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Ticker

Russia

UK

UK blocks gaming exports to thwart drone pilots

Britain said it was banning the export to Russia of video game controllers which can be used to pilot drones, part of its latest package of trade measures following Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. “We’re ... banning outright video game controllers...

Reuters

Europe

UK

Starmer nears EU defence pact

Britain is edging towards a new defence agreement with the European Union that officials on both sides hope will help to improve post-Brexit ties following US President Donald Trump’s upending of security and trade alliances. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been trying to reset ties with the bloc since he was elected last year and his government has focused on security and defence first - an area of strength for Britain.

Reuters

Turkey

Europe

People stay outdoors after quake

Many Istanbul residents have spent the night outdoors, too fearful to return to their homes following a strong earthquake and over 180 aftershocks. The magnitude 6.2 quake that struck midday Wednesday deeply impacted the city of 16 million residents, leaving many inhabitants shaken and wary of a possible more destructive tremor. There were no reports of serious damage but the temblor, the strongest felt in Istanbul in recent years, prompted widespread panic and scores of injuries.

AP

Ukraine

Europe

Russia puts blame on Zelensky

Russia and Ukraine have traded new barbs over faltering peace efforts, with Moscow accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky of blocking diplomacy and Kyiv saying Russian President Vladimir Putin wants the war to continue. US President Donald Trump has said he will walk away from trying to negotiate a settlement to end Russia’s war in Ukraine if Kyiv and Moscow do not make a deal soon.

Reuters

Russia

Europe

Russia takes aim at Japan over Ukraine loan

Russia has accused Japan of treachery and complicity in theft after Tokyo last week signed an agreement to lend Ukraine over $3 billion for reconstruction, backed by the proceeds from frozen Russian assets. Japan signed an agreement with Ukraine on April 18 for the loan of 471.9 billion yen ($3.3 billion). Under the terms of the arrangement, the loan will be repaid with proceeds from Russian assets worth tens of billions of dollars which have been frozen in the European Union because of the war in Ukraine.

Reuters

Energy

UK

UK pushes need for energy security

Britain has urged closer international cooperation to improve energy security, telling other nations and business leaders they would otherwise be vulnerable to those who were willing to weaponise supplies. Security of energy supply shot up the agenda of countries around the world after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to global price spikes and made the EU seek to curb its reliance on Russian fuels.

Reuters

Hungary

Europe

Trump Jr to meet Hungary minister

US President Donald Trump’s eldest son Donald Trump Jr will meet Hungarian foreign minister Peter Szijjarto in Budapest on Friday, Hungary’s foreign ministry says. It was not clear if Trump Jr’s visit was in any way related to a potential business deal. As an executive vice president at The Trump Organization, Donald Jr works to expand the company’s real estate, retail, commercial, hotel and golf interests, according to the Trump Organization’s website.

Reuters

Election

Australia

Food security plan to help farmers

Consumers are being told they’ll pay less at the checkout under a food security plan that would also protect Australian farmers. Nationals leader David Littleproud committed to “fairness and transparency from the farm gate to your plate” by developing a comprehensive plan within six months if the Coalition wins government on May 3.

AAP Newswire

Emergency

New Zealand

Close call on Mt Taranaki as lost family rescued

An under-prepared family is lucky to be alive after becoming lost in freezing conditions on Mt Taranaki, prompting a preparation reminder from police to those heading out this long weekend. Police received a call about 6.30pm reporting that a man and two children were overdue returning from the Pouakai Range, according to SAR Incident Controller, Detective Gerhard Jacoabs. Police Search and Rescue were called in for the search, along with LandSAR and Department of Conservations volunteers.

RNZ

Taiwan

New Zealand

China sends warning after MPs visit Taiwan

China’s embassy in New Zealand has expressed its “strong dissatisfaction” over a visit to Taiwan by a cross-parliamentary group of MPs. A lengthy statement posted by the embassy accused the MPs of “wrongdoings” and that they “insisted on colluding with ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces” during their trip. The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Taiwan was established in 2023 and is jointly led by National’s Stuart Smith and Labour’s Tangi Utikere.

RNZ

Election

Australia

EV, HECS relief in the firing line

Student debt handbacks and electric vehicle subsidies will be on the chopping block if the coalition wins the federal election. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said earlier this week that he would not repeal a fringe benefits tax break for EVs, which has blown out in cost due to its unexpected popularity. But the coalition has since revealed they would axe the incentive, putting their leader’s earlier statement down to him mishearing the question.

AAP Newswire

Housing

Australia

Timber ‘tipping point’ threatens housing affordability

Australia’s chances of hitting nationally agreed housing targets and bringing down the prices of new homes are being hurt by challenges to the timber industry. Thousands of regional jobs are facing the axe unless a new national forest policy is delivered, including an expansion of plantations, a report has found. Native forest logging is in terminal decline after contracting 80 per cent across two decades, with plantations not expanding quickly enough to cover the losses.

AAP Newswire