Latest news with #TaniaSafi
SBS Australia
a day ago
- Politics
- SBS Australia
Israeli army boards activist aid ship
Israeli army boards activist flotilla with Greta Thunberg aboard Sarah Snook scores Tony Award for Dorian Gray Maroons coach cuts captain Cherry-Evans from Origin game two Activists say Israeli troops have boarded a ship trying to bring a symbolic amount of aid to Gaza - with the aim of raising awareness of humanitarian crisis. In a statement, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition says they have lost connection with the ship, shortly after it was boarded by the Israeli army. Speaking to SBS Arabic, Australian Palestinian activist Tania Safi, who is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, questioned the Australian government's response. "I think the biggest question to ask is: Why do we live in a world where sending humanitarian aid to a genocided population of starving people is such a risk. It shouldn't be. Why our government who have all the resources in the world not intervening firstly by stopping the genocide from happening in the first place and by sanctioning Israel." The activists on board the ship include climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and national citizens from Germany, France, Brazil, Turkey, Sweden, Spain and the Netherlands. Israeli Defence Minister, Israel Katz earlier announced that Israel wouldn't allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has expressed solidarity with the Mexican community in the United States, after raids by immigration authorities in the Los Angeles area. National Guard units deployed to Los Angeles by President Donald Trump have used tear gas to force back protesters in Los Angeles. The protests started on Friday and has since spread to other locations, after US Immigration and Customs Enforcement made more than 100 arrests during raids in the city in one week. Ms Sheinbaum has defended Mexican migrants living in America, following reports that 35 of those detained are Mexican nationals. "Mexican men and women living in the United States are good people, honest people who went to the United States to seek a better life for themselves and to contribute to their families. They are not criminals; they are good, honest men and women. They have the full solidarity of their government." Citing a rarely used law, President Donald Trump has bypassed California's governor Gavin Newsom, and ordered 2-thousand national guard troops to Los Angeles for 60 days. It is the first time a president has called in the National Guard without a state's request or consent since 1965. Former prime minister Scott Morrison says he is honoured and grateful to have been appointed to Australia's highest civilian honour. He is one of 14 people appointed as a Companion of the Order of Australia in the annual King's Birthday Honours List, along with filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and Oscar-winning costume designer Catherine Martin. Every former prime minister has been appointed the title in the honours list since their inception in 1975, with the exception of Paul Keating, who turned it down. Mr Morrison says he is proud to accept the honour. "I am very humbled by the recognition and thankful to the Australian people who gave me the opportunity to serve as Prime Minister during one of the most difficult periods in Australia's history. Everything from natural disasters to the COVID-19 pandemic, the recession it caused. The threats we faced in the Indo-Pacific and the assertions and coercions of China - and our response to that. But through all of that, the Australian people were absolutely amazing." Britain's Prince of Wales has called for urgent global action to protect oceans, saying the clock is ticking. The remarks come ahead of the third United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice amid a growing global push to protect 30 per cent of the ocean by 2030 — a goal endorsed by more than 190 countries. Prince William says he believes urgency and optimism have the power to bring about the action needed. "Healthy oceans are essential to all life on Earth. They generate half of the world's oxygen, regulate our climate, and provide food for more than 3 billion people and today they need our help. Rising sea temperatures, plastic pollution and overfishing are putting pressure on these fragile ecosystems. We all stand to be impacted, and we are all responsible for change. There remains time to turn this tide." Prince William also praised environmentalist Sir David Attenborough's latest documentary, "Ocean with David Attenborough", describing it as the most compelling argument for immediate action he has ever seen. The documentary includes never-before-seen footage of mass coral bleaching, dwindling fish stocks and industrial-scale exploitation, which reveal just how vulnerable the sea has become. Australian actress Sarah Snook has been awarded Best Actress at the Tony Awards, for her role in the Broadway play, Dorian Gray. Industry veterans have called the performance, in which she plays all 26 characters, groundbreaking and extraordinary. 'Thank you so so much for this. This means so much for a little Australian girl to be here on Broadway. Thank you to my incredible team - Billy, Scott and Jenny and Ben; and just everybody on stage. It is billed as a one-person show and I don't feel alone any night that I do this show. There are so many people on stage making it work. And so many people behind the stage making it work." The Adelaide-born actress has previously won a prestigious Olivier Award for the performance, with the production originally produced by the Sydney Theatre Company before it went overseas. The play has been nominated six times at this Tony Awards, with Australians including director Kip Williams also up for a prize. To sport and In the NRL, Daly Cherry-Evans has been dropped from Queensland's starting line-up for State of Origin game two set for Wednesday week. Billy Slater has become the first Queensland coach to drop a Maroons [[muh-ROHNs]] skipper mid-series since Trevor Gillmeister in 1996. Beau Fermor has also been dropped from the team, with new additions to include Kurt Capewell, Corey Horsburgh, Jack Howarth and Ezra Mam. NRL legend Cameron Smith told Channel Nine, it's a huge announcement. "It will be unfortunate for Daly to finish his Origin career this way. But I think there has been calls for change for this Queensland side. They were way below their best in game one. You know, I think the coach, Billy Slater - he is looking to make a bit of an impact with this second game because it is do or die for Queensland." The squad for the Blues will be announced later today.
Sydney Morning Herald
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
All aboard Gaza aid flotilla confirmed safe after NGO reports drone attack
Valletta: A ship carrying humanitarian aid and activists heading for Gaza was bombed by drones while in international waters off Malta early on Friday, The Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an international NGO said. It uploaded video footage showing a fire on one of its ships but did not indicate who could have been responsible for the attack. The Maltese government said in a statement late on Friday that everyone on board was 'confirmed safe'. 'The vessel had 12 crew members on board and four civilian passengers; no casualties were reported,' the statement said, adding that a nearby tug had been directed to aid the vessel. 'The tug arrived on scene and began firefighting operations. By 1.28am, the fire was reported under control. An Armed Forces of Malta patrol vessel was also dispatched to provide further assistance,' the government said. 'By 2.13am, all crew were confirmed safe but refused to board the tug ... The ship remains outside territorial waters and is being monitored by the competent authorities.' The ship issued an SOS distress call after being hit 31.5 kilometres east of Malta, to which Cyprus responded by dispatching a vessel, the charity said. 'The drone attack appears to have specifically targeted the ship's generator, and the vessel is now at risk of sinking with 30 international human rights activists on board,' the NGO said in a social media post. Australian Tania Safi, one of four Australian activists who had been preparing to board the ship in Malta and journey to Gaza, expressed deep concern over the safety of those aboard the vessel. They revealed that the last update received indicated that the fire on board had been extinguished, but the ship was still 'filling with water very quickly.'
