Trump calls his own supporters 'stupid people' over Epstein files
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sydney Morning Herald
14 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump's fury at India leaves Albanese in a tight spot
Australia is facing a tough choice about whether to line up with Donald Trump on a global flashpoint – but this time the argument is not about trade, Gaza or defence spending. The argument is about Russian oil worth about $10 billion, and how Australia buys it from India. The US president is punishing India with steep tariffs because he blames the country for making big profits from Russian oil. India has hit back, saying it will safeguard its national interest against his 'unjustified and unreasonable' claims. The dispute is creating a huge gulf between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the two had claimed to be great friends. The leaders are also meant to be partners in the Quad group with Australia and Japan, so the rift erodes a strategic friendship. There will be an enormous price to pay for this rift if Trump's abrasive approach unravels the effort to draw India into the Quad as a friend in the Indo-Pacific, when it has always seen itself as a non-aligned nation. But Trump is right: India is making money from Russian oil. And Australia cannot look away because some of that oil makes its way to diesel and petrol bowsers across the country. This reality shatters some of the political platitudes about the sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. While it is true that Australia and others have frozen Russian assets and targeted individuals with sanctions, the oil trade has been hard to stop. Here is how it works: Russia ships the oil to Indian refineries, gaining hard currency to help fund the war in Ukraine. The refineries, including the giant Jamnagar facility in Gujarat, ship diesel, petrol and aviation fuel to the world. Australia is a willing customer.
Sydney Morning Herald
14 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
A look inside the seized Russian $500 million super yacht that is up for sale
The United States is auctioning off the $US325 million ($500 million) yacht Amadea, its first sale of a seized Russian luxury ship since the start of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. The auction, which closes September 10, comes as President Donald Trump seeks to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war. The US has said it's working with allies to put pressure on Russian oligarchs, some of whom are close to Putin and have had their yachts seized, to try to compel him to stop the war. The 106-metre-long yacht, seized three years ago and currently docked in San Diego, was custom-built by the German company Lürssen in 2017. Designed by François Zuretti, the yacht features an interior with extensive marble work, eight state rooms, a beauty salon, a spa, a gym, a helipad, a swimming pool and an elevator. It accommodates 16 guests and 36 crew members. Determining the real ownership of the Amadea has been an issue of contention because of an opaque trail of trusts and shell companies. The yacht is registered in the Cayman Islands and is owned by Millemarin, also based in the Cayman Islands. The US contends that billionaire Suleiman Kerimov, an economist and former Russian politician, who was sanctioned by the US in 2018 for alleged money laundering, owns the yacht. Meanwhile, Eduard Khudainatov, a former chairman and chief executive of the state-controlled Russian oil and gas company Rosneft, who has not been sanctioned, claims to own it. US prosecutors say Khudainatov is a straw owner of the yacht, intended to conceal the yacht's true owner, Kerimov. Litigation over the true ownership of the yacht is ongoing. A representative of Khudainatov said in an emailed statement on Wednesday that the planned sale of the yacht is 'improper and premature' since Khudainatov is appealing a forfeiture ruling. 'We doubt it will attract any rational buyer at fair market price, because ownership can, and will, be challenged in courts outside the United States, exposing purchasers to years of costly, uncertain litigation,' said the representative, Adam Ford.
The Age
14 minutes ago
- The Age
Trump's fury at India leaves Albanese in a tight spot
Australia is facing a tough choice about whether to line up with Donald Trump on a global flashpoint – but this time the argument is not about trade, Gaza or defence spending. The argument is about Russian oil worth about $10 billion, and how Australia buys it from India. The US president is punishing India with steep tariffs because he blames the country for making big profits from Russian oil. India has hit back, saying it will safeguard its national interest against his 'unjustified and unreasonable' claims. The dispute is creating a huge gulf between Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, after the two had claimed to be great friends. The leaders are also meant to be partners in the Quad group with Australia and Japan, so the rift erodes a strategic friendship. There will be an enormous price to pay for this rift if Trump's abrasive approach unravels the effort to draw India into the Quad as a friend in the Indo-Pacific, when it has always seen itself as a non-aligned nation. But Trump is right: India is making money from Russian oil. And Australia cannot look away because some of that oil makes its way to diesel and petrol bowsers across the country. This reality shatters some of the political platitudes about the sanctions imposed on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. While it is true that Australia and others have frozen Russian assets and targeted individuals with sanctions, the oil trade has been hard to stop. Here is how it works: Russia ships the oil to Indian refineries, gaining hard currency to help fund the war in Ukraine. The refineries, including the giant Jamnagar facility in Gujarat, ship diesel, petrol and aviation fuel to the world. Australia is a willing customer.
