The rise and fall of Keir Starmer: where did it all go wrong? 22. June 2026 (17:24) PM’s demise after landslide victory two years ago points to an increasingly volatile and impatient electorateHistorians will puzzle over this one. Of the six prime ministers that have led Britain over the last decade, with a seventh now on the way, it will be the fall of Keir Starmer that will most perplex the political analysts of the future.They will ponder a man who won a landslide victory in July 2024 only to be pushed out less than two years later, having started no illegal wars, having triggered no grave economic crises, having been accused of no scandalous act of corruption. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Unhappy camper: man rescued after falling into toilet at California campsite 22. June 2026 (17:20) Unidentified man fell into vault toilet at Camp Edison while trying to retrieve sunglasses he dropped, officials sayAn unhappy camper spent about 15 minutes submerged in sewage in the putrid tank of a California campground’s vault toilet after falling in trying to retrieve sunglasses he dropped, according to officials.The latest entry into the annals of bizarre US campground mishaps took place on Saturday at Shaver Lake’s Camp Edison, about 50 miles north-east of downtown Fresno. A spokesperson for the Fresno county sheriff’s office said specialist rescue crews from Cal Fire were required to extricate the unidentified man from the confined tank beneath the waterless, non-flushing toilet. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
European leaders pay tribute to Starmer as EU-UK summit is postponed 22. June 2026 (17:07) Ursula von der Leyen, Friedrich Merz and Volodymyr Zelenskyy say British PM helped increase securityEuropean leaders have paid tribute to Keir Starmer after he announced his resignation as the British prime minister, triggering the postponement of an upcoming EU-UK summit.The European Council president, António Costa, said: “For sure we need to postpone it, but we are reassessing the opportunity to hold this new summit … Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Brown skuas and giant petrels rarely make landfall. When they were found in WA, scientists feared ‘bad news’ for wildlife 22. June 2026 (17:00) Experts thought H5N1 bird flu would more likely reach Australia’s north. But an arrival from Antarctica had always been possibleGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBrown skuas and giant petrels are a common sight offshore in southern Australian waters in the winter months, but they will rarely risk venturing on to land.So when two of these birds were discovered sick – on beaches a few kilometres apart on Western Australia’s southern coastline – it was a sign something might be wrong. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Los Angeles schools superintendent resigns after FBI search warrants 22. June 2026 (16:06) Alberto Carvalho put on leave after news of warrants but officials have not provided details of nature of investigationThe superintendent of Los Angeles public schools has resigned five months after the FBI served search warrants at his home and the LA Unified school district headquarters.Alberto Carvalho had been put on leave after news of the federal investigation. He denied any wrongdoing earlier this year and had asked to be reinstated as head of the nation’s second-largest district. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Two million bees escape after truck carrying hives overturns in Texas 22. June 2026 (15:45) Accident was resolved fairly quickly and authorities said the bees were being transferred to local beekeepersTwo million bees escaped after a truck transporting their hives overturned and released the insects in Texas on Sunday.The accident happened near the town of Mauriceville in the east of the state, perhaps not surprisingly causing local emergency officials to warn residents near the mishap to stay indoors. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
AI models that can take down governments and business months away, rare Five Eyes statement warns 22. June 2026 (15:00) Signal agencies in Australia, the US, the UK, New Zealand and Canada sound alarm after Trump blocks foreign nationals from Anthropic’s Fable AI modelPowerful AI models capable of taking down governments and businesses are mere months away, cyber intelligence agencies for the Five Eyes have warned in a rare joint statement, urging leaders to “act now”.The surprising public intervention by signals agencies for Australia, the US, the UK, New Zealand and Canada comes after the Trump administration earlier this month decided to block “foreign nationals” from using a much-hyped AI model built by tech company Anthropic, called Fable. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Middle East crisis live: US-Iran talks laid ‘very good foundation for a successful final deal’, says Vance 22. June 2026 (14:54) The vice president said the move represented a ‘major milestone’ in ending Iran’s nuclear programmeAccording to Palestinian news agency Wafa, a high school student was killed and several other civilians were injured earlier today in an Israeli attack on a civilian vehicle in Gaza City. The Gaza health ministry says at least 1,021 people have been killed in Israeli attacks since the ‘ceasefire’ between Israel and Hamas came into effect in October 2025.In a post on X, Pakistan’s prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, said US-Iran talks have concluded “successfully” in Switzerland, adding that discussions produced agreement on the establishment of a “high-level committee” to provide “political oversight” of the talks which are now entering a more “technical” phase. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Alan Greenspan, longtime head of the US federal reserve, dies aged 100 22. June 2026 (14:46) Greenspan served under the presidencies of Ronald Reagan, George HW Bush, Bill Clinton and George W BushAlan Greenspan, the influential economist who steered US monetary policy during his five terms as chair of the Federal Reserve under four presidents, has died aged 100, according to the Fed.In a statement that she shared with NBC News, Andrea Mitchell – Greenspan’s wife and a correspondent of the network – said he died from complications of Parkinson’s disease. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia undergoing historic decline in support for multiculturalism amid rising fear and pessimism, poll finds 22. June 2026 (14:30) Share of people who say cultural diversity has been good for the nation plunges from 90% in 2024 to 73% in 2026, Lowy Institute survey findsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia is undergoing a historic decline in support for multiculturalism, according to the Lowy Institute’s annual poll, amid a groundswell of fear rooted in mounting economic pessimism and an increasingly illiberal and chaotic world order.The Lowy poll is the latest edition of the country’s longest-running survey of Australians’ opinions of the world and their place in it, and revealed a record low 31% of the more than 2,000 people surveyed had faith in the United States to act responsibly on the world stage, and just one in five trust the president, Donald Trump, to do the right thing. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
