founder of one of China’s most prominent underground churches has been released from prison and reunited with his family in the United States.Ezra Jin, the founder of Zion Church, landed in the US on Friday evening. He was one of dozens of church members who were detained in a sweeping crackdown on Christians in October. Continue reading...