The Guardian

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.

Saunders says ‘it is the right time for me to take a step back and focus on my family and myself’, week after state Nationals dump net zero commitmentFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales Nationals leader, Dugald Saunders, has stepped down from the role ahead of a party room meeting, citing family reasons.It comes as the state Coalition faces similar turmoil to its federal counterpart over climate policy. The NSW Nationals voted last week to abandon a net zero emissions target by 2050. Continue

This is 21st known strike since early September as Trump officials justify efforts to stop narcotics from entering USThe United States conducted another attack on an alleged drug trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific on Saturday, killing three people aboard, the Pentagon said on Sunday.“Intelligence confirmed that the vessel was involved in illicit narcotics smuggling, transiting along a known narco-trafficking route, and carrying narcotics,” the US Southern Command announced in a post on social media. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/16/pentagon-military-drug-boat-strike Author : Guardian staff and agencies Publish date : 2025-11-16 22:54:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked

Schools closed after asbestos detected in samples from commercial sand products. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSussan Ley told RN Breakfast earlier that immigration numbers “need to be lower”, saying Australians are facing issues in their communities including difficulties finding “the right commute to work” and challenges at schools, hospitals and on public transport.She told RN:If you look at all of the remarks that I’ve ever made on this subject, you will find that I’ve always said this is not the fault of any migrant or migrant community. consistently said that it’s

Survivors group had called on firm Felzmann to ‘show some basic decency’ and halt ‘cynical and shameless’ eventPoland’s foreign minister said on Sunday that an “offensive” auction of Holocaust artefacts in Germany has been cancelled, relaying information from his German counterpart, after complaints from Holocaust survivors.Radosław Sikorski made the comments on X, saying he and German foreign minister Johann Wadephul “agreed that such a scandal must be prevented”. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/16/german-auction-house-urged-to-cancel-sale-of-holocaust-artefacts Author : Associated Press in Berlin Publish date : 2025-11-16 18:22:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Flood warnings still in place in England and Wales, with plunging temperatures leading to possible snow and iceCold Arctic air has begun to sweep across the UK, bringing freezing temperatures as emergency services continue to deal with severe flooding caused by Storm Claudia.On Saturday, a major incident was declared in Monmouth, south-east Wales, where people were rescued or evacuated from homes that were flooded during torrential rain on Friday. It was rescinded on Sunday afternoon, the fire service said. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/16/uk-weather-forecast-storm-claudia-clean-up-flood-warnings-cold-snow-ice Author : Rachel Hall Publish date : 2025-11-16 16:24:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to

Zelenskyy says Nataliia Khodemchuk is victim of ‘new tragedy caused by Kremlin’, four decades after disasterThe widow of the first Soviet engineer to die in the Chornobyl nuclear power plant explosion was killed on Friday in Russia’s massive drone and missile attack on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.Volodymyr Zelenskyy described Nataliia Khodemchuk as the victim of a “new tragedy caused by the Kremlin”, nearly four decades after her husband, Valerii, was killed inside Chornobyl’s nuclear reactor number four. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/16/nataliia-khodemchuk-widow-of-chornobyl-engineer-killed-russian-drone-strike-kyiv Author : Luke Harding in Kyiv Publish date : 2025-11-16 13:26:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to

Paul Nowak says OBR should be modernised to ditch ‘hardwired’ support for austerity economicsBritain’s budget watchdog is in danger of strangling growth and should be modernised to ditch its “hardwired” support for austerity economics, the Trades Union Congress has warned.Less than two weeks before Rachel Reeves’s autumn budget, the trade union umbrella group said the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) was at risk of being a “straitjacket” on growth in living standards. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/nov/16/uk-budget-watchdog-in-danger-of-strangling-economic-growth-says-tuc-boss Author : Richard Partington Senior economics correspondent Publish date : 2025-11-16 10:15:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Home secretary expected to announce changes on MondayThe home secretary says the government will create more “safe routes” for people to seek asylum in the UK as a way of stopping small boats.Asked about her own heritage, Mahmood says her parents came to Britain legally in the late 1960s and that is is “a moral mission” for her. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2025/nov/16/shabana-mahmood-immigration-asylum-latest-uk-politics-news-live Author : Tom Ambrose Publish date : 2025-11-16 08:51:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Two in critical condition after driver crashes into crowd at Walcha Motorcycle Rally about 90km from TamworthFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA demolition derby car lost control and ploughed into a grandstand, injuring 13 rural motoring enthusiasts on Saturday night.Emergency services rushed to Walcha’s showgrounds, which 90km from Tamworth in New South Wales, early in the evening after a crash at the Walcha Motorcycle Rally. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/16/thirteen-people-injured-after-speedway-car-ploughs-into-grandstand-during-nsw-demolition-derby Author : Josh Taylor and AAP Publish date : 2025-11-16 06:16:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs

Two in critical condition after driver crashes into crowd at Walcha Motorcycle Rally about 90km from TamworthFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA demolition derby car lost control and ploughed into a grandstand, injuring 13 rural motoring enthusiasts on Saturday night.Emergency services rushed to Walcha’s showgrounds, which 90km from Tamworth in New South Wales, early in the evening after a crash at the Walcha Motorcycle Rally. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/16/thirteen-people-injured-after-speedway-car-ploughs-into-grandstand-during-nsw-demolition-derby Author : Josh Taylor and AAP Publish date : 2025-11-16 06:16:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs

Falcon fledglings’ inaugural flight watched by dedicated fans includes dramatic crash-landingFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA trio of young falcons born atop a 35-storey building in Melbourne’s CBD have taken flight for the first time, with the take-off captured on a livestream for the world to see.The three peregrine falcons – two females and one male – fledged late last week, with the footage of their first flight posted on Instagram by non-profit organisation Bird Life Australia. The last falcon took flight shortly after 9am on Saturday

Daughter of immigrants advocated for people with disabilities to have full autonomy over their livesAlice Wong, a writer and disability rights activist who was born with muscular dystrophy and whose independence and writing inspired others, has died. She was 51.Wong died Friday at a hospital in San Francisco due to an infection, said Sandy Ho, a close friend who has been in touch with Wong’s family. Continue reading... Source link : https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/15/alice-wong-disability-rights-activist-dies-aged-51 Author : Guardian staff and agencies Publish date : 2025-11-16 00:35:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

Foreign affairs minister says Coalition’s approach to environmental policy will lead to higher energy prices. Follow the day’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSpeedway car injures 13 after ploughing into crowdA speedway car lost control and ploughed into a grandstand, injuring 13 rural motoring enthusiasts.What has become of the Liberal party? I mean, this used to be a serious mainstream political party in this country, and now it is overrun by the fringes.They are trying to outflank Pauline Hanson, and what I’d say to Sussan Ley – and to Andrew Hastie and to Angus

One-time Maga loyalist diverges with Trump on issues including Epstein, so US president has withdrawn supportMarjorie Taylor Greene, a longtime Republican ally who previously fiercely defended Donald Trump and his Maga movement, said on Saturday she had been contacted by private security firms “with warnings for my safety” after Trump announced on Friday he was withdrawing his support for and endorsement of the Georgia representative.In a post on X, Greene said that “a hot bed of threats against me are being fueled and egged on by the most powerful man in the world”, without referring to Trump by name, adding