Trump's approval rating with independents hits a new low ahead of the State of the Union  —  When President Donald Trump gives his State of the Union address Tuesday, he will face a public that increasingly questions his priorities and expresses broad doubts about whether his proposed policies …

Peter Mandelson arrested amid Epstein fallout  —  LONDON —Former U.K. ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson was arrested Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, amid scrutiny of his association with Jeffrey Epstein.  —  Metropolitan Police officers attended Mandelson's home in northwest London on Monday afternoon.

Judge Cannon permanently blocks release of Jack Smith report … The Trump-appointed judge said releasing the report now would “contravene basic notions of fairness and justice” and amount to a “manifest injustice” because the case never reached a jury.  It could also risk revealing information protected …

Major Update: Bombshell Epstein Developments as Trump Support Falls Ahead of State of the Union and FBI Director Faces Calls to Resign  —  Good morning everyone.  We are kicking off an absolutely packed and consequential week.  Major new developments in the Epstein case have emerged …

E.U. hits the brakes on U.S. trade deal after Trump threatens 15% global tariffs  —  The pause is the latest fallout from the Supreme Court's ruling that President Donald Trump exceeded his authority when he imposed emergency tariffs.  —  The European Parliament on Monday halted …

FBI's “Stand Down” Directive to NYPD on Jeffrey Epstein Investigations, and More  —  Just five days after Jeffrey Epstein's arrest in the summer of 2019, federal authorities “directed” the New York Police Department to “stand down” its investigations related to Epstein, new documents released by the Department of Justice show.

25 Mexican National Guard troops left dead during an operation that killed cartel leader ‘El Mencho’  —  Mexico Security Secretary Omar García Harfuch said Monday 25 members of the National Guard were left dead in Jalisco in six separate attacks after the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes.

Controversy Erupts After Man with Tourette Syndrome Shouts N-Word at Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo During BAFTAs  —  Controversy exploded online Sunday after a man with Tourette Syndrome shouted the N-word while actors Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo presented during the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs).

House scrambling to host hockey teams at State of the Union, Johnson says  —  Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday House officials are scrambling to find a way to accommodate the gold-medal-winning U.S. men and women's hockey teams at Tuesday's State of the Union address.

Peter Attia Out at CBS News After Epstein Files Correspondence Disclosures (Exclusive)  —  The longevity researcher and health influencer had been named a contributor to CBS by Bari Weiss last month.  —  Longevity guru Dr. Peter Attia is stepping aside as a contributor to CBS News …

I am a 15-year-old girl.  Let me show you the vile misogyny that confronts me on social media every day  —  Anonymous  —  Objectification, hate, rape threats: the politicians debating online abuse mean well, but to truly understand, they need to see what I see

Lessons from the Minnesota's Civil Contempt Case  —  “The government's understaffing and high case load is a problem of its own making,” a federal judge observed.  —  rparloff.bsky.social  —  Meet The Authors  —  On Feb. 18, 2026, after a 90-minute hearing, U.S. District Judge Laura Provinzino …

The Epstein Files Should Never Have Been Released  —  Every day seems to bring new reports of financiers, academics, politicians and royalty (among others) who cozied up to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender whose predation took a horrendous toll on innocent lives.

DHS accused of using surveillance tech to track legal observers in Maine … The plaintiffs, Colleen Fagan and Elinor Hilton, are legal observers in Maine who had confrontations with DHS agents, according to the lawsuit.  They alleged that agents used phones to scan their faces and license plates …

Netflix CEO shrugs off Trump demands as Warner Bros. deal looms … “This is a business deal.  It's not a political deal,” Sarandos told BBC's Amol Rajan in an interview.  “[Trump] likes to do a lot of things on social media.”  —  Trump's Truth Social post about Rice is his latest in a series …

Vaccine Skeptic RFK Jr.'s Allies Pitch Cringe Comedy on COVID Response  —  RASH RESPONSE  —  The estimated production budget for “The Rash” is close to $6 million.  —  Allies of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are desperately trying to raise funding so a comedy movie about the response to the COVID-19 pandemic can be made.

Key Witness Who Disputed ICE Account of Fatal Texas Shooting Dies in Car Accident  —  A passenger in the car with Ruben Ray Martinez wrote that the men were trying to comply with authorities before Mr. Martinez was shot.  The passenger, Joshua Orta, died in a car accident on Saturday.

Patel sparks outrage partying with Team USA as MAGA cheers him on  —  FBI Director Kash Patel is at the center of an online firestorm after videos captured inside Team USA's men's hockey locker room on Sunday showed him chugging beers, singing a Toby Keith song and partying with the Olympic gold medal-winning team.

ICE whistleblower comes forward to testify before Congress  —  A whistleblower from Immigration and Customs Enforcement is expected to testify at a congressional forum Monday that the agency is “lying to Congress and the American people” about its training of new recruits.

The Republican Party Has a Nazi Problem  —  The Republican Party has become a haven for Nazi sympathizers.  —  over the past few months, during his agency's chaotic crackdowns in Chicago and Minneapolis, the U.S. Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino has worn an unusual uniform …

New Details From Epstein Files Reveal Lutnick Had Years-Long Business Tie With Sex Offender  —  There's more bad news for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in the Epstein files: Previously unreported documents show he hasn't been accurate—or, perhaps, honest—about the extent of his business ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

The State of the Union, February 2026  —  The State of the Union is Not Strong, Says a Majority  —  When thinking about the state of the union, a majority of Americans, say the United States is not very strong or not strong at all.  In fact, six in ten Americans think the country is worse off …

Supreme Court to consider whether states can sue over greenhouse gas emissions  —  Dozens of municipalities are seeking billions in damages against oil and gas companies, often accusing them of misleading the public about the links between greenhouse gases and climate risks.