Top World News

Nov 25, 2025 - World

This blog is now closed‘Vast overreach’: police allowed to conduct warrantless pat-downs of people across inner Melbourne for six monthsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDomestic violence among under-18s increasing, Plibersek saysViolence in relationships among young people under 18 is increasing, says Tanya Plibersek, who has announced a major funding boost for the 1800 Respect phone helpline this morning.It’s a mixed picture. We’re seeing some areas, like intimate partner violence, slightly decreasing, but we’re seeing big increases in, for example, young relationships, under-18s. We’re seeing big increases in violence there. So we need to keep evolving as this problem in our society evolves.If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault or family violence, call 1800-RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au. Continue reading...

Nov 25, 2025 - World

Consumer Affairs Victoria ordered to pay costs after firm successfully argues it is not technically engaged in debt collection owed to another personFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCriminal charges against one of Australia’s biggest debt collection firms have been dismissed after the company successfully argued it was not technically engaged in debt collection.In a committal hearing at the Melbourne magistrates’ court on Tuesday, magistrate Michelle Hodgson dismissed the charges against Panthera Finance and ordered that Consumer Affairs Victoria pay costs. Continue reading...

Nov 25, 2025 - World

In today’s newsletter: What the suspension of Richard Dannatt and David Evans tell us about standards and accountability in the Lords, and the prospect of reformGood morning. Two peers, Lord Dannatt and Lord Evans of Watford, are facing lengthy suspensions from the House of Lords, after the house’s disciplinary process found multiple instances in which they broke lobbying rules and “demonstrated a failure to act on their personal honour”.The investigation began after the Guardian published a series based on undercover reporting earlier this year that exposed both peers offering to arrange meetings with ministers for what they believed were potential commercial clients. The commissioner’s findings detail breaches including Dannatt offering introductions to ministers for companies in which he had a financial interest, and Evans expressing a clear willingness to provide access to ministers in the context of a commercial deal worth tens of thousands of pounds.Politics | Reform UK has ignored requests to share the evidence for its claim to have saved £331m since it took charge of 10 English councils in May, prompting questions over whether the figure is true. This Guardian analysis has found that supposed savings appear questionable.Society | Hundreds of thousands of vulnerable unpaid carers will have their cases reassessed after a damning official review concluded they had been left with huge debts because of government failure and maladministration.Media | Claims of “serious and systemic problems” in the BBC’s coverage of issues including Donald Trump, Gaza and trans issues – which led to the resignation of its director general, Tim Davie – have been disputed by a former adviser to the corporation.Ukraine | Kyiv has significantly amended the US “peace plan” for Ukraine, removing some of Russia’s maximalist demands, people familiar with the negotiations said, as European leaders warned that no deal could be reached quickly.Politics | Rachel Reeves has privately urged Labour MPs to back her make-or-break budget, saying they will not like every measure but promising it will be “fair”. Continue reading...

Nov 25, 2025 - World

Search powers, usually reserved for protests, will be in effect in the CBD and beyond in a move criticised by human rights groupsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictoria police will have the power to conduct warrant-less pat-downs, search cars and move people on in Melbourne’s CBD for six months, in a move human rights and legal groups have described as a “vast overreach”.Police on Tuesday declared the CBD, Docklands, Southbank, the sporting and entertainment precinct and parts of East Melbourne and South Melbourne as a “designated area” from Sunday, until 29 May 2026. Continue reading...

Nov 25, 2025 - World

The strikes come a day after a suicide attack on a security compound in Pakistan’s Peshawar cityPakistan strikes on neighbouring Afghanistan have killed 10 people – among them nine children – a Taliban government spokesperson has said, a day after a suicide attack on a security compound in Pakistan’s Peshawar city.“The Pakistani invading forces bombed the house of a local civilian resident ... As a result, nine children (five boys and four girls) and one woman were martyred” in Khost province, Zabihullah Mujahid said on X. Continue reading...