Monthly Archives: February 2026

2026.02.18

ICE

After my ICE arrest, I learned one crucial way to treat trauma. We can all take part
An illustration of numerous gentle, overlapping hands forming the shape of a protective flower enclosing a small, curled up child.
I was detained for writing a op-ed about Gaza as a student at Tufts. My experience has only made me feel more connected to others facing oppression
Rümeysa Öztürk
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/feb/18/rumeysa-ozturk-trauma-children-ice-gaza

Conservative Georgia town pushes back against ICE detention center: ‘We are Americans after all’
Social Circle, a mostly Maga town, builds strange bedfellow coalition against plans to convert warehouse
Timothy Pratt in Social Circle, Georgia
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/18/ice-detention-center-warehouse-georgia

More News

In other session news, a bill backed by more than two dozen GOP lawmakers would make protesting in front of someone’s place of residence a gross misdemeanor. Legal repercussions could also include restraining orders, Fox 9 reports. Via MinnPost
https://www.fox9.com/news/residential-protesting-minnesota-new-gop-proposal-feb-2026

Nevada sues Kalshi to block company’s prediction market operation in state
State regulators seek to block Kalshi from offering events contracts that would allow residents to bet on sports
Reuters
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/18/nevada-kalshi-lawsuit-prediction-market

Billionaire Les Wexner to testify before Congress about ties to Epstein
Wexner, who has denied misconduct related to Epstein, is one of several subpoenaed by House oversight panel
Victoria Bekiempis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/18/les-wexner-jeffrey-epstein-congress

Nazi letters reveal paper restorers’ role in compiling Holocaust ‘hitlist’
Exclusive: Research uncovers programme to make centuries-old records legible to detect people’s ancestry
Dalya Alberge
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/18/nazi-letters-paper-restorers-holocaust-research

Excruciating tropical disease can now be transmitted in most of Europe, study finds
‘Shocking’ data shows the climate crisis and invasive mosquitos mean chikungunya could spread in 29 countries
Damian Carrington Environment editor
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/feb/18/tropical-disease-chikungunya-transmitted-europe-study

Coffee-growing countries becoming too hot to cultivate beans, analysis finds
Five countries responsible for 75% of world’s coffee supply record average of 57 extra days of coffee-harming heat a year
Damien Gayle
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/18/coffee-growing-countries-too-hot-to-cultivate-beans-analysis

Hazardous substances found in all headphones tested by ToxFREE project
Substances include chemicals that can cause cancer, neurodevelopmental problems and the feminisation of males
Damien Gayle
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/18/hazardous-substances-headphones

‘He invented a style’: war chronicler Robert Capa refashioned himself and revolutionised photography
A Paris exhibition showcases how the Magnum agency founder documented not just battle but also victims of war
Jon Henley
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/feb/18/robert-capa-war-photographer-magnum-musee-de-la-liberation-de-paris

Here’s a great costume idea for conventions — all you need is a couple of woodworking tools! Be great for dieting too!

The Schandmantel

Rio de Janeiro carnival 2026 – in pictures
Rio de Janeiro’s carnival is full of contrasts: wealth brushes up against poverty, joyful abandon unfolds alongside hard labour. Its visual expression also explores notions of power. In a country with the largest Catholic population in the world, racy nun costumes are everywhere during the festival. Along with revellers dressing up in sexy police costumes, the Catholic cosplay reveals an element of carnival’s underlying subversive nature: authority figures softened, flipped, and reconsidered through street theatre and play
Avery Leigh White
https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2026/feb/18/rio-de-janeiro-carnival-2026-in-pictures

2026.02.17

ICE

“The Trump administration has formally denied Minnesota law enforcement access to information and evidence from the FBI investigation into the shooting death of Alex Pretti by federal agents on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis,” according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. “The [Bureau of Criminal Apprehension] and other law enforcement offices in Minnesota have longstanding ties to the FBI and a history of working together on criminal investigations of all sorts. The rupture in the relationship first became apparent after the killing of [Renee] Good, when Trump administration officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, quickly branded Good a domestic terrorist, and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the federal government was not investigating” the agent who allegedly shot Good. Via MinnPost
https://www.startribune.com/trump-administration-formally-denies-minnesota-investigators-access-to-evidence-in-alex-pretti-shooting/601583232?utm_source=gift

FBI won’t share Alex Pretti shooting evidence, Minnesota authorities say
State’s governor had demanded impartial inquiry into the shooting of the VA nurse by federal immigration agents
José Olivares
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/16/fbi-alex-pretti-minnesota-authorities-information-sharing

“Dozens of Minnesotans are sharing their experiences of violent interactions with ICE agents during the surge,” MPR News reports. “A class-action lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota added sworn declarations from more than 80 observers or protesters who allege First Amendment violations.” Via MinnPost
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/02/16/more-than-80-minnesotans-detail-useofforce-intimidation-by-ice-agents-in-lawsuit

More News

Minnesota lawmakers are tapping campaign funds to bolster their security
Although Congress has boosted the amount of money provided for members’ security, some Minnesota lawmakers are spending more for their personal safety.
by Ana Radelat and Shadi Bushra
https://www.minnpost.com/national/washington/2026/02/minnesota-lawmakers-are-tapping-campaign-funds-to-bolster-their-security/

With the Minnesota Legislature set to return, DFLers are on the offensive. Republicans have a leaner agenda.
GOP leaders seek a bonding bill. Democrats want that too, plus an assault weapons ban and immigration enforcement reform.
by Matthew Blake
https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2026/02/with-the-minnesota-legislature-set-to-return-dflers-are-on-the-offensive-republicans-have-a-leaner-agenda/

‘I feel like I’m in a financial prison’: Trump Wall Street plan puts ‘mom and pop’ investors at risk, advocates say
Trump says everyday Americans deserve a chance to buy higher-risk ‘alternative’ investments. Critics say this could lead to big losses for small investors
Susan Antilla
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/feb/17/trump-wall-street-plan-mom-and-pop-investors-risks

Colbert accuses Trump administration of censorship after CBS pulls interview
Host says lawyers barred him from discussing decision to drop Texas Democrat segment amid FCC rules scrutiny
Richard Luscombe
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/17/colbert-trump-administration-censorship-cbs
On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiTJ7Pz_59A&pp=ygUaY29sYmVydCB0YWxhcmljbyBpbnRlcnZpZXc%3D

More than 600 people were fired or punished for posting about Charlie Kirk’s death. They want justice
Acolytes of the far-right activist urged employers to fire his critics. Now those who were terminated are suing and claiming their right to free speech
John Semley
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/feb/17/people-fired-punished-posting-charlie-kirk-death

France issues red flood alerts after ‘exceptional’ rainfall
Aftermath of Storm Nils causes chaos across country with flooding under way or expected on Garonne, Maine and Loire rivers
Ajit Niranjan Europe environment correspondent.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/17/red-flood-alerts-storm-nils-exceptional-rainfall

The Blood Countess review – Isabelle Huppert reigns supreme in a surreal vampire fantasia
Vienna turns into a playground of camp, cruelty and aristocratic disdain in a blackly comic take on the Báthory legend – with Huppert gloriously suited to the title role
Peter Bradshaw
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/16/blood-countess-film-review-isabelle-huppert

Tent painting, sand wrestling and year of the horse: photos of the day – Tuesday
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world
Eithne Staunton
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/gallery/2026/feb/17/tent-painting-year-of-the-horse-photos-of-the-day-tuesday

Me

TurboTax & Me
I owe! I owe! I owe! Less than my first rough through, but more than I wish. My hope that the solar panel installation credit would cover my last estimated tax payment fell foul to a large unexpected capital gains tax hit. The host of medical bills I’d expected never materialized.

Theophylline & Me
Ive taken theophylline, an ancient and now little-prescribed drug from a tree in India, since before the dinosaurs vanished. Over the years, cost and sense never went together. Various weight pills of the drug varied wildly and were not related to the dose. A 200 MG pill might cost 30 times as much as a 600 MG pill. Right now, it has just vanished. CVS just fails to fill it. Walgreens and Amazon think they can provide it. Amazon claimed they can get 200 MG pills with a 3-month supply for only $1,028 and change. My BC & BS insurance formulary doesn’t cover the 200 MG dose, and they denied my first request for a waiver. I reapplied, and they approved it. The Amazon price dropped to only $450! A Canadian pharmacy can provide it for $177.40 ($23.03 to Herr Trump’s tariffs). Cost Plus, which ustta not have much, has 300 MG for $15.12 for 90 pills. Of course, this is three prescriptions I’ve not filled, and I don’t have a paper prescription for that dose. (A downside to theophylline is you need blood tests for aminophylline levels to determine if you’re taking enough to be effective and too little to be toxic. A couple of years ago, I went too high in the range, which I can’t recommend.)

Happy Lunar New Year!
It’s the year of the horse, and given I am not chemically compatible with horses, who knows what the year holds? Sure hard to beat the last one though.

Ramadan
Starting today or tomorrow as determined by a moon-sighting committee.

Shrove Tuesday

Git yer pancakes ready!

2026.02.16

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano erupts – video
The Kilauea volcano in Hawaii erupted on Sunday, sending lava fountains, ash and smoke into the air. The US Geological Survey said it was the 42nd episode of lava fountains since the current series of intermittent eruptions began in December 2024. The plume from the latest eruption reached more than 10,000 metres (35,000 feet), according to the National Weather Service
Source: US Geological Survey
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2026/feb/16/hawaiis-kilauea-volcano-erupts-video

Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights is big movie with a very small mind
Adrian Horton
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/16/emerald-fennell-wuthering-heights-review

Train derails in Switzerland amid fatal avalanches across the Alps
Swiss police say derailment near Goppenstein injured five as large areas of western Alps remain under category 5 avalanche risk
Peter Beaumont
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/16/train-derails-switzerland-fatal-avalanches-alps

Cyprus appeals to residents to cut water use by two minutes a day amid drought
Island’s reservoirs hit record lows even before tourist season starts as Cypriots are warned ‘every drop counts’
Helena Smith in Athens
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/16/cyprus-appeals-reduce-water-use-reservoirs-record-lows-drought

Intermittent fasting no better than typical weight loss diets, study finds
Researchers say limited eating approaches such as 5:2 diet not a ‘miracle solution’ amid surge in their popularity
Ian Sample Science editor
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/feb/16/intermittent-fasting-no-better-than-typical-weight-loss-diet-study-finds

A new diagnosis of ‘profound autism’ is under consideration. Here’s what parents need to know
Category describes people who have little or no language, an IQ of less than 50 and require 24-hour supervision
Kelsie Boulton, Marie Antoinette Hodge and Rebecca Sutherland for the Conversation
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/15/profound-autism-meaning-what-is-parents-need-to-know

Italy’s famous Lovers’ Arch collapses into the sea on Valentine’s Day
Rock structure which served as backdrop to countless proposals disappears into the Adriatic after storm
Lorenzo Tondo in Palermo
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/16/italy-lovers-arch-puglia-collapse-adriatic-sea-valentines-day

Shamelessly Stolen from Tom Scott’s Newsletter:
This video of the mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, officiating weddings at at the NYC Marriage Bureau fascinated me for a couple of reasons. To be clear, it’s a very well-produced PR piece by the Mayor’s Office: something like this a great way to make a political figure seem down-to-earth and friendly. And at the surface level, it’s a lovely Valentine’s video, too! But there’s a couple of subtle details that reveal how that down-to-earth effect is produced in 2026, and I reckon they would have been unthinkable five years ago:
And second: blink and you’ll miss it, but on the shot of the dog, it’s obvious that the seating is cracked and faded. The building doesn’t look perfect — but it’s never shown to be run-down in a way that affects any couple’s Big Day. The imperfections here, I think, are curated just as much as the video cuts, the words, and the music
First: most of the couples interviewed are holding a big, clunky, square wireless mic-box! That would never have appeared in a professionally produced video just a couple of years ago: subtle lapel mics would have been clipped on, or maybe there would even have been a sound op with a boom pole. But now, the desire to appear authentic and down-to-earth on social media means that, even in an otherwise glossy video, the producer just asks the interviewee to hold a bit of consumer electronics. Never mind the expensive camera, lens, editing, and everything else: hand them a mic, and suddenly everything Feels Genuine.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUp01MXUkpo
 

Carnival, lunar new year and anti-US fervour: photos of the day – Monday
Eithne Staunton
https://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2026/feb/16/carnival-lunar-new-year-and-anti-us-fervour-photos-of-the-day-monday

2026.02.15

ICE

Ex-watchdogs warn rush to give power to local police in immigration crackdown risks ‘threat to civil rights’
Critics say Trump administration’s rapidly expanding system is open to abuse and risks alienating communities from local police
José Olivares in New York
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/15/local-police-immigration-partnership-287g-civil-rights

In Minneapolis, Native American patrols keep watch – and see history repeating: ‘We are still being chased’
The American Indian Movement was established in Minneapolis more than 50 years ago in response to police brutality. After ICE agents flooded the city this winter, neighborhoods reprised citizen patrols
Maanvi Singh, with photographs by Jaida Grey Eagle
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/15/minneapolis-native-american-patrols-ice

More News

The problem with doorbell cams: Nancy Guthrie case and Ring Super Bowl ad reawaken surveillance fears
Many people bought the devices thinking they would do little more than protect their delivery packages
Sanya Mansoor
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/14/doorbell-cameras-ring-nancy-guthrie-super-bowl

California’s billionaires pour cash into elections as big tech seeks new allies
As Gavin Newsom departs, ultra-wealthy flex wealth and influence to fight regulation and keep the boom going
Dara Kerr
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/15/california-billionaires-state-elections

Maxwell’s clemency pitch: can Epstein accomplice talk her way out of prison?
Experts question convicted sex trafficker’s motivations as she claims she can reveal ‘truth’ in exchange for freedom
Victoria Bekiempis in New York
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/15/ghislaine-maxwell-epstein-clemency

Trump gets the Monroe doctrine wrong. He should take a page from Bad Bunny
Ted Widmer
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/feb/15/trump-bad-bunny-monroe-doctrine

The key to defeating Trump? Mass non-cooperation
Mark Engler and Paul Engler
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/15/defeat-trump-mass-non-cooperation

Progressive Texas organizers hail shock win as far-right Republicans left reeling
Elation as anti-extremists fight back against influence of billionaire megadonors through grassroots organizing
Tyler Hicks in Texas
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/15/texas-organizers-republicans

Alleged cat burglar arrested after priceless Egyptian artefacts taken in Queensland museum heist
Man charged after 2,600-year-old cat sculpture, mummy mask and necklace stolen from Caboolture museum
Ben Smee
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/15/alleged-cat-burglar-arrested-after-priceless-egyptian-artefacts-taken-in-queensland-museum-heist

Tom Gauld on the modern romance novel – cartoon
Tom Gauld
https://www.theguardian.com/books/picture/2026/feb/15/tom-gauld-on-the-modern-romance-novel-cartoon

How to make the perfect chicken massaman – recipe
Thai cuisine’s most delicious curry is also its most complex. Thankfully, our resident perfectionist is here to help you master your massaman
Felicity Cloake
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/feb/15/perfect-massaman-recipe-felicity-cloake

Bud Cort obituary
American actor who starred in the 1971 dark comedy film Harold and Maude that later became a cult classic
Phil Hoad
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/15/bud-cort-obituary

2026.02.14

ICE

What is it about Minnesota that made it a target for Trump’s ICE crackdown?
The Democratic-leaning midwestern state where federal agents killed two citizens is in many ways anathema to the administration
Rachel Leingang in Minneapolis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/14/why-minnesota-ice-crackdown-trump

Feds open perjury probe into ICE officers’ testimony about north Minneapolis shooting of Venezuelan man
by Michael Biesecker | The Associated Press, Jim Mustian | The Associated Press and Jack Brook | The Associated Press
https://sahanjournal.com/news-partners/ap-us-immigration-enforcement-minnesota-ice-shooting/

Journalist Don Lemon pled not guilty on Friday to charges related to his involvement in covering a protest at a Minneapolis church last month. “Lemon’s attorneys are also asking for the Department of Homeland Security to return his seized cellphone,” CBS News reports. “Independent journalist Georgia Fort and one other person charged in the case are set to be arraigned on Tuesday.” Via MinnPost
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/don-lemon-nekima-levy-armstrong-st-paul-church-protest-arrest-arraignment/

Don Lemon pleads not guilty to civil rights charges after Minnesota anti-ICE protest
Former CNN anchor said he was working as a journalist when he was arrested at protest during church service
Lucy Campbell and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/13/don-lemon-pleads-not-guilty-anti-ice-protest-minnesota

More News

D.C. Memo: Senate Republicans pile on Ellison in fiery hearing
Plus: Emmer calls Frey a criminal; Republicans split with Trump on Canada tariffs; a reader writes, and more.
by Ana Radelat
https://www.minnpost.com/national/washington/2026/02/d-c-memo-senate-republicans-pile-on-ellison-in-fiery-hearing/

US homeland security department partially shut down after lawmakers fail to agree funding
Lawmakers left Washington for a long weekend without resolving an impasse over much-criticized agency’s funding
Robert Tait in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/13/us-homeland-security-department-shutdown

US justice department sues Harvard over admissions records access
Justice department accuses university of failing to comply with government’s request for over 10 months
Lucy Campbell
https://www.theguardian.com/education/2026/feb/13/harvard-justice-department-lawsuit

US fixation on the hard-hat economy and making manufacturing great again makes little sense
Eduardo Porter
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/14/trump-manufacturing-jobs-economy

‘The time of monsters’: everyone is quoting Gramsci – but what did he actually say?
Line handily sums up people’s bewilderment at state of world, but it isn’t quite what the Marxist thinker wrote
Philip Oltermann European culture editor
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/14/the-time-of-monsters-everyone-is-quoting-gramsci-but-what-did-he-actually-say

Nose for trouble: Italian town seeks ‘odour evaluators’ to sniff out bad smells
Mayor of Brendola in Vicenza says he has received complaints from residents who live near industrial zones
Angela Giuffrida in Rome
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/14/italian-town-brendola-odour-evaluators-sniff-out-bad-smells

Experience: I’m a professional chef in Antarctica
You have to be careful managing supplies – there is one delivery a year
Olivier Hubert
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/feb/13/experience-im-a-professional-chef-in-antarctica

Pancake flipping and Palestine Action: photos of the day – Friday
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world
Eithne Staunton
https://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2026/feb/13/pancake-flipping-and-palestine-action-photos-of-the-day-friday

2026.02.13

ICE

The surge is over? What’s next for state officials after a federal immigration agent drawdown
Walz and lawmakers sounded relieved. But reckoning over the collateral fallout has barely begun.
by Matthew Blake
https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2026/02/the-surge-is-over-whats-next-for-state-officials-after-a-federal-immigration-agent-drawdown/

How Minnesota became less of a sanctuary state to Tom Homan
Greater communication with county jails, a repositioning of ICE agents, fewer ‘agitators’ and more cooperation from local law enforcement was cited for the end of Operation Metro Surge.
by Ana Radelat and Brian Arola
https://www.minnpost.com/national/washington/2026/02/how-minnesota-became-less-of-a-sanctuary-state-to-tom-homan/

Relief is on the way for some small businesses in Minnesota. “Gov. Tim Walz said Thursday he’ll back an aid package to support state businesses, especially immigrant-owned business, hurt by the surge of federal immigration agents in Minnesota over the past two months,” according to MPR News. “Walz told reporters he’ll propose a $10 million emergency fund, similar to an effort during the COVID-19 pandemic, that would offer forgivable loans targeted at small businesses.” Via MinnPost
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/02/12/walz-readies-aid-package-for-minnesota-businesses-hurt-by-ice-surge

What are Minnesota officials saying about the border czar Tom Homan’s announcement that Operation Metro Surge will soon draw to a close? WCCO has statements from a number of our state’s leaders. Via MinnPost
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/live-updates/minnesota-ice-surge-ending-feds-say/

US paid $32m to five countries to accept about 300 deportees, report shows
Some of the world’s most corrupt countries have received huge payments in controversial third-country deportation scheme
Joseph Gedeon and Andrew Roth
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/13/us-paid-32m-to-five-countries-to-accept-about-300-deportees-report-shows

More News

As if we didn’t have enough to worry about, cases of sexually transmitted ringworm are on the rise in the Twin Cities, according to Bring Me The News. “The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) says there are currently 13 confirmed cases of TMVII, and 27 suspected cases, all within the Twin Cities metro area. The disease was first detected in the state in July 2025.” Via MinnPost
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-news/twin-cities-experiencing-surge-of-sexually-transmitted-ringworm-cases

Gender studies courses are shutting down across the US. The Epstein files reveal why
Joan Wallach Scott
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/13/gender-studies-trump-epstein

Pride flag reinstated at Stonewall after it was removed by Trump administration
New York City officials raise flag at site of rebellion once again after ‘act of erasure’ by administration
Dani Anguiano
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/12/pride-flag-reinstated-stonewall

French police arrest nine people over suspected €10m Louvre ticket fraud
Prosecutors’ office says two museum workers, several tour guides and suspected mastermind among those detained
Angelique Chrisafis in Paris
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/13/french-police-arrest-people-suspected-louvre-ticket-fraud

‘A great wee place’: the small Scottish factory crafting Olympic curling stones
All stones in Cortina are made from granite found on tiny island in Firth of Clyde and crafted in East Ayrshire
Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/13/a-great-wee-place-the-small-scottish-factory-crafting-olympic-curling-stones

The best recent science fiction, fantasy and horror – review roundup
Nowhere Burning by Catriona Ward; Pagans by James Alistair Henry; Pedro the Vast by Simón López Trujillo; Operation Bounce House by Matt Dinniman; A Beast Slinks Towards Beijing by Alice Evelyn Yang
Lisa Tuttle
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/feb/13/the-best-recent-science-fiction-fantasy-and-horror-review-roundup

Week in wildlife: a thirsty raccoon, a superhero squid and a delinquent swan
This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world
Elena Goodinson
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/feb/13/week-in-wildlife-a-thirsty-raccoon-a-superhero-squid-and-a-delinquent-swan

2026.02.12

ICE

Federal authorities announce an end to the immigration crackdown in Minnesota Federal officials have announced an end to an immigration crackdown in Minnesota that led to mass detentions, protests and two deaths.
by Steve Karnowski, Associated Press
https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2026/02/federal-authorities-announce-an-end-to-the-immigration-crackdown-in-minnesota/

Latest polling shows disapproval of Trump on immigration
About 3 in 10 U.S. adults trust Republicans to do a better job handling immigration, while a similar share say the same of Democrats.
By Steve Peoples and Amelia Thomson-Deveaux, AP https://www.minnpost.com/national/2026/02/latest-poll-shows-disapproval-of-trump-on-immigration/

More News

Reading and writing can lower dementia risk by almost 40%, study finds
Cognitive health in later life is ‘strongly influenced’ by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments, say researchers
Andrew Gregory Health editor
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/11/reading-writing-lower-dementia-risk-study-finds

Why most democracies won’t touch Trump’s Board of Peace
Adam Gabbatt
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/11/the-board-of-peace-most-democracies-wont-touch

Man pardoned by Trump for attacking US Capitol found guilty of child abuse Andrew Paul Johnson was found guilty of five counts including molesting a child under 12 and another under 16
Victoria Bekiempis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/11/man-trump-pardoned-us-capitol-child-sexual-abuse

Why has Maga lost its mind over Bad Bunny?
Moustafa Bayoumi
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/11/bad-bunny-halftime-show-maga-reaction

WCCO has a story about the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ “new web page dedicated to fact-checking claims about Medicaid fraud in Minnesota.” The page lists several unsupported but widely reported claims about fraud in the state. Via MinnPost
https://www.minnpost.com/glean/2026/02/ice-crackdown-in-minnesota-widely-unpopular/

US officials lift 10-day closure of El Paso airspace after balloon mistaken for drone FAA initially cited ‘security reasons’ for shutting off skies around Texas airport in area along border with Mexico
Oliver Holmes and Victoria Bekiempis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/11/faa-close-airspace-el-paso-texas-airport

Why is the Washington Post cratering so spectacularly?
Margaret Sullivan
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/12/washington-post-fires-staff

How to Get to Heaven from Belfast review – if you see nothing else this year, watch this
When old school friends reunite at a funeral, they suspect foul play. Cue this frenetic, witty caper from Derry Girls’ Lisa McGee – complete with a sensational performance from Saoirse-Monica Jackson
Lucy Mangan
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/12/how-to-get-to-heaven-from-belfast-review-if-you-see-nothing-else-this-year-watch-this

Apocalypse no: how almost everything we thought we knew about the Maya is wrong For many years the prevailing debate about the Maya centred upon why their civilisation collapsed. Now, many scholars are asking: how did the Maya survive?
By Marcus Haraldsson
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/feb/12/apocalypse-no-how-almost-everything-we-thought-we-knew-about-the-maya-is-wrong

Grisly discovery brings new answers in mystery of Belgian tourist’s disappearance in Australian wilderness
Searchers hope that finding Celine Cremer’s bones, teeth and car key in Tasmania’s north-west will help them solve what happened to her
Tory Shepherd
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/12/celine-cremer-belgian-tourist-tasmania-australia

‘Unprecedented’ spate of toxic mushroom illnesses jar California After state sees four deaths and 40 hospitalizations, public health officials and foraging experts urge caution
Katharine Gammon in Los Angeles
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/12/california-toxic-mushroom-deaths

‘People ought to know’: Blue Boy Trial brings Japan’s trans history up to date Kasho Iizuka’s feature casts trans actors to revisit a notorious 1965 trial that made gender reassignment illegal for more than 30 years. He explains why the history remains unfinished
Blake Simons
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/12/blue-boy-trial-japan-trans-history-kasho-iizuka

Bud Cort, star of Harold and Maude, dies aged 77
Actor best-known for role in Hal Ashby’s black comedy also appeared in films by Robert Altman and Wes Anderson
Benjamin Lee
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/11/bud-cort-dead-harold-and-maude-actor

James Van Der Beek, star of Dawson’s Creek, dies aged 48
Actor who also starred in Varsity Blues and Rules of Attraction revealed in 2024 he had been diagnosed with cancer
Kate Abbott
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/11/james-van-der-beek-dies

Ugly tears and floppy-haired heartthrobs: Dawson’s Creek’s 10 best moments
As fans mourn the death of James Van Der Beek, we look back at the show he made a teen sensation
Anna Spargo-Ryan
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/12/dawsons-creek-10-best-moments-james-van-der-beek

2026.02.11

ICE

US restaurants targeted for opposing ICE: ‘I refuse to cook for fascists’
Restaurants face one-star reviews and less business in an already precarious industry. Some restaurateurs fear speaking out as immigrants themselves
Adam Reiner
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/us-restaurant-owners-ice-immigration

Ohio city stands up to Trump’s ‘attitude of hate’ toward Haitian community
Churches in Springfield provide networks of support as Haitians face uncertainty over the future of TPS legal protections
Fabiola Cineas
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/springfield-churches-trump-attacks-haitan-community

ICE to Congress: Mass deportations are lawful and will continue
In testimony before a House panel, agency head Todd Lyons defended ICE operations in Minnesota and declined to comment on the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
by Ana Radelat
https://www.minnpost.com/national/washington/2026/02/ice-to-congress-mass-deportations-are-lawful-and-will-continue/

An independent investigative journalist at The Northern Watch combed through DHS’ “Worst of the Worst” registry meant to showcase high-profile arrests made during Operation Metro Surge to create a statewide map of where these arrests took place, and the type of crimes the arrested had committed. The arrests in DHS’ database account for only 11% of the 3,000 arrests the government has said they’ve made, and Northern Watch found that in rural Minnesota, “ICE appears to be taking credit for administrative transfers of inmates who were already in custody.” Via MinnPost
https://www.northernnewsnow.com/2026/02/09/i-mapped-every-confirmed-ice-arrest-minnesota-heres-what-i-found/

ICE increasingly targeting Minnesota immigrants with active work permits
ICE agents knocked on Wilmer Andrade’s door claiming a warrant for his arrest. He has a work permit, a pending visa application and no final order of removal. In Operation Metro Surge, people like him are targets.
by Andrew Hazzard
https://sahanjournal.com/immigration/ice-targets-immigrants-with-work-permits/

More News

FDA declines to review Moderna application for new flu vaccine
Moderna requests meeting to discuss refusal as decision could have implications for all new and updated vaccines
Melody Schreiber
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/fda-moderna-flu-vaccine

Mark Carney reminds Trump that Canada paid for key border bridge US president says he won’t open
Trump earlier had ranted against bridge and also warned that China would ‘terminate’ hockey in Canada
Leyland Cecco in Toronto and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/trump-canada-windsor-detroit-bridge

Actor Noel Clarke arrested over allegation of attempted rape in 2007
Former Doctor Who star is also facing allegations of exposure and sexual assault by touching
Rachel Hall
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/10/actor-noel-clarke-arrested-over-allegation-of-attempted-in-2007

Trump administration removes LGBTQ+ Pride flag from Stonewall national monument
‘They cannot erase our history. Our Pride flag will be raised again,’ says Manhattan borough president
Cecilia Nowell
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/lgbtq-pride-flag-stonewall-trump-removal

Debunked claims from election deniers influenced FBI raid in Georgia, affidavit reveals
The 28 January raid of the Fulton county election office also came after a referral from a White House lawyer
Sam Levine in New York and George Chidi in Atlanta
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/fbi-raid-fulton-county-voting-office-search-affidavit

Minnesota state flags are a becoming hot commodities at flag shops throughout the state, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. “Lee Herold, who owns Herold Flags in Rochester, said sales of the Minnesota flag have gone up about 75% since the start of the federal government’s Operation Metro Surge, while sales of the old flag have also increased.” In Minneapolis, the Nicollet Ace Hardware store only recently started carrying Minnesota flags. They sold out in a matter of hours. Via MinnPost
https://www.startribune.com/minnesota-flag-sales-soar-during-ice-surge/601579509

Heineken to cut 6,000 jobs as people drink less beer
Dutch brewer lowers forecasts for 2026 profit growth as cost of living and consumer health concerns reduce sales
Joanna Partridge
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/11/heineken-cut-jobs-people-drink-less-beer

Wallace, Gromit and a new use for lentils: blockbuster Aardman exhibition opens at Young V&A
Children are encouraged to get hands-on as the world’s leading stop-motion studio showcases its work in east London
Catherine Shoard
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/10/aardman-exhibition-wallace-gromit-london

2026.02.10

ICE

Local police aid ICE by tapping school cameras amid Trump’s immigration crackdown
Local police assisted federal immigration agents by repeatedly searching school cameras that record license plate numbers, data show
Mark Keierleber of the 74
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/ice-school-cameras-police-license-plates

Community members are expressing fear that ICE agents are disguising themselves, WCCO reports. “People describing themselves as constitutional observers tell WCCO that in the past week, reports of ICE agents disguising themselves have flooded in from the Twin Cities metro and rural areas of the state,” including alleged agents dressed as construction workers, Uber drivers and utility workers.
https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/community-members-fear-ice-agents-disguising-themselves/

‘These are people’s livelihoods’: Minnesota’s economy in crisis amid ICE surge
Small businesses across the Twin Cities are suffering and owners say ‘Metro Surge’ could be worse than Covid-19
Lauren Aratani
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/minnesota-small-business-ice-immigration-agents

Federal judge blocks California from enforcing ICE mask ban
Judge rules that law discriminates against federal government because it does not apply to state authorities
Dara Kerr and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/judge-california-ice-masks

More News

Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl hidden messages, cameos, symbolism, and ratings
The Puerto Rican superstar gave viewers one of the most fun, political, and daring Super Bowl Halftime Shows of all time.
By Bernardo Sim
https://www.out.com/gay-music/bad-bunny-super-bowl#rebelltitem1

A couple of teas or coffees a day could lower risk of dementia, scientists say
Findings suggest smaller cognitive decline, but US study cannot prove daily caffeine hit is good for the brain
Ian Sample Science editor
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/feb/09/tea-coffee-could-lower-dementia-risk-scientists-say

Judge’s order removes imminent threat of Minnesota losing federal child care money
The Trump administration tried in early January to take $467 million in federal assistance away from Minnesota, but a judge says it must now prove in court that the proposed action would be justified.
by Matthew Blake
https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2026/02/judges-order-removes-imminent-threat-of-minnesota-losing-federal-child-care-money/

For Minnesota farmers, it’s been a season of discontent
Tariffs, ICE enforcement and dysfunctional politics have made for a tense backdrop to the annual winter farm-show circuit.
by Forrest Peterson
https://www.minnpost.com/greater-minnesota/2026/02/for-minnesota-farmers-its-been-a-season-of-discontent/

As more immigrant workers stay home — or leave Minnesota altogether — construction projects are falling behind schedule, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. Home builders are facing delays “as the federal immigration crackdown in Minnesota has fueled a shortage of roofing, drywall and other construction workers, according to developers and real estate agents.” At the same time, some potential home sellers “are not listing their existing homes as planned because their new-build homes are not ready.”  
https://www.startribune.com/ice-immigration-crackdown-minneapolis-delaying-construction-new-home-builders-real-estate/601575566?utm_source=gift

‘They always gave us the heaviest work’: how Maga billionaires relied on Mexican labor
Trump administration seeks to remove ‘illegal aliens’ but Uline’s past employment practices reveal a different reality
Stephanie Kirchgaessner and Maanvi Singh
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/uline-maga-billionaires-mexican-labor

Republican congressman says Epstein files ‘likely incriminated’ six more men
Thomas Massie says he may reveal the names under congressional privilege if justice department does not
Richard Luscombe
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/10/thomas-massie-epstein-files-redacted-names

Paul Thomas Anderson and Jonny Greenwood demand Phantom Thread music removed from Melania film
Director and composer of 2017 drama allege breach of agreement after score reused in controversial documentary
Adrian Horton
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/09/melania-movie-greenwood-anderson-phantom-thread

US judges dismiss lawsuits accusing Neil Gaiman of sexual assault
Former nanny Scarlett Pavlovich filed suit in three US states alleging author assaulted her in New Zealand in 2022
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/feb/09/us-judges-lawsuits-neil-gaiman

Actor Catherine O’Hara died of a blood clot in her lungs, death certificate says
Schitt’s Creek and Home Alone star died aged 71 in January after being rushed to hospital due to breathing difficulties
Diana Ramirez-Simon and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2026/feb/09/catherine-o-hara-actor-cause-of-death

2026.02.09

ICE

Inside Minnesotans’ moonshot to cover rent for their immigrant neighbors
The need for emergency rental assistance is bigger than a GoFundMe, but that’s not stopping residents from trying.
by Trevor Mitchell
https://www.minnpost.com/metro/2026/02/inside-minnesotans-moonshot-to-cover-rent-for-their-immigrant-neighbors/

Maine shaken by ICE raids as backlash threatens Republican Senate control
Workers and unions condemn ICE operation as ‘horrific’ as pressure builds on Susan Collins, facing re-election this year
Michael Sainato
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/maine-ice-raids

Whistle becomes key tool in protests against Trump’s ICE crackdown
Protesters have been blowing whistles to alert people to agents’ presence – and that has upset figures on the right
Adam Gabbatt
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/09/whistle-protest-trump-ice

The Minnesotans trapped at home, too terrified of ICE to go outside: ‘Our house is like a jail’
The surge of federal immigration agents has forced many families to remain inside for weeks, living in fear of roving ICE patrols snatching people off the street
Maanvi Singh in Minneapolis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/feb/09/minnesota-ice-immigration-deportation-raids

Winter Olympian Gus Kenworthy says he has received death threats over anti-ICE protest
British freestyle skier targeted on Instagram account
‘A lot of the messages have been awful – it’s insane’
Sean Ingle in Livigno
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/feb/09/gus-kenworthy-death-threats-anti-ice-protest-winter-olympics

Where do Minnesota Republicans stand on immigration and the Good and Pretti killings? Sahan asked all 112 Republicans in the Legislature, gubernatorial race and Congress. (2026.01.30)
Minnesota Republican lawmakers largely supported federal immigration enforcement in the state, and did not directly criticize the killings of two civilian observers. A few broke ranks by calling for an end to Operation Metro Surge.
by Becky Z. Dernbach, Joey Peters, Cynthia Tu and Katelyn Vue
https://sahanjournal.com/democracy-politics/minnesota-republicans-lawmakers-governors-race-immigration/

More News

Files cast light on Jeffrey Epstein’s ties to cryptocurrency
Newly released documents detail convicted sex offender’s early backing of bitcoin and Coinbase
Adam Willems
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/09/jeffrey-epstein-crypto

Epstein was not ostracised for his crimes. To some powerful men, he became even more appealing
Moira Donegan
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/09/jeffrey-epstein-crimes-powerful-men-abuse-metoo-movement

Ebo Taylor, Ghanaian highlife pioneer and guitarist, dies age 90
Taylor, who did for Ghanaian music what his friend Fela Kuti did for Nigeria, has been called the greatest rhythm guitarist in history
Laura Snapes
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/feb/09/ebo-taylor-ghanaian-highlife-pioneer-dies-age-90