Morning everyone. Anthony Albanese will outline more details of the government’s crackdown on hate speech and antisemitism this morning, but our lead story today reveals there could be a loophole in the legislation he plans to bring forward.
We’re also reporting from the frontlines of two sides of the climate crisis: the aftermath of fires in Victoria and fears that flooding in central Queensland could isolate people for months. And as Donald Trump continues to threaten Iran (and the Federal Reserve boss) with intervention, two former foreign ministers are urging the prime minister to rethink Australia’s relationship with the US.
Australia
Festival fallout | Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has become the latest international headline act to pull out of the 2026 Adelaide writers’ week in protest over the Adelaide festival board’s decision to rescind its invitation to Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah.
‘Religious’ defence | People accused of breaching the Albanese government’s new hate speech laws could argue their conduct was legal because they were quoting from a religious text, draft legislation shows.
Flood threat | Some residents of central Queensland fear they could be isolated for months after ex-tropical cyclone Koji unleashed torrential rain and floods across vast swathes of the state. The One Nation MPs Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce have used a private jet owned by the mining magnate Gina Rinehart to tour the flood-affected areas.
US rethink | The Albanese government should urgently reconsider Australia’s alliance with the United States, two former Labor foreign ministers have said, as they voiced alarm over Donald Trump’s military intervention in Venezuela and renewed push to claim Greenland.
News cycle | Cyclists preparing the Tour Down Under to race in scorching temperatures are beginning to raise concerns about the event’s sponsorship by the fossil-fuel company Santos.
World
Iran ‘under control’ | Iran’s foreign minister has claimed the situation in the country has “come under total control” as authorities carry out a brutal crackdown against the nationwide protest movement and pro-government supporters have flooded the centre of Tehran. Abbas Araghchi also said Iran was willing to negotiate with the US about its nuclear programme. Follow developments live.
Fed warning | Donald Trump’s attempts to influence the US Federal Reserve could risk plunging America into a period of 1970s-style inflation and trigger a global backlash in financial markets, economists have warned. Several of Powell predecessors have also expressed concerns. Follow updates from Washington here.
Tory defection | The former UK Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has defected to Reform UK, Nigel Farage has announced. He is the most senior former Conservative to join Farage’s party.
Grok gripes | The UK media watchdog has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s X over the use of the Grok AI tool to manipulate images of women and children by removing their clothes, while Malaysia has become the second country to temporarily block access to the site.
Financial milestone | Google’s parent company Alphabet has hit a US$4tn valuation after an AI deal with Apple, surpassing it to become the second-most valuable company in the world.
Full Story
The anxiety of having kids in a climate crisis
Around 40% of Australian women are anxious about starting a family as global temperatures rise. Our science climate, environment and science assistant editor Donna Lu is one of them, and she tells Reged Ahmad why.
In-depth
Last week Neil Tubb was fighting bushfires on his property at Longwood in Victoria. But this week he has turned his attention to keeping alive thousands of sheep and cattle on farms in the region whose food supply has been threatened by the fires, with donations of hay coming in from all over the state. “It sort of brings everybody together, this sort of thing,” he tells Catie McLeod. “And a lot of the people … have lost everything.”
Not the news
Ellen Smith, our deputy picture editor, was delighted when she was able to enrol on a free horticulture course. She explains why, amid a grim news cycle, gardening has become the focus of her rookie era.
Sport
Tennis | The Australian Open is drawing record crowds to pre-tournament attractions before a ball has even been hit, and former champion Stan Wawrinka tells us why he has no regrets about his career as he approaches retirement.
Winter Olympics | The USA’s Katie Uhlaender, a five-time Winter Olympian in skeleton, has accused the Canadian team of depriving her of a place at the Milan-Cortina Games by manipulating a qualifying event over the weekend.
Football | Liverpool entertain Barnsley in the last of the FA Cup third round matches this morning. Follow the action here.
Media roundup
The Northern Territory government has rejected a proposed national gun buyback scheme, the ABC reports, saying the territory should not have to partly fund it. According to the Age, there are grave fears for a fragile dingo population amid the Victoria fires. And in the Sydney Morning Herald, relatives of the victims of the Bondi terror attack are calling for a new compensation scheme.
What’s happening today
Economy | The Westpac consumer sentiment index will be released.
Newcastle | A total of 129 Rising Tide protesters will appear in court for trying to blockade the city’s port.
Environment | Federal statistics detailing bush loss since 2010 will be released.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
