- Not Blackwater or Wagner, Americans in Gaza are 100% mercenaries Responsible Statecraft
- GHF whistleblower says boy killed by Israel just after he collected aid Al Jazeera
- Democratic lawmakers press for answers from US firms involved in controversial Gaza aid organization CNN
- “Designed as Death Traps”: Fmr. Green Beret Who Worked at Gaza Food Sites Reveals Rampant War Crimes Democracy Now!
- Ex-US contractor says he saw IDF commit war crimes at aid sites; GHF rejects ‘false claims’ The Times of Israel
Former Green Beret: The IDF is the GHF’s ‘client’ – Responsible Statecraft
- Former Green Beret: The IDF is the GHF’s ‘client’ Responsible Statecraft
- Democratic lawmakers press for answers from US security firms involved in controversial Gaza aid organization CNN
- GHF whistleblower says boy killed by Israel just after he collected aid Al Jazeera
- “Designed as Death Traps”: Fmr. Green Beret Who Worked at Gaza Food Sites Reveals Rampant War Crimes Democracy Now!
- Ex-US contractor who accused IDF of war crimes at aid sites 'falsified documents' to spread 'false narrative,' GHF says, sharing evidence The Times of Israel
‘A joyous day’: India celebrates return of ancient gems linked to the Buddha
Culture ministry had threatened legal action over planned auction of Piprahwa precious stones
The Indian government has secured the repatriation of ancient gem relics linked to the Buddha’s remains, two months after it halted their auction in Hong Kong.
In a post on X, the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, said the return of the Piprahwa gems after 127 years was “a joyous day for our cultural heritage”.
Continue reading...Archibald prize 2025: finger-painted portrait of musician William Barton wins people’s choice award
Loribelle Spirovski’s painting of didgeridoo/yidaki player wins the $5,000 prize decided by the public, with more than 40,000 votes cast
Artist Loribelle Spirovski has won the 2025 Archibald prize people’s choice category for her portrait of didgeridoo player William Barton, painted entirely with her fingers.
Spirovski, a four-time finalist at the Archibald prize, Australia’s most prestigious portraiture award, won the $5,000 people’s choice category, picked from the Archibald prize finalists each year by the public. This year 40,842 votes were cast for the people’s choice category, the highest number of votes ever received.
Continue reading...US allies break with Trump to force diplomatic shift on Gaza
As Canada joins France and the UK with plans to recognise a Palestinian state, the US stands firmly with Israel - but does Trump have a long-term plan for Gaza's future?
Fears for South Australia’s annual cuttlefish gathering amid deadly algal bloom
Breeding event known as Cuttlefest takes place in waters off Point Lowly but this year scientists warn the effect of toxic algae could be ‘catastrophic’
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As thousands of giant cuttlefish gather in South Australia’s Spencer Gulf, scientists are investigating emergency actions amid fears the state’s toxic algal bloom could be catastrophic for the globally unique natural phenomenon.
The spectacular annual cephalopod meet-up takes place in a kaleidoscope of colour off the coast of Whyalla from late May to August, attracting thousands of tourists from Australia and overseas.
Continue reading...First Australian-made rocket crashes after 14 seconds of flight in a failed attempt to reach orbit – AP News
No, Oprah Winfrey didn’t block access to a road in Hawaii amid tsunami warning evacuations
After Wednesday’s 8.8 magnitude quake, false claims spread online that Winfrey refused to let the public use a private road in Maui – and not for the first time
Even as the threat of a tsunami swamping Hawaii had passed on Wednesday, social media posts were still circulating claims that Oprah Winfrey had refused immediate access to a private road that would allow residents a shorter evacuation route.
The warnings followed one of the century’s most powerful earthquakes, an 8.8 magnitude quake that struck off a Russian peninsula and generated tsunami warnings and advisories for a wide swath of the Pacific. Posts on X and TikTok contended Winfrey refused to open her private road, or was slow to do so during the evacuation.
Continue reading...In China’s shadow, Taiwan is building a drone army to repel an invasion
Taipei sees homegrown drones as key to its defence, but analysts say its plans do not go far enough.
Brown University strikes $50m deal to end Trump administration pressure
Trump has withheld hundreds of millions in federal funds from top universities in effort to reshape US higher education.
Canada to recognize Palestine in September, subject to reform commitments – Axios
- Canada to recognize Palestine in September, subject to reform commitments Axios
- Canada follows France and UK with plan to recognise Palestinian state BBC
- Canada plans to recognize Palestinian state, raising allies' pressure on Israel Reuters
- Canada intends to recognize Palestinian state in September, Prime Minister Carney says CNN
- Canada to recognise Palestine at UN general assembly, joining France and UK in push for new state The Guardian
What Countries Recognize a Palestinian State: A Map – The New York Times
- What Countries Recognize a Palestinian State: A Map The New York Times
- In recognising Palestine, Britain and France won’t advance peace The Economist
- Can Europe Go Beyond Words and Empty Gestures in Its Emerging Recognition of Palestine? Haaretz
- Portugal makes cautious move towards recognising Palestinian state Reuters
- From Gaza to Greenland, Macron breaks with Trump on global flashpoints Fox News
Worsening Closing the Gap measures spark Indigenous calls for ‘real power shift’
Latest report delivers bad news on targets including adult imprisonment rates, children in out-of-home care, suicide and childhood development
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Without changing the approach to Closing the Gap, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people will continue to “pay the price”, Indigenous organisations say.
Just four of the 19 Closing the Gap targets are on track to be met, according to the latest data from the Productivity Commission.
Continue reading...US to impose 15% tariffs on South Korea as part of trade deal, Donald Trump says
President Lee Jae Myung says deal puts South Korea on an equal or better footing than other countries
President Donald Trump has said the US will charge a 15% tariff on imports from South Korea as part of an agreement with the key Asian trading partner and ally that avoids even higher levies.
The arrangement, announced shortly after Trump met with Korean officials at the White House, came during a blizzard of trade policy announcements ahead of a self-imposed 1 August deadline.
Continue reading...Ice entices new recruits with patriotism pitch and pledge of $50,000 signing bonuses
‘Brave and heroic Americans’ campaign seeks investigators, officers and lawyers after agency gets funds from Congress
The agency responsible for carrying out Donald Trump’s mass deportations is launching a recruiting campaign to entice “brave and heroic Americans” to serve as new deportation officers, lawyers and investigators as the government gears up for a major expansion of immigration enforcement thanks to a recent infusion of money from Congress. The icing on the cake: a promise of up to $50,000 in signing bonuses.
The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement campaign, which rolled out late Tuesday, recalls recruiting posters from the second world war with images of Uncle Sam and the words “AMERICA NEEDS YOU.” There also are photos of the US president and top homeland security officials with the words “DEFEND THE HOMELAND” across the images.
Continue reading...Canada follows France and UK with plan to recognise Palestinian state
Mark Carney says it depends on Palestinian democratic reforms, while Donald Trump says it could stymie a US-Canada trade deal.
Countries failing to act on UN climate pledge to triple renewables, thinktank finds
Fossil fuel reliance likely to continue and Cop28 target of limiting global heating to below 1.5C will be missed
Most global governments have failed to act on the 2023 UN pledge to triple the world’s renewable energy capacity by the end of the decade, according to climate analysts.
The failure to act means that on current forecasts the world will fall far short of its clean energy goals, leading to a continued reliance on fossil fuels that is incompatible with the target of limiting global heating to below 1.5C.
Continue reading...Met police to more than double use of live facial recognition
Technology will now be used up to 10 times a week across five days, up from four times a week across two days
Britain’s biggest police force is to more than double its use of live facial recognition to up to 10 deployments a week.
The move by the Metropolitan police comes as it restructures to cover the loss of 1,400 officers and 300 staff amid budget shortages.
Continue reading...2,300-year-old arm tats on mummified woman reveal new insights about tattooing technique in ancient Siberia – Live Science
Warning issued after US energy drink cans accidentally filled with vodka
The warnings impact certain varieties of High Noon vodka seltzers and Celsius energy drink cans.