President Joe Biden is ramping up his criticism of Israel's prime minister over his handling of the war in Gaza. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Netanyahu has said the army will push forward with an operation in Rafah.

Washington

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that Israel is 'at war' following a surprise attack from Gaza by Hamas militants.

Israel-Gaza War

The recent developments in the approach toward Hamas have showcased a growing rift between the United States and Israel. President Joe Biden has increased his criticism of Israel's Prime Minister over the latter's management of the conflict in Gaza. This disagreement marks a notable divergence in strategy and public statements regarding the ongoing hostilities.

On the other side, Prime Minister Netanyahu has confirmed that the Israeli army will continue with an operation in Rafah, a city in the Gaza Strip. This statement underlines a commitment to military action despite external criticisms, highlighting a steadfast stance on Israel’s current military strategy in the region.



U.S., Israeli leaders at odds over approach towards Hamas

While the U.S. has not wavered in its support for Israel and its war with Hamas, President Joe Biden is not shying away from criticizing his Israeli counterpart's leadership. I think what he's doing is a mistake. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu telling a group of army recruits just yesterday that the army will push forward with plans to root out Hamas in Rafa, a stronghold in southern Gaza where more than a million Palestinians are also sheltering. This is not the best way forward. There are better ways to go after Hamas in Rafa. U.S. officials are concerned invading Rafa will lead to a humanitarian disaster. Meanwhile, negotiations for a ceasefire and hostage release have stalled, limiting the aid arriving in Gaza. I think there's no excuse to not provide for the medical and the food needs of those people. But Hamas is not the only threat Israel is watching, with their foreign minister threatening to strike Iran directly if Israel is attacked from Iranian territory. This follows Iran's promise to retaliate against Israel for an attack on an Iranian consulate in Syria last week. We have no interest to start another front with Iran. So far they're using proxies against us. But if they will make that mistake, they will pay a heavy price. President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke on the phone last week, and the White House says Biden threatened to make U.S. support for Israel conditional on them taking stronger measures to protect aid workers and civilians.

Peter Dutton is set to deliver a budget reply speech, hinting at a focus on migration intake to address the housing crisis. The Coalition expected to propose further cuts to migration numbers and align housing supply with immigration rates.

Canberra

Opposition wants fewer migrants to ease housing crisis

Former Bulldogs and Tigers Brandon Wakeham has been charged over allegedly supplying large quantities of MDMA and cocaine. The 25-year-old, along with two co-accused arrested by Police and charged with commercial supply of illicit drugs.

Council of the City of Sydney

Former NRL player charged over alleged drug supply

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico has been undergoing surgery after being shot in a suspected assassination attempt, as he greeted supporters after a meeting. Five shots were fired at close range, while security scrambled to confront the shooter. The government says the attack, which has left the prime minister in a critical but stable condition, was politically motivated.

Bratislava

Slovakia PM's 'life in danger' after assassination attempt

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping that the Kremlin hopes will deepen a strategic partnership between the two most powerful geopolitical rivals of the United States.

Beijing

Putin arrives in China, to meet Xi Jinping in Beijing

Ukrainian forces struggle to repel Russian advances near the important city of Kharkiv. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is in Kyiv to highlight $61 billion US in aid and weapons, but some say it comes too late to make a difference.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Concerns U.S. aid for Ukraine arriving too late as Russia advances

Dutch nationalist Geert Wilders said a deal had been reached to form what was set to be the most right-wing government in the Netherlands in decades, almost six months after a major election victory.

Amsterdam

Netherlands set for most right-wing government in years

Firefighters in western Canada are battling the first major wildfires of 2024 after unseasonably warm temperatures and an ongoing drought left forests tinder-dry. The blazes prompted evacuation orders for parts of northern British Columbia and Alberta.

British Columbia

Climate Crisis

Wildfires in western Canada spur large evacuations

Protesters occupying a University of Melbourne building are refusing to move, defying orders by Police and risking arrest. A group of around one-hundred students staging a sit-in to protest the war in Gaza.

Melbourne

Pro-Palestine protesters refuse to leave uni campus

A Sydney council has voted to overturn a controversial same-sex parenting book ban that prompted national outrage. Riot police were called after rival protests gathered outside the council chambers.

Cumberland City Council

Council votes to reverse same-sex parenting book ban

Hundreds of police are scouring northern France for Mohamed Amra, a fugitive known as "The Fly" who was freed by gunmen in a brazen attack against a prison van that killed two guards and wounded three.

Paris

French police search for 'The Fly' after deadly prison van escape

Slovakia's Prime Minister Robert Fico is battling life-threatening wounds after officials said he was shot multiple times in an assassination attempt condemned by European leaders. The suspected gunman was detained by police.

Handlová

Slovakian leader critical after assasination attempt

The Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off as celebrities walked the red carpet into the plush Grand Theatre Lumiere to honour Hollywood actor Meryl Streep before settling in to watch this year's opening film, "The Second Act." Story by Monte Francis.

Cannes

Cannes kicks off with a Palme d'Or for Meryl Streep

Ukraine has pulled back troops near several villages in the northeastern Kharkiv region, where Russian forces have been advancing and pounding settlements in a new offensive along the border, Kyiv said.

Kharkiv

Ukraine pulls back from two areas of Kharkiv

French police and authorities have launched a nationwide manhunt for an escaped prisoner, after an armed gang ambushed his prison van, killing two officers. Video footage has emerged of the deadly attack which took place in Normandy, France on Tuesday morning in public.

Normandy

Manhunt underway after prison van attack in France

The Federal Budget has promised an energy rebate of $300 for all Australian households, but critics say a lack of means testing is a tougher sell. Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the latest budget will reduce inflation, but economists disagree.

Federal budget promises an inflation fix 'by Christmas'

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told President Volodymyr Zelenskiy during a trip to Kyiv that part of a major U.S. aid package had arrived in Ukraine and that more was on its way.

Blinken says Putin must pay for damage in Ukraine

In his second day on the stand at Donald Trump's criminal trial, the prosecution tried to build up the former fixer's credibility as a witness who can link Trump to the alleged scheme of falsifying business records to conceal hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

New York

Star witness Michael Cohen grilled by defence at Trump trial

A preliminary National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report says the cargo ship Dali that collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore lost power twice in the hours before it left port.

Baltimore

Report: Ship lost power twice before ramming Baltimore bridge

At least two French prison guards were shot dead and three others seriously injured after heavily armed men ambushed a prison van to free an inmate, French police said, triggering a major manhunt.

Incarville

Manhunt underway after prisoner van ambushed

The Georgian parliament has approved in the third and final reading a divisive bill that sparked weeks of mass protests, with critics seeing it as a threat to democratic freedoms and the country’s aspirations to join the European Union.

Tbilisi

Georgian Parliament adopts controversial law despite protests

U.S. President Joe Biden has unveiled a bundle of steep tariff increases on an array of Chinese imports including electric vehicles, computer chips and medical products, risking an election-year standoff with Beijing in a bid to woo voters who give his economic policies low marks.

Biden sharply hikes U.S. tariffs on China chips, cars

The Treasurer has announced a $300 power bill rebate for households and a $325 rebate for small businesses, alongside measures to address inflation and support low-income households, aiming to alleviate the country's cost of living pressures.

Federal Budget tackles cost-of-living crisis

The New South Wales State Government has announced tougher bail laws for domestic violence accused persons, including electronic monitoring. The reforms follow the alleged murder of Molly Ticehurst in Forbes last month, after her accused killer breached bail.

NSW announces tougher bail laws for domestic offenders

The Federal Government will announce the budget in a few hours. Cost of living is said to be the key focus, along with energy rebates for Australian households and Commonwealth rent assistance. However Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor says Australian households have already shown great restraint. Inflation is also a concern.

Budget forecast ahead of announcement

Trump's former fixer and personal lawyer Michael Cohen takes the stand as a key prosecution witness at the former president's hush money trial. His testimony links the former president to alleged falsifying of business records to cover up payments to an adult film star and a Playboy model, in the 2016 campaign.

Ex- Trump fixer Michael Cohen takes stand at hush money trial

Israel's Memorial Day is typically sombre, but today angry protests over the government's handling of the war disrupted several events. The war itself is getting worse for Palestinians in Gaza as hundreds of thousands have fled the city they were already taking refuge in and still more are trapped amid intensifying fighting.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Protests, fighting in Gaza mark Israel's Memorial Day

The exodus of Palestinians from Gaza’s last refuge accelerated as Israeli forces pushed deeper into the southern city of Rafah. Israel also pounded the territory’s devastated north, where some Hamas militants have regrouped. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated opposition to a major military assault on Rafah.

Jerusalem

UN urges reopening of aid lines as exodus from Rafah continues

More than a dozen student volunteers from Albury, Victoria are stranded in Vanuatu after the country's airline went into liquidation. The group having to arrange their own charter flight back to Australia after Qantas were unresponsive.

Tanna

Air Vanuatu collapse leaves teenage volunteers stranded

Australians are feeling the financial pinch, making significant cuts to their spending habits according to a report by the Commonwealth Bank. Analysis of expenditure revealed a reduction in purchases at supermarkets, liquor stores and butchers.

Aussies slash spending, according to new survey

Thousands of people been evacuated from border areas in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, as Russia kept up constant strikes on a key town as part of a cross-border offensive, officials said. The surprise Russian attack across Ukraine's northeastern border began on Friday, with Moscow's troops making small advances in an area from where they had been pushed back nearly two years ago.

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Israel-Gaza War