Beef and lamb get 580 times more in EU subsidies than legumes, study finds 19. February 2026 (06:00) Report says common agricultural policy provides ‘unfair’ levels of support to unhealthy, meat-heavy dietsBeef and lamb receive 580 times more in EU subsidies than legumes, a report has found, despite scientists urging people to get more of their protein from less harmful sources.Analysis by the charity Foodrise found the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP) provides “unfair” levels of support to meat-heavy diets that doctors consider unhealthy and climate scientists consider environmentally destructive. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US funding for global internet freedom ‘effectively gutted’ 19. February 2026 (06:00) Programme that funds groups building tech to evade oppressive government controls under serious threatFor nearly two decades, the US quietly funded a global effort to keep the internet from splintering into fiefdoms run by authoritarian governments. Now that money is seriously threatened and a large part of it is already gone, putting into jeopardy internet freedoms around the world.Managed by the US state department and the US Agency for Global Media, the programme – broadly called Internet Freedom – funds small groups all over the world, from Iran to China to the Philippines, who built grassroots technologies to evade internet controls imposed by governments. It has dispensed well over $500m (£370m) in the past decade, according to an analysis by the Guardian, including $94m in 2024. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘It’s a catastrophe’: Wellington rages as millions of litres of raw sewage pour into ocean 19. February 2026 (04:42) Abandoned beaches, public health warning signs and seagulls eating human waste are now features of the popular coastline in New ZealandA tide of anger is rising in New Zealand’s capital, Wellington, as the city’s toilets continue to flush directly into the ocean more than two weeks after the catastrophic collapse of its wastewater treatment plant.Millions of litres of raw and partially screened sewage have been pouring into pristine reefs and a marine reserve along the south coast daily since 4 February, prompting a national inquiry, as the authorities struggle to get the decimated plant operational. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
KPMG asks Sydney writers’ festival to delete its name from website after Randa Abdel-Fattah confirmed as speaker 19. February 2026 (04:36) Festival confirmed writer and academic would appear in two sessions in 2026 following disinvitation from Adelaide eventFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGlobal accounting giant KPMG has distanced itself from the Sydney writers’ festival, requesting its name be removed from the event’s website where it was listed as a corporate partner.The move follows the festival scheduling Palestinian Australian academic Randa Abdel-Fattah to speak at two sessions in this year’s event. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US military ready for possible Iran strikes but Trump yet to make decision, reports say 19. February 2026 (03:53) Reports say move could come this weekend as White House urges Iran to ‘make a deal’ with Trump on nuclear programThe US military is ready for possible strikes on Iran as soon as this weekend, multiple news outlets reported Wednesday citing unnamed sources.However, the reports said, Donald Trump has yet to make a final decision on whether to carry out an attack. Trump has repeatedly demanded Iran cease its nuclear program, and has warned he intends to use force if no deal is reached. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Year of the fire horse - explained: the Chinese zodiac sign that’s all about intensity 19. February 2026 (03:48) Lunar new year has ushered in a rare zodiac symbol with a reputation for energy and independenceAs the lunar new year begins, the focus has turned to the Chinese zodiac and the arrival of the year of the fire horse – a rare pairing in the 60-year lunar cycle.Drawing on Chinese metaphysics, the fire horse blends the horse’s reputation for energy and independence with the intensity of the fire element, giving it a distinct place in the zodiac tradition. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
US civil rights agency sues Coca-Cola bottler over event that excluded men 19. February 2026 (01:46) Lawsuit is first by Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over workplace DEI in Trump’s second termA US civil rights agency has sued a bottler and distributor of Coca-Cola products it accuses of sex discrimination over an employee networking event that excluded men, its first lawsuit over workplace diversity programs since Donald Trump took office. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, says Coca-Cola Beverages Northeast violated federal law when it hosted the event for about 250 female employees at a casino in Connecticut in September 2024.The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It is owned by Kirin Holdings, a Japanese company. Coca-Cola is not a defendant in the case. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
JetBlue engine failure on takeoff at Newark airport disrupts air traffic 19. February 2026 (01:23) After crew on flight 543 reported smoke in the cockpit, passengers and crew exited Airbus A320 via slidesTraffic was temporarily disrupted at Newark Liberty international airport in New Jersey on Wednesday after a Florida-bound JetBlue flight suffered an engine failure on takeoff and returned to the airport, officials said.Crew on flight 543 reported smoke in the cockpit, and after an emergency landing, passengers and crew exited the Airbus A320 on a taxiway via slides, the Federal Aviation Administration said. No injuries were reported. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Deadly avalanches not uncommon in California mountains where skiers died 19. February 2026 (01:23) Avalanches have caused deaths in Lake Tahoe area in six of past 10 years but latest slide is fourth deadliest in US historyThe avalanche that killed at least eight skiers in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains occurred in the Castle Peak area, near Lake Tahoe – an area where deadly avalanches are not uncommon.The Sierra Avalanche Center, which provides forecasts for the region, has observed at least 50 avalanches in the area near Lake Tahoe since September 2025. And according to the National Avalanche Center, which maintains a map of locations where avalanche danger is highest, risk is currently particularly high in the Lake Tahoe area. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man dies and boy in critical condition after stabbing at skate park in Northampton 19. February 2026 (01:13) Police arrest four after incident in the Briar Hill area that left a man in his 20s deadA man is dead and a teenage boy is in a critical condition in hospital after they were stabbed at a Northampton skate park.Northamptonshire police launched a murder investigation after emergency services were called to the park in Ringway in the Briar Hill area on Wednesday following reports that two people had been stabbed “during an altercation”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
