POLITICS & POLICY

Romanians flocked to the polls on Sunday to elect a new parliament with the far right tipped to gain ground, potentially heralding a shift in the foreign policy of the NATO country bordering Ukraine.

Georgia's Prime Minister on Sunday ruled out new parliamentary elections amid a post-election crisis that has seen his legitimacy questioned both at home and internationally.

An impenetrable barrier against irregural migration for some, a deadly trap for others: a metal fence erected on the Polish-Belarusian border is dividing Poland's authorities and human rights groups.

A monitor of Syria's war said on Saturday that rebels controlled most of Aleppo, reporting Russian air strikes on parts of Syria's second city for the first time since 2016.

Georgia on Saturday said 107 people were arrested during a second night of protests sparked by the government's decision to delay European Union membership talks amid a post-election crisis.

Georgian police on Friday fired water cannon and tear gas on demonstrators, as thousands took to the streets for a second day to protest the government putting off EU membership talks.

Romania on Friday began recounting the votes from last week's dramatic first-round presidential election, amid concerns the ballot might be annulled as authorities pointed to Russia's influence and alleged interference via TikTok.

Supporters and opponents of Britain's assisted dying bill descended on the UK's Westminster parliament on Friday as lawmakers prepared to vote on the issue.

A US offer to give Ukraine anti-personnel mines to help battle Russia's invasion has thrown a landmark global anti-landmine treaty into "crisis", campaigners said Friday, urging Kyiv to snub the proposal.

Taiwan said Friday it detected 41 Chinese military aircraft and ships around the island ahead of a Hawaii stopover by President Lai Ching-te, part of a Pacific tour that has sparked fury in Beijing.

A crackdown on Pakistan's main opposition party that has seen dozens of leaders and lawmakers detained or driven into hiding has sent fear coursing through the movement founded by ex-PM and cricket star Imran Khan.

Jihadists and their Turkish-backed allies shelled Syria's second city Aleppo on Friday, in a major offensive against government troops that has sparked some of the deadliest fighting the country has seen in years.

Ireland head coach Andy Farrell will want to bow out before he takes a sabbatical with a comprehensive victory over Australia coached by former Irish handler Joe Schmidt on Saturday.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said Thursday that while Tbilisi remains committed to its goal of European Union membership, it will not pursue accession until 2028, accusing Brussels of "blackmail".

French Prime Minister Michel Barnier on Thursday announced a major concession in a bid to end a standoff with the opposition over the budget, which has caused jitters on financial markets and risks bringing down his minority government.

A bitterly-fought climate finance deal reached at COP29 risks weakening emissions-cutting plans from developing countries, observers say, further raising the stakes for new national commitments due early next year.

Iran is set to meet with Britain, France and Germany for talks Friday on its nuclear programme after the three governments joined with the United States to have Tehran censured by the UN atomic watchdog.

Previously, these debts were indexed according to the inflation rate, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. However, indexation will now follow the CPI or the Wage Price Index, whichever is lower.

Soaring prices have left a bitter taste in shoppers' mouths at a market in Bangui, as a strike by Cameroonian truckers accusing Russia's infamous Wagner mercenaries of a recent murder cuts off the Central African Republic (CAR).

Russia on Wednesday said that it would expel two journalists from Germany's ARD national network in a like for like move after a Russian state broadcaster reported that its journalists had been ordered to leave Berlin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday for a two-day trip aimed at shoring up ties with his Central Asian ally as tensions mount over the Ukraine war.

The coming year will put incoming US President Donald Trump's geopolitical strategies to the test, as wars rage in the Middle East and Ukraine and tensions rise in Asia.

The proposed law would require social media platforms to implement age-verification measures, with companies facing fines of up to AU$49.5 million for repeated violations.

A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon took effect on Wednesday after more than a year of fighting that has killed thousands of people.

The Grammy- and Pulitzer-winning artist Rhiannon Giddens has long made music that sheds light on America's untold stories, and her latest project brings to the fore marginalized groups that built its railroad.

French prosecutors on Tuesday demanded sentences of up to 15 years for the remaining co-defendants in the trial of a man charged with enlisting dozens of strangers to rape his wife while she was drugged and unconscious.

Pakistani protesters demanding the release of ex-prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday killed four members of the nation's security forces, the government said, as the crowds defied police and closed in on the capital's centre.

Landmine victims from across the world gathered at a conference in Cambodia on Tuesday to protest the United States' decision to give landmines to Ukraine, with Kyiv's delegation expected to report at the meet.

While speaking to reporters in Canberra, Xiao Qian said China and Australia should not jeopardize their national priorities "for the sake of a third party."