Good Samaritan dies days after being attacked while trying to stop Melbourne shoplifters

• Prof. Michel Chossudovsky reports on a secret U.S. War Department "Doomsday Blueprint" dated September 15, 1945, which allegedly planned a nuclear strike to "wipe the Soviet Union off the map." • The article asserts that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki served as a "dress rehearsal" for this larger strategic objective.

• The UN Security Council met on Wednesday to evaluate the ongoing threat posed by ISIL (Dae’sh) to global peace and security. • Briefings highlighted that ISIL, Al Qaeda, and their affiliates remain "adaptive and resilient" despite international counter-terrorism efforts.

• The Israeli military has ordered residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate for the first time in weeks, alleging that the Iranian-backed Hezbollah has committed a "blatant violation" of the current ceasefire. • Diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation were disrupted, with a State Department official reporting that the second day of talks ended prematurely due to escalating events on the ground.

• The United States reports that a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz is nearing completion following "positive" diplomatic talks between Iran and Oman. • Negotiators are currently focused on expanding safe shipping lanes through the strait, although several key differences between the parties remain unresolved.

• International diplomatic talks have intensified to resolve the ongoing conflict involving Iran and secure safe maritime passage through the Strait of Hormuz. • The situation is critical because the strait serves as a primary global artery for energy supplies, making any disruption a threat to international oil markets.

• President Donald Trump has initiated a high-pressure diplomatic strategy combining military threats and negotiations to resolve tensions with Tehran. • The confrontation centers on the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor that serves as a defining symbol of global energy security.

Mark Parton defends sending text message but denies he sent it to a sex worker, saying he is a ‘multi-tasker from hell’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAn Australian politician has admitted sending a text message that read “fuck, my job is boring” during a parliamentary hearing , but denied an allegation that he sent it to a sex worker.Mark Parton, the leader of the opposition in the Australian Capital Territory, made the admission after an anonymous complaint referred to the Legislative Assembly’s commissioner for standards alleged that last week’s text was sent to a sex worker. Continue reading...

Former 2UE and 2GB radio broadcaster is facing 22 charges. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guiltyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA former student sports star has denied in a Sydney court that he “fabricated” indecent assault allegations against broadcaster Alan Jones after he lost his police job and fell on “extremely hard times”.Jones’s defence barrister Gabrielle Bashir SC on Wednesday suggested to complainant J during cross-examination that he had a financial motive to report his alleged indecent assaults 20 years after the incidents. Continue reading...

Investigation by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty and Legal Agenda shows Israel deliberately attacked Amal Khalil and colleague Zeinab Faraj knowing they were civiliansAn Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her colleague Zeinab Faraj in April was a war crime, three rights organisations said on Thursday.Investigations from Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Legal Agenda showed that Israel deliberately and directly attacked Khalil and Faraj, with apparent knowledge that they were civilians. The organisations called for the attacks to be investigated as war crimes, while HRW called for states to halt arm sales to Israel and put targeted sanctions on Israeli officials responsible for ongoing crimes. Continue reading...

Some want the chancellor to exploit newly flexible fiscal rules – others want a more creative approach, such as borrowing from marketsWith just 12 weeks to go until his first budget, new chancellor John Healey is seeking ways to ramp up public investment, without busting the Treasury’s fiscal rules – and some economists are urging him to be bold.As he settles into No 11 Downing Street, the former defence secretary’s most immediate challenges concern day-to-day government spending. Continue reading...

Jean-Claude Perrottet, brother of former NSW premier, asked about messages referencing federal opposition leader and factional group ReformersIcac’s spotlight has shone on Dominic Perrottet’s brother – and it won’t be the last we hear from his familyNew South Wales’s anti-corruption watchdog has been shown text messages which suggest Angus Taylor “had paid some money to the Reformers … or was refusing to”, according to the lawyer assisting the inquiry.Taylor, the federal opposition leader, is not named in Icac’s allegations and has previously denied making payments to the hard-right factional group the Reformers. Continue reading...