Australia has accused China of failing to provide sufficient notice ahead of a live-fire naval drill between Australia and New Zealand, forcing airlines to alter flight paths. Defence Minister Richard Marles described the lack of communication as “disconcerting” for commercial aviation.
Speaking on Saturday, Marles said Canberra had yet to receive a "satisfactory answer from China" on why more advance notice was not given. “When we do an activity of this kind, we would typically give 12 to 24 hours' notice. A satisfactory answer is why that couldn't have been done,” he told Nine Entertainment.
On Friday, airlines including Qantas, Emirates, and Air New Zealand were forced to modify routes after China announced live-fire exercises in international waters off the coast of Australia’s New South Wales state.
Despite concerns over air traffic disruptions, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese clarified that China had complied with international law. “China did comply with international law, and it’s important to not suggest otherwise,” he said in remarks aired by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun defended the exercises, stating they were conducted in accordance with "relevant international laws and practices."
The drill followed the movement of a Chinese naval fleet, including a frigate, cruiser, and replenishment vessel, which traveled down Australia’s east coast last week. The Australian and New Zealand navies and air forces closely monitored the passage.
The exercise also comes amid rising tensions between Canberra and Beijing over military interactions. Earlier this month, Australia accused a Chinese fighter jet of "unsafe and unprofessional" behavior toward an Australian maritime patrol aircraft in the South China Sea. Beijing, in turn, claimed the Australian aircraft had "deliberately intruded" into its airspace.
China has consistently rejected a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which found that its sweeping claims over the South China Sea were not supported by international law.
On Friday, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong met her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi at the G20 summit in South Africa, where she emphasized the importance of “safe and professional military conduct.”
As Australia continues to seek clarity on China’s military activities near its airspace and maritime zones, tensions between the two nations remain high.
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The explosion at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh on Saturday afternoon killed at least 12 people and injured a further 309, according to Saudi Arabia’s Civil Aviation Authority. The airport remains closed until further notice.
One person was killed and nearly a dozen hurt in a new attack Riyadh's international airport on Sunday, Saudi authorities reported, a day after a strike claimed by Yemen's Houthis that killed 13 people and wounded more than 300.
Yemen's Houthis renewed warning to airlines, airport workers, and travellers against using Saudi airports, saying the warning should be taken seriously and that the kingdom “bore responsibility for failed interceptions”, a day after an attack on Riyadh's international airport that killed 12 people.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukraine is ready to stop attacks on Russian oil refineries if Moscow also halts strikes on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday.
The Kremlin on Monday rejected a 60-day ceasefire idea proposed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to allow his country to hold presidential elections, saying it wanted an overall peace deal instead.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 12 October 2026 with the top five natural disasters happening around the world.
The Houthi movement has escalated their attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting the airport in Riyadh and other cities, killing more than a dozen people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Monday that Ukraine is ready to respect the energy ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, but only if Russia does the same, saying Moscow has already violated the agreement.
China has announced sanctions against Belize’s foreign minister and Paraguay’s communications minister over their countries’ diplomatic ties with Taiwan. The move comes as Beijing continues to pressure the few remaining nations that maintain formal diplomatic relations with Taipei.
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