On the February 18, 2026 episode of WWE NXT, a WWE Speed Championship tournament final between Elio LeFleur and Eli Knight finished in a three-minute time-limit draw. Interim NXT General Manager Robert Stone addressed the stalemate in-ring and announced two rule changes: the first-ever triple-threat match for the WWE Speed Championship will take place next … Read more
Lead South Carolina health officials on Tuesday reported a possible measles exposure at the Walmart at 11410 Anderson Road in Powdersville on Sunday, Feb. 8 between 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The Department of Public Health (DPH) says people who were at the store during that window should monitor for measles symptoms through March 1, … Read more
Lead On Feb. 17, 2026, the U.S. Commerce Department announced that Japan will commit $36 billion to three U.S. projects — a natural gas plant in Ohio, a crude‑oil export terminal on the Gulf Coast, and a synthetic diamond manufacturing site — marking the initial tranche of a broader $550 billion investment pledge. The announcement, … Read more
Veteran center Mason Plumlee has signed a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs, according to a report from Shams Charania. The 35-year-old joins the roster after the team opened a spot by waiving Jeremy Sochan last week. Plumlee began this season with the Charlotte Hornets, appearing in 14 games and averaging 1.9 points and … Read more
Lead: On Tuesday night at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC State routed No. 16 North Carolina 82-58 in a game that marked coach Will Wade’s first meeting with the Tar Heels. Quadir Copeland paced the Wolfpack with 18 points, seven assists, six rebounds and four steals, and NC State capitalized on UNC’s absence of … Read more
Lead Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 72, posted a 90-second workout video with musician Kid Rock on Tuesday afternoon urging Americans to ‘get active’ and ‘eat real food’. The short montage, shared on the secretary’s social account, shows the pair in a mix of gym, pool and sauna scenes and concludes … Read more
Lead: Residents of Horden, a former coal-mining village in east County Durham, say decades of decline and unmet political promises have left their community hollowed out and angry. Over the past 40 years the population has fallen from around 15,000 in 1951 to roughly half that size, child poverty in parts of the village runs … Read more
Feb. 17, 2026, 10:37 PM UTC — Updated Feb. 18, 2026, 5:55 AM UTC. Asian equity markets looked poised to open higher after a volatile US trading day, as pressure tied to artificial-intelligence–linked selling showed signs of easing and precious metals staged a rebound. Futures pointed up: contracts on the S&P 500 rose 0.2% after … Read more
Veteran center Mason Plumlee agreed to a 10-day contract with the San Antonio Spurs on Feb. 17, 2026, his agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Shams Charania. The move adds short-term frontcourt depth behind Victor Wembanyama and three other bigs on the Spurs’ active roster. Plumlee, in his 13th NBA season, was recently … Read more
Lead: At the Munich Security Conference this weekend (coverage dated Feb. 17, 2026), two U.S. figures—Sen. Marco Rubio and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez—drew disproportionate attention as European officials and journalists weighed what each signaled about America’s role in the transatlantic alliance. Rubio delivered a keynote that won a standing ovation but, critics say, left open questions … Read more
Lead: Bayer and attorneys for people diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma announced a proposed $7.25 billion settlement on Tuesday to resolve thousands of U.S. lawsuits alleging the company failed to warn consumers that the weedkiller Roundup can cause cancer. The filing was made in St. Louis Circuit Court in Missouri, where many suits have been brought. … Read more
Lead: The NFL is continuing its Personal Conduct Policy review of free-agent wide receiver Tyreek Hill as he recovers from a serious knee injury, the league confirmed via email on Tuesday. Hill’s past and recent allegations of domestic violence — first publicly detailed in October 2025 after an investigation opened in September 2025 — complicate … Read more
Lead: Communities across Asia and in diaspora cities worldwide marked the Lunar New Year in mid-February 2026, celebrating the Year of the Fire Horse with parades, temple rites and family gatherings. Photographers captured street processions, lion and dragon dances, lanterns and market scenes from Seoul to San Francisco and beyond. The images reflect both centuries-old … Read more
Lead On Feb. 17, 2026, Japan announced plans to invest up to $36 billion in U.S. oil, gas and critical-mineral projects as the first tranche of a broader $550 billion pledge tied to a trade agreement made with President Donald Trump. The announcement, reported by Bloomberg and highlighted by a post from Mr. Trump on … Read more
Lead Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior walked off the pitch during a Champions League fixture at the Estádio da Luz after reporting alleged racist abuse by Benfica player Gianluca Prestianni to referee François Letexier. The match was halted for 10 minutes and resumed after players temporarily left the field; the fixture finished with a 1-0 … Read more
