General news

• Possible pitfalls in Serena's path to history

  27-08-2015 23:07 via news.yahoo.com
  
  Top-ranked Serena Williams has some tricky challenges in her quarter of the US Open draw made Thursday, but the three-time defending champion remains a runaway favorite to make more tennis history. The 34-year-old American, who completed a "Serena Slam" of four major wins in a row by capturing Wimbledon last month, is trying to complete the first calendar-year Grand Slam since Steffi Graf in 1988 and match Graf's Open Era career record of 22 major titles. Russia's third-ranked Maria Sharapova, w
  
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• DHS shutdown looms as battle continues on Capitol Hill over demands to rein in ICE – US politics live

  13-02-2026 18:09 via theguardian.com
  Negotiations over funding bill stall as Democratic members of Congress try to force Republicans to consider measures on ICE and CBP behaviorThe annual rate of US inflation eased in January, according to the latest data consumer price index report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Over the last 12 months, the cost of goods has increased by 2.4% – down from 2.7% in last month’s report.Lawmakers in the House and Senate left Washington on Thursday as the Department of Homel
  
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• California’s mountain lion population now protected by state’s Endangered Species Act

  13-02-2026 18:08 via theguardian.com
  State agencies are now mandated to protect the big cats, which have been increasingly vulnerable due to habitat lossMore than 1,400 mountain lions across California are now protected by the state’s Endangered Species Act, the state’s fish and game commission announced on Thursday.The commission unanimously voted to list six groups of central coast and southern California mountain lions under the California Endangered Species Act, meaning the agency determined that they are likely to
  
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• NGOs sound the alarm as families flee camp holding suspected IS fighters

  13-02-2026 18:06 via theguardian.com
  Annex holding 6,000 women and children is now mostly empty, raising security and humanitarian concernsMost of the foreign families of suspected Islamic State fighters have left al-Hawl camp since the Syrian government took control of the facility, prompting security and humanitarian concerns over their whereabouts.About 6,000 women and children from 42 different countries were previously held in the foreigners’ annex of al-Hawl camp in northeast Syria, which housed some of the most radical
  
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• Even US will not be powerful enough ‘to go alone’, says Merz – Munich Security Conference live

  13-02-2026 18:01 via theguardian.com
  German chancellor says close relationship is advantage for both Europe and US but world order as we know it ‘not longer exists’If you need a primer on what’s on the agenda for the next three days, I spoke with the MSC’s head of policy Nicole Koenig, the author of the European part of their security report published ahead of the meeting.I asked her what is most likely to be the focus of this year’s forum, will Rubio deliver a “JD Vance 2.0” speech or say
  
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• Calls mount for release of Palestinian protester held by ICE for nearly a year

  13-02-2026 18:00 via theguardian.com
  Leqaa Kordia was taken into custody last March, nearly a year after being arrested at a protest at ColumbiaCalls are mounting for the release of a Palestinian woman who has been held in immigration detention for nearly a year following her arrest at a pro-Palestine protest last year, with several elected officials weighing in after a medical emergency renewed attention to her case.Leqaa Kordia, a 33-year-old originally from the West Bank, was arrested in April 2024 at a protest against Israel&rs
  
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• AI is indeed coming – but there is also evidence to allay investor fears

  13-02-2026 18:00 via theguardian.com
  Opinions are divided about the potential impact of artificial intelligence as the response to a recent viral essay showsUK ad agencies undergo their biggest exodus of staff as AI threatens industryThe message from investors to the software, wealth management, legal services and logistics industries this month has been clear: AI is coming for your business.The release of new, ever more powerful AI tools has coincided with a stock market slide, which has swept up sectors as diverse as drug distrib
  
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• Owen Jones on Palestine Action high court win – The Latest

  13-02-2026 17:57 via theguardian.com
  The co-founder of Palestine Action has won a legal challenge to the home secretary’s decision to ban the group under anti-terrorism laws. Palestine Action was the first direct action protest group to be proscribed.The decision was widely condemned and was defied by a civil disobedience campaign, during which more than 2,000 people have been arrested. From July last year, being a member of – or showing support for – the group became an offence punishable by up to 14 years in pri
  
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• ‘What word is there for this?’ Tumbler Ridge reaches for unity in storm of grief

  13-02-2026 17:54 via theguardian.com
  In Canadian town stunned by shooting perpetrated by one of its own, there is anger, but also a prevailing sense of dutyResidents of the Canadian mining town Tumbler Ridge largely agree that Tuesday 10 February began like a normal day. The cloudy haze that settled over the valley was typical. So, too, was the chill of winter.There were no hints that the quiet and comfortable routine of daily life in the mountains would be irrevocably shattered in one of Canada’s worst acts of mass violence.
  
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• UK Palestine Action ban ruled unlawful, in humiliating blow for ministers

  13-02-2026 17:45 via theguardian.com
  Thousands arrested for supporting group since proscription are now in legal limbo as Mahmood says she will appealThree senior judges have ruled that the ban on the direct action group Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws was disproportionate and unlawful, handing the home secretary a humiliating defeat.Shabana Mahmood was urged to respect the court’s decision after the judges said the ban, introduced by her predecessor Yvette Cooper, impinged on the right to protest and should be qua
  
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• Bangladesh election: BNP wins historic first vote since overthrow of Hasina

  13-02-2026 17:45 via theguardian.com
  Voting was largely peaceful in an election seen as a test of Bangladesh’s democracy after years of political turmoil The Bangladesh Nationalist party, led by Tarique Rahman, has won a sweeping victory in the country’s first election since a gen Z uprising toppled the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina.Results from the election commission confirmed the BNP alliance had won 212 seats, returning the party to power after 20 years, while the rival alliance, led by the Islamist party Jamaa
  
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• San Francisco teachers strike ends as tentative deal reached with district

  13-02-2026 17:32 via theguardian.com
  School district says students will return next week after teachers demanded higher wages and more health benefitsSan Francisco teachers who have been on strike over wages and family health benefits have reached a tentative agreement with the school district.The San Francisco unified school district (SFUSD) says schools will reopen to staff on Friday and to students on Wednesday after two holidays. Continue reading...
  
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• Scottish Labour leader says he doesn’t regret calling for Starmer to quit – UK politics live

  13-02-2026 17:30 via theguardian.com
  Anas Sarwar said that he stood by what he said when he announced on Monday that he wanted the prime minister to stand downThe Equality and Human Rights Commission has welcomed a high court ruling defending the interim guidance it issued to organisations about the implications of the supreme court judgement saying that, when the Equality Act refers to sex, it means biological sex.The guidance – described as an “interim update” – was controversial because it was seen as ove
  
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• Two men jailed for life over plot to attack Greater Manchester’s Jewish community

  13-02-2026 17:00 via theguardian.com
  An undercover operative stopped the pair from carrying out what could have been UK’s deadliest terrorist attackTwo men have been jailed for life after attempting to stage one of the UK’s deadliest terrorist attacks before it was thwarted by an undercover operative.Walid Saadaoui, 38, and Amar Hussein, 52, who had sworn allegiance to Islamic State (IS), planned a marauding firearms attack targeting Greater Manchester’s Jewish community. Continue reading...
  
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• Haiti’s Winter Olympics kit redesigned at last minute to fit IOC guidelines

  13-02-2026 17:00 via theguardian.com
  Designer Stella Jean forced to paint over image of revolutionary on ski suits after being told it breached rulesWinter Olympics live – latest updatesThe designer behind the Haitian team’s uniform for the 2026 Winter Olympics has said she had to redesign their ski suits for the opening ceremony after being told they did not comply with the guidelines on athlete expression by the International Olympic Committee.The uniforms, designed by the Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean, were ba
  
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• Beijing pastry shop overrun by shoppers after Xi Jinping’s visit

  13-02-2026 16:17 via theguardian.com
  Customers flock to Daoxiangcun to pick up cakes selected by the president during lunar new year tour around cityA Beijing pastry shop visited by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, on a lunar new year tour this week has been swarmed by customers hoping to get their hands on Xi-approved sweet treats.Traffic was brought to a standstill in Beijing’s capital as the president took a tour around the city on Monday and Tuesday. Continue reading...
  
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• Showdown in the American west as Colorado River faces crucial deadline: ‘Mother nature isn’t going to bail us out’

  13-02-2026 16:11 via theguardian.com
  Seven states must make deal for sharing basin that supplies 40 million people, before US government steps in. With negotiations at an impasse, what’s at stake?The future of the American west hangs in balance this week, as 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. Time is running short to reach a deal before a critical deadline, set for Saturday.In the region where water has
  
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• Arundhati Roy quits Berlin film festival over ‘stay out of politics’ comment

  13-02-2026 16:02 via theguardian.com
  Author says she is ‘disgusted’ by claim from jury president Wim Wenders that film-makers should remain apoliticalThe author Arundhati Roy has withdrawn from the Berlinale after the film festival’s chief jurist said film-makers must stay out of politics.The festival got off to a shaky start on Thursday after the competition jury, led by the German film-maker Wim Wenders, fielded questions about the conflict in Gaza. Asked if films can affect political change, Wenders said that &
  
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• Canada school deaths suspect created shooting simulator on gaming platform

  13-02-2026 15:43 via theguardian.com
  Roblox says it has removed account after massacre that left nine people including the shooter deadThe 18-year-old suspect in a high school shooting in British Columbia had previously created a mass shooting simulator on the gaming platform Roblox, it has been revealed.The simulator, set in what appeared to be a virtual shopping mall, allowed users – represented as Roblox-style avatars – to pick up weapons and shoot other players, 404 Media reported on Thursday. Continue reading...
  
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• Dual nationals to be denied entry to UK from 25 February unless they have British passport

  13-02-2026 15:07 via theguardian.com
  New border controls require ‘certificate of entitlement’ to attach to second nationality passport that costs £589Dual British nationals have been warned they may be denied boarding a flight, ferry or train to the UK after 25 February unless they carry a valid British passport.The warning by the Home Office comes amid scores of complaints from British people living or travelling abroad who have suddenly found themselves at risk of not being allowed into the UK.If you are affecte
  
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• Once demoted, now deputy leader: what will Jane Hume do for the Liberal party?

  13-02-2026 15:00 via theguardian.com
  The Victorian senator’s elevation may help mitigate the effects of the party dumping its first female leader after only nine months. It also suggests the moderates still hold influenceGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAfter nine months in the political wilderness, Jane Hume has made a triumphant return to the Liberal party’s senior leadership team.The Victorian senator was installed as deputy leader on Friday after Sussan Ley was ousted by Angus Taylor just 2
  
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• French police arrest nine people over suspected €10m Louvre ticket fraud

  13-02-2026 14:26 via theguardian.com
  Prosecutors’ office says two museum workers, several tour guides and suspected mastermind among those detainedFrench police investigating a suspected €10m (£8.7m) ticket fraud scheme at the Louvre museum in Paris have detained nine people, including two members of staff.“Based on the information available to the museum, we suspect the existence of a network organising large-scale fraud,” a museum spokesperson told Agence France-Presse. Continue reading...
  
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• CIA publishes recruitment video aimed at disaffected Chinese soldiers

  13-02-2026 13:43 via theguardian.com
  Army in turmoil after Xi Jinping placed top general under investigation for suspected corruption last monthThe CIA (the US’s Central Intelligence Agency) has published a Mandarin-language recruitment video aimed at Chinese soldiers, in an apparent attempt to capitalise on the recent instability in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) after a series of high-level purges.The video, published on the CIA’s YouTube channel on Thursday, is titled The Reason for Stepping Forward: To Sav
  
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• Penisgate 2: Italian Olympic coverage takes Leonardo da Vinci’s genitals away

  13-02-2026 13:07 via theguardian.com
  State broadcaster accused of censorship over opening titles that use altered version of Vitruvian Man, with organs removedItaly’s state broadcaster, Rai, has been accused of censorship after using an image of Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man with the genitals missing in the opening credits for its Winter Olympics coverage.The image of the 500-year-old drawing appears at the start of the clip before transforming into the bodies of ice skaters, skiers and other winter sports athletes.
  
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• Weather tracker: cyclones hit Australia and Madagascar and -40C cold snap in northern Europe

  13-02-2026 12:41 via theguardian.com
  Western Australia and Madagascar struck by destructive winds and rain, while Finland and Norway have coldest January since 2010Tropical Cyclone Mitchell hit the coast of Western Australia last week. It initially developed as a weak tropical low over the Northern Territory in early February, then tracked eastwards over Western Australia’s Kimberley region and eventually reached the Indian Ocean.Fuelled by warm waters, Mitchell intensified into a tropical cyclone and moved south-west, huggin
  
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• Qld coalmine expansion approved by Albanese government will clear habitat and fuel climate crisis, scientists say

  13-02-2026 08:03 via theguardian.com
  Conservationists estimate coal exported from expanded mine to release CO2 equivalent of about half Australia’s annual carbon footprintFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government has approved the expansion of a Queensland coalmine that will clear habitat for threatened koalas and greater gliders and add further fuel to the climate crisis, conservationists say.The extension of the Middlemount mine in
  
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• Israeli journalists fear for press freedom if UK billionaire sells TV channel stake

  13-02-2026 08:00 via theguardian.com
  Union urges Leonard Blavatnik to scrap Channel 13 deal, saying it is part of Netanyahu plan ‘to capture the media’Israeli journalists have appealed to a British billionaire not to proceed with the sale of a stake in an Israeli television channel, which they warn would represent a severe blow to the independence of the country’s media.Sir Leonard Blavatnik, listed by the Sunday Times as the UK’s third richest person, is selling a nearly 15% share in Channel 13, a commercia
  
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• New leader targets immigration in first comments after spill – as it happened

  13-02-2026 06:57 via theguardian.com
  This blog is now closedNew opposition leader Taylor wants to stop ‘bad immigration’ but says Liberals aren’t ‘One Nation lite’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSo far we know that Jane Hume and Dan Tehan will run for the deputy, but there are other names that are being floated.One of those was Tim Wilson (who’s often made light of one day leading the party), but he ruled himself out this morning.It brings none of us any joy to challeng
  
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• ‘Invisible’ children born in the brothels of Bangladesh finally get birth certificates

  13-02-2026 06:00 via theguardian.com
  Destined to a perilous life with no right to an education or to vote, state recognition ‘gives them hope’, campaigners sayThrough the decades that the Daulatdia brothel in Bangladesh has existed, children born there have been invisible, unable to be registered because their mothers were sex workers and their fathers unknown. Now, for the first time, all 400 of them in the brothel village have their own birth certificates.That milestone was reached after a push by campaigners who have
  
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• Bikinis banned on Sydney bus over ‘cleanliness’ concerns

  13-02-2026 05:37 via theguardian.com
  A sign for the northern beaches Hop, Skip and Jump bus says ‘clothing must be worn over swimwear’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSydney’s Northern Beaches council has banned bikini-clad and shirtless passengers from riding its free community bus service after receiving feedback from passengers.The Hop, Skip and Jump is a daily 30-seat shuttle bus that services the coastal suburbs of Manly, Fairlight and Balgowlah and is frequented by beachgoers. Conti
  
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