POLITICS & POLICY

Manchester City face a strong challenge from Arsenal as the champions look to win an unprecedented fifth successive Premier League title.

Ukraine said Tuesday that its troops had advanced further into Russia's Kursk region and now control 74 settlements after launching a surprise cross-border incursion a week ago.

"This legislation will ensure that senior public servants are clearly accountable for their actions as public service leaders, even after leaving their roles," Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said.

Acknowledging the ongoing resistance from state governments, Bill Shorten emphasized that the proposed reforms aim to reduce costs by AU$14.4 billion over four years and limit annual growth to AU$1.5 billion.

Iran could launch a "significant" attack on Israel as soon as this week, the White House said Monday, as US President Joe Biden discussed the crisis with European leaders.

The United States confirmed Monday it would resume sales of offensive weapons to Saudi Arabia, as concerns over human rights in the kingdom's Yemen war give way to US hopes for it to play a role in resolving the conflict in Gaza.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro called Monday for the state to use an "iron fist" after deadly protests in response to his July reelection, which has been dismissed at home and abroad as a sham.

Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir led hundreds of Israelis into the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in annexed east Jerusalem Tuesday and performed prayers marking a Jewish holiday, sources said.

A court in Bangladesh opened a murder investigation into ousted ex-premier Sheikh Hasina and six top figures in her administration Tuesday over the police killing of a man during civil unrest last month.

In 2023, then-Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews had announced raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14 in a phased manner.

Manchester City's grip on the Premier League title has reached an unprecedented four years but off-field doubts surround the English champions ahead of the new season.

Donald Trump will be interviewed Monday live on X by its billionaire owner Elon Musk -- an influential supporter -- as the Republican ex-president rejoins the platform following a lengthy absence.

Tanzania's main opposition party demanded Monday the release of its top leaders who were detained in a mass roundup ahead of a banned youth day rally, a move condemned by rights activists as "troubling".

Despite sweeping support for the reforms, the government is planning on a partial ban for the time being, which critics argue would fall short of addressing the issue effectively.

However, a spokesperson for AFP called the union's action illegal, as withdrawing protection from parliamentarians, Parliament House or Canberra Airport during the first week of a sitting period required a notice of five business days.

International pressure mounted Monday for a ceasefire in Gaza, with Britain, France and Germany issuing a joint plea for an end to fighting between Israel and Hamas with "no further delay".

Amna Hussein sat grieving in a disaster relief tent in eastern Sudan, where she fled with her children after deadly floods displaced thousands in a country already reeling from war.

The deal will remain in force till Dec. 31, 2075, provided the Australia, New Zealand and United States Security Treaty (ANZUS) alliance continues and the U.S. and the U.K. stay in NATO.

The roar of artillery fire was deafening as Tetyana conferred with neighbours in her small village, which hugs the Russian border, over whether they should hold tight or flee.

Palestinians fled southern Gaza's main city on Sunday as Israel warned of a new military operation, a day after one of the deadliest reported strikes in more than 10 months of war.

A week of racism-fuelled disorder in Northern Ireland, sparked by disturbances in English towns and cities, is proving harder to end, with fears the UK region's sectarian divisions are feeding into the violence.

Thousands of Ukrainian troops are taking part in a major incursion into Russian territory, aiming to destabilise Russia by showing up its weaknesses, a top Ukrainian official has told AFP. "We are on the offensive.

Moscow on Saturday mounted a "counter-terror operation" in three border regions adjoining Ukraine to halt Kyiv's biggest cross-border offensive in the two-and-a-half-year conflict.

Gaza's civil defence agency said Saturday at least 90 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a school housing displaced people in the besieged Palestinian territory.

Haifa's residents gaze warily on to the sprawling industrial port that flanks their Israeli city, knowing the potential for a major blast as they brace for bombardment from Hezbollah.

Fears of a major escalation between Israel and Hezbollah have left many Lebanese on edge, exacerbating mental health problems and reviving traumas of past conflicts in the war-weary country.

Crowds fleeing Khan Yunis after an Israeli evacuation order gave way to empty streets on Friday as Palestinian residents tried to escape a new Israeli military operation in Gaza's main southern area.

Under the proposed policy shift, the Zone Tax Offset (ZTO) and other regional concessions will be rolled out, aiming to soften the higher living costs faced by residents living in the areas.

Ukraine pressed on with a major cross-border incursion into Russia on Friday, also launching a significant air attack on a Russian airfield hundreds of kilometres behind the front lines.