‘Orange elephant in the room’: Pauline Hanson’s political rise is inspiring racism, inquiry hears

• Prof. Michel Chossudovsky reports on a secret U.S. War Department "Doomsday Blueprint" dated September 15, 1945, which allegedly planned a nuclear strike to "wipe the Soviet Union off the map." • The article asserts that the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki served as a "dress rehearsal" for this larger strategic objective.

• The Israeli military has ordered residents in southern Lebanon to evacuate for the first time in weeks, alleging that the Iranian-backed Hezbollah has committed a "blatant violation" of the current ceasefire. • Diplomatic efforts to resolve the situation were disrupted, with a State Department official reporting that the second day of talks ended prematurely due to escalating events on the ground.

• The UN Security Council met on Wednesday to evaluate the ongoing threat posed by ISIL (Dae’sh) to global peace and security. • Briefings highlighted that ISIL, Al Qaeda, and their affiliates remain "adaptive and resilient" despite international counter-terrorism efforts.

MPs say they are anxious for the government to avoid cuts to family and humanitarian visa categoriesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMajor business groups have urged Labor to suspend its immigration changes and consult further with industry about how to get more skilled workers into the country, amid questions about looming Labor tweaks on permanent migration.With home affairs minister Tony Burke delaying an anticipated immigration speech by at least one week, some Labor MPs say they are anxious to avoid major changes to the family and humanitarian visa categories, with one urging against “performative reductions” in migration in response to One Nation. Continue reading...

Under the proposed agreement Tehran would control inbound traffic according to reportsUnderstanding reached on coordinates for shipping route through Hormuz, Iran saysAn Israeli strike that killed Lebanese journalist Amal Khalil and injured her colleague Zeinab Faraj in April was a war crime, three rights organisations said on Thursday.Investigations from Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and Legal Agenda showed that Israel deliberately and directly attacked Khalil and Faraj, with apparent knowledge that they were civilians. The organisations called for the attacks to be investigated as war crimes, while HRW called for states to halt arm sales to Israel and put targeted sanctions on Israeli officials responsible for ongoing crimes. Continue reading...

Tarun Tejpal, ex-editor of Tehelka magazine, was initially acquitted in 2021 in case that drew nationwide attentionAn Indian court has convicted a high-profile former editor of an investigative news magazine of raping a junior colleague, overturning his acquittal in a case that drew nationwide attention.Tarun Tejpal, 63, the founder and former editor of Tehelka magazine, was accused of raping a journalist in the lift of a five-star hotel in the western coastal state of Goa during an event in November 2013. He was arrested and spent seven months in jail until the supreme court granted him bail. Continue reading...

Despite reports the PM wants Labor’s bill to be passed in full or withdrawn, Anika Wells insists she is prepared to negotiateFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor will face strong opposition from gambling giants if it accedes to Coalition and Greens demands for a tough new ban on financial inducements for betting, part of closely watched Senate dealmaking expected within days.Despite reports on Thursday that the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, could insist Labor’s bill to limit advertising for online sports betting be passed in full or be withdrawn, the communications minister, Anika Wells, insisted she was prepared to negotiate. Continue reading...

Reform say employers would be held responsible even if they were unaware of the worker’s immigration statusHello and welcome to the UK politics live blog.Reform UK says it will fine firms 10% of their global revenues and imprison bosses who employ illegal migrant workers under the party’s latest plans to bring down immigration.Under a Reform government, Britain will have the harshest penalties in the world for employing illegal migrants.Bosses of companies employing illegal migrants will be sent to prison, and their companies fined 10% of their global revenues.Illegal working undermines honest business, exploits vulnerable individuals and fuels organised immigration crime.We are already closing the loopholes that allow illegal migrants to work in the UK by extending right to work checks to the gig economy and delivery sector.Jewish leaders have turned down a meeting with a former antisemitic internet troll as Kemi Badenoch defended his selection as a Conservative council candidate. The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) have declined an offer from the Conservatives to meet Joshua Bonehill-Paine, who has been selected to fight the Crewkerne South ward in Somerset next May.But they said they would meet with the Conservatives to “discuss their decision-making process” and urge them to drop Mr Bonehill-Paine as a candidate. Bonehill-Paine was jailed in 2016 after he was convicted of racially aggravated harassment of Labour peer Baroness Luciana Berger, who is Jewish.Ministers continued to defend the release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers as part of the government’s early prisoner release scheme, despite a potential legal challenge from the Police Federation. Justice minister Jake Richards acknowledged the “unimaginable pain” of the deceased officer’s family but said “difficult decisions” must be made because law and order could “collapse” without a functioning prison system.The government is not “actively” considering an inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein’s UK activities, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson has confirmed. They said that while the department was “reviewing what is possible” and would “look at all options to support victims”, a public inquiry was “not being actively considered”. Continue reading...

Firm lifts outlook saying it’s well placed to benefit from PM’s focus on new homes despite ongoing cost pressures of Iran warUK housebuilder Persimmon has lifted its outlook, saying it is “well-placed” to benefit from prime minister Andy Burnham’s policy agenda, despite growing costs linked to the Iran war.Despite rising cost pressures, Persimmon has lifted its outlook for the full year and now plans to complete 12,500 new homes by year-end, at the upper reach of its previous guidance. Continue reading...

Zelenskyy says military managed to hit two refineries in targeted attacks At least six people were killed and 36 injured in another round of Russian overnight attacks on Ukraine, targeting the eastern city of Balakliia and the northern region of Sumy.But the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, noted that Ukraine’s military managed to hit two Russian refineries in targeted attacks, hitting “Russia’s oil revenues, which it uses to finance the war and the killing of Ukrainians.” Continue reading...

Coffee chain faced backlash over marketing promotion tied to anniversary of Gwangju massacreSouth Korean police have raided the headquarters of Starbucks Korea as part of an investigation into a marketing campaign accused of trivialising the country’s 1980s pro-democracy movement.Investigators searched the building in southern Seoul on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday. No further details were released, although South Korean media reported that officers also searched the homes of the Starbucks Korea executives. Continue reading...