Rejects

• Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on September 16 and rejected any displacement of the Palestinian people. • Israel and Morocco agreed to upgrade their diplomatic ties by appointing ambassadors following a meeting between their foreign ministers. • Justice Minister Yariv Levin ruled that the Shin Bet security agency will decide whether to provide protection for political party leaders before the October 27 election.

• The Supreme Court rejected President Trump's attempt to implement new restrictions on mail-in ballots for the upcoming midterm election. • The court's decision blocks the specific push for voting limitations proposed by the former president. • This ruling ensures that current mail-in voting processes remain available to voters for the midterm cycle.

• The Supreme Court rejected restrictions on mail-in voting proposed by Donald Trump before the midterm elections. • The Kennedy Center reported it is on the brink of bankruptcy and may close soon. • A decline in ticket sales and donations from artists and audiences who view the center as too politicized threatens the institution's financial stability.

• The US Supreme Court rejected Donald Trump's attempt to allow the US Postal Service to enforce a rule targeting mail-in ballots on Monday. • The conservative-majority court refused to lift an order from US District Judge Indira Talwani that blocked the restrictive measure. • This decision prevents the implementation of tighter mail-in voting rules before the November midterm elections.

• The US Supreme Court refused to allow the Postal Service to enforce new restrictions on mail-in ballots for the congressional midterm elections. • The court rebuffed a request from the Trump administration to intervene after several states had already launched early voting. • This decision ensures that current mail-in voting processes remain intact for voters and election officials during the midterm cycle.

• The Supreme Court rejected President Donald Trump’s plan on Monday to change how mail-in ballots are sent to voters for the current midterm elections. • Election officials warned that the proposed changes would have had catastrophic consequences for the voting process. • The ruling prevents the implementation of rules that Republican attorneys general sought but their own election officials claimed they could not execute.

Decision allows states to send ballots under process followed for years even as president tried to limit systemThe supreme court on Monday rejected Donald Trump’s mail ballot restrictions for now, capping a flurry of last-minute legal action with voting in the midterm elections already underway.The decision allows states to continue sending out mail ballots under the same processes they have used for years. Continue reading...

• European Union financial services commissioner Maria Luis Albuquerque rejected requests from banks to divide a comprehensive reform package designed to strengthen the bloc's financial system. • The decision maintains the current structure of the grand plan rather than splitting it into two separate initiatives as banks had demanded. • This outcome forces banks to navigate a single, unified set of regulatory changes instead of a phased or segmented implementation.

• European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde rejected a proposal by Jean-Luc Mélenchon to cancel a portion of France's public debt. • Lagarde described the plan as a waste of time and stated it does not make sense legally, technically, or financially. • This dismissal signals that the central bank views debt cancellation as an illegal and dangerous move for the stability of the financial market.

A federal court is declaring that the energy department exceeded its authority when it forced a Michigan power plant to stay open past its scheduled retirement dateIn a defeat for the Trump administration, a federal court on Friday ruled that the energy department exceeded its authority when it forced a Michigan coal-fired power plant to stay open past its scheduled retirement date last year.Energy secretary Chris Wright had said the 64-year-old JH Campbell Generating Plant was needed to ensure reliable electricity in the region, and he used emergency powers to keep it operating. Environmental groups and three states – Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota – went to court to try to overturn orders keeping the plant online. Continue reading...

• A U.S. appeals court rejected a bid by the Trump administration to implement new USPS mail-in voting restrictions. • The court declined to lift a lower court injunction that prevents the postal service from enforcing stricter voting requirements. • This ruling ensures that the USPS cannot apply these new restrictions to voters before upcoming elections.

• The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request to implement congressional maps in Missouri that were backed by Donald Trump. • This decision follows a legal battle over the state's district boundaries that has lasted for more than a year. • The ruling prevents Republicans from using their preferred map to determine how voters are distributed across the state's congressional seats.

• The US Supreme Court has rejected a push to use Missouri congressional maps backed by President Donald Trump, dealing a loss to Republicans trying to maintain control. • The rejection involves maps that would have favored Republican candidates, with the court's decision marking a second time it has turned down the proposed maps. • The loss affects Republican efforts to maintain control of Congress, as the rejected maps would have potentially given them an advantage in Missouri's congressional districts.

Court declined to ⁠put on hold ⁠injunction preventing the USPS from tightening rules around postal votingA US appeals court has rejected Donald Trump’s bid to impose sweeping restrictions on mail-in voting before November’s midterm elections, dealing a fresh blow to the president’s attempted crackdown.The Boston-based first US circuit court of appeals declined to ⁠put on hold an ⁠injunction issued by a ​lower court judge last week, preventing the US Postal Service from tightening rules around postal voting. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request to implement congressional maps in Missouri that were backed by Donald Trump. • The proposed maps were specifically drawn to help Republicans gain an additional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. • This decision limits the ability of Republicans to increase their control of the House ahead of the November midterm elections.

Latest decision appears to set the stage for the state to use its old electoral maps this yearThe US supreme court again rejected a push backed by Donald Trump to overhaul Missouri’s congressional maps in a bid to hand Republicans an edge in November’s midterm elections.Its latest ruling, after days of confusion following conflicting decisions, appears to set the stage for the state to use its old electoral maps this year. Continue reading...

• Gender Equality and Family Minister nominee Rep. Yong Hye-in announced Thursday that she will keep her parliamentary seat if she is appointed to the cabinet. • Yong denied allegations regarding her husband's pay, stating he earned an average monthly salary of 2.5 million won over six years while working for the Basic Income Party. • The nominee's decision to retain her seat persists despite mounting pressure from both ruling and opposition political parties.

Foreign secretary says Sir Ephraim Mirvis wrong to suggest measures against Israeli settlements will make British Jews less safeUK politics live – latest updatesEd Miliband has rejected warnings from the UK’s chief rabbi that the government’s sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements will make British Jews less safe, as he stressed ministers can confront the actions of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government while also fighting antisemitism.The foreign secretary announced sweeping sanctions on trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank on Tuesday, with the government taking the position that Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory was unlawful.An import ban on goods from illegal settlements in the occupied territories and a new ban for arms licences and other exports that “materially contribute to the occupation”.A comprehensive sanctions regime against providing services such as construction or financing for Israeli settlements and a ban on advertising them in the UK.Personal sanctions against key individuals accused of promoting settler violence.A new ban for arms licences and other exports that “materially contribute to the occupation”. Continue reading...

• The US Congress has rejected a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at restricting changes to the size of the Supreme Court. • House Speaker Mike Johnson criticized Democrats for their opposition, claiming they voted against "defending the integrity" of the judicial system. • The move highlights deep partisan divisions over "court-packing" and the balance of power within the federal judiciary.

Use of sniffer dogs and searches will continue despite health and harm reduction groups arguing they could lead to riskier drug takingGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastDrug testing will resume at New South Wales music festivals from October, but will not be rolled out into the wider community despite calls from peak health and harm reduction groups, while the controversial use of sniffer dogs and searches will continue.On Wednesday the state government announced NSW Health will consult with the music festival industry and harm reduction organisations to roll out pill testing at up to 15 music festivals each year. Continue reading...

Government says Green leader’s proposed moratorium on ‘energy-guzzling’ AI projects would be disaster for economyLabour has rejected calls to pause construction of major AI infrastructure in Britain after the Green party leader, Zack Polanski, said it was time to “slam the brakes on these energy-guzzling, water-guzzling datacentres”.The government hit back at the opposition party’s proposal of a “moratorium other than [for] local-scale datacentres for the local community”, saying it “would be a disaster for jobs and national security”. Continue reading...

Maxwell sought to vacate Epstein-related conviction, alleging hidden trial evidence and juror’s abuse historySign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailA federal judge has rejected Ghislaine Maxwell’s legal effort to throw out her 2021 conviction on sex-trafficking charges and 20-year prison sentence, calling her claims “demonstrably meritless, and generally based on speculation, distortions, and/or outright falsehoods”.In a 67-page decision filed on Tuesday, US district judge Paul Engelmayer for New York’s southern district denied the former British socialite’s petition for relief, finding that Maxwell had failed to make a substantial showing that her constitutional rights were denied when she was convicted for her role in crimes linked to late sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Continue reading...

• China has officially rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to launch an “economic D-Day” against Iran. • In response to the proposed escalation, Chinese officials stated that imposing further sanctions does not "fit the interest of any party." • This tension highlights the geopolitical friction between the U.S. and China, as China remains a critical trading partner for the Iranian economy.

In a strongly worded statement, the Australian woman’s family says IDF announcement is an ‘insult’ to her memoryGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe family of the slain Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom has described a decision by the Israel Defense Forces not to open a criminal investigation into her death as deeply disappointing, and called on the government to push for the release of evidence, including audio from the drone strike.Israel’s decision prompted outrage from Australia on Thursday. The country’s ambassador to Australia, Hillel Newman, was called in by the foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, while the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, expressed “outrage” and insisted he would press for justice for Frankcom and her colleagues. Continue reading...

• The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected former President Donald Trump’s request to reconsider his appeal regarding a $5 million payment to writer E. Jean Carroll. • This decision upholds a previous ruling in a case where Trump was found liable for the sexual abuse and defamation of Carroll. • The ruling is significant as it maintains the financial penalties imposed on Trump, despite his ongoing legal efforts to avoid payment.

Former VP sent fundraising appeal for Democrat Mary Peltola’s campaign – with half of donations going to Harris’s organizationAlaska US Senate candidate Mary Peltola has rejected the support of Kamala Harris, her fellow Democrat, after the 2024 presidential candidate sent out a seemingly unsolicited fundraising appeal on Peltola’s behalf.Harris, who lost Alaska – typically a Republican-voting state – by 13 points during her unsuccessful White House run, on Wednesday sent an email from her political organization to supporters of Peltola, a former US House member. Continue reading...

Israeli PM is insisting on a full Hamas disarmament before the deal can be implemented. Plus, what it feels like to get locked in to an opera performance that lasts nearly 24 hoursGood morning.Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a US-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza in a rare public break with Donald Trump. In a statement, Israel’s prime minister said he was confronting a “wave of rumours about Israeli weakness and Israeli withdrawals on all fronts” and rebuked US pressure to end wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran without Israel’s buy-in.What other developments have happened in the region? Iran has issued tough new demands for reopening the strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile over the weekend. Tehran said the strait of Hormuz would not open until the US “corrects its behaviour”. Yemen’s Tehran-aligned Houthis have claimed responsibility for an attack on a refinery in Saudi Arabia on Sunday morning.What impact is the conflict having on seafarers in Hormuz? The US-Iran war has stranded up to 20,000 seafarers, mostly Indian and Filipino crews, with none knowing when the nightmare will end. Seventeen seafarers have died since hostilities began, the majority following Iranian strikes.What sort of exercises did they take part in? Justin Vail, who leads the DC office of the non-partisan advocacy group Protect Democracy, said: “These tabletop exercises are a standard planning tool for experts and stakeholders to prepare for potential scenarios. We’re not predicting exactly what would happen. But we do want to create a realistic context that can help us identify gaps, test our assumptions, and strengthen coordination, and then ultimately develop some recommendations to increase our preparedness.”How has Trump been working to undermine confidence in US elections? Voting rights advocates pointed toward Trump’s July primetime address as indicative of the president’s intentions – rhetorical attacks on the integrity of voting machines and elections offices, potentially escalating into more direct interference. Trump threatened the broadcast licenses of networks that refused to carry that address live, and in his speech, he again implored Congress to pass the Save America Act, which would ban mail-in ballots nationwide and impose new identification requirements on voters when they register and report to polls. Continue reading...

In rare public break with Trump, Israel’s prime minister says IDF will not withdraw until Hamas is disarmedMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesIsrael’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has rejected a US-backed 15-point peace plan for Gaza in a rare public break with Donald Trump.In a statement on Sunday, Netanyahu said that he was confronting a “wave of rumours about Israeli weakness and Israeli withdrawals on all fronts” and rebuked US pressure to end wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran without Israel’s buy-in. Continue reading...