Newspaper
The Guardian
Theatre review Count Dracula without the fear and desire? It's a bit toothless
'Are people born wicked?' asks Ariana Grande's \"good witch\" Glinda in Wicked, the film musical co-starring Cynthia Erivo as the green-skinned outsider, Elphaba.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Unemployment rate hits five-year high of 5.2% as wage growth cools
Unemployment in the UK has risen to 5.2%, the highest level in nearly five years, while wage growth continues to slow, raising the prospect of another cut to interest rates in the spring.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Market gloom for UK workers Households worry about debt as incomes flatline
Private sector pay increased on average by just 3.4% in December, according to official labour market data released yesterday, the same as the rise in inflation at the end of last year.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Bring the euphoria Borthwick backs ‘superstar’ Pollock to revive England
Steve Borthwick has backed Henry Pollock to thrive in the face of any windup tactics from Ireland on his first England start on Saturday, tipping his rising star to bring “euphoria” to Twickenham.
3 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Warning AI race to market raises risk of Hindenburg-style disaster
The surge in Al chatbots with guardrails that are easily bypassed showed how commercial incentives were prioritised over more cautious development and safety testing, he said.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
'We stood on his shoulders' Jesse Jackson dies at 84
The Rev Jesse Jackson, the civil rights campaigner who was prominent for more than 50 years and who ran strongly for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1988, died yesterday.
5 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Pereira has no fears about Marinakis ‘fire’ as paths cross again at Forest
As someone taking his 19th coaching position, Vitor Pereira, Nottingham Forest’s fourth manager of the season, is not a believer in job security.
1 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
AI race 'raises risk of tech Hindenburg disaster'
The race to get artificial intelligence to market has raised the risk of a Hindenburg-style disaster that shatters confidence in the technology, a leading researcher has warned.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
One in nine new homes 'built in areas of flood risk'
One in nine new homes in England built between 2022 and 2024 were constructed in areas that could now be at risk of flooding, according to new data.
4 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Tech billionaires join leaders of the global south as Modi hosts AI summit in Delhi
Silicon Valley tech billionaires will land in Delhi this week for an Al summit hosted by India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, where leaders of the global south will wrestle for control over the fast-developing technology.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
'We feel betrayed' Starmer faces mutiny in Hartlepool over care costs
Keir Starmer is facing the mass resignation of Labour councillors in one of England’s poorest areas over a “betrayal” of funding for children in care.
3 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Chinese tourists shun Japan as rift over Taiwan deepens
Chinese tourists are continuing to shun Japan in large numbers, with the country falling out of the top 10 destinations for those celebrating the lunar new year with a trip abroad.
1 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Farage insists Reform is not one-man band but warns top team against disloyalty
Nigel Farage has unveiled the first part of Reform UK's frontbench team, saying it shows that the party is no longer reliant entirely on him - while also warning that he will not tolerate any dissent from his colleagues.
3 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
'The situation has become worse': Israeli settlers raid home of Oscar winner again
The co-director of the Oscar-winning No Other Land has said his home and family have come under renewed attack almost a year after his documentary on Israeli settler and army violence in the West Bank won the Academy Award.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Kenyan authorities broke into activist's phone, report claims
When Boniface Mwangi, the prominent Kenyan pro-democracy activist who plans to run for president in 2027, had his phones returned to him by Kenyan authorities after his controversial arrest last July, he noticed a problem: one of the phones was no longer password protected and could be opened without one.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Woods weighs up offer to captain USA at Ryder Cup
Tiger Woods has confirmed he has been asked to captain the USA team at the Ryder Cup next year.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Paramount given a week to submit Warner Bros offer
Warner Bros Discovery has reopened talks with Paramount Skydance, giving the company seven days to table its final offer and top an existing agreement with Netflix.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Iran hails 'good progress' in US talks amid memorials for protest victims
Iran has described the latest round of indirect talks with the US as “more constructive” than the previous set, and said agreement had been reached on “general guiding principles” that could lead to a further meeting to discuss its nuclear programme.
3 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
‘It gets a little bit soul crushing’ Young people face bleak outlook as youth unemployment rises
On any given day, Poppy Blackman is engaged in the “soul-crushing” process of applying for a new job, and rarely ever hearing anything back.
5 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
EU launches inquiry into Shein over sales of childlike sex dolls
The EU is to open a formal investigation into the Chinese retailer Shein over multiple suspected breaches of European laws including the sale of childlike sex dolls.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Pereira has no fears about Marinakis ‘fire’ as paths cross again at Forest
As someone taking his 19th coaching position, Vitor Pereira, Nottingham Forest’s fourth manager of the season, is not a believer in job security.
1 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Live like monks: monastery in Italy urged to avoid social media
The prior of a hermitage in Tuscany has urged monks to avoid the use of social media and streaming services, arguing that their rooms are sacred places for prayer and “not for Netflix or other platforms”.
1 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
'Bonkers': UK Eurovision entry to be experimental YouTuber
The YouTuber and experimental singer-songwriter Look Mum No Computer will represent the UK at the Eurovision song contest in Vienna in May, the BBC has announced.
1 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Excruciating tropical virus can hit most of Europe, study finds
An excruciatingly painful tropical disease called chikungunyacannow be transmitted by mosquitoes across most of Europe, a study has found.
1 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Former Mail reporter denies using unlawful methods on Lawrence
A former Daily Mail reporter has said allegations that he ordered a private investigator to deceive Stephen Lawrence’s mother were “absolute cobblers” and had “completely devastated” him.
1 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Debenhams owner's bid to raise £35m risks new row with Ashley
The owner ofBoohooand Debenhams is raising £35m from shareholders in a move that could open a fresh conflict with the Sports Direct founder, Mike Ashley.
1 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Wiegman says contract talks ‘no distraction’ as stars return
Sarina Wiegman insisted that entering the final 17 months of her contract as England’s head coach was not a distraction, as she named her first squad of 2026 and recalled the fit-again captain, Leah Williamson, for the side’s meetings with Ukraine and Iceland next month.
2 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Meyers Taylor’s epic trek to gold leaves no dry eye at the track
Elana Meyers Taylor had already cemented her place in Olympic history long before Monday night.
3 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Russian reveals she led out Ukraine team at opening ceremony
The woman who carried the Ukrainian team placard at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony is a Russian living in Milan, who chose to perform a small act of resistance to show her support for Ukraine.
1 min |
February 18, 2026
The Guardian
Berlinale artists sign open letter condemning 'silence' on Gaza
More than 80 current and former participants of the Berlinale, including Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton, and Adam McKay have signed an open letter condemning the festival’s “silence” on Gaza.
1 min |