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In the wake of a scathing Closing the Gap report, Indigenous groups say they are yet to see any real commitment' to action on housing emergency. This blog is now closed

People in remote homes who rely on liquid petroleum gas report being left without fuel in freezing conditionsScores of rural households have spent days without heating or hot water in subzero temperatures because of delays to their deliveries of liquid petroleum gas (LPG).About 200,000 UK homes, mostly in remote areas, rely on LPG because they are not connected to the gas network. However, some are reporting being left without fuel over Christmas, despite their accounts with their supplier being hundreds of pounds in credit. Continue reading...

The ACTU inquiry into price gouging chaired by Allan Fels strongly criticised the lack of competition in Australia's domestic aviation industry

Charges come after 14-month investigation into toddler who was declared dead upon presentation at Mackay Base hospital

Parliament's spending watchdog says cancellation of high-speed line's northern leg raises urgent questions'The cancellation of the northern leg of HS2 has raised urgent unanswered questions" and the government does not yet understand how the 67bn high-speed railway will now function, according to a scathing report from parliament's spending watchdog.The remaining London-Birmingham line will be very poor value for money", the public accounts committee of MPs said, with costs now forecast to significantly outweigh the benefits. Continue reading...

Exclusive: $9bn port, airport and military base on Great Nicobar Island will cause genocide' of isolated Shompen, academics warnAcademics from around the world have urged India to cancel a huge construction project on Great Nicobar Island, warning it would be a death sentence" for the Shompen hunter-gatherer people who live there.The $9bn (7bn) port project, planned to transform the Indian Ocean island of 8,000 inhabitants into what has been called the Hong Kong of India", includes the construction of an international shipping terminal, airport, power plant, military base and industrial park. It will also develop tourism. Continue reading...

Investigations continue into firefighting surveillance plane crash near Cloncurry, with possibility of hypoxia being examined

Ex-SAS corporal has appealed a defamation trial decision in favour of Nine and the Canberra Times over 2018 reports on alleged war crimes

Maree Mavis Crabtree, 57, granted bail after more than six years behind bars as judge points to significant shortcomings in prosecution's cases

Adam Bandt says changes to industrial relations bill mean when you clock off, you'll be able to switch off'

Studies on the attitudes of young people between the age of 16 and 29 show a serious split towards both feminism and influencers such as Andrew Tate. What's behind it?The first generation to have fully grown up online can seem confusing to older people. They dress like it is still the 00s, want to quiet quit and are super woke" - or at least that's how the cliches go. But according to new studies, that's not quite the case.Instead, generation Z is unique in being so divided, especially on the issue of gender. Studies suggest girls and young women are more likely to be hyper-progressive" while young men and boys are more likely to feel negative towards feminism compared with baby boomers. Continue reading...

Officials knew as early as December 2020 there would be pent-up demand surge' but additional staff were not engaged and trained in time, review says

The biggest price increases occur where businesses have the greatest market power, says inquiry commissioned by the ACTU

Jenny Leong says she didn't intend to reference cartoon depicting Jews as an octopus during a pro-Palestine forum in December

Kristian White, 33, will plead not guilty to manslaughter while all other charges have been withdrawn

Backbenchers tell constituents that it would not affect funding for the current year - but did not mention freeze on $6m in emergency top-up funding

British Dental Association says government's plan does not offer hope to millions struggling to access careRishi Sunak has been accused of making a U-turn on his pledge to restore NHS dentistry as experts say his new recovery plan" does not offer enough money to incentivise dentists to take on extra NHS patients.The prime minister's long-awaited proposals have been criticised for failing to ringfence funding for the dental sector and reform the NHS dentistry contract, which means millions across the country will continue to struggle to access care. Continue reading...

Premier condemns alleged racist responses as authorities and advocates say communities should not be blamed over the alleged actions of individuals

Service combining traditional sports networks and ESPN+ expected to launch this autumnFox Corp, Walt Disney's ESPN and Warner Bros Discovery will build a sports streaming platform, the companies have said.In a statement on Tuesday, the companies said the product would bring traditional sports networks and direct-to-consumer ESPN+ together. Pricing would be announced at a later date. Continue reading...

If exporters fail to obtain permission to ship the animals to Israel, the livestock on board the MV Bahijah will have to be slaughtered

Victorian fans have already lost more than $260,000 to ticket scammers in relation to the 2024 Eras tour of Australia before the Melbourne concert

Minister says Pinera's body recovered from scene of crash in lake near southern town of Lago RancoChile's two-time former president Sebastian Pinera has died in a helicopter crash at the age of 74.According to preliminary reports, Pinera was piloting a helicopter with three passengers onboard over Lago Ranco, a lake in southern Chile where he had a home, but no further information regarding the incident was immediately given. Continue reading...

Body-worn video shows officers repeatedly asking Where's your baby?' as Mark Gordon asks for foodThe jury in the trial of Constance Marten and Mark Gordon have been shown footage of the pair's arrest with police asking repeatedly: Where is your child?"The defendants, of no fixed address, deny the manslaughter of their baby daughter, Victoria, by gross negligence between 4 January and 27 February last year. Continue reading...

The actor, who was fired from the Star Wars show after abhorrent' social media posts, is filing a lawsuit funded by the X ownerGina Carano is suing Disney and Lucasfilm over her firing from TV show The Mandalorian, with help from Elon Musk.The MMA fighter turned actor, who played Cara Dune in the Star Wars series, was accused of denigrating people based on their cultural & religious identities" on social media in posts that were called abhorrent and unacceptable". Continue reading...

Boeing says we simply must do better' after US transportation safety board releases report on Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 incidentA cabin panel that blew off a brand-new Boeing 737 Max 9 jet mid-flight appeared to be missing four key bolts, according to an initial report by the US safety regulator.The bolts meant to hold the door plug in place were absent, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said. It released photographic evidence alongside the preliminary findings of its investigation on Tuesday. Continue reading...

Verdict marks the first time a school shooter's parent has been convicted of homicide in connection with the underlying violenceJennifer Crumbley, the Michigan mother accused of involuntary manslaughter when she failed to inform her 15-year-old son's high school that the family possessed guns shortly before he went to campus and fatally shot four students and injured six, including a teacher, was found guilty of all charges Tuesday afternoon.The verdict marked the first time a school shooter's parent has been convicted of homicide in connection with the underlying violence. It came after jurors on Monday began deliberations in a case that could shape the future criminal liability of parents of underage mass shooters. Continue reading...

Australian attacks qualifications of his own expert witness during testimony at high court in LondonCraig Wright, the Australian computer scientist who says he invented bitcoin under the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, has denied forging documents to support his claim.In his first day of giving evidence at the high court in London on Tuesday, Wright flatly denied any forgery or falsification and attacked the qualifications of his own expert witness who found otherwise. The hearing was part of a lawsuit brought by Copa, a coalition of cryptocurrency-linked tech firms that seek to invalidate his claims. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Sources say PM has blocked talks due to concerns about knock-on effect of more generous pay offerRishi Sunak has been accused of personally holding up a deal to end doctors' strikes in England despite warnings from the health department and NHS England that waiting lists will continue to soar unless the industrial dispute is resolved.Sources told the Guardian it had been made abundantly and repeatedly" clear to the prime minister that there would be no progress on his pledge to drive down NHS waiting lists until a deal was struck. Continue reading...

Union has been implementing recommendations of 2020 independent report that found it institutionally sexistA row has broken out at the GMB, one of the UK's biggest unions, after members of its largest region supported a move towards industrial action over serious allegations of bullying and harassment".Staff in the north-east, Yorkshire and Humberside (NEYH) region overwhelmingly supported a consultative ballot on strike action - used as a shot across the bow when members want to raise a serious issue. Continue reading...

Rupert Soames says Guardian revelations over sexual misconduct claims were appalling shock' but is bullish about the future

Michael Gove approves exceptional rise for UK's biggest local authority, affecting 1m people, and three other bankrupt councilsCouncil tax in Birmingham is likely to increase by up to 10% after the government allowed the local authority to bypass the national cap without the need for a local referendum.The increase will affect more than 1 million people in the UK's largest local authority, which declared itself effectively bankrupt last year due to a 300m budget gap. Continue reading...

Procedures and protocol will ensure the business of ruling goes on as king has treatment for diseaseWith King Charles's cancer diagnosis and uncertainty over when he will return to full public duty, the palace machinery, which is primed to deal with foreseeable eventualities, will swing into action.Precedent and protocol, enshrined in statutes and dictated in regal letters patent over successive reigns, have been designed to ensure as little disruption as possible to the performance of the core constitutional duties of the sovereign. Continue reading...

Police watchdog investigating eight officers after complaints of racial profiling over stops in Tottenham and StratfordEight Metropolitan police officers are under investigation after a black 16-year-old was stopped six times in five months, on each occasion with nothing criminal found.The police watchdog is investigating after the case triggered claims of racial profiling and a friend of the boy's family said he had been left traumatised. Continue reading...

Queen is president of cancer charity Maggie's and opened its new centre after she knew of king's diagnosisEven before her husband the king received his diagnosis, Queen Camilla had been showing support to many people living with cancer.She has been president of the cancer support charity Maggie's for more than 15 years and frequently talks to patients and staff at their facilities, most recently last Wednesday, when she opened a new centre at the Royal Free hospital in London. As we now know, she had already been told about her husband's illness. Continue reading...

Guests can now enjoy short-term lets within the 16th-century walls of the Convent of Saint Mary of Jesus in SevilleAnyone sick of Airbnbs afflicted with paper-thin walls, unholy rackets and noisy, nosy neighbours might like to seek sanctuary in one of the new apartments that promise peace ... light and calm" in the heart of the southern Spanish city of Seville.Given that the flats in question sit within the 16th-century walls of the Convent of Saint Mary of Jesus - which is home to a community of nuns belonging to the cloistered Order of St Clare - the blurb may not be entirely fanciful. Continue reading...

Speakers at the PopCons' event in London attacked the ECHR, WHO, Davos attendees, anti-capitalists' and wokery'. This live blog is closedIn his interview with Times Radio earlier today, Labour's leader Keir Starmer has said he expects the Conservative party to go low" during the forthcoming election campaign, because they aren't in a position to defend their record in government, but said he would fight fire with fire".He told Kate McCann:I'm going to be up against an opponent, a Conservative party, that the prime minister can't go to the country on their record, they can't say, look, we've delivered all these brilliant things over 14 years. Vote us back in to keep delivering. They couldn't do that with a straight face.They can't go to the country saying, we've got great leadership because they burned through five prime ministers. And the chop and change is a laughing stock across the world.I'm motivated and interested by ideas. That's why I was in Ukip and not the Conservative party. I suspect I would agree with a lot of what is said on the platform this morning, but none of it is going to be Conservative manifesto policy.And that's really the point here. Whilst there were some big names like Liz Truss, Jacob Rees-Mogg - I saw Priti Patel coming into the audience earlier - they are a very small minority within the parliamentary Conservative party. Continue reading...

New York Times says it has seen report from Israel military that at least 32 of the remaining hostages in Gaza are believed to be deadAt least 27,585 Palestinians have been killed and 66,978 wounded in Israeli strikes on Gaza since 7 October, the health ministry in Gaza said on Tuesday.127 Palestinians were killed and 143 wounded in the past 24 hours, the ministry added. Continue reading...

Job cuts add to costs for streaming service but it gains 10m premium subscribers in fourth quarterSpotify's push beyond music has tipped the streaming service into the red again, after it acquired the rights to 200,000 audiobooks for premium subscribers, with Prince Harry's autobiography and comedian David Mitchell's Unruly proving to be among the most popular with listeners.The world's biggest music streaming service, which has been offering 15 hours of free audiobook listening a month to premium subscribers in the UK, Australia and the US since October, said related start-up costs contributed to a 75m operating loss in the fourth quarter. Continue reading...

Buckingham Palace tries to balance need for privacy with a more open policy as the king undergoes treatment

Unions says there is zero confidence' in process of raising complaints about ministers, citing Dominic Raab case

Move by Ursula von der Leyen welcomed by farmers after weeks of protests across EuropeReacting to Ursula von der Leyen's announcement that she would suggest withdrawing a proposal on reducing pesticides, the European farming lobby, Copa and Cogeca, said:This morning's announcement by President Von der Leyen on the withdrawal of the SUR proposal puts an end to an impasse: this top-down proposal stemming from the Farm2Fork logic was poorly designed, poorly evaluated, poorly financed, and offered little alternatives to farmers.The European Commission is finally acknowledging that the approach was not the right one, and is thereby reinforcing the credibility and importance of the ongoing strategic dialogue.We have always said that it would be irresponsible to jeopardise European food production in the face of current crises through unrealistic requirements and bureaucracy.We are ready at any time to work together with the Commission for effective climate protection and a secure food supply. Continue reading...

Duke of Sussex reported to have landed in UK to visit father after Rishi Sunak says king's cancer was caught early'The Press Association has spoken to well-wishers who have said their thoughts are with King Charles after he was diagnosed with cancer.Tourists and locals outside Buckingham Palace on Tuesday morning spoke of their sadness after hearing the news.My thoughts are with him and to go through something like cancer but in the public eye is pretty something, so I'm pleased that he's given people snippets of information but I'm quite glad that he's going to keep the rest of it private.I think for his own peace of mind, he needs to be doing that, it's enough of a struggle as it is but I wish him well and I'm sure he'll pull through and things will be fine. Continue reading...

Philippe Sands KC backs Ukrainian call for an international tribunal to prosecute Kremlin leaders for crime of aggressionThe international criminal court is locked in a deplorable turf war that is blocking Ukraine's efforts to set up a special international tribunal with the authority to try Russia's leadership for the crime of aggression, Philippe Sands KC claims.Sands, a leading advocate of an international tribunal, blamed Karim Khan, the ICC prosecutor, and some unnamed judges on the court, an international body based in The Hague that prosecutes people for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. He said they were opposing a special international tribunal not on the basis of principle, but a self-interested turf war. Continue reading...

Rental vacancy rate dips in capital cities including Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra at popular time for renters seeking a new property, PropTrack says

Agreed reforms have not been prioritised and landmark agreement on Indigenous outcomes is doomed without urgent changes, Productivity Commission says

Singer-songwriter who topped the US album chart four times had been diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2021Toby Keith, the country singer who topped the US album chart four times, has died aged 62. A post on his website said he died on Monday surrounded by family, adding: He fought his fight with grace and courage."Keith had been suffering from stomach cancer. He announced his diagnosis in June 2022, saying that he had been in treatment for six months by that point. Continue reading...

Eighteen-year-old was refused entry clearance to join his family in UK despite previous successful applications to visitA teenager trapped in Gaza and separated from his parents has brought an urgent legal challenge against the UK Home Office and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) after the government refused entry clearance for him to join his family in the UK.The 18-year-old man, whose life is at imminent risk, has been internally displaced several times and has been homeless. He is now staying with extended family in Gaza in a home subject to heavy bombardment. Continue reading...

Proposal to abolish law raises fears of mafia infiltration and abuse of power in public sector

PM says he was shocked and sad' when told of the diagnosis and wishes the king a full recovery

Karolina Shiino had already caused controversy when she became first European-born woman to win titleA Ukraine-born woman who was criticised for not being Japanese enough" after winning the Miss Japan contest last month has relinquished the title after a weekly magazine revealed she had been having an affair with a married man.Karolina Shiino drew praise and criticism after she won the Miss Japan title last month, becoming the first woman of European descent to receive the accolade. The 26-year-old was born in Ukraine to Ukrainian parents, who moved to Japan when she was five. Continue reading...