A New York judge has sentenced Donald Trump’s namesake real estate company to pay a maximum $US1.61 million ($2.31 million) criminal penalty after it was convicted of scheming to defraud tax authorities for 15 years. Justice Juan Merchan of the Manhattan criminal court imposed the sentence, the maximum possible under state law, after jurors found two Trump Organization affiliates guilty …

Russia’s defence ministry says its forces have taken control of the salt-mining town of Soledar in eastern Ukraine. Russian forces captured the town, long the focus of heavy fighting and bombardment, on Thursday evening, the ministry said, according to a state media report on Friday. This would now allow its troops to cut off Ukrainian forces from the nearby, much …

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet is in damage control, insisting he has the support of his colleagues after admitting to the “terrible” mistake of wearing a Nazi costume 20 years ago. Several ministers are standing by Mr Perrottet two months out from the state election. It comes as the reason behind the premier’s public confession was revealed, with media reporting his …

More first home buyers in NSW will have their stamp duty costs waived under a Labor proposal. The scheme is an expansion of an existing government program that offers full or partial rebates on new or existing properties for first home buyers. Opposition Leader Chris Minns said he wanted more singles, couples and families realising their dream of home ownership. …

An independent review of Australia’s carbon credit market has defended the scheme while making sweeping recommendations to improve transparency and confidence in the market. The review was carried out after the scheme’s integrity was called into question by a key architect of the framework, Andrew Macintosh, who described it as a “fraud on the environment”. A panel of four experts …

The government is expecting a return to pre-pandemic migration levels this year but the projections may be too bullish given the uncertain global environment. A new report from the Centre for Population predicts a full recovery in migration numbers this year of about 235,000 people a year on average. But Australian National University demographer Liz Allen said the migration assumptions …

Four people have been confirmed as dead among 13 injured – three critically –  after two helicopters collided before one crashed into the Broadwater on the Gold Coast. One chopper ended up upside down on a sandbar at the water’s edge with debris strewn around the area after the crash about 2pm on Monday near the Sea World theme park …

Western Sydney University has showcased its new $340 million high-rise Bankstown City campus with an official celebration attended by Federal Minister for Education, the Hon Jason Clare MP ahead of the campus commencing teaching in early 2023. Developed in partnership with Walker Corporation, the University’s newest vertical campus will drive economic growth and open higher education and employment opportunities for …

Lionel Messi finally achieved his World Cup dream as Argentina won their third crown on penalties in one of the greatest finals in the tournament’s history. Argentina won the shootout 4-2 after a spectacular game which developed into the much-anticipated confrontation between the 35-year-old maestro Messi and his France opposite number Kylian Mbappe. France’s own superstar scored a hat-trick – the first in …

A new cyber security strategy will be drawn up by global experts in a bid to make Australia the most secure nation in the world, having become “unnecessarily vulnerable”. Cyber Security Minister Clare O’Neil announced the drafting of the 2023-2030 Australian Cyber Security Strategy at the National Press Club in Canberra on Thursday. She also unveiled the expert advisory board …