Women

• The ACC Women's Asia Cup 2026 officially begins today, featuring a competitive lineup of international teams. • Participating nations include India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, China, and the UAE. • India enters the tournament as the most successful team in the competition's history, led by captain Harmanpreet Kaur.

• India's men's and women's cricket teams are set to compete in the Asian Games 2026, where both squads will enter the tournament as defending champions. • The competition features a structured format where top teams from Group A (Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal) and Group B (Hong Kong, Malaysia, Oman) advance to face seeded teams including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. • The women's division is divided into two groups, with India placed in Group A alongside Japan, Bangladesh, and the People’s Republic of China.

Experts say findings mean breast screenings for cancer could also flag cardiovascular problems in womenDoctors have discovered a way to use routine mammograms that screen for breast cancer to spot heart disease, the world’s leading and frequently underdiagnosed and cause of death in women.Researchers analysed the scans using artificial intelligence and were able to successfully identify women with coronary heart disease, high blood pressure or who had suffered a stroke. Continue reading...

• Indian women rowers have been excluded from the national squad for the upcoming Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya next month. • The exclusions are attributed to the government's strict efforts to prune the size of the overall Indian contingent. • This decision is controversial as it reportedly leaves out "sure-shot" medal contenders, potentially weakening India's performance in the sport.

Insecure Men singer has now been dropped by his record label and had tour dates cancelled after two women shared allegations about his behaviourSaul Adamczewski of Insecure Men and formerly of Fat White Family has been dropped by his record label and had tour dates cancelled after two women shared allegations of physical and emotional abuse against the musician.One woman said that the pair had a short relationship that resulted in a pregnancy, after which, she alleged, Adamczewski “made it his duty to make me suffer. He has been violent, pushed me, thrown glass bottles at me, showered me with beer […] insulted me, taken my passport from me, stolen my money and more, all while I had our baby.” Continue reading...

Scientists found those who had used hormone replacement therapy were 10% less likely to be diagnosed with dementiaHormone replacement therapy may reduce the risk of dementia, a study has found.Scientists tracked more than 180,000 postmenopausal women in the UK in the largest study of its kind. They found that those who had used HRT were 10% less likely to develop any type of dementia and 16% less likely to be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, the most common form, compared with those who had never used it. Continue reading...

• Indonesia has officially announced its squad for its debut appearance in the Women's Asia Cup, becoming the final team to name its roster for the eight-team tournament. • The competition is scheduled to begin on August 28, marking a significant milestone for the Indonesian national side. • The team enters the event following a strong qualification campaign where they reached the semi-finals, eventually finishing fourth after losses to Thailand and Hong Kong, China.

NHS has target of eliminating the cancer by 2040, but up to 4 million eligible women are not up to date with screeningMillions of women in England who have missed cervical screening appointments will be offered free home testing kits on the NHS.The move comes amid concerns that only two-thirds of women attend in-person cervical screening appointments when asked to do so, leaving as many as 4 million women not up to date. Continue reading...

• The Indian Parliament's Monsoon Session has not been prorogued despite being adjourned indefinitely ten days ago. • This unusual delay has sparked widespread speculation that the Central government intends to introduce a delimitation-linked amendment to the women's reservation bill. • The move is significant as it suggests the government may be seeking a legislative window to align reservation quotas with upcoming electoral boundary redistributions.

• The BJP and Congress are locked in a political face-off over the implementation of a women's reservation bill for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. • On Sunday, the BJP challenged Rahul Gandhi's stance, questioning why he opposes the government's push for an early rollout of quotas despite his own advocacy for women's empowerment. • This clash occurs as the Parliament's monsoon session has yet to be officially prorogued, keeping the legislative tension high.

The attorney for Clancy, who strangled her three children, says she suffered from postpartum psychosisHundreds of Lindsay Clancy supporters, many wearing pink clothing emblazoned with phrases such as “Believe”, “She Needed Help” and “Peace For Lindsay”, gathered on Thursday outside the courthouse where she is on trial in the killings of her three children.Several of the 300 women, and a few men, said Clancy’s story resonated with them and that they wanted to raise awareness about how the mental health system treats women. Clancy’s lawyer does not dispute that she killed the children, but says she should not be held criminally responsible because she was mentally ill. Continue reading...

Parents of Michaela Hall, whose partner killed her after he left prison in 2021, say Probation Service cannot cope with mass releaseMore women will die if ministers include domestic abusers in the early prison release scheme, the parents of a woman murdered by her partner shortly after he was freed have warned.Michaela Hall, a 49-year-old charity worker, was killed in her home in Cornwall, by Lee Kendall in 2021 two weeks after he was released from prison, where he had been serving a sentence for assaulting her. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Ministers explore diverting male prisoners serving short terms or on remand away from tougher jailsMinisters are examining a possible upgrade of security at men’s category C and women’s prisons to deal with an overcrowding crisis across the England and Wales estate, the Guardian understands.Officials have explored diverting prisoners on remand or serving short sentences away from category B “reception” prisons such as HMPs Liverpool, Manchester and Pentonville in north London. Continue reading...

• Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui will be honored with the 2026 Camellia Award at the 31st Busan International Film Festival. • The 79-year-old director is a pioneer of the Hong Kong New Wave, having directed 27 feature films and two documentaries since her 1979 debut, "The Secret." • The award recognizes Hui's significant contributions to cinema, specifically her focus on the lives of ordinary people and the advancement of women in film.

• Pakistan's women's netball team secured a dominant 58-34 victory over Japan in their opening plate division fixture at the Asian Netball Championships 2026. • The match, held in Hong Kong, saw the "Green-shirts" utilize strong attacking play and disciplined defensive organization to win by a 24-goal margin. • This result is significant as it provides Pakistan with their first points of the tournament and establishes early momentum through a high-intensity performance.

• The full schedule for the Women's Asia Cup has been revealed, featuring eight teams competing in the T20 format in the UAE. • A highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan is set to take place on September 5 at the Dubai International Stadium. • Participating nations include India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, China, Thailand, and Indonesia.

Delays to sexual assault charges and failures to report past convictions in court hearings gave Simon Levy chance to attack more womenCatastrophic errors left a prolific and proven sex offender free before he murdered two women in London, it can be revealed.On Friday an Old Bailey jury found Simon Levy, 40, guilty of murdering Carmenza Valencia-Trujillo in March 2025 and Sheryl Wilkins five months later.The CPS admitted errors at three court hearings in May, June and August 2025, which ended in Levy remaining free. It would not specify publicly what those were, but a source authorised to speak for the organisation said they included failing to mention he had been arrested for Valencia-Trujillo’s murder, and that it could find no record or mention of Levy’s past sexual assault convictions, nor that he was a suspect in a 2024 rape. The CPS said: “We accept there was relevant information regarding bail that was not provided to the court when bail applications were being considered. Our actions fell short of the standards that victims, families and the public are entitled to expect … We could and should have taken a more robust approach to representations about bail.” By May 2025, police wanted Levy remanded, fearing he posed a “high risk of reoffending” with his crimes “escalating”.Levy failed to attend three crown court hearings for the train attacks, and the CPS accepts there is no evidence of a warrant being sought for his detention. For two he claimed illness, for the other that he was not informed. His final non-appearance in crown court was on 11 August 2025. A fortnight later he murdered Wilkins. A CPS source said individuals involved in the Levy case had been disciplined.The assaults on the London tube network and trains were investigated by BTP. Officers arrested Levy, who was travelling on a stolen Oyster travel card, but handed it back to him, unaware it was stolen. With it he travelled to south London to commit his first murder, and carried out further sexual assaults on trains.BTP admitted the charging of Levy for his sexual assaults on trains in November 2024 was held up because of a delay in holding an identification parade after his arrest. It meant his bail was extended and during this delay he attacked and raped another woman and murdered Valencia-Trujillo, a mother of two.BTP identified him as a suspect and charged him but never searched his home. Peter Fulton, BTP’s head of crime, said: “There’s a fine line between going fishing and breaching someone’s human rights.” He said that every woman who reported Levy for attacking them on a train saw him charged and convicted. When the Met, which investigated the murders, searched Levy’s home, evidence was found about his attack on the prison officer.The police watchdog has placed two Met officers under investigation over whether Levy was supervised correctly as a person on the sex offender register. A constable is under investigation for gross misconduct, meaning he could be dismissed. The other officer, under investigation for misconduct, is a detective sergeant.BTP said it had not referred its errors to the police watchdog. Instead it has moved one officer, who it says delayed the holding of the ID parade, out of investigations, and given a supervisor words of advice. Continue reading...

• The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) announced the schedule for the 2026 Women’s Asia Cup, which begins on August 28 with a match between Thailand and Hong Kong. • India and Pakistan are set to face each other in a marquee clash on September 5 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. • This sixth edition of the tournament will be played in the T20 format, featuring eight teams divided into two groups, including defending champions Sri Lanka.

• The Asian Cricket Council announced the schedule for the Women’s Asia Cup 2026 on August 6, with the tournament running from August 28 to September 13. • A highly anticipated match between India and Pakistan is scheduled for September 5 in Dubai, with both teams placed in Group A alongside Thailand and Hong Kong. • Group B will feature Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE, and Indonesia, while the opening match will see Thailand face Hong Kong.

• The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) has released the schedule for the Women's Asia Cup 2026, which will be hosted in Dubai. • Eight teams will compete in two groups, with a highly anticipated clash between India and Pakistan scheduled for September 5. • Group A consists of India, Pakistan, Thailand, and Hong Kong, while Group B features Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, UAE, and debutants Indonesia.

• Tanvi Sharma and other Indian women's singles players delivered strong performances at the Korea Masters, while the men's side suffered early exits, including Kidambi Srikanth. • Fifth seed Isharani Baruah advanced to the next round by defeating Korea's Lee So Yul in a three-game match (21-18, 15-21, 21-7). • Eighth seed Anmol Kharb also progressed after overcoming Hong Kong's Lo Sin Yan Happy with a comeback victory (16-21, 21-17, 21-12).

Exclusive: New health secretary promises root-and-branch reform after damning maternity scandalsWomen should not feel pressurised into experiencing an “ideal birth”, the new health secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said, promising a root-and-branch reform of standards after several damning maternity scandals.Cooper, who returns to the department 27 years after she was the minister for public health under Tony Blair, said maternity and child health would be a major focus in the role, where she will also be expected to implement significant reforms to social care. Continue reading...

Comparisons of live and archived pages show more than 20 mentions have been removed, including in reference to the gender pay gapGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastReferences to “gender equality” have been removed from the Queensland Office for Women’s website amid claims by former staffers that the Liberal National party government wants to “dewokify” the public service.Guardian Australia has seen an email from a manager, sent in January, tasking staff with scanning the website for the word “gender” so that it could be “reframed”. Continue reading...

Findings prompt calls for review of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence criteriaYoung women in England who later develop breast cancer are not being referred for early tests or preventive treatment because current guidelines used by GPs miss 95% of patients, research suggests.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) criteria used to decide who should be referred by family doctors for further breast cancer risk assessment and specialist care is failing to spot the vast majority of women under 50 who will go on to develop the disease in the next 10 years, according to the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Cancer Research, London (ICR). Continue reading...

• Ten women have accused actor Jared Leto of sexual misconduct, according to a report published by the BBC. • The allegations include claims of engaging in sexual activity with underage girls and sending sexually explicit messages. • Leto has officially denied all the allegations brought forward by the accusers.

BBC documentary reports incidents alleged to have taken place when actor and musician was in 30s and 40sThe actor and singer Jared Leto has been accused of criminal sexual conduct by four women in a BBC documentary, with the alleged offences taking place when the women were teenagers.The incidents reported by the BBC are alleged to have taken place between 2002 and 2016, when the actor was in his 30s and 40s. He is now 54. Continue reading...

Experts say lower-severity charges for American service personnel are deepening traumatic impact on survivorsAmerican service personnel accused of rape on British soil are being charged with lesser offences by their military courts, a discrepancy that experts say is deepening the traumatic impact on survivors long after verdicts are passed.There are more than 12,000 personnel stationed in US military bases across the UK, most of them in England. Although UK law enforcement has primary jurisdiction over crimes that occur when personnel are off duty, local police often choose to cede authority to the American military. Continue reading...

Suffolk police ceded investigation into James Loubeau to the US military, leading to court martial acquittalA US airman accused of a “spree” of rapes and sexual assaults in England, drugging some women and breaking into the homes of others, was able to avoid British justice after local police handed over part of the case to the American military.Two British women went to Suffolk police in August 2019 to allege that James Loubeau and another US airman had drugged and raped them after they met in a nightclub in Bury St Edmunds, a local market town. Continue reading...