Labour bill would stop ‘dodgy front companies’ making political donations 11. February 2026 (23:00) Bill would also give votes to 16-year-olds and pave the way for ‘opt-out’ voter registrationLabour will end the use of “dodgy front companies” that hide the source of dark money for political donations as part of its sweeping elections bill, which will give votes to 16-year-olds and pave the way for “opt-out” voter registration.Gifts and hospitality for politicians sponsored by foreign states or companies will also be severely curbed, the Guardian understands. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Washoe Tribe buys 10,000 acres in one of California’s largest ever land returns 11. February 2026 (22:16) Tribe, which was forcibly removed from its lands near Lake Tahoe, used $5.5m grant and private donations for purchaseThe Washoe Tribe has purchased more than 10,000 acres of land near Lake Tahoe for conservation in one of the largest tribal land returns in California history.The sprawling property, located 20 miles north of Reno, Nevada, stretches from the Great Basin through the Sierra Nevada and encompasses sagebrush scrublands and juniper and pine forests. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man pardoned by Trump for attacking US Capitol found guilty of child abuse 11. February 2026 (22:12) Andrew Paul Johnson was found guilty of five counts including molesting a child under 12 and another under 16A man who took part in the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Capitol and later pardoned by Donald Trump was found guilty on Tuesday of multiple child sexual abuse charges in Florida, officials said.Andrew Paul Johnson was arrested in Tennessee this August and extradited to Florida. He pleaded not guilty. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump says he is still seeking Iran anti-nuclear deal after Netanyahu meeting 11. February 2026 (21:32) Israeli leader was expected to advocate for more forceful US intervention during sixth visit to current White HouseDonald Trump has said that he is still seeking a deal with Iran to prevent it from seeking a nuclear weapon following a three-hour meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu in which the Israeli leader was expected to advocate for a more forceful intervention by the US military.Netanyahu’s sixth visit to the White House since Trump returned to office ended without any public remarks between the two leaders. The results of the hastily arranged meeting were announced by Trump in an online post. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Marwan Barghouti’s son calls on UK to put father’s release at heart of Palestinian renewal 11. February 2026 (21:06) Cross-party UK MPs campaigning for senior Fatah leader’s release from Israeli jail, saying he is unifying figureThe son of Marwan Barghouti, the Palestinian prisoner often described as the Nelson Mandela of the Palestinian movement, has called on the British government to put his father’s release at the heart of Palestinian democratic renewal.Arab Barghouti warned the UK government that its recent recognition of a Palestinian state risks providing nothing but false hope unless it follows through by using diplomatic channels to secure his father’s freedom. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Alleged drones in El Paso airspace cast spotlight on Mexican cartels’ growing arsenals 11. February 2026 (20:57) Closure of airspace draws attention to crime groups’ high-powered weapons – and may give Trump an excuse to attackAn alleged incursion by Mexican cartel drones into US airspace and the sudden closure of El Paso’s airspace has drawn renewed attention to the use of high-powered weapons by organized crime groups in Mexico.There were conflicting accounts on Wednesday about whether the city’s airspace was shut down due to cartel drones or a disagreement over the Pentagon testing of counter-drone technology, but experts say the use of drones by drug gangs at the border has become increasingly common. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
AI tools make potentially harmful errors in social work records, research says 11. February 2026 (20:39) Transcription tools used by councils in England and Scotland reported to hallucinate and produce ‘gibberish’AI tools are making potentially harmful errors in social work records, from bogus warnings of suicidal ideation to simple “gibberish”, frontline workers have said.Keir Starmer last year championed what he called “incredible” time-saving social work transcription technology. But research across 17 English and Scottish councils shared with the Guardian has now found AI-generated hallucinations are slipping in. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pam Bondi hurls insults at Democrats during Epstein hearing: ‘You’re a washed-up loser lawyer’ 11. February 2026 (20:38) US attorney general goes on attack during questioning by House judiciary committee over handling of filesThe US attorney general Pam Bondi attacked and insulted Democrats during a House judiciary committee hearing on Wednesday as she defended the justice department’s handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein.Democrats pounded Bondi with questions about the way the department has complied with a law last year mandating the complete release of the files with specific and limited room for redactions. After releasing the documents after the statutory deadline, the justice department has come under intense scrutiny both for releasing the names of survivors and redacting, without explanation, the names of people who may have committed crimes. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia politics live: Liberals wait for leadership spill after Angus Taylor’s resignation 11. February 2026 (20:30) Sussan Ley could face a party room vote as early as today. Follow today’s news liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastGood morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Krishani Dhanji to pick up the slack.Angus Taylor’s resignation from the shadow cabinet last night is expected to leave Sussan Ley facing a leadership spill today or tomorrow. We will have all the news as and when it happens. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
NUS urges ‘loan shark’ Reeves to reverse changes to student debt repayment 11. February 2026 (20:20) Policy announced in autumn budget freezes threshold at which students start repaying university loansProtesters dressed as sharks and in Rachel Reeves face masks gathered outside the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday to express their anger over changes to their student loans and their ballooning debt.The demonstration by members of the National Union of Students (NUS) characterised the chancellor as a loan shark after changes to university loan repayments. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
