Trump to meet with Zelenskyy after no deal reached at Alaska summit
He says he has accepted the invitation and looks forward to discussing "all of the details regarding ending the killing and the war".
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ABC News
13 minutes ago
- ABC News
Former pro-democracy Hong Kong politician Ted Hui granted asylum in Australia
Former pro-democracy politician Ted Hui — who is wanted by authorities in Hong Kong — has been granted asylum in Australia. He said the Australian government granted him a protection visa this week, with asylum also extending to his wife, children and parents. "I express my sincere gratitude to the government of Australia — both present and former — for recognising our need for asylum and granting us this protection," Mr Hui said in a Facebook post on Saturday. Hong Kong has seen dissent quashed since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law following huge — and at times violent — democracy protests that erupted in 2019. Mr Hui was a high-profile participant at the time in those protests and was arrested in China. He later settled in Adelaide. A vocal critic of Hong Kong and Beijing authorities, Mr Hui is among several overseas activists targeted in 2023 by police bounties of $HK1 million ($200,000) each. The bounties are seen as largely symbolic, given that they affect people living abroad in nations unlikely to extradite political activists to Hong Kong or China. Hong Kong's government has not commented directly on Mr Hui's case; however, a spokesperson said on Saturday local time that those who absconded should not think they could evade "criminal liability". "Any country that harbours Hong Kong criminals in any form shows contempt for the rule of law, grossly disrespects Hong Kong's legal systems and barbarically interferes in the affairs of Hong Kong," the spokesperson said. Mr Hui ended his Facebook post by calling on Canberra to do more for those who "face long sentences for simply defending basic democratic rights". He urged the Australian government not to forget the other Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who remained jailed, including tycoon Jimmy Lai, who has been behind bars since 2020. "Australia must do more to rescue them and to speak up for their humanity," Mr Hui said. "Its stance matters internationally, and its protection of Hongkongers sets a precedent for other democracies." Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong previously condemned Hong Kong's arrest warrants and bounties. "Freedom of expression and assembly are essential to our democracy, and we will support those in Australia who exercise those rights," she said in 2023. "Australia remains deeply concerned by the continuing erosion of Hong Kong's rights, freedoms and autonomy." ABC/Wires
ABC News
43 minutes ago
- ABC News
Former Labor leader-turned-independent MP David O'Byrne to provide support to minority Liberals ahead of crucial vote
Former Tasmanian Labor-leader-turned-independent MP David O'Byrne has thrown his support behind the returned minority Liberal government in a move that could help the party maintain its hold on power. Tasmania delivered a hung parliament in last month's state election, with neither major party gaining the 18 seats needed to rule in majority. Tasmania returned 14 Liberals, 10 Labor, 5 Greens and 6 independents in July's state election. Mr O'Byrne said he could not ignore the vote Tasmanians had returned. "At the end of the day, my focus has been on who can form a stable majority government," Mr O'Byrne said. Speaking on Sunday, Mr O'Byrne said he believed the Liberals were the only party capable of forming a workable government, and garnering confidence and supply across the chamber due to the vote count. Despite the issues embroiling the Liberals — such as a bungled rollout of Spirit of Tasmania ferry infrastructure and growing debt issues — the party received approximately 40 per cent of the primary vote. "And [Labor leader] Dean's personal performance was not a strong one. "Legitimacy on the floor is important, while it is not a mandate for the Liberal government, and I don't agree with a number of policy issues with the government, that vote cannot be ignored." Mr O'Byrne said during discussions with Mr Rockliff, "roles were floated" but he felt accepting one would be inappropriate. "I believe in the role of cabinet and caucuses to ensure that there is a level of support for each other in making some tough decisions, and we do have some tough decisions to make. "I felt that as an independent member, I did not want to be involved in a transaction." Mr O'Byrne will write a letter of intent to the premier this week, which would offer confidence and supply but was not an agreement. In the last parliament, Mr O'Byrne provided Mr Rockliff with a guarantee of confidence and supply. He also voted against the successful no-confidence motion in Mr Rockliff brought on by Labor that triggered July's state election. Both major parties have spent the weeks since polling day working to secure the support of a mostly progressive crossbench. The Liberals have come in with policies including phasing out of greyhound racing and walking back a plan to open 39,000 hectares of native Tasmanian forest to 'short notice' logging. On Sunday, it announced it would halt the expansion of the controversial salmon industry in local waterways while an independent review looked into its long-term sustainability and environmental impacts. In its bid to be more palatable to the crossbench, Labor has promised to appoint long-serving upper house MLC Ruth Forrest as treasurer to repair the state's ailing budget. Mr O'Byrne acknowledged Ms Forrest as a "significant" politician whom he respected, but said having an independent upper house member as treasurer, outside the Labor caucus, would create instability. The party remained firm on its stance to not do "deals with the Greens". "Over the last two weeks, we've seen Jeremy work with the crossbench in a manner that I think is collaborative," Mr O'Byrne said. "Issues will come and go, but a working relationship, and trust and the ability to resolve issues will always be the test. And that's been my measure in these discussions. "The talks between myself and Dean [Winter] have been constructive, and I welcome those. Labor's Janie Finlay admitted the party's chance of governing "doesn't look great at the moment". "The next few days anything is possible, and Jeremy is masterful at mucking stuff up," Ms Finlay said. Labor needs the five votes of the Greens, and three out of the remaining five crossbench votes, in order to win Tuesday's parliamentary vote. Asked about Mr O'Byrne's view that the Liberals collaborate better on policy, Ms Finlay said she was "proud" of the way Tasmanian Labor had worked with the crossbench. "We're being consistent and also we're acting with integrity," she said. "When you look at the things that we have in common, we've got in common issues around budget, repair, around integrity. We've got things in common around health, particularly in the regions, things about housing." Parliament will return on Tuesday to a fresh no-confidence motion moved against Mr Rockliff's government by Labor Leader Dean Winter. The motion would need backing from the Greens, which party leader Rosalie Woodruff recently said they could not support "at this stage", due to a lack of policy compromise from Labor.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Trump is calling for peace. But how exactly do you end a war?
It took more than 150 meetings and two years before the Korean War armistice agreement was reached. The Western Sahara conflict began in the 1970s and continues today. So what does it take to end a conflict? Despite multiple rounds of peace talks and mounting international scrutiny, there doesn't appear to be an end in sight to the bloodshed in Israel-Gaza. Russia and Ukraine are caught in a similar stalemate, with the weekend's Alaskan summit between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin failing to make any inroads on peace with Kyiv. But mediators warn negotiations are "highly technical" and "incredibly difficult". And history shows it will take time, patience — and for world leaders like Mr Trump to keep applying pressure — before we will see peace. Here is a look at what happens when you get two enemies in a room, and how to guide them towards a solution. Peace talks can involve direct negotiations between warring parties or the use of a mediator. Paul Dziatkowiec is the director of mediation and peace support at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, and previously worked as an Australian diplomat for about a decade. He says mediators must be trusted by both sides and should traditionally be seen as impartial. Although that's not always the case, such as with Mr Trump. "You see the US president trying to play this kind of role, pushing and prodding and using sanctions and economic incentives to try to force a result," Mr Dziatkowiec says. Peace talks can also be extremely tense affairs, so mediators need to have a knack for keeping people calm. "Behind closed doors, there are times when [people] insult each other and swear at each other," Mr Dziatkowiec says. Mr Dziatkowiec says wars often boil down to people's "needs and fears". "This is the underlying reason for many conflicts. This is often where the solution can be found," he says. Both sides can be driven by basic things. "They're afraid for their security, they're interested in respect, dignity, economic opportunity, and a more comfortable life for their family unit, for their community," Mr Dziatkowiec says. These are just some of the levers mediators can pull when guiding negotiations. Dr Damien Kingsbury is a professor emeritus of politics and security at Deakin, and has participated in multiple peace talks. He says compromise is key. "If you come out with a 50-50 compromise, you end up with only half of what you want," he says. "But it's half of something, rather than 100 per cent of nothing." External factors can also make or break negotiations. Dr Kingsbury was an advisor at the 2005 peace talks that ended a brutal, three-decade separatist war in the Indonesian province of Aceh. He says both sides were caught in a "hurting stalemate" — a deadlock causing significant harm to each, with no clear path to victory. But by 2005, both sides were inching toward a peace deal. The Free Aceh Movement was considering dropping its demands for full independence, while in Jakarta, new Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was ready to pursue a peace deal as part of his strategy to curb the powers of the country's military. Moves towards peace were given extra impetus as the region struggled to recover from the impact of the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. "They had a willingness to be at the table and a genuine desire for some sort of resolution," Dr Kingsbury says. If there isn't "political will" for peace from the top, talks will inevitably struggle. Mr Dziatkowiec worked on the Russo-Ukrainian War for six years before Moscow's full-scale invasion in 2022, and experienced this firsthand from Russia's Vladimir Putin. "I knew if one man sitting in Moscow didn't want there to be a breakthrough, then it wouldn't matter how effective our discussions were," he says. Dr Kingsbury says while Kyiv seems genuinely interested in negotiation, Moscow doesn't appear to be. "So it may come to the table, but not be prepared to make any substantive compromises in order to find a resolution," he says. As for the Israel-Gaza conflict, Dr Kingsbury says it seems neither Israel nor Hamas is genuinely interested in a peace agreement. He says the Israeli government appears to want a "military success" against Hamas, similar to the one that ended the Sri Lankan civil war. That 26-year conflict finished after Sri Lanka's military crushed the Tamil Tigers, killing as many as 40,000 civilians in the final months. In addition to a lack of political will, Dr Kingsbury says "spoilers" can also hamper talks. These are people who continually undermine peace talks by launching military actions or politically blocking agreements. They are typically third parties, such as terrorist groups or rogue commanders, but can also cause havoc in the "main negotiating parties". Facing these kinds of barriers, Mr Dziatkowiec says some days can feel hopeless for mediators. "Your job is to be the last one that gives up," he says. This is where "private diplomacy" comes in. These are secret talks between mediators and warring parties, including people that governments are "uncomfortable talking to directly", such as terrorist or rebel groups. Mr Dziatkowiec works in this space and says unofficial talks are always happening, even if official diplomacy has been abandoned or isn't yet on the cards. "You try to find entry points, you try to find creative ways to engage and build trust and get things moving," he says. History shows that other countries can play a significant role in peace talks, but there must be sustained engagement. Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is a prime example of this. He spent months flying between Middle East capitals after the 1973 Arab-Israel war to deal with the fallout — a tenacious approach that coined the term "shuttle diplomacy". Mr Trump has an equally significant role to play in current major conflicts, according to Mr Dziatkowiec. He just needs to stay focused. The mediation expert says the US president has brought a "new energy" to negotiations and has the greatest potential to change the course of these wars. He has also shown a willingness to engage with leaders who are shunned by other Western nations, such as Mr Putin. And Mr Trump is not alone. Other countries, such as Türkiye and some Gulf states, have also tried to mediate between Russia and Ukraine. "They bring unique strengths and a fresh and nuanced approach to the table, though they don't have the same carrots and sticks as the US does," Mr Dziatkowiec says. China could also play a powerful role "if it wanted to", with Russia growing increasingly dependent on the eastern superpower as it continues to face punishing sanctions. "It could influence Putin to change course," Mr Dziatkowiec says. In the meantime, it remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will continue to provide sufficient military support for Ukraine, and the US president's tight ceasefire deadlines are concerning some. "Tight deadlines rarely bring lasting breakthroughs in these situations," Mr Dziatkowiec says. "I hope he stays committed to a genuine peacemaking role, because he could achieve big things around the world if only he is an honest broker, stays determined, and doesn't get his attention diverted."
