australia

Kevin Rudd US Ambassador Resignation Confirmed

Kevin Rudd US Ambassador Resignation Confirmed

January 13, 2026 2:28 am

Australia’s ambassador to the United States, Kevin Rudd, will leave his post months ahead of schedule, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed on Tuesday, following a tenure marked by diplomatic successes and political friction with President Donald Trump.

Rudd, a former Australian prime minister, will conclude his posting in March and return to lead the Asia Society think tank. Albanese said the move was initiated by Rudd himself and would not alter the strength of ties between Canberra and Washington.

“Australia and the United States are the closest of friends and allies, and this will never change,” Albanese told reporters. …

Deadly Bushfires Devastate South-East Australia

Deadly Bushfires Devastate South-East Australia

January 11, 2026 7:23 am

South-east Australia is reeling after bushfires tore through dozens of communities, leaving one person dead and nearly 300 homes and buildings destroyed. The blazes, concentrated mainly in Victoria but spreading into New South Wales, have consumed land almost twice the size of Greater London.

Authorities declared a state of emergency in Victoria as thousands of firefighters battled the flames, supported by more than 70 aircraft. Residents in over a dozen towns have been urged to evacuate, as extreme heat, strong winds, and dry conditions threaten to keep the fires burning for weeks.

Victoria’s Premier, Jacinta Allan, said 30 active fires …

BBC/British Visa Cancelled In Australia Over Alleged Nazi Symbols

British Visa Cancelled In Australia Over Alleged Nazi Symbols

December 24, 2025 3:00 am

Australian authorities have cancelled the visa of a British national living in Queensland and placed him in immigration detention after police accused him of promoting Nazi ideology and calling for violence against the Jewish community online.

The 43 year old man was arrested earlier this month and charged with multiple offences linked to the public display of banned Nazi symbols. Officials said the case highlights Australia’s tougher stance on hate crimes amid a reported rise in antisemitism and far right extremism.

Police said the man was taken into immigration detention in Brisbane this week after the Department of Home Affairs …

Netanyahu: Blames Australia Policy After Deadly Bondi Attack

Netanyahu: Blames Australia Policy After Deadly Bondi Attack

December 15, 2025 4:10 pm

Israeli Prime Minister says recognition of a Palestinian state fueled anti-Semitism, as Australia probes a terror shooting at a Hanukkah event in Sydney.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sharply criticized Australia’s government following a deadly attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, accusing Canberra of fostering an atmosphere that enabled anti-Semitic violence.

In a statement issued after the shooting at Bondi Beach, Netanyahu said he had warned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this year that recognizing a Palestinian state would, in his words, “pour fuel on the anti-Semitic fire.” He added that “history will not forgive hesitation and

…
Reddit Sues Australia Over Child Social Media Ban

Reddit Sues Australia Over Child Social Media Ban

December 12, 2025 2:07 am

Reddit has filed a lawsuit in Australia’s High Court seeking to strike down the country’s new nationwide social media ban for children under 16, arguing that the law unlawfully restricts free political communication and threatens user privacy.

The challenge, lodged Friday, marks the most significant legal pushback yet against Australia’s world-first age-access law, which took effect on December 10.

The San Francisco–based company, one of Australia’s most widely used online platforms, said in its filing that the law should be ruled invalid because it interferes with the implied constitutional freedom of political communication.

Reddit added that even if the …

Australia Critical Minerals Reserve Draws Global Interest

Australia Critical Minerals Reserve Draws Global Interest

November 19, 2025 6:40 am

Australia has seen a surge of interest from key partners in Europe and Asia in its strategic critical minerals reserve following a landmark agreement with the United States last month, Trade Minister Don Farrell said on Wednesday.

The growing attention comes as Canberra positions itself as a dependable supplier of rare earths, lithium, and other minerals that have become essential to sectors ranging from defence manufacturing to advanced technology. Australia’s push also follows Beijing’s recent export restrictions on some rare earths, raising concerns among Western governments about secure access to supply.

Farrell told Reuters on the sidelines of a CPTPP …

Erin Patterson: Mushroom Murder Convict Appeals Life Sentence

Erin Patterson: Mushroom Murder Convict Appeals Life Sentence

November 3, 2025 10:43 am

Erin Patterson, the Australian woman convicted of killing three relatives with a toxic mushroom meal, has formally appealed her life sentence, one of the longest ever given to a female offender in the country.

The 51-year-old lodged her appeal on Monday after Victoria’s Court of Appeal granted permission for her legal team to challenge the convictions. The court’s approval came weeks after prosecutors also sought to appeal her sentence, arguing it was “manifestly inadequate.”

Patterson was convicted in July 2024 of murdering her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, 66. She was also …

US Australia Rare Earths Deal Targets China’s Market Control

US Australia Rare Earths Deal Targets China’s Market Control

October 20, 2025 4:31 pm

‌The United States and Australia have sealed a landmark agreement aimed at strengthening supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals, in a move designed to reduce reliance on China’s dominant market position.

The deal, signed on Monday, commits both nations to accelerate investments in mining and processing projects worth $8.5 billion (£6.3 billion). It includes an initial $1 billion fund for projects to be developed across the US and Australia within the next six months, according to a framework released by the White House.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the partnership would “support a pipeline of …

BHP Set To Appoint Geraldine Slattery As The First Female CEO

BHP Set To Appoint Geraldine Slattery As The First Female CEO

September 28, 2025 2:18 am

BHP Group, the Australian mining giant, is poised to make history by appointing Geraldine Slattery as its first female chief executive in 140 years, the Financial Times reported on Friday. Slattery, who currently leads BHP’s Australian operations, would succeed CEO Mike Henry, who is expected to step down by mid-2026 after five years at the helm.

According to sources familiar with the board’s thinking, BHP is “not in a rush” to formalize the transition, allowing ample time for succession planning and a smooth handover. The miner, the world’s largest listed company in its sector, has a long-standing practice of grooming …

Sydney Officer Charged After Protester Alleges Assault

Sydney Officer Charged After Protester Alleges Assault

September 23, 2025 9:59 am

A New South Wales police officer has been charged with assault after a pro-Palestinian protester alleged she was punched in the face during a demonstration in Sydney earlier this year — an incident that has raised fresh questions about policing of dissent in Australia.

The protester, Hannah Thomas, a former Greens party candidate, was among dozens who gathered outside SEC Plating in the suburb of Belmore in late June. Activists accused the manufacturer of supplying parts for F-35 fighter jets used by Israel’s military, a claim the company has denied.

Police declared the demonstration unauthorized and ordered the group to …

Australia’s Climate Pledge Branded ‘Anti-Climactic’

Australia’s Climate Pledge Branded ‘Anti-Climactic’

September 18, 2025 5:47 am

Australia has pledged to slash greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 70 percent from 2005 levels by 2035 — a move Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed as “responsible” and “science-based.” But the announcement, made Thursday in Canberra, has been met with disappointment by climate experts and Pacific leaders who argue the country is still falling short of what science demands.

The target forms part of Australia’s formal submission under the Paris climate accord, which requires nations to outline their emissions-cutting goals and detailed roadmaps. The stakes are high: Australia is seeking to co-host next year’s UN climate summit with …

Australia Says US Will Access New AUKUS Submarine Shipyard

Australia Says US Will Access New AUKUS Submarine Shipyard

September 14, 2025 8:26 am

Australia confirmed Sunday that the United States will be able to use a planned submarine maintenance hub in Western Australia, underscoring deepening defense ties under the AUKUS security pact.

Defense Minister Richard Marles said facilities at Henderson shipyard near Perth — slated for a A$12 billion ($8 billion) upgrade — will primarily serve Australia’s future nuclear-powered submarines but will also be open to US vessels.

“This is an AUKUS facility and so I would expect so,” Marles told ABC television. “It is being built in the context of AUKUS, and I would expect that in the future this would be …

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𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬, 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐘𝐨𝐫𝐤, is a nonpartisan online news portal founded on the truth to provide you with weekly, insightful articles written with precision and current updates on current events from Africa in particular and the rest of the world in general. All of our reports undergo extensive fact-checking to ensure their veracity, and we adhere strictly to the facts, no matter whose ox is gored.

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