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Trump administration urges countries to help citizens stuck in Syria as Australia maintains hardline stance

Syrian officials say a group Australians ‘awaiting a solution’ as Albanese government refuses to repatriate them

The Trump administration says it is in “active communication” with countries, urging them to repatriate citizens stranded in Syria, while the Australian government maintains its hardline stance towards Australian women and children detained since the fall of Islamic State.

A group of four women, their nine children and grandchildren left al-Roj camp, in Syria’s north-east, last Friday in a bid to return to Australia, with reports on Thursday morning that the Albanese government’s refusal to help them has left them stuck in Damascus.

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© Photograph: Orhan Qereman/Reuters

© Photograph: Orhan Qereman/Reuters

© Photograph: Orhan Qereman/Reuters

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Bondi royal commission: report calls for better policing of Jewish festivals after ‘high’ terror risk flagged for Hanukah event

Interim report contains 14 recommendations, after inquiry examined agencies’ actions before the attack in which 15 people were killed

Sydney’s Jewish community told police of a “high” threat of an attack at December’s Chanukah by the Sea festival at Bondi beach, but New South Wales police appeared not to have completed a comprehensive risk assessment for the event, an interim royal commission report has found.

The interim report of the royal commission into antisemitism and social cohesion, established in the wake of December’s terror attack, found no gap in current laws that could have prevented the shooting. But it did call for greater coordination of policing at Jewish festivals and events.

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© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/EPA

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/EPA

© Photograph: Mick Tsikas/EPA

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‘Shortcomings and failures’ could sink Aukus nuclear submarines plan, UK inquiry warns

Australia is dependent upon UK’s ability to deliver new submarines but report says ‘cracks are already beginning to show’

“Cracks are already beginning to show” in the UK’s funding for the Aukus agreement that could derail the ambitious nuclear submarine plan, a British parliamentary inquiry has found, highlighting a threat to Australia’s security.

UK shipbuilding has been under-funded for decades and the country’s submarine availability is “critically low”, the House of Commons defence committee’s report found.

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© Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

© Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

© Photograph: Richard Wainwright/AAP

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‘Racism is a cancer’: Indigenous leaders condemn orchestrated booing at Anzac Day ceremonies

Uncle Jack Pearson, an army captain, says heckling ‘not in the Anzac spirit’ after welcome to country booed in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth

Indigenous leaders have condemned people who booed welcome to country speeches at Anzac Day dawn services across the country, with an army captain stating “racism is a cancer”.

Elders who spoke at services in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth on Saturday morning were booed following a campaign by Fight for Australia, the group formerly known as March for Australia, which has previously staged major anti-immigration rallies.

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© Photograph: Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Ye Myo Khant/SOPA Images/Shutterstock

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Australian women and children leave Syrian detention camp for Damascus – and potentially home

Repatriation attempt comes after group was turned around when leaving camp in February. Albanese government says it’s not assisting cohort

Four Australian women and nine of their children and grandchildren have left al-Roj camp in north-east Syria, seeking to return to Australia.

The group is reportedly travelling across Syria by road to the capital Damascus, under the control of the Syrian government.

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© Photograph: Baderkhan Ahmad

© Photograph: Baderkhan Ahmad

© Photograph: Baderkhan Ahmad

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Indigenous speakers booed at Anzac Day services while Ben Roberts-Smith attends separate Gold Coast event

Roberts-Smith, who has denied five charges of war crime murder, says he was always going to attend: ‘I never thought about not coming’

Booing has marred Anzac Day commemorations in Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, while on the Gold Coast, the Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith attended the dawn service at Currumbin beach.

One man was arrested at the Sydney dawn service at Martin Place, where there was a small but noisy interjection of booing during the Indigenous acknowledgment of country.

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© Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

© Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

© Photograph: Russell Freeman/AAP

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Ben Roberts-Smith to attend first Anzac Day service since war crime charges

Former soldier says he will ‘pay my respects’ at commemoration in Queensland where he has been living since being released on bail

Ben Roberts-Smith will attend an Anzac Day service in Queensland on Saturday morning, describing the day as “sacred” to him, the first commemoration since he was criminally charged.

Roberts-Smith, the recipient of the Victoria Cross and once one of Australia’s most lionised soldiers, faces five charges of the war crime of murder, allegedly committed during his service with the SAS in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012.

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© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

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Ben Roberts-Smith planned to leave Australia and researched buying wellness business in Spain, court documents show

Partner of soldier accused of war crimes says the couple discussed possibility of moving overseas to ‘create some normalcy in our lives’

Ben Roberts-Smith was planning to leave Australia to live overseas and had a business class flight out of the country booked in four days’ time when he was arrested at Sydney airport this month, court documents allege, with investigators telling a court “his willingness to return to Australia to face prosecution cannot be judged”.

Roberts-Smith was ultimately granted bail last week under strict conditions, a move opposed by prosecutors who said there was potential concern he was a flight risk and might try to avoid ever having to face trial for a series of alleged murders he committed in Afghanistan.

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© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

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Ben Roberts-Smith’s comrades say he ordered them to execute unarmed civilians, court documents show

Former SAS corporal allegedly placed man on his knees and ordered fellow soldier to shoot him, according to statement of facts

Australian soldiers have told prosecutors they executed unarmed civilians at the orders of Ben Roberts-Smith or in complicity with him, according to a statement of facts tendered to the New South Wales local court.

Roberts-Smith, a Victoria Cross recipient and once one of Australia’s most lionised soldiers, faces five charges of the war crime of murder, allegedly committed while he served in the Australian SAS in Afghanistan.

Each victim was unarmed and present in a location where Roberts-Smith could reasonably have suspected insurgents to be located;

Each offence was committed in a situation where there was no active engagements with enemy forces and the Australian Defence Force was in control of the environment;

Evidence was planted or falsely associated with each deceased to enhance reporting that each of the killings was within the lawful rules of engagement;

Each deceased was handcuffed, detained for a period, and questioned prior to their execution;

None of the deceased was killed in a situation where the Australian Defence Force did not have effective control of the battlespace.

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© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/Reuters

© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/Reuters

© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/Reuters

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Ben Roberts-Smith released from prison on bail after being charged with five counts of war crime murder

Former SAS corporal granted bail ahead of potential trial on charges relating to alleged killing of civilians in Afghanistan

Ben Roberts-Smith has been granted bail under strict conditions while he awaits a potential trial on alleged war crimes.

The Victoria Cross recipient, once Australia’s most lionised soldier, faces five charges of war crime murder over allegations he killed unarmed civilians during his service with the Australian SAS in Afghanistan.

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© Photograph: Rocco Fazzari/AAP

© Photograph: Rocco Fazzari/AAP

© Photograph: Rocco Fazzari/AAP

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