Tag Archives: oceania

UK police reviewing rapper’s anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury Festival

British police say they are examining videos of a band that led chants of "death to the IDF" — Israel Defence Forces — at Glastonbury Festival.

Rapper Bobby Vylan, of rap punk duo Bob Vylan, led crowds attending the festival in chants of "free, free Palestine" and "death, death to the IDF" on Saturday.

Avon and Somerset Police said video evidence would be assessed by officers "to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation".

The Israeli Embassy to the UK said on social media that it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".

Health Secretary Wes Streeting on Sunday condemned the band's actions as "appalling".

He told Sky News that the BBC and festival organisers had to answer questions about how the comments were broadcast live to millions.

However, he also urged Israel to "take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously" when asked about the Israeli embassy's condemnation of the band's actions.

The minister referred to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and "the fact that Israeli settler terrorists attacked a Christian village this week, setting it on fire", and urged Israel to "get your own house in order".

The government said its culture secretary spoke to the BBC director general about Bob Vylan's performance.

The BBC said it issued a warning on screen about "very strong and discriminatory language" during the live stream.

Glastonbury is Britain's biggest summer music festival and draws some 200,000 music fans each year to Worthy Farm in southwest England. Almost 4000 acts perform on 120 stages.

Festival organisers said on Instagram that Vylan's chants "very much crossed a line".

"We are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the Festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence," they said.

"With almost 4000 performances at Glastonbury 2025, there will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share, and a performer's presence here should never be seen as a tacit endorsement of their opinions and beliefs."

Saturday's festival lineup also included Irish-language rap group Kneecap, which gave an impassioned performance for tens of thousands of fans despite criticism by British politicians and a terror charge for one of the trio.

Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, has been charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a proscribed organisation for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London in November.

The rapper, who was charged under the anglicised version of his name, Liam O'Hanna, is on unconditional bail before a further court hearing in August.

The group has faced criticism for lyrics laden with expletives and drug references, and for political statements, especially since videos emerged allegedly showing the band shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah" and calling on people to kill lawmakers.

On Saturday, band members led the audience in chants of "Free Palestine" and "Free Mo Chara".

They also aimed an expletive-laden chant at UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has said he didn't think it was "appropriate" for Kneecap to play Glastonbury.

Rod Stewart, Olivia Rodrigo and The Prodigy are among acts playing Sunday for Glastonbury's final day.

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Former Greens candidate charged after injury at pro-Palestine protest

Warning: This story contains an image that some readers may find distressing.

The former Greens candidate injured during her arrest at a pro-Palestine protest in Sydney's south-west has been charged. 

Hannah Thomas, who needed surgery for facial injuries, is among five facing charges stemming from the "unauthorised" demonstration that saw police clash with protesters in Belmore on Saturday.

The 35-year-old, who ran against Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in his seat of Grayndler in the most recent federal election, was hurt during the heated protest on Friday morning.

READ MORE: Footage emerges, allegedly of reality star accused of murder

Hannah Thomas, 35, was hurt in Belmore in the city's south-west during the heated protest on Friday morning.

Images show her with one swollen eye closed and blood down her face.

In a statement, the Greens said "NSW Police violently attacked and assaulted protestors at the 'peaceful' picket".

NSW Greens MLC Sue Higginson told The Guardian "it was possible she [Thomas] may lose vision in that eye".

Police said about 60 protesters were blocking access to a business on Lakemba Street – which reportedly supplies materials to make weapons – in what they described as an "unauthorised" protest.

They said a "scuffle" broke out between police and protesters and Thomas was taken to Bankstown Hospital.

While the other four charged with offences including refusing or failing to comply with a direction will appear in court next week, Thomas' court date has been set for August.

READ MORE: 'I saw bloodstains': Airbnb trashed, party gatecrashed

Images show Hannah bruised with a bloodied eye.

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She was issued a Future Court Attendance Notice for allegedly hindering or resisting a police officer in the execution of duty and refusing or failing to comply with a direction to disperse.

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‘I saw bloodstains’: Airbnb trashed as party gatecrashed

A Melbourne Airbnb has been trashed as teenage gangs clashed when a birthday party was gatecrashed.

One teen ended up in hospital and the stunned property owner was left with a hefty clean-up bill.

The owner says he's done with short-term rentals and is calling for stricter age verification on booking platforms.

READ MORE: Teenager bitten by shark at popular holiday beach in NSW

A Melbourne AirBnB has been trashed after teenage gangs clashed when a birthday party was gatecrashed.

About 2am today, a teenager's party in Melton was gatecrashed by another group.

"I was in a state of complete shock, I was speechless," said the owner, who didn't give his name.

"And when I saw bloodstains inside, I was like, 'oh God'.

"My immediate question to police was, 'was anybody injured, was everybody okay?'"

A teenage boy was taken to hospital with cuts to his head.

It's not clear whether he was attacked or injured trying to flee.

The property was booked last-minute for a one-night stay.

A Melbourne AirBnB has been trashed after teenage gangs clashed when a birthday party was gatecrashed.

And while sites like Airbnb and Booking.com require guests to be at least 18, it's as easy as faking your age to get around it.

"I couldn't sort of figure out if they were teenagers but I knew they were young, they were young," the owner said.

"I don't know who came and stayed here. Yhere were no ID checks performed by these platforms to make sure they are held accountable.

"Because currently, their accountability is minimal."

But the responsibility falls on the landlord, and he's had enough.

"This is too much stress. I can't handle this. It's too much stress, too much out-of-pocket expense, and I'm a bit worried about the neighbours as well, now," he said.

In a rush to escape, some of the teens ran across the yard and used a tree stump to jump over the fence and onto the neighbour's roof.

Teenager bitten by shark at popular holiday beach in NSW

A teenage boy has serious injuries after being bitten by a shark at a beach on the NSW North Coast.

Emergency services were called to Cabarita Beach, between Tweed Heads and Byron Bay, at 3.50pm on Sunday after the attack.

The teen suffered injuries to his right upper arm, wrist and right leg.

READ MORE: East coast low set to smash state as millions shiver through record icy blast

The teen suffered injured to his arms and hands and was airlifted to to Gold Coast University Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter in a serious but stable condition.

READ MORE: Porsche crashes through house and lands on bed in Sydney

He was airlifted to to Gold Coast University Hospital by the Westpac Rescue Helicopter in a serious but stable condition.

Surfers and an off-duty paramedic from just over the border in Queensland were on the beach at the time and rushed to his aid, applying a tourniquet to stem the bleeding.

A second chopper went looking for the shark.

Cabarita Beach will be closed for 24 hours.

Two teens charged, four under guard in hospital after Sydney chase

Six teenagers inside an allegedly stolen vehicle have cheated death in a dangerous pursuit in Sydney.

The alleged driver – a 14-year-old boy – collided with a pole at high speed about 12.30am today before the group managed to escape the mangled wreck.

Two of the teens are facing charges after the chase from Erskineville in the inner west to Mascot in the inner south.

READ MORE: Teenager bitten by shark at popular holiday beach in NSW

Erskineville crash: Six teens arrested after police chase in Sydney's Inner West

The high performance hatchback allegedly had a 14-year-old at the wheel and five other teens inside.

The Volkswagen Polo was totalled in the crash, with the front of the vehicle bearing the brunt.

One local said it was "one of the fastest cars I've seen".

The alleged driver walked away and was pulled from the bushes by responding police.

Detectives claim all six boys – five aged 14 and one 15 – all attempted to make an escape but were picked up on nearby streets.

Two of the teens are facing charges after the chase from Erskineville in the inner west to Mascot in the inner south.

The police chase began on Erskineville Road about 12.30am. The car was allegedly stolen from Mascot between Friday night and Saturday morning.

The fast pursuit of six kilometres took less than 10 minutes to reach Botany Road.

Police claim the teens inside the Polo were in balaclavas and gloves.

The boys were taken to Sydney Children's Hospital in Randwick.

READ MORE: East coast low set to smash state as millions shiver through record icy blast

Two 14-year-olds have been charged with being passengers in an allegedly stolen vehicle.

Moments after they were released on bail, they were spotted in another vehicle waving the bail papers out the window.

They are set to appear in court in August.

Their four friends remain in hospital, among them the alleged driver.

All of them are under police guard.

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East coast low set to smash state as millions shiver through record icy blast

An icy polar blast sending temperatures plummeting across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory is set to break records, as an east coast low heads for the coast.

June has been the coldest first month of winter in nearly 20 years for some parts of NSW, while Canberra is headed for its coldest run of nights in June in living memory experts say.

Weatherzone reports Canberra's minimum temperatures have averaged just -2.5 degrees for June and the final days of the month are looking to be just as frosty at below -3 degrees.

READ MORE: Six teens arrested after police chase ends in horror crash in Sydney

Icy polar blast weather ACT, NSW

The combined average of minimum and maximum temperatures in the nation's capital reached just 5 degrees for June, making it the coldest June since records began in 1939.

Cooma in NSW's south has also experienced a run of bitingly cold nights.

Average minimum temperatures at Cooma Airport sank to -3.5 degrees, the coldest June minimum temperature since 1991.

Goulburn followed closely behind with an average combined temperature of just 6.2 degrees, only marginally warmer than Canberra, for the month of June.

Icy polar blast weather ACT, NSW

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The final night of the month is expected to be similarly cold, with average temperatures not expected to get any higher as records look to be shattered.

From tomorrow, cold conditions are expected to ease over NSW's east coast thanks to a humid easterly airstream developing offshore.

It will however remain cold across central and western NSW.

READ MORE: Police bust suburban drug lab in western Sydney

Icy polar blast weather ACT, NSW

Minimum temperatures in Canberra are forecast to stay icy late next week, plummeting to -4 degrees on Friday and Saturday.

Melbourne is expected to be slightly warmer than its east coast counterparts with temperatures headed for tops of 15 degrees by Saturday.

Fresh warning ahead of east coast low

Heavy rain which could bring flooding, strong winds and large surf is set to hit Australia's east coast next week.

Heavy rain which could bring flooding as well, strong winds and large surf is set to hit Australia's east coast next week.

The wintery blast will bring gusts of up to 100km/h, forecasters say, with rainfall totals reaching 300mm possible in some areas, potentially causing flooding.

The BOM has issued a warning for flash flooding, coastal erosion and storm damage from Coffs Harbour to Bega in NSW.

Widespread rainfall of 50 to 100mm is likely, with isolated rainfall totals of 150 to 200mm possible.

Locals enjoy the fine weather at Maroubra in Sydney, ahead of rain and wind.

"Intense" winds of up to 125km/h are forecast along the coast.

NSW SES Acting Assistant Commissioner Allison Flaxman ESM said there's a risk of damage from destructive winds and flash flooding.

"People should prepare now by tying down any loose items around their homes so they don't become projectiles and damage property in the forecast wind," she said.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Flaxman said the NSW SES has pre-deployed assets and volunteers to high-risk locations and would continue to work with the BOM on the latest forecasts.

"NSW SES teams have been monitoring this system for a week, and we have high clearance vehicles, aviation assets and personnel positioned in areas expected to be impacted ahead of the forecast weather," she said.

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