The Guardian

As dysfunction reigns, the party shows yet again that its greatest obstacle to winning government is not Labor but itselfGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThis should be the Victorian Liberal party’s year. They head into November’s election with a new, energetic and articulate leader in Jess Wilson, who has vowed to drag her party to the centre and reconnect with voters it has lost in recent years.Across the aisle stands a weary third-term Labor government, burdened by the state’s debt – forecast to hit $192bn by 2028-29 – and the baggage of more than a

Total fire ban in place for whole of Victoria as bushfires burn, while Sydney prepares for the brunt of the heatwave‘If you have been told to leave, go’: Victorian premier declares state of disaster in multiple areas as bushfires burn out of controlCFA volunteer Simon fought the fire that destroyed his own home: ‘I knew eventually it would get to us’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNew South Wales is moving to send additional firefighting teams to Victoria after a request for assistance, the Premier says.There’s over 90 firefighters from New South Wales in Victoria. At

Some wet years and recent winter storms have helped bring the state out of drought after years of insufficient rainfallCalifornia is completely drought-free for the first time in a quarter of a century, a significant development in a state that endured grueling years with insufficient rainfall.Over the last 25 years, drought conditions in California have intensified the state’s wildfire crisis and created challenges in its massive agricultural sector. But a few wet years, and a recent spate of winter storms, helped bring the state out of drought. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/09/california-completely-drought-free Author : Dani Anguiano Publish date :

Military opens window for civilians to leave as Kurdish groups turn down demand their fighters withdraw from city Syria’s army says it will renew attacks against a Kurdish-majority district of Aleppo where clashes have raged this week, after Kurdish groups rejected Damascus’s ceasefire terms that demanded their fighters withdraw from the city.The army said it would target military sites used by Kurdish fighters in the Sheikh Maqsoud district, announcing the opening of a humanitarian corridor from 4pm (1300 GMT) to 6pm on Friday for civilians to leave. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/09/syria-announces-ceasefire-aleppo-clashes-kurds Author : William Christou Publish date :

Results of research offer hope to older women – but it will be several years at least before technique is approvedIt is a rollercoaster of emotional extremes that will be familiar to many who have gone through IVF treatment: hope and joy turns to despair and back again. This is especially true for women over the age of 35 years, when IVF success rates decline steeply and for whom the only real way to improve the odds is to keep trying.While IVF has undergone huge progress in the past decades, including the advent of genetic testing, egg freezing and techniques

US president says move was reaction to Caracas releasing large numbers of political prisoners as ‘sign of seeking peace’A day after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a 37-year-old US citizen in Minneapolis, Democrats on Capitol Hill are demanding restraints on the agency Donald Trump has empowered to carry out his mass deportation campaign – and some are threatening to use the next funding deadline to force those changes.Democrats sharply condemned the Trump administration over the killing of Renee Nicole Good, demanding accountability after the president; JD Vancethe vice-president; and the secretary of homeland security, Kristi Noem

A man, woman and child remain unaccounted for, authorities say, as the Longwood bushfire continues to burn out of control Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Victorian premier has warned that the few hours into Friday night will be the “most dangerous and difficult” as a wind change impacts bushfires across the state, with three people still unaccounted for and properties destroyed.On Friday evening, Jacinta Allan called on Victorians to follow emergency advice as “fires continue to unfold, right across the state”. Continue reading... Source link :

Red and amber weather warnings have been issued across the UK as Storm Goretti evolves into a ‘weather bomb’The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and the Met Office extended the amber cold-health alert by 24 hours on Thursday, meaning all regions of England will now remain under an amber alert until 12pm on Monday 12 January.Earlier this week Dr Agostinho Sousa, head of extreme events and health protection at UKHSA, said:The current cold snap is now expected to last at least until this weekend according to Met Office forecasts, and we know that prolonged exposure to low temperatures can have

Police say declaration of Melbourne CBD and surrounds as a designated area will end on 9 January, more than four months ahead of scheduleFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictoria police have revoked their declaration of Melbourne’s CBD and surrounds as a designated area four months earlier than planned, meaning they will no longer be able to conduct warrantless searches from 11.59pm on Friday.Police on Friday morning updated their website to confirm the declaration, which was meant to run until 11.59pm on Friday 29 May, will instead end

Melbourne mercury expected to hit 43C with higher temperatures inland and a total fire ban in place for all VictoriaFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDire bushfire conditions threatened south-eastern states on Friday as unrelenting heat bore down on large parts of Australia and Victorians prepared for catastrophic conditions not seen since 2019-20.Melbourne’s maximum temperature was forecast to reach 43C on Friday, and up to 45C in some suburbs. The city was 38.7C at midday. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/09/heatwave-engulfs-south-eastern-states-as-victoria-faces-catastrophic-bushfire-conditions-not-seen-since-black-summer Author : Petra Stock Publish date :

Governor commends ‘powerful peace’ from demonstrators as Trump administration continues to defend federal agent who killed US citizenFBI takes over investigation of killing of US citizen by ICE officer and revokes Minnesota’s access to materialsICE agent in Minneapolis killing identified as 10-year law enforcement veteranKristi Noem doubles down on claim ICE agent killed woman in self-defenseSince early December, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations – many of them masked and brandishing rifles – have grabbed people at hardware stores and gyms, or outside homes and schools around the cities.They have violently

State warned to be prepared and to stay indoors as firefighters ready for action. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastHead of CFA says every Victorian needs to ‘take notice and take action’ todayThe threat of new and rapidly spreading bushfires remains extremely high across the entire state, Heffernan said, urging residents to stay up-to-date with emergency apps and broadcasts throughout the day.Today is going to be a hectic and volatile day for firefighters and fire authorities and communitiesIf a fire starts, it is going to take hold quickly. It will spread very

Electoral Commission says tools to detect AI-generated content could be in place before campaigns beginElection officials are working “at speed” with the Home Office on a pilot project to combat the use of deepfakes to target candidates standing in this year’s Scottish and Welsh elections.Officials at the Electoral Commission in Scotland said they and the Home Office expected software capable of detecting AI-generated deepfake videos and images to be operational before election campaigns begin in late March. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/jan/08/pilot-software-tackle-deepfakes-scottish-welsh-elections Author : Severin Carrell Scotland editor Publish date : 2026-01-08 18:07:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to

Director general says BBC needs to reach young audiences online amid pressure to leave Elon Musk-owned siteThe BBC’s director general, Tim Davie, has said he will not be taking the broadcaster off Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, saying that its presence is needed to resist a flood of global misinformation.Davie said he had come under pressure to withdraw from the platform, given numerous complaints that it has shifted significantly to the right under Musk’s ownership. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/jan/08/tom-davie-says-bbc-will-stay-on-x-to-try-to-stem-flood-of-global-misinformation Author : Michael Savage Media editor Publish date : 2026-01-08 15:40:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the

Louise Haigh says use of Elon Musk’s social media platform ‘unconscionable’ amid proliferation of abuse imageryHelena Horton is a Guardian environment reporter.Emma Reynolds, the environment secretary, has insisted “that is it” in response to farmers claiming the inheritance tax U-turn does not go far enough.Since starting this role in September I’ve listened to farmers and stakeholders about your cncerns on proposed changes to inheritance tax. You told me the threshold was too low. You told me it would hit small family farms. We listened, and we are making changes.In terms of inheritance tax changes, that is it. I also say

Satat Sampada founders Harjeet Singh and Jyoti Aswathi say allegations are ‘baseless, biased and misleading’Police have raided the home of one of India’s leading environmental activists over claims his campaigning for a treaty to cut the use of fossil fuels was undermining the national interest.Investigators from India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) claim Harjeet Singh and his wife, Jyoti Awasthi, co-founders of Satat Sampada (Nature Forever), were paid almost £500,000 to advocate for a fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty (FFNPT). Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/07/indian-police-raid-home-of-environmental-activists-over-anti-fossil-fuel-campaign Author : Damien Gayle Environment correspondent Publish date : 2026-01-08 10:40:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to

Up to 30cm of snow forecast in Midlands while 90mph gusts could batter more exposed areas of countryAmber weather warnings have been issued across the UK with Storm Goretti expected to bring heavy snowfall and strong winds.As much as 30cm of snow could fall in the Midlands while gusts of up to 90mph could batter more exposed areas as the weather brings a potential risk to life in parts of the country. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/08/amber-weather-warnings-uk-storm-goretti-snow-wind Author : PA Media Publish date : 2026-01-08 07:55:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Temperatures recorded by Thursday lunchtime included 44.9C at Tarcoola in SA, 45.8C at Hopetoun airport in Victoria, 43.7C at Paraburdoo, WA and 43C at Hay, NSWFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictoria’s Hume Highway has closed, regional trains have been cancelled and firefighters from at least two states are battling blazes in the worst heatwave to descend on Australia since 2019-20.As Melbourne prepares for a forecast of 41C day on Friday, the acting premier, Ben Carroll, described Victoria as “one of the most bushfire-prone areas in the world”.

Chen founded the Prince Group, a multinational conglomerate authorities allege served as a front for ‘one of Asia’s largest transnational criminal organisations’Chinese-born tycoon Chen Zhi, who was indicted by the US on fraud and money-laundering charges for running a multibillion-dollar online scam network from Cambodia, has been arrested there and extradited to China, Phnom Penh said.Chen allegedly directed operations of forced labour compounds across Cambodia, where trafficked workers were held in prison-like facilities surrounded by high walls and barbed wire, according to US prosecutors. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/08/alleged-scam-kingpin-chen-zhi-extradited-china-cambodia-arrest Author : Agence France Press Publish date : 2026-01-08 03:01:00

Bat Rescue South Australia reports a few hundred juveniles lost to heat. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAdelaide – a high of 39CCanberra – a high of 38CSydney – a high of 33CDarwin – a high of 32CMelbourne – a high of 31CBrisbane – a high of 29CPerth – a high of 28CHobart – a high of 25CThe NSW government says it has reduced funding uncertainty for domestic and sexual violence support, homelessness services and family programs, through an end to short-term contracts for the community services sector.We’re giving more security to

Mayor says ICE claims incident was self-defense are not true, and tells agency to ‘get the fuck out of Minneapolis’Minnesota Democrats voice outrage after fatal ICE shooting: ‘Leave our state immediately’Federal agents shot and killed a woman during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Wednesday.Ilhan Omar, the Democratic Minnesota congresswoman, said the victim was “a legal observer” of action by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which had sent a surge of agents into the city in recent days tied in part to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/07/minneapolis-shooting-immigration-crackdown Author : Richard Luscombe,

The White House’s official retelling of the January 6 insurrection strains credulityThis was originally published in This Week in Trumpland; sign up to receive it in your inbox every WednesdayAccording to Donald Trump, it was a day of love. For those who watched the violent insurrection on January 6, and for the more than 140 law enforcement officers injured that day, it didn’t seem like there was much love on show.Live video footage showed scores of Trump supporters smashing windows, beating police officers and scrambling over each other as they broke into the Capitol building, in an attempt to overturn

Stonewall’s corporate funding halves against backdrop of US attacks on DEI and freezing of aid for LGBTQ+ causesLGBTQ+ charities in the UK are operating in a newly “hostile environment”, experts have warned, as the ripple effect of Donald Trump’s attacks on equalities programmes sharpens financial pressures.The concerns come as yearly accounts submitted by Stonewall, the UK’s biggest LGBTQ+ charity, revealed corporate donations had more than halved in the last financial year, falling from £348,636 in 2024 to £143,149 in 2025. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/jan/07/uk-lgbtq-charities-are-in-hostile-environment-amid-falling-donations-experts-warn Author : Libby Brooks Publish date : 2026-01-07 16:59:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs

Tories confirm Lord Wolfson will step back following criticism from Starmer at PMQs over his work with Roman AbramovichFarage is now talking about London, where council elections are taking place.He says that Sadiq Khan has said he will run for a fourth term as mayor. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/jan/07/pmqs-live-uk-politics-latest-news-keir-starmer-kemi-badenoch-labour-nigel-farage Author : Andrew Sparrow Publish date : 2026-01-07 14:06:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Ageing vessel had previously been involved in Venezuelan oil exportsPeople in Greenland, share your views on Donald Trump’s commentsMeanwhile, in the UK, Nigel Farage has offered his take on Trump’s plans to control Greenland, saying it would be “outrageous” for the US to seize it from Denmark.Farage says he agrees with Starmer that the fate of Greenland must be decided by Greenland and Denmark, not the US – but sided with Trump on “some genuine security concerns” that require further presence there.“What I will say is this. There are some genuine security concerns around Greenland and that becomes ever more