Morning Mail: Queensland braces for cyclone, Russia opposition leader detained, Coalition polls plummet, Marr on Hanson voters

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Guardian Australia's Morning Mail Monday 27 March 2017 g Joe Biden: I could have been a contender Good morning, and welcome to the Morning Mail. Among the stories leading our website this morning: Barack Obama's vice-president Joe Biden says he regrets not running for president – because he could have won. "I had planned on running for president. And although it would have been a very difficult primary, I think I could have won. At the end of the day, I just couldn't do it. So I don't regret not running. Do I regret not being president? Yes." Keep reading for the rest of the top stories this morning, with more news from around Australia and the world.

Headlines Opposition leader Alexei Navalny detained amid protests across Russia Crowds gather in cities to protest against corruption in largest anti-government rallies for five years, with hundreds held Looking back, and angry: what drives Pauline Hanson's voters In an extract from his new Quarterly Essay, David Marr finds that One Nation voters are richer, more urban and more liberal than you might expect. But they are profoundly nostalgic, display an unusual gloom and share a vehemently anti-government streak Cyclone Debbie: Queensland braces for large scale disaster Authorities have grounded flights, cancelled school and are evacuating low-lying areas as the worst tropical cyclone since Yasi approaches Trump blames everyone but himself for failure of GOP healthcare legislation President's targets include conservatives, Democrats and a possible veiled jab at Paul Ryan as Republican hand-wringing over repeal-and-replace failure continues Voters desert Coalition in latest poll as Labor takes 10-point lead Fairfax Ipsos poll shows Labor leading the Coalition 55-45 on two-party-preferred basis and Turnbull's personal approval rating also takes a hit Australian news and politics Landcare funding boost to include $15m for new Indigenous protected areas Greens leader Richard Di Natale says funding will mean 'healthier communities' and 'more Indigenous ranger jobs for families to stay on country' Coalition asks competition watchdog to investigate energy prices Regulator will scrutinise the behaviour of electricity retailers, and contracts offered to customers, and report back in June 2018 Australian academic Chongyi Feng prevented from leaving China Feng, a long-time associate professor at UTS, has not been detained within China but has been repeatedly questioned about his research, sources say Pauline Hanson's One Nation wins third seat in Western Australia's upper house Charles Smith, who spoke out against preference deal with Liberals, wins East Metropolitan seat from Liberal MLC Alyssa Hayden Labor attacks Coalition's abolition of deficit levy as a tax cut for millionaires Labor says Turnbull government should not have frozen indexation of family tax benefits to pay for childcare package Julie Bishop says Australia preparing for Isis to declare 'caliphate' in southern Philippines Foreign affairs minister says threat is on Australia's doorstep as Islamic State is forced out of the Middle East Four killed on New South Wales roads as police investigate street racing claim Two die after vehicle rolls and catches fire in Matraville following earlier deaths in the north of the state Around the world Shell-shocked Mosul survivors tell of intense airstrikes Hundreds of people have fled west Mosul during a lull in fighting but many had to leave behind family members buried in the remains of their former homes 'Mini-Merkel' increases majority in bellwether German state polls Saarland's CDU state premier, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, sees off threat from resurgent Social Democratic party Lawmaker's 'peculiar midnight run' endangers Trump-Russia inquiry House intelligence chair Devin Nunes reportedly disappeared from Uber ride, fueling further questions over his role in committee's investigation Spanish socialists on the ropes, but clenched-fist Stussy T-shirt is a hit PSOE starts selling original 40-year-old design again after American brand uses the logo on its clothes Isis tells Raqqa residents to evacuate over fears nearby dam will collapse Islamic State says US-led airstrikes have weakened Tabqa dam on Euphrates river, 25 miles from its self-styled capital in Syria

One last thing   Kangaroo pictures found in London may be Australia's earliest oil paintings A pair of Australian oil paintings believed to be the first in the country have been discovered at the Royal College of Surgeons in London. The John Lewin canvases from about 1800 pre-date his still-life of fish hanging in Adelaide gallery. Have an excellent day and if you spot something I've missed, let me know on Twitter at @earleyedition.

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