The department of home affairs secretary, Stephanie Foster, has admitted to using disappearing messages on Signal, but says she complies with record-keeping obligations, as officials face scrutiny of their use of encrypted messaging apps in the wake of the Trump administration group chat scandal. The editor of the Atlantic, Jeff Goldberg, published a story this…
The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, is expected to call the federal election on Friday for a polling day in early May, according to Labor sources. Speculation had been rife in Canberra that Albanese could visit the governor general on either Friday or Sunday to capitalise on momentum from Tuesday’s federal budget and draw attention away…
Pizza parties and iPads are being offered to pupils as incentives to improve school attendance, according to a new report which says sanctions alone are less likely to work. While some schools in England are using fines, detentions and letters home to crack down on absence, others prefer a rewards-based approach, with prize draws for…
The opening night of the Melbourne international comedy festival was abandoned after the death of an audience member. The man suffered a medical emergency at the Palais theatre in St Kilda on Wednesday night, festival organisers said. The man was sitting at the back of the theatre and audience members attempted to give him CPR…
The vehicle of four United States soldiers missing in Lithuania has been discovered submerged in water, the US army said, adding that search efforts for the soldiers were ongoing. The soldiers went missing during a military drill during an exercise at the General Silvestras Žukauskas training ground in Pabradė, a town located less than 10km…
Whistleblowers who inform HMRC about tax-dodging will get a cut of any money collected as a result, the government confirmed, as Rachel Reeves announced plans to raise an extra £1bn a year by closing the “tax gap”. At her first budget in October, Reeves vowed to collect £6.5bn a year by cracking down on tax…
Whistleblowers who inform HMRC about tax-dodging will get a cut of any money collected as a result, the government confirmed, as Rachel Reeves announced plans to raise an extra £1bn a year by closing the “tax gap”. At her first budget in October, Reeves vowed to collect £6.5bn a year by cracking down on tax…
It’s just hours since the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, delivered her spring statement, which slashed disability benefits. Lee, a 43-year-old man with autism, is weighing the damage. “I stand to lose so much,” he said. “If all these cuts happen, I could end up homeless. I’m going to lose my independence, I’m going to lose basically…
Someone tucked a heart-shaped note of encouragement into socks packed for Luigi Mangione to wear to court recently in the case surrounding the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, prosecutors said in a court document released on Wednesday. Writings and words on bullets recovered from the scene reflected Mangione’s alleged hostility toward health insurers and corporate America….
Rachel Reeves must cope with lower growth and higher borrowing costs this year, as the Treasury’s independent forecaster said the global economic situation was more unpredictable and could worsen in 2025. In a report to coincide with the chancellor’s spring statement, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said the economic outlook was “more challenging” and…
