Hamas applauded the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia on Sunday for their formal recognition of a Palestinian state, calling the move “an important step” and a reward for what it described as the Palestinian people’s resistance and struggle. In its statement, the organization praised the recognition as helping affirm Palestinians’ claims over land, holy sites, and their long‑held dream of independence, with Jerusalem as the capital.
The Israeli Hostage and Missing Families Forum has sharply condemned the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia for formally recognizing a Palestinian state while there are still Israeli hostages held in Gaza. The move, made by these Commonwealth nations as part of a broader diplomatic shift, comes amid intense criticism from those who argue recognition should be conditional on the safe return of all captives.
A 39-year-old man has been charged after driving an SUV into the gates of the Russian consulate in Sydney on Monday morning, Australian police confirmed. The incident occurred at around 8 a.m. in the eastern suburb of Woollahra.
Australia will pay the Pacific island nation of Nauru to permanently resettle foreign-born criminals who cannot be deported or imprisoned indefinitely, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed Monday. The deal follows a 2023 High Court ruling that struck down Australia’s practice of holding such individuals in indefinite immigration detention.
Australia expelled Iran’s ambassador this week after confirming Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) orchestrated antisemitic arson attacks on Jewish sites in Sydney and Melbourne. This marks the first time since World War II that Australia has expelled an ambassador, signaling a historic escalation in diplomatic consequences for foreign-directed terror.
Ian Wilkinson, the sole survivor of a 2023 mushroom poisoning that killed three others, delivered an emotional victim impact statement Monday as convicted killer Erin Patterson awaits sentencing for triple murder. Patterson, 50, was found guilty in July of serving a toxic lunch of beef Wellington laced with death cap mushrooms to family members at her home in Leongatha, Victoria.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that the nation will recognize Palestine as a state in September, joining Canada, France, and the United Kingdom in doing so.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived in China this weekend, leading a large business delegation in a diplomatic push to stabilize and expand trade relations. His visit, which includes meetings with top Chinese officials like President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, marks a shift from years of strained ties under the previous conservative government.
A synagogue in downtown Melbourne was set ablaze on Friday evening in what authorities have labeled a politically motivated and potentially antisemitic attack. Around 8 p.m., a man ignited the double doors of the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation while approximately 20 worshippers were gathered inside for a Shabbat meal.
