Australia has announced plans for tougher rules for anyone wanting to become a citizen, including the need to show allegiance to "Australian values".
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said basic English would also no longer be enough and that applicants would need to show four years of permanent residency - up from a single year at present.
"Australian citizenship should be honoured, cherished. It's a privilege," Mr Turnbull told reporters in Canberra.
"What we are doing is strengthening our multicultural society and strengthening our values."
He added: "I reckon if we went out today and said to Australians, 'do you think you could become an Australian citizen without being able to speak English?' they'd say: 'You're kidding. Surely you'd have to be able to speak English'."
Applicants will also need to show what they have done to integrate and how they have contributed to Australian society.
A government statement said examples included being employed, joining a community organisation, and having children enrolled at school.
Until June, the public will be able to add their own ideas on how Australian values might be tested, before the proposals go before parliament.
Mr Turnbull said the current multiple-choice questionnaire - which examines an applicant's knowledge of Australian laws and national symbols, for example - could not judge whether someone accepted "Australian values".
He said: "If we believe that respect for women and children and saying no to violence... is an Australian value, and it is, then why should that not be made a key part, a fundamental part, a very prominent part, of our process to be an Australian citizen?
"Why should the test simply be a checklist of civic questions?
"This is not about administration. This is about allegiance and commitment to Australian values."
Earlier this week, Mr Turnbull said a temporary work visa popular with foreigners would be abolished.
Opposition leader Bill Shorten said he thought it was "reasonable to look for English proficiency" and to "have some period of waiting time before you become an Australian citizen".
But Shen Narayanasamy, from activist group GetUp, said the new test "accuses all immigrants... of not adhering with some confected notion of Australian values".
She added: "The announcement implicitly accuses people who want to live in Australia of being more likely to abuse their wife, not learn English, and engage in crime."
Pauline Hanson, leader of the One Nation party which wants zero net immigration, said Mr Turnbull was "finally acting on the suggestions I made to him about the citizenship test".
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Wednesday, April 19, 2017
Jeremy Corbyn and Theresa May trade blows as election campaigns begin
Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn have been trading blows out on the stump within hours of MPs voting for a General Election on 8 June.
The Prime Minister, campaigning to win a Brexit mandate, has claimed anything other than a Tory victory would mean a "coalition of chaos".
And the Labour leader, launching a Donald Trump-style insurgency campaign, has vowed to take on the establishment and says he will not "play by the rules" in the election.
Mr Corbyn is also pledging to target the rich, claiming he will "put the interests of the majority first" and stand up for people held by a rigged economic system.
The opening salvos from the party leaders came as it emerged that while the Prime Minister is refusing to appear in head-to-head TV debates with her rivals, she may agree to other formats.
:: Majority of Britons want TV election debates - Sky Data poll
Downing Street is considering proposals from broadcasters, including Sky News, which could see the Prime Minister being interviewed in front of a live studio audience.
In her first campaign visit, to a Labour marginal in Bolton, the Prime Minister told an invited audience: "There's a very clear choice at this election.
"It's a choice between strong and stable leadership under the Conservatives, or weak and unstable coalition of chaos led by Jeremy Corbyn."
The Prime Minister, campaigning to win a Brexit mandate, has claimed anything other than a Tory victory would mean a "coalition of chaos".
And the Labour leader, launching a Donald Trump-style insurgency campaign, has vowed to take on the establishment and says he will not "play by the rules" in the election.
Mr Corbyn is also pledging to target the rich, claiming he will "put the interests of the majority first" and stand up for people held by a rigged economic system.
The opening salvos from the party leaders came as it emerged that while the Prime Minister is refusing to appear in head-to-head TV debates with her rivals, she may agree to other formats.
:: Majority of Britons want TV election debates - Sky Data poll
Downing Street is considering proposals from broadcasters, including Sky News, which could see the Prime Minister being interviewed in front of a live studio audience.
In her first campaign visit, to a Labour marginal in Bolton, the Prime Minister told an invited audience: "There's a very clear choice at this election.
"It's a choice between strong and stable leadership under the Conservatives, or weak and unstable coalition of chaos led by Jeremy Corbyn."
Nigerian Spy Cheif Suspended
In a related development, the President has ordered a full-scale investigation into the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, over which the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) has made a claim.
The investigation is also to enquire into the circumstances in which the NIA came into possession of the funds, how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to the NIA, and to establish whether or not there has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the funds.
The President has also directed the suspension of the Director General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of the investigation.
A three-man Committee comprising the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser, headed by the Vice President, is to conduct both investigations.
The Committee is to submit its report to the President within 14 days.
The most senior Permanent Secretary in the SGF's office, and the most senior officer in the NIA, are to act, respectively, during the period of investigation.
The investigation is also to enquire into the circumstances in which the NIA came into possession of the funds, how and by whose or which authority the funds were made available to the NIA, and to establish whether or not there has been a breach of the law or security procedure in obtaining custody and use of the funds.
The President has also directed the suspension of the Director General of the NIA, Ambassador Ayo Oke, pending the outcome of the investigation.
A three-man Committee comprising the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser, headed by the Vice President, is to conduct both investigations.
The Committee is to submit its report to the President within 14 days.
The most senior Permanent Secretary in the SGF's office, and the most senior officer in the NIA, are to act, respectively, during the period of investigation.
Fresno gunman wanted to kill white people in shooting rampage
A fugitive wanted over the fatal shooting of a security guard set out to kill as many white people as possible in a rampage that left three men dead in California.
Kori Ali Muhammad, 39, who is black, told investigators he decided to target white people in downtown Fresno after police identified him as a suspect in the killing of the motel guard.
Muhammad fired 16 rounds in less than two minutes during his deadly spree.
He first walked up to a lorry and shot a 34-year-old white man sitting in the passenger seat, but spared the Latino driver.
He fired at another person but missed before shooting dead a 37-year-old pedestrian carrying a bag of shopping.
The last victim, 58, was gunned down in the car park of a charity building.
Fresno police chief Jerry Dyer said Muhammad had also approached a car between the shootings, but he did not open fire on the two woman and child inside, who were Latino.
When captured Muhammad shouted "Allahu Akbar" - God is great - but Mr Dyer said the shootings had "nothing to do with terrorism in spite of the statement he made".
"This is solely based on race," he said.
He added: "These individuals who were chosen today did not do anything to deserve what they got.
"These were unprovoked attacks by an individual that was intent on carrying out homicides today. He did that."
Just hours before the shootings on Tuesday, police published a news release warning that Muhammad was armed and dangerous and wanted for the murder last week of a white motel security guard, 25-year-old Carl Williams.
When arrested, he is said to have told officers: "I did it. I shot them."
Muhammad, who was previously known as Cory McDonald, faces four counts of murder and at least two additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon.
On what is believed to be his Facebook page, Muhammad repeatedly posted "#LetBlackPeopleGo" and encouraged "black warriors" to "mount up".
Kori Ali Muhammad, 39, who is black, told investigators he decided to target white people in downtown Fresno after police identified him as a suspect in the killing of the motel guard.
Muhammad fired 16 rounds in less than two minutes during his deadly spree.
He first walked up to a lorry and shot a 34-year-old white man sitting in the passenger seat, but spared the Latino driver.
He fired at another person but missed before shooting dead a 37-year-old pedestrian carrying a bag of shopping.
The last victim, 58, was gunned down in the car park of a charity building.
Fresno police chief Jerry Dyer said Muhammad had also approached a car between the shootings, but he did not open fire on the two woman and child inside, who were Latino.
When captured Muhammad shouted "Allahu Akbar" - God is great - but Mr Dyer said the shootings had "nothing to do with terrorism in spite of the statement he made".
"This is solely based on race," he said.
He added: "These individuals who were chosen today did not do anything to deserve what they got.
"These were unprovoked attacks by an individual that was intent on carrying out homicides today. He did that."
Just hours before the shootings on Tuesday, police published a news release warning that Muhammad was armed and dangerous and wanted for the murder last week of a white motel security guard, 25-year-old Carl Williams.
When arrested, he is said to have told officers: "I did it. I shot them."
Muhammad, who was previously known as Cory McDonald, faces four counts of murder and at least two additional charges of assault with a deadly weapon.
On what is believed to be his Facebook page, Muhammad repeatedly posted "#LetBlackPeopleGo" and encouraged "black warriors" to "mount up".
'Croydon cat killer' linked to Hampshire deaths and becoming 'more brazen'
The deaths of three cats in Hampshire are being linked to the so-called 'Croydon cat killer', thought to have killed 230 animals in Greater London.
A cat was found decapitated in Southsea, Portsmouth, on Sunday, two weeks after another was found killed in the same area, while in July, a cat was found killed on the Isle of Wight.
A Hampshire Police spokesman said: "We believe these incidents may be linked to Operation Takahe, a series of cat deaths in the Croydon/M25 area, and is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Service."
Sergeant Tony Jeacock said: "I would like to reassure the public that we are investigating the incident and following all possible leads."
The Southsea victim, called Poppy, was killed outside a shop in Marmion Road and the cat's owner Tim Sparkes said the person responsible was becoming "more brazen".
Mr Sparkes told the Portsmouth News: "It's really about getting the message out there that this person has been around the Portsmouth area now and he appears to be doing it in clusters.
"He's becoming more brazen, usually it's not in a road, normally it's in someone's garden. It seems to be a step up in his way in killing."
The latest apparent feline victim was discovered in Croydon on Tuesday, outside a school as teachers and students returned after the Easter holidays.
Other reports over the weekend included mutilated cats killed in Chatham, Redhill and New Malden, while two fox cubs were found killed in Herne Bay.
South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (Snarl), which has been cataloguing the deaths, said, from the post-mortem on the Isle of Wight cat, called Fleabags, it seemed whoever had done it had used a different weapon.
Co-founder Boudicca Rising said: "We are keeping an eye on it in case the killer was on holiday and didn't have access to their normal toolkit."
Snarl is advising London cat-owners to keep their pets indoors at night: "Our advice is not to let cats out at night, most of the deaths are happening at night."
The charity said they had received reports of 230 deaths, 40 of which were foxes, from London and as far afield as Birmingham, Manchester, Brackley and Maidstone.
The Metropolitan Police said last June that it had already spent 1,020 hours investigating the deaths since the inquiry was launched in December 2015.
In February last year, animal rights charity PETA offered a £5,000 reward to anyone providing information to police that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer, or killers.
A cat was found decapitated in Southsea, Portsmouth, on Sunday, two weeks after another was found killed in the same area, while in July, a cat was found killed on the Isle of Wight.
A Hampshire Police spokesman said: "We believe these incidents may be linked to Operation Takahe, a series of cat deaths in the Croydon/M25 area, and is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Service."
Sergeant Tony Jeacock said: "I would like to reassure the public that we are investigating the incident and following all possible leads."
The Southsea victim, called Poppy, was killed outside a shop in Marmion Road and the cat's owner Tim Sparkes said the person responsible was becoming "more brazen".
Mr Sparkes told the Portsmouth News: "It's really about getting the message out there that this person has been around the Portsmouth area now and he appears to be doing it in clusters.
"He's becoming more brazen, usually it's not in a road, normally it's in someone's garden. It seems to be a step up in his way in killing."
The latest apparent feline victim was discovered in Croydon on Tuesday, outside a school as teachers and students returned after the Easter holidays.
Other reports over the weekend included mutilated cats killed in Chatham, Redhill and New Malden, while two fox cubs were found killed in Herne Bay.
South Norwood Animal Rescue and Liberty (Snarl), which has been cataloguing the deaths, said, from the post-mortem on the Isle of Wight cat, called Fleabags, it seemed whoever had done it had used a different weapon.
Co-founder Boudicca Rising said: "We are keeping an eye on it in case the killer was on holiday and didn't have access to their normal toolkit."
Snarl is advising London cat-owners to keep their pets indoors at night: "Our advice is not to let cats out at night, most of the deaths are happening at night."
The charity said they had received reports of 230 deaths, 40 of which were foxes, from London and as far afield as Birmingham, Manchester, Brackley and Maidstone.
The Metropolitan Police said last June that it had already spent 1,020 hours investigating the deaths since the inquiry was launched in December 2015.
In February last year, animal rights charity PETA offered a £5,000 reward to anyone providing information to police that leads to the arrest and conviction of the killer, or killers.
North Korea tension: US 'armada' was not sailing to Korean peninsula
A US aircraft carrier and other warships did not sail towards North Korea - but went in the opposite direction, it has emerged.
The US Navy said on 8 April that the Carl Vinson strike group was travelling to the Korean peninsula amid tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
Last week President Trump said an "armada" was being sent.
But the group was actually farther away over the weekend, moving through the Sunda Strait into the Indian Ocean.
The US military's Pacific Command said on Tuesday that it had cancelled a port visit to Perth, but had completed previously scheduled training with Australia off its northwest coast after departing Singapore on 8 April.
The US Navy said on 8 April that the Carl Vinson strike group was travelling to the Korean peninsula amid tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions.
Last week President Trump said an "armada" was being sent.
But the group was actually farther away over the weekend, moving through the Sunda Strait into the Indian Ocean.
The US military's Pacific Command said on Tuesday that it had cancelled a port visit to Perth, but had completed previously scheduled training with Australia off its northwest coast after departing Singapore on 8 April.
Former New England Patriots star Aaron Hernandez kills himself in prison
Former NFL player Aaron Hernandez has killed himself at a prison in Massachusetts where he was serving a life sentence for murder.
The Department of Corrections said the 27-year-old was found hanged in his cell just after 3am local time on Wednesday morning.
"Life-saving techniques were attempted on Hernandez and he was transported to hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4.07am," its statement added.
Massachusetts State Police has now launched an investigation into the suicide at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Centre in the town of Shirley.
At the height of his career with the New England Patriots, currently Super Bowl champions, Hernandez was on a five-year contract worth $40m (£31m).
The tight end was dropped by the team just hours after he was arrested for the 2013 murder of semi-professional footballer Odin Lloyd, for which he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Less than a week ago, a jury had cleared Hernandez of killing Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in a 2012 drive-by shooting after a fight outside a nightclub in Boston's South End.
Hernandez was acquitted on seven of the eight charges he had faced, and was only convicted on an illegal firearms charge.
Prosecutors had accused the former NFL star of shooting the men because his drink had been spilled inside the club.
Following the acquittal, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had described Hernandez's fall from grace as a "tragedy".
The Department of Corrections said the 27-year-old was found hanged in his cell just after 3am local time on Wednesday morning.
"Life-saving techniques were attempted on Hernandez and he was transported to hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4.07am," its statement added.
Massachusetts State Police has now launched an investigation into the suicide at the Souza Baranowski Correctional Centre in the town of Shirley.
At the height of his career with the New England Patriots, currently Super Bowl champions, Hernandez was on a five-year contract worth $40m (£31m).
The tight end was dropped by the team just hours after he was arrested for the 2013 murder of semi-professional footballer Odin Lloyd, for which he was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Less than a week ago, a jury had cleared Hernandez of killing Daniel de Abreu and Safiro Furtado in a 2012 drive-by shooting after a fight outside a nightclub in Boston's South End.
Hernandez was acquitted on seven of the eight charges he had faced, and was only convicted on an illegal firearms charge.
Prosecutors had accused the former NFL star of shooting the men because his drink had been spilled inside the club.
Following the acquittal, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had described Hernandez's fall from grace as a "tragedy".
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