The Matildas will take on a tough opponent in their Women’s Asian Cup semi-final against China, the nine-time champions now coached by ex-Matildas boss Ante Milicic. Milicic led the Matildas to the Round of 16 at the 2019 Women’s World Cup, but he’s been in charge of China since 2024. He previously assisted Ange Postecoglou with the Socceroos, Tony Popovic …

A fifth member of the Iranian women’s football team who Australia granted humanitarian visas to has left the country to return to Iran. On Sunday night, Iranian state media reported that team captain Zahra Ghanbari had withdrawn her asylum bid. Ghanbari would travel from Australia to Malaysia, and from there fly back to Iran, the state-run IRNA news agency said. …

The Israeli Embassy in Canberra has raised concerns over comments by former Australian of the Year Grace Tame about reports of sexual violence by terrorist group Hamas. On Monday, Ms Tame appeared on ABC Radio Sydney to discuss her interpretation of the phrase “globalise the intifada”. In the interview, Ms Tame said she understood the phrase “to be a call for widespread …

The government has alluded to a “national crisis” and emergency fuel reserves have been released following major international shocks to the global fuel supply from the war in the Middle East. Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen announced this week that the government will be temporarily lowering fuel quality standards for 60 days to allow higher-sulphur fuel to be sold. They …

The Reserve Bank has increased interest rates by 0.25 percentage points. The new cash rate is 4.1 per cent, up from 3.85 per cent. The RBA has now lifted rates twice in two months (once in February, and again in March). Today’s rate hike was highly anticipated. Early last week, RBA deputy governor Andrew Hauser said high inflation was “toxic” …

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has hiked interest rates by 0.25 of a percentage point. That means the cash rate is now 4.1 per cent. Leading economists predicted the hike, given inflation was already increasing ahead of the Middle East war, which has put more upward pressure on prices due to oil market disruptions. You can follow the reaction to the RBA’s …

Two weeks into the war in the Middle East, Iran’s military command said the world should be prepared for oil to hit $US200 ($286) a barrel. But what exactly does that mean for Australians? The war has thrown global economic activity into chaos, disrupting the flow of oil as Iran attacks vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, where about 20 …

The federal government’s decision to ease Australia’s fuel standards in response to elevated oil prices has sparked intense discussion about what it will mean for consumers at the pump. The release of so-called “dirty” fuel into the domestic market — along with the government’s drawing-down of strategic reserves — is intended to ease fears of a fuel shortage brought on by the war in …

The Matildas will face China PR in the semifinals of the Women’s Asian Cup after the Steel Roses required extra time to see off a disciplined and spirited Chinese Taipei at Perth Rectangular Stadium. China huffed and puffed for the entirety of an energy-sapping afternoon in the west, but was forced to wait until the 94th minute to belatedly blow …

Australian citizens could be indefinitely banned from returning from overseas under domestic counterterrorism  laws, experts have told the ABC. Earlier this week a group of 34 women and children, who are Australian citizens affiliated with Islamic State militants, attempted to return to Australia from a Syrian refugee camp. One of the women has been barred from returning after being given a …