Mike Ashley’s Frasers follows Hugo Boss bid with offer for Australia’s Accent 15. June 2026 (10:02) UK billionaire’s fashion group offers £166m for takeover of 77.1% of shares in shoe firm it does not already ownBusiness live – latest updatesThe retail billionaire Mike Ashley has launched his second takeover bid in a week, attempting to snap up Australian footwear business Accent Group, days after announcing a tilt at Hugo Boss.Ashley’s Frasers Group, which already owns the biggest single stake in Accent at 22.9%, said it will offer 65 Australian cents (34p) a share for the remainder of the business, at the same level as its closing price on Friday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Social media to be banned in UK for under-16s, Starmer announces 15. June 2026 (09:48) UK prime minister says move will bring ‘real change for our children’ amid growing concerns over harmful online contentUK politics live – latest updatesBusiness live – latest updatesAccess to social media will be banned in the UK for users under 16, Keir Starmer has announced, in what he described as “real change for our children and our future”.“Social media is making children unhappy, it’s making it easier for bullies to harass and abuse them, and it could even be harming their mental health,” he said, setting out plans briefed over the weekend, which will go further than a pioneering ban in Australia. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Son of Norway’s crown princess convicted of rape and sentenced to four years in prison 15. June 2026 (09:24) Marius Borg Høiby found guilty of two counts of rape, one count of domestic violence and other crimesMarius Borg Høiby, the son of Norway’s crown princess, has been sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of several offences, including two counts of rape. He was also sentenced to a two-year restraining order against one of his victims.The verdict was handed down by the Oslo district court on Monday morning, nearly three months since Høiby’s closely watched six-week trial. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia’s Sigma drops out of talks to buy UK’s Boots 15. June 2026 (08:52) End of discussions on takeover estimated at $10bn extends uncertainty for 177-year-old British chainBusiness live – latest updatesThe Australian pharmaceutical group Sigma Healthcare has dropped its pursuit of the UK retail chain Boots, abandoning a takeover estimated to be worth $10bn (£7bn).Sigma, a wholesaler and retailer, said on Monday that a deal to by the high street pharmacy business – which has 1,800 UK stores – would not meet its strategic and capital investment objectives. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Oil prices tumble amid hopes strait of Hormuz will soon reopen 15. June 2026 (08:33) Donald Trump posts ‘Let the oil flow’ as US-Iran peace deal sparks immediate drop for Brent crudeMiddle East crisis: live updatesPeace deal between US and Iran announced, with strait of Hormuz expected to reopenWhat do we know about the US-Iran peace deal – and what questions remain?Global oil prices have tumbled amid fresh hopes that a US-Iran peace deal may end the greatest energy supply crisis in the history of the market.The price of Brent crude dropped 4% to below $84 (£62) a barrel as the new trading week began in financial centres across Asia-Pacific, amid optimism that the strait of Hormuz could reopen shortly and bring a return of Gulf oil exports to the market. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Photographer Don McCullin to focus on Vietnam for his final book 15. June 2026 (08:00) Exclusive: The work will feature some of the photographer’s most powerful images from his 70-year careerAfter more than seven decades of covering conflicts around the world, Don McCullin will return to Vietnam and his best-known images for his final book.The photographer, who got his start aged 23 when his image of a gang in Finsbury Park was published in the Observer, has decided to revisit the war and his 12-day stint with US marines during the battle of Hue in 1968. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
GB News critics want to limit free speech to ‘liberal, Islington consensus’, Grade says 15. June 2026 (07:00) Former Ofcom chair says he welcomed arrival of rightwing news channel five years ago in name of ‘plurality’Critics of GB News are part of a “liberal, Islington consensus” bent on limiting freedom of expression, Michael Grade, the recently departed chair of Britain’s media watchdog, has said.The Conservative peer, whose time at Ofcom has been criticised over the handling of the rightwing news channel, said he welcomed the arrival of the broadcaster five years ago in the name of “plurality”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Disabled people with lifelong conditions facing ‘unnecessary’ Pip reassessments 15. June 2026 (07:00) ‘Pointless’ reviews are wasting public money and ‘significantly harming’ the mental health of claimants, charity says Disabled people with lifelong conditions are repeatedly being put through “pointless” benefit reassessments, contrary to official guidance, new analysis suggests.A study by the anti-poverty charity Z2K has found that hundreds of thousands of disabled people are going through “unnecessary” personal independence payment (Pip) reviews, “wasting” public money and “significantly harming” the mental and physical health of claimants. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Fashion goals: Socceroos trade kit bags for it-bags as they level up off-field style 15. June 2026 (06:20) Australia stepped off the team bus in suits and holding designer pouches, showing they’ve come ‘a long way from a Country Road bag on the side of the field’Video: Is this Australia’s greatest World Cup win in 20 years?As suited and booted Socceroos stepped off the bus in Vancouver and towards a 2-0 victory against Turkey, many dangled designer pouches. Tete Yengi and Mo Touré carried what appeared to be Goyard, the it-bag of choice for athletes world wide. Burberry checks and monograms from Louis Vuitton and Dior were also spotted.“They’ve come a long way from a Country Road bag on the side of the field,” said Benjamen Judd, Esquire Australia’s head of content. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Macron frames Évian G7 agenda in hope Trump will stay for whole summit 15. June 2026 (06:00) US president left last meeting early, but world leaders aim to end Ukraine war and push for resolution in Gaza and IranEmmanuel Macron, the host of the G7 summit in Évian-les-Bains, has framed an agenda to make it as palatable as possible to his guest of honour, but the French president has no idea if Donald Trump, a haphazard summit attender, will last the full three days – or disrupt the proceedings every hour he stays.The US president quit the last G7 summit in Kananaskis, Canada, early to work on the Iran conflict, and this year, plus ça change, Iran may also draw presidential attention. For good measure, he insulted this summit’s host before leaving Canada last year, describing Macron as “publicity seeking” and adding: “Purposefully or not, Emmanuel Macron always gets it wrong.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
