Qantas tests new ultra-long range Airbus in 17,000km direct flight from France to Melbourne

• The UN has warned that escalating Middle East tensions are threatening vital regional trade routes, specifically the Strait of Hormuz. • The situation is exacerbated by ongoing American airstrikes on Iran and a diplomatic stalemate regarding the closure of the crucial energy waterway.

• Israel has launched air and ground assaults in Syria, viewing the current regime as a significant security threat. • Despite the United States easing sanctions and Arab states pledging financial aid, the country continues to face instability and minority tensions.

• The Middle East is entering a critical phase of energy reconstruction to repair damaged power systems and infrastructure. • Beyond engineering, the process involves strategic decisions regarding financing, equipment supply, software control, and long-term operational maintenance.

New York Times reports that list of those killed changed from 18 on Wednesday to 14 on ThursdayThe Pentagon’s official online list of service members killed in the ongoing Iran war does not include the four soldiers who died during renewed fighting over the weekend, despite the fact that their names were included in a Pentagon press release on the formal transfer of their remains back to the United States on Wednesday.A review of the current list on the Pentagon’s Defense Casualty Analysis System website shows that, despite having been last updated on Wednesday, the number of US military personnel killed during Operation Epic Fury, the Pentagon’s name for the US-Israeli war on Iran that Donald Trump launched on 28 February, remains at 14. Continue reading...

Suspect allegedly yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ before attacking a 57-year-old Asian man and a 50-year-old Jewish manNew York City police are investigating a pair of stabbings near Central Park as a possible hate crime, police commissioner Jessica Tisch said Thursday.The suspect, Raul Morales, allegedly stabbed a 57-year-old Asian man in the back with a knife, then stabbed a 50-year-old Jewish man in the torso with a screwdriver, according to a New York police department spokesperson. Morales allegedly yelled “Allahu Akbar” before the stabbings, police said. The attacks occurred about two blocks apart and in broad daylight in Manhattan’s affluent Upper West Side neighborhood. Continue reading...

Sonam Wangchuk halted strike amid concerns about ‘possible violence’ in India as protest movement urges demonstrations across country on Friday over police brutalityIndian “cockroach” activist Sonam Wangchuk ended a 26-day hunger strike on Friday over an exam paper scandal that has spiralled into a wideranging youth-led protest against Narendra Modi’s government, with protesters continuing to call for the education minister to resign.Wangchuk said on social media that he ended the hunger strike in Delhi in the presence of two federal ministers at the urging of scores of members ⁠of parliament, and after “a long negotiation on various conditions and in view of possible violence in the country”. He did not elaborate on the talks but promised to lay out details in a video soon. Continue reading...

Australia’s trade minister, Don Farrell, says tariff regime is unjustified and inconsistent with free trade agreement with USFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDonald Trump has hit Australian exports with new trade tariffs, claiming the country is not doing enough to combat forced labour, but the Albanese government has demanded he remove them immediately.The United States announced on Friday morning (AEST) that many Australian exports now attract a new 12.5% tariff as part of a broader regime affecting dozens of countries. Continue reading...

IRGC claims base in south-west England was used by US to launch bombing missions, making it ‘legitimate target’Middle East crisis live – latest updatesThe government has said the UK is “ready to defend itself” after Iran’s military warned that any bases being used by the US were “legitimate targets”.The UK has allowed the US to launch “defensive” operations from British bases hosting American planes since the start of its war on Iran but has refused to help in offensive operations. Continue reading...

Vote from advisory group – whose members include people linked to peptides industry – likely to embolden RFK JrA panel of federal health advisers on Thursday narrowly recommended easing access to several peptides popular with wellness influencers and celebrities, despite warnings from government scientists that the chemicals have not been shown to be safe or effective.In a series of votes, outside experts to the Food and Drug Administration advised the agency to drop current restrictions barring pharmacies from producing injectable peptides with names like BPC-157, TB-500 and KPV. Continue reading...

Elon Musk’s EV company lost a quarter of its value after revealing weak profits and high spending on AI and roboticsTesla’s stock fell about 13.5% on Thursday in one of the biggest single-day market losses in the company’s history.Elon Musk’s automaker has struggled throughout the year, losing about 27% of its market value as huge capital expenditures and weaker-than-expected profits worry investors. Continue reading...

Defense attorneys question LAPD criminalist on third day of hearing to decide whether singer will stand trialAttorneys for the singer D4vd scrutinized how law enforcement officials chose to test evidence found in his home during the third day of a hearing to determine whether he will stand trial for murder and child sexual abuse.Prosecutors say D4vd, born David Anthony Burke, fatally stabbed 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez last year to silence her from exposing the sexual nature of their relationship amid his rising profile in the music world. Continue reading...