PM deflects question about literal red carpet for Putin and says Trump ‘an advocate for peace’ in Ukraine – as it happened

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Tim Wilson sidesteps question about whether Coalition will dump support for net zero

Finally, Wilson was asked about internal pressure within the Coalition to abandon support for any policies that might help Australia achieve net zero and to address the climate crisis.

We should make sure that we have net zero outages, net zero price increases, and net zero emissions, because you need to have things in a position of balance of policy to make sure that we can grow the future of the Australian economy, because that’s also the basis of social licence to cut emissions as well. If you don’t have net zero outages and net zero price increases, public support for net zero emissions reduction is also going to fray.

I’m going to work with my colleagues to make sure we drive them forward as part of a policy package to take to the next election. I’m absolutely committed to making sure we have simplification, to make it easier to employ more Australians, and to raise standards of living, and improve the number of Australians [getting jobs] and well-paid jobs.

We’ve got big challenges coming ahead around [things] like artificial intelligence and making sure we make workplaces more productive, but also building out the capacity for small businesses to be successful as part of a dynamic economy.

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BBC asks police to investigate new Strictly allegations, reports say

Move comes after claims earlier this month that two stars of the TV dance show used cocaine

The BBC has asked the police to investigate Strictly Come Dancing amid fresh allegations, according to reports, after claims two of its stars used cocaine.

The Sun on Sunday reported that the corporation has alerted the Metropolitan police to new allegations about the dance competition show, the details of which it does not specify.

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Three states to deploy hundreds of national guard troops to Washington DC

South Carolina and Ohio join West Virginia in pledging troops, fueling protests that national guard should not be used for ‘a political policing mission’

Three states have moved to deploy hundreds of members of their national guard to the nation’s capital as part of the Trump administration’s effort to overhaul policing in Washington through a federal crackdown.

West Virginia said it was deploying 300 to 400 guard troops, while South Carolina pledged 200 and Ohio said it would send 150 in the coming days.

The moves announced on Saturday came as protesters pushed back on federal law enforcement and national guard troops fanning out in the heavily Democratic city following Donald Trump’s executive order federalizing local police forces and activating about 800 District of Columbia national guard members.

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Anti-racism and anti-immigration protesters in Falkirk face off outside asylum hotel

Counter-demonstration offers welcome to refugees as anti-migrant protesters gather outside Cladhan hotel

Anti-racism campaigners held a counter-demonstration against people protesting against “uncontrolled illegal immigration” outside a hotel used to house asylum seekers in Scotland.

Stand Up to Racism Scotland, Falkirk Trades Union Council and local people said they organised the gathering in Falkirk on Saturday to show that refugees are welcome in the town.

Organisers described it as a “safely stewarded community event with music, speeches from the local community, the trade union movement, local campaigns, faith groups and others”.

Demonstrators held placards with messages such as “stop the far right”, “refugees welcome” and “migrants make our NHS”.

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AI tool that speeds up patient discharges trialled by NHS

Pilot at London trust aims to reduce paperwork and free up doctors, as UK brings AI to public services

An artificial intelligence tool designed to speed up the discharge of patients is being trialled at a hospital trust in London.

The platform completes documents needed to send fit patients home, potentially saving hours of delays and freeing up beds.

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ESPN drops Spike Lee’s docuseries on Colin Kaepernick, network and filmmaker say

Multi-part series on ex-NFL player who protested racial injustice will not continue over ‘creative differences’

Director Spike Lee’s multi-part documentary series for ESPN Films about former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who sparked a national debate when he protested racial injustice nearly a decade ago, will not be released, the filmmaker and ESPN said.

“ESPN, Colin Kaepernick and Spike Lee have collectively decided to no longer proceed with this project as a result of certain creative differences,” ESPN said in a statement to Reuters on Saturday. “Despite not reaching finality, we appreciate all the hard work and collaboration that went into this film.”

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Malnourished Gazan woman flown to Italy dies in hospital – BBC

  1. Malnourished Gazan woman flown to Italy dies in hospital  BBC
  2. Malnourished Palestinian woman dies in Italy after Gaza evacuation  The Guardian
  3. Woman from Gaza evacuated to Italy in a 'state of severe physical deterioration' dies in hospital  AP News
  4. Palestinian woman dies in Italy after evacuation from Gaza  The Jerusalem Post
  5. Vatican pediatric hospital welcomes more patients from Gaza  National Catholic Reporter
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Putin demands full control of Donetsk and Luhansk as condition for ending Ukraine war – live

Putin told Trump he would halt further advances and freeze Ukrainian frontline where Russian forces occupy significant areas, sources say

For those who feared the summit on Ukraine might resemble Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement of Adolf Hitler in 1938, the reality was worse.

The Guardian’s David Smith has this politics sketch from Anchorage:

Today, following a conversation with President Trump, we further coordinated positions with European leaders. The positions are clear. A real peace must be achieved, one that will be lasting, not just another pause between Russian invasions.

Killings must stop as soon as possible, the fire must cease both on the battlefield and in the sky, as well as against our port infrastructure. All Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians must be released, and the children abducted by Russia must be returned. Thousands of our people remain in captivity – they all must be brought home. Pressure on Russia must be maintained while the aggression and occupation continue.

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Prince William & Kate Middleton Moving Their Family Out of Adelaide Cottage Into Forest Lodge – Just Jared

  1. Prince William & Kate Middleton Moving Their Family Out of Adelaide Cottage Into Forest Lodge  Just Jared
  2. 'A fresh start': William and Kate to move to new Windsor home  BBC
  3. Kate Middleton and Prince William Relocating Family After 3 Years Living in Adelaide Cottage  People.com
  4. Prince and Princess of Wales moving to their ‘forever’ new home  The Times
  5. Where is Prince William and Kate Middleton’s new house? Inside the historic lodge set to become their ‘forever home’  The Independent
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‘Putin cannot be trusted’ — Nordic, Baltic countries issue joint statement supporting Ukraine’s sovereignty – The Kyiv Independent

  1. 'Putin cannot be trusted' — Nordic, Baltic countries issue joint statement supporting Ukraine's sovereignty  The Kyiv Independent
  2. Nordic-Baltic leaders say they remain steadfast in support of Ukraine  Reuters
  3. Nordic Countries Send Message to Trump Over Ukraine Peace Deal  Newsweek
  4. Baltic states know Russian occupation is never temporary  Financial Times
  5. Liberals stand united for Ukraine ahead of Alaska meeting  ALDE Party
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Novelist Greg Iles, ‘master of southern US gothic crime-writing’, dies aged 65

Author of Natchez Burning trilogy had battled blood cancer for decades, according to his literary agent

Greg Iles, the Mississippi author of the Natchez Burning trilogy and other works, has died. He was 65.

Iles died on Friday after a decades-long battle with the blood cancer multiple myeloma, his literary agent, Dan Conaway, posted on Saturday on Facebook.

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