Weather tracker: Severe thunderstorms sweep Europe and east Asia 19. June 2026 (10:34) Strong winds and heavy rain batter Slovenia, while France experiences atypical heatwaveSevere thunderstorms swept across the Balkans last week, bringing widespread destruction to parts of the region. The storms developed as unstable hot air lingered over the Adriatic Sea while a cold front plunged south-eastward.The front began its journey on 10 June in Slovenia, where the Slovenian Environment Agency recorded 65mph gusts at Ljubljana airport. Heavy rain also fell widely across the region with 23mm reported in Kranj. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Inside the city of grief hit hardest by Israel strikes on southern Lebanon 19. June 2026 (10:05) People in Nabatieh mourn the recent dead in religious ceremony held amid empty streets and shattered buildingsAs the procession wound its way through mounds of rubble, the crowd chanted and beat their chests, their lamentations echoed by the dull thud of shelling in the foothills just beyond the city.“This is the tragedy of Karbala, O Imam Hussein, look. This is the tragedy of Karbala,” the crowd cried in the opening procession of Ashura, in the city of Nabatieh, southern Lebanon. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s Iran deal could place his legacy in the hands of Tehran 19. June 2026 (10:00) He lambasted Jimmy Carter during the 1980 hostage crisis; now Trump’s presidency could be similarly blemishedIt began with the fate of hostages.Donald Trump’s first recorded foray into politics was sparked by the 1979 takeover of the US embassy in Tehran, which saw 52 American diplomats held incommunicado for 444 days. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
KPMG leaked confidential Optus information and surveilled whistleblower’s laptop, inquiry hears 19. June 2026 (09:25) International firm owns up to breach of ethics after staff leaked confidential Optus information while bidding for telco contractFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKPMG has admitted to another breach of ethics after its staff leaked Optus’ confidential information to colleagues bidding for an audit contract with Telstra.The consulting firm’s executives also surveilled a whistleblower’s laptop and dismissed the individual as someone with “workplace grievances”, a parliamentary inquiry heard on Friday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Normal shipping will not resume in strait of Hormuz until 80 mines cleared 19. June 2026 (08:57) Tanker owner trade body says centre of strait will remain closed for ‘some time’, with vessels risking running aground by taking Omani routeThe centre of the strait of Hormuz is blocked with about 80 mines that will need clearing for normal shipping to resume, the independent tanker owner trade body has said.Several vessels began to exit the Gulf through the key maritime chokepoint on Thursday, after the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US-Iran talks in Switzerland abruptly called off, as Israel and Hezbollah trade attacks in Lebanon 19. June 2026 (08:43) JD Vance’s staff were at the airbase ready to fly to summit in Bürgenstock for Iran talks before trip was suddenly cancelledTalks set to take place on Friday between the US and Iran in Switzerland to implement a peace deal were cancelled as Hezbollah targeted Israeli forces and Israel carried out a wave of airstrikes in south Lebanon which killed at least 16 people.The talks were set to begin in the tiny Swiss village of Obbürgen on Friday, two days after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that opened a 60-day window to negotiate a permanent understanding over Iran’s nuclear program, while getting oil traffic moving through the strait of Hormuz. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Middle East crisis live: Israel strikes targets in Lebanon as US-Iran talks in Switzerland called off 19. June 2026 (08:43) IDF claims continuing strikes come after Iran-backed group repeatedly violated ceasefire; JD Vance cancels trip as US-Iran talks set for Friday cancelledUS-Iran talks in Switzerland abruptly called offJD Vance tells Iran deal critics in Israel: Trump is your only ally left in the worldThe IDF said four of its soldiers were killed in southern Lebanon as fighting intensifies between the Israeli miltiary and Hezbollah.One of the soldiers was identified as Lt Col Dor Gedalia Ben Simhon, with the IDF saying he was killed in action. The military said the three other soldiers will be identified later. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sydney’s ‘unbuildable motorway’ to be completed after two-year delay caused by sinkholes 19. June 2026 (08:40) State government and consortium strike deal to complete M6’s twin tunnels with minister insisting there is ‘no extra cost to NSW taxpayers’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTunnelling on Sydney’s $3.1bn M6 project, dubbed the potentially “unbuildable motorway”, will resume after the state government struck a deal with contractors, ending a two-year stalemate during which works were halted.Under the terms of the new agreement, the private consortium will absorb the costs of finishing the tunnels, limiting the financial hit to taxpayers. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK borrows more than expected as impact of Iran war takes toll 19. June 2026 (08:34) May figure of £23.3bn underlines challenge facing Andy Burnham if he ends up as Labour leaderBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK borrowed a higher-than-expected £23.3bn in May amid the economic fallout of the Iran war, underlining the fiscal challenges facing Andy Burnham if he takes over as Labour leader.In figures released shortly after Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield byelection, Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing for the month was the second highest for any May on record. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
How quickly could Andy Burnham become the UK’s prime minister? 19. June 2026 (08:10) After winning the Makerfield byelection, the returning Labour MP faces a number of scenarios in his bid to replace Keir Starmer• UK politics – live updates• Full report: Burnham wins by huge majorityAfter Andy Burnham’s seismic victory in Makerfield, his prospects of becoming prime minister in short order look significantly higher than they did 24 hours ago.But there are many variables in that process – from whether he faces a rival such as Wes Streeting in a leadership contest, to whether Keir Starmer is quickly ready to accept the likelihood of his political demise. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
