Australian families of IS fighters have been repatriated from Syria

Published

3 years ago

October 31, 2022

Costa Haritos

Four women and 13 children have touched down in Australia after fleeing war-torn Syria

The families of those who travelled to fight for Islamic State have been repatriated to Australia.

Around 60 Australians are believed to have landed in New South Wales, after spending years in Syrian detention camps.

The women and children are related to either dead or jailed Islamic State militants.

They had been living in the al-Hol and Roj detention centres in Syria, which the United Nations had previously described as having torturous conditions.

The women reportedly agreed to terrorism control mechanisms upon their return to Australia.

It follows criticism from Australia’s Shadow Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews, who said the scheme was “inexcusable”.

“I am concerned about what will be put in place to make sure that these women and children are not in a position that they will cause any risk at all to Australian people,” she said.

The United Nations believes over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict since 2011. This figure equates to around 1.5 per cent of Syria’s pre-war population.

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the repatriation mission followed strict protocols but he did not provide any additional information.

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Clare O’Neil said the government had considered a “security, community and welfare factors”, before any decisions were made.

“The decision to repatriate these women and their children was informed by individual assessments following detailed work by national security agencies.”
CLARE O’NEIL, AUSTRALIA’s HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER

The U.S, Italy, and the Netherlands are among other nations who have offered similar programs.

Australia had previously repatriated its citizens from Syria in 2019 under then Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

Sophie McNeill from Human Rights Watch welcomed the government’s decision.

“For years, the Australian government had abandoned its nationals to horrific conditions in locked camps in northeast Syria where they were at risk to life and limb and lacked sufficient food, clean water, medical care and education,”
SOPHIE MCNEILL, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

Human Rights Watch said the Australian Government should also provide rehabilitation for all returnees, and bring home other Australians in similar conditions.

Dollar steady as markets await Fed’s rate decision

Dollar steady ahead of Fed’s expected rate cut decision on Wednesday

Published

6 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Ahron Young

Dollar steady ahead of Fed’s expected rate cut decision on Wednesday

In Short:
– The U.S. dollar stayed stable as investors await the Federal Reserve’s interest rate cut announcement.
– Asian equities rose, with the MSCI Asia Pacific Index hitting a record high amid U.S. market gains.

The U.S. dollar remained stable on Monday as investors await the Federal Reserve’s upcoming policy meeting, where the central bank is expected to announce its first interest rate cut in nine months.

Trading volumes were low due to a holiday in Japan, causing currencies to remain rangebound.

Market participants have largely priced in a 25 basis point reduction in the federal funds rate, anticipated to bring the key rate to between 4.00%-4.25%.

This marks the first easing action since December 2024.

Recent economic data indicates a cooling labour market, with jobless claims rising to the highest levels since 2021, overshadowing inflation concerns.

Market Movements

Asian equities experienced gains, continuing a global rally, with the MSCI Asia Pacific Index reaching a record high.

Chinese shares rose close to 1% despite disappointing factory and retail sales data.

This momentum follows historical closes in U.S. markets, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average surpassing 46,000.

News

ANZ to pay $160 million for bond deal violations

ANZ to pay A$240 million for bond misconduct and customer violations amidst job cuts and regulatory scrutiny

Published

6 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Ahron Young

ANZ to pay A$240 million for bond misconduct and customer violations amidst job cuts and regulatory scrutiny

In Short:
– ANZ Group will pay A$240 million in penalties for multiple violations, including fees to deceased customers.
– The bank plans to implement A$150 million in reforms and has announced 3,500 job cuts.

Australia’s ANZ Group will pay A$240 million in penalties, the largest ever imposed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) against a single entity.

The penalties arise from multiple violations, including acting “unconscionably” during a government bond deal and continuing to charge fees to deceased customers.

The development comes alongside ANZ’s announcement of 3,500 job cuts as new CEO Nuno Matos seeks to enhance profitability.

ANZ has admitted to the allegations and acknowledged the need for significant operational changes.

The bank’s trading practices during an A$14 billion government bond issuance negatively impacted bond prices, which led to a substantial loss for the government.

ANZ plans to submit a remediation strategy to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority by the end of the month.

Company Changes

ANZ has stated it will spend A$150 million on reforms by the end of the financial year.

The Finance Sector Union is expected to file a claim regarding the recent job cuts made by the bank.

News

Climate report warns of rising heat deaths and property losses

Australia faces dire climate predictions, with potential for massive property value losses and thousands of heat-related deaths without action

Published

12 hours ago

September 15, 2025

Ahron Young

Australia faces dire climate predictions, with potential for massive property value losses and thousands of heat-related deaths without action

In Short:
– Climate change could cause hundreds of deaths and $500 billion decline in property values in Australia.
– Increased extreme weather events may lead to rising insurance costs and potential uninsurability of homes.

A government report warns that climate change could lead to significant challenges for Australia, with hundreds of deaths expected from heat-related illnesses.

Property values may decline by up to $500 billion as homes risk becoming uninsurable due to extreme weather events.

The assessment by the Albanese Government forecasts increased frequency of floods, cyclones, and bushfires.The report anticipates over a thousand potential heat-related fatalities in Sydney and Melbourne if action is not taken.

The projected increase in heat-related deaths in Australia’s capital cities, as outlined in the report. Picture: Climate Risk Assessment

Rising sea levels and extreme weather are expected to escalate insurance costs, making coverage unaffordable or unavailable.

Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen acknowledged that many Australians will find these projections distressing, but they underscore the urgency of addressing climate change.

Changes in total annual freight costs by Local Government Area in a 2090 scenario, compared to 2024. Picture: Australia’s National Climate Risk Assessment

Property Risks

Projected increases in heat-related deaths are particularly concerning. For instance, at a 1.5-degree rise in temperatures, heat-related mortality in Sydney could increase by 103%, reaching about 450 deaths annually at a 3-degree rise.

Coastal flooding days are expected to increase significantly in major urban areas, necessitating critical intervention.