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Lead: New chemical and structural analyses of three Prototaxites specimens from the Rhynie chert near Aberdeen suggest this 400‑million‑year‑old, tree‑sized organism cannot be confidently placed among plants, fungi or animals. The study, published last month in Science Advances, finds biomarker signatures and internal anatomy that differ from co‑occurring fungal fossils preserved under the same conditions. … Read more

Lead: On Feb. 5, 2026, forecasters warned that a fast-moving storm will clip New York City this weekend, likely dropping a light coat of snow before a sharp drop in temperatures. The city, where recent accumulations remain packed along gutters and sidewalks, could see roughly one to two inches of new snow. Behind the system, … Read more

Elon Musk confirmed this week that SpaceX has acquired xAI, laying the groundwork for a consolidated umbrella of his companies. The announced SpaceX–xAI tie-up is pitched as a technical fit—pairing orbital infrastructure and satellite connectivity with large-scale AI compute—and it has renewed speculation that Tesla could be folded into the same structure. Analysts such as … Read more

Lead Austin Beutner, 65, announced on Feb. 5, 2026 that he is ending his campaign for mayor of Los Angeles after the sudden death of his 22-year-old daughter. Mr. Beutner had entered the race in October to challenge incumbent Mayor Karen Bass, citing concerns about wildfire recovery and preparation for the 2028 Olympics. The withdrawal … Read more

Lead: France began their Six Nations title defence with a dominant 36-14 victory over Ireland at the Stade de France, taking the game 22-0 into the interval and finishing with a bonus point. Antoine Dupont returned as captain and orchestrated a powerful first-half display that included two tries from Louis Bielle-Biarrey. Ireland, hampered by injuries, … Read more

Lead: Senate Democrats warned on Feb. 5, 2026 that they could withhold funding for the Department of Homeland Security when its appropriation lapses in roughly two weeks — around Feb. 19 — unless Congress and the administration accept sweeping reforms and greater accountability for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal law-enforcement operations. … Read more

Lead: Hamster Corporation announced during Nintendo’s Direct Partner Showcase that it will sell downloadable, individually purchasable emulated console games for the Switch 2, reviving a per-title storefront Nintendo moved away from in 2018. The new Console Archives line launches on Switch 2 immediately and is scheduled to arrive on PlayStation 5 next week, with Xbox … Read more

In early February 2026 the White House offered a fourth explanation for why Tulsi Gabbard, the Director of National Intelligence, was present during the F.B.I. seizure of voter records in Fulton County, Georgia. President Donald Trump, speaking at the National Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 5, said Attorney General Pam Bondi had asked Ms. Gabbard to … Read more

On Feb. 5, 2026, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a package of multibillion-dollar incentives and tax breaks aimed at reshaping Canada’s auto sector around electric vehicles. The moves, unveiled at an auto parts plant in Woodbridge, Ontario, are positioned as a bid to make Canada a global EV manufacturing hub and to reduce dependence on … Read more

Less than four months after unveiling a bold and controversial rebranding, the Philadelphia Museum of Art announced on Feb. 5, 2026 that it will revert to its longstanding name. The rollback follows public backlash to the short-lived title, the sudden dismissal of former director Sasha Suda in November 2025, and criticism from local commentators. Daniel … Read more

Lead Eleven Democrats are competing in a special primary on Feb. 5, 2026, to replace Mikie Sherrill in New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District, with the winner set to face Republican Randolph Township Mayor Joe Hathaway in the April special general election. The vacancy followed Sherrill’s resignation after winning the state’s gubernatorial contest last November. The … Read more

Austin Beutner announced on Thursday that he is exiting the 2026 Los Angeles mayoral contest to grieve the recent death of his 22-year-old daughter, Emily Beutner. The former Los Angeles schools superintendent had been one of several challengers aiming to unseat incumbent Mayor Karen Bass in the June 2 primary. Beutner said family needs come … Read more

Anthropic has rolled out a new version of its Claude large language model, a move that coincided with renewed investor jitters about the risks and economic impact of advanced AI. The company framed the release as an advance in capability and safety; financial markets reacted with increased volatility among AI-exposed technology stocks. Regulators and corporate … Read more

The United States and Iran are scheduled to meet in Muscat, Oman, on Friday for fresh talks after days of conflicting reports about timing, location and participants. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, announced the meeting and U.S. officials confirmed envoys including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would attend. The session comes after a period of … Read more

Lead: Seahawks rookie safety Nick Emmanwori suffered an ankle injury during Wednesday’s practice at San Jose State University as Seattle prepared to face New England in Super Bowl LX. The play occurred late in practice while Emmanwori was defending a pass; he walked off under his own power with teammates and coaches nearby. Head coach … Read more