Labour minister faces calls to be sacked over false claims against journalists 21. February 2026 (14:38) Guardian investigation showed Josh Simons falsely linked journalists to ‘pro-Kremlin’ network in emails to GCHQPoliticians from across the spectrum have said a minister should be sacked after a Guardian report that he had accused journalists of having links to Russian intelligence.Their comments came after an investigation showed that Josh Simons, who was running Labour Together at the time, had falsely concluded the journalists had obtained information about the thinktank from a Russian hack. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
DoJ cases against protesters keep collapsing as officers’ lies are exposed in court 21. February 2026 (14:00) String of embarrassing defeats for prosecutors as experts condemn DoJ effort to cast people as ‘violent perpetrators’Department of Justice prosecutors across the US have suffered a string of embarrassing defeats in their aggressive pursuit of criminal cases against people accused of “assaulting” and “impeding” federal officers.In recent months, the federal government has relentlessly prosecuted protesters, government critics, immigrants and others arrested during immigration operations, often accusing them of physically attacking officers or interfering with their duties. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tale of two nations: Andrew’s UK arrest highlights US passivity on Epstein files 21. February 2026 (13:00) In Britain, the establishment has been shaken to the core by the files. In the US, however, ‘the Epstein class’ has faced little legal or political reckoningThe contrast could not be starker. At around 8am on Thursday, British police swooped on the Sandringham royal estate to arrest the former prince Andrew after allegations that he had shared confidential material with the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It was a seismic shock for the monarchy.A week earlier Pam Bondi, the top US law enforcement official, was asked how many of Epstein’s co-conspirators her department had indicted, or whether she would give state attorneys general access to evidence to build further cases. She refused to answer. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Donor suspended from Tories pays £50,000 for dinner with Kemi Badenoch 21. February 2026 (13:00) Exclusive: Rami Ranger, who was suspended temporarily in 2023, makes successful bid at party fundraising eventA Conservative donor who was suspended from the party after being accused of bullying and inappropriate language spent £50,000 last week to have dinner with Kemi Badenoch, the Guardian has learned.Rami Ranger was the successful bidder for the dinner at a Tory fundraising event and will attend the meal with a small group of friends, infuriating those in the party who believe he should not have been readmitted. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US man on ‘Dying to Serve’ tour dies after cancer fundraising hoax accusations 21. February 2026 (13:00) Doug Ruch died in New Zealand in December after article called him a ‘conman’ but cause of death remains unknownA US man who spoke to various media outlets about having terminal cancer and raising money to travel for community service projects died shortly before Christmas in New Zealand – the day after an article by a journalist there accused him of actually being “an alleged serial conman”.Authorities in the US and New Zealand recently confirmed Douglas Lee “Doug” Ruch, 56, died in the capital of Auckland on 18 December, months after his so-called “Dying to Serve” tour. The hundreds of thousands of dollars he raised on GoFundMe earned headlines in the Washington Post, National Public Radio and the Guardian. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Decline in remote jobs risks shutting disabled people out of work, study finds 21. February 2026 (12:00) Research project warns fall in homeworking roles could undermine efforts to reduce unemploymentA decline in the number of jobs for people who need to work remotely, including those with disabilities, could undermine the government’s efforts to reverse rising unemployment, according to a two-year study.More than eight in 10 respondents to a survey of working-age disabled people by researchers at Lancaster University said access to home working was essential or very important when looking for a new job. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Epstein files place renewed attention on US authorities’ failure to stop him 21. February 2026 (12:00) Files show accuser in 2011 provided extensive account of abuse as questions mount over why action was not takenThe Department of Justice’s release of millions of Jeffrey Epstein files has not only prompted questions about his crimes – but renewed attention on authorities’ failure to stop him after an accuser reported him in 1996.This new cache of Epstein files has provided more insight into authorities’ familiarity with allegations against him in the years that followed, including time between his sweetheart plea deal in 2008 and federal arrest nearly six years ago. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Dictator vibes’ as dear leader Trump puts name and face front and center 21. February 2026 (12:00) Banner at justice department just the latest example of how president has imposed himself on daily US lifeYou wouldn’t be alone if you feel that the US more closely resembles North Korea these days – with giant images of the dear leader scowling down on the citizenry, and his name inscribed everywhere from public buildings to street signs, transportation hubs and self-aggrandizing monuments.Thursday’s unfurling of a massive banner bearing the visage of Donald J Trump, the 47th US president, on the exterior of the Washington headquarters of the federal justice department was only the latest example of how he has imposed himself on every facet of American life. Some critics have called it “dictator vibes”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Does Nigel Farage have a problem with women? 21. February 2026 (12:00) Critics say Reform leader’s patronising rhetoric is part of worrying trend. He says scrutiny is a two way street.When Nigel Farage told a journalist this week she should “write some silly story … and we won’t bother to read it”, it provoked an instant – and divided – reaction. For some it was a “masterclass” in dealing with mainstream media, but for others it was “rude, dismissive, misogynistic, arrogant”.Behind the scenes, Farage’s treatment of the Financial Times’s Anna Gross – which was met with mirth and applause among Reform diehards in the room – provoked disquiet and anger among lobby journalists across the political spectrum. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Police search at Andrew’s former home in Windsor enters third day 21. February 2026 (11:55) Items removed from former prince’s current and former homes being examined over allegations of misconduct in public officeThe search for evidence of alleged misconduct in public office at the former Windsor home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is expected to continue over the weekend, police have said.The former prince was arrested on Thursday as part of an investigation by Thames Valley police into claims he gave the convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein confidential information while serving as a British trade envoy. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
