Tag Archives: oceania

Early access to super, international student cuts: Dutton unveils election policy

Peter Dutton has vowed to slash international student numbers, allow early access to superannuation for first home buyers and ban foreign investment to "restore the dream of home ownership" for young Australians. 

Campaigning in the Melbourne seat of McEwen this morning, the Opposition leader also pledged $5 billion to build 500 thousand homes to ease the nation's housing crisis.

"The dream of home ownership has been lost by young Australians," Dutton told reporters.

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Early access super, immigration cuts: Dutton unveils election housing policy

Under the Coalition's proposed housing policy, international student numbers would be capped at a figure 30,000 below Labor's proposal.

The government would also ban foreign buyers and introduce early superannuation access of up to $50,000 for a house deposit.

Dutton said guaranteeing early access to superannuation would help first home buyers enter the property market.

"That is going to improve their net position as the price of the house increases over the course of their life," he said.

"When they dispose of the house, we want to put the money back into their superannuation so that that can compound and help them in retirement."

Dutton said the Coalition would also seek to deregister the CFMEU, claiming that the union had "doubled the cost of construction".

"We are going to be the government of home ownership," he said.

"I want to be the prime minister that restores the dream of home ownership, that has first and foremost in my mind, how can we help young Australians with affordability and accessibility to housing."

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Russian strike on Zelenskyy’s home city kills 19 including ‘officers of foreign countries’

A Russian missile attack on the Ukrainian president's home city of Kryvyi Rih on Friday killed at least 19 people, including nine children, one of the deadliest strikes this year in a conflict that shows no sign of a swift end despite a push for peace by the Trump administration.

Among the 72 injured was a baby as young as three months old, with the attack also damaging dozens of apartment buildings and six education institutes along with shops and businesses, said Oleksandr Vilkul, Kryvyi Rih mayor, on Telegram on Saturday, calling it a "tragic evening and night".

"Another bloody crime was committed by the terrorist country. Rocket and massive Shahed attacks on residential areas and playgrounds," the mayor said.

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Kryvyi Rih strike

Russian troops struck Kryvyi Rih with a ballistic missile with a cluster warhead, which is "designed to hit a larger area and a larger number of people," the Ukrainian General Staff said.

Zelenskyy's home town has come under repeated Russian attack in recent months. A deadly strike earlier this month, killed four civilians in a taxi parking lot.

US President Donald Trump pledged to bring a quick end to the conflict but has been unable to broker a deal. Ukraine's allies believe Russia is dragging its feet on negotiations while it tries to secure an advantage on the battlefield.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy offered his condolences to the families of those killed and injured in his nightly address soon afterward.

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Kryvyi Rih strike

"Many injured, houses damaged. The missile actually hit the area next to residential buildings – a children's playground, ordinary streets," Zelenskyy said.

Russia also targeted a power plant in Kherson with a drone on Friday, Zelenskyy said.

"Such strikes cannot be a coincidence – Russians know that this is an energy facility," Zelenskyy said.

"These types of facilities must be protected from any attacks, as per the promises Russia made to the American side."

In a statement on Telegram, the Russian ministry of defence claimed the strike had targeted a meeting between Ukrainian and Western officers, describing it as "a high-precision strike… with a high-explosive missile on the site of a meeting with unit commanders and Western instructors in one of the restaurants in the city of Kryvyi Rih."

"As a result of the strike, the enemy lost up to 85 servicemen and officers of foreign countries, as well as up to 20 vehicles," the post claimed.

CNN has reached out to Ukrainian authorities for further information.

Stalled peace talks

It comes as little progress has been made on peace talks to end Russia's war in Ukraine.

In the past week, President Donald Trump's frustration with his Russian counterpart has become clear.

Trump said he was recently "pissed off" on a recent call with the Russian leader, who rejected Trump's proposal for a full and immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Donald Trump

Ukrainian and European leaders have made clear they believe Putin is stalling, believing time is on his side, while Trump and his envoy Steve Witkoff – who has met Putin twice this year – have insisted Putin does want a peace deal.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio revealed on Friday that he had met with an envoy for Putin this week and sent him back to Moscow with a message: the clock is ticking on when there needs to be a breakthrough in the peace talks to end the Ukraine war.

Rubio has travelled to Saudi Arabia twice in the past two months for discussions with top Russian and Ukrainian officials to try to launch negotiations over a ceasefire and eventual agreement to end the three-year war.

Vladimir Putin

Now though, progress needs to be made, Rubio said. "There can't be talks about talks."

Last week, following days of separate negotiations with Ukrainian and Russian officials in Saudi Arabia, the White House said that the two sides had agreed to a US-brokered agreement to stop using force in the Black Sea while also agreeing to implement a previously announced pause on attacks against energy infrastructure.

However, Russia responded by setting additional conditions on the Black Sea ceasefire, including the lifting of sanctions imposed on its banks and exports.

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‘A car’s a car’: Controversy over proposal to triple costs for parking SUVs

A proposal to triple parking fees for large cars and SUVs in the Sydney CBD is the subject of controversy.

The Greens councillor behind the push says it would help the environment and improve safety, but the plan has been met with distain from drivers.

The pitch involves tripling the current $8.20 per hour parking in the city to $24.60 if you own an SUV or other supersized vehicle like a RAM.

READ MORE: Brisbane's covert cameras catching more than just litterbugs

RAM vehicle

"Why? Parking is parking," one Sydney driver said of the proposed changes.

Another described the move as "a rort" and "a bit of a money grab".

Greens Councillor Michael Thompson is behind the controversial push.

The 32-year-old, who is no stranger to attracting attention on his social platforms, says the shakeup would reduce carbon emissions.

It would also improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

"SUVs and luxury trucks are eight times more likely to kill a child in a collision," Thompson said.

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Greens Councillor Michael Thompson is behind the controversial push.

"We want these dangerous giant cars off our city streets."

The latest sales data indicates 60 per cent of new cars purchased in Australia are SUVs.

The top five models sold are the Toyota RAV4, Ford Range, Toyota Hilux, Prado and Mitsubishi Outlander.

Under the proposal there would be exemptions for some large vehicles, including those used for work or those with wheelchair access.

Paris introduced the same parking price hike on SUVs last year, freeing 10,000 parking spots in the French capital.

But many Australians aren't on the same page as the Parisians who voted the policy in.

"I don't think it should be increased, it's very expensive as it is," one person said.

Sydney CBD parking

Another Sydneysider said she could "see their point" but believes "it should be the same for everyone".

While another person echoed similar sentiments, telling 9News, "a car's a car!".

"Maybe there's some other strategy to apply – maybe some other fuel tax, I don't know, but I know that's not the right thing," one man said.

City of Sydney council will discuss the proposal on Monday night.

"I would encourage them to think about the financial pressure people are under and whether this is the right time to be putting charges up," Transport Minister John Graham said.

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Brisbane’s covert cameras catching more than just litterbugs

A series of covert cameras, netting hundreds of dollars a year in fines, are catching more than just careless litterers.

Images recorded by the Brisbane City Council surveillance program capture a range of bizarre behaviours, like one person seen setting fire to a bag of rubbish in a Mount Coot-tha car park in September.

In a separate incident in October, a couple were fined, not for being observed to be "climbing on top of each other" in a car but for leaving a "small pile of paper litter" on the ground when they left.

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Brisbane's covert cameras catching more than just litterbugs

9News obtained the images and related reports from Council, under Right to Information laws.

Already this year, 111 infringements have been issued to offenders caught littering less than 200L of rubbish, which attracts a fine of $322 for individuals or $1613 for corporations.

Up to 30 covert cameras in the program are being used across city hotspots, often camouflaged or tied to trees.

They are typically rotated through different locations every two to four weeks to "deter offenders and cover new ground".

Councillor Sarah Hutton said the cameras were an important way to protect Brisbane's environment and lifestyle.

Brisbane's covert cameras catching more than just litterbugs

"Our message is simple: if you're thinking of dumping rubbish because nobody's looking, you will get caught and face the consequences," she said.

Michael Cope from the Queensland Council for Civil Liberties said he had concerns about covert surveillance becoming normalised.

"Surveillance was justified originally by fighting terrorism or fighting violent crime and we do not see that it is justified by catching people who are littering."

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Dutton injures cameraman with wayward kick

A TV cameraman has been left with a scratched forehead after he was hit in the head by a wayward ball kicked by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton at a photo-op in Darwin.

Ghaith Nadir, a cameraman for Channel 10, was filming the event at a local footy club when the ball went straight towards him.

"Oh got him," Dutton said before realising the kick had left the man with a bloodied forehead after the ball hit his camera into his head.

READ MORE: US tourist arrested after allegedly attempting to contact 'world's most isolated' tribe

A TV cameraman has been left with a scratched forehead after he was hit in the head by a wayward ball kicked by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton at a photo-op in Darwin.

"Oh it split him open too. Oh no," he said.

The opposition leader went to check on the injured cameraman, who was not seriously injured.

Dutton shook Nadir's hand after checking on him.

A TV cameraman has been left with a scratched forehead after he was hit in the head by a wayward ball kicked by Opposition Leader Peter Dutton at a photo-op in Darwin.

Dutton had been at the Palmerstone sports ground to announce a $5 million dollar investment to the sports precinct.

"We know that sport is a powerful tool in bringing communities together. That's why the Coalition is investing in Cazalys Arena," Dutton told the media after the kicking incident.

"This iconic arena will get the upgrade it needs and deserves. This will give thousands of young people and their families a safe and modern sporting environment and ensure this great arena is fit for purpose for decades to come."

The opposition leader's wayward drop kick comes days after Anthony Albanese took a tumble on stage at an event.

Peter Dutton had been in Darwin this morning unveiling a new policy to buy back the Port of Darwin after it was leased for 99 years to a private company with Chinese connections.

The deal was approved under then-Coalition Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.

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Witnesses describe ‘all-out brawl’ at Rabbitohs-Roosters match

Witnesses have described seeing an "all-out brawl" at an NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters at Accor Stadium last night.

Venues NSW said the fight broke out at halftime between two groups of 11 men sitting in the stands of the stadium.

NSW Police confirmed officers were called to a section of the stands at 9.40pm after reports of the brawl.

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NRL brawl.

The group were kicked out of the venue, with no injuries reported.

"I had binoculars so I had a look. I saw one guy throwing punches and running in," witness Peter Langridge said.

"It was an all-out brawl really – left, right, middle," another witness, Cruz Whitfield-Connors, told 9News.

Parts of the fight were even captured on the game's live broadcast.

Police are now investigating and Venues NSW has confirmed any offenders found by detectives will be banned from attending future events.

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Parts of the fight were even captured on the game's live broadcast.

"NSW Police and Venues NSW are reviewing the incident to identify the instigators," Venues NSW said in a statement.

"Venues NSW has a zero-tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour and we have in place strong processes to identify, respond to and resolve incidents."

The game at the Rabbitohs' home ground started off rocky for the Bunnies.

They were trailing 8-14 in the last 20 minutes of the game before they scored back-to-back tries, bringing the final score to 20-14 and claiming the win.

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Inside Trump’s defiant response to the markets’ tariff meltdown

President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariffs are facing blowback from all corners – a market sell-off, foreign retaliation, anger from corporate America and scepticism from the Federal Reserve chairman and some allies in Congress. So far, the president is defiant in the face of the global turbulence.

After a day and a half of mixed messages from Trump and top administration officials over whether the tariffs were the start of a negotiation or a more permanent change to US economic policy, Trump didn't use Friday to deliver clarity. He didn't venture out into the country to sell his plan from the floor of an American factory or to showcase a business or community that he believes will benefit from the tariffs.

Instead, the president chose to begin his day on the golf course in Florida.

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President Donald Trump talks on the phone as he arrives at the Trump International Golf Club on April 4, in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The financial markets were already falling by the time he left his Mar-a-Lago resort for a short ride to the Trump International Golf Club. He waved to onlookers as his presidential limousine rolled through the gates.

While the president has travelled to Florida nearly every weekend since taking office, he chose to leave the White House a day earlier than normal, creating a split-screen of being on a golf course in one of the wealthiest enclaves in America as economic worries deepened.

US stocks plunged a second straight day after China said on Friday it would impose 34 per cent reciprocal tariffs on imports of US goods, a development that put a spotlight on just how much is outside of Trump's control as his economic team tries to pull off an unprecedented high-wire act after launching the most expansive and disruptive tariffs in more than a century. The Dow closed in correction, down more than 10% from its record high in December.

A White House official said the president's "full attention" was on the tariff policy on Friday, noting he continued to send updates about conversations he had with foreign leaders. The official dismissed the suggestion that Trump was rattled by the market reaction, saying the president has long warned of short-term pain created by his tariff vision and America First agenda.

On Thursday afternoon, Trump said countries were already coming to him looking to make deals, suggesting he was open to negotiating with foreign leaders before the tariff deadline arrived Friday at midnight. But his message Friday morning sounded different.

"To the many investors coming into the United States and investing massive amounts of money, my policies will never change," Trump wrote in a social media message posted shortly before he arrived at the golf course. "This is a great time to get rich, richer than ever before!!!"

Mixed messages and market chaos

The fluid nature of Trump's own view of the purpose tied to his new tariffs threatened to upend an explicit effort by his top economic officials to deliver a unified message that the reciprocal tariffs would be implemented on April 9, period – despite the fact that Trump's own advisers were divided before the announcement over how far to go.

Behind the scenes, it reflected the necessity of delivering certainty to a market consumed by anything but for nearly two weeks. The need for unity was stressed to allies and surrogates in talking points circulated on Capitol Hill on Thursday. But message discipline – or lack thereof – didn't address the other looming threat made acutely real on Friday: retaliation.

While the president sent several messages throughout the day, an adviser said Trump was intentionally not speaking publicly or taking questions on camera as the trading markets remained opened on Friday. Even though the White House has kept up a strident defense of the tariff strategy, a rising sense of frustration and anger at the universal global reaction was troubling.

"The president isn't guided by the market, but of course he watches it like everyone else," a Republican political adviser to Trump told CNN, speaking on condition of anonymity to avoid discussing West Wing deliberations.

One person who spoke to Trump amid the market sell-off on Thursday described the president as largely sanguine about his plan, suggesting the tariffs were only one aspect of a broader economic policy that was still coming into shape. But another person who is in touch with the president said he is getting close to his threshold for withstanding drops in the market.

READ MORE: US tourist arrested after 'contacting world's most isolated' tribe

A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, on April 4.

Many outside allies of the president have been confused at the messaging surrounding the tariffs, which veered from calling them "reciprocal" to pledging they would be "generous" to the eventual plan, which was a different calculation altogether.

"It didn't help they tariffed islands with no people and no exports," one ally to the president said.

A central question was how much Trump was open to negotiating and how aware he was of the deep criticism. The White House fielded calls from business owners and industry lobbyists, but it was unclear how aware Trump was of the blowback and whether that would shape his posture in the days leading up to next week's second tariff deadline.

A 10% tariff on all US imports will go into effect on Saturday, with even higher tariffs slated for April 9.

Trump criticized Beijing for retaliating against his tariffs, claiming that China "panicked" after Trump unveiled an additional 34% tariff on all Chinese goods imported into the US, on top of a 20 per cent tariff previously imposed with the goal of curbing fentanyl from China to the US.

The Trump administration has encouraged countries ensnared in the tariffs not to panic – but to pick up the phone. Trump has criticized those – like Canada and China – that have pledged to retaliate.

"China played it wrong, they panicked – the one thing they cannot afford to do!" Trump posted on truth social after Beijing unveiled 34 per cent retaliatory tariffs on the US in response to the added tariff on Chinese imports that brings total charges to 54 per cent.

Despite adamance by senior trade hand Peter Navarro and Vice President JD Vance that the new tariffs represent a permanent reset in global trade, others in Trump's orbit have acknowledged the president's natural inclination to strike deals.

"I wouldn't want to be the last country to try to negotiate with @realdonaldtrump," his son Eric posted on X. "The first to negotiate will win – the last will absolutely lose. I have seen this movie my entire life."

Some countries are trying to get to the front of that line. Trump is actively negotiating with Vietnam, India, and Israel to negotiate bespoke trade deals ahead of the new tariff deadline, a senior advisor told CNN. Such discussions could provide an off-ramp for Trump – if the two sides reach agreement.

In a social media post, Trump said the general secretary of Vietnam's Communist Party, Tô Lâm, reached out with a proposal to "cut their tariffs down to zero" if a mutual agreement can be struck.

Flak from Powell, corporate America

The president on Friday also took the unusual step of trying to pressure the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, continuing a long-running critique of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

"He is always 'late,' but he could now change his image, and quickly," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "Cut interest rates, Jerome, and stop playing politics."

Powell spoke at an event in Arlington, Virginia, on Friday, where he said the central bank was taken aback by the scope of Trump's tariffs.

"We face a highly uncertain outlook with elevated risks of both higher unemployment and higher inflation," Powell said. "While tariffs are highly likely to generate at least a temporary rise in inflation, it is also possible that the effects could be more persistent."

READ MORE: Dutton injures cameraman with wayward kick

	Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell speaks at the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing Annual Conference in Arlington, Virginia, on April 4.

Corporate America, meanwhile, is irate, according to conversations with a dozen chief executive officers.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has been fielding angry calls from executives, some of whom are weighing whether to sue the administration over the tariffs – and the national emergency Trump has asserted justifies them. A stronger-than-expected jobs report on Friday, one executive told CNN, should be seen by a judge if there is litigation as further proof no such national emergency exists.

Companies have been reticent to attack the administration's policies in court or on the airwaves for fear of rhetorical attacks – or worse. When one company suggested privately to Trump officials that their proposed tariffs would simply raise prices on goods with no effect on their factory locations, the official suggested they would double the tariff to get the company to move.

Bessent is among the many Trump officials who had been advocating for a more nuanced approach to tariffs than what Trump unveiled, a policy that was immediately met with skepticism for how it was engineered.

After the rollout – and a round of interview with major television networks – the newly minted Treasury secretary found himself in awkward company as he joined a reunion dinner at Café Milano with most former Treasury secretaries – a bipartisan tradition going back decades.  "Liberation Day," according to sources, quickly became the subject of conversation, though the scheduling was unintentional.

A second CEO close to the White House says the breadth and extremity of the president's tariff policy was shocking, especially considering  how many companies have already adjusted their businesses to align with Trump's perceived policy goals.

"It was his first administration that caused [manufacturers] to move from China to Vietnam," the CEO said. "Now, we're punishing them, too. There's no endgame."

Trump trained his anger on China during his first term, leading many manufacturers like Nike, Gap, Levi's, and Dell to begin shifting operations to Vietnam, in order to save costs and set up shop in friendlier territories. But now Trump is hitting Vietnam with a 46 per cent tariff, leaving many executives exasperated – and planning to raise prices rather than relocate yet again.

In the words of another executive: "We're just going to have to make fewer shirts and sell them for more money."

Despite objections from many within his Cabinet over unnecessarily angering allies and ratting global markets, Trump's views on tariffs are ossified – and amplified by his close counselor Navarro. Feedback from dissenters has fallen on deaf ears.

"The problem is, it's the president's view and it's not widely shared," said the executive close to the White House of Trump's commitment to lowering trade deficits. "On this issue, he seems immovable."

On Wall Street, group chats on messaging apps have lit up over how or whether  to publicly speak out against a president who has shown a penchant for retribution. Other private sector executives are debating whether to hire a Trump-friendly lobbyist to try to seek an exemption from the policy.

A desire to refocus on tax cuts

After weeks of internal debate over the reciprocal tariffs – and frequent mention by the president of his love for the tool – many of his allies have grown weary of discussing them and feel it's time to turn attention to his tax plans.

In part, that is because they believe the tax cuts – particularly eliminating taxes on tips and overtime, both promises he made as a candidate – are easier to understand and more of a political winner than the tariffs, which are complicated and run the risk of raising prices.

That tax plan is still a work in progress on Capitol Hill, where narrow majorities and divergent policy views have already bubbled up during negotiations over the procedural mechanism that will be used to move it through the House and Senate on a partisan basis.

But the effort needed from Trump's economic team to both put in place historic tariffs and get a tax bill over the finish line also spilled into the internal scramble leading up to Trump's announcement as advisers grappled with whether to use some kind of universal baseline tariff or setting a country-by-country number that captured a measurement trade economists in both parties panned as nonsensical.

On Monday, Trump asked for the list that would form the basis of the Rose Garden chart he would hold up. Throughout, two of Trump's top advisors shuffled up and down Pennsylvania Avenue to negotiate with congressional Republicans over the pathways to their critical tax proposal.

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, who had successfully made the case for reciprocal tariffs to Trump for months, and Bessent, were also running point on the tax efforts. They provided little intel on tariffs to desperate Republicans on the Hill during their visits.

But in their absence, two of Trump's most strident tariff supporters – Navarro and Lutnick – helped shape where Trump would ultimately land.

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US tourist arrested after allegedly attempting to contact ‘world’s most isolated’ tribe

An American tourist has been arrested after allegedly traveling to a remote island in the Bay of Bengal and attempting to contact one of the world's most isolated tribes.

Mykhailo Viktorovych Polyakov, 24, made the illegal voyage to North Sentinel Island, home to the enigmatic Sentinelese tribe, on March 29, Indian police told CNN.

North Sentinel Island is a land mass roughly the size of Manhattan in the Andaman and Nicobar archipelago, about 1200km from the Indian mainland.

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US tourist arrested after allegedly attempting to contact 'world's most isolated' tribe

Visiting the island is prohibited by Indian law to maintain the Sentinelese way of life and protect them from modern illnesses, from which they lack immunity.

While Polyakov successfully reached the island, he does not appear to have made contact with the Sentinelese tribe, Jitendra Kumar Meena, head of the Andaman and Nicobar Police's Criminal Investigations Department told CNN.

He was spotted by a local fisherman on his way back and arrested two days later, Meena said. Police seized an inflatable boat and motor from Polyakov.

He has not yet been charged with any offenses.

A spokesperson for the US State Department said "we are aware of reports of the detention of a US citizen in India" in a statement to CNN but could not comment further on the case.

It is not clear if Polyakov has retained a lawyer.

The Sentinelese have only made contact with the modern world a handful of times and have been known to vigorously reject outsiders.

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Because the Sentinelese are so reclusive, it is difficult to know how many there are – estimates range from dozens to hundreds.

Previous encounters with the tribe have proved fatal. In 2018, American missionary John Allen Chau was reportedly killed by tribespeople after he arrived on North Sentinel Island, hoping to convert the local people to Christianity.

Polyakov is "lucky he did not make contact otherwise he would have met the same fate," Meena said.

Caroline Pearce, Director of Survival International, a nonprofit dedicated to the protection of isolated tribal groups, called Polyakov's alleged actions "reckless and idiotic."

"This person's actions not only endangered his own life, they put the lives of the entire Sentinelese tribe at risk," Pearce said in a statement.

"It's very well known by now that uncontacted peoples have no immunity to common outside diseases like flu or measles, which could completely wipe them out," she added.

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Polyakov planned his trip well in advance, visiting the Andaman islands twice before travelling to North Sentinel on his third visit, allegedly setting off from a beach about 40km away in South Andaman, Meena said.

"As per what he has revealed in the investigation so far, he said he is keen on adventures.

He said he had left some soft drink bottles there for the tribe but we haven't found anything so far," Meena said.

Police have seized Polyakov's phone and GoPro, as well as a bottle of sand he allegedly collected from the island.

A special investigation team is carrying out a search of the island from afar, on boats using binoculars, despite choppy waters the last couple of days, Meena said.

World's 'most isolated' tribe

There are more than 100 uncontacted tribes around the world, mainly in the Amazon rainforest, but the Sentinelese are "the most isolated Indigenous people in the world," according to Survival International.

Most of what is known about them comes from boats moored more than an arrow's distance from the shore and from rare past encounters with authorities.

The Sentinelese hunt in the rainforest and fish in the coastal waters using spears, bows and arrows, as well as homemade narrow outrigger canoes, according to Survival International.

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They are thought to live in three groups in both large communal huts and more informal shelters on the beach.

First contact with the Sentinelese tribe was made by the British in the late 1800s, when, despite their attempts to hide, six individuals from the tribe were captured and taken to the main island of the Andaman Island archipelago.

An Indian law from 1956 bans outsiders from traveling to North Sentinel and other islands in the archipelago home to Indigenous groups.

Except for a brief, friendly interaction in the early 1990s, the Sentinelese have fiercely resisted contact with outsiders, even after disaster.

In 2004, following the Asian tsunami that devastated the Andaman chain, a member of the tribe was photographed on a beach on the island, firing arrows at a helicopter sent to check on their welfare.

Two years later, members of the tribe killed two poachers who had been illegally fishing in the waters surrounding North Sentinel Island after their boat drifted ashore, according to Survival International.

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Pearce, of Survival International, said India – which has built up military infrastructure on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in recent years in case of a confrontation with China – has a "legal responsibility" to protect the Sentinelese people from missionaries, social media influencers, illegal fishers or anyone else.

There have been other encounters with uncontacted tribes in recent years.

In February, a young man from an isolated Indigenous tribe in Brazil made brief contact with the outside world before returning to the Amazon rainforest.

In 2024, Survival International published rare images of the uncontacted Mashco Piro tribe in the remote Peruvian Amazon, reporting that the tribe was trying to evade loggers.