Author Archives: Larry Sanderson

2026.02.24

ICE

A former instructor at an ICE training facility in Georgia spoke before a congressional hearing Monday afternoon and shared what training efforts have looked like as DHS rapidly scales up its number of recruits. “…Even in the final days of training, the cadets cannot demonstrate a solid grasp of the tactics or the law required to perform their jobs,” Ryan Schwank said during the hearing organized by congressional Democrats. Schwank resigned “in protest” less than two weeks ago, CBS News reports, and his testimony “will likely fuel Democrats’ refusal to fund the Department of Homeland Security until the Trump administration agrees to a number of reforms for ICE, including a prohibition on agents wearing masks.” Via MinnPost
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-whistleblower-new-recruits-receiving-defective-training/

A group of Minnesota clergy sued the Department of Homeland Security on Monday for repeatedly blocking their visits to immigration detainees at the Whipple Federal Building. “To be able to receive pastoral care is incredibly important. For individuals to be treated with humanity instead of being treated like inventory,” Irina Vaynerman, the CEO of Groundwork Legal and one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, said in an interview with MPR News. Via MinnPost
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/02/23/minnesota-clergy-sue-department-of-homeland-security-over-access-to-immigration-detainees

Sahan Journal caught up with three Minnesota Somali immigrants who were detained by ICE last month despite having abided by legal requirements. All three, who have since been released, described their experiences in overcrowded, unsanitary Texas detention facilities. Two were arrested outside of their immigration check-in appointments. “I kept asking them what I violated, because I was worried they might have confused me with someone else, but they refused to tell me, and it turns out there was no violation — they were just lying.” Via MinnPost
https://sahanjournal.com/immigration/minnesota-somali-immigrants-ice-texas-detentions/

Brandi Carlile concert raises over $600,000 for families affected by ICE
Singer criticizes Trump administration’s ‘violent theater’ as she supports people caught up in Minneapolis crackdown
Adrian Horton
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/feb/23/brandi-carlile-benefit-concert-minneapolis-ice

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‘We’re losing accessibility’: America says goodbye to the mass-market paperback
The so-called ‘pocket book’ sold in supermarkets is being phased out across the US, the latest sign of an ongoing shift in how people are choosing to read
David Smith in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/feb/24/america-says-goodbye-paperback

Majority believes Trump moving US in wrong direction, poll finds
Study released a day before State of the Union address shows president has lost support among Republicans
Eric Berger
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/23/trump-poll-state-of-the-union

Mexican drug cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ tracked through romantic partner
Killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader sparks wave of violence across western Mexico
Thomas Graham in Tijuana, Oliver Holmes and Tom Phillips
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/23/el-mencho-mexican-drug-cartel-boss-killing-violence

BAFTA Awards incident sparks debate on race and disability after guest with Tourette’s shouts slur
An outburst from a man with Tourette syndrome during the British equivalent of the Oscars has sparked fierce backlash and controversy.
Ariel Messman-Rucker
https://www.out.com/gay-entertainment/bafta-slur-tourette

The dust has not yet settled on the Baftas N-word row. This is why
Peter Bradshaw
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/24/the-dust-has-not-yet-settled-on-the-baftas-n-word-row-this-is-why

‘I like the challenge’: French animator Florence Miailhe on being nominated for an Oscar for the first time aged 70
Phil Hoad
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/24/french-animator-florence-miailhe-nominated-oscar-papillon

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has saved the Game of Thrones universe
Stuart Heritage
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/23/knight-seven-kingdoms-game-thrones

Peter Attia resigns from CBS News amid revelations about ties to Epstein
Controversial doctor steps down as contributor after Epstein files reveal communication between the two men
Sara Braun
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/23/peter-attia-resigns-cbs-news-epstein

Robert Carradine, Revenge of the Nerds and Lizzie McGuire actor, dies aged 71
The actor killed himself, his family said in a statement that aimed to raise awareness of ‘his nearly two-decade battle with bipolar disorder’
Sian Cain
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/24/robert-carradine-dies-aged-71-death-revenge-of-the-nerds-actor

Maxi Shield, beloved Australian drag queen and Drag Race Down Under star, dies aged 51
Performer appeared in closing ceremony of 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and was a mainstay of city’s drag scene
Josh Taylor
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/feb/24/australian-drag-queen-and-drag-race-down-under-star-maxi-shield-dies

2026.02.23

Killing of Mexican drug cartel boss ‘El Mencho’ triggers wave of violence
Schools close and flights suspended after military raid kills Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes
Tom Phillips and Oliver Holmes
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/23/el-mencho-mexican-drug-cartel-boss-killing-violence

A rush of blood to the penis – and vaginal tenting: what happens to our bodies when we get turned on
Arousal may be spontaneous, or arise in response to sensory stimulation, memory, fantasy or emotional connection. Here’s how to understand the differences
Joel Snape
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/feb/23/what-happens-to-our-bodies-when-we-get-turned-on-vaginal-tenting

Wegovy and Ozempic owner dealt blow as next-gen weight-loss drug is branded ‘obsolete’
Novo Nordisk’s shares fall sharply after testing of CagriSema falls short of investors’ expectations
Julia Kollewe
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/23/wegovy-ozempic-weight-loss-drug-novo-nordisk-cagrisema

A new start after 60: I baked a pie every day for a year – and it changed my life
Vickie Hardin Woods was worried she would lose her identity when she retired. Instead, she came up with a plan that made her feel more creative, connected and valued than ever
Paula Cocozza
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/feb/22/a-new-start-after-60-i-baked-a-pie-every-day-for-a-year-and-it-changed-my-life

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor charged massages to taxpayer while trade envoy, say reports
Former senior civil servants say culture of deference meant excessive expenses claims were waved through
Kevin Rawlinson

Robert Mugabe’s son charged with attempted murder over Johannesburg shooting
Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, known for lavish lifestyle, also accused of theft and being illegal immigrant after man allegedly shot in back
Rachel Savage in Johannesburg
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/23/robert-mugabe-son-bellarmine-mugabe-charged-with-crimes

The tragedy of Punch the monkey: why do mother animals abandon their offspring?
Footage of Punch, a seven-month-old Japanese macaque, has gone viral around the world after he was rejected by his mother and formed a bond with a soft toy
Maya Yang
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/23/punch-monkey-japan-macaque-why-do-mother-animals-abandon-offspring

2026.02.22

ICE

Worst of the worst? Most US immigrants targeted for deportation in 2025 had no criminal charges, documents reveal
A Guardian analysis finds the vast majority of people who entered deportation proceedings for the first time from January to August last year had no criminal convictions
Will Craft
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/22/us-immigration-trump-administration

How daily routines in Minneapolis and St Paul have changed amid 3,000 federal immigration agents – in pictures
Many people have been sheltering at home. Protests have become part of the daily rhythm. Community networks continue to patrol and document agents’ interactions
Bridget Bennett in Minneapolis and St Paul
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/feb/22/minneapolis-st-paul-daily-routines-immigration

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Homeland security to suspend TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programs
Democrats accuse DHS of ‘kneecapping’ programs that help speed registered travelers through security lines
Guardian staff and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/22/homeland-security-suspends-tsa-precheck-global-entry-airport-security-programs

Trump warns Netflix of ‘consequences’ unless it pulls top Democrat from board
US president calls for removal of Susan Rice as streaming platform pursues takeover of Warner Bros Discovery
Joanna Partridge
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/22/trump-warns-netflix-of-consequences-unless-it-pulls-top-democrat-susan-rice-from-board

The world order we’re leaving behind may be replaced by no order at all
Eduardo Porter
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/feb/22/world-order-trump

Greenland says ‘no, thanks’ to Trump’s US hospital boat
Leaders of both Denmark and Arctic territory rebuff US president’s claim that islanders are ‘not being taken care of’
Deborah Cole and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/22/greenland-does-not-need-us-hospital-boat-sent-by-trump-says-denmark

Nasa may roll back Artemis II rocket launch after helium flow discovery
Agency statement comes one day after announcement of 6 March target for astronauts’ mission to circle the moon
Guardian staff and agencies
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/21/nasa-artemis-ii-rocket-launch

Baftas 2026: the red carpet, the ceremony, the winners – follow live!
Eyes and teeth darlings, it’s the biggest night of the year in British cinema – here’s a minute-by-minute update of all the gowns, gossip and glitz of the night
Stuart Heritage, Chloe Mac Donnell, Andrew Pulver, Nadia Khomami and Catherine Shoard
https://www.theguardian.com/film/live/2026/feb/22/baftas-2026-the-red-carpet-the-ceremony-the-winners-follow-live

‘That’s a losing battle’: baboon incursions cause tense human-wildlife standoff in Cape Town
Animal rights activists disagree with authorities on how best to handle boom in primate population near Table Mountain
By Rachel Savage in Cape Town. Photography by Tommy Trenchard
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/22/baboon-population-cape-town-south-africa-animal-rights-activists

Let a thousand stinky blossoms bloom: how Australia became the world’s corpse flower destination
Australian collections of the endangered and notoriously unpredictable flowers have popped off in recent years, as ‘personas’ like Putricia, Stinkerella and Smellanie prove a hit with nosy spectators
Petra Stock and Josh Nicholas
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/22/corpse-flowers-australia-putricia-stinkerella-smellanie

What’s the best way to learn a new language? (Paywalled?)
Krupa Padhy
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260220-whats-the-best-way-to-learn-a-new-language

2026.02.21

ICE

The Department of Homeland Security maintains a website detailing the “worst of the worst” who were arrested in Minnesota that is rife with errors, KARE 11 reports. “The Department of Homeland Security’s “Worst of the Worst” website features people arrested in Minnesota who the department says have been convicted of serious crimes. But the list has raised many questions. The Minnesota Department of Corrections’ ongoing fact-check is having trouble confirming that some of the crimes listed were committed, even in other states. Officials also point out that hat a number of the “worst of the worst” arrests did not take place in the community during Operation Metro Surge, but actually were direct transfers from Minnesota prisons to ICE custody.” 
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/ice-in-minnesota/worst-of-the-worst-website-rife-with-errors-cnn/89-f052d30f-4ce0-4334-ae87-cc7bf3948936

ICE actions are keeping others from traveling to Minnesota.  “A major German soccer team canceled its trip to Minnesota due to the immigration crackdown under the Trump administration,” KOMO reports. Christoph Pieper, Werder Bremen’s head of communications, said in a statement that “[p]laying in a city where there’s unrest and people have been shot, that does not fit with our values here at Werder Bremen. Furthermore, it was unclear for us which players could be able to enter the United States due to the stricter entry requirements.”  Via MinnPost
https://komonews.com/news/nation-world/german-soccer-team-cancels-minnesota-trip-due-to-ice-tom-homan-alex-pretti-renee-good-immigrant-white-house

DoJ cases against protesters keep collapsing as officers’ lies are exposed in court
String of embarrassing defeats for prosecutors as experts condemn DoJ effort to cast people as ‘violent perpetrators’
Sam Levin in Los Angeles
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/21/doj-protesters-federal-agents-cases

‘Don’t go to the US – not with Trump in charge’: the UK tourist with a valid visa detained by ICE for six weeks
Karen Newton was in America on the trip of a lifetime when she was shackled, transported and held for weeks on end. With tourism to the US under increasing strain, she says, ‘If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone’
Jenny Kleeman
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/21/karen-newton-valid-visa-detained-ice

Detentions and disappearances: how ICE has driven fear into Michigan’s Arab communities
Arab Americans in Dearborn and beyond are being swept up by ICE at places of worship and work, with devastating consequences
Stephen Starr in Dearborn, Michigan
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/21/michigan-arab-communities-ice-fear

US citizen shot and killed by federal immigration agent last year, new records show
Shooting death of Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, in Texas was not publicly disclosed by Department of Homeland Security
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/us-citizen-killed-federal-immigration-agent

A bar, kitchen and flat-screen TVs: the $70m jet DHS is eyeing for deportations
The department is reportedly considering buying a Boeing plane for deportation flights and for use by Trump officials
Richard Luscombe
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/luxury-jet-dhs-deportation-flights-trump-officials

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Furious Trump signs global 10% duty after supreme court issues tariff blow
President calls six justices a ‘disgrace to the nation’ while praising three justices who dissented
George Chidi
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/trump-tariff-scotus-response

The supreme court’s tariffs ruling puts Trump on notice with a bloody nose
Ed Pilkington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/21/trump-tariffs-ruling-supreme-court

‘Dictator vibes’ as dear leader Trump puts name and face front and center
Banner at justice department just the latest example of how president has imposed himself on daily US life
Richard Luscombe
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/21/trump-name-face-justice-department

Trump news at a glance: president lobs insults at US supreme court for striking down his global tariffs
Trump called justices ‘fools’ and ‘disgrace to the nation’ after their rebuke of his aggressive trade tactic – key US politics stories from 20 February 2026 at a glance
Guardian staff
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/trump-administration-news-updates-today

Epstein files place renewed attention on US authorities’ failure to stop him
Files show accuser in 2011 provided extensive account of abuse as questions mount over why action was not taken
Victoria Bekiempis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/21/epstein-files-victim-reports-police-fbi-failures

Tale of two nations: Andrew’s UK arrest highlights US passivity on Epstein files
David Smith in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/feb/21/andrew-epstein-files-us-uk

CBS News is convulsing as Larry Ellison tries to please Trump
Margaret Sullivan
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/21/cbs-trump-anderson-cooper-stephen-colbert-paramount

Ohio mayor arrested on voyeurism charges after allegedly sniffing girl’s underwear
Claims against Wesley Dingus came from teen who had been staying at his residence and hid camera in bedroom
Marina Dunbar
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/ohio-mayor-arrested-voyeurism-wesley-dingus

US envoy Mike Huckabee says it would be ‘fine’ if Israel took all Middle East land
Rightwing Trump ally tells Tucker Carlson Israel has biblical right to land from ‘wadi of Egypt to the great river’
Edward Helmore
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/mike-huckabee-israel-middle-east-tucker-carlson

‘We can see that courage’: Greece recovers long-lost photos of Nazis’ May Day executions
Culture ministry hails ‘exceptional historical importance’ of prints that show resistance fighters’ final moments
Helena Smith in Athens
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/21/greece-recovers-long-lost-photos-nazi-may-day-executions-athens-kaisariani

How the beaches, culture and people of Corfu hit me for six
A cricket match kindled my love affair with the Greek island, inspiring both a literary festival and my new novel
Alex Preston
https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2026/feb/21/corfu-beaches-culture-people-alex-preston

Meera Sodha’s recipe for rhubarb and custard trifle
Nostalgia and comfort combine in abundance in this retro dessert that’s strictly for kids of all ages
Meera Sodha
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/feb/21/rhubarb-and-custard-trifle-recipe-meera-sodha

2026.02.20

ICE

Minnesota attorney general’s evidence portal draws nearly 1,500 submissions in first month
The portal launched Jan. 15 to gather evidence that could be used to hold federal immigration agents accountable for constitutional violations during Operation Metro Surge.
by Cleo Krejci
https://www.minnpost.com/state-government/2026/02/minnesota-attorney-generals-evidence-portal-draws-nearly-1500-submissions-in-first-month/

What’s it like to be trapped inside, hiding from ICE? “MPR News collected stories from several people under those circumstances across the state. They recorded voice memos or spoke to a reporter over three days between Jan. 24 and Feb. 4, sharing what their day was like.” As one person put it, “The most difficult part of this whole situation; it’s feeling like we’re nothing. It’s feeling like we’re unwanted.” Via MinnPost
https://www.minnpost.com/glean/2026/02/minnesota-prosecutors-worry-they-could-lack-the-staff-to-charge-serious-offenders/

Two polls conducted by NBC News Decision Desk are showing how immigration operations in Minnesota have led to a more polarized population. “After federal officers killed two U.S. citizens last month, self-identified Republicans in the state expressed stronger support for Trump’s immigration agenda than Republicans nationwide, while Minnesota Democrats and independents pulled more strongly the other way than their national counterparts.” Via MinnPost
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/trump-administration/poll-immigration-operations-minnesota-leave-polarized-populace-rcna258341

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US supreme court rules against Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs – live
Conservative justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Brett Kavanaugh dissented in the 6-3 ruling
Shrai Popat (now) and Tom Ambrose (earlier)
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2026/feb/20/us-iran-nuclear-deal-trump-agreement-strikes-latest-news-live-updates?CMP=share_btn_url&page=with%3Ablock-699877e88f0803e8d9610dc4#block-699877e88f0803e8d9610dc4

The regrettable failure of Northstar commuter rail
Other countries are efficiently building regional rail. Minnesota shouldn’t reject future lines because Northstar didn’t work out.
by Bill Lindeke
https://www.minnpost.com/cityscape/2026/02/the-regrettable-failure-of-northstar-commuter-rail/

Bring Me the News has a compilation of images from social media taken after the massive snowfall in northern Minnesota this week. “While the official total is still being counted, it will be among the top 20 biggest 24-hour snowfalls in Minnesota state history, with the record still being the 36 inches recorded in Lake County in January 1994.” Via MinnPost
https://bringmethenews.com/minnesota-weather/scenes-from-minnesotas-north-shore-where-storm-dumped-over-3-feet-of-snow

New Mexico to reopen investigation on Epstein’s ranch amid pressure campaign
Criminal investigation to examine role Zorro ranch may have played in disgraced financier’s trafficking scheme
Edward Helmore
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/new-mexico-epstein-zorro-ranch-investigation

Jeffrey Epstein’s estate agrees to pay up to $35m to settle survivors’ lawsuit
Class-action suit accused Epstein’s lawyer and accountant of aiding and abetting his sex trafficking, filing says
Reuters
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/jeffrey-epstein-estate-settlement

Why are so many academics in the Epstein files? It’s not just about money
Christopher Marquis
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/20/epstein-files-professors-academics

US economic growth slowed in fourth quarter of 2025 amid government shutdown
GDP grew 1.4% last quarter, down from economists’ forecast of 3%, though AI and tax cuts could boost growth this year
Reuters
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/feb/20/economic-growth-fourth-quarter-2025

A war foretold:
how the CIA and MI6 got hold of Putin’s Ukraine plans and why nobody believed them
Drawing on more than 100 interviews with senior intelligence officials and other insiders in multiple countries, this exclusive account details how the US and Britain uncovered Vladimir Putin’s plans to invade, and why most of Europe – including the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy – dismissed them. As the fourth anniversary of the invasion approaches and the world enters a new period of geopolitical uncertainty, Europe’s politicians and spy services continue to draw lessons from the failures of 2022
Written by Shaun Walker
https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2026/feb/20/a-war-foretold-cia-mi6-putin-ukraine-plans-russia

Osaka stunned by anonymous gift of gold bars to fix ageing water pipes
Mayor says Japanese city will respect donor’s specification that £2.7m gift must be used to repair dilapidated system
Associated Press in Tokyo
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/20/osaka-stunned-by-anonymous-gift-of-36m-in-gold-to-fix-ageing-water-pipes

The Hunt for Gollum looks like a step too far for the endless Lord of the Rings franchise
Ben Child
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/20/the-hunt-for-gollum-lord-of-the-rings-franchise

Eric Dane, Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria star, dies aged 53
Actor who played ‘McSteamy’ died on Thursday, 10 months after he revealed his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a type of motor neurone disease
Sian Cain
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/20/eric-dane-dies-aged-53-death-greys-anatomy-euphoria-star

2026.02.19

ICE

Why an ICE plan to turn warehouses in Shakopee and Woodbury into detention centers has failed in Minnesota — and other states
The $38 billion initiative faces hurdles as communities and local politicians oppose it on humanitarian and logistical grounds.
by Ana Radelat
https://www.minnpost.com/national/washington/2026/02/why-an-ice-plan-to-turn-warehouses-in-shakopee-and-woodbury-into-detention-centers-has-failed-in-minnesota-and-other-states/

There’s “no mystery” in how Renee Good and Alex Pretti died, according to Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty. At a Wednesday news conference she added that “a trove of investigative materials remains available to state law enforcement,” and “prosecutors are in ‘good shape’ as they consider what would be an unprecedented decision to file state charges against federal agents without the help of the federal government,” the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
https://www.minnpost.com/glean/2026/02/fbi-formally-refuses-to-share-evidence-in-alex-pretti-shooting-with-minnesota-bca/

Minneapolis police are investigating after the memorial for Renee Good was doused in gasoline and set ablaze around 9 p.m. Tuesday evening, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports. “A fence was charred, and several items in the memorial were damaged, but the memorial site at 34th Street and Portland Avenue wasn’t burned down. No one was injured, Minneapolis police said.”
https://www.startribune.com/renee-good-memorial-site-doused-in-gasoline/601584109

White House grants ICE power to detain refugees for aggressive ‘rescreening’
A new DHS memo details plan to allow federal immigration officers to detain legal refugees in the US indefinitely
Richard Luscombe
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/19/trump-administration-memo-ice-dhs-refugees-screening

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested: King Charles says ‘law must take its course’ as ex-prince taken into custody – live
Tom Ambrose (now) and Taz Ali (earlier)
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/feb/19/police-arrest-former-prince-andrew-mountbatten-windsor-sandringham-latest-updates

South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol jailed for life for leading insurrection
Ex-leader sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labour over failed martial law declaration in 2024
Raphael Rashid in Seoul
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/19/yoon-suk-yeol-sentenced-to-life-in-prison-for-leading-insurrection-in-south-korea

Why Xcel’s bid to reinvent the virtual power plant is so controversial
Most VPPs rely on customers’ solar and batteries. Xcel says its utility-owned alternative can do a better job in Minnesota — but critics question the cost.
By Jeff St. John / Canary Media
https://www.minnpost.com/energy/2026/02/why-xcel-energys-bid-to-reinvent-the-virtual-power-plant-is-so-controversial/

Bill Gates cancels keynote speech in India amid questions over Epstein ties
Billionaire Microsoft co-founder pulls out of India’s AI Impact Summit to ‘ensure the focus’ remains on event’s ‘key priorities’
Robert Booth in Delhi
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/19/bill-gates-cancels-india-ai-impact-summit-keynote-speech-epstein-files

‘We’re no longer attracting top talent’: the brain drain killing American science
As Trump slashes science funding, young researchers flee abroad. Without solid innovation, the US could cease to have the largest biomedical ecosystem in the world
Ed Pilkington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/19/trump-science-funding-cuts

‘People are in awe’: exhibition unveils ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead
A rare gilded and complete Book of the Dead, used by ancient Egyptians to help them to the afterlife, is now on display in Brooklyn
Veronica Esposito
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2026/feb/19/book-of-the-dead-exhibition-brooklyn-museum-ancient-egypt

‘A queer true crime story’: inside a shocking he-said-he-said murder
A gay couple both have entirely different accounts of a gory murder, a fascinating story unravelled in a new HBO documentary
Owen Myers
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/19/murder-in-glitterball-city-hbo-documentary

‘We’re not hippies’: why these Iowa farmers swapped pigs for mushrooms
Faaborgs rail against oppressive industrial agricultural system with unexpected evolution into indie artisan food firm
By Tom Duggins
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/19/why-iowa-farmers-swapped-pigs-mushrooms

Johann Ludwig Bach: The Leipzig Cantatas album review – this distant cousin’s music is a remarkable discovery
This is the premiere recording of sacred cantatas by JL Bach: works preserved due to his distant cousin, JS Bach, copying them for performance. Conductor Johanna Soller brings them to sensitive and vivid life
Clive Paget
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/feb/19/johann-ludwig-bach-the-leipzig-cantatas-album-review-this-distant-cousins-music-is-a-remarkable-discovery

Nepali bagpipers and a canoe marathon: photos of the day – Thursday
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world
Eithne Staunton
https://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2026/feb/19/nepali-bagpipers-and-a-canoe-marathon-photos-of-the-day-thursday

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