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Brisbane battered by ‘giant hail’ as severe thunderstorms leave thousands in Queensland with power outages

Bureau of Meteorology warns ‘damaging to destructive winds’ possible as storms track across state Tens of thousands of people are without power after severe thunderstorms brought destructive winds, giant hail and heavy rain to south-east Queensland. The Bureau of Meteorology said there were reports of hail between 6cm and 8cm falling at Tamrookum, Coombabah, and Mount Tamborine. Continue reading… Source link

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Politicians urge Labour to restore Electoral Commission independence

All-party group say move is needed to stop UK lagging behind global standards on election integrity Keir Starmer is being urged to restore independence to the Electoral Commission, with MPs and peers likely to launch a battle to amend the elections bill in the new year. In a letter to the prime minister, MPs and peers will warn the elections watchdog should not be overseen by the political parties in charge of holding to account. Continue reading… Source link

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Pauline Hanson faces widespread condemnation after repeating ‘disgraceful’ burqa stunt in Senate

Nationals senator Matt Canavan says One Nation leader ‘debased’ parliament while independent Fatima Payman says she is ‘disrespecting Muslim Australians’ Pauline Hanson has again worn a burqa into the Senate, repeating a previous widely-condemned stunt as she sought to ban the Muslim face covering on national security grounds – despite being unable to name a single safety incident linked to the burqa. Hanson, the One Nation leader, was ejected from the Senate on Monday, forcing the the suspension of the chamber as she refused to take off the burqa, in violation of a parliamentary ruling. She was condemned by…

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Civil liberties groups call for inquiry into UK data protection watchdog

Campaigners including Good Law Project describe ICO ‘collapse in enforcement activity’ after Afghan data breach Dozens of civil liberties campaigners and legal professionals are calling for an inquiry into the UK’s data protection watchdog, after what they describe as “a collapse in enforcement activity” after the scandal of the Afghan data breach. A total of 73 academics, senior lawyers, data protection experts and organisations including Statewatch and the Good Law Project, have written to Chi Onwurah, the chair of the cross-party Commons science, innovation and technology committee, calling for an inquiry to be held into the office of the…

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Princess of Wales calls for end to ‘stigma’ around addiction

Forward Trust patron says ‘compassion and love’ is needed to end fear and shame felt by those affected The Princess of Wales has called for an end to the “stigma” surrounding addictions, saying the experiences of those dependent on drugs, alcohol or gambling are “shaped by fear, shame and judgment”. Catherine, who is a patron of the charity Forward Trust supporting recovering addicts, said more open conversations were needed to bring the issue “out of the shadows” and for society to show “compassion and love” to those affected. Continue reading… Source link

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Australian federal MPs warned to turn off phones when Chinese delegation visits Parliament House

Liberal party senator calls Department of Parliamentary Services email ‘incredibly concerning’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Politicians and staff in parts of Parliament House have been urged to turn off their phones, laptops and internet during a visit by Chinese officials, with parliament administrators warning building occupants about interruptions to wifi service. The shadow cybersecurity minister, Claire Chandler, called the warning “incredibly concerning”, saying the parliament advisory raised worries about threats to sensitive data. Continue reading… Source link

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Penny Wong says Ukraine’s territorial integrity must be upheld amid global backlash to Trump plan

Australian foreign minister echoes European call for sovereignty to be respected and for end to ‘Russia’s illegal and immoral war’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Foreign minister Penny Wong has warned any peace plan for Ukraine must not hand new territory to Vladimir Putin, amid furious international backlash to Donald Trump’s proposal. The US president’s plan prompted a furious response from Ukrainians at the weekend, before the country’s European allies released an alternative plan during talks in Geneva. That plan omits some of the…

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‘Beautiful to look at and wonderful to live in’: new pattern designs could be next art deco or red brick classics

Competition-winning apartment building plans should be approved twice as quickly by NSW councils, and will be three to six storeys high Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Airy Scandinavian interiors, shaded balconies, light-filled courtyards – could these be Sydney’s next art deco apartment blocks or red brick walk-ups? The New South Wales government has launched nine new architect-designed mid-rise apartment building pattern book designs, which it hopes will support the delivery of 112,000 homes in the “missing middle” over the next five years, through its…

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‘Culture cringe’: experts dismiss Coalition claims Bowen cannot remain minister while leading Cop31 negotiations

Opposition claims key diplomatic role at next year’s conference in Turkey would make Bowen a ‘part-time minister’ while Australians face inflated energy prices Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Experts have dismissed claims Chris Bowen cannot remain a senior minister while playing a leading role in international climate negotiations, with one describing the argument as evidence of an Australian “culture cringe”. Australia failed in its long-running bid to co-host the Cop31 climate summit with Pacific nations next year after Turkey refused to…

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Snapchat to tell 440,000 Australians to prove they’re 16 or accounts will be locked in social media ban

In-app notifications go out this week to users believed to be aged under 16 ahead of 10 December social media ban Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Snapchat is about to begin alerting some users that their accounts will be deactivated when Australia’s under-16s social media ban takes effect from 10 December. Users that the platform assesses are likely to be aged under 16 were due to begin getting notifications about the ban this week in-app, via email or SMS. Continue reading… Source link

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More then 2,000 trafficked children and lone child asylum seekers missing from UK councils’ care

Charities say vulnerable young people are being failed by local authorities, the police and central government More than 2,000 children who have been trafficked or who arrived in the UK alone to claim asylum disappeared from social services’ care last year, according to freedom of information data shared with the Guardian. The authors of a report, Until Harm Ends, submitted FoI requests to children’s services departments in councils across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland asking for information about trafficked children and those who arrived alone in the UK and claimed asylum, who then went missing after being taken…

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US woman behind Slender Man stabbing is missing after leaving group home

Morgan Geyser of Wisconsin cut off her electronic monitoring device and was last seen with an acquaintance A Wisconsin woman who admitted to stabbing a classmate nearly to death in 2014 to please the online horror character Slender Man is missing after she cut off an electronic monitoring device and left a group home, authorities said on Sunday. Madison police issued an alert on Sunday for Morgan Geyser, now 23, saying she was last seen around 8pm on Saturday with an adult acquaintance. Continue reading… Source link

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US senator slams Republicans’ silence on Trump’s violent threats to Democrats

Mark Kelly, a veteran and Democrat targeted by Trump over military comments, says he is ‘not going to be intimidated’ Senator Mark Kelly on Sunday urged congressional Republicans to publicly reject Trump’s threats against him and five other Democratic lawmakers who stated that military personnel are not obligated to follow illegal commands. “We’ve heard very little, basically crickets, from Republicans in the United States Congress about what the president has said about hanging members of Congress,” Kelly, of Arizona, said on CBS’s Face the Nation. Continue reading… Source link

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Gaza hospitals running out of supplies as Israeli airstrikes continue, medics say

‘Severe lack’ in territory where Israeli strikes have killed more than 50 people and injured over 100 in recent days Hospitals in Gaza are running out of essential supplies, with new waves of Israeli airstrikes killing more than 50 people and injuring more than 100 in recent days, medical and aid workers in the devastated Palestinian territory have said. Medics said on Sunday that stocks of gauze, antiseptics, thermometers and antibiotics were running low. Continue reading… Source link

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Labor has brushed aside concerns over the social media ban. But what if it doesn’t work as promised?

If Meta, the world’s biggest social media company, expects problems after a year of preparation, then what should the rest of us be expecting? Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast One year ago this week, Labor introduced its social media ban for under 16s, ramming it through parliament within seven days. Passing on the final sitting day of 2024, the contentious bill controversially only received a four-hour inquiry, such was the keenness of both major parties to speed it through parliament. A year later, just…

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Reeves to launch crackdown on benefit fraud alongside lifting two-child limit

Move aims to bring in extra £1.2bn of savings as government seeks to head off criticism over welfare spending You be the chancellor: play our budget game Rachel Reeves will launch a fresh crackdown on benefit fraud at the same time as lifting the two-child limit for universal credit at a cost of £3bn, as ministers seek to head off criticism over rising welfare spending in the budget. The chancellor has made the decision to scrap the two-child limit in full, a move that will be welcomed by Labour MPs who have long highlighted its effect on increasing child…

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Mamdani reiterates Trump is a ‘fascist’ just days after cordial meeting

New York mayor-elect reaffirms past criticisms of president after agreeing to work with him on cost-of-living concerns Zohran Mamdani has reiterated his view that Donald Trump is a “fascist” and a “despot” just days after the pair had a surprisingly cordial meeting at the White House. Speaking to NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, the New York City mayor-elect was asked if he still considered Trump a threat to democracy. “Everything that I’ve said in the past I continue to believe,” Mamdani replied. “I think it is important in our politics that we don’t shy away from where we…

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David Cameron reveals prostate cancer diagnosis and calls for targeted screening

Former prime minister says he wants to join ranks of those pressing for more checks on men who may have disease David Cameron has revealed he was treated for prostate cancer as he called for a targeted screening programme. The former prime minister told the Times: “I want to, as it were, come out. I want to add my name to the long list of people calling for a targeted screening programme. Continue reading… Source link