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The New Criterion – MARCH 2026 Preview
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THE NEW YORK TIMES – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2026
U.S. Inflation Eased at Start of the Year
Overall inflation eased to 2.4 percent in January from the same time last year, offering a reprieve to the Federal Reserve.
The Epstein Files and the Hidden World of an Unaccountable Elite
The search continues in the documents for ironclad criminal conduct, but the story of a sexual predator given a free ride by the ruling class has already emerged.
Goldman’s Top Lawyer Departs Amid Revelations About Her Ties to Epstein
Kathryn Ruemmler, a former Obama administration lawyer, is out at Goldman Sachs after emails revealed her years of friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
German Leader Says International Order ‘No Longer Exists’
Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, criticized President Trump’s rapid reorientation of U.S. foreign policy.
Iran Turns to Digital Surveillance Tools to Track Down Protesters
As the authorities restore some online services after crushing antigovernment demonstrations, they are using technology to target attendees of the protests.
THE NEW YORK TIMES – THURSDAY, FEB. 12, 2026
Border Agency Is Said to Have Caused El Paso Closure by Firing Anti-Drone Laser
F.A.A. officials said privately that the agency did not have enough time or information to assess the technology’s risk to commercial aircraft.
Trump’s Director of Election Security Is an Election Denier
Even in a government full of conspiracists, Kurt Olsen stands out. He made a key referral in the Fulton County, Ga., election case.
How Trump Sees the World: It’s Personal
Historical relationships play little if any role in the second-term worldview of President Trump, who holds himself as the constant center of global events.
U.S. Attorney Chosen to Replace Trump Pick Is Quickly Fired by White House
Donald Kinsella had been appointed top prosecutor in the Northern District of New York after the Trump administration’s nominee was found to be serving unlawfully.
Trump’s Trade Deal With India Has Become a Headache for Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a big reduction of sky-high tariffs, but critics said he undermined Indian sovereignty and undercut the nation’s farmers.
THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY – FEBRUARY 13, 2026 PREVIEW
The latest tranche of the Jeffrey Epstein files have been in the public domain for less than two weeks, but already their contents have sent shock waves around the world.
Nowhere is this more true than in Britain, where the fallout has come to the door of Keir Starmer over his appointment of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to Washington, amid questions about how much the prime minister knew of his former envoy’s links to Epstein.
Starmer looks to have weathered the immediate pressure to resign this week, despite having lost his influential chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, over the scandal. But the vultures are still circling and it seems a matter of when, rather than if, the prime minister will go. Kiran Stacey weighs up the possible challengers from within the Labour party, while Oliver Holmes and Chris Michael consider why the scandal hit home so hard in the UK.
Spotlight | The last post for press freedom in the US?
Jeff Bezos’s axing of more than 300 jobs at the Washington Post has renewed fears about the resilience of America’s democracy to withstand Donald Trump’s attacks. Ed Pilkington and Jeremy Barr report
Technology | The continuing risks and rewards of AI
As policymakers and tech executives prepare for the next global AI summit in India, an annual safety report highlights the issues that will be at stake, writes Dan Milmo
Interview | Can Zack Polanski pull off a green revolution in the UK?
With polls and membership at an all-time high, the UK Green party is having a moment – and it’s largely down to the party’s charismatic (if slightly cheesy) new leader. Simon Hattenstone went on the road with him
Opinion | What links UK politics and Epstein? A thick seam of contempt
We’re often told the British prime minister, Keir Starmer, is a ‘decent’ man. But in appointing Peter Mandelson he chose political convenience over doing right, argues Nesrine Malik
Culture | The sign language of Margaret Calvert
Airports, road signs, typefaces … the design legend revolutionised how Britain looked and her brilliantly clear designs are still used today. Catherine Slessor met her
THE NEW YORK TIMES – WEDNESDAY, FEB. 11, 2026
F.A.A. Halts All Flights at El Paso Airport for 10 Days for ‘Security Reasons’
The agency provided no details, but its order will leave one of the largest cities in Texas without air service of any kind until Feb. 20.
Trump Decries a ‘Nation of Renters’ but His New Policy Promotes One
A recent executive order that would bar investors from acquiring single-family homes includes an exemption that allows them to build homes for rent.
Unemployment Rate in Focus as Fed Considers When to Restart Rate Cuts
Mass Shooting in Remote Canadian Town Is One of Deadliest in Nation’s History
Nine people were killed and 25 were injured at a high school and a residence in British Columbia, the police said. The shooter was also found dead.
Grand Jury Rebuffs Justice Dept. Attempt to Indict 6 Democrats in Congress
The rejection was a remarkable rebuke, suggesting that ordinary citizens did not believe that the lawmakers had committed any crimes.
THE NEW YORK TIMES – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2026
Russia Nears Capture of Key Ukrainian Towns After Year of Grinding Assaults
Russian troops have advanced slowly in recent months, but gains in southern and eastern Ukraine could give Moscow an edge in U.S.-mediated peace talks.
Trump Threatens to Block Opening of New Bridge to Canada
The Gordie Howe International Bridge, expected to open early this year, was built by Canada to ease cargo transport between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario.
Trump’s Threats to Cuba’s Oil Suppliers Put Mexico in a Bind
The longstanding alliance between Cuba and Mexico is under mounting pressure from the U.S., forcing President Claudia Sheinbaum into a balancing act.
After U.S. Criticism, Nicaragua Blocks a Once-Popular Route From Cuba
Susan Collins Runs for Re-election, in One of 2026’s Top Senate Fights
The Maine Republican is one of her party’s most vulnerable senators, and her seat is crucial to Democratic hopes of retaking control of the chamber.
LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS – FEBRUARY 19, 2026 PREVIEW
LONDON REVIEW OF BOOKS: The latest issue features Seamus Perry: Pluralism and Poetry; James Wolcott: Updike Reconsidered; James Meek on Romania’s Far Right;
Seamus Perry · Pluralism and the Modern Poet: Pluralism and Poetry
‘Art arises,’ Auden writes, ‘out of our desire for both beauty and truth and our knowledge that they are not identical.’ We want things two ways, which analysis says we cannot have; but for a moment a poem lets us, in a way that discursive prose, for instance, cannot.
Jonathan Rée – Kojève v. Hegel
Alexandre Kojève described his book on Hegel as ‘very bad’, and he had a point. His take on The Phenomenology of Spirit is not only misleading but slapdash, dogmatic, frivolous and flamboyant. The characters he filled it with, from the Master and Slave to the Sensualist and the Sage, sound rather like Mr Worldly Wiseman, Madam Bubble and Mr Sagacity in Pilgrim’s Progress.
THE NEW YORK TIMES – MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2026
Epstein’s Longtime Companion Refuses to Answer Lawmakers’ Questions
Ghislaine Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right in response to every question asked during a deposition before the House Oversight Committee.
Billionaire Called Epstein a ‘Blessing’ as They Made Deals
Andrew Farkas has played down ties to Jeffrey Epstein. But they swapped business favors, and in nearly 2,000 emails, expressed admiration for each other.
A Raid in a Small Town Brings Trump’s Deportations to Deep-Red Idaho
Wilder, Idaho, prided itself on comity. Then federal agents stormed a racetrack outside of town, and the reverberations are still shaking the community.
Bad Bunny’s Halftime History Lesson
The superstar showcased Puerto Rican pride during a 13-minute set that turned a global opportunity into an intimate, personal performance, our critic writes.
Trump Criticizes Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show
Bad Bunny, the Puerto Rican superstar who has denounced ICE, celebrated Latino heritage in his largely Spanish-language performance.
Seahawks’ Super Bowl Victory Highlights a New Way of Winning in the N.F.L.
Quarterbacks have ruled for decades, but opportunistic general managers are increasingly the key to success, a columnist for The Athletic writes.
A Teary-Eyed Ending to Drake Maye’s Breakout Sophomore Season
THE NEW YORK TIMES – SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2026
Donors to Group Promoting America’s 250th Birthday Are Offered Access to Trump
A new organization blessed by President Trump is raising money for events and projects that will put a Trumpian spin on the country’s semiquincentennial.
Reaction to Trump’s Racist Post Shows He Is Not Always Immune to Politics
With the midterm elections nearing, President Trump has found himself in the uncomfortable position of backtracking, even if only by degrees, at key moments.
Epstein Files Reveal Scope of Ghislaine Maxwell’s Role in Clinton Circle
Jeffrey Epstein’s longtime companion helped advise on the kickoff of the Clinton Global Initiative and arranged for $1 million in funding for it, emails show.
Files Detail Epstein’s Dealings With Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick
Washington Post C.E.O. Will Lewis Steps Down After Stormy Tenure
Mr. Lewis, who was also the publisher, is leaving days after the organization laid off more than 300 journalists. The company announced an interim replacement.
THE NEW YORK TIMES – SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2026
Why Trump’s Calls to ‘Nationalize’ Voting Have Raised Midterm Fears
President Trump has escalated his language as his administration has taken steps to involve itself more in election matters.
Prosecutors Began Investigating Renee Good’s Killing. Washington Told Them to Stop.
Several career federal prosecutors in Minnesota balked at a new approach, which they viewed as legally dubious. Many left the office in protest.
Mexican Cartels Overwhelm Police With Ammunition Made for the U.S. Military
Drug syndicates have used .50-caliber ammunition, produced at a plant owned by the U.S. and smuggled across the border, in attacks on Mexican civilians and the police.
‘I Didn’t Make a Mistake’: Trump Declines to Apologize for Racist Video of Obamas
The video clip that President Trump posted in a late-night flurry of social media activity caused an unusually strong and public outcry from members of his own party.
Boomers Daily 