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Coming to you from the Situation Room, John Barron and Chas Licciardello cut through the spin as they discuss the people, policies and politics from the week in Donald Trump's second term in the White House.
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News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Musk wants to kick all residents out of this tiny Texas town
Elon Musk wants to build a city on Mars. And now, a tiny Texas town is getting a serve of what life in his personal utopia may be like. Last month, the tech billionaire took control of Boca Chicha Village, a community of about 500 people on the Lone Star State's southeastern corner. About 260 of them work for his company, SpaceX. The world's richest man has already built a launch facility there, with its Super Heavy Starship program providing regular fireworks displays over the adjoining Gulf of Mexico. Musk has already renamed the town Starbase. And he has sweeping plans for its future role as a staging point for his lofty Mars colonisation project. Musk has detailed his dream of building a massive industrial complex to churn out 500 massive rockets for launch from five adjoining launch pads by 2033. But the locals are already getting in the way. And Musk is in a hurry. 'The City is required by Texas law to notify you of the following: THE CITY OF STARBASE IS HOLDING A HEARING THAT WILL DETERMINE WHETHER YOU MAY LOSE THE RIGHT TO CONTINUE USING YOUR PROPERTY FOR ITS CURRENT USE.' So reads the first memo issued to town residents last week. Put simply, homeowners in what was a quiet beachside community until recently are facing eviction. Starbase city 'Our goal is to ensure that the zoning plan reflects the City's vision for balanced growth, protecting critical economic drivers, ensuring public safety, and preserving green spaces,' the memo reads. 'You are receiving this notice because you own the above-listed property that will be located in the 'Mixed Use District' and will be impacted if the zoning ordinance is approved.' Residents must submit any comment in writing before 3pm, June 22. The proclamation will be discussed at an open hearing the following day - three days after the SpaceX rezoning plans are revealed. It was not the outcome residents expected. Boca Chica Village was corporatised as Starbase on May 3. The small community, situated some 30km from the nearby Brownsville city, voted 212 votes for and six against accepting SpaceX's offer to turn it into a company town. A promised $15 million shopping centre, increased trade and new housing developments proved appealing. That's despite SpaceX launches causing its beach - once a popular holiday and camping destination - to be regularly evacuated for safety concerns. The town is now run by SpaceX employees and investors. Musk's rocket business already has a dominating presence. Established in 2012, its adjoining facility now draws 3400 full-time employees from the surrounding region. The Texas state government is keen to assist. It approved the commercial takeover of the town. SpaceX can now set its own standards and community statutes while ignoring local environmental regulations. (SpaceX is already facing more than $A250,000 in Environmental Protection Agency fines for illegally dumping pollutants into a local waterway). The Republican-dominated state this week amended legislation to enable SpaceX - not elected Cameron County district officials - to close the beach, surrounding roads (including a State Highway) and coastal waters at the drop of a hat. Local fishermen, indigenous communities, county officials and environmentalists oppose the move. Lofty ambitions Musk has resigned his post as Special Government Employee overseeing the Trump administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). He even swapped out of his usual 'Make America Great Again (MAGA)' shirt into an 'Occupy Mars' outfit to mark the occasion. After failing to make inroads in a promised $US1 trillion of efficiency savings and creating substantial chaos along the way, he's now waging a war of words with his former employer over the future of the US economy. That means he has more time to commit to the source of his wealth - the embattled electric vehicle company Tesla. And to his dream of leaving his worldly troubles behind. It went off with a bang. His ninth attempt to launch a prototype Starship Heavy - the 122m tall behemoth behind all his plans - last week ended in flaming pieces. But, during his three months as a public servant, Musk secured several new defence contracts for his thriving space business. And that potentially means more work for Starbase City. Musk's Florida and Texas launch facilities are already undergoing significant upgrades. Starbase City's BFR (Big F****** Rocket) production facility is getting an enormous robotic assembly plant. Components will be inserted at one end of the 'Gigabay' hangar, and a glistening new Starship Heavy will come out the giant double doors at the other. Musk has promised to send at least five of these enormous rockets to Mars in 2026. Each is supposed to carry 10 tonnes of cargo to plant a supply cache of critical components on the Red Planet's surface. By 2029, SpaceX aims to have 20 Starship Heavy's capable of carrying 75 tonnes each. The idea is to deliver the heavy vehicles and materials needed to construct a landing pad robotically. This must ramp up in 2031 when a fleet of rockets is scheduled to deliver 100 landers, each carrying 150 tonnes of prefabricated habitats, supplies - and the first human colonists. By 2033, Musk's vision is for 500 Starship Heavy's, each carrying 300 tonnes. These will surge to Mars with everything needed to build his independent, self-sustaining - corporately run - colony. Musk says he may consider boarding one of his rockets himself; 'Especially if I'm getting old, I'll do it. Why not?' However, he told a 2022 interview he was somewhat more down to Earth. 'I think there's some non-trivial chance of dying, so I'd prefer to take that chance when I'm a bit older and see my kids grow up … Rather than right now, where little X is only two-and-a-half. I think he'd miss me.' Any Martians occupying his intended landing site, however, may face eviction …
Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Only Hamas can ensure lasting peace for Gaza
Your correspondent says Donald Trump can end the war in Gaza by stopping weapons supply to Israel (Letters, June 7), but that's not true. Even if he did stop supplying weapons, and even if Israel did stop fighting as a result (which is not guaranteed), that would only temporarily halt the fighting. Hamas has been clear about its intention to keep attacking Israel 'again and again', so there is no doubt it would resume the war as soon as it felt ready and able if there was a ceasefire now. The people who can actually end the war are the Hamas leaders. They just need to accept the Israeli offer of a safe exile from Gaza if they lay down their weapons and release the hostages. Then aid flows and reconstruction of Gaza can be carried out safely. Athol Morris, Forde (ACT) Josh Szeps presents an impassioned plea for an end to the war in Gaza, calling it 'annihilation' and saying 'the claim this is a just war, being prudently prosecuted, is, at this stage, laughable'. Szeps writes 'for thousands of years, Jews have preached fairness, resilience, reason, pacifism.' These ideals are surely at odds with the continuing violation of UN resolutions by Israel building illegal settlements in the West Bank, displacing Palestinians. If the leaders of the State of Israel still cling to the ancient myth of a god-given 'promised land', a two-state solution and peaceful coexistence is improbable. Ian Ferrier, Paddington Richard Sergi writes 'Is there any legitimate reason why there is space in the world for a Jewish state but not for a Palestinian state?' (Letters, June 7). The answer is yes. Because every space for Palestinian self-governance, from Hamas ruling Gaza to Arafat ruling the West Bank, has been turned into a murderous attempt to destroy a state (Israel) rather than an attempt to build a Palestinian one. We well remember the 140 suicide bombings of the second intifada, well before the atrocities of October 7. Many were orchestrated by Marwan Barghouti, whom Szeps lauded as a moderate who should be released from Israeli jail (' It's time for Jews to abandon Israel ', June 6). There should be a Palestinian state, but only when it is used for peaceful coexistence, not as a tool for continued terrorism and destruction. Anthony Nassif, Caringbah Szeps' article briefly describes major events in Israel's modern history, lists examples of the ignorant attitudes of many anti-Zionists and touches on the rampant global antisemitism experienced by Jews since October 7. The article illustrates some harsh realities of today's Israel, or to use Szeps' term, 'actual existing Israel'. Few Jews consider the Israeli state to be flawless and many struggle with the conflicts in Gaza and the West Bank. But Szeps falls into the same negative trap as other critics. He offers no solution other than abandonment and forgets what always happens to Jews when they do not have their own state. Why does no one ask Russians to give up their homeland because of Vladimir Putin's policies? Are Americans advised to disown their country because of Donald Trump's actions? Why are Jews the only people in the world told to abandon their own state? Judy Lovas, Northbridge Bold, brave? Nah Peter Hartcher's article quotes the opportunity for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to 'craft a nation-building agenda' ('' Progressive patriot' prime minister faces his call to arms ', June 7). I doubt it. Just over one month since the election and being bold and brave is clearly not on the agenda. Firstly, there was the decision to extend Woodside's North-West Shelf gas licence, which flies in the face of Labor's clean energy credentials. Then we had the recruitment of Dorinda Cox, who is on the record opposing the Woodside decision, has been openly scathing of Labor and has allegations of workplace bullying hanging over her. Yet these can be parked aside if it means gaining another vote in the Senate. All we need now is for the PM to don a green and gold tracksuit, adopt a daily walking routine and Labor's transformation to Liberal-lite will be complete. Mike Kenneally, Manly Too right, Tim The election of Tim Wilson for the Liberals has implications for the future of the party (' Welcome to Tim Town ' June 7). His admiration of the Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and Milton Friedman theories of economics means he believes business has little or no responsibility for the welfare of people in society. The policies of Reagan and Thatcher both ensured the rich benefited greatly, to the detriment of the poor and the trade unions, while Friedman makes it quite plain that business has no social responsibility other than to shareholders. This is not the direction the average Australian wants us to take, and while we all want our business community to thrive, we certainly don't want it to think only about making a profit. The businesses that look after their workers and their broader community will always do well. Wilson needs to make sure his economic theories align with what the Australian community wants, or the Liberal Party will continue to be irrelevant. Bruce Thompson, Long Jetty Tim Wilson should savour the limelight while it lasts. After all, it wasn't exactly a resounding victory. It's very likely to come to an end in three years' time, considering his fierce commitment to nuclear power and his overbearing attitude. Cutthroat tactics may have won him a second chance this time, but such behaviour is a turn-off for voters. Graham Lum, North Rocks Blot on the landscape What great news that the AMP building has been preserved (' New life for city's first skyscraper ', June 7). Unfortunately, the view from Sydney's first modernist sky-scraper is marred by the inclusion of a marine monstrosity – a cruise ship. Not only does it detract from the view of Circular Quay and the harbour, it also obscures the historical waterfront precinct of Campbell Stores at West Circular Quay. Moreover, the presence of a cruise ship berthed at Circular Quay almost completely fills the harbour view from the Opera House. Perhaps the reopening of the AMP building can be an opportunity to discuss the removal of the blot on the landscape that is the cruise terminal. Patricia Farrar, Concord School lessons One thing former premier Nick Greiner got right was the establishment of the ICAC. And what a pleasure it has been to read of the investigation into the boys' club that ran School Infrastructure, led by Anthony Manning (' Inside the ICAC probe into School Infrastructure ', June 7). It is probably safe to say there are more than a few education officials who are taking a great deal of pleasure from Michael McGowan and Lucy Carroll's reporting of the inquiry. Well done, The Sydney Morning Herald. Wayne Eade, Mudgee City slicker What does correspondent Bruce Clydesdale, who wrote that the nation's wealth is spent but not created in our cities, think city people do in the labour market (Letters, June 7)? I suggest he has a look at some export figures from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Although I agree that mining is by far our largest export, he will find that education, travel and professional services clearly earn far more export dollars than agricultural production does. While I appreciate the labour that goes into producing my food, I hope he also values the contribution education and research, for example, make to the country's living standards. Sue Hempel, Northmead Dog box Malcolm Knox has hit the nail on the head regarding so many dog owners (' Our dogs have a human problem, and it's becoming a pet hate ', June 7). I worked in the dog training industry for many years and I can confirm there are no bad dogs, only bad owners. I can't recall how many times I have been to help an owner with a dog, only to go back for a follow-up for them to say they've been 'too busy' or 'too something' to train the dog, whereupon it's relegated to the backyard. A dog is a product of its genetics, training and environment, and if you can't manage the last two you shouldn't have a dog. Dog bless! Carolyn Brown, Lindfield 'It's not the breed but the training', is a common excuse for bad dog behaviour. Of course bad owners do raise antisocial dogs, but there is another factor at play. My part beagle once pounced on a rat in the house, shook it violently and broke its neck, killing it in seconds. Now, no one taught him how to do that, it was innate, the result of hundreds of years of selective breeding (by us humans). The majority of serious injuries inflicted by dogs are those large breeds that were bred specifically for violence; guard dogs, hunting dogs and fighting dogs, those that your columnist notes are jamming the dog rescue centres. Having a bit of poo on your shoes and being fatally mauled are worlds apart. Lions and bears are also trainable, but we don't keep them as pets. We shouldn't keep these types of dogs, either. David Ramsay, Bexley Malcolm Knox reminding readers that the dog behaviour problem is really a human behaviour problem reminds me of the response from a vet to a request from radio host Frank Crook some years ago, to account for the bad behaviour of some dogs. The root cause, he said, was DMIO syndrome, which vets see quite a lot. 'Can you explain?' asks Frank. 'Yes Frank, dog more intelligent than owner.' Ray Morgan, Maroubra Ring my bell Brian Barrett raised the topic of noise complaints (Letters, June 8). I live kitty-corner from a church whose bells ring loud and clear for services, weddings, and funerals. As a non-religious neighbour, and noise sensitive, I am an unlikely defender of church bells. The bells ring out as community punctuation marks, reminding us we share this neighbourhood. I find them calming and I'll take ceremonial bell-ringing over 3am drunk backpacker serenades any day. At least the bells have the courtesy to keep banker's hours. Maybe we need more sounds that connect us to our neighbours, not fewer. Cathy Hoyle, North Bondi Beef stew I have a beef with those who would import meat from the USA, but equally with those who export to it (' Albanese to put beef on the table in Trump trade talks ', June 7). The USA and Australia are obviously producing beef excess to domestic requirements. Beef is a product that can be frozen, so it's not as though there is a seasonal requirement. Let's face it, the economics of exporting our beef to America is not related to more efficient farming or abattoir methods, but the value of the Australian dollar. Regardless, it is completely unethical for shiploads or planeloads of beef to be passing each other while crossing the Pacific. Neil Reckord, Gordon (ACT) Your correspondents on American beef overlook the issue of price (Letters, June 7). I understand that Yankee beef will be more expensive than our own, thereby giving consumers another reason to give it a big miss. If I've got that right then bring it on. Never stand in the way of an impending failure. Craig Forbes, Lewisham Bad friendship Nothing illustrates the decaying heart of the Liberal Party better than Michael Bachelard and Max Maddison's expose of the Exclusive Brethren and their attempts to influence our recent federal election. This group's disturbingly elitist and misogynist 'values' should be antithesis to any party with a shred of decency. Phil Bradshaw, Naremburn Hairy old codgers I chuckled when reading about retired judge Peter Graham being tasked with rewriting the NSW Liberal Party rules (' He stopped women joining the Australian Club. Now he's rewriting the NSW Liberals' rules ', June 7). His criteria for woman possibly joining the Australia Club was a hoot. I recommend that he and the Coalition view the 'women know your limits' gif that's doing the rounds – the only danger being that they might take it seriously. Neil Craddock, Wollongong As a member of the octogenarian club I am bemused that the best the Liberal Party can do to solve its 'women problem' is to recruit three old codgers like myself to do the job. Surely the party has, as Paul Keating once put it, some young codgers that could do a better job. Gordon Lambert, Kiama Downs Your correspondent Kate Coates has suggested that the way to get ahead in the Liberal Party is to have a set of bushy eyebrows like Alan Stockdale or Robert Menzies. She might also have mentioned John Howard, whose eyebrows kept him in power for eleven years. Poor old Peter Dutton, on the other hand, had nothing much to show and lost badly. Bruce Johnson, Lakewood I laughed aloud at Kate Coates letter on Mr Alan Stockdales 'eyebrowage'. Combined with his statements on assertive women, I guess he's now Mr Laughingstock Dale. Lynne Poleson, Kingsford Dog house The attempt to use Rosehill racecourse land for housing failed. Could the area used for dog racing at Dapto be put to use to build low-cost housing (' Last lap at Dapto ', June 7) It's time this state was rid of the cruel sport and all its venues repurposed. Stephanie Edwards, Leichhardt Space-ex So ends the White House Muskquerade. And as for the bromance, Elon is definitely now the X. Doug Walker, Baulkham Hills
West Australian
2 hours ago
- West Australian
Rwanda quits Central African bloc in dispute with Congo
Rwanda says it will withdraw from the Economic Community of Central African States, underscoring diplomatic tensions in the region over an offensive by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo. Kigali had expected to assume the chairmanship of the 11-member bloc at a meeting on Saturday in Equatorial Guinea. Instead, the bloc kept Equatorial Guinea in the role, which Rwanda's foreign ministry denounced as a violation of its rights. Rwanda, in a statement, condemned Congo's "instrumentalisation" of the bloc and saw "no justification for remaining in an organisation whose current functioning runs counter to its founding principles". It wasn't clear if Rwanda's exit from the bloc would take immediate effect. The office of Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said in a statement that bloc members had "acknowledged the aggression against the Democratic Republic of Congo by Rwanda and ordered the aggressor country to withdraw its troops from Congolese soil". M23 seized eastern Congo's two largest cities earlier this year, with the advance leaving thousands dead and raising concerns of an all-out regional war. African leaders, along with Washington and Doha, have been trying to broker a peace deal. Congo, the United Nations and Western powers accuse Rwanda of supporting M23 by sending troops and weapons. Rwanda has long denied helping M23, saying its forces were acting in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide that killed about one million people, mostly ethnic Tutsis. US President Donald Trump's administration hopes to strike a peace accord between Congo and Rwanda that would also facilitate billions in Western investment in the region, rich in minerals including tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper and lithium. The bloc was established in the 1980s to foster co-operation in areas such as security and economic affairs among its member states.
