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Complaints detailing distressing incidents of racism reveal 2023 referendum one of Australia's darker moments', author saysWarning: this article contains distressing descriptions of racism

Officials accuse Mohammad Sharifullah of being a member of the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate

Man in his 40s arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving at rugby club in KendalA child has died and another has been injured after a car was driven on to a sports pitch in Cumbria, police said.Cumbria police were called at 4.58pm on Wednesday to reports of a collision involving a black BMW i40 and two children on a pitch at Kendal Rugby Union Football Club. Continue reading...

John Roberts and Amy Coney Barrett join liberal justices to leave in place lower-court order on USAid cuts

Interventions follow US vice president's comments about 20,000 troops from some random country that has not fought a war in 40 years'. This live blog is closedIn response to a question about intelligence cooperation with the US, Sir David Manning, a former ambassador to Washington, said he thought this would become more difficult" because there was a problem of trust. He explained:If you have some of Trump's appointees in these key jobs who have very strange track records, and have said very strange things about Nato allies, the Nato alliance and so on, and you have people in the administration who seem to be, let's say, looking for ways of appeasing Russia, then you have a problem on the intelligence front, because these are not the values that we have. Continue reading...

Jorge Toledo's comments come after approvals for coal power projects increased in second half of 2024The EU's ambassador to China has urged Beijing to stop building coal-fired power plants, saying that its rapid approval of new projects was increasingly at odds with its green ambitions.Speaking at an EU-hosted event in Beijing, Jorge Toledo said the war in Ukraine had underlined the need for energy security, but that the EU had managed to navigate the issue without reverting to fossil fuels. Continue reading...

US no longer providing information about targets in Russia, in latest blow after halting military aid

A day after launch of contentious feature, its bias meter said some accounts see Klan as responding to societal changes'The Los Angeles Times has reportedly removed its new artificial intelligence (AI) tool from one of its articles, just a day after launching the feature.The publication unveiled a new AI-driven feature called Insights" this week, designed to accompany articles that express a particular viewpoint or are written from a personal perspective", such as opinion pieces, commentary, and reviews. Continue reading...

Supermarket broke rules more than 100 times across its property portfolio, competition regulator says

Zhenhao Zou, 28, who carried out attacks in London and China, described in court as every woman's nightmare'Warning: this article contains graphic details some readers may find disturbingA PhD student who charmed women so he could drug, video and attack them has been convicted of 11 rapes on 10 women in London and China.Zhenhao Zou, 28, was convicted by a jury at Inner London crown court on Wednesday, after more than 18 hours of deliberations. Continue reading...

Tropical Cyclone Alfred threatens the first direct hit on the area since 1954 and very few residents have any idea how bad it could be

Greens say Australia should introduce a 3% tax on revenues beyond $20m if a company makes more than 750m worldwide

Class action accuses International Distribution Services of abusing dominant position' in marketA 1.2bn class action claim accusing the owner of Royal Mail of abusing its dominant position" in the market for sending bulk mail has been given the green light to proceed to trial by UK competition authorities.Bulk Mail Claim Ltd, a recently formed company representing an estimated 290,000 customers who claim they were overcharged as a result of Royal Mail's behaviour, has won clearance to proceed with its legal challenge from the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). Continue reading...

Former prime minister says drive to stop Channel crossings was correct, but message wasn't quite right'Rishi Sunak has said the stop the boats" slogan during his time as UK prime minister was too stark".Sunak said the drive to stop migrants crossing the Channel was correct, but conceded the way the message was given to the public wasn't quite right". Continue reading...

This blog is now closed. Read the latest Cyclone Alfred news update here

Dispute emerges after deputy prime minister Winston Peters questioned why MPs used the name Aotearoa in debatesThe speaker of New Zealand's parliament has told lawmakers to stop complaining about the use of the Mori name for the country, after the deputy prime minister strongly objected to hearing it in the house.In a ruling on Tuesday, Gerry Brownlee said that while New Zealand" is the official name, the Mori name Aotearoa" is used widely, including on currency and passports. Continue reading...

Economists believe that meeting the target will be challenging as Beijing grapples with Donald Trump's new trade war

This live blog is now closed. For the latest on Trump's address, read our full report:

Number is nearly one in 10 of all women killed by men, leading to calls for government action to tackle matricide

Former Liberal staffer says sexual assault described by judge substantially inconsistent' with violent rape portrayed on The Project

Ahmed Rashid Nadir charged over two offences and granted bail to appear at Downing Centre local court on 19 March

More than 100 schools closed and thousands without power as Tropical Cyclone Alfred generates high winds - even before it makes landfall

Shona McCarthy says public authorities have routinely ignored needs of world's largest arts festivalThe Edinburgh festival fringe should be given the same status as major sporting events like the Olympics or the Commonwealth Games, its outgoing chief executive has said.Shona McCarthy, who stands down this week after nine years running the fringe, said its needs were routinely ignored by public authorities, who expected it to fend for itself despite its status as the world's largest arts festival. Continue reading...

John Healey to go through European peace proposals with his US counterpart Pete HegsethThe UK defence secretary, John Healey, will fly out to Washington on Wednesday for a two-day trip during which he will meet his counterpart, Pete Hegseth, after the Trump administration's decision to halt all military aid to Ukraine.Officials said the minister would go through the emerging peace proposals discussed in London by European leaders on Sunday, but it was not clear if he would press for a reversal of the military freeze, which appeared to have surprised the UK. Continue reading...

Sports ground exclusions and mandatory work for offenders in England and Wales part of mix' under sentencing reviewCriminals could be banned from pubs, sports grounds and social events under proposals being considered as alternatives to prison, a minister has said.Sarah Sackman, the courts minister, told the Guardian that such exclusions, as well as mandatory work for offenders, were very much part of the mix" under a review of sentencing being conducted by the former Conservative Lord Chancellor David Gauke. Continue reading...

Inquiry launched after pair was able to fly into state despite facing trial in Romania on rape and trafficking chargesThe attorney general of Florida has opened a criminal investigation of Andrew Tate and his brother Tristan after the pair were able to fly into the state last week despite facing trial in Romania on charges of rape, sex with a minor, people trafficking and money laundering.James Uthmeier, appointed to be the state attorney general by Florida governor Ron DeSantis, said on Tuesday he had begun an active criminal investigation" of the brothers and was prepared to use the full force of law" in his examination of their conduct. Continue reading...

Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire shut due to rising costs and declining visitor numbers, owner saysThe largest theme park in Wales has closed with immediate effect after nearly 40 years, its owner has announced.Oakwood Theme Park, in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, announced on Tuesday that it will shut. Continue reading...

Zelenskyy says his country is ready to sign minerals and security agreement while admitting White House meeting did not go the way it was supposed to'New EU plans to strengthen Europe's defence industry and increase military capabilities could mobilise close to 800bn ($841.4bn), EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday in Brussels.The EU will propose to give member states more fiscal space for defence investments, as well as 150bn euros in loans for those investments, and will aim to mobilise private capital as well, Reuters reports von der Leyen said Continue reading...

Deal with US finance giant BlackRock, valued at almost $23bn, comes amid push to curb perceived China influenceCK Hutchison Holdings, the Hong Kong-based logistics giant, announced plans to sell a majority stake in a business that controls ports in Panama to investors including the US financial giant BlackRock in a deal worth almost $23bn.The sale of a 90% interest in Panama Ports Company, which holds the contract to run the ports of Balboa and Cristobal until 2047, is part of a wider deal for Hutchinson Port's global business. The deal comes at a time Donald Trump has piled on pressure to end what he sees as China's influence and control over the Panama canal. Continue reading...

Conservative alliance and Social Democrats to propose exempting spending of more than 1% of GDP on defenceThe prospective partners in Germany's next government have said they will seek to loosen rules on running up debt to allow for higher defence spending.They said they will also seek to set up a huge 500bn ($533bn ) fund to finance spending on Germany's infrastructure over the next 10 years. Continue reading...

Wounded and sick children in need of urgent treatment crossed through Israel to reach King Hussein hospital in AmmanA slow convoy of a dozen ambulances and buses brought 25 wounded and sick Palestinian children from Gaza and across Israel on Tuesday, past the heavily armed forces that bombarded the territory for 15 months, and that may be about to start again.The patients were among the 4,500 people in Gaza believed by the World Health Organization (WHO) to be in urgent need of evacuation, and they were transferred to Jordan by a joint operation by the Jordanian army, the country's health ministry and the WHO. Continue reading...

The $31.5bn lost each year likened to a hidden, unspoken black hole' that cost-of-living policies have not addressed Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralians are losing more money to gambling each year than the federal government spends on aged care and almost as much as it spends on the national disability insurance scheme, a new report has found.The report by Equity Economics found that despite the cost-of-living crisis, the amount of money being lost to gambling has significantly increased. Expenditure on gambling has also risen faster than the cost of education, housing and inflation.Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Continue reading...

It's unclear how the revised guidance will impact probationary federal workers who have already been firedThe Trump administration appears to be walking back its directive to fire probationary employees.The reversal comes less than a week after a federal judge in California temporarily blocked the Trump administration from ordering the US defense department and other agencies to carry out the mass firings of some employees, including probationary employees who typically have less than a year of experience Continue reading...

Alice Mackey, 42, remanded in custody over death of Annabel Mackey, who was found in a pond in 2023A 42-year-old woman has been charged with the murder of her two-year-old daughter who died after being found in a pond.Police were sent to a report that Annabel Mackey had gone missing from her home in Kingsley near Bordon, Hampshire, on 10 September 2023. Continue reading...

Canada's prime minister says the US president wants to usher in the complete collapse' of the Canadian economyJustin Trudeau has claimed the aim of a dumb" trade war launched by Donald Trump is to usher in the complete collapse" of the Canadian economy and make it easier for the United States to annex Canada.Speaking hours after the US slapped 25% taxes on Canadian and Mexican goods - and a 10% levy on Canadian energy exports - the prime minister announced retaliatory tariffs on US exports and said his country would remain defiant against the aggression. Continue reading...

PM says any deal must be lasting and secure' following fiery Trump-Zelenskyy meeting last week and UK weekend summitMichelle O'Neill, Northern Ireland's first minister, has described a decision to build thousands of lightweight missiles for Ukraine in a Belfast factory as incredulous".The Sinn Fein leader in Northern Ireland, who is also boycotting the St Patrick's Day celebrations in the White House, said the money should be invested in infrastructure and peace.I find it really incredulous that at a time when public services are being cut left, right and centre.At a time when we have endured 14 years of austerity ... I think at a time like that, rather than buying weapons of war, I would rather see the money invested in public services. Continue reading...

Designation comes after Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since the start of Israel-Hamas war

Health experts wary as US health secretary fails to endorse effective vaccines and instead calls them a personal choice'Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US health secretary, has caused alarm among pediatricians, vaccine experts and lawmakers with an opinion piece that focuses on vitamin A and nutrition as treatments for measles.In response to a measles outbreak in Texas, which resulted in the first American measles death in nearly a decade, Kennedy wrote for Fox News about the benefits of good nutrition" and vitamin A - but did not explicitly recommend highly effective vaccines. Continue reading...

White House's latest punitive move against Kyiv will lead to joy in Moscow', Ukrainian commentators sayUkraine has reacted with defiance and anger to Donald Trump's suspension of US military aid, saying the decision amounted to betrayal by an ally and would help Russia to bomb and kill more civilians.Deliveries of ammunition and vehicles have ceased, including shipments agreed when Joe Biden was president. Some Ukrainians said the biggest impact was likely to be on Ukraine's ability to defend itself from Russian air attacks, which have escalated in recent weeks. Continue reading...

Egypt proposes reconstruction of territory to create sustainable, green and walkable' housing and urban areasAn Arab summit draft communique on Tuesday adopted an Egyptian plan for Gaza's future and called on the international community and financial institutions to provide support for the plan quickly.Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri told AFP Tuesday that disarming is a red line for his movement and other Palestinian militant groups in negotiations to extend the fragile Gaza ceasefire. Continue reading...

Democratic senator says trans athletes deserve an ally' after Republican-led bill quashed in razor-sharp 51-45 voteUS Senate Democrats banded together to torpedo a Republican bill that would ban transgender athletes from women's sports, defeating the legislation in a razor-sharp party-line vote of 51-45 on Monday evening.The Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, led by Tommy Tuberville, a senator from Alabama, crashed before reaching the 60 votes needed to advance, halting the proposal that had passed the House in January. Continue reading...

US vice-president's comments on proposed Anglo-French deployment to Ukraine prompt outrage

Radio 2GB Sydney has industry's worst gap at 51.1%, while the size of supermarkets helps to narrow their differential

Meta, TikTok and Snapchat release statements in campaign protesting Labor's handling of contested legislation

Measures issued by Joe Biden were swiftly repealed, leaving employees vulnerable to downgraded jobsDonald Trump's rollback of basic guardrails for artificial intelligence leaves US workers at real risk", labor experts have warned.Protections introduced under Joe Biden to ensure the safe, secure and trustworthy development and use of AI were swiftly repealed by the Trump administration - as top executives outlined sweeping plans to overhaul the labor force. Continue reading...

Bakery chain's shares fall after slowdown at start of year, when it also increased price of its sausage rolls

Human rights campaigner still faces faces threat of death penalty if found guilty of further chargesJagtar Singh Johal, the British-Sikh human rights activist acused of terrorism has been acquitted on all charges in a case in Punjab, after a court rejected the allegations against him made by Indian authorities.Johal has been held in detention for seven years awaiting judgment, but must remain in prison since he is facing eight essentially duplicate cases brought by India's National Investigation Agency (NIA) based on the same alleged confession. Continue reading...

Country's government says deal with TSMC needs state assessment and it may protect its most advanced tech

After three consecutive years of growth, viewership fell this year after 2024's Barbenheimer buzzViewership for the telecast of this year's Oscars ceremony was down 7% from 2024, according to figures from Nielsen.After three consecutive years of growth, viewership slipped to just over 18m in the US, across network ABC and the Oscars' new online partner, Hulu - whose stream was dogged by problems. Continue reading...

The drastic move came as JD Vance claimed that attracting US economic interest to Ukraine was the country's best bet at security. Plus, the date by which the majority of adults globally will be overweight