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a day ago
- Politics
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Israeli strike kills 30 at cafe popular for co-working, official says
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here More than 30 people have been killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit a cafe near the port in Gaza City, according to the head of the territory's largest hospital. Dr Mohammad Abu Silmiya, the director of Al-Shifa hospital, said in an update on Monday afternoon (early Tuesday AEST) that at least 31 people had been killed and 70 injured in the strike. Videos geolocated by CNN show thick smoke rising from the scene as well as widespread damage to the cafe and the surrounding area. They also showed bodies being removed on stretchers. A Palestinian man checks an area near the cafe that was damaged in an Israeli strike on Monday. (Jehad Alshrafi/AP via CNN Newsource) The Israel Defence Forces told CNN it was looking into the circumstances around the strike. The Al-Baqa cafe was a well-known spot for students, journalists and remote workers, as it offered internet and a place to work by the Mediterranean coast. Silmiya told CNN that "most of the casualties are women and children", including many students who were at the cafe for internet access. He also said the hospital was short of ICU beds and anaesthetics to treat the casualties. "We are treating the injured on the hospital floor as no rooms and hospital beds are available", the hospital director added. Damage at the cafe near the port in Gaza City on June 30, 2025, following an Israeli airstrike. (CNN via CNN Newsource) Among those killed was a freelance journalist, Ismail Abu Hatab, according to other journalists at the scene. The Hamas-controlled Government Media Office said his death brought to 228 the number of journalists killed by Israeli military action in Gaza since October 2023. CONTACT US
9 News
6 days ago
- Business
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Stunning turnaround: US stock market on precipice of all-time record
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here The S&P 500 is on the cusp of a record high. That's a remarkable change of events, since the index was on the brink of a bear market just two months ago. US stocks on Wednesday were mixed, with a new high for the S&P 500 less than 1 per cent away. The Dow was down 135 points, or 0.31 per cent, as of the early afternoon. The broader S&P 500 was flat and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite gained 0.25 per cent. The S&P 500 soared 2.1 per cent across the past two days as investors welcomed a ceasefire, albeit fragile, between Israel and Iran. As the stock market has climbed back towards record highs, investors are wondering whether there is room for stocks to climb higher or if further roadblocks lie ahead. The S&P 500 on Tuesday closed higher by 1.11 per cent. The index closed just 0.85 per cent away from a new record high. (Yuki Iwamura/AP via CNN Newsource) The S&P 500 on Tuesday had closed just 0.85 per cent away from an all-time high. "As Middle East tensions de-escalate, the focus will return to more fundamental concerns for investors such as tariffs, earnings, the federal deficit and President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill," said Chris Brigati, chief investment officer at SWBC, in a Tuesday note. Despite plenty of headwinds, including the possibility of reignited inflation from higher tariffs this summer, some Wall Street analysts believe stocks still have room to rise. "We are not looking for a massive rally from current levels, but believe that the path of least resistance is a grind higher," said Mohit Kumar, an economist and strategist at Jefferies, in a Wednesday note. The US stock market has been on a wild ride this year. After tumbling into correction in March and flirting with a bear market in April, the index recouped its losses in May and June and is up more than 3.5 per cent year-to-date. The S&P 500 had entered the year hitting record high after record high. The index hit its last record high on February 19 as Wall Street rallied at the start of Trump's second term. Specialist Dilip Patel, left, and trader Robert Charmak work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Monday, June 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) The index began to tumble in March and April as the president unveiled his tariff policy, and it's been trying to claw its way back toward a new record high since. After Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs on April 2, the S&P 500 closed at its lowest level this year on April 8, down 18.9 per cent from its February record high. The S&P 500 rallied sharply in April after Trump walked back his massive "reciprocal" tariffs. The index then gained 6.15 per cent across May as the rebound rally accelerated, posting its best monthly gain since November 2023 and its best performance in May since 1990. The benchmark index is up 3 per cent so far in June. Although the Trump administration has only announced a trade deal with the United Kingdom and a truce in its trade war with China, many investors have been betting that the worst of the tariff confusion is in the past. A Wall Street sign hangs near to the New York Stock Exchange, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura) As the market has recovered, momentum around US tech and artificial intelligence has begun to pick up pace. The Nasdaq 100 on Tuesday closed at an all-time high, notching its first new record high since February. The Nasdaq 100 is an index comprising the largest tech companies in the United States. Tech and AI stocks are beginning to return to their "leadership" in US markets, helping push the major indexes higher, said Ross Mayfield, an investment strategist at Baird. "Does it become a bubble at some point? I think it's possible, but I don't think we're there yet," Mayfield said. "And in the meantime, getting leadership from these big tech names is huge for a US market that's hyper-concentrated in that area." Keith Buchanan, senior portfolio manager at Globalt Investments, said the market has climbed to a level that might not be justified given the economic backdrop. The market is "looking through" some of the "present and clear" risks associated with tariffs and how they might impact the economy, Buchanan said. "It can do that at times in an irrational way," he said. "There are concerns about what the future holds from a profitability standpoint." While Wall Street has shrugged off the Israel-Iran conflict and awaited developments on the trade front, investors are also trying to gauge where tariff rates ultimately settle and what other factors might impact markets. The current average tariff rate would still result in the highest tariffs in 90 years, noted Torsten Slok, chief economist at Apollo, in a Monday note to investors. That would lead to slower economic growth, higher inflation and higher interest rates for longer, according to Slok — all major obstacles to the S&P 500 climbing higher. Geopolitics and second quarter earnings releases beginning in mid-July are other catalysts that could impact investor sentiment and the market, said Eric Freedman, CIO at US Bank Asset Management, said in a Monday note. "How companies are absorbing or passing on tariff price increases represents a key item of investor interest in upcoming quarterly releases, with investors gauging the future impact on inflation, interest rates and economic growth," Freedman said. Kumar at Jefferies said in a Wednesday note that he is looking for how US jobs data holds up this summer and whether Treasury yields rise due to concerns about the deficit, which could pull investors away from stocks. "The main message for investors is to stay invested and avoid reacting sharply to any news or market reaction that may have a short-term negative impact upon equity prices," SWBC's Brigati said. "It is nearly impossible to attempt to time the market, therefore maintaining a disciplined and long-term investing approach serves investors well." CONTACT US Auto news:Is this the next Subaru WRX? Mysterious performance car teased.
9 News
21-06-2025
- Politics
- 9 News
Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by Pakistan
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Pakistan has formally recommended US President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, citing his "decisive diplomatic intervention" following a spike in violence between India and Pakistan earlier this year. The government praised Trump for leveraging his "pivotal leadership" in May, when several days of cross-border strikes marked the worst regional fighting between the two nuclear-armed nations since 1971, killing dozens and stoking fears of a wider war. Islamabad and New Delhi agreed to a US-brokered truce on May 8, as one final burst of strikes ripped through parts of the long-disputed Kashmir region – to which both countries claim full sovereignty. President Donald Trump walks out of the Oval Office and views the Rose Garden construction before boarding Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House on Friday, June 20. (via CNN Newsource) "At a moment of heightened regional turbulence, President Trump demonstrated great strategic foresight and stellar statesmanship through robust diplomatic engagement with both Islamabad and New Delhi," Pakistan's government said in a statement on Saturday. The US president helped in "averting a broader conflict between the two nuclear states that would have had catastrophic consequences for millions of people in the region and beyond," the statement added. "This intervention stands as a testament to his role as a genuine peacemaker and his commitment to conflict resolution through dialogue." Indian and Pakistani officials gave contradictory accounts of how the agreement on a truce was reached at the time. While Islamabad lauded the involvement of the White House, New Delhi downplayed it – keen to relay the ceasefire as a victory and saying the neighbors "directly" collaborated on the truce. Indian and Pakistani officials gave contradictory accounts of how the agreement on a truce was reached at the time. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul) Governments, other institutions and certain individuals can nominate any living person or active organisation for the Nobel Peace Prize. The winner is decided each year by the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Trump has long sought to present himself as a global peacemaker. Before his second term in office, the Republican leader ferociously criticised his predecessor President Joe Biden's failed attempts to negotiate an end to Israel's brutal campaign in Gaza following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine the year prior. More than 400 people have been killed in Iran, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reported on Saturday, citing Iran's health ministry. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed, according to the Israeli government. Trump suggested he would not be awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in a message on Truth Social. (AP) Israel says the attacks are targeting nuclear sites and high-ranking military officers, several of whom have been killed. Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile attacks deep into northern and southern Israel. Earlier this week, Trump set out a self-imposed two-week timeline for a decision on US military involvement in Iran. After meeting with a top EU official and foreign ministers from Britain, France and Germany in Geneva, Switzerland, on Friday, Iran's foreign minister said his country would not re-enter negotiations with the US while it remains under attack from Israel. Just on Friday, Trump sought to stress his diplomatic successes in the Middle East and beyond, while suggesting he would not gain recognition for them. "I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping the War between India and Pakistan," he posted on his Truth Social platform. "I won't get a Nobel Peace Prize no matter what I do, including Russia/Ukraine, and Israel/Iran, whatever those outcomes may be." Donald Trump Pakistan World USA CONTACT US
9 News
21-06-2025
- Politics
- 9 News
US moves B-2 bombers as Trump weighs Iran options
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here A US defense official said there has been no order given to move forward with any kind of operation against Iran using the B-2s. As of Saturday, the planes are flying over the Pacific and appear to be headed toward Guam. A B-2 Spirit Bomber is seen in Nevada on January 23. (Carlos Barria/Reuters/FILE via CNN Newsource) Two US defense officials cautioned that any movement of B-2s does not mean an operation is imminent but rather is intended to provide the president with options. Another US official said moving aircraft can be a show of force and a deterrent as Trump deliberates. B-2 bombers are the only plane capable of carrying the Massive Ordinance Penetrator, which experts have highlighted as the only type of bomb potentially capable of destroying Iran's underground Fordow nuclear facility. Each B-2 bomber is able to carry two of these "bunker buster" bombs, which weigh an impressive 30,000 pounds (13607kg) each. The movement of the B-2 bombers comes as Trump has spent much of the past week in the Situation Room, reviewing attack plans and quizzing officials about the potential consequences of each. The president indicated that his two-week timeline for a decision on US military involvement in Iran is the "maximum" amount of time – and that he could make up his mind sooner. Donald Trump speaks with reporters upon arriving at Morristown Municipal Airport in Morristown, New Jersey on Friday, June 20. (AP) Trump is set to hold a meeting with his national security team in the Oval Office on Saturday and Sunday evening. The White House didn't respond to a request for comment. On Friday night, eight US Air Force KC-135 Stratotankers took off from Altus, Oklahoma, according to data from FlightRadar24. Over Kansas the tankers refueled two groups of planes, identified on air traffic control audio by their callsigns MYTEE11 FLT and MYTEE21 FLT. The callsign MYTEE has previously been associated with special activity flights by B-2 bombers, and multiple flight trackers on social media said the planes being refueled were B-2 bombers out of Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Flight tracking data and air traffic control audio reviewed by CNN show the bombers refueled again off the coast of California, and over Hawaii. Satellite imagery taken on Thursday showed six KC-135 refueling planes stationed at Diego Garcia, a remote island in the Indian Ocean that could be used to refuel the bombers should they continue onward to Iran. Israel World Iran conflict USA US POLITICS Donald Trump CONTACT US
9 News
06-06-2025
- Politics
- 9 News
Israel confirms it is arming Hamas rivals in operation opposition calls 'complete madness'
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Israel is arming local militias in Gaza in an effort to counter Hamas in the besieged enclave, officials say, as opposition politicians warned that the move endangers national security. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the covert enterprise on Thursday, calling it "a good thing." In a video posted on social media, Netanyahu said Israel had "activated clans in Gaza which oppose Hamas," and that it was done "under the advice of security elements." Opposition leader Yair Lapid speaks in Israel's parliament in October last year. (Debbie Hill/AP via CNN Newsource) Former defence minister and Netanyahu rival Avigdor Liberman divulged the move on Israel's Channel 12 News on Wednesday, saying that Israel was distributing rifles to extremist groups in Gaza and describing the operation as "complete madness." "We're talking about the equivalent of ISIS in Gaza," Liberman said one day later on Israel's Army Radio, adding that Israel is providing weapons to "crime families in Gaza on Netanyahu's orders." "No one can guarantee that these weapons will not be directed towards Israel," he said, a warning echoed by one of the officials who spoke with CNN. After Liberman's revelation, the Prime Minister's Office issued a statement saying, "Israel is acting to defeat Hamas in various ways upon the recommendation of the heads of the security establishment." The ongoing operation was authorised by Netanyahu without security cabinet approval, two officials told CNN, which is the normal forum for making major policy decisions. Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners would likely have vetoed such a move. Meanwhile, Hamas said the plan revealed "a grave and undeniable truth." Gaza City's Shujaiya neighbourhood in October 2024. (Omar Al-Qattaa/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource) In a statement, the militant group said: "The Israeli occupation army is arming criminal gangs in the Gaza Strip with the aim of creating a state of insecurity and social chaos." One group that has received weapons from Israel is the militia led by Yasser Abu Shabab, officials said. Abu Shabab heads an armed group that controls some territory in eastern Rafah and he has posted photos of himself holding an AK-47 rifle with UN vehicles behind him. Though Abu Shabab has denied receiving weapons from Israel, Hamas has accused him of being a "traitor." "We pledge before God to continue confronting the dens of that criminal and his gang, no matter the cost of the sacrifices we make," Hamas said on Thursday. Opposition politicians ripped Netanyahu for the plan to arm militias and the secrecy around it, lambasting it as a continuation of the Israeli leader's decision to allow millions of dollars in cash to travel from Qatar to Gaza beginning in late 2018. They accused him of strengthening Hamas in the past as an alternative to the rival Palestinian Fatah faction, and now arming gangs as an alternative to Hamas. "After Netanyahu finished handing over millions of dollars to Hamas, he moved on to supplying weapons to groups in Gaza affiliated with ISIS – all improvised, with no strategic planning, and all leading to more disasters," opposition leader Yair Lapid said on social media. Netanyahu has not laid out a plan for who will govern Gaza in the future and has hardly made clear any of his post-war intentions for the coastal enclave. Part of Israel's war goals include the complete disarmament of Hamas and the end of its ability to govern in the territory. The arming of militias in Gaza appears to be the closest that Netanyahu has come to empowering any form of alternate rule. Despite nearly 20 months of war, Israel has not been able to dislodge Hamas completely from large swaths of Gaza, and the militant group – classified as a terrorist organisation in Israel, the United States, and the European Union – has clung to power. Yair Golan, head of the left-wing Democrats party, said in a post on social media: "Instead of bringing about a deal, making arrangements with the moderate Sunni axis, and returning the hostages and security to Israeli citizens, he is creating a new ticking bomb in Gaza." Israel Hamas Conflict Israel Palestine Gaza World War CONTACT US Property News: The last inner Sydney suburbs where houses cost under $2m.
