| Source: Democracy Now! |
The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s (NATO) Washington Summit, held from 9th to 11th July 2024, marked the 75th anniversary of this nuclear armed military alliance which was founded on 4th April 1949 with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty in Washington D.C. Continue reading NATO: Defence Alliance or War Alliance?
| Source: ABC News (Australia) |
At a press conference in the Australian Parliament on Thursday 4th July, Senator Fatima Payman announced her resignation from the Labor Party.
Senator Payman’s resignation followed her decision to support a motion by The Greens in the Senate on Tuesday 25th June which referred to “the need for the Senate to recognise the State of Palestine.” Continue reading Senator Payman resigns from Labor Party following its refusal to recognise Palestinian statehood
| Source: Democracy Now! |
World renown philosopher, linguist and advocate of Palestinian rights, Noam Chomsky, now 95, was discharged from a hospital in Sao Paulo on 18th June. He will continue with his convalescence after suffering a stroke one year ago. The stroke impacted the right side of his body, as well as his ability to speak. Continue reading Noam Chomsky, renown philosopher, linguist and advocate of Palestinian rights, discharged from Sao Paulo hospital
| Source: SBS News – Julian Assange’s lawyers speak outside US court in Saipan |
Julian Assange landed in Canberra on a private jet as a free man at 7.30pm on Wednesday 26th June 2024.
As part of a plea agreement negotiated between Assange’s legal team and the US Department of Justice, Assange was earlier flown to Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, a US territory in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Continue reading Julian Assange lands in Canberra a free man after US plea deal
Photo: A father carries his children while trying to flee from air strikes in the city of Rafah. UNICEF/Eyad El Baba, Nov 2023.
In a recent interview on RN Breakfast, James Elder, UNICEF’s global spokesperson, described the devastating impact that Israel’s war on Gaza is having on children.
He reported how a UNICEF convoy carrying nutritional and medical supplies for 10,000 children in northern Gaza was prevented from delivering this humanitarian aid by Israeli authorities. Continue reading UNICEF: Israel’s war on Gaza and its devastating impacts on children
Photo: The Guardian
Britain’s Judicial Office announced on Tuesday 11th June that Julian Assange’s appeal against extradition to the US would be heard on 9th and 10th July 2024. Continue reading Julian Assange’s extradition appeal to be heard on 9th & 10th July 2024
Photo: The Electronic Intifada – Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza after an Israeli airstrike on 11th May 2024.
In a press release published 3rd June 2024, Oxfam International highlighted aspects of the ongoing horror inflicted on Palestinian civilians, including women and children, by Israel’s relentless ground and air assaults in the Gaza Strip.
The press release opens with the following observations:
Israel’s relentless air and land bombardment and deliberate obstruction of the humanitarian response is making it virtually impossible for aid agencies to reach trapped, starved civilians in Gaza, Oxfam said today, as the latest ceasefire deal negotiations continue. Continue reading Oxfam: Famine risk increases as Israel makes Gaza aid response virtually impossible
Photo: A Palestinian flag was raised outside the Irish Parliament to mark its recognition of Palestinian statehood. BBC News
On Tuesday 28th May, Spain, Ireland and Norway officially recognised Palestinian statehood. This move adds to the Israel’s increasing isolation since its genocidal war on Gaza started almost eight months ago.
Statements by each of these European countries explained that they wanted to accelerate efforts to secure a permanent ceasefire in Gaza and that they aimed to encourage other European Union countries to follow suit. Continue reading Spain, Ireland and Norway have recognised a Palestinian state – what’s stopping Australia?
Speech by Mary Kostakidis prior to Daniel Duggan’s extradition hearing in Sydney, 24 May 2024. Video: J Atkins/MPG
Daniel Duggan, a former US marine pilot who obtained Australian citizenship on 26th January 2012, was adjudged eligible for extradition to the US in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court on Friday 24th May 2024. Continue reading Ex-US marine pilot Daniel Duggan loses legal bid to block extradition to US
| Video source: Politico |
On Friday 10th May 2024, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution which upgrades Palestine’s rights and privileges as an Observer State and calls on the UN Security Council to favourably reconsider Palestine’s request for full membership.
The 193-member General Assembly approved the Arab and Palestinian-sponsored resolution by 143 votes for, 9 against (including the United States and Israel) and 25 abstentions. Australia decided to join the vast majority of member states by voting in favour of this resolution.1 Continue reading UN General Assembly supports symbolic move to allow Palestine full membership
| Video: Peter Boyle/Green Left |
A media conference in Sydney/Gadigal land on 24th April 2024 discussed alarming new figures released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) which showed that world military expenditure increased for the ninth consecutive year to an all-time high of $2,443 billion. For the first time since 2009, military expenditure went up in all five of the geographical regions defined by SIPRI, with particularly large increases recorded in Europe, Asia and Oceania and the Middle East. Continue reading Global military spending surges amid war, rising tensions and insecurity
This year’s Anzac Day Reflection was held at the traditional site of Richardson’s Lookout – Marrickville Peace Park on Thursday 25th April. Organised by the Marrickville Peace Group (MPG), it attracted over 100 people. In addition, a combined choir, assembled from three local choirs and comprising around 40 singers, sang a number of peace songs during the event. Continue reading Anzac Day Reflection – 25th April 2024
An Earth Day Picnic for Peace was organised by the Blue Mountains Peace Collective on Sunday 21st April 2024.
Held at Wilson Park in Wentworth Falls, the event attracted around 50 people and featured a teach-in and launch of a brochure entitled ‘War Costs the Climate’.
Confronting the threats of war and ending the AUKUS security pact were identified as essential to combating the climate emergency.
Additional topics highlighted during the event included:
– the high greenhouse gas emissions generated by the world’s militaries with Australia and its AUKUS partners, the UK and the US, being among the worse polluters; Continue reading Blue Mountains Peace Collective: Picnic for Peace – 21st April 2024
At the conclusion of Julian Assange’s extradition appeal hearing in London’s High Court in February 2024, the two judges presiding reserved their decision pending the submission of certain assurances by the U.S. administration. Continue reading Julian Assange extradition: U.S. fails to guarantee First Amendment protection
President Joe Biden has said that he is considering a request from the Australian government to drop the decade-long U.S. drive to prosecute Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.
Assange has been indicted on 17 charges under the U.S. Espionage Act of 1917, plus one charge of computer misuse, as a result of publishing classified U.S. military records and diplomatic cables on the WikiLeaks website almost 15 years ago. These documents exposed war crimes committed by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, among other matters of public interest. If convicted, Assange faces a sentence of up to 175 years in a U.S. maximum security or supermax prison. Continue reading Biden “considering” request to drop Julian Assange’s indictment