Australian government pledges almost $1bn to help women leave violent relationships

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‘Leaving violence payment’ of $5,000 will help women escape abusive relationships with money for services, risk assessments and safety planning

Anthony Albanese has announced $925m to help victims of violence leave abusive relationships and a ban on deepfake pornography as new measures to combat violence against women.

After a national cabinet meeting on Wednesday, the prime minister announced the “leaving violence payment” of $5,000 to help meet the costs of leaving a relationship along with services, risk assessments and safety planning.

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With Gaza aid flows rising, U.S. to push Israel to speed distribution – The Washington Post

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  1. With Gaza aid flows rising, U.S. to push Israel to speed distribution  The Washington Post
  2. Blinken lands in Israel for talks with Netanyahu, Gallant amid push for hostage deal  The Times of Israel
  3. Latest Israel-Hamas war news and Gaza conflict updates  The Washington Post
  4. Blinken says he will press Netanyahu on Gaza aid measures  Reuters
  5. Saudi Arabia 'very, very close' to US security pact tied to Palestinian state  Al-Monitor
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Saudi Arabia activist sentenced to 11 years in prison for ‘support’ of women’s rights – The Guardian

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  1. Saudi Arabia activist sentenced to 11 years in prison for ‘support’ of women’s rights  The Guardian
  2. Saudi Arabia: Woman jailed for 11 years for online expression supporting women's rights  Amnesty International
  3. Rights Groups Denounce 11-year Sentence For Saudi Rights Activist  Barron's
  4. Saudi Authorities Should Grant Access to Detained Feminist Al-Otaibi, and to All Detainees  Democracy for the Arab World Now
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Trump threatens to prosecute Bidens if he’s re-elected unless he gets immunity

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Time magazine called the ex-president’s plans ‘an imperial presidency that would reshape America and its role in the world’

Donald Trump has warned that Joe Biden and his family could face multiple criminal prosecutions once he leaves office unless the US supreme court awards Trump immunity in his own legal battles with the criminal justice system.

In a sweeping interview with Time magazine, Trump painted a startling picture of his second term, from how he would wield the justice department to hinting he may let states monitor pregnant women to enforce abortion laws.

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Queensland Labor to remove principle of detention as last resort from Youth Justice Act

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Steven Miles’ government claims to have legal advice from Crown Law and solicitor general that amendments will not violate Human Rights Act or international law

The principle of detention as a last resort will be removed from the Queensland Youth Justice Act, under legislation introduced by the Labor government on Wednesday.

The Youth Justice Act will be redrafted to read: “A child should be detained in custody, where necessary, including to ensure community safety, where other non-custodial measures of prevention and intervention would not be sufficient, and for no longer than necessary to meet the purpose of detention.”

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Saudi Arabia activist sentenced to 11 years in prison for ‘support’ of women’s rights

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Manahel al-Otaibi, who frequently promoted female empowerment on social media, was arrested under anti-terror laws

A young women’s rights activist in Saudi Arabia was secretly sentenced to 11 years in prison by an anti-terrorism court after being arrested for “her choice of clothing and support for women’s rights”.

Saudi officials confirmed in a statement to the United National high commissioner for Human Rights that Manahel al-Otaibi was sentenced on 9 January for what the Saudi government called “terrorist offences”.

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Indonesia’s Ruang volcano erupts, more than 12000 people evacuated – Reuters

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  1. Indonesia's Ruang volcano erupts, more than 12000 people evacuated  Reuters
  2. Lightning Lights Up Erupting Volcano In Indonesia - Videos from The Weather Channel  The Weather Channel
  3. Dozens of Indonesians evacuated amid latest eruption at Mount Ruang volcano  Yahoo! Voices
  4. Thousands evacuated, flights disrupted as Indonesian volcano erupts again  Al Jazeera English
  5. Indonesia volcano eruption spreads ash to Malaysia and shuts airports  The Guardian
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‘The model is broken’: Brisbane live music venue the Zoo to close after 32 years

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Fortitude Valley institution and sister venue Stranded will soon shut as owner cites cost-of-living pressures and young people drinking less

The Brisbane music venue the Zoo will call last drinks in July, with the owner listing a “perfect storm” of forces leading to its closure, including cost-of-living pressures and declining alcohol consumption among young people.

The 500-capacity room, which first opened its doors on Ann Street in 1992 in the formerly down-at-heel but now heavily gentrified inner suburb of Fortitude Valley, is one of Australia’s oldest music venues.

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Officers killed in shootout identified as rifle found in suspect’s North Carolina home

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Police say four officers who died serving warrant over firearms possession were ‘heroes’ as investigation into shooting continues

Eight law-enforcement officers were shot, four fatally, during a shootout on Monday outside a home in North Carolina while serving a warrant to someone wanted for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. It was the deadliest attack on US law enforcement since 2016.

Three of the four law-enforcement officers killed were working on a fugitive taskforce as agents with the US Marshals Service, and the fourth was a police officer who had recently been named officer of the month by his department.

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Dividends payments soar globally as worker pay stagnates

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Shareholder payouts grew 14 times faster than wages over past three years, says Oxfam report

Shareholders have proved to be more successful at securing bumper payouts than workers have at winning higher pay, according to two studies that show dividends outstripping wages by a considerable margin in recent years.

Oxfam said analysis of global data showed that dividend payments to shareholders over the last three years grew an average of 14 times faster than worker pay across 31 major economies.

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