Victims of road crime feel ‘forgotten by system’, official review finds

• Myanmar is challenging the traditional diplomatic model where governments must make political concessions and end human rights abuses to end international isolation. • Historically, Western diplomacy utilized conditionality, applying economic restrictions and diplomatic pressure to force rehabilitation and political reform.

• Former Indonesian Ambassador Dr. Wajid Fauzi delivered a presentation at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) analyzing the historical and geopolitical drivers of Middle East conflicts. • He specifically highlighted the conflict in Yemen, explaining how domestic strife evolved into a regional proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

• A devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Colombia, resulting in more than 160 deaths, while Typhoon Dolphin forced the evacuation of over one million people in China. • NOAA reported that July 2026 was the hottest month ever documented in the U.S., highlighting escalating climate trends.

Judge rejects intimidation claim as high profile trial continues with complainant J’s ex-girlfriend cross-examined by shock jock’s defence teamThe prosecutor in the Alan Jones trial has accused the defence team in court of “intimidating” an alleged victim’s former girlfriend after she asserted she wasn’t financially motivated to provide evidence supporting her ex’s allegations.On Thursday, complainant J’s ex-girlfriend was cross-examined by Jones’s defence team, during which she maintained she had a conversation with J more than 20 years ago in which he alleged Jones touched him. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Ministers explore diverting male prisoners serving short terms or on remand away from tougher jailsMinisters are examining a possible upgrade of security at men’s category C and women’s prisons to deal with an overcrowding crisis across the England and Wales estate, the Guardian understands.Officials have explored diverting prisoners on remand or serving short sentences away from category B “reception” prisons such as HMPs Liverpool, Manchester and Pentonville in north London. Continue reading...

High schoolers join university walkouts in major cities and several smaller locations amid urge to ‘stand up against the far right’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCalls for striking students to stay in school are unlikely to deter thousands across the country preparing to take part in a major walkout in protest against Pauline Hanson.High schoolers have begun joining the coordinated university union protests taking place in every major city and several smaller locations across the country on Thursday afternoon. Continue reading...

Rio Tinto makes power supply deal with federal and NSW government to cut emissions and decarbonise, preventing potential closureFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastResources giant Rio Tinto says Australia’s largest aluminium smelter will run entirely on renewable energy by 2033 after it struck a $2.5bn subsidy deal with the federal and New South Wales governments to prevent a potential closure.The deal – announced by Anthony Albanese and the NSW premier, Chris Minns, at the Tomago smelter near Newcastle on Thursday – is for a 10-year below-market power supply guarantee that begins after the facility’s existing coal-focused electricity contract with AGL ends in December 2028. Continue reading...

Hakainde Hichilema is bidding for second term, but feud between him and family of Edgar Lungu, who died in 2025, continuesAs Zambians go to the polls, the ghost of the current president’s predecessor hangs over the elections.Hakainde Hichilema, 64, is bidding for a second term leading the southern African country after defeating his arch-rival Edgar Lungu by a landslide in 2021. Continue reading...

Rise in new mine proposals, mainly in states of Odisha and Jharkhand, comes despite plateau in global demandEnough new coalmining projects were proposed last year to increase global supplies by 2.5bn tonnes a year, an increase of 11% from the year before, even as demand for coal plateaus, according to a new report.Global Energy Monitor, an NGO, found that India ignited a rise in new coalmine proposals in 2025 despite a global slowdown in the number of mine openings because of falling demand for the fossil fuel. Continue reading...

Victorian corruption watchdog alleges weapon was used to hit man’s head, with another officer accused of kneeing him in same incident last yearTwo Victorian police officers have been charged with assault after allegedly using a Taser and knee to repeatedly strike a man in the head during an arrest last year.In a statement, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission said it had charged the two officers after an investigation into the force used during an arrest of an Indigenous man in Melbourne’s east last August. Continue reading...

McKenna West initially agreed to an abortion after diagnosis, but then fled to state where abortion is illegal and broke contact with biological parents, attorney allegesA surrogate mother who traveled to Texas, where abortion is illegal, claiming she was pressured to end the pregnancy after the discovery of a severe heart defect, gave birth on Wednesday to a baby boy.The child’s biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed of California, confirmed the birth through their lawyer, while denying they forced McKenna West, who is from Alaska, to undergo an abortion, the Texas Tribune reported. Continue reading...