Tag Archives: Poetry

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY – FEBRUARY 13, 2026 PREVIEW

THE GUARDIAN WEEKLY: The latest issue features ‘The Men’s Club’ – Epstein’s world and the attendant role of women…

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.

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.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2026

Iran Is at Work on Missile and Nuclear Sites, Satellite Images Show

Repairs at key missile sites began soon after they were hit by Israeli and U.S. strikes last year, but work at Iran’s nuclear facilities has been slower.

U.S. and Iran Prepare for Talks in Oman

The Dark Side of A.I. Weighs on the Stock Market

The prospect of disruptions from A.I. has hung over the U.S. economy for years. But this week, advances in tools precipitated a sell-off on Wall Street.

The Olympics Are a Show of Global Harmony. The World Is Anything But.

The Winter Games, which officially open in Italy on Friday, are rooted in international cooperation. That feels out of place to some in a world where old rules no longer apply.

Senators Clash Over Immigration Enforcement, Risking a D.H.S. Shutdown

With eight days until a deadline to keep the Department of Homeland Security running, bipartisan talks on reining in immigration agents’ tactics appeared to sputter.

Uber Is Found Liable for Rape by Driver, Setting Stage for Thousands of Cases

In a federal bellwether case, the jury ordered the ride-hailing giant to pay $8.5 million to Jaylynn Dean, who said an Uber driver assaulted her in 2023.

THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS – FEBRUARY 26, 2026

THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS: The latest issue features Fintan O’Toole on the murders in Minneapolis, Trevor Jackson on the problem with central banks, Ingrid D. Rowland on Fra Angelico, Namwali Serpell on Toni Morrison’s sense of humor, Julian Gewirtz on the new microchip race, Vivian Gornick on Arundhati Roy, Joy Neumeyer on Poland’s far right, Ian Tattersall on all creatures great and small, Maurice Samuels on escaping the Nazis in Vichy France, Ben Rhodes on Robert McNamara’s sins, poems by Mary Jo Salter and James Arthur, and much more.

The Crime of Witness

Fintan O’Toole

Renee Good and Alex Pretti were murdered for daring to interfere with the Trump administration’s efforts to normalize abductions and state violence.


The Struggle for the Fed

Trevor Jackson

The Fed is under attack. Can it be both protected and held accountable?

Our Money: Monetary Policy As If Democracy Matters by Leah Downey

Private Finance, Public Power: A History of Bank Supervision in America by Peter Conti-Brown and Sean H. Vanatta

Our Dollar, Your Problem: An Insider’s View of Seven Turbulent Decades of Global Finance, and the Road Ahead by Kenneth Rogoff

When the Chips Are Down

President Trump’s reversal of a ban on sales of advanced semiconductors to China undercut the strategic logic behind years of American policy that was meant to keep the US ahead in the race to develop AI systems.

The Gilded Cage: Technology, Development, and State Capitalism in China by Ya-Wen Lei

The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip by Stephen Witt

The Nvidia Way: Jensen Huang and the Making of a Tech Giant by Tae Kim

THE NEW YORK TIMES – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2026

Surge in Immigration Cases in Minnesota Pushes Prosecutors and Judges to the Brink

A prosecutor’s outburst revealed how courts in the state were buckling under the weight of a deluge of cases arising from the Trump administration’s campaign.

Nuclear Arms Control Era Comes to End Amid Global Rush for New Weapons

Beijing, Moscow and shaken American allies are seeking new warheads as President Trump ends more than a half century of nuclear arms control with Russia.

China’s Xi Presses Trump on Taiwan in Phone Call

Both leaders gave versions of what they discussed, but Xi Jinping’s take made clear the issue of the island was front and center.

Venezuela Is Said to Detain Maduro Allies Targeted by the U.S.

The questioning of the businessmen, Raúl Gorrín and Alex Saab, who have ties to Nicolás Maduro, signaled deepening cooperation between the two nations.

THE NEW YORK TIMES – WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4, 2026

A Winter of Anguish for Minneapolis Children

“It’s like living in fear all the time,” a teenager said about the federal immigration raids that have shattered families.

Federal Crackdown Means Another Repair Job for the Minneapolis Police Chief

Brian O’Hara, who took over a troubled police force and has spent years rebuilding community trust, fears the long-term damage wrought by federal agents.

Trump Repeats Call to ‘Nationalize’ Elections, as White House Walks It Back

President Trump’s extraordinary comments were the latest iteration of his unsubstantiated claims that U.S. elections are rigged as Republicans face potentially big losses this fall.

For Peace, More Ukrainians Consider the Once-Unthinkable: Surrendering Land

Polls show a growing acceptance of territorial concessions among a war-weary public, if Ukraine receives adequate security guarantees.