Israel-Iran ceasefire as it happened: Trump officials give classified briefing to US Congress over Iranian nuclear site bombings; Iran's supreme leader says strikes on US base a ‘slap to America's face'
2.35pm on Jun 27, 2025
US gives contentious Gaza aid group $30m
By Cassandra Morgan
Further to our previous post, the US has approved $30 million in funding for the contentious aid distribution system in Gaza, which is run mostly by American contractors and backed by Israel, The New York Times reports.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is relatively new to running food distribution centres on the Gaza Strip.
The Gaza health ministry says hundreds of people have been killed near food distribution points in the past month.
Humanitarian groups were raising the alarm about the sites since before the project's operations began in late May, saying having only a few distribution sites – most in southern Gaza – with Israeli soldiers stationed nearby displaced residents and militarised humanitarian aid, the Times reported.
US state department spokesman Thomas Pigott, in announcing the $30 million in funding, described the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as a project that was 'absolutely incredible and should be commended and supported', the Times reported.
Pigott called for other countries to contribute funding to the group, which the United Nations has criticised, alongside many other humanitarian organisations, the Times reported.
It is reportedly the first time the US state department has publicly announced financial aid for the group.
2.08pm on Jun 27, 2025
Another 18 killed as turmoil mounts over Gaza food distribution
An Israeli strike hit a street in central Gaza on Thursday, where witnesses said people were getting bags of flour from a Palestinian police unit that had confiscated the goods from gangs looting aid convoys. Hospital officials said 18 people were killed.
The strike was the latest violence surrounding the distribution of food to Gaza's population, which has been thrown into turmoil over the past month. After blocking all food for 2½ months, Israel has allowed only a trickle of supplies into the territory since mid-May.
Efforts by the United Nations to distribute the food have been plagued by armed gangs looting trucks, and by crowds of desperate people offloading supplies from convoys.
Loading
The strike in the central town of Deir al-Balah on Thursday appeared to target members of Sahm, a security unit tasked with stopping looters and cracking down on merchants who sell stolen aid at high prices. The unit is part of Gaza's Hamas-led Interior Ministry, but includes members of other factions.
Video of the aftermath showed bodies, several torn, of multiple young men in the street. The dead included a child and at least seven Sahm members, according to the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where casualties were taken.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel has accused the militant Hamas group of stealing aid and using it to prop up its rule in the enclave. Israeli forces have repeatedly struck Gaza's police, considering them a branch of Hamas.
AP
1.45pm on Jun 27, 2025
Israelis love Trump. But some are unnerved by this vow
US President Donald Trump's call for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's corruption trial to be thrown out has plunged the American leader into one of Israel's most heated debates, unnerving some in its political class just days after they unanimously praised his strikes on Iran.
Trump's social media post condemning the trial as a 'WITCH HUNT', and his vow that the US will be the one who 'saves' Netanyahu from serious corruption charges, came just two days after he called off an Israeli bombing raid in Iran to preserve a ceasefire.
Both were dramatic interventions in the affairs of an ally that previous US administrations had always insisted was a sovereign nation that made its own decisions. Now the one leader nearly all Israelis seem to support has fully embraced the one who most divides them.
'With all due respect for Trump, he is not supposed to interfere in a legal process in an independent country,' Opposition Leader Yair Lapid told Israeli media.
Loading
Trump is seen by Netanyahu – and many Israelis – as the greatest friend they have ever had in the White House. He has lent unprecedented support to Israel's claims to territories seized in war, he brokered the Abraham Accords with four Arab nations in his first term and over the weekend he ordered direct strikes on Iran's nuclear program, which Israel views as an existential threat.
Still, even some staunch supporters of Netanyahu and Trump seemed a bit unnerved.
Simcha Rotman, a lawmaker from the far-right Religious Zionist party and one of the architects of Netanyahu's controversial judicial overhaul, wrote on X that Netanyahu's trial 'may be an example of an accumulation of many faults' of the justice system.
'Still, it is not the place of the president of the United States to interfere in legal proceedings in Israel.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump tariffs ‘as big an inflation threat as COVID-19'
'Policymakers must act decisively on multiple fronts to ensure price stability and promote sustainable economic growth while preserving economic and financial stability,' he said. There are already signs overseas of the financial hit caused by Trump's tariff agenda. Canada's economy contracted in April as its close trade links to the US were disrupted while data released last week revealed American GDP fell by 0.5 per cent through the first three months of 2025. While the Australian economy grew through the March quarter, this pre-dated Trump's liberation day announcements. But there are signs a rise in American tariffs is already starting to affect local firms. A survey by MYOB to be released this week shows Trump's tariffs have been felt by 17 per cent of small and mid-sized businesses. About 41 per cent of those surveyed said they believed the tariffs would destabilise the global economy, with more than a third expecting the imposts to both lift business costs and inflation. While 45 per cent said they expected the economy to decline this year, 64 per cent said their financial position was either good or excellent. MYOB chief executive officer Paul Robson said the results highlighted the impact of events playing out on the other side of the globe. 'While global policy decisions may feel distant, Australian SMEs are alive to potential local impacts and are pivoting their way around them,' he said. 'The key consideration for impacted SMEs is the cumulative effect of both tariffs and interest rates on the cost of doing business. Supply chain disruption is another concern for this community, given the diverse industry portfolio this sector covers.' The turmoil in supply chains, driven in part by Trump's tariff agenda, has resulted in 17 per cent of surveyed businesses saying they plan to shift where they source their products or services. Just one in 10 expects an increase in customer demand. This impact is not showing up yet in the federal budget, which Treasurer Jim Chalmers forecast in March would show $940 billion in gross debt by the end of the current financial year before climbing to $1.02 billion by the end of 2025-26. Loading But total government debt will end 2024-25 at $928.6 billion due to a better budget bottom line. Chalmers had forecast a deficit $27.6 billion, but in the financial year to the end of May, the deficit was just $5.5 billion due to higher-than-expected company and personal income tax collections. On a pro rata basis, the government had expected the deficit to be at $20.2 billion by the end of May. The government believes the full-year deficit will increase to more than $10 billion as payments, held up in part by the May election, start to flow to states and taxpayers. Even at that level, Chalmers is on track to again fall short of his budget gross government debt forecast. But debt levels are ramping up much quicker among the nation's states and territories. Ratings' agency S&P Global estimates that the states and territories had gross debt of $266.3 billion in 2019 with that on track to reach $900 billion by 2029 – a 238 per cent increase. Over the same period, federal gross debt is forecast to grow by 126 per cent. Victoria is on track to have the highest debt of any state or territory at $274.1 billion, a 397 per cent increase. The largest jump in debt is expected to be endured by Tasmania, climbing by 627 per cent to $23.4 billion. NSW ($252.3 billion) and Queensland ($205.7 billion) will also have high debt levels.
The Age
an hour ago
- The Age
Trump tariffs ‘as big an inflation threat as COVID-19'
'Policymakers must act decisively on multiple fronts to ensure price stability and promote sustainable economic growth while preserving economic and financial stability,' he said. There are already signs overseas of the financial hit caused by Trump's tariff agenda. Canada's economy contracted in April as its close trade links to the US were disrupted while data released last week revealed American GDP fell by 0.5 per cent through the first three months of 2025. While the Australian economy grew through the March quarter, this pre-dated Trump's liberation day announcements. But there are signs a rise in American tariffs is already starting to affect local firms. A survey by MYOB to be released this week shows Trump's tariffs have been felt by 17 per cent of small and mid-sized businesses. About 41 per cent of those surveyed said they believed the tariffs would destabilise the global economy, with more than a third expecting the imposts to both lift business costs and inflation. While 45 per cent said they expected the economy to decline this year, 64 per cent said their financial position was either good or excellent. MYOB chief executive officer Paul Robson said the results highlighted the impact of events playing out on the other side of the globe. 'While global policy decisions may feel distant, Australian SMEs are alive to potential local impacts and are pivoting their way around them,' he said. 'The key consideration for impacted SMEs is the cumulative effect of both tariffs and interest rates on the cost of doing business. Supply chain disruption is another concern for this community, given the diverse industry portfolio this sector covers.' The turmoil in supply chains, driven in part by Trump's tariff agenda, has resulted in 17 per cent of surveyed businesses saying they plan to shift where they source their products or services. Just one in 10 expects an increase in customer demand. This impact is not showing up yet in the federal budget, which Treasurer Jim Chalmers forecast in March would show $940 billion in gross debt by the end of the current financial year before climbing to $1.02 billion by the end of 2025-26. Loading But total government debt will end 2024-25 at $928.6 billion due to a better budget bottom line. Chalmers had forecast a deficit $27.6 billion, but in the financial year to the end of May, the deficit was just $5.5 billion due to higher-than-expected company and personal income tax collections. On a pro rata basis, the government had expected the deficit to be at $20.2 billion by the end of May. The government believes the full-year deficit will increase to more than $10 billion as payments, held up in part by the May election, start to flow to states and taxpayers. Even at that level, Chalmers is on track to again fall short of his budget gross government debt forecast. But debt levels are ramping up much quicker among the nation's states and territories. Ratings' agency S&P Global estimates that the states and territories had gross debt of $266.3 billion in 2019 with that on track to reach $900 billion by 2029 – a 238 per cent increase. Over the same period, federal gross debt is forecast to grow by 126 per cent. Victoria is on track to have the highest debt of any state or territory at $274.1 billion, a 397 per cent increase. The largest jump in debt is expected to be endured by Tasmania, climbing by 627 per cent to $23.4 billion. NSW ($252.3 billion) and Queensland ($205.7 billion) will also have high debt levels.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Ukraine says Russia launches biggest air attack of war
Russia has launched its biggest aerial attack against Ukraine, a Ukrainian official says, part of an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the three-year-old war. Russia fired a total of 537 aerial weapons at Ukraine, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 missiles, Ukraine's air force said on Sunday. Of these, 249 were shot down and 226 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed. The attack targeted regions across Ukraine, including western Ukraine, far from the frontline. Poland and allied countries scrambled aircraft to ensure the safety of Polish airspace, the Polish air force said on Sunday. Kherson regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said one person died in a drone strike. Six people were wounded in Cherkasy, including a child, according to regional governor Ihor Taburets. The fresh attacks follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's saying on Friday that Moscow is ready for a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul. However, the war shows no signs of abating as US-led international peace efforts have so far produced no breakthrough. Two recent rounds of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul were brief and yielded no progress on reaching a settlement. Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the conflict into a testing ground for new weaponry. On Saturday, Ukraine's top commander said his forces were facing a new onslaught against a key city on the eastern front of its war against Russia while the Kremlin says its military is making progress in another sector farther southwest. After their initial failed advance on the capital Kyiv in the first weeks after the February 2022 invasion, Russian troops have focused on capturing all of Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. The city of Kostiantynivka has been a major target. Ukrainian forces have for months defended the city against fierce assaults, with the regional governor urging remaining residents this week to leave as infrastructure breaks down. Top Ukrainian commander Oleksander Syrskyi, writing on Telegram on Saturday, said the area around Kostiantynivka was gripped by heavy fighting. "The enemy is surging towards Kostiantynivka but apart from sustaining numerous losses, has achieved nothing," Syrskyi said. "The aggressor is trying to break through our defences and advance along three operating sectors." Russia has launched its biggest aerial attack against Ukraine, a Ukrainian official says, part of an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the three-year-old war. Russia fired a total of 537 aerial weapons at Ukraine, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 missiles, Ukraine's air force said on Sunday. Of these, 249 were shot down and 226 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed. The attack targeted regions across Ukraine, including western Ukraine, far from the frontline. Poland and allied countries scrambled aircraft to ensure the safety of Polish airspace, the Polish air force said on Sunday. Kherson regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said one person died in a drone strike. Six people were wounded in Cherkasy, including a child, according to regional governor Ihor Taburets. The fresh attacks follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's saying on Friday that Moscow is ready for a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul. However, the war shows no signs of abating as US-led international peace efforts have so far produced no breakthrough. Two recent rounds of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul were brief and yielded no progress on reaching a settlement. Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the conflict into a testing ground for new weaponry. On Saturday, Ukraine's top commander said his forces were facing a new onslaught against a key city on the eastern front of its war against Russia while the Kremlin says its military is making progress in another sector farther southwest. After their initial failed advance on the capital Kyiv in the first weeks after the February 2022 invasion, Russian troops have focused on capturing all of Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. The city of Kostiantynivka has been a major target. Ukrainian forces have for months defended the city against fierce assaults, with the regional governor urging remaining residents this week to leave as infrastructure breaks down. Top Ukrainian commander Oleksander Syrskyi, writing on Telegram on Saturday, said the area around Kostiantynivka was gripped by heavy fighting. "The enemy is surging towards Kostiantynivka but apart from sustaining numerous losses, has achieved nothing," Syrskyi said. "The aggressor is trying to break through our defences and advance along three operating sectors." Russia has launched its biggest aerial attack against Ukraine, a Ukrainian official says, part of an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the three-year-old war. Russia fired a total of 537 aerial weapons at Ukraine, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 missiles, Ukraine's air force said on Sunday. Of these, 249 were shot down and 226 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed. The attack targeted regions across Ukraine, including western Ukraine, far from the frontline. Poland and allied countries scrambled aircraft to ensure the safety of Polish airspace, the Polish air force said on Sunday. Kherson regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said one person died in a drone strike. Six people were wounded in Cherkasy, including a child, according to regional governor Ihor Taburets. The fresh attacks follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's saying on Friday that Moscow is ready for a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul. However, the war shows no signs of abating as US-led international peace efforts have so far produced no breakthrough. Two recent rounds of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul were brief and yielded no progress on reaching a settlement. Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the conflict into a testing ground for new weaponry. On Saturday, Ukraine's top commander said his forces were facing a new onslaught against a key city on the eastern front of its war against Russia while the Kremlin says its military is making progress in another sector farther southwest. After their initial failed advance on the capital Kyiv in the first weeks after the February 2022 invasion, Russian troops have focused on capturing all of Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. The city of Kostiantynivka has been a major target. Ukrainian forces have for months defended the city against fierce assaults, with the regional governor urging remaining residents this week to leave as infrastructure breaks down. Top Ukrainian commander Oleksander Syrskyi, writing on Telegram on Saturday, said the area around Kostiantynivka was gripped by heavy fighting. "The enemy is surging towards Kostiantynivka but apart from sustaining numerous losses, has achieved nothing," Syrskyi said. "The aggressor is trying to break through our defences and advance along three operating sectors." Russia has launched its biggest aerial attack against Ukraine, a Ukrainian official says, part of an escalating bombing campaign that has further dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the three-year-old war. Russia fired a total of 537 aerial weapons at Ukraine, including 477 drones and decoys and 60 missiles, Ukraine's air force said on Sunday. Of these, 249 were shot down and 226 were lost, likely having been electronically jammed. The attack targeted regions across Ukraine, including western Ukraine, far from the frontline. Poland and allied countries scrambled aircraft to ensure the safety of Polish airspace, the Polish air force said on Sunday. Kherson regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said one person died in a drone strike. Six people were wounded in Cherkasy, including a child, according to regional governor Ihor Taburets. The fresh attacks follow Russian President Vladimir Putin's saying on Friday that Moscow is ready for a fresh round of direct peace talks in Istanbul. However, the war shows no signs of abating as US-led international peace efforts have so far produced no breakthrough. Two recent rounds of talks between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations in Istanbul were brief and yielded no progress on reaching a settlement. Long-range drone strikes have been a hallmark of the war, now in its fourth year. The race by both sides to develop increasingly sophisticated and deadlier drones has turned the conflict into a testing ground for new weaponry. On Saturday, Ukraine's top commander said his forces were facing a new onslaught against a key city on the eastern front of its war against Russia while the Kremlin says its military is making progress in another sector farther southwest. After their initial failed advance on the capital Kyiv in the first weeks after the February 2022 invasion, Russian troops have focused on capturing all of Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. The city of Kostiantynivka has been a major target. Ukrainian forces have for months defended the city against fierce assaults, with the regional governor urging remaining residents this week to leave as infrastructure breaks down. Top Ukrainian commander Oleksander Syrskyi, writing on Telegram on Saturday, said the area around Kostiantynivka was gripped by heavy fighting. "The enemy is surging towards Kostiantynivka but apart from sustaining numerous losses, has achieved nothing," Syrskyi said. "The aggressor is trying to break through our defences and advance along three operating sectors."
