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Received today — 14 February 2026The Guardian

Aston Villa v Newcastle: FA Cup fourth round – live

14 February 2026 at 13:56

1 min: Tammy Abraham gets the ball rolling, playing it a few yards backwards to Amadou Onana. Within seconds it finds its way to the feet of Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot.

Not long now: Kieran Trippier and Lucas Digne skipper the sides, which are led out on to the Villa Park pitch by referee Chris Kavanagh and his team of match officials soundtracked by Ozzy Osbourne’s Crazy Train. Kick-off is just a couple of minutes away.

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© Photograph: Dan Istitene/Getty Images

© Photograph: Dan Istitene/Getty Images

© Photograph: Dan Istitene/Getty Images

Six Nations: Storming Scotland stun England to seal Calcutta Cup glory

  • Scotland 31-20 England: Jones (2), Ritchie, White tries

  • Arundell sees red as visitors lose unbeaten record

Certain wins feel bigger than others and for Scotland this result will reverberate for ages. Reclaiming the Calcutta Cup is always sweet but convincingly ending England’s 12-Test unbeaten record was a glorious bonus. For Gregor Townsend and his side, under pressure after their opening-round defeat in Rome, this was some riposte to their critics.

Ultimately, it was not even particularly close. Two tries by Huw Jones, a hard-nosed collective effort from the Scottish pack and a typically artful display from Finn Russell were simply too much for an England side who had dared to believe this week that their previous tartan traumas were behind them. Instead, they were outplayed and tactically out-thought by Townsend and his coaching staff and have now won just two of the last nine meetings between the nations.

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© Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA

© Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA

© Photograph: Jane Barlow/PA

Liverpool v Brighton: FA Cup fourth round – live

14 February 2026 at 13:50

Liverpool go into this match off the back of an impressive midweek win at Sunderland that eased the pressure building on Arne Slot. Brighton by contrast are reeling from the concession of a late, late winner at Aston Villa. Meanwhile the Reds have won four of their last five matches against the Seagulls. So.

But! Brighton created plenty of chances in their 2-0 defeat at Anfield a couple of months ago. And they’ve got form against Liverpool in the cup, having knocked Jürgen Klopp’s side out three years ago, and famously seeing off the otherwise all-conquering team of the Paisley-Fagan era in back-to-back seasons. So despite being on an underwhelming run right now – no win for Fabian Hürzeler’s men since the third-round victory at Manchester United, six matches ago – they’ll not be without hope. Could be a doozy. Kick-off is at 8pm GMT. Extra time and pens if necessary. It’s on!

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© Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty Images

© Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty Images

© Photograph: Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Assailants kill at least 30 in northwest Nigeria villages, residents say

14 February 2026 at 13:02

Residents who escaped violence tell of bandits riding in on motorbikes and shooting indiscriminately

Armed assailants on motorbikes killed at least 30 people and burned houses and shops during raids on three villages in north-west Nigeria’s Niger state early on Saturday, residents who escaped the violence told Reuters.

The attacks on villages in the Borgu local government area, near the border with Benin Republic, are part of a surge in attacks blamed on “bandits” who have carried out deadly assaults, abductions for ransom, and displaced communities across northern Nigeria.

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© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

Canada’s curling war of words with Sweden escalates after warning over ‘F-bomb’

14 February 2026 at 12:54
  • Kennedy insists he is innocent of any wrongdoing

  • World Curling says officials will clamp down on violations

The Canadian curler at the centre of a cheating row at the Winter Olympics has denied any wrongdoing, accusing the Swedish team of deliberately trying to “catch us in the act”.

On Saturday, World Curling confirmed that Canada had escaped punishment despite being accused of breaking the rules in the 8-6 victory over Sweden on Friday night. However, the sport’s governing body did warn Canada about their abusive langugage and introduced emergency spot checks on Saturday afternoon to make sure teams were not cheating when releasing the stone.

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© Photograph: Misper Apawu/AP

© Photograph: Misper Apawu/AP

© Photograph: Misper Apawu/AP

New archbishop of Westminster urges greater understanding of struggles of ‘the vulnerable’

14 February 2026 at 12:23

At his official installation, Archbishop Richard Moth recognised the Catholic church’s failures but insists it’s a time of ‘opportunity’

The new leader of Roman Catholics in England and Wales has said the church has failed vulnerable people, urging more work to be done to address the struggle of refugees and learn from victims of abuse.

At a ceremony where he was officially installed in his new role as archbishop of Westminster, Richard Moth said: “Here, I am most aware of every occasion on which members of the church, or the church as a whole, have failed – most especially when the vulnerable have been abused.

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© Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

© Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

© Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

Guéhi scores first Manchester City goal but Guardiola labels Salford win ‘boring’

Pep Guardiola spoke of the slog of the schedule and Manchester City performed as if dog-tired when knocking out Salford in a tie the manager pithily described as “boring”.

City were abject and half-paced and in danger of being forced into extra time, at least, until Marc Guéhi’s 80th-minute close-range strike doubled the lead. It was the defender’s first goal for the club he joined last month.

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© Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty Images

Barack Obama publicly states support for anti-ICE demonstrators in Minneapolis

14 February 2026 at 12:15

Speaking with progressive YouTuber, former US president stressed ‘unprecedented nature’ of agency’s actions

Barack Obama publicly gave his support to demonstrators in Minneapolis for standing up to the “unprecedented nature” of the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Minnesota.

Speaking in an interview with progressive YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen on Saturday, the former president discussed the power that US citizens hold when standing up for the values they believe in and his hopes for the next generation of American leaders.

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© Photograph: Erin Hooley/AP

© Photograph: Erin Hooley/AP

© Photograph: Erin Hooley/AP

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

14 February 2026 at 12:12

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.

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© Photograph: James Harrison/Focus Images Ltd/Shutterstock

© Photograph: James Harrison/Focus Images Ltd/Shutterstock

© Photograph: James Harrison/Focus Images Ltd/Shutterstock

Baloucoune spares Ireland’s Six Nations blushes as they recover to see off Italy

  • Ireland 20-13 Italy

  • Azzurri led at half-time for first time in Dublin

After what felt like 40 days and 40 nights of darkness and rain, the sun came out in Dublin. Cold, yes, and a grey day by kick-off, but bright enough to throw light on an Ireland side scrambling for their footing, and a bullish Italy one looking to break new ground.

Neither quite worked out. Never having won a Six Nations game in Dublin might be the sort of statistic to weigh you down but the Azzurri carried it here like a backpack with only a couple of bits and bobs. What they achieved was to give the Championship a highly competitive performance that was heartening, but not worthy of a note in history.

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© Photograph: Peter Morrison/AP

© Photograph: Peter Morrison/AP

© Photograph: Peter Morrison/AP

Democratic senators launch inquiry into EPA’s repeal of key air pollution enforcement measure

14 February 2026 at 11:32

Senators said repeal was ‘particularly troubling’ and was counter to EPA’s mandate to protect human health

More than three dozen Democratic senators have begun an independent inquiry into the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) following a huge change in how the agency measures the health benefits of reducing air pollution that is widely seen as a major setback to US efforts to combat the climate crisis.

In a regulatory impact analysis, the EPA said it would stop assigning a monetary value to the health benefits associated with regulations on fine particulate matter and ozone. The agency argued that the estimates contain too much uncertainty.

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© Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA

© Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA

© Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA

Chief mouser Palmerston dies after swapping Foreign Office for Bermuda

14 February 2026 at 11:08

Social media account for Palmerston, who retired in 2020, announces death of ‘Diplocat extraordinaire’

Palmerston, a rescue cat who became the chief mouser of the Foreign Office, has died in Bermuda.

The cat, adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, retired in 2020 after four years of service in Whitehall.

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© Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images

Record 1,000 UK taxpayers under 30 earned more than £1m last year

14 February 2026 at 11:00

HMRC figures show 11% rise in young million-pound earners, with influencers and tech pay cited as key

Their generation is often derided for being work-shy, self-centred and overly sensitive. But when it comes to making money, people under 30 are proving they are something else entirely: successful.

A record 1,000 taxpayers under 30 earned more than £1m last year, an 11% increase on the year before, HMRC records show.

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© Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

US launches airstrikes on dozens of Islamic State targets in Syria

14 February 2026 at 10:50

Militant group’s infrastructure and weapons storage facilities were hit, as Washington praised Damascus for fresh coalition role

The US military conducted 10 strikes on more than 30 Islamic State targets in Syria between 3 and 12 February as part of a campaign against the extremist group in Iraq and Syria.

US Central Command (Centcom) said in a statement on Saturday that the US had struck IS infrastructure and weapons storage targets.

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© Photograph: Bing Guan/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Bing Guan/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Bing Guan/AFP/Getty Images

Brazil’s Pinheiro Braathen wins gold – and South America’s first Winter Olympics medal

14 February 2026 at 10:25
  • Norwegian-born skier storms to historic slalom gold

  • ‘Your difference is your superpower,’ says 25-year-old

As the snow fell in Bormio, and the fog settled in, Lucas Pinheiro Braathen made history by becoming the first South American to win a Winter Olympic medal. Then, as the realisation that he had won gold for Brazil in the men’s giant slalom, he collapsed to the floor and allowed the tears to flow.

“I just hope that Brazilians look at this and truly understand that your difference is your superpower,” he said, still sobbing away. “It may show up in your skin or in the way you dress. But I hope this inspires every kid out there who feels a bit different to trust who you are.”

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© Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP

© Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP

© Photograph: Rebecca Blackwell/AP

Tom Banton powers England to emphatic T20 World Cup win over Scotland

14 February 2026 at 10:15
  • Group C: England, 155-5, bt Scotland 152 all out, by 5 wkts

  • Banton hits seven boundaries in unbeaten 63

In the city where a few handfuls of rupees were melted down to make the original Calcutta Cup, it was Scotland who lost their shape when the heat started to rise and the pressure to build. England won by five wickets and, though it was ultimately emphatic, it was not exactly a rediscovery of peak form, even if Tom Banton located his with the 41-ball 63 that powered his team to victory.

“We haven’t made it as easy as we would have liked so far but hopefully we can have a slightly easier run starting with Italy on Monday,” the captain Harry Brook said. “We haven’t played our best cricket yet but we’re in a strong position. World Cups aren’t always smooth sailing. We’d rather not start amazing and finish amazing than start amazing and finish bad.”

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© Photograph: Bikas Das/AP

© Photograph: Bikas Das/AP

© Photograph: Bikas Das/AP

What is colorectal cancer and is it preventable?

14 February 2026 at 10:00

Cases among younger people are rising – such as with actor James Van Der Beek, who died on 11 February at age 48

Actor James Van Der Beek died on 11 February, aged 48; he had been diagnosed in 2023 with colorectal cancer.

According to the World Health Organization, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. While rates are declining overall, cases among younger people are rising.

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© Photograph: Sebastian Kaulitzki/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF

© Photograph: Sebastian Kaulitzki/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF

© Photograph: Sebastian Kaulitzki/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF

‘Nothing says love like chemicals’: Valentine’s roses often covered in pesticides, testing finds

14 February 2026 at 10:00

Bouquets imported to Europe found to be heavily contaminated, often with chemicals banned in EU and UK

Stay away from roses this Valentine’s Day, environmental campaigners have warned after testing revealed them to be heavily contaminated with pesticides.

Laboratory testing on bouquets in the Netherlands, Europe’s flower import hub, found roses had the highest residues of neurological and reproductive toxins compared with other flowers.

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© Photograph: MaximFesenko/Getty Images

© Photograph: MaximFesenko/Getty Images

© Photograph: MaximFesenko/Getty Images

Labubus to burkinis: V&A unveils updated 21st-century design galleries

14 February 2026 at 10:00

Museum’s revitalised galleries bring together 250 objects to show how design shapes modern life

What do the first ever baby monitor, Nigeria’s 2018 World Cup kit, an 80s boombox, the smashed parts of Edward Snowden’s computer, a “Please offer me a seat” badge and a Labubu have in common? They are all included in the V&A’s Design 1990-Now galleries, which reopen to the public this week.

The galleries, which run across two rooms on the upper floors of the museum, also house a collection of antique books. The displays cover six different themes including housing and living, crisis and conflict, and consumption and identity, rather than in a strict chronological order.

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© Composite: Victoria and Albert Museum

© Composite: Victoria and Albert Museum

© Composite: Victoria and Albert Museum

Senior Reform UK figures attend launch of How to Launder Money book

14 February 2026 at 09:33

Co-author George Cottrell is close aide to party leader Nigel Farage and served several months in US prison

As a choice for a book title, How to Launder Money certainly caught the eye. But then again, its co-author George Cottrell claims to know what he’s talking about.

A close aide to Nigel Farage, Cottrell served several months in a US prison after being convicted there in 2017 for wire fraud – a chapter in his life he referred to at his book launch party on Thursday night.

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© Photograph: x.com/BitebackPub

© Photograph: x.com/BitebackPub

© Photograph: x.com/BitebackPub

Russia killed Alexei Navalny with frog toxin, UK and four European allies say

14 February 2026 at 09:03

Intelligence agencies say deadly toxin in skin of Ecuador dart frogs found in Navalny’s body and highly likely resulted in his death

Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader, was killed by dart frog poison administered by the Russian state two years ago, a multi-intelligence agency inquiry has found, according to a statement released by five countries, the UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.

The US was not one of the intelligence agencies making the claim.

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© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

© Photograph: Anadolu/Getty Images

‘More bling’: Matt Weston targets second Winter Olympics gold after skeleton glory

14 February 2026 at 09:00
  • British sledder has high hopes for new mixed team event

  • ‘We’re going to be one of the strongest sets of teams’

Matt Weston celebrated becoming the first British athlete to win a gold medal at these Olympics by having three slices of margherita pizza and then going straight to bed. “Some people might find it surprising,” Weston said on Saturday morning, “but I’ve got to keep my head together for the team race on Sunday.”

The mixed team skeleton is a new event at these Olympics, and it means Weston has a shot at becoming the first British athlete to win two medals at the same Winter Olympics.

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© Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

© Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

© Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

To infinity and beyond! Visitors can dive into Pixar worlds in immersive London show

14 February 2026 at 09:00

Shrink to toy-size or dive into an ocean in exhibition where studio brings Toy Story, Finding Nemo and Up to life

If you have ever wanted to rummage through the books in Andy’s bedroom from Toy Story or inspect the vintage trinkets lining the shelves of Carl Fredricksen’s home in Up, you’re in luck.

Scenes from some of Pixar’s most beloved films have been meticulously recreated in Wembley, north London, as part of the newly opened immersive Mundo Pixar Experience.

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© Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

© Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

© Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

Police set up national group to deal with UK-related Epstein allegations

Senior policing source says ‘tsunami’ of claims expected after US release of papers relating to disgraced financier

British police have set up a new national group to deal with allegations that Jeffrey Epstein’s trafficking of women had ties to Britain, as well as claims against his associates, such as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

At least three British police forces are dealing with allegations triggered by the revelations about Epstein and his associates in documents released in the US, with more claims of wrongdoing expected by police officials.

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© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

© Photograph: Reuters

‘Reminded me of a cheese, onion and mayo sandwich’: the best (and worst) supermarket quiche, tasted and rated

14 February 2026 at 08:00

Which quiche egg-celled and which crumbled in the face of our rigorous taste test?

The best supermarket extra-virgin olive oil

I learned to make quiche from one of the best chefs I know, Gill Meller, my old head chef at River Cottage HQ, about 20 years ago. His quiche is rich and creamy, with beautifully crumbly pastry, and my benchmark for these store-bought versions.

I tasted all of the quiches cooked according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Overall, the quality was lower than I’d hoped for, with many relying on ultra-processed ingredients, such as palm oil, emulsifiers and, often, caged-hen eggs. Free-range products didn’t always communicate this clearly on the packet, so it’s worth checking the ingredients list. Also, some described their pastry as “buttery” when they don’t contain any butter, and are instead made with vegetable shortening (palm and rapeseed oil). Encouragingly, however, a few gems emerged, with wonderfully simple ingredients, light and fluffy free-range custards, crisp all-butter pastry and generously filled.

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© Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Robert Billington.

© Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Robert Billington.

© Photograph: Robert Billington/The Guardian. Food styling: Robert Billington.

‘Stabbed in the Face soundtracked an incredibly joyous time’: the weirdest songs we find romantic

Declarations of undying affection, comparisons to a summer’s day? Who needs ‘em! Our writers recall the offbeat songs that capture their hearts

By Easter 2004, I’d been in a relationship with my partner, Maria, for four months and I was just realising how deeply in love I was. We had become inseparable. A magazine sent me to the ATP festival at Pontins in Camber Sands to interview “the Beastie Boys of noise”, Wolf Eyes. The interview fell to pieces when the band, in a state of great psychic refreshment, all wearing Manowar T-shirts, refused to stop watching a Manowar DVD and signalled they would only answer questions if they related to Manowar.

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© Photograph: Edd Westmacott/Avalon/Getty Images

© Photograph: Edd Westmacott/Avalon/Getty Images

© Photograph: Edd Westmacott/Avalon/Getty Images

‘I cut out one little house at a time’: the trucker who spent decades building a tiny replica of NYC

14 February 2026 at 08:00

Queens-born Joe Macken’s hyperrealistic model, made with wood, cardboard and glue, is now on view at the Museum of the City of New York

In 2003, Joe Macken built a miniature model of a bridge out of popsicle sticks. He wanted it to look like a “hybrid” of the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg bridges. Soon after, Macken, who grew up in Middle Village, Queens, moved his family to a small town upstate, more than 160 miles from the city. Macken loaded his bridge on the moving truck. It did not make the trip.

“It got destroyed, and I was kind of bummed,” said Macken, who is now 63. “So I figured, let me build something better.”

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© Photograph: David Lurvey/Museum of the City of New York

© Photograph: David Lurvey/Museum of the City of New York

© Photograph: David Lurvey/Museum of the City of New York

US strikes second alleged drug boat in a week, bringing death toll to 133

13 February 2026 at 21:40

Strike appears to be first in Caribbean since November, with vast majority of recent strikes happening in the Pacific

The US military’s Southern Command, which oversees operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, said it had carried out its second deadly boat strike this week. The command said the latest strike killed three suspected drug smugglers in the Caribbean on Friday.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” the Southern Command said in a statement. The command included a video of the strike with its announcement, which shows a boat traveling through the water as it explodes into flames after being hit with what looks like a missile.

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© Photograph: Us Southern Command/Reuters

© Photograph: Us Southern Command/Reuters

© Photograph: Us Southern Command/Reuters

Burton Albion v West Ham United: FA Cup fourth round – live

14 February 2026 at 07:51

A groundsman is called on to perform some crochet on one of the goal nets, which appears to be torn. As those repairs are carried out, a plane flies over the ground trailing a protest banner telling David Sullivan and Karren Brady to get out of West Ham.

Not long now: It’s a nice sunny Valentine’s Day in Staffordshire and the teams are out on the pitch in the compact Pirelli Stadium. West Ham are hoping to get the job done, Burton are hoping to make it to the fifth round for the first time in their history and kick-off is just a few minutes away.

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© Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

© Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

© Photograph: Michael Regan/Getty Images

Winter Olympics 2026: ski jumping, skeleton, freestyle skiing, speed skating and more – live

Women’s dual moguls: It’s all very civilised out on the snow, the athletes have a hug when they reach the bottom. I was thinking the snow looked a bit grubby but it turns out the authorities put out pine needles – I think to help skiers find their way.

Anyway, they’ve zipped through very quickly and have already sorted the quarter finals, with four Americans in the final eight.

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© Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images

England beat Scotland by five wickets: T20 World Cup cricket updates – live

14 February 2026 at 07:48

One brings two! Another lifter, another skyer, this time looping straight to deep square, where Phil Salt barely has to move.

Jofra strikes! He drops short and Munsey can only get a top edge, safely pouched by Banton running in from midwicket.

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© Photograph: Bikas Das/AP

© Photograph: Bikas Das/AP

© Photograph: Bikas Das/AP

‘It is an honour’: Tottenham confirm Igor Tudor as interim head coach until end of season

14 February 2026 at 07:27
  • Former Juventus head coach replaces Thomas Frank

  • Croatian’s priority to ‘improve our results quickly’

Igor Tudor has been announced as Tottenham’s interim head coach on a deal until the end of the season.

Spurs dismissed Thomas Frank on Wednesday after a dismal display in a 2-1 defeat at home to Newcastle a day earlier left the club in 16th position and only five points above the Premier League relegation zone.

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© Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters

© Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters

© Photograph: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters

US pressure on Greenland is ‘totally unacceptable’, says Danish PM – Europe live

14 February 2026 at 13:50

Mette Frederiksen tells Munich Security Conference that Denmark is willing to work with the US, but ‘there are, of course, things that you cannot compromise on’

Rubio insists that the US “do not seek to separate, but to revitalise an old friendship.”

He says “we do not want allies to rationalise the broken status quo rather than reckon with what is necessary to fix it.”

“We do not want our allies to be weak, because that makes us weaker.

We want allies who can defend themselves, so that no adversary will ever be tempted to test our collective strength. This is why we do not want our allies to be shackled by guilt and shame.

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© Photograph: Ronald Wittek/EPA

© Photograph: Ronald Wittek/EPA

© Photograph: Ronald Wittek/EPA

Ban on Palestine Action ‘massively backfired’, says group’s co-founder

Huda Ammori calls for proscription to be lifted after high court finds it to be very serious interference with protest rights

The co-founder of Palestine Action has said the ban on the group “massively backfired” and called for its proscription to be suspended after the high court found it to be unlawful.

Three senior judges ruled on Friday that the ban was disproportionate and constituted very serious interference with the rights to protest and free speech.

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© Photograph: Abdullah Bailey/Alamy

© Photograph: Abdullah Bailey/Alamy

© Photograph: Abdullah Bailey/Alamy

Venezuelan deportee welcomes chance of US return but fears repeat of ordeal

14 February 2026 at 07:00

Luis Muñoz Pinto, 27, who was sent to notoriously brutal prison in El Salvador would like to clear his name after US judge’s ruling

A US federal judge’s order that some of the Venezuelan men sent by the Trump administration to a notorious prison in El Salvador must be allowed to return to the United States to fight their cases has been greeted with hope and a sense of vindication – but also fear – by one of the deportees.

US district judge James Boasberg ruled on Thursday in Washington DC that the Trump administration should facilitate the return of deportees who are currently in countries outside Venezuela, saying they must be given the opportunity to seek the due process they were denied after being illegally expelled from the US last March.

Boasberg added that the US government should cover the travel costs of those who wish to come to the US to argue their immigration cases.

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© Photograph: Nathalia Angarita/The Guardian

© Photograph: Nathalia Angarita/The Guardian

© Photograph: Nathalia Angarita/The Guardian

From young men looking for no-strings sex to the 92-year-old who lied about his age: older women on the truth about dating in later life

14 February 2026 at 07:00

Five women on both sides of the Atlantic reveal what it’s like trying to find a partner in your 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s

Stella Ralfini, 78-year-old beauty writer, London (pictured above)

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© Photograph: Christian Sinibaldi/The Guardian

© Photograph: Christian Sinibaldi/The Guardian

© Photograph: Christian Sinibaldi/The Guardian

Plantation weddings and pre-civil war fashion: the film that critiques the historical fantasy of Natchez

14 February 2026 at 07:00

A documentary about Mississippi examines competing forces: the nostalgic celebration of the old south and the refusal to sanitize the brutal history of enslavement

“Natchez swallowed a master narrative about the old south.”

In Suzannah Herbert’s documentary Natchez, the opening remark from National Park Service ranger Barney Schoby functions as both diagnosis and thesis. The film that follows does not evade the Mississippi town’s contradictions. Instead, it actively adjudicates them, staging white people’s curated nostalgia against Black people’s historical knowledge, lived experience and institutional fact.

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© Photograph: Noah Collier

© Photograph: Noah Collier

© Photograph: Noah Collier

Danish state could face legal action over deal that gives US powers on its soil

Claims that agreement is unconstitutional could pose problems in talks with Washington over Greenland

Denmark could face legal action over an agreement that gives the US sweeping powers on Danish soil, over claims it is “unconstitutional” and could pose problems in talks with Washington over Greenland.

The agreement, which was signed under the Biden administration in 2023 and was passed by the Danish parliament last year, gives the US “unhindered access” to its airbases and powers over its civilians.

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© Photograph: Johan Nilsson/TT/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Johan Nilsson/TT/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Johan Nilsson/TT/Shutterstock

‘Love, honor, cherish, accommodate’: 16 hard-earned relationship tips

14 February 2026 at 07:00

While there is no one recipe for a successful relationship, we can learn from each other to build one that lasts

What is the key to a good relationship?

For some couples, it’s important to share hobbies. Others say having individual interests is imperative. I’ve read that couples who sleep in separate beds are the happiest and I’ve also read that sleeping in separate beds is the death knell of romance. When I got engaged, I asked my parents – who have been married for 40 years – what advice they had for me, and my mother offered: “Contribute as much as you can to your retirement accounts.” OK!

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© Photograph: Pierre-Auguste Renoir

© Photograph: Pierre-Auguste Renoir

© Photograph: Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Volodymyr Zelenskyy honours disqualified skeleton racer with order of freedom

14 February 2026 at 06:46
  • Vladyslav Heraskevych says ‘Cas has failed us’

  • President Zelenskyy hails skeleton racer’s courage

The Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych has been awarded the order of freedom by president Volodymyr Zelenskyy following the controversial decision to bar him from the Winter Olympics.

Heraskevych flew to Munich after losing his appeal against his exclusion at the Milano Cortina Games for wanting to wear a “helmet of memory’ in competition. “Remembrance is not a violation,” Zelenskyy told him. “Ukraine will always have champions and Olympians.

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© Photograph: Alexandra Beier/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Alexandra Beier/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Alexandra Beier/AFP/Getty Images

Gisèle Pelicot plans to meet ex-husband in prison for answers on other allegations

14 February 2026 at 06:12

Pelicot says she wants to look Dominique Pelicot ‘straight in the eye’ over potential abuse of daughter and case of estate agent who was raped and murdered in 1991

Gisèle Pelicot has said she needs to visit prison to look her abusive ex-husband “straight in the eye” after his conviction for drugging her and inviting dozens of men to rape her in a case that shocked France and the rest of the world.

Pelicot, 73, said she needed “answers” from Dominique Pelicot over the potential abuse of their daughter and the case of an estate agent who was raped and murdered in 1991, which he is under investigation for.

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© Photograph: Clement Mahoudeau/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Clement Mahoudeau/AFP/Getty Images

© Photograph: Clement Mahoudeau/AFP/Getty Images

Trump’s repeal of landmark Obama-era climate rule: four key takeaways

14 February 2026 at 06:00

Environmental groups say ‘cynical and devastating’ reversal of endangerment finding has grave implications

The Trump administration has dismantled the basis for all US climate regulations, in its most confrontational anti-environment move yet.

The 2009 endangerment finding determined that greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare and should therefore be controlled by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). By revoking it on Thursday, officials eliminated the legal foundation enabling the government to control planet-heating pollution.

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© Photograph: Kevin Carter/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kevin Carter/Getty Images

© Photograph: Kevin Carter/Getty Images

‘The bear feels comfortable and uncomfortable. It’s a bittersweet moment’: Iñigo Jerez Quintana’s best phone picture

14 February 2026 at 06:00

Capturing things that mix the strange with the beautiful helped the Spanish graphic designer recover from a blue period

Iñigo Jerez Quintana uses the French term objet trouvé to describe this abandoned bear. Quintana, a Spanish graphic designer, was walking from his studio to a work meeting in Poblenou, a district of Barcelona, when he spotted it.

“I take photos based on visual impulses; anything that catches my eye,” he says. “The colour match of the bear’s fur and wall paint anchors a childish stereotype in a place where it doesn’t really belong.”

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© Photograph: Iñigo Jerez

© Photograph: Iñigo Jerez

© Photograph: Iñigo Jerez

UK migration could be negative this year – how will that hit the economy?

14 February 2026 at 06:00

Universities, builders and health trusts are feeling the squeeze, as thinktank says effect of zero net migration could be similar to Brexit

When Greenwich and Kent universities said this month they would merge to save money, the heart of their financial difficulties could be found in the UK government’s crackdown on immigration.

Tough restrictions on foreign students have sent the number of university applications from abroad plummeting, cutting lucrative tuition fees and leaving all universities facing the same squeeze.

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© Photograph: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters

© Photograph: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters

© Photograph: Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters

A missing woman, bloodstains and a masked intruder: tantalising clues but few leads in hunt for Nancy Guthrie

14 February 2026 at 06:00

The disappearance in Arizona of the Today show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother has captivated the nation

Nancy Guthrie disappeared from her Tucson, Arizona, home two weeks ago, setting off a potent chain reaction of federal and local criminal investigation, amateur sleuthing and public obsession that – so far – has resulted in neither the 84-year-old grandmother being located or anyone named as a suspect or, indeed, arrested.

It is a case that is both enthralling and baffling the American public, casting doubts on the ability of investigators to get to the bottom of the mystery that each day generates a fresh 24-hour news cycle – but seemingly little in the way of solid fresh leads likely to solve the case.

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© Photograph: Rebecca Noble/Reuters

© Photograph: Rebecca Noble/Reuters

© Photograph: Rebecca Noble/Reuters

Matthew Kelly: ‘Something extinct I’d bring back to life? Wokeness – a good thing that’s been hijacked’

14 February 2026 at 05:00

The actor on a massive scam, the guilty pleasure of Judge Judy and why he’s never done a day’s work in his life

Born in Lancashire, Matthew Kelly, 75, studied drama at Manchester Polytechnic and acted at the Liverpool Everyman. He moved into TV, presenting Game for a Laugh in the 80s, You Bet! in the 90s and Stars in their Eyes from 1993 to 2004. Having returned to the stage, he received an Olivier award in 2004 for his role in Of Mice and Men in London’s West End. He stars in Waiting for Godot at Glasgow’s Citizens theatre from 20 February to 14 March, then takes the play to Liverpool and Bolton. He has two children and lives in London.

What is your greatest fear?
Not being able to work.

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© Photograph: Tommy Ga Ken Wan

© Photograph: Tommy Ga Ken Wan

© Photograph: Tommy Ga Ken Wan

Fall of the Quad God: Ilia Malinin finds he is all too human under the Olympic spotlight

The brilliant American was expected to glide to a gold medal on Friday. It was tough to watch such a gifted athlete discover the ruthlessness of his sport

By the time Ilia Malinin reached the closing stretch of his Olympic free skate, the outcome was no longer really the story. The story was the expression on his face – not panic, not shock, but the dawning realization that a destiny he had controlled for nearly three years had slipped beyond his reach in the blinding span of four and a half catastrophic minutes.

For the rising generation of men’s skaters, the 21-year-old Malinin has existed less as a rival than as a moving technical horizon. The Quad God. The skater who built programs around jumps others still treated as theory, who pushed the sport into something closer to applied physics. Much like Simone Biles, who took in Friday’s contest from the arena’s VIP seats, his only competition was himself.

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© Photograph: Natacha Pisarenko/AP

© Photograph: Natacha Pisarenko/AP

© Photograph: Natacha Pisarenko/AP

Nose for trouble: Italian town seeks ‘odour evaluators’ to sniff out bad smells

14 February 2026 at 05:00

Mayor of Brendola in Vicenza says he has received complaints from residents who live near industrial zones

An Italian town is seeking a crew of sniffers to identify bad smells in its quest to improve air quality.

Bruno Beltrame, the mayor of Brendola, a small town in the northern province of Vicenza, said he began the recruitment campaign for six “odour evaluators” after complaints about “unpleasant smells” from people living in neighbourhoods close to industrial zones.

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© Photograph: Giorgio Peripoli/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Giorgio Peripoli/Shutterstock

© Photograph: Giorgio Peripoli/Shutterstock

‘It still rankles’: the French town living in the shadow of being an ayatollah’s refuge

14 February 2026 at 05:00

Annual remembrance in Neauphle-le-Château revives memories of short exile that reshaped Iran, but which locals would rather forget

Every February, members of the Iranian diaspora descend on an abandoned plot of land in an unremarkable street in the French town of Neauphle-le-Château, a 90-minute drive west of Paris.

On the nominated Sunday, a marquee is hastily thrown up and framed photographs of the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini hung on the canvas. Green baize is laid on the muddy garden path between posts painted with equal bands of green, white and red, the colours of the Islamic republic’s flag.

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© Photograph: Daniel SIMON/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

© Photograph: Daniel SIMON/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

© Photograph: Daniel SIMON/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

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