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Zomi Frankcom’s family has said aid workers “can’t be brave at any cost” as the Albanese government launched a new international push to protect humanitarian personnel.
The foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, announced a ministerial group has been formed that would be “dedicated to upholding and championing international humanitarian law and driving action to protect aid workers in conflict zones”. She added that 2024 is on track to be the deadliest year on record for aid workers.
Speaking from New York on Tuesday, Wong confirmed other partners in the discussion included Switzerland, Jordan, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, the United Kingdom, Japan, Brazil, Colombia, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN.
Wong spoke of the government’s wish to see a de-escalation in the region, after the recent wave of Israeli strikes in Lebanon. Describing the situation as “deeply concerning”, she also warned that it was “beyond the capacity of the government to provide assistance to all” Australians currently in Lebanon.
- RBA leaves interest rates unchanged for seventh month | The RBA ended its latest two-day board meeting on Tuesday by keeping its cash rate at 4.35%, the level at which it has remained since November. The decision was as economists had expected.
- Deeming should have known she was ‘walking into a disaster’ | A federal court has heard ousted Liberal MP Moira Deeming could have “worked out” she was “walking into a disaster” before she attended and spoke at a 2023 “Let Women Speak” rally that was gatecrashed by neo-Nazis, the court heard.
- Albrechtsen more interested in a ‘fair’ trial than alleged rape | Janet Albrechtsen made the comments while speaking on a panel of four journalists from the Australian newspaper billed as a fearless discussion. Albrechtsen’s concern for Bruce Lehrmann extended to Brittany Higgins’ former bosses, Fiona Brown and Senator Linda Reynolds, but she made no mention of the alleged victim.
- Trump praises ‘brilliant and brave’ supreme court over Roe decision | Donald Trump returned to Pennsylvania, telling his rally attendees that their state was critical to him winning back the White House and encouraging them to turn out to vote, though he also called early voting “stupid stuff”.
- Japanese fighter jets fire flares at Russian aircraft for first time | An undisclosed number of warplanes were scrambled and fired flares after Russian maritime patrol aircraft apparently ignored their radio warnings, as tensions rise over increasing Russian and Chinese military cooperation in the region.
- Telegram announces new crackdown on illegal content | The announcement comes weeks after the founder and chief executive, Pavel Durov, was arrested in France on charges of failing to act against criminals using the app. Durov initially criticised his arrest, but he has since appeared to bow to Paris’s demands.
- Tony Armstrong announces retirement from News Breakfast | A proud Gamilaroi man, Armstrong went from TV novice to one of the public broadcaster’s most popular presenters in a period he has described as a whirlwind.
- Viral South Korean Olympic shooter scores first acting role | Kim Yeji, whose skill and nonchalance won the internet at the Paris Olympics (and a silver medal as well), has landed her first acting role – as an assassin.
- Dorset ‘Stonehenge’ discovered under Thomas Hardy’s home | While writing his 1891 novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles – which is partly set at Stonehenge – Hardy was unaware that he was doing so atop a large henge-like enclosure that was even older than the famous monument on Salisbury Plain.
Main image: The Australian foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, announced a ministerial group has been formed ‘dedicated to upholding and championing international humanitarian law and driving action to protect aid workers in conflict zones’
