Officer describes Gaza as ‘apocalyptic'
Belgium, along with several other European and Arab nations, has restarted air drop missions as Israel maintains its blockade of the strip.
The UN has criticised the aid drops as inefficient and dangerous to residents, calling on Israel to allow aid trucks to enter Gaza.
The Lieutenant Colonel described the situation there as almost 'apocalyptic'.
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The Age
18 minutes ago
- The Age
Australia news LIVE: Netanyahu blasts ‘weak' Albanese; Trump rules out US troops in Ukraine
Posts area Latest posts Latest posts 6.59am Netanyahu criticised for 'disappointing' Albanese remark By Daniel Lo Surdo Housing Minister Clare O'Neil has hit out at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's scathing remarks about Anthony Albanese, in which he called the Australian PM a 'weak' politician who has 'betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews'. O'Neil said Netanyahu's comments were 'disappointing', finding that Albanese was 'unfailingly polite' in his dealings with his international counterparts. 'The Australian government is not going to get into a tit-for-tat here,' O'Neil told Seven's Sunrise. 'I know the Israeli prime minister has had similar things to say about other global leaders with whom he has a disagreement. This kind of diplomacy is never effective and that's why the Australian government doesn't engage.' 6.49am Ukrainian ambassador 'cautiously optimistic' of peace By Daniel Lo Surdo Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has indicated he is 'cautiously optimistic' about the prospect of peace between Ukraine and Russia, as arrangements for peace talks between the nations' leaders and US President Donald Trump are advanced following the visit of a high-powered European delegation to the White House yesterday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is open to meeting Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to advance discussions to end the war, but has refused calls to cede land to Russia and has called for security guarantees from allied nations to prevent further Russian aggression following the conclusion of the current conflict. Myroshnychenko praised Trump's efforts to advance peace between Russia and Ukraine, but cast doubt about Russia's willingness to partake in fair negotiations to end the war. 'I'm cautiously optimistic because I've seen it all in three and a half years, and we don't know what's going to happen,' Myroshnychenko told Nine's Today. 'What's important for us is how can we achieve security guarantees, which would deter a Russian invasion three years from now or later on.' 6.33am Trump rules out deployment of US troops in Ukraine deal By David Crowe President Donald Trump has ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine in a potential peace deal with Russia, placing a strict limit on America's role and putting the onus on European nations to enforce any truce. Trump offered US Air Force support to the peace plan but assured American voters he would not put 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine – a key issue for those in his MAGA movement who oppose a bigger commitment to the European war. The comment came a day after Trump left the option open when asked twice if he would send ground troops, signalling the caution in the White House about how to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin honours any peace deal. 6.29am What's making news today By Daniel Lo Surdo Hello and welcome to the national news blog. My name is Daniel Lo Surdo, and I'll be helming our live coverage this morning. Here's what is making news today: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has admonished Anthony Albanese as a 'weak politician' who has 'betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews' in a stunning personal rebuke that has deepened the deteriorating diplomatic relationship between the two nations. The remarks follow Australia's decision to reject the visa application of a right-wing Israeli politician, which triggered Israel to revoke the visas of Australian diplomats in the occupied Palestinian territories. President Donald Trump has ruled out US troops being deployed to Ukraine as part of any peace agreement with Russia, one day after he welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a high-powered European delegation to the White House. Trump said Ukraine's aspirations to join the NATO military alliance and the return of Crimea, seized by Russian forces in 2014, were 'impossible', ahead of a proposed meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The federal government's economic reform roundtable will continue in Canberra today, after a first day of discussions largely hailed as productive by government, business and union leaders on Tuesday. Independent MP Allegra Spender said the roundtable had agreed on the importance of training workers to adapt to emerging technologies, including AI, with Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black calling the conversations 'really quite constructive'.
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Australia news LIVE: Netanyahu blasts ‘weak' Albanese; Trump rules out US troops in Ukraine
Posts area Latest posts Latest posts 6.49am Ukrainian ambassador 'cautiously optimistic' of peace By Daniel Lo Surdo Ukrainian ambassador to Australia Vasyl Myroshnychenko has indicated he is 'cautiously optimistic' about the prospect of peace between Ukraine and Russia, as arrangements for peace talks between the nations' leaders and US President Donald Trump are advanced following the visit of a high-powered European delegation to the White House yesterday. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said he is open to meeting Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to advance discussions to end the war, but has refused calls to cede land to Russia and has called for security guarantees from allied nations to prevent further Russian aggression following the conclusion of the current conflict. Myroshnychenko praised Trump's efforts to advance peace between Russia and Ukraine, but cast doubt about Russia's willingness to partake in fair negotiations to end the war. 'I'm cautiously optimistic because I've seen it all in three and a half years, and we don't know what's going to happen,' Myroshnychenko told Nine's Today. 'What's important for us is how can we achieve security guarantees, which would deter a Russian invasion three years from now or later on.' 6.33am Trump rules out deployment of US troops in Ukraine deal By David Crowe President Donald Trump has ruled out sending US troops to Ukraine in a potential peace deal with Russia, placing a strict limit on America's role and putting the onus on European nations to enforce any truce. Trump offered US Air Force support to the peace plan but assured American voters he would not put 'boots on the ground' in Ukraine – a key issue for those in his MAGA movement who oppose a bigger commitment to the European war. The comment came a day after Trump left the option open when asked twice if he would send ground troops, signalling the caution in the White House about how to ensure Russian President Vladimir Putin honours any peace deal. 6.29am By Daniel Lo Surdo Hello and welcome to the national news blog. My name is Daniel Lo Surdo, and I'll be helming our live coverage this morning. Here's what is making news today: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has admonished Anthony Albanese as a 'weak politician' who has 'betrayed Israel and abandoned Australia's Jews' in a stunning personal rebuke that has deepened the deteriorating diplomatic relationship between the two nations. The remarks follow Australia's decision to reject the visa application of a right-wing Israeli politician, which triggered Israel to revoke the visas of Australian diplomats in the occupied Palestinian territories in a retaliatory gesture against Canberra. President Donald Trump has ruled out US troops being deployed to Ukraine as part of any peace agreement with Russia, one day after he welcomed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and a high-powered European delegation to the White House. Trump said that Ukraine's aspirations to join the NATO military alliance and getting back Crimea, seized by Russian forces in 2014, were 'impossible', ahead of a proposed meeting between Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The federal government's economic reform roundtable will continue in Canberra today, after a first day of discussions largely hailed as productive by government, business and union leaders on Tuesday. Independent MP Allegra Spender said the roundtable had agreed on the importance of training workers to adapt to emerging technologies including AI, with Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black calling the conversations 'really quite constructive'.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
First, the calculated flattery. Then three big signals about the future of Europe
There is no limit to the amount of praise Donald Trump can soak up – and eight European leaders just proved it. The visitors to the White House made sure to soften the American president with a jumbo pack of soft soap to guard against an angry clash that might wreck their hopes. The flattery was lavish but necessary. Europe cannot rely on Trump, but it cannot afford to antagonise him. And it will only face bigger dangers if he is fooled by honeyed words from Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky needed the seven allies with him in the room. This was smart diplomacy by the major European democracies, and it gave Trump what he craves: more spectacle, more attention, and more praise. Once the meeting was over, with its inconclusive outcome, the praise flowed again because the Europeans wanted to remind everyone of Trump's promises. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, for instance, thanked him for a clear commitment to ensuring Ukrainian children are reunited with their loved ones. Loading The Europeans had to use their gratitude to try to hold the American president to his own words. This dynamic revealed what the meeting so clearly lacked: a shared resolve about what should come next. There was no collective statement because there was no collective will. Trump listened to the visitors, but he was not one of them. In theory, he was an ally under the NATO pact. In fact, he felt he was doing them a favour by getting involved.
