It appears to have been sparked after an altercation between two groups of people.

US President Donald Trump has announced he will file a $US15 billion ($22 billion) lawsuit against The New York Times, alleging defamation and libel, and accusing the outlet of being a "virtual mouthpiece" for the Democrat party.

Trump had threatened last week to sue the Times after it published articles related to a sexually suggestive note and drawing that was given to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003 and appears to have been signed by Trump.

Trump and his aides have denied that he was involved in the creation of the note.

READ MORE: Millions of Australians to get cash boost this Friday

In a post overnight on his social media platform, Truth Social, the president accused the Times of making false statements about him, his family and his businesses, though he did not elaborate on the allegations.

"Today, I have the Great Honor of bringing a $15 Billion Dollar Defamation and Libel Lawsuit against The New York Times," Trump wrote.

"The New York Times has been allowed to freely lie, smear, and defame me for far too long, and that stops, NOW!" he added, while singling out the Times' endorsement of Kamala Harris during the last presidential election in 2024.

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of high-profile legal challenges mounted by Trump against major media outlets in what he describes as a broader effort to "restore integrity to journalism".

The lawsuit would be filed in Florida, Trump said, without providing further details.

CNN reached out to The New York Times for comment.

In a complaint filed in a Tampa federal court, Trump's lawyers accused the Times of a deliberate pattern of "false, malicious, defamatory, and disparaging" reporting aimed at undermining Trump's presidential campaign and legacy.

The filing cites previous examples of lawsuits brought by Trump's lawyers against Disney's ABC News and Paramount Global's CBS News, which resulted in multimillion-dollar payouts and public acknowledgments of inaccuracies in their reporting.

It also cited a lawsuit brought in July against The Wall Street Journal and reporters who wrote a story about the collection of letters gifted to Epstein.

A spokesperson for Dow Jones, the Journal's parent company, said in a statement at the time, "We have full confidence in the rigour and accuracy of our reporting, and will vigorously defend against any lawsuit."

In the latest lawsuit against the Times, Trump's lawyers say the "reputational injury inflicted in this case reaches billions of dollars" and confirms they are seeking at least $US15 billion in damages.


Mayor says it had been a tough year for the district.

A farming boy from Hawke’s Bay springs a moment of New Zealand athletics history.

Niwa forecasts a wetter than normal month but drier conditions in October.

How do some coalition MPs plan to vote on the Māori ward referendum?

A nurse sacked over her alleged inflammatory rhetoric is no longer accused of threatening to kill Israeli patients after prosecutors dropped a charge.

Sarah Abu Lebdeh, 27, and Ahmad Rashad Nadir, 28, sparked national condemnation when they were recorded saying they would refuse to treat Israelis and appearing to threaten violence towards them.

The pair were working a night shift at southwest Sydney's Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital at the time of the alleged threats, made through an online video chat platform in February.

READ MORE: Trump says the US military again targeted a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela

Charges were laid after footage was shared online by another party to the Chatruletka meet-up, Israeli influencer Max Veifer.

Abu Lebdeh was charged with threatening violence to a group, using a carriage service to threaten to kill, and using a carriage service to menace, harass, or offend.

But the allegation that she threatened to kill Israeli patients was withdrawn by prosecutors today in Downing Centre Local Court.

Abu Lebdeh is yet to enter pleas to the remaining two charges, which will proceed with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

She is on bail under strict conditions, barring her from using social media or leaving the country.

Her former colleague Nadir was hospitalised after the video emerged before being charged in March with using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence and possession of a prohibited drug.

READ MORE: SA Police probe employee's posts allegedly celebrating Charlie Kirk assassination

He pleaded not guilty to possessing morphine, which he will fight at a hearing at Bankstown Local Court in October.

Nadir is yet to enter pleas to the former charge, which will proceed with the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions.

Nadir previously apologised through his lawyer, Zemarai Khatiz, for the comments he made in the video.

Outside court, Zhatiz said he would not be negotiating with the Commonwealth DPP and the matter would take "a long time" to resolve.

Both nurses remain on bail and were excused from attending court today.

They have been prohibited from working as nurses nationwide by Australia's health practitioner watchdog, and their registrations have been suspended in NSW.

Their comments attracted widespread criticism – including from the prime minister and NSW premier – amid community concerns at the time about antisemitic acts in Sydney and Melbourne.

Many of the highest-profile incidents in Sydney have since been revealed to have been concocted by criminal networks with no clear ideological motivations.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

A mother and doctor has claimed she was asked to leave a Virgin airport business lounge for expressing breastmilk.

Gold Coast women's health practitioner Dr Elise Turner said she was sitting in the lounge at Melbourne Airport yesterday when she began pumping under her shirt.

"So this is pretty unbelievable and I am beyond furious right now," Turner said in a video posted on her Instagram Story.

READ MORE: Aussie staples under threat of being wiped out in just decades

Do you have a story? Contact reporter April Glover at Google Play.

Millions of Australians will lose an hour of sleep in a few weeks' time as daylight saving comes into effect.

All but three states and territories will wind their clocks forward by an hour on the first weekend in October.

Here's everything you need to know before daylight saving time starts.

READ MORE: Your guide to Australia's skies: The lunar eclipses, meteor showers and celestial events happening in 2025

When does daylight saving time start in Australia in 2025?

Daylight saving comes into effect at 2am on Sunday, October 5.

It falls during the October long weekend.

Do the clocks go forward or backward in October?

Clocks are moved forward by one hour, from 2am to 3am.

It means losing an hour of sleep but will give Australians more daylight from Monday evening onwards.

When will daylight saving end in 2026?

Daylight saving will run for six months before ending in April 2026.

At 2am on Sunday, April 5, clocks will be moved back by one hour to 1am to provide more morning daylight during the cooler months.

It will also mean an extra hour of sleep for millions of Aussies.

READ MORE: How to maximise public holidays and make the most of your annual leave in 2025

Why does daylight saving exist?

The whole purpose of daylight saving is to make better use of natural daylight and reduce energy consumption depending on the time of year.

During the warmer months, this means moving the clocks forward to enjoy more sun in the evenings.

In the cooler months, the clocks are moved back so Aussies can make the most of morning light.

Why doesn't all of Australia have daylight saving?

Not all Australian states and territories observe daylight saving.

While New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory change their clocks twice a year, Queensland, Western Australia, and the Northern Territory have opted out.

This is largely because Queensland, WA and the NT are closer to the equator, so the difference in daylight hours doesn't vary as much across the seasons in those regions.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Millions of Australians will get a cash boost this week as Centrelink payments increase under indexation changes, offering relief in the cost-of-living crisis.

These changes are made every year in March and September and are designed to ensure that payments keep up with inflation.

Here's everything you need to know about the Centrelink payment changes.

READ MORE: Aussie staples under threat of being wiped out in just decades

Which Centrelink payments are getting the increase?

A number of payments will increase this week, including the age pension, carer payment, and disability support pension.

Federal rent assistance, youth allowance and JobSeeker payments will also jump to keep up with inflation.

The income limits for some payments will also increase, meaning more Aussies may be eligible to receive them.

When do the new Centrelink payment rates start?

The changes will come into effect on Friday, September 20.

Recipients will see the first increased payment in their bank account from that date onwards.

READ MORE: Father and son face fate over car chase murder

How much are payments increasing in September 2025?

The dollar amount each payment will increase by varies.

The age pension will jump by $29.70 for singles, increasing the total fortnightly payment from $1149.00 to $1178.70 $29.70.

For couples it will increase by $22.40 each, resulting in a total fornightly payment of $888.50 per person.

Single parents will receive a $16.20 boost and partnered parents will get an extra $11.40.

That will bring total fortnightly payments to $1039.70 and $734.40 respectively.

Rental assistance will go up by just $3.40 for singles and $3.20 for couples, with fortnightly payments to sit at $215.40 and $203.

Rental assistance for families will increase by up to $4.48.

JobSeeker payments will jump by $12.50 for singles over 22 with no children, bringing the fortnightly total up from $781.10 to $793.60.

Couples will receive an extra $11.40 each.

Youth allowance will increase by $16.20, jumping from $1011.50 per fortnight to $1027.70.

READ MORE: Family seeks answers after Gold Coast mum Kelly Wilkinson stabbed, burnt to death

Do you need to do anything to get the new rate?

No. These rate changes will automatically be applied to any payments made after Friday, September 20.

Why are Centrelink payments indexed twice a year?

Centrelink payments are indexed twice a year to ensure payments keep up with inflation and the rising cost of living.

These changes are based on a number of factors, including the consumer price index, weekly wage changes, and the pensioner and beneficiary living cost index.

The next change will be in March 2026.

DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.