Wealth, drugs and rape: US luxury real estate stars convicted of sex trafficking
Three brothers, including two of America’s most successful luxury real estate brokers, were convicted of sex trafficking charges on Monday after a five-week trial over accusations that they used drugs and force to rape scores of women they had dazzled with their wealth and opulent lifestyle. The verdict came after 11 women testified they were sexually assaulted by one or more of the brothers: twins Oren and Alon Alexander, 38, and Tal Alexander, 39. All three of the men shook their heads as the... [Continue Reading]
Three Australians sentenced to prison in Bali for involvement in fatal shooting of Melbourne man Zivan Radmanovic
A court in Bali, Indonesia, has sentenced three Australian citizens, Mevlut Coskun, Paea I Middlemore Tupou, and Darcy Jenson, to prison terms for their involvement in the fatal shooting of Zivan Radmanovic, a 32-year-old from Melbourne. The sentences handed down are 16 years for Coskun and 12 years each for Tupou and Jenson. The incident occurred in 2025, with prosecutors revealing that the defendants were allegedly hired by an unidentified individual to carry out the shooting. The case has drawn significant media attention, particularly due to the circumstances surrounding the events that led to the shooting. The three men were... [Continue Reading]
Trump’s Iran war will reinforce North Korea’s view that nuclear weapons are the only path to security
As speculation mounts that Kim Jong-un and Trump could meet this month, analysts say Pyongyang will continue to see nuclear weapons as a matter of survivalNorth Korea’s launch last week of a missile from a naval destroyer elicited an uncharacteristically prosaic analysis from the country’s leader, Kim Jong-un. The launch was proof, he said, that arming ships with nuclear weapons was “making satisfactory progress”.But the test, and Kim’s mildly upbeat appraisal, were designed to reverberate well beyond the deck of the 5,000-tonne destroyer-class vessel the Choe Hyon – the biggest warship in the North Korean fleet. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Attempted bombing at Gracie Mansion raises security concerns as two men linked to ISIS are arrested
An attempted bombing at Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the Mayor of New York City, has raised serious concerns about security and terrorism in the region. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has addressed the incident cautiously, offering limited comments after the arrests of two men allegedly motivated by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). This incident marks a significant escalation in the ongoing concerns regarding domestic terrorism and radicalization within the United States. According to reports, the two men arrested are believed to have planned an attack at the mansion, although detailed motivations and operational specifics remain unclear. This... [Continue Reading]
Kia Carnival escape one of 12 since US firm took control of Australian immigration detention, damning report finds
Staffing levels at centres ‘critical’ under Management and Training Corporation, prisons watchdog says Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAt least 12 escapes have occurred since a US private prison operator began running Australia’s immigration detention network, including by a high-risk detainee who was mistakenly placed in an unsecured Kia Carnival with a makeshift weapon, a scathing report has found.The prisons watchdog, the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), on Tuesday released a damning report about the running of the onshore immigration detention centres during their transition to Management and... [Continue Reading]
Teenager who killed Ipswich woman Vyleen White appeals 16-year sentence
The 17-year-old boy, who cannot legally be named, pleaded guilty to Vyleen White's murder and several other offences last year. [Continue Reading]
Military Intervention Against Iran Enters Second Week Amid Ongoing U.S. and Israeli Operations
The military intervention against Iran, which began with significant operations on February 28, continues into its second week, highlighting ongoing U.S. and Israeli military objectives in the region. U.S. President Donald Trump recently addressed congressional Republicans, asserting that the conflict could conclude “pretty quickly” as he lauded the successes of military actions undertaken during the campaign, termed Operation Epic Fury. Trump characterized the military engagement as a necessary measure to eliminate perceived threats. Initial phases of the conflict saw large-scale air and missile assaults targeting Iranian military assets, including crucial air-defense systems, missile launching sites, and naval facilities. The operation's... [Continue Reading]
Five things I do (as a therapist) when anxiety takes over
No-one is harder on me than me. Anxiety thrives on this. Along the way, I've built a toolkit that helps me regulate, reconnect and come back to myself. [Continue Reading]
Labor moves to block some temporary visa holders travelling to Australia amid Middle East war
Proposed legislation would allow home affairs minister to prevent people from certain places – such as Iran – entering the country Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor is toughening immigration laws to stop people from some countries travelling to Australia on some temporary visas and seeking to stay permanently because of the Middle East war.The assistant citizenship minister, Julian Hill, introduced urgent amendments on Tuesday, hours after home affairs minister, Tony Burke, facilitated asylum applications from members of the Iranian women’s soccer team. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Could foreign judges give China’s legal system the expertise to go global?
China should bring in judges from overseas and expand arbitration pilot programmes to extend the international reach of its legal system, according to a former senior justice official. Xiong Xuanguo, who was vice-minister of justice from 2016 to 2023, said China’s legal system was not integrated with others around the world, making it difficult for the country to enforce its court judgments abroad. To tackle the problem, China should train its arbitrators to meet global standards and also hire... [Continue Reading]
High-profile real estate brothers convicted in sex trafficking case
Prosecutors accused the brothers of using their wealth to lure women to parties and luxury homes, then taking advantage of them. [Continue Reading]
Fertiliser prices skyrocket for Aussie farmers as Middle East conflict rages on
The Middle East conflict is driving up the cost of an essential fertiliser for Australian farmers, but there are other factors more likely to affect grocery prices. [Continue Reading]
'No-brainer' rezoning plan could see 18,300 new Sydney homes
The NSW government on Tuesday unveiled plans to rezone the 113-hectare Burwood North precinct, positioning it as a residential hub between Sydney's CBD and Parramatta. [Continue Reading]
Trump Seeks to Calm Oil and Gas Markets but Says Iran War Will Go On
The president said the U.S. could accompany tankers through the Strait of Hormuz if necessary to keep oil flowing. “We’ve already won in many ways, but we haven’t won enough,” he said. [Continue Reading]
The Papers: 'Drive less to save on fuel' and 'War is near end'
Experts warning fuel could hit £2 a litre and Trump saying the Iran war is near its end lead Tuesday's papers. [Continue Reading]
As Alex Johnston approaches eternity, rugby league must brace itself
As Alex Johnston moves to the edge of forever in his chase of the all-time try-scoring record, rugby league must brace itself for a chance that only comes around once or twice a century. [Continue Reading]
How a daring escape by Iranian soccer players secured their asylum in Australia
The Australian government grants temporary humanitarian visas to five athletes from the Iranian women's football team after they escaped from their team hotel on the Gold Coast with assistance from the Australian Federal Police. [Continue Reading]
Iran war may end ‘pretty quickly’: What Trump told Republicans
US president highlighted what he described as the successes of Operation Epic Fury against Iran in his latest speech. [Continue Reading]
Why China’s economic reset is a credibility test for Hong Kong
China’s annual parliamentary “two sessions” have been framed as a show of resilience in a turbulent world. That framing is not wrong but it is incomplete. Beijing’s deliberately lower 2026 economic growth target is less an admission of weakness than a signal that the growth playbook is being rewritten. For Hong Kong, this is not background noise. It is a test of whether policy alignment can be converted into institutional credibility. When Premier Li Qiang delivered the government work report... [Continue Reading]
Two Supreme Court Justices Debate Handling of Trump Emergency Cases
In a rare joint appearance, Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Brett M. Kavanaugh offered sharply different views on how the court should handle emergency requests. [Continue Reading]
Son charged with manslaughter after allegedly neglecting elderly mother
A Canberra man is facing a manslaughter charge after allegedly neglecting his elderly mother who was found living in extremely poor conditions before her death. [Continue Reading]
Australia to send missiles to UAE, deploy reconnaissance plane, but no troops
Australia will deploy a military surveillance aircraft to the Middle East and send missiles to the United Arab Emirates but will not put troops on the ground in Iran, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday. Australia’s military support would help the Gulf countries defend themselves against unprovoked attacks from Iran, Albanese said, stressing Australia was “not a protagonist”. “Our involvement is purely defensive,” Albanese told reporters. “And it’s in defence of Australians who... [Continue Reading]
Games Inbox: When will the next big Super Mario game be announced?
The Tuesday letters page is shocked at how expensive amiibo have got, as one reader laments the recent job losses amongst Battlefield 6 developers. [Continue Reading]
US and Arab states turn to Ukraine for help against Iranian drone attacks
Ukraine is called upon to provide drone defence expertise to the US and Gulf states as the region struggles to counter swarms of Iranian attack drones. [Continue Reading]
Hungarian Tax Authority seizes $115 million and gold from Ukrainian state savings bank funds amid tensions with Ukraine
The Hungarian Tax Authority has confirmed the seizure of approximately $115 million and a quantity of gold from Ukrainian funds associated with the state savings bank of Ukraine. This controversial action follows the detention of seven bank employees, all of whom were later returned to Ukraine. However, the seized assets remain in Hungarian custody, leading to significant international tensions, particularly between Hungary and Ukraine. The ruling Fidesz party in Hungary has proposed that the seized cash and gold be retained for an investigation lasting two months. This decision has been interpreted by Ukrainian officials as an act of theft, exacerbating... [Continue Reading]
Mamdani Chooses His Words Carefully After Alleged Terror Attack
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has been spare in his remarks following the attempted bombing at Gracie Mansion and arrests of two men who said they were motivated by ISIS. [Continue Reading]
Increase in construction activity last month - AIB report
The construction sector recorded an increase in activity levels last month for the first time in almost a year, according to the latest Purchasing Managers' Index from AIB. [Continue Reading]
China ‘996’ work culture dates back 2,200 years, shows work-life balance struggles through the ages
In modern China, the so-called 996 work culture, working six days a week from 9am to 9pm, has become a major point of contention. While some advocate for the gruelling schedule as a fast track to success, others decry it as “modern slavery”, pointing to cases where excessive work hours have led to severe health problems or even death. The debate was first ignited in 2019, when an anonymous protest on GitHub, a global developer platform owned by Microsoft, drew attention to how the 996 culture... [Continue Reading]
The 11 Super Mario side characters who deserve their own game
It's MAR10 Day today but while there are plenty of games starring Mario himself, which of his allies and enemies also deserve a spin-off game? [Continue Reading]
Snow for some as winter weather returns to UK this week
The weather is set to get a lot colder as the week progresses, as Tomasz Shafernaker explains. [Continue Reading]
Trapped teenagers recount dramatic waterfall rescue
Three teenagers say they were well-prepared for a hike through a Far North Queensland waterfall gorge, but one thing they had not been ready for was the rate at which fast-moving water would rise. [Continue Reading]
Trump suggests war could end ‘very soon’ but issues threat to Iran over oil
President makes evidence-free claim despite video showing US Tomahawk missile hit naval base next to schoolAs oil prices surged amid the widening war with Iran, Donald Trump suggested, without evidence, on Monday that the strike on an Iranian elementary school could have been carried out by Iran or “somebody else”.During back-to-back appearances in Florida, Trump was asked whether the US would accept responsibility for a strike that hit the school and killed scores of people, many of them children, after video evidence showed a US Tomahawk struck the naval base next to it. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
‘No middle ground’: Israelis back Iran war, despite taking mounting hits
Most Israelis back war, a poll suggests, as genocidal rhetoric returns, and opponents face threats and violence. [Continue Reading]
Millions seized by Hungary from Ukrainian state bank employees
Hungary has seized around $115 million and gold from a Ukrainian bank transfer and temporarily detained seven Ukrainians, as Budapest pressures Kyiv to restart oil shipments from Russia. [Continue Reading]
Changes to WA's e-rideable laws put on backburner despite landmark review
A landmark review of Western Australia's e-rideable laws will not result in any immediate change, with the state government instead urging the Commonwealth to act. [Continue Reading]
Iranians rally to welcome Mojtaba Khamenei as new supreme leader
Some Iranians took to the streets of downtown Tehran to show their support for Mojtaba Khamenei as new supreme leader. [Continue Reading]
Thousands of lawyers oppose jury restriction plan
Lawyers including top barristers and retired judges urge the government to drop a plan to abolish some jury trials. [Continue Reading]
Three Australians jailed for more than a decade over Melbourne man’s shooting death in Bali
Sentences of 16 and 12 years handed down over 2025 death of 32-year-old Zivan RadmanovicFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA court on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali has sentenced three Australian citizens over the fatal shooting of a fellow Australian national, after they claimed to have been paid by a man they will not identify.Mevlut Coskun, Paea I Middlemore Tupou and Darcy Jenson were convicted of the shooting death of Zivan Radmanovic, a 32-year-old from Melbourne. Continue reading... [Continue Reading]
Molineux returns to skipper women's Windies tour as Sutherland takes a break
Australia's women's cricket team receives a boost for the West Indies series, with Sophie Molineux expected to return from her back injury. [Continue Reading]
'The fighting feels like we're going to finish it - once and for all'
Metula in northern Israel is like a ghost town. Shops are shut, hotels closed and there's very little sign of life. [Continue Reading]
First V-level subjects announced with aim to 'prepare for future jobs'
Ministers say "bold reforms" for post-16 students will end snobbery and prepare students for work. [Continue Reading]
Hong Kong tipped to be world’s top financial centre amid global yuan expansion plan
Hong Kong could emerge as the world’s leading financial centre as the central government pushes to internationalise the yuan – a move that will advance the nation’s development under the 15th five-year plan while also driving the city’s own growth, a National People’s Congress (NPC) deputy has said. Li Yinquan said the city stood to benefit from increased capital as the yuan became more internationalised, since most global renminbi reserves and transaction volumes would naturally be held in Hong... [Continue Reading]
Singapore property clan puts rare Hong Kong estate up for US$38.4 million tender
A Singapore-rooted property family has put a rare residential estate in Hong Kong’s Southern district up for tender at about HK$300 million (US$38.4 million), testing demand for trophy homes as the city’s luxury housing market shows early signs of recovery despite soft prices. The tender for Belvedere, a low-density compound in Chung Hom Kok, would close at noon on April 28, according to marketing agent JLL. The property had been held by Remadour Estate since 1993, Land Registry records... [Continue Reading]
NBA cancels team's plans to celebrate local Magic City strip club
The Atlanta Hawks will no longer go ahead with its plans to promote Magic City, a strip club that is famous for adult entertainment and chicken wings. [Continue Reading]
Two men charged with ISIS-inspired terror after nail bomb thrown at NY protest
Two men were charged on Monday with terrorism offences after allegedly throwing a nail bomb near an anti-Islam protest in New York over the weekend. Both US citizens are in custody and told police they were aligned with Islamic State, according to charging documents, in what authorities described as ISIS-inspired terrorism. [Continue Reading]
More whales are stranding. Now more people are needed to help them
Calls for more people to train as marine mammal medics so they can help rescue stranded animals. [Continue Reading]
Has Hollywood golden boy Timothée Chalamet lost his shine?
Is the backlash against Timothée Chalamet about more than his views on ballet and opera? [Continue Reading]
Live: Water creeps up in Bundaberg amid major flood warning
A major flood is threatening Bundaberg after days of rain spilled dams and set rivers on the rise across Queensland. [Continue Reading]
Kelce to play on while Chiefs move for Super Bowl MVP
Travis Kelce will return for another season with the Kansas City Chiefs, who have also agreed a deal to sign Kenneth Walker, according to reports. [Continue Reading]
US State Department Orders Evacuation of Diplomats from Turkey and Saudi Arabia Amid Escalating US-Iran Conflict
The US-Iran conflict escalates further as the US State Department has ordered additional diplomats to evacuate from Turkey and Saudi Arabia. This decision follows heightened tensions due to Iranian counterattacks, raising concerns over the safety of American personnel in the region. The evacuation underscores the precarious situation as hostilities continue since the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, which has escalated military operations involving US and Israeli forces against Iranian assets. In a recent overview, it has been reported that since the onset of the conflict, the US and Israel have conducted airstrikes on 5,000... [Continue Reading]
