Fears of polio resurgence as US vaccine adviser questions need for childhood shots 23. February 2026 (14:00) Survivors say US healthcare system not ready for new cases – ‘the only thing to fix polio is the polio vaccine’With preventable infectious diseases surging and top US vaccines adviser saying all vaccine recommendations may be reconsidered, experts are bracing for more polio cases while survivors say the medical system is not ready for polio.“We don’t have a healthcare infrastructure to take care of a polio outbreak,” said Grace Rossow, an operating-room communications coordinator in Illinois, who has long-term health issues following a case of polio as an infant. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Killing of Mexican drug cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ triggers wave of violence 23. February 2026 (14:00) Schools close and flights suspended after military raid kills Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes• Who was El Mencho, the former police officer who co-founded an ultraviolent cartel in Mexico?Whole areas of western Mexico have been all but shut down after a surge in cartel violence sparked by a military raid that killed one of the world’s most wanted drug traffickers, known as “El Mencho”.Schools were closed in several Mexican states, and foreign governments warned their citizens to stay inside after the drug lord, whose real name is Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, was declared dead on Sunday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
People with rare genetic conditions are ‘systematically ignored’ by NHS 23. February 2026 (13:57) Exclusive: One in four wait at least three years for diagnosis and many face treatment ‘access lottery’, report findsMillions of people living with rare genetic conditions across the UK are being “systematically ignored” by the NHS and facing inadequate care, according to a report.Rare genetic conditions, such as Williams syndrome and Duchenne muscular dystrophy, affect more than 3.5 million people across the UK. One in 17 people are affected by a rare condition at some point during their lives. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Activists hang photo of Andrew leaving police custody in the Louvre 23. February 2026 (13:48) Everyone Hates Elon campaigners fix photo of ex-prince slouched in backseat of car after arrest on suspicion of misconduct in public officeActivists have hung a photo in the Louvre museum in Paris of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor being driven from a police station after his arrest.The British political campaign group Everyone Hates Elon fixed the photo, which shows the former prince slouched in the backseat of a Range Rover, on a wall of the Paris gallery on Sunday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Our classrooms are empty because the graveyards are full’: Iran’s students on why they are protesting again 23. February 2026 (13:36) As details of the death toll for January’s protests continue to emerge, three students explain why they are resisting a return to normalityMore than 45 days after a brutal January crackdown that left thousands of Iranian protesters dead, students across several universities are protesting again. As Iran’s new academic term began on Saturday, students in Tehran gathered on campus, chanting anti-government slogans, despite a heavy security presence and plainclothes officers stationed outside university gates.The Guardian spoke to protesting students about why they were rallying despite the fact that thousands had been killed and tens of thousands arrested in the January demonstrations. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Australian government says it would support removing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from royal line of succession 23. February 2026 (12:30) Anthony Albanese writes to British PM as UK prepares to consider laws to strip former prince of his right to inherit the throneGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Australian government has confirmed it would support any proposal to remove Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from the royal line of succession after the former prince was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.With the UK government poised to consider laws to strip Mountbatten-Windsor of his right to inherit the throne once any policy investigation was finalised, the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has written to his British counterpart, Keir Starmer, to offer the country’s backing. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Teaching union claims extra £4bn for Send overhaul just ‘drop in bucket’ compared with what’s needed – UK politics live 23. February 2026 (12:09) Full details of government plans to be published this morning with reforms partly driven by move to contain soaring costsHundreds of thousands fewer children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) will be given education, health and care plans (EHCPs) as a result of long-awaited changes announced by the education secretary this morning, Kiran Stacey reports.Here is Kiran’s story.Bridget Phillipson has outlined her plans to overhaul Send provision in England, under which only those children with particularly severe or complex needs will be given EHCPs.Millions of children will be given new individual support plans (ISPs) – a more low-key set of measures to be agreed with schools which could include access to psychologists and therapists, as well as access to “inclusion bases” within schools. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
New Russia sanctions on hold as Hungary blocks EU package ahead of fourth anniversary of Ukraine war – Europe live 23. February 2026 (12:09) European foreign policy chief says ‘there is not going to be progress’ on sanctions package todayOne other thing we will be keeping an eye on today is the latest on the EU-US trade relationship after last Friday’s US supreme court ruling on Trump’s tariffs.The European Parliament is expected to discuss what to do with the EU-US trade deal later today. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Netflix boss says $83bn Warner Bros takeover will benefit industry 23. February 2026 (12:08) Comments by Ted Sarandos follow Donald Trump’s demand for company to remove Democrat from boardTrump warns Netflix of ‘consequences’ unless it pulls top Democrat from boardBusiness live – latest updatesThe boss of Netflix has launched a fresh defence of its $82.7bn (£61bn) takeover of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) assets, as he defended the streaming company’s contribution to the UK film and TV industry.Ted Sarandos claimed Netflix buying WBD would bring “growth” to the entertainment industry, amid attempts by rival Paramount Skydance to launch a counter offer for the studio business which he said would do the opposite. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
High-speed rail link between Sydney and Newcastle could be ‘shovel-ready’ in two years, Albanese government says 23. February 2026 (12:00) Transport minister Catherine King will pledge $230m for planning work for the first phase of a bullet train on Australia’s east coastGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLong-mooted plans for high-speed rail could be “shovel-ready” within two years, according to the federal government, which will on Tuesday announce another $230m for further planning work for fast trains between Sydney and Newcastle, as part of the first phase of an eventual east coast bullet train.Rail journeys on the new fast train could take as little as one hour between Sydney and Newcastle, and 30 minutes between Sydney and the Central Coast, the transport and infrastructure minister, Catherine King, said. It currently takes more than 2.5 hours to travel by train from Sydney to Newcastle, and almost 1.5 hours from Sydney to the Central Coast. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
