Top World News
Australia spent more than $9m for each asylum seeker held on Nauru last year – so why can’t they afford to buy food?
Many of the more than 100 people awaiting processing on the tiny Pacific island are skipping meals to make ends meet, a new survey has foundFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMost refugees and asylum seekers held in Nauru’s detention centres say they cannot afford to buy enough food or access clean drinking water, despite the Australian government spending the equivalent of more than $9m per person last financial year.The group of more than 100 people have been sent indefinitely to the tiny Pacific island while they wait for their asylum claims to be processed. Many of the cohort say they are skipping meals to make ends meet, according to a new survey by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) advocacy group. Continue reading...
‘When I get home, my whole body aches’: extreme heat saps health and wages of India’s poorest workers
Exclusive: Outdoor workers losing up to 9% of income as weather becomes ‘poverty multiplier’, research saysExtreme heat is pushing some of India’s poorest workers further into poverty, with income losses of up to 9% for outdoor workers, new research has found.Analysis done by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), and shared exclusively with the Guardian, found that extreme heat is acting as a “poverty multiplier” for hundreds of millions of workers in India’s informal sector. Continue reading...
Hot mic catches broadcaster mystified by Trump's World Cup stunt: 'Edit him out of that'
An Australian broadcaster was mystified by President Donald Trump's stunt at the World Cup Final on Sunday, which was caught on a hot mic. Trump accompanied FIFA President Gianni Infantino on the field for the trophy presentation ceremony following Spain's 1-0 win over Argentina in the World Cup Final in New York on Sunday. Trump was roundly booed by the crowd as the two men walked onto the field, and he stuck around for the team photo, which seemed to catch Infantino off guard. One of the broadcasters was seemingly confused by the visual. "Are they going to edit him out of that?" the broadcaster from SBS Australia said, referring to the image of Trump and Infantino on stage while the confetti cannons rang out and the Spanish team hoisted the trophy. The World Cup Final was not the first time that Trump seemed to overstay his welcome during a trophy presentation ceremony. Trump awkwardly stuck around for the FIFA Gold Club World Cup trophy ceremony with Chelsea last year, which baffled some of the team's stars. Australian broadcaster on hot mic after Trump crashes Spain’s World Cup trophy presentation: “They’re gonna edit him out of that” pic.twitter.com/s2vIIw3cgE— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) July 19, 2026
Confused Trump wanders through Spain's World Cup celebration photo
A seemingly confused President Donald Trump wandered into a photo of Spain's World Cup celebration on Sunday, catching some attendees off guard. Trump accompanied FIFA President Gianni Infantino to present the World Cup trophy to Spain after the team defeated Argentina 1-0 on Sunday. After shaking hands with players from both sides and presenting the trophy, Infantino and other officials departed the stage. However, Trump wandered in front of the team toward the opposite end of the stage. In the end, Infantino was seen running across the stage to accompany Trump. It was not the first time that a seemingly confused Trump had wandered off during a photo opportunity. Trump also wandered off during a photo-op at the G7 Summit in France back in June. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also appeared to guide Trump during their meeting in Ankara on July 7. Trump on stage with the World Cup Winners pic.twitter.com/c3iQYNfk1s— Acyn (@Acyn) July 19, 2026
Trump booed at the World Cup Final after being introduced for trophy ceremony
President Donald Trump was loudly booed on Sunday when he was introduced to the crowd during the World Cup trophy ceremony. Trump accompanied FIFA President Gianni Infantino and world leaders like Mexico's President Claudia Sheinbaum, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney and Spain's King Felipe to the trophy ceremony after Spain defeated Argentina in the World Cup Final 1-0. When Trump made his way out of the tunnel and onto the field, the crowd reacted with boos and jeers. Infantino continued leading the crowd toward the stage as Trump waved to the crowd. Trump has been booed at multiple sporting events that he's attended. Recently, he was booed at New York's Madison Square Garden during the NBA Finals. He was also loudly booed at a UFC event in Miami back in April. President Trump joins Gianni Infantino on the pitch after the FIFA World Cup Final pic.twitter.com/QQkSq0ZjUq— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) July 19, 2026
'Utterly lawless': NYT report on new FBI directive stuns nation
The New York Times stunned Americans Sunday when it revealed a new FBI directive regarding ICE agents — and people who accuse them of violence.Federal agents across the nation received instructions last week not to investigate confrontations with immigration agents, sources told Times reporters Hamed Aleaziz and Devlin Barrett."F.B.I. managers around the country received a written notice informing them of the change on Thursday...The same day, some ICE agents around the country were notified by their F.B.I. counterparts," Aleaziz and Barrett wrote."If enacted, such a change would sharply limit law enforcement scrutiny of immigration agents, as the Trump administration draws mounting criticism over killings at the hands of federal officers."The directive arrived after ICE agents fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston and Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford —and as protests mount nationwide in North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, Arizona, and of course, Texas and Maine.One Maine protesters' sign read "a man was lynched here."The Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security denied the policy change in a joint statement to the Times.“The relationship between D.H.S. and D.O.J. in investigating assault on federal officer cases has not changed," the statement said. “This administration has been clear, anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”The Trump administration was met with a wave of criticism as the Times report began to spread.Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, professed himself stunned."WOW," he wrote. "The Trump admin just barred the FBI from investigating cases where DHS officers get into confrontations with immigrants or citizens. ICE HSI will lead all investigations, yet HSI has no jurisdiction to investigate civil rights violations. The fox is guarding the henhouse."Jim Roberts, editor of nonprofit news site the 74, called it "an utterly lawless administration."But Andrew Alvarez, a conservative political commentator and self-described MAGA supporter, took a different view."Finally getting the feds out of the way so ICE can do their job without constant harassment," he wrote.David Brouillette, the ICE agent who fatally shot Guerrero in Maine, has been accused of harassment himself, by two former wives, reports show. His ex-wife Ashley Brouillette told CBS News she was stunned he gained employment with ICE."I don't understand how he keeps getting these jobs where there are firearms involved," she said. "He's a danger to people and to himself...And I just don't understand how he keeps getting away with it."Meanwhile, as the New York Times report whipped across the internet, FBI director Kash Patel took a moment to share with the public, not a response, but a photograph of himself with the team assigned to the FIFA World Cup."So proud of this FBI and all our partners," he wrote.
'Due to Trump’s illegal war': U.S. service members' deaths met with despair and rage
News that two service members had been killed by direct Iranian fire rocked the nation on Saturday. U.S. Central Command announced the two service member's death, a third's disappearance and four medical evacuations one day after a base was attacked in Jordon. "Out of respect for the families, CENTCOM will withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen warriors, until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified," the statement read.Sixteen U.S. service members have been killed and more than 430 wounded since the war began, the Associated Press reported. "The battle over the Strait of Hormuz has intensified in a conflict increasingly focused on control of the essential waterway that previously carried a fifth of the world’s crude oil," the Associated Press reported. "The strikes threaten civilians and infrastructure, including desalination plants for drinking water, while the global economy again is on alert."Americans responded to the news with words of outrage and despair. "Really awful, dark, foreboding developments in the Middle East over the last 24 hours," wrote MS NOW analyst Sam Stein. "Hard to see how you deescalate from here."Political strategist Mike Nellis condemned President Donald Trump for mounting an attack on Iran without approval from Congress."I will ask again: for what?" Nellis wrote. "Trump has no plan, no clear mission, and he’s getting our sons and daughters killed for his own vanity." Nellis later added, "I’ll tell you what: if Barack Obama had launched an illegal war, 16 U.S. service members were dead, and another was missing in action, the MAGA media machine would be frothing at the mouth. Right now? Quiet as a church mouse. F---ing cowards."Political podcaster Shaykh Sulaiman said simply, "Due to Trump’s illegal war."
‘We are preserving a tradition’: how Ghana’s sensationalist film posters became collectible art
Hand-painted works are often wildly unfaithful to the movies they portray – reinterpretations that sometimes resulted in threats, insults and even physical attacks from viewers who felt dupedSitting on his porch in Teshie near Accra, Heavy J dipped a brush into red oil paint and dabbed it carefully on to his canvas – a flour sack – adding blood to a knife being wielded by a man. Higher on the canvas, he had started on an outline of a skull.Heavy J was creating a poster, but not as you might have expected for a horror film. Instead, it was for the animated fairytale The Little Mermaid. The man with the knife was not a killer but the film’s kind-hearted prince, Eric. The skull was also unrelated to the story. “We add more to make people interested,” said Heavy J, whose real name is Jeaurs Affutu. Continue reading...
Australia updates travel advice for Laos as charges announced over mass methanol poisoning
Distillery owner could face only three months in jail over alleged poisoning of Australian teenagersGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Australian government has increased its travel alert level for Laos, advising travellers to “exercise a high degree of caution” due to the risk of methanol poisoning.It comes as a distillery owner in Laos was charged after a mass methanol poisoning incident killed six foreign nationals, including the Australian backpackers Bianca Jones and Holly Morton-Bowles. Continue reading...
'We exist in hell': Trump's 'unforgivable' threats against US neighbor spark outrage
Trump's tariff threats against Canada because of its wildfires drew online outrage as critics jumped to the neighboring country's defense.On Friday, Trump went after Canada in a Truth Social post because of smoke from its wildfires, which he said is "costing the United States Billions of Dollars." He warned that the "cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying."Trump's attack drew swift condemnation on social media."Such a neighborly thing to do," reacted Democratic strategist Leslie Marshall."America's mad king is now threatening Canada with additional tariffs because of the wildfire smoke," Canadian journalist Geoffrey P. Johnston wrote. "America is kicking us when we are down. This is unforgivable. Canada & USA will never be friends again after this. Too many Americans are going along with Trump's insanity.""He is such a d— embarrassment!" national opinion columnist Sophia A. Nelson described Trump."Trump is a climate science denier," writer Matthew Todd pointed out. "He's aggressively heating the planet - and then blaming Canada. This is all so intolerable. How are we meant to exist in this hell?""Man you gotta be kidding me," reporter Mike Freeman reacted.The popular account Republicans against Trump pointed out, "higher tariffs on Canadian goods mean higher prices for American consumers."Others pointed out that Canada has sent firefighters to the U.S. to help combat wildfires. MeidasTouch, a political news network, noted, "When fires ravaged Southern California, Canada sent firefighting crews to help battle the blazes.""When wildfires hit America, Canada sends firefighters," wrote journalist Aaron Parnas. "When wildfires hit Canada, America sends tariffs."
Threats fly as Trump loses it over wildfire smoke 'invading' US skies
President Donald Trump was furious with Canada on Friday as wildfires and smoke prompted major air quality concerns for the Midwest and Northeast.Trump dropped threats in a post on his Truth Social platform."We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!" Trump wrote. He said he planned to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to "find out what they are going to do about it." "The cost is incalculable! Canada has refused to engage in basic Forest Management and Debris Removal, knowing that such refusal will lead to exactly this result," Trump wrote. "This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars, which cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"Trump wasn't the only Republican leader to lob frustration at America's northern neighbor.Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) took to X Thursday to complain about poor air quality as more than 890 fires burned across Canada. Her frustration was met with backlash, as critics online pointed out how Canada had offered the United States help in January 2025 as wildfires ravaged southern California.
MAGA lawmaker's wildfire threat gets brutal fact-check: 'Idiotic self-centered comment'
A Republican lawmaker was called out on Friday for her remarks about Canada's wildfires and smoke — comments critics said overlooked Canada's help fighting California's own fires, the Daily Beast was first to report.Rep. Lisa McClain (R-MI) took to X Thursday to complain about poor air quality as more than 890 fires burned across the Canada and smoke hit the Midwest and Northeast. “Michiganders shouldn’t have to breathe Canada’s negligence,” she wrote on X. “YEAR AFTER YEAR the smoke crosses the border while Canada does nothing. Stop exporting your smoke into our skies. Enough is enough!”This comment stands in stark contrast to that made by the Canadian government in January 2025 as wildfires ravaged southern California."The Government of Canada and all Canadians express their deep sadness at the devastating wildfires currently impacting southern California," the statement read."Team Canada stands ready to reciprocate that support during this time of need.... We have left no stone unturned and are exploring all avenues to offer our support to the people of California."Social media users were quick to make the MAGA congresswoman aware of this point. "The most idiotic self centered comment," Dave Mac, a member of the Directors Guild of Canada, wrote on X. "When California was burning who was there ? CANADA " His comment had nearly 4,000 likes on the platform as of Friday morning.Other users echoed this comment and mentioned the hypocrisy.User AJ Punk, a political commentator, struck a sarcastic tone when he wrote on X, "How dare Canada burn their country down and ruin America's summer!"Progressive commentator David Ro wrote, "When Michigan and Ontario were hit with disastrous Tornados and storms that came From the U.S. mid West. Canada did not complain or threaten the U.S. Instead they sent hundreds of hydro crews to Michigan to get the lights back on. That’s what friends do."
Jul 22, 2026