A plan for a Ukraine peacekeeping force plan moves to the operational phase; Israeli airstrikes on Gaza kill at least nine Palestinians, including three journalists; Gout Gout wins another title at the Queensland Athletics Championships.
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TRANSCRIPT
- A plan for a Ukraine peacekeeping force plan moves to the operational phase
- Israeli airstrikes on Gaza kill at least nine Palestinians, including three journalists
- Gout Gout wins another title at the Queensland Athletics Championships
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Western allies other than the United States are stepping up preparations to support Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia, moving to what he calls the operational phase.
Mr Starmer made the announcement after hosting a joint online meeting aimed at putting more pressure on Russia - and attended by about 25 world leaders, including Australia.
He says defence chiefs will meet in coming days to firm up plans to support Ukraine in the event a peace deal was struck with Russia.
"Our militaries will meet on Thursday this week here in the United Kingdom to put strong, robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine's future security. President Trump has offered Putin the way forward to a lasting peace. Now we must make this a reality. So this is the moment to keep driving towards the outcome that we want to see to end the killing. A just and lasting peace in Ukraine and lasting security for all of us."
At least nine Palestinians have been killed, including local journalists, in an Israeli air strike on a northern Gaza town.
The Palestinian Journalists’ Protection Center says three Palestinian journalists who were documenting aid distribution are among those killed.
Gaza health officials say several people are critically injured after the air strike hit a car.
Witnesses and fellow journalists say the people in the car were on a mission for a charity called Al-Khair Foundation, and they were accompanied by journalists and photographers when the strike hit them.
Mohamed Al-Tannany says he did what he could to help those injured.
"We were working, then we saw the firing of a rocket. Some people were killed and others were injured and we came to the hospital, we transferred them."
The incident comes Hamas' leaders hold Gaza ceasefire talks with mediators in Cairo.
The Israeli military said it struck two people operating a drone that - according to the army - posed a threat to soldiers in the area.
Hamas in a statement called the attack a serious escalation showing Israel’s attempts to sabotage any opportunity to implement the ceasefire agreement.
In the United States, Pro-Palestinian protestors at Columbia University could soon be facing terrorism charges, as the Justice Department accuses some students of supporting Hamas.
The Trump Administration says it's part of a crackdown on antisemitism, with two students who led protests against Israel's actions in Gaza arrested already.
Mahmoud Khalil and Leqaa Kordia were taken into custody by Immigration and Customs Enforcement this week.
University dormitories have also been raided, with no arrests made.
Professor Sherry Wolf is one among hundreds who've taken to the streets to protest the against the crackdown.
“I'm out here because I'm horrified by what is happening to unions, to higher ed, to the weaponization of Judaism, to be used as some sort of excuse to crack down on civil liberties, and in particular on our Palestinian and our brothers and sisters. This is intolerable to me.”
Australia will not seek to sweeten a critical minerals deal proposed to the Trump Administration as part of efforts to avoid tariffs on steel and aluminium exports to the United States.
Resources Minister Madeleine King told Guardian Australia that the deal put forward "was not a critical minerals at any cost proposition".
She says Australia will continue to talk with the US while also strengthening existing investment from Japan and South Korea and looking to Europe for new agreements.
The critical minerals in question are essential for renewable energy, battery and computer technologies.
Australian sprint sensation Gout Gout has clinched another big win at the Queensland Athletics Championship in Brisbane.
The 17-year-old clocked a time of 10.38 seconds to win the 100-metre final in the under-20 division, despite a soggy track and strong headwinds.
The rising star recently returned from a US training camp with Olympic champion Noah Lyles and the American's coach, Lance Brauman.
He says there he learned to focus on his mental fitness.
"I mean, just be myself and like just following my processes and just, you know, just getting the training, getting the work, and just you know that you do all the work in the world but get in mental shape and you'll be right."
Gout Gout will race again today in his favoured 200-metre event.
