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Police discovered the bodies of the mother and daughter after reports of an injured man, covered in blood, in Logan, in Brisbane's south

Home Office targets 150 families whose asylum claims were refused and offers them up to 40,000 to leave or face forcible removalFamilies who received notices asking them to agree to return to their home countries are begging the Home Office to give them more time to make a decision that will significantly affect their children's futures.The Home Office has targeted 150 families whose asylum claims were refused and given them just seven days to make the decision, which would uproot their children from schools and adopted communities. Those who refuse to leave voluntarily may be forcibly removed in handcuffs, including children. Continue reading...

Former PM says schools deserve same moral status as hospitals' after 168 schoolgirls killed in US-Israel war on Iran

Irish artists, British indie legends and US stars such as Tom Waits also contribute, with Springsteen writing essay about the bottomless humanity' of the late Pogues frontmanBruce Springsteen has written an essay celebrating the flashing, alive and historically rich" songwriting of the late Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, as an all-star covers album is announced featuring Springsteen, Kate Moss, Johnny Depp and others.Springsteen's cover of A Rainy Night in Soho is out now, the first song to be released from 20th Century Paddy: The Songs of Shane MacGowan, which is out 13 November.Many, unsurprisingly, led difficult lives not easily bound by the shackles of convention. They were natural rebels unable to stifle or heed the impulses that led them to their glory and personal hardships. Great art is by nature lawless. We do not get to choose our obsessions. We do not get to dictate our blessings or our transgressions. It's a little joke the gods play on us. Shane's voice was so deeply real, profane and honest, his writing so flashing, alive and historically rich its genesis appeared as a mystery to all including, I believe, its creator. The dangerous joy, the glee and courage, the humour in the face of fate, the wild ramble of a life driven towards the artistic heavens and the daily balm of self-obliteration. Shane was all naked bottomless humanity. Threatening to force us to ask ourselves if we were living deeply, authentically. He was raw, hilarious, no apologies and profound. His soul was filled with the transgressive and ecstatic properties of the saints. I don't know who'll be listening to my music in 100 years but I know they'll be listening to Shane's. Continue reading...

Viral video of girl being shoved by fellow pedestrian has reignited debate over butsukari - with experts blaming stress and gender dynamicsIt starts out as a heartwarming clip. A young girl, clearly delighted to be in Tokyo, beams as she makes a peace sign to the camera. Seconds later, she is shoved to the ground from behind by a woman wearing a surgical mask. The assailant doesn't skip a beat, striding out of shot of the clip filmed by the girl's mother.This was no accidental clash of shoulders in a crowded place, but one of the most visible examples of a spate of butsukari otoko - bumping man" - shoving incidents in Japan that experts attribute to a combination of gender dynamics and the stresses of modern life. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Oil at $100 a barrel means higher prices in the EU and UK, making savings for those with electric vehicles even greater, analysts sayEuropean drivers face paying an extra 220 (190) a year at the pumps because of the surge in oil prices caused by the war in Iran, analysts have warned. In the UK, a separate estimate puts the cost at an extra 140.A sustained oil price of $100 a barrel, the level seen on Monday, would mean motorists in the EU paying 55bn more over a year, researchers at the Transport & Environment (T&E) thinktank estimated. That is the equivalent of an average of 220 for each driver, with higher-mileage drivers facing even bigger hikes. The assessment was made by comparing data from 2022, when Russia's invasion of Ukraine pushed the oil price to the $100 mark, with data from 2017-2019. Continue reading...

Influential Treasury committee chair Meg Hillier says review follows growing concern over graduate debt

This blog is now closed- follow the latest news and live updates in the Middle East crisis here

From fuel caps to four-day work weeks, the Middle East conflict has left the world's top crude oil importing region desperate to shore up suppliesDonald Trump has scrambled in recent days to reassure the world that the economic impact of his war on Iran can be contained.Sure, one of the most important waterways in global trade has, in effect, been shut for almost two weeks - but it might reopen before long. In the meantime, US oil-related sanctions on some countries" will be lifted. And besides, the entire conflict could be over soon. Continue reading...

Global heating linked to rising risk of extreme rain that causes devastating landslides and rising coffee pricesThe record floods that have brought death and destruction to the heartland of Brazil's coffee industry are expected to intensify if people continue to burn fossil fuels, analysis has shown.Dozens of residents in the state of Minas Gerais have been buried alive in landslides or swept away as roads turned into rivers over the past month. Thousands more have been forced to evacuate their homes, while the wider, longer-term effects are likely to include higher prices for coffee across the world. Continue reading...

Layoffs to affect 10% of workforce amid Australian company's restructuring plan to push into artificial intelligence and enterprise salesSoftware giant Atlassian has announced it is laying off about 10% of its workforce, or roughly 1,600 positions, and replacing its chief technology officer as it restructures to invest further in artificial intelligence.More than 900 affected positions were involved in software research and development, a spokesperson said. Most of Atlassian's employees work in software engineering and design, accounting for over 50% of its 13,813 full-time workforce in June 2025. Continue reading...

President tells John Thune to force through Save America act, which requires proof of citizenship while registering to vote and curbs mail-in votingDonald Trump said that the US-Israel war in Iran will end soon" because there is practically nothing left to target" in a phone interview with Axios.Any time I want it to end, it will end," the president told the outlet. The war is going great. We are way ahead of the timetable. We have done more damage than we thought possible, even in the original six-week period." Continue reading...

Two international tourists travelling to flood-ravaged North Burnett region from Brisbane thought to be first flood-related deaths

Some river levels are still increasing after parts of Queensland recorded their highest three-day rainfall totals

New legislation will require schools to use Mandarin by default, taking priority over minority ethnic languages such as Tibetan, Uyghur and MongolianChina's National People's Congress (NPC), the state legislature, will vote on Thursday on a suite of new laws agreed at this year's annual two sessions gathering, including a piece of legislation that will diminish the role of minority ethnic languages in the education system.NPC delegates are expected to approve a new ethnic unity law, along with a new environmental code and the 15th five-year plan, the economic planning document for 2026-2030. Delegates have spent the last week debating Beijing's proposed bills, which they are all but certain to approve. The NPC, which is often described as a rubber-stamp parliament, has never rejected an item on its agenda. Continue reading...

John Thune refusing to alter rules to force a vote as US president says he won't sign any legislation until bill is passed

Newly released documents also show Peter Mandelson was offered highly classified briefings before formal vetting was completeKeir Starmer overruled officials who warned of a reputational risk" in making Peter Mandelson US ambassador, despite being handed a dossier of evidence about the peer's relationship with the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, documents reveal.The disclosure in newly released files will raise fresh questions about Starmer's judgment - as well as about the vetting procedures at the highest levels of government.Mandelson was offered a severance payment of 75,000 after initially asking the Foreign Office to pay him more than 500,000;Starmer was warned before appointing Mandelson that he remained in contact and stayed with Epstein after the financier was first convicted of procuring an underage girl in 2008;Powell told an investigation that he thought the appointment was weirdly rushed";Starmer was reassured about Mandelson's friendship with Epstein by Matthew Doyle, his former communications chief and a friend of Mandelson. Doyle said he was satisfied" with Mandelson's explanation of the relationship. Continue reading...

Release shows that Jonathan Powell warned Morgan McSweeney about the appointment of Mandelson as US ambassadorAs reported by Nadeem Badshah this morning, the documents relating to Peter Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to the US expected to be released today will include a due diligence report by the Cabinet Office, which is believed to be two pages long.It is likely to raise questions about Keir Starmer's judgment, with sources saying it had warned the prime minister of the serious reputational risk" of going ahead with Mandelson's appointment in December 2024 given his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.He has said, as you know that it is a little bit - it does fall into the category of too little too late, but I think they have a good, solid relationship, and hopefully they'll be able to repair it. I go by what the president says, and the president says continuously that everybody is entitled to their point of view. But I think sometimes we detect that there's not that feeling of gratitude.I think the president's position is that we do plenty for Europe, plenty for the UK, in the area of trade, in the area of defence, in the area of the support we give to Nato. And I think sometimes the response back, the reciprocity back, is a little bit lacking. I would leave it at that, OK? Continue reading...

Latest sculpture titled King of the World' includes plaques with pointed commentary on pair's past associationA woman's heart is a deep ocean of secrets. The appearance of a golden statue depicting Donald Trump and the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein as doomed lovers from the movie Titanic is confronting Washington with a murkier mystery.The nearly 12ft sculpture, unveiled on Tuesday on the National Mall, is the third piece of guerrilla art satirising Trump's past relationship with Epstein attributed to The Secret Handshake, a shadowy collective whose members remain anonymous. Continue reading...

PM knew of US ambassador's close relationship' with Jeffrey Epstein and potential conflicts of interest from his lobbying roleFour months after Peter Mandelson was sacked as UK ambassador to Washington over his links with Jeffrey Epstein, he sat down for a primetime BBC interview. A less hubristic individual would have long since slunk away into the shadows.But despite all the condemnation and humiliation surrounding his departure, Mandelson seemed intent on maintaining a public profile. Who knows what's next?" he told Laura Kuenssberg. I don't know what's next. I'm not going to disappear and hide - that's not me". Continue reading...

Richard Kemp tells high court former Sinn Fein leader would have authorised attacks carried out in EnglandA former British army commander has told the high court it is inconceivable" that Gerry Adams was not involved in the authorisation of IRA bombings.Richard Kemp said there was evidence from a multitude of intelligence" spanning 20 years about the former Sinn Fein leader's membership of the paramilitary organisation. Continue reading...

Payment for Inditex founder, the world's 15 richest person, tops last year's dividend of 3.1bnThe billionaire founder of Zara is to receive a company record 3.23bn (2.8bn) dividend this year from the world's biggest fashion retailer.Amancio Ortega, who still controls 59% of Spain's Inditex and whose daughter Marta Ortega Perez is now chair, will receive half his dividend in May and half in November - as will other shareholders. Continue reading...

Lack of public appearances prompted speculation about new leader's mortality after multiple family members perishedThe confirmation that Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was injured in the first wave of Israeli attacks underlines how desperate the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (ICRG) was to ensure their wounded choice was elevated to high office, and how confident it is that the wartime machinery can operate almost on automatic pilot without him.The full scale of Khamenei's injuries and speed of his recovery remain unclear, but a broken leg and facial injuries are the minimum. It is not a medical bulletin on which the authorities are seeking to dwell, although Ali Larijani, the secretary of the supreme national security council, chose his words carefully in saying his condition has not been reported as critical", a phrasing that suggests he has not personally seen him. Continue reading...

More than a week into the US-Israel war on Iran, president has provided little clarity on how the conflict might end

Grammy-winning singer is in advanced talks to lead an adaptation of Sylvia Plath's novel for Oscar-winning writer-directorGrammy-winning singer-songwriter Billie Eilish is set to make her big screen acting debut in an adaptation of Sylvia Plath's semi-autobiographical novel The Bell Jar.According to Deadline, the 24-year-old will take on the lead role for Sarah Polley, the writer-director who previously won an Oscar for her Women Talking screenplay. Eilish is reportedly in advanced talks for the part. Continue reading...

Green party leader has said he immediately apologised for comments made in 2013 Sun interview, but footage six days later shows him standing by claimZack Polanski's claim to have immediately apologised for offering hypnosis intended to increase a woman's breast size has been cast into doubt by the emergence of a 2013 interview with the Green party leader.In 2013, before he entered politics, Polanski was approached by a Sun journalist to see if a hypnotherapy session could make her breasts bigger. This experience was then written up as an article. Continue reading...

Tens of thousands of residents and tourists have left UAE since the US and Israel started bombing Iran two weeks ago, leaving beach bars, malls and hotels eerily emptyIn the playground of the rich, nobody wanted this war. For decades, Dubai built itself up as a sanctuary of unadulterated consumerism visited by tourists the world over.But now, the city in the United Arab Emirates faces an existential threat, as the war between the US and Israel and Iran has shaken the foundations of the Dubai dream" that so many foreigners had bought into. Continue reading...

What have we learned from release of files relating to former peer's appointment - and sacking - as UK ambassador to Washington?

Supreme court recently rejected Cedric Ricks' claim that potential jurors in his trial were eliminated based on race

Advisers to RFK Jr drop the plan to end federal guidance amid Republican worries about the political impact

Strike that killed at least 175 people, most of them children, reportedly due to targeting mistake by US military planners

Reform UK leader supported US war on Iran from start, but is now being accused of a U-turnNigel Farage has suggested Iran potentially poses a bigger danger than Putin poses to us", despite Russia having nuclear weapons and invading Ukraine.The Reform UK leader made the remarks in an interview with the New Statesman, which are likely to fuel further questions about his stance on Russia. Continue reading...

Prime minister says UK would be at war' now if it were up to Tory and Reform leaders and accuses both of changing position on war

Two people killed in Indiana as officials warn millions from Texas to Michigan remain at risk of severe weather

Gunmen from Islamic State West Africa Province overran four military bases and reportedly abducted 300 civiliansAt least 65 Nigerian soldiers have been killed in jihadist raids across the country's north-east in the last two weeks, as the west African state battles to contain one of the world's deadliest terror groups.On 5 and 6 March, gunmen from Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap) overran four military bases in Borno state, the epicentre of the insurgency. Nigerian daily the Punch reported that about 40 soldiers were killed in total in these attacks. Continue reading...

Workers at JBS USA to strike Monday in what will be the first labor strike in the meatpacking industry in decadesAbout 3,800 workers at JBS USA, the world's largest meat producer, are set to strike on Monday in what will be the first labor strike in the industry in decades.The walkout threatens to put further strain on US meat prices - ground beef prices soared 15% last year - and could prove a headache for the Trump administration as it struggles with poor polling on cost of living issues. Continue reading...

Chancellor does not rule out ditching fuel duty rise but tells MPs it is too early to gauge if consumers need extra help

The attacks, which included the firebombing of a childcare centre and torching of cars, were motivated by financial reward, magistrate finds

The new president won office by promising to clean up crime, but his background is red rag to a bull for manyJust south of Santiago, the tiny rural town of Paine is a quiet grid of painted abode facades, shaded squares and shuttered shop fronts as the summer holidays draw to a close.But the white-knuckle fear of crime that propelled its most famous son, Jose Antonio Kast, to a resounding victory in December's presidential election is as present in sleepy Paine as it is the length of Chile. Continue reading...

State government apologises after convicted murderer Regina Arthurell removed this week despite December report warning of situation

First tranche expected to include Cabinet Office report warning of reputational risk' over ex-minister's links to EpsteinHundreds of documents relating to Peter Mandelson's appointment as ambassador to the US are expected to be released by Downing Street on Wednesday.The first tranche of files will include a two-page due diligence report by the Cabinet Office, which is likely to raise questions about Keir Starmer's judgment, the Guardian understands. Continue reading...

Cheshire police and CPS say they were not told about inquiry into Prof Peter Hindmarsh before he gave evidence at nurse's trialThe police force behind the prosecution of the former nurse Lucy Letby has said it was not informed by a key expert witness before he gave evidence at her trial that he was under investigation over serious concerns in his medical work.The Crown Prosecution Service also told the Guardian it was not aware that Prof Peter Hindmarsh was subject to the formal investigation by the hospital that employed him, before his first appearance as a witness on 25 November 2022. Continue reading...

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While some argue for destroying the terminal though which 90% of Iran's oil exports flow, others caution of a global market tailspin'Kharg Island - through which 90% of Iran's oil exports flow - is arguably the country's most sensitive economic target but the export terminal has so far remained untouched throughout the US-Israel bombing campaign.Experts say bombing or capturing the site with US forces would be likely to cause a sustained increase to already surging oil prices, as it would amount to taking the entirety of Iran's daily crude exports offline. Continue reading...

The perpetrators were jailed for 15 years for robbery with violence in the east African country, where homophobic attacks are increasingThe sentencing of two people who attacked and robbed two gay men in Kenya has been hailed by LGBTQ+ rights advocates as a breakthrough and a sign of hope for the country's queer community. Abel Meli & Another" were sentenced to 15 years in prison for robbery with violence on 3 March at Milimani law courts in Nairobi.The ruling is a rare example of justice being served for the queer community in Kenya. Njeri Gateru, the executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, an independent human rights institution working towards equality for sexual and gender minorities in Kenya, said: A lot is going against [the queer community] with the existence of the criminal laws and prevailing homophobic attitudes, but some of us still trust that we can find justice, so this case encourages us." Continue reading...

Woman, from Togo, faces uncertain wait for indefinite leave to remain because of changes coming into force next monthThe mother of a six-year-old cancer survivor has spoken of her overwhelming" fear her daughter will be denied crucial treatment because of the government's immigration crackdown.The girl, from London, underwent two rounds of life-saving chemotherapy after being diagnosed at two with neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that mostly affects children. Continue reading...

Climate change committee finds move to renewable energy would also bring health, economic and security benefitsAchieving the UK's net zero target by 2050 will cost less than a single oil shock and bring health and economic benefits while insulating the country against future costs, the government's climate advisers have forecast.Eliminating the UK's reliance on fossil fuels by adopting renewable energy and green technologies, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps, would be the best and most cost-effective option for the future economy, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) found. Continue reading...

About 24,000 people surveyed about food, nightlife, affordability, culture and happinessAn annual global ranking has named Melbourne the best city in the world for the first time. But it may be more to do with vibes" than thorough analysis.Time Out's 50 Best Cities list for 2026, released on Wednesday, crowned an Australian city as No 1 for the first time in its 10-year history, showering Melbourne with acclaim for its food, culture and arts scenes. Continue reading...

Tony Burke says player opted to return home just hours after she and six others were given humanitarian visas

Intelligence sources claim Iran has begun mine laying as US energy secretary backtracks on claim US escorted a ship through strategic chokepoint