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Protesters clash outside One Nation fundraiser while Labor says opposition parties will ‘give us chaos’

Pauline Hanson claimed fundraiser was moved from original location due to ‘too many bookings’, not because of expected protests

Protesters have clashed with Pauline Hanson supporters, with one man given a move on notice outside a Melbourne venue hosting a One Nation fundraiser on Friday.

Michael Nelson, who was convicted of offensive behavior and fined last week for disrupting a Melbourne Anzac Day dawn service, was restrained by officers outside the South Melbourne venue.

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© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

© Photograph: Bianca de Marchi/AAP

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Gavin Newsom and Hunter Biden Would Like Your Attention, Please

The two men chatted on Mr. Newsom’s podcast about Democrats, Joe Biden, Graham Platner, phone addiction and other topics.

© Max Whittaker for The New York Times, Valerie Plesch for The New York Times

Gov. Gavin Newsom of California hosted Hunter Biden on his podcast this week.
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Two Dan Sullivans? Alaska Republicans Suggest Kicking One Off the Ballot in Senate Race

The lieutenant governor and the top elections official, both Republicans, are investigating whether the challenger coordinated with a Democrat to confuse voters.

© Eric Lee for The New York Times, Karen Dillman, via Associated Press

Republicans argue that the Senate campaign by Dan J. Sullivan, right, was planned by Democrats to confuse voters and hurt Senator Dan S. Sullivan, left, a second-term lawmaker.
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To Defeat Democrats, Texas Governor Embraces the Hard Right

After years of keeping his distance, Gov. Greg Abbott is set to address Texas Republicans’ activist-led convention as hard-line conservatives gain influence within the party.

© Antranik Tavitian for The New York Times

Governor Greg Abbott addressed the Republican Party of Texas convention in Houston on Friday.
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Liberals are scaring first home buyers with warnings of negative equity – but experts believe there’s little to worry about

Exclusive: Economists say falling house prices are largely in the more expensive parts of Sydney and Melbourne’s markets and are less likely to affect first-time property owners

Fears that first-time buyers with tiny deposits will find their mortgages are worth more than their homes may be assuaged by new data showing falling prices are concentrated in the top end of the Sydney and Melbourne property markets.

Climbing inflation, interest rates and worries about the economic fallout from the Middle East conflict have helped depress housing values in the country’s two biggest cities.

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© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

© Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

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Can Democrats Overcome G.O.P. Gerrymandering?

Our chief political analyst, Nate Cohn, who writes The Tilt newsletter, looks at the Republicans’ advantage in the House of Representatives after partisan redistricting. To win the House, how much of the popular vote would Democrats need to win?
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Rick Jackson, Georgia Governor Candidate, Is Also a Film Producer Battling the IRS

Rick Jackson, a billionaire, wants to be Georgia’s next governor. But the I.R.S. has questioned how his low-budget movies turned into tax windfalls.

© Dustin Chambers for The New York Times

Rick Jackson has sought $90 million in tax deductions from four money-losing films.
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After Senate Loss, Cornyn Predicts ‘Miserable’ Final Two Years for Trump

In his first extensive interview since his defeat by a Trump-backed challenger, the Texas Republican said the Senate was in for a “bumpy ride” as he and others flex new political freedom.

© Pete Marovich for The New York Times

“There’s never going to be good enough for him, other than 100 percent, you know, slavish adherence to whatever he wants,” Senator John Cornyn said of President Trump. “But obviously that’s not what the senator’s role is supposed to be.”
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Justice Dept. Pushes Limits of Its Power Over State Elections

The department once tried to stay out of state elections, urging caution. It is now pressing forward with claims of fraud as President Trump revives his unfounded assertions that elections cannot be trusted.

© Philip Cheung for The New York Times

Voters casting their ballots in California’s primary races in Los Angeles last week.
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Labor MPs have been handed new talking points – revealing a growing concern about One Nation

Labor and its trade union allies have shifted the focus of their rhetorical attacks, targeting Pauline Hanson as if she is the real opposition leader

It was mid-January when Anthony Albanese publicly admitted his “worry” about the rise of One Nation.

The prime minister’s concern was not the political risk to himself or to Labor but rather the threat Pauline Hanson posed to the stability of Australia’s two-party system.

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© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

© Photograph: AAP

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Can’t Pay Medical Bills? Trump Administration Suggests Getting a Loan

One-third of Americans shoulder health care debt. Insurers are being asked to consider lending money to Obamacare consumers who can’t afford higher deductibles.

© Cig Harvey for The New York Times

Kathleen Capetta’s family of five is paying an additional $750 a month this year for its Obamacare plan premium. She was already paying off debt from cancer treatment.
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Angus Taylor rejects One Nation seat sharing deal as cracks appear in Liberal ranks over Pauline Hanson threat

South Australian Liberal Tony Pasin says parties should ‘work hand-in-glove’ to defeat Labor at the next election

Splits are appearing inside the Liberal party about how to deal with Pauline Hanson, after one opposition MP at risk of losing his seat to One Nation said the two conservative parties should cooperate and not run against each other – a plan rejected by Angus Taylor and other senior colleagues.

With One Nation leading the Coalition and Labor in published opinion polls, Hanson’s threat to target government-held seats has recharged debate about whether the surge will see rightwing politicians cooperate or cannibalise each other’s votes.

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© Photograph: Jay Kogler/AAP

© Photograph: Jay Kogler/AAP

© Photograph: Jay Kogler/AAP

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