Category Archives: Movies

2026.03.03

Minnesota launches investigation that could bring charges against US immigration officers
US county attorney is ‘confident’ her office will be able to pursue charges in cases which led to criticisms of use-of-force policies
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/03/minnesota-investigation-us-immigration-officers

GOP lawmakers introduce impeachment articles against Walz, Ellison
By Howard Thompson
https://www.fox9.com/news/gop-lawmakers-introduce-impeachment-articles-against-walz-ellison

Trump’s show of force in the Middle East creates a weakness China can exploit
Amy Hawkins in Beijing
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/03/trump-us-iran-middle-east-china

Minab school bombing: how the worst mass casualty event of the Iran war unfolded – a visual guide
A strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh school during the US-Israeli bombing campaign killed up to 168 people. The Guardian has pieced together the incident and its aftermath using verified footage and images from the site
Tess McClure and Deepa Parent
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2026/mar/03/minab-school-bombing-how-the-worst-mass-casualty-event-of-the-iran-war-unfolded-a-visual-guide

The Dutch method: could this improve your sleep – and social life?
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/mar/03/dutch-method-improve-sleep-social-life

US supreme court blocks California privacy protections for trans students
State laws had limited sharing of information with parents about gender identity of trans students in public schools
Abené Clayton
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/02/us-supreme-court-california-trans-students-privacy-law

Supreme court hands Republicans win over preserving New York City voting district
Ruling retains boundaries for 2026 elections despite state court ruling it was unfair to Black and Hispanic residents
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/02/supreme-court-new-york-city-republican-district

Worldbreaker review – a big bear hug from Luke Evans in flimsy sci-fi survival drama
A father trains his teenage daughter to fight monsters, while mum, Milla Jovovich, is away leading the human resistance
Leslie Felperin
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/mar/03/worldbreaker-review-luke-evans-sci-fi-survival-drama-milla-jovovich

‘You know when you’ve hit it – it’s a transformation’: Ruth E Carter on building the bold world of Sinners
The two-time Oscar winner on dressing Michael B Jordan’s twin antiheroes, her start with Spike Lee and crafting the period detail of Ryan Coogler’s genre-bending epic
Hannah J Davies
https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/costume-and-culture/2026/mar/02/you-know-when-youve-hit-it-its-a-transformation-ruth-e-carter-on-building-the-bold-world-of-sinners

The Anyday glass food containers transformed how I store leftovers
Don’t let leftovers languish in the fridge. These oven, microwave and freezer-safe glass containers from Anyday will help you waste less food – and cut back on dirty dishes
Emily Farris
https://www.theguardian.com/thefilter-us/2025/dec/25/glass-food-containers-to-store-leftovers

I got to participate yesterday in the standard ER scene, although the paddles were different, and I lost all mumble years of chest hairs (at least three). They even shaved my wrist! Unfortunately, I couldn’t take any pictures since I was sedated. I was ordered not to over-exercise for a week and I’m having no trouble following that advice.

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

More News

‘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

2026.02.22

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

More News

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

2026.02.20

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

More News

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

2026.02.17

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

2026.02.11

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

2026.02.05

ICE

Without immigrants, our cities would grind to a halt
It’s impossible to imagine the Twin Cities — or any major U.S. city — prospering without the contributions of immigrants.
by Bill Lindeke
https://www.minnpost.com/cityscape/2026/02/without-immigrants-our-cities-would-grind-to-a-halt/

County attorneys nix proposal for Minnesota sheriffs to coordinate with ICE
The Minnesota Sheriffs’ Association sought a way around Minnesota law that prohibits holding inmates past their release date for ICE.
by Ana Radelat
https://www.minnpost.com/national/washington/2026/02/county-attorneys-nix-proposal-for-minnesota-sheriffs-to-coordinate-with-ice/

Trump’s border-czar takeover does little to calm Minneapolis tensions: ‘The agenda is still the same’
Experts say Tom Homan’s charge, replacing Greg Bovino’s aggressive tactics, may change the tone, but not the mission
Shrai Popat in Minneapolis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/05/tom-homan-minnesota-gregory-bovino

ICE agents in Oregon cannot arrest people without warrants, judge rules
US federal judge issued a preliminary injunction barring warrantless arrests unless there is a likelihood of escape
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/05/ice-immigration-raids-oregon

More News

Revealed: private jet owned by Trump friend used by ICE to deport Palestinians to West Bank
Exclusive: Luxury aircraft owned by property tycoon close to US president’s family has twice flown Palestinian men from Arizona to Tel Aviv
Harry Davies, Alice Speri and Sufian Taha
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/05/revealed-private-jet-owned-by-trump-friend-used-by-ice-to-deport-palestinians-to-west-bank

Steve Bannon calls for immigration agents at polling sites during midterms
Ex-Trump adviser adds to elections officials’ concern about potential interference from Trump administration in voting
Rachel Leingang
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/04/steve-bannon-ice-immigration-agents-polling-sites-midterm-elections

Trump is Leading America’s Global Collapse (w/ Robert Kagan) | The Bulwark Podcast
https://youtu.be/YTfhw69fy6U?si=QeIXj919xnel9951

‘It’s an absolute bloodbath’: Washington Post lays off hundreds of workers
Former Post executive editor blasts owner Jeff Bezos’s ‘sickening efforts to curry favor’ with Trump
Jeremy Barr in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/04/washington-post-layoffs

California can use new congressional maps in November, supreme court rules
Approved by voters, the new maps give Democrats as many as five seats, neutralizing five GOP seats added by Texas
Lauren Gambino
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/04/california-new-voting-maps-supreme-court

Pro-gun groups quickly rallied for Alex Pretti. Why didn’t they do the same for a Black gun owner?
Abené Clayton
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/04/alex-pretti-philando-castile-pro-gun-groups

LaMonte McLemore, Grammy-winning singer with 5th Dimension, dies aged 90
Singer was member of vocal group that scored 1960s hits with Up, Up and Away and Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/feb/04/lamonte-mclemore-dies-5th-dimension

Woody Allen, a Florida mansion rulebook and a Paris ‘wife hunt’: stories you may have missed from the Epstein files
Huge release of files provides extraordinary detail on the extent of the disgraced financier’s network
Jason Burke, Daniel Boffey, Emine Sinmaz, and Richard Luscombe
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/05/woody-allen-a-florida-mansion-rulebook-and-a-paris-wife-hunt-stories-you-may-have-missed-from-the-epstein-files

From Jay Kelly to Wicked 2: the Oscar-primed films that fizzled this season
It was a great year for Sinners and One Battle After Another but films with megastars like George Clooney, Julia Roberts and The Rock all struggled
Benjamin Lee
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/05/oscar-primed-films-that-fizzled

Craft beer has gone stale: let’s hear it for age-old favourites
Richard Godwin
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/feb/05/craft-beer-old-favourites-beer-richard-godwin

‘Do you love me?’: The Viking messages unearthed on Sweden’s rune stones (Paywalled?)
Matilda Welin
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260202-the-viking-secrets-revealed-by-swedens-rune-stones

A Winter Olympics training ski crash and a graduation ceremony: photos of the day – Thursday
The Guardian’s picture editors select photographs from around the world
Arnel Hecimovic
https://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2026/feb/05/winter-olympics-training-ski-crash-graduation-ceremony-photos-of-the-day-thursday

2026.02.01

ICE

Building power
ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement)
Backing down isn’t an option’: Minnesota ICE shootings mobilize Americans to join ICE observer groups
The killings of Minneapolis residents Renee Good and Alex Pretti have inspired people across the US to document federal agents’ activities in their communities
Lex McMenamin
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/jan/31/ice-observer-document-immigration-agents

‘We’re fighting for the soul of the country’: how Minnesota residents came together to face ICE
Networks created after police killed George Floyd were reactivated to challenge Trump’s mass deportation policy
Rachel Leingang in Minneapolis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/01/minnesota-twin-cities-ice-protests

Chicago mayor orders police to investigate alleged illegal ICE activity in city
Brandon Johnson gives police ‘clear procedure’ to follow if they witness or get reports of agents involved in illegal activity
Edward Helmore
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/chicago-ice-brandon-johnson

More News

Shooting at Mardi Gras parade in Louisiana leaves six people injured
One person taken into custody after a mass shooting in Clinton leaves six injured, including a child
Coral Murphy Marcos
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/mardi-gras-parade-shooting-louisiana

Resistance to Trump 2.0 is getting more confrontational
Dana R Fisher
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/01/trump-resistance-protests

The FBI’s seizure of 2020 ballots in Georgia is a signal of what’s to come
Austin Sarat
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/feb/01/fbi-raid-georgia-2020-election-ballots

Jeffrey Epstein files: don’t be fooled. Millions of files are still unreleased
Moira Donegan
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/31/jeffrey-epstein-unreleased-files

Handling of Epstein files is ‘outrageous’, say attorneys of his sex trafficking survivors
Tranche of government-held files filled with ‘ham-fisted redactions’ and expose survivors’ identities, say attorneys
Edward Helmore
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/01/jeffrey-epstein-files-sex-trafficking-survivors

Democrats accuse DoJ of not releasing millions of Epstein files despite legal requirement
Justice department on Friday released 3m pages and lawmakers accuse it of not releasing roughly 50% of records
Lauren Gambino
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/democrats-justice-department-epstein-files

US committee is reconsidering all vaccine recommendations
Move is dramatic departure for advisory group under Kirk Milhoan, who says he doesn’t like the term ‘established science’
Melody Schreiber
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/01/vaccine-recommendations-acip

America’s contract to protect white women has always been tenuous
Saida Grundy
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/feb/01/white-supremacy-women-renee-good-ice-killing

Why TikTok’s first week of American ownership was a disaster
Blake Montgomery
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/feb/01/tiktok-first-week

‘I never imagined this!’ How KPop Demon Hunters could make history at the Grammys and the Oscars
As the film’s megahit song Golden looks likely to sweep everything in awards season, its singer Ejae explains why she’s ready to step out from behind her animated alter ego
Katie Hawthorne
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/jan/31/kpop-demon-hunters-grammys-oscars-real-life-singers-ejae-golden

Animators React to KPop Demon Hunters – ft. THE DIRECTORS!
Corridor Crew
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7L-ka-MsEE

Interview
Milli Vanilli’s Fab Morvan on his lip-syncing downfall and Grammys comeback: ‘The truth will set you free’
Garth Cartwright
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/feb/01/milli-vanilli-fab-morvan-interview-grammy-book-you-know-its-true

How to make mulligatawny – recipe
Have you forgotten how good this spicy soup tastes? Here are nine easy steps to rediscovering the Indian-inspired winter warmer
Felicity Cloake
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/feb/01/how-to-make-mulligatawny-recipe-felicity-cloake

Inside Myanmar’s five-year armed resistance – a photo essay
Five years after the junta’s coup, the civil war devastating Myanmar has reached a turning point. The military is carrying out large-scale counter-offensives across the country to reclaim territory seized by pro-democracy rebels of various ethnic and religious backgrounds
By Robin Tutenges
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/feb/01/inside-myanmar-armed-resistance-junta-coup-photo-essay

2026.01.31

ICE

Pho, handwarmers, grief and loss: a week on the block where Alex Pretti was killed
Residents line up to support businesses that became refuges from teargas, and refresh the memorial daily
Maanvi Singh in Minneapolis, with photographs by Paola Chapdelaine
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/a-week-on-the-block-where-alex-pretti-was-killed

CBP employee in Minnesota charged after reportedly being found ‘covered in vomit’ in car
Alfredo Mancillas was reportedly slumped in vehicle and ‘covered in vomit’ when state troopers found him in St Paul
Ramon Antonio Vargas
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/cbp-border-agent-charged-drunk-driving

Trump’s post-truth agenda beaten back as Americans refuse to accept ICE lies
Effort to manipulate killing of Alex Pretti collapsed after footage torpedoed ‘domestic terrorist’ claim – could this be a turning point?
David Smith in Washington
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/trump-facts-ice-lies-alex-pretti-killing

French MPs demand explanation over tech firm’s contract to help ICE in US
Revelation that subsidiary of Capgemini is to help trace and expel migrants in US provokes outrage in France
Kim Willsher in Paris
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/french-mps-demand-explanation-over-tech-firm-capgemini-contract-ice

More News

One dead and six missing as fishing boat out of historic Massachusetts port is lost at sea
Fate of the Lily Jean, out of Gloucester with crew of seven, remains unknown after empty life boat and debris field discovered
Associated Press
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/lily-jean-fishing-boat-gloucester-massachusetts

What have we learned from the newly released Epstein files?
Latest documents indicate high-profile figures continued friendships with financier after child sex abuse convictions
Epstein files – latest updates
Geraldine McKelvie
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/epstein-files-what-have-we-learned-prince-andrew-peter-mandelson-elon-musk-donald-trump

Epstein documents shed new light on ‘manipulator’ Ghislaine Maxwell
Accusers’ accounts say Maxwell, convicted in 2021 of sex-trafficking, ‘acted sweet’ but displayed ‘dark side’
Victoria Bekiempis
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/31/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-documents

Trump has tapped a new Federal Reserve chair. Has he finally found his yes-man?
Lauren Aratani in New York
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/31/trump-new-federal-reserve-chair

As US influence wanes, the Chinese trade surplus strangles manufacturing across the globe
Eduardo Porter
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/jan/31/china-global-trade-us-economy

This one weird trick could stop US women from voting
Arwa Mahdawi
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jan/31/save-act-voting-arwa-mahdawi

Record harvest sparks mass giveaway of free potatoes across Berlin
From zoos to soup kitchens, people are hauling away tonnes of surplus spuds after the biggest crop in 25 years
Kate Connolly in Berlin
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/31/record-harvest-berlin-giveaway-potatoes

Mass grave in Jordan sheds new light on world’s earliest recorded pandemic
Researchers tell ‘human story’ about crisis during plague of Justinian, which killed millions in Byzantine empire
Richard Luscombe in Miami
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/jan/31/plague-of-justinian-pandemic

Catherine Connolly is the third woman to become what? The Saturday quiz
From the Cloak of Invisibility and the Elder Wand to Eugène Manet on the Isle of Wight, test your knowledge with the Saturday quiz (It ain’t automagical!)
Thomas Eaton
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/31/catherine-connolly-is-the-third-woman-to-become-what-the-saturday-quiz

Can you eat pineapple leaves and how do our taste buds work? The kids’ quiz
Five multiple-choice questions – set by children – to test your knowledge, and a chance to submit your own junior brainteasers for future quizzes (It’s automagical!)
Molly Oldfield
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/jan/31/can-you-eat-pineapple-leaves-and-how-do-our-taste-buds-work-the-kids-quiz

Review
Displacement Film Fund review – Cate Blanchett masterminds short film collection that brims with life and intensity
Rotterdam film festival
A set of shorts by film-makers from Afghanistan, Iran, Ukraine, Syria and Somalia are shocking, funny and mysterious in equal measure
Peter Bradshaw
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/30/displacement-film-fund-review-cate-blanchett-short-film-collection-that-brims-with-life-and-intensity

Meera Sodha’s vegetarian recipe for patates yahni
Sometimes, all that’s required for supper is simply stewed Mediterranean vegetables and potatoes with a dollop of yoghurt on top …
Meera Sodha
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2026/jan/31/vegetarian-patates-yiachni-recipe-vegetable-stew-meera-sodha