At least 18 people now dead as historic New York cold stretch nears end 09. February 2026 (18:22) City faced one of longest periods of subzero cold since 1961, forcing ‘code blue’ and extreme weather warningsDeadly cold tests New York’s ability to protect its homeless communitiesThe death toll related to New York City’s dangerous and enduring cold has risen to 18, officials said on Sunday.The climbing number of fatalities came as a stark reminder of the danger of the subzero temperatures gripping the area, which has been subjected to one of the longest stretches of subzero cold since 1961. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Irish man with valid US work permit held in ICE detention for five months 09. February 2026 (18:04) Seamus Culleton has lived in US for two decades, married a citizen and runs a plastering business but faces deportationUS politics live – latest updatesAn Irish man has spent five months in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention and faces deportation despite having a valid work permit and no criminal record.Seamus Culleton was a “model immigrant” who had become the victim of a capricious and inept system, said his lawyer, Ogor Winnie Okoye. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Search for Savannah Guthrie’s mother continues as detectives analyze ransom note 09. February 2026 (18:00) Investigation in apparent abduction enters second week as deadline for purported ransom note demanding $6m loomsThe search for television host Savannah Guthrie’s missing mother entered its second full week on Monday, with investigators returning over the weekend for a new search of her Arizona home. They appear no closer to finding her, or identifying an alleged abductor.Detectives are analyzing a purported ransom note giving a deadline of 5pm MT (7pm ET) Monday for Guthrie’s family to pay $6m, a development that prompted the Today show presenter and her siblings to record a video released on Saturday saying: “We will pay”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘Made me feel proudly American’: America reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl show 09. February 2026 (17:48) While Trump has attacked the Grammy-winning Puerto Rican star, celebrities have come out in force to support the half-time showAs blue, red and white fireworks filled the sky at the end of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl half-time show, a message filled the screen in all capitals: “The only thing more powerful than hate is love.”It was the enduring statement from a 13-minute spectacle that invited an estimated 135.4 million viewers into Bad Bunny’s world, with richly textured references to politics, history and Puerto Rican culture. The artist born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio transformed the pitch of Santa Clara, California’s Levi’s Stadium into his own love letter to the island, with cinematic set pieces including sugar cane fields, a house party, and a lively wedding ceremony featuring a surprise performance by Lady Gaga. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Republican calls on Trump ally Howard Lutnick to quit cabinet over Epstein files 09. February 2026 (17:43) Congressman Thomas Massie says commerce secretary ‘has a lot to answer for’ over ties to late convicted sex offenderUS House member Thomas Massie has called for the commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick – a fellow Republican – to resign over his ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Massie, who co-authored a law mandating the release of the so-called Epstein files, appeared Sunday on CNN’s Inside Politics and said Lutnick, a staunch Donald Trump ally, “has a lot to answer for”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Paul Thomas Anderson and Jonny Greenwood demand Phantom Thread music removed from Melania film 09. February 2026 (17:27) Director and composer of 2017 drama allege breach of agreement after score reused in controversial documentaryPaul Thomas Anderson and Radiohead’s Jonny Greenwood, the director and composer, respectively, for Phantom Thread, have requested that music from the 2017 film be removed from the controversial new documentary on Melania Trump.“It has come to our attention that a piece of music from Phantom Thread has been used in the Melania documentary,” the pair said in a statement to Variety. “While Jonny Greenwood does not own the copyright in the score, Universal failed to consult Jonny on this third-party use which is a breach of his composer agreement. As a result Jonny and Paul Thomas Anderson have asked for it to be removed from the documentary.” Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Sarwar has shown his ruthless streak. But will his swipe at Starmer mean anything to voters? 09. February 2026 (17:20) Scottish Labour leader is gambling that by declaring his loyalty to Scotland, the electorate will rally behind himUK politics live – latest updatesAnas Sarwar calls for Keir Starmer to stand downAnas Sarwar has shown he has a ruthless streak. Once one of Keir Starmer’s staunchest cheerleaders and allies, the Scottish Labour leader is now the most senior party figure to call for him to quit.Despite anger among his colleagues and criticism that his decision to demand Starmer stands down was “idiotic, immature and self-defeating”, Sarwar’s political calculation is blunt and uncompromising. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ofcom under fire after refusing to investigate ‘misleading’ GB News Trump interview 09. February 2026 (16:57) US president not challenged over false claims climate change is ‘hoax’ and parts of London have sharia lawThe UK’s media regulator Ofcom has been accused of abandoning “any pretence” of guarding against misleading and biased television coverage, after it refused to investigate a series of complaints about a GB News interview with Donald Trump.During the interview with the rightwing network, broadcast last November, the US president falsely claimed human-induced climate change was “a hoax” and that London had no-go areas for police. He said parts of the capital had “sharia law”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Ex-CNN anchor Don Lemon urges US to ‘keep fighting’ for right to free press 09. February 2026 (16:56) Journalist arrested after covering anti-ICE protest says it was ‘very frightening’ to experience government overreachThe former CNN anchor Don Lemon has warned the US must “keep fighting” for its right to a free press, calling it “the breath in the lungs of democracy” following his arrest alongside another journalist by the Trump administration.Lemon was arrested late last month, days after covering an anti-immigration enforcement protest that disrupted a Minnesota church service. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
French riot officers go on trial accused of beating gilets jaunes protesters 09. February 2026 (15:36) Nine members of police’s CRS division allegedly ‘repeatedly struck non-hostile demonstrators’ in Paris in 2018Nine officers from the French riot police have gone on trial in Paris accused of beating peaceful protesters who were sheltering from teargas during the “gilets jaunes” (yellow vests) anti-government demonstrations in 2018.The case at Paris’s criminal court is one of the biggest trials over alleged police violence during the unrest in 2018 and 2019, when hundreds of thousands of protesters in fluorescent jackets took to the streets over rising fuel taxes in what morphed into broader anti-government protests against the president, Emmanuel Macron. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
