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International affairs, events, and conflicts

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US Envoy has productive peace talks with Vladimir Putin
United States Envoy Steve Witkoff spoke to Russian President Vladimir Putin about a peace agreement in Ukraine. Witkoff met with Putin for around three hours on Wednesday local time in hopes of a breakthrough in the three-and-a-half-year war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. According to U.S. President Donald Trump, the meeting had been “highly productive” and “great progress was made”. “Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come,” he said on Truth Social. Despite the successful talks with Putin, a White House official said that Washington is still planning to follow through with secondary sanctions on countries that import Russian oil, including adding 25% to Indian tariffs. After a phone call with Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was “now more inclined to a ceasefire”. "The pressure on them works. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details — neither us nor the US," he said. The Kremlin also said the talks were “useful and constructive”. Following the meeting between Witkoff and Putin, Trump said that there was a “good chance” that there would be a meeting between him and t
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Canadian wildfires cause air quality warnings in the US
Wildfires in Canada are beginning to impact air quality as the smoke continues to waft into parts of the U.S.. At least 741 wildfires are burning in Canada, with 304 of them labelled out of control that have burned more than 16 million acres this year, which is more than double their 10-year average to date. They have become the third most destructive Canadian wildfires since records started in 1983. Plumes of smoke have travelled to the U.S., turning skies orange over major cities including New York. The smoke has prompted the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to declare a “Code Orange Quality Action Day” in more than 40 counties, including the city of Philadelphia. "On a Code Orange Air Quality Action Day, young children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, such as asthma, emphysema, and bronchitis, are especially vulnerable to the effects of air pollution and should limit outdoor activities," the Pennsylvania EPA said. A code orange is just one level below a code red alert, which would signal unhealthy air for all individuals on the EPA's Air Quality Index Guide. The index guide also has a "code purple" level signifying "very unhealthy air" and a "code maroon" for hazardous air
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US calls for all or nothing ceasefire deal in the Gaza
U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for an all-or-nothing ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that would see the end of hostilities and all hostages returned. His Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff told hostage families the news over the weekend and said there can be “no piecemeal deals” in a leaked audio from Israeli news site Ynet. “Now, we think that we have to shift this negotiation to all or nothing. Everybody comes home,” Witkoff says later in the recording of the meeting with hostage families, which was also reported on by The New York Times. Daniel Lifshtiz corroborated the comments, saying Witkoff spoke to hostage families for nearly three hours and that Witkoff said the U.S. was looking “shift from partial deal to a full-scale deal”. “He spoke about shifting because there is nothing else to do now,” Lifshitz told NBC News. Fifty hostages remain in Gaza, 20 of whom are believed to be alive. Daniel Lifshitz's grandparents, Oded and Yocheved Lifshitz, were among the around 250 people taken hostage in the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leans towards expanding military operations for a full “conquest of the Strip”. “The die is cast – we’re goi
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Russian volcano erupts for first time in over 500 years
The Krasheninnikov Volcano in far eastern Russia erupted for the first time in more than 500 years, and experts believe it could be linked to last week’s massive earthquake. The eruption caused a second earthquake, which led to tsunami warnings in three areas of the peninsula. Both events are thought to be connected to an 8.8 magnitude earthquake that shook the region and caused tsunami warnings in French Polynesia and Chile. The volcano threw up an ash plume up to 6km high overnight, but Russia’s emergency ministry said there are no threats to populated areas. "The plume is spreading eastward from the volcano toward the Pacific Ocean," Kamchatka's emergencies ministry wrote on Telegram during the eruption. "There are no populated areas along its path, and no ash fall has been recorded in inhabited localities." The Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team said the volcano’s activity was decreasing but that “moderate explosive activity” could continue. The eruption of the volcano has been assigned an orange aviation code, indicating a heightened risk to aircraft, the ministry said. The last recorded eruption of the Krasheninnikov Volcano was in the 15th century, according to the head of the Kamchatka Volcan
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India resumes visas for Chinese nationals after freeze
India has officially resumed issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals as of 24 July, 2025, ending a five-year suspension that began in 2020 following the Galwan Valley border clash and pandemic-related restrictions. The move signals a cautious normalisation of bilateral relations and is expected to support tourism and cross-border engagement. India’s inbound tourism sector, which saw over 2 lakh Chinese tourist visas issued in 2019, is poised for a gradual recovery. The reopening could help revive revenue streams for the airlines, hospitality, and retail sectors impacted by the freeze. Chinese applicants must complete an online form, schedule an appointment, and submit documents in person at Indian Visa Application Centres in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Only tourist visas are currently available; the business and student categories remain restricted. The decision follows recent high-level meetings, including Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to Beijing and resuming direct flights. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said the move was part of broader efforts to restore people-to-people ties.

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China launches A$2k child subsidy to lift birth rate
China has introduced its first nationwide child-rearing subsidy, offering parents up to 10,800 yuan (approximately A$2,307) per child under three in a bid to reverse declining birth rates. The policy, announced on 29 July, provides annual payments of 3,600 yuan ($769) per child and is retroactive to 1 January 2025. Families with children born between 2022 and 2024 are also eligible for partial subsidies. The initiative is expected to benefit around 20 million families and comes amid growing demographic concerns, including a shrinking and aging population. Despite ending its one-child policy nearly a decade ago, China’s birth rate continues to fall. In 2024, the country recorded 9.54 million births — half the number seen in 2016 — and experienced its third consecutive year of population decline. Local governments have already piloted similar incentives: Hohhot offers up to 100,000 yuan per baby for families with three children, while Shenyang provides 500 yuan monthly for third children under age three. Beijing has also urged municipalities to expand free preschool access to ease financial burdens on young families. China's cost of raising a child averages $116,052 through age 17, making it one of the most e
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Central America most affected by plastic bottle pollution
Central American countries are the most affected by plastic bottle pollution on Latin America’s Pacific coast, with large companies like Coca-Cola representing the majority of these pollutants. Most of the plastic bottles and caps polluting Latin America’s Pacific coastline were made by The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, and Peru-based Aje Group, according to a new study from the University of Barcelona. More than 12,000 kilometres of coastline were surveyed across 2023 and 2024. “On the mainland beaches of Mexico, Guatemala and the southern countries — Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile — most of the bottles came from the same country. In contrast, in the Central American countries — El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama — the percentages of locally sourced items were significantly lower, with those of external origin predominating,” said the study’s authors, including University of Barcelona Chair on Sustainable Blue Economy Miquel Canals. El Salvador saw the highest number of plastic bottle and cap pollutants on Pacific continental beaches of any country in Latin America at 4,655, with Costa Rica taking second place with 4,426. Ecuador recorded the most bottle pollutants around human settlement areas at 1,179, a
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Thai, Cambodian leaders hold talks to end border clashes
The leaders of Thailand and Cambodia will hold ceasefire talks in Malaysia today, as the two countries aim to end a series of deadly border skirmishes. Thailand’s acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet will begin negotiations in Kuala Lumpur at 3 pm, local time (5 pm AEST). Clashes between Thailand and Cambodia erupted five days ago after a land mine wounded five Thai soldiers, with the two countries disputing the location of the mine. "The Thai Government has received an official invitation from Mr. Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia and current ASEAN Chair, to participate in a consultation on regional peace efforts,” Thailand’s government said in a statement. “It has been confirmed that the ASEAN Chair has also invited representatives of the Cambodian government. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet is expected to attend in person.” At least 35 have been killed in these border clashes, including 13 civilians in Thailand and eight civilians in Cambodia. More than 130 people have been injured, and over 200,000 have been evacuated from these countries’ border regions. The talks will be held at Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s official residence, after Anwar pro
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Around 14 people killed amid Thailand-Cambodia clash
At least 14 people were killed during clashes along the disputed land between Cambodia and Thailand, according to Thai authorities. Thailand's interior ministry also said it had evacuated over 100,000 people from four border provinces as the deadly clashes entered a second day. Thailand’s army said most of the casualties were civilians from three Thai provinces, while Cambodia has yet to confirm whether it suffered any casualties. As well as the dozen fatalities reported, authorities said 32 people were injured. “We condemn this – using heavy weapons without a clear target, outside of conflict zones … the use of force and did not adhere to international law,” Thailand’s acting prime minister, Phumtham Wechayachai, told reporters. “We remain committed to peaceful means and there should be discussions, but what happened was a provocation and we had to defend ourselves.” Following the conflict, Thailand has closed its border with Cambodia, and Cambodia has downgraded its ties with Thailand, accusing its military of using “excessive force”. Both Thailand and Cambodia have given different accounts of how the most recent conflict broke out and urged citizens to evacuate to safer locations. This marked the bloodie