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MPs say they are anxious for the government to avoid cuts to family and humanitarian visa categoriesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastMajor business groups have urged Labor to suspend its immigration changes and consult further with industry about how to get more skilled workers into the country, amid questions about looming Labor tweaks on permanent migration.With home affairs minister Tony Burke delaying an anticipated immigration speech by at least one week, some Labor MPs say they are anxious to avoid major changes to the family and humanitarian visa categories, with one urging against “performative reductions” in migration in response to One Nation. Continue reading...

Reform say employers would be held responsible even if they were unaware of the worker’s immigration statusHello and welcome to the UK politics live blog.Reform UK says it will fine firms 10% of their global revenues and imprison bosses who employ illegal migrant workers under the party’s latest plans to bring down immigration.Under a Reform government, Britain will have the harshest penalties in the world for employing illegal migrants.Bosses of companies employing illegal migrants will be sent to prison, and their companies fined 10% of their global revenues.Illegal working undermines honest business, exploits vulnerable individuals and fuels organised immigration crime.We are already closing the loopholes that allow illegal migrants to work in the UK by extending right to work checks to the gig economy and delivery sector.Jewish leaders have turned down a meeting with a former antisemitic internet troll as Kemi Badenoch defended his selection as a Conservative council candidate. The Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) have declined an offer from the Conservatives to meet Joshua Bonehill-Paine, who has been selected to fight the Crewkerne South ward in Somerset next May.But they said they would meet with the Conservatives to “discuss their decision-making process” and urge them to drop Mr Bonehill-Paine as a candidate. Bonehill-Paine was jailed in 2016 after he was convicted of racially aggravated harassment of Labour peer Baroness Luciana Berger, who is Jewish.Ministers continued to defend the release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers as part of the government’s early prisoner release scheme, despite a potential legal challenge from the Police Federation. Justice minister Jake Richards acknowledged the “unimaginable pain” of the deceased officer’s family but said “difficult decisions” must be made because law and order could “collapse” without a functioning prison system.The government is not “actively” considering an inquiry into Jeffrey Epstein’s UK activities, a Ministry of Justice spokesperson has confirmed. They said that while the department was “reviewing what is possible” and would “look at all options to support victims”, a public inquiry was “not being actively considered”. Continue reading...

Jean-Claude Perrottet, brother of former NSW premier, asked about messages referencing federal opposition leader and factional group ReformersIcac’s spotlight has shone on Dominic Perrottet’s brother – and it won’t be the last we hear from his familyNew South Wales’s anti-corruption watchdog has been shown text messages which suggest Angus Taylor “had paid some money to the Reformers … or was refusing to”, according to the lawyer assisting the inquiry.Taylor, the federal opposition leader, is not named in Icac’s allegations and has previously denied making payments to the hard-right factional group the Reformers. Continue reading...

• The STOXX Europe 600 index has reached record highs, driven by a combination of strong corporate earnings and positive macroeconomic data. • Eurozone GDP growth for Q2 2026 hit 0.4% quarter-to-quarter, exceeding consensus expectations by 0.2 percentage points. • According to Pantheon Macroeconomics' chief economist Claus Vistesen, this growth follows an upward revision to zero growth in Q1, signaling a recovery in the region.

• A new report marks seven years since the August 5, 2019, abrogation of Article 370, arguing that the discourse surrounding Jammu and Kashmir must evolve. • The analysis suggests shifting the focus away from political and constitutional debates toward evaluating tangible performance and ground-level changes. • This shift is considered crucial for assessing the actual impact of the constitutional changes on the region's governance and stability.

• Trading firms and platform providers maintained stability during a recent sell-off in Asian tech and semiconductor stocks, signaling a more sophisticated approach to managing extreme volatility. • Significant losses were incurred by retail investors using leveraged ETFs in South Korea, as well as momentum investors heavily concentrated in AI stocks. • Passive funds tracking semiconductor-heavy indices, specifically Taiwan's technology sector and South Korea's KOSPI, were also negatively impacted by the downturn.

Murdaugh, whose murder convictions were overturned due to clerk’s misconduct, will face trial againSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter email A US federal judge has thrown out a lawsuit by Alex Murdaugh seeking $600,000 in legal fees from the former court clerk whose misconduct led to his murder convictions being overturned on appeal.Murdaugh sued Becky Hill in May, saying she violated his right to a fair trial over the deaths of his wife and son. Continue reading...

Joshua Bonehill-Paine, who was convicted of harassing Jewish MP, says Badenoch has offered him advisory role instead• UK politics live – latest updatesA former neo-Nazi activist who was convicted of harassing a Jewish MP has withdrawn as a Conservative election candidate after his selection prompted an outcry from Jewish groups and others.Joshua Bonehill-Paine said on Wednesday he had withdrawn from next year’s local elections, and that Kemi Badenoch had instead offered him a role as an advisor to her party’s culture and integration commission, specifically focusing on how young men become radicalised. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Rukhsar Ahmed was re-elected as an MP in Pakistan last week despite being on police bail in the UKA former Pakistani state minister has been arrested on suspicion of raping vulnerable young girls in Manchester in the 1990s, the Guardian can reveal.Rukhsar Ahmed, who was re-elected as an MP in Pakistan last week after five years out of office, is on police bail in the UK after his arrest in July 2024 on suspicion of rape and trafficking children in care as part of a grooming gang. Continue reading...

Sarah Henderson says bill ignores gambling inducements, uniting parties and independents against controversial legislationFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor will be forced to make major changes to its planned crackdown on online gambling advertising, as the Coalition, Greens and independents demand tougher rules to stop betting companies offering generous inducements as well as further limits on broadcast ads.After a two-day inquiry including sensational evidence that gambling companies allegedly provided illegal drugs and access to sex workers to keep problem gamblers betting, the Coalition confirmed on Wednesday afternoon it would seek “crucial amendments” before agreeing to support the government’s legislation. Continue reading...

In today’s newsletter: The past week shows how quickly images, rumours and ​right-wing political opportunism can eclipse the facts on the groundGood morning. Last week, an estimated 72,000 migrants began crossing into a tiny Spanish enclave on the tip of Morocco. Within 24 hours, most of them had headed home. At least 88 people died after attempting the crossing, according to local officials. This isn’t the whole story of what happened over the last week, but the facts are worth remembering.At an emergency meeting yesterday, EU interior ministers sought to draw a line under Ceuta, insisting that the passport-free Schengen area had never been at risk from the arrival of migrants at this scale. Despite this, much of the media coverage has suggested that events in Ceuta represent a territorial threat to Europe, sparking calls for greater security across the region’s borders.Environment | Eight of the biggest oil companies amassed profits of more than $90bn (£67bn) in just three months as the Iran conflict sent energy prices soaring and the emissions-fuelled climate crisis caused deadly heatwaves.UK politics | Women should not feel pressurised into experiencing an “ideal birth”, the new health secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said, promising a root-and-branch reform of standards after several damning maternity scandals.Middle East | Jordan is convening an emergency meeting over an “imminent” threat of an Israeli takeover of the most important Muslim site in Jerusalem, with the potential to “trigger a religious conflict”.Ukraine | Russian strikes in and around Kyiv killed at least 14 people, ⁠injured 27 and ⁠damaged warehouses, ​emergency service officials said. Some reports put the death toll at 15.Ceuta | Hundreds of people have gathered in the northern Moroccan town of Fnideq, near the border with Spain’s Ceuta, flashing photos of their missing loved ones to passersby in the hope of tracking them down. Continue reading...

• European ministers have agreed to implement new measures to combat online misinformation following a crisis in Ceuta. • To improve shared situational awareness, member states plan to develop early-warning systems, including social media monitoring and pre-frontier intelligence. • EU Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, called for increased international cooperation to dismantle powerful smuggling networks.

• Fixed income trading in European banking remains a "two-tiered race" during Q2, as the sector continues to struggle in the shadow of equity markets. • BNP Paribas and Barclays are locked in a competitive struggle for dominance, while Societe Generale has successfully overtaken UBS in trading performance. • The trend highlights a significant disparity in how European banks are capturing fixed income revenue compared to the more robust equity trading sector.

• Former Bangi MP Dr. Ong Kian Ming asserts that Pakatan Harapan (PH) must return to its core political and institutional reform agenda following a "crushing defeat" in the Negeri Sembilan state election. • Dr. Ong argues that the coalition's current decline in support is a direct result of relying on short-term electoral strategies rather than the principles that originally propelled them to power. • This shift is critical as PH seeks to regain public trust and reverse the trend of diminishing electoral appeal.

• The Philippines has implemented new legislative and regulatory reforms designed to strengthen its investment framework and encourage more mergers and acquisitions (M&A). • These initiatives aim to make the country more attractive to foreign investors by reducing barriers and streamlining legal processes. • This shift is significant as it positions the Philippines to compete more effectively for global capital and industrial growth in the region.

• Pakatan Harapan (PH) is facing a decline in public confidence following three election losses and allegations of abandoned reform promises. • Former senior political secretary Shamsul Iskandar Akin is allegedly linked to a Sabah mining scandal, with whistleblower Albert Tei claiming a payment of RM629,000 was made to him. • Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail is embroiled in a citizenship scandal involving forged documents and misleading statements regarding seven "heritage" footballers.

• Right-leaning lawmakers have criticized President Lee Jae Myung for refusing to veto a revision to the Criminal Procedure Act. • The controversial legislation removes all investigative powers from the prosecution, a move conservatives argue will cause chaos within the judicial system. • Lawmaker Park specifically condemned the President's "extreme irresponsibility" and claimed the bill fails to provide adequate protections for crime victims.

• Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has released its latest flagship AI model, aiming to compete with top global industry leaders. • The company claims the new model achieves breakthrough performance levels comparable to high-end systems like Anthropic’s Fable. • This launch signifies Alibaba's aggressive push to maintain a competitive edge in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence landscape against Western rivals.

NSW shadow attorney general, Damien Tudehope, tells inquiry Jean-Claude Perrottet had a talent for recruitingA senior New South Wales Liberal says the younger brother of former Liberal premier Dominic Perrottet had a “talent” for recruiting and renewing new members to the party, a corruption inquiry has heard.On Tuesday, NSW shadow attorney general and Liberal leader in the upper house, Damien Tudehope gave evidence as part of the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (Icac) Operation Rosny, where he was also asked about a 2018 message in which his former staffer, and younger brother of the former premier, Jean-Claude Perrottet, wrote to other Reformers that “Scott and Damien are afraid”. Continue reading...

• DeepSeek has released V4-Flash-0731, a smaller model designed to enhance agent performance through advanced post-training techniques. • Despite its reduced size, the new model has reportedly outperformed DeepSeek's own flagship version while maintaining the same underlying architecture. • The release is significant as it provides open weights, allowing developers more flexibility and accessibility to high-performance AI agents.

• Tanvi Sharma and Kidambi Srikanth will lead the Indian contingent at the Korea Masters Super 300 badminton tournament starting Tuesday in Asan, Korea. • 17-year-old Tanvi Sharma enters the competition with significant momentum after winning her maiden BWF World Tour title at the Taipei Open this past Sunday. • In the Taipei Open final, Sharma secured her victory by defeating Vietnam's sixth seed, Thuy Linh Nguyen.

Former 2UE and 2GB radio broadcaster is facing 22 charges. Jones, 85, has pleaded not guiltyWarning: This live blog may contain graphic content when discussing evidence in the trialJones allegedly gifted cash and car to teenager he kissed after commenting on sprinter’s penis, trial hearsWelcome to day two of the Alan Jones indecent assault trial. On Monday, a former schoolboy athlete told the court he didn’t tell anyone that the broadcaster, now 85, was allegedly kissing him and touching his genitalia when he was a teenager because he was “fearful” of losing Jones’s financial support. The man, known as complainant J, is expected to continue giving evidence via video link on Tuesday.J is the first of six complainants expected to give evidence of their alleged indecent assault by Jones, who is facing 22 charges. The trial before judge Glenn Walsh at Downing Centre local court is expected to run for four months and hear from 76 witnesses. Continue reading...

Joshua Bonehill-Paine, creator of satirical Crewkerne Gazette, has convictions including harassment of a Jewish MPA former neo-Nazi activist with convictions including the harassment of a Jewish MP has been selected as a Conservative candidate for a local election in Somerset.Joshua Bonehill-Paine, the creator of the viral Crewkerne Gazette series of AI clips, is due to stand for election to Somerset council next year in a new Crewkerne South district. He told the Guardian he was an executive member of the Tories’ Yeovil branch, working as an events organiser. Continue reading...

Restore leader has countered charges he’s splitting the right while showing his party is a very real obstacle for ReformEven by the standards of their rivalry, the speed at which Rupert Lowe’s olive branch to Nigel Farage morphed into fresh recriminations between the two was swift.It began with a softly lit 12-minute video posted on Sunday by the Restore Britain leader, looking straight to camera and referring to “Nigel” as he suggested his party could be willing to cast aside its differences with Reform UK and work together. Continue reading...

Handful of tollroads to get one-off price cuts but WestConnex toll to keep rising at least 4% a yearGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe cost of using Sydney’s biggest toll road will continue to rise at least 4% a year after the multinational private operator was accused of blocking the state government’s push for sweeping reforms.Only a handful of Sydney’s motorways will receive one-off toll cuts under a deal announced by the state Labor government on Monday, as the tolling bill footed by taxpayers surpasses $1bn. Continue reading...

Admission may undermine Farage’s account of circumstances surrounding £5m gift from crypto billionaireUK politics live – latest updatesNigel Farage has admitted he held talks about the possibility of returning as Reform UK’s leader months before the 2024 general election, potentially undermining his own account of the circumstances in which he received a £5m gift from a crypto billionaire.It was reported at the weekend Farage had struck a deal with the party’s then leader, Richard Tice, and the convicted fraudster George Cottrell to return to frontline politics. Continue reading...

Party’s deputy leader accused of a possible failure to declare an interest, commissioner says ⁠on ​its websiteBritain’s ⁠parliamentary ⁠standards watchdog is ​investigating ⁠Reform UK’s ⁠deputy ​leader, ‌Richard ‌Tice, over ‌a possible failure to declare ‌an interest, ​the commissioner said ⁠on ​its website ​on ​Monday.More details soon … Continue reading...

Retired commander says policy lacks substance as party accused of trying to distract from Nigel Farage’s scandalsUK politics live – latest updatesA Reform UK proposal to use the military to stop small boats bringing migrants to the UK from France lacks substance, a former Royal Navy officer has said, suggesting the UK’s warships would be better used countering actual military threats.Reform’s political opponents have claimed its plans have more to do with distracting from the financial scandals surrounding its leader, Nigel Farage, than about solving the small boats issue, after the party proposed having the navy pick up people trying to make irregular Channel crossings and take them to France. Continue reading...