United News of Bangladesh

A man has been charged with threatening staff at an Australian lawmaker’s office with nunchucks, police said Thursday, days after another legislator was critically injured when a man allegedly struck her repeatedly with a car. The two incidents have heightened concerns about the safety of female politicians in Australia, where lawmakers are generally accessible to the public. Man charged after entering lawmaker’s office with nunchucks Police said a 56-year-old man entered the electorate office of Western Australian state government minister Hannah Beazley in suburban Perth on Wednesday, brandishing nunchucks and making verbal threats. Beazley was not in the office at the time. Nunchucks are martial arts weapons consisting of two sticks or rods connected by a rope or chain. The man was detained and charged with being armed in a manner that could cause fear and threatening to commit an unlawful act. He spent the night in police custody and was scheduled to appear before a court in Perth later Thursday, police said. Police have not alleged any connection between the incident and the case involving federal lawmaker Helen Haines, who was allegedly struck by a driver in the eastern state of Victoria on Monday. Haines’ alleged attacker, Brendan Nugent, appeared in court on Wednesday, facing charges of intentionally causing serious injury, dangerous driving causing serious injury and causing harm to a federal official. He did not enter pleas and remains in custody. Police are still investigating the motive for the alleged attack. Haines, a 65-year-old independent lawmaker, remained in critical condition at a Melbourne hospital on Thursday after surgeons amputated both her legs, according to a statement from the health department. Attacks raise concerns over tradition of accessible politicians The incidents involving Haines and Beazley have intensified concerns about the safety of female politicians, who make up an increasing proportion of lawmakers in Australian parliaments. Women account for just under half of the members of the federal Parliament, while a majority of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Cabinet members are women. Australian lawmakers are among the most accessible in the world, and political violence has traditionally been rare. However, concerns are growing that increasingly hostile public debate, fuelled by social media, is creating additional risks for elected women. Albanese said the threat against Beazley, coming so soon after the alleged attack on Haines, was “just heartbreaking”. Beazley is the daughter of Kim Beazley, a former federal colleague of the prime minister. “We can have debate and disagreement, but do it in a way without descending into the sort of violence that we have seen in too many parts of the world,” Albanese told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). “It's certainly not who we are as Australians,” he added. Earlier this week, Albanese attended an online security briefing for female lawmakers from his centre-left Labor Party, during which security agencies addressed misogynistic threats directed at them. Male and female federal lawmakers agree that women are bearing the brunt of online abuse. “Of course people are concerned. They're anxious,” Albanese said, adding that aggressive behaviour had become normalised in ways that were not seen a couple of decades ago. Beazley says staff shaken but safe Beazley said she was at the state Parliament when the man entered her electorate office and demanded to see her. She said two members of her staff had been “rattled” by the incident but remained safe behind a security screen. “We don't know his motives at all,” she told reporters on Wednesday. Governor-General Sam Mostyn, only the second woman to serve as the British monarch’s representative in Australia, said she had faced abuse on social media after speaking at a press conference on Wednesday alongside Haines’ husband, Phil Haines. “Like any woman who has stepped up into any position across any part of our society, there is a unique and pernicious form of attack that comes our way,” Mostyn told ABC. “Women across the country know that there are certain things that are reserved for women in that attack that go to our gender and they are often vicious and just despicable,” she added.

A man has been shot dead by police after allegedly aiming a rifle at officers following a car crash southwest of Sydney. The police force in the state of New South Wales said in a statement that officers were deployed to reports that a car had been driven into a tree near the small town of Rugby, 210 km southwest of Sydney, shortly before 3 p.m. on Sunday. Police arrived and approached the vehicle to help the driver, who was believed to be unconscious, when he allegedly aimed a rifle at officers and was subsequently shot. Officers commenced CPR, but he died at the scene. Police said that the man has not been formally identified, but is believed to be aged 45. A crime scene was established and police commenced an investigation into the incident, which will be overseen and reviewed by internal integrity bodies.

Ten people have been hospitalized after a car crashed into a crowd in the Australian city of Newcastle, 110 km north of Sydney, on Saturday morning. The assistant commissioner of police in the Australian state of New South Wales, David Waddell, told reporters on Saturday afternoon that a car was driving erratically before the driver lost control and crashed into a crowd around 9:30 a.m. local time. He said that the crowd had gathered along the side of the road as part of an official farewell event for local team the Newcastle Knights as they traveled to Sydney to play in the National Rugby League grand final on Sunday night. Police said that 10 people were injured, including a five-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man who were hospitalized in critical condition. The remaining eight people, including a second five-year-old girl and a two-year-old girl, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The ambulance service earlier reported that nine people were injured. The driver of the vehicle, an 18-year-old man, was arrested at the scene and taken to hospital for mandatory drug and alcohol testing. Waddell said that he would likely be charged by police on Saturday. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement posted on social media that it should have been a weekend of excitement and pride in Newcastle. "My thoughts are with everyone injured or involved in the horrible incident this morning in Newcastle," he said.  

Australians will be able to opt out of content algorithms on social media platforms under proposed laws, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Tuesday. Albanese told reporters at Parliament House that the digital duty of care laws would require social media platforms to give users the choice to opt out of algorithms and only see content from accounts that they follow. Additionally, Albanese and Communications Minister Anika Wells said the proposed laws would require platforms to protect users younger than 18 from harmful content, including content that promotes eating disorders, misogynistic content and content that glorifies crime. Platforms found to breach the new regulations will face fines worth up to 100 million Australian dollars (about 72.1 million U.S. dollars). "It's about giving people control. It's about putting choice back into the hands of Australians online," Albanese said. Wells described the new laws as the next step forward in requiring technology companies to take responsibility for the harms caused by their platforms. "For too long, tech companies have been running real-time unregulated product testing on Australians, and their platforms and tools have infiltrated our daily lives in ways we could have never imagined," she said. "There is a global reckoning coming for big tech." It comes after Albanese's Labor Party government in 2024 legislated a world-first social media ban for children younger than 16, which came into effect in December 2025. Albanese and Wells said in June that the government would double the maximum fine for breaches of the minimum age law to 99 million Australian dollars.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and visiting Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker on Monday highlighted the strong potential for expanding bilateral cooperation between the two countries. The remarks came during a joint press conference in Ankara following a meeting between Erdogan and Stocker, who was making his first visit to Türkiye since becoming chancellor. Erdogan said the two sides discussed all aspects of bilateral relations, as well as Türkiye-EU ties and regional and global developments. "Türkiye and Austria have significant potential for cooperation in green energy, critical minerals, high technology, transportation and defense industries," Erdogan said. Stocker said economic and social relations provide the foundation for close cooperation between the two countries. He also highlighted opportunities to further expand economic ties, particularly through cross-border railway projects.

Australia has accused Iran of “deliberately inflicting economic pain” worldwide following the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong made the remarks after the United Kingdom hosted a virtual meeting of around 40 countries to discuss the disruption of the key shipping route. She said Iran’s actions were impacting communities globally, with the burden falling most heavily on vulnerable populations. Wong said the meeting focused on diplomatic and civilian measures that countries could take to ensure the strait remains open and secure. She added that participating ministers stressed the need for continued coordination and collective efforts. Australia, she said, is not engaging in offensive operations against Iran and has no plans to deploy troops on the ground. The Australian government continues to support efforts aimed at de-escalation and a peaceful resolution to the situation, she added.  #From Al Jazeera

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a reduction in fuel taxes to help lower living costs, as global supply disruptions linked to the US-Israeli war against Iran continue to impact prices. “The halving of the fuel excise will reduce the cost of fuel by 26.3 cents per litre ($0.18),” Albanese said. “We are making fuel cheaper today because we understand that Australians are under serious pressure.” The tax cut will come into effect next Wednesday and remain in place for at least four months. National Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the measure would lower the cost of filling a 65-litre tank by about 19 Australian dollars ($13). “So it is a substantial cost-of-living relief. It is timely, it is temporary, and it is responsible,” Chalmers said. #From Al Jazeera

Australia has begun releasing fuel from its reserves after panic buying led to shortages at some petrol stations amid rising global energy tensions. The government approved the move overnight, allowing an additional 762 million litres of petrol and diesel to enter the market from Tuesday. Officials expect the increased supply to help ease prices that have surged in recent weeks. Petrol prices rose by nearly 50 cents per litre across Australia’s five largest cities between Feb 20 and Mar 11, with the average price reaching about A$2.20 per litre, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Authorities in New South Wales, the country’s most populous state, said 32 of its roughly 3,000 petrol stations were running low or had already run out of fuel. Long queues have formed at petrol stations as motorists rush to stock up, despite government appeals urging people to buy only what they need. Energy Minister Chris Bowen said demand for fuel has doubled since the bombing of Iran, warning that panic buying could worsen supply pressures.   With inputs from BBC

The Australian Fatwa Council has announced that Ramadan 1447AH will end on Thursday, March 19, making Friday, March 20 the first day of Eid-ul-Fitr and the beginning of Shawwal 1447AH. The decision was made following consultations with local and international moon observatories, using calculations of the new moon’s appearance, moonset, and visibility across Australia and neighbouring regions — a method recognised by many prominent global scholarly councils. The Australian National Imams Council and the Fatwa Council noted that some scholars and Imams may follow alternative approaches and urged the community to respect differing opinions while fostering unity. The Grand Mufti of Australia, Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamad, along with member Imams, extended Eid greetings to the Muslim community. They encouraged Australians to remember Palestinians in Gaza through prayers, donations, and support, and to engage with neighbours to share the peaceful and authentic values of Islam. The councils emphasised that the moon sighting calculations ensure an accurate and consistent start to Shawwal 1447AH while acknowledging diversity of opinions within the Muslim community. Source: Gulf News

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologised after describing former Australian of the Year Grace Tame as “difficult”, a remark that triggered criticism from the survivor and political leaders. Albanese made the comment during a rapid response, one word question session, when asked to describe Tame, who was named Australian of the Year in 2021 for her advocacy for survivors of child sexual abuse. Tame said the term reflected what she called a “misogynist’s code” often used for women who refuse to comply, adding that history usually labels such women as courageous. Following criticism, Albanese said he was sorry if his words were misinterpreted, explaining that he had been referring to the hardships Tame has faced in her life and praising her for turning personal trauma into advocacy for others. However, Tame later rejected the apology, posting on social media that it was condescending and insisting the meaning of the remark was clear. The comment also drew condemnation from other politicians. Greens leader Larissa Waters said describing Tame as difficult was completely unwarranted and criticised the tendency to label outspoken women in that way. During the same session, Albanese described Donald Trump as “president”, opposition coalition leader Angus Taylor as “leader”, and One Nation chief Pauline Hanson as “divisive”. He also used a derogatory term when referring to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, drawing applause from the audience. Tame was awarded Australian of the Year for her campaign to overturn laws in Tasmania that prevented survivors of sexual abuse from speaking publicly about their experiences. In recent years, she has been a prominent critic of political leaders over responses to sexual assault allegations and workplace culture in parliament. More recently, Tame has again drawn public attention after speaking at a pro-Palestine rally, where her remarks sparked debate and criticism from some politicians, including calls from figures such as Barnaby Joyce for her to be stripped of her national honour. The controversy has renewed debate in Australia over political language, gender, and how public figures respond to survivors who challenge those in power.   With inputs from BBC