Israel and Iran threaten further escalation; severe jobseeker penalties exposed; Piastri collides with teammate | The Guardian

Support the Guardian

Support now

Power independent journalism

A man looks at flames rising from an oil storage facility after it appeared to have been struck by an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran.

16/06/2025

Israel and Iran threaten further escalation; severe jobseeker penalties exposed; Piastri collides with teammate

Paul Gallagher

Good morning. World leaders are urging Israel and Iran to de-escalate their conflict – but as yet there is no sign of either country stepping back from the brink as they continue to exchange missile fire. There are reports that Donald Trump “vetoed” an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s supreme leader.

Jobseeker penalties are in the spotlight as we reveal how people have had their payments cut while they’ve been in hospital – including one woman who had four medical certificates rejected by authorities.

And: there was late drama for Oscar Piastri, who finished fourth in the Canadian GP after his car was hit by his McLaren teammate’s.

Australia

Kelly sitting side to camera against a fireplace with a mosaic anonymising her face.

Jobseeker woes | Advocates are demanding the mutual obligations framework be overhauled as people face payment suspensions for missing job interviews despite being in hospital for surgeries or mental heath care.

Halls of power | Lobbyists are urging Canberra to strengthen investigative powers and penalties to crack down on rogue operators, including new laws to add corporate interests to a transparency register.

‘Dire’ cuts | Donald Trump’s gutting of foreign aid has seen a $400m hit to Australian projects, leaving people without crucial support for health, education, humanitarian and climate change issues.

Beijing rises | A majority of Australians expect China will be the most powerful country in the world by 2035 as trust in the US tumbles, research from the Lowy Institute thinktank has found.

Medical bills bite | A Grattan Institute report has laid bare how outpatient fees have soared over the past 15 years – with a million Australians now avoiding specialist doctor visits due to costs.

World

Israeli security forces inspect a destroyed building that was hit by a missile fired from Iran, near Tel Aviv.

Israel-Iran conflict | The latest wave of Iranian missiles hit several sites in Israel as Israel and Iran broadened missile strikes during the third day of an escalating war. Donald Trump “vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s supreme leader” and there was chaos in Tehran as residents tried to flee or find shelter amid a “smell of death”.

Gaza crisis | At least eight Palestinians were killed and dozens more wounded in shootings near food distribution points in Gaza as residents fear global attention is now switching to Iran.

US politics | Millions across the US turned out for “No Kings” protests against Trump; the US president coveted a spectacle but his military parade proved underwhelming, J Oliver Conroy writes.

Minnesota shootings | Authorities are yet to locate a man suspected of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses while impersonating a police officer, killing one legislator and her husband.

Air India crash | The families of those killed in the Ahmedabad tragedy face an excruciating wait in getting their relatives back as forensic experts continue a gargantuan task to identify remains.

Have your say

Join our research panel to share your thoughts on The Guardian's advertising and commercial partnerships. You'll also go into the running to win one of three $50 vouchers each month.

Join now

Full Story

Aotearoa/New Zealand artist Marlon Williams’ fourth studio album, Te Whare Tīwekaweka, is entirely in the Māori language

The politics of an all Māori album: Marlon Williams

Aotearoa/New Zealand artist Marlon Williams spent five years on his latest album, Te Whare Tīwekaweka, which is entirely in the Māori language. He speaks with Reged Ahmad about singing in his first language on the international stage – and performs a song from the album in the Guardian Australia studio.

In-depth

The Labor member for Hunter, Dan Repacholi, during the election campaign on 3 April. Repacholi says he weighed 152kg before he sought help to lose weight.

After a major health kick saw him lose more than 30kg, “Big Dan” Repacholi has been named the federal government’s special envoy for men’s health. The Labor member for Hunter is now on a crusade to get blokes and boys to talk about their problems with health professionals and their families. In a frank interview, he talks with Josh Butler about how he had been “embarrassed” to visit his doctor – and why Australian males need to be better at opening up.

Not the news

Composite of Australian tribute bands. From left to right: Abba tribute band Bjorn Again, Dolly Parton tribute act Kelly O’Brien, Dreams, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band and The Australian Bee Gees’ Michael Clift as Barry Gibb.

Pink Floyd, Queen, AC/DC and, of course, Elvis play every weekend around Australia, often to sell-out crowds. Sure, they might not be the real thing – but they’re close enough. In the past few years tribute acts have surged in popularity, even while Australia’s live music industry has struggled. Katie Cunningham speaks to tribute acts about fame, money – and what it takes to make it.

Sport

Lando Norris of McLaren crashes into his teammate Oscar Piastri in the Canadian Grand Prix.

Motorsport | McLaren driver Lando Norris collided with his own teammate, Australian Oscar Piastri, late in Montreal as Briton George Russell won the Canadian F1 Grand Prix.

AFL | Bailey Smith hits the right note at Geelong but he is no showstopper, Jonathan Horn writes.

Football | PSG took on Atlético Madrid in the Fifa Club World Cup, after Bayern Munich