Anthony Albanese faces another high-stakes effort to secure the release of an imprisoned Australian after Melbourne man Oscar Jenkins was captured by Russian forces while fighting for Ukraine in the country’s eastern Donbas region.
Simeon Boikov, who is holed up in the Russian embassy in Sydney, tells The Australian he’s ready to be swapped for a Melbourne man captured by Vladimir Putin’s forces in Ukraine.
Defence’s biggest projects are running a combined 36.8 years late as Labor spins its wheels on its pledge to get military procurement back on track.
One of Australia’s top strategic think tanks has warned that the government is preparing to nobble the organisation following a review that will allow its funding to be slashed if it doesn’t toe the line.
![This screengrab taken from handout video footage posted on the Facebook account of Michael Thompson on December 17, 2024 shows a member of security inspecting a collapsed building in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila after a powerful earthquake hit the Pacific island. The 7.3-magnitude quake struck on December 17 at a depth of 57 kilometres (35 miles), some 30 kilometres off the coast of Efate, Vanuatu's main island, at 12:47 pm (0147 GMT), according to the US Geological Survey. (Photo by MICHAEL THOMPSON / Facebook account of Michael Thompson / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE â MANDATORY CREDIT «AFP PHOTO / FACEBOOK / MICHAEL THOMPSON» - NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS â DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS [- NO ARCHIVE ]](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/ae7cd6cb117bcfdc9ed9ebc661c97a7c?width=650)
No Australians are among the 14 deaths in Vanuatu after a massive 7.3 magnitude earthquake flattened large parts of the capital, with Australian teams heading for the Pacific Island nation.
After Gideon Sa’ar accused Australia of weakening its support for the Jewish state, Penny Wong defended Australia’s position on Gaza.
Dramatic footage has emerged of Australians fighting in Ukraine showing the chaos and horror on the frontline as their unit is targeted by drones and enemy gunfire | WATCH
The remaining five members of the drug-smuggling ring have been whisked home in secret, returning as free men after they were ‘plucked from jail’, with no prisoner-swap required as part of the unprecedented deal.
Tokyo has established a powerful new ‘all-Japan’ committee to lead its campaign to win a $10bn frigate deal with Australia, as questions grow over the level of risk associated with its bid.
Convicted drug smugglers Matthew Norman, Martin Stephens, Si Yi Chen, Scott Rush and Michael Czugaj have returned home to Australia as free men after more than 19 years behind bars in Indonesia.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/author/ben-packham