Guardian Essential poll: more voters say Albanese ‘out of touch’ with ordinary Australians than Peter Dutton

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Survey also finds 40% of people say antisemitism is a major issue in Australia, while 48% say it is a minor issue

More voters see Peter Dutton as in touch with ordinary Australians, decisive and better in a crisis than Anthony Albanese, with the opposition leader’s standing improving on key leadership indicators in the latest Guardian Essential poll.

Parliament returns on Tuesday for potentially the last sitting fortnight before the federal election (which must be held by mid-May). Questions about the Labor government’s response to antisemitism and the alleged caravan bomb discovered in Sydney are expected to dominate the political agenda.

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EU will stand up for itself in face of Trump tariffs threat, Macron says

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French president and other leaders call for cooperation with Washington but vow a robust response if needed

The EU will stand up for itself if its interests are targeted, Emmanuel Macron has said, as the bloc’s leaders urged talks – but a firm response if needed – in response to Donald Trump’s weekend threat to impose punishing tariffs.

“If our commercial interests are attacked, Europe, as a true power, will have to make itself respected and therefore react,” the French president said as he arrived for an informal defence meeting with other leaders in Brussels on Monday.

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Eastern Congo rebel alliance declares ceasefire starting on Feb. 4 – Reuters

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  1. Eastern Congo rebel alliance declares ceasefire starting on Feb. 4  Reuters
  2. Rwanda’s president says he doesn’t know if his country’s troops are in DRC  CNN
  3. Rwanda-Backed Rebels in Congo Say They Will Begin a Ceasefire  Bloomberg
  4. There are bodies in the streets in the DRC as rebel group's sweep reignites decades old conflict  NBC News
  5. Congo demands international sanctions 'to stop Rwanda'  Reuters
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UK not choosing between US and EU, says Keir Starmer – BBC.com

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  1. UK not choosing between US and EU, says Keir Starmer  BBC.com
  2. Trump tariffs: what’s at stake for the UK and EU?  The Guardian
  3. UK’s Starmer seeks strong trade relations with the US in the wake of Trump’s tariffs  The Associated Press
  4. UK plans possible retaliation if Trump puts tariffs on British goods  Financial Times
  5. If Britain is to avoid Trump’s tariffs, the NHS may have to pay the price  The Independent
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Greenland plans to ban foreign political funding over Trump-led election fears

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Bill to rule out interference from abroad expected to pass this week as country prepares for polls before 6 April

Greenland plans to ban foreign political donations over fears about potential interference in its forthcoming elections after attracting Donald Trump’s interest.

The government of the autonomous territory, which is a former Danish colony and remains part of the kingdom of Denmark, announced details of a bill on Monday intended to “safeguard the political integrity of Greenland”.

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Keir Starmer says he wants ‘ambitious security partnership’ with EU

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PM says UK does not have to choose between Europe and US, before meeting EU leaders in Brussels

Keir Starmer has said he wants an “ambitious security partnership” with the EU, while insisting the UK does not have to choose between Europe and the US.

The prime minister was speaking before meeting EU leaders in Brussels to discuss security and defence, the first time a British leader has attended a European Council meeting since Britain left the EU five years ago.

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UN reports ‘alarming rise’ in Russia executing Ukrainian soldiers – POLITICO Europe

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  1. UN reports ‘alarming rise’ in Russia executing Ukrainian soldiers  POLITICO Europe
  2. Russia accelerating executions of Ukrainian POWs: UN  Al Jazeera English
  3. UN Documents ‘Alarming Rise’ in Russian Executions of Captured Ukrainians  Kyiv Post
  4. Russian Army Increasingly Killing Captured Ukrainian Soldiers, UN Says  The Moscow Times
  5. Ukraine investigates video of possible POW executions by Russian troops  CBS News
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With DC invite, Netanyahu already has huge win. Now he has to convince Trump on Gaza plan – The Times of Israel

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  1. With DC invite, Netanyahu already has huge win. Now he has to convince Trump on Gaza plan  The Times of Israel
  2. As Netanyahu and Trump to meet, Ron Dermer has to find ‘the formula of the century’  The Times of Israel
  3. Benjamin Netanyahu weakened on the eve of his meeting with Donald Trump  Le Monde
  4. Trump comments on Gaza ceasefire, IDF continues op. in Tulkarm, Jenin  The Jerusalem Post
  5. Netanyahu portrays U.S. visit as a triumph despite hurdles over Gaza  The Washington Post
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Merz doubles down on gambit with German far right in combative speech

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Prospective chancellor takes startlingly aggressive line against those protesting against gamble with AfD

The German conservative opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, whose party is widely tipped to win this month’s general election, defended his hardline migration proposals after a wave of protests accused him of breaching the time-honoured “firewall” between the far right and centrists.

In an uncompromising speech to a party congress of his Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Berlin, Merz said he was confident they would win the 23 February vote “with a very good result”, well ahead of the anti-immigration, anti-Islam Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), which has been consistently placing second in the polls.

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G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the Escalation of Violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo – Department of State

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  1. G7 Foreign Ministers’ Statement on the Escalation of Violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo  Department of State
  2. Eastern Congo rebel alliance declares ceasefire starting on Feb. 4  Reuters
  3. Food prices skyrocket in DR Congo’s Goma after M23 takeover  Al Jazeera English
  4. 5 things to know about the fighting in the Democratic Republic of Congo  NPR
  5. Rebels call for ceasefire in DR Congo after hundreds are killed in a week of fighting  CNN
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Car bomb blast in northern Syria kills at least 20 – BBC.com

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  1. Car bomb blast in northern Syria kills at least 20  BBC.com
  2. Car bombing kills 20 in northern Syria’s Manbij: Presidency  Al Jazeera English
  3. At least 15 killed in car bomb explosion in northern Syria  ABC News
  4. Car Bomb in Syria Kills 15 Agricultural Workers  The New York Times
  5. Another car bomb in a northern Syria city kills at least 19, mostly women  The Associated Press
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Scientists hope these tiny froglets can save their species – The Associated Press

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  1. Scientists hope these tiny froglets can save their species  The Associated Press
  2. Endangered frogs born at London zoo after rescue mission in Chile  The Guardian
  3. A Leap of Hope: Endangered Frogs First Seen by Charles Darwin Give Birth in London to Help Avoid Extinction  Good News Network
  4. Tiny endangered Chilean froglets are born in London after 7,000 mile mission to save them from extinction  Yahoo! Voices
  5. Endangered male frogs 'give birth' to 33 froglets after 7,000-mile journey  Fox Weather
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