21/05/2025

WEDNESDAY | MAY 21, 2025

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Australia’s opposition coalition breaks up

BRITON RUNS ACROSS AUSTRALIA IN 35 DAYS

India arrests 11 over spying charges NEW DELHI: Indian authorities have arrested 11 nationals for allegedly spying for Pakistan. Broadcaster NDTV reported on Monday that authorities had arrested nine people in the northern states of Haryana, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh. Punjab’s director-general of police Gaurav Yadav said on Monday that his team had arrested two people “involved in leaking sensitive military information”. Police had received “credible intelligence inputs” the two men were involved “in sharing classified details” related to New Delhi’s strikes on the night of May 6-7. A preliminary investigation showed they were in “direct contact” with handlers from Pakistan’s Inter-services Intelligence (ISI) agency and “had transmitted critical information concerning the Indian Armed Forces”, Yadav said. In Haryana, police arrested a travel blogger last week on similar charges. Police say the accused woman travelled to Pakistan at least twice and had been in contact with an official from the country’s embassy. Others arrested include a student, a security guard and a businessman. The India Today news outlet reported 11 such arrests. It said the accused were “lured into the spy network through social media, monetary incentives, false promises, messaging apps and personal visits to Pakistan”. The arrests come after the worst flare-up in violence between the neighbours since their last open conflict in 1999. A ceasefire was agreed after four days of missile, drone and artillery attacks that sparked fears of a descent into full-blown war. Kashmir is claimed in full by both countries, which have fought wars over the Himalayan territory since their 1947 independence from Britain. – AFP CONFIRMED AS AMBASSADOR WASHINGTON: The US Senate on Monday approved the nomination of Charles Kushner, the father of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, as the next US ambassador to France. The vote was 51 to 45. Kushner, a real estate executive and former attorney who spent time in federal prison after pleading guilty in 2004 to tax evasion, among other crimes, was pardoned by Trump in 2020 near the end of his first term. Kushner’s son Jared Kushner, who married Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka in 2009, also served as the president’s adviser during his first term, notably on conflict in the Middle East. The elder Kushner, 71, heads to Paris at an interesting time in US-France relations, as the historic allies – and Europe in general – are strained by the president’s trade policies. In addition to his role in Paris, Kushner will serve as US ambassador to Monaco. – AFP SYDNEY: A British athlete says he has set a new world record for running across Australia, notching up the equivalent of 90 marathons in 35 days. William Goodge started his 3,860km effort in Western Australia on April 15, trekking through desert, farmland and forest before finishing at Sydney’s famed Bondi beach on Monday. Averaging about two-and-a-half marathons each day, the English-born endurance runner smashed the previous record of 39 days set in 2023. “It was like a revolving nightmare that wouldn’t end,” the 30-year old told the Sydney Morning Herald . “The first nine days were extremely challenging. But you have to tell your body and mind that even though you’re struggling, you’re going to persevere and you’re going to get through it.” Goodge, who ran across the United States in 2023, uses his feats to raise money for charity after his mother died of cancer in 2018. – AFP TRUMP IN-LAW KUSHNER

BR I E F S

o Parting of ways comes after election loss to Labor

The Nationals had failed to gain a commitment from Ley that her party would continue a policy taken to the election supporting the introduction of nuclear power, and also wanted a crackdown on the market power of Australia’s large supermarkets, and better telecommunications in the outback. Australia has the world’s largest uranium reserves but bans nuclear energy. Littleproud said nuclear

installed in the role last week, had pledged to revisit all policies in the wake of the election loss. She said yesterday she was disappointed with the Nationals decision, which came after they had sought specific commitments. “As the largest non government political party, the Liberals will form the official opposition,” she added. The Liberals were reduced to 28 out of 150 seats in the House of

SYDNEY: Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of over 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” said Nationals leader David Littleproud (pic) yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Anthony Albanese’s centre-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power in governments, with the Nationals broadly representing the interests of rural communities and the Liberals contesting city seats. “We will not be re-entering a coalition agreement with the Liberal Party after this election,” Littleproud said, citing policy differences. Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley, who was

Representatives, its worst result, as Labor increased its tally to 94 from 77, registering its largest-ever majority in an Australian election. The National Party retained 15 seats. The Liberal Party lost key city seats to independents supporting gender equality. Ley, a former outback pilot with three finance degrees, was elected as the party’s first woman leader after opposition leader Peter Dutton lost his seat in the election. “She is a leader that needs to rebuild the Liberal party, they are going on a journey of rediscovery and this will provide them the opportunity to do that,” said Littleproud. The Nationals remain committed to “having the door open” for more coalition talks before the next election, but would uphold the interests of rural Australians, he said.

power was needed because Australia’s move away from coal to “renewables only” under the Labor government was not reliable. Wind farm turbines “are tearing up our landscape, they are tearing up your food security”, he said. Michael Guerin, chief executive of AgForce, representing farmers in Queensland state, said the urban-rural divide was worsening. “Perhaps we’re seeing that in the political forum,” he said, adding the Liberals and Nationals each needed to rebuild. Treasurer Jim Chalmers of the Labor party said the split in the opposition was a “nuclear meltdown”, and the Liberals would have a presence “barely bigger” than the cross-bench of 12 independents and minor parties when parliament sits. – Reuters

Cannes Film Festival General Delegate Thierry Fremaux (right) and German president of the

festival Iris Knobloch

congratulate Washington. – AFPPIC

Red carpet clash dampens Washington’s award CANNES: Hollywood star Denzel Washington had a tense exchange with a photographer before he received a surprise honorary award at the Cannes film festival on Monday. pointed his finger at him and appeared to say “Stop it” a number of times, videos showed. But despite the awkward incident, Washington’s mood was no doubt lifted by the rave reviews of him and Lee’s film.

Washington, festival director Thierry Fremaux introduced a montage of Washington’s memorable performances including in Malcolm X and Mo’ Better Blues , both directed by Lee. Clips were also shown from Glory , which earned him an Oscar for best supporting actor in 1989, and Training Day , for which he won best actor in 2002. The cast of Highest 2 Lowest put on a show on the Cannes red carpet, with Spike Lee in an orange pinstripe suit, round glasses and an orange-and-blue hat, and A$AP Rocky showing off a gold dental piece. Although Cannes usually hands out honorary awards in dedicated ceremonies, it is not unusual for actors to receive them unexpectedly as happened with Harrison Ford at the premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny in 2023. – AFP

Washington, 70, was at the festival for the first time for the premiere of his latest film with New York director Spike Lee, Highest 2 Lowest. The two-time Oscar-winning actor was presented with an honorary Palme d’Or before the screening, where co-star A$AP Rocky and his partner Rihanna were among the VIPs. “It’s a total surprise. I’m so emotional,” Washington said. Earlier the veteran actor appeared to have a testy encounter with a photographer on the red carpet. The photographer appeared to grab the actor by the arm as he posed in front of a bank of cameras. Washington shook him off and then

Loosely adapted from a Japanese master Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 classic, High and Low , the Hollywood Reporter said the film has “wit, high style and kinetic energy to burn”. The Guardian praised Washington’s “magnificent form” in the movie, saying he played a music mogul with “grinning monarchical assurance”. A$AP Rocky plays alongside Washington in Highest 2 Lowest , extending an acting career that includes If I Had Legs I’d Kick You by Mary Bronstein, which was shown at the Berlin film festival in February. Before handing over the prize to