Mr Trump’s comments came after he and Democratic leaders failed to strike a deal in sometimes combative talks to end the partial shutdown of the US Government. Emerging after more than two hours of talks as the shutdown hit the two-week mark, Mr Trump told reporters he could use executive authority to build the border wall, but wanted to try …

Roger Federer has come away with the bragging rights over fellow tennis great Serena Williams after the pair faced each other on court for the first time. After both champions won their respective singles ties, Federer spearheaded Switzerland’s 4-2, 4-3 (5-3) victory in the mixed doubles decider at the Hopman Cup in Perth. “I was nervous returning,” Federer said after …

The NSW Government has ordered a “comprehensive investigation” into the structural integrity of Sydney’s Opal Tower after a severe crack in the 34-storey apartment building forced a mass evacuation on Christmas Eve. It comes as photos of the damage to the building have emerged, showing the destruction of the plaster inside and the cracking in walls that triggered the evacuation, …

The Japanese Government has confirmed it will restart commercial whaling in July, exiting the International Whaling Commission (IWC). It will stop its so-called scientific whaling in the Antarctic Ocean, and only fish in seas near Japan and the country’s exclusive economic zone. Japan has long been fed up with the deadlock at the IWC, with pro- and anti-whaling nations unable …

Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal family have met with cheering crowds while attending a Christmas church service in Sandringham. The 92-year-old Queen arrived by car while the younger Royals walked from her country house to St Mary Magdalene Church. Prince Philip, who is 97 and largely retired from public life, did not attend the church service but a royal …

Sir David Attenborough says the “collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon” unless urgent action is taken against global warming. The 92-year-old famed British naturalist and BBC presenter blamed humans for the, “man-made disaster of global scale, our greatest threat in thousands of years”. “The world’s people have spoken, their …

The French Government is preparing to suspend fuel tax increases following weeks of protests that turned violent, according to a government source. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe was due to announce the suspension on Tuesday, the source added, in what would mark President Emmanuel Macron’s first significant U-turn on a major policy since taking power in 2017. The so-called “yellow vests” …

A 39-year-old man has been charged in western Sydney as part of an investigation into a notebook allegedly outlining plans to kill senior politicians that led to the wrongful imprisonment of a UNSW employee. NSW Police detained Arsalan Khawaja, the brother of Test cricket star Usman Khawaja, over the alleged terror hit list, which was found in an office in …

Thousands of demonstrators are flooding a downtown avenue in Buenos Aires to protest the G20 summit taking place in the Argentinian capital. The protesters are waving flags and holding up banners with slogans including “Go away G-20” and “Go away Trump”. Activists from France, Germany, Italy and several Latin American nations are taking part alongside Argentinians in a demonstration organised …

French President Emmanuel Macron has stepped up the pressure on Saudi Arabia over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, confronting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the G20 summit in Argentina. Mr Macron reportedly told Prince Mohammed that international experts need to be involved in the investigation into the journalist’s death. Mr Macron’s demand came shortly before Theresa May held …