Top stories - Google News

• Benfica vs Real Madrid - Champions League LIVE: Latest score, team news and updates as Jose Mourinho looks... - Daily Mail17 February 2026, 10:20 pm
  Benfica vs Real Madrid - Champions League LIVE: Latest score, team news and updates as Jose Mourinho looks...  Daily MailChampions League LIVE: Real Madrid beat Benfica in match halted for alleged racist abuse  BBCBenfica vs Real Madrid delayed for 10 minutes after Vinicius Jr incident with Gianluca Prestianni  Sky SportsLIVE: Benfica vs Real Madrid – Champions League playoff  Al JazeeraBenfica v Real Madrid: Champions League tie halted after Real Madrid players leave field  BBC
  
• Winter Olympics 2026: GB curlers on brink of early exit after Canada defeat - BBC17 February 2026, 8:46 pm
  Winter Olympics 2026: GB curlers on brink of early exit after Canada defeat  BBCWinter Olympics 2026 women’s team curling: Sweden qualify for playoffs despite loss to Canada  Milano Cortina 2026Winter Olympics live: Team GB curlers lose to Canada leaving medal hopes in doubt  The IndependentCanadian women improve to 3-3 after pair of wins vs. China, Japan on Day 10  CBCCanada’s Brad Jacobs beats Great Britain to secure playoff spot at the Olympics  Toronto Star
  
• Police assessing Stansted Airport private flights over Epstein ties - BBC17 February 2026, 6:42 pm
  Police assessing Stansted Airport private flights over Epstein ties  BBCAndrew ‘said Epstein victim invited to Buckingham Palace was called Mrs Windsor’  The TelegraphGordon Brown: Police need to interview Andrew  New StatesmanAndrew’s ex-security staff 'frightened to come forward' and help police probe  The i PaperPolice assessing records of private flights at Stansted after publication of Epstein files  The Guardian
  
• Starmer’s friend made millions from Chagos deal - The Telegraph17 February 2026, 6:36 pm
  Starmer’s friend made millions from Chagos deal  The Telegraph
  
• Cabinet secretary frontrunner faced multiple bullying complaints - BBC17 February 2026, 6:22 pm
  Cabinet secretary frontrunner faced multiple bullying complaints  BBCStarmer’s Cabinet Secretary pick repaid travel expenses she billed to taxpayer  The TelegraphIf Starmer’s prospective top civil servant really is the ‘queen of woke’, let’s agree that word has lost all meaning  The GuardianSecond person contacts Cabinet Office to warn against appointment of Dame Antonia Romeo  Channel 4Bullying claims against Antonia Romeo ‘covered up’  The Times
  
• Middle East seemingly edging closer to war as Donald Trump moves warships - and Iran drops any subtlety in response - Sky News17 February 2026, 6:02 pm
  Middle East seemingly edging closer to war as Donald Trump moves warships - and Iran drops any subtlety in response  Sky NewsDonald Trump promised to help Iranians – when is that help coming? - opinion  The Jerusalem PostOpinion | Is Help Still on the Way for Iranian Protesters?  The Wall Street JournalFreedom does not arrive on a cruise missile  Middle East MonitorIranians living in upstate N.Y. watch closely as U.S. military buildup near Iran in­ten­sifies  Spectrum News
  
• Eight human heads left in sacks on roadside with terrifying message - The Mirror17 February 2026, 5:17 pm
  Eight human heads left in sacks on roadside with terrifying message  The MirrorLatest news: Eight severed heads discovered in Ecuador | blue News  blue NewsEight human heads found on side of road with chilling three-word message  Daily ExpressEcuador South America: Two sacks containing eight human heads found in park alongside terrifying message  NationalWorldEight severed human heads discovered on roadside with unnerving three-word note  Daily Star
  
• City bets on rate cuts as unemployment soars – latest updates - The Telegraph17 February 2026, 5:11 pm
  City bets on rate cuts as unemployment soars – latest updates  The TelegraphBank of England should cut rates to boost consumer spending, says TUC  The GuardianBritain needs bold interest rate cuts to rescue its anaemic economy  The TelegraphBank of England to cut rates in March, timing of further cuts unclear: Reuters poll  ReutersBleak jobs figures boost chances of a Bank of England rate cut in March  This is Money
  
• Road closed due to 'significant incident' involving school bus - BBC17 February 2026, 5:09 pm
  Road closed due to 'significant incident' involving school bus  BBC'Significant incident': Emergency services attend school bus crash | ITV News  ITVX‘Children were escaping the bus through the roof’: Bus carrying over 40 children crashes  Belfast TelegraphSchoolchildren escape serious injury in Armagh bus crash  RTE.ieSchool bus carrying 40 children crashes in Northern Ireland  The Independent
  
• 'Violent' prisoner due for deportation escapes custody for second time in a week - Sky News17 February 2026, 5:07 pm
  'Violent' prisoner due for deportation escapes custody for second time in a week  Sky NewsPrisoner set to be deported escapes police for second time in a week  The Telegraph'Dangerous' drill rapper escapes AGAIN just ONE WEEK after last going on run in shocking prison blunder  The SunDangerous prisoner escapes police custody again just days after being caught  London Evening StandardMet Police searching for prisoner who escaped custody for second time in a week  The Independent
  
• First on-street EV chargers installed in city - BBC17 February 2026, 4:58 pm
  First on-street EV chargers installed in city  BBCBeliev charging points go live in Leeds  electrive.comEV charge point  Leeds City Council NewsFirst on-street EV electric vehicle charging points go live in Leeds city centre  Yorkshire Evening PostLeeds’ first public on-street EV charge point goes live  Open Access Government
  
• Gwent Police officer 'shunned' after HIV diagnosis wins compensation - BBC17 February 2026, 4:49 pm
  Gwent Police officer 'shunned' after HIV diagnosis wins compensation  BBCPolice officer wins huge payout over force's handling of his HIV diagnosis  Wales OnlinePolice Must Pay £43K For Sidelining Officer With HIV  Law360Tribunal rules Gwent Police discriminated against officer with HIV diagnosis  Caerphilly ObserverGwent Police officer was treated as 'a walking disease' over HIV diagnosis  South Wales Argus
  
• Arsenal urged to sign 'special' £82m star ahead Chelsea: 'He's got everything' - Metro.co.uk17 February 2026, 4:23 pm
  Arsenal urged to sign 'special' £82m star ahead Chelsea: 'He's got everything'  Metro.co.ukArsenal encouraged to use upper hand for £86m star who Pep Guardiola 'would take back'  The MirrorArsenal handed unexpected Julian Alvarez transfer boost  FootballTransfers.comAndrea Berta's Pursuit Of Gyokeres Alternative Revealed As Report Confirms £105M Offer From Arsenal  GoonerNews.comEx-Man City star Pep Guardiola 'would re-sign' encouraged to join Arsenal who have trump card  Manchester Evening News
  
• Colbert accuses Trump administration of censorship after CBS pulls interview - The Guardian17 February 2026, 3:08 pm
  Colbert accuses Trump administration of censorship after CBS pulls interview  The GuardianWhat to know about "equal time" rule at the center of Colbert, CBS fight  AxiosCBS Didn’t Want Colbert to Talk to This Democratic Candidate. He Did It Anyway.  Mother JonesStephen Colbert says CBS blocked interview with Texas Democrat over FCC concerns  The Washington PostStephen Colbert says CBS didn't air interview out of fear of FCC  NBC News
  
• Skyscraper to go ahead despite no affordable homes - BBC17 February 2026, 2:44 pm
  Skyscraper to go ahead despite no affordable homes  BBCGreen light for King Edward Triangle building as planning committee approves landmark  liverpoolexpress.co.ukApproval for Davos’ £64m Liverpool tower  Place North WestGreen light for first tower on £1bn Liverpool scheme  Construction Enquirer28-storey tower plans signed off as £1bn scheme gets kickstart  Facebook