Top World News

Mar 11, 2026 - World

Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast‘There are developments this morning’: Chalmers on Iranian football teamWe’re getting a slightly bigger forward sizzle from the treasurer on how many people from the Iranian women’s football team have sought asylum in Australia.There are developments this morning that I’m reluctant to go into because Tony Burke, the minister, will be up later this morning to give people a proper sense of that … It is a tribute to their bravery and to the work of the officials and the ministers that we’ve been able to issue those five visas already. As I understand it, there are more discussions this morning and Tony Burke will have more to say about that later in the day.We’re seeing a lot of volatility play out on these global markets … We won’t be immune from that. We’re not complacent about it, but we’re also really well placed in Australia to deal with what’s coming at us from around the world.Clearly, we had an inflation challenge in our economy already and this risks making it worse. That’s clear. And we’ve been upfront about that. Continue reading...

Mar 11, 2026 - World

Iran’s police chief says protesters will be treated as ‘enemies’ and that security forces remain stationed in the streetsHow have you been affected by the latest Middle East events?Over in Senate question time, the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has confirmed embassies in Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv and the consulate in Dubai all physically closed in the last week. Wong said the government’s number one priority is to “keep Australians safe at home and abroad”. She continued: “The dangerous and destabilising attacks by Iran put civilian lives at risk, including Australian lives.” More than 3,200 Australians over 23 commercial flights have returned to Australia since the US and Israel attacked Iran, setting off a regional conflict and grounding thousands of international flights.Wong criticised Nationals senators for “winding up people and stoking fear” to panic buy fuel. The senator said:“Petrol companies are telling us that fuel stock continues to arrive as expected and on time but there has been a large change in the pattern of demand and that is having an effect on the supply, particularly in regional communities. We have seen jerry cans coming off the shelves at Bunnings and lines at the pump.”One of the two members of the Iranian women’s football teams provided with a humanitarian visa to stay in Australia has changed her mind and contacted the Iranian embassy, according to the country’s home affairs minister.In Australia, people are able to change their mind, people are able to travel. So, we respect the context in which she has made that decision.Unfortunately, in making that decision, she had been advised by her teammates and coach to contact the Iranian embassy and get collected … As a result of that, it meant that the Iranian embassy now knew the location of where everybody was. Continue reading...

Mar 11, 2026 - World

Economists predict RBA board will hike cash rate to 4.1% next week as inflation climbs and energy costs surgeFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMillions of Australians could be hit with the twin blow of soaring petrol prices and higher mortgage repayments amid rising expectations that the US-Israel war on Iran will force the Reserve Bank to hike rates on Tuesday.A growing number of economists predict that the RBA board will increase the cash rate to 4.1% at the conclusion of its upcoming two-day meeting, after the central bank’s deputy governor, Andrew Hauser, said data had “confirmed even more decisively … that our economy currently has limited spare capacity”. Continue reading...

Mar 11, 2026 - World

The Queensland senator replaces David Littleproud, who announced his shock resignation from the National party on TuesdayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMatt Canavan has declared “we need more Australian everything” – including babies, farming and fossil-fuel powered barbecues – after being elected Nationals leader in a party room vote on Wednesday.The Queensland rightwinger defeated Kevin Hogan and Bridget McKenzie in a three-cornered contest to replace David Littleproud, who blind-sided colleagues on Tuesday by announcing he was stepping down as leader. Continue reading...

Mar 11, 2026 - World

Anti-corruption watchdog makes adverse findings against two former public servants but clears four other individuals Two former public servants referred to the anti-corruption watchdog by the royal commission into robodebt have been found to have engaged in serious corrupt conduct while the former prime minister Scott Morrison has been cleared.The long-awaited report into potential corruption related to the unlawful income averaging scheme, released on Wednesday, covered the six referrals made by the royal commissioner Catherine Holmes in 2023, which were restricted from the public view in a sealed chapter. Continue reading...