Thousands of teachers to take to streets, but demands far from clear Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Thousands of Victorian students are facing a day of disrupted learning when up to 35,000 government school teachers walk off the job for a second time on Thursday, forcing the Labor government back to the negotiating table months before an election. A sea of red is expected to shut down parts of the Melbourne CBD when Australian Education Union members march through the city, ignoring the government’s last-minute plea to call off statewide strikes. Victorian president Justin…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

DONETSK, July 22. /TASS/. The appointment of Mikhail Drapaty as the new Ukrainian commander-in-chief is part of a larger campaign to replace the country's top brass as failures at the front haunt the country, Alexey Muratov, the head of the regional executive committee of United Russia, said in an interview with TASS. "Drapaty's appointment is not a sign of strength, but rather a sign of desperation. Kiev needs a commander who can hold the front line regardless of the losses. The commander-in-chief is being replaced in the hope that the new person will be able to accomplish what the previous one failed to do - stop the offensive. However, this is…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

From left, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi pose at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila, Wednesday. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum. Yonhap The foreign ministers of South Korea, the United States and Japan met in Manila, Wednesday, reaffirmed the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsular and deterrence against North Korea during a meeting held on the sidelines of a series of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-related ministerial meetings, with discussions covering the Korean Peninsula, the Middle East,…

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political…

(ATTN: UPDATES with more info in last 3 paras) SEOUL, July 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea is conducting a comprehensive review of ways to make practical contributions to ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, the presidential office said Wednesday. Cheong Wa Dae made the statement in response to a report by the Dong-A Ilbo daily that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has asked the South Korean government to deploy a warship to the strategic waterway amid the renewed conflict between the United States and Iran. The presidential office denied that the government has received a request from the U.S. to deploy a specific…

A day after the "Sansad Chalo" march and the clashes with police, protesters regrouped at Jantar Mantar. Among them were Ravi from Bihar and Kamlesh from Bhopal, two civil services aspirants passing time with games of chess, Ludo and Snakes and Ladders while waiting for the protest to continue.

New Delhi was brought to a halt on Monday (July 20, 2026) as hundreds of protestors attempted ‘Chalo Sansad’ march from Jantar Mantar to Parliament but were brutally lathi-charged and dispersed using tear gas by the police. As many as 70 protestors were detained while several others faced injuries; women and senior citizens not spared. Crowds swelled up at Jantar Mantar in the morning, as hundreds walked up to the protest site awaiting directions from the Cockroach Janta Party leadership for the march to Parliament that was supposed to begin at 9 a.m. The police had removed the multi-layered security checkpoints on Sunday (July 19, 2026) night and…

Former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s poor performance in the domestic political arena has undoubtedly played a part in his downfall only two years after his landslide victory in the 2024 general election. But even his severest critics seem to agree that his performance on the world stage was of a much higher order. Strong support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, a commitment to Nato, a reset of Britain’s relationship with the European Union, and refusal to be drawn into the American-Israeli war of aggression on Iran - though in reality, Britain is being dragged deeper into the conflict - are often quoted as examples of his successful…

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday suspended Trinamool Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee for the remainder of the Monsoon session after he was accused of using "unsavoury" language against women members. The action followed a heated exchange between Banerjee and members of the NCPI in the Lok Sabha chamber. The suspension was approved through a voice vote after the House reassembled at 2 pm following its second adjournment of the day. The Monsoon session is due to end on August 13. Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was chairing the proceedings, referred to a complaint filed by members with the Speaker against Banerjee and said his remarks had hurt the dignity of the…

Flying the flag for a fight nobody else wanted to have Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. AAA Anthony Albanese has become remarkably good at making Labor arguments disappear. Not by winning them, but by ensuring they never get to the floor of the ALP national conference. So when the ratbags at the left-wing Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) lobbed a proposal to rip the Union Jack from the nation’s flag – a suggestion that had News Corp websites predictably frothing before delegates had even picked up their lanyards – it stood out precisely because so few other fights…

MANILA, Philippines — United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a courtesy call on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Malacañang on Wednesday, July 22, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial meetings. Rubio is in the country for a five-day visit to attend the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers' Meeting. The US Secretary of State delivered a message at the Foreign Ministers' Meeting, where he discussed cooperation, economic partnerships and diplomatic engagement between the United States and Southeast Asian…

Convicted fraudster Lou Haigh stripped of public sector fraud brief By SOPHIE CHURCH Published: 05:23 EDT, 22 July 2026 \| Updated: 05:26 EDT, 22 July 2026 Louise Haigh will be spared the ignominy of tackling public sector fraud in her new brief, having been convicted of a similar offence herself. Ms Haigh was rewarded by Andy Burnham with the post of Cabinet Office minister for her role in returning him to Westminster to oust Keir Starmer as PM. And responsibility for the Public Sector Fraud Authority (PSFA), which cracks down on scams involving public money, would typically sit within her remit. But the brief was quietly handed to Work and Pensions…

The India-U.K. Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which came into force on July 15, marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of bilateral ties. More than a conventional tariff-reduction pact, the agreement reflects a strategic alignment between two major democracies seeking to recalibrate their economic engagement in a rapidly shifting global order. The India-U.K. CETA represents one of the most wide-ranging trade agreements concluded by India in recent years. Aligned with the broader India-U.K. Vision 2035, the CETA seeks to deepen cooperation across trade, technology, climate, and innovation. The agreement reflects the growing…

MANILA, Philippines — The resumption of Congress on July 27 for the president’s State of the Nation Address will not conflict with the ongoing Senate impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte, Rep. Rodge Gutierrez said in a media briefing on Wednesday. Gutierrez pointed out that the prosecution panel members had already been balancing trial work with their responsibilities as House members even while Congress was on recess. “As it is, even before the session, the prosecution’s time is already divided. We still have our constituents to serve. So I think it should be very, very much manageable,” he said. Article continues after this advertisement…

DMK president M.K. Stalin. File \| Photo Credit: L. Balachandar DMK president and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) said more than any other demand, the abolition of NEET must be at the heart of students’ protests in New Delhi. “Only scrapping NEET will provide a lasting solution to all these problems,” Mr. Stalin contended. The DMK president said: “We were the first to warn that NEET was designed to enable large-scale irregularities. That is why the DMK has opposed NEET from the very beginning, consistently pointing out the dangers it poses.” “Tamil Nadu, which led India in defending social justice and paved…

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead with latest; UPDATES throughout with meeting results; CHANGES photos) By Oh Seok-min MANILA, July 22 (Yonhap) -- South Korea and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the implementation of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership vision and introduced new cooperation initiatives in artificial intelligence (AI) and cultural and creative industries, Seoul's foreign ministry said. Foreign Minister Cho Hyun co-chaired the Korea-ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting with his Thai counterpart on the sidelines of ASEAN-related ministerial meetings in Manila, where…

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. File. \| Photo Credit: The Hindu Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) as the government agreed to a discussion on the NEET paper leak in the Lok Sabha. *Also read: Parliament Monsoon Session day 3 highlights on July 22, 2026* According to officials, Mr. Pradhan met Mr. Birla in Parliament soon after the government told the Lok Sabha that it is willing to hold a detailed discussion on the NEET paper leak issue. The government had urged Speaker Birla to convene a meeting of all parties to decide on the rule, date and duration of the debate. As…

The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed separate pleas by the Enforcement Directorate and the Chhattisgarh government against the bail granted to Chaitanya Baghel, son of former chief minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel, in cases linked to the alleged liquor scam. At the same time, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana removed adverse remarks made by the Chhattisgarh High Court against the Economic Offences Wing probe while granting bail to Baghel. The ED and the EOW of the state police had filed separate pleas challenging the high court order that granted Baghel bail in the main case and in a…

Andy Burnham, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester and the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, has picked a challenging time to enter office. The revolving doors at 10 Downing Street appear to be spinning off their hinges — he will be the seventh Prime Minister in just over a decade, and the fifth in four years. Nevertheless, he has promised a fresh start, and an economic and social revival. To truly set himself apart from the fumbling approach of his predecessor, Keir Starmer, he might have to spearhead a radical change in governance, and be willing to redefine the traditional Labour Party framework to tackle the spiralling crises of cost of…

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul arrives at the venue of the first Green Bridge Forum on environmental governance and sustainable development, at the Nongnooch International Convention and Exhibition Center in Sattahip district of Chon Buri on Wednesday. (Photo: Interior Ministry) Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has vowed to file a defamation lawsuit against the head of the election-monitoring group iLaw over allegations linking him and eight other senior Bhumjaithai Party figures to involvement in manipulating the 2024 Senate election. Mr Anutin was responding on Wednesday to claims by Yingcheep Atchanont, who has asked opposition parties in…

In key swing districts across the country, Democratic Party leaders have backed centrist candidates with carefully calibrated positions on charged issues such as artificial intelligence and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. William Lawrence is running a very different campaign. In a purple congressional district in Michigan, Lawrence, a co-founder of the progressive Sunrise Movement, is calling for a moratorium on new data centers and labeling Israel’s war in Gaza a genocide. The approach mirrors that of Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, who has endorsed Lawrence. Both men are making strong showings in the polls, and now the…

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has approved automatic employment for seven recipients of the state’s award in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) honour award category, describing the individuals as exemplary young talents who distinguished themselves through hard work, discipline and innovation during their service year in the state. Mr Aiyedatiwa announced the appointments on Tuesday during a ceremony honouring outstanding students, teachers and academic achievers at the Cocoa Conference Centre in Akure, which was attended by the Ondo State Deputy Governor Olayide Adelami, members of the State Executive Council, lawmakers, education…

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay. File \| Photo Credit: PTI Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C. Joseph Vijay on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) said his party remains firm in its uncompromising stand that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) should be abolished. In a post on X, Mr. Vijay condemned the Union government for detaining Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, along with other leaders, who staged an anti-government protest against the spate of paper leaks and sought education reforms in front of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi on Tuesday…

Many employers have been fighting long-pending provident fund (PF) damage cases for years. Some are caught up in court battles, while others are waiting for proceedings to move forward. If that sounds familiar, the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) now has a one-time settlement window that could help bring these disputes to an end at a much lower cost. The EPFO has launched the Vishwas 2026 Scheme, a special six-month settlement scheme that allows eligible employers to resolve pending PF damages cases by paying significantly reduced penal damages. The scheme applies to defaults that occurred before June 14, 2024 and aims to provide a…

NEW DELHI, July 22. /TASS/. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Indian counterpart Subrahmanyam Jaishankar on Wednesday discussed Russia-India relations, trade and investment issues, cooperation in energy, science and technology, as well as the situation in Ukraine and the Middle East, the Indian foreign minister said. Lavrov and Jaishankar held their talks on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) events in Manila. Jaishankar wrote on X that he held "an in-depth review of the bilateral relations" with Lavrov, adding that they discussed various aspects of their partnership, "including trade and investment,…

Armed Reserve police hold the line as BJP workers press against the barricades outside the APCC office at Andhra Ratna Bhavan in Vijayawada on Wednesday. \| Photo Credit: K.V.S. Giri Scuffles broke out in Vijayawada on Wednesday (July 22, 2026) when BJP workers staged a large protest and marched towards the Andhra Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) headquarters at Andhra Ratna Bhavan. The demonstration, led by BJP Andhra Pradesh president P.V.N. Madhav, was organised to oppose the recent protest staged by the Congress near the Prime Minister’s residence in New Delhi over the NEET-UG examination controversy. The BJP workers assembled at the venue around…

MOSCOW, July 22. /TASS/. Moldova's withdrawal from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) would harm the country, resulting in the loss of markets and many other benefits, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev told TASS. "All experts examining the issue of Moldova's withdrawal have concluded that it would be detrimental to the republic. It would mean a major loss of markets. In addition, Moldova would lose the advantages provided by agreements within the CIS framework. However, political considerations [in Chisinau] have prevailed," he said. Moldova's attitude toward the CIS began to change after Maia Sandu won the 2020 presidential election,…

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla MANILA, Philippines — Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said he will follow up with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) on the red notice request against former House of Representatives appropriation chairperson and resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, a key figure in the flood control corruption scandal. An Interpol red notice is a request to all law enforcement agencies worldwide to “locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action.” “They don’t have a red notice yet… I will follow up with Interpol myself,” Remulla,…