Welcome, readers, to Afternoon Update.
The US government shut down on Wednesday, after congressional Democrats refused to support a Republican plan to extend funding for federal departments unless they won a series of concessions centred on healthcare.
The GOP, which controls the Senate and the House of Representatives, repudiated their demands, setting off a legislative scramble that lasted into the hours before funding lapsed at midnight, when the Senate failed to advance both parties’ bills to keep funding going.
The shutdown is the first since a 35-day closure that began in December 2018 and extended into the new year, during Trump’s first term. It comes as Democrats look to regain their footing with voters, who re-elected Trump last year and relegated them to the minority in both chambers of Congress.
Follow our live coverage here and read more about what a shutdown means here.
Top news
Government ‘deeply concerned’ about safety of Australians aboard Gaza flotilla
Sussan Ley sets KPIs for frontbenchers and calls for discipline amid outbreaks of internal division
Tech companies consider giving up efforts to combat misinformation online in Australia
Australia could split Cop31 hosting rights with Turkey under potential compromise
Footprint found in South Australian outback search for four-year-old boy
In pictures
After a record-breaking week of public voting, Katmai national park and preserve in Alaska has announced the winner of its “biggest Fat Bear Week yet”.
32 Chunk, frequently described as “the most dominant brown bear on the river”, won the fatness competition despite suffering for most of the season from a broken jaw, which locals suspected came from battling with another male over a female.
What they said …
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“The Kyle & Jackie O Show has repeatedly and deliberately aired content that is vulgar, sexually explicit and deeply offensive” – the Australian Communications and Media Authority (Acma) chair, Nerida O’Loughlin
Acma is considering taking enforcement action against the Kiis network, which broadcasts the Kyle & Jackie O Show, for repeatedly airing vulgar and sexually explicit content despite multiple warnings.
O’Loughlin added: “ARN, as the licensee of these stations, appears unwilling or unable to rein in these presenters.”
Full Story
Ben Roberts-Smith defamation case reaches the end of the road
After seven years, the Ben Roberts-Smith v Nine newspapers defamation case is finally over, with the high court dismissing his bid for an appeal against a ruling in the federal court that found on the balance of probabilities he committed war crimes.
Guardian Australia senior reporter Ben Doherty talks to Reged Ahmad about what this means for Roberts-Smith, who continues to deny the allegations, and the wider ramifications of the long-running case.
Before bed read
Australian pop-rock band Killing Heidi celebrated the 25th anniversary of their multi-platinum debut album, Reflector, with a string of sold-out dates in June. The band are among a wave of artists hitting the road this year to celebrate landmark albums. It reflects deeper trends in the Australian music landscape, where new artists are struggling to cut through.
Daily word game
Today’s starter word is: GUID. You have five goes to get the longest word including the starter word. Play Wordiply.
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