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Tag: australia
September 22, 2025
News
World

These NATO Members Are Recognizing Palestinian Statehood:

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Britain, Australia, Canada, France, and Portugal have formally recognized Palestinian statehood, coinciding with the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York this week.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The governments of Britain, Australia, Canada, Portugal, France, and Israel.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcements were made on September 22, 2025, coinciding with the UN General Assembly in New York.

💬KEY QUOTE: “The hope for a two-state solution is fading, but we cannot let that light go out.” – British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

🎯IMPACT: The decision puts diplomatic pressure on Israel and strains relations between the Trump administration—which opposes recognition of a Palestinian state as a de facto reward for Hamas terrorism—and key NATO allies.

IN FULL

Britain, Australia, Canada, France, and Portugal—all members of the NATO military alliance—have formally recognized Palestinian statehood. This decision strains relations between these nations’ governments and the Trump administration, which opposes recognizing a Palestinian state as effectively a reward for the Hamas terror attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel has threatened to retaliate by partially annexing the West Bank.

The announcements came just before the annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting in New York. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized the importance of a so-called two-state solution, stating, “The hope for a two-state solution is fading, but we cannot let that light go out.” Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney accused Israel of obstructing the establishment of a Palestinian state.

The Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has condemned these recognitions. Netanyahu criticized the decision, stating, “You are giving a huge reward to terrorism,” and vowed that a Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan River. The Israeli government is believed to be considering partially annexing the West Bank, where Jewish settlements exist in increasing numbers, in retaliation.

The Trump administration also opposes recognizing Palestinian statehood, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt Leavitt saying on Monday that the President regards the move as a “reward to Hamas” and describing it as “just more talk and not enough action from some of our friends and allies.”

Image by Lauren Hurley / No 10 Downing Street.

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August 12, 2025
World

Australia Becomes Latest U.S. Ally to Back Palestinian Statehood.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to officially recognize a Palestinian state during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Prime Minister Albanese, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Israeli Ambassador Amir Maimon.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made Monday in the Australian capital of Canberra, with formal recognition planned for September at the UN General Assembly.

💬KEY QUOTE: “A two-state solution remains the best hope for ending the violence in the Middle East and alleviating the suffering in Gaza.” – Anthony Albanese

🎯IMPACT: Israel has strongly opposed the move, warning it rewards terrorism, while Australia’s opposition cautions it could harm relations with the U.S.

IN FULL

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Monday that Australia will officially recognize a Palestinian state during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in September. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from Israel, which has labeled the move as a reward for terrorism.

“A two-state solution remains the best hope for ending the violence in the Middle East and alleviating the suffering in Gaza,” Albanese said during a press conference in the Australian capital of Canberra. The announcement aligns Australia with other Western nations such as France, Canada, and the United Kingdom, which have also pledged recognition of a Palestinian state at the summit.

Israeli Ambassador to Australia Amir Maimon quickly condemned the move, stating, “We reject this recognition.” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong defended the decision, arguing that recognition was a matter of “when, not if,” and warning that “there is a risk there will be no Palestine left to recognize” without prompt action.

The decision has also sparked backlash from Australia’s opposition Liberal Party, which leans towards the center-right, with leader Sussan Ley warning that it risks damaging the close relationship between Australia and the U.S. “Despite the Prime Minister’s remarks, the reality is that this recognition comes while hostages are still held in Gaza and Hamas remains in power,” Ley said.

The Trump administration has previously voiced opposition to France’s stated intention to recognize Palestinian statehood.

Image by Matt Hrkac.

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July 24, 2025
Economy
World

After 20 Years, Australia Reverses American Beef Ban.

PULSE POINTS

❓WHAT HAPPENED: Australia announced the lifting of restrictions on U.S. beef imports after two decades.

👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins, and President Donald Trump.

📍WHEN & WHERE: Announcement made Thursday, July 24, 2025, in Australia; restrictions have been in place for 20 years.

💬KEY QUOTE: “American farmers and ranchers produce the safest, healthiest beef in the world. It’s absurd that non-scientific trade barriers prevented our beef from being sold to consumers in Australia for the last 20 years.” – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins.

🎯IMPACT: U.S. beef producers gain greater access to the Australian market, marking a significant trade breakthrough.

IN FULL

In a major shift, Australia’s left-wing Labor government, led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, has announced the lifting of restrictions on American beef imports. This decision follows two decades of trade barriers that kept American farmers out of the Australian market.

Julie Collins, Australia’s Agricultural Minister, stated that the restrictions were originally implemented to prevent the spread of mad cow disease and that lifting them would lead to a more open and competitive marketplace in Australia. “Australia stands for open and free trade—our cattle industry has significantly benefited from this,” Collins said in a statement.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins praised the announcement as a “major trade breakthrough,” crediting President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to ensure fair and free trade with America’s trade partners. Rollins stated, “American farmers and ranchers produce the safest, healthiest beef in the world. It’s absurd that non-scientific trade barriers prevented our beef from being sold to consumers in Australia for the last 20 years.”

President Trump had previously criticized Australia’s restrictions, announcing tariffs on Australian imports earlier this year. He stated, “Australia bans—and they’re wonderful people, and wonderful everything—but they ban American beef. Yet we imported $3 billion of Australian beef from them just last year alone.”

Canberra has not yet set a date for the full lifting of restrictions.

Image by Ken Slade.

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June 12, 2025
News
World

Trump Reviewing AUKUS Submarine Deal With Britain, Australia.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The United States is conducting a review of the AUKUS defence pact with the United Kingdom and Australia.

👥 Who’s Involved: The American, British, and Australian governments; Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby leading the review.

💬 Key Quote: A British government spokesman called AUKUS “one of the most strategically important partnerships in decades.”

⚠️ Impact: The review raises concerns about potential U.S. withdrawal, as payments from Australia to the U.S. for submarine manufacturing have already begun.

IN FULL:

The Trump administration is reviewing the AUKUS defence pact, a trilateral agreement with the United Kingdom and Australia focused on developing nuclear-powered submarines. The review, led by Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby, has prompted concerns about the possibility of the U.S. withdrawing from the agreement. Colby has previously expressed some skepticism about building nuclear-powered submarines, a “crown jewel” American asset, to other states.

However, the British Prime Minister’s office has responded to the review, describing it as “understandable” for the U.S. to assess the project. A British government spokesman emphasized the significance of the pact, calling AUKUS “one of the most strategically important partnerships in decades.”

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles also addressed the review, stating that he had been aware of it for some time and welcomed the process. Marles noted that both the British and Australian governments conducted their own reviews of the agreement following the elections of the countries’ currently governing parties.

Despite the concerns raised by some, U.S. Ambassador to London Warren Stephens has expressed support for the AUKUS partnership. Additionally, Australia has already made the first of six payments, each amounting to $500 million, to the United States for new nuclear submarines, bolstering the American shipbuilding industry.

The AUKUS partnership, announced in 2021, aims to enhance defence cooperation among the three English-speaking allies, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region.

Image via BAE Systems.

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April 15, 2025
Science

Now ‘Climate Change’ is Responsible for… Schizophrenia!?

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A study in Nature Climate Change links high temperatures to increasing mental and behavioral disorders, including schizophrenia, and warns of a further rise due to climate change.

👥 Who’s Involved: Researchers from the University of Adelaide conducted the study.

📍 Where & When: The Australian study was published in Nature Climate Change on Monday.

💬 Key Quote: Dr. Peng Bi claims, “From mild distress to serious conditions like schizophrenia, rising temperatures are making things harder for millions.”

⚠️ Impact: The study alleges there will be a 49 percent increase in mental health burdens by 2050 due to climate-related heat unless effective adaptations are made.

IN FULL:

A recent study by researchers at the University of Adelaide, Australia, claims that increasing temperatures significantly affect mental health. According to the findings published in Nature Climate Change, extreme heat is contributing to a rising incidence of mental and behavioral disorders, and the situation will worsen if the climate warms.

The research utilizes the metric of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) to estimate the mental health toll of rising temperatures. Currently, heat supposedly contributes to the annual loss of over 8,450 healthy life years in Australia, accounting for about 1.8 percent of the nation’s mental and behavioral disorder burden. The study claims this toll could rise by nearly 50 percent by 2050 if global temperatures increase.

Dr. Peng Bi, who led the research, alleges that high temperatures exacerbate conditions from mild distress to severe illnesses like schizophrenia. According to the study, approximately 8.6 million Australians could encounter a mental behavioral disorder at some point. Co-author Dr. Jingwen Liu claims, “Climate change will drive up mental health challenges beyond what population growth alone would cause,” and, “Young people, who often face these issues early in life, are especially at risk as the climate crisis worsens.”

The research models various scenarios, indicating a possible 49 percent increase in burden under a high-emissions pathway and up to 141 percent when factoring in population growth. It claims climate change policies could limit the increase. Notably, however, Western countries such as Australia now account for only a small percentage of global emissions, with the impact of net zero policies that have a punishing effect on households and businesses being wiped out by the increasing use of coal and other carbon-heavy fuels by the likes of China and India.

Image by Jorge Royan.

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March 12, 2025
William Upton
Economy
World

Australian PM Says He WON’T Retaliate Against Trump’s Trade Tariffs.

Australia has announced it will not escalate with retaliatory measures on April 2 when reciprocal trade tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump take effect. While he declared the steel and aluminum tariffs unjustified, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday that his country would not impose any tariffs of its own in response.

“It has been foreshadowed that no country, regardless of its relationship with the United States, has been granted an exemption,” Albanese said, complaining: “Such a decision by the Trump administration is entirely unjustified.”

Albanese continued: “Tariffs and escalating trade tensions are a form of economic self-harm and a recipe for slower growth and higher inflation. They are paid by the consumers. This is why Australia will not be imposing reciprocal tariffs on the United States.”

While the Australian Prime Minister insists that tariffs will slow economic growth and increase inflation, neither of these statements is necessarily true. Canada, for instance, has long enjoyed robust economic growth despite having high barriers to foreign imports. In addition, The National Pulse has previously reported that there is little evidence that trade tariffs contribute to inflation.

The Australian government contends they should receive a similar exemption to the tariffs that they were granted in 2018. Then, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison argued one of his country’s top steel companies, BlueScope, was also a major employer of U.S. workers, managing to secure an exemption from the 2018 tariffs.

Notably, Australia currently benefits from increased U.S. military spending on a critical submarine and naval base project that is part of the AUKUS treaty enacted during President Trump’s first administration.

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Australia has announced it will not escalate with retaliatory measures on April 2 when reciprocal trade tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump take effect. While he declared the steel and aluminum tariffs unjustified, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday that his country would not impose any tariffs of its own in response. show more
February 21, 2025
News
World

China Executes Rare Naval ‘Live-Fire’ Drills Off Australia’s Coast in Significant Provocation.

Civilian and commercial aircraft flying off Australia’s east coast have been diverted due to Chinese naval vessels performing live-fire drills. The Chinese communist regime describes the drills as routine training exercises compliant with international law. However, conducting such military drills so close to Australia is exceptionally rare and represents a potential escalation against the United States and its allies’ maritime dominance in the Pacific Ocean.

Australia’s defense department has been tracking three Chinese naval vessels, including the frigate Hengyang, cruiser Zunyi, and replenishment vessel Weishanhu, following their recent sightings. Leftist Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claims that the activities are in accordance with international law and pose no immediate threat to Australian or New Zealand assets.

Currently, the three Chinese vessels are approximately 340 nautical miles east of the coast of New South Wales. However, at one point, they were within 150 nautical miles of Syndey—suggesting the drills are intended as a form of intimidation or provocation. In response to inquiries about the drills, China’s foreign ministry emphasized that the exercises would be conducted safely and professionally, adhering to global legal standards.

Meanwhile, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong expressed concerns and indicated plans to address the issue with Chinese officials. Speaking from a G20 meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, she reiterated Australia’s intention to engage in discussions regarding the exercises. In the wake of the announcement, Airservices Australia, responsible for air traffic management, issued a caution for commercial aircraft to adjust their flight paths to avoid the affected area. The agency stated that it is collaborating to provide guidance to air operators and pilots.

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Civilian and commercial aircraft flying off Australia's east coast have been diverted due to Chinese naval vessels performing live-fire drills. The Chinese communist regime describes the drills as routine training exercises compliant with international law. However, conducting such military drills so close to Australia is exceptionally rare and represents a potential escalation against the United States and its allies' maritime dominance in the Pacific Ocean. show more
January 29, 2025
World

Cops Intercept Explosive-Filled Camper Van Near Synagogue.

An alleged terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue has been thwarted by law enforcement. Australian police announced they identified an explosive-laden vehicle—described as a caravan (a camper)—in the Dural suburb of Syndey in New South Wales on January 19. The caravan, which was full of explosives, is suspected of being intended for use as a massive bomb to kill Jewish worshipers.

“That caravan contained an amount of explosives and some indication that those explosives might be used in some form of antisemitic attack,” said New South Wales Deputy Police Commissioner David Hudson during a news conference. He emphasized that officials believe the threat was neutralized and that there is no ongoing danger to the area’s Jewish community.

While arrests have been made, Hudson did not reveal the number of individuals detained, their backgrounds, or the specific charges filed. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns—roughly equivalent to a U.S. state governor—stated that over 100 officers are involved in the inquiry under a coordinated effort between state and federal police. Minns characterized the incident as a potential mass casualty event, defining it unequivocally as terrorism.

In recent months, Australia has experienced a series of antisemitic incidents, with synagogues, properties, and vehicles targeted, notably since the escalation of Israel’s war against the Hamas terror group following the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel. The increase in such incidents has led to criticism of left-wing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s administration as a general election looms before May.

Christians have also been targeted by Islamists in Australia, with Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel and Father Isaac Royel being stabbed by a 16-year-old jihadist in the middle of a live-streamed church service in Sydney last year.

Image by Martin Vorel.

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An alleged terrorist attack targeting a Jewish synagogue has been thwarted by law enforcement. Australian police announced they identified an explosive-laden vehicle—described as a caravan (a camper)—in the Dural suburb of Syndey in New South Wales on January 19. The caravan, which was full of explosives, is suspected of being intended for use as a massive bomb to kill Jewish worshipers. show more
January 16, 2025
Christopher Tomlinson
Crime
News

Judge Rules Trans Pedophile Molested Five-Year-Old to Feel ‘Validated as a Woman.’

A court has cited “transphobia” as a factor in a shockingly lenient sentence handed pedophile man who identifies as a woman. Autumn Tulip Harper, 25, was sentenced to just four years after being found guilty of molesting his five-year-old daughter in Australia.

Reduxx states that Australian law enforcement identified Harper after American law enforcement arrested another pedophile he had been chatting with online in 2023. Harper sent the arrested American child abuse material (CSAM) over the platform Discord.

Following his identification, Haprer’s home was raided by police, who found 77 CSAM files on his phone, many of which contained his own daughter. He is said to have been in a bizarre slave-like relationship with the American pedophile, who was the one requesting the CSAM abuse videos and pictures. Judge Nola Karapanagiotidis decided Harper sent the American the CSAS largely because he made Harper feel “validated… as a woman and a sexual person.”

During Harper’s trial, forensic psychiatrist Dr. Rajan Darjee portrayed the transgender as a “woman” who had been pressured by a man into molesting a child. Dr. Darjee even claimed Harper did not need sex offender treatment, stating Harper was “low risk” for reoffending.

Judge Karapanagiotidis sympathized with Harper as having experienced “transphobia” and a mother who was allegedly “homophobic,” also noting that the mother of his molested child had not recognized his new gender identity.

Harper was sentenced to just four years and nine months out of a possible maximum of 25 years.

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A court has cited "transphobia" as a factor in a shockingly lenient sentence handed pedophile man who identifies as a woman. Autumn Tulip Harper, 25, was sentenced to just four years after being found guilty of molesting his five-year-old daughter in Australia. show more
leprosy covid
December 10, 2024
Health
NatSec

BioLab Loses 323 Deadly Virus Samples.

More than 300 virus samples are reported missing from a government-operated laboratory in Queensland, Australia, sparking biosecurity concerns. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls announced Monday that his department is investigating the disappearance of 323 samples from the state virology laboratory. The issue was initially discovered after a freezer malfunctioned in 2021. It came to public light in August 2023, following a year’s effort to gain federal accreditation to commence the investigation.

Nicholls emphasized the importance of understanding the breach’s causes and preventing future occurrences. Most missing vials contained lyssavirus, while approximately 100 included the Hendra virus, known for its high fatality rate in seven known human cases. The virus has a 75 percent fatality rate in horses, its most common host. Two vials contained Hantavirus, another virus with significant mortality rates.

The health minister assured there is “no evidence so far” of any public health risk due to the missing vials. The department is coordinating with federal and agricultural bodies to ensure comprehensive regulatory measures are in place.

Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard informed reporters that virus samples would rapidly lose their infectiousness without proper freezer storage. He further stated that there is no indication that the missing samples, especially the Hendra virus, have been used for biological warfare purposes.

Gerrard noted that while such research is typically conducted in secret, there is no current evidence supporting the weaponization of the Hendra virus. He highlighted that the complex process of developing viruses for such purposes is beyond the capability of non-specialists.

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More than 300 virus samples are reported missing from a government-operated laboratory in Queensland, Australia, sparking biosecurity concerns. Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls announced Monday that his department is investigating the disappearance of 323 samples from the state virology laboratory. The issue was initially discovered after a freezer malfunctioned in 2021. It came to public light in August 2023, following a year's effort to gain federal accreditation to commence the investigation. show more