Top World News

Mar 11, 2026 - World

Failure to appoint Jeremy Carl is a rare setback for Trump, with Republican-controlled Senate mostly approving his appointmentsDonald Trump’s nominee for a top diplomatic post has been withdrawn from consideration after a growing backlash over his past remarks on race and Jewish people left him without crucial Republican support.Jeremy Carl, who had been tapped to serve as the assistant secretary of state for international organisations – a role overseeing US policy towards bodies such as the UN – announced on Tuesday that he was stepping aside after failing to secure unanimous backing from Republicans on the Senate foreign relations committee. Continue reading...

Mar 11, 2026 - World

Convicted murderer Regina Arthurell was removed from a home with two children on Monday despite a December report warning of the situationFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales government has apologised after admitting it left two foster children in a home with a convicted triple killer until this week, despite a report warning them of the situation in December.The NSW minister for families and communities, Kate Washington, told 2GB radio on Wednesday morning that Regina Arthurell had been removed from a home where she had been living with foster children aged 12 and 14, after the radio station revealed the situation on Monday.Additional reporting by AAP Continue reading...

Mar 11, 2026 - World

One expert warns it may be perceived as ‘unfair’ that some students undertook test on Wednesday while others didn’tFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe authority that runs Naplan has apologised “unreservedly” for a disruption to a “significant number” of schools on its first day, as some students had the standardised test postponed while others did not.The chief executive of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (Acara), Stephen Gniel, said the technical issue, identified at 9.20am, stopped some students from logging on to the online platform for their writing assessments. Continue reading...

Mar 11, 2026 - World

Limiting access to German church to well-off visitors would be ‘socially unjust’, critics sayPlans at Cologne Cathedral to start charging visitor fees have sparked an outcry, with critics warning against limiting access to the majestic gothic building to the well-off.Officials said this month that the cathedral, the tallest twin-spired church in the world and a tourist magnet in Germany’s fourth largest city, could only be maintained with a new revenue stream. Continue reading...

Mar 11, 2026 - World

Intelligence sources claim Iran has begun mine laying as US energy secretary backtracks on claim US escorted a ship through strategic chokepointMiddle East crisis live – latest updates The US military said it attacked and destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the strait of Hormuz amid reports that Iran has begun laying explosive devices in the strategically vital waterway.Citing intelligence sources, CNN on Tuesday reported that Iran has laid a few dozen mines in the strait in recent days and has the capability to sow hundreds more. Continue reading...