Nigel Farage applauds Elon Musk for Starlink satellites over oppressed Iran
Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage discusses the potential overthrowing of the 40-year long Iranian regime and the role billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink program is playing.
'Iran has had the most brutal … regime now in place for over 40 years, the Persian people have been utterly suppressed and many of their best people of course have left the country,' Mr Farage told Sky News host Paul Murray.
'I think this regime is really, really vulnerable, I think whatever happens over the next couple of weeks could see the overthrow of this regime., I notice Elon Musk has turned Starlink on in Iran, so the opposition groups can quite comfortably talk to each other'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
‘Humiliation': Andrew Bolt warns Anthony Albanese snubbing by Trump to have serious consequences for Australia
Sky News host Andrew Bolt has warned Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's public snubbing at the G7 summit could be a "disaster" for Australia, with a key discussion on the future of the AUKUS security pact off the cards for now. The Prime Minister was ready to talk with Donald Trump at the summit in Canada before it was announced the United States President would be leaving early, citing an escalating situation in the Middle East. Key issues including AUKUS, which is under review by the US, and US tariffs on Australian exports were expected to be covered in the now-cancelled opportunity for a bilateral meeting between the two countries. Sky News understands the Prime Minister was blindsided by the US President's sudden departure plans. Bolt blasted Mr Albanese for the snub on Monday night as he outlined consequences he says Australia now faces in its aftermath. "Humiliation for a Prime Minister, who has no personal connection with US President Donald Trump, who has rejected Trump's demands for more defence spending and, big surprise, now gets treated like dirt," Bolt said on Tuesday night. Leaders of G7 countries have affirmed their support for Israel's right to self-defence and called out Iran for instability in the region in a joint statement, while Foreign Minister Penny Wong last week urged for both Israel and Iran to exercise "restraint". Bolt said he thought the Albanese government's stance on the conflict so far "might be another reason for Trump not to care what Albanese thinks." The host also cautioned that the cancelled opportunity for the Prime Minister to discuss AUKUS with Mr Trump could be a "disaster" for Australia's security. "It leaves us in even more danger of losing our submarine fleet, just when the threat from China makes that absolutely critical that we don't," Bolt said. "Albanese was counting on his first meeting with Trump to raise two issues, in particular, Trump's new tariffs on our exports, to ask Trump to give us a break. But most important was to ask him to respect the AUKUS deal... and sell us three of its nuclear submarines to replace our very old diesel ones." "Without those American subs, we could have nothing fit to use in the next decade to protect our sea lanes just when China is threatening war." Shadow assistant competition minister and Australia's former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma has labelled the Prime Minister's snubbing an 'abject failure of Australian diplomacy'. He told Sky News Host Chris Kenny on Tuesday evening 'nearly every other world leader,' has visited Trump in Washington in recent months apart from Mr Albanese. 'Unlike every other world leader or nearly every other world leader who's made their way to Washington over the past six months... Anthony Albanese has not gone,' Mr Shama told Sky News Host Chris Kenny on Tuesday. 'He'd put everything, betting everything on this meeting to try and get us out of punitive tariffs, to try and secure the AUKUS agreement, and now it hasn't happened, and we're left flat-footed.' Opposition Leader Sussan Ley has urged the Prime Minister to be "more proactive" in his efforts to strengthen the relationship between Australia the US following Trump's early departure from the summit. 'This was an important opportunity for the Prime Minister to seek assurances on AUKUS and protect Australia from tariffs,' she said.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
Donald Trump snubbing Anthony Albanese wake up call to 'get our house in order', US Studies Centre's John Kunkel declares
United States President Donald Trump abruptly leaving the G7 Summit and ditching a meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese amid escalating conflict between Iran and Israel was a wake up call for Australia to 'get our house in order'. That is the assessment of the US Studies Centre's senior economics adviser John Kunkel after President Trump and Mr Albanese's highly anticipated meeting was abruptly cancelled. Mr Albanese's bilateral meeting was scheduled to take place on Tuesday local time, but the US President instead left the summit on Monday night. The two leaders were poised to discuss the AUKUS agreement alongside President Trump's sweeping tariff regime and the possibility of Australia securing an exemption from levies on steel, aluminium and beef. Mr Kunkel joined Sky News' Business Editor Ross Greenwood and pointed out dealing with the escalating conflict in the Middle East was far more important than meeting the Australian Prime Minister. 'Prime Minister Albanese is a realist. He'll take that on at face value,' he told Business Now. 'I think really what it underscores is we've got a lot of work to do back in our own country in getting our house in order.' Mr Kunkel highlighted low levels of productivity, poor fiscal growth and Australia's defence spending, which US officials have urged to rise to five per cent of GDP to counter the threat of China. 'There's an awful lot for us to be getting on with,' Mr Kunkel said. 'The Prime Minister had a big election win. There's a productivity round table coming up. 'I suggest we take this opportunity to come back and actually look at the context in which we are now operating internationally. 'We do need to be more competitive.' Australia's economy is heading back towards per capita recession territory - consecutive quarters where population growth outpaces economic growth - with growth slumping to just 0.2 per cent in the March quarter while the population increased by 0.4 per cent. The nation was in a per capita recession for 21 months before the economy picked up in the December 2024 quarter. Deloitte Access Economics partner Stephen Smith said the GDP figures showed the need for a boost of business investment to charge Australia's growth. "While household spending and housing construction growth both noticeably improved in the March quarter, soft business investment growth indicates an ongoing lack of spark in private sector activity," he said in a statement. "Business investment is crucial to lifting productivity and sustainably growing the economy. "That is why it is important to ensure policy settings are optimised for economic growth."
AU Financial Review
an hour ago
- AU Financial Review
ASX to open lower; Wall Street sinks as Trump threatens Iran
Australian shares are poised to open lower as Wall Street took fright from an escalation of the Israel-Iran conflict with Donald Trump demanding 'unconditional surrender' from Iran. The S&P was down nearly 1% and oil rose. West Texas Intermediate rose over $US74 a barrel. Weak economic data from the US also weighed on investors. Retail sales fell for a second straight month, suggesting anxiety over tariffs and their finances prompted consumers to pull back after an early-year spending rush. Industrial production also dropped as utility output declined and manufacturers struggled for traction against a backdrop of cooler demand. Confidence among US homebuilders hit the lowest since December 2022. 'Investors should still expect some volatility in economic data due to lingering effects of trade policy,' said Bret Kenwell at eToro. 'The economy and the consumer are holding up for now, but there are signs of vulnerability. That could present risks in the second half of the year — particularly if we see a further slowdown in jobs or spending.' Market highlights ASX futures are pointing down 32 points or -0.4 per cent to 8513 All US prices are as of 1.30pm New York time. Today's agenda This morning sees the release of the Westpac-MI leading index at 10.30am. There will also be New Zealand consumer confidence and trade deficit data. Overseas, the Euro zone and Britain will both issue CPI data at 7pm. The US Federal Reserve rates decision comes in the early hours of Thursday. Top stories 'He's an easy target': Trump taunts Iranian leader, demands surrender | Donald Trump said the US knew where Iranian leader Ali Khamenei was hiding and would not kill him 'for now', crushing any hope of a truce between Israel and Iran. Chalmers opens door to tax changes for budget repair | Treasurer Jim Chalmers has admitted the federal budget is unsustainable, flagging potential tax changes beyond superannuation. Waislitz offered townhouses to settle with future sister-in-law | The billionaire attempted to settle a long-running dispute with his future sister-in-law six months after she launched her legal claim. | Canva co-founder Cameron Adams says the tech giant has about 240 million monthly active users but only 10 per cent pay, as it finalises another acquisition.
