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Jul 8, 2026 - World

Activist is challenging ruling last year that restored colonial-era homophobic law against same-sex intimacySome of the UK’s top judges are hearing arguments over whether a Trinidad and Tobago court had the legal right to overturn a 2018 ruling to remove colonial-era homophobic laws that criminalise anal sex between consenting men.The country’s “buggery law”, often referred to as its “sodomy” law, was created in 1925 and was written into Trinidad and Tobago’s 1986 Sexual Offences Act. In 2017 a Trinidadian LGBTQ+ rights activist, Jason Jones, challenged the law, and in 2018 a high court ruled that it infringed upon his constitutional right to privacy and equality. Continue reading...

Jul 8, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump repeatedly erred while talking to reporters at his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the NATO summit in Turkey on Wednesday, referring to him as "Putin" — then trying to reword things to make it sound intentional."Do you have a question for President Putin?" asked Trump, as the reporters buzzed. "Do you have a question for President Putin?" he pointed at Zelensky.A second later, he added, "What would you like to ask him, because I'm going to ask him that question," as though referring to a separate meeting at a later date.The whole exchange went viral on X, with commenters drowning the president in ridicule."Dude is gonzo," wrote Democratic political commentator Joanne "JoJoFromJerz" Carducci."What is incredibly disturbing is how Trump literally thought Zelensky was Putin and once he caught his dementia slip he tried to rebound doubling down on the slip up," wrote YouTuber Vince Wilson."First, the 'Islamic Republic of Japan.' Now, 'President Putin,'" wrote criminal defense lawyer and Simple Justice blogger Scott Greenfield. "Something is seriously awry."

Jul 8, 2026 - World

President Donald Trump repeatedly called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by the wrong name at a NATO summit press conference Wednesday."You have a question for President Putin?" Trump asked reporters.He then tried to put out the fire with a baffling rephrasing of his remark.Noting the press reaction that included some laughs, he attempted, “Do you have a question for President Putin, not Zelenskyy,” once again pointing at his counterpart.He then added, "What do you want to ask him because I am going to ask that question.”Trump repeatedly refers to Zelenskyy as "President Putin" pic.twitter.com/zbTzfMc5EI— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) July 8, 2026

Jul 8, 2026 - World

This blog is now closedTelstra outage: Telco apologises for major time-keeping issue that hit mobiles, trains and triple-zero callsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTelstra outage reported to be cause of Victoria train stoppageThere is a long list of cancelled trains on the official V/line site, but the TL/DR is that Victoria’s regional train network has ground to a halt.Due to a radio network fault affecting the network, services are currently unable to operate …Passengers are advised to defer travel where possible. Continue reading...

Jul 8, 2026 - World

A military expert is warning about the path ahead for the U.S. as it begins new strikes on Iran.Retired Admiral James Stavridis, the former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, said during a Tuesday appearance on CNN that the U.S. "launched pretty significant strikes here," and cautioned, "This is the last turn before the tunnel for the Iranians in terms of Trump's patience."Stavridis suggested that the strikes came after the Trump administration "just got tired" of Iranian attacks on merchant shipping, which must have been "a bridge too far." He described the Trump administration's retaliation as "a pretty strong set of strikes for this stage" in negotiations for a ceasefire, but Stavridis held out hope."Let's hope the Iranians kind of get the signal here and stand down from striking merchant shipping," Stavridis said. "Bottom line, the ceasefire can still be salvaged."However, Stavridis described the ceasefire as being on "life support."Former GOP congressman Adam Kinzinger, who appeared on CNN alongside Stavridis, agreed with Stavridis, even though "this has kind of been the way from the first so-called ceasefire." Kinzinger argued the first ceasefire only gave the U.S. time to negotiate the memorandum of understanding that was meant to stop hostilities."Now, the Trump administration has a decision to make," Kinzinger said. "And that decision is simply, you have to basically escalate to try to compel some answer or some negotiation that actually works out, or do you just walk away and give Iran the Strait [of Hormuz]? Basically walk away from the nuclear material?"