Global Pulse

标签： Oceania

大洋洲

  • Hundreds of Qantas workers plan strike action over pay and safety

    Hundreds of Qantas workers plan strike action over pay and safety

    A long-simmering conflict between Qantas Airways’ ground services subsidiary and its workforce has escalated this week, as the Transport Workers Union (TWU) moves to authorize a potential industrial action that could see more than 600 Australian workers walk off the job. The dispute centers on long-running grievances tied to pay erosion, compromised safety standards, and deteriorating working conditions, issues the union traces back to Qantas’ 2022 decision to outsource 1,800 ground staff positions.

    On Wednesday evening, TWU officials lodged an official Protection Action Ballot, a procedural step that clears the way for affected Qantas Ground Services (QGS) employees to cast votes on whether to launch strike action. For months, workers have raised alarm that the outsourcing restructuring has shifted the bulk of remaining operational burdens onto the smaller rostered QGS workforce, without corresponding adjustments to compensation or safety protocols.

    The union’s calls for urgent reform gained renewed gravity in the wake of a fatal workplace accident at Sydney International Airport’s freight terminal nearly 12 months ago. A 40-year-old cargo worker was killed on the job after being struck by a towing vehicle, an incident TWU leaders frame as a direct consequence of underinvestment in workforce standards. Michael Kaine, national secretary of the TWU, argued that the relentless push for cost-cutting has systematically eroded working conditions across QGS, with safety put at severe risk.

    “When pay and conditions reach rock-bottom levels, safety suffers,” Kaine said in a statement Wednesday. “We saw this deadly recipe last year when a Qantas Freight worker was horrifically killed in Sydney. Workers at QGS, and elsewhere across aviation, are saying enough is enough; it is time for Qantas to invest in its workforce instead of continuing to trash jobs and safety.”

    Qantas officials have pushed back on the narrative that they are prioritizing profits over worker well-being, noting that the company remains committed to negotiating a mutually acceptable deal that addresses worker concerns while maintaining long-term business sustainability. A Qantas spokesperson emphasized that there is no immediate threat of strike action for the time being, and added that any potential industrial action would have minimal disruption for commercial passenger services, noting most of the affected QGS employees work in the airline’s freight division rather than passenger ground operations.

    The ballot comes as the aviation sector across Australia continues to grapple with post-pandemic labor unrest, as workers demand wage adjustments to match skyrocketing living costs and push for stronger safety protections after years of industry restructuring.

  • Probe launched into major runway near miss at Sydney Airport

    Probe launched into major runway near miss at Sydney Airport

    A serious close call between two Qantas passenger aircraft at Sydney Airport’s primary runway has prompted an official investigation by Australia’s top transport safety watchdog, after a coordination breakdown between air traffic control teams nearly led to a catastrophic mid-ground collision last week.

    The incident unfolded on July 27, when air traffic controllers granted clearance for a Qantas Boeing 737, inbound from Canberra, to cross an active runway at the busy international hub. Unbeknownst to the control team at the time, a second Qantas aircraft — a Bombardier DHC-8 carrying passengers from Queenstown, New Zealand — was already on final approach for a landing on the same runway.

    Quick action from alert controllers averted disaster, however: within moments of detecting the conflicting aircraft movements, controllers alerted both flight crews, ordering the 737 to stop short of the runway while the incoming turboprop aborted its approach and completed a safe landing. No passengers or crew were injured in the incident, and neither aircraft suffered any damage.

    The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), the national body responsible for investigating transport accidents and safety incidents, confirmed this week it has launched a full probe into the near-miss, which the agency has already preliminarily linked to a “breakdown of co-ordination” between air traffic control teams.

    In an official statement posted to the ATSB’s website, investigators confirmed that “ATC detected the conflict and advised both crews, with the 737 stopping after the holding point. The investigation is continuing.”

    Qantas has moved to cooperate fully with the probe, with a spokesperson for the airline noting that both flight crews operated strictly in line with the clearance and instructions issued by air traffic control. “Both Qantas aircraft were cleared to proceed following instructions from air traffic control and we will support the ATSB in the investigation,” the spokesperson said.

    Airservices Australia, the government-owned agency that manages national air traffic control operations, also confirmed it would back the ATSB’s work, noting that safety remains the organization’s overarching priority. The investigation is on track to wrap up by the end of 2024, with a full public report on its findings and any recommended safety changes expected to be released after that.

  • Gold Coast couple facing boot from Australia after paperwork mix-up

    Gold Coast couple facing boot from Australia after paperwork mix-up

    After more than a decade of building a life, putting down roots, and embracing every part of Australian community on the Gold Coast, a South African expat couple is confronting a devastating deportation order, all triggered by an administrative error that left one partner technically unlawfully in the country for just nine days.

    Rory and Michelle Hewitt, both 52, first made the life-altering decision to uproot their entire lives in their home country back in 2012, not 2015 as their initial relocation paperwork initially cited, bringing their two young sons Matthew and Caleb with them in pursuit of the iconic Australian dream. Over the 12 years that followed, the couple built stable, respected careers, watched their sons grow into adults, welcomed their first granddaughter 18 months ago, and fully integrated into the local way of life they now call home. What they never could have anticipated is that a long-undiscovered paperwork mix-up from three years ago would unravel all they have worked for.

    The administrative blunder only came to light during a recent visa renewal process this year. Despite the couple’s solicitor submitting all required documentation within the mandated legal timelines, processing delays left Michelle Hewitt without valid visa status for nine days in 2023 — a fact the couple remained completely unaware of until months later. This tiny technical error has derailed their entire application for permanent residency, and the couple has now been ordered to leave Australia by October 22. Cruelly, their two adult sons, who have already established their own lives in the country, are permitted to stay, meaning deportation would force the couple to leave behind their children and infant granddaughter indefinitely.

    “This has been devastating. We knew we would have to leave our extended family behind when we moved here, and we accepted that heavy sacrifice because we believed it would all be worth it in the end,” Rory Hewitt told reporters in an interview. “We never could have imagined this would be the outcome. The personal toll this has taken on our family is indescribable.”

    The Hewitts’ immigration journey has been fraught with unforeseen complications from the start. They first arrived in Australia on a sponsored work visa, but issues with Rory Hewitt’s initial employer led to the visa expiring unexpectedly. They subsequently applied for protection visas and were granted bridging visas that allowed them to work and study legally while their application was processed. Everything proceeded without issue until the 2023 processing gap derailed their latest bid for permanent status, even after they requested ministerial intervention to waive the technical error.

    “ We have exhausted every other available option, and we just beg that someone will review our case with compassion,” Michelle Hewitt, who worked as an office manager until the deportation order barred her from working, said. “Australia is our home now. This is where our family is.”

    As the couple fights to overturn the order, their community has rallied around them. A family friend launched a GoFundMe campaign to cover the couple’s mounting legal fees, as both are now barred from working while their appeal is pending. A public petition calling for government intervention has already garnered more than 1,200 signatures from supportive locals.

    Rory Hewitt said he has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the Australian public. “We love this country and its people, and we never doubted that Australians would stand with us if they heard our story,” he said. “The support we’ve received has been incredible, and it means more than we can say.”

    If a last-minute solution does not come through, the couple says they plan to make the most of their remaining time in the country they love, with a short trip into the Australian bush to soak in the landscape they have called home for 12 years.

    Australia’s Department of Home Affairs was contacted for comment on the Hewitts’ case. In a statement provided to media, a department spokesperson said it could not comment on individual immigration cases due to privacy requirements. “All applicants lodging a visa decision review are encouraged to do so at the earliest opportunity to maintain lawful status,” the statement read. “The department is unable to grant a Judicial Review Bridging Visa A until it receives confirmation from the Federal Court that a judicial review application has been made.”

  • Mining and tech stocks lift ASX to record high despite bank and energy losses

    Mining and tech stocks lift ASX to record high despite bank and energy losses

    Australia’s benchmark share index closed at a historic all-time high on Wednesday, powered by strong gains in mining and technology stocks, a sudden drop in global crude oil prices, and bullish momentum carried over from overnight gains on U.S. markets. The S&P/ASX 200 rallied 0.9% to end the trading day at 9227.80, an 82-point jump that pushed the index past its previous February 2025 peak of 9202.90 to claim a new record. The broader All Ordinaries followed suit, climbing 1% to close at 9405.40, a gain of 93.5 points. Against the U.S. dollar, the Australian dollar edged slightly lower to 70.45 U.S. cents by market close.

    Despite the overall market hitting a new milestone, only six of the 11 tracked industry sectors finished the day in positive territory, with large-scale mining stocks leading the upward charge. BHP Group saw shares surge 3.34% to settle at $62.54, while Rio Tinto gained 2.29% to close at $176.34, and Fortescue Metals added 0.61% to reach $18.19. Gold miners also posted double-digit and high single-digit gains, lifted by rising global gold commodity prices: Northern Star Resources climbed 5.76% to $21.49, and Evolution Mining rose 6.28% to $12.52.

    The catalyst for the day’s market movement came from an unexpected statement by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told CNBC that ongoing diplomatic talks with Iran could result in a breakthrough within days to reopen the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz to unobstructed global shipping. “We are in talks with the Iranians,” Bessent said in the interview. “There is a chance we may have a deal today or tomorrow to open the strait and move towards a more normalised position in this conflict.”

    The prospect of eased geopolitical tension in the Persian Gulf — one of the world’s most important oil chokepoints — sent global crude prices tumbling, with Brent Crude trading between $76 and $78 U.S. per barrel on Wednesday. Falling oil prices pushed Australian energy stocks down 2% by market close. Gains were also capped by modest losses across the nation’s four largest retail banks: Commonwealth Bank of Australia fell 1.38% to $178.23, National Australia Bank dropped 0.75% to $42.53, Westpac Banking Corporation lost 0.75% to $38.53, and ANZ Group slid 0.42% to $38.01.

    Overnight, U.S. benchmarks the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average both closed at record highs, fueled by news of the potential interim peace deal between the U.S. and Iran, which created bullish sentiment that spilled over into Australian trading. Another factor supporting the ASX’s record run is recent volatility in AI-focused global stocks, which has benefited Australian markets due to their limited direct exposure to overinflated AI valuations.

    Hugh Lam, investment strategist at Betashares, noted that Australian equities are increasingly seen as a global safe haven for investors seeking to avoid concentration risk in AI-dominated markets. “The local benchmark has reached all-time highs, driven by a rotation into blue-chip assets that has seen recent strength in July as global investors sought refuge in more diversified markets less exposed to AI concentration risk,” Lam explained. “Materials stocks have added further momentum, with Iran-linked supply disruptions keeping commodity risk premiums elevated and copper futures trading near record highs.”

    In individual company news, Endeavour Group, the owner of liquor retailer Dan Murphy’s and hospitality chain ALH Hotels, saw shares fall 1.44% to $3.43 after releasing preliminary full-year results that showed underlying net profit dropped to $363 million Australian, down from $426 million the previous year. IperionX recovered 8.95% to $3.41 after a sharp sell-off earlier in the week, following the company’s announcement that it would relocate its parent company headquarters to Texas. Neuren Pharmaceuticals surged 16.28% to $21.64 after reporting that net sales of DAYBUE, its Rett syndrome treatment for adults and children over two years old, rose 30% to $125 million U.S. from the second quarter of 2025. Gaming machine operator Light Wonder gained 3.96% to $118.00 after announcing annual consolidated revenue of $828 million Australian.

  • India monsoon floods, landslides kill more than 100 since July: officials

    India monsoon floods, landslides kill more than 100 since July: officials

    As the 2026 annual monsoon season unleashes its destructive force across South Asia, deadly floods and landslides have claimed more than 100 lives in India since the start of July, forcing tens of thousands of residents to abandon their inundated homes and seek emergency shelter, official government data confirmed this Wednesday. For millions of South Asian farmers, the annual monsoon is not a natural disaster to fear—it is a lifeline that sustains crop production and underpins regional food security. But climate scientists have long warned that rising global temperatures driven by climate change are transforming this predictable seasonal pattern, making rainfall more erratic, intensely concentrated, and unpredictable, amplifying the risk of catastrophic disaster across the region’s most vulnerable communities.

    India’s northeastern state of Assam has emerged as the worst-hit region, with state Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma confirming at least 87 monsoon-related deaths. The hardest-hit Sivasagar district alone has recorded 47 fatalities, with multiple low-lying communities remaining submerged days after the heaviest rainfall hit. State disaster management personnel have been working around the clock to rescue stranded residents, with AFP footage showing survivors using makeshift rafts and inflated vessels to navigate flooded neighborhoods to reach higher ground, assisted by official response teams. Describing the scale of the destruction as unprecedented for the region, Sarma wrote in a post on X, “The devastation here is unlike anything these areas have witnessed before. Material losses can be restored, but no compensation can replace a loved one.” State authorities have launched a public appeal for financial donations to fund urgent relief operations and long-term rehabilitation for displaced communities.

    Further south, the coastal state of Kerala has also been battered by days of relentless downpours, which have left at least 15 people dead and seven more unaccounted for, according to state Chief Minister VD Satheesan. Rains have triggered deadly landslides across the state’s hilly regions, while swollen rivers have burst their banks, inundating hundreds of residential areas. Local authorities have established more than 300 emergency relief camps across the state, which currently provide shelter to more than 10,000 displaced residents.

    In the northern Himalayan Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, short bursts of extremely intense rainfall have killed at least 31 people, according to reports from India’s public state broadcaster.

    Monsoon-related natural disasters are a recurring annual challenge for India, coming immediately after the long summer season when large swathes of the country grapple with critical water scarcity and drought. But the scale of destruction this year aligns with scientific projections of worsening extreme weather linked to climate change.

    The extreme weather has not been confined to India: neighboring Sri Lanka is also facing a dual climate crisis, driven in part by this year’s El Niño phenomenon, which raises sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean and disrupts global rainfall patterns. Since Monday, unusually heavy monsoon downpours have triggered flash floods and mudslides in Sri Lanka that have killed at least eight people, according to the country’s Disaster Management Centre, forcing roughly 12,000 residents to evacuate flooded homes in the island nation’s central region. At the same time, eastern regions of Sri Lanka are locked in a severe, prolonged drought that has forced authorities to deliver emergency drinking water to residents via tanker trucks. The Sri Lankan government has established a special ministerial task force to coordinate mitigation efforts, but has not yet released an estimate of the total economic damage caused by El Niño-driven extreme weather this year.

  • South Korea pro baseball league cancels games over heatwave

    South Korea pro baseball league cancels games over heatwave

    A relentless, record-shattering heatwave that has already claimed nearly 20 lives and sickened thousands across South Korea has forced the nation’s top professional baseball circuit to scrap all scheduled matches for Wednesday and Thursday, marking one of the most visible public disruptions caused by the extreme weather event.

    For more than two months, the country has baked under unrelenting high temperatures, with three new national all-time temperature records set over the past seven days alone. The peak of the heatwave so far came Sunday, when thermometers climbed to 42.5 degrees Celsius in parts of the country. As of Wednesday, the highest-level heat alerts remained in effect for both eastern and western districts of the capital Seoul, a warning triggered when heat index is projected to hit 38C or actual temperatures are forecast to reach 39C or higher.

    The cancellation decision from the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) came just one day after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung directed government agencies to classify the ongoing heatwave as a national disaster, and ordered officials to deploy all necessary resources to implement emergency protective measures to save civilian lives.

    In an official statement announcing the match cancellations, the KBO noted that the decision to call off all August 5 and 6 games was driven by ongoing safety risks for both competing players and attending spectators, and that the cancellations will remain in place until comprehensive heat safety protocols can be put in place. Local media reports confirm that 10 scheduled games across the country were scrapped as a result of the order.

    The devastating public health toll of the heatwave is already substantial: data from the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency shows that between May 15 and August 3, more than 2,200 people have been treated for heat-related illnesses, with at least 19 confirmed deaths linked to extreme heat.

    The cancellations are not an unprecedented step for the league this week. On Tuesday, the KBO already called off two scheduled games: one at Seoul’s Jamsil Stadium and another in the southwestern city of Gwangju, after multiple spectators collapsed from heat exhaustion during pre-game and game activities. Even for matches that went ahead on Tuesday, heat-related medical incidents were widespread. An official with the SSG Landers franchise confirmed to AFP that a male attendee at the team’s Tuesday match against the LG Twins in Incheon collapsed from a suspected heat illness, forcing a nine-minute game stoppage before the fan was transported to a local hospital by ambulance. The team added that 25 additional spectators required on-site medical treatment for heat-related symptoms during the contest.

    Moving forward, the KBO announced it will convene an emergency executive committee meeting, with representatives from member clubs and the KBO Players’ Association in attendance, to negotiate and adopt additional long-term heat safety protocols for the remainder of the season.

  • ‘Outstanding’ month as Australians continue EV uprising

    ‘Outstanding’ month as Australians continue EV uprising

    Australia’s electric vehicle (EV) market has continued its explosive growth, notching a second straight month of historic sales amid ongoing global fuel price volatility that has pushed thousands of consumers to shift to battery-powered transport. New industry data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) reveals that more than 23,500 battery electric vehicles were sold across the country in July 2026, accounting for 21.7% of total new car sales for the month — the highest market share EVs have ever captured in a single month. This milestone marks the second consecutive record-breaking month for EV adoption in Australia, confirming the sector’s rapid transition away from fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

    “July was another outstanding month for Australian new-vehicle sales and delivered the best July result on record,” said FCAI chief executive Tony Weber. While Weber praised the accelerating uptake of EVs, he also issued a stark call to action for policymakers and private industry to urgently expand the country’s public charging network to match growing consumer demand. With more Australians embracing EVs, particularly drivers who lack off-street parking or home charging access and those traveling through regional areas, Weber stressed that accessible, reliable charging infrastructure is non-negotiable to preserve consumer confidence as EVs become a mainstream option.

    “Governments and the private sector must work together to ensure that the public charging network meets growing demand particularly in regional areas and for motorists who do not have access to charging at home,” Weber said. “Accessible and dependable charging will be critical to maintaining consumer confidence as electric vehicles become a larger part of Australia’s new-vehicle fleet.”

    When it comes to top-selling models, Chinese automaker BYD led the market in July, with its popular Sealion 7 SUV notching 2,548 sales to claim the number one spot. US EV giant Tesla followed close behind: its Model Y Long Range variant recorded 2,429 sales, while the standard Model Y added more than 2,200 additional sales, cementing Tesla’s position as one of Australia’s most popular EV brands.

    Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen welcomed the record sales, linking the sharp uptick in EV adoption to persistent global oil market instability that has kept petrol prices volatile for Australian motorists. Bowen noted that EV ownership is helping households shield themselves from global oil shocks and cut everyday cost-of-living expenses, a benefit that more Australians are prioritizing as energy prices remain unpredictable.

    “The lesson from Cheaper Home Batteries and EVs is clear to me: with the right policy settings Australians will respond enthusiastically in ways which can lead to globally leading outcomes,” Bowen said. He pointed to longer-term data that underscores the speed of Australia’s EV transition: in the first half of 2026, battery EVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles together made up 27% of all light vehicle sales, totaling 191,830 units. That marks a dramatic jump from 2025, when the combined market share of EVs and plug-ins stood at just 13% for the full calendar year.

    Bowen added that EV tax cuts have driven the strongest uptake in fast-growing suburban and outer-urban areas including Tarneit, Werribee, Kellyville, Marsden Park, Craigieburn, Cranbourne and Baulkham Hills. He argued that widespread EV adoption reflects a common-sense choice by Australian households to cut costs and embrace modern renewable energy technology.

    “The common sense choices that Australians are making to upgrade their own energy infrastructure with modern, reliable renewables is the same as our approach for the country,” Bowen said. “People (are) getting a battery and then maximising its contribution to their cost of living by using it to power their EV at a rate much cheaper than filling up at the servo.”

    Beyond battery EVs, the overall low-emission vehicle sector now dominates the Australian new car market. When combined with hybrid vehicles, which held a 17.2% market share in July, all electric and hybrid vehicles accounted for nearly 39% of total new car sales. Internal combustion engine vehicles still hold a significant share of the market, however: petrol-powered cars led all powertrains with 27,894 sales in July, equal to just over a quarter of total market share, while diesel vehicles followed closely with 24,773 units sold.

  • Five toddlers among seven injured in devastating house fire in Queensland

    Five toddlers among seven injured in devastating house fire in Queensland

    A destructive residential blaze in Queensland’s Southern Downs region has delivered a story of extraordinary luck, after seven people — including five young children between the ages of three and five — managed to escape the engulfed two-storey home on Wednesday morning.

    Emergency services confirmed that first responders were dispatched to Leslie Parade in Stanthorpe shortly after 8:40 a.m. following reports of a structure fully engulfed in flames. When crews from the Queensland Fire Department arrived on scene, they found the two-storey brick home already burning heavily, with the fire confirmed to have originated in the property’s stairwell, a critical escape route for the occupants inside.

    At the time the fire broke out, all seven residents were inside the home: the five young toddlers, a 26-year-old woman, and an 80-year-old man. Against significant odds, every person managed to evacuate the burning building before firefighters could gain entry to conduct search and rescue operations.

    Local paramedics immediately provided on-site first aid to all seven evacuees. The five young children received initial assessment and treatment at the scene before being transferred to Stanthorpe Hospital for further observation. The 26-year-old woman was treated for two separate conditions: a soft tissue injury to her arm and smoke inhalation, while the 80-year-old man also received medical care for smoke inhalation.

    To bring the blaze under control, fire crews were forced to remove a section of the home’s roof to access hidden hotspots and fully extinguish the fire. No further injuries were reported among first responders, and investigations into the exact cause of the fire are ongoing.

    The incident marks the second residential fire escape making headlines in Queensland in recent days, following a separate event where seven children escaped an e-bike-related house blaze.

  • Australian teen who killed UK woman has reduced sentence overturned

    Australian teen who killed UK woman has reduced sentence overturned

    In a landmark ruling that has resonated across Queensland and beyond, Australia’s High Court has overturned a previous reduced sentence for a teenage killer who stabbed British-born mother Emma Lovell to death during a 2022 home invasion, restoring the harsher penalty handed down in the original trial.

    Lovell, a 41-year-old originally from Suffolk in the United Kingdom, relocated to Australia with her husband Lee in 2011, settling in Brisbane to build a life with their two teenage daughters. Her life was cut short in a brutal attack on Boxing Day 2022, when she and Lee confronted two teenage intruders who had broken into their suburban Queensland home. During a violent struggle that unfolded after the couple forced the intruders out into their front garden, the then-17-year-old offender stabbed Lovell in the heart. Emergency responders performed emergency open-heart surgery at the scene as Lovell’s daughters watched helplessly, but she did not survive her injuries and died shortly after being transported to hospital.

    The case sparked widespread public anger and became a catalyst for Queensland state government to introduce controversial stricter youth crime legislation, amid growing community concern over violent youth offending. The second teenager involved in the break-in was acquitted of murder, and ultimately received an 18-month detention sentence on lesser charges of burglary and assault.

    In the 2024 original trial, the judge ruled the teenager’s murder was “particularly heinous”. While the court acknowledged the offender’s unstable childhood and other mitigating personal circumstances, the judge found these factors did not offset the extreme severity of the crime. The teenager was sentenced to 14 years in prison, with a requirement to serve 70 percent of the sentence — a minimum of nine years and nine months — before becoming eligible for parole.

    The teenager launched an appeal against the sentence the following May, arguing the original penalty was “manifestly excessive”. Queensland’s Court of Appeal sided with the offender, cutting the required non-parole period from 70 percent to 60 percent of the total sentence, a reduction of 17 months, citing the defendant’s early guilty plea, claims of genuine remorse, and potential for rehabilitation as justification for the lighter sentence.

    That reduced sentence was immediately challenged by Queensland Attorney-General Deb Frecklington, who brought the case to the High Court of Australia in April 2025. On Wednesday, the High Court quashed the appeal court’s ruling, determining that the lower appeal court had no legal standing to alter the original trial judge’s sentence decision.

    Following the announcement of the High Court’s verdict, Frecklington said she was pleased with the outcome, noting she had pursued every possible legal pathway to protect what little justice had originally been granted to the Lovell family. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli called the ruling a “big win” for Lovell’s relatives, while acknowledging that no sentence could ever bring Emma back or undo the pain the family has endured.

    For Lee Lovell, the ruling delivers a long-awaited sense of validation. Speaking to reporters shortly after the decision was handed down, he said the outcome confirms “Emma’s life did matter”, and that his eldest daughter was “pretty pleased” with the result. Even with the ruling in hand, he acknowledged that the upcoming Boxing Day — which will mark four years since Emma’s killing — will remain a difficult anniversary for the family. “It feels like a few months ago that it happened,” he said, adding that after years of drawn-out court proceedings, he hopes the family can now begin to rebuild some semblance of normal life. Lovell’s parents, who traveled from the United Kingdom to be in Australia for the ruling, are set to return home on Thursday.

  • Russian barrage on Ukraine kills 15, wounds dozens more

    Russian barrage on Ukraine kills 15, wounds dozens more

    In a devastating new wave of violence that has pushed civilian casualty counts to their highest point since the 2022 full-scale invasion, overnight Russian missile and drone strikes across Kyiv and its adjacent regions have killed at least 15 civilians and left dozens more wounded, Ukrainian officials confirmed Wednesday.

    More than four years into Moscow’s full-scale invasion, Russia has ramped up its deployment of ballistic missiles against Ukrainian targets, a shift that has left Kyiv urgently lobbying its Western allies for additional American-made Patriot air defense interceptors to fend off incoming attacks. The latest assault began shortly after midnight local time, following official warnings from Ukraine’s air force of incoming ballistic missiles. AFP correspondents on the ground in Kyiv documented multiple explosions, and hours after the strikes, thick black smoke hung over impacted areas, with the acrid stench of burning material lingering across residential neighborhoods.

    Kyiv’s military administration confirmed in a Telegram post that the combined barrage of missiles and drones hit multiple residential buildings and several commercial warehouses. “The enemy is once again deliberately striking civilians and civilian infrastructure,” the statement read. In the capital itself, one woman was killed and at least 24 other people were injured, after the strikes sparked large fires across four of Kyiv’s administrative districts.

    The death toll climbed sharply when regional authorities outside the capital reported 14 additional fatalities and more than 20 wounded in surrounding communities of the Kyiv region. “Kyiv region experienced one of its most tragic enemy attacks yet again tonight,” Tymur Tkachenko, head of the Kyiv regional military administration, wrote on Telegram. “Russia has once again brought death and destruction to our land, taking the lives of civilians. Just accountability will certainly follow for every such crime.”

    The assault marks the third deadly overnight strike on the Kyiv area in just one week. On Saturday alone, similar Russian strikes on Kyiv and its suburbs killed 10 people and wounded more than 30, coming the same day that Ukrainian drones sank a large Russian container ship in the Black Sea.

    An AFP analysis of recent military activity confirms both sides have stepped up long-range offensive operations over the past month, with Russia more than doubling its monthly missile usage in July compared to earlier periods. Ukraine has matched the escalation by increasing its own cross-border drone attacks on Russian territory, targeting energy infrastructure and military logistics hubs.

    Just one day before the latest Kyiv assault, a Ukrainian drone strike on logistics facilities in Russia’s Moscow region killed five people and wounded 10 others, with one of the targets being a depot operated by major Russian e-commerce firm Wildberries. On Wednesday, Moscow’s mayor confirmed that Russian air defenses had intercepted and destroyed at least 10 drones bound for the capital. Further south, the governor of the Tula region reported that Russian defenses shot down 107 Ukrainian drones in the area overnight. The governor confirmed that two apartment buildings sustained damage, and one downed drone crashed on the grounds of a Wildberries logistics facility, igniting a large fire that prompted a precautionary evacuation of the site. Ukraine has previously accused Wildberries of storing drone components and supporting the Russian military, claims the company has not publicly addressed.

    In a separate development that has drawn international condemnation, Ukraine has publicly denounced a newly circulated video showing a civilian being chased by a drone in the southern city of Kherson, calling the incident a deliberate “hunt” and “safari” targeting unarmed civilians.

    United Nations human rights monitoring teams have already issued warnings about the sharp upward trend in civilian fatalities across Ukraine, noting that current casualty numbers are at their highest point since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022.

    Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly stressed that the critical shortage of anti-ballistic missile interceptors directly enables Russia’s ongoing deadly assault campaign. “A lack of ballistic missile interceptors only encourages Russia to launch such attacks that take human lives,” Zelenskyy said. Just last week, Zelenskyy met with former U.S. President Donald Trump to push for American approval of licenses to allow domestic production of Patriot interceptors inside Ukraine.

    Russia has defended its recent strikes, claiming all attacks target legitimate military sites. After Saturday’s assault on Kyiv, Moscow said it hit military-industrial complex facilities and logistics centers. That strike damaged multiple non-military sites, including Lithuania’s embassy in Kyiv and a five-story residential apartment building.