Germany angry at China after plane lasered over Red Sea
The surveillance aircraft was part of the EU mission Aspides, which is intended to better defend civilian ships against attacks by Houthi rebels based in Yemen.
It was lasered earlier in July "without any reason or prior contact" by a Chinese warship that had been encountered several times in the area, the German defence ministry said.
"By using the laser, the warship accepted the risk of endangering people and material," a defence ministry spokesperson said.
The ministry said the aircraft's mission was aborted as a precaution.
It landed safely at the base in Djibouti and the crew was in good health, it said.
The aircraft, operated by a civilian commercial service provider but with German army personnel involved, had since resumed its operations with the EU mission in the Red Sea, the ministry said.
The German foreign office said in a post on X that "endangering German personnel and disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable".
China's spokespeople did not comment immediately on Tuesday.
The EU mission only defends civilian vessels and does not take part in any military strikes.
The southern part of the Red Sea is deemed a high-risk zone.
On Tuesday, Yemen's Houthi rebels continued an hourslong attack targeting a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea, authorities said, after the group claimed to have sunk another vessel in an assault that threatens to renew combat across the vital waterway.
Germany's foreign office has summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest after a Chinese warship used a laser against a German aircraft in the Red Sea.
The surveillance aircraft was part of the EU mission Aspides, which is intended to better defend civilian ships against attacks by Houthi rebels based in Yemen.
It was lasered earlier in July "without any reason or prior contact" by a Chinese warship that had been encountered several times in the area, the German defence ministry said.
"By using the laser, the warship accepted the risk of endangering people and material," a defence ministry spokesperson said.
The ministry said the aircraft's mission was aborted as a precaution.
It landed safely at the base in Djibouti and the crew was in good health, it said.
The aircraft, operated by a civilian commercial service provider but with German army personnel involved, had since resumed its operations with the EU mission in the Red Sea, the ministry said.
The German foreign office said in a post on X that "endangering German personnel and disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable".
China's spokespeople did not comment immediately on Tuesday.
The EU mission only defends civilian vessels and does not take part in any military strikes.
The southern part of the Red Sea is deemed a high-risk zone.
On Tuesday, Yemen's Houthi rebels continued an hourslong attack targeting a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea, authorities said, after the group claimed to have sunk another vessel in an assault that threatens to renew combat across the vital waterway.
Germany's foreign office has summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest after a Chinese warship used a laser against a German aircraft in the Red Sea.
The surveillance aircraft was part of the EU mission Aspides, which is intended to better defend civilian ships against attacks by Houthi rebels based in Yemen.
It was lasered earlier in July "without any reason or prior contact" by a Chinese warship that had been encountered several times in the area, the German defence ministry said.
"By using the laser, the warship accepted the risk of endangering people and material," a defence ministry spokesperson said.
The ministry said the aircraft's mission was aborted as a precaution.
It landed safely at the base in Djibouti and the crew was in good health, it said.
The aircraft, operated by a civilian commercial service provider but with German army personnel involved, had since resumed its operations with the EU mission in the Red Sea, the ministry said.
The German foreign office said in a post on X that "endangering German personnel and disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable".
China's spokespeople did not comment immediately on Tuesday.
The EU mission only defends civilian vessels and does not take part in any military strikes.
The southern part of the Red Sea is deemed a high-risk zone.
On Tuesday, Yemen's Houthi rebels continued an hourslong attack targeting a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea, authorities said, after the group claimed to have sunk another vessel in an assault that threatens to renew combat across the vital waterway.
Germany's foreign office has summoned the Chinese ambassador to protest after a Chinese warship used a laser against a German aircraft in the Red Sea.
The surveillance aircraft was part of the EU mission Aspides, which is intended to better defend civilian ships against attacks by Houthi rebels based in Yemen.
It was lasered earlier in July "without any reason or prior contact" by a Chinese warship that had been encountered several times in the area, the German defence ministry said.
"By using the laser, the warship accepted the risk of endangering people and material," a defence ministry spokesperson said.
The ministry said the aircraft's mission was aborted as a precaution.
It landed safely at the base in Djibouti and the crew was in good health, it said.
The aircraft, operated by a civilian commercial service provider but with German army personnel involved, had since resumed its operations with the EU mission in the Red Sea, the ministry said.
The German foreign office said in a post on X that "endangering German personnel and disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable".
China's spokespeople did not comment immediately on Tuesday.
The EU mission only defends civilian vessels and does not take part in any military strikes.
The southern part of the Red Sea is deemed a high-risk zone.
On Tuesday, Yemen's Houthi rebels continued an hourslong attack targeting a Liberian-flagged cargo ship in the Red Sea, authorities said, after the group claimed to have sunk another vessel in an assault that threatens to renew combat across the vital waterway.
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Herald Sun
an hour ago
- Herald Sun
Trump tariff threat clouds final day of BRICS summit
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. US President Donald Trump's decision to hit "anti-American" BRICS nations -- including China and India -- with an extra 10 percent trade tariff roiled the final day of the bloc's summit in Rio de Janeiro Monday. Trump threatened the 11-nation grouping -- which includes some of the world's fastest-emerging economies -- late on Sunday, after they warned against his "indiscriminate," damaging and illegal tariff hikes. "Any Country aligning themselves with the Anti-American policies of BRICS, will be charged an ADDITIONAL 10% Tariff," Trump wrote on social media. BRICS members account for about half the world's population and 40 percent of global economic output. Members China, Russia and South Africa responded coolly to Trump's latest verbal barrage, insisting the bloc was not seeking confrontation with Washington. But host Brazil's leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva was less diplomatic. "We are sovereign nations," Lula said. "We don't want an emperor." Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, BRICS has come to be seen as a Chinese-driven effort to curb US global influence. But it is a quickly expanding and often divergent grouping -- bringing together arch US foes like Iran and Russia, with some of Washington's closest allies in Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Some US allies inside the bloc had tried to blunt criticism of Trump by not mentioning him or the United States by name in the summit statement. Saudi Arabia -- one of the biggest purchasers of US high-tech weapons -- even kept its foreign minister away from Sunday's talks and a BRICS group photo, seemingly to avoid Washington's ire. But such diplomatic gestures were lost on the US president who said "there will be no exceptions to this policy." - No shows - In April, Trump threatened a slew of punitive duties on dozens of economies, before backing off in the face of a fierce market sell-off. Now he is threatening to impose unilateral levies on trading partners unless they reach "deals" by August 1, with BRICS nations seemingly faced with higher tariffs than planned. It cannot have helped that BRICS leaders also condemned the recent US and Israeli bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities -- a show of solidarity with fellow member Iran. Beijing on Monday insisted BRICS was not seeking confrontation with the United States. "China has repeatedly stated its position that trade and tariff wars have no winners and protectionism offers no way forward," foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said. Beijing also defended the bloc as "an important platform for cooperation between emerging markets and developing countries." "It advocates openness, inclusivity, and win-win cooperation," Mao said. "It does not engage in camp confrontation and is not targeted at any country," she added. The Kremlin echoed that message with spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling Russian media that BRICS cooperation "has never been and will never be directed against third countries." The political punch of this year's summit has been depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who skipped the meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president. The Chinese leader is not the only notable absentee. Russian President Vladimir Putin, charged with war crimes in Ukraine, also opted to stay away, participating via video link. He told counterparts that BRICS had become a key player in global governance. arb/aks Originally published as Trump tariff threat clouds final day of BRICS summit
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Trump vows steep copper tariffs, broadens trade war
US President Donald Trump has broadened his global trade war as he announced a 50 per cent tariff on imported copper and said long-threatened levies on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals were coming soon. One day after he pressured 14 trading partners, including powerhouse US suppliers like South Korea and Japan, with sharply higher tariffs, Trump reiterated his threat of 10 per cent tariffs on products from Brazil, India and other members of the BRICS group of countries. He also said on Tuesday trade talks have been going well with the European Union and China, though added he is only days away from sending a tariff letter to the EU. Trump's remarks, made during a White House cabinet meeting, could inject further instability into a global economy that has been rattled by the tariffs he has imposed or threatened on imports to the world's largest consumer market. US copper futures jumped more than 10 per cent after Trump's announcement of new duties on a metal that is critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, the power grid and many consumer goods. They would join duties already in place for steel, aluminium and car imports. US pharmaceutical stocks also slid from the day's highs following Trump's threat of 200 per cent tariffs on drug imports, which he said could be delayed by about a year. Other countries, meanwhile, said they would try to soften the impact of Trump's threatened duties after he pushed back a Wednesday deadline to August 1. Trump's administration promised "90 deals in 90 days" after he unveiled an array of country-specific duties in early April. So far only two agreements have been reached, with the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Trump has said a deal with India is close. Trump said countries have been clamouring to negotiate. "It's about time the United States of America started collecting money from countries that were ripping us off ... and laughing behind our back at how stupid we were," he said. Trump's administration has been touting those tariffs as a significant revenue source. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington has taken in about $US100 billion ($A153 billion) so far and could reach $US300 billion ($A460 billion) by the end of the year. The United States has taken in about $US80 billion ($A123 billion) annually in tariff revenue in recent years. Global markets have not responded dramatically to the latest tariff twists, which come after months of turmoil. Trump said he will "probably" tell the European Union within two days what rate it can expect for it exports to the US, adding that the 27-member bloc had been treating his administration "very nicely" in trade talks. The EU, the largest bilateral trade partner of the US, aims to strike a deal before August 1 with concessions for certain key export industries, such as aircraft, medical equipment and spirits, according to EU sources. Japan, which faces a possible 25 per cent tariff, wants concessions for its large car industry and will not sacrifice its agriculture sector, a powerful domestic lobby, for the sake of an early deal, top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said on Tuesday. Washington and Beijing agreed to a trade framework in June, but with many of the details still unclear, traders and investors are watching to see if it unravels before a separate, US-imposed August 12 deadline or leads to a lasting detente. "We have had a really good relationship with China lately, and we're getting along with them very well. They've been very fair on our trade deal, honestly," Trump said, adding that he has been speaking regularly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said the United States would impose tariffs of 25 per cent on goods from Tunisia, Malaysia and Kazakhstan, with levies of 30 per cent on South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, climbing to 32 per cent on Indonesia, 35 per cent on Serbia and Bangladesh, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand and 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. US President Donald Trump has broadened his global trade war as he announced a 50 per cent tariff on imported copper and said long-threatened levies on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals were coming soon. One day after he pressured 14 trading partners, including powerhouse US suppliers like South Korea and Japan, with sharply higher tariffs, Trump reiterated his threat of 10 per cent tariffs on products from Brazil, India and other members of the BRICS group of countries. He also said on Tuesday trade talks have been going well with the European Union and China, though added he is only days away from sending a tariff letter to the EU. Trump's remarks, made during a White House cabinet meeting, could inject further instability into a global economy that has been rattled by the tariffs he has imposed or threatened on imports to the world's largest consumer market. US copper futures jumped more than 10 per cent after Trump's announcement of new duties on a metal that is critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, the power grid and many consumer goods. They would join duties already in place for steel, aluminium and car imports. US pharmaceutical stocks also slid from the day's highs following Trump's threat of 200 per cent tariffs on drug imports, which he said could be delayed by about a year. Other countries, meanwhile, said they would try to soften the impact of Trump's threatened duties after he pushed back a Wednesday deadline to August 1. Trump's administration promised "90 deals in 90 days" after he unveiled an array of country-specific duties in early April. So far only two agreements have been reached, with the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Trump has said a deal with India is close. Trump said countries have been clamouring to negotiate. "It's about time the United States of America started collecting money from countries that were ripping us off ... and laughing behind our back at how stupid we were," he said. Trump's administration has been touting those tariffs as a significant revenue source. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington has taken in about $US100 billion ($A153 billion) so far and could reach $US300 billion ($A460 billion) by the end of the year. The United States has taken in about $US80 billion ($A123 billion) annually in tariff revenue in recent years. Global markets have not responded dramatically to the latest tariff twists, which come after months of turmoil. Trump said he will "probably" tell the European Union within two days what rate it can expect for it exports to the US, adding that the 27-member bloc had been treating his administration "very nicely" in trade talks. The EU, the largest bilateral trade partner of the US, aims to strike a deal before August 1 with concessions for certain key export industries, such as aircraft, medical equipment and spirits, according to EU sources. Japan, which faces a possible 25 per cent tariff, wants concessions for its large car industry and will not sacrifice its agriculture sector, a powerful domestic lobby, for the sake of an early deal, top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said on Tuesday. Washington and Beijing agreed to a trade framework in June, but with many of the details still unclear, traders and investors are watching to see if it unravels before a separate, US-imposed August 12 deadline or leads to a lasting detente. "We have had a really good relationship with China lately, and we're getting along with them very well. They've been very fair on our trade deal, honestly," Trump said, adding that he has been speaking regularly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said the United States would impose tariffs of 25 per cent on goods from Tunisia, Malaysia and Kazakhstan, with levies of 30 per cent on South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, climbing to 32 per cent on Indonesia, 35 per cent on Serbia and Bangladesh, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand and 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. US President Donald Trump has broadened his global trade war as he announced a 50 per cent tariff on imported copper and said long-threatened levies on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals were coming soon. One day after he pressured 14 trading partners, including powerhouse US suppliers like South Korea and Japan, with sharply higher tariffs, Trump reiterated his threat of 10 per cent tariffs on products from Brazil, India and other members of the BRICS group of countries. He also said on Tuesday trade talks have been going well with the European Union and China, though added he is only days away from sending a tariff letter to the EU. Trump's remarks, made during a White House cabinet meeting, could inject further instability into a global economy that has been rattled by the tariffs he has imposed or threatened on imports to the world's largest consumer market. US copper futures jumped more than 10 per cent after Trump's announcement of new duties on a metal that is critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, the power grid and many consumer goods. They would join duties already in place for steel, aluminium and car imports. US pharmaceutical stocks also slid from the day's highs following Trump's threat of 200 per cent tariffs on drug imports, which he said could be delayed by about a year. Other countries, meanwhile, said they would try to soften the impact of Trump's threatened duties after he pushed back a Wednesday deadline to August 1. Trump's administration promised "90 deals in 90 days" after he unveiled an array of country-specific duties in early April. So far only two agreements have been reached, with the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Trump has said a deal with India is close. Trump said countries have been clamouring to negotiate. "It's about time the United States of America started collecting money from countries that were ripping us off ... and laughing behind our back at how stupid we were," he said. Trump's administration has been touting those tariffs as a significant revenue source. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington has taken in about $US100 billion ($A153 billion) so far and could reach $US300 billion ($A460 billion) by the end of the year. The United States has taken in about $US80 billion ($A123 billion) annually in tariff revenue in recent years. Global markets have not responded dramatically to the latest tariff twists, which come after months of turmoil. Trump said he will "probably" tell the European Union within two days what rate it can expect for it exports to the US, adding that the 27-member bloc had been treating his administration "very nicely" in trade talks. The EU, the largest bilateral trade partner of the US, aims to strike a deal before August 1 with concessions for certain key export industries, such as aircraft, medical equipment and spirits, according to EU sources. Japan, which faces a possible 25 per cent tariff, wants concessions for its large car industry and will not sacrifice its agriculture sector, a powerful domestic lobby, for the sake of an early deal, top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said on Tuesday. Washington and Beijing agreed to a trade framework in June, but with many of the details still unclear, traders and investors are watching to see if it unravels before a separate, US-imposed August 12 deadline or leads to a lasting detente. "We have had a really good relationship with China lately, and we're getting along with them very well. They've been very fair on our trade deal, honestly," Trump said, adding that he has been speaking regularly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said the United States would impose tariffs of 25 per cent on goods from Tunisia, Malaysia and Kazakhstan, with levies of 30 per cent on South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, climbing to 32 per cent on Indonesia, 35 per cent on Serbia and Bangladesh, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand and 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar. US President Donald Trump has broadened his global trade war as he announced a 50 per cent tariff on imported copper and said long-threatened levies on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals were coming soon. One day after he pressured 14 trading partners, including powerhouse US suppliers like South Korea and Japan, with sharply higher tariffs, Trump reiterated his threat of 10 per cent tariffs on products from Brazil, India and other members of the BRICS group of countries. He also said on Tuesday trade talks have been going well with the European Union and China, though added he is only days away from sending a tariff letter to the EU. Trump's remarks, made during a White House cabinet meeting, could inject further instability into a global economy that has been rattled by the tariffs he has imposed or threatened on imports to the world's largest consumer market. US copper futures jumped more than 10 per cent after Trump's announcement of new duties on a metal that is critical to electric vehicles, military hardware, the power grid and many consumer goods. They would join duties already in place for steel, aluminium and car imports. US pharmaceutical stocks also slid from the day's highs following Trump's threat of 200 per cent tariffs on drug imports, which he said could be delayed by about a year. Other countries, meanwhile, said they would try to soften the impact of Trump's threatened duties after he pushed back a Wednesday deadline to August 1. Trump's administration promised "90 deals in 90 days" after he unveiled an array of country-specific duties in early April. So far only two agreements have been reached, with the United Kingdom and Vietnam. Trump has said a deal with India is close. Trump said countries have been clamouring to negotiate. "It's about time the United States of America started collecting money from countries that were ripping us off ... and laughing behind our back at how stupid we were," he said. Trump's administration has been touting those tariffs as a significant revenue source. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington has taken in about $US100 billion ($A153 billion) so far and could reach $US300 billion ($A460 billion) by the end of the year. The United States has taken in about $US80 billion ($A123 billion) annually in tariff revenue in recent years. Global markets have not responded dramatically to the latest tariff twists, which come after months of turmoil. Trump said he will "probably" tell the European Union within two days what rate it can expect for it exports to the US, adding that the 27-member bloc had been treating his administration "very nicely" in trade talks. The EU, the largest bilateral trade partner of the US, aims to strike a deal before August 1 with concessions for certain key export industries, such as aircraft, medical equipment and spirits, according to EU sources. Japan, which faces a possible 25 per cent tariff, wants concessions for its large car industry and will not sacrifice its agriculture sector, a powerful domestic lobby, for the sake of an early deal, top trade negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said on Tuesday. Washington and Beijing agreed to a trade framework in June, but with many of the details still unclear, traders and investors are watching to see if it unravels before a separate, US-imposed August 12 deadline or leads to a lasting detente. "We have had a really good relationship with China lately, and we're getting along with them very well. They've been very fair on our trade deal, honestly," Trump said, adding that he has been speaking regularly with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said the United States would impose tariffs of 25 per cent on goods from Tunisia, Malaysia and Kazakhstan, with levies of 30 per cent on South Africa, Bosnia and Herzegovina, climbing to 32 per cent on Indonesia, 35 per cent on Serbia and Bangladesh, 36 per cent on Cambodia and Thailand and 40 per cent on Laos and Myanmar.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
- The Advertiser
Big girls do cry - and macho men, too
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Last week, the British treasurer was spotted bleary-eyed in the House of Commons, wiping away a tear (as well she might because the media onslaught against her had been ferocious), but it then sparked a debate about whether weeping was a sign of political weakness. It is not. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is allowed to cry - and, heartwarmingly, the markets fell on the thought that she might be pushed out by the lynch mob. Financial markets know what side their bread is buttered on, and they weren't having any of this crying denotes weakness nonsense. Even big men cry. They do. Even Peter Dutton (Google him). "Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has choked back tears after the father of one-punch victim Cole Miller called in to his 2GB radio interview to thank him for deporting a man involved in his son's death," Nine News reported in 2018. If ex-cop and ex-leader of the Liberals Peter Dutton can cry, we all can. Other macho-men politicians have also cried. Bob Hawke shed tears after the Tiananmen Square massacre: "His voice breaking with emotion, the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, yesterday wept along with hundreds of Chinese students and other mourners at a memorial service at Parliament House for the slain of China," the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The same paper revealed that ex-Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull blubbed: "Our tough-talking Prime Minister - buster of unions, lover of negative gearing, occasional shooter - is, by his own admission, a cry baby. Asked on morning radio whether he often shed a tear, Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged: 'Yes, I do, I do'." And yet, and yet. In our cynical times, the thought immediately pops up that macho politicians shedding a tear might just be good for the image - tough but sensitive, as it were. Moist eyes: good for the image; wailing out loud, not so good. But war leader Churchill was a weeper (though you might think he had a lot to cry about with the blitz and what once appeared like the imminent invasion of Britain - though he was also known to cry about a noble dog struggling through the snow to his master). And Churchill had seen friends killed in action. The historian Andrew Roberts wrote: "On 30 September 1897, after his great friend Lieutenant William Browne-Clayton was killed close to him on an expedition along India's Northwest Frontier, Churchill wrote to his mother, 'I rarely detect genuine emotion in myself,' and 'I must rank it as a rare instance the fact that I cried when I saw poor Browne-Clayton literally cut to pieces on a stretcher'." In 1940, Churchill wept in the House of Commons when MPs rose and applauded him for several minutes. "Sitting on the Treasury bench, the tension draining from his body, Churchill lowered his head and the tears ran down his cheeks," the Soviet ambassador to Britain wrote. "At last we have a real leader!" was the cry echoing through the lobbies. Real leaders cry. If Churchill can weep openly, so can the rest of us. HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you hide your tears, perhaps leaving the room? How do you react when you spot a weepy colleague? Are you embarrassed when a leader cries? Send your thoughts to echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep the rate of interest on which other rates of interest (like mortgage rates) depend unchanged. Many economists and the four major banks had predicted a cut to the cash rate. The RBA decision, which was not unanimous, indicated that it still wasn't sure that inflation had been squeezed out of the economy. It cited a strong labour market and a need to see confirmation in upcoming data that inflation was easing. - Aldi is trialling a new home delivery service for its groceries, and the supermarket chain. The German-based supermarket has partnered with delivery service DoorDash. Canberra is the first area for the trial from Tuesday this week. THEY SAID IT: "Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before -- more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle." Charles Dickens YOU SAID IT: I ranted - sorry, argued persuasively - against big inequalities of wealth. Murray didn't agree but disagreed thoughtfully: "One can envy the uber-rich, even despise them a little, but they are often huge employers with annual payrolls running into billions. I never despised my employer so much that I wasn't grateful for my pay packet. If the rich get richer, their lifestyles may be offensive, but they are the ones generating the wealth for governments to tax and the ones paying the wages." Helen (in her late 80s) said: "The answer is obviously taxing the rich at a much tougher rate. It will never happen, at least not in my lifetime." Neil urged us to the barricades: "The People, United Shall Never Be Defeated! Pitchforks and tumbrils peeps! Not tomorrow... NOW!!" Graham was not far behind him: "History saw four revolutions - the first two failed, but the French Revolution succeeded in the 18th century, followed by the Bolsheviks in 1917. Can I hear the scrape of whetstones on pitchforks and billhooks?" "Depressed Echidna reader, Sandra" wrote: "It really boils down to money, I believe that Australia is heading for a fall along with the environment." Chas said (and I'll keep his first sentence): "Good article Steve, and right on the money. History is littered with examples of societal collapse brought about by the excesses of the affluent exercised in the face of the vast majority of the underprivileged. In relatively later millennia, the Roman Empire comes to mind (think Nero and Caligula), the French Revolution, and in some measure, the USSR. In the historical mix, one can include the British Empire and the Spanish pillaging of foreign wealth." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Last week, the British treasurer was spotted bleary-eyed in the House of Commons, wiping away a tear (as well she might because the media onslaught against her had been ferocious), but it then sparked a debate about whether weeping was a sign of political weakness. It is not. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is allowed to cry - and, heartwarmingly, the markets fell on the thought that she might be pushed out by the lynch mob. Financial markets know what side their bread is buttered on, and they weren't having any of this crying denotes weakness nonsense. Even big men cry. They do. Even Peter Dutton (Google him). "Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has choked back tears after the father of one-punch victim Cole Miller called in to his 2GB radio interview to thank him for deporting a man involved in his son's death," Nine News reported in 2018. If ex-cop and ex-leader of the Liberals Peter Dutton can cry, we all can. Other macho-men politicians have also cried. Bob Hawke shed tears after the Tiananmen Square massacre: "His voice breaking with emotion, the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, yesterday wept along with hundreds of Chinese students and other mourners at a memorial service at Parliament House for the slain of China," the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The same paper revealed that ex-Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull blubbed: "Our tough-talking Prime Minister - buster of unions, lover of negative gearing, occasional shooter - is, by his own admission, a cry baby. Asked on morning radio whether he often shed a tear, Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged: 'Yes, I do, I do'." And yet, and yet. In our cynical times, the thought immediately pops up that macho politicians shedding a tear might just be good for the image - tough but sensitive, as it were. Moist eyes: good for the image; wailing out loud, not so good. But war leader Churchill was a weeper (though you might think he had a lot to cry about with the blitz and what once appeared like the imminent invasion of Britain - though he was also known to cry about a noble dog struggling through the snow to his master). And Churchill had seen friends killed in action. The historian Andrew Roberts wrote: "On 30 September 1897, after his great friend Lieutenant William Browne-Clayton was killed close to him on an expedition along India's Northwest Frontier, Churchill wrote to his mother, 'I rarely detect genuine emotion in myself,' and 'I must rank it as a rare instance the fact that I cried when I saw poor Browne-Clayton literally cut to pieces on a stretcher'." In 1940, Churchill wept in the House of Commons when MPs rose and applauded him for several minutes. "Sitting on the Treasury bench, the tension draining from his body, Churchill lowered his head and the tears ran down his cheeks," the Soviet ambassador to Britain wrote. "At last we have a real leader!" was the cry echoing through the lobbies. Real leaders cry. If Churchill can weep openly, so can the rest of us. HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you hide your tears, perhaps leaving the room? How do you react when you spot a weepy colleague? Are you embarrassed when a leader cries? Send your thoughts to echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep the rate of interest on which other rates of interest (like mortgage rates) depend unchanged. Many economists and the four major banks had predicted a cut to the cash rate. The RBA decision, which was not unanimous, indicated that it still wasn't sure that inflation had been squeezed out of the economy. It cited a strong labour market and a need to see confirmation in upcoming data that inflation was easing. - Aldi is trialling a new home delivery service for its groceries, and the supermarket chain. The German-based supermarket has partnered with delivery service DoorDash. Canberra is the first area for the trial from Tuesday this week. THEY SAID IT: "Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before -- more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle." Charles Dickens YOU SAID IT: I ranted - sorry, argued persuasively - against big inequalities of wealth. Murray didn't agree but disagreed thoughtfully: "One can envy the uber-rich, even despise them a little, but they are often huge employers with annual payrolls running into billions. I never despised my employer so much that I wasn't grateful for my pay packet. If the rich get richer, their lifestyles may be offensive, but they are the ones generating the wealth for governments to tax and the ones paying the wages." Helen (in her late 80s) said: "The answer is obviously taxing the rich at a much tougher rate. It will never happen, at least not in my lifetime." Neil urged us to the barricades: "The People, United Shall Never Be Defeated! Pitchforks and tumbrils peeps! Not tomorrow... NOW!!" Graham was not far behind him: "History saw four revolutions - the first two failed, but the French Revolution succeeded in the 18th century, followed by the Bolsheviks in 1917. Can I hear the scrape of whetstones on pitchforks and billhooks?" "Depressed Echidna reader, Sandra" wrote: "It really boils down to money, I believe that Australia is heading for a fall along with the environment." Chas said (and I'll keep his first sentence): "Good article Steve, and right on the money. History is littered with examples of societal collapse brought about by the excesses of the affluent exercised in the face of the vast majority of the underprivileged. In relatively later millennia, the Roman Empire comes to mind (think Nero and Caligula), the French Revolution, and in some measure, the USSR. In the historical mix, one can include the British Empire and the Spanish pillaging of foreign wealth." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Last week, the British treasurer was spotted bleary-eyed in the House of Commons, wiping away a tear (as well she might because the media onslaught against her had been ferocious), but it then sparked a debate about whether weeping was a sign of political weakness. It is not. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is allowed to cry - and, heartwarmingly, the markets fell on the thought that she might be pushed out by the lynch mob. Financial markets know what side their bread is buttered on, and they weren't having any of this crying denotes weakness nonsense. Even big men cry. They do. Even Peter Dutton (Google him). "Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has choked back tears after the father of one-punch victim Cole Miller called in to his 2GB radio interview to thank him for deporting a man involved in his son's death," Nine News reported in 2018. If ex-cop and ex-leader of the Liberals Peter Dutton can cry, we all can. Other macho-men politicians have also cried. Bob Hawke shed tears after the Tiananmen Square massacre: "His voice breaking with emotion, the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, yesterday wept along with hundreds of Chinese students and other mourners at a memorial service at Parliament House for the slain of China," the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The same paper revealed that ex-Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull blubbed: "Our tough-talking Prime Minister - buster of unions, lover of negative gearing, occasional shooter - is, by his own admission, a cry baby. Asked on morning radio whether he often shed a tear, Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged: 'Yes, I do, I do'." And yet, and yet. In our cynical times, the thought immediately pops up that macho politicians shedding a tear might just be good for the image - tough but sensitive, as it were. Moist eyes: good for the image; wailing out loud, not so good. But war leader Churchill was a weeper (though you might think he had a lot to cry about with the blitz and what once appeared like the imminent invasion of Britain - though he was also known to cry about a noble dog struggling through the snow to his master). And Churchill had seen friends killed in action. The historian Andrew Roberts wrote: "On 30 September 1897, after his great friend Lieutenant William Browne-Clayton was killed close to him on an expedition along India's Northwest Frontier, Churchill wrote to his mother, 'I rarely detect genuine emotion in myself,' and 'I must rank it as a rare instance the fact that I cried when I saw poor Browne-Clayton literally cut to pieces on a stretcher'." In 1940, Churchill wept in the House of Commons when MPs rose and applauded him for several minutes. "Sitting on the Treasury bench, the tension draining from his body, Churchill lowered his head and the tears ran down his cheeks," the Soviet ambassador to Britain wrote. "At last we have a real leader!" was the cry echoing through the lobbies. Real leaders cry. If Churchill can weep openly, so can the rest of us. HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you hide your tears, perhaps leaving the room? How do you react when you spot a weepy colleague? Are you embarrassed when a leader cries? Send your thoughts to echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep the rate of interest on which other rates of interest (like mortgage rates) depend unchanged. Many economists and the four major banks had predicted a cut to the cash rate. The RBA decision, which was not unanimous, indicated that it still wasn't sure that inflation had been squeezed out of the economy. It cited a strong labour market and a need to see confirmation in upcoming data that inflation was easing. - Aldi is trialling a new home delivery service for its groceries, and the supermarket chain. The German-based supermarket has partnered with delivery service DoorDash. Canberra is the first area for the trial from Tuesday this week. THEY SAID IT: "Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before -- more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle." Charles Dickens YOU SAID IT: I ranted - sorry, argued persuasively - against big inequalities of wealth. Murray didn't agree but disagreed thoughtfully: "One can envy the uber-rich, even despise them a little, but they are often huge employers with annual payrolls running into billions. I never despised my employer so much that I wasn't grateful for my pay packet. If the rich get richer, their lifestyles may be offensive, but they are the ones generating the wealth for governments to tax and the ones paying the wages." Helen (in her late 80s) said: "The answer is obviously taxing the rich at a much tougher rate. It will never happen, at least not in my lifetime." Neil urged us to the barricades: "The People, United Shall Never Be Defeated! Pitchforks and tumbrils peeps! Not tomorrow... NOW!!" Graham was not far behind him: "History saw four revolutions - the first two failed, but the French Revolution succeeded in the 18th century, followed by the Bolsheviks in 1917. Can I hear the scrape of whetstones on pitchforks and billhooks?" "Depressed Echidna reader, Sandra" wrote: "It really boils down to money, I believe that Australia is heading for a fall along with the environment." Chas said (and I'll keep his first sentence): "Good article Steve, and right on the money. History is littered with examples of societal collapse brought about by the excesses of the affluent exercised in the face of the vast majority of the underprivileged. In relatively later millennia, the Roman Empire comes to mind (think Nero and Caligula), the French Revolution, and in some measure, the USSR. In the historical mix, one can include the British Empire and the Spanish pillaging of foreign wealth." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Last week, the British treasurer was spotted bleary-eyed in the House of Commons, wiping away a tear (as well she might because the media onslaught against her had been ferocious), but it then sparked a debate about whether weeping was a sign of political weakness. It is not. The Chancellor of the Exchequer is allowed to cry - and, heartwarmingly, the markets fell on the thought that she might be pushed out by the lynch mob. Financial markets know what side their bread is buttered on, and they weren't having any of this crying denotes weakness nonsense. Even big men cry. They do. Even Peter Dutton (Google him). "Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has choked back tears after the father of one-punch victim Cole Miller called in to his 2GB radio interview to thank him for deporting a man involved in his son's death," Nine News reported in 2018. If ex-cop and ex-leader of the Liberals Peter Dutton can cry, we all can. Other macho-men politicians have also cried. Bob Hawke shed tears after the Tiananmen Square massacre: "His voice breaking with emotion, the Prime Minister, Mr Hawke, yesterday wept along with hundreds of Chinese students and other mourners at a memorial service at Parliament House for the slain of China," the Sydney Morning Herald reported. The same paper revealed that ex-Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull blubbed: "Our tough-talking Prime Minister - buster of unions, lover of negative gearing, occasional shooter - is, by his own admission, a cry baby. Asked on morning radio whether he often shed a tear, Malcolm Turnbull acknowledged: 'Yes, I do, I do'." And yet, and yet. In our cynical times, the thought immediately pops up that macho politicians shedding a tear might just be good for the image - tough but sensitive, as it were. Moist eyes: good for the image; wailing out loud, not so good. But war leader Churchill was a weeper (though you might think he had a lot to cry about with the blitz and what once appeared like the imminent invasion of Britain - though he was also known to cry about a noble dog struggling through the snow to his master). And Churchill had seen friends killed in action. The historian Andrew Roberts wrote: "On 30 September 1897, after his great friend Lieutenant William Browne-Clayton was killed close to him on an expedition along India's Northwest Frontier, Churchill wrote to his mother, 'I rarely detect genuine emotion in myself,' and 'I must rank it as a rare instance the fact that I cried when I saw poor Browne-Clayton literally cut to pieces on a stretcher'." In 1940, Churchill wept in the House of Commons when MPs rose and applauded him for several minutes. "Sitting on the Treasury bench, the tension draining from his body, Churchill lowered his head and the tears ran down his cheeks," the Soviet ambassador to Britain wrote. "At last we have a real leader!" was the cry echoing through the lobbies. Real leaders cry. If Churchill can weep openly, so can the rest of us. HAVE YOUR SAY: Do you hide your tears, perhaps leaving the room? How do you react when you spot a weepy colleague? Are you embarrassed when a leader cries? Send your thoughts to echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Reserve Bank of Australia decided to keep the rate of interest on which other rates of interest (like mortgage rates) depend unchanged. Many economists and the four major banks had predicted a cut to the cash rate. The RBA decision, which was not unanimous, indicated that it still wasn't sure that inflation had been squeezed out of the economy. It cited a strong labour market and a need to see confirmation in upcoming data that inflation was easing. - Aldi is trialling a new home delivery service for its groceries, and the supermarket chain. The German-based supermarket has partnered with delivery service DoorDash. Canberra is the first area for the trial from Tuesday this week. THEY SAID IT: "Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before -- more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle." Charles Dickens YOU SAID IT: I ranted - sorry, argued persuasively - against big inequalities of wealth. Murray didn't agree but disagreed thoughtfully: "One can envy the uber-rich, even despise them a little, but they are often huge employers with annual payrolls running into billions. I never despised my employer so much that I wasn't grateful for my pay packet. If the rich get richer, their lifestyles may be offensive, but they are the ones generating the wealth for governments to tax and the ones paying the wages." Helen (in her late 80s) said: "The answer is obviously taxing the rich at a much tougher rate. It will never happen, at least not in my lifetime." Neil urged us to the barricades: "The People, United Shall Never Be Defeated! Pitchforks and tumbrils peeps! Not tomorrow... NOW!!" Graham was not far behind him: "History saw four revolutions - the first two failed, but the French Revolution succeeded in the 18th century, followed by the Bolsheviks in 1917. Can I hear the scrape of whetstones on pitchforks and billhooks?" "Depressed Echidna reader, Sandra" wrote: "It really boils down to money, I believe that Australia is heading for a fall along with the environment." Chas said (and I'll keep his first sentence): "Good article Steve, and right on the money. History is littered with examples of societal collapse brought about by the excesses of the affluent exercised in the face of the vast majority of the underprivileged. In relatively later millennia, the Roman Empire comes to mind (think Nero and Caligula), the French Revolution, and in some measure, the USSR. In the historical mix, one can include the British Empire and the Spanish pillaging of foreign wealth."
