Guardian Australia’s Matilda Boseley wins major award at 2026 Walkley mid-year media prizes

• Mastercard's Cyber Pulse Report 2026 reveals a 13% overall increase in cyberattacks across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) over the past year. • The report highlights a dramatic 198% spike in cyber threats specifically triggered by ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

• EU Council President António Costa’s office has initiated contact with a senior official close to Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss potential peace talks regarding Ukraine. • These diplomatic outreach efforts mark a strategic move by Brussels to explore avenues for negotiation as the conflict continues to destabilize the region.

• France is hosting the G7 Summit starting Monday, June 17, 2026, with a primary focus on reducing global imbalances. • The meeting occurs during a period of significant strain on global governance, specifically regarding transatlantic relations and international trade.

• Alessandro Politi, Director of the NATO Defense College Foundation, analyzes the G7's struggle to maintain consensus amidst growing global fragmentation. • The discussion highlights critical challenges including Gulf security, Middle East diplomacy, supply-chain resilience, and the procurement of critical minerals.

• G7 leaders are meeting in Evian this Wednesday to discuss strategies for supporting sustainable global economic growth. • The summit focuses on mitigating the economic strain caused by the ongoing war in Iran, which continues to disrupt global markets.

Merlin Lu faces felony and misdemeanor charges after police released images of a suspect fleeing the sceneA 21- year old man who admitted to setting fire to a cross in Chicago’s Grant Park last week is now in police custody on hate crime charges, per Chicago police.Merlin Lu was arrested and charged with four felony and four misdemeanor counts related to the incident on 9 June. Continue reading...

Federal agency to use herbicide to clear lands for replanting after 2021 Caldor fire – but public reaction to plan is fierceKatherine Levy remembers a childhood deeply rooted in the natural offerings of Lake Tahoe – water-skiing in the summer and working as ski instructor on the surrounding snow-covered mountains during winter months.She recently moved back to live out her retirement along the lake’s north shore. But she doesn’t like what she has found upon her return: a US government plan to spray multiple types of herbicides, including the cancer-linked glyphosate weed killer – within national forest property that abuts the community’s cherished lake. Continue reading...

Moderna seeks FDA approval of its new shot, mFlusvia, as option for 50 and olderUS health advisers are debating a new kind of flu vaccine Thursday, the first made with the same mRNA technology that was key to ending the Covid-19 pandemic.Moderna is seeking Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of its new shot , dubbed mFlusiva, as an option for people 50 and older. The FDA advisory committee meeting is a step toward a final decision ahead of the winter flu season. Continue reading...

Trump’s immigration agenda is on the supreme court docket with rulings still to come on birthright citizenship and TPS for Haitian and Syrian immigrantsSign up for the Breaking News US emailHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The supreme court is expected to render at least one judgment today as the term is set to come to an end later this month. There are a series of cases yet to be decided that are relevant to Donald Trump, including his attempt to limit birthright citizenship and plan to remove legal protection from Haitian and Syrian immigrants.Donald Trump has signed a 14-point agreement with Iran, claiming it delivered a “major win” for the US. The Guardian’s Andrew Roth argues that the US entered war with maximalist goals and exited it with a pragmatic decision to end conflict despite political cost.A teenager has died after being thrown to the ground on Wednesday when a Central Park carriage horse bolted away from its driver, police in New York have said.On Wednesday, court proceedings revealed that Luigi Mangione’s legal team plans on pursuing a psychiatric defense during his upcoming Manhattan state court trial over the killing of UnitedHealthcare executive Brian Thompson. Continue reading...

Explore the Guardian’s tracker to see which operators are nationalised and if services are improving under public ownershipThe majority of Great Britain’s major rail operators are now in public ownership, as the Labour government continues its efforts to make the railways “more reliable, affordable and accessible”.The nationalisation of Govia Thameslink on 31 May represents the eleventh major passenger service to be brought back into public ownership, leaving five to go before the government’s deadline of completing every operator by 2027. Continue reading...

Temperatures expected to hit 30C on Friday and remain high over weekend as second heatwave in three weeks approaches Amber heat warnings have been issued for parts of southern England as a second heatwave in the space of three weeks approaches.Temperatures are expected to climb to 30C on Friday, remain high over the weekend, and reach 33C on Monday. Continue reading...

Vulnerable adults suffered broken bones and severe neglect in Northern Irish hospital at centre of major police investigationA major inquiry into the abuse of vulnerable adults at Muckamore Abbey hospital, in Northern Ireland, has found “mistreatment became a normality” and patients suffered black eyes, broken bones and severe neglect.The hospital is at the centre of the UK’s largest police investigation into the alleged abuse of vulnerable adults, with 124 people having been referred by police for prosecution. Continue reading...