This will do wonders for China's incursion into the Pacific
Three Pacific nations in Trump's expanded travel ban list | RNZ News
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/564249/three-pacific-nations-in-trump-s-expanded-travel-ban-list
Location | Whadjuk land |
Shoe size | 11.5 |
This will do wonders for China's incursion into the Pacific
Three Pacific nations in Trump's expanded travel ban list | RNZ News
https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/564249/three-pacific-nations-in-trump-s-expanded-travel-ban-list
via Alistair on Bluesky June 14, 2025 at 11:27 AM:
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Hi everyone
I was denied entry, detained, and deported from the USA over the last 48 hours because of my reporting on the Columbia student protests
I arrived back in Melbourne hours ago and had my phone handed back to me upon landing
[QANTAS] held onto the phone for the duration of the flight at the request of the Trump administration
15 hour flight + 12 hour detention + 15 hour flight = one of the harder experiences of my life
I had it easy, one woman had been in that detention room 4 days when I arrived, sheâs still there
- They were waiting for me when I got off the plane
- They knew (or it felt like they knew) everything about me
- I had cleaned up my online presence expecting ad hoc digital sweeps; I was not prepared for their sophistication
- Sophistication almost certainly facilitated by Palantir
If you are deleting social media ~48 before your flight to the US, *it is already too late.*
- My phone contents were immediately downloaded, on threat of deportation
- In retrospect I should have denied search and accepted immediate deportation; in general I was too compliant, too trusting, too hopeful
They just came out and said it:
âWe both know why youâve been detainedâŚitâs because of what you wrote about the protests at Columbiaâ
I'll be writing all this up with more detail shortly. For now I'll just say---I believe what I say and say what I believe. The offending posts are all online. Find out for yourself if my words post a danger to the US and *subscribe to my substack*
https://www.kitchencounter.blog
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I watched the parade in all its glory so you donât have to.
(abc coverage on YouTube)
How bizarre.
It started with what appeared to be a military museum presentation of historical military uniforms.
The fashion show commentary over the loudspeakers was definitely a thing.
If Trump was going for something similar to one of those parades in Moscow or Pyongyang, Iâm not sure he hit the mark. For one thing, no flag-waving crowds lining the parade. It looked like a double barricade and a line of police blocking what crowds did show up.
Most participants marching or driving down the street look⌠ashamed, or disappointed, to be there. It has more of an ancient world feel of a defeated army being paraded before the victor.
The tank parade was a bit more ominous, accompanied by some instrumental guitar rock music.
It didnât look like many people showed up, with a lot of the shots showing empty space on both sides of the street. When they showed the people who did turn up, they looked bored. The officials looked bored too. Whatever was on their phones was often more important. Trump looked utterly disappointed. Most of the soldiers looked like they just wanted it all to be over.
I noted the Australian AC/DC song played patriotically by the live band.
Iâm sure the phone calls to Kim Jong Un and Putin is going to go badly when they ask about the lack of ICBMs on display.
They didnât even acknowledge The Cold War! (Which makes sense, I suppose. It was âcoldâ.)
Drones were paraded along with the other vehicles. Iâm sure there werenât any DJI drones. Surely not.
Robots made an appearance in the parade. Robot dogs, unmanned tanks, marching bands⌠no Atlas units yet. Donât worry, Boston Dynamics will sell them a Terminator one day.
The fashion show commentary recommenced for a final display of dress uniforms.
Trump had West Point graduates swear their allegiance to him. Prepared propaganda promoting West Point, and an upcoming movie about the Rangers was played.
Some live country music rounded out the end of the two hour display of military patriotism. The singer said âgood nightâ in the middle of the day.
Oh.
And it started raining.
Literally, it rained on his parade.
lol
They've got enough war crimes on their hands without Australia getting involved too
News live: Australian military wonât play a role in Middle East conflict, PM says
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/jun/15/australia-news-live-anthony-albanese-secures-meeting-with-donald-trump-us-president-australian-man-bali-sunday-ntwnfb