Heating oil customers to get up to £350 compensation for cancelled orders 15. July 2026 (07:00) Watchdog says about 1,700 people were affected during a price surge triggered by the Middle East crisisHeating oil customers whose deliveries were cancelled when the war in the Middle East caused a price surge are to receive compensation of up to £350 each following an investigation by the UK competition watchdog.As the crisis unfolded, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it was investigating heating oil suppliers after complaints that existing orders were being scrapped, with customers offered new deliveries at a significantly higher price. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Japan officials hunt bear that raided couple’s fridge amid string of break-ins 15. July 2026 (06:27) Officials set up traps and electric fences after 14 break-ins recored in one town in two weeks, amid fears of a repeat offenderAuthorities are searching for a bear that sneaked into the home of an elderly couple and raided their fridge amid concerns it may be behind 14 break-ins across a Japanese town in the past fortnight.On Monday evening, Mitsuo Matsubara, 87, was confronted by a large Asiatic black bear when he went to investigate a noise in his kitchen. His fridge was open, and food was strewn across the floor. His wife called the police. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Melbourne council votes to scrap Lime ebikes for failing to meet ‘bare minimum standards’ 15. July 2026 (06:05) City of Yarra councillors end trial, claiming the company has not done enough to stop dumping and misuse of share bikesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastShared ebikes will disappear from some inner-city Melbourne streets after a council scrapped its agreement with Australia’s largest electric bike operator.The City of Yarra on Tuesday voted to end its memorandum of understanding with Lime, terminating its almost six-year-long trial. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Barnaby Joyce claims Australia is a ‘Christian nation’ and says many First Nations people would agree 15. July 2026 (05:53) One Nation MP refines party’s view on national identity as he accepts award for ‘political courage’ at anti-abortion gala organised by Joanna HoweFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne Nation’s Barnaby Joyce has claimed First Nations people would agree with him that Australia is a “Christian nation”.The New England MP made the comments at an anti-abortion gala – where he accepted a prize for “political courage” – in Sydney over the weekend. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Liberals re-examine gender quotas in slew of proposals to make party ‘fit-for-purpose political machine’ 15. July 2026 (05:18) Angus Taylor has stated his opposition, but discussion paper’s authors warn ‘if we want a different outcome, we need to be prepared to do things differently’Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Liberal party is canvassing views on gender quotas among possible interventions to increase the number of women in its parliamentary ranks, which it says is critical to the long-term survival of the movement.The idea has re-emerged in a new discussion paper from the Liberal Party Commission, an internal group established under former leader Sussan Ley to review the party after consecutive thumping federal election defeats. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Singapore court orders Bloomberg to pay ministers $356,000 in defamation case 15. July 2026 (04:03) Bloomberg’s editor-in-chief, John Micklethwait, stands by reporting, saying ministers who sued ‘imposed an extremely strained meaning on what was a solid story’Bloomberg News and one of its reporters have been ordered to pay S$460,000 (US$355,734) in damages after an article it published was found to have defamed two Singapore government ministers, the city-state’s high court said in a judgment released on Tuesday.Bloomberg and the reporter, Low De Wei, are liable to jointly pay S$230,000 to each minister, comprising S$170,000 in general damages and S$60,000 in aggravated damages, the judgment said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
One person dead and two missing after boat sinks near San Francisco’s Alcatraz Island 15. July 2026 (02:33) Another 16 people rescued after ‘pontoon pleasure boat’ sinks about 600 yards from famous tourist attractionOne person was killed, two were missing and 16 were rescued after a pontoon boat capsized and sank near San Francisco’s Alcatraz Island on Tuesday, authorities said.Nineteen people were aboard the vessel at the time of the incident. Of the 16 rescued, 13 were safe on shore, while three others were receiving medical treatment at a San Francisco hospital. A dog was also declared dead. All the passengers are believed to be adults. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Florida executes one of its oldest prisoners in state’s 10th lethal injection this year 15. July 2026 (02:33) Man who was 74 was one of three older prisoners scheduled for execution within the span of a monthFlorida put to death one of its oldest prisoners in its state history on Tuesday, a 74-year-old convicted murderer who was one of three older prisoners scheduled for execution within the span of a month in the nation’s busiest death penalty state.Dennis Sochor was pronounced dead at 6.16pm after a three-drug injection at Florida state prison near Starke. He was convicted of killing Patricia Gifford on 1 January 1982, just hours after meeting the 18-year-old woman at a New Year’s Eve party. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump again threatens to strike Iran’s power plants amid impasse over strait of Hormuz 15. July 2026 (01:59) US president says he will knock out all Iran’s power plants and bridges next week in bid to force Tehran to agree to a dealMiddle East crisis – live updatesPresident Donald Trump has threatened to expand US strikes on Iran next week to target power plants and bridges if Tehran does not agree to a deal amid a continuing dispute over the strait of Hormuz.“Next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants. Next week comes the bridges,” Trump said in a Fox News interview on Tuesday. “We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Unprecedented’ changes in UK climate are normalising extremes, report says 15. July 2026 (01:01) Annual State of the UK Climate analysis finds last four years in UK are in top five hottest on recordThe UK’s climatic extremes are becoming increasingly normal, a report has found, with last year the hottest on record and further “unprecedented changes” likely to break the record again soon.Data stretching back to 1884 shows the UK has never experienced a year as hot as 2025, according to the annual State of the UK Climate report, with temperatures pushed to dizzying heights by carbon pollution clogging the atmosphere. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
