☕ AUKUS gets awkward

Good morning.

Some tragic news this morning out of India, where we’re still learning details of a passenger plane that crashed straight after take-off. We’ve brought you what we know below.

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Some headlines from this morning:

An Air India flight bound for London has crashed soon after take-off in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, with 242 people on board. A total of 169 Indian nationals, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, and one Canadian national were on board AI171. The plane crashed into accommodation used mainly by local doctors. At the time of writing, the death toll stands at 30, but that is expected to grow. The aircraft involved is an 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, one of the most modern passenger aircraft in service globally.

The U.S. military ordered non-essential personnel to evacuate bases in Iraq amid escalating Middle East tensions. The evacuation affects family members and support staff at bases across Iraq, though combat troops will remain. CBS News reported the order follows intelligence that Israel is preparing military operations against Iran, raising fears of retaliation against American forces. The State Department confirmed the evacuation comes as nuclear talks with Iran have stalled and tensions between the U.S. and Israel have increased following recent diplomatic discussions.

Los Angeles emerged from its second night of an 8pm to 6am curfew on Thursday as protests against immigration raids continued nationwide. Daytime demonstrations in LA remained largely peaceful until police on horseback used chemical irritants to disperse crowds approaching federal buildings. Major protests also occurred in Texas, Seattle, and New York, with Texas demonstrations staying peaceful despite Governor Greg Abbott's threat to deploy National Guard troops. Protests are expected to continue through the weekend as immigration enforcement operations expand.

President Trump announced the U.S. has reached a trade deal with China following talks between the two countries this week. The agreement implements a fixed 55% tariff rate on Chinese imports, down from the 145% rate Trump had threatened during the escalating trade war. The deal also includes a rare earth minerals agreement that removes restrictions on some Chinese exports, though limited details have been released. Trump said the U.S.-China relationship is "excellent" and told reporters Wednesday the agreement will benefit both countries.

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Former film producer and convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of one count of sexual assault by a Manhattan jury.

The verdict concludes a retrial, the result of Weinstein successfully appealing a 2020 conviction on the grounds that one witness should not have been allowed to testify.

The jury found Weinstein not guilty of the second charge of sexual assault and delivered a mixed verdict on whether he was guilty of rape. He maintains his innocence.

Past convictions

Weinstein was convicted in 2020 of historical rape and sexual assault charges in New York. The charges related to allegations made by three female actors. He was accused of demanding sexual favours in exchange for helping the actors advance their careers.

Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison.I n 2022, Weinstein was sentenced to a further 16 years in prison after being found guilty on another three counts of rape and sexual assault in Los Angeles. He was set to begin serving his 16-year sentence after the conclusion of his 23-year New York prison term.

The appeal

In early 2024, the New York Court of Appeals found “egregious errors” in the process that led to Weinstein’s 2020 conviction.

This is primarily related to allowing the court to hear testimony from women who claimed that Weinstein assaulted them, even though they were not part of the charges he faced.

The court found that Weinstein wasn’t judged on the conduct for which he was charged, but rather “irrelevant, prejudicial, and untested allegations of prior bad acts”.

They called it an “abuse of judicial discretion” to allow “untested allegations” in court.

The retrial verdict

The retrial focused on three charges: the same sexual assault charge and rape charge brought against Weinstein in 2020, and an additional count of sexual assault brought by an unnamed female complainant last year.

The jury deliberated for five days, ultimately finding Weinstein guilty of one count of sexual assault and not guilty of the other.

The jury reached a mixed verdict about Weinstein’s count of rape. This means they will continue to discuss the case to get a final judgment.

A spokesperson for Weinstein said his legal team considers the not guilty verdict on the second count of sexual assault “a little bit of a victory”. The spokesperson said Weinstein feels “hopeful” about the mixed verdict.

Following the result, complainant Miriam Haley said: “Today’s verdict gives me hope. Hope that there’s new awareness around sexual violence”. Her claims of assault against Weinstein led to a guilty verdict on Thursday.

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The Defense Department announced it's conducting a review of AUKUS, a major defense agreement between the U.S., Australia, and the United Kingdom. The deal includes plans to help Australia build nuclear-powered submarines over the next 30 years, part of a broader effort to counter China's growing influence in the Pacific. Here's what you need to know.

What is AUKUS?

AUKUS was announced in September 2021 under the Biden administration. The agreement aims to "promote security and stability" in the Indo-Pacific region—essentially, it's designed to help Western allies push back against China's military expansion in the Pacific.

The centerpiece involves helping Australia develop nuclear-powered submarines, estimated to cost $368 billion over three decades. For the U.S., this means sharing advanced submarine technology and potentially selling American-built subs to Australia.

Australia is set to receive its first submarines around 2040.

Why the review now?

The Pentagon confirmed the review after reports surfaced in the UK's Financial Times. "The Department is reviewing AUKUS as part of ensuring that this initiative of the previous Administration is aligned with the President's America First agenda," a Pentagon spokesperson said.

The review comes as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has pushed Australia to nearly double its defense spending from 2% to 3.5% of GDP - an increase that would cost Australia about $26 billion annually.

The review is being led by Elbridge Colby, who has previously questioned the deal’s value.

Australia’s response

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles downplayed concerns about the deal's future. "It is natural that the [Trump] Administration would want to examine this major undertaking including progress and delivery," his office said.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has discussed AUKUS with U.S. officials five times this year and plans to meet with Trump at a world leaders summit in Canada next week.

"We will make this decision about what we spend on defense based on our own national interest," Marles said, responding to U.S. pressure to increase military spending.

What’s next?

The review reflects Trump's broader approach of reassessing international commitments made by previous administrations.

The Pentagon hasn't said whether it will recommend changes to U.S. involvement in AUKUS or if the deal could be scaled back.

The UK recently completed its own AUKUS review and committed to building 12 additional nuclear submarines to expand the partnership.

Australia's opposition party is urging their government to "seek a direct meeting with President Trump to safeguard the AUKUS agreement," highlighting concerns that the deal's future isn't guaranteed under the new administration.

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