US Senate rejects seventh war powers measure as more Republicans break rank

Changes to capital gains tax and negative gearing will make the strategy of renting in a preferred area while buying a cheaper property elsewhere less attractive, experts sayExplore all of our 2026 Australia federal budget coverageFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastRent-vesting – a popular strategy used by young Australians to save for their first home – could be killed off by Labor’s tax changes on investment properties, experts warn.Renters have used the strategy to keep living in their preferred area while buying a cheaper property elsewhere, hoping it will rise in price so they can sell and put the profits towards their first home. Continue reading...

In interview with Stateside with Kai and Carter, Abrams says Republicans have raised the stakes beyond party linesFormer Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has slammed Republican-led states’ efforts to redraw their congressional maps to favor their party as “evil incarnate”.In an interview with the Guardian’s new podcast, Stateside with Kai and Carter, Abrams argued that what she said amounted to intentional “cheating” to suppress racial minority voting power must be fought in the courts and on the ballot. Continue reading...

Lindsay and Craig Foreman were given 10-year sentences after entering the country on a motorcycling tripThe “terrified” family of a British couple jailed for 10 years in Iran on spying charges have said they have lost all contact with them.Lindsay and Craig Foreman, both 53, were arrested in January 2025 while travelling through Iran during an around-the-world trip by motorcycle. Continue reading...

Angus Taylor to give budget reply speech tonight. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then Nick Visser will take the helm (with Krishani Dhanji ready to take over this afternoon in the lead-up to tonight’s budget reply speech from Angus Taylor).Anthony Albanese has denied that the additional 700,000 gen Z voters being added to the electoral roll by the time of the next federal election was a factor in deciding on the negative gearing and capital gains tax changes in Tuesday’s federal budget. More coming up. Continue reading...

Jordan Derrick charged in connection with deadly attack in the French Quarter on New Year’s Day 2025US politics live – latest updatesFederal authorities have filed charges against a Missouri man accused of publishing online tutorials on how to manufacture explosives that the terrorist who carried out the deadly attack in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter on New Year’s Day 2025 used as a blueprint to make his own improvised bombs.R Matthew Price, a US attorney, announced Tuesday that 40-year-old Jordan Derrick, of the Missouri city of Sweet Springs, had been charged with one count each of engaging in the business of manufacturing explosive materials without a license, unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device, and illicitly distributing information relating to manufacturing explosives. Continue reading...

Elias Calocane says he thought violent messages sent by brother related to suicidal thoughts not harming othersThe younger brother of Valdo Calocane, who killed three people in an attack in Nottingham, said he felt “powerless” over his sibling’s mental ill health and believed violent messages his brother had sent concerned suicidal thoughts.Valdo Cacocane, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2020, stabbed to death Barnaby Webber and Grace O’Malley-Kumar, both 19, and caretaker Ian Coates, 65, on 13 June 2023, and seriously injured three others. Continue reading...

Brian Kemp’s move makes Georgia latest southern state to initiate map-making after dismantling of Voting Rights ActThe Republican governor of Georgia called a special session for next month to redraw electoral maps, the latest southern state to initiate a new map-making after the US supreme court’s dismantling of the Voting Rights Act.Brian Kemp announced the special session, which will start on 17 June, on Wednesday. It will focus on “enacting, revising, repealing, or amending” district lines for the state legislature and congressional district, in light of the supreme court’s decision in Louisiana v Callais. Continue reading...

Warsh will serve four-year term as chair, taking over amid rising inflation and pressure from Trump to lower ratesThe US Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as chair of the Federal Reserve, one of the most powerful roles in the federal government that holds enormous sway over the economy.The 54-45 Senate vote on Wednesday was split along party lines, with the exception of Democratic senator John Fetterman from Pennsylvania, who joined the Republican majority. Warsh was confirmed for a four-year term as chair and a 14-year appointment on the Fed’s rate-setting board. Continue reading...

The covert meeting with the UAE’s president is the latest milestone in a rapidly developing Middle East allianceBenjamin Netanyahu has revealed he made a secret trip to the United Arab Emirates at the height of the Iran war to meet president Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.“This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE,” the Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement on Wednesday night. Continue reading...

Health secretary’s move to force race sparks scramble on left of Labour for candidate to oppose himUK politics live – latest updatesWes Streeting is preparing to launch a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer on Thursday if the health secretary can secure the support of enough MPs to trigger a contest.Streeting’s move to force a race has sparked a frantic scramble on the left of Labour to find a candidate to oppose him, with Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner both possible contenders. Continue reading...

Health secretary’s lack of challenge had reassured Starmer and his allies – but then briefings for a speculative Thursday launch emergedAs the unofficial political truce of the king’s speech approached, with still no sign of a leadership challenge from Wes Streeting, some of his Labour colleagues assumed the health secretary’s chance to go for the top job might have passed for ever.“There is a risk he becomes the David Miliband of this generation if he doesn’t do something,” one MP said, a reference to another longtime heir apparent who never made the final step. Continue reading...