Iran's envoy warns Australia to stay out of Middle East war
Iran's top local diplomat has warned against Australia supporting any US escalation of air strikes against his country's nuclear program, saying American intervention would widen the war and threaten commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea, two major arteries for the world's oil supply.
In an interview with AFR Weekend, ambassador Ahmad Sadeghi said any attempt to assassinate Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Israel's defence minister has suggested, would also be met with a fierce response.
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The Age
26 minutes ago
- The Age
The best week of Donald Trump's second presidency just got even better
There's no denying it – Donald Trump just had the best week of his second presidency, by a big margin. A combination of daring, good fortune and the brute wielding of American power combined to deliver a momentous week in global affairs and a number of stunning wins for the president himself. It began with the US bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites, an operation contemplated by previous administrations but never executed. A flurry of 30,000-pound bombs, fired for the first time outside of testing, was deposited right into the ventilation shafts of a facility deep underneath a mountain. Two days later, Trump was on the phone piecing together a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran, which, after some teething problems, appears to have held. Now he's involved in a potential resolution in Gaza, saying on Saturday (AEST) that it could come as soon as next week. The president flew to the Netherlands for a whirlwind visit to the NATO summit, where he confirmed a pledge from members to lift their core defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP – a long-standing US goal – and spend another 1.5 per cent on defence-adjacent infrastructure and projects. Trump, who casually admitted he considered his attendance something he ought to do, not something he really wanted to do, nonetheless charmed his audience with his usual brand of impulsive banter, especially after a sycophantic reception from NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte, who called him 'daddy'. Loading Back at home, Trump was still doing his victory lap when the Supreme Court handed him a thumping victory courtesy of a majority ruling that limited the ability of lower court judges to issue 'universal injunctions' when federal government policies face a legal challenge. Federal judges have been a thorn in Trump's side – or more accurately, a brick wall blocking his path – since his return to power, issuing temporary injunctions that apply nationwide, rather than just in their state or for the plaintiff bringing the case. The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 split decision along ideological lines, ruled that this was a modern phenomenon lacking historical precedent and a legal basis. It paves the way for Trump to resume a range of controversial measures held up by the courts, and at a hastily convened press conference on Friday, local time, he said he intended to do exactly that.
Sydney Morning Herald
35 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The best week of Donald Trump's second presidency just got even better
There's no denying it – Donald Trump just had the best week of his second presidency, by a big margin. A combination of daring, good fortune and the brute wielding of American power combined to deliver a momentous week in global affairs and a number of stunning wins for the president himself. It began with the US bombing of three Iranian nuclear sites, an operation contemplated by previous administrations but never executed. A flurry of 30,000-pound bombs, fired for the first time outside of testing, was deposited right into the ventilation shafts of a facility deep underneath a mountain. Two days later, Trump was on the phone piecing together a ceasefire deal between Israel and Iran, which, after some teething problems, appears to have held. Now he's involved in a potential resolution in Gaza, saying on Saturday (AEST) that it could come as soon as next week. The president flew to the Netherlands for a whirlwind visit to the NATO summit, where he confirmed a pledge from members to lift their core defence spending to 3.5 per cent of GDP – a long-standing US goal – and spend another 1.5 per cent on defence-adjacent infrastructure and projects. Trump, who casually admitted he considered his attendance something he ought to do, not something he really wanted to do, nonetheless charmed his audience with his usual brand of impulsive banter, especially after a sycophantic reception from NATO secretary-general Mark Rutte, who called him 'daddy'. Loading Back at home, Trump was still doing his victory lap when the Supreme Court handed him a thumping victory courtesy of a majority ruling that limited the ability of lower court judges to issue 'universal injunctions' when federal government policies face a legal challenge. Federal judges have been a thorn in Trump's side – or more accurately, a brick wall blocking his path – since his return to power, issuing temporary injunctions that apply nationwide, rather than just in their state or for the plaintiff bringing the case. The Supreme Court, in a 6-3 split decision along ideological lines, ruled that this was a modern phenomenon lacking historical precedent and a legal basis. It paves the way for Trump to resume a range of controversial measures held up by the courts, and at a hastily convened press conference on Friday, local time, he said he intended to do exactly that.
Sydney Morning Herald
an hour ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
More is more: The big idea that's inspired Jim Chalmers (huzzah!)
Canberra has been taken by storm by an i dea. The idea is abundance – the notion that scarcity is artificially created. It is described in a book which Treasurer Jim Chalmers referred to at the National Press Club last week. I rather thought that the treasurer might have given up on ideas after the critical reception of his Monthly Essay in the summer of 2023 on 'values-based capitalism'. Endearingly, he has not. Abundance is the latest from Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson (the prolific 'et al' to his more famous co-author). Klein's books (he's written one other, without an et al) are interesting, in that they offer the kind of excoriation of progressives and progressivism that can only be delivered by someone who passionately wants both to succeed. Chalmers' colleague, the honourable Dr Andrew Leigh, MP, recommended the treasurer read Abundance. This column has been quite fond of Leigh, from afar, ever since he took it in his head to deliver a conference key-note address based on Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiment. Cracker speech, cracker text. Donald Trump was elected for the first time that very afternoon, but this column is not implying any causality. Klein's book has inspired our treasurer. Now 'about half of the federal cabinet has a dog-eared copy on their bed stands', according to Shane Wright's column in this masthead. So obviously I had to read it. The act of a patriot. Abundance is an extraordinary book. But before I begin to describe it, a word from our treasurer. Loading The inspiration he and his team are drawing from Klein (et al) relates to his suggestions on how 'we' (society in general, but the book is specifically aimed at progressives) can get out of 'our' own way and get on with building housing and energy. As Chalmers said at the National Press Club, the vision is to address the supply side of the housing and energy crunches in Australia. That means we need to knock down the obstacles standing in the way of creating more of both. Which is good to know. Because while creating abundance is the overall theme of Abundance, and housing and energy are areas of focus, there is so much more that I wasn't expecting. Klein (et al) deliver a very tidy description of American politics which translates well to the Australian experience. 'Americans,' they write, referring mainly to Republicans, I assume, 'talk like conservatives but want to be governed like liberals.' They 'like both the rhetoric and reality of low taxes, but they also like the programs taxes fund'.
