Global Pulse

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  • Australian sharemarket soars, oil prices sink after Trump’s Iran post.

    Australian sharemarket soars, oil prices sink after Trump’s Iran post.

    Financial markets around the Asia-Pacific region swung sharply on Monday after a social media post from former US President Donald Trump hinted at progress in ongoing negotiations for a new nuclear and energy deal with Iran, triggering a sharp drop in global crude prices and lifting Australia’s benchmark share index to its highest level in two weeks.

    Trump took to his Truth Social platform to share an unexpected update on the stalled talks, writing that a potential agreement was “largely negotiated”, with only final details remaining to be ironed out before an official announcement. The former president stressed that any deal his team reaches would be far stronger than the 2015 Obama-era agreement, which he criticized for granting Iran access to large cash reserves and an unimpeded path to develop nuclear weapons. “If I make a deal with Iran, it will be a good and proper one… Our deal is the exact opposite,” he wrote, while adding that negotiations are not yet fully finalized to temper overblown market expectations.

    Global markets quickly priced in the prospect of a breakthrough that could reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz — the chokepoint through which roughly 20% of the world’s daily oil supplies pass — easing geopolitical supply risks that have propped up crude prices in recent months. By the close of Australian trading, benchmark Brent crude had tumbled 5.6% to settle at $US97.77 a barrel, marking its first dip below the $100 threshold in weeks.

    The decline in energy prices flowed through directly to Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200, which climbed 35 points, or 0.4%, to close at 8692 — a fresh two-week high. The broader All Ordinaries index followed suit, gaining 38.20 points, or 0.43%, to end the session at 8915.40. The Australian dollar also strengthened against the US dollar, rising to 71.65 US cents by market close.

    Six of the ASX’s 11 industry sectors closed in positive territory, led by mining and technology stocks. Major mining names led the rally: BHP added 0.62% to close at $60.12, Rio Tinto climbed 1.62% to $187.81, and Fortescue Metals Group jumped 1.67% to $21.86. In the technology sector, accounting software firm Xero gained 0.99% to $76.59, logistics tech provider WiseTech Global rose 0.75% to $37.37, and communications technology firm Codan added 1.15% to $40.42.

    Australia’s big four banks recorded mixed performance: Commonwealth Bank of Australia fell 0.65% to $164.60, Westpac gained 0.60% to $36.77, National Australia Bank climbed 1.14% to $38.28, and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group closed up 0.76% at $35.77.

    Energy stocks, as expected, retreated sharply on the back of falling crude prices. Top Australian energy producer Woodside Energy fell 4.24% to $30.74, Santos dropped 3.64% to $7.94, and fuel retailer Ampol gave up 4.20% to $33.95.

    Kyle Rodda, senior financial market analyst at global investment platform Capital.com, noted that while speculation of a looming US-Iran deal lifted market sentiment, traders remained cautious after months of inconsistent reports about negotiation progress. “There is healthy scepticism – along with plenty of cynicism – about the prospects of a deal. That’s especially true after months of misleading news and propaganda about a peace deal. Recent reportage suggests negotiators are closing in on an agreement,” Rodda explained.

    In individual company news, property fund manager Charter Hall led gainers with a 6.67% jump to $20.62 after the firm upgraded its 2026 operating earnings guidance and reported $6.5 billion in year-to-date equity inflows. Online beauty retailer Adore Beauty also climbed 6.25% to $0.34 after releasing unaudited interim results showing $193.4 million in revenue over the 47 weeks ending May 24.

    Mexican fast food chain Guzman y Gomez, which recently announced it would exit the US market after six years of sustained losses, saw volatile trading on Monday: the stock surged as high as $21.77 in early morning trading before paring gains to close up just 0.25% at $19.86.

  • Dramatic footage captures moment rescue crews winch rock climber to safety after horror 8m fall from Mount Buffalo in Victoria

    Dramatic footage captures moment rescue crews winch rock climber to safety after horror 8m fall from Mount Buffalo in Victoria

    Footage of a high-stakes mountain rescue operation that unfolded earlier this year has been made public, detailing the nerve-wracking extraction of a rock climber who survived a devastating 8-meter fall after his climbing gear malfunctioned at a popular Victorian alpine destination.

    The incident took place on the Horn, a well-known climbing spot located on Mount Buffalo, roughly 325 kilometers northeast of Melbourne. Standing at 1,723 meters above sea level at its highest plateau, Mount Buffalo draws hundreds of hikers and climbers annually for its challenging rock faces and scenic alpine views. On the day of the accident, a failure in the climber’s protective equipment sent him tumbling off the route he was ascending, leaving him stranded on a narrow, unstable ledge hundreds of meters above the valley floor.

    A spokesperson for Ambulance Victoria confirmed that the climber suffered severe trauma from the fall, including suspected broken ribs. The impact of the fall left him briefly unconscious before emergency responders were called to the remote site. Multiple specialized emergency teams were deployed to the incident: a Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS) air crew, paired with ground teams from Mobile Intensive Care Ambulance (MICA) with advanced life support capabilities.

    Before the extraction could begin, the HEMS crew first completed a low-altitude reconnaissance flight over the ledge to evaluate whether a winch rescue could be carried out without putting responders at unacceptable risk. After confirming the operation was feasible, MICA Flight Paramedic Shaun Whitemore was lowered down onto the narrow ledge to treat the injured climber. Working in what emergency officials described as “extremely tight conditions,” Whitemore stabilized the climber’s injuries, administered potent pain relief, and applied splints to fractured ribs to prepare the patient for air extraction.

    Once the climber was stabilized, he was successfully winched back up to the waiting rescue helicopter. He was then flown directly to Royal Melbourne Hospital, a major tertiary trauma center, to receive ongoing specialized medical care. Months after the successful operation, Ambulance Victoria has released on-the-scene footage and photos from the March rescue, shining a light on the extraordinary work of high-altitude emergency responders who carry out these risky missions to save lives.

  • Drone attacks raise fears as Colombians vote to elect a new president

    Drone attacks raise fears as Colombians vote to elect a new president

    JAMUNDI, Colombia — For 70-year-old Potrerito villager Gladys Marín, the route to Colombia’s upcoming presidential polling station is only a short cross-street walk away. Yet even this trivial trip feels like an enormous risk, as growing insecurity has left her questioning whether casting a ballot is worth endangering her life.

    Marín’s southwestern home sits less than 100 meters from the local police station — a site that has become a repeated target for drone-borne explosive attacks carried out by a dissident rebel faction that rejected the 2016 peace accord with the Colombian government. “You have to stay alert every minute, because we live right next to the police station,” Marín explained from her porch, 470 kilometers southwest of the capital Bogotá.

    On May 31, Colombians will head to the polls to elect a new president and vice president, in a contest widely framed as a public referendum on the policies of incumbent President Gustavo Petro. The most debated topic at the heart of the race is Petro’s signature “total peace” initiative, a bold policy designed to end decades of internal conflict by negotiating disarmament with the country’s remaining illegal armed groups.

    Across the country, rising violence linked to these armed factions has intensified under Petro’s administration, creating fear and uncertainty that extend directly to the electoral process. Colombia’s Electoral Observation Mission estimates that 386 municipalities — roughly one-third of the country’s total local jurisdictions — face high risk of interference and harm from illegal armed groups. Independent analysis from the Bogotá-based think tank Ideas for Peace Foundation adds that approximately 27,000 combatants remain active under arms across the nation.

    In recent years, the proliferation of modified drones carrying explosives has fundamentally reshaped the landscape of conflict in Colombia, creating new risks for both security forces and civilian populations. This tactical shift is particularly visible in Jamundi, where neighboring Robles town has blocked all streets leading to the local police station with makeshift barricades. Officers stand watch in sandbag-reinforced sentry posts draped in black fabric, constantly scanning the sky for incoming hostile drones.

    Eucaris Zamora, a Robles resident who was forced to abandon her home after a cylinder bomb from a drone destroyed half the building last October, says constant dread has become part of daily life. “You pass the police station always looking up, dreading that you’ll run into a nasty surprise,” she said.

    Guillermo Londoño, security secretary for the Valle del Cauca department where Jamundi is located, notes that armed groups have evolved their drone tactics to increase casualties and chaos. Instead of launching single drone attacks followed by reloading, groups now carry out coordinated “swarm-style” simultaneous strikes that overwhelm defensive positions.

    Colombia’s Defense Ministry data underscores how rapidly this threat has grown: 333 drone attacks were recorded across the country in 2025, a more than fivefold increase from just 61 incidents in 2024. As of early 2025, the Colombian army has documented 107 drone strikes that have already killed two soldiers, with the highest concentrations of attacks along the Venezuelan border, northern Bolívar province and southwestern coastal regions.

    Local officials frame the rising violence in Valle del Cauca as a direct failure of Petro’s “total peace” strategy, which was designed to end one of the world’s longest-running internal armed conflicts. Petro has publicly acknowledged that the initiative has failed to deliver the rapid disarmament of illegal networks he initially promised, and has recently hardened his approach: negotiations with several non-compliant groups have been frozen, while dialogue continues with other factions that have adhered to ceasefire commitments.

    The election has exposed a sharp ideological divide among presidential candidates over how to address the country’s security crisis. On one side, candidates aligned with Petro’s administration, including ruling movement Sen. Iván Cepeda, advocate for continuing negotiated dialogue to end the conflict. On the opposition side, candidates like Sen. Paloma Valencia of the right-wing Democratic Center and Abelardo de la Espriella — an open admirer of Salvadoran hard-line President Nayib Bukele — have pledged to abandon negotiations entirely and prioritize full-scale military pressure to dismantle illegal groups.

    International crisis analysts warn that escalating military pressure could backfire and lead to even more bloodshed. “Right-wing candidates propose a hard-line response that could exacerbate violence, because armed groups will respond to state military pressure with terror attacks against civilian and security targets,” explained Elizabeth Dickinson, senior analyst for the International Crisis Group. “They lack the capacity to fight a conventional symmetric war against the army, so they will turn to asymmetric attacks to sow fear.”

    Even in communities that have born the brunt of rising violence, many residents still hold out hope for a peaceful future. Last December, a large-scale gun assault on the police station in the small southern town of Buenos Aires left multiple officers injured, destroyed a local bank and reduced dozens of nearby homes to rubble. Among the wrecked properties was the home of 89-year-old Celimo Enrique Aguilar. When asked if he still believed Colombia could achieve lasting peace, Aguilar said: “I haven’t lost faith that someday, we’ll all be able to live without fear.”

  • How collecting DNA samples in the wild could transform conservation

    How collecting DNA samples in the wild could transform conservation

    Nestled in the mist-shrouded slopes of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, conservationists have long faced a daunting challenge: tracking and protecting endangered wildlife, from the iconic mountain gorilla to the vivid golden monkey, across rugged, vegetation-choked terrain that often hides even the largest animals from view. Now, a cutting-edge tool is transforming how experts safeguard biodiversity across the park, part of the transboundary Virunga Mountain range shared by Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The new approach, environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring, is being rolled out by the African Wildlife Foundation in partnership with the Rwandan government, bringing a technique more commonly used in marine conservation to one of Africa’s most important terrestrial conservation sites.

    eDNA works by collecting and analyzing tiny fragments of genetic material that animals leave behind in their environment—from shed fur and feces to skin cells left in soil or water. For decades, biodiversity monitoring in the region relied on two core approaches: camera traps, which activate when animals cross their sensor path, and direct observations by trained rangers. But both methods have critical limitations in the Virungas: steep ridges, dense fog and thick vegetation make on-the-ground surveys slow and dangerous, while periodic insecurity along the shared Congo-Uganda-Rwanda border restricts ranger access to remote areas. Camera traps also only capture species that pass directly in front of their lenses, leaving gaps in population data.

    Conservation leaders say eDNA addresses many of these gaps, while acting as a complement—not a replacement—for traditional monitoring techniques. “We selected eDNA as a new technology to bring solutions and to complement existing methods used in ecological monitoring,” explained Patrick Nsabimana, country manager for the African Wildlife Foundation in Rwanda. Unlike traditional surveys that focus on a small number of target species, eDNA can identify dozens of species from a single soil or water sample, including mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Samples can be collected easily from downstream ponds, which accumulate genetic material from animals ranging across higher slopes, cutting down on the need for researchers to trek into inaccessible, dangerous terrain. The method is also far more cost-effective for large, rugged ecosystems like the Virungas than sustained on-the-ground monitoring.

    A core goal of the current eDNA project is to build a complete inventory of all species living in Rwanda’s protected areas, a critical foundation for protecting biodiversity that faces growing threats from climate change and rapid human population growth around park boundaries. This work comes at a key moment for Rwanda’s conservation sector, as the country expands its national park network by restoring previously cultivated agricultural land to wild habitat. With eDNA monitoring, conservationists can track how endangered and rare species are colonizing these newly restored areas over time, measuring the success of restoration efforts and spotting invasive species before they can spread. The technology also delivers a practical security benefit: by creating more accurate maps of where endangered species live, park managers can better target anti-poaching patrols to high-risk areas.

    Despite its promise, the technology still faces notable challenges, particularly for conservation work in Africa. First, eDNA can confirm a species is present in an area, but it cannot reliably estimate the size of the local population. Genetic material can also linger in the environment for weeks or months after an animal has left the area, meaning positive detections do not always confirm a current population. More structural barriers also remain: early samples collected in the Volcanoes project had to be shipped all the way to Europe for processing, a time-consuming and costly step. Maintaining the cold storage required to preserve eDNA samples before testing is also a major challenge across many parts of the continent, and contamination of samples during collection can skew results.

    The largest gap facing the project is the lack of region-specific genetic reference data. Most existing genetic libraries that researchers use to match eDNA samples to known species were built from specimens collected in Europe and North America, leaving critical gaps for African biodiversity. This makes it much harder to correctly identify less-studied local species from collected samples. To address this, researchers on the project are now working to build the first dedicated regional genetic reference library for the Virunga ecosystem.

    An important part of the initiative is also building local capacity: the project team is currently training local community members and park rangers to collect eDNA samples, expanding monitoring capacity and creating opportunities for local stakeholders to participate in conservation. Combined with traditional monitoring methods, project leaders say eDNA will help fill long-standing gaps in species data, strengthening conservation efforts for the Virungas’ most iconic endangered wildlife for decades to come.

    This reporting was supported by private foundation funding for AP’s climate and environmental coverage, with AP retaining full editorial control over all content.

  • First Hong Kong astronaut launches into space onboard Chinese mission

    First Hong Kong astronaut launches into space onboard Chinese mission

    In a landmark moment for both Hong Kong and China’s expanding space program, history was made Sunday night when 43-year-old Li Jiaying, a Hong Kong police officer and mother of three, lifted off for orbit as the city’s first astronaut to reach space. Li joined two other crew members — 39-year-old space engineer Zhu Yangzhu and 39-year-old former air force pilot Zhang Zhiyuan — aboard China’s Shenzhou-23 spacecraft, which launched atop a Long March 2-F rocket from the Gobi Desert in northwest China at 23:08 local time (15:08 GMT). Thousands of spectators gathered at the launch site, waving Chinese flags to mark the historic departure, and the spacecraft successfully docked with China’s Tiangong space station just a few hours after liftoff.

    Li will serve as the mission’s payload specialist, leading a suite of planned experiments. One of the core research objectives for the Shenzhou-23 mission is studying how extended exposure to microgravity impacts the human body, research that is critical for preparing future long-duration deep space missions. A key milestone planned for the mission will see one crew member remain in orbit for a full 12 months, a duration that will rank among the longest continuous space stays in human history. Mission officials have not yet announced which crew member will take on the year-long stay, and a final decision will be made at a later date. The 12-month mission will fall just short of the all-time record of 14 months set by Russian cosmonaut Valery Polyakov in 1995.

    The mission marks a key step forward in China’s ambitious timeline to land the first Chinese astronauts on the moon by 2030, pushing forward the country’s progress in long-duration human spaceflight as it competes in a renewed global space race with the United States, which targets its own crewed lunar landing by 2028. In comments carried by China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency, Li said her journey into space was inspired by Yang Liwei, China’s first astronaut to reach orbit, and that she seized the rare opportunity to push her own limits. “This is a rare chance. Why not try?” she said.

    Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee called Li’s participation in the mission a “historic” milestone for the special administrative region. For China’s human spaceflight program, Shenzhou-23 represents a major advance beyond the standard six-month stays that have become routine for crews visiting the Tiangong space station since regular crew rotations began in 2021. Astrophysicist Richard de Grijs, a professor at Australia’s Macquarie University, explained that extending mission duration to a full year pushes both spacecraft hardware and human endurance into a new operational frontier that previous shorter Shenzhou missions never tested. “This shows how China is building its expertise in long stays in space as well as deep space exploration,” de Grijs told Agence France-Presse.

    The mission comes on the heels of another major Chinese space success in 2024, when the Chang’e-6 probe became the first spacecraft ever to collect and return rock samples from the far side of the moon to Earth. Later this year, China plans to conduct an uncrewed orbital test flight of the Mengzhou spacecraft, the next-generation vehicle designed to carry astronauts to the lunar surface as part of the country’s 2030 crewed landing goal.

  • Messi suffers injury scare before World Cup

    Messi suffers injury scare before World Cup

    Just weeks before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off across North America, Argentine football icon Lionel Messi has sent shockwaves through the global football community after being forced off the pitch during Inter Miami’s recent Major League Soccer clash against the Philadelphia Union, sparking widespread concern over his fitness for the upcoming tournament.

    The 38-year-old eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, who is widely tipped to make a historic sixth World Cup appearance for defending champions Argentina, signaled discomfort after clutching the back of his left leg in the 73rd minute of Sunday’s fixture. Though he left the pitch walking normally and headed straight for the dressing room, the unexpected substitution immediately prompted questions about whether the issue would impact his World Cup preparations.

    Inter Miami interim head coach Guillermo Hoyos moved quickly to calm fears in post-match comments, framing the substitution as a purely precautionary measure rather than a response to a serious muscle injury. Hoyos explained that persistent wet conditions at the Miami venue left the playing pitch heavy and taxing for players, and that Messi was already showing clear signs of fatigue by the time the substitution was made.

    “As far as I know, we don’t have a [medical] report on that yet, but he really was fatigued,” Hoyos told reporters when asked for an update on the forward’s condition. “He was tired; the pitch was heavy and when in doubt, the standard approach is always to ensure you don’t take any risks.”

    Messi’s fitness has been a closely watched topic throughout his time at Inter Miami, ever since he joined the MLS club in summer 2023. The veteran attacker has carefully managed his playing workload to accommodate his age and recurring physical issues, and has already missed multiple club matches this season due to hamstring problems.

    While Messi has not yet made an official public announcement confirming his participation in the June 11 – July 19 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the global football community universally expects him to be named to Argentina’s squad, which is set to be announced next week. Argentina will open its title defense against Algeria on June 16, just five days after the tournament gets underway. As the highest-paid player in MLS history, Messi’s presence not only drives massive viewership and commercial growth for the North American league, but also remains the biggest centerpiece of Argentina’s bid to retain the World Cup title they won in Qatar 2022.

  • 3 dead, 17 mostly workers still missing in collapse of unfinished hotel in Philippines

    3 dead, 17 mostly workers still missing in collapse of unfinished hotel in Philippines

    A devastating building collapse at a nine-story hotel under construction in Angeles City, Pampanga province, has left three people dead and 17 more missing after rescuers pulled two trapped workers from a massive concrete and steel rubble pile early Monday, Philippine officials have confirmed. \n\nHundreds of emergency responders led by local fire departments and police spent hours working to extract the two construction workers, who were trapped alive beneath fallen concrete slabs and twisted rebar when the structure fell early Sunday. A small group of journalists, including Associated Press reporters, witnessed the harrowing scene: one worker was pulled from the rubble deceased, while emergency crews attempted to resuscitate the second inside an ambulance parked at the edge of the debris field, which is made up of crumpled concrete, mangled iron and buckled aluminum scaffolding. After prolonged resuscitation efforts, crews ultimately declared the second worker dead and departed the site. \n\nRegional Philippine Police Chief Brigadier General Jess Mendez told the AP that in a final attempt to keep one trapped worker alive through the sweltering summer heat, rescuers were able to administer water and intravenous medication before the man succumbed to his entrapment. \”He never made it despite all the efforts,\” Mendez said.\n\nThe third fatality was identified as a Malaysian tourist staying at a neighboring small budget inn, which was partially crushed by falling debris from the collapsed hotel. Another guest at the inn escaped with minor injuries and fled the site immediately after the collapse, officials confirmed.\n\nThe unfinished structure collapsed with a loud crash shortly after a severe thunderstorm hit the area before dawn on Sunday. Twenty-six construction workers, who were sleeping on plywood sheets on the building’s ground floor, either escaped on their own or were pulled out alive in the immediate aftermath of the incident. As of Monday, 17 workers remain unaccounted for, with one already located by rescuers but not yet extracted from the rubble, officials said.\n\nA full day after the disaster, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin announced that search and rescue operations would continue, with no transition to body recovery planned for the time being. \”My best hope is that we can rescue more people alive,\” Lazatin told the AP. \”We don’t want to give the families of the trapped workers any bad news.\” \n\nBut the prolonged wait has deepened anxiety and fear among family members gathered in temporary shelters near the collapse site. Lea Mendoza Casilao, a 47-year-old sardine factory worker whose mason boyfriend is among the missing, said she has lost faith in a timely rescue. \”I’m losing hope because of what I see— slow rescue work,\” she said. Casilao had brought a week’s supply of rice and sardines to the site for her boyfriend, after the pair planned to meet over the weekend, a meeting that never happened after the building crumbled where he was sleeping.\n\nLazatin defended the pace of the operation, noting that massive concrete slabs are still held in unstable positions by tangled aluminum scaffolding, and any rushed movement could trigger secondary collapses that would put rescue crews at fatal risk.\n\nPhilippine National Police Chief General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. confirmed that law enforcement will launch a full investigation into the collapse to identify its root cause and any potential violations of national building codes and construction safety regulations.\n\nAngeles City, located roughly 80 kilometers north of the Philippine capital Manila, has a unique modern history: it was once home to one of the largest U.S. Air Force bases outside the U.S. mainland, Clark Air Base, which closed in the early 1990s. The former base has since been redeveloped into the Clark Freeport Zone, a busy industrial and tourism hub that has turned Angeles City and surrounding Luzon communities into major commercial and leisure centers. The collapsed hotel was located in an area dotted by budget inns, leisure businesses and other commercial developments that grew up around the former base.

  • Rubio’s visit to India focuses on US trade tensions, the Quad alliance and sightseeing

    Rubio’s visit to India focuses on US trade tensions, the Quad alliance and sightseeing

    On his first official visit to India as U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio has arrived in New Delhi with a clear mission: to repair frayed bilateral relations and reinforce long-standing strategic and economic partnerships between Washington and New Delhi, even as lingering trade disputes create friction between the two major Indo-Pacific powers.

    During Sunday’s high-level talks, which included meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Rubio outlined shared priorities for deepened collaboration across four key areas: trade, energy, defense, and maritime security. He reaffirmed that the two nations remain strategically aligned, and voiced public optimism that negotiators will be able to hash out a long-stalled comprehensive bilateral trade agreement in the near future. As a key diplomatic gesture, Rubio also delivered a formal invitation from U.S. President Donald Trump for Modi to make an official state visit to Washington later this year.

    The roots of recent bilateral tension stretch back to new tariffs imposed by the Trump administration on a wide range of Indian exports, a move driven in large part by U.S. disapproval of India’s continued purchases of discounted Russian crude oil following the outbreak of the Ukraine war. The steep tariffs sparked outrage among Indian officials and eroded trust in Washington’s commitment to the relationship, raising questions about U.S. reliability as a long-term partner for New Delhi. While the two sides eventually reached an interim trade deal that rolled back some of the most punitive tariffs and expanded India’s purchases of American energy and other goods, negotiations on a broader, full-scale trade agreement have yet to reach a successful conclusion.

    Despite these frictions, the United States has continued to view India as a critical geopolitical ally and a key counterweight to growing Chinese influence across the Indo-Pacific, leading to steady expansion of defense and technology cooperation in recent years. That regional focus will take center stage later in Rubio’s four-day trip, when he is set to join talks with foreign ministers from the other three Quadrilateral Security Dialogue member nations: Australia, India, and Japan. The Quad, an Indo-Pacific strategic alliance, has emerged as a central coordination platform for member states to advance cooperation on maritime security, resilient global supply chains, and aligned regional strategy, as China expands both its military footprint and economic clout across the region.

    The alliance has repeatedly pushed back against Chinese activities in the South China Sea, accusing Beijing of aggressive militarization of disputed island territories. For its part, China has long framed the Quad as a deliberate effort to obstruct its peaceful rise and contain its growing regional influence. Recent trade tensions between the U.S. and India, paired with Trump’s high-profile recent visit to China, have sparked new scrutiny of the alliance’s future role and cohesion.

    Praveen Donthi, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, noted that India’s growing global strategic weight is closely tied to its utility as a counterbalance to Chinese regional power. Any major shift in U.S. policy toward Beijing, he argued, would directly reshape New Delhi’s strategic value to Washington. “If the U.S. changes its approach towards China, it will diminish India’s importance,” Donthi explained.

    Beyond geopolitics and trade, the ongoing conflict in Iran has added new layers of pressure to bilateral negotiations, particularly on energy security. The war has disrupted critical shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz, the main transit route for more than a third of India’s crude oil imports, stoking fears of prolonged supply disruptions and driving up global fuel prices. Rising energy costs have in turn placed new strain on India’s already fragile economy, making energy diversification a top policy priority for New Delhi.

    Speaking after Sunday’s talks, Jaishankar affirmed that India will continue expanding its energy imports, including from the United States, while pursuing a deliberate strategy of diversifying supplier nations to keep domestic markets stable and fuel prices affordable for Indian consumers. He added that New Delhi supports open, unconstrained global energy markets as a core requirement for sustained global economic growth. During his meetings, Rubio echoed that push, emphasizing Washington’s desire to deepen energy cooperation and encouraging India to continue ramping up purchases of American oil and natural gas.

    Alongside his packed schedule of official diplomatic engagements, Rubio has incorporated cultural and ceremonial stops into his four-day itinerary. He opened the trip in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata, where he visited the global headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, the charitable organization founded by Mother Teresa. He also took part in a gala reception in New Delhi celebrating the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. Before concluding his visit, Rubio is scheduled to travel to two of India’s most iconic tourist destinations: Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, and Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan known for its historic forts, royal palaces, and vibrant cultural heritage.

  • Fight MND founder Neale Daniher dies after inspirational battle with the disease

    Fight MND founder Neale Daniher dies after inspirational battle with the disease

    Australian Rules Football icon and one of the nation’s most inspirational public figures Neale Daniher has passed away at 65, bringing a close to a 13-year public battle against motor neurone disease (MND). He died surrounded by his immediate family, leaving behind a transformative legacy of courage, fundraising and advocacy that has changed the global fight against the devastating neurodegenerative condition.

    In a public statement released Monday afternoon, the Daniher family paid tribute to the man they described as the unshakable heart of their clan. “From day one, Neale was a fighter. His determination was unmatched – choosing every day to find opportunity where others might see only challenge, and taking the fight to the Beast with everything he had,” the statement read.

    Even as his illness progressed through its most debilitating stages, Daniher never lost his signature playful charm and sharp wit. “Even in the toughest times, he kept pushing forward, determined to land as many blows as he could against his toughest opponent, all with a cheeky grin and a sharp sense of humour that never left him,” the family shared.

    Raised as one of 11 children, Daniher built a reputation for bringing light and connection to every room he entered long before his MND diagnosis. He first made his mark on Australian sport as a fierce, strategically brilliant player for the Essendon Football Club, before transitioning to a legendary coaching career with the Melbourne Football Club, where fans affectionately nicknamed him “Coach” and “Reverend.” Across every stage of his life, he drew people in as a natural leader, beloved far beyond his titles as a husband, father, proud grandfather, music lover, and the person with the loudest laugh in any gathering.

    Daniher’s activism against MND began after his own diagnosis in 2012, when he launched the “Beat The Beast” campaign that evolved into the national FightMND movement and the iconic annual Big Freeze match held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Over 13 years, his work raised more than $100 million for MND research globally. This year’s Big Freeze match, scheduled to take place in just a few weeks, will mark the first edition of the event held without Daniher present.

    In 2025, Daniher’s extraordinary contributions to public life were recognized when he was named Australian of the Year, an honor that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese noted was met with unanimous national approval. He left a simple, powerful legacy for current and future MND fighters: “No matter the odds, no matter the diagnosis, we all have the power to fight, to smile, and to do. Because the mark of a person isn’t what they say, it’s what they do.” The family closed their statement with Daniher’s iconic catchcry: “Play On.”

    AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon described Daniher’s passing as a devastating loss for the entire Australian football community. Beyond his on-field achievements, which included leading Melbourne to six finals series and a 2000 Grand Final appearance, Dillon emphasized that Daniher’s greatest impact came from his selfless advocacy.

    “His contribution to wider Australian life was simply incredible in the way he put himself at the forefront, despite the challenge of his own MND diagnosis, to raise awareness of the disease, champion fundraising efforts and search for a cure that he knew would likely not help him, but may help many thousands of other Australians in the future,” Dillon said.

    Melbourne Football Club President Steven Smith echoed that sentiment, noting that Daniher’s courage extended far beyond the boundaries of the football pitch. “It is impossible to encapsulate in words the impact of Neale Daniher. His courage transcended the football field, and his determination inspired an entire country,” Smith said. “Neale was not driven by personal motivation, he was driven by helping others, right until the very end. He was a true leader and the definition of what it means to be selfless.”

    Prime Minister Albanese joined tributes, calling Daniher one of Australia’s greatest modern figures. “The devastating impacts of MND stole so much from Neale, but he held onto everything that people loved and admired about him: his selflessness, his bravery, his humour, his ability to look on the bright side and his fierce determination to make a difference for others,” Albanese said. “Neale Daniher’s remarkable legacy lives all around us.”

    Daniher’s death comes just days after 30-year-old NRL star Jai Arrow revealed his own MND diagnosis and immediate retirement from professional sport, a revelation that cast renewed national attention on the condition.

    The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, a leading Australian medical research institution that has received $17.5 million in funding from FightMND, called Daniher an extraordinary force for the global fight against MND. “Through his powerful advocacy work, Neale helped to raise millions of dollars for researchers in Australia and around the world working to find a cure for MND,” the institute said in a statement.

    Executive Director Professor Peter van Wijngaarden noted that Daniher turned a personal battle into a global movement that continues to accelerate research. “Even in his own battle with MND, Neale was fighting for everyone who would come after him,” van Wijngaarden said. “We will forever be grateful to him and FightMND for putting this disease in the spotlight, inspiring so many and supporting vital research at The Florey and across the globe.”

  • In Sudan’s war economy, gold keeps flowing as miners risk mercury and collapse

    In Sudan’s war economy, gold keeps flowing as miners risk mercury and collapse

    Perched across the arid, mountainous terrain of northern Sudan’s Dalgo Mahas, a small crew of artisanal gold miners moves slowly across the landscape. Each man carries a handheld metal detector, sweeping the dry earth for traces of the precious metal that has come to define their nation’s tragedy. One kneels, driving a simple digging tool into the dirt, working without hard hats, respiratory protection, or any of the most basic safety protocols that govern formal mining operations around the globe.

    These unregulated small-scale miners are just a tiny fraction of the tens of thousands of Sudanese who have turned to informal gold extraction in recent years, a sector that has become both a lifeline for desperate families and the core driver of the devastating civil war that has pushed millions to the brink of famine.

    Sudan’s reliance on gold traces back to 2011, when the secession of South Sudan stripped the country of more than two-thirds of its historic oil revenues. Overnight, the nation’s economy was left reeling, and gold quickly emerged as the replacement backbone of government finances. In the years following South Sudan’s independence, gold exports accounted for 70% of Sudan’s total national revenue, supplying the cash-strapped state with critical foreign currency to keep basic operations running.

    But today, that same gold wealth is funding the brutal ongoing conflict between Sudan’s regular military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to independent United Nations expert investigators commissioned to track war financing. The RSF, which maintains tight control over major gold-producing regions across Darfur and Kordofan, has overseen the smuggling of massive volumes of unregulated gold out of Sudan to fund its military operations, the experts confirm.

    The human cost of the conflict has already been catastrophic. U.S.-based conflict monitoring organization the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project estimates that at least 59,000 people have been killed since the war began, though the group stresses this count is almost certainly a major undercount, given widespread restrictions on on-the-ground reporting and access to conflict zones. The war has also spawned the world’s largest humanitarian disaster, forcing more than 10 million Sudanese to flee their homes to escape violence. For many of these displaced people, artisanal gold mining has become the only viable way to put food on the table for their families.

    “Gold mining is the only thing I can rely on,” explained 28-year-old Atta al-Khazin, who abandoned his career as a small-scale farmer when rising global oil prices made agricultural inputs too expensive to turn a profit.

    Zahir Adam, a 35-year-old father from el-Fasher in Darfur who has worked in gold mining for more than a decade, said the sector has seen a massive influx of new workers since the war erupted three years ago. “They had no other option,” he said. “Many young people, and many families, depend on mining.”

    Official industry figures confirm Sudan’s gold production is growing, even as its war rages. The country produced 70 tons of gold in 2025, up from 64 tons in 2024, cementing its position as one of the top gold-producing nations in Africa. State-run Sudanese Mineral Resources Company data shows the sector generated roughly $1.8 billion in revenue for 2025.

    More than half of this production comes from informal, artisanal small-scale mines that operate almost entirely outside government oversight, with almost no adherence to global safety or environmental standards. The extraction process used by most informal miners carries major health risks for workers and nearby communities: after digging ore from the ground, miners crush the rock, then mix it with toxic mercury to bind gold particles into an amalgam. The mixture is then heated over an open stove to evaporate the mercury, leaving pure gold behind. The process releases dangerous mercury vapor into the air and leaches toxic waste into local water supplies, creating long-term public health risks that extend far beyond the mines themselves.

    The U.N. expert panel’s 2024 report found that more than 50% of all gold mined in Sudan never enters formal, regulated trade channels, and is instead smuggled across borders to illicit markets in neighboring countries.

    Lethal safety failures are also routine in the unregulated sector. Just last month, a mine collapse in Sudan’s Red Sea Province killed at least seven miners. Another collapse in South Kordofan Province in January claimed 13 lives.

    Efforts to bring the critical sector under government oversight have repeatedly fallen apart amid political upheaval. After the military ousted longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir in April 2019, a civilian-led transitional government that ruled for more than a year launched an initiative to regulate informal gold mining and crack down on smuggling. Those reform efforts were cut short by a military coup in October 2021, which paved the way for the full-scale civil war that broke out in 2023, leaving the gold sector more unregulated and conflict-fueled than ever before.