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Lead: Elena Rybakina beat world No.1 Aryna Sabalenka 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 to win the 2026 Australian Open at Rod Laver Arena, sealing the match with an ace. The Kazakh claimed her second Grand Slam title, reversing the result of the 2023 Melbourne final against Sabalenka. Sabalenka, who has now lost successive Australian Open finals, said … Read more
Lead: Justin Rose fired a seven-under 65 in round two to open a four-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open in San Diego, sitting at 17 under after 36 holes. Ireland’s Seamus Power is second on 13 under, while returning star Brooks Koepka made the cut at three under after a second-round 68. Rose broke … Read more
Demond Wilson, the actor best known for playing Lamont Sanford on NBC’s 1970s sitcom Sanford and Son, died at his home in Palm Springs, California on January 31, 2026. His son, Demond Wilson Jr., told TMZ that his father was pronounced dead Friday morning and that the cause was complications related to cancer; the family … Read more
Lead On Jan. 30, 2026, reports that Elon Musk is weighing a potential merger involving SpaceX, Tesla or xAI renewed scrutiny of nearly 20,000 bitcoin (BTC) held across his companies. Public disclosures show SpaceX controls about 8,285 BTC and Tesla holds 11,509 BTC, a combined stash valued at roughly $1.7 billion at current prices. Any … Read more
Lead: On Jan. 31, 2026, a wave of European and Canadian leaders traveled to Beijing as Washington’s trade moves unsettled partners and opened diplomatic space for China. Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Shanghai on Friday, becoming the first British leader to make an official trip to mainland China since 2018. Rather than offering concessions on … Read more
In Fridley, a suburb north of Minneapolis, school officials have instituted round‑the‑clock measures after a wave of immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities intensified this month. District staff now escort anxious teachers to work before dawn, the superintendent monitors dismissals for federal agents, and the district has stepped in to help families with groceries and … Read more
Handicapper Greg Peterson of VSiN published his top college basketball selections for Friday, January 30, laying out point spreads, totals and alternative handicaps across a full slate of games. His card includes favorite-side plays, totals and line-adjusted “handicapped” numbers he uses for value decisions. The picks pair team-by-team matchup notes — pace, rebounding and three-point … Read more
Lead On Jan. 30, 2026, the Hawaii Department of Health announced it is investigating a chickenpox (varicella) outbreak at Kilauea Elementary School on Kauai after five cases were identified. The cases involve four students and one household member; health officials reported none of the five had received varicella vaccination. Authorities are urging unvaccinated community members … Read more
Lead On Jan. 30, 2026, an internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo instructed agents that they may arrest people without a judicial warrant in broader circumstances, altering the agency’s longstanding interpretation of a federal arrest statute. The guidance, circulated agency-wide and signed by acting director Todd M. Lyons, changes the test from whether someone is … Read more
Lead: In a string of recent incidents, the Department of Homeland Security and affiliated agencies have repeatedly made public accusations about individuals that later proved unsubstantiated or were never tested in court. Notable cases include Marimar Martinez, shot by Border Patrol in Chicago in October 2025, and Alex Pretti, killed in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, … Read more
Lead NASA and Axiom Space have formalized an order for the fifth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station, aimed to launch no earlier than January 2027 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The flight, designated Axiom Mission 5, is planned to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory. NASA and Axiom … Read more
Lead On Jan. 31, 2026, European leaders gathered for an emergency dinner in Brussels after President Trump issued a series of public threats — including a renewed emphasis on Greenland — that many in Europe viewed as an escalation. Around a table served chicken supreme and vanilla roast parsnips, ministers and heads of government debated … Read more
Lead: Representatives from the WNBA and the players’ union meet in New York on Monday as collective bargaining talks remain stalled, and players warn a strike is possible. The meeting will include WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike, star players such as Kelsey Plum and Napheesa Collier, league labor leaders, some owners and members of the Board … Read more
Lead On Jan. 30–31, 2026, the 3-on-3 Unrivaled league drew 21,490 fans to Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia during its inaugural tour stop, setting a record for a regular-season women’s professional basketball game and for any event in the venue’s history. The two-day Philadelphia stop followed a community clinic and featured two tightly contested games: … Read more
Lead: Two brothers who attend the same Columbia Heights, Minnesota, elementary school as five-year-old Liam Ramos were taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, school officials said. The boys, in second and fifth grades, were detained alongside their mother, who has a pending asylum case, and the family … Read more
