Savannah Guthrie offers $1m reward for return of her mother: ‘We still believe in a miracle’ 24. February 2026 (16:39) Nancy Guthrie has been missing for three weeks and officials believe she was kidnapped from her Arizona homeSavannah Guthrie’s family has offered up to $1m for information leading to the return of her 84-year-old mother, Nancy, who has been missing since 1 February.The NBC Today show host posted the offer in a video on Instagram Tuesday, more than three weeks after Nancy’s disappearance. “Someone out there knows something that can bring her home,” Guthrie says in the clip. “We are begging you to please come forward now. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Russia can keep fighting Ukraine war throughout 2026, says military thinktank 24. February 2026 (16:09) Little sign Moscow’s ability to continue waging war for a fifth year is diminished, analysis suggestsEurope live – latest updatesRussia will be able to sustain its invasion of Ukraine throughout 2026 even allowing for emerging economic and manpower pressures, while its missile and drone threat to Europe is growing, according to a leading military thinktank.Bastian Giegerich, the director general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said there was “little indication” that “Russia’s ability to continue its war against Ukraine for a fifth year is diminished”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
NT environmentalists ‘gobsmacked’ at federal green light to bulldoze nearly 3,000 hectares of tropical savanna 24. February 2026 (15:00) Daly River region is home to threatened species such as the ghost bat, Gouldian finch, pig-nosed turtle and red goshawkGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe environment minister, Murray Watt, has given the green light for the bulldozing of nearly 3,000 hectares of tropical savanna in the Northern Territory without an assessment under Australia’s nature laws.Top End Pastoral Company’s development would clear 2,723 hectares of woodland – an area 10 times the size of Sydney’s CBD – on Claravale farm and station in the Daly River region for crops, including sorghum and cotton. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ban under-16s from riding ebikes and e-scooters then require a driver’s licence, Queensland inquiry to recommend 24. February 2026 (15:00) Exclusive: State parliament’s inquiry will propose a crackdown amid concerns over injuries and deathsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastChildren should be banned from riding ebikes and e-scooters until they turn 16 and then require a driver’s licence to use one, a Queensland parliamentary inquiry will recommend.The state parliament’s inquiry into e-mobility safety and use is expected to finish its report this week, more than a month early. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Guardian Essential poll: more than half of Australians open to voting for One Nation despite Hanson’s Muslim comments 24. February 2026 (15:00) A quarter of all respondents say they would ‘definitely’ back the rightwing populist party at the next election while a third say they’re ‘open’ to itPauline Hanson’s populism is a front. But there are lessons for progressives in One Nation’s surging popularity | Peter LewisGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNearly 60% of Australians say they’d be open to voting for One Nation at the next federal election, with nearly half of those currently backing Labor saying they’d consider backing Pauline Hanson, ringing alarm bells for both the government and Coalition about the march of the rightwing populist party.Meanwhile Angus Taylor’s appointment as Liberal leader has done little to boost the opposition’s electoral fortunes so far, with its primary vote virtually unchanged and voters split about whether his spill of Sussan Ley would make them more or less likely to vote for the Coalition. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
In 2022, Labor MPs urged compassion for Australian women and children stuck in Syria. Now Albanese has only contempt | Dan Jervis-Bardy 24. February 2026 (15:00) The government’s drastically changed rhetoric about its legal obligations to Australian citizens is a symptom of 2026’s ugly politicsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJust after question time on 23 November 2022, the federal parliament debated a motion relating to the repatriation of four Australian women and 13 children who had been stuck in a Syrian detention camp since the fall of Islamic State three years prior.One after another Labor MPs argued with passion, clarity and logic about why it was not just acceptable, but necessary and morally right, for the federal government to assist the return of its own citizens from the squalid and dangerous camps. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Royal Artillery under fire after denying access to looted Asante treasure 24. February 2026 (14:45) ‘Extraordinary’ golden lamb’s head pillaged in 1874 from what is now Ghana remains hidden in officers’ messThe Royal Artillery is facing criticism after it emerged they are refusing public access to an “extraordinary object” looted by the British army in the 19th century from the Asante people in modern-day Ghana.The glistening golden ram’s head would seemingly be worthy of any museum, but it remains hidden within the regiment’s mess at Larkhill in Wiltshire. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump reportedly frustrated as he waits on envoys’ judgment over Iran strikes – US politics live 24. February 2026 (14:45) Trump’s decision to order airstrikes against Iran will hinge in part on the judgment of Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared KushnerDuring his State of the Union address tonight, Trump is expected to defend his record during his first year back in office. And he’s planning for a lengthy rehashing: “It’s going to be a long speech because we have so much to talk about,” Trump said.Democrats are either attending in “silent defiance” or skipping the event, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries said. Some are using their choice of guests to send a message, including by bringing survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse or people affected by immigration enforcement. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Netflix, Disney+ and Prime Video to come under stricter regulation in UK 24. February 2026 (14:40) Streaming giants will be subject to same Ofcom scrutiny as traditional broadcasters such as the BBCNetflix, Amazon’s Prime Video and Disney+ are to come under “enhanced regulation” by the UK media regulator, Ofcom, making the streaming giants subject to the same scrutiny as traditional broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV.Under the new regulatory regime, which will also apply to public service broadcaster (PSB) video-on-demand services such as ITVX and Channel 4, the platforms will have to adhere to regulations relating to accurate and impartial news and protecting audiences from harmful and offensive material. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Reddit fined £14.5m in UK over use of under-13s’ data 24. February 2026 (14:30) Information Commissioner’s Office imposes largest fine yet for a breach of children’s privacy The UK information regulator has fined the social news service Reddit £14.5m for using the data of children under the age of 13 unlawfully and potentially exposing them to inappropriate and harmful content.The hefty punishment from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the largest fine yet for a breach of children’s privacy and comes after the US-based company introduced age checks in July, including age verification to access mature content. Prior to this, the ICO said, there were “a large number of children under 13 on the platform and Reddit did not have a lawful basis for processing their personal information”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
