Teen found not guilty of plotting terror attack on Peter Dutton after court hears of ‘edgy joke’ 25. June 2026 (04:16) Queensland boy, now aged 17, wrote of ‘autistic interest in bombs’ alongside notes speaking to his troubled state of mind, court toldFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA teenager accused of plotting nailbomb attacks against the then opposition leader Peter Dutton and a Labour Day march has been found not guilty of preparing a terrorist act.The jury returned its verdict on Thursday after two days of deliberation. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump kicks off America’s 250th celebration with campaign-style rally 25. June 2026 (04:00) President on National Mall rattles off list of apparent victories and says ‘I am thrilled to declare America is back’ Donald Trump kicked off what was intended to be a “spectacular birthday party” for American’s 250th year of independence with a political rally touting his presidency.“I am thrilled to declare that America is back,” Trump said at the opening ceremony for the Great American State Fair in Washington DC, held on the National Mall. “As you know very well, a short time ago we were a dead country. We were dead. Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world. We’re respected by everybody. Nobody’s laughing at us any more.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Duck off: World Cup hero Merlín barred from Mexico game due to Fifa’s animal ban 25. June 2026 (03:08) World’s sixth-most famous duck falls short of dreamTwo-year-old must watch Czechia game from distanceMerlín the duck’s bid to see his beloved Mexico live has hit a snag after he was barred from El Tri’s match with Czechia on Wednesday.Merlín has become a folk hero in Mexico after becoming a symbol of El Tri’s World Cup campaign on home soil. His fans had launched a campaign for Merlín to attend Wednesday’s match alongside his human family. But his journey was cut short by Fifa regulations. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Venezuela earthquakes live updates: buildings collapse in Caracas as officials warn ‘high casualties’ likely 25. June 2026 (03:00) Two powerful earthquakes – with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 – sent residents running into the streets as buildings shook and collapsedVenezuela earthquake: powerful back-to-back quakes collapse buildings in capital CaracasOne of the worst hit areas appears to have been La Guaira, a port city just north of Caracas on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast.La Guaira is home to Venezuela’s main international airport, the Simón Bolívar International Airport, and is also close to some of the hillside communities that came under attack by US forces, when Donald Trump ordered the 3 January attack on Venezuela this year to abduct its president Nicolás Maduro. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Venezuela earthquake: powerful back-to-back quakes collapse buildings in capital Caracas 25. June 2026 (01:50) Homes and buildings collapse in first magnitude 7.1 earthquake, with tremors felt in neighbouring ColombiaVenezuela earthquakes: follow live updatesVenezuela’s capital, Caracas, has been struck by two powerful earthquakes that caused major damage at the international airport and brought several large buildings crashing down.The quakes – among the largest in Venezuela’s history – occurred in quick succession and were felt in many parts of the country. But the worst destruction appeared to have taken place in and around Caracas where videos on social media showed scenes of panic as passengers raced through the corridors of Maiquetía airport seeking cover from falling debris. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Met gets extension to Palantir AI project after Sadiq Khan blocked deal 25. June 2026 (00:14) Mayor’s office grants extra 12 months to run pilot while London force procures long-term supplierThe Metropolitan police have been granted a 12-month extension to a pilot project with the spy-tech firm Palantir while the force carries out a procurement process.The development comes weeks after the mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, blocked a £50m deal between the Met and the US company to automate intelligence analysis in criminal investigations. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Last Islamic State-linked Australian woman from Syrian camp to return despite previous ban 25. June 2026 (00:13) Home affairs minister Tony Burke says return permit ‘has to be issued’ following advice from agencies and lawyersFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAn Australian woman linked to the Islamic State group has been given authorisation to return to Australia, after the government was advised it could no longer enforce a criminal exclusion order.The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, said the woman would face an unprecedented level of security monitoring once she arrives in the country, including constant monitoring and requirements to report to authorities regularly. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Four in five under-16s in Australia using social media despite ban, study shows 25. June 2026 (00:00) Experts say law not enough to stop children accessing harmful content online and more ‘convincing strategy is required’More than 80% of under-16s in Australia said they were still using social media three months after legislation banning them from it came into force, research shows.Australia is the first country to ban social media for children. Since December 2025, under-16s have been prohibited from having accounts with many social media platforms including TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bill Gates says Epstein sought to blackmail him over extramarital affairs 24. June 2026 (23:26) Transcript of congressional testimony shows Microsoft founder spoke of ‘veiled’ threats made by late sex offenderThe Microsoft founder Bill Gates told US members of Congress that the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein had sought to “blackmail” him over his extramarital affairs, according to a transcript of the testimony.The tech pioneer testified behind closed doors before the House oversight committee on 10 June regarding his friendship with Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 as he awaited trial for sex crimes. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Yosemite visitor dies after being swept over nearly 600ft waterfall 24. June 2026 (23:04) Josue Baires Alfaro, 22, identified as victim in Nevada Fall incident that nearly claimed life of woman who tried to helpA 22-year-old visitor to Yosemite national park in California died after he was swept over a 594ft-high waterfall on Saturday, officials confirmed this week.A fellow parkgoer, Freesia Gaul, was capturing a photo when she noticed the man, reportedly identified by local authorities as Josue Baires Alfaro, in the Merced River. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
