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Feb 12, 2026 - World

Exclusive: Countdown lexicographer urges families to read, talk and play word games to help language developmentSusie Dent’s tips and tricks to add muscle to a child’s vocabularyChildren’s vocabulary is shrinking as reading loses out to screen time, according to the lexicographer Susie Dent, who is urging families to read, talk and play word games to boost language development.The Countdown star’s warning comes as the government prepares to issue its first advice to parents on how to manage screen use in under-fives, amid concerns that excessive screen time is damaging children’s language development. Continue reading...

Feb 12, 2026 - World

Twenty-seven entries shortlisted in 21 categories including website of the year and newspaper of the yearThe Guardian has been nominated for more than 20 honours at this year’s Press Awards, including for website of the year, daily newspaper of the year and newspaper of the year (daily and Sunday).Twenty-seven entries from the Guardian have been shortlisted across 21 different categories by the judges of the UK’s prestigious journalism awards. Continue reading...

Feb 12, 2026 - World

Milton Otto Martin III received maximum sentence for indecent behavior inflicted on teenager 15 years agoThe Louisiana Pentecostal pastor who repeatedly molested a teenage girl told her that her “world would turn upside down” if she ever reported his crimes, she said in a statement on Wednesday in a suburban New Orleans court.Milton Otto Martin III would blame her for his crimes, saying he couldn’t resist the temptation that she presented, the survivor’s statement added. Continue reading...

Feb 12, 2026 - World

Gregory Bovino hailed agent who fired at Marimar Martinez five times in her car. Plus, US jobs rise by 130,000 in JanuaryDon’t already get First Thing in your inbox? Sign up hereGood morning.Newly released evidence has shown that Gregory Bovino, a border patrol chief who was the face of the Trump administration’s mass deportation efforts until last month, praised a federal agent who shot a Chicago woman during an immigration crackdown last year. Marimar Martinez, a US citizen, was shot five times by a border patrol agent in October while in her vehicle. She was charged with a felony after officials at the Department of Homeland Security accused her of trying to ram agents with her vehicle. But the case was dismissed after video evidence emerged showing that an agent had steered his vehicle into Martinez’s car.What did Bovino say to the shooter? Text messages showed Bovino sending encouragement to border patrol agent Charles Exum, who shot Martinez, after the shooting. “In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much yet left to do!!” Bovino wrote to Exum on 4 October, hours after Martinez was shot, in an email urging him to put off his retirement.How are the administration’s actions going down? An NBC/SurveyMonkey poll found 49% of American adults strongly disapprove of the Trump administration’s handling of border security and immigration, compared with 34% who strongly disapproved in a similar poll last April.What did Bondi say in the combative hearing? Among other lawmakers, she sparred heavily with Jamie Raskin of Maryland, the top Democrat on the committee, saying: “You’re a washed-up loser lawyer. You’re not even a lawyer.” Continue reading...

Feb 12, 2026 - World

ACT government confirms it raised reports of boy’s fate with foreign affairs department, amid unverified claims he died last weekFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThere are concerns for a former Canberra high school student following disputed claims he was killed in Iran, amid representations by the Australian government to Tehran over the potential execution of prisoners.Posts on social media accounts linked to the boy claimed he was still alive on Thursday. This came after previous posts suggested he had died last Friday, after reportedly being detained in Iran. The claims could not be verified. Continue reading...