1 hour ago Victoria at risk of tornadoes as storms and giant hail forecast to lash Australia’s south

Bureau of Meteorology expects cold front to bring damaging weather and dangerous wind gusts across Victoria, NSW and Tasmania on FridayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSevere thunderstorms with “giant hail” the size of golf balls, wild winds and heavy rainfall are lashing Australia’s south-east as a cold front tracks across the nation, bringing the risk of tornadoes to parts of Victoria.A senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, Angus Hines, said the focus of the thunderstorm outbreak on Friday afternoon was turning to the south-eastern states of New South Wales, and parts of Tasmania and Victoria.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Events

2 hours ago ‘You are our champion’: solidarity springs up for Gisèle Pelicot around the world

From Australia to Belgium, the French woman at the centre of a mass rape trial has galvanised conversations about sexual violenceShe has been hailed as a feminist hero across France, commended for her courage at rallies across the country and applauded by supporters each time she enters or leaves the courtroom in the southern city of Avignon.But the tributes to Gisèle Pelicot – the woman at the centre of a horrifying mass rape trial that has shaken France to its core – also come from far beyond the country’s borders. Since the trial began in September, solidarity has been expressed around the world, hinting at the role she has played in galvanising a global conversation around sexual violence. Continue reading...

Sport

2 hours ago Scathing Homeland Security report says Secret Service lacks ‘critical thinking’ and needs massive reforms

Elite outfit has been under heavy scrutiny as Donald Trump has faced three potential assassination threats

Society

2 hours ago Mom, 60, is charged 30 years after she left her newborn boy dead in a grocery bag along a road, cops say

The suspect is now being held in a California jail on $1 million bond

Events

2 hours ago Liam Payne's links with the Royal Family from Kate Middleton to the Queen

As the world mourns the loss of former One Direction star Liam Payne, fans have been sharing memories of the singer - including his links with the Royal Family

Politics

3 hours ago US congress research warns of risk of cost blowouts for Australia in Aukus submarine program

Report also cast doubt on whether any rigorous cost-benefit analysis was done before the 2021 announcementFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Australian government’s view that the Aukus nuclear-powered submarine project is “too big to fail” could heighten the risk of cost blowouts, a US congress research report has warned.The Congressional Research Service also cast doubt on whether any rigorous cost-benefit analysis was done prior to the project’s announcement by Australia, the US and the UK in 2021.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Events

3 hours ago Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘new stunning holiday home’ may be perfect to reconnect with royals

As reports circulate that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have purchased a new home in Portugal, we take a closer look at why the country could be just what the couple needs to reconnect with the Royal family

Politics

4 hours ago Election deniers and ‘fake electors’ will return as Trump’s official electors in key states

In battleground states that could determine the outcome of the election, multiple election deniers or people involved in ‘fake elector’ schemes are serving as official Republican electors

Politics

5 hours ago Wild weather and giant hail forecast to welcome King Charles in Sydney

Bureau of Meteorology expects cold front to bring damaging weather and dangerous wind gusts across Australia’s east and south-east on FridayFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSevere thunderstorms are forecast to strike Sydney on Friday about the same time King Charles’s flight touches down, as a cold front packing high winds and giant hail tracks east across the country.King Charles and Queen Camilla are scheduled to arrive just after 7pm, and they can expect wild weather in Australia. Continue reading...

Politics