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With the post-war "global architecture breaking down from consecutive crises" Australia and Canada should work together as "strategic cousins", Mark Carney has told the Australian parliament. The question for middle powers was whether they would write the new rules that determine security and prosperity or "let the hegemons dictate outcomes", the Canadian prime minister said. Carney said the two countries should co-operate further to boost sovereign capabilities including in the areas of critical minerals, defence and AI. The speech echoed previous statements, including a speech in Davos in January in which he said the "old order is not coming back" and urged middle powers to band together. Many countries were deciding to increase their sovereign autonomy, Carney said on Thursday, the first time a Canadian prime minister has addressed parliament in Canberra in almost 20 years. "This impulse is understandable when the rules no lon...

MEXICO CITY -- FIFA representatives met with Mexican authorities on Wednesday to assess security for the World Cup  matches to be played in  Mexico .  Concerns arose following violent incidents last week in several Mexican states after a military operation led to the capture and death of drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, alias "El Mencho," leader of the Cartel Jalisco Nueva Generación Cartel. "We reviewed the intelligence, prevention, and operational deployment protocols that will be implemented during this international event," Federal Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said on his social media accounts. Mexico, the  United States  and  Canada  are co-hosting the World Cup. Mexico is scheduled to host 13 matches, distributed among three cities: Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey. The tournament's opening match -- Mexico vs. South Africa  -- will be played June 11 at Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The iconic Mexican v...

In the lead up to the 28 February strikes on Iran, President Donald Trump and his administration signalled that an attack was imminent. Since then, the president and his top officials have offered varying explanations for its actions in the war with Iran. The BBC's Analysis Editor Ros Atkins takes an in-depth look at how the Trump administration's narrative on the war with Iran has shifted, and the key questions that remain unanswered.

Beijing  —  China spent the last five years cultivating innovation  and new technology at home. The next half decade will be dedicated to deploying the fruits of its labor to transform its economy – and its place in the world. That’s set to be an overarching message as thousands of delegates from across China  gather in the nation’s capital for the “Two Sessions” – a carefully choreographed annual meeting where the country’s leadership signals its priorities for the year ahead, and its rubber-stamp legislature approves them. The pomp and ceremony of the gathering has long stood as a symbol of China’s tightly controlled political process, and Beijing’s authoritarian leaders are well aware of the juxtaposition that creates as the US, the world’s most powerful democracy, is riven with partisan infighting and engaged in another spiraling conflict  in the Middle East. At the top of the agenda this time around is approving the 15th “Five-Year Plan,” a blue...

Taylor Swift  channelled her showgirl energy once more as she donned a bold bodysuit for the Elizabeth Taylor vinyl cover art. On March 2, it was announced that the 7-inch vinyl, called Cry My Eyes Violet Glitter, will be available for purchase on Record Store Day until supplies last. Taylor Swift lounges on couch wearing bold bodysuit for ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ cover art release Take a look at the Opalite singer posing on the couch: On the cover art for the vinyl,  Swift posed in a sparkling, crystal-embellished bodysuit. The strapless piece had a figure-hugging silhouette. She paired it with fishnet tights and strappy crystal-encrusted heels that matched her bodysuit. Draped around her shoulders and arms was a cloud of white feathers, which added movement and volume. Instead of her signature blonde hair, she appeared to be sporting a sleek, dark bob with short bangs. She accessorised with a sparkling headpiece and a bracelet. The whole look was theatrical...

With 100 ⁠days to go until the tournament kicks off, appetite for tickets to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada is reaching fever pitch despite eye-watering prices that have fans crying foul amid global unrest after the US-Israeli attacks on Iran. In addition ⁠to the war against Iran – a country scheduled to play its World Cup group stage games in the US – the heavy-handed immigration crackdowns in the US and the violence that erupted near host city Guadalajara after the death of Mexico’s most-wanted drug cartel leader are causing concern for fans. "I’m afraid I might not ⁠be allowed into the country. I’ve decided to fly to Canada at most but not to the USA,” German football fan Tom Roeder told the Reuters news agency “I hope that at least the issue of war with Iran does not reach North America, at least not in a way that affects us personally.” FIFA, which did not immediately respond to a request from Reuters for comment, has said nearly 2 mill...

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The UK has agreed to a US request to use British military bases for "defensive" strikes on Iranian missile sites, Sir Keir Starmer has said. But the prime minister said the UK had learned lessons from the "mistakes of Iraq", and was not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and "will not join offensive action now". The BBC understands the US is likely to use RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean for strikes on Iranian missile sites. The PM made the announcement just hours before a British RAF base in Cyprus was hit by a drone strike  on Sunday night with no casualties reported. Investigations are under way to establish where it was fired from. The attack at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus took place at around midnight local time (22:00 GMT) with the MoD later saying that "minimal damage" was caused. In a video statement released earlier on Sunday, Sir Keir said the basis of the decision to accept the US request...

In the early hours of Saturday morning, President Donald Trump announced that the US had launched military strikes on Iran. In an eight-minute video statement posted to social media, he said the US was undertaking a "massive and ongoing operation" to end the Iranian threat and he called for regime change in Tehran. "It's a very simple message," the president said from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. "They will never have a nuclear weapon." The BBC's State Department correspondent Tom Bateman and Washington correspondent Daniel Bush break down the president's words line by line to explain how he is justifying the action and assess the risks ahead. Trump's basis for strikes "Our objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime, a vicious group of very hard, terrible people. Its menacing activities directly endanger the United States, our troops, our bases overseas, and our a...

It's been nearly a decade since Rihanna  last released a solo single not attached to any film project, and yet the superstar manages to regularly appear on  Billboard  charts with multiple songs. As a handful of the superstar's most popular tunes continue to live on a number of different tallies – both those that look only at American consumption, as well as globally – one of Rihanna's most famous singles finally lands on a competitive worldwide list. Rihanna's "Don't Stop the Music" debuts on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S . this week. The cut starts at No. 198, in third-to-last place, on the chart company's ranking of the most consumed songs all around the planet, with American consumption excluded. That last detail is what separates the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. from the Billboard Global 200, which is a completely worldwide ranking. Rihanna Hits a New Career Low " Dont STOP the Music " marks Rihanna's first new hit on the...

Oil futures surged in the first trades since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran  over the weekend. US crude rose as much as 8%, to around $72 on Sunday evening and dropped to $71 later. Brent crude, the international benchmark, initially rocketed more than 12% higher to about $82 a barrel but fell below $78 later in the evening. Brent settled at just over $73 a barrel on Friday. Meanwhile, stock futures fell . Futures for the S&P 500, the Nasdaq and the Dow were all down about 1%. But futures for Exxon, Chevron and many other oil companies rose about 2% each. Defense stocks, like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, were up marginally. The initial oil futures move, though steep compared to typical crude trades, was largely telegraphed and within analysts’ expected range for a rattled but not overly concerned market. Oil prices had already been rising in anticipation of an attack on Iran. Traders are betting that the current disruption t...