Half of Britons avoid calling GP when they are ill, survey finds 25. February 2026 (01:01) Most believe they will struggle to get an appointment, with over a quarter choosing to manage ailment themselvesAlmost half the public delay or avoid contacting their GP surgery when they are ill, mainly because they think they will struggle to get an appointment.Overall 48% of people across the UK did not bother to ask their family doctor for help – either initially or at all – when they got sick over the past year, a survey found.Faster access to GPs and A&E are the public’s top priorities for the NHS.Only 32% believe the NHS provides a good service nationally.42% think the standard of NHS care has worsened over the past year and only 12% think that it has improved.47% fear NHS care will decline further over the next year and just 15% expect it to get better Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Floods and landslides in Brazil kill at least 30 after record rainfall 25. February 2026 (00:28) Firefighters search for 39 people missing in debris after river burst and houses were swept awayThree firefighters pulled a man’s body from the mud amid the rubble of houses swept away in a landslide in south-eastern Brazil, where 30 people died and 39 were still missing on Tuesday after torrential rains.A river in the state of Minas Gerais burst its banks and streets became raging currents of brown water after an overnight downpour in a region that has seen record rain this month. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
News live: tennis heavyweight Craig Tiley leaving roles for US; news site Politico to launch in Australia 25. February 2026 (00:02) Follow updates liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastPolitico, a major US news company, is set to launch in Australia later this year.The company announced a move into the Australian market and the launch of a new product called Canberra Playbook when parliament returns in the third quarter of 2026, after the winter recess.POLITICO’s expansion to Australia will bring its signature ahead-of-the-curve, insider political and policy journalism to help the country’s most influential audiences cut through the noise in a vibrant democracy.The expansion will further POLITICO’s mission of linking global power centers and help readers in North America and Europe understand the decisions made in Australia that affect them and vice versa. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Senedd votes in favour of implementing Westminster’s assisted dying bill 24. February 2026 (23:22) Should legislation pass House of Lords, the matter will require another vote after May’s Welsh electionsWales’s Senedd has voted in favour of implementing Westminster’s assisted dying bill, overcoming a constitutionally awkward situation that could have forced terminally ill people who wish to end their lives to travel to England or seek private provision.In a debate stretching into Tuesday night in the Senedd’s newly expanded chamber, members voted 28 for and 23 against, with two abstentions. Should the legislation pass the House of Lords, the matter will require another Senedd vote after May’s Welsh elections. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Citizen scientists discover a Great Barrier Reef coral giant ‘like a rolling meadow’ 24. February 2026 (23:00) Volunteer group Citizens of the Reef made the find as part of the Great Reef CensusFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCitizen scientists have discovered what they believe is one of the largest coral colonies ever documented on the Great Barrier Reef.The coral spans approximately 111 metres in maximum length and covers an estimated area of 3,973 sq m – about half the size of a soccer field. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man stabs four people to death in Washington state 24. February 2026 (22:47) Victims, as well as 32-year-old suspect, confirmed dead after incident on street in Gig Harbor, says county sheriff’s officeSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA man stabbed four people to death in the street in Gig Harbor, Washington, on Tuesday morning after violating a no-contact order, the Pierce county sheriff’s office confirmed to local news outlets.The four stabbing victims, as well as the 32-year-old suspect, are confirmed dead, the sheriff’s office said. Three of the victims died at the scene, while a fourth was taken to a hospital and later died from their injuries, authorities said. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Katherine Short, daughter of actor Martin Short, dies aged 42 24. February 2026 (22:34) Short, a social worker, was found dead at her home in Los Angeles on Monday in an apparent suicideKatherine Short, the 42-year-old daughter of actor and comedian Martin Short, died on Monday at her home in the Hollywood Hills.“It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short,” a representative for the Only Murders in the Building star said in a statement. “The Short family is devastated by this loss and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Former California charity CEO charged with stealing $1.2m in public funds 24. February 2026 (22:26) Gwendolyn Westbrook, ex-CEO of a San Francisco homeless non-profit, is accused of using public funds for personal useThe former CEO of a San Francisco homeless services charity will be arraigned on Tuesday on nine felony charges after prosecutors said she stole more than $1.2m in public funds meant to keep people off the streets.Gwendolyn Westbrook, 71, raided the accounts of the United Council for Human Services while she had “near-exclusive financial control” over the non-profit serving homeless and low-income people, according to a statement on Monday from the district attorney’s office. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Two men arrested in relation to alleged kidnapping and murder of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian 24. February 2026 (21:51) Human remains suspected of being those of Baghsarian were found on Tuesday morning near a golf club in Pitt Town, on Sydney’s northwest fringeFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTwo men have been arrested “in relation to the alleged kidnapping and murder of 85-year-old Chris Baghsarian”, police have said.New South Wales police said a man, 29, was arrested in Kenthurst and a man, 24, was arrested in Castle Hill. They were taken to Riverstone police station as inquiries continued. No charges had been laid as of Wednesday morning. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mandelson accuses police of arresting him over ‘baseless’ claims he planned to flee abroad 24. February 2026 (21:47) Former Labour grandee’s arrest over his links to Epstein came after Met police informed he was preparing to fly to British Virgin IslandsPeter Mandelson condemned the police for his arrest on Monday and claimed he was only taken into custody because detectives had wrongly believed he was about to flee the country.In a remarkable rebuke to the Metropolitan police, lawyers for the former peer challenged the force to provide the evidence to justify their actions, insisting it was prompted by a “baseless” suggestion that he was planning to move abroad. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
