‘They will attack me if I stay’: immigrants in South Africa flee for safety amid violence and anti-foreigner protests 30. June 2026 (18:43) More than 2,000 anti-foreigner protesters march through Durban city centre as the arbitrary deadline passes for undocumented migrants to leave the countrySouth Africa was holding its breath on Tuesday as mass anti-immigration protests were held across the country. They come after a weeks-long campaign against foreigners that has seen at least four killed and tens of thousands fleeing for safety.In the coastal city of Durban, where violence had been expected, the streets were unusually quiet and shops were shuttered as tension hung thick in the air. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US supreme court upholds birthright citizenship in blow to Trump agenda 30. June 2026 (17:54) Court rules against Trump administration on policy that people born in the United States are citizensSupreme court decisions – live updatesSign up for the Breaking News US emailThe US supreme court has upheld birthright citizenship, which provides nearly all people born in the country with citizenship, ruling against a central piece of Donald Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda.“Children born in the United States to parents unlawfully or temporarily present are ‘subject to the jurisdiction’ of the United States and are citizens at birth under the Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause,” the ruling says. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘But we’re just 1% of emissions’: do smaller countries’ climate efforts matter? 30. June 2026 (17:53) Past and present leaders of wealthy nations such as UK and Germany have argued their actions are insignificantOn first hearing, it is a position that sounds reasonable. “When our share of global emissions is less than 1%,” Rishi Sunak argued when he was the UK prime minister in 2023, “how can it be right that British citizens are now being told to sacrifice even more than others?”Sunak is not the only world leader to have cited such figures while delaying cuts to pollution. In 2019, Scott Morrison, Australia’s then prime minister, used his country’s 1.3% of global emissions to reject any suggestion Australia was not “doing our bit” on climate breakdown. In July, the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, pointed to his country’s 2% share of global emissions while supporting loopholes in European climate targets. A few months later the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, followed suit, flagging the EU’s 6% share. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Shetland councillors back plans to build tunnels to link some of largest islands 30. June 2026 (17:50) Financing options to be investigated for first two subsea projects that would link Mainland with Yell and Unst Councillors on Shetland have backed plans to build up to four tunnels to link some of the largest and most populated islands, after years of isolation and decline.The council voted on Tuesday to investigate financing options for the first two subsea tunnels, which would link Shetland’s Mainland with the two large northerly islands of Yell and Unst. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US supreme court rules states can exclude trans athletes from female sports 30. June 2026 (17:46) Justices voted to overturn judgments issued by lower courts in favor of trans students who sued after being barred from competing in West Virginia and IdahoSupreme court decisions – live updatesSign up for the Breaking News US emailThe US supreme court has upheld laws in two conservative states excluding transgender girls and women from competing in female sports in a far-reaching ruling likely to pave the way for similar bans throughout the US and handing Donald Trump a key “culture war” victory.The court voted to overturn previous judgements issued by lower courts in favor of two trans students who had sued after being barred from competing in West Virginia and Idaho respectively. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Damning report on England maternity care ‘watershed moment’, health secretary says 30. June 2026 (17:33) Announcing creation of a maternity commissioner, James Murray says Amos report highlights ‘toxic’ culture in some NHS unitsAnalysis: Transparency, standards and a new commissioner – but does maternity review go far enough?Valerie Amos’s devastating indictment of maternity care has to be a “watershed moment” for how the NHS treats pregnant women and babies, the health secretary has said.James Murray pledged that Lady Amos’s report would lead to significant improvements and that “toxic dynamics” which damage relationships between hospital staff providing childbirth care would be dismantled. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Italian MEP suggests government wants to ‘hide truth’ about Albania migrant centre 30. June 2026 (17:30) Cristina Guarda says delegation was denied access to cells in offshore detention facility, at which six people have attempted suicideAn Italian MEP has questioned whether the Italian government is trying to “hide the truth” about conditions at an offshore migrant detention centre in Albania after a delegation she was part of said they were prevented from conducting a full inspection.Cristina Guarda, from Italy’s Greens and Left Alliance (AVS), said staff at the Italian-run facility in Gjadër had refused to give MEPs from the Greens/EFA group key information, such as how many people were being held at the centre, and that they had not been allowed to access their cells. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Silicon Valley donations make Colorado Democratic primary one of state’s most expensive 30. June 2026 (17:26) Manny Rutinel’s House campaign draws millions from big tech as pro- and anti-AI factions spar over regulationPolitical groups funded by top tech executives have been homing in on one local race in Colorado, as the state’s Democratic primary vote gets under way on Tuesday. Democrat Manny Rutinel, who’s running in the competitive eighth congressional district for a seat in the House, has seen his campaign boosted with at least $2m in donations from committees led by the former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and crypto billionaire Chris Larsen.Rutinel is a progressive candidate running against former state representative and centrist Democrat Shannon Bird. During his campaign, he has focused on his Latino heritage and centered his platform around affordability and regulating Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US treasury secretary warns oil and gas companies to lower prices: ‘we’re watching’ 30. June 2026 (17:25) Scott Bessent says he ‘encourages them to be good actors’ after Trump ranted about prices not dropping fast enoughScott Bessent, the US treasury secretary, issued a veiled warning to oil and gas companies to lower their prices on Tuesday, a day after Donald Trump berated those retailers on social media for not dropping their prices fast enough and demanded they target $2.50 a gallon.“I would encourage them to be good actors, especially in the 250th anniversary, because we’re watching,” Bessent said in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday morning, addressing big oil, independent and international retailers. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK disposable incomes squeezed by price rises and tax changes 30. June 2026 (17:14) ONS confirms 0.6% GDP growth in first quarter, with services, production and construction sectors expandingBusiness live – latest updatesUK households suffered a drop in disposable incomes in the first three months of the year as price rises and extra wealth taxes hit average spending power.The Office for National Statistics said a rise in the consumer prices index (CPI) measure of inflation in the first quarter and higher capital gains tax receipts reduced real household disposable income by 0.8% from January to the end of March. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
