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On Feb. 12, 2026, the University of Wisconsin–Madison notified students that it will require disclosure of vaccination or immunity status for several diseases, including measles. The announcement follows a confirmed measles case in an on-campus student reported in early February; that student visited multiple on- and off-campus locations while infectious, prompting outreach to roughly 4,000 … Read more

Lead: On Feb. 13, 2026, Everett, Washington–based Helion Energy said its Polaris prototype reached peak plasma temperatures of 150 million degrees Celsius, a milestone the company calls about three-quarters of the way toward its commercial target. The firm is running Polaris on deuterium–tritium fuel and reports a clear rise in fusion output during experiments. Helion … Read more

On February 13, 2026, Charli XCX released “Eyes of the World,” a collaboration with Sky Ferreira and the pair’s first joint recording since 2019’s “Cross You Out.” The track appears on Charli’s new soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s film adaptation of Wuthering Heights and arrives alongside previously shared soundtrack cuts including “Wall Of Sound,” “Chains Of … Read more

Lead Dubai-based ports giant DP World announced on February 13, 2026, that Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has stepped down and been replaced after U.S. Department of Justice files revealed past ties between Sulayem and the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. The company named Essa Kazim as chairman of the board and promoted Yuvraj Narayan to group … Read more

Lead Free condom supplies at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic village were reported exhausted within three days of distribution, Italian newspaper La Stampa said on 13 February 2026. An anonymous athlete told the paper that organisers promised more would be sent but gave no delivery timetable. The shortfall contrasts with the Paris 2024 distribution, when organisers … Read more

Lead: Major package and logistics firms including DHL, UPS and FedEx are accelerating the rollout of autonomous robots and AI across distribution centers in early 2026. Companies report faster throughput and measurable efficiency gains — for example, DHL’s robots can unload containers at up to 650 cases per hour — while simultaneously reshaping hiring, facility … Read more

Lead Former Scottish National Party (SNP) chief executive Peter Murrell has been indicted on an allegation that he embezzled £459,000 from the party over a period spanning August 2010 to January 2023. The indictment, seen by news outlets, details purchases allegedly made for personal use and alleges false accounting to disguise them as party expenses. … Read more

Lead President Trump’s expanded deportation campaign has moved beyond major metropolitan centers into small towns and exurban communities, with actions documented as of Feb. 13, 2026. Places such as Cornelius, Ore. (pop. 14,763), Coon Rapids, Minn., and several West Virginia towns have seen ICE operations that local officials say strained limited resources and alarmed neighbors. … Read more

Across state capitols and Washington, D.C., complaints are mounting that high-power data centers — the hulking facilities that run artificial intelligence tools — are driving up electricity bills. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and elsewhere this year, bipartisan pressure has grown on tech firms to shoulder the cost of the extra power demand, even as lawmakers disagree … Read more

Lead: Fall/Winter 2026 New York Fashion Week has opened with a steady stream of high-profile front-row appearances and standout street looks from actors, musicians and athletes. Early highlights already echo last year’s memorable moments—Dakota Johnson’s black lace dress and Ego Nwodim’s striking red look—and several new looks have become instant conversation starters. This roundup collects … Read more

Lead: A new parent and professional statistician who had a baby in August describes a fraught vaccination decision after a pediatric visit and a rapid Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendation change. Ten days after the infant received the rotavirus shot, the CDC revised its guidance; the author says that change, alongside broader … Read more

Lead Two days ago Irish filmmaker Ruairi Robinson posted a 15-second AI-generated clip showing Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt trading blows on a rooftop. Robinson said the clip was produced by entering a two-line prompt into Seedance 2.0, a model tied to ByteDance, the Chinese parent of TikTok. The Motion Picture Association publicly accused the … Read more

U.S. stock-index futures drifted lower on Friday as traders prepared for the release of January’s consumer price index (CPI), a report expected to shape near-term market direction. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures were each down about 0.2%, while Dow futures fell roughly 109 points (0.2%). The move followed a broad Thursday sell-off that hit … Read more

Former New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr said on his podcast this week that he remains open to returning to the NFL in 2026, but only under very specific conditions: his surgically repaired shoulder must feel right and the opportunity must be with a team that has a legitimate shot at winning the Super Bowl. … Read more

Lead: Congress pledged a bipartisan response after the deaths of two people in Minneapolis linked to enforcement actions, but talks to limit Immigration and Customs Enforcement tactics are faltering ahead of a Friday deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security. Lawmakers who recently tried — and failed — to restore lapsed Affordable Care Act … Read more