INFORMING BRITAIN PRESS PREVIEW (THURSDAY'S PAPERS): THURSDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2026 | TOMORROW'S PAPERS TODAY AT INFORMING BRITAIN

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Welcome to your official rundown of headlines on a selection of Newspapers' Front Pages for Thursday 19 February 2026.
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Browse through #IBPapers on ​𝕏, and #IBPapers on BlueSky, to keep up with the latest from Informing Britain Papers on Social Media.
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This is a selection of newspaper publications from United Kingdom, and around the world.

All papers are from within United Kingdom, unless otherwise stated.
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If the leading story is available, links will be provided.
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​This page will be updated as the headlines come in.

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The Independent: "OBSESSIVE AND DYSFUNCTIONAL: IFS LAYS INTO REEVES"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Kate Devlin
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Rachel Reeves should end her self-imposed rules on debt to halt the "dysfunctional" policymaking behind Britain's weak economy, Institute For Fiscal Studies have said.

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The Bolton News: "'WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING' STOLE FROM VULNERABLE"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Joe Harrigan

A "financial wolf in sheep's clothing", Richard Shaw, stole nearly £900,000 from vulnerable people, both living and dead, while working for Bolton Council.

FULL REPORT: TheBoltonNews.co.uk/news/25865915.bolton-council-fraudster-stole-nearly-900k-8-years

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Daily Express: "'PROOF STARMER DOES NOT CARE' ABOUT VICTIMS OF RAPE"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Zak Garner-Purkis

Survivor Ellie Reynolds, and others like her, have claimed that Prime Minister Keir Starmer "doesn't care" about Grooming Gang victims and ignored their concerns over a "corrupt" Inquiry process, survivors have revealed.

FULL REPORT: EXPRESS.CO.UK/news/uk/2171692

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Glasgow Times: "RUNAWAY GANG MEMBER IN MOB BOSS HIT"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Connor Gordon

Anthony Connell, a crime gang member who fled to Spain, has been jailed for his role in a plot to kill Ryan Carvil, a British drugs boss in Scotland.

FULL REPORT: GlasgowTimes.co.uk/news/scottish-news/25865588.glasgow-gang-member-anthony-connell-jailed-plot-kill

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The Guardian: "SITES COULD BE BLOCKED OVER 'REVENGE PORN' AND DEEPFAKES"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Jessica Elgot / Aisha Down

Deepfake nudes and "revenge porn" must be removed from the Internet within 48 hours or technology firms risk being blocked in the United Kingdom, Keir Starmer has said.
The Prime Minister has called it a "National Emergency" that the Labour Party Government must confront.

FULL REPORT: TheGuardian.com/society/2026/feb/18/tech-firms-must-remove-revenge-porn-in-48-hours-or-risk-being-blocked-says-starmer

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The Yorkshire Post: "GIRL'S FIGHT OVERTURNS 'HISTORIC INJUSTICE'"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Ralph Blackburn

A "historic injustice" has been righted with the Supreme Court ruling in favour of a Sheffield girl that children can receive damages for the years of their life lost because of medical negligence, her solicitor has said.

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Daily Star: "IF YOU COULD TURN BECK TIME?"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Victoria Johns

Brooklyn Beckham has ditched his family tattoos but still sports the Rose Gold £220,000 Patek Philippe Nautilus watch David Beckham bought him for his 21st.

FULL REPORT: DailyStar.co.uk/showbiz/brooklyn-beckham-removes-dad-tattoo-36744663

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State Times (India): "MODI WELCOMES WORLD LEADERS FOR AI IMPACT SUMMIT AT BHARAT MANDAPAM"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: State Times Editorial

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed World Leaders, including United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva, for the ongoing AI Impact Summit at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre.

FULL REPORT: StateTimes.IN/modi-welcomes-world-leaders-for-ai-impact-summit-at-bharat-mandapam

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Scottish Daily Mail: "SCOTS LAW CHIEF: I'M NOT CORRUPT"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Tom Gordon / Michael Blackley

Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain - Scotland's top prosecutor - was forced to deny being 'corrupt' after she tipped off John Swinney about criminal charges against Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband.

FULL REPORT: DailyMail.co.uk/news/article-15572025

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​The Daily Telegraph: "DO NOT GIVE AWAY CHAGOS, TRUMP TELLS STARMER"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Connor Stringer / Tony Diver / Benedict Smith / Samuel Montgomery

Donald Trump (President - United States Of America) has demanded that Sir Keir Starmer (Prime Minister - United Kingdom) to "not give away" Diego Garcia in a fresh attack on his Chagos Islands deal.

FULL REPORT: TELEGRAPH.CO.UK/us/politics/2026/02/18/donald-trump-britain-must-not-give-away-chagos-islands

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Messenger Newspapers: "COUNCIL'S £12M BAILOUT - DESPITE HUGE TAX HIKE"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Hannah Richardson

Trafford town hall needs to borrow more than £12 million to balance the books – despite planning one of the highest Council Tax hikes in the country. 

FULL REPORT: MessengerNewspapers.co.uk/news/25862652.trafford-council-needs-borrow-12m-despite-high-tax-hike

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Great Southern Herald (Australia): "TREMOUR IN THE HEART"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Claire Middleton

Valentine's Day brought seismic activity to Gnowangerup in Australia with a magnitude 2.9 earthquake — the largest of the weekend's six quakes — recorded by GeoScience Australia about 25kilometres north of the town.

FULL REPORT: GSHerald.com.au/news/great-southern-herald/valentines-day-rumble-centres-around-gnowangerup-as-29-magnitude-earthquake-the-latest-tremor-to-hit-town-c-21663752

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The Times: "TRUMP PULLS HIS SUPPORT FOR CHAGOS ISLANDS DEAL"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: George Grylls / Oliver Wright

President Donald Trump has withdrawn United States support for Sir Keir Starmer's deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, accusing the Prime Minister of surrendering to the forces of "wokeism".

FULL REPORT: TheTimes.com/us/news-today/article/trump-chagos-islands-starmer-uk-kknkxrqvl

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Daily Mirror: "TONY MARTIN'S £2.5M GIFT TO PUB LANDLADY"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Dan Warburton
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Killer farmer Tony Martin has left his £2.5million fortune to a pub boss who helped him after his release from prison.

FULL REPORT: MIRROR.CO.UK/news/uk-news/the-fate-tony-martins-25m-36741470

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Bury Times: "PUB-GOERS' PARKING FINES 'WERE WRONG'"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Lisa Valentine 

A landlord says customers were wrongly hit with parking fines after cameras at his Bury pub were switched back on "without his permission" - sparking complaints, debt collection letters and even allegations of data breaches.

FULL REPORT: BuryTimes.co.uk/news/25833826.pub-customers-wrongly-fined-parking-cameras-reactivated

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Morning Star: "'POLITICAL PRESSURE' ON CPS TO CHARGE ACTIVISTS"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Berny Torre

Ministers are applying political pressure on the Crown Prosecution Service to prosecute Palestine Action supporters after the High Court acted unlawfully when it banned the direct action group under terror laws last Summer, Defend Our Juries said.

FULL REPORT: MorningStarOnline.co.uk/article/political-pressure-cps-charge-activists

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The Oldham Times: "POLICE SEAL STREET AFTER GUN INCIDENT"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Jessica Rothwell

A crime scene remains in place following a firearms discharge in Oldham.
Officers were called to an address on School House Road following reports of Criminal Damage at around 13:00 on Sunday 15 February 2026.

FULL REPORT: ​TheOldhamTimes.co.uk/news/25857144.crime-scene-place-firearms-discharge-oldham

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Albany Advertiser (Australlia): "NOWHERE TO GO"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Jacki Elezovich

The future of gymnastics in The Shire Of Denmark is in limbo with a local club's lease on their previous home in Australia ending and their bid to find a new venue so far unsuccessful. 

FULL REPORT: AlbanyAdvertiser.com.au/news/albany-advertiser/denmark-gymnastics-club-fighting-to-survive-after-lease-end-and-no-new-home-forces-temporary-end-of-classes-c-21671054

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Daily Record: "VALIUM QUEEN CAGED"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Mark McGivern

A brazen Drug Dealer, Jodie Gilmour, known as Queen Of Street Valium has been jailed.
She drove an Audi while flaunting designer clothes and £10,000 Turkey Teeth on Social Media.

FULL REPORT: DailyRecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scotlands-queen-street-valium-who-36742063

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​Arab News (Saudi Arabia): "US WILL PREVENT IRANIAN NUCLEAR BOMB 'ONE WAY OR THE OTHER'"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: AFP

The United States will prevent Iran from acquiring Nuclear Weapons "one way or another", Chris Wright has warned.

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Lancashire Telegraph: "THIS IS NOT FLY-TIPPING"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Shuiab Khan

Residents in Brierfield say a huge dumping site is being created near their homes.
Rubbish is being piled up on an area of land at the end of Richard Street, next to Sefton Street.

FULL REPORT: LancashireTelegraph.co.uk/news/25845313.fly-tip-nobody-knows-about-appears-near-brierfield-homes

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Daily Mail: "BRITAIN FACES '1936 MOMENT', DEFENCE CHIEFS WARN PM"
LEAD STORY CORRESPONDENT: Mark Nicol

Military and spy chiefs demanded Sir Keir Starmer commit to doubling defence spending as they warned Britain faces a '1936 moment'.

FULL REPORT: DailyMail.co.uk/news/article-15571503

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