Top World News

Feb 17, 2026 - World

In today’s newsletter: As Scottish voters prepare to go to the polls, how can Labour, Reform and the Conservatives capitalise on weakening trust in the SNP?Good morning. The SNP has been in government since 2007, a phenomenal 19-year run, but polling suggests Scottish voters’ trust in its ability to deliver is weakening. In May, Scotland goes to the polls for the seventh Holyrood election since devolution in 1999 – a contest that could significantly realign the nation’s politics.In what some viewed as a desperate attempt to capitalise on the moment, Labour’s leader in Scotland, Anas Sarwar, called on Keir Starmer to resign last week, possibly trying to paint himself as his own man, not attached to a deeply unpopular Westminster government that currently polls third in the run up to May’s elections. Meanwhile, Reform UK’s steady polling numbers show them second to the SNP, which they are hoping to turn into a meaningful elected presence at Holyrood for the first time.UK politics | Ministers have dropped controversial plans to delay 30 local elections this May after receiving legal advice that doing so might not be lawful.Business | UK bank bosses will hold their first meeting to establish a national alternative to Visa and Mastercard, amid growing fears over Donald Trump’s ability to turn off US-owned payment systems.Social media | Keir Starmer has pledged action on young people’s access to social media in “months, not years”, while saying this did not necessarily mean a complete ban on access for under-16s.Sarah Ferguson | Six companies linked to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, are being wound down in the wake of revelations about her relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.Film | Robert Duvall, the veteran actor who had a string of roles in classic American films including Apocalypse Now, The Godfather, M*A*S*H and To Kill a Mockingbird, has died aged 95. Continue reading...

Feb 17, 2026 - World

Australian Antarctic Program scientists say virus on Heard Island has spread to new speciesFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesSign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter hereThe gentoo penguin has become the first bird to test positive for the H5N1 bird flu on an Australian territory, with samples confirming the virus has spread on a sub-Antarctic island.The deadly and contagious strain of bird flu, which has already killed millions of seabirds, wild birds and poultry overseas, was confirmed in southern elephant seals on Heard Island in November 2025. Continue reading...

Feb 17, 2026 - World

This blog is now closedAngus Taylor unveils Coalition frontbench with Tim Wilson as shadow treasurer and Nationals returnedGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastTotal fire ban across much of Victoria todayA total fire ban has been declared across a large stretch of southern Victoria today. The ban applies to the central, north central, south west, west and south Gippsland and Wimmera fire districts amid forecasted hot, dry temperatures.We’re seeing very dry fuels across large parts of the state, and when that’s paired with low humidity, fires can start easily and spread quickly.Any spark under these conditions has the potential to turn into something serious, particularly ahead of gusty winds or thunderstorms. Continue reading...

Feb 17, 2026 - World

Tarique Rahman set to take oath and become prime minister after landslide victory prompted by ousting of Sheikh HasinaBangladesh’s incoming prime minister Tarique Rahman and other politicians were sworn into parliament on Tuesday, becoming the first elected representatives since a deadly 2024 uprising.Rahman is set to take over from an interim government that has led the country of 170 million people for 18 months since the autocratic government of Sheikh Hasina was overthrown. Continue reading...

Feb 17, 2026 - World

Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) said on Tuesday it had opened a formal investigation into X's AI chatbot Grok over the processing of personal data and its potential to produce harmful sexualised images and video, including of children.