See the Most Read News from Across the Web.
Top headlines vanish in hours. We capture what actually mattered.
To keep up with modern news, you’d usually have to refresh your favorite sites morning, noon, and night. We do that for you.
Our engine continuously tracks the "Most Read" charts of global outlets. We measure exactly how long stories hold the crowd's attention to calculate a definitive popularity score. Whether you missed the morning rush or were offline for a week, we surface the stories that defined the moment.
Most Read Right Now
Kabul bombed as Pakistan declares ‘open war’ on Afghanistan
Pakistani and Afghan officials have both declared full military operations as border clashes intensify.
World reacts to eruption of fighting between Pakistan, Afghanistan
Countries around the world are urging the warring parties to show restraint.
Pakistan says ‘patience has run out’ as it bombs Taliban across Afghanistan
Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Kabul reports explosions and anti-aircraft fire as Pakistan bombs the capital city.
Pakistan bombs Kabul: Why are Afghanistan and Pakistan fighting?
Pakistani defence minister says Pakistan is waging ‘open war’ against Afghanistan.
Why are Afghanistan and Pakistan fighting?
The two sides have different versions of how and why the deadly dispute began.
Epstein tried to buy a palace in Morocco days before his arrest in 2019
The disgraced financier was in talks to buy luxury abode Bin Ennakhi - but the purchase was never completed.
15:25 US urges its citizens to leave Israel immediately amid strike threat on Iran
Department of State also authorises non-essential officials and their families to book flights anywhere
23:38 Young woman says she was on social media ‘all day long’ as a child in landmark addiction trial
A 20-year-old woman is seeking to hold social media companies responsible for harms to children who use their platforms.
16:30 UK withdraws Tehran embassy staff as US-Iran tension sparks concern across region
The US embassy in Israel has also told some non-emergency staff they can leave the country if they wish.
14:11 Pakistan defence minister says country in 'open war' with Afghanistan after strikes
The latest attacks by Pakistan follow months of clashes between the two countries. despite agreeing to a fragile ceasefire in October.
02:06 Maduro’s lawyer says US is blocking Venezuela government from paying deposed leader’s drug defense
The lawyer for deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro says the United States is blocking funding for the cost of defending himself against drug trafficking charges.
02:41 Pakistan strikes Kabul hours after Afghanistan attack on border troops
Escalation of violence between the volatile neighbours makes a Qatar-mediated ceasefire appear increasingly shaky
04:22 US military used laser to take down Border Protection drone, lawmakers say
Members of Congress say the U.S. military used a laser to shoot down a Customs and Border Protection drone.
09:03 Polanski says Greens best party to defeat Reform after Spencer wins Gorton and Denton – UK politics live
Reform UK finished second and Labour is pushed into third place in bad news for PM Keir Starmer
07:45 Solidarity with Palestinians questioned as Indonesian troops set for Gaza
President Prabowo Subianto is trying to expand Indonesia’s global standing, but Indonesians question his role in Gaza.
01:33 Remains found in Tasmania most likely belong to missing Belgian backpacker
Celine Cremer, 31, disappeared after going on a hike in a rainforest in June 2023
08:00 Blackouts and emergency aid: Why the Cuban Revolution faces its biggest threat yet
Will a worsening internal crisis create the conditions for the Cuban Revolution to unravel from within?
06:32 Green party wins Gorton and Denton byelection, pushing Labour to third place in blow to Keir Starmer
Hannah Spencer elected as party’s first MP in northern England, as Labour sees a 25.3% drop in vote compared to 2024
15:03 France condemns decision to provisionally apply divisive Mercosur trade deal – Europe live
Trade between the EU and two South American countries may start within two months under a provision application of the deal
18:25 Gorilla dies days after moving to new home
Bristol Zoo Project's gorilla had a number of known conditions, but his health deteriorated after the move.
13:00 CBS News and CNN staffers fear ‘disaster’ as Paramount wins Warner Bros battle
Decision by Netflix to walk away from takeover leaves workers anxious about possible merger of news networks
Yesterday's Most Read News
February 27
02:14 Jacinda Ardern living and working in Australia after move from US
Exclusive: Former New Zealand PM ‘based out of Australia’, according to spokesperson, after rumours she was looking for houses in Sydney
00:14 How Ghislaine Maxwell brought Bill Clinton into Epstein's orbit
Documents in the Epstein files reveal how Maxwell nurtured the connection between the two men after Clinton left the White House.
07:09 Third round of US-Iran nuclear talks to kick off amid tensions
Third round of indirect negotiations to take place amid a massive US military build-up in the Middle East.
04:23 Former US F-35 fighter pilot arrested for training Chinese air force
US Justice Department accuses former Air Force officer Gerald Brown of training Chinese military pilots.
07:00 ‘Any other child would have died’: the miraculous survival of Nada Itrab
After a nine-year-old girl was kidnapped and taken from Spain to Bolivia, authorities feared the worst. They found her in the rainforest nine months later – but that wasn’t the end of her ordeal
08:01 Israeli soldiers shot a Palestinian boy and stood around as he bled to death, video shows
Israeli forces blocked Palestinian ambulances while a 14-year-old lay bleeding for at least 45 minutes.
00:00 A New York City snowball fight gone wrong leaves Mayor Mamdani at odds with police
The NYPD is looking for four people they say injured officers with snowballs, in behavior the commisioner called "disgraceful".
20:14 Trump attack threat looms as nuclear talks between US and Iran go to wire
Extension of Geneva negotiations into the night suggest gaps between the two sides remain
02:09 US and Iran to hold talks as pressure for nuclear deal builds
The indirect negotiations are seen as a last-ditch effort to prevent a conflict, but the chances of a nuclear agreement are unclear.
19:20 Afghanistan says it launches attacks against Pakistan
Afghanistan’s Taliban government says attacks kill ‘numerous soldiers’ as Pakistan reports response by its forces.
00:56 Epstein files contain explicit but unsubstantiated claim that Trump abused minor
Department of Justice did not release FBI memos when it uploaded millions of pages of files beginning in December
01:25 Netflix drops bid for Warner Bros, clearing way for Paramount takeover
Netflix's decision to back down from the bidding war clears the path for Paramount to win the takeover battle.
14:02 US and Iranian negotiators meet for crunch nuclear talks – Middle East live
The Oman-mediated discussions take place amid a massive buildup of US warships and aircraft in the Middle East
15:32 Hillary Clinton to appear before US House panel investigating Epstein
The former secretary of state recently dropped her longstanding refusal to appear, alongside her former president husband.
13:49 What we know so far about the deadly boat shooting off Cuba’s coast
Cuba says it thwarted armed exiles on a Florida-registered speedboat who were trying to infiltrate from the US
14:28 US justice department accused of withholding Trump-related Epstein files
The top Democrat on the congressional panel investigating Epstein has called on the attorney general to publish the material.
23:00 Judge says he will order Greenpeace to pay an expected $345 million in oil pipeline protest case
A North Dakota judge will order several Greenpeace entities to pay an expected $345 million to a pipeline company in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline nearly a decade ago.
09:57 Bill and Hillary Clinton set for Epstein deposition: What to know
Hillary is scheduled to testify on Thursday, February 26, followed by Bill Clinton on Friday, February 27.
06:17 US to allow Venezuelan oil sales to Cuba as alarm grows in the Caribbean
US eases oil embargo on Cuba as Caribbean neighbours warn worsening humanitarian crisis could destabilise region.
00:32 American citizen among those killed in Cuba boat shooting, US official says
Cuba has accused those on board of planning "an infiltration with terrorist aims” and firing first.
12:00 Leave big tech behind! How to replace Amazon, Google, X, Meta, Apple – and more
A handful of companies monopolise the web, with unprecedented access to our data. But there are many more ethical – and often distinctively European – alternatives
05:54 Jimmy Lai’s fraud conviction overturned by Hong Kong court in rare legal win for activist
Appellate court quashes convictions linked to lease violations but Lai may still spend rest of his life in prison
22:22 US-Iran talks conclude with claims of progress but few details
Technical discussions to continue in Vienna, but unclear whether differences can be resolved to avoid war.
04:14 Iran, US set to hold talks as Trump threatens force, imposes sanctions
Iran’s top diplomat arrives in Geneva as US announces new sanctions on vessels linked to Tehran’s oil trade.
17:45 At least 10 FBI staffers connected to Trump investigations fired
The terminated FBI staffers all participated in a probe into Trump's handling of classified documents after his first term.
17:04 Italian woman awarded compensation after breaking ankle while working from home
University of Padua employee fractured ankle when getting up to fetch documents during video meeting
20:04 Hillary Clinton testifies that she has no information on Epstein’s criminal activities in House oversight hearing – live
Clinton says she does not recall meeting Epstein in deposition taking place behind closed doors
04:23 Middle East travel warnings expanded as tensions between US and Iran increase
Australia advises dependants of officials in Israel and Lebanon to leave amid vast US military buildup in the region
01:05 Trump's surgeon general pick won't commit outright to vaccines, and other key takeaways
Casey Means was questioned in a confirmation hearing on everything from her stance on the flu shot to her lack of an active medical licence.
13:04 Orbán calls for EU ‘fact-finding mission’ to inspect Druzhba pipeline amid escalating tension with Ukraine – Europe live
Orbán asked that the mission included experts from Hungary and Slovakia, both of which are affected by the disrupted oil transit via the pipeline
23:14 Cuba says 4 killed in speedboat shooting were attempting to infiltrate the country
Cuba says the 10 passengers on a boat that opened fire on its soldiers were armed Cubans living in the U.S. who were trying to infiltrate the island and unleash terrorism.
07:00 ‘A devastating force’: how recent Mediterranean storms turned to tragedies
Atmospheric machine-gun has fired storm after deadly storm at the region this year, leaving a trail of widespread destruction
Thursday's Most Read News
February 26
21:16 Cuba says four shot dead on US-registered speedboat
The identity of those on board the vessel remains unclear.
23:11 Cuba says border guards killed four gunmen on US-registered speedboat
Rare clash off island’s coast comes amid oil embargo and heightened tensions between two countries
19:00 'Fear is everywhere': BBC reports from Mexican city turned into war zone by drug cartel feud
Culiacán in northern Mexico has seen a surge in violence as rival factions of the Sinaloa cartel battle for control.
06:49 Analysis: Trump issues patriotic rallying cry as he faces tough political headwinds
The BBC's Anthony Zurcher was in the chamber as the US president delivered a lengthy sales pitch to the nation.
03:26 Pentagon appeals order blocking Sen. Mark Kelly’s punishment for call to resist unlawful orders
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is appealing a judge’s order that blocks him from punishing Democratic Sen.
15:14 Why Indian PM Modi’s Israel visit matters for Pakistan’s security
The tightening strategic embrace between New Delhi and Tel Aviv could test Pakistan’s diplomacy, say analysts.
02:05 What is the UK's new travel system and how are dual nationals affected?
From 25 February, a new system will come into force which will affect many people, including British dual nationals.
07:16 India’s PM Modi to visit Israel as genocidal war continues in Gaza
Modi will mark his second visit to Israel with the two countries having deepened ties under the Hindu nationalist PM.
21:15 US and Iran nuclear talks at critical stage amid threat of Trump tearing up terms of success
Tehran says deal is possible as long as Washington abides by agreed-on preconditions, but Trump’s view is unclear
18:33 Supreme Court rules the Postal Service can’t be sued, even when mail is intentionally not delivered
A divided Supreme Court has ruled that Americans can’t sue the U.S. Postal Service, even when employees deliberately refuse to deliver mail.
22:39 India’s Modi tells Israel’s Knesset: ‘No cause justifies killing civilians’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the ‘vital’ partnership between Israel and India during his visit.
12:00 Members of Iran’s elite accused of hypocrisy over children’s lives in west
Opposition campaigners claim top figures in regime use state wealth to fund lifestyles counter to those they preach
11:31 Martin Short's daughter Katherine dies at 42
The actor says his daughter "will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world".
21:37 Cuban border agents fire upon Florida-tagged speedboat, killing four
The Cuban Interior Ministry has said in a statement that it reserves the right to ‘protect its territorial waters’.
15:18 Bill Gates 'took responsibility' over Epstein ties in staff meeting, foundation says
A newspaper reports Gates apologised to staff over his links to Epstein and said: "I did nothing illicit. I saw nothing illicit."
19:22 US to offer passport services to citizens in illegal West Bank settlements
Israel welcomes move described by Palestinian Authority as undermining possibility of an independent state
08:50 Amid Iran tensions, Trump says he prefers diplomatic solution
Trump strikes belligerent tone on Iran during State of the Union, but says he would prefer a diplomatic solution.
12:40 Fact-checking Trump's longest ever State of the Union
President Donald Trump said the US "is winning again" - making a series of claims about his record in a speech which lasted almost two hours.
08:30 Key takeaways from Trump’s State of the Union speech
Trump’s hardline stance on Iran and nuclear weapons, alongside foreign policy moves, dominate key moments of his speech.
22:18 Spanish officer who led 1981 coup dies on day documents declassified
Antonio Tejero, who has died aged 93, was part of rightwing network whose efforts were thwarted by King Juan Carlos
Trump casts a rosy vision of America while chastising his political enemies
President Donald Trump spent his State of the Union touting his economic and immigration agenda, hoping a long list of accomplishments can counter his low approval ratings.
02:41 Disabled woman put in nursing home against her will says she feels 'betrayed'
Lucinda Ritchie, who has full mental capacity, was transferred from a hospital bed despite her refusal.
10:49 Fact-checking Trump’s State of the Union address
The US president exaggerates on economy and immigration amid sagging popularity before the crucial midterm elections.
19:01 Top Democrat defends State of the Union protests as House speaker says he nearly ejected Omar and Tlaib – live
Chuck Schumer says Democrats were right not to stand for Trump; Mike Johnson criticizes congresswomen’s verbal protests during speech
10:01 Russian firms have routed $8bn of trade through British island territories since invasion of Ukraine
Anti-corruption group Transparency International have catalogued ‘sanctions circumvention’ channelled through ‘unaccountable jurisdictions’
16:05 Commons speaker says he tipped off police before Mandelson was arrested – UK politics live
Sir Lindsay Hoyle said he told police he had heard that former US ambassador was planning to leave the country
07:18 State of the Union 2026: Top moments from Trump's speech
The speech came at a particularly pivotal time, with tensions flaring in Iran and Trump's global tariffs being thrown out.
05:00 State of the Union address: Trump calls out supreme court justices for ‘unfortunate’ tariff ruling – live
Trump blasts Democrats repeatedly on taxes, inflation and healthcare in speech claiming border and economic wins
05:52 South Korea’s birthrate rises for second year with experts saying ‘echo boomers’ behind boost
Rebound in the country – which has been having demographic crisis – said to be partly because of 3.6 million born between 1991 and 1995 having children
08:58 Jobs, gas prices and ending wars: factchecking Trump’s State of the Union claims
The president’s lengthy speech to Congress contained myriad inflated, misleading or simply false claims
05:39 Iran’s FM says deal with US ‘within reach’ if diplomacy ‘given priority’
Foreign Minister Araghchi’s remarks ahead of Geneva talks come as second US aircraft carrier heads towards Middle East.
12:43 Outrage in Austria after man ordered to pay female footballers €625 each for secretly filming dressing room
Former official at Altach given suspended prison term
Wednesday's Most Read News
February 25
02:07 Chocolate kept in anti-theft boxes as retailers warn it's being stolen to order
Retailers and police forces tell the BBC that thieves are targeting chocolate and selling it on.
00:37 Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum considers legal action after Elon Musk criticism
President Sheinbaum responds to accusations from Musk that she was repeating what ‘cartel bosses tell her to say’.
08:02 Russian soldiers tell BBC they saw fellow troops executed on commanders' orders
Four men expose the horror and brutality of conditions in the Ukraine war, with two saying they saw soldiers being shot for refusing orders.
16:45 The killing of Mexican drug lord El Mencho: How it unfolded
A major cartel boss is dead. How did Mexican forces locate and kill El Mencho, the country’s most notorious drug lord?
03:41 Reports of top US general’s concerns over attack on Iran rebuked by Trump
US president slams reports that General Dan Caine warned him of risks of war with Iran as ‘100 percent incorrect’.
16:19 State Department orders nonessential US diplomats to leave Lebanon as tensions with Iran soar
The United States has ordered nonessential diplomats to leave Lebanon as tensions over Iran rise with the threat of a potentially imminent military strike.
08:44 Kashmir, spying, demolitions: How Modi’s India embraced ‘Israel model’
As India under Modi openly embraces Israel, New Delhi appears to import more than just weapons.
00:55 French minister moves to block US envoy Kushner from government access
The minister says Charles Kushner, father of Trump's son-in-law Jared, had failed to explain US comments about violence in France.
17:55 Trump hits out at reports that top US general warned against attacking Iran
General Dan Caine has warned that strikes against Iran could be risky, potentially drawing the US into a prolonged conflict, US media report.
07:33 Putin failed to achieve war goals, says Zelenskyy on invasion anniversary
Ukraine officials say infrastructure damaged as Russia strikes Zaporizhzhia on war anniversary.
23:34 Katherine Short, daughter of actor Martin Short, dies aged 42
Short, a social worker, was found dead at her home in Los Angeles on Monday in an apparent suicide
17:09 Russia can keep fighting Ukraine war throughout 2026, says military thinktank
Little sign Moscow’s ability to continue waging war for a fifth year is diminished, analysis suggests
01:00 Trump’s first year back in office under the spotlight at State of the Union
The US president is expected to use the primetime platform to push his agenda and bolster support before the midterms.
12:38 Trump to address a changed America at vital moment for his presidency
Few of Donald Trump’s speeches to Congress have had as much riding on them as the one on Tuesday night.
18:06 Armed police flood Iran’s universities to crush student protests
Campus clashes provide uneasy backdrop to third round of talks on nuclear programme in Geneva
08:54 France restricts US ambassador’s access to officials after summons no-show
US Ambassador sends embassy official in his place, his second time to skip a summons from the French Foreign Ministry.
01:00 Who is Abigail Spanberger, the Democrat set to give State of the Union response
The rebuttal - first delivered in 1966 - is often given by rising stars in the opposition party.
07:00 ‘We’ve been paying for happy endings for Andrew for years’: the inside story of a royal disgrace, by his biographer
Andrew Lownie spent years investigating the greed and excesses of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson for his book Entitled. Here, the writer reveals the barriers he faced in getting to the truth
20:26 Louvre president resigns as jewellery heist inquiry reveals ‘systemic failures’
Laurence des Cars steps down days after parliamentary inquiry called Paris museum a ‘state within a state’
13:03 Kremlin vows to press ahead with Ukraine war aims as Europe marks four years since invasion – Europe live
Four years ago today, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, hoping to take the country in a matter of days
17:03 Florida teen charged with homicide in death of his stepsister on cruise ship
Stepbrother, 16, was charged in the death of Anna Kepner, a high schooler found dead on a Carnival cruise in November
08:32 Trump's new global tariff comes into effect at 10%
The president threatened to raise the tariff to 15% but has not yet issued an official directive to increase the rate.
16:17 Nancy Guthrie's family offers $1m reward to bring home missing mother
Fighting back tears, the missing woman's NBC host daughter said they accept she "may be lost".
11:34 Robert Carradine, Lizzie McGuire and Revenge of the Nerds star, dies aged 71
His family says the actor took his own life after living with bipolar disorder for nearly two decades.
16:15 Iran cannot defeat US military might, but it can still win
Capitulation in the form of a deal will not stave off US aggression. Defiance through regional alliances could.
19:11 Ontario’s premier says ‘the walls are closing in’ on Trump after Supreme Court tariff decision
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says pressure is building on President Donald Trump as courts and Congress push back on his tariff agenda. On Monday, Ford pointed to a U.S.
14:04 Trump’s State of the Union will be delivered to a changed nation and a Congress he has sidelined
President Donald Trump is heading to Capitol Hill this week to deliver the State of the Union address. Trump will speak Tuesday before a transformed nation.
23:47 Man stabs four people to death in Washington state
Victims, as well as 32-year-old suspect, confirmed dead after incident on street in Gig Harbor, says county sheriff’s office
14:00 What time is Trump’s State of the Union – and how can I watch?
The US president will deliver his State of the Union address this evening – here’s what you need to know
10:22 With ‘El Mencho’ killed, what’s next for Mexico and the Jalisco cartel?
Mexico kills Oseguera Cervantes, triggering violence and uncertainty over the CJNG’s future power structure.
23:04 Threat of further violence looms after Mexican cartel rampage
The BBC speaks to Guadalajara residents days after cartel members sought to avenge the killing of Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera.
22:40 Spanish engineer reports flaw in ‘smart’ vacuums after gaining control of 7,000 devices
Sammy Azdoufal alerted New York-based outlet the Verge after he took control of DJI Romo devices around the world