Bloomberg Thousands of anti-lockdown protesters flooded into Australia’s largest cities, some clashing with police, defying stay-at-home orders imposed as the country grapples with resurgent infection rates and a sluggish vaccination program. Some demonstrators in Sydney were seen hurling bottles and plants — torn from the sidewalk — at police officers, while others chanted “Freedom, freedom” as they marched along Broadway ...

Bloomberg Members of Venezuela’s opposition said they are open to a new round of political negotiations with President Nicolas Maduro’s government ahead of upcoming local elections, but cautioned that agreement on the terms of the talks has not been reached. The two sides appeared to be moving closer to planning to hold meetings in Mexico, after Maduro declared the government ...

Bloomberg The Japanese and French governments have agreed to “actively” maintain defense cooperation to secure a free and open Indo-Pacific, according to a joint statement following a summit meeting between PM Yoshihide Suga and President Emmanuel Macron. Japan welcomed France’s intention, as presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2022, to reinforce the group’s ...