Supreme court sides with oil and gas firms in Louisiana coastal damage fight 17. April 2026 (18:40) 8-0 ruling gives companies new day in federal court after firms including Chevron ordered to pay millions for cleanupThe supreme court handed a win on Friday to oil and gas companies fighting lawsuits over coastal land loss and environmental degradation in Louisiana.The 8-0 procedural decision gives the companies a new day in federal court after a state jury ordered Chevron to pay upward of $740m to clean up damage to the state’s coastline, one of multiple similar lawsuits. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US Congress passes 10-day extension of surveillance law amid Republican infighting 17. April 2026 (18:34) Trump repeatedly demanded that Republicans unify to pass a longer extension of the Fisa warrantless spying lawBoth chambers of Congress voted in quick succession on Friday to pass a brief 10-day extension of a controversial warrantless surveillance law after Republican infighting tanked plans for a much longer renewal of the law with no changes.Donald Trump had repeatedly demanded that Republican holdouts “UNIFY” behind Mike Johnson, the US House speaker, in favor of an extension of section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (Fisa) without changes. But chaos ensued on Thursday evening and into the early hours of Friday as Republican leadership tried and failed twice in votes attempting to reauthorize the surveillance program, before resorting to a stopgap measure. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Senate passes short-term extension of surveillance law – US politics live 17. April 2026 (18:00) Senators pass 10-day extension by voice vote after House defeated attempts for five-year and 18-month extensions on Thursday nightSign up for the Breaking News US emailIn more CDC news, Donald Trump has selected Erica Schwartz to lead the troubled health agency, bringing to an end a months-long search for a permanent director.Schwartz served as the deputy surgeon general during Trump’s first term. But before she can officially take over, the president’s pick will require confirmation by the Senate.IRAN HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THAT THE STRAIT OF IRAN IS FULLY OPEN AND READY FOR FULL PASSAGE. THANK YOU! Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man found guilty of rape that led to Andrew Malkinson’s wrongful imprisonment 17. April 2026 (17:55) Paul Quinn convicted in light of DNA evidence from 2003 attack that led to notorious miscarriage of justice• The rape case that became one of Britain’s greatest miscarriages of justiceA man who evaded justice for more than two decades has been found guilty of the “horrific” 2003 rape for which Andrew Malkinson was wrongfully jailed for 17 years.Paul Quinn, 52, was convicted by a jury on Friday after a fresh forensic analysis found traces of his DNA on the victim. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Donald Trump claims to have ended a 10th war – but will the Lebanon ceasefire hold? 17. April 2026 (17:34) Lasting peace depends on resolving a border dispute dating back to 2000 and dealing with Hezbollah’s weaponsMiddle East crisis – live updatesIsrael’s security cabinet first heard about the ceasefire with Lebanon from a social media post by Donald Trump. Hezbollah first heard about the ceasefire from the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon. Each side shot off as many bombs, drones and rockets as they could before the ceasefire – imposed from above – came into effect.Despite the US president claiming it is the 10th war he has ended, the situation on the ground in Lebanon looks anything but stable. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
NSW should think twice before banning ‘globalise the intifada’ after court struck down anti-protest law, legal expert says 17. April 2026 (17:00) Another lawyer says ruling ‘puts brakes on the Minns government’s ability to use executive power to minimise people’s rights to protest’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Minns government should think twice before imposing an outright ban on the phrase “globalise the intifada” in the wake of a landmark finding that could limit attempts to control speech and protests, a leading constitutional expert has said.New South Wales’ highest court ruled in favour of the Palestine Action Group and Blak Caucas on Thursday, striking down an anti-protest law introduced after the Bondi beach terror attack that gave police the power to restrict marches, including the anti-Herzog rally in February. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Jacinta Allan wants voters to see Victoria’s 12-year-old Labor government as ‘new and united’. Can she cling to power? 17. April 2026 (17:00) With a reshuffled cabinet, the premier is hoping to quell leadership rumblings as her party seeks an unprecedented fourth termGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAs the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, stood alongside the fresh faces in her reshuffled cabinet on Wednesday, she attempted to send her increasingly jaded electorate a blunt message: despite its 12 years in power, her government is – apparently – new.In her opening four-minute preamble to reporters, Allan - whose Labor government will in November seek an unprecedented fourth term - repeated the word 17 times. In one sentence alone, she referred to her “new cabinet”, “new portfolios”, “new solutions” and “new areas that are going to drive this government forward”.Benita Kolovos is Guardian Australia’s Victorian state correspondent Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US Live Nation and Ticketmaster verdict triggers calls for Australian investigation into ticketing rules 17. April 2026 (17:00) One insider estimates Australians pay A$10 in fees per ticket, with fans bearing the burden of monopolised music tour schedules and inflated artist valuesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia is being urged to improve ticketing transparency after a US federal court found Live Nation Entertainment had a harmful monopoly over big concert venues.This week, a New York jury found the global entertainment giant and its subsidiary Ticketmaster liable for systematically stifling competition to extract excessive profits from concertgoers. The jury identified a baseline overcharge of US$1.72 for every ticket sold by Live Nation since 2010 – totalling an additional US$595m in 2025 alone. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US Senate votes to repeal Biden-era ban on mining near Minnesota wilderness area 17. April 2026 (16:56) Measure passed 50-49 to overturn a 20-year ban on mining near renowned Boundary Waters Canoe Area WildernessThe US Senate narrowly voted on Thursday to overturn a ban on mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, an enormous complex of interconnected lakes, rivers and forests that is among the most visited wild areas in the US.The resolution passed 50-49 to repeal a 20-year moratorium imposed by former president Joe Biden’s administration in 2023 on mining across the 225,000 acres in the Superior national forest. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
The rape case that became one of Britain’s greatest miscarriages of justice 17. April 2026 (16:34) Paul Quinn’s conviction, 23 years after the attack, exposes how a victim was repeatedly failed and an innocent man wrongly jailed• Paul Quinn found guilty of rapeOne of Britain’s most shocking miscarriages of justice began before dawn on a summer day in Salford more than 20 years ago.A young woman had walked the darkened streets alone for about five miles when she was honked at, wolf-whistled and was so frightened she hid for a while in undergrowth. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
