Tributes paid to ‘very loving and caring’ British hiker killed in Nepal bus crash 24. February 2026 (01:04) Dominic Ethan Stewart was among 19 killed when vehicle veered off road and plunged down mountainsideTributes have been paid to a young British hiker who was among 19 people killed when a packed passenger bus veered off a treacherous stretch of road and plunged 200 metres down a steep mountainside in Nepal.Twenty-five others were injured in the pre-dawn crash in the Himalayan foothills on Monday. The bus was carrying 44 people, including a number of tourists. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
David Lammy lifts cap on court sitting days in effort to cut backlog of cases 24. February 2026 (01:01) Criminal barristers welcome justice secretary’s move to remove limit on hearing days at crown courts in England and WalesA cap on court sitting days is to be lifted as the government seeks to ease the cases backlog, David Lammy has announced.The justice secretary and deputy prime minister said every crown court in England and Wales would be funded to hear more cases in the next financial year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Maxi Shield, beloved Australian drag queen and Drag Race Down Under star, dies aged 51 24. February 2026 (00:59) Performer appeared in closing ceremony of 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and was a mainstay of city’s drag sceneFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne of Australia’s best-known and loved drag queens, Sydney’s Maxi Shield, has died after being diagnosed with throat cancer, prompting tributes from around the world.Kristopher Elliot, who performed drag under the name Maxi Shield, was 51. Shield was a mainstay of the Sydney drag scene and brought Australian drag to the world as contestant in season one of RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Canada seeks answers from OpenAI for failing to alert police after suspending school shooter’s account 23. February 2026 (23:56) Company had suspended account of Tumbler Ridge shooter in June 2025 over ‘furtherance of violent activities’Canada’s artificial intelligence minister says he has summoned representatives from the technology company OpenAI after the company declined to alert police after suspending the account of a user who became the perpetrator of one of the country’s worst-ever school shootings.Evan Solomon says he is “deeply disturbed” by reports that the company, which operates the popular ChatGPT chatbot, suspended the account of Jesse Van Rootselaar over the “furtherance of violent activities” in June 2025 but did not reach out to Canadian law enforcement. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Burberry is back on brand as a purveyor of the classic British coat 23. February 2026 (23:14) Designer Daniel Lee’s trenchcoats and bomber jackets fizz with urban energy in collection that embraces bad weatherIn a winter of record-breaking rain, Burberry – purveyor of the stalwart British coat – is back in the zeitgeist. A season of downpours has provided an apt backdrop for a return to form, as the brand re-entered the FTSE 100 last autumn after an ignominious year out of the charts.The classic check scarf was ranked the fourth hottest fashion item in the last quarter of 2025 on the search, sales and social media metrics of the Lyst index, with overall demand for the brand up 239% year on year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US ambassador to Paris banned from meeting French ministers after no-show 23. February 2026 (22:58) Charles Kushner had been summoned to explain comments relating to the killing of far-right activist Quentin DeranqueDonald Trump’s ambassador to Paris has been banned from meeting French government ministers after failing to show up for a meeting at the foreign ministry to explain US comments about the killing of a far-right activist.Charles Kushner, whose son Jared is married to the US president’s oldest daughter, Ivanka, was summoned to the 7pm meeting by the foreign minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, after the US embassy in Paris reposted state department comments about the case. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Utah House voting map that helps Democrats can be used, federal court rules 23. February 2026 (22:39) Court turns aside GOP request to block new map, second setback in recent days for state’s RepublicansNew Utah voting districts that give Democrats an improved shot at winning a US House seat can be used in this year’s election, a federal court ruled Monday while turning aside a Republican request to block the new map.The ruling marked the second setback in recent days for Republicans, who also lost an appeal at Utah’s state supreme court. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Peter Attia resigns from CBS News amid revelations about ties to Epstein 23. February 2026 (22:10) Controversial doctor steps down as contributor after Epstein files reveal communication between the two menControversial longevity expert Dr Peter Attia has resigned from his post as a CBS News contributor after correspondence between Attia and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein was made public.The Hollywood Reporter first broke the news of Attia’s departure. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump Iran airstrikes decision to be guided by Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff’s advice 23. February 2026 (22:08) Exclusive: Trump’s decision will be driven by envoys’ judgment on whether Iran is stalling on a nuclear dealDonald Trump’s decision to order airstrikes against Iran will hinge in part on the judgment of Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, about whether Tehran is stalling over a deal to relinquish its capacity to produce nuclear weapons, according to people familiar with the matter.The president has not made a final determination on any strikes, as the administration prepares for Iran to send its latest proposal this week, ahead of what officials have described as a last-ditch round of negotiations scheduled for Thursday in Geneva. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Channel 4’s Dirty Business is a clarion call to nationalise the water industry 23. February 2026 (22:00) As the drama shows, private firms no longer able to pollute the coast of England of Wales just switched to rivers instead There is a moment in Channel 4’s drama Dirty Business when Julie Maughan holds the body of her dead child and lets out an anguished cry. It is as brutal as it is compelling.Her eight-year-old daughter Heather had just died in hospital, two weeks after playing in the sea on the beach at Dawlish Warren in Devon, where she contracted E coli O157, a bug which comes from raw sewage. She became ill with diarrhoea and blood loss. Transferred to Bristol children’s hospital, her parents agreed to switch off her life-support machine after she suffered kidney failure and brain damage. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
