Condemn

• The Philippines formally protested on Monday what Manila characterized as 'provocative and illegal' Chinese Coast Guard operations near Second Thomas Shoal, accusing Beijing of obstructing Philippine supply missions. • Philippine Defense Secretary stated that Chinese vessels used water cannons against Filipino boats, damaging equipment and endangering personnel conducting routine resupply operations to occupied Philippine outposts. • The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command reaffirmed commitment to freedom of navigation operations, with Pentagon officials stating they will continue sending naval assets through disputed waters to assert international law compliance.

• China's military conducted unannounced exercises Friday involving naval destroyers and fighter jets near Taiwan's east coast, hours after the US approved a $619 million weapons package for the self-governing island, defense officials on both sides confirmed. • The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued formal diplomatic protests, characterizing the US arms sale as a violation of the one-China principle and warning of "serious consequences" for continued military support to Taiwan. • Taiwan's defense ministry said it is prepared to defend against any military aggression and praised the US commitment; regional analysts warned the escalating military posturing raises risks of unintended conflict.

Uncle Jack Pearson, an army captain, says heckling ‘not in the Anzac spirit’ after welcome to country booed in Sydney, Melbourne and PerthIndigenous speakers booed while Ben Roberts-Smith attends separate Gold Coast eventMarcia Langton: The AFL bans disruptive racists. Surely police can do the same for morons who boo welcome to countryGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIndigenous leaders have condemned people who booed welcome to country speeches at Anzac Day dawn services across the country, with an army captain stating “racism is a cancer”.Elders who spoke at services in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth on Saturday morning were booed following a campaign by Fight for Australia, the group formerly known as March for Australia, which has previously staged major anti-immigration rallies. Continue reading...

The Rev Catherine Hutton says ‘hate cannot drive out hate’ after protesters gathered to demand information about suspectsThe minister of a church near the scene of an alleged gang-rape in Epsom has condemned the “intimidating” protest involving hundreds of people gathering in the Surrey town to demand information about the suspects from police.A woman in her 20s is believed to have been assaulted outside Epsom Methodist church in Ashley Road after leaving Labyrinth nightclub on Saturday between 2am and 4am, according to Surrey police. Continue reading...

Liberal judge attacks emergency-docket rulings designed to benefit president as ‘scratch-paper musings’The supreme court justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has delivered a sustained attack on her conservative colleagues’ use of emergency orders to benefit the Trump administration, calling the orders “scratch-paper musings” that can “seem oblivious and thus ring hollow”.Jackson, the court’s newest justice, delivered a lengthy assessment of roughly two dozen court orders issued last year that allowed Donald Trump to put in place controversial policies on immigration, steep federal funding cuts and other topics, after lower courts found they were probably illegal. Continue reading...

Ron Prosor says verbal attack on Friedrich Merz referencing Nazi regime ‘erodes the memory of the Holocaust’Israel’s envoy to Germany has criticised a far-right Israeli cabinet member who made historically charged accusations against the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying the attack “[eroded] the memory of the Holocaust”.In a rare rebuke of a top Israeli official by an active ambassador, Ron Prosor said he wished to “unequivocally condemn” Bezalel Smotrich’s tirade against Merz, in which he made reference to the Nazi regime and said: “You will not force us into ghettos again.” Continue reading...