California could be forced to wait for results thanks to slow vote-counting system

• Iran and the United States have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to end the conflict in West Asia and ensure the Strait of Hormuz remains open. • As part of the agreement, fighting in Lebanon is set to cease to address the escalating humanitarian crisis in the region.

• Iran's economy nearly stagnated in 2025, recording a marginal growth rate of only 0.2% while non-oil GDP experienced a contraction. • The slowdown is attributed to a series of conflicts, including a 12-day war with Israel in the summer and a 40-day conflict involving the U.S. and Israel in the winter, alongside January's nationwide protests.

• The conflict in Iran has exposed the severe vulnerabilities of Asia's energy dependence, transforming a fragile situation into an economic emergency. • The Asian Development Bank warns that if oil prices remain around $96 per barrel for the year, GDP growth could drop by 0.7 percentage points in 2026.

• On June 23, 2026, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Iran will not engage in negotiations regarding its ballistic missile program. • This stance comes amidst an ongoing conflict involving the United States and Israel, signaling a hardening of Tehran's position on its strategic weaponry.

• A new book titled "Regime Change: Inside the Imperial Presidency of Donald Trump" reveals that a former cabinet member referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a "special needs child for the Europeans." • The comments reportedly surfaced during a meeting focused on discussing a proposed minerals deal between the United States and Ukraine.

• President Donald Trump has dismissed claims that no visits are scheduled for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors, insisting that Iran has already agreed to increased nuclear inspections. • This diplomatic tension occurs alongside ongoing military conflict, as fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon continues despite a renewed ceasefire agreement reached on Friday.

Analysis by more than 150 political scientists finds proportion who back such parties has increased nearly fivefold since 1995Almost one in four voters in Europe now cast their ballot for far-right parties, research shows, a proportion that has grown nearly fivefold since the mid-1990s and climbed particularly steeply over the past three years.Analysis by more than 150 political scientists in 31 countries found the proportion of Europeans voting for a far-right party in their country’s most recent national elections had risen to more than 23%, from about 10% a decade ago and roughly 5% in 1995. Continue reading...

Chief secretary to PM rules out leadership bid as he says he has received reassurances from BurnhamGood morning. There are very few upsides for Keir Starmer for his current situation, but one of them is that soon he will no longer have to worry about taking PMQs. In his memoir, Tony Blair described PMQs as “the most nerve-racking, discombobulating, nail-biting, bowel-moving, terror-inspiring, courage draining experience in my prime ministerial life, without question”. Today’s could be Starmer’s third last. Including today, there are four Wednesdays between now and Friday 17 July, when Andy Burnham is due to become PMQs, but one of them coincides with the Nato summit, and Starmer should be away for that.While we will hear from Starmer at PMQs, interest in what he has to say may be limited. Power is like water on a surface with a slope; it very quickly heads in one direction and, despite only being sworn in as an MP on Monday afternoon, Andy Burnham is already the most powerful figure in Westminster, and most of the political class is focused on what sort of administration he might lead. There have been three developments overnight.It has emerged that Burnham will appoint James Purnell, who served in cabinet with him under Gordon Brown, as his chief of staff. Here is our story, by Kiran Stacey and Jessica Elgot.Darren Jones, the chief secretary to the PM, has announced that he will not stand as a leadership candidate against Burnham. He had been refusing to rule this out, and some Starmer loyalists were urging him to run. Ben Quinn has the story. Continue reading...

McQueen was a long-serving member of the Liberal party before defecting to One Nation in MayFormer Liberal heavyweight Teena McQueen is being remembered for her contribution to the party despite her defection to One Nation.McQueen, who served as the federal Liberal Party vice president from 2017 to 2023, died on Wednesday after battling severe sickness. Continue reading...

State budget suggests Minns government is addicted to pokies revenue, with tax take predicted to jump from $1.6bn to $2.2bn annually within four yearsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnti-gambling advocates say surging tax revenue from poker machines in New South Wales is a betrayal of the Minns government’s promise to reform the industry.Tuesday’s state budget forecasts the annual revenue from all gambling taxes will rise from $3.8bn in 2025-26 to $4.7bn by 2029-30. That includes an annual rise in revenue from poker machines in pubs and hotels of 7.5%, outstripping inflation, meaning the government expects to pocket $2.2bn from pokies in 2029-30 compared with $1.6bn this financial year. Continue reading...

Neso issues rare summer warning for Wednesday evening, as households turn on fans and air conditioningGreat Britain’s grid operator has released a rare summer power supply warning for Wednesday evening as the heatwave is expected to get more intense, putting pressure on the energy system.The National Energy System Operator (Neso) issued an electricity margin notice late on Tuesday, asking power plant owners to provide any extra electricity, as the buffer between supply and expected demand comes under pressure. Continue reading...

British disinfectant brand withdraws advert about a man’s efforts to find a ‘clean and untouched’ womanThe British hygiene brand Dettol has apologised after an advertisement released in China, which it said was intended to criticise “toxic men”, was widely condemned on social media as offensive to women.The five-minute advert for a multipurpose disinfectant, released across many online platforms at the end of May, features a man comparing his girlfriend with his former partner. Learning that his former girlfriend had previously lived with someone else, the man likens their relationship to a “secondhand service”. He then tells his friends that he intends to find a “clean and untouched” woman with whom he can be the first sexual partner. Continue reading...