Iran claims attacks on strait of Hormuz ships amid fresh US strikes – Middle East crisis live 21. July 2026 (08:51) Revolutionary Guard claims attack on oil tanker and two other ships as US carries out tenth consecutive night of strikesFull report: Almost 100 troops injured in recent weeks, Pentagon admits, as Iran launches reprisals on US alliesLebanon’s army has begun to deploy troops to a southern Lebanese village to take charge of security in the so-called “pilot zone”, according to Reuters, citing a security official.Lebanese soldiers are heading to Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh as one of the first areas being trialled in the pilot zone programme as part of a US-brokered framework agreement between Lebanon and Israel. Two other villages – Froun and Srifa – will also trial the implementation of the programme, the US state department announced yesterday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK borrows less than expected in June in boost for Burnham 21. July 2026 (08:46) Figure of £16bn from ONS comes after new prime minister revealed plans to cut VAT on electricity billsBusiness live – latest updatesThe UK government borrowed less than expected in June, in a boost for Andy Burnham as he set out plans to cut VAT on household electricity bills and promised a new direction for the British economy.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing – the difference between government spending and income – was £16bn last month, £7.9bn less than in June 2025. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man of his word: Pope Leo speeches declared human-authored by Australian AI detection tool 21. July 2026 (08:29) Maps of Hope has been certified by Proudly Human, a company led by former chief scientist, Dr Alan FinkelFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA collection of speeches and writings by Pope Leo XIV has been certified as human-authored less than two months after Leo declared artificial intelligence the greatest threat to humanity.Proudly Human, the Australian company spearheaded by Australia’s former chief scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, undertook a review of a collection of writings and speeches by the pope, in collaboration with the publisher, the Australian Catholic University and cardinals in the Vatican. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Gaza celebrates World Cup victory of Spanish team they took into their hearts 21. July 2026 (08:00) People gather at cafes and outdoor screenings to support team after Spain’s backing for Palestinian rights The Spanish football team’s World Cup win has been celebrated in the streets of Gaza, where Spain’s support for Palestinian rights and Israel’s backing for the Argentinian team turned the competition into more than a football showdown.Gathered at cafes and outdoor screenings, Palestinians defied the risk of Israeli attacks to cheer on a team they had taken to their hearts. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK military ‘eyes innovative electric flying taxi’ as 2029 launch planned 21. July 2026 (08:00) Vertical Aerospace says government has given £10m backing, taking its total investment in the project to £48mBritish flying taxi startup Vertical Aerospace has said the UK government has expressed interest in buying a military variant of its aircraft as it races to gain approval for flights with paying passengers.Vertical also welcomed another £10m grant from the government, taking its total UK state funding to £48m. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Holocaust survivors president says exclusion of Jews from public life has ‘disturbing parallels’ to Nazi Germany 21. July 2026 (07:57) George Foster tells royal commission Australia’s democratic institutions fundamentally different, ‘but I can’t ignore certain disturbing parallels in the social atmosphere’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA rise in antisemitism across Australia has “disturbing parallels” with the social climate of Nazi Germany, the president of the Australian Holocaust survivors association says.George Foster, the president of the Australian Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants, told the antisemitism royal commission that he did not believe Australia was “becoming another Germany in the 1930s”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Election voting advice from AI chatbots ‘inaccurate and unreliable’ 21. July 2026 (07:00) Research during Hungary election shows AI recommended parties not running and gave highly volatile answers to identical promptsAI chatbots provide inaccurate, inconsistent and unreliable guidance to voters asking which party they should back, a study suggests, often recommending the wrong party, not mentioning the right one, or listing parties not even running.“The results raise serious concerns about the reliability of general-purpose AI systems in electoral contexts,” the study, published by the civil liberties group Liberties and based on research during this year’s Hungarian parliamentary elections, concluded. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Kumanjayi Little Baby’s mother was not supported to protect her children while escaping domestic violence, review finds 21. July 2026 (06:55) Interim report not able to draw ‘nexus’ between matters referred to child protection and circumstances leading to five-year-old’s alleged murder•Warning: This story contains references to Indigenous Australians who have diedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKumanjayi Little Baby’s mother was “effectively” left alone to protect her children while also experiencing domestic violence, because child protection authorities failed to adequately assess multiple threats to her safety, a draft review has found.But the interim report, tabled in parliament on Tuesday, found that despite those conclusions, the review was unable to draw a link between the child protection referrals and the five-year-old Warlpiri girl’s death. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Climate and rock art advocates take on Woodside’s ‘carbon bomb’ WA gas project in federal court 21. July 2026 (06:18) Albanese government’s approval of North West Shelf gas extension being challenged by the Australian Conservation Foundation and Friends of Australian Rock ArtThe Albanese government’s decision to approve one of the world’s largest gas projects in Western Australia is being challenged in the federal court, setting up a significant test of how Australia’s environment law deals with the climate crisis.The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) and Friends of Australian Rock Art (Fara) are this week running concurrent court challenges against the approval of the extension of Woodside’s major North West Shelf gas export project. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Almost 100 troops injured in recent weeks, Pentagon admits, as Iran launches reprisals on US allies 21. July 2026 (06:09) Iran has attacked a tanker in the strait of Hormuz, forcing its crew to abandon the ship, after the US launched a tenth consecutive night of strikesMiddle East crisis live: follow latest updatesNearly 100 US service members have been injured over the last two weeks of escalating strikes on Iran, the Pentagon has said, as Tehran launched a wave of reprisals to the tenth consecutive night of attacks.Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday they had targeted US military sites including air defence systems and a radar installation in Bahrain and Kuwait, while a tanker in the strait of Hormuz reported being struck by an unknown projectile, forcing its crew to abandon the vessel and board a lifeboat. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
