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Russian President Vladimir Putin has denounced liberalism as “obsolete” in the run-up to the annual summit of the Group of 20 ( G20 ) nations in Osaka, Japan . In a wide-ranging interview with the Financial Times overnight on Thursday, Putin trumpeted the rise of populist movements in Europe and the United States and said Russia’s Western partners had “ admitted that some elements of the liberal idea, such as multiculturalism, are no longer tenable”. “The so-called liberal idea … has outlived its purpose,” Putin said. “ It has come into conflict with the interests of the overwhelming majority of the population.” He described German Chancellor Angela Merkel ‘s decision to allow more than one million refugees into Germany as a “cardinal mistake”. The Russian president heaped praise on his American counterpart,  Donald Trump , calling him a “talented person” before lauding the US leader for his efforts to stem the number of migrants entering the country from neighbouring Mexico

Updated June 28, 2019 15:22:49 The catfish stalker convicted of using a soap star’s profile to harass and stalk women online will remain free on bail until her appeal is heard in October, 2020. Key points: Lydia Abdelmalek is appealing against her conviction for six counts of stalking Her lawyer said the case was “complex” and the appeal requires four weeks in court Abdelmalek’s father was involved in a confrontation with Channel Seven journalist Paul Dowsley outside court Lydia Abdelmalek, who was sentenced to two years and eight months’ jail earlier this month , reappeared in court this morning before her family clashed with media outside. Her father used an umbrella to shield his daughter from waiting cameras after the appeal hearing in the County Court in Melbourne. Channel Seven reporter Paul Dowsley emerged with a cut to his head after a scuffle near the family’s car. Inside, Abdelmalek’s defence lawyer told the court the stalking case was “complex”, involving

0 of 29 Joe Murphy/Getty Images While the potential impact of NBA free agency often outshines the actual process, the 2019 version seems it will live up to the hype. The supply of available superstars is rich. The demand for said stars from teams with one or more max-contract slots is even more abundant. The rumor mill is every bit as active as you would expect, and we are here to help you stay on top of it. Stay locked here for Thursday’s updates of legitimate information, smokescreens and everything in between. B/R’s crew of NBA experts will pass along all the latest buzz and, more importantly, analyze what it actually means.          Stats via NBA.com and Basketball Reference unless otherwise noted. 1 of 29 Darron Cummings/Associated Press It feels like the idea of Kyrie Irving joining the Brooklyn Nets has been solidifying for weeks. There have been occasional distractions, but the rumors always seem to steer Kyrie back to Brooklyn. On Thursday, we got, a

Updated June 28, 2019 13:49:46 Related Story: Disappearance of only Australian living in North Korea sparks ‘urgent’ search An expert on North Korea believes missing Perth man Alek Sigley may have been silenced amid heightened tensions in the country in the lead-up to US President Donald Trump’s planned visit to the demilitarised zone in coming days. Key points: Scott Morrison says he’s concerned about a Perth man missing in North Korea Alek Sigley’s family and friends haven’t had contact with the 29 year old for days The Prime Minister says limited information is emerging into the disappearance Australian National University North Korea expert Leonid Petrov, a friend of Mr Sigley, said his disappearance and silence on social media channels and in response to messages from family and friends was very uncharacteristic. “I think that North Koreans potentially might have decided to shut down his blog … because the information was coming out of North Korea, which is

Leaders from the Group of 20 nations are meeting in the Japanese city of Osaka for their annual summit. At the top of the agenda is the ongoing trade war between China and the United States , the world’s two biggest economies. The G20 is an international leaders’ forum comprising 19 countries and the European Union. Collectively, the grouping represents more than 80 percent of the world’s economic output and two-thirds of its people. Its primary aim is to promote international financial stability. Here are the latest updates: Friday, June 28: ‘A fantastic woman’ After his meetings with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Donald Trump had a bilateral meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he called “a fantastic person, a fantastic woman.” Subjects discussed included Iran. Libya, supporting the economy of Ukraine, trade negotiations with China, and global trade standards more generally. After the meeting, Prime

Updated June 28, 2019 13:20:48 Israel Folau says he is “very disappointed” after failing to reach a settlement with Rugby Australia at his Fair Work Commission hearing, paving the way for a protracted Federal Court battle. The former Wallaby — who was sacked on May 17 for breaching his contract — posted a video online last night in which he called for RA to say sorry. Folau’s $4 million deal was torn up after he told his 366,000 Instagram followers that “hell awaits” homosexuals. RA described the post as a “high-level breach” of the Professional Rugby Players’ Code of Conduct. However, last night the 30-year-old claimed in a TV interview that the sport’s powerbrokers had offered him money to take it down. “Hopefully Rugby Australia will accept that my termination was unlawful and we can reach an agreement about how they can fix that mistake,” Folau said in the video. “First and foremost I am hoping for an apology from Rugby Australia and an acknowledgement that even if they