Australia politics live: cabinet ‘crafting the offer’ for next election, PM tells caucus; transport department boss quizzed over Taylor Swift shirt

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Anthony Albanese reminds his colleagues that government now in the final 12 months of its first term. Follow the day’s news live

‘Last 24 hours only reinforces need’ for immediate humanitarian ceasefire, return of hostages and aid access, Conroy says

Pat Conroy was also asked about Israel’s assault on a refugee camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah.

Well, we’re incredibly concerned by what we saw in Rafah. And that’s why we’ve been continuing to call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. We’ve also called for an immediate return of all hostages that Hamas have taken. And the immediate opening of access so we can get massive amounts of humanitarian support into the Gaza. So immediate humanitarian ceasefire, release of hostages and immediate flow of aid is critical. That’s the Australian government’s position and you’re absolutely right, what we’ve seen overnight or over the last 24 hours only reinforces the need for those three things.

No, to be quite frank, we don’t. The Papua New Guinean government has asked the UN agencies to coordinate partner countries and those assessments are going on right now. But this is an incredibly inaccessible part of Papua New Guinea. And it’s a really challenging process for everyone.

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Police deploy divers and dog in search for mother and baby after evidence of birth found on Sydney riverbank

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Officers urge woman to go to hospital to receive care after placenta and umbilical cord found next to Cooks River at Earlwood

Police have deployed divers and a blood detection dog in the search for a mother and her newborn baby after finding evidence she may have given birth by a Sydney riverbank.

A resident walking his dog found what police believe to be a placenta and umbilical cord next to the Cooks River at Earlwood in the city’s south-west on Monday afternoon. Police said tests on the organs had revealed them to be human.

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How Ozempic is re-shaping the US

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The company behind the weight-loss drug has made millions, but without health insurance it is unaffordable for many. George Chidi reports

George Chidi, a politics and democracy reporter for Guardian US, recently came to Europe on holiday. He had been looking forward to eating his way around Paris and London, and was especially looking forward to the cheese. But when he got here, something surprised him. He enjoyed the food but found he wasn’t overeating.

For the past few months, he explains to Hannah Moore, he has been taking the weight-loss drug Ozempic. Almost 2% of the population in the US is taking it and the company behind it is worth billions. But while it’s been a big year for semaglutide weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic, the changes they are making to US society are only just beginning.

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Clover Moore to seek record sixth term as lord mayor of Sydney

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Moore, who has been in the job for past 20 years, says she would focus on climate change, affordable homes and green spaces after election

Sydney’s lord mayor, Clover Moore, will seek a record sixth term later this year, promising voters she would continue to focus on climate change, affordable homes, green spaces and revitalising city precincts.

The longstanding independent politician said she was “energised” about the work still ahead when she announced her re-election run on Tuesday.

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Pro-Palestine protesters at ANU move campus camp by 50 metres ahead of noon deadline

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University dramatically escalated its response to the on-campus occupation on Monday, demanding protesters vacate their site in the centre of campus

Student protesters in Canberra have moved their pro-Palestine encampment to a new location after police demanded they pack up by noon on Tuesday.

Protesters at the Australian National University voted on Monday night to relocate their camp 50 metres down the road, saying they had engaged in good faith. But they condemned what they called “reckless and unjustifiable intimidation tactics” from the university.

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Threatened species and chips? Other fish frequently sold as flake, Australian study finds

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Scalloped hammerhead and greeneye spurdog among at-risk shark discovered in genetic testing of fillets

One in 10 fillets of shark meat bought by Australians at fish and chip shops and markets – often labelled as flake – is from a threatened species, according to a study that has uncovered widespread mislabelling of shark sold to the public.

Nine of 91 fillets were found to be either scalloped hammerhead, greeneye spurdog or school shark – all considered threatened in Australia – after scientists at Macquarie University used DNA analysis to check what they were sold.

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Inflation in UK shops falls amid price cuts on furniture and TVs

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Biggest drop since November 2021 as ‘unseasonable’ weather pushes retailers to continue promotions

Shop price inflation has eased to the lowest level since November 2021 after retailers cut the price of big purchases such as furniture and TVs as households keep a tight rein on spending amid cost of living pressures and poor weather.

Prices rose at an annual rate of 0.6% in May, down from 0.8% in April – the slowest pace since November 2021 – according to the latest monitor from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) trade body and the market research firm NielsenIQ.

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Sunak struggles to control Tory party on chaotic fifth day of election campaign

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Prime minister campaigns in Buckinghamshire as his military service plan is criticised and MP defects to Reform

Rishi Sunak struggled to keep control of his fractured party on a chaotic fifth day of the Tory election campaign, as one MP defected to Reform and a minister criticised the prime minister’s pledge to bring back national service.

Sunak was in Buckinghamshire as he sought to get back on the front foot after a bruising start to the snap election, with Tory insiders increasingly worried about his strategy and performance.

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Rachel Reeves will vow to lead most ‘pro-growth’ Treasury in UK history

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Labour will strike balance between workers’ needs and business interests, shadow chancellor to tell bosses

Rachel Reeves will pledge on Tuesday to lead the most “pro-growth” Treasury in UK history if Labour wins the general election.

Addressing business leaders, the shadow chancellor is poised to claim her party would “return to the centre ground of politics” by striking a balance between workers’ needs and business interests.

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‘Serial slingshot’ suspect who terrorized California neighborhood arrested

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‘We’re not aware of any kind of motive other than just malicious mischief, say police, of 81-year-old man who was arrested

An 81-year-old man who investigators say terrorized a southern California neighborhood for years with a slingshot has been arrested, police said.

While conducting an investigation, detectives “learned that during the course of 9-10 years, dozens of citizens were being victimized by a serial slingshot shooter”, the Asuza police department said in a statement.

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Biden honors troops on Memorial Day as Trump lashes out at his ‘human scum’ enemies

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In divergent messages, president pays tribute to fallen heroes, while Trump fulminates on social media against opponents

Joe Biden and Donald Trump marked the Memorial Day national holiday honoring America’s war dead with jarringly divergent messages that promised to foretell the forthcoming US presidential election campaign as a contest of sharply contrasting characters.

In a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, Biden paid tribute to the fallen as heroes who sacrificed themselves in the service of American democracy and ideals. Meanwhile, Trump, taking to his Truth Social site, took a very different tack – bestowing holiday wishes on those he branded “human scum” and accused them of trying to destroy the country.

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‘One of a kind’ NBA champion and broadcaster Bill Walton dies at 71

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  • Center won championships with Portland and Boston
  • Walton became a popular broadcaster after playing career

Hall of fame basketball star and two-time NBA champion Bill Walton has died of cancer at the age of 71, the NBA announced on Monday.

“Bill Walton was truly one of a kind,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “As a Hall of Fame player, he redefined the center position. His unique all-around skills made him a dominant force at UCLA and led to an NBA regular-season and Finals MVP, two NBA championships and a spot on the NBA’s 50th and 75th Anniversary Teams.”

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