Digested week: Starmer is trying to carve out his legacy – but it’s not his to write | John Crace 12. June 2026 (13:06) Plus, Brexit at 10, dinner as protest, 100 best novels and not watching the World Cup (yet)We’re approaching the 10-year anniversary of the Brexit referendum. Documentaries are being aired and newspaper features are being written. But one thing seems to be missing. Why aren’t all those big names who campaigned for Brexit back in 2016 now shouting from the rooftops about what a great success it has been? Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Autistic children injected with unapproved stem cell treatments supported by RFK Jr 12. June 2026 (13:00) Desperate US parents pay up to $20,000 a session for a procedure scientists say could be bogusAutistic children as young as 18 months old are being injected with human stem cells derived from umbilical cords in unapproved, unproven and potentially harmful “treatments” that scientists warn are proliferating across the US under the active encouragement of the US health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr.Clinics in Florida, Texas and other states are selling what they bill as “regenerative medicine” to families with autistic children who have intensive care needs. Parents who have taken their children through the process talked to the Guardian about their hopes and fears for a therapy that appears to be gaining ground in the US. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
China arrests US academic at conference for ‘espionage activities’ 12. June 2026 (12:27) Arrest of Min Zin, who writes about Myanmar and Chinese foreign policy, comes just month after Trump visit to BeijingChina has arrested a US scholar who writes about Myanmar and Chinese foreign policy on suspicion of spying.Min Zin was suspected of “engaging in espionage activities that endanger China’s national security,” China’s ministry of foreign affairs spokesperson, Lin Jian, said on Friday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Starmer’s leadership under further pressure after defence ministers quit – UK politics live 12. June 2026 (11:37) Both John Healey and Al Carns resigned from their ministerial positions on Thursday over the government’s defence investment planDefence policy is not the only area where there has been bad news for the government. As Heather Stewart reports, growth figures out today show the economy shrinking in April.Here is her story.The UK economy contracted by 0.1% in April as the Iran war began to take its toll on growth, official figures show.As energy prices have risen as a result of the conflict, after Iran closed off the strait of Hormuz – a vital shipping route for global trade – the UK’s strong expansion in the first quarter slid into reverse. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Middle East crisis live: Iran says no final peace agreement reached, after Trump claims deal could be signed soon 12. June 2026 (11:35) US president says ‘great settlement’ reached but Iranian spokesman says there has been no final conclusionFull report: Trump claims US and Iran on verge of signing peace agreementThe Israeli military said it struck 310 Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon in the past week, as it claimed to have killed “80 terrorists”.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also revealed it conducted a raid in the southern Lebanese village Dibbine several weeks ago. The village is located north of the IDF’s so-called “yellow line” (an area carved out and occupied by the military) and is about 12km (7.4 miles) from the Israeli border. The IDF said its troops located “significant” weapon depots during the raid. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘They are thugs thriving on division’: residents voice disgust and shame at Belfast rioters 12. June 2026 (11:00) People tell of feeling alienated in own city, disruption to daily life including healthcare, and frustration with politiciansBelfast residents have reacted with anger and disgust at the disorder in the city in response to a an online callout by the Guardian.People were asked if they had been affected by the unrest sparked by the stabbing of Stephen Ogilvie in the city earlier in the week. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘I only want justice’: bereaved families seek closure one year on from Air India crash 12. June 2026 (11:00) Relatives of those killed on flight AI171 are still struggling to obtain answers about what happenedWhen Sagar Patel’s mother boarded Air India flight AI171 on 12 June last year, she called her son as she always did before takeoff. The flight was due to leave Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel airport in Ahmedabad, in the western Indian state of Gujarat, and was destined for Gatwick.“We always had a little traditional thing,” said Patel, a business manager from London. “Once she got on the flight, she would sit down and call me. She’d tell me: ‘Yep, I’m on the flight. See you later.’” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ariana Grande rebukes White House for using her music in ‘barbaric, inhumane’ ICE video 12. June 2026 (10:41) Grande is the latest in a series of pop musicians including Sabrina Carpenter and SZA who have been angered by Trump administration videosAriana Grande has rebuked Donald Trump’s White House over use of her music in a video documenting the detaining of immigrants.Earlier this week, the White House posted a montage of ICE agents handcuffing and detaining people, with the caption “Bye-bye President Trump has delivered the most secure border in history”. It was soundtracked by Grande’s 2024 song Bye. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Weather tracker: heat, humidity and thunderstorms a danger at World Cup 12. June 2026 (10:40) With matches in 16 cities across the US, Mexico and Canada, players and fans face an array of weather-related challengesWith the 2026 World Cup now under way, all 48 teams face a common opposition: summer weather across North America. Matches will be played in 16 cities, from southern Mexico to Canada, with a range of weather risks possible at each venue.Thunderstorms disrupted play before the tournament had even begun. England’s warm-up against Costa Rica in Orlando was delayed by about an hour after storms brought lightning and heavy rain that waterlogged the pitch. Safety regulations at US venues mean play is suspended when lightning is recorded within roughly 8 miles of a stadium, not resuming until 30 minutes after the last strike. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK’s defence plan is underfunded and outdated, says Al Carns after resignation 12. June 2026 (10:27) Former armed forces minister, who quit hours after John Healey, heavily hints he would run for Labour leadershipUK politics live – latest updatesAl Carns has delivered a withering assessment of the government’s defence plans after quitting as a defence minister, accusing ministers of not spending enough money on the military and spending it on the wrong weapons.Carns quit the government on Thursday night, hours after the resignation of his boss, John Healey, after a protracted row over the defence investment plan (Dip). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
