Paul Hogan has reportedly called Pauline Hanson a ‘pelican’. Please explain?

• Gulf nations and Western leaders are expressing concern over Iran's continued ability to project power and influence through proxy militia groups. • Despite existing deals between the US and Iran, analysts believe Tehran will likely increase its support for these armed groups to maintain regional leverage.

• The U.S. and Israel have concluded a targeted military attack against Iran, marking the end of a specific escalation cycle. • The operation reflects the ongoing volatility of the Middle East, where strategic strikes are used to deter Iranian aggression and protect regional allies.

• A ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran is facing a critical test following new attacks in the Strait of Hormuz on Friday. • The instability occurs shortly after Secretary of State Marco Rubio and ambassadors from Israel and Lebanon announced a "framework deal" between those nations.

• The potential resolution of the conflict between the US and Iran through negotiation and economic compromise suggests a global shift toward pragmatism over ideological absolutism. • Current state behavior indicates that national security and economic prosperity are now prioritized over shared ideological alignment.

• Israel launched strikes in southern Lebanon, resulting in at least one death according to state media. • The attacks occurred just one day after Lebanon and Israel signed a framework agreement intended to stabilize the region.

• Iranian forces launched two attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz this week, including a June 25 strike on the Singapore-flagged container ship M/V Ever Lovely. • The M/V Ever Lovely is operated by Taiwan’s Evergreen Marine, highlighting the risk to international shipping lanes in one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints.

• The chairman of the Doha International Center for Interdialogue (DICID) emphasized that dialogue is a strategic necessity for enhancing social cohesion and reducing divisions rooted in religion, identity, and culture. • Speaking in Nicosia, the chairman highlighted how these initiatives promote shared citizenship and peaceful coexistence by framing diversity as a source of human development and cultural enrichment.

• India is engaging in strategic missile diplomacy amidst a volatile 2026 war in the Persian Gulf that has seen the UAE targeted by over 2,800 Iranian missiles and drones. • The conflict has caused severe global instability by shuttering the Strait of Hormuz and triggering a widespread energy crisis.

• Reports indicate that Vladimir Putin is losing control over Crimea, as residents are either desperately searching for fuel or fleeing the peninsula. • The instability is highlighted by images showing critical resource shortages and a growing exodus of the local population.

• A devastating earthquake in Venezuela has resulted in at least 1,430 deaths, sparking widespread public outcry. • Frustration is mounting among survivors and families as they criticize the government's slow and inadequate emergency response.

UK is latest country to set minimum age for social media access but big tech is fighting back globally against curbsSocial media bans go global: big tech faces a reckoning after Australia’s crackdownArturo Béjar, a former employee turned whistleblower at Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, has talked to parents around the world. He says they share the same perspective: they dread the day their children are old enough to go online.Governments appear to be listening too. This month the UK became the latest country to state that it would set a minimum age of 16 for accessing major social media platforms. Social media bans are becoming a legislative trend after the precedent set by Australia last year, when it imposed an age limit on platforms including Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, Google’s YouTube, Elon Musk’s X, TikTok and Snapchat. Continue reading...

Citizens in Minnesota using lessons learned from migrant crackdown to protect elections from president’s threatsWhen thousands of immigration agents flooded Minnesota earlier this year, a loose network of neighbors sprang into action. They fed each other. They got kids to and from school safely. They tracked the surge that tore through their communities.After organizing, block by block, to monitor Donald Trump’s extraordinary crackdown on their state, the same neighbors are shifting their focus to a different threat. What if the US president tries to steal an election? Continue reading...