Australia lavishes its navy with cash to fend off China; Russia advances in Ukraine

(Originally published May 21 in “What in the World“) Australia’s latest government budget includes a record $36.8 billion defense budget, a 6.3% increase from the previous year.

Of that, the Royal Australian Navy will receive $7.1 billion. The Navy’s budget includes $990 million for buying new submarines as part of the Aukus security partnership with the United States and Great Britain aimed at containing China’s maritime ambitions in the Pacific.

Russia’s week-long summer offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv province is bringing its artillery almost within range of the provincial capital, Kharkiv.

Israeli forces launched air and artillery strikes across Gaza, with one airstrike in the central Gazan refugee camp Nuseirat killing 27 people.