Antarctica’s west coast missing an area of sea ice the size of France as temperatures peak 20C above average 12. June 2026 (17:00) Exclusive A vast area of the Bellingshausen Sea should be covered by sea ice by now, with one expert calling the loss of ice ‘depressing’Antarctica’s west coast is missing an area of winter sea ice the size of France, sparking concerns for threatened penguins other marine life and global sea levels.One expert said the loss of ice in the Bellingshausen Sea was “depressing” and the failure of ice to form could have intensified a heatwave over the continent’s peninsular last week that saw daytime temperatures peak at 15.4C which is more than 20C above average. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
NDIS changes ‘retrogressive’ and out of step with review, MPs say 12. June 2026 (17:00) Report by Labor-led joint human rights committee says cuts to the $50bn scheme could limit support for those in needGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSweeping changes to the NDIS appear “retrogressive” and lack alignment with a landmark independent review to improve the $50bn-a-year scheme, a Labor-led committee has found.The 57-page scrutiny report from the joint human rights committee, released on Friday, examined the proposed changes under the Albanese government ahead of a separate report due next week by a Senate inquiry. The Labor-chaired committee questioned the human rights implications of winding back access for more than 200,000 participants in the coming years, which could leave many without sufficient disability support. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tornadoes rip through central US while extreme heat and humidity creep into the north-east 12. June 2026 (16:30) One man died in Iowa after a tree fell on him as nearly 700 severe weather events were recorded over three daysSign up for the Breaking News US newsletter emailAn Illinois man whose home was destroyed by a tornado on Thursday was pulled from the rubble by a police officer and a photojournalist, who captured the terrifying storm and subsequent rescue in dramatic video footage.Scott Lasker, who describes himself as a storm chaser, recorded the tornado ripping through the town of Streator and was filming the damage it inflicted when he came across the man trapped in the debris of his house. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Spain’s former PM faces tax fraud inquiry as police find €1.3m of jewellery 12. June 2026 (16:12) José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, already under investigation for alleged influence-peddling, facing questions over items found in office safeThe former Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is being investigated for possible tax fraud and smuggling after police discovered jewellery valued at more than €1.3m (£1.1m) while searching his office safe as part of a separate inquiry.Zapatero, who led two socialist governments between 2004 and 2011, is already under investigation for alleged influence-peddling and other offences relating to the state bailout of the Spanish Plus Ultra airline during the Covid pandemic. He is alleged to have overseen “a hierarchical structure of influence-peddling”, whose purpose was “to obtain economic benefits through intermediation and the exercise of influence before public bodies in favour of third parties, mainly Plus Ultra”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘I only had this father, and he’s gone’: Wafa Mustafa’s fight for truth and justice for Syria’s missing 12. June 2026 (16:09) With more than 177,000 people forcibly disappeared since 2011, short doc Maybe Tomorrow captures ‘the violence of waiting’ experienced by familyWhen Wafa Mustafa was a child, she remembers her father playing the music of Umm Kulthum non-stop at home in Syria, humming along to the legendary Egyptian singer’s melodic tones. One day, in an effort to encourage his daughter to appreciate music, he asked her to take a pen and paper and write the lyrics of a song she loved. Wanting to impress him, Mustafa chose an Umm Kulthum song called “Aghadan Alqak”, which translates to: “Will I meet you tomorrow?”“The lyrics are literally about someone who’s gone, about the waiting for them and the love you have for them,” says Mustafa. “It feels like I knew what was coming … as if I manifested my life since I was very young.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
France accuses Israeli firm of interfering in Scottish elections and targeting SNP 12. June 2026 (16:00) Cyber agency says BlackCore targeted John Swinney, as well as interfering in New York and French electionsFrance’s cybersecurity agency has accused the Israeli tech company BlackCore of interfering in the Scottish elections earlier this year by targeting the first minister, John Swinney.The disinformation detection agency Viginum said BlackCore had this year used proxy social media accounts to target Swinney, the Scottish National party, and the Scottish government on four occasions. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Fire at California warehouse complex prompts evacuations as authorities fight blaze 12. June 2026 (15:02) No injuries reported as fire in Tracy destroys medical equipment warehouse and authorities investigate causeA fire at a 1m sq ft warehouse complex was burning out of control in California early Friday as authorities fought to tamp the large blaze and began investigating the cause.The raging inferno was pumping thick black smoke up in billowing clouds as flame and a red hot glow were visible beneath from aerial images. The fire has destroyed the medical equipment warehouse in Tracy, in northern California, and prompted evacuations of other nearby facilities, with no injuries reported. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
An ideological tug-of-war: the pressures facing Iran’s World Cup squad in US 12. June 2026 (15:00) Flag bans, travel headaches and a religious regime video among bumps in road, as team prepares to be first to play in country with which it is at warIran will present a major challenge to Fifa’s “football unites the world” slogan on Monday by becoming the first country in World Cup history to compete on the soil of a host nation with which it is at war.The national team’s opening match against New Zealand in Los Angeles will kick off amid continuing hostilities between Iran and the US that have intensified in recent days, as a fragile ceasefire has failed to hold and attempts at reaching a negotiated settlement have sputtered. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Where can we find hope?’: your questions about the US supreme court’s voting rights decision answered 12. June 2026 (15:00) Guardian reporters Fabiola Cineas and Adria Walker held a Reddit Q&A about Louisiana v Callais – here’s a rundownIn April, the supreme court’s decision in Louisiana v Callais struck a massive blow to the Voting Rights Act, eliminating a key provision that gave minority voters representation in Congress.Within days of the decision, Republican-led states in the south moved to redraw congressional maps to erase majority-Black districts. Some of those maps have already gone into effect ahead of the midterms. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Fisa spy powers almost certain to expire after Congress fails to act – US politics live 12. June 2026 (14:49) Law due to expire at midnight tonight following unhappiness over Trump’s pick for intelligence chiefA powerful US surveillance law is set to expire – what happens now?Sign up for the Breaking News US emailAlso in attendance at the match later will be California governor Gavin Newsom. According to Politico, he and secretary of state Marco Rubio – both widely considered potential future contenders for the presidency – are expected to sit within close proximity of each other at kickoff at SoFi Stadium.“The Governor is there to support Team USA. Any frame-mogging that occurs will be purely incidental,” an official familiar with the governor’s plans told Politico. Rubio’s office declined to comment. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
