MPs threaten fresh inquiry into carers allowance scandal amid redress delays

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Unpaid carers say they remain ‘in limbo’ as DWP continues to pursue discredited repayment bills

MPs have threatened to launch a fresh inquiry into the handling of the carers allowance scandal after unpaid carers spoke of being “stuck in limbo” by the government’s response.

The warning came amid concerns over delays in Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) plans to offer redress to tens of thousands of carers who were unfairly issued with overpayment bills based on discredited official guidance.

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Mayoral races in balance as voting opens in last round of French local elections

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Electoral alliances expected to play vital role in number of contests including Paris and Marseille

Voting is under way in France in the second round of local elections – seen as a bellwether for next year’s presidential race – with cities including Paris and Marseille in the balance and both the radical left and far right hoping for gains.

Most of France’s 35,000-odd communes elected their councils in the first round last Sunday, but in municipalities where the contest is tighter, including most large urban areas, the second round will be decisive, with electoral alliances playing a key role.

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One Nation wins at least one SA seat as Liberals consider ‘sobering lessons’ from election defeat

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Labor’s Peter Malinauskas secures at least 32 seats while Pauline Hanson’s party outpolls Liberals and could become de facto opposition

One Nation will win at least one South Australian lower house seat, and is leading in a handful of others, as the Liberals consider “sobering lessons” from Saturday’s thumping election loss to Labor.

One Nation’s electoral success came as federal MP Barnaby Joyce downplayed racism and bigotry accusations against the party before likening a ban on migration from Muslim countries to buying cattle “that just don’t work”.

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Iran social media strategy pivots to information war amid US-Israel attack

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Cyber experts say influence operations in ‘asymmetric’ campaign to intensify moral pressure on US and Israel

Iran has radically overhauled its social media strategy in an all-out information war launched by the country’s Islamic rulers in response to US and Israeli military attacks.

Cyber experts say Iranian foreign influence operations have gone into overdrive as part of an “asymmetric” campaign designed to complement its military retaliation and intensify moral pressure on the US and Israel into curtailing their war efforts.

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‘The stakes are enormous’: how a prolonged Iran war could shock the global economy

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Donald Trump’s ‘little excursion’ is likely to have long-term effects, from oil prices to inflation to growth, say experts

In the days after the US and Israel first bombed Iran, financial markets bet the economic fallout from Donald Trump’s “little excursion” in the Middle East would be short-lived.

“There are risks from higher oil prices longer term. But this is a tail risk,” one US-based fund manger said after the airstrike killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “History has shown time and time again that geopolitical flare-ups like this tend to be short-lived. This one should prove to be no exception.’’

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How Ukraine’s front line became a laboratory for drone innovation – AP News

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  1. How Ukraine’s front line became a laboratory for drone innovation  AP News
  2. Ukraine strings nets over cities as killer drones turn streets into war zones  NPR
  3. Urban Warfare Project Podcast: Drones and Urban Warfare in Ukraine  Modern War Institute -
  4. Analysis: Ukraine’s Drone Strikes vs. Russia So Far in 2026 – Bigger Swarms, More Explosions  Kyiv Post
  5. Ukraine says it can arm allies with 1,000 anti-Shahed interceptors a day, maybe more, if it gets more investment  Business Insider
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Liberals have ‘a lot of work to do’ after SA wipeout, Anne Ruston says – As it happened

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Australia not ‘contemplating’ fuel rationing but state and federal governments have powers, Bowen says

State governments also had fuel rationing powers, Chris Bowen said.

When I was a kid … in the 80s in Sydney, I remember petrol rationing was done by state governments – the state governments do have powers there.

Yes, the Commonwealth government, under the fuel emergency act, has powers.

It’s not designed to be invoked lightly. It really has powers primarily around defence and health, in the first instance, to ensure that those key areas are getting diesel that they need, but also other forms of fuel.

I would need to be satisfied that there’s a real shortage and that the powers under that act are useful.

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World faces gas supply cliff edge as Gulf’s final LNG shipments approach ports – Financial Times

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  1. World faces gas supply cliff edge as Gulf’s final LNG shipments approach ports  Financial Times
  2. Exclusive: Iran attacks wipe out 17% of Qatar’s LNG capacity for up to five years, QatarEnergy CEO says  Reuters
  3. What to know about South Pars, the largest natural gas field in the world and lifeline for Iran, after Israeli strike  abcnews.com
  4. Exclusive-Qatar's energy boss says he had warned of dangers of provoking Iran  Yahoo
  5. Trump’s Complaint About Israeli Strike on Gas Field Exposes Divergent Strategies  The New York Times
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Meloni v the judges: high stakes for Italian PM in vote on judiciary overhaul

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National referendum is being seen as a de facto confidence vote on the government – and the polls are neck and neck

In the run-up to a referendum in Italy on a government quest to overhaul the judiciary, a campaign flyer circulated online quoting Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister, taking aim at judges and feminists. “Judges block the deportations of rapists. Where are the feminists? Vote yes – there will not be another opportunity,” it read.

The flyer, posted on the Facebook page of Meloni’s Brothers of Italy, a party with neofascist roots, was subsequently removed. But its tone has defined a campaign dominated by inflammatory rhetoric rather than meaningful debate.

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Election in Slovenia Will Test Europe’s Political Mood – The New York Times

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  1. Election in Slovenia Will Test Europe’s Political Mood  The New York Times
  2. Slovenia’s Freedom Movement Party takes narrow election lead: Exit poll  Al Jazeera
  3. Slovenians vote in close race between ruling liberals and populist right  Reuters
  4. A spy scandal upends Slovenia’s election campaign  The Economist
  5. Slovenia goes to polls in election marked by claims of anti-Romany rhetoric  The Guardian
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France Chose Thousands of New Mayors on Sunday. Here’s Why It Matters. – The New York Times

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  1. France Chose Thousands of New Mayors on Sunday. Here’s Why It Matters.  The New York Times
  2. After 25 years of socialist rule, where does Paris go now?  CNN
  3. French Local Elections Are Yardstick for Far Right. Initial Results Are Mixed.  The New York Times
  4. Socialists battle to hold Paris as France holds mayoral elections  BBC
  5. French election: Socialists take Paris, far right wins in Riviera — live updates  politico.eu
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Six fuel ships bound for Australia cancelled as Bowen concedes ‘flow of oil to Asian refineries has slowed’

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Energy minister says war on Iran creating ‘uncertain environment’ but insists government doing ‘all the preparatory work’

Six oil ships bound for Australia have been cancelled in recent days but the federal government is not yet considering any drastic measures, the energy minister, Chris Bowen, says.

Bowen said on Sunday that six ships from Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea, that had been expected to arrive next month, were cancelled or deferred. The federal government was working to replace the ships, with some already substituted, the minister told ABC TV.

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Iran strikes near Israeli nuclear research center as Trump threatens attacks on Iranian power plants – Politico

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  1. Iran strikes near Israeli nuclear research center as Trump threatens attacks on Iranian power plants  Politico
  2. Tehran strikes two Israeli communities near nuclear research site after Iran's Natanz enrichment plant hit  CNBC
  3. Israel says 'war is not close to ending' as its nuclear research center is targeted for first time  Fortune
  4. Iran attacks near Israeli nuclear site, fires long-range missiles for first time  Reuters
  5. Number of injured in Iranian missile strike on Arad rises to 84 — MDA  The Times of Israel
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Flights Are Still Taking Off as Missiles Rain Down in the Middle East – WSJ

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  1. Flights Are Still Taking Off as Missiles Rain Down in the Middle East  WSJ
  2. Planes are landing, taking off within five minutes of missile alerts in UAE, WSJ report reveals  Yahoo
  3. MAPPED: 65 planes were diverted as a drone strike caused flight chaos at Dubai Airport once again  Business Insider
  4. Emirates resumes limited flight schedule from DXB  Time Out Dubai
  5. An Emirates aircraft prepares for landing as smoke rises from an ongoing fire near Dubai International Airport on March 16  themercury.com
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