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US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth and Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles speak to reporters in Washington.

Truth submerged? AUKUS will cost us $368 billion, so this is no time for secrecy

Secrecy in policy development is rarely justified – and it certainly isn’t for AUKUS, our eye-wateringly expensive defence deal with the US and UK.

  • Carmen Lawrence

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A BYD electric car on display at the Essen Motor Show in Essen, Germany.

‘Should set off alarm bells’: Call for probe into politicians’ use of Chinese EVs

ASIO told politicians not to have sensitive conversations while n taxpayer-funded vehicles, which a Liberal senator says are “rolling Chinese data centres”.

  • Matthew Knott
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke.

Burke uses Bondi powers to outlaw neo-Nazi hate group

Joining or providing support to far-right group White Australia, previously known as the National Socialist Network, will be punishable by up to 15 years in jail.

  • Matthew Knott, Nick Newling and Sherryn Groch
A court sketch of Kawsar Abbas.

Two ISIS brides to make bid for freedom on slavery charges

Charge sheets reveal the women are accused of illegally using and exercising ownership over a slave until November 2018.

  • Lachlan Abbott and Angus Delaney
A woman believed to be Zahra Ahmad was escorted through the arrivals hall at Melbourne Airport by some male supporters, with a media scrum in hot pursuit.

Albanese declares ‘zero sympathy’ for ISIS brides as Yazidi community lives in fear

An estimated 20 ISIS-linked women and children who remain stuck in a camp in Syria could seek to return to Australia in the coming weeks.

  • Matthew Knott
Janai Safar is taken to Mascot police station after arriving at Sydney airport from Doha.

Three ‘IS brides’ arrested after returning to Australia

Three Islamic State-linked women have been arrested, one of whom has been charged, after arriving back in Australia and face jail time for alleged slavery offences and travelling to proscribed zones.

  • Matthew Knott, Mostafa Rachwani and Cassandra Morgan
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Zahra Ahmed and her son Ibrahim, pictured in 2019.

Islamic State wives’ return is no threat, but our cruelty to their kids is shameful

The four women face some of the toughest counter-terrorism laws in the democratic world upon their return. I worry for their children, the victims of callous indifference from our politicians.

  • Ben Saul
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Energy Minister Chris Bowen.

Australia to boost fuel stockpile to 50 days under $10b package as oil crisis worsens

The new fuel-security package marks a major policy shift as the government seeks to tackle the impacts of the Iran war.

  • Mike Foley, Brittany Busch and Nick Toscano
A vigil at the Bondi Pavilion public memorial takes place on December 16, two days after 15 people were killed in an antisemitic attack

‘Incubated in hatred’: Warnings, risks laid bare as Bondi royal commission zeroes in on security flaws

Royal commissioner Virginia Bell delivered an interim report with a focus on NSW Police, security agencies and possible failures that may have led to the attack.

  • Alexandra Smith, Matthew Knott and Michael McGowan
Former ADF chief Chris Barrie.

Energy security is now inseparable from national security. Australia has options, but they’re being neglected

Securing Australia’s energy system through rapid renewable deployment and electrification is a strategic necessity, not just an environmental goal.

  • Chris Barrie and Ian Dunlop