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Brisbane’s growing reputation as a hub for smart, aerospace innovation has received a significant boost via an international agreement that aims to accelerate Queensland’s development in hydrogen propulsion and electric aircraft systems. The agreement, formed during a recent trade mission to Japan, exemplifies a technology-led approach to trade and investment, aligning closely with the state’s ambitions under its new international engagement strategy. The collaboration will see a Queensland-based aerospace innovator work alongside two Japanese universities to co-develop propulsion technologies and strengthen joint research in sustainable aviation. The focus of this partnership lies in advancing electric and hydrogen-based aircraft systems – fields that are gaining global traction as the aviation sector seeks alternatives to traditional fossil-fuel engines. By combining research expertise and engineering capabilities, the initiative aims to position Queensland at the forefront of clean aerospace technology. Central to the agreement is the establishment of workforce development and skills exchange pathways, helping train the next generation of engineers and technicians to support advanced manufacturing. These pathways are designed to ensure that Queensland develops a robust talent pipeline equipped to handle the complexities of emerging aerospace technologies. Through targeted upskilling, the state is preparing to meet the growing global demand for highly qualified personnel in areas such as aircraft electrification, propulsion testing, and systems integration. This international engagement aligns with the goals outlined in the Queensland–Japan Trade and Investment Strategy 2025-2028. The strategy prioritises practical outcomes that enhance export capabilities and technological collaboration, reflecting a broader shift in policy focus. Instead of prioritising high-cost energy experiments, the current approach centres on outcomes-driven innovation and disciplined economic partnerships. By connecting Queensland’s research capabilities with global centres of technical excellence, the state is aiming to fast-track commercial applications of sustainable technologies. The agreement is expected to have immediate benefits for the state’s aerospace sector. Beyond technical development, it will create new opportunities for Queensland-based research, manufacturing, and system testing. The technology involved – especially in hydrogen propulsion – represents a frontier area in aviation, with potential applications across civilian, commercial, and specialised aircraft systems. By participating in such early-stage collaborative research, Queensland institutions and personnel will gain valuable insights and competencies that can later be applied across a wider range of industrial settings. The trade mission that facilitated this agreement has also served as a platform for renewing Queensland’s reputation as a competitive and capable player on the international stage. After a period marked by reduced global engagement, recent efforts signal a return to disciplined, results-oriented diplomacy aimed at fostering real economic outcomes. These include partnerships in technology, education, and research – core sectors that underpin the state’s broader innovation and growth agenda. Technology transfer and co-development initiatives such as this one also support Queensland’s long-term economic diversification goals. As the global demand for clean energy solutions increases, the ability to design, manufacture, and export advanced propulsion systems gives the state a competitive edge. It further helps reduce reliance on traditional industries by cultivating future-ready sectors capable of driving sustained growth and employment. By engaging in international cooperation that prioritises shared research, technical training, and export readiness, Queensland is actively shaping its innovation ecosystem to meet 21st-century challenges. This aerospace partnership is a demonstration of what can be achieved through strategic alignment between government policy and private-sector capability. It also reflects a broader commitment to technological leadership, global relevance, and economic resilience. The momentum generated through this initiative contributes to the state’s larger mission of restoring global credibility and ensuring that Queensland businesses and workers are equipped to lead in high-value, export-driven sectors. Through such collaborations, Queensland is not only fostering innovation but also securing its place in the future of sustainable aviation and advanced manufacturing. Alita Sharon Alita Sharon is a writer at OpenGov Asia. She has studied Psychology, Political Theory and English. She is passionate about mental health and understanding the nature of human relationships. An avid reader, her list of favourite books includes Catch-22 by Joseph Heller and Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell. Alita also loves writing and listening to podcasts on current affairs, culture, history and science. Alita plans to pursue her higher education in International Development and Psychology. Read More

Sports Jelani Beckles Just Now Ulric “Buggy” Haynes, right, with Selby Browne. PHOTO COURTESY SELBY BROWNE – FORMER TT football captain and activist Ulric “Buggy” Haynes, 76, was remembered as an icon in local football and after his playing time seeked the interest of the youngsters by ensuring they had somewhere to play the game

Commentary Debbie Jacob Just Now Debbie Jacob – DEBBIE JACOB IF YOU didn’t get the drift of last week’s column about how our education system is failing this country, it’s simply this: we can’t achieve success without understanding an issue. We can’t improve education without clearly understanding and communicating our students’ and our country’s needs.

Features Newsday Just Now The Marionettes Chorale. – From the first note of How Can I Keep From Singing, the Marionettes Chorale’s Rejoice II concert series set a tone of reflection, reverence and renewal. Across three community venues in Maraval, Arouca and Malabar, audiences experienced a diverse programme of classical music, gospel and contemporary favourites.

News Clint Chan Tack Just Now Former police commissioner Gary Griffith – FORMER commissioner of police (CoP) Gary Griffith has expressed concern that the decision to relocate inmates from prisons to military facilities at Teteron Barracks and Staubles Bay in Chaguaramas during the state of emergency (SoE), represents a surrender to the criminals. Griffith is

News Jada Loutoo Just Now FLASHBACK: In this April 26, 2024 photo Faris Al-Rawi, Rural Development and Local Government minister, Cepep chairman Joel Edwards and CEO Keith Eddy chat at the company’s Health Safety Security and Environment Exhibition at its Ste Madeleine headquarters. – FILE PHOTO CEPEP Company Ltd CEO Keith Eddy has sworn that

Posted at 8:00 AM, July 20, 2025 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department is recommending that an ex-Kentucky police officer convicted of using excessive force during the deadly Breonna Taylor raid serve no prison time, an abrupt about-face after spending years prosecuting the former detective. Brett Hankison is the only officer who fired his weapon the night of the March 2020 botched drug raid who has faced criminal charges. His shots didn’t hit or injure anyone, though they flew through Taylor’s walls into a neighboring apartment. FILE – Former Louisville Police officer Brett Hankison examines a document as he answers questions from the prosecution, March 2, 2022, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, Pool, File) A federal judge will decide Hankison’s sentence, which could amount to several years, on Monday at a hearing. But if the judge heeds the Justice Department’s request, it would mean that none of the Louisville police officers involved in the botched raid would face any prison time. Court TV’s Trial Archives | KY v. Brett Hankison: Breonna Taylor Botched Raid Trial The Justice Department, which has changed leadership under President Donald Trump since Hankison’s conviction, said in a sentencing memo this week that “there is no need for a prison sentence to protect the public” from Hankison. Federal prosecutors asked the judge to sentence him to time already served, which amounts to one day, and three years of supervised probation. Prosecutors at his previous federal trials aggressively pursued a conviction against Hankison, 49, arguing that he blindly fired 10 shots into Taylor’s windows without identifying a target. Taylor was shot in her hallway by two other officers after her boyfriend fired from inside the apartment, striking an officer in the leg. But in the sentencing memo, federal prosecutors wrote that though Hankison’s “response in these fraught circumstances was unreasonable given the benefit of hindsight, that unreasonable response did not kill or wound Breonna Taylor, her boyfriend, her neighbors, defendant’s fellow officers, or anyone else.” Activists who protested in the streets after Taylor’s death in 2020 seized on the narrative that, under the Department of Justice recommendation, Hankison would serve just one day in jail for the conviction. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who helped Taylor’s family secure a $12 million wrongful death settlement against the city of Louisville, said the Justice Department’s recommendation “is an insult to the life of Breonna Taylor and a blatant betrayal of the jury’s decision.” “Recommending just one day in prison sends the unmistakable message that white officers can violate the civil rights of Black Americans with near-total impunity,” Crump said in a statement on social media. Shameka Parrish-Wright, who marched in numerous protests and ran for mayor after Taylor’s death, called the Justice Department’s memo “a devastating slap in the face.” “To those directly impacted and to everyone who understands the broader systemic failures this case revealed, one day behind bars does not suffice,” Parrish-Wright, now a Louisville city council member, said in a media release. “This is not justice.” FILE – Tamika Palmer, center, the mother of Breonna Taylor, leads a march through the streets of downtown Louisville on the one year anniversary of Taylor’s death on March 13, 2021, in Louisville, Ky.  (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley, File) Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said Hankison’s conviction “warrants a serious prison sentence.” A presentence report from the U.S. Probation Office said Hankison should face a range of 135 to 168 months imprisonment on the excessive force conviction, according to the memo. But federal prosecutors said a number of factors — including that Hankison’s two other trials ended with no convictions — should greatly reduce the potential punishment. The memorandum was submitted by Harmeet Dhillon, the chief of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and a political appointee of Trump, who in May moved to cancel settlements with Louisville and Minneapolis that had called for an overhaul of their police departments. In the Taylor case, three other ex-Louisville police officers have been charged with crafting a falsified warrant, but they have not yet gone to trial. None of them were at the scene when Taylor was shot. The death of the 26-year-old Black woman, along with the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, sparked racial injustice protests nationwide that year. A separate jury deadlocked on federal charges against Hankison in 2023, and he was acquitted on state charges of wanton endangerment in 2022. Read More

Former right-wing commentator Lauren Southern says she’s not a white nationalist. Self-described misogynist Andrew Tate says he’s not a rapist. Despite this, white nationalists sure were fans of Southern’s work, and people with questionable views about coercive sex feel the same way about Tate’s. In her memoir, Southern shows the sort of self-awareness that modern conservatives only exhibit when something bad happens to them personally. This past week, Southern accused Tate of raping her. Tate denies this. The accusations came via excerpts from Southern’s forthcoming self-published memoir, which she released for free on her Substack, she says, to avoid accusations that she is trying to profit off the story. Southern says that she and some business associates met the Tate brothers in Romania in 2018, under the impression that the Tates were potential investors in a media venture. Southern later joined the Tates at a nightclub, she writes, where she says she felt extremely drowsy after accepting drinks from the group. Southern says Tate carried her back to a hotel room, and then, she writes: “He kissed me. I wasn’t expecting it, and I wasn’t looking for it, but I kissed him back briefly and then told him I wanted to sleep. I was extraordinarily tired. He wanted to go further. I said no, very clearly, multiple times, and tried to pull his hands off me. He put his arm around my neck and began strangling me unconscious. I tried to fight back. He repeatedly strangled me every time I regained enough consciousness to pull at his arms. I’d prefer not to share the rest. It’s pretty obvious.” Although The New York Times made attempts to corroborate some of the details — it interviewed friends and associates whom she’d told what had happened shortly thereafter, and she provided the paper with a form indicating that she sought some follow-up medical care and considered pursuing charges — the truth of what actually happened between Tate and Southern will likely never be known for sure. A lawyer for Tate told the Times Southern’s account is “textbook extortion. She is lying through her teeth,” and also posted a statement on X denying Southern’s account. Tate is currently under a number of investigations in different countries, including for allegations of human trafficking, rape and assault in the U.K., and human trafficking and money laundering in Romania. He was kicked off the U.K. edition of “Big Brother” in 2016 by production companies after it came to light that he was the subject of an investigation of rape and sexual assault by U.K. authorities at the time (he has denied the allegations). He has publicly advocated for sexual coercion and calls himself an avowed misogynist. The BBC reported that he once texted a woman who had accused him of raping and strangling her, “I love raping u.” He denies all wrongdoing. He declined to comment when asked about the text. In addition to Southern’s racist and xenophobic oeuvre — her most well-known work includes perpetuating the myth of South African “white genocide” and writing “F— Islam” on her face with lipstick during a “makeup tutorial video” — Southern has long made hay mocking the idea of rape culture. One of her early viral videos from around 2015 featured her telegenically declaring that she was not a feminist, because feminism ignored how often men are raped (she leaves out the fact that men are still the ones doing just about all of the rape). She’s claimed that the real victims of rape culture are men who are falsely accused. She pulled up to an anti-rape demonstration for survivors in Vancouver in 2015 with a sign that read “There is no rape culture in the West,” and encouraged marchers who wanted to encounter “real rape culture” to check out Africa. In her memoir, Southern shows the sort of self-awareness that modern conservatives only exhibit when something bad happens to them personally. She reflects on how the encounter with Tate messed with her head, how she tried to remain on good terms with him even after he’d allegedly brutalized her. She still doesn’t hate him, she claims, writing: “I have forgiven him, truly. But that doesn’t mean he should be free to keep hurting, tormenting, and scamming others.” An Atlantic profile from 2020 portrayed Southern as a canny young woman who would good-naturedly laugh at sexist jokes, and would gamely wave off Gavin McInnes’ repeated attempts to drunkenly proposition her. McInnes was married at the time. In a rebuke to the Atlantic piece published on website, Southern said that her profiler had repeatedly tried to get her to accuse McInnes of more extensive sexual misconduct, to contribute to a #MeToo hit piece on the Proud Boys founder. In the years since she formally stepped back from political commentary, Southern has been candid about some moments of growth. In that same response, Southern depicts her own actions as valiant: Despite bullying and pressure from mainstream news media, her virtue — let men do whatever and just, like, be cool with it — remained intact. In the years since she formally stepped back from political commentary, Southern has been candid about some moments of growth, especially after her husband left her with a small child after less than two years of “tradlife” marriage. But despite all of the ways that far-right men have belittled her, objectified her or used her youth, beauty and femininity as cover for their misogyny, Southern continues to cape for them in her writing. She Doesn’t Hate Andrew Tate. She’s Not Hurt by Gavin McInnes. Hell, she still had a few nice things to say of Atlantic writer Daniel Lombroso, even though she says he wanted her to “manufacture sexual trauma for clicks.” Since Southern’s accusation against Tate, it seems that not a single one of the men she has worked with, or for, has publicly defended her. Back in 2024, when screenshots of text messages alluding to the Tate-Southern encounter began circulating, one outlet referred

‘Reclaim the Flag’: Jim Parsons discusses new film on LGBTQ+ identity & the American flag 10:28 DOJ’s demand for voter data is raising alarms 09:28 Trump’s libel lawsuit pits him against media mogul Rupert Murdoch: ‘This is his M.O.’ 08:36 ‘They used to be a lot more subtle’ with gerrymandering: Fmr Rep. Allred slams Texas redistricting 06:54 NEW: Deported makeup artist FREED in prisoner swap with Venezuela 02:33 Now Playing UP NEXT Fmr. Federal Prosecutor: It is ‘extremely unlikely’ court will release Epstein grand jury records 11:14 ‘Devastating’ for rural America: Former NPR President condemns slashing of radio funding 07:10 ‘Republicans want it released too’: Dem lawmaker on bipartisan resolution demanding release of Epstein files 10:53 Immigration expert: ICE’s Medicaid move is about ‘stripping U.S. citizenship’ for deportation 06:19 Experts weigh in on ‘political theater’ of Trump’s war with MAGA over the Epstein files 12:07 Dozens injured after vehicle drives into crowd outside of L.A. club 00:39 ‘Even Steve Bannon’ is worried: Trump disapproval soars amid Epstein controversy 08:05 ‘They have the best defense you can buy’: WSJ readies for Trump-Epstein libel lawsuit 13:02 ‘He’s slipping’: Trump immigration approval plummets amid mass deportation efforts 09:40 ‘The consequences have been extraordinary’: Ex-FBI agent speaks out on Trump DOJ purge 14:17 ‘We have animals in better conditions’: Florida Dem decries Trump’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ center 08:10 ‘Least experienced cabinet’ U.S. has ever seen: Rep. Vindman slams the brightest of Trump’s Admin 10:24 ‘How is this even legal?’: Experts react to shocking new ICE memo 09:24 Political Analyst: handling of Epstein case could be ‘a threat to Trumpism’ 13:32 The Weekend ‘Reclaim the Flag’: Jim Parsons discusses new film on LGBTQ+ identity & the American flag 10:28 DOJ’s demand for voter data is raising alarms 09:28 Trump’s libel lawsuit pits him against media mogul Rupert Murdoch: ‘This is his M.O.’ 08:36 ‘They used to be a lot more subtle’ with gerrymandering: Fmr Rep. Allred slams Texas redistricting 06:54 NEW: Deported makeup artist FREED in prisoner swap with Venezuela 02:33 Now Playing ‘The audacity’: Rep. Jones on Kristi Noem telling reporter ‘don’t you dare’ say ICE targets Latinos 08:30 Read More

America has long had daddy issues with the presidency, but now they’re threatening to undermine democracy. It started with George Washington: “the father of our country,” as we’re all taught, though he had no children of his own. In recent years, it’s included Bill Clinton, whose biological father died before he was born and who fought with his stepfather; George W. Bush, one of two presidents whose fathers were also presidents; and Barack Obama, who wrote a whole book about a father he barely knew. He’s convinced his supporters that he’s something of a surrogate father to them — and the country. For his part, Donald Trump took over his father Fred’s real estate business and adopted Fred Trump’s strict “winners and losers” mentality. He’s a father of five kids by three mothers. And he’s convinced his supporters that he’s something of a surrogate father to them — and to the country — in a troubling use of rhetoric. At first, the framing was just about Trump returning to the White House, which was unsettling but made a bit of sense. At a pre-inauguration event, musician Kid Rock added the words “daddy’s home” to the song he was performing. Around the same time, die-hard MAGA Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida said on a Fox News panel “Daddy’s back,” Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado tweeted “Daddy’s home,” and conservative influencer Charlie Kirk posted, “Dad is home.” Things heated up in June. When discussing Trump’s expletive-laden comment on Israel and Iran, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte used a metaphor: “Daddy has to sometimes use strong language.” Trump ate it up with a spoon, imitating it for the cameras later. “He did it very affectionately, ‘Daddy, you’re my daddy,’” he said. The White House then posted video of Trump set to Usher’s song “Hey Daddy (Daddy’s Home),” while the campaign sold red T-shirts with the word “DADDY” beneath his mug shot. But for some of Trump’s fans, there’s a darker undercurrent to the rhetoric. After the California wildfires burned down his home in Malibu, conservative actor Mel Gibson described Trump visiting the state as “like Daddy’s arrived, and he’s taking his belt off.” At a 2024 campaign rally, conservative commentator Tucker Carlson compared the U.S. to a defiant 15-year-old girl whose angry father has come home go give her a “vigorous spanking” for being a “bad little girl.” That lines up neatly with an argument cognitive linguist George Lakoff made in his 1996 book “Moral Politics” that American politics is built around an overwrought parenting metaphor, with conservatives serving as the “strict father” and liberals as the “nurturant parent.” This frame explains a lot about Trump’s political agenda. Just as the strict father defends the family against outside threats, Trump pledges to protect the country from immigrants that he casts as violent criminals. His cuts to everything from foreign aid to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Medicaid are framed as “tough love” that will teach self-reliance. And, of course, strict fathers expect total obedience from their children — which has unsettling implications for the future of American democracy. There are several ways to respond. For people seeking favors from Trump, it makes sense to play it up. Rutte, who is surely hoping to keep the United States from leaving or otherwise disregarding NATO, earned a lot of goodwill from the president with that one remark. The downside is that this only encourages Trump to see himself this way and it validates his self-image among his supporters. Critics also use the language to mock Trump, as when a Democratic state lawmaker in Texas criticized his colleagues for considering a proposal pushed by the president as doing “whatever Daddy Donald Trump asks of them.” This works as a way of criticizing other politicians by making them seem weak by comparison and highlights the weirdness of the whole “daddy” thing to the president’s critics. But it doesn’t do much to undermine his support. Another tactic would be to argue that the frame is wrong, like literally every person who has tapped out “Trump is NOT my daddy” on social media after someone called him that. But like most of what’s posted on social media, this doesn’t do much to persuade anyone and only ends up giving the metaphor more exposure. Instead of refuting a metaphor this way, Lakoff recommends instead “shifting the frame” to a new one, but this particular one is so ingrained in American politics that may not be so easy. You could argue that Trump is more like a dad who doesn’t live up to his obligations. Another possibility would be to go after the metaphor directly. You could argue that Trump is not like a beneficent father, but more like a dad who doesn’t live up to his obligations to keep the family safe, manage its finances and provide basic support. You can tell his supporters that it’s not their fault that he let them down and affirm their disappointment. And you can point the way toward an alternative model of presidents who keeps up their end of the bargain. In the real world, strict parenting works in the short term, as children learn to be compliant, like the von Trapps responding to a whistle. But in the long run it usually fails, as they come to resent their parents for stifling them. We may find a similar thing happens in politics. Trump is demanding obedience now, and all too often getting it. But there will likely be a cost to that down the road, for both Trump and the country. Ryan Teague Beckwith Ryan Teague Beckwith is a newsletter editor for MSNBC. He has previously worked for such outlets as Time magazine and Bloomberg News. He teaches journalism at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies and is the creator of Your First Byline. Read More