Trump defends first-year record in State of the Union speech amid low approval ratings
President brings in US men’s hockey team as surprise guests to bolster speech before November midterms State of the Union address - live updatesDonald Trump proclaimed his first year in office a success at the State of the Union address Tuesday evening, even as his presidency is dogged by low public approval ratings before November’s midterm elections in which voters could hand control of Congress back to his Democratic opponents.The annual address to a joint session of Congress came after months of turmoil for the Republican president, including a crackdown on immigrant communities in Minneapolis that resulted in the deaths of two US citizens, and faltering progress on his campaign promise of lowering the cost of living. Continue reading...
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Australia news live: high-speed rail could link Sydney to Melbourne ‘in under three hours’, PM says
Follow updates liveBomb threat at the Lodge that forced Albanese’s evacuation linked to opposition to Chinese dance groupGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPolitico, a major US news company, is set to launch in Australia later this year.The company announced a move into the Australian market and the launch of a new product called Canberra Playbook when parliament returns in the third quarter of 2026, after the winter recess.POLITICO’s expansion to Australia will bring its signature ahead-of-the-curve, insider political and policy journalism to help the country’s most influential audiences cut through the noise in a vibrant democracy.The expansion will further POLITICO’s mission of linking global power centers and help readers in North America and Europe understand the decisions made in Australia that affect them and vice versa. Continue reading...
State of the Union address: Trump calls out supreme court justices for ‘unfortunate’ tariff ruling – live
Trump blasts Democrats repeatedly on taxes, inflation and healthcare in speech claiming border and economic winsDemocrats hold counter-events during Trump’s State of the Union address: ‘These are not normal times’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxErika Kirk, the widow of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, will attend tonight’s State of the Union address as a special guest of the president.After her husband was assassinated at a college event for his non-profit Turning Point USA, Erika Kirk took over the organization.If he’s coming to our house, you got to be there. Otherwise, you let him own the house. Continue reading...
Bomb threat at the Lodge that forced Albanese’s evacuation linked to opposition to Chinese dance group
A spokesperson for Falun Dafa – a group associated with Shen Yun - said it had received threats against Albanese if upcoming performances went aheadFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese was evacuated from his official Canberra residence on Tuesday night as police responded to a bomb threat made against him in relation to upcoming performances of the Chinese group Shen Yun.A spokesperson for Falun Dafa – a group associated with Shen Yun - told Guardian Australia that one of their colleagues had received two threats in recent weeks, written in Chinese, threatening harm against Albanese if the performances went ahead. The threats, the second of which was received this week, were reported to the Australian Federal Police and are thought to have been the reason for the prime minister to be evacuated from the Lodge and the house to be searched by officers. Continue reading...
Caribbean leaders call for ‘de-escalation and dialogue’ amid US oil embargo on Cuba
Four-day Caricom summit dominated by debate about US interventions in the region as military strikes against suspected drug boats continueUS interventions dominated speeches at a summit of 15 nations from the Caribbean and the Americas on Tuesday, as the region’s leaders met amid deadly military strikes against suspected drug boats and an oil blockade on Cuba.During the opening ceremony of the four-day Caricom summit in St Kitts and Nevis, leaders of the regional bloc called for a strategic collaborations to deal with the impact of recent US policies. Continue reading...
FBI investigations hindered by Kash Patel, whistleblower tells top Democrat
Dick Durbin accuses FBI chief of ‘irresponsible joyriding’ and says agency’s work marred by Patel’s poor decisionsA top Senate Democrat alleged on Tuesday that FBI director Kash Patel’s personal travel and decision-making have undermined high-profile investigations, citing a whistleblower report.Senator Dick Durbin, the top Democrat on the Senate judiciary committee, wrote in a letter to two government watchdogs that Patel has “seemingly engaged in what amounts to irresponsible joyriding on DoJ and FBI-operated aircraft at the expense of the American taxpayer and to the detriment of ongoing bureau operations”. Continue reading...
Aid groups petition Israeli Supreme Court as Gaza, West Bank work ban nears
Israel has ordered 37 aid groups to halt operations in war-torn Gaza, as well as occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Heavily armed police to patrol places of worship and protests in NSW after hate crime unit made permanent
NSW Greens MLC Sue Higginson says the move could put public at risk of ‘violence, harm and death’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNSW police will patrol high-profile public buildings, places of worship and protests with long-arm firearms after a unit created following the Bondi beach terror attack became permanent.But the state Greens have criticised the Minns government for the move, saying it would not prevent the public from protesting and may place them at greater risk of harm or violence. Violence at a protest in Sydney against Israeli president Isaac Herzog’s controversial visit earlier this month promoted an independent probe into police conduct. Continue reading...
Democrats hold counter-events during Trump’s State of the Union address: ‘These are not normal times’
About 30 Democratic lawmakers gather on National Mall as politicians and celebrities gather at National Press ClubState of the Union address - live updatesDemocrats are holding competing events on the evening of the State of the Union address across Washington where lawmakers are boycotting the official event and protesters say they want to show the growing opposition to Donald Trump’s increasingly unpopular agenda.On the National Mall, hundreds of people, including about 30 Democratic members of Congress, gathered for the “People’s State of the Union”, a counter-rally. Attendees held signs that read “No Money for ICE” and “Healthcare Not Warfare”. One person on stage carried a large poster with the photographs of the more than 30 people who have been killed in dealings with ICE since Trump took office in 2025. Continue reading...
Threat of further violence looms after Mexican cartel rampage
The BBC speaks to Guadalajara residents days after cartel members sought to avenge the killing of Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera.