Daniel Andrews’ government engaged in ‘concerning’ conduct but no evidence of firefighter union blackmail: Ibac report

Trump loyalist, who also has president’s endorsement, has spent millions trying to prove 2020 election was ‘stolen’Mike Lindell is leaving his role with the company to focus on his campaign to become the next governor of Minnesota. In a social media post published Tuesday, Lindell said that the company is strong enough to withstand his departure.“This decision is not about walking away. It is about stepping forward to serve. I am putting Minnesota above myself, my title, and my business interests so I can give this campaign and the people of our state my full time, energy, and attention,” Lindell said. Continue reading...

Wesley Bell wins in St Louis rematch as anti-Israel candidates continue primary gainsUS politics live – latest updatesDemocratic congressman Wesley Bell won his primary in the St Louis area on Tuesday, ending progressive former representative Cori Bush’s bid for a comeback and blunting the momentum pro-Palestinian candidates have shown in recent elections.Bell unseated Bush, a democratic socialist who opposes aid to the US ally and accuses it of committing a genocide in Gaza, in the Democratic congressional primary two years ago with the help of millions of dollars in spending from pro-Israel groups. Their rematch this year came amid a spate of primary defeats of Democratic incumbents at the hands of progressive outsiders. Continue reading...

Company and subsidiary Statsig alleged by US justice department to have favored foreign workers in hiringOpenAI and a subsidiary will pay $3.2m to settle US government claims that they ⁠favored foreign workers with temporary employment visas and discriminated against US job applicants in recruiting and hiring, the justice department said ⁠on Tuesday.The justice ⁠department in ​a release said that OpenAI and Statsig, which makes product development software, recruited foreign workers for some open positions and ⁠took various steps to discourage US workers from applying. Continue reading...

Jeanine John Taele allegedly took photos and videos of property days before president’s visitLos Angeles county sheriff’s deputies arrested an armed California man over the weekend who was seen surveilling Donald Trump’s golf course in Rancho Palos Verdes, days before the president was set to arrive there for an event with the Republican National Committee (RNC).Plainclothes federal agents reported Jeanine John Taele, 38, as a “suspicious individual”, after they observed him on Sunday taking photographs and videos of the golf grounds, located in a coastal town south of Los Angeles, according to county officials. Continue reading...

Official action by regulator for England and Wales comes after formal complaint made by Labour MP about the fundsAn official investigation has been launched into charities in England and Wales donating funds to illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine.The Charity Commission will aim to establish the amount of charitable funds going to illegal settlements, whether the spending was in furtherance of their purposes and any regulatory action that may be necessary. Continue reading...

Dogs Trust points to hundreds of incidents over recent years, some involving deaths of pets or peopleWith its gentle rippling water, tall purple flowers and rustling trees, Earlswood Lakes near Solihull in the West Midlands seems the perfect spot for dogs to paddle. But their owners have been warned that the otherwise idyllic open water could prove perilous to pets.“We’ve had all this hot weather and millions of families are now spending time around open bodies of water, and it’s easy to not realise the dangers,” said Emma-Jane Thomas, rehoming manager at Dogs Trust Kenilworth during a walk around Earlswood. Continue reading...

UK’s Secret Intelligence Service praised for playing long game and having ‘a taste for dirty tricks’MI6 has been ranked as the most powerful foreign intelligence service in Europe ahead of France and the Netherlands, according to a peer review.The British intelligence agency scored 251 points in the research and was commended for its expertise in recruiting high-level informants and penetrating the ruling elites in Russia, China, Iran and Turkey, according to the review by 60 professionals from 25 countries. Continue reading...

Airline says struggling to find room in overhead lockers on planes a ‘stressful part of the airport experience’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJetstar will charge its passengers up to $52 to put carry-on baggage in the overhead locker, in a major change to the budget airline’s carry-on rules.In a press release on Wednesday morning, the airline announced it would remove the 7kg weight limit for carry-on bags, beginning in February 2027. There will still be size restrictions. Continue reading...

Louise Haigh says taxpayer money must benefit local communities amid backlash from environmental groupsMinisters will scrap the requirement for companies to prove their green and progressive values before they are awarded government contracts, and instead ask firms to prove they will help young people back into work.As part of a government push to reduce the number of people not in education, employment or training (Neets) in the UK and boost regional growth, public sector buyers will double the consideration they give to whether companies will get more people into jobs, rather than if they can show they are improving social and environmental wellbeing. Government procurement contracts account for about £90bn of taxpayers’ money spent each year. Continue reading...

Ruling vacates convictions of founder Stewart Rhodes and other militia members who took part in 2021 Capitol attackA US judge on Tuesday granted the justice department’s bid to dismiss cases against ‌members of the rightwing Oath Keepers militia who took part in the January 6 2021 attack ​on the US Capitol, according to a ​court filing.The ruling from Washington-based US district judge Amit Mehta tosses out convictions ​of Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and other ​members of the group who were convicted of seditious conspiracy for plotting to stop the transfer of ​power after Donald Trump lost the ​2020 election. Continue reading...

Airline removes carry-on weight limit but will charge for bags that don’t fit under seat. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning, and happy Wednesday. Nick Visser here bright and early. Here’s what’s on deck.Jetstar will make it more difficult for travellers to bring carry-on baggage onboard an aircraft. The company will remove its 7kg carry-on weight limits, but impose a size-based model that will allow customers to bring just one underseat bag. An overhead bag will now cost. Continue reading...