17 Feb 2026, 3:37 pm
Why is Donald Trump suing the BBC in Florida? Here's everything you need to know - analysis by Ben Leo
A trial date for President Trump’s $10billion clash with the BBC has been set for February next year, but how is the case being allowed to continue when the broadcaster insists it cannot be sued in Florida?BBC lawyers are trying to convince US district judge Roy Altman that the Panorama documentary in question was not broadcast in the Sunshine State - meaning the defamation case Trump is pursuing cannot be held there.But lawyers for Trump have hit back with a flur…
17 Feb 2026, 3:30 pm
CBS denies it pulled Colbert’s Talarico interview
CBS is denying an accusation from Stephen Colbert, the network’s top comic and host of The Late Show, that it prevented him from airing an interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico. Colbert during his Monday show told viewers that attorneys for CBS told him “in no uncertain terms” that “we could not have……
17 Feb 2026, 3:25 pm
Randy Fine faces censure and resignation calls over post on Muslims and dogs
A wave of Democrats are calling for Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) to be formally reprimanded or to resign over a social media post he made saying that he would choose dogs over Muslims.  Fine posted on X on Sunday: “If they force us to choose, the choice between dogs and Muslims is not a difficult one.”……
17 Feb 2026, 3:24 pm
Nancy Guthrie search: No DNA hit from glove found near house, says sheriff
The search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has entered a third week.
17 Feb 2026, 3:23 pm
Jesse Jackson Jr.: Father ‘did not see himself as a politician’
Former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), the son of civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson, said Tuesday that his father “did not see himself as a politician” but rather viewed politics as a vehicle to help marginalized communities. “He saw himself as a public servant. He believed in servant leadership. He saw himself as a……
17 Feb 2026, 3:21 pm
One-third of Britons fume when people put their phone calls on loud speaker in public but vast majority won't tell them off
One-third of Britons fume when other people put their phone calls on loudspeaker in public but the vast majority won’t tell them off, according to new research.Samsung Electronics quizzed the nation to find out what really grinds Britons’ gears, revealing that everyday irritations can quickly bubble over.The survey found that four in 10 Brits admit it can take just one small thing to push them over the edge.Specifically, commuters who listen to music or videos o…
17 Feb 2026, 3:19 pm
Spain is investigating unsavory AI content on social media ‘giants’
Social media giants X, Meta, and TikTok are to be investigated by Spanish authorities over the distribution of child sex abuse materials.
17 Feb 2026, 3:17 pm
Venezuelan U.S. oil expert freed after arrest with no charges
The Venezuelan government on Tuesday released Evanan Romero, a Venezuelan-American oil consultant detained four days earlier at the Maracaibo airport,…
17 Feb 2026, 3:15 pm
Hillary Clinton Spars With Reporter Who Presses Her About Links To Epstein, Maxwell
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton denied that she and former President Bill Clinton had connections to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell during a BBC interview posted to YouTube Tuesday. After BBC Berlin correspondent Jessica Parker referenced the former first couple’s connections to Epstein and Maxwell, she asked, “[D]o you regret the links that there have been between Epstein, Maxwell, and the Clinton family?”…
17 Feb 2026, 3:14 pm
No DNA hit from glove found near Nancy Guthrie's house: Sheriff
The search for 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has entered a third week.
17 Feb 2026, 3:13 pm
Flashback Quote of the Day
“Remember when we learned that our wealthiest and most powerful people were connected to a guy who ran a literal child sex trafficking ring? And then that guy died mysteriously in a jail? And now we just don’t talk about it.” — JD Vance, on X, on September 4, 2021.
17 Feb 2026, 3:12 pm
Iran’s supreme leader threatens to sink US warships as nuclear talks continue
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei threatened on Tuesday to sink U.S. warships amid continuing nuclear talks between the Middle Eastern nation and the U.S.  “The Americans constantly say that they’ve sent a warship toward Iran,” Khamenei posted on the social platform X. “Of course, a warship is a dangerous piece of military hardware.” “However,……
17 Feb 2026, 3:09 pm
Sharpton honors mentor Jesse Jackson as ‘the steady voice that guided me’
The Rev. Al Sharpton memorialized his mentor and late civil right rights leader the Rev. Jesse L. Jackson by recalling how he called him into purpose.  “He trusted me with responsibility and saw something in me before I fully saw it in myself. That is the measure of a true mentor: they do not just……
17 Feb 2026, 3:08 pm
Whoopi Goldberg on Epstein files mention: ‘I wasn’t his girlfriend. I wasn’t his friend’
Whoopi Goldberg says she was neither Jeffrey Epstein’s friend nor girlfriend after being “dragged” for the appearance of her name in files related to the late convicted sex offender.  “In the name of transparency,” Goldberg said while co-hosting “The View” on Tuesday, “my name is in the files.” She read a 2013 note included among……
17 Feb 2026, 3:07 pm
GOP Candidate in New Mexico Faces Residency Challenge
“Two lawsuits seek to disqualify cannabis entrepreneur Duke Rodriguez from seeking the Republican nomination for governor, both citing his voter registration in Arizona in recent years as a violation of New Mexico’s residency requirement,” the Santa Fe New Mexican reports. “The Republicans behind the challenges to Rodriguez’s candidacy expressed concerns in their complaints that if he wins the GOP primary in June before the residency issue is resolved, the…
17 Feb 2026, 3:06 pm
Ex-university pupils demand urgent reform to 'criminal' student loan system
Former university pupils are campaigning for student loan repayment reform amid high interest rates above inflation.Currently in the UK, graduates earning over the current threshold of £28,470 must pay nine per cent of what they earn towards the loan. For many former students, interest is charged at up to three percentage points above the retail price index. Last year, Chancellor Rachel Reeves froze thresholds for loan repayments at £29,395 for three years from Ap…
17 Feb 2026, 3:05 pm
Nottingham attacks inquiry: What state are UK mental health services in?
A statutory inquiry will open next week into Valdo Calocane, who killed three people and left three others seriously injured in a brutal attack in Nottingham in June 2023. It will focus on systemic failures of mental health and police services In Nottingham. But while much attention has focused on the deadly events of that night, this programme can reveal there were 23 similar attacks by severely mentally ill people on complete strangers across the UK in the year be…
17 Feb 2026, 3:04 pm
‘A new window has opened’ for US nuclear deal says Iran
Iran’s foreign minister says “a new window has opened” for reaching a deal with the US, after their latest round of indirect talks in Geneva. Less positive was Iran’s president who declared that Iran would “never abandon its peaceful nuclear programme”. But for many Iranians, it’s been a day of mourning for the thousands of people killed 40 days ago, on the bloodiest day of the regime’s crackdown on protests…
17 Feb 2026, 3:04 pm
Second person contacts Cabinet Office to warn against appointment of Dame Antonia Romeo
A second individual has contacted the Cabinet Office to warn against the appointment of Dame Antonia Romeo as the new Cabinet Secretary. And despite a statement which the government gave us last week from the then head of HR – that none of the people coming forward now raised concerns with them at the time of an investigation into her behaviour – we’ve seen new evidence that apparently contradicts this.
17 Feb 2026, 3:04 pm
Microsoft's AI Chief Says All White-Collar Desk Work Will Be Automated Within 18 Months
Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman expects "human-level performance on most, if not all professional tasks" from AI, and believes most work involving "sitting down at a computer" -- accounting, legal, marketing, project management -- will be fully automated within the next year or 18 months. He pointed to exponential growth in computational power and predicted that creating a new AI model will soon be as easy as "creating a podcast or writing a blog." Read more…
17 Feb 2026, 3:03 pm
Microdramas: why vertical cliffhanger social videos are booming
Now in this world of constant scrolling and busted attention spans, it’s no surprise that the latest trend in video entertainment is all about the microdrama. These bite-sized shows, which you can play vertically on your phone, first took off in China. Now they’re going viral around the world, backed by billions of pounds in funding. Even Hollywood is getting in on the act.
17 Feb 2026, 3:03 pm
Reform UK announces self-styled ‘shadow cabinet’
Nigel Farage has begun shaping the team that he says would make up his Cabinet if Reform UK win a General Election. After years of accusations that he’s been running a one-man band, he has given specific roles to four senior members of his party. Two of the biggest jobs went to Tory defectors,  Robert Jenrick getting responsibility for Treasury policy while Suella Braverman has the education brief.
17 Feb 2026, 3:01 pm
Jesse ‘passing the baton’ says former Rev Jackson coalition member
We spoke to Reverend Gregory Seal Livingston, who had a senior role in the Rev Jackson’s Rainbow Push coalition.
17 Feb 2026, 3:01 pm
Why is finding work so difficult for Britain’s youth?
We spoke to Allen Simpson, who’s chief executive of UK hospitality, and Emma Greenwood, who’s in her final year of university and has spent nine months looking for a job.
17 Feb 2026, 3:00 pm
Unemployment surges to 5.2% – UK youth hit hardest
UK unemployment has risen to its highest for almost five years, as new figures from the Office for National Statistics show the rate went up to 5.2% in the last quarter of 2025. And it’s young people bearing the brunt of the weak jobs market – with unemployment for those aged 16-24 now at its highest for a decade. We’ve been to the West Midlands to hear from those who’ve found a route back into work.
17 Feb 2026, 2:59 pm
US political leaders pay tribute to civil rights activist Jesse Jackson
Tributes to civil rights leader Jesse Jackson have come from across the political spectrum in the United States.
17 Feb 2026, 2:59 pm
Remembering towering civil rights leader Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson marched with Martin Luther King and built a rainbow coalition driven by the power of hope. Tributes from across the United States have poured in for the Reverend – who inspired generations of Black Americans and gave a voice to the powerless and the unheard. Martin Luther King’s daughter Bernice King said her family wanted to give thanks for “a life that pushed hope into weary places” while Joe Biden said he had been “unafraid to work to rede…
17 Feb 2026, 2:58 pm
Zelensky Says Ukrainians Won’t Give Up Land
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky told Axios that his people would reject a peace deal that involves Ukraine unilaterally withdrawing from the eastern Donbas region and turning it over to Russia.
17 Feb 2026, 2:57 pm
Miley Cyrus is back for the 'Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special'
"Hannah Montana will always be part of who I am." Miley Cyrus will take part in the "Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special," hosted by Call Her Daddy's Alex Cooper. The special streams March 24 on Disney+…
17 Feb 2026, 2:56 pm
Be Careful for What You Wish For
Cook Political Report: “Minnesota Republicans entered 2026 giddy at the possibility of ousting Gov. Tim Walz, hoping a wave of discontent over a sprawling fraud scandal would help them deny the Democrat a third term. But Walz’s January decision to end his reelection bid under intense pressure from the GOP appears to have come back to bite his critics. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a popular four-term incumbent who can’t be easily tied to waste in state government,…
17 Feb 2026, 2:55 pm
Shia LaBeouf arrested on Mardi Gras Day after allegedly assaulting 2 men in New Orleans
Actor Shia LaBeouf has been arrested in New Orleans after allegedly assaulting two men, according to police.
17 Feb 2026, 2:53 pm
Jack Alcott: Harrison's craving normality in 'Dexter: Resurrection'
Jack Alcott told UPI his "Dexter: Resurrection" character Harrison is still grappling with the truth that he is a serial killer's son.
17 Feb 2026, 2:51 pm
Live updates: DHS fight drags on as Democrats make new offer; Iran leader threatens to sink US boats
Democrats have made a new offer to the White House in negotiations to reopen the Department of Homeland Security, which shut down on Saturday over a fight centered on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The odds of a deal in the coming days look slim, though the fact that few details have emerged over the……
17 Feb 2026, 2:47 pm
Police assess information around private flights to and from Stansted after Epstein files released
Essex Police are assessing information around private flights to and from Stansted Airport following the release of the Epstein files.
17 Feb 2026, 2:46 pm
GLP-1s Bringing Back Scurvy? Achondroplasia Drug Win; Intermittent Fasting Flop
(MedPage Today) -- The meteoric rise of GLP-1 drugs for weight loss has raised concerns about potential malnutrition and even the comeback of scurvy. (The Hill) An $80-per-month produce prescription subsidy failed to improve cardiometabolic health...
17 Feb 2026, 2:45 pm
Blind Item #13
The tennis players are telling their parent organization that much like the men they also want their first 1000 to be in March. That is why they are all pulling out or getting "injured."…
17 Feb 2026, 2:42 pm
Guatemala’s attorney general tied to alleged illegal adoption network
Concerns have been raised about a possible link between Guatemala's attorney general and alleged illegal adoptions of disappeared Indigenous children.
17 Feb 2026, 2:40 pm
New Orleans officials respond to racist incident at Carnival parade: 'Deeply offensive'
New Orleans authorities and the La. Attorney General are investigating a racist display that occurred during the Krewe of Tucks parade on Saturday, Feb. 14, which involved an individual on a parade float with dolls hanging by their necks, and has been condemned by city and state leaders as a "horrific hate crime".
17 Feb 2026, 2:38 pm
One page of async Rust
Comments…
17 Feb 2026, 2:38 pm
Magnetic gear reconfigures the Yagi-Uda antenna for future 6G developments
As researchers around the world race toward the realization of 6G wireless communication systems, the need for antennas that can dynamically adapt to ever-changing signal environments has never been greater. A key requirement of 6G is intelligent beam control, which enables signals to be steered, shaped, and optimized in real time to support ultra-high data rates, low latency, and massive device connectivity.
17 Feb 2026, 2:37 pm
Should People With Autism and Very High Needs Have a Separate Diagnosis?
(MedPage Today) -- AYER, Mass. -- Connor Murphy walked in circles around his dad, then flopped down on the kitchen floor, got up and walked in circles again. His dad turned the 9-year-old's repetitive behavior into a chance to connect. "Want...
17 Feb 2026, 2:35 pm
60 percent say they’re confident midterms will be counted fairly: Polling
Trust in the accuracy and integrity of elections is declining among U.S. voters amid concerns over mid-decade redistricting attempts and the potential that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers could be present at the polls this November, according to new research from the UC San Diego Center for Transparent and Trusted Elections. A survey of……
17 Feb 2026, 2:30 pm
Compressorless hydrogen turbine runs 303 seconds, beating NASA's 250-second record
Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have set a record runtime with a new compressorless gas turbine. The burner, featuring a revolutionary pressure-gain combustion technology, operated for 303 seconds. This achievement not only exceeds NASA's previous record of 250 seconds but also sets new standards for the use of hydrogen in energy supply, which—unlike natural gas—can be produced using renewable energy sources.
17 Feb 2026, 2:30 pm
Blind Item #12
Behind the scenes things are not going well, and the alliterate one is about to be sued by a big vendor of hers.
17 Feb 2026, 2:28 pm
'I am somebody': Civil rights leaders, politicians honor Rev. Jesse Jackson's legacy after his death
Political leaders and activists from across the country are remembering civil rights icon Rev. Jesse Jackson.
17 Feb 2026, 2:26 pm
Hakeem Jeffries resists pressure to say ‘Abolish ICE’ — good!  
The question isn’t whether ICE should exist in theory. It’s whether it can operate within the bounds of law and public trust.  …
17 Feb 2026, 2:25 pm
Britain Lost 14,000 Pubs, a Quarter, in 13 Years
Britain has lost more than 14,000 pubs since 2009, a decline from roughly 54,000 registered public houses and bars to under 40,000 by 2022, according to a new analysis of UK business register data by data analyst Lauren Leek. The North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands lost 25 to 30% of their stock; London saw the smallest decline. Leek trained a random forest model on 49,840 pubs and found spatial isolation -- how far a pub stood from its nearest neigh…
17 Feb 2026, 2:23 pm
Houston police investigate fatal shooting of 17-year-old at Valentine's Day house party
A Houston family is seeking answers after their 17-year-old daughter was shot and killed at a house party.Fox 26 Houston reported that Mariah Alatorre was at a party with friends on Dagg Road on the city’s South Side early Valentine’s Day morning when she was killed.According to the station, Houston police said Alatorre was caught in the crossfire after someone began shooting.ABC 13 reported that the teenager was taken to a hospital emergency room before being t…
17 Feb 2026, 2:22 pm
How ‘Electability’ Became a Democratic Obsession
The news media covered Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaigns with a question that sounded analytical but functioned as a dismissal: What does Jesse want? The implication was obvious. A Black candidate couldn’t possibly win the presidency — everyone “knew” that — so the campaign had to be symbolic or transactional. Join now to continue reading. Members get exclusive analysis, bonus features and no advertising. Learn more. If you’re already a member…
17 Feb 2026, 2:22 pm
'I Have Made Very Good Progress' — Brandon Sanderson Says He's 10% Done With the Mistborn Screenplay
It's only been a few weeks since it was announced that Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere universe would be coming to Apple TV, but progress is already being made. Sanderson took to his Youtube channel today after missing his usual update last week.He mentioned a minor shoulder surgery was to blame for missing last week's update, but that it hasn't slowed down his work on the Mistborn screenplay. "I bet you're waiting to hear how the Mistborn screenplay is going, and it is…
17 Feb 2026, 2:22 pm
Diet Soda and Dementia; Migraines Masked Brain Cancer; Brain Shift After Spaceflight
(MedPage Today) -- A link between diet soda and dementia emerged in the longitudinal population-based Northern Manhattan Study, but was not apparent after excluding people with obesity or diabetes from the analysis. (Journal of Alzheimer's Disease...
17 Feb 2026, 2:22 pm
US Capitol Police detain person holding 'what appears to be a gun' near Capitol building
The U.S. Capitol Police announced Tuesday that it has detained a person carrying "what appears to be a gun near the West Front of the U.S. Capitol Building.""Please avoid the area," U.S. Capitol Police said at one point in a post on X.It later added that the "USCP cleared the potential security concern on the Lower West Terrace of the U.S. Capitol," and, "The area has reopened and any associated door or road closures will clear momentarily."TWO TEENS ARRESTED AFTER…
17 Feb 2026, 2:20 pm
Welsh pub cries foul over inflatable rugby posts 'order' but there's one problem
Publican received a call to take down the Six Nations display but the request was not as it seemed…
17 Feb 2026, 2:20 pm
Robot hand approaches human-like dexterity with new visual-tactile training
Human hands are a wonder of nature and unmatched in the animal kingdom. They can twist caps, flick switches, handle tiny objects with ease, and perform thousands of tasks every day. Robot hands struggle to keep up. They typically miss the sense of touch, can't move many fingers at once, and lose track of what they are holding when their fingers block their camera's view. Scientists have now developed a smarter way to train a robot's brain to give its hands human-lik…
17 Feb 2026, 2:19 pm
'People are struggling to feed their families!' Labour activist CONDONES skyrocketing energy prices despite Britons being cash-strapped
A Labour activist has condoned skyrocketing energy prices despite GB News host Charlie Peters pointing out ballooning bills are weighing heavily on Britons.Aisha Ali Khan, who joined GB News this afternoon, clashed with the presenter live on-air as they debated the impact of net zero on Britons today as well as future generations.Ms Khan argued: "We do need to find a balance, because obviously a lot of the changes that have been proposed by Ed Miliband, a lot of peo…
17 Feb 2026, 2:19 pm
Police assessing Stansted Airport private flights over Epstein ties
Essex Police says it is assessing information in relation to private flights into and out of the airport.
17 Feb 2026, 2:18 pm
Kristi Noem spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin to leave job next week
Tricia McLaughlin, spokeswoman for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, is leaving her job next week, department sources said.
17 Feb 2026, 2:15 pm
Ivory Coast Makes Chester and Wilmington Home Base for 2026 World Cup
When teams play in the World Cup, or the Euros, or any weeks-long international tournament, they pick a home base to operate out of. This summer, the Ivory Coast will be using the Union’s facilities in Chester: CHESTER, Pa. (February 17, 2026) – Philadelphia Soccer 2026, the 501c3 non-profit organization that serves as the Local Host Committee charged with planning and executing FIFA World Cup 2026 in coordination with the City of Philadelphia, and the…
17 Feb 2026, 2:15 pm
Blind Item #11
Speaking of offspring, this state celebrity should really have someone take a quick look at future menus before presenting them to the public.
17 Feb 2026, 2:13 pm
5 weird armours from history
Royal Armouries, CC BY-NC-NDFor the medieval knight, armour was essential. It provided protection on the battlefield and signified status and rank. As the medieval period came to a close, Renaissance ideals of peace and diplomacy prevailed and the need for battle-hardened knights disappeared. But armour remained an important symbol of elite masculinity, thanks to its association with chivalry, honour and knighthood. Ceremonial armour became a requisite for noblem…
17 Feb 2026, 2:13 pm
Intense heatwaves directly threaten crops and native species. Here’s what we can do
Gregory Heath/CSIRO, CC BY-NC-NDDuring Australia’s unprecedented heatwave in late January, air temperatures reached 50°C in inland South Australia. Days of sustained heat and hot nights did real damage. A flying fox colony was all but wiped out in South Australia, while Western Australian mango growers suffered major crop losses as fruit literally boiled. These increasingly extreme heatwaves are now posing a real threat to the crops and livestock on which we r…
17 Feb 2026, 2:12 pm
Trump administration is erasing history and science at national parks, lawsuit argues
The Trump administration was sued over National Park Service policies that the groups say erase history and science from America's national parks.
17 Feb 2026, 2:11 pm
Reform's Laila Cunningham reveals moment which 'blew her away' during Nigel Farage's 'Shadow Cabinet' announcement
Reform's Laila Cunningham has issued a rave reaction after Nigel Farage revealed Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman are set to hold key roles in the party's "Shadow Cabinet" today.The Reform UK leader announced Mr Jenrick will serve as his Shadow Chancellor, with Mrs Braverman covering education and equalities.Reacting to the major announcement today, Reform's London candidate heaped praise onto her party colleagues on GB News saying: "It's the dream team. "If you…