Kensington Palace has asked for Meghan Markle’s father to be given “respect and understanding” amid reports he has pulled out of attending his daughter’s wedding to Prince Harry. Thomas Markle told entertainment website TMZ he made the choice to not attend the Royal wedding after he staged a series of photos of himself for the event with a well-known paparazzo. …

Julie Bishop has hit back at former Australian ambassador to China Geoff Raby, who penned a damning opinion piece overnight claiming that relations with Beijing can only improve with the Foreign Minister’s sacking. In the piece, Mr Raby slams Ms Bishop for not having visited China in more than two years while angering Beijing with “strident public comments on the …

While tongues have been wagging the world over following the French President’s description of Lucy Turnbull as “delicious”, the comment has not caused offence. Emmanuel Macron raised eyebrows on Wednesday when he thanked Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his “delicious wife” for their hospitality and warm welcome in Sydney. “Lucy was very flattered,” Mr Turnbull told reporters in Nowra. “She …

Is it any wonder she didn’t want to hold his hand? US President Donald Trump has revealed he was simply too “busy” to buy his wife Melania a birthday present. Mrs Trump turned 48 on Thursday. In a 30-minute interview with his favourite right-wing talk show Fox & Friends – described by some political commentators as an “unhinged rant” – …

Miguel Díaz-Canel has been sworn in as Cuba’s new president, replacing Raúl Castro who took over from his ailing brother Fidel in 2006. It is the first time since the revolution in 1959 that a Castro is not at the helm of the government. Mr Díaz-Canel had been serving as first vice-president for the past five years. Even though Mr …

Prolonged ocean warming events, known as marine heatwaves, take a significant toll on the complex ecosystem of the Great Barrier Reef. This is according to a new study on the impacts of the 2016 marine heatwave, published in Nature. In surveying the 3,863 individual reefs that make up the system off Australia’s north-east coast, scientists found that 29% of communities …

Eleven Asia-Pacific countries have just signed the trade pact formerly known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Although the US pulled out last year, the deal was salvaged by the remaining members, who signed it at a ceremony in the Chilean city of Santiago. Chilean foreign minister Heraldo Munoz said the agreement was a strong signal “against protectionist pressures, in favour of …