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Showing posts from February, 2026

USA v Dominican Republic: World Baseball Classic semi-final – live

⚾ Winners will play either Italy or Venezuela in final ⚾ Email david.lengel@theguardian.com with your thoughts Mojo US starting pitcher Paul Skenes was just speaking on FOX TV in the US and he mentioned servicemen and the military and fighting and winning. I have no idea what representing your country in a baseball game has to do with the military, but it seems to be a thing in the US dugout. Personally, I don’t need to hear about all that before a baseball game, but maybe that’s just me. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/b2htc5f via IFTTT

Man charged with criminal damage after Churchill statue sprayed with graffiti

Caspar San Giorgio to appear in court after defacing London statue with slogans including ‘Zionist war criminal’ A 38-year-old man has been charged with criminal damage after Winston Churchill’s statue outside the Houses of Parliament was sprayed with graffiti labelling the former prime minister a “Zionist war criminal”. The Metropolitan police arrested Caspar San Giorgio, of no fixed address, shortly after 4am on Friday. He was charged in the early hours of Saturday morning and is due to appear at Highbury Corner magistrates court in London. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/0eiUJwv via IFTTT

Bill Clinton says in House testimony he had ‘no idea’ about Epstein’s crimes

Republican chair calls six-hour deposition ‘very productive’ and says former president answered every question Bill Clinton testimony – latest updates Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox Bill Clinton told a congressional committee on Friday he “had no idea of the crimes” Jeffrey Epstein was committing and insisted he “did nothing wrong” in his relationship with the disgraced financier and convicted sex trafficker. The former president’s remarks came in his opening statement in a deposition to the House of Representatives’ oversight committee, a day after his wife, Hillary Clinton, appeared before the same body and called the proceedings “ partisan political theater ” and “an insult to the American people”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/QD8GalX via IFTTT

Judge blocks arrest and detention of some lawful refugees in Minnesota

Trump administration’s unlawful policy turns ‘refugees’ American Dream into a dystopian nightmare’, judge says A federal judge has blocked a Trump administration policy that allowed immigration authorities to arrest and detain certain refugees in Minnesota, ruling that the government relied on an incorrect interpretation of federal law and unlawfully targeted people who had already been admitted to the US. In an order on Friday, the court said the administration’s approach had effectively been “terrorizing” refugees by subjecting them to arrest and potentially indefinite detention despite their lawful status. The judge concluded that federal immigration law does not give the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) authority to detain refugees simply because more than one year has passed since their arrival in the country. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/LmzAaQi via IFTTT

Anthropic says it ‘cannot in good conscience’ allow Pentagon to remove AI checks

Pete Hegseth has threatened to cancel $200m contract unless it is given unfettered access to Claude model Anthropic said Thursday it “cannot in good conscience” comply with a demand from the Pentagon to remove safety precautions from its artificial intelligence model and grant the US military unfettered access to its AI capabilities. The Department of Defense had threatened to cancel a $200m contract and deem Anthropic a “supply chain risk”, a designation with serious financial implications, if the company did not comply with the request by Friday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/biTPjxS via IFTTT

UK anti-slavery watchdog calls for overhaul of adult sexual services sites

Independent commissioner’s report finds websites can act as ‘accelerators’ of exploitation for sex workers using them The anti-slavery watchdog has called for a complete overhaul of websites advertising sexual services after an investigation revealed they can act as “accelerators” of exploitation for sex workers using them. While working online can provide enhanced protections for some, a new report from the independent anti-slavery commissioner, Eleanor Lyons, investigated the experiences of women who said they were exploited on the adult services sites, which typically allow users to browse through images and videos of women selling sex in their local area. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/nYs5Bue via IFTTT

US hockey star Hilary Knight responds to Trump’s ‘distasteful joke’ about women’s team

Captain says controversy overshadows Olympic gold win Trump quipped about inviting US women to White House Knight says there is respect and support with men’s team Hilary Knight, the captain of the US women’s ice hockey team, has responded to comments made by Donald Trump after the Americans won gold at the Winter Olympics, calling the president’s quip a “distasteful joke”. After the US men’s ice hockey team won gold on Sunday, Trump called into the locker-room celebration and invited the players to be his guests at Tuesday’s State of the Union address. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/gOcR01f via IFTTT

Floods and landslides in Brazil kill at least 30 after record rainfall

Firefighters search for 39 people missing in debris after river burst and houses were swept away Three firefighters pulled a man’s body from the mud amid the rubble of houses swept away in a landslide in south-eastern Brazil, where 30 people died and 39 were still missing on Tuesday after torrential rains. iA river in the state of Minas Gerais burst its banks and streets became raging currents of brown water after an overnight downpour in a region that has seen record rain this month. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/fVSRovL via IFTTT

Canada seeks answers from OpenAI for failing to alert police after suspending school shooter’s account

Company had suspended account of Tumbler Ridge shooter in June 2025 over ‘furtherance of violent activities’ Canada’s artificial intelligence minister says he has summoned representatives from the technology company OpenAI after the company declined to alert police after suspending the account of a user who became the perpetrator of one of the country’s worst-ever school shootings . Evan Solomon says he is “deeply disturbed” by reports that the company, which operates the popular ChatGPT chatbot, suspended the account of Jesse Van Rootselaar over the “furtherance of violent activities” in June 2025 but did not reach out to Canadian law enforcement. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/LO6ds4G via IFTTT

European football: Barça retake top spot, Parma stun Milan to deal title blow

Fermín López goal caps 3-0 win over Levante Milan’s Loftus-Cheek hospitalised as Parma win 1-0 Barcelona returned to the top of La Liga with a 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened Levante as Marc Bernal, Frenkie de Jong and substitute Fermín López struck at Camp Nou. Last season’s champions moved to 61 points from 25 games, one ahead of Real Madrid after their rivals’ defeat by Osasuna on Saturday. Barça had slipped to second after last week’s 2-1 loss to Girona but rarely looked troubled by a Levante side second from bottom on 18 points. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/HL9YgGe via IFTTT

Lindsey Vonn hits back at ‘haters’ who questioned her place at Winter Olympics

American fractured tibia in downhill last week Skier is recovering from injuries in US Lindsey Vonn has hit back at the “haters” who were critical of her decision to take part at this year’s Winter Olympics. The American crashed out early in her run during the women’s downhill competition during the opening weekend of this month’s Games. She suffered a complex tibia fracture and underwent multiple surgeries in Italy before being flown back to the US for further treatment earlier this week. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/15E8StP via IFTTT

West Ham miss chance to boost survival hopes with wasteful draw against Bournemouth

When it comes to the back end of May and West Ham reflect on the season that was, there is every chance that this soggy Saturday will go down as a missed opportunity that proved decisive in their survival plight. Victory here would have raised the possibility of Nuno Espírito Santo’s side ending the weekend out of the relegation zone for the first time since early December. In keeping with those over recent weeks, much of the performance was befitting of another three points. But, thanks to a couple of smart Djordje Petrovic saves and some profligacy in front of goal, the hosts had to make do with a draw – an expected goals (xG) total of 2.87 from 20 shots yielding a blank in the only column that matters. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/A9tWsRS via IFTTT

Officials investigate deadly California avalanche for possible criminal negligence

Nevada county sheriff said investigation includes learning why the ski trip was not cancelled by the guide company Authorities are investigating whether any criminal negligence was involved in the deadly avalanche that swept California’s Lake Tahoe this week, which killed at least eight skiers and their guides while returning from a three-day backcountry skiing trip. The Nevada county sheriff’s office said on Friday said that they notified the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha), which regulates workplace safety, of the active investigation. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/eCdFVHw via IFTTT

Domenicali pleads for calm over fears new rules will wreck Formula One

F1 chief executive ‘is listening to drivers’ complaints’ He admits the rules could change if racing isn’t exciting Stefano Domenicali, the chief executive of Formula One, has issued an urgent plea for calm after the damning driver criticism of the sport’s new regulations that has emerged during pre-season testing. But the Italian conceded that F1 is prepared to intervene and enforce changes should the racing prove disappointing. There has been a clamour of discontent over how the new regulations will play out, particularly the role of energy management rather than driving flat-out. Not least from the four-time champion Max Verstappen, who dismissed the new rules as being “anti-racing” and insinuated that he might leave F1 if he no longer enjoyed driving the new cars. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/WbSlJj1 via IFTTT

Simulations shed light on how snowman-shaped body in Kuiper belt may have formed

Research adds weight to theory Arrokoth’s two lobes produced by gravitational collapse – and reveals process It is the most distant and primitive object ever visited by a spacecraft from Earth: now researchers say they have fresh insights into how the ultra-red, 4bn-year-old body known as Arrokoth came to have its distinctive snowman-like shape. Arrokoth sits in the Kuiper belt, a vast, thick ring of icy objects that lies beyond the orbit of Neptune. This region of space is home to most of the known dwarf planets as well as comets and small, solid rubble heaps called planetesimals – the building blocks of planets. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3cqethJ via IFTTT

JetBlue engine failure on takeoff at Newark airport disrupts air traffic

After crew on flight 543 reported smoke in the cockpit, passengers and crew exited Airbus A320 via slides Traffic was temporarily disrupted at Newark Liberty international airport in New Jersey on Wednesday after a Florida-bound JetBlue flight suffered an engine failure on takeoff and returned to the airport, officials said. Crew on flight 543 reported smoke in the cockpit, and after an emergency landing, passengers and crew exited the Airbus A320 on a taxiway via slides, the Federal Aviation Administration said. No injuries were reported. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/N71irEv via IFTTT

When curlers need snookers: Team GB fight on at Winter Olympics after day of drama

British sides keep hopes alive with vital wins Team GB women need to beat Italy on Friday These are strained days at the curling arena, where the chances of the two British teams are teetering like a bus full of bullion that’s backed over the lip of a cliff. Both the men and women ended up in a position where they need to win every game they play and hope other results go their way to have any chance of making the semi-finals. Curling is one of the very few sports left being contested at the Winter Olympics in which the British fancy their chances, and Team GB’s hopes of getting anywhere near their medal target will turn on the curl of the stones in the next few days. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/KgDJhI9 via IFTTT

Keir Starmer buys personalised silver cufflinks given by Trump on state visit

Official rules say government should keep gifts worth more than £140 unless ministers pay the value over that limit Keir Starmer has bought a pair of personalised silver cufflinks which were given to him by Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, according to the latest transparency records . The cufflinks, which were worth more than £140, were an official gift from the Trumps during the US president’s second state visit last September. They were the second gift from Trump that Starmer has chosen to buy, having paid for a personalised necklace last year. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/W9UrVFN via IFTTT

Single dose of potent psychedelic drug could help treat depression, trial shows

Researchers find DMT – used in shamanic rituals – in tandem with psychotherapy has significant effect People with major depressive disorder can see a rapid and lasting improvement after a single dose of the psychedelic drug dimethyltryptamine (DMT) when it is combined with psychotherapy, doctors have said. A small clinical trial involving 34 people found that psychedelic-assisted therapy prompted a swift reduction in depressive symptoms that endured long after the drug had worn off, with some still feeling the benefits six months later. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/H60joWO via IFTTT

Makers of AI chatbots that put children at risk face big fines or UK ban

Starmer to announce ‘crackdown on vile illegal content created by AI’ after scandal involving Elon Musk’s Grok tool Makers of AI chatbots that put children at risk will face massive fines or even see their services blocked in the UK under law changes to be announced by Keir Starmer on Monday. Emboldened by Elon Musk’s X stopping its Grok AI tool from creating sexualised images of real people in the UK after public outrage last month, ministers are planning a “crackdown on vile illegal content created by AI”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/9jW4zc2 via IFTTT

Intermittent fasting no better than typical weight loss diets, study finds

Researchers say limited eating approaches such as 5:2 diet not a ‘miracle solution’ amid surge in their popularity Intermittent fasting is no better for shedding the pounds than conventional diets and is barely more effective than doing nothing, according to a major review of the scientific evidence. Researchers analysed data from 22 global studies and found people who are overweight or living with obesity lost as much weight by following traditional dietary advice as when they tried fasting regimes such as the 5:2 diet popularised by the late Michael Mosley. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/QIjbehv via IFTTT

A new diagnosis of ‘profound autism’ is under consideration. Here’s what parents need to know

Category describes people who have little or no language, an IQ of less than 50 and require 24-hour supervision When it comes to autism , few questions spark as much debate as how best to support autistic people with the greatest needs. This prompted the Lancet medical journal to commission a group of international experts to propose a new category of “profound autism”. How many children met the criteria for profound autism? Were there behavioural features that set this group apart? Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/PyYJCk8 via IFTTT

Burnley turfed out of FA Cup on perfect day for Louis Reed and Mansfield

Mansfield gave blood and sweat to reach the FA Cup fifth round for the first time in more than 50 years and reduced a desperate Burnley to tears. A stunning Louis Reed free-kick completed a hard-fought turnaround for the League One side against their labouring Premier League opponents. There is little doubt that Burnley are getting relegated, leaving the Cup as their only hope of salvaging a desperate season, but they lacked quality from start to finish on another dispiriting day for Scott Parker. Mansfield were not necessarily the better side but Nigel Clough’s men worked harder, leaving the fans and players celebrating long after the game was over. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/396Dboj via IFTTT

Ocasio-Cortez says US military aid to Israel ‘enabled a genocide in Gaza’

New York congresswoman criticizes ‘unconditional’ US aid and calls for enforcement of Leahy laws Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said during a Munich security conference panel on Friday on the future of foreign policy that the Democratic party’s next presidential nominee should reconsider the country’s military aid to Israel. Hagar Shezaf of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz asked the US congresswoman if she thought “the Democratic presidential candidate in the 2028 elections should re-evaluate military aid to Israel”. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/kFu438t via IFTTT

Western US states fail to negotiate crucial Colorado River deal: ‘Mother nature isn’t going to bail us out’

Negotiators disbanded on Friday without a plan for the basin supplying water to 40m people, thrusting the region into uncertainty The future of the American west hung in the balance after seven states remained at a stalemate over who should bear the brunt of the enormous water cuts needed to pull the imperiled Colorado River back from the brink. Negotiators, who have spent years trying to iron out thorny disagreements, ended their talks on Friday without a deal – one day before a critical deadline to form a plan that had been set for Saturday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/kZSAsQx via IFTTT

Scotland’s Finn Russell is not a player you can plan for, England’s Wigglesworth admits

Wigglesworth worked with Russell on the Lions’ tour ‘He’s one of those guys whose talent speaks for itself’ The England defence coach, Richard Wigglesworth, has admitted it is pointless trying to come up with a plan to stop Finn Russell after getting a closeup view of Scotland’s star fly-half during last summer’s British & Irish Lions tour of Australia. England head to Murrayfield on Saturday favourites to defend the Calcutta Cup on the back of 12 straight victories while Scotland are reeling after last Saturday’s shock defeat by Italy . England have not won at Murrayfield since 2020, however, and only once since 2016 with Russell proving their nemesis on several occasions. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/yOe1PFq via IFTTT

Cees Nooteboom, Dutch novelist and travel writer, dies aged 92

Writer made international breakthrough with 1980 novel Rituals and won acclaim for his travel writing The Dutch writer Cees Nooteboom, whose novels, travel writing and translations made him a prominent literary figure in postwar Europe, has died aged 92. Publishing house De Bezige Bij said in a statement on Wednesday evening that Nooteboom had “passed away very peacefully on his beloved island Menorca”. The statement was made on behalf of the author’s wife, the photographer Simone Sassen. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/Nmcw1S8 via IFTTT

School phone policies in England a ‘huge drain’ on staff resources – study

Teachers and admin teams spend 100 hours a week enforcing rules, Birmingham University research finds Smartphone policies in English secondary schools are a “huge drain” on resources, with staff spending on average more than 100 hours a week enforcing restrictions, according to research. Teachers, teaching assistants, caretakers and receptionists are involved with helping to police pupils’ smartphone use in school, researchers said, with multiple staff recording incidents, overseeing detentions and communicating with parents. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/0fB2zRw via IFTTT

Lindsey Vonn has ‘no regrets’ over crash as fellow skiers defend her decision to race

American was competing with ruptured ACL Vonn says she has complex tibia fracture Father says it is time for his daughter to retire Lindsey Vonn says she suffered a complex tibia fracture “that will require multiple surgeries to fix properly” when her Olympic hopes ended in a heavy crash. The American crashed out early in her run during the women’s downhill competition on Sunday. Her cries of pain could be heard clearly on the television broadcast and spectators and her fellow athletes were visibly shaken as she was airlifted to hospital. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/HgoNjVZ via IFTTT

‘Take the vaccine, please,’ Dr Oz urges amid rising measles cases in US

Health official’s endorsement comes as South Carolina faces hundreds of cases and US risks losing elimination status A senior US public health official called on Americans to get vaccinated against measles as outbreaks continue in multiple states and concerns grow that the country could lose its measles elimination designation. Dr Mehmet Oz, a cardiothoracic surgeon, spoke in support on Sunday of the measles vaccine. “Take the vaccine, please,” said Oz, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. “We have a solution for our problem.” Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/VQwbtPU via IFTTT

The kindness of strangers: my teenage son was on a date at a fancy restaurant when a fellow diner helped pay the bill

She made a special night even more special for these two young people – and gave me something special too Read more in the kindness of strangers series Adolescence leaves its mark on everyone but for my son the marks have been particularly obvious. I’ve lost track of how many casts he’s had. He loves electric bikes and at various times this has led to a broken arm, a broken hand, a broken leg, a wide variety of cuts and grazes, and terrifyingly close calls with much worse. It also led to him getting a job as a delivery rider for the local Domino’s Pizza, which valued him for his speed (another broken wrist) and his ability to be cheerful in the face of unhinged customers. Once, after getting no answer when he buzzed a flat and phoned, he left a woman’s pizza on her doorstep. She called him “the scum of the earth” and promised he would lose his job and never get another one. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/3pgJqjA via IFTTT

Eddie Howe facing ‘harsh reality’ after Newcastle’s home loss to Brentford

‘I think I’ve got to do better, I’ve got to do more’ Ouattara’s late goal gave Brentford 3-2 victory Eddie Howe said he was facing a “harsh reality” and felt “angry” with himself after watching his Newcastle team lose 3-2 at home to Brentford on Saturday evening. It was their fourth defeat in five games in all competitions and left the Saudi Arabian-owned club 12th in the Premier League. A soundtrack of boos greeted the final whistle but Newcastle’s manager did not complain. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/cIMCyXg via IFTTT

Slot hopes to press on with Liverpool’s recovery as Manchester City provide litmus test

Head coach says champions were ‘outplayed for large parts’ in 3-0 reverse last November, but are now more dangerous The test for Liverpool against Manchester City on Sunday is not of their title credentials. That ship has sailed. Instead it is of how far Arne Slot’s side have truly progressed since their title defence was holed. Slot feels Liverpool’s displays have warranted defeat only occasionally this season – late lapses, set-piece failures and wasted chances have been more common explanations than the overall performance – and the 3-0 reverse at the Etihad Stadium in November was certainly one of them. The controversy over Virgil van Dijk’s disallowed header at 1-0 still lingers for the Dutchman but does not prevent him holding his hands up. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/dlk4a8s via IFTTT

Amazon reveals plans to spend $200bn in one year day after Bezos guts Washington Post

Tech giant reports $213bn in revenue after its founder, who owns the Post, lays off a third of newspaper’s employees Amazon announced plans to spend $200bn on artificial intelligence and robotics this year, the latest tech giant to vow fresh enormous investments in the artificial intelligence arms race. The news of the investment comes one day after the Washington Post, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos , announced it was cutting approximately a third of employees. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/UsVyxDJ via IFTTT

LaMonte McLemore, Grammy-winning singer with 5th Dimension, dies aged 90

Singer was member of vocal group that scored 1960s hits with Up, Up and Away and Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In Singer LaMonte McLemore has died. He was a founding member of the 5th Dimension, a vocal group whose smooth pop and soul sounds with a touch of psychedelia brought them big hits in the 1960s and 70s. McLemore died on Tuesday aged 90 at his home in Las Vegas, surrounded by his family, his representative Jeremy Westby said in a statement. He died of natural causes after having a stroke. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/MoVkPf8 via IFTTT

Hearts’ title hopes hit by late St Mirren winner after Halkett’s costly red card

Craig Halkett’s first-half red card proved costly for the Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts as they lost 1-0 at St Mirren after a late header from Miguel Freckleton. The centre-back was dismissed in the 29th minute for denying the Saints debutant Jacob Devaney a goalscoring opportunity. It was the third time in five league games that Hearts had been reduced to 10 men. Unlike the previous two occasions, however, they were unable to grind out a result in Paisley as Freckleton’s 88th-minute header consigned them to a third defeat of the season. The result leaves Hearts six points ahead of Celtic and Rangers, both of whom play their games in hand on Wednesday. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/HxepUvK via IFTTT

Virginia man having affair with au pair found guilty of murdering wife and another man

Prosecutors say other man was lured to Brendan Banfield’s house as a fall guy in scheme to get rid of Banfield’s wife A Virginia man having an affair with the family’s Brazilian au pair was found guilty Monday of murdering his wife and another man that prosecutors say was lured to the house as a fall guy. Brendan Banfield, a former IRS law enforcement officer, told police he came across Joseph Ryan attacking his wife, Christine Banfield, with a knife on the morning of 24 February 2023. He shot Ryan and then Juliana Magalhães, the au pair, shot him, too. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/ZHaND2h via IFTTT

My youngest is starting school for the first time. How can I best preserve his relentless curiosity? | Shadi Khan Saif

I wonder how Naveed will navigate his own path – and how much I must nurture and how much I must learn to let go “Schools are finally re-opening, mate,” my volleyball friend Sardar announced, grinning with unmistakable relief. It clearly had nothing to do with how we played that evening – we lost badly. This joy was about classrooms, routines, teachers and the quiet order that schools bring back into families’ lives. For us, it also meant something else entirely: my youngest, Naveed, is starting school for the first time. Continue reading... from The Guardian https://ift.tt/hQpiLlX via IFTTT
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