Woolworths shoppers concerned new anti-theft gates may trap them and hit their children 05. March 2026 (05:34) At one store trialling the gates, a customer said ‘if you wanted to enter without hitting your child, you’d have to go in backwards’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe trial of a security gate in a Woolworths in Sydney has left customers concerned for their safety, with some saying the series of low-height bars have “hit” children in the arms, legs and face.Maria, who was shopping with her two children at Woolworths in Bass Hill in south-west Sydney on Wednesday, told Guardian Australia that she noticed the new entrance “straight away”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
NSW wellness guru charged over man’s death during ayahuasca and frog toxin ceremony 05. March 2026 (04:50) Soulore Solaris charged with manslaughter of Jarrad Antonovich, who died of a perforated oesophagus after taking psychedelicFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA man has been charged with manslaughter more than four years after his spiritual retreat client died after consuming psychedelics and a frog toxin.Soulore Solaris, 52, was arrested and charged on Tuesday morning over the 2021 death of a man at the Arcoora retreat he ran in Collins Creek, about 60km from Byron Bay in northern New South Wales. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Massive underfunding’ blamed as students enrolled in Australian public schools falls to new low 05. March 2026 (04:43) As thousands more students head to private schools, advocates hope new government funding deals might draw families back to public sectorFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastIn Sharryn Brownlee’s experience, it’s when their kids reach the final years of primary school that a lot of parents start to ask one another the same question.“Where are you going to send your kids to high school? Public or private?” she said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
China sets lowest GDP growth target for decades as it braces for economic slowdown 05. March 2026 (04:18) ‘High-quality growth’ target of 4.5-5% outlined at Two Sessions as Chinese premier talks of complex situations at home and abroadWhat are China’s Two Sessions and why do they matter?China has set its target for GDP growth to a record low of 4.5-5%, the first time since 1991 that the figure has dropped below 5%, reflecting an economic strategy that is shifting away from export-led growth to a model that leaders hope will be more resilient to external shocks.Li Qiang, China’s premier, announced the target for 2026 in the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s annual parliamentary gathering, which began on Thursday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Police told Kelly Wilkinson to ‘cool off’ and give estranged husband ‘a break’ days before he burned her to death, inquest hears 05. March 2026 (04:02) Wilkinson was turned away by police while seeking help four days before she was murdered, Queensland coroner’s court toldFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKelly Wilkinson was turned away from Southport police station and told to “cool off, give Brian a break” while seeking help just four days before her estranged husband, Brian Earl Johnston, burned her to death in 2021, an inquest has heard.The allegation was made in an extraordinary 11th hour submission by the lawyer acting for her family as they applied to adjourn the coronial inquiry to hear additional evidence about the allegation. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pentagon releases names of final two soldiers of six killed in Kuwait 05. March 2026 (03:51) Chief Warrant Officer Robert Marzan, 54, and Maj Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, were from California and IowaThe Pentagon has released the names of the final two of the six soldiers who were killed during a recent drone strike in Kuwait. They were killed on Sunday, the day after the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran. Their names were released by the US Department of Defense on Wednesday.The two soldiers were identified as Chief Warrant Officer Robert Marzan, 54, and Maj Jeffrey O’Brien, 45. They were from Sacramento, California, and Indianola, Iowa, respectively. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nepal votes in election pitting entrenched old guard against a powerful youth movement 05. March 2026 (03:05) The general election is the first since gen-Z protests forced Nepal’s then-prime minister to quitNearly six months after a wave of unprecedented youth-led protests forced Nepal’s then prime minister to quit, people have begun voting in a general election that is shaping up to be a high-stakes showdown between the entrenched old guard and a powerful youth movement.Key figures contesting the election include the Marxist former prime minister seeking a return to office, a rapper-turned-mayor bidding for the youth vote, and the newly elected leader of the powerful Nepali Congress party. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
How a clump of moss helped convict grave robbers in Illinois 05. March 2026 (03:00) Four cemetery workers dug up and moved more than 100 bodies to resell the burial plots nearly 20 years agoIt was a particularly heinous crime. Four workers at a cemetery near Chicago dug up more than 100 bodies and dumped the remains elsewhere in the grounds, in order to resell the burial plots for profit.Now, nearly two decades after the scandal broke at Burr Oak cemetery in Alsip, Illinois, scientists have released details of how a tiny clump of moss became crucial forensic evidence that helped convict the grave robbers. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Why does Yao Ming, the 7ft 6in ex-basketballer, attend China’s Two Sessions meetings? 05. March 2026 (02:56) Among the 3,000 delegates is former athlete who sits as an independent on the National People’s CongressWhat are China’s Two Sessions and why do they matter?More generals purged as gather in BeijingAmong the generally drab lineup of mostly middle-aged men in suits who make up the nearly 3,000 delegates to the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s parliament, a few stand out.There are delegates from China’s 55 official ethnic minority groups, who often arrive dressed in traditional outfits rather than western-style suits. There are military members, identifiable by their uniforms. And then there is Yao Ming, the 7ft and 6in tall retired basketball player who, towering over every other person in the Great Hall of the People, is hard to miss. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australian PM Anthony Albanese gave Donald Trump model nuclear submarine on golden plate at White House 05. March 2026 (02:45) Exclusive: Prime minister also presented Melania Trump with a $3,000 Paspaley pearl pendantAnthony Albanese gave Donald Trump a gift of a model nuclear submarine with gold plates and finishes, internal documents reveal, during his visit to the White House last year which sealed the president’s support for the Aukus pact.The prime minister also presented Trump’s wife Melania with a $3,000 Paspaley pearl pendant. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
