MONDAY, June 8
President Donald Trump says he has given the order for National Guard troops to begin withdrawing from Washington DC, saying everything is now “under perfect control”.
The DC Government requested some guard forces last week to assist law enforcement with managing protests, but Mr Trump ordered thousands more troops and federal law enforcement to the city to “dominate” the streets after some instances of looting and violence.
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser last week called on Mr Trump to withdraw the troops.
“I have just given an order for our National Guard to start the process of withdrawing from Washington, DC, now that everything is under perfect control,” Mr Trump tweeted.
“They will be going home, but can quickly return, if needed. Far fewer protesters showed up last night than anticipated!”
Democrats led by black members of the US Congress are set to introduce legislation to combat police violence and racial injustice, including making it easier to sue officers who kill.
The legislation, which is also expected to establish a national database for acts of police misconduct, is backed by top Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer.
It is expected to include a measure to abolish the legal doctrine known as qualified immunity, which protects police from civil litigation. Without qualified immunity, victims or their relatives would be able to seek financial damages for illegal or unconstitutional police actions.
Venting their anger at England’s colonial history in the port of Bristol, west of London, demonstrators attached ropes to the statue of Edward Colston before pulling it down to cheers from the crowd.
Images show protesters appearing to kneel on the statue’s neck, recalling the death of Mr Floyd.
The Colston statue was removed from the avenue bearing the merchant’s name and eventually rolled into the city’s harbour. A 14-year-old boy has been charged over a single-vehicle crash that killed three girls and a boy in Townsville on Sunday morning.
The boy was charged with dangerous driving causing death, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and burglary, as well as a count of possessing dangerous drugs, police said.
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A 14-year-old boy has been charged over a single-vehicle crash that killed three girls and a boy in Townsville on Sunday morning.
The boy was charged with dangerous driving causing death, two counts of unlawful use of a motor vehicle and burglary, as well as a count of possessing dangerous drugs, police said.
Police said the car was travelling north on Duckworth Street in the suburb of Garbutt in the city’s north about 4:30am on Sunday when it clipped the roundabout at the intersection of Bayswater Road and overturned before hitting a traffic light pole.
The 14-year-old boy was taken to hospital with minor injuries.
Yesterday, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the accident was “horrific”.
“There are four families that will be grieving today and for a long time to come,” she said.
“It is tragic beyond words.”
The boy is due to appear in Townsville Children’s Court this month.
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A defence image declaring “a woman is not a scaled-down man”.(Supplied)
An arrow to the groin labelled “hygiene” and a headline stating that “a woman is not a scaled down [sic] man” feature in a Department of Defence effort to explain the female form, the ABC reports..
Defence correspondent Andrew Greene says the ABC has obtained a slide from a Defence presentation depicting a female soldier wearing a combat uniform, smiling while holding a gun.
Greene says it lists skull thicknesses and varying hygiene needs as foremost among the distinguishing features that matter when Australian men and women are engaged in the act of defending their nation.
The slide states women’s arms and legs have “shorter and smaller bones” which is considered a “mechanical disadvantage”, although their “joints are more flexible”.
An arrow points to the soldier’s hand and notes “women have a higher body surface area to mass ratio” meaning they “can lose heat quicker and at lower outside temperatures”.
Highlighting the groin area, the presentation states that females have different hygiene requirements, although doesn’t specify them.
It also explains that “female skulls are also smaller and not as thick” as men’s.
The ABC report says it has learnt the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is reviewing the range of equipment supplied to women in uniform, seeking feedback from female personnel and providing regular updates to the top brass.
Last month a “Women in Combat” presentation was given to military leaders on the “development of combat equipment, including helmets, boots, body armour and field equipment that are more suitable for female ADF personnel”.
A defence spokesperson says the address “also included feedback received from female ADF members, which is being used to inform potential improvements to the equipment supplied to them”.
“The document has not been widely distributed and is not accessible to all Australian Defence Force (ADF) members,” the spokesperson added.
Bringing women into the military, and keeping them there, remains a big challenge for the ADF although recent figures show the situation is constantly improving.
According to Defence’s most recent annual report, the participation rate of women in the permanent ADF reached 18.6 per cent —an increase from 17.9 per cent on the previous year.
The Department says its key focus for improving gender balance is “to ensure we are building Defence’s capability and our operational effectiveness”.
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