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Prabowo Subianto's decision to dodge the G7 may have been partly motivated by domestic political factors.(Reuters: Anatoly Maltsev)

The decision by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto to skip the G7 meeting in Canada and visit Russia has raised eyebrows in Western capitals.

The official reason provided was that his meeting with Russian leader Vladimir Putin was pre-planned.

Prabowo, being a man of his word, had decided to skip the G7 meeting of wealthy liberal democracies in favour of attending the little-known St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Known as "Russia's Davos", the forum is where Russia —facing crippling Western sanctionsover its invasion of Ukraine — seeks to attract foreign investment and showcase the best of its business and technology.

Participants at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.(Reuters: Anton Vaganov)

Prabowo was invited as the Kremlin's guest of honour.

"It's possible that he wasn't fully aware of the optics," said Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior analyst Gatra Priyandita.

"But at the same time, I can also sort of imagine him thinking this might incentivise the West to try harder."

Prabowo's decision cameafter reports earlier this yearthat Moscow was lobbying Jakarta to house long-range bombers in Indonesia's Papua province, causing anxiety in Australian foreign policy and defence circles.

Indonesia buys some Russian military equipment, making defence a key pillar of the relationship.(Reuters: Yusuf Ahmad)

During a meeting with Putin this week, the pair inked a strategic partnership.

Indonesia and Russia's respective sovereign wealth funds signed an agreement worth 2 billion euros ($3.5 billion).

Putin was praised for supporting Indonesia's bid tobecome a full member of BRICS— the 16-member grouping of non-Western nations founded by Russia along with China, India, Brazil and South Africa.

Prabowo revelled in the fact that his Foreign Minister Sugiono, who goes by one name, had visited Russia three times within just eight months.

While 70 per cent of Australians surveyed hold a "very unfavourable" view of Russia, that's only the case for 6 per cent of Indonesians.

"Russia is clever in giving attention to Prabowo," said Radityo Dharmaputra, head of the Centre for European and Eurasian Studies at Airlangga University in Indonesia.

"It's not about the forum, but his personal relations with Putin … his willingness to meet with this so-called great man in the global arena."

Prabowo's Culture Minister Fadli Zon has previously gone as far as declaring his boss Indonesia's Putin.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs of 32 per cent against Indonesian goods have burned goodwill in Jakarta.

"Increasingly, there is some degree of disillusionment about the United States and the future of US power," Dr Priyandita said.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and his Indonesian counterpart Sugiono, who has visited Russia three times in less than a year.(Reuters: Yuri Kochetkov/File)

Mr Dharmaputra said Russia was stepping up its engagement at a time when the US and some European countries had cut their funding for several programs in Indonesia.

"Other countries are struggling to compete with Russia and China in that regard," he said.

Still, Prabowo's Russia trip should hardly be interpreted as a full-scale rejection of Indonesia's partnerships in the West.

Since its creation as a nation, Indonesia has practised "free and active" foreign policy — meaning it is non-aligned to either the West or the West's adversaries.

That was shown by the warmth of Anthony Albanese's visit to Jakarta last month after the Australian prime minister won re-election.

Prabowo gave a gift for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's dog Toto during his visit to Jakarta.(Supplied)

As was the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles to Jakarta earlier this month.

French President Emmanuel Macron also visited Jakarta to great fanfare only a few weeks ago.

Analysts say Jakarta's ties to the US and Australia on a range of fronts remain much stronger than those with Moscow.

Russia had never been a reliable investment partner for Indonesia, said Mr Dharmaputra.

For example, Russia withdrew as an investor from the Borneo railway project in 2022 — which had been billed as a "historic milestone" for a Russian-backed initiative in the country.

While Indonesia may purchase some arms from Russia, economic ties are lacklustre.

Last year, China was the third largest foreign investor in Indonesia and the US was the fourth.

Prabowo's decision to dodge the G7 may in fact have been partly motivated by domestic political factors, Dr Priyandita said.

Indonesia, like most of South-East Asia, is out of step with Western powers in relation to Israel, its war in Gaza and attacks on Iran.

The G7 leaders' statement affirmed Israel's "right to defend itself" and declared Iran was the "principal source of regional instability and terror".

Being seen to buy into that narrative in Indonesia — a Muslim-majority country that has never recognised Israel and where public support for the Palestinian cause is immense — could be politically disastrous.

A protest against Israel outside the US embassy in Jakarta in 2021.(Reuters: Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/File)

Prabowo only recently attracted criticism for comments he made during Macron's visit, indicating that Indonesia might establish diplomatic relations with Israel if Israel recognised a Palestinian state.

So, the visit to St Petersburg may have been motivated more by Putin's flattery and avoiding headaches at home than a pointed snub of the West.

Prabowo has declared his foreign policy philosophy is "one thousand friends and zero enemies".

His visit to Russia is a timely reminder that Indonesia, the largest economy in South-East Asia, does indeed have many friends.

Occupied Palestinian Territories

Topic:Defence and National Security

Alex Chidiac is back in the frame for the Matildas.(Getty Images: Stephanie Meek)

Coach Joe Montemurro has named a 33-player squad for upcoming friendlies against Slovenia and Panama.

Julie Dolan medallist Alex Chidiac and Victory striker Emily Gielnik return to the national team after being overlooked regularly by Tony Gustavsson and Tom Sermanni.

The Matildas face Slovenia on June 26 and 29, then Panama on July 5 and 8, in WA.

New Matildas coach Joe Montemurro has given Australia's next generation of football talent the nod as he plots a path to the 2026 Asian Cup.

Montemurro has cast a wide net for his first Matildas team and named 14 A-League Women players in a 33-strong squad for upcoming games against Slovenia and Panama.

Matildas captain Steph Catley, forward Caitlin Foord and midfielder Katrina Gorry will not feature in the four-game window, with the trio taking leave.

Montemurro, well familiar with the domestic league after stints with Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City, says the four-game window in Western Australia presents the perfect opportunity to experiment with personnel.

Caitlin Foord (left) and Steph Catley (centre) will miss all four games, while Arsenal teammate Kyra Cooney-Cross will only face Slovenia.(Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)

Reigning Julie Dolan medallist Alex Chidiac and Victory striker Emily Gielnik return to the national team after being overlooked regularly by Tony Gustavsson and Tom Sermanni.

"It's a good opportunity to roll out some new ideas and obviously the focus is the Asian Cup," former Lyon coach Montemurro said.

"This camp is really an identification process. It's a process for the players to understand where we're heading.

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"It's really, really important that we give every player an opportunity."

Cortnee Vine remains on leave after Montemurro flagged reaching out to the North Carolina Courage winger.

Vine, who shot to stardom when she scored the winning spot-kick in the Matildas' epic quarter-final penalty shootout at the Women's World Cup, hasn't played for the national team since the Paris Olympics.

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Brisbane Roar midfielder Tameka Yallop remains sidelined with a leg injury, while recent debutant Kahli Johnson has been ruled out with a thigh injury.

In their place, Montemurro has handed Roar forward Grace Kuilamu and Western United's Adriana Taranto their first call-up.

Meanwhile, vice-captain Ellie Carpenter returns from personal leave, while Mackenzie Arnold, Hayley Raso and Sharn Freier will make their comebacks from injury.

Midfielder Jacynta Galabadaarachchi, who has yet to find a new home after her time at Portuguese club Sporting CP came to an end, returns to the Matildas for the first time since June 2022.

The Matildas face Slovenia on June 26 and 29, then Panama on July 5 and 8, in WA.

Goalkeepers:Mackenzie Arnold*, Chloe Lincoln**, Sally James**, Teagan Micah, Jada Whyman*

Defenders:Ellie Carpenter, Charlotte Grant, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy*, Winonah Heatley*, Alexia Apostolakis*, Jessika Nash**, Courtney Nevin, Natasha Prior, Jamilla Rankin

Midfielders:Kyra Cooney-Cross*, Alex Chidiac, Emily Van Egmond, Clare Wheeler*, Chloe Berryhill**, Amy Sayer, Jacynta Galabadaarachchi**, Alana Murphy, Adriana Taranto**

Forwards:Emily Gielnik, Michelle Heyman, Holly McNamara, Hayley Raso, Kaitlyn Torpey*, Sharn Freier*, Bryleeh Henry**, Grace Kuilamu**, Remy Siemsen*

* Participating in Slovenia series only

** Participating in Panama series only

Topic:Defence and National Security

Natalie Webb had a traumatic birth with daughter Allarah.(ABC Riverina: Penny Burfitt)

NSW mothers involved in the historic Birth Trauma Inquiry have welcomed an $83 million investment in maternity care.

The funding includes almost $45 million to give more women access to midwife-led care, with an additional 53 midwives for regional and rural NSW.

The government hopes the workforce is in place within two years.

Parents involved in a landmark inquiry into birth trauma are welcoming an almost $45 million investment in maternity care described as the "gold standard".

The NSW government has allocated $83 million to maternity care in the upcoming state budget.

More than half, $44.8 million, will go towards expanding the state's midwife-led program, Midwifery Group Practice (MGP).

The MGP funding will include an additional 53 midwife roles in regional and remote NSW, with improved training for clinicians in respectful maternity care and enhanced antenatal education for patients in the wider package.

The announcement comes 12 months after the inquiry, widely described as a "me too" moment for birth trauma, handed down its final report.

It attracted more than 4,000 submissions and held six hearings.

The report recommended more access to continuity of care programs like the MGP, and more midwives.

Natalie Webb lives in Tumbarumba and was one of the first women to go public with her experience of birth trauma, also giving evidence at the Wagga Wagga hearing of the inquiry.

Natalie Webb hopes the funding will improve birth outcomes.(ABC Riverina: Penny Burfitt)

She said her traumatic birth, in which pain relief was withheld, could have been avoided with access to continuity of care.

"That would have made a huge difference to me — having someone I knew and could trust and who could have advocated for [me] when I couldn't advocate for myself," she said.

She still deals with the trauma three years on and hopes the funding will improve outcomes.

"I'm not going to have another child now because it's too traumatic, and that's something my husband and I are going to have to deal with for the rest of our lives," she said.

Sharon Settecasse (front right) and the Better Births Illawarra organisation were a pivotal part of the inquiry.(ABC Illawarra: Penny Burfitt)

The president of Illawarra-based advocacy group Better Birth Illawarra, Sharon Settecasse, fought back tears as she described the announcement as "phenomenal".

"We're overjoyed by this announcement … we're a bit speechless to be honest," she said.

In the MGP, a woman sees the same midwife before, during and after birth.

The Birth Inquiry's final report identified it as the "gold standard" of maternity care, calling for increased investment in it.

It also recommended funding for other programs and services, including the GP obstetrician workforce.

Naomi Bowden tried to hold back tears as she recounted what happened following her daughter's stillbirth.(ABC News: Sarah Moss)

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) welcomed the funding, calling women's health an "underfunded" area.

"Whilst investment in bolstering the midwifery workforce is valuable, RANZCOG emphasises that a multidisciplinary framework is essential to meet the complex needs of all women and birthing people," they said.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the inquiry had "a huge impact" on him, and the funding decision was made off the back of advocacy he heard before and during.

"Time and time again [I heard] continuity of care with a known midwife is really important, and I've also spoken to obstetricians who said that is an area where we need to improve," he said.

"To be blunt, I was sick of reading about [birth trauma], I was sick of hearing about it, I wanted to use this budget to try and deal with some of the issues."

He said the funding will begin to roll out "straight away" and new midwives should be on the ground within two years, depending on recruitment.

Ryan Park says the inquiry had "a huge impact" on him.(ABC News: Keana Naughton)

The birth inquiry was announced off the back of a mass complaint about maternity care at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital, submitted by the Maternity Consumer Network (MCN) on behalf of 30 women.

MCN founder Alecia Staines said today's funding was a win for the women who came forward.

"Credit where credit is due; those initial women of Wagga Wagga were crucial and hats off to them," she said.

"It's not easy, and it's such a brave thing they have done, and this is a lasting legacy and something they can be proud of that has come from their pain and suffering."

Topic:Defence and National Security

Linzi Wilson-Wilde was appointed as FSQ director in September 2024.(ABC News: Stephen Cavenagh)

The director of Forensic Science Queensland (FSQ) has been immediately suspended by the state's attorney-general after "contamination issues" were identified.

Attorney-General Deb Frecklington said she moved to immediately suspend the director, Linzi Wilson-Wilde, who was appointed in September 2024, pending a show cause notice for removal.

"This action was taken following advice I received today that FSQ was placing a general pause on routine DNA testing after contamination issues were identified," Ms Frecklington said in a statement.

Ms Frecklington's office could not provide any further details on the contamination issues.

It is not known how long Dr Wilson-Wilde has to respond to the notice.

Deb Frecklington says she moved to immediately suspend the director of FSQ pending a show cause notice for removal.(ABC News: Cameron Lang)

FSQ is an independent statutory authority and forensic service provider, which supports the criminal justice and coronial systems with specialised services in forensic biology and forensic chemistry.

Two commissions of inquiry, in 2022 and 2023, found serious failings over many years at the FSQ lab, including a "fatally flawed" automated testing method that might have seen offenders escaping conviction.

More than 120 recommendations were made during the commissions of inquiry to address "disturbing and troubling" issueswhich have meant tens of thousands of samples may need retesting.

Dr Wilson-Wilde became director in September 2024 after joining FSQ as interim chief executive in January 2023.

Ms Frecklington said FSQ's pause in operations would be for a preliminary period of seven days followed by a review to determine the next steps.

"The government has been advised FSQ will continue to progress urgent matters in a limited capacity during this time and that this can be done with appropriate controls," she said.

Ms Frecklington said the government was "firmly committed to fixing the long-standing issues at Forensic Science Queensland".

When contacted by the ABC Dr Wilson-Wilde declined to comment.

Topic:Defence and National Security

Topic:Defence and National Security

Police found Ralph Matthews Cox critically injured at a house in Landsdale in January 2022.(ABC News)

Peter Nguyen-Ha, 35, is on trial in the WA Supreme Court accused of murdering Ralph Matthews Cox, 47, in what the prosecution claims was a "drug deal gone wrong".

On Friday, Matthew Harley Gempton — who has already pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Matthews Cox — told the court he had witnessed Mr Nguyen-Ha firing a shotgun into the home.

Gempton will be cross-examined on Monday.

A debt collector turned prosecution witness in a Perth murder trial has described how his former friend fired shots into a suburban home, killing an innocent man.

Peter Nguyen-Ha is on trial, accused of murdering Ralph Matthews Cox, who was shot dead through the bedroom window of his Landsdale home in January 2022.

The court had heard that Mr Nguyen-Ha and Matthew Harley Gempton had gone to the home looking for another man over stolen money.

Gempton, who has pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Matthews Cox, has taken the stand to give evidence for the prosecution in return for a reduced sentence.

Gempton told the WA Supreme Court Mr Nguyen-Ha loaded a shotgun when they were driving to Landsdale, assuring him they were only "salt rounds".

Peter Nguyen-Ha, 34, is on trial in the WA Supreme Court accused of murdering Ralph Matthews Cox.(Supplied: Anne Barnetson)

The court heard that when they arrived Mr Nguyen-Ha walked to the house, wearing a mask and carrying the shotgun.

He told the court he heard someone say "who turned the power off" and "who's out the front".

Gempton told the court Mr Nguyen-Ha called out "where's Anthony Prior" and then fired three times.

He said he then heard a woman scream.

He described the third shot as "definitely louder" than the others and said he saw "a big flame that lit up the front of the house".

Bullet holes in the bedroom window of a house in Landsdale, in Perth's northern suburbs, where Ralph Matthews Cox was fatally shot.(Supplied: Supreme Court of Western Australia)

He told the court that when Mr Nguyen-Ha got back into the car, he said he "just shot at the window, the corner of the window" to scare them.

Gempton maintained he did not find out until later that someone had died, when he saw it on the news.

Police had said Mr Cox, who suffered fatal injuries in the shooting, had no involvement with crime and was an innocent victim.

Gempton was a debt collector for drug money, telling the court he used to drive Mr Nguyen-Ha around in return for money and meth.

Bullet holes in the bedroom window of Ralph Matthews Cox.(Supplied: Supreme Court of Western Australia)

The 36-year-old said he had been using methylamphetamine "more than once a day".

He also told how he came to shoot himself in the leg after Mr Nguyen-Ha was assaulted, and had tens of thousands of dollars stolen in December 2021.

He said he was driving someone else's car, searching for Mr Nguyen-Ha, who had asked him to go to a 7-Eleven in Wangara.

Gempton said he looked around inside the vehicle for a weapon and found a rifle he did not know was there.

"Pulled it out and sat it on my lap, and it went off," Gempton said.

"Scorched all the nerve endings on one side.

A court exhibit of Matthew Gempton in hospital after he shot himself in the leg.(Supplied: Supreme Court of Western Australia)

"Just pissing out blood on one side."

He went to Joondalup Hospital, where he was interviewed by police but lied to them, claiming he was shot by a bikie.

Gempton denied firing any guns on the night of the Landsdale shooting, or in earlier incidents in Girrawheen and Wanneroo which took place days earlier.

In these, he and others, including Peter Nguyen-Ha, had allegedly targeted the wrong homes looking for Anthony Prior.

Prosecutor Beau Sertorio asked Gempton why he had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and other charges if he had never actually fired a weapon.

The 36-year-old said he still "had a role to play", saying he did not call police after the first shooting at Girrawheen.

Forensics officers scour the scene after the shooting death of Ralph Matthews Cox.(ABC News)

He told the court that initially, he "thought it was just going to be a fight with Anthony Prior" and following that he "got told to go" to the other scenes.

At Wanneroo and Landsdale he was "just driving", he said.

The court heard Gempton's sentence was cut by more than five years and nine months, to 12 years, and he could be re-sentenced if he did not give full and truthful evidence.

He is due to be cross-examined on Monday.

Topic:Defence and National Security

Chris Brown is accused of beating a music producer in an "unprovoked attack."(Reuters: Isabel Infantes)

Singer Chris Brown has pleaded not guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent in a UK court.

He is accused of seriously beating a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023.

His trial is scheduled to begin on October 26, 2026.

Grammy-winning singer Chris Brown pleaded not guilty on Friday to a charge related to the serious beating of a music producer with a bottle in a London nightclub in 2023.

Brown, 36, pleaded not guilty in Southwark Crown Court to one count of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.

Brown's friend and fellow musician Omololu Akinlolu, 38, who performs under the name Hoody Baby, pleaded not guilty to the same charge.

Prosecutors said Brown and Akinlolu assaulted producer Abe Diaw at a bar in the Tape nightclub in the swanky Mayfair neighbourhood in February 2023.

Brown allegedly launched an unprovoked attack on Mr Diaw and hit him several times with a bottle, and then punched and kicked him.

The attack was caught on surveillance camera in front of a club full of people, prosecutors said.

Omololu Omari Akinlolu is Chris Brown's co-defendant.(Reuters: Chris J Ratcliffe)

Brown was originally charged with a single count of grievous bodily harm after his arrest in May, but prosecutors subsequently brought an indictment adding two counts: assault causing actual bodily harm and having an offensive weapon, a bottle.

When a court clerk asked Brown how he pleaded to the grievous bodily harm count, he replied: "Not guilty ma'am."

Brown did not enter pleas on the additional counts and was ordered to return to court on July 11 to face those charges after wrapping up the European leg of his world tour.

Brown was released last month on 5 million British pounds ($10.39 million) bail, which allowed him to start his world tour earlier this month.

His trial is scheduled to begin on October 26, 2026.

Brown, who burst onto the music scene as a teen in 2005, won his first Grammy for best R&B album in 2011 for F.A.M.E. and then earned his second in the same category for 11:11 (Deluxe) earlier this year.

His hits include songs such as Run It, Kiss Kiss and Without You.

His tour is due to kick off June 8 in Amsterdam before starting North America shows in July.

Topic:Defence and National Security

The National Guard troops were federalised by Donald Trump and deployed to Los Angeles despite opposition from state officials.(ABC News: Emily Clark)

An appeals court has allowed Donald Trump to maintain control of the National Guard in Los Angeles.

It comes after California's governor sued the president for federalising the guard without coordinating with him.

Governor Gavin Newsom says he plans to challenge the ruling.

A US appeals court has let Donald Trump retain control on Thursday of California's National Guard while the state's Democratic governor proceeds with a lawsuit challenging the Republican president's use of the troops to quell protests in Los Angeles.

Mr Trump's decision to send troops into Los Angeles prompted a national debate about the use of the military on US soil and inflamed political tension in the country's second most populous city.

On Thursday (local time), a three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals extended its pause on US District Judge Charles Breyer'sJune 12 rulingthat Mr Trump had unlawfully called the National Guard into federal service.

Mr Trump probably acted within his authority, the panel said, adding his administration probably complied with the requirement to coordinate with Governor Gavin Newsom, and even if it did not, he had no authority to veto Mr Trump's directive.

"And although we hold that the president likely has authority to federalise the National Guard, nothing in our decision addresses the nature of the activities in which the federalised National Guard may engage," it wrote in its opinion.

Mr Newsom could still challenge the use of the National Guard and US Marines under other laws, including the bar on using troops in domestic law enforcement, it added.

California governor Gavin Newsom has sued the Trump administration.(Reuters: Mike Blake)

The governor could raise those issues at a court hearing on Friday in front of Judge Breyer, it said.

In a post on X after the decision, Mr Newsom vowed to pursue his challenge.

"The president is not a king and is not above the law," he said.

"We will press forward with our challenge to President Trump's authoritarian use of US military soldiers against our citizens."

Mr Trump hailed the decision in a post on Truth Social.

"This is a great decision for our country and we will continue to protect and defend law-abiding Americans," he said.

"This is much bigger than Gavin, because all over the United States, if our cities, and our people, need protection, we are the ones to give it to them should state and local police be unable, for whatever reason, to get the job done."

Judge Breyer's ruling was issued in a lawsuit against Mr Trump's action brought by Mr Newsom, where he ruled that Mr Trump violated a US law governing a president's ability to take control of a state's National Guard by failing to coordinate with the governor.

It also found that the conditions set out under the statute to allow this move, such as a rebellion against federal authority, did not exist.

Judge Breyer ordered Mr Trump to return control of California's National Guard to Mr Newsom.

Hours after Judge Breyer acted, the 9th Circuit panel had put the judge's move on hold temporarily.

Amid protests and turmoil in Los Angeles over Mr Trump's immigration raids, the president on June 7 took control of California's National Guard and deployed 4,000 troops against Mr Newsom's wishes.

Mr Trump also ordered 700 US Marines to the city after sending in the National Guard. Judge Breyer has not yet ruled on the legality of the Marine Corps mobilisation.

At a court hearing on Tuesday on whether to extend the pause on Judge Breyer's decision, members of the 9th Circuit panel questioned lawyers for California and the Trump administration on what role, if any, courts should have in reviewing Mr Trump's authority to deploy the troops.

A US appeals court has temporarily blocked a federal judge's order that directed President Donald Trump to return control of National Guard troops to California.

The law sets out three conditions by which a president can federalise state National Guard forces, including an invasion, a "rebellion or danger of a rebellion" against the government or a situation in which the US government is unable with regular forces to execute the country's laws.

The appeals court said the final condition had probably been met because protesters hurled items at immigration authorities' vehicles, used a trash dumpster as battering rams, threw Molotov cocktails and vandalised property, frustrating law enforcement.

The Justice Department has said once the president determines an emergency exists that warrants the use of the National Guard, no court or state governor can review that decision. The appeals court rejected that argument.

The protests in Los Angeles ran for more than a week before they ebbed, leading Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass to lift a curfew she had imposed.

In its June 9 lawsuit, California said Mr Trump's deployment of the National Guard and the Marines violated the state's sovereignty and US laws that forbid federal troops from participating in civilian law enforcement.

The Trump administration has denied that troops are engaging in law enforcement, saying they are instead protecting federal buildings and personnel, including US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.

The 9th Circuit panel is comprised of two judges appointed by Mr Trump during his first term and one appointee of Democratic former President Joe Biden.

Topic:Defence and National Security

Topic:Defence and National Security

Topic:Defence and National Security

The activists broke into the military base during the night.(Reuters)

Pro-Palestinian activists have damaged two Royal Air Force planes after breaking into Brize Norton Base in Oxfordshire.

The British government said two planes were being checked for damage and that the vandalism had not stopped any planned aircraft movements or operations.

The UK defence minister has ordered an investigation and a review of wider security at the country's military bases.

Pro-Palestinian activists broke into a Royal Air Force base in central England, damaging and spraying red paint over two planes used for refuelling and transport.

Palestine Action said two members had entered the Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire on Friday, local time, putting paint into the engines of the Voyager aircraft and further damaging them with crowbars.

Aerial footage showed red paint marks on the aircraft and police officers nearby.

"Despite publicly condemning the Israeli government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets," the group said in a statement, posting a video of the incident on X.

Britain's Ministry of Defence confirmed the incident, and said it "strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets".

Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the vandalism "disgraceful" in a post on X.

The group's action was in protest of British military assistance to Israel.(Reuters: Palestine Action/Handout)

The government said two planes were being checked for damage, and that the vandalism had not stopped any planned aircraft movements or operations.

"A full security review is underway at Brize Norton," Mr Starmer's office said.

"We are reviewing security across the whole defence estate."

British defence minister John Healey ordered an investigation and a review of wider security at the country's military bases.

"The vandalism of RAF planes is totally unacceptable," Mr Healey said on X.

"I am really disturbed that this happened and have ordered an investigation and a review of wider security at our bases."

Palestine Action is among groups that have regularly targeted defence firms and other companies in Britain linked to Israel since the start of the conflict in Gaza.

The group said it had also sprayed paint on the runway and left a Palestine flag there.

The Gaza war was triggered when Hamas-led Palestinian militants attacked Israel in October 2023, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli allies.

Israel's subsequent military assault on Gaza has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's health ministry, displaced almost all of the territory's residents and caused a severe hunger crisis.

The assault has led to accusations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies.

Topic:Defence and National Security