Assange joins pro-Palestinian protest on Sydney Harbour Bridge
Assange, who returned to Australia last year after his release from a high-security British prison, was pictured surrounded by family and marching alongside former Australian foreign minister and New South Wales premier Bob Carr.
France, Britain and Canada have in recent weeks voiced, in some cases qualified, intentions to diplomatically recognise a Palestinian state as international concern and criticism have grown over malnutrition in Gaza.
Australia has called for an end to the war in Gaza but has so far stopped short of a decision to recognise a Palestinian state.
But in a joint statement with more than a dozen other nations on Tuesday it expressed the "willingness or the positive consideration... to recognise the state of Palestine as an essential step towards the two-State solution".
The pro-Palestinian crowd braved heavy winds and rain to march across the bridge, chanting "ceasefire now" and "free Palestine".
New South Wales police said it had deployed hundreds of extra staff across Sydney for the march.
Mehreen Faruqi, the New South Wales senator for the left-wing Greens party, told the crowd gathered at central Sydney's Lang Park that the march would "make history".
She called for the "harshest sanctions on Israel", accusing its forces of "massacring" Gazans, and criticised New South Wales premier Chris Minns for saying the protest should not go ahead.
Dozens of marchers held up banners listing the names of thousands of Palestinian children killed since the Gaza war broke out after an October 2023 attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Labor backbench MP Ed Husic attended the march and called for his ruling party, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, to recognise a Palestinian state.
Assange did not address the crowd or talk to the media.
Israel is under mounting international pressure to end the bloodshed that has killed more than 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry.
Hamas's 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to a tally based on official figures.
Of the 251 hostages taken during the attack, 49 are still being held in Gaza, including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.
The Harbour Bridge is over a kilometre long and was opened in 1932.
Since then its twin parabolic arcs have become world famous, a symbol of both Sydney and of Australia.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump escalates nuclear tensions as Russia deadline nears
President Trump is rattling the U.S.'s formidable nuclear saber amid his growing frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin's refusal to halt the war in Ukraine, just days ahead of Trump's deadline for a ceasefire. Trump last week said he was moving two 'nuclear' submarines closer to Russia in response to threatening rhetoric from a top Kremlin official. On Sunday, he confirmed the vessels were now 'in the region.' It's not clear if Trump is referring to nuclear-armed submarines or nuclear-powered attack submarines, but the confusion adds to the threat, which coincides with the president's Friday deadline for Russia to end the war or face further economic isolation. Experts say it's a risky tactic unlikely to sway Putin, who has stood in the way of the president's campaign promise to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of returning to the White House. 'I don't see a lot of the benefits or the advantages, given that the Russians know very well that we have, for decades, had nuclear-armed submarines that could target what matters to them,' said Erin Dumbacher, the Stanton Nuclear Security Senior Fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations. 'I see more risk than reward to using statements like this.' While experts don't see an imminent threat, they warn against careless and bombastic statements that could lead to risky miscalculation and confrontation. 'Does this mean that all of a sudden we should all be going to the cellar and locking ourselves in? No,' said former Rep. John Tierney (D-Mass.), who is the executive director of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, in a call with The Hill. 'Of major concern is nuclear rhetoric that could all too easily lead to mistake or miscalculation resulting in catastrophe. Trump's verbal engagement with an essentially powerless Russian politician is inappropriate and unhelpful,' he said in an earlier statement. 'What is needed is a steady hand, not someone who allows his anger at a personal insult to risk escalating to a dangerous situation.' Steve Witkoff, Trump's special envoy for peace missions, is expected in Moscow later this week to push Putin to agree to a ceasefire. If that fails, Ukraine's supporters are hoping Trump will pull the trigger on 'secondary tariffs' on countries that import oil from Russia, in a bid to choke off the Kremlin's ability to finance its war. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday downplayed the movement of the U.S. submarines to its nearby waters, saying it does not want to be dragged into a tit-for-tat escalation. 'In general, of course, we would not want to get involved in such a controversy and would not want to comment on it in any way,' Peskov told reporters, according to Reuters. 'Of course, we believe that everyone should be very, very careful with nuclear rhetoric.' Peskov added that Russia does not currently see the movement as an escalation. 'It is clear that very complex, very sensitive issues are being discussed, which, of course, are perceived very emotionally by many people,' he added. Trump announced the move after what he called 'highly provocative statements' from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who is now the deputy chair of the country's security council. Medvedev had criticized Trump's foreign policy and threat of sanctions. Earlier this week, Trump reduced a 50-day timeline for Russia to reach a ceasefire, after repeatedly lashing out at Putin for continued attacks on Ukraine. Medvedev, a frequent anti-Western critic seen as having little decision-making power in the Russian government, said Trump is 'playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10,' and he warned about the risk of war between 'nuclear-armed adversaries.' He also referenced Russia's 'dead hand' capabilities — a Cold War relic that describes Moscow's ability to launch a nuclear strike even if the Russian leadership is taken out. 'Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences,' Trump responded in a Truth Social post. 'I hope this will not be one of those instances.' Trump has wielded America's nuclear arsenal in the past, particularly during his attempts to get North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions during his first term. Trump often raised the prospect of nuclear war with Pyongyang, boasting he would unleash 'fire and fury' on the country, and that he had a 'much bigger' and 'more powerful' nuclear arsenal. Trump's latest move to send two U.S. nuclear submarines to circle near Russia is unlikely to cause major concern for Moscow, given that such vessels patrol oceans across the globe daily, experts said. But the heightened rhetoric and concerns for miscalculation are underscoring key gaps in nuclear arms control and nonproliferation efforts. The Russian Foreign Ministry on Monday said it was not bound by a moratorium on short- and intermediate-range missiles, in what Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said was a response to U.S. discussions to deploy long-range conventional missiles to Europe. The missiles were banned under the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, which Trump pulled out of in his first term in response to Russian violations of the treaty. And the New START treaty between the U.S. and Russia is set to expire in February. The treaty put restrictions on America and Russia's nuclear arsenals and allowed reciprocal inspection and verification. Russia suspended its participation in the treaty in 2023, and the U.S. took countermeasures that effectively suspended American participation, raising concerns among nuclear arms control experts about the next steps. 'I'm not seeing a lot of conversation about what would happen after that, in an effort to restrict or limit or even maintain the current levels,' said Dumbacher, who most recently was a CFR international affairs fellow with the Pentagon. In that role she helped craft language signed on by the U.S. and China that humans, and not artificial intelligence, should control nuclear weapons. Dumbacher pointed out Russia is not a party to that agreement, which speaks to Medvedev's threats of Russia's 'dead hand' capabilities. 'I think every nuclear weapons country should sign on to some sort of confidence building measure like that, where we say we're never going to hand this decision over to a machine,' she said. Even as Trump heightens his rhetoric against Russia, the president has highlighted nuclear arms control as a priority. In a speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos in January, he said he wanted nuclear arms reduction talks with both Russia and China. And Trump boasts of halting fighting between Pakistan and India as averting a nuclear war. Rose Gottemoeller, who served as deputy secretary-general of NATO from 2016-19, noted Trump's success in getting Putin in 2019 to a freeze on all nuclear warheads, as well as his signal more recently that he is not interested in the U.S. building more warheads. 'Today's U.S. political reality mandates that the next arms control treaty has to be wholly owned by President Donald Trump if it is to be successful,' Gottemoeller wrote in an article for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists late last month, pointing out that any new arms control treaty will need the ratification of Congress. 'With the willingness that President Trump has already shown to take on the issue of constraining warheads, the current U.S. administration has the opportunity to forge into new territory on nuclear arms control.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Witkoff set to visit Russia for ‘last chance' talks on Ukraine war
President Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Russia this week for what Ukraine is calling Moscow's 'last chance' to reach a peace deal before U.S. sanctions are imposed on countries that import oil from Russia. Trump on Sunday said Witkoff 'may be going to Russia' on Wednesday or Thursday in a push to secure a ceasefire. The president has grown increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has ignored his pleas for a peace deal, and he moved up a deadline last week for the Kremlin to reach a peace deal or face increased economic isolation. Trump's latest deadline for Moscow would technically expire Friday, though he has proven flexible when it comes to imposing threatened tariffs on foreign countries. A Kremlin spokesperson speaking to reporters Monday did not confirm or rule out a meeting between Putin and Witkoff this week. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council's Center for Countering Disinformation, expressed optimism Monday that Trump would follow through. 'The Russians have burned down their railway infrastructure in the Volgograd region again,' Kovalenko wrote on Telegram, referring to a fire that Russia blamed on a Ukrainian drone attack. 'Trump is also giving them one last chance to end the war with a visit from Witkoff. If the visit is not successful, there will be sanctions,' he added. Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky and his top adviser, Andriy Yermak, also urged the U.S. and Europe to impose secondary sanctions in Telegram posts. 'Sanctions are working. The economy, geared for war, cannot withstand the pressure and relies solely on the sale of energy resources,' Yermak wrote Sunday. 'It is possible to strangle the economy with secondary tariffs proposed in the USA,' he added. Trump has threatened to substantially increase tariffs on India over its purchase of Russian oil, which has helped keep Russia's wartime economy afloat. China is also a major importer of Russian oil. Trump has threatened to impose up to a 100 percent 'secondary' tariff on nations that do business with Russia, in a bid to cut off crucial export revenue. Such a move would likely shake the global oil markets and set back Trump's efforts to strike a broader trade deal with India and China. Some European countries also continue to import oil from Russia, though Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a key backer of sanctions, has suggested a carve-out for Ukraine's allies. Senate Republicans went home for August recess without moving on a Russia sanctions bill that would have empowered the president to impose up to 500 percent secondary tariffs on Russia's trading partners. Trump has suggested he does not need congressional authorization to move ahead with the sanctions. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Witkoff meets Putin ahead of Trump's Ukraine ceasefire deadline
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow for three hours as President Trump's shortened ceasefire deadline with Ukraine approaches and new sanctions loom. Witkoff was met at the Vnukovo International Airport by Putin's envoy for investment and economic cooperation Kirill Dmitriev. After the huddle with Putin, which is Witkoff's fifth since joining the administration, Dmitriev said on the social media platform X that 'constructive' U.S.-Russia dialogue 'continues and is critical for global security and peace.' 'Our side has forwarded some signals, in particular on the Ukrainian issue, and corresponding signals were received from President Trump,' Putin's foreign policy aide Yury Ushakov added in a statement to Russian media after the meeting. Witkoff's meeting with Russian officials 'went well.' 'The Russians are eager to continue engaging with the United States. The secondary sanctions are still expected to be implemented on Friday,' A senior Trump official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Hill. Trump, in a post on Truth Social, said his special envoy had a 'highly productive' meeting with the Russian leader. 'Great progress was made! Afterwards, I updated some of our European Allies. Everyone agrees this War must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come,' he wrote. The president's timeline, which he cut down from 50 days, is set to expire Friday, with the president warning Russia could face additional tariffs and sanctions if it does not reach a ceasefire with Ukraine. Witkoff's previous meetings with the Kremlin leader have lasted multiple hours and helped chart a path for Americans who were jailed in Russia to be released, but they have not led to an ending to the nearly three-and-a-half-year war in Eastern Europe. The president has expressed increased frustration with Putin in recent weeks as progress toward a peace deal has stalled. Trump has also warned other nations, including India, of increased tariffs for buying Russian goods. Both India and China are major buyers of Russian oil, which has helped keep the Kremlin's economy above water. After Witkoff's meeting with Putin, Trump signed an executive order, raising tariffs on India by 25 percent over Russian oil purchases. When asked about the tariff threat on Tuesday, Trump told reporters, 'We'll see what happens' after Witkoff's meeting with Putin. 'We're going to see what happens,' the president said. 'We'll make that determination at that time.' Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that Witkoff is on his way back to the U.S. and that the two diplomats spoke over the phone about the meeting. 'We'll have some other discussions throughout the day, and then hopefully there'll be some announcements here fairly soon,' Rubio said. 'Maybe positive, maybe not. We'll see.' Russian military attacks on Ukraine have continued despite Trump's calls, with the military striking, at times, civilian areas. The Russian military struck a recreational center in the Zaporizhzhia region overnight, according to Ukrainian officials. At least two people have been confirmed dead, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday morning on X, adding that Russia attacked a gas facility in Novosilske and a power grid in the Dnipro region. 'No matter what the Kremlin says, they will only genuinely seek to end the war once they feel adequate pressure,' wrote Zelensky, who spoke with Trump on the phone Tuesday. 'And right now, it is very important to strengthen all the levers in the arsenal of the United States, Europe, and the G7 so that a ceasefire truly comes into effect immediately.' Trump said last week that he moved two 'nuclear' submarines closer to Russia's coast in response to escalating rhetoric from former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Updated at 1:12 p.m. EDT. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
