Venezuela talks end with agreement on judicial reform and frozen funds
France 24

Venezuela talks end with agreement on judicial reform and frozen funds

Venezuela's interim government and opposition ended their first round of talks on Wednesday with agreements to reform the Supreme Tribunal of Justice and seek access to the country's frozen reserves at the Bank of England, in order to finance recovery from June's devastating earthquakes.

Australia politics live: Icac hears evidence on ‘shake down Angus’ message as opposition leader’s staffer berates journalist for asking about it
The Guardian

Australia politics live: Icac hears evidence on ‘shake down Angus’ message as opposition leader’s staffer berates journalist for asking about it

Opposition leader says he has ‘made clear’ to Bragg that his job is to express the views of the Coalition. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLegislation forcing tech companies to pay for Australian journalism to be introducedThe government will today introduce its legislation forcing tech companies to pay for journalism in Australia after making a s...

Singapore’s provision shops struggle to keep shutters open in HDB heartlands
SCMP

Singapore’s provision shops struggle to keep shutters open in HDB heartlands

Surrounded by a clutter of carton boxes, bottles of dishwashing liquid and rows of dry snacks, Ramasamy Vellasamy holds court behind a cashier. For nine hours a day since 1986, he has been running a provision shop on the ground floor of a housing block in northern Singapore and knows the neighbourhood and its residents like the back of his hand. Despite Samy Provision Shop’s enduring presence, it ...

Law Society of Singapore strikes Pritam Singh off the rolls

Law Society of Singapore strikes Pritam Singh off the rolls

SCMP

Workers’ Party (WP) chief Pritam Singh was struck off the rolls on Thursday after the Three Judges decided on the disciplinary action initiated by the Law Society of Singapore (LawSoc). This follows his conviction for giving false evidence under oath. Apart from being a Member of Parliament for Aljunied GRC, Singh was also a non-practising lawyer. Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon presided over the he...

Ibac charges police officer accused of repeatedly hitting Indigenous man with Taser during Melbourne arrest

Ibac charges police officer accused of repeatedly hitting Indigenous man with Taser during Melbourne arrest

The Guardian

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 ...

Chinese dad sparks controversy after digging grave to help sick daughter cope with death

Chinese dad sparks controversy after digging grave to help sick daughter cope with death

SCMP

A father in southwestern China, who once dug a grave for his two-year-old ailing daughter, has transformed it into a flower garden after she made a remarkable recovery. Zhang Xinlei, from Neijiang in Sichuan province, was born with severe thalassaemia, a blood disorder that requires lifelong transfusions and poses risks of developmental delays and heart complications. The illness left the little g...

Reform UK's Farage and Count Binface go head-to-head in snap UK election

Reform UK's Farage and Count Binface go head-to-head in snap UK election

France 24

Voters cast their ballots on Thursday in a local English election pitting Brexit backer Nigel Farage against a collection of independents, jokers and single-issue candidates,including a comedian dressed as a dustbin, in a test ​of opposition ‌to the Reform UK leader's brand of populist politics.

Farage and Count Binface go head-to-head in snap UK poll

Farage and Count Binface go head-to-head in snap UK poll

France 24

Voters cast their ballots on Thursday in a local English election pitting Brexit backer Nigel Farage against a collection of independents, jokers and single-issue candidates,including a comedian dressed as a dustbin, in a test ​of opposition ‌to the Reform UK leader's brand of populist politics.

Surrogate mother who fled to Texas gives birth to baby with severe heart defect

Surrogate mother who fled to Texas gives birth to baby with severe heart defect

The Guardian

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 parent...

Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt leaving role, president says – as it happened

Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt leaving role, president says – as it happened

The Guardian

This live blog is now closed.Karoline Leavitt will step down as White House press secretarySign up for the Breaking News US emailCore inflation, which measures price changes without volatile goods like food and gas, rose by 0.2% in July, after not really changing in June compared to the month prior.While the latest data shows there has been a 2.9% drop in gas prices from June to July, there has be...

Reformers were ‘spectacularly unsuccessful’ in taking over NSW Liberals, Catholic schools boss says

Reformers were ‘spectacularly unsuccessful’ in taking over NSW Liberals, Catholic schools boss says

The Guardian

Catholic Schools NSW chief executive Dallas McInerney tells Icac corruption inquiry that Christain factional group driven by ‘a calling … a duty’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA factional ally of the federal opposition leader, Angus Taylor, has told a corruption inquiry a group of Christian Liberal power brokers who ...

Why India is eyeing France’s next-generation combat aircraft tech amid jet shortage

Why India is eyeing France’s next-generation combat aircraft tech amid jet shortage

SCMP

India is looking to join France’s sixth-generation fighter programme in a long-term bid to secure a role in the next era of air warfare, from advanced aircraft technology to the industrial work of designing and building future combat systems. But analysts said the move, while potentially a major step in India’s defence partnership with France, would do little to ease the country’s immediate shorta...

Nearly 200-country study shows China’s Belt and Road Initiative cuts debt and corruption

Nearly 200-country study shows China’s Belt and Road Initiative cuts debt and corruption

SCMP

A study analysing data from hundreds of countries and regions suggests China’s Belt and Road Initiative is linked to better governance and economic development, according to researchers from Nanjing University. They found the trade and investment scheme – which spans Africa, Asia, Europe and beyond – was also associated with improved corruption control and that it reduced debt risks. The team – fr...

Australia politics live: Angus Taylor rebukes Andrew Bragg for expressing ‘personal views’ on migration numbers; Chris Minns steps in to deflect melon-gate question to PM

Australia politics live: Angus Taylor rebukes Andrew Bragg for expressing ‘personal views’ on migration numbers; Chris Minns steps in to deflect melon-gate question to PM

The Guardian

Opposition leader says he has ‘made clear’ to Bragg that his job is to express the views of the Coalition. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLegislation forcing tech companies to pay for Australian journalism to be introducedThe government will today introduce its legislation forcing tech companies to pay for journalism in Australia after making a s...

Telstra CEO gets $700,000 pay rise to $6.8m despite Australia-wide outage

Telstra CEO gets $700,000 pay rise to $6.8m despite Australia-wide outage

The Guardian

Telco board cuts senior executive bonuses by total $1.3m after tech fail that affected millionsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTelstra has paid its chief executive, Vicki Brady, $6.8m for the year ending in June, after docking 20% of her bonus in response to the network’s nationwide outage in July.The company reported...