One Nation senator Malcolm Roberts says he will push for party to adopt blanket abortion ban 18. June 2026 (02:48) Senator tells Brisbane Christian conference the party needs to ‘reconsider some things’ on abortion, contradicting Pauline Hanson’s positionGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne Nation should move to ban abortion entirely, Senator Malcolm Roberts has told a Brisbane Christian conference.His comments are at odds with those of the party’s leader Pauline Hanson, who told the National Press Club on Wednesday it was only “too late to have an abortion” after 20 weeks. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Harvard and Bard face fresh questions from lawmakers over ties to Epstein 18. June 2026 (01:41) Democrat Jamie Raskin seeks ‘comprehensive accounting’ and requests interview with outgoing Bard presidentHarvard University and Bard College are facing new questions about the institutions’ relationship with Jeffrey Epstein amid allegations that the convicted child sex trafficker leveraged his ties to the universities and their faculty to traffic women, while also burnishing his reputation to avoid detection.Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House judiciary committee, said in a statement that Harvard and Bard had both previously attempted to investigate the role their universities and leadership played in facilitating Epstein’s abuse, but that those attempts either failed or fell short of a full accounting of what occurred. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Top Republican decries Trump’s Iran deal: ‘Reagan is rolling over in his grave’ 18. June 2026 (01:30) Senator Bill Cassidy attacks ‘worst foreign policy blunder in decades’ while others in his party skeptical over peace dealA handful of Senate Republicans have sharply criticized the agreement Donald Trump reached with Iran, accusing the administration of committing “the worst foreign policy blunder in decades”.On Wednesday, the Trump administration released the text of an interim deal between Washington and Tehran to end the 110-day conflict, framing it as a “major win” for the US – even as the 14-point accord made significant political and financial concessions to Iran to reopen the strait of Hormuz and prevent a “worldwide depression”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sydney’s UNSW overtakes University of Melbourne in global rankings for first time 18. June 2026 (01:01) University of New South Wales ranks 19th in QS World University Rankings, with nine Australian universities achieving record-high positionsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe University of New South Wales has overtaken the University of Melbourne for the first time in a prestigious world university rankings list.UNSW ranked 19th in the QS World University Rankings, an improvement of one place for the Sydney university on last year’s result and 30 places since 2017. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Most famous tree in the world’: Sherwood Forest’s 1,000-year-old Major oak dies 18. June 2026 (01:01) Nottinghamshire tree, one of Europe’s oldest and largest, fails to produce leaves after being stressed by series of hot, dry summersThe Major oak, one of Europe’s oldest, largest and most celebrated ancient trees, has died.The huge tree, which has grown in Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire, England, for at least 1,000 years, failed to produce any leaves this year, after becoming stressed by a series of hot, dry summers. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Solstice-aligned 5,000-year-old monument ‘once in a lifetime find’, say archaeologists 18. June 2026 (01:00) Wessex Archaeology suspect they have uncovered a prototype for world-famous Stonehenge site in WiltshireA 5,000-year-old monument that was aligned with the summer and winter solstices and may have served as a prototype for the later solar alignment at Stonehenge has been discovered close to the famous neolithic site, in what archaeologists have described as a “once in a lifetime” find.The structure at Bulford, 5km (3 miles) from the world heritage site in Wiltshire, has been carbon dated to around 3000BC, the same time as the earliest phase of construction at Stonehenge and 500 years before its huge trilithon stones were carefully placed to line up with the midsummer and midwinter sun. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US House staff visit Ghislaine Maxwell’s prison after claims of laptop and puppy 18. June 2026 (00:33) Epstein associate’s lawyer rejected preferential treatment claims in January, saying ‘humane treatment isn’t special’Staff from the House oversight and judiciary committees visited the Texas prison where Ghislaine Maxwell, the longtime associate of Jeffrey Epstein, is serving her sentence, according to Democratic lawmakers.In a statement, the Democratic representatives Robert Garcia and Jamie Raskin said staff from the committees traveled to the minimum-security federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas, on Tuesday to seek answers about Maxwell’s transfer there, and about allegations that she has received preferential treatment at the prison camp. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Cannabis commercialisation not decriminalisation drives up usage, study finds 18. June 2026 (00:30) Review reveals rise in users and rates of psychosis in countries where cannabis is sold commercially Decriminalising the possession of cannabis or strictly regulating access to the drug do not appear to drive up usage, but when the drug is sold commercially the number of users increases and more mental health problems are seen, a review has found.An international team analysed the dramatic shift in policies on cannabis between 2000 and 2025, including how the numbers of people taking the drug, its potency, and rates of psychosis changed after new rules came in. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s Iran deal is result of unrealistic ambitions for an untenable war 18. June 2026 (00:17) US entered war with maximalist goals and exits it with pragmatic decision to end conflict despite political costMiddle East crisis – live updatesAs the adage goes: no plan of battle survives first contact with the enemy.Donald Trump entered the war with Iran with maximalist goals: eliminating the country’s nuclear programme, destroying its ballistic missile programme and ending its support for regional military groups including Hezbollah and Hamas. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US releases text of Iran peace plan as Trump says deal averts ‘worldwide depression’ 17. June 2026 (23:16) Details of 14-point agreement revealed as senior US officials claim ‘major win’ despite significant concessions to TehranMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe Trump administration has released the text of its 14-point agreement with Iran, claiming it delivered a “major win” for the United States – even as it made significant political and financial concessions to Iran to reopen the strait of Hormuz and prevent a “worldwide depression”.In extraordinary remarks on Wednesday, Donald Trump went from threatening Iran with a new wave of attacks to suggesting the country had basic rights to enrich uranium for civilian use, that he would not pressure Tehran to abandon its ballistic missiles programme and the US was “going to have to give back” billions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
