3 h. ago ‘Desolate’: farmers in NSW’s west battle drought as east coast mops up after floods

The area is in the grips of disaster, with surrounding regions also expected to slip into drought by mid-winterAustralia news live: latest politics updatesGet our breaking news email,free app ordaily news podcastWhile parts of Australia battle floods, farmers in the south are selling off stock, abandoning crops and pleading for help as drought deepens.Farmer Paul Manwaring has been living in the shadow of rain.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Events

7 h. ago Western quolls and brushtail possums thrive in national park a decade after reintroduction

The Australian animals were locally extinct but have had a resurgence in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges national parkAustralia news live: latest politics updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastWestern quolls (Idnya) and brushtail possums (Virlda), once locally extinct, are flourishing in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges national park 10 years after their reintroduction.“They’re pretty funny. We go spotlighting at night you can spotlight at the campsite there and see them running around, looking for bits of food,” National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) reintroduction ecologist Talitha Moyle said.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Politics

32 h. ago New Pentagon spokesperson promoted antisemitic conspiracy theory – US politics live

Kingsley Wilson, who has repeatedly shared false claim, promoted to press secretary as critics blast her ‘clearly unfit for her role’Harvard University has sued the Trump administration over its decision to revoke the Ivy League school’s ability to enrol international students, a move the school called unconstitutional and retaliatory.Reuters reports that in a complaint filed in Boston federal court, Harvard called the revocation a “blatant violation” of the US constitution’s first amendment and other federal laws. Continue reading...

Politics

39 h. ago Courts temporarily halts Trump administration’s ban on Harvard foreign student enrollment – US politics live

US district judge Allison Burroughs issues temporary restraining order after Harvard sued over ‘blatant violation’ of US constitutionJudge blocks bar on Harvard accepting international studentsFresh attack on Harvard intensifies chaos for international students in USHarvard University has sued the Trump administration over its decision to revoke the Ivy League school’s ability to enrol international students, a move the school called unconstitutional and retaliatory.Reuters reports that in a complaint filed in Boston federal court, Harvard called the revocation a “blatant violation” of the US constitution’s first amendment and other federal laws. Continue reading...

Politics

39 h. ago Judge blocks Trump administration’s ban on Harvard accepting international students

Ivy league had filed suit saying the ban was unconstitutional retaliation for defying White House’s demandsUS politics live – latest updatesUS university scholars and international students: are you considering working or studying elsewhere?A US federal judge on Friday blocked the government from revoking Harvard University’s ability to enroll foreign students just hours after the elite college sued the Trump administration over its abrupt ban the day before on enrolling foreign students.US district judge Allison Burroughs in Boston issued the temporary restraining order late on Friday morning, freezing the policy that had been abruptly imposed on the university, based in nearby Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Thursday. Continue reading...

Politics

39 h. ago Shooting of Israeli embassy staffers underscores US ‘era of violent populism’

This is the latest act of violence in a string of incidents that have affected Jewish, Arab and Muslim communitiesUS politics live – latest updatesThe killing of two staff of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC comes as the war in Gaza has splintered the American body politic alongside the ongoing rise in political violence.A shooter, identified as Elias Rodriguez, shot the two people, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, outside the Capital Jewish Museum on Wednesday after they left an event hosted by the American Jewish Committee. Rodriguez reportedly chanted “free, free Palestine” while being detained by security. Continue reading...

Politics

58 h. ago Suspect charged with murder in shooting of Israeli embassy staffers

US attorney general says Chicago-based suspect believed to have acted alone in killing of couple at Jewish museumUS politics live – latest updatesThe US justice department on Thursday charged the lone suspect in a brazen attack that killed two young Israeli embassy staff members outside an event at the Jewish museum in downtown Washington DC with two counts of first degree murder.Jeanine Pirro, the interim US attorney for Washington, said at a press conference on Thursday afternoon that authorities were also investigating as a “hate crime and a crime of terrorism” the killings that left the US capital in shock as world leaders condemned the “horrible” and “antisemitic” shootings. Continue reading...

Events

60 h. ago Harvard says Trump administration’s block on international student enrollment ‘unlawful’ – US politics live

In a major escalation between Trump and Harvard, homeland security secretary Kristi Noem says move to halt enrollment should ‘serve as a warning’Trump administration halts Harvard’s ability to enroll international studentsIsrael’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, has accused unnamed European officials of “toxic antisemitic incitement” he blamed for a hostile climate in which the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington took place, Reuters reports.Israel has faced a blizzard of criticism from Europe of late as it has intensified its military campaign in Gaza, where humanitarian groups have warned that an 11-week Israeli blockade on aid supplies has left the Palestinian territory on the brink of famine. Continue reading...

Society

60 h. ago Trump administration halts Harvard’s ability to enroll international students – live

In a major escalation between Trump and Harvard, homeland security secretary Kristi Noem says move should ‘serve as a warning’Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, has accused unnamed European officials of “toxic antisemitic incitement” he blamed for a hostile climate in which the fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington took place, Reuters reports.Israel has faced a blizzard of criticism from Europe of late as it has intensified its military campaign in Gaza, where humanitarian groups have warned that an 11-week Israeli blockade on aid supplies has left the Palestinian territory on the brink of famine. Continue reading...

Society

64 h. ago UK signs £3.4bn deal to cede sovereignty over Chagos Islands to Mauritius

Starmer says there’s ‘no alternative’ and defends cost, saying it is ‘part and parcel of using Britain’s reach to keep us safe at home’UK politics live – latest updatesThe UK has signed a £3.4bn agreement to cede sovereignty over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after an 11th-hour legal challenge failed.Keir Starmer told a press conference on Thursday afternoon he had signed the deal and that it was “one of the most significant contributions that we make to our security relationship with the United States”. Continue reading...

Economics

67 h. ago House passes Trump’s ‘big beautiful’ tax and spending bill after months of wrangling – US politics live

Sweeping legislation will now be sent to the SenateThe Kremlin said on Thursday that a report in the Wall Street Journal which said US president Donald Trump had told European leaders that President Vladimir Putin did not want to end the war in Ukraine contrasted with its own knowledge.The Journal said Trump had briefed European leaders after talking to Putin by phone on Monday and said Putin wanted to keep fighting in Ukraine because he thought he was winning.With a narrow 220-212 majority, House Speaker Mike Johnson could not afford to lose more than a handful of votes from his side.Republicans on the party’s right flank had pushed for deeper spending cuts to lessen the budget impact, but they met resistance from centrists who worried they would fall too heavily on the 71 million low-income Americans enrolled in the Medicaid health program. Continue reading...

Politics

2 d. ago Net migration to UK down by half in 2024 compared with year before

Office for National Statistics estimate shows fall from 860,000 in 2023 to 431,000 last yearUK politics live – latest updatesNet migration to the UK is estimated to have almost halved from 860,000 in the year ending December 2023 to 431,000 in the year ending December 2024, the Office for National Statistics said.The estimate for the difference between the number of people moving to and from the UK is the biggest fall since the pandemic. Continue reading...

Politics

2 d. ago UK politics live: Net migration to UK plummets by more than 400,000 in a year

Difference between the number of people moving to the UK and leaving the country has fallen to the lowest level since the pandemic

Politics

2 d. ago UK politics live: Chemical castration considered for sex offenders as review reveals prison capacity crisis

An independent review has recommended that prisoners be released for good behaviour and shorter sentences of less than 12 months to be scrapped

Events

3 d. ago Trump ambushes South African leader with evidence of ‘genocide’ during Oval Office meeting

Despite tense moments, Ramaphosa says Trump ‘heard’ him, and meeting ‘went very well’

Politics

3 d. ago Trump ambushes South African president with video and false claims of anti

Cyril Ramaphosa responds to hectoring stunt in Oval Office and egregious claim of white genocide by suggesting calmUS politics live – latest updatesDonald Trump ambushed the South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, by playing him a video that he falsely claimed proved genocide was being committed against white people under “the opposite of apartheid”.The hectoring stunt on Wednesday set up the most tense Oval Office encounter since Trump’s bullying of Volodymyr Zelenskyy in February. But Ramaphosa – who earlier said that he had come to Washington to “reset” the relationship between the two countries – refused to take the bait and suggested that they “talk about it very calmly”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago NSW floods: one dead and thousands stranded as BoM warns of ‘intense’ rain and flash flooding

With 48,000 already isolated, forecasters say ‘heavy, intense rainfall’ has spread north bringing life-threatening riskAustralia news live: latest politics updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDevastating floods along Australia’s east coast have killed at least one man, after a body was found on a flooded property.Emergency services were called to Moto, on the New South Wales mid-north coast, on Wednesday afternoon and located the body of the 63-year-old.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Events

3 d. ago Trump makes baseless claim white farmers are ‘executed’ as meeting with South Africa’s president turns chaotic

Cyril Ramaphosa responds ‘they are not’ after US president surprises him with footage he claims supports allegations of white genocideA federal judge has rejected a bid by the US treasury department to cancel a union contract covering tens of thousands of IRS staff, Reuters reports, in an early blow to Donald Trump’s efforts to eliminate collective bargaining rights for many federal workers.US district judge Danny Reeves in Lexington, Kentucky, said in a written opinion late on Tuesday that the department lacked legal standing to bring a lawsuit against the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Trump administration accepts jet from Qatar for possible use as Air Force One

Plane offer set off a firestorm of bipartisan criticism of Trump and raised questions about Qatar’s motivesUS politics live – latest updatesThe Trump administration has accepted the controversial gift of a Boeing 747 jetliner from the government of Qatar, and directed the air force to assess how quickly the plane can be upgraded for possible use as a new Air Force One.The offer of the jet has set off a firestorm of bipartisan criticism of Trump, particularly following the president’s visit to the country last week to arrange US business deals. Continue reading...

Politics

3 d. ago Trump plays videos to South African president he claims support white genocide allegations in tense meeting – live

Cyril Ramaphosa and US president talk to reporters at White House when Trump surprises room by playing series of videos A federal judge has rejected a bid by the US treasury department to cancel a union contract covering tens of thousands of IRS staff, Reuters reports, in an early blow to Donald Trump’s efforts to eliminate collective bargaining rights for many federal workers.US district judge Danny Reeves in Lexington, Kentucky, said in a written opinion late on Tuesday that the department lacked legal standing to bring a lawsuit against the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). Continue reading...

Politics