'My heart is breaking'

40,000 Libyans blocked from returning home to Tawergha after 7 years

Libyan gunmen have block hundreds of unarmed families from returning to their home town Tawergha after seven years of forced displacement, burning their tents and threatening them with heavy weapons. The families were driven from their homes during the Libyan revolution because they sided with then ruler Muammar Gaddafi.  Click here for the full story.

'We will tear them down'

Turkey launches attack on US-backed Kurds in northern Syria

Yet another front has opened up in Syria putting NATO allies the US and Turkey in direct confrontation. After a week of warnings about the offensive, President Erdogan has launched an attack on the Kurds in the city of Afrin with army, tanks, airstrikes and Syria rebel fighters loyal to them. The US support the Kurds and have troops embedded with them in other areas. Relations are tense to say the least.

Read the full story here

Red panda rescue

Endangered red pandas seized in Laos in largest rescue recorded

Six endangered and very cute red pandas were seized from smugglers trying to cross from China to Laos. They were discovered during a random vehicle search. Unfortunately, three died 😞  but the other three are doing well and being cared for by Free the Bears in Laos.

Here's the story on ABC.

'Playing with fire'

Turkey and Russia oppose US-led border security force in Syria

The US have begun training a border force of 30,000 Syrians - mostly Kurds - to protect the borders of rebel held territory in predominately Kurdish areas of northern Syria. The problem is the main border they will be stationed along is the Turkish border and Turkey and the Kurds are kind of enemies. So now they have warned their ally the US to back off saying they are "playing with fire" by training up "terrorists" along their borders and threatened to wipe out the Kurds in Syria. 

Oh and Russia are kind of upset too. You can read why here if you're interested.

Snowstorm blankets Sahara desert in white

A freak snowstorm blanketed the Sahara desert in white in Algeria on Sunday creating these beautiful scenes. Karim Bouchetata sent me these awesome photos.

Click here is you want to see the full story and pictures on ABC.

Trump tweets

My day was filled with yet more reports on antagonising tweets from Donald Trump, who in just three days of 2018 has managed to p off Palestine, Pakistan, Iran, the Democrats and journalists (did I miss anyone?) all in just 280 characters. But he still had time to argue back and forth with Kim Jong Un about whose nuclear button is the "biggest". No seriously!

Yes these are two of the most powerful men in the world. It's hard to know whether to laugh or cry.
Can't wait for the most dishonest and corrupt media awards on Monday though.

Iraq revenge killings

HRW accuses Yazidi fighters of revenge killings of Arab men, women and children

A new report claims 70 Arab men, women and children have been killed by Yazidi armed forces in northern Iraq in a spate of revenge killings. But Yazidi groups dispute the claims and say they are yet to see any justice for the thousands killed by Islamic State fighters and more than 6,000 women forced into sexual slavery.

You can read my full story here on ABC

Al Qaeda's deadly feud

Al Qaeda seek to rebrand amid a deadly feud in Syria

Al Qaeda are in the middle of a deadly feud in Syria. Key leaders have been assassinated and many detained amid accusations and threats. In the middle of it all is a push toward a more moderate line by Syrian leaders, while hardliners loyal to al Qaeda head Ayman al-Zawahri see this less radical Islamic rule as betrayal. 

Read the full story here on ABC News

Nepal's last dancing bears rescued

Nepal's Last Dancing Bears rescued

I just wrote this story for ABC on the dramatic overnight rescue of two sloth bears. Rangila and Sridevi were the last two bears in Nepal being forced to 'dance' for tourists, a practice that is much crueler than it sounds. They have been transfered to a wildlife rescue centre for treatment.
See the full story here

News producer - ABC

Just started my new job for ABC in the Melbourne office. Strange change to be working out of an office in the city but it's a cool team and looking forward to doing a lot of my own stories as well as managing this World page.
Great to be back in the middle of things!

Throwback Thursday

 In 2009, Victoria experienced some of the countries most destructive bushfires in history. 173 people died in the Black Saturday bushfires and 414 were injured. By October, the forest was sprouting again with new growth and the blackened bark gave way to fresh new trees. The result is beauty missed the harsh reality of life in the Australian climate. 

Eden in Iraq

Today is the opening of Eden in Iraq, an exhibition of environmental art, engineering and design at the National Design Centre in Singapore. The exhibition features photography and video from my work in the Iraqi marshlands and the Kurdish mountains. If you happen to be in Singapore between now and October 20, come past and check it out.

Welcome to my Blog

Welcome to my new blog.
I have been planing to start a blog for many years but never had the time. Unfortunately, now that I'm largely working out of Australia, I have the time but not as many interesting stories to post. But I do have some things coming up that will hopefully interest you.
Thanks for reading and hopefully following.
Cheers,
Tracey