| | 16/01/2025 Israel-Gaza ceasefire deal agreed, Bandt aims at Dutton, Kokkinakis’ epic loss |
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| | | Good morning. Jubilant Palestinians have taken to the streets of Gaza to celebrate after a ceasefire deal was reached with Israel. The agreement will come into force on Sunday although Israel says some details are still being finalised. We have live coverage, news and analysis. Also today, an exclusive interview with the Greens leader, Adam Bandt, reveals how he sees this election year panning out, more train misery is expected for Sydney commuters, and Thanasi Kokkinakis’s agony after losing a five-set thriller at Melbourne Park. |
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| Australia | | Train chaos | The chaos across Sydney’s train network caused by industrial action yesterday is expected to worsen today. The severe storm that hit the city last night – including forcing the abandonment of a A-League Women’s match, pictured – will add to delays, Sydney Trains warned. | Exclusive | Adam Bandt says a Greens-Labor power-sharing parliament could see a “golden era of progressive reform” as he confirms that stopping Peter Dutton becoming prime minister is now his party’s main election focus. However, the Greens leader faces a challenge with former AFL player Anthony Koutoufides considering a tilt at Bandt’s seat. | Falling Star | Star Entertainment is severe financial trouble, and may have to sell assets or hold out for a white knight. | Strung out | A council in greater Sydney is banning G-string bikinis at its public pools without providing further details about how the rule will be policed, sparking debate about gender standards. | ‘Planet parade’ | Stargazers are being treated to a rare “planet parade” this month, with most of the planets visible in the night sky at the same time. |
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 | World | Middle East hope | The first phase of the Israel-Gaza ceasefire, agreed this morning, will last 42 days and see Israeli hostages exchanged for Palestinian prisoners. It will also allow more aid into Gaza. The Israeli cabinet is to ratify the deal but the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said the final details were still being worked out. Follow the news live. | ‘Has to end’ | Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has told a confirmation hearing that Russia and Ukraine both have to make concessions to end the war. His attorney general, Pam Bondi, was also grilled. Follow developments live. | ‘6m in danger’ | More than 6 million people in southern California remain in danger of life-threatening wildfires as weather officials in Los Angeles issued fresh warnings about more extreme winds and four blazes still burned fiercely. | Inflation eases | A surprise fall in UK inflation has eased pressure on chancellor Rachel Reeves after a week of spiking bond yields, but it’s bad news in Germany where the economy has shrunk for the second year in a row. | Meet the matrilocals | Researchers studying DNA from iron age people in Britain have found evidence that men moved to join their wives’ families – a practice known as matrilocality. |
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| Full Story | | ‘The entire community is just gone’: inside the Los Angeles wildfires Gabrielle Canon reports from Los Angeles on the wildfires destroying homes and communities. | |
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| | | | | | | | | The most important news from Australia and the globe, as it breaks |
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| | Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties |
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| In-depth | | More than 2,000 people are living without adequate housing in bushfire-prone areas in western Victoria, which advocates warn is risking catastrophe. Lisa Ashdowne, who lost her home in the Pomonal fires last February, tells Dellaram Vreeland how she has set up a makeshift home in her garden sheds. “It’s tight and a bit awkward, but it’s home,” she says. |
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| Not the news | | The Kiwi comedian Ray O’Leary, pictured, shares the 10 funniest things he’s ever seen on the internet, including former New Zealand prime minister Robert Muldoon calling an election, the peerless British standup Stewart Lee, and Arrested Development – “the greatest television show ever made”. |
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| Sport | | Tennis | Thanasi Kokkinakis joined Jordan Thompson and Alexei Popyrin in exiting the Australian Open after a thrilling 6-7 (3), 6-3, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 loss to Jack Draper, with the British No 1 eventually silencing a partisan crowd in an epic four-hour, 35-minute clash. It’s an unwanted addition to the unlucky Kokkinakis’s “library of misery”, ditto for Ajla Tomljanović who was another home casualty, while America’s Coco Gauff continued her strong form. | Cricket | Michael Vaughan has denigrated South Africa’s achievement in reaching the World Test Championship final against Australia but it should really be celebrated, writes Daniel Gallan. | Football | There are four more Premier League matches this morning including a tasty-looking North London derby at the Emirates for Ange Postecoglou. Follow it live, while its David Moyes back at Goodison and Newcastle v Wolves. |
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| What’s happening today | Sydney | Sentence for trio charged over attempted $21m NAB fraud. | Economy | Unemployment figures, and overseas arrivals and departures data released by the ABS at 11.30am. |
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| Brain teaser | And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. | |
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| Contact us | If you have a story tip or technical issue viewing this newsletter, please reply to this email. If you are a Guardian supporter and need assistance with regards to contributions and/or digital subscriptions, please email customer.help@guardian.co.uk |
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A message from Lenore Taylor editor of Guardian AustraliaI hope you appreciated this newsletter. Before you move on, I wonder if you would consider contributing to our end-of-year fundraiser as we prepare for a pivotal, uncertain year ahead.
The course of world history has taken a sharp and disturbing turn in 2024. Liberalism is under threat from populist authoritarianism. Americans have voted to install a president with no respect for democratic norms, nor the facts that once formed the guardrails of public debate.
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| Lenore Taylor
Editor, Guardian Australia |
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