Boy swims four hours through rough seas to save mother and siblings off Western Australia 03. February 2026 (02:52) Teen swims 4km, two without a life jacket, to sound alarm which led to the discovery of his familyFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA 13-year-old boy saved his mother and two younger siblings on Friday evening, swimming four kilometres in fading light and rough conditions, after they were swept out to sea in southwest Western Australia.The family were holidaying in Quindalup, 250 kilometres south of Perth, when strong winds pushed their inflatable paddle boards and kayak offshore from Geographe Bay. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nationals who defied shadow cabinet would sit on backbench for six months under Coalition peace deal 03. February 2026 (02:48) Major sticking point in negotiations is the status of the three former frontbenchers who voted against Labor’s hate speech lawsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe three National senators who defied the shadow cabinet to oppose Labor’s hate speech laws would be forced to sit on the backbench for six months under Sussan Ley’s offer to the Nationals to reunite the Coalition.The Nationals leader, David Littleproud, said the country party would “take our time” to consider the Liberals’ proposal, leaving a potential reunion of the two parties hanging in the balance at the start of a new sitting fortnight in Canberra. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Pauline Hanson failed to declare another flight from billionaire Gina Rinehart’s company 03. February 2026 (02:38) Exclusive: One Nation leader gifted the flight from company of Australia’s richest person last year, but did not declare in line with parliamentary rulesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOne Nation senator Pauline Hanson has failed to declare another flight received from billionaire Gina Rinehart’s company, travelling on her private jet between Melbourne and Sydney last October.Guardian Australia can reveal that Senator Hanson was gifted the flight following an event at a private agricultural college in Geelong last year, which she had attended for the official opening of a new building partly funded by Rinehart. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Palantir beats Wall Street expectations amid Trump immigration crackdown 03. February 2026 (02:04) CEO Alex Karp hails ‘iconic’ financial results despite criticism over contracts with ICE and homeland securityPalantir celebrated its latest financial results on Monday, as the tech company blew past Wall Street expectations and continues to prop up the Trump administration’s push to deport immigrants.Palantir has secured millions of dollars in federal contracts amid Trump’s crackdown on immigrants. The multibillion-dollar Denver-based firm creates tech focused on surveillance and analytics, to be used by the government agencies and private companies. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sarah Ferguson charity to close after new details of friendship with Epstein 03. February 2026 (01:22) Latest release of files about disgraced financier reveals she told Epstein he was ‘the brother I have always wished forThe charity of Sarah Ferguson has announced that it is closing after new revelations emerged about the former duchess’s friendship with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Sarah’s Trust, the international charity launched by the ex-wife of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, will close “for the foreseeable future” after “some months” of discussion, according to a spokesperson. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
DHS’s account of two Venezuelans shot by border patrol falls apart in court: ‘A smear campaign’ 03. February 2026 (01:09) Immigration officials said agent shot two ‘vicious gang members’ in Portland, but records obtained by the Guardian reveal US prosecutor contradicted claimsImmediately after a US border patrol agent shot two people in Oregon last month, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the targets were “vicious” gang members connected to a prior shooting and alleged they had “attempted to run over” officers with their vehicle.In the weeks since, key parts of the federal government’s narrative have fallen apart. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Bill and Hillary Clinton agree to testify in House Epstein investigation 03. February 2026 (01:07) Decision to give testimony comes days before House was expected to vote to hold pair in contempt of CongressUS politics live – latest updatesBill and Hillary Clinton agreed on Monday to testify in a House investigation into the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, days before the chamber was expected to vote to hold them in contempt of Congress.The concession follows a tense back-and-forth between the Clintons and the Republican James Comer, chair of the House oversight committee, who on Monday said that he would insist both Clintons sit for a sworn deposition before the committee in order to fulfill the panel’s subpoenas. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Harvey Willgoose’s family says ‘too many red flags’ missed before school stabbing 03. February 2026 (01:01) Caroline Willgoose, whose 15-year-old son was killed by another pupil, says murder was ‘senseless and avoidable’ The family of a 15-year-old boy who was stabbed to death at school by another pupil has said her son’s murder was “senseless and avoidable” and that a report ordered by the school showed too many “red flags” were missed.Harvey Willgoose died one year ago to the day, and his killer, Mohammed Umar Khan, is serving a minimum term of 16 years’ detention. A report commissioned by the trust that runs Harvey’s school, All Saints Catholic high school in Sheffield, has highlighted a number of missed opportunities in the run-up to the murder. The review was undertaken by a former school headteacher and inspector of schools at Learn Sheffield. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Barnsley rebranded UK’s first ‘tech town’ as US giants join AI push 03. February 2026 (01:01) Minister announces Microsoft, Cisco and Adobe to help apply AI to local schools, hospitals, GPs and businessesIn 2002 Barnsley toyed with a redesign as a Tuscan hill village as it sought out a brighter post-industrial future. In 2021 it adopted the airily vague slogan “the place of possibilities”. Now it is trying a different image: Britain’s first “tech town”.The technology secretary, Liz Kendall, has anointed the South Yorkshire community as a trailblazer for “how AI can improve everyday life” in the UK. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Emergency pneumonia cases surge to half a million a year in England 03. February 2026 (01:01) There were 579,475 instances of emergency hospitalisation being needed in the year to March 2025, analysis findsThe number of people requiring emergency care for pneumonia has risen by a quarter over two years to reach more than half a million cases, new figures show, amid warnings that preventable cases are adding pressure on overstretched A&E departments.Analysis of the most recent NHS England data from between April 2024 and March 2025 found that there were 579,475 cases of pneumonia requiring emergency hospitalisation, and this was likely to have risen further since, according to the charity Asthma + Lung UK. There were 461,995 cases between April 2022 and March 2023. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
