Donald Trump downplays the threat of Iran-backed Houthis blockading the Red Sea; Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets with her Lao counterpart to discuss the investigation into the deaths of two Australians; La Liga's president calls for Gianni Infantino to resign as the head of FIFA.
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TRANSCRIPT
- Donald Trump downplays the threat of Iran-backed Houthis blockading the Red Sea
- Foreign Minister Penny Wong meets with her Lao counterpart to discuss the investigation into the deaths of two Australians
- La Liga's president calls for Gianni Infantino to resign as the head of FIFA
A tenth day of attacks between the United States and Iran has dimmed hopes for diplomatic efforts to recover an interim ceasefire deal as the pair battle for control of the Strait of Hormuz.
With the Strait of Hormuz blocked, Saudi Arabia has been reliant on a pipeline to the Red Sea to get millions of barrels of oil to market.
However, Iran-aligned Houthi rebels are now threatening the global oil supply, opening up a new front against Saudi Arabia by announcing a naval blockade in the Red Sea.
US President Donald Trump says he will deal with the rebel group if that threat is followed through.
"So far it hasn't happened. It might happen, but we take care of things. If something like that happens, we take care of it. You know, we've done that with the Houthis before and we haven't heard from them in a while since we did what we did originally. That was about 45 days of very powerful action we took against the Houthis, and we've had no problem with the Houthis. They've had no problem with us for a long period of time, including during this conflict."
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and US President Donald Trump have met for the first time to discuss plans for disarming Hezbollah and Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon.
Mr Aoun's visit to the White House comes as Israeli troops occupy swathes of southern Lebanon, with Israeli strikes displacing hundreds of thousands of people.
Meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Mr Aoun has said Israel should begin withdrawing, in line with a US brokered June 26 agreement with Lebanon.
It remains unclear how the pair will achieve the disarmament of Hezbollah, which rejected efforts to disarm it, as well as the government's direct talks with Israel.
Mr Aoun says he hopes the vision for stability can become a reality.
"I think, Mr. President, this will be your legacy. Together, we'll be able to achieve this objective. It's about time for Lebanon and for the whole region to be stable and secure. And I know your vision. It's peace; your vision is stability, and I think my vision coincides with your vision. And together, I think we will be able to achieve and score success in that regard."
Foreign Minister Penny Wong has formally conveyed Australia's frustration over an investigation conducted by Lao authorities into the methanol poisoning deaths of two Australian teenagers.
Senator Wong met with Laos Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meetings in Manila overnight.
A distillery owner in Laos has been charged over the deaths in 2024 and if found guilty could serve between three months and four years in jail - or face only a fine.
Ms Wong says she made it clear that Australia expects the Lao government to ensure the investigation fully reflects the seriousness of the tragedy and that those responsible are held to account.
The Islamic Council of Victoria says the federal government has not gone far enough to address rising Islamophobia.
It comes after the government accepted 35 out of 54 recommendations from Islamophobia envoy Aftab Malik, without specifying which had been rejected.
The government did commit to a review of the curriculum, and $41 million in funding for security at Islamic sites, among other initiatives.
Those measures are being welcomed by the President of the Islamic Council of Victoria, Mohamed Mohideen, but he says it's clear more needs to be done.
"We would like legislation to really address the hate, I think, and vilification of the Muslim community. There's not enough, I think, substance in how they're going to address some of these issues. There's no timelines. There's no who's going to be in charge. We are in favour of the work that they're going to do with schools, but we are also saying it should be extended to universities, because Islamophobia is rife in universities."
A board member from the firebombed Adass Israel synagogue says Jewish people are leaving Australia to live in Israel.
Benjamin Klein gave evidence at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.
He says the synagogue had been unsuccessful in attempts to secure government grants for security prior to the arson attack, which ASIO says was ordered by Iran.
The government has since pledged $30 million to rebuild the synagogue, but Mr Klein says some community members still feel they'd be safer in Israel.
"And it's weird because if you think to yourself, Israel is not necessarily a safe place. There's lots going on there, and there's wars - my daughter spent the last 12 months there, you know, it's quite a scary place - but they're still picking themselves up from Melbourne and moving to Israel. And you have to think to yourself, how can, why are people doing that? Why are rational, successful accountants, lawyers, doctors picking themselves up and moving to Israel? "
La Liga president Javier Tebas has called for FIFA President Gianni Infantino to resign, saying he opposes the decision to expand international competitions, which he says has come at the expense of domestic leagues and clubs.
In an interview with Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport, Tebas says he also disagrees with the introduction of hydration breaks and extended half‑time intervals, believe the measures do not support football.
After 10 years as FIFA's president, Infantino says he is seeking to be re‑elected for a fourth term in March next year.
