Reserve Bank could hike cash rate twice in 2026 as Australia’s inflation stays stubbornly high 25. February 2026 (07:50) End of government subsidies drives electricity costs up by 19% in the month and leaves power bills nearly a third higher than they were a year earlierFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Reserve Bank is more likely to hike rates again, and potentially twice before the end of the year, after new figures revealed inflationary pressures showed no signs of easing in 2026.Annual inflation stayed at a high 3.8% in January, as the end of government subsidies drove electricity costs up by 19% in the month and left power bills nearly a third higher than they were a year earlier. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
How ancient Scottish rocks throw ‘snowball Earth’ theory up in the air 25. February 2026 (07:00) Researchers discover rare periods of a few thousands years when climate unexpectedly awoke from slumberDuring the ”snowball Earth” period about 700m years ago, Earth’s climate shut down. The planet was encased in ice and insulated from seasonal variations: spring, summer, autumn and winter all stopped. Or at least that was the theory.Recent examination of some ancient rocks from the west coast of Scotland have now overturned that thinking, suggesting there were periods during snowball Earth when the climate woke up. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Group expands legal claim over South West Water sewage pollution 25. February 2026 (07:00) Thousands more people across Devon and Cornwall could join case against water firm A group legal claim against South West Water alleging sewage pollution into coastal waters is harming businesses and individuals has been expanded across Devon and Cornwall.Thousands more individuals could now join the first environmental community group legal action against a water company over the impact of sewage pollution. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Japan to deploy missiles to island near Taiwan by 2031, says defence minister 25. February 2026 (06:50) Surface-to-air missiles, which are capable of shooting down aircraft and ballistic missiles, will be located on Yonaguni, Japan’s westernmost islandJapan will deploy missiles to a tiny island near Taiwan within five years, its defence minister has said, in a move that is likely to inflame tensions with China.The surface-to-air missiles, which are capable of shooting down aircraft and ballistic missiles, will be located on Yonaguni – Japan’s westernmost island – by March 2031, Shinjiro Koizumi said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Police return art posters of Trump and Netanyahu in Nazi uniforms to Canberra venue after no charges laid 25. February 2026 (06:42) Criminal proceedings will not follow as posters ‘satisfied certain aspects’ of the hate symbol legislation but not othersFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPolice will return seized art posters to a Canberra music venue that depicted Donald Trump and other world leaders in Nazi uniforms, confirming there would be no charges laid under new hate symbol laws.The ACT senator David Pocock demanded the police should apologise to the venue’s owner while describing the new laws as “flawed and rushed”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘We did not hear the truth’: Spanberger criticizes Trump over cost of living 25. February 2026 (06:36) Virginia’s new governor gives State of the Union rebuttal while Alex Padilla echoes similar themes in Spanish responseDemocrats refuse to stand for Trump as Al Green ejected over ‘apes’ protest signVirginia governor Abigail Spanberger gave a crisp and pointed rebuttal to Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night, focusing on what she called the president’s failure to deliver costs, safety and humanity to the American people.“We did not hear the truth from our president,” Spanberger said in the 12-minute speech on Tuesday night, asking voters to reflect on how Trump’s agenda has directly affected their lives. “So let’s speak plainly and honestly,” she said. “Is the president working for you?” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Strong rebound’ for UK housing market with 6% more homes for sale than a year ago 25. February 2026 (06:00) Zoopla says it is on target for highest number of new listings on its site in any February in a decade Spring has come early to the UK housing market, with a surge in people listing their homes for sale as confidence returns to the sector, a report by the property website Zoopla found.The site said this month was on course to record the highest number of newly listed homes for sale in any February for a decade. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Scotland’s new emissions strategy ‘too reliant on science fiction’, critics say 25. February 2026 (06:00) UK Climate Change Committee voices concern over Scotland’s progress on decarbonising buildings and reliance on unproved technologies Scotland has finally produced realistic short-term plans on cutting its climate emissions, but there is “real concern” about the credibility of its overall strategy, the UK’s climate policy watchdog has found.Nigel Topping, the chair of the UK Climate Change Committee, said there were “flashing amber lights” about the quality and seriousness of some of the Scottish government’s medium- and long-term proposals to reach net zero by 2045. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
South Korea’s birthrate rises for second year with experts saying ‘echo boomers’ behind boost 25. February 2026 (04:52) Rebound in the country – which has been having demographic crisis – said to be partly because of 3.6 million born between 1991 and 1995 having childrenSouth Korea recorded 254,500 births in 2025, the largest annual increase in 15 years, driven largely by a temporarily enlarged generation – known as “echo boomers” – now in their early thirties, alongside marriage rates recovering from Covid-era delays.The country’s fertility rate – the average number of babies a woman is expected to have in her lifetime – rose to 0.80 from 0.75 last year, returning to the 0.8 range for the first time since 2021, according to provisional figures released by South Korea’s ministry of data and statistics on Wednesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Democrats refuse to stand for Trump as Al Green ejected over ‘apes’ protest sign 25. February 2026 (04:49) Texas Democrat removed for holding ‘Black people aren’t apes’ sign as colleagues stay seated while Republicans cheerAs dozens of their colleagues boycotted Trump’s State of the Union address, several of the Democrats in the House chamber on Tuesday night made their opposition to the president’s remarks clear.Congressman Al Green was ejected from the speech almost immediately, marking the second year in a row he has been removed from the annual event. After being ordered out by House speaker Mike Johnson during last year’s speech for yelling responses as the president spoke, this year’s protest from the Texas representative was silent but pointed. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
