The governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia, Michele Bullock, says the central bank is ready and able to cut interest rates if needed to shield the economy from a damaging global trade war. Bullock made the comments after the central bank’s monetary policy board held rates at 4.1%, in a decision that was widely … Read more
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Q: Is it true that you have banned shadow ministers from criticising Donald Trump, as a paper reported at the weekend? No, says Badenoch. She says that is not true. But she says politicians from one country should not endlessly be … Read more
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature As we mentioned in the opening post, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has backtracked on his decision to appoint vice admiral Eli Sharvit as the next head of the Shin Bet, some 24 hours after making the surprise announcement. Netanyahu’s office … Read more
People displaced from their homes alongside the site of an oil pipeline under construction in Uganda have complained of being inadequately rehoused or compensated. When completed, the East African crude oil pipeline (Eacop) will transport oil from the Tilenga and Kingfisher oilfields in western Uganda to the port of Tanga in Tanzania. The project – … Read more
UK house prices stagnated last month as London clocked up the lowest price growth in the country, while thousands of Britons raced to complete purchases before the end of a stamp duty holiday. The average price of a home was unchanged at £271,316 in March, compared with February’s 0.4% monthly rise, according to Nationwide building … Read more
Key events Show key events only Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature Italian prime minister Meloni says ‘no one who believes in democracy’ can be happy about court’s decision to ban Le Pen from 2027 race Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has just weighed in on Marine Le Pen saying in a social … Read more
Niger’s ruling junta has quit a regional force fighting armed Islamist groups in west Africa’s Lake Chad area, cementing an acrimonious split from former allies in the region. The decision to exit the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) was announced in a bulletin on state television over the weekend. The move “reflects a stated intent … Read more
Myanmar’s military is facing criticism over continued airstrikes and claims it is blocking aid to earthquake survivors, as international agencies urged “unfettered access” to humanitarian aid in the conflict-riven nation. The 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit central Myanmar on Friday has caused widespread destruction, killing more than 2,000 people and leaving affected areas in dire need … Read more
Good morning. Marine Le Pen appeared to have been expecting a guilty verdict in her trial for embezzling millions in European parliament funds to pay her party’s workers in contravention of the rules – and even to have anticipated that she might face a period of ineligibility for political office once her inevitable appeal was … Read more
A colossal fire has erupted in a Malaysian suburb outside Kuala Lumpur due to a burst gas pipeline, prompting evacuations of nearby homes. The inferno near a gas station in Putra Heights in central Selangor state on Tuesday was visible for kilometres. National oil company Petronas said the fire broke out at one of its … Read more