
UK and US warned to take action on spiralling debt costs by IMF
In an interview with the BBC, Kristalina Georgieva says economic shocks had pushed "debt levels up like a staircase not to heaven".

UK economy will grow by less than expected next year, OECD says
Higher energy prices due to the conflict in the Middle East and climate change could hit growth.

U.N. Updates: As Trump Threatens Iran, Other Leaders Warn of Deep Divisions
President Trump said he must decide whether to make a deal or “annihilate” Iran, in a gathering where world leaders typically focus on declarations of global harmony.

Eleven killed in mass shooting at house in South Africa
One of those killed is believed to be a pregnant woman, police said.
These New York City Book Crawls Were Made for Walking
A group of New York Times journalists test-drove routes that wind through shops specializing in comics, drama, fantasy and romance.
Latest
Trump and Xi Have to Find a Way to Coexist
Neither the United States nor China can bend the other to its will, and it’s time for them to settle for a durable détente.

More than 170,000 respiratory cases recorded in haze-choked Indonesia
More than 40,000 of the cases – which range from mild coughs to pneumonia – involve toddlers.

Suicide Rate Dropped Slightly in 2024, C.D.C. Finds
Suicide deaths have often fluctuated over the years but a sustained downward trend remains elusive.

Europe frets about Trump. But soon he could be the least of our problems | Mujtaba Rahman
<p>The US relationship is stabilising, but how will Europe face up to Russia and China if President Le Pen is in power?</p><p>I addressed a group of more than 100 European ambassadors recently on the big challenges facing the continent this

Dispute Over Missouri’s Congressional Map Again Returns to Supreme Court
A federal appeals court sided with Republicans seeking to use district boundaries redrawn last year to give the G.O.P. an advantage in the upcoming midterms.

How Unions Are Confronting A.I. Threats in the Workplace
The machinists union shows how workers are negotiating for a say in the ways artificial intelligence is used in their workplaces.

Texas Halts Data Center Permits, Expanding Environmental Scrutiny
Less than a year ago, Gov. Greg Abbott welcomed data centers. Now he is confronting concerns about the projects even among fellow Republicans.

Will Trump's AI rebrand to 'super intelligence' catch on?
Some people close to the president have started to use the term but experts say it is unlikely to catch on.

An Army of Paid Creators Is Carpeting the Web With Political Content
Unlike celebrity influencers with large followings, these creators produce a blizzard of videos for a fraction of the cost of traditional online campaigns and, in the process, shift public conversation.

Trump Once Vowed to ‘Own’ Greenland. He Settled for Something Much Less.
President Trump signed a Greenland security deal that falls well short of his demands to turn the island into a U.S. territory.

AI looms large over Trump-Xi meeting amid deep distrust between US and China
<p>Fears persist about Trump ‘sucking up’ to Xi on Taiwan, but few concrete outcomes anticipated from US meeting</p><p>When Xi Jinping, China’s leader, touches down in Maryland on Wednesday, he will step out into the arms – <a href="https:/

Dolly Parton’s Estate in Turmoil After Extortion Accusations
Ms. Parton’s manager requested a restraining order against the singer’s nephew and former security provider, accusing him of threats and intimidation.

At U.N., Carney Lays Out a Broad Plan for a Divided World
Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, said the world is now at a point ‘that comes once or twice a century.’

Trump Threatens Annihilation in Iran in UN Speech and Lays Out Winner-Takes-All Vision
President Trump’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly amounted to a rejection of the founding concept of the United Nations.

Trump defends actions in Iran and Venezuela in UN General Assembly address amid rising tensions with allies – as it happened
<p>This live blog is now closed.</p><ul><li><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/feb/17/sign-up-for-the-breaking-news-us-email-to-get-newsletter-alerts-direct-to-your-inbox?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_STANDFIRST&utm_campaign=BN

F.B.I. Shut Down Inquiry Into Top Ally of Senator Susan Collins
The inquiry was closed last year because senior bureau officials questioned the veracity of a campaign donor’s account, according to current and former officials.

US criticises Australia's proposed algorithm opt-out laws as 'censorship'
Under the draft laws, tech firms face fines if they do not give users the option to switch off algorithms.

It’s Time to Cry Wolf Over A.I.
It’s not too late to avoid the potential disasters of A.I. that Covid-19 and 9/11 taught us how to prepare.
More to explore

Europe's car makers are in crisis. Will the threat of war rescue them?
Auto executives across Europe hope rearmament can help them flex their industrial muscles once more.

Will a switch to light speed cut power use at data centres?
To save power and add capacity, data centres are switching from copper wires to tech using light.

India is producing more green energy - but wasting a lot of it
India has rapidly decarbonised electricity generation, but its gains are tempered by transmission shortages.

Qantas’s New York-to-Sydney ‘Project Sunrise’ Flights to Take Off in 2028
Qantas Airways said the 18-hour flights, part of its Project Sunrise program, would come months after its 22-hour direct flights from Sydney to London begin.

US supreme court declines to intervene in custody fight over baby born via surrogate
<p>Surrogate who rejected abortion request had asked justices to halt court order recognizing LA couple as legal parents</p><p>The supreme court has refused to get involved with a custody dispute between an Alaska surrogate and a California

Republican Senator Urges Congress to Investigate Donald Trump Jr.
In a letter, John Curtis of Utah called for the Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena the sons of President Trump and former President Joseph R. Biden Jr.

Supreme Court Order Gives Parents Custody of Baby in Surrogacy Fight
A surrogate refused to have an abortion after the fetus was diagnosed with a serious heart problem. She asked the justices to block a court order giving custody to the biological parents.

Judge Dismisses Unusual Climate Suit Claiming Oil Giants Broke Antitrust Law
The lawsuit, filed by Michigan, claimed oil companies colluded to obstruct solar power and to misrepresent climate risks, making energy costlier.

Kamala Harris returns to Michigan to campaign for Abdul El-Sayed for Senate
<p>Former VP, who lost state to Trump in 2024 elections, is lending her popularity to unite fractured party</p><p>Kamala Harris returned to Michigan on Tuesday to campaign for Abdul El-Sayed, lending her popularity among Black voters to a p

Spain allows US extradition case against pro-Palestine aid donor to proceed
<p>Lawyers for James ‘Fergie’ Chambers, wanted over alleged support for Hamas, say client is being persecuted</p><p>The Spanish government has decided to allow the Trump administration’s controversial extradition request to extradite wealth

As Trump and Xi talk, China surges ahead with its AI ambitions
The BBC visits Inner Mongolia, where Beijing's AI infrastructure is progressing at "China speed", says one worker.

Rare look at the remote engine rooms powering China's AI ambitions
The BBC is in Inner Mongolia where dozen of Chinese data centres are being constructed, as the country aims to lead the world in artificial intelligence.
Saga Editorial
Executives and celebrities are loving Panther's Eclipse. Its subtle design goes from meetings to workouts to dinner.
Why the $300 Panther Eclipse, quieter and more refined than Whoop, has become the wearable of choice.