Ex-British army chief calls on ministers to back MDMA-assisted therapy for veterans 01. February 2026 (08:00) Nick Carter says easing controls on MDMA will allow drug to be used as alternative treatment for those with PTSDA former head of the British military is calling for the government to ease restrictions on the party drug MDMA so that it can be tested more cheaply as a treatment for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).Sir Nick Carter, who was chief of the defence staff until 2021, said existing regulations meant a single gram of “medical grade” MDMA cost about £10,000 compared with a street price of about £40, inflating the cost of trials. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Private school parents targeted by fraudsters stealing fee payments 01. February 2026 (08:00) Some families have lost up to £10,000 after being duped into sending money to fraudsters’ bank accountsForeign students attending independent schools in the UK are being targeted by fraudsters seeking to intercept their fee payments, according to new research.Some families have lost up to £10,000 after being duped into sending money to the bank account of a criminal, after receiving a fake email from the school bursar. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘It’s not just about surviving’: the Ukrainian frontline city where life goes on under cover 01. February 2026 (07:00) Whether in streets draped in anti-drone nets or deep in urban basements, Kherson residents go about their everyday activities with the constant threat of Russian bombingGalyna Lutsenko, a crisis psychologist, is moving busily among a small group of children seated around a table in a basement in Kherson, unique in being Ukraine’s only leading city almost directly on the frontline with Russian forces – and one where people live with the daily threat of attack.She dangles a plasticine butterfly on a thread over a playhouse on the table. Her own house in the city, she says, was hit by Russian shelling in 2024, injuring her in the leg and stomach. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Living hell of North Korea’s ‘paradise on Earth’ scheme back in spotlight in Japan 01. February 2026 (06:00) Plaintiffs in case say they were lured from Japan, exploited for labour and cut off from families for generationsIt has been more than six decades since Eiko Kawasaki left Japan to begin a new life in North Korea. Then 17, she was among tens of thousands of people with Korean heritage who had been lured to the communist state by the promise of a “paradise on Earth”.Instead, they encountered something closer to a living hell. They were denied basic human rights and forced to endure extreme hardship. Official promises of free education and healthcare plus guaranteed jobs and housing had been a cruel mirage. And to their horror, they were prevented from travelling to Japan to visit the families they had left behind. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Senior Liberals downplay prospect of leadership spill and urge colleagues ‘get on with the job’ 01. February 2026 (04:15) ‘I quite frankly believe entirely that Sussan Ley has the support of the party room,’ shadow health minister Anne Ruston saysFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSenior Liberal figures have downplayed the prospect of Sussan Ley losing a potential looming leadership spill, saying she enjoys support from most of the opposition party room and urging their colleagues to “get on with the job” of holding the government to account.While speculation continues to swirl about the leadership ambitions of Angus Taylor, the deputy Liberal leader, Ted O’Brien, said any shadow frontbencher who didn’t support Ley was obliged to stand down. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australia news live: Hundreds of surfers paddle out in memory of 12-year-old Sydney boy killed by shark; Canavan rules out bid for Nationals leadership 01. February 2026 (02:56) Nico Antic died of his injuries after he was bitten near a popular swimming spot at Vaucluse in Sydney’s east. Follow live updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastNationals senator Matt Canavan says he is not harbouring any plans to run against the party leader, David Littleproud, with a leadership spill expected to take place on Monday, saying “I don’t care about all this stuff”.Asked why he wouldn’t run for leader during an appearance on Sky on Sunday morning, Canavan said:Maybe I’m a different kind of species, Andrew?”I go to Canberra to take action. I’ve got five beautiful kids; I’ve got a beautiful wife. I’d prefer to be staying home this week, but I’m going down to try and improve things for the Australian people. And I really don’t care what position in the zoo I am. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
LA Olympics chief says he ‘deeply regrets’ emails with Ghislaine Maxwell 01. February 2026 (02:01) Latest Epstein file release shows 2003 emails between Casey Wasserman and the convicted sex traffickerCasey Wasserman, the head of the Los Angeles Olympics organizing committee, said on Saturday that he “deeply regrets” emails from 2003 between him and Ghislaine Maxwell that appeared in the latest collection of government files released Friday on Jeffrey Epstein.Among the exchanges included one from Wasserman telling Maxwell “I think of you all the time. So, what do I have to do to see you in a tight leather outfit?” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Chicago mayor orders police to investigate alleged illegal ICE activity in city 01. February 2026 (00:40) Brandon Johnson gives police ‘clear procedure’ to follow if they witness or get reports of agents involved in illegal activityChicago’s mayor Brandon Johnson has ordered Chicago police to investigate and document alleged illegal activity by federal immigration (ICE) agents in the city, a move that will escalate tensions over jurisdiction between local and federal authorities.The executive order, titled ICE on Notice, gives Chicago police “clear procedure” to follow if they witness or receive reports of ICE agents involved in illegal activity and refer evidence of potential violations to city prosecutors. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Trump says Iran ‘talking to’ US and hints at deal to avoid military strikes 31. January 2026 (23:28) US president says Iran ‘negotiating’ as US naval battle group approaches, and says regional allies cannot be told planDonald Trump has said Iran is “talking to” the US and hinted at a deal to avoid the use of military strikes.“[Iran is] talking to us, and we’ll see if we can do something, otherwise we’ll see what happens … We have a big fleet heading out there,” he told Fox News. “They are negotiating.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Shooting at Mardi Gras parade in Louisiana leaves six people injured 31. January 2026 (22:10) One person taken into custody after a mass shooting in Clinton leaves six injured, including a childSix people – including a child – were shot during a carnival parade in Louisiana on Saturday, leading authorities to take one person into custody, according to multiple reports.The mass shooting occurred near a courthouse in Clinton, Louisiana, during the town’s “Mardi Gras in the Country” event, local news outlet WBRZ reported. The local sheriff told the local news outlet that the parade was immediately shut down. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
