this sounds familiar!

In short:

Palestinian activist Awdah Hathaleen has allegedly been shot dead by an Israeli settler in the West Bank.

He helped make an award-winning documentary about Israel's occupation of the West Bank.

What's next?

Israeli media reported that a Jewish settler, Yinon Levi, was arrested over the alleged killing.

On Tuesday, Israeli soldiers ejected mourners from a tent set up in Umm al Kheir and fired stun grenades at people who had gathered to pay condolences to Awdah Hathaleen's family.

Israeli members of parliament and the Carmel settlement have expressed support for his alleged killer, Yinon Levi, describing him as a "pioneer".

In 2024 the US State Department sanctioned Mr Levi, saying: "(He) regularly led groups of violent extremists who engaged in actions creating an atmosphere of fear in the West Bank. His groups assaulted Palestinian and Bedouin civilians, threatened them with additional violence if they did not leave their homes, burned their fields, and destroyed their property. Levi and other extremists have repeatedly attacked multiple communities within the West Bank."

In short:

Australians Robert Martin and Tan Safi were part of a group of 21 human rights activists on board the boat Handala, which was intercepted by Israel's navy on Sunday.

On Tuesday, local time, an Israeli court extended their detention until their deportation was finalised.

Lawyers for the group argue their detention is unlawful.

Israel's government has maintained a full naval blockade of Gaza since militant group Hamas took over the strip, preventing any vessels from approaching Gaza or any Gazans from sailing out.

Since Hamas's October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel, the Israeli military has also attacked Gazans fishing in the sea.

This month it also effectively prohibited swimming and bathing by banning Palestinians from entering the water.

Among the signatories, nine that have not yet recognized a Palestinian state expressed "willingness or positive consideration of their countries" to do so: Andorra, Australia, Canada, Finland, Luxembourg, Malta, New Zealand, Portugal, and San Marino.

New title: ADF gets to play with American toys, while they don't need them.

Seriously, if this doesn't result in full control of production and independent use, then these things are useless to be included in defence plans of Australia.

We'd be better off without them, knowing we absolutley don't have the capability, instead of having the possibility of the rug pulled, like what has happened to Ukraine.

In short:

Two Israeli citizens were detained and questioned after two rights groups reported them to authorities.

They were taken into custody in relation to a war crimes investigation.

One of the groups that reported them, the Hind Rajab Foundation, has been using travelling Israeli soldiers' social media posts to track them and seek their arrests overseas.

"We, the signatories listed below, come together with a simple, urgent message: the war in Gaza must end now," the statement said.

In short:

Australia has joined the United Kingdom, France and other countries in demanding an immediate end to the war in Gaza and for Israel to lift aid restrictions.

Israel says the statement is "disconnected from reality" and is urging countries to instead place pressure on Hamas.

What's next?

The 25 countries went on to urge other members of the international community to "unite in a common effort to bring this terrible conflict to an end".

ABC doesn't seem to have a link to the full statement, but I believe it's this: https://www.foreignminister.gov.au/minister/penny-wong/media-release/joint-statement-behalf-26-partners-occupied-palestinian-territories

This statement has been signed by:

• The Foreign Ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK
• The EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management

The first tranche of Australian tanks has been handed over to the Ukrainian army to help its defence against Russia’s invasion.

Australia had previously pledged to give Ukraine 49 Abrams tanks worth $245m last October. The defence minister, Richard Marles, said the tanks would aid Ukrainian firepower and complement other military equipment donated by allies to repel Russia’s invasion.

...

Australia will also deploy a Wedgetail aircraft to Europe in August to protect the corridors to Ukraine through which aid is delivered.

In short:

Donald Trump has chosen Nick Adams, a former suburban Sydney councillor, to be US ambassador to Malaysia.

Since migrating to the US, Mr Adams has built a large MAGA following and a brand as a self-styled "alpha male" and "cultural thought leader".

What's next?

Mr Adams's appointment needs to be confirmed by the US Senate.

https://archive.md/KsNPk

So it looks like the liberal party are remaining strongly aligned with America

Nebula: https://nebula.tv/videos/tldrnewsglobal-why-australia-is-falling-out-with-the-us

The United States along with Japan, India and Australia announced a critical minerals initiative on Tuesday amid concerns over China's dominance in the field.

The group of four, also known as the "Quad," pledged to work towards a stable supply of minerals that are necessary for new technologies.

"Reliance on any one country for processing and refining critical minerals and derivative goods production exposes our industries to economic coercion, price manipulation and supply chain disruptions," a joint statement by the group said.

[...]

Archived version

Fiji PM Stiveni Rabuka says he is against China gaining a military base in the Pacific, but he remains unconvinced that is Beijing's aim.

But experts say his comments are out of touch with China's ambition given its previous "dual infrastructure" projects in the region.

Rabuka wants to explore a new Australian agreement to formalise their relationships beyond changes in government, and will meet with other Pacific leaders in September.

...

Fiji's Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has delivered a blow to China's security ambitions in the Pacific, declaring his country would "not welcome" any Chinese military bases in the region.

But Mr Rabuka has also stressed he doesn't believe that China is actively looking for such a security foothold in the Pacific — saying the rising power doesn't need it to project power.

Sitiveni Rabuka was repeatedly pressed about China’s role in the Pacific in the wake of his speech to the National Press Club in Canberra today.

Mr Rabuka didn’t mince words when he was asked if he believed that Beijing should be permitted to establish a military base in the Pacific.

"Who would welcome them?" he asked rhetorically. "Not Fiji."

...

Australian government assessments, which warn that China is seeking a security foothold in the Pacific — potentially through "dual use" infrastructure projects which could be used for military purposes.

The Pacific Minister Pat Conroy has repeatedly said publicly that Beijing is seeking a security "presence" in the region, including through its attempts to expand police cooperation in the Pacific.

...

Mr Rabuka also said he would like to explore signing a new overarching agreement with Australia, saying the relationship may have "reached a point … where our renewed and elevated partnership needs to step up to an agreement or treaty".

...

Mr Rabuka did not provide detail about how a new agreement could work, but said it would allow Australia to expand assistance to Fiji and help the relationship withstand the "political whims of the winning parties in the various elections, because there will be national treaties between sovereign states".

...

Looks like Europe not getting away from the US anytime soon

De-paywalled archive: https://archive.is/37gzz

Palestine Action will join more than 80 groups banned as terrorist organizations by the British government, including the Islamic State, Hamas, Hezbollah and Al Qaeda, as well as Atomwaffen Division, a white supremacist group.

Jonathan Hall, the British government’s top adviser on terrorism laws, told The New York Times that to his knowledge the ban of Palestine Action would be the “first time that a group has been proscribed on the basis of serious damage to property” in Britain, rather than because of the use of, or support for, serious violence.

The law will make it a criminal offense to be a member of Palestine Action, to raise funds for the group or to “invite support” for it, to arrange meetings, to display its logo or to fail to disclose information about any banned activities to the police.

After this goes through, the following offences will apply: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/proscribed-terror-groups-or-organisations--2/proscribed-terrorist-groups-or-organisations-accessible-version

Proscription offences

Proscription makes it a criminal offence to:

• belong, or profess to belong, to a proscribed organisation in the UK or overseas (section 11 of the act)
• invite support for a proscribed organisation (the support invited need not be material support, such as the provision of money or other property, and can also include moral support or approval) (section 12(1))
• express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation, reckless as to whether a person to whom the expression is directed will be encouraged to support a proscribed organisation (section 12(1A))
• arrange, manage or assist in arranging or managing a meeting in the knowledge that the meeting is to support or further the activities of a proscribed organisation, or is to be addressed by a person who belongs or professes to belong to a proscribed organisation (section 12(2)); or to address a meeting if the purpose of the address is to encourage support for, or further the activities of, a proscribed organisation (section 12(3))
• wear clothing or carry or display articles in public in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that the individual is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation (section 13)
• publish an image of an item of clothing or other article, such as a flag or logo, in the same circumstances (section 13(1A))

What are the penalties for a proscription offence?

The penalties for proscription offences under sections 11 and 12 are a maximum of 14 years in prison and/or a fine. The maximum penalty for a section 13 offence is 6 months in prison and/or a fine not exceeding £5,000.

Key Event
5m ago
BREAKING: Trump says US has struck Iranian nuclear facilities

By Andrew Thorpe

US President Donald Trump says the United States has completed a "very successful" attack on three nuclear sites in Iran, including the Fordow, Nataz and Isfahan facilities.

"A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow," he writes.

"All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors."

A screenshot of Donald Trump's post on his Truth Social network. (Truth Social)

cross-posted from: https://scribe.disroot.org/post/3183624

Archived version

...

While the United States and China compete for global AI leadership, the EU has opened an alternative rights-based route in the ongoing battle of AI norms, which seems to resonate with Australia’s vision and interests.

These conversations are making their way to Pacific island countries that are starting their AI adoption journeys. The technology could help address some of their most pressing challenges, but as a region at the crossroads of geopolitical influences they will have to take their pick in the battle of AI norms.

Pacific island countries are starting to implement digital strategies and have ‘a late-mover advantage to selectively adopt best AI practices from the US, China and the EU’, according to a report by the AI Asia Pacific Institute. The Pacific is already a geostrategic battlefield of the China-US rivalry and AI emerges as the latest arena for influence.

...

Pacific island countries could also be affected by the lesser-known consequences of AI, particularly its environmental impact. Energy-ravenous AI systems drive up power demand, exacerbating climate change effects. The region is already on the frontline of global warming. AI adoption should be accompanied by a rapid transition to renewable energy sources.

...

Between these two geopolitical and normative poles [of the U.S. and China], the EU emerged last year as a creative force. In its search for strategic autonomy and to appear as a credible normative power, it adopted the AI Act after months of negotiations. This safety legislation introduces different obligations for AI products and services sold on the EU market, adjusted to their level of societal risks. To avoid stifling innovation, the EU paired the legislation with an initiative to mobilise €200 billion for AI development.

...

Australia is also acting in this battle of AI norms in the Pacific. For example, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade organised a series of side events on AI adoption in the Asia-Pacific at the Paris AI Action Summit.

...

Report in Spanish: https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/prensa/ultimas-noticias/2025/junio/se-presenta-el-informe-del-comite-de-analisis-de-la-crisis-elect.html