The Guardian

Andrew Hastie compares AI to cold-war nuclear arms race and warns Australia may fall behind

Liberal MP says Australia risks sovereignty and strategic independence being ‘constrained by the AI superpowers reshaping the global order’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLiberal Andrew Hastie says Australia should dramatically scale up investment in artificial intelligence to preserve strategic independence and warns the country risks being “a supplicant state” tethered to the US in an era of possible hot conflict with China.In a major address to Liberal members in Sy

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Mike Ashley’s Frasers follows Hugo Boss bid with offer for Australia’s Accent

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 bu

general  Jun 15, 2026

BBC World

China detains two leaders of influential underground church

More than 30 members of Early Rain Covenant Church were taken for interrogation midway through Sunday service.

general  Jun 15, 2026

NY Times World

Son of Norway’s Crown Princess Is Convicted of Rape

Marius Borg Hoiby was sentenced to four years in prison. He stood trial as his mother came under pressure over her ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

EU leaders set to meet after deadly strikes on Ukraine, including Unesco-listed religious site in Kyiv – Europe live

G7 leaders to meet in Évian-les-Bains in France later today to discuss the most pressing issues, including Ukraine, Gaza, and IranKyiv monastery set on fire in night of Russian attacks across UkraineMacron frames Évian G7 agenda in hope Trump will stay for whole summitThe G7 summit host, France’s president Emmanuel Macron, also condemned the attack on the Unesco-listed Kyiv Pechersk Lavra monastery.In a post on X, he said that “nothing justifies this attack on our universal heritage.”“France sta

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Albanese signals fuel excise cut may be extended to help motorists amid Middle East crisis

Prime minister flags an announcement after deliberations of cabinet’s expenditure review committeeFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnthony Albanese has signalled the federal government is open to extending the temporary cut to the fuel excise to help cushion motorists from a months-long tail from the Middle East conflict.The prime minister also welcomed the announcement of a peace deal between the US and Iran to end

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

‘Eyes up, screens down’: Victoria restricts tech in high school classrooms to two hours a day in national first

Academic says laptops have ‘completely overtaken’ traditional note-taking and research other states should ‘absolutely’ follow the state’s leadFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictorian secondary school students will spend less time on screens and more time using pen and paper under a national-first plan to limit classroom device use to two hours a day.The Victorian government on Monday announced that all state seco

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Woman has arm amputated after Coogee shark attack, ‘devastated’ family say

Family of Sydney mum Leah Stewart say they are ‘shocked’ and reveal more surgeries scheduled in coming daysThe woman injured in Saturday’s shark attack at Coogee beach has had her arm amputated and remains in a critical condition, her family has revealed.Leah Stewart, a 35-year-old schoolteacher, mother and dedicated ocean swimmer, was attacked by a suspected 3.5-metre great white shark at about 11am on Saturday. Authorities have said she was swimming between the flags and “doing everything righ

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Melbourne wellness influencer found short of breath and clammy after home birth hours before death

Stacey Warnecke, 30, died from a treatable complication after giving birth without any trained medical staff, an inquest hearsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Melbourne wellness influencer was found lying on the floor of her home in an altered state of consciousness beside a large blood clot in the hours before she died in hospital, an inquest has heard.Stacey Warnecke, 30, died in September from a treatable compli

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Social media to be banned in UK for under-16s, Starmer announces

UK prime minister says move will bring ‘real change for our children’ amid growing concerns over harmful online contentAccess 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 wil

general  Jun 15, 2026

NY Times World

Iran War Live Updates: U.S. and Tehran Agree on Framework for Peace

The deal was expected to open the Strait of Hormuz, lift the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian ports and pave the way for further talks. It did not address Iran’s nuclear program.

general  Jun 15, 2026

NY Times World

Britain Announces Social Media Ban for Children

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said his government would introduce legislation to bar children under 16 from social media. The move follows similar policies in Australia and several other countries.

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Gina Rinehart makes ‘significant investment’ in Elon Musk’s SpaceX

The Australian billionaire said her investment reflected her confidence in the world’s first trillionaire following the record-breaking IPOGina Rinehart’s company has made a “significant investment” in Elon Musk’s SpaceX and said it hopes to collaborate on AI infrastructure.Hancock Prospecting secured shares as SpaceX began trading on sharemarkets on Friday, Rinehart said in a statement today. The figure, which Rinehart did not confirm, is reportedly at least $1.4bn. Continue reading...

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

David Munk appointed editor of Guardian Australia

Former deputy editor steps up to replace Lenore Taylor, who resigned in FebruaryFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe former deputy editor of Guardian Australia David Munk has been appointed to lead the publication, Guardian News and Media has announced.Munk spent five years as international news editor in Australia and another five as deputy editor under Lenore Taylor, who resigned in February after a decade at the h

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Labour MPs urge Starmer to set targets to boost number of male teachers in England

Men and Boys group of MPs addresses ‘crisis of masculinity’ and joins campaign for longer paternity leaveGovernment ministers have been urged to set targets to boost the number of male teachers in England, as backbench MPs seek to capitalise on turbulence in the Labour party to influence government policy.With the government in disarray after the shock resignation of the defence secretary this week, MPs are seizing the moment to embark on a battle of ideas, including tackling toxic masculinity,

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Son of Norway’s crown princess convicted of rape and sentenced to four years in prison

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 alleged victims.The verdict was handed down by the Oslo district court on Monday morning, nearly three months since Høby’s closely watched six-week l

general  Jun 15, 2026

BBC World

Norwegian crown princess's son found guilty of two counts of rape

Marius Borg Høiby, the 29-year-old son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette Marit, has been found guilty of two counts of rape and given four years in jail.

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Australia’s Sigma drops out of talks to buy UK’s Boots

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

general  Jun 15, 2026

The Guardian

Keir Starmer set to announce under-16s social media ban – UK politics live

Prime minister expected to unveil ‘Australia plus’ ban for under-16s on apps such as TikTok, Instagram and SnapchatGood morning. In Downing Street officials reportedly refuse to talk about Keir Starmer wanting to establish a legacy. But it is hard for the rest of us to avoid the word, particularly on a morning particularly on a morning when he has summoned reporters to Downing Street for an 8am press conference on his plans for a social media ban. In lobby terms, this counts as unconscionably ea

general  Jun 15, 2026

BBC World

US musician Oliver Tree dies in helicopter collision in Brazil

The singer-songwriter is among six people presumed dead in air crash over Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

general  Jun 15, 2026