This Month
Sports shoe supply chain a pain point in Trump’s tariff war
The US lacks factories with the specialised equipment to make running shoes and workers with the knowhow to operate them, meaning higher prices for trainers.
March
Six killed as tourist submarine sinks off Egyptian coast
The Russian embassy reportedly said that 45 people were on board the submarine when it sank in the tourist port city of Hurghada.
Now ‘parasite’ Europe really knows what Trump thinks of it
Trump officials have demanded more European military spending and questioned the continent’s values. Leaked messages show the depth of the rift.
Netanyahu restarts forever war amid Israeli anger, burnout
Israel’s PM is accused of resuming airstrikes and a ground offensive in Gaza for political reasons, and endangering the lives of hostages.
Shielded JFK files hid spies, not conspiracies
Those who hoped the release of 64,000 pages by the US National Archives would shed more light on the assassination of John F. Kennedy might be disappointed.
February
Israel delays release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners
The prisoners were due to be set free after Hamas released six Israeli hostages as a precarious ceasefire beset by recriminations nears the end of its first phase.
Flying Emirates, Qatar or Etihad? Add a bucket list side trip to Egypt
The Gulf carriers are helping Australians to take an extended stopover to explore the region’s gems.
Bulldozers enter Gaza as Israel mourns death of youngest hostages
Hamas will release more hostages, along with several bodies, thought to be two young boys and their mother who came to symbolise the plight of those taken.
Israel calls up reservists as fears for fragile Gaza ceasefire rise
Concern that the truce will collapse is growing as fury mounts in the Arab world over President Donald Trump’s plan for the United States to take over Gaza.
Dutton hails ‘dealmaker’ Trump over Gaza takeover plan
The opposition leader also calls for an independent inquiry into what Anthony Albanese was told about alleged antisemitic caravan bomb plot.
‘Dubai on the Mediterranean’: Inside Trump’s Gaza plan
The US president’s proposal to expel millions of Palestinians emerges from a fringe idea in his first term that was rejected by Palestinian leaders.
Reality will bite Trump’s big dreams in Gaza
The US president’s vision of the US taking over Gaza and turning it into a peaceful, prosperous property development project is a fantasy.
January
Trump’s Palestinian refugee idea falls flat with Arab allies
Middle East nations rejected Donald Trump’s idea to resettle Gaza’s population as the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in the enclave held after a major crisis.
Hamas set to release first hostages under ceasefire deal, Israel says
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said hostages would be released on Sunday as cabinet meets to approve the deal with Hamas.
How Trump’s ‘salty’ envoy may have forced Israel’s hand on a deal
“Aggressive businessman” Steven Witkoff shakes up year-long negotiations and the pressure is on Benjamin Netanyahu to agree ceasefire with Hamas.
December 2024
Bassel was right about the Assads. It couldn’t save him
The 27-year-old had a Fulbright Scholarship and the future was bright. This is the story of one man’s pursuit of freedom for Syria.
‘We need time’: Syrians in Europe resist calls to return home
Those who fled the 13-year civil war pointed to the political uncertainty after a rebel offensive swept into Damascus over the weekend.
Egypt’s bygone glamour gets a luxurious new spin
In a land with an ancient civilisation comes a new offering for travellers seeking luxury with an authentic patina.
November 2024
Chinese vessel spotted where Baltic Sea cables were severed
A Chinese-registered vessel on its way from the Russian port of Ust-Luga to Port Said in Egypt passed close to both the cables around the time each was cut.
October 2024
After a year of war, Gazans wonder how to deal with tonnes of rubble
Two-thirds of Gaza’s pre-war structures – more than 163,000 buildings – have been damaged or flattened, according to UN satellite data.