Middle East crisis live: US launches new round of airstrikes to ‘swiftly punish’ Iran after American troops killed 19. July 2026 (14:45) Iran’s Revolutionary Guards says two ships have also been involved in ‘accident’ after defying strait of Hormuz warningsTwo US troops killed and one missing in Jordan after Iranian attacksJordanian authorities have not issued any decision to evacuate the airport or seaport in the city of Aqaba, and have not detected any potential threats in the past hours, the state news agency cited the government spokesperson as saying.This denial comes in response to the US embassy in Jordan earlier saying the airport and seaport in Aqaba had been evacuated by Jordanian authorities because of a “specific and credible threat” (see this post for more details). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nigel Farage admits George Cottrell paid for filming and let him use his home 19. July 2026 (14:21) Reform leader says support from fraudster before last election is ‘totally undeclarable in every single way’Nigel Farage has admitted his close friend the fraudster George Cottrell let him use one of his London homes and paid for social media filming before the last election but insisted it was “totally undeclarable in every single way”.The Reform UK leader spoke in depth for the first time about his support from Cottrell and the £5m gift from the Thailand-based businessman Christopher Harborne in an interview with the anti-woke Triggernometry podcast. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Government use of automated AI decision-making to be curbed under new Australian rules 19. July 2026 (14:00) New national plan accompanied by Labor push for digital duty of care legislationGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe use of AI in automated decision-making by government departments and agencies will be subject to tough rules under a new national plan, expected to extend to consumer protections, workplace safety and privacy.As the Albanese government grapples with the rapid growth in the use of artificial intelligence and a boom in datacentre construction, senior ministers have begun work to draw up new rules to ensure safety is built into AI processes inside government, prioritising fairness, accuracy and transparency. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump’s rebranding of Palm Beach airport hasn’t taken off as he planned 19. July 2026 (14:00) Changes inside the Florida international airport are hardly evident as state and county hold back funds for full remodelOne of Donald Trump’s most grandiose vanity projects, a multimillion-dollar makeover of Florida’s Palm Beach international airport into a self-aggrandizing, gold-plated transportation hub, is running into turbulence, barely a week after the first plane’s wheels touched the runway.At first glance, the rebranding of the airport less than 5 miles from his opulent Mar-a-Lago resort appears to be complete. Its website bears the name and oversized logo of the President Donald J Trump international airport, and state transportation workers were quick to erect highway signs leaving drivers in no doubt where they were heading. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
South East Water supply disruption hits thousands of properties in Kent 19. July 2026 (13:46) People in Tunbridge Wells area face lower pressure, intermittent supply or no water after ‘instrument failure’Thousands of homes and businesses in Kent are facing water supply problems for a second day, including a “complete lack of water” in some cases, South East Water said.About 7,000 properties in the Tunbridge Wells area could face low pressure, intermittent supply or no water, after an “instrument failure” at a nearby water treatment works, SEW said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Majority of US voters link extreme weather to climate crisis, study finds 19. July 2026 (13:00) Top Democrat says findings show public ‘way ahead of the politicians’ as Trump dismisses global heating as ‘hoax’Amid a summer of dangerous heat, drought and floods, a majority of Americans are connecting increasingly severe weather to the climate crisis, new polling shows, despite efforts by Donald Trump to dismiss global heating as a “con job” and a “hoax”.It’s a sign that attempts to suppress polarize climate concerns may not be seeing full success, said Grace Adcox, senior climate strategist at Data for Progress. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Molten salt and human sweat: the weird batteries that could store renewable energy 19. July 2026 (13:00) From Nevada to Manchester, developers are trialling innovative solutions to clean energy’s biggest challengeIn the deserts of the United Arab Emirates a sprawling clean energy project, stretching across an area roughly the size of 12,600 football fields, will play host to a breakthrough allowing solar energy to power the equivalent of half a million homes through the night.The Gulf state has been steadily combining 5.2GW of solar power capacity with 19GWh of battery storage to create the largest battery scheme in the world. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
How Trump and his administration have mired the US in multiple crises 19. July 2026 (13:00) From manufactured election insecurity to an outbreak of ‘explosive’ diarrhea, Americans are bearing the brunt of harmful policiesBetween widespread cuts to vital government agencies, various disease and illness outbreaks, and new environmental disaster vulnerabilities, the United States is facing a convergence of crises with widespread repercussions.Yet the Trump administration has hamstrung the federal government from addressing these crises – and in some cases is actively fanning them. Over the past year, the administration has moved to shrink the federal workforce, roll back environmental protections and policies intended to fight the climate crisis, reduced funding for scientific research and is seeking to advance legislation that would impose new voting restrictions. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bad Bunny concert in Milan abandoned because of hailstorm 19. July 2026 (11:57) Fans evacuated from sold-out open-air show as organisers promise full refundsAn open-air show by the Puerto Rican music star Bad Bunny was abandoned in Italy on Saturday night because of a violent hailstorm, but the organiser said ticketholders would be reimbursed.Videos posted on social media showed large hailstones hitting people at the sold-out show, along with strong winds and driving rain, after the star began his set at Milan’s Snai La Maura Hippodrome. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Restoring Britain’s health to 2014 levels could add 2% to GDP, thinktank says 19. July 2026 (11:00) Health Foundation paper argues health is an economic asset and improving it could generate £72bn for public financesRestoring the deteriorating health of the UK’s population to the level of 2014 would boost GDP by 2% and generate a £72bn dividend for the public finances, research suggests.A paper by the Health Foundation thinktank, published on Sunday, argues the nation’s health should be valued by policymakers as an economic asset. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
