Dfat officials ‘urgently seeking’ status of 11 Australian Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel 19. May 2026 (06:54) Global Sumud Flotilla organisers say 38 ships holding 319 activists were about 250 nautical miles from the coast of Gaza when they were interceptedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastEleven Australians attempting to deliver aid to Gaza as part of a global flotilla have been detained by Israeli forces in international waters off the coast of Cyprus, with the government “urgently seeking” confirmation of their welfare.On Monday local time, the Global Sumud Flotilla alleged the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) encircled 38 ships that were part of a fleet of 54 boats which left Turkey last week for the embattled strip, which remains under naval blockade by Israel. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Huge milestone’ as Libyan militia commander accused of torture to appear at ICC 19. May 2026 (06:00) Prosecution is seen as landmark step towards justice over abuses of refugees trying to reach Europe from AfricaA former militia commander accused of overseeing murder, rape, enslavement and torture in Libyan detention centres will appear at the international criminal court on Tuesday for a hearing that campaigners say is a landmark step towards “justice, truth, reparation and deterrence” of abuses of refugees trying to reach Europe from Africa.The prosecution of Khaled Mohamed Ali El Hishri on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity is the first to reach a courtroom resulting from the ICC’s investigation into crimes in Libya after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Come in for one minute’: Israeli survivor’s appeal to doubters as 7 October exhibition opens in London 19. May 2026 (06:00) Commemoration of atrocity at Nova music festival confronts those who deny its gravity, says Elkana BohbotTwo police vans waited expectantly near the front entrance. Officers patrolled the pavements while suited security men with ear pieces stood stern-faced, casting suspicious looks at those approaching. The location in east London had not been disclosed until that morning but no chances were being taken.It was not for a visiting dignitary or even an embassy of a country in conflict that all this was deemed necessary but the Nova exhibition, a commemoration of the 378 people massacred at a music festival on 7 October along with the 44 taken as hostages and the 19 of those who died in Hamas captivity. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Belfast harbour operator to invest £1.3bn as NI economy grows 19. May 2026 (06:00) Port has upgraded offshore wind facilities and is to expand quays, ferry terminals and cruise ship servicesThe operator of Belfast harbour plans to spend £1.3bn over the next 25 years to take advantage of strong economic growth in Northern Ireland, in what would be one of the largest non-governmental investments in the region’s history.The Belfast Harbour Commissioners said the money would be spent on upgrading the port, with the possibility of residential property developments that could add another £750m in investment on top. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Billie Jean King graduates from college at age 82 after leaving for tennis: ‘Yeah baby, only 61 years!’ 19. May 2026 (04:01) King distinguished herself as a tennis champ at Cal State Los Angeles, winning Wimbledon doubles while enrolledWhen Billie Jean King left college in 1964, she had a purpose. Within a few years, she had become the top-ranked tennis professional in the world. Over a trailblazing career, she won 39 championships, a Presidential Medal of Freedom and a congressional Medal of Honor – all while pushing publicly for gender and pay equality.Last year, she finally returned to finish the degree in history she started more than six decades ago. On Monday, she graduated, at 82 years old. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tributes paid as ‘outstanding’ soldier who died in fall at Royal Windsor Horse Show is named 19. May 2026 (03:19) Ministry of Defence names soldier who fell from her horse as Lance Bombardier Ciara Sullivan, 24, part of the King’s Troop, Royal Horse ArtilleryA soldier who died after falling from her horse at the Royal Windsor Horse Show was named as Lance Bombardier Ciara Sullivan, 24 – an “exceptional jockey” with an “infectious energy”, her commanding officer said.Sullivan, part of the King’s Troop, Royal Horse Artillery, fell at around 7pm on Friday after exiting the arena. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nancy Pelosi breaks silence to endorse San Francisco supervisor as successor 19. May 2026 (02:37) Former House speaker, who had not yet weighed in, declared Connie Chan ‘best prepared’ to represent cityNancy Pelosi on Monday endorsed Connie Chan, a San Francisco supervisor, in the race to succeed her as the city’s representative in Congress, calling her the candidate who “stands above the rest”.Pelosi, the first woman to serve as speaker of the House, will retire at the end of her term and had not yet weighed in on the contested primary for the San Francisco district she has held for nearly 40 years. But as early mail-in ballots trickle in ahead of the 2 June primary, Pelosi declared Chan the “leader best prepared to carry forward the fight for San Francisco in the Congress”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s shifting remarks on Taiwan are perfect for China to exploit 19. May 2026 (02:22) President’s remarks about Taiwan arms deals being a ‘negotiating chip’ with Beijing have been seized on by Chinese state mediaIt has been an unsettling few days for Taiwan’s government. When Donald Trump met Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, many feared the unpredictable US leader could upend Washington’s longstanding support for Taipei.But beyond a starkly worded statement from Xi stressing China’s claims over Taiwan, which it claims as part of its territory despite never having ruled it, initial signs appeared good for Taipei. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Liberal senator breaks ranks to take aim at Angus Taylor’s ‘negative’ rhetoric on immigration 19. May 2026 (02:21) ‘We cannot continue to blame migrants for the problems of our economy,’ backbencher Andrew McLachlan says A Liberal senator has broken ranks to criticise Angus Taylor’s plan to bar non-citizens from accessing welfare, warning it will create “two types of members of the community” and is “not the Australian way”.The outspoken backbencher Andrew McLachlan said migrants should not be blamed for economic problems including the housing crisis, and warned his party’s immigration rhetoric was alienating diaspora communities. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mark Fuhrman, LA detective convicted of lying at OJ Simpson trial, dies 19. May 2026 (01:57) Fuhrman, who found bloody glove at Simpson’s home, charged with perjury after audio revealed use of racial slursFormer Los Angeles police detective Mark Fuhrman, who was convicted of lying during testimony at the OJ Simpson murder trial, has died.Fuhrman was one of the first two police detectives sent to investigate the 1994 killings of Simpson’s ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ronald Goldman, in Los Angeles. He reported finding a bloody glove at Simpson’s home, but his credibility came under attack during the trial as the defense raised the prospect of racial bias. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
