Detained Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has received another prison sentence of over seven years.
(Image credit: Narges Foundation Archive)
Crackdown on dissent after nationwide protests in Iran widens to ensnare reformist figures
Monday, February 9, 2026
China critic and former media tycoon Jimmy Lai is sentenced to 20 years in a Hong Kong security case
Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy former Hong Kong media tycoon and a fierce critic of Beijing, was sentenced on Monday to 20 years in prison in the longest punishment given so far under a China-imposed national security law that has virtually silenced the city's dissent.
(Image credit: Vincent Yu)
Sunday, February 8, 2026
Center-left Socialist candidate wins over populist in Portugal's presidential runoff
Center-left Socialist candidate António José Seguro recorded a thumping victory over hard-right populist André Ventura in Portugal's runoff presidential election Sunday, according to official results.
(Image credit: Ana Brigida)
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, February 9 (game #708)
Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, February 8 (game #707).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #708) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Frequent flyer
NYT Strands today (game #708) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- TRAP
- SPORT
- PITY
- GROPE
- MURAL
- COIL
NYT Strands today (game #708) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 8 letters
NYT Strands today (game #708) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: left, 5th row
Last side: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #708) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #708, are…
- RUNWAY
- LUGGAGE
- SECURITY
- PASSPORT
- PILOT
- TARMAC
- SPANGRAM: AIRPORTS
- My rating: Hard
- My score: Perfect
After initially thinking we were looking for airlines and then, after getting the spangram first, the names of AIRPORTS I was relieved when it was simply a case of airport-related words.
Airport terminals are often described as being a living hell, but I’d reserve that description for any branch of Build A Bear Workshop on a Saturday afternoon. There are many things I don’t like about them, but I’ve found arriving for flights four hours earlier relieves my tension and allows me to enjoy the frisson of international jet set travel and the unique availability of gigantic Toblerones.
Anyway, this search presented minimal surprises, but I did find it slow going. I hope your passage was smoother.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, February 8, game #707)
- OLIVE
- CHERRY
- SHRIMP
- TWIST
- CELERY
- SPRIG
- SPANGRAM: COCKTAILGARNISH
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
What's next for Haiti after the dissolution of its transition government?
NPR's Ayesha Rascoe speaks with journalist Widlore Merancourt in Port-au-Prince about what's ahead for Haiti, as its transition government dissolves this weekend.
Thailand counts votes in early election with 3 main parties vying for power
Vote counting was underway in Thailand's early general election on Sunday, seen as a three-way race among competing visions of progressive, populist and old-fashioned patronage politics.
(Image credit: Wason Wanichakorn)
Saturday, February 7, 2026
NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, February 8 (game #707)
Looking for a different day?
A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, February 7 (game #706).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #707) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Make it fancy
NYT Strands today (game #707) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
- SHARP
- STICK
- CLAP
- GLOVE
- SLOG
- CRISP
NYT Strands today (game #707) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 15 letters
NYT Strands today (game #707) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: top, 2nd column
Last side: bottom, 5th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #707) - the answers
The answers to today's Strands, game #707, are…
- OLIVE
- CHERRY
- SHRIMP
- TWIST
- CELERY
- SPRIG
- SPANGRAM: COCKTAILGARNISH
- My rating: Hard
- My score: 1 hint
I knew I was in trouble after getting six non-game words without a clue as to what today’s theme was about.
A hint gave me OLIVE, but it took me a little while to twist it into a word despite it being just five letters long. At this point I thought the search must be for hors d'oeuvres and fancy party snacks.
After getting CHERRY I finally got it and worked my way around the board gathering other cocktail fancies, including the spectacular spangram in the shape of a cocktail glass – chin, chin.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, February 7, game #706)
- DULL
- MUNDANE
- DREARY
- TIRESOME
- HUMDRUM
- SPANGRAM: WATCHINGPAINTDRY
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.