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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
A fire that broke out on Wednesday night at the Viva Energy oil refinery has led to a significant reduction in fuel production. Diesel and jet fuel output have dropped to 80% of typical levels, while petrol production is down to 60%. The timeline for repairs remains uncertain.
David Leaney from the Australian National University reassured that despite the incident, the company’s supply, which accounts for half of Victoria’s fuel, should remain stable.
ANU supply chain expert David Leaney has tipped a rise in prices in Victoria. (Today)
“The crucial factor here is that Viva will compensate by purchasing additional fuel on the international market and importing it to cover the shortfall,” he explained.
Nonetheless, Leaney noted that residents of Victoria might experience higher fuel prices, as Viva’s international purchases will be based on spot prices rather than long-term contracts.
Spot prices can be as much as 8 cents per litre higher than contract prices, and Leaney suggested that this increase “could potentially” be reflected in retail fuel prices.
An oil refinery in Geelong was hit by a massive fire, causing concerns it could impact Australia’s already critical fuel supply. (A Current Affair)
“When would that happen? Fairly soon, as soon as those replacement contracts are in place,” Leaney said.
Any price increase could be expected to last at least a couple of weeks.
Earlier this morning, Viva chief executive Scott Wyatt said the costs imposed by the fire would be “absorbed” and not passed on to the consumer.
“Except for this fire, costs were actually trending down, and the number of petrol stations out of fuel were trending down – two really good trends,” Leaney told Today.
“With the exception of Victorian motorists over the next two to four weeks, I think we can see petrol prices fairly stable.”
He said another good sign was the government’s securing of additional fuel supplies, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese touting the success of bringing in 100 million litres from overseas.
That amount of fuel is, however, typically what Australia consumes in just 1.3 days – but Leaney said the bigger picture was showing improvement, with fuel reserves trending up from 32 days at the beginning of the crisis, to close to 40 now.
“These are good trends and it is important that we’ve got those supplies shored up,” he said.
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In a shocking outburst of violence on the Upper East Side last week, an elderly man was brutally attacked by an unknown assailant, police reported.
The unsettling incident occurred in broad daylight around 5:20 p.m. on Friday. The 75-year-old victim was standing in front of a grocery store on York Avenue near East 83rd Street when he was approached by a stranger. An argument ensued between the two, according to police accounts.
During the confrontation, the attacker allegedly shoved the senior citizen to the ground, as detailed by the NYPD.
The brute cornered the 75-year-old victim on York Avenue near East 83rd Street around 5:20 p.m. Friday, authorities said. NYPD
Following this, the aggressor launched into a vicious assault, repeatedly punching and kicking the elderly man, before fleeing south on York Avenue on foot.
Despite the violence of the attack, the victim sustained only minor injuries and did not require hospitalization.
It was not immediately clear what the fight was over.
The alleged attacker shoved the elderly man and dealt repeated blows, cops said. NYPD
Video shows the suspect walking in the store wearing a gray hat, a pair of shades, a blue jacket and black pants.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at on X @NYPDTips.
Emmely Elgersma, a versatile talent from the Netherlands, now thrives in London as a designer, sculptor, ceramicist, artist, and football coach. Although she hails from the Netherlands, her formative years unfolded in the serene landscapes of rural Nottinghamshire. She later relocated to London to pursue her passion for Textile Design and Fine Art. Emmely is making her mark as a contestant on BBC’s Interior Design Masters 2026.
Her intrigue with repurposing materials was sparked during an early job in a Bloomsbury shop owned by the daughter of the creator of Bagpuss and Clangers. There, she honed her skills in transforming so-called ‘rubbish’ into captivating window displays. This hands-on experience, filled with improvisation and creativity, became the foundation of her sculptural philosophy.
Emmely’s artistic journey included a residency at the Sarabande Foundation, established by the iconic Lee Alexander McQueen. This opportunity granted her a studio near the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Her work has been showcased at prestigious venues such as Christie’s, Saatchi Gallery, Selfridges, and the London Design Festival. Her collaborations extend to renowned brands like IKEA, TikTok, End of the Road Festival, Paynter Jacket, Johnnie Walker, and Sandqvist.
In the spring of 2025, she will join an artist residency in South Korea as part of Korea’s International Craft Festival, allowing her to further explore sustainability and innovation in design. Meanwhile, Emmely is eagerly awaiting word from the Guinness World Records regarding her attempt to create the largest papier-mâché sculpture ever.
In 2020, Emmely achieved her FA Level 1 coaching qualification, paving the way for her roles as a coach for Spurs and Juventus and as a manager for The Tate Workers football team. She holds an MFA from Chelsea College of Arts, obtained in 2017, and completed her BA (Hons) in Textile Design at Central Saint Martins in 2012.
Interior Design Masters 2026
Emmely Elgersma is a contestant on Series 7 of Interior Design Masters on BBC One, presented by comedian Alan Carr, with interiors expert Michelle Ogundehin as head judge. The show follows 10 designers as they reimagine eight incredible spaces from beach huts to castle hotels. Emmely describes her design style as creative, uplifting and playful.
Emmely applied to be on Interior Design Masters to “push myself creatively and learn more about interior design.” She told the BBC: “I’m a sculptor and designer, so I’ve always been interested in spatial design. When you make sculpture you naturally think in a very three-dimensional way prioritising mood, emotion and how people experience a space.
“I also create a lot of furniture pieces and love finding beauty in everyday objects. Interior Design Masters felt like the perfect way to push myself creatively and learn more about interior design, without having to go back to university and spend a ridiculous amount of money.”
Speaking about what viewers can expect, Emmely said: “I think this year is a real mix of designers from very different and unique backgrounds. Our styles are completely varied, which makes it really exciting to watch, I would walk around the spaces and be like wow so many varied approaches to the same space we all had been given, so I think viewers will definitely have their favourites.”
As the much-anticipated release date of May 22 approaches, the final trailer for the upcoming “Star Wars” film delves deeper into its storyline, spotlighting pivotal characters and thrilling battles that are sure to captivate audiences.
LOS ANGELES — Get ready for an exhilarating ride featuring speeder bikes, AT-ATs, and an adorable, yet mischievous, green baby causing a stir among the Anzellan people!
In an exciting development for fans, “The Mandalorian and Grogu” marks the first “Star Wars” film to hit theaters in seven years. The latest trailer provides an enticing glimpse into the film’s allies and adversaries.
The preview teases more action-packed scenes with familiar faces like Embo, the bounty hunter from the animated “Star Wars: The Clone Wars,” and Zeb Orrelios, a Rebel captain who earnestly wishes Mando “good luck.”
Fans will also be thrilled to see Mando, played by Pedro Pascal, remove his helmet. He delivers a poignant line: “The old protect the young, and then the young protect the old,” adding depth to the film’s narrative.
Sigourney Weaver appears as Colonel Ward, wearing the classic orange Rebel pilot uniform after disembarking from an X-wing fighter.
Jeremy Allen White also stars as Rotto the Hutt, a member of the species made famous by Jabba the Hutt in “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.”
The trailer closes with the familiar Mandalorian pledge, “This is the way,” followed by a silhouetted shot of Grogu.
“The Mandalorian and Grogu” premieres in theaters May 22.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Lucasfilm, Disney+ and this ABC station.
In a tragic turn of events, former Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax is alleged to have fatally shot his wife, Cerina Fairfax, before taking his own life in what authorities are investigating as a murder-suicide.
Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis shared details during a press conference, revealing that the couple’s teenage children were home at the time of the incident on April 16. According to Davis, Justin Fairfax reportedly shot Cerina in the basement of their residence shortly after midnight. He then moved to an upstairs bedroom, where he allegedly used the same firearm to end his own life.
“This is a high-profile case with a deeply tragic nature,” Davis remarked on the incident. “It represents a significant fall from grace for a family that appeared to have many positive aspects. The tragedy is compounded for their children, who have lost both parents and were present in the home during these devastating events.”
The couple’s teenage son made a distress call to 911 amidst what Davis described as a “very chaotic situation.”
Police arrived swiftly at the scene, where both Justin and Cerina Fairfax were pronounced dead.
“Our victim services division, like they always do, is leaning into the to the family, the surviving relatives, the children in particular,” Davis said. “We’ll do everything we can for them.”
According to Davis, the couple was going through a “messy” divorce at the time of incident.
Justin—who had returned to work as an attorney after serving as Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor—had recently been served paperwork associated with an upcoming court proceeding, which Davis said “apparently led to this incident.”
“Apparently, the paperwork indicated when he was next to appear in court,” Davis explained. “That may have been a spark. You know, detectives will figure that out.”
Police said they have footage from cameras placed throughout the home, which show what happened that night.
Davis said Cerina, a dentist, installed the cameras inside the home at some point during the divorce proceedings.
It wasn’t the first time police were called to the home. In January, Justin alleged that his wife had assaulted him. At the time, investigators relied on the cameras to refute Justin’s claims.
“We reviewed those cameras and we corroborated that the alleged assault never occurred,” Davis said during the press conference. “So there was no arrest made.”
It was the only known call for service to the house, Davis said.
“The family was going through, seemingly a very tough time with the separation, with the divorce,” Davis said.”I can only imagine the stress that the parents felt, the kids felt, and the other family members as well.”
The couple’s two children are now in the care of relatives.
While in office, two women came forward in 2019 to publicly accuse Justin of sexual assault in alleged incidents occurring in 2000 and 2004, per The New York Post. Justin insisted both incidents had been consensual.
When it comes to building a robust core, one of the most effective exercises you can incorporate into your routine is the basic bridge. This seemingly simple move is a powerhouse for enhancing core stability, which is crucial for overall body strength.
A strong core is the backbone of physical independence, aiding in longevity and making everyday tasks and chores feel effortless. The basic bridge exercise specifically targets the pelvic muscles, hamstrings, glutes, and deep core muscles. Importantly, it does so without putting excessive stress on the neck, unlike some other core exercises. By regularly practicing this move, you can also improve your posture and stability. As you advance, you can experiment with variations to concentrate on particular muscle groups and further enhance your performance.
To truly gauge the strength of your core, the bridge exercise serves as an excellent benchmark. We consulted with Carly Harvey, a seasoned personal trainer, online coach, and Clubbercise instructor at Champneys. Harvey explains that maintaining a bridge position for an extended period, particularly after the age of 50, can classify your core strength as “elite.” With a focus on lifestyle transformation through balance rather than restriction, Harvey is certified to train women going through peri/menopause, further emphasizing the importance of tailored fitness approaches.
Developing a strong core and glute muscles not only enhances balance and mobility but also contributes significantly to back health. By supporting your body effectively, you pave the way for improved physical well-being.
The Importance of Core Strength
Shutterstock
Having a solid core and strong glute muscles improves your balance, mobility, and back health by ensuring your body’s well-supported.
“This enables better pain free movement as weak glutes and core put pressure on the lower back causing discomfort and reduced mobility. Having better pelvic control hugely improves stability and balance, which means less chance of falls or injury,” Harvey adds.
What Makes the Glute Bridge Hold an Effective Test of Core Strength?
Shutterstock
According to Harvey, this exercise is a stellar choice for testing your core strength and stability.
“Maintaining this position with good form and technique (keeping the spine neutral and hips level while pushing through the glutes and not the back) challenges pelvic control and stabilizes the core,” Harvey explains. “Doing this exercise post-50 is important to keep the body safe and stable as you age, using the muscles that support real-life movement, balance and stability.”
The gluteus maximus, hamstrings, erector spinae, and deep ab muscles are mainly activated during the glute bridge hold. These muscles are essential when it comes to daily movements like getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, and keeping the body stable.
If You Can Hold a Bridge This Long After 50, Your Core Strength Is Elite
If you’re able to hold a glute bridge for 90 seconds or more at the age of 50+, this is considered “elite” performance
“This signifies a higher level of core and posterior strength than is expected for this particular age group,” Harvey notes.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Shutterstock
Common mistakes during the glute bridge include pushing through your back rather than your glutes, which can cause reduced glute activation and overextension of the spine. In addition, avoid uneven hips and pushing more through one side over the other. Make sure your knees maintain alignment throughout the exercise.
Peter Mandelson, a Labour Party heavyweight with ties to scandal, was initially denied security clearance but still managed to secure the role of British Ambassador to the United States. This controversial appointment has sparked urgent demands for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to resign if he misled Parliament regarding the decision.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is under fire for allegedly deceiving both Parliament and the public about appointing Peter Mandelson as the ambassador to Washington. This issue has unfolded into one of the most significant political scandals of the current British government, prompting rival parties to call for Starmer’s resignation.
There is ongoing uncertainty regarding the Prime Minister’s knowledge of the situation. Official statements claim he was unaware that Mandelson’s security clearance had been denied by the security services, a decision that was ultimately overruled. The reasons behind Mandelson’s initial rejection remain unclear. This scandal, which has been developing over several months, has already led to the resignation of the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, known for his opposition to Breitbart News. McSweeney’s departure appears to be an attempt to shield Starmer from further scrutiny.
The British newspaper The Guardian, which is left-leaning but not necessarily supportive of Starmer, reported on Thursday that according to multiple sources, the vetting process for Mandelson’s appointment was incomplete when the Prime Minister announced him as the future ambassador in 2025. The vetting concluded with a rejection on January 28th of that year, a decision that was subsequently overturned by the Foreign Office, allowing Mandelson to assume the position.
This revelation suggests that the British government’s security protocols were bypassed—a move that, while technically allowable, is extremely rare. It appears to have been done to avoid the political fallout from retracting the ambassador’s appointment after it had been publicly announced.
When the United States published fresh tranches of Jeffrey Epstein emails earlier this year, Mandelson’s name featured heavily. While Mandelson’s association with Epstein was long known, and before Starmer decided to make him ambassador, the emails appeared to show the relationship between the two men was deeper and longer-lasting than previously publicly known, and appeared to display that lies had been told.
Mandelson is now being investigated by police for alleged charges of misconduct in public office over emails that appeared to show him emailing confidential British government documents to Epstein while Mandelson was a government minister under Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
When Starmer was called upon to defend his decision to appoint earlier this year when the Epstein emails were released, he said several times that Mandelson had been vetted by the security services and that he’d gotten clearance. These remarks were interpreted at the time as a clear bid by the Prime Minister, and others who spoke for him, to shuffle the blame onto the security vetting process. For instance, Starmer had said in February that there was “security vetting carried out independently by the security services, which is an intensive exercise that gave him clearance for the role, and you have to go through that before you take up the post.”
When Starmer came to power after the last UK General Election, it was on a platform promising probity, thoroughness, and a ‘buck stops here’ model of accountability. Indeed, as leader of the opposition, Starmer had previously made absolutely clear that he believes that a Prime Minister who misled the House of Commons should resign, which is precisely what he is now accused of doing.
Brexit pioneer and leader of the country’s top-polling political party Nigel Farage was among the first of those calling on Starmer to now resign over the scandal. He said: “Keir Starmer said in February that the security services had given Mandelson “clearance for the role”. Now we discover that he has blatantly lied, the Prime Minister should resign.”
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said “we now know” that Starmer misled Parliament and that accordingly he should now take “responsibility”. The hard-left Green Party also called for him to step down, and said in their statement:
Keir Starmer has lied and lied again over his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson and he must resign. Starmer told parliament ‘due process’ had been followed. This report makes clear that was untrue.
He has tried to blame the vetting process, when in fact it is reported that a decision was taken to ignore a failed vetting. We need answers on what and when Starmer and David Lammy knew about this decision to overrule the vetting report.
The Greens also called for the reason Mandelson failed vetting to be revealed. While it is evident his relationship with Epstein was a national security risk, it’s by no means clear if that was the only skeleton in the closet unveiled by the security services during that process.
Much depends on whether the Prime Minister and those close to him can convince the country that, despite being in charge of the country and having intervened to make Mandelson ambassador against normal practice, that the whole process of vetting, its reporting, and then it being overruled was done secretly without their ever being told.
Open Heaven 17 April 2026 Friday Daily Devotional By Pastor E. A. Adeboye – Reversing Barrenness
Open Heaven 17 April 2026 TOPIC – Reversing Barrenness
MEMORISE: He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord. – Psalm 113:9 (KJV)
READ: 2 Kings 4:8-17 (KJV)
8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.
10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.
14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.
15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.
16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: 1 Kings 21-22
Open Heaven 17 April 2026 MESSAGE
Years ago, a woman, who was waiting on God for children, kept going to her pastor for prayers. After a while, the pastor said, “I’ve prayed for many people who were looking for children, and now, they have their children. Why is your case different?” The woman then revealed that she had once tried to terminate a pregnancy, but the procedure went wrong, and in order to save her life, the doctors removed her womb. On hearing this, the pastor asked in shock, “You’ve had no womb all these while, yet you kept asking me to pray for you to have a child?” From that day on, the pastor started avoiding her. When she noticed this, she turned to God and said, “I won’t go to my pastor anymore. I will come to You, my Maker.” Shortly after that, she had a dream one night. In the dream, she was naked, and as she stood in a spot, a huge man approached her with an animal’s skin in his hands. On getting to where she was standing, he wrapped the animal’s skin around her belly and disappeared. That experience signalled the end of her barrenness. The last time I heard about her, she had given birth to five children!
God can reverse the irreversible. In Genesis 21:1-2, He reversed the deadness of Abraham and Sarah’s bodies and gave them a child after many years of barrenness. Likewise, in 1 Samuel 1:4-20, He remembered Hannah and opened her womb. In today’s Bible reading, the Shunammite woman saw Elisha passing by and compelled him to come to her house to eat. She fed him on many other occasions and built him a small chamber in her house to host him whenever he passed by. When God decided to visit her, Elisha told her that she would have a son, and she told him not to deceive her. That was a clear sign of unbelief, but the Almighty God bypassed her doubts and gave her a son because of her heart of service.
Beloved, are you expecting the miracle of a child or fruitfulness in any area of your life? Keep serving the Lord and honoring Him. Hold on to His word, and you will never be disappointed. I pray that He will reverse any form of barrenness in your life and cause you to be fruitful in all areas of your life, in Jesus’ name.
Open Heaven 17 April 2026 PRAYER POINT
Father, please make me fruitful in every area of my life.
Open Heaven 17 April 2026 HYMN 16 – Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
1 ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His Word; Just to rest upon His promise; Just to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er! Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!
2 O how sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to trust His cleansing blood; And in simple faith to plunge me ‘Neath the healing, cleansing flood!
3 Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus, Just from sin and self to cease; Just from Jesus simply taking Life and rest, and joy and peace.
4 I’m so glad I learn’d to trust Thee, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend, And I know that Thou art with me, Wilt be with me to the end.
Accessing the Devotional The Open Heavens devotional is conveniently available as an application across all major mobile platforms and operating systems, including iOS, Android, Nokia, Windows Mobile, and PC. This wide accessibility ensures that users can engage with the devotional from virtually any device. For more information or to access the Open Heaven for Today 2026, visit
REMINDER!!! JESUS IS COMING SOON
ARE YOU BORN AGAIN? IF NO, WHY NOT ACCEPT JESUS NOW!
Accept Jesus Christ today and secure a life of eternal rest and Glory by saying this short prayer below:
Lord Jesus, I believe you died for my sins, Forgive me of all my iniquities. I accept you as my Lord and Saviour from today and forever.
Come and Be the Lord of my life and I am willing to obey Your command and live according to Your will by Your Grace, Thank you for accepting me into Your fold
AMEN!!! John 6:37…and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s wife is under intense criticism following her lukewarm apology for past social media posts in which she used racial slurs and made homophobic comments. Notably absent from her apology was any mention of her controversial posts that appeared to support terrorism.
Rama Duwaji, 28, recently expressed regret regarding inappropriate content she posted on her X and Tumblr accounts during her teenage years and early twenties.
“When a tabloid recently resurfaced old tweets from my teenage years, I felt profound shame when confronted with the harmful language I used; being 15 doesn’t excuse it,” New York City’s first lady told Hyperallergic.
“I have read and considered the reactions of others, and I understand the pain I caused. I am truly sorry,” she added.
However, many online were quick to point out that Duwaji’s apology did not extend to her posts that praised the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, or her support for Palestinian terrorists.
The Washington Free Beacon, which uncovered the posts in a March 18 report that linked the posts to her using facial recognition software, noted that Duwaji was in her early 20s when she shared posts lauding Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s Leila Khaled, who participated in plane hijackings in 1969 and 1970.
In 2015, at the age of 17, Duwaji also shared a post honoring Shadia Abu Ghazaleh, who bombed an Israeli bus, as the ‘first Palestinian woman to fight in resistance after 1967 occupation.’
‘Duwaji did not attribute her Ghazaleh post to youthful ignorance,’ the Free Post noted.
Rama Duwaji, 28, who is married to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, issued an apology in an interview following a report by the Washington Free Beacon of her history of inappropriate posts made online in her teenage years and early twenties
The discovery of the First Lady of New York City’s purported profile comes shortly after she made headlines for liking posts that celebrated the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel
More recently, Duwaji called reports that Hamas was sexually assaulting Israelis on October 7 a ‘mass rape hoax,’ Free Press reporter Olivia Reingold added in her own post on X on Wednesday.
She even provided illustrations for an essay by Susan Abulhawa, an author who called the October 7 attack ‘spectacular’ and blasted Jewish Israelis as ‘vampires’ and ‘rootless, soulless ghouls,’ according to the Free Beacon.
Mayor Mamdani has since called those remarks ‘reprehensible.’
But online, many hit out at Duwaji for not speaking out about her posts herself.
‘Rama Duwaji was NOT 15 when she shared a post calling Jews filth and other racial slurs,’ one X user wrote in response to reports about the New York City First Lady’s apology.
‘And NO ARTIST accepts a job not knowing what’s involved [with] author and story. AND it has since come out the affiliation with the Mamdanis and “the author” go back 15 years.
‘THEY ARE ALL LYING TO SAVE FACE,’ the X user concluded.
Conservative commentator Paul Szypula echoed those remarks in his own post.
‘Rama isn’t really sorry,’ he claimed. ‘She’s just sorry she got caught.’
‘Her “apology” was probably drafted by one of Mayor Mamdani’s PR people to cover for Rama’s vile beliefs.’
Duwaji did not apologize for her posts celebrating Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 or supporting Palestinian terrorists
Duwaji allegedly made a post to X in 2013 which used the N-word
The New York City First Lady’s history of hateful content appeared to begin in 2013, when she used a vile racial slur in a tweet to a friend.
The post reads: ‘Helllll yeah, n****. Super duper genius* excuse you.’
That same year, the same account posted a list of new followers, referring to them with an apparent homophobic slur.
‘Whyyyyyy are all these fgts folllowing [sic] meeeeeeeee,’ the post read.
But just two years later, Duwaji appeared to start posting about Israel – and allegedly even re-shared content that blamed the creation of Al-Qaeda on white people.
‘You can’t blame Muslims for terrorism because they didn’t construct, fund, or train Al-Qaeda,’ read the upload to Tumblr, which came when Duwaji was in her 20s. ‘White people did that, too.’
The account also took aim at US troops, noting how they were not brave and were ‘mercilessly slaughtering third world civilians to maintain American hegemony.’
A spokesman for Duwaji told the New York Times that she had no comment when asked what content the first lady was apologizing for.
The content appeared to have been deleted from the accounts when the Daily Mail conducted a search.
The first lady of New York also appears to have taken aim at US troops in 2015, noting how they were not brave
One image from the post she liked showed a bulldozer used by Hamas to break through into Israel on that day in which nearly 1,200 people died
The discovery of the posts came shortly after she made headlines for liking posts that celebrated the October 7 attack by Hamas on Israel, including one that called reports of sexual violence a ‘mass rape hoax.’
The post made by leftist group The Slow Factory included images of groups of people after having taken over an IDF vehicle, with ‘Free Palestine’ scrawled over it.
Another image said: ‘Breaking the walls of apartheid and military occupation’, followed by the date.
The image showed a bulldozer used by the group to break through into Israel on that day, in which nearly 1,200 people died.
But Mamdani has dodged questions about her liking a post in support of the October 7 attack.
‘My wife is the love of my life, and she is also a private person who has held no formal position on my campaign or in my City Hall,’ the mayor previously said.
When he was then asked whether Duwaji felt any remorse over her more recent posts on Thursday, Mamdani refused to directly answer the question.
‘You know, she shared some of her reflections in this interview,’ he said of his wife’s apology. ‘I won’t add much to them.’
‘What I will say, however, is that she is someone of incredible integrity, she is someone I am lucky to call my wife and that I am proud of her each and every day.’
The Daily Mail has reached out to Duwaji for comment.
The government has said that defence spending will rise to 3 per cent of GDP by 2026.
Experts are challenging the government to outline exactly what that will mean in real-world terms.
Australia is set to boost its defense budget to an unprecedented level, as Defense Minister Richard Marles announced plans to elevate military spending to 3% of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This marks the highest allocation in Australia’s peacetime history.
Speaking at the National Press Club on Thursday, Marles emphasized the significance of this increase while unveiling the 2026 National Defence Strategy. “We are witnessing the largest peacetime surge in our defense investment ever,” he stated, underscoring the government’s commitment to strengthening national security.
Despite this ambitious move, the government faces skepticism regarding the figures. Some experts have criticized the administration for engaging in what they describe as “desperate, Enron-like creative accountancy” to achieve the 3% target.
The controversy stems from differences in how defense spending is traditionally calculated. Unlike the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), which includes military pensions in its calculations, Australia, not a NATO member, has historically used a different metric.
Critics argue that by adopting the NATO methodology, Marles could present a more substantial increase in defense spending than what might be inferred from a straightforward financial analysis. This includes incorporating various financial elements that inflate the overall expenditure figures.
Michael Shoebridge of Strategic Analysis Australia said it was “shameless and simply pretends we are spending more” on the Australian Defence Force (ADF).
“If the government and defence were as creative in building the ADF’s military power as they are in pretending to so, we’d be in much better shape,” he added.
Three per cent of what?
Marles said the country was currently spending 2.8 per cent of GDP on defence.
“Based on current GDP projections, we now have spending committed in the budget that will take us to a defence spend of 3 per cent of GDP by 2033.
“It is much more than this when you include other supporting investments in critical infrastructure, the defence of networks, civil preparedness and resilience, innovation, and the full strengthening of our defence industrial base.”
The newly announced spend was touted as “the most of any comparable, like-minded country in the Indo-Pacific” by the defence minister, who added that it was “more than most countries in NATO, including the UK, Germany, France, Italy and Canada”.
According to the traditional Australian standard, we are currently spending 2.03 per cent of GDP on defence, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) has argued.
Malcolm Davis, a senior analyst at ASPI’s Defence Strategy Program, told SBS News the NATO method “basically brings in all sorts of other non-defence things, such as housing, health care, and pensions”.
“That’s not as helpful in terms of deciding how much money the government is actually spending on capability.”
Marles denied the accusation that his government was attempting to project a larger figure than it was planning to spend, telling National Press Club host and Sky News reporter Tom Connell that it did not “have a new way of measuring defence spending”.
“We are using the NATO measure, which is how you compare apples with apples,” he said.
Still, the increase will only be 0.3-0.4 per cent over the next eight years.
“When you think about that, that’s not an awful lot, given the fact that the minister quite correctly said: ‘Look, we’re in very dangerous, challenging times with real uncertainty ahead,’” Davis said.
Opposition defence spokesman James Paterson said the government is artificially inflating the numbers.
“Accounting tricks do not make our country safer, and changing the rules about how we measure defence spending is pulling the wool over the eyes of the Australian people, not being upfront and honest with them about exactly how much we are spending,” he said.
“We have not previously counted things like military pensions towards our defence expenditure. And if we’re now going to do so, the government should be utterly transparent about how that has changed the figures.”
How Australia’s defence budget stacks up
In 2024, Australia was spending closer to 1.9 per cent of GDP on defence, according to government figures.
According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute data, around 60 countries spent more than Australia on defence that year, as a percentage of GDP.
“Spending as a per cent of GDP is a poor way to measure defence spending,” Carr said. “It doesn’t tell you if you’re spending it on the right things. It doesn’t tell you if you’re spending enough.”
“We have to look at these in terms of what specific problems we are trying to solve.”
Defence spending has been projected out to 2035-2036, but it remains to be seen what will happen beyond.
At the very top of the defence spend list, you have countries that are actively engaged in military conflict.
Ukraine, which continues to fight off Russian invasion, spent 34.5 per cent of its budget on defence in the same year. Israel, Russia, and Myanmar were all in the top ten.
“Australia is a historically secure country, and we remain in a very secure place, so I think a much better measurement than 3 per cent is asking: ‘Do we have a clear idea of what the problem we’re trying to solve with this military spending and our defence forces?’” Carr said.
Why an increased defence spend
The defence budget increase is designed to protect Australia’s national interests in a global context that is “increasingly contested and uncertain,” the defence department has said.
Marles spoke to the necessity of increasing defence spending in the context of a deteriorating ‘rules-based order’ of global politics.
“Any rules-based order can only prevent conflict when it is underpinned by the hard power necessary for collective deterrence,” he said. “Australia must contribute to this, and we are.”
The conflict in Ukraine, the war in Iran, and the looming potential threat from an increasingly militarised China are all perceived threats that the increase is designed to meet.
Natural disasters, cyber warfare, and the potential assistance of neighbouring nations during times of crisis are also considerations factored into defence-spending decisions.
“There’s a lot of those kinds of demands increasingly being faced by the government, and you might have to start doing two or more at once,” Carr said.
“That’s perhaps the biggest change of what’s new in our environment.”
Trump’s NATO demands and Australia
The increase brings Australia closer to alignment with what both NATO and US President Donald Trump have been demanding.
In June of last year, NATO ruled that member nations ought to achieve a defence spending of 3.5 per cent of annual GDP by 2035.
The US president has frequently made comments suggesting that America would not fulfil its NATO obligations for countries it did not believe had paid their “fair share” for defence.
He has even suggested that America could “pull out” of NATO entirely, saying the country gets very little in return for its contribution to the alliance.
“‘You didn’t pay? You’re delinquent?’” Trump told a campaign rally in 2024. “‘No, I would not protect you. In fact, I would encourage [Russia] to do whatever the hell they want. You gotta pay. You gotta pay your bills.”
However, Davis said Trump’s NATO demands may not have been the prime motivator behind Australia’s defence spending boost and the adoption of the NATO measure.
“I think it’s more our own understanding of the strategic environment and what we need to do to ensure our own security,” he said.
While not referring to Trump, Marles reiterated the nation’s alignment with the US, saying Australia was “deeply engaged” with the US military and needed to maintain this relationship to secure regional stability.
“Let’s also be clear: there is no effective balance of power in the Indo-Pacific absent the continued presence of the United States,” he said.
