The Guardian

Opposition leader signals his Liberals will abandon net zero commitment entirely. Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastBritish journalist who interviewed ex-prince Andrew ‘stunned’ by his arrestEmily Maitlis, a British journalist who interviewed Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor during a disastrous interview in 2019, said on RN Breakfast this morning she is “stunned” at the former prince’s arrest.I am stunned. I just have to say this doesn’t happen in our country. It is virtually unheard of.So, to say that this is a crisis moment, I think doesn’t begin to cover it. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/feb/20/accc-coles-nsw-public-hearing-illegal-tobacco-angus-taylor-liberal-coalition-net-zero-anthony-albanese-labor-ntwnfb

US president vows multinational force and billions of dollars as autocrats and rightwing allies gather in DC The US has proposed commanding a multinational force in postwar Gaza with troops from Albania, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Morocco, as Donald Trump unveiled his ad-hoc Board of Peace in Washington to heavy international scrutiny.The US plan would require the full disarmament of Hamas and support from Israel, which has tempered expectations that the Trump-friendly committee stacked with autocrats and rightwing allies will be able to deliver on the vision of ending the conflict and rebuilding Gaza as a “riviera”. Continue reading... Source

The police raided Andrew’s Norfolk home on ThursdayFull report: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrestedWhy has former prince Andrew been arrested – and what happens now?Before the arrest was announced, the prime minister told BBC Breakfast “nobody is above the law” when asked about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.Keir Starmer added:Anybody who has any information should testify.So whether it’s Andrew or anybody else, anybody who has got relevant information should come forward to whatever the relevant body is, in this particular case we’re talking about Epstein, but there are plenty of other cases. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/feb/19/police-arrest-former-prince-andrew-mountbatten-windsor-sandringham-latest-updates Author : Tom Ambrose (now) and Taz

The appointment follows allegations she was previously spoken to about her management styleAlex Davies-Jones, a justice minister, has said the government wants to pass the legislation implementing the Chagos Islands deal as soon as it can – despite Presidient Trump’s lastest diatribe about it. (See 9.34am.)Davies-Jones was giving interviews this morning and she told Times Radio:This deal is essential and crucial for the national security of the United Kingdom and that is the first priority of any government.We will be bringing the bill back as soon as parliamentary time allows, because this is about national security. Continue reading... Source link

Representatives from more than 45 countries expected to attend initiative aimed at bringing an end to the war in GazaAuthoritarians, strongmen and dictators: who is on Trump’s Board of Peace?Meanwhile, Russia and Iran have staged navy drills in the Gulf of Oman, as the Kremlin called for restraint amid growing fears of a US military attack against Tehran.The Kremlin said the joint drills were planned exercises and no cause for alarm, but it comes against the backdrop of heightened US military activity in the Middle East in recent weeks. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/feb/19/donald-trump-first-board-of-peace-washington-us-politics-live Author : Taz Ali Publish

French president rejects US criticism as António Guterres and Narendra Modi warn on child safety and AI monopoliesEmmanuel Macron has hit back at US criticism of Europe’s efforts to regulate AI, vowing to protect children from “digital abuse” during France’s presidency of the G7.Speaking at the AI Impact summit in Delhi, the French president called for tougher safeguards after global outrage over Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot being used to generate tens of thousands of sexualised images of children, and amid mounting concern about the concentration of AI power in a handful of companies. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/19/emmanuel-macron-eu-ai-rules-child-safety-digital-abuse Author

Lawyer tells court there is ‘real doubt’ whether police gave lawful move-on direction during rally against Israeli president that ended in violent clashesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA Palestinian Australian man charged with failing to follow police directions during an Isaac Herzog rally in Sydney has had his bail conditions varied, after a court ruled it was “not proportionate” to ban him from inner Sydney.Eyad Shadid was one of 12 protesters charged after New South Wales police dispersed last week’s protest against the Israeli president’s visit to

Reports say move could come this weekend as White House urges Iran to ‘make a deal’ with Trump on nuclear programThe US military is ready for possible strikes on Iran as soon as this weekend, multiple news outlets reported Wednesday citing unnamed sources.However, the reports said, Donald Trump has yet to make a final decision on whether to carry out an attack. Trump has repeatedly demanded Iran cease its nuclear program, and has warned he intends to use force if no deal is reached. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/18/trump-iran-us-military-reports Author : Cecilia Nowell and Robert Mackey Publish date :

Actor allegedly also made remarks to man who dresses in drag, and was seen dancing on Bourbon Street after arrestThe actor Shia LaBeouf allegedly aimed homophobic slurs at two men – one who identifies as queer and the other who dresses in drag – as the Transformers star was arrested for purportedly battering them at a bar early on Tuesday morning in New Orleans, the victims said.Jeffrey Damnit – who was born with the last name Klein and was listed as one of the victims by New Orleans police – said in an interview on Wednesday that he was wearing

‘Iran would be very wise to make a deal,’ says Karoline Leavitt when asked about possibility of US strikes against Iran during press conferenceOn a recent morning Eric Taylor, city manager for a small Georgia town of about 5,000 residents called Social Circle, was contacted by a staffer from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.“They asked me to turn on the water,” he said of a 1m sq ft warehouse nearby that the federal government recently purchased for $128m, with plans to use it for locking up as many as 10,000 detainees as part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation plan. Continue

Home affairs minister says opposition had repatriated Australians from Syria when in government. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe home affairs minister, Tony Burke, told ABC’s 7.30 program last night that the Coalition pressure to prevent the 34 Australian wives and children of IS fighters killed or captured in Syria from returning to Australia was “silly hypocrisy”.He said if the Coalition wants the group excluded from Australia permanently, “they should look at the laws they voted for, they put in place when they were in government.”There’s a lot of very silly deeply

Kerstin G froze to death on Großglockner when Thomas P descended mountain to fetch helpAn Austrian mountaineer is to appear in court accused of gross negligent manslaughter after his girlfriend died of hypothermia when he left her close to the summit on a climb that went dramatically wrong.The 33-year-old woman, identified only as Kerstin G, froze to death on 19 January 2025, about 50 metres below the summit of the Großglockner, Austria’s tallest mountain, after an ascent of more than 17 hours with her boyfriend, Thomas P, 36. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/18/climber-manslaughter-charge-girlfriend-austria-highest-peak Author : Kate Connolly in Berlin

Latest round of US-mediated peace negotiations come to close in Geneva with war set to enter its fifth year next weekEurope live – latest updatesThe latest round of US-mediated peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva on Wednesday ended without a major breakthrough, as fighting continues in a war that will enter its fifth year next week.Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said no agreement had been reached on the thorniest questions at the negotiations in Switzerland, accusing Moscow of “trying to drag out” the process. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/18/latest-russia-ukraine-peace-talks-geneva-no-breakthrough Author : Pjotr Sauer Publish date : 2026-02-18 14:34:00

Government considering delay to equalising national minimum wage after jump in youth unemploymentUK politics live – latest updatesMinisters are considering a slower rise in the minimum wage for younger workers, amid fears over rising youth unemployment.Labour had promised in its manifesto to equalise national minimum wage rates by the time of the next election, saying it was unfair younger workers were paid less. Government sources said equalisation remained the aim but the rise could come more slowly. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/18/ministers-may-slow-youth-minimum-wage-rise-uk-unemployment-fears Author : Jessica Elgot and Tom Knowles Publish date : 2026-02-18 12:09:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs

US-brokered negotiations in Switzerland began on Tuesday but expectations for breakthroughs are lowWe have confirmation from Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s national security council chief and top negotiator, that the talks in Geneva have begun.“Consultations are taking place in focus groups within the political and military blocs. We are working to clarify the parameters and mechanics of the solutions discussed yesterday,” he posted on social media, without providing further details. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/feb/18/ukraine-russia-peace-talks-zelenskyy-trump-putin-denmark-greenland-europe-live Author : Taz Ali Publish date : 2026-02-18 09:44:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

January annual drop still leaves rate above Bank of England’s 2% targetBusiness live – latest updatesUK inflation tumbled to 3% in January, giving a boost to hopes of an early cut in interest rates by the Bank of England.The drop was in line with a majority of City economists’ forecasts and marks the lowest level since March 2025. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/18/uk-inflation-falls-interest-rates-bank-of-england Author : Phillip Inman Publish date : 2026-02-18 07:01:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

CEO said services have restarted after termination of grants led to criticism that US was ceding ground to ChinaRadio Free Asia has resumed broadcasts to people in China, its chief executive said on Tuesday, after Trump administration cuts last year largely forced the US-funded outlet to cease operations.For years, RFA and its sister outlets, including Voice of America (VOA), had been financed with funding approved by the US Congress and overseen by the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM). Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/18/radio-free-asia-china-broadcasts Author : Reuters Publish date : 2026-02-18 03:55:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the

Group was skiing in snow-hit Sierra Nevadas, while winter storm brings heavy rain and floods to other parts of stateSix skiers have been found after a group of 16 went missing this morning as heavy snowfall blanketed California, prompting avalanche warnings in the Sierra Nevada mountains, closing coastal roads and causing flooding in Los Angeles.The 10 remaining skiers are still missing, according to the sheriff’s office in Nevada county, California. The group was in the Castle Peak area, where an avalanche was reported around 11.30am. According to the sheriff’s office, the group consisted of four ski guides and 12 clients.

Backlash follows One Nation leader’s statements on Sky News on Monday night. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPauline Hanson says people ‘warming to our policies’ amid frustrations with two major partiesThe One Nation leader, Pauline Hanson, was just interviewed on the ABC after a surge in popularity in recent polls.I think people are looking at our policies, what we want to do for the country and for people … People are warming to our policies and I am pleased to see that they want to vote for One Nation now because they

Interim president José Jerí voted out by country’s congress amid scandal concerning secretive meetings Peru’s interim president has been forced out of office in an “express impeachment” after a political scandal over his secretive meetings with Chinese businessmen.Lawmakers voted by 75 votes to 24 to proceed with the impeachment of José Jerí, who had been at the helm for just four months. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/17/perus-president-ousted-in-express-impeachment-after-just-four-months Author : Dan Collyns in Lima Publish date : 2026-02-17 20:56:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Exclusive: ICE more than tripled the amount of data stored in Microsoft’s cloud at the same time that its arsenal of surveillance technology balloonedImmigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deepened its reliance on Microsoft’s cloud technology last year as the agency ramped up arrest and deportation operations, leaked documents reveal.ICE more than tripled the amount of data it stored in Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform in the six months leading up to January 2026, a period in which the agency’s budget swelled and its workforce rapidly expanded, according to the files. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/17/ice-microsoft-technology-immigration-crackdown Author : Harry Davies and

Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier called for ‘justice and strength’ in diplomacy after Russia hit Ukraine with 400 drones and 29 missiles hours before talksThe European Commission is just giving its daily midday press briefing, and it has confirmed plans to adopt the new, 20th, round of sanctions against Russia by 24 February, the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion on Ukraine.Foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said:“We keep on working on measures to deprive Russia of the funds, goods and technologies sustaining its war against Ukraine. This indeed includes the 20th package that you have mentioned, and indeed we aim to

Party leader tells FT journalist she should ‘write some silly story’ after press conference revealing roles for his top teamNigel Farage is speaking.He starts by saying that 4.6m voters will get the right to to vote in the local elections because of his party.I am writing a book on Nigel Farage for @headlinepg.No holds will be barred. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2026/feb/17/reform-farage-shadow-cabinet-local-council-elections-labour-starmer-latest-news-updates Author : Andrew Sparrow Publish date : 2026-02-17 13:27:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Ordained minister and activist who twice ran for the Democratic presidential nomination had been living with progressive supranuclear palsyAs well as being a prominent civil rights campaigner, Jackson became a focal point of black political power after running twice for the Democratic nomination for president in 1984 and 1988.He was the first African American to make the giant leap from activism to major-party presidential politics, firmly cementing his place in the history books in doing so. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/feb/17/jesse-jackson-tributes-died-84-civil-rights-latest-news-updates Author : Yohannes Lowe Publish date : 2026-02-17 10:50:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

ONS figures will hopes of further interest rate cut by Bank of England in the springBusiness live – latest updatesUnemployment in the UK has risen to 5.2%, the highest level in nearly five years, while wage growth continues to slow, raising the prospect of another cut to interest rates in the spring.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of unemployment was 5.2% in the three months to the end of December, the highest rate since the quarter to January 2021. This was in line with what economists had been expecting and was up from 5.1% in the three