Blaring sirens on smartphones to warn Australians of major disasters under emergency alerts overhaul 26. February 2026 (01:55) Alerts to be sent for bushfires, floods, biosecurity threats and other events which put lives at riskFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralians will soon receive intrusive alerts on their smartphones to warn of impending emergencies as governments overhaul warning systems for natural disasters and other serious events.The $132m AusAlert system will be rolled out through a series of trials from June, replacing state-based text messaging systems which often struggle because of demand in major emergencies. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Jacinda Ardern living and working in Australia after move from US 26. February 2026 (01:14) Exclusive: Former New Zealand PM ‘based out of Australia’, according to spokesperson, after rumours she was looking for houses in SydneyThe former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern is living in Australia with her family, a spokesperson has confirmed.“The family has been travelling for a few years now,” her office told the Guardian. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
CPS issues new guidance on ‘honour’-based and dowry abuse 26. February 2026 (01:01) Updated guidance from Crown Prosecution Service covers forms of spiritual and immigration abuse for first timeThe Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has published new guidance for its lawyers to help tackle “honour”-based abuse, with spiritual and immigration abuse included for the first time.The guidance was updated to reflect growing concerns around evolving forms of abuse and to tackle what the CPS described as “emerging harmful practices”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
What is the national maternity and neonatal investigation and why was it launched? 26. February 2026 (01:01) From racism to staff shortages, the interim report found a host of deep-rooted issues affecting women and babiesNHS maternity units often cover up harmful errors in childbirth, report findsCruel comments, racism and cover-ups: key findings from England’s maternity care reportOn Thursday, a damning interim report published after a national investigation into England’s maternity services found deep-rooted issues affecting women and their babies, including insensitivity from maternity staff, racism and discrimination, and chronic staff shortages. Below is an exploration of what led to the report and what happens next. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
UK anti-slavery watchdog calls for overhaul of adult sexual services sites 26. February 2026 (01:01) Independent commissioner’s report finds websites can act as ‘accelerators’ of exploitation for sex workers using themThe anti-slavery watchdog has called for a complete overhaul of websites advertising sexual services after an investigation revealed they can act as “accelerators” of exploitation for sex workers using them.While working online can provide enhanced protections for some, a new report from the independent anti-slavery commissioner, Eleanor Lyons, investigated the experiences of women who said they were exploited on the adult services sites, which typically allow users to browse through images and videos of women selling sex in their local area. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Judge orders Greenpeace to pay $345m over Dakota Access pipeline protest 26. February 2026 (00:55) Group says case far from over after being found liable for defamation and other claims brought by energy firmA North Dakota judge has said he will order Greenpeace to pay damages expected to total $345m in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline from nearly a decade ago, a figure the environmental group contends it cannot pay.In court papers filed Tuesday, Judge James Gion said he would sign an order requiring several Greenpeace entities to pay the judgment to pipeline company Energy Transfer. He set that amount at $345m last year in a decision that reduced a jury’s damages by about half, but his latest filing did not specify a final amount. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump administration meets with UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson 26. February 2026 (00:48) Agitator whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon was hosted by senior adviser at US state departmentThe far-right activist Tommy Robinson has been hosted by the Trump administration for a meeting at the state department in Washington.Robinson, 43, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was hosted by Joe Rittenhouse, a senior adviser at the state department. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nearly blind refugee abandoned by US border patrol found dead in Buffalo 25. February 2026 (23:52) Investigation under way after man was dropped off five miles from home but family wasn’t notified, officials sayA nearly blind Burmese refugee who was abandoned by border patrol agents has been found dead in Buffalo, New York, city officials confirmed.Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, had been missing since 19 February, when he was dropped off by border patrol following his release from Erie county holding center, according to the Investigative Post. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia news live: bumper $1.46bn half-year profit for Qantas; families of Middle East diplomats evacuated 25. February 2026 (23:45) Embassies in Tel Aviv and Beirut remain open but Dfat warns situation is ‘unpredictable’. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAdvocate for gambling reform reiterates calls for regulator and ban on adsReverend Tim Costello, the chief advocate for the Alliance for Gambling Reform, spoke to RN Breakfast this morning about efforts to combat gambling, including the rollout of BetStop, a self-exclusion register.We are literally saturated. You know, sadly, gambling companies now even own our kids …Right at the moment, you have the farcical situation that under 16, you can’t be on social media, which I support. But they’re inundated with gambling ads online, on TV. 900,000 of young Australians gambled last year, even though it’s illegal now. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Twenty-year-old testifies at US trial about harm from social media addiction 25. February 2026 (23:32) Plaintiff says ‘addictive design’ of Meta and YouTube hooked her before she was 10, causing depression and body dysmorphiaFor the first time, a jury will hear testimony on Wednesday from a young woman who alleges social media companies intentionally create addictive products, harming children. The witness taking the stand, known by her initials KGM, is the lead plaintiff in an expansive lawsuit against Meta – which owns Instagram and Facebook – and YouTube currently at trial in Los Angeles.KGM, who is now 20, alleges that she became addicted to social media apps before she was 10 and would spend hours every day scrolling through photos and videos. This led to years of mental health issues, according to her lawyers and court documents. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
