2/20: CBS Evening News

Trump lashes out at Supreme Court after justices strike down his tariffs; Man's cat sanctuary naps still helping rescue expand years after they first went viral

The splinternet: how online shutdowns are getting cheaper and easier to impose

Iran has shown how plausible blackouts now are, with far-reaching consequences for the internet as we know it

During the height of Iran’s blackout in January, people could still access a platform that, in some senses, was like the internet.

Iranians could message family members on a government-monitored app and watch clips of Manchester United on a Farsi-language video-sharing site. They could read state news and use a local navigation service.

Man charged with hate crime after allegedly ramming gates of Brisbane synagogue with ute

A 32-year-old has been charged with serious vilification or hate crime and other offences but police say it is not being considered a terrorist incident

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

Police have charged a man after a car was used to ram the gates of a synagogue in Brisbane.

Officers say the man was driving a Toyota Hilux utility when he knocked down the gates of the property in Margaret Street in Brisbane’s CBD shortly after 7pm on Friday.

‘Slow this thing down’: Sanders warns US has no clue about speed and scale of coming AI revolution

After meeting with unspecified tech leaders, senator calls for urgent policy action as companies race to build ever more powerful systems

Bernie Sanders has warned that Congress and the American public have “not a clue” about the scale and speed of the coming AI revolution, pressing for urgent policy action to “slow this thing down” as tech companies race to build ever-more powerful systems.

Speaking at Stanford University on Friday alongside congressman Ro Khanna after a series of meetings with industry leaders in California, Sanders was blunt about what he called the “most dangerous moment in the modern history of this country”.

Judge who held DOJ lawyer in contempt blasts handling of immigration cases

A federal judge who took the extraordinary step of holding a government lawyer in contempt of court earlier this week blasted the Justice Department for its handling of immigration cases on Friday.

House Speaker denies request for Jesse Jackson to lie in honor at Capitol

House Speaker Mike Johnson's office has denied a request to have the late Rev. Jesse Jackson lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda due to past precedent.

Ukraine war briefing: Hungary threatens to block €90bn EU loan to Kyiv in oil row

Viktor Orbán demands Ukraine reopen Druzhba pipeline for Russian deliveries; Zelenskyy says Ukraine is not losing the war. What we know on day 1,459

OpenAI considered alerting Canadian police about school shooting suspect months ago

Company behind ChatGPT last year flagged Jesse Van Rootselaar’s account for ‘furtherance of violent activities’

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has said it considered alerting Canadian police last year about the activities of a person who months later committed one of the worst school shootings in the country’s history.

OpenAI said last June the company identified the account of Jesse Van Rootselaar via abuse detection efforts for “furtherance of violent activities”.

‘I’m living year to year now’: Neymar says he may retire by end of 2026

• Santos player has struggled with injury in recent seasons

• Brazilian forward remains doubtful for this year’s World Cup

Brazil striker Neymar, who extended his contract with his boyhood club Santos last month, said that he may retire by the end of the year.

The 34-year-old forward returned to Santos in January 2025 and played a key role in their survival in the Brazilian top flight, scoring five times in their last five matches.

Court clears way for Louisiana law requiring public schools display Ten Commandments

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals has cleared the way for a Louisiana law requiring poster-sized displays of the Ten Commandments in public classrooms to take effect.

This week on "Sunday Morning" (Feb. 22)

A look at the features for this week's broadcast of the Emmy-winning program, hosted by Jane Pauley.

US military strike kills three in second alleged drug boat attack this week

Move brings total number of people killed in US strikes on suspected boats since September to at least 148

The US military launched a strike on an alleged drug smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific on Friday, killing three men in its second strike this week.

“Intelligence confirmed the vessel was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” US Southern Command, which oversees operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, said on Twitter/X.

No charges for Labor secretary's husband after being banned from building

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer's husband was banned from the Labor Department building after agency employees alleged he had touched them inappropriately, sources said.

US citizen shot and killed by federal immigration agent last year, new records show

Shooting death of Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, in Texas was not publicly disclosed by Department of Homeland Security

Newly released records show a US citizen was shot and killed in Texas by a federal immigration agent last year during a late-night traffic encounter that was not publicly disclosed by the Department of Homeland Security.

The death of Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, would mark the earliest of at least six deadly shootings by federal officers since the start of a nationwide immigration crackdown in Donald Trump’s second term. On Friday, DHS said the shooting on South Padre Island last March occurred after the driver intentionally struck an agent.

Bomb cyclone threatens East Coast, violent tornado hits southern Illinois

A fast-developing bomb cyclone is threatening the East Coast with yet another severe round of winter weather. CBS Boston chief meteorologist Eric Fisher has the forecast. Then, Tom Hanson has more about a violent tornado that touched down in southern Illinois.

Nightly raids and violent beatings: Australia urged to accept citizens trapped in Syria as conditions in Roj camp deteriorate

Aid workers say the camp where 34 women and children are being held are ‘dire’ and present more risk than if they were repatriated

• Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

Conditions in the north-eastern Syrian camp where 34 Australians have been forcibly returned are deteriorating dramatically, with reports of near-nightly raids, and increasingly violent beatings, amid worsening uncertainty over their futures.

The 11 women and 23 Australian children forced back to Roj camp on Monday returned to find their tents – formerly huddled collectively in a row known as Australia Street – demolished and their possessions seized.

The latest GDP data isn't as bad as it looks. Here's what to know.

A simple reason explains why U.S. economic growth seemed to hit a wall in the final three months of the year.

Trump tells Pentagon to release files on UFOs and "alien and extraterrestrial life"

President Trump directed his administration to release files on UFOs and any "alien and extraterrestrial life," an issue that has drawn decades of fascination — and spawned more than a few wild theories.

Will Americans get refunds after Trump's tariffs were overturned by the Supreme Court?

While the Supreme Court struck down the Trump administration's emergency tariffs, experts said it could take years for businesses to get refunds.

White House orders release of files on UFOs and any "extraterrestrial life"

President Trump directed his administration to release files on UFOs and any "alien and extraterrestrial life." Mark Strassmann has details.

Car-ramming at power substation near Las Vegas investigated as possible terrorism

The driver of the vehicle, a 23-year-old man from Albany, New York, had been reported missing and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.

Trump lashes out at his own Supreme Court picks over tariff ruling

President Trump said he was "ashamed of certain members of the court" after the Supreme Court struck down most of his tariffs.

Armed driver attempts to ram power facility outside Las Vegas in possible terror plot

The FBI is investigating a car crash into a power facility outside Las Vegas as a possible terror plot. The driver was armed with guns and explosives and attempted to ram his car not far from the Hoover Dam. Carter Evans has more.

Breaking down potential tariff refunds and consumer impact of Supreme Court ruling

Just days ago, the New York Federal Reserve found nearly 90% of tariffs' economic burden fell on U.S. firms and consumers. Now, the Supreme Court has struck down President Trump's tariffs imposed under an emergency powers law. Jo Ling Kent joins to explain the consumer impact and whether or not Americans can expect refunds.

Barry Manilow cancels more concerts amid recovery after cancer surgery

Barry Manilow announced Friday he needs to reschedule several more concerts as he continues to recover following surgery after he was diagnosed with lung cancer.

"Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi reveals she has cervical cancer

"Jersey Shore" star Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi said in a TikTok video that her results at a post-op appointment for a cone biopsy showed stage 1 cervical cancer.

Microsoft Xbox chief Phil Spencer retires, replaced by AI executive Asha Sharma

Phil Spencer is retiring from Microsoft after joining the software company 38 years ago, and will be replaced by Instacart's former COO.

Why is South Korea angry that Yoon Suk Yeol wasn’t sentenced to death?

The former president was found guilty of leading an insurrection and sentenced to life imprisonment with labour, a punishment that some have called a ‘failure’

On Thursday, former president Yoon Suk Yeol was found guilty of leading an insurrection and sentenced to life imprisonment with labour over his failed martial law declaration in December 2024.

When he received his sentence, hundreds of his opponents cheered outside the court. But the mood quickly shifted to disappointment and anger.

Furious Trump signs global 10% duty after supreme court issues tariff blow

President calls six justices a ‘disgrace to the nation’ while praising three justices who dissented

• US politics live – latest updates

Donald Trump on Friday railed against the supreme court justices who blocked his use of tariffs, calling them a “disgrace to the nation”, and later signing documents imposing a 10% tariff on all countries.

Trump said he would immediately sign an order increasing tariffs globally by 10% under section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 and will begin investigations of unfair trade practices allowing further tariffs. He asserted that he had the authority to impose additional tariffs under existing statutes without congressional approval.

Tactical, influential and mad about Rupert: Anna Murdoch-Mann remembered after her death aged 81

Philanthropist and mother of Elisabeth, James and Lachlan Murdoch died at home in Palm Beach, Florida

The author and philanthropist Anna Murdoch-Mann, the ex-wife of the Australian media tycoon Rupert Murdoch, died at her home in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday. She was 81.

Murdoch-Mann’s death was reported Friday by the New York Post, one of her ex-husband’s media properties.

Nancy Guthrie investigators turn to genetic genealogy. It's worked in big cases before.

Investigators in the Nancy Guthrie case have turned to genetic genealogy as they try to make the most of potential DNA evidence.

At least 10 killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon’s Bekaa valley, health ministry says

Hezbollah leader among dead as Israel says it hit militant command centres

At least 10 people have been killed and 24 wounded – including three children – in Israeli strikes in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa valley, the Lebanese health ministry has said.

Israel said it had hit “command centres” of the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in the Bekaa valley. Two security sources told Reuters that senior Hezbollah leader Hussein Yaghi was killed in the attacks.

Officials investigate deadly California avalanche for possible criminal negligence

Nevada county sheriff said investigation includes learning why the ski trip was not cancelled by the guide company

Authorities are investigating whether any criminal negligence was involved in the deadly avalanche that swept California’s Lake Tahoe this week, which killed at least eight skiers and their guides while returning from a three-day backcountry skiing trip.

The Nevada county sheriff’s office said on Friday said that they notified the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha), which regulates workplace safety, of the active investigation.

Constitution Hill could switch to Flat full-time after triumphant debut

• Trainer Nicky Henderson shocked by Southwell victory

• ‘We will have to think long and hard about his future’

The mercurial career of Constitution Hill took a dramatic upward turn on Friday as the 2023 Champion Hurdle winner turned his belated Flat debut into a procession up the Southwell straight, coming home nine and a half lengths clear of the runner-up, with Oisin Murphy, the champion jockey, motionless in his saddle.

Even those closest to Constitution Hill were left astonished by his performance, which may make it increasingly likely that the champion jumping horse who had famously forgotten how to jump will now switch to racing on the Flat full-time.

Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu's advice for aspiring figure skaters

Alysa Liu stunned the skating world by retiring at age 16. Two years later, she returned to the ice, and now she's won gold at the Winter Olympics.

Supreme Court strikes down Trump tariffs, rebuking president's signature economic policy

Trump, as recently as Thursday, has talked up the consequences of the Supreme Court striking down his tariffs prior to the seismic ruling.

Book excerpt: "We the Women" by Norah O'Donnell

In her new book, the CBS News journalist highlights women who pushed America to live up to its founding promises of liberty, equality, and the pursuit of happiness for all.

USA and Canada to meet in Olympic men’s ice hockey gold medal game

• Hughes and Eichel spark US rout of Slovakia

• MacKinnon scores late to send Canada through

• Border rivals to meet for men’s hockey gold

The United States and Canada men’s ice hockey teams will play for the gold medal on Sunday’s final day of the Milano Cortina Games after both teams came through semi-final contests of varying difficulty on Friday evening, setting up a blockbuster final in the first Olympic tournament to feature National Hockey League players in 12 years.

Canada left things late in the first game, fighting back from two goals down to win 3-2 over Finland on Nathan MacKinnon’s winner with 35.2 seconds remaining. The US made far lighter work of Slovakia in the nightcap to set up the heavyweight clash, strolling to a 6-2 win after Jack Hughes and Jack Eichel scored in a 19-second span during the second period to blow things open, ensuring the Americans no worse than silver and their first men’s hockey medal in 16 years.

U.S. fighter jets intercept Russian warplanes off Alaskan coast

Two Russian Tu-95s bombers, two Su-35s fighter planes and an A-50 spy plane were detected in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone, NORAD said.

Tudor promises Spurs will avoid relegation but accepts club are in ‘emergency situation’

• New coach starts tenure against Arsenal on Sunday

• Tudor insists ‘we have enormous quality in the squad’

Igor Tudor has said Tottenham are in “an emergency situation” but issued a guarantee that his new team would escape relegation.

Tudor is a veteran of short-term appointments and has performed rescue jobs at Udinese, Verona and Juventus. He offered a curt “100%” in response to questions on his confidence in Spurs’s survival. The Croat’s tenure begins on Sunday with a north London derby at home to the wobbling Premier League leaders, though a lengthy injury list leaves him with only 13 fit senior players.

‘I won the league with Liverpool’: Arne Slot responds to Wayne Rooney jibe

• Rooney claimed coach lacked ‘aura’ to manage club

• ‘Jürgen Klopp and me both won the league’

Arne Slot has responded to Wayne Rooney’s claim that the Liverpool head coach does not have the “aura” to manage the club by pointing to his Premier League title success last season.

Rooney questioned Slot’s suitability for the job, telling The Overlap: “I have met him a few times. He was a nice fella but I just don’t think, for Liverpool, he’s got that aura about him. Maybe this is because you have just come off the back of Jürgen Klopp and it’s going to be difficult for anyone to have that, but I just don’t think there’s that aura about him.”

US envoy Mike Huckabee says it would be ‘fine’ if Israel took all Middle East land

Rightwing Trump ally tells Tucker Carlson Israel has biblical right to land from ‘wadi of Egypt to the great river’

The US’s ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, has contended to the podcaster Tucker Carlson that Israel has a biblical right to take over the entire Middle East – or at least the lion’s share of it.

“It would be fine if they took it all,” Huckabee said to Carlson during an interview posted on Friday. The Trump administration appointee and former Arkansas governor discussed with Carlson interpretations of Old Testament scripture within the US Christian nationalist movement.

Fried rice sold at Trader Joe's recalled over possible glass contamination

The recall involves 3.4 million pounds of frozen chicken fried rice products shipped to Trader Joe's locations nationwide and to retailers in Canada.

US judge expresses concern about government’s role in Washington Post raid

Federal judge said reporter Hannah Natanson ‘has basically been deprived of her life’s work’ after January raid

A federal judge in Virginia on Friday declined to immediately rule on the Washington Post’s request for the government to return devices seized from reporter Hannah Natanson in a January raid of her home.

But the judge, William B Porter of the eastern district of Virginia, acknowledged the enormity and significance of the seizure during the afternoon hearing. “Ms Natanson has basically been deprived of her life’s work,” he said.

In Berlin, there are movies, there's politics and there's talk about it all

Buzz around whether the city's film festival would take a stance on the war in Gaza has dominated conversation in recent days.

Athletes to watch from Team USA at the Winter Olympics

American athletes are going for the gold at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. These are some of the top Team USA competitors to watch.

American Alex Ferreira wins his first Olympic gold in freeski halfpipe

Alex Ferreira's first gold medal came after he took silver in Pyeongchang in 2018, and the bronze four years ago in Beijing.

National Parent Teacher Association breaks ties with Meta amid child-safety trials

Child-safety advocacy coalition ParentsSOS urged the National PTA to end other Big Tech partnerships due to safety and well-being concerns.

Labor secretary's husband barred from HQ after claims he sexually assaulted women there: MS Now

The Labor Department's inspector general is investigating the situation, and a complaint has been made to police in Washington, D.C., the report said.

UK clinical trial into puberty blockers on hold after medicines regulator steps in

Recruitment of children for study delayed after MHRA warns that participants should be no younger than 14

A clinical trial into puberty blockers for children has been paused after the medicines regulator warned it should have a minimum age limit of 14 because of the “unquantified risk” of “long-term biological harms”.

Discussions between the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the trial sponsor, King’s College London, will begin next week to discuss the wellbeing concerns, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said on Friday evening.

Alex Ferreira wins 10th gold medal for Team USA, matching America's highest total in Winter Olympics

Freeskier Alex Ferreira clinches a tenth gold medal for the U.S. in these Games, tying the U.S.'s all-time record for gold medals in a Winter Olympics.

Amazon, Etsy, other e-commerce stocks pop after Supreme Court rules against Trump's tariffs

President Donald Trump's tariffs have forced some e-commerce companies to raise prices and alter their supply chains.

Floreana giant tortoise reintroduced to Galápagos island after almost 200 years

Subspecies driven to extinction by hungry whalers returns after ‘back breeding’ programme using partial descendants

Giant tortoises, the life-giving engineers of remote small island ecosystems, are plodding over the Galápagos island of Floreana for the first time in more than 180 years.

The Floreana giant tortoise (Chelonoidis niger niger), a subspecies of the giant tortoise once found across the Galápagos, was driven to extinction in the 1840s by whalers who removed thousands from the volcanic island to provide a living larder during their hunting voyages.

Winter Olympics: USA’s Alex Ferreira completes medal set with freeski halfpipe gold

• 31-year-old adds to his 2018 silver and 2022 bronze

• Estonia’s Sildaru, Canada’s Mackay round out podium

American freeskier Alex Ferreira won the men’s halfpipe final at the Milano Cortina Winter Games on Friday to complete his collection of Olympic medals.

The 31-year-old Ferreira won with a third and final run worth 93.75 points, adding the gold medal to his silver from Pyeongchang in 2018 and bronze from Beijing in 2022.

Supreme Court ruling against Trump tariffs will offer relief, businesses say

Businesses could be owed nearly $150 billion in refunds after the Supreme Court struck down tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

Trump says 32,000 people were killed in Iran's crackdown on protesters

President Trump did not offer a source for the new death toll, which is far higher than what has been previously reported.

England bet on Pollock spark against Ireland to reignite Six Nations charge

Steve Borthwick needs a charge of electricity after the power cut in Scotland and team’s 21-year-old forward could fire up title challenge

The third weekend of the Six Nations used to be a time for contemplation and reflection. After the fury of the first two rounds, everything would stop for a much-needed fallow week in which to restore energy levels. And now? The battle-scarred gladiators are about to “go again”, putting their bodies on the line out on the pitch or, in the case of travelling supporters, in the pub.

Player welfare rules OK? That debate still rumbles on but certain other areas – fitness, mental resilience, squad depth – traditionally reserved for the tournament’s closing fortnight are increasingly front and centre. The rhythm of this year’s championship is subtly different, particularly for sides such as England with only two home fixtures. Slip up for a second successive Saturday and that’s it, folks, until November in terms of high-profile Twickenham opportunities.

Eze plays long game but end-of-season form could give Arsenal title lift now | Ed Aarons

Playmaker, out of favour under Mikel Arteta, has scored 18 of his 38 Premier League goals at business end of the season

Eberechi Eze was asked in an interview this week if there is a motto that he lives by and his answer was most revealing given how things have been going for him at Arsenal recently. “It’s not about now. It’s the long game,” he told the Men in Blazers podcast before Sunday’s north London derby.

Remaining patient has been a recurring theme throughout Eze’s career ever since he was released by Arsenal at 13 and then rejected by several other clubs before finding a home at Queens Park Rangers. Yet having made an immediate impression after a £67.5m dream move back to his boyhood club from Crystal Palace that peaked with a memorable hat-trick against Tottenham at the end of November, the goals have dried up completely as Mikel Arteta has seemingly lost faith in the England forward.

Oil prices stable as Trump considers limited military strike against Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump has given Iran "10 to 15" days to make a meaningful deal over its nuclear program — or “really bad things” will happen.

Supreme Court tariff case winner Learning Resources is 'on the right side of history,' CEO says

Learning Resources CEO Rick Woldenberg said the Supreme Court ruling against Trump's tariffs could inject "a lot of money" into the U.S. economy.

Tesla loses bid to toss $243 million verdict in fatal Autopilot crash suit

A federal judge in Miami denied Tesla's bid to overturn a $243 million jury verdict in a high-profile lawsuit over a fatal Autopilot crash.

Trump calls SCOTUS tariffs decision 'deeply disappointing' and lays out path forward

President Trump claimed the justices opposing his position were acting because of partisanship, though three of those ruling against his tariffs were appointed by Republican presidents.

Watch: Trump speaks after Supreme Court strikes down tariffs

The Supreme Court ruling is a major blow to Trump, whose economic and foreign policies leaned on his asserted power to unilaterally slap tariffs on any country.

History redressed: Melania makes her mark, in a fashion, with Smithsonian gown

First lady is first in more than 100 years to have two inaugural gowns in museum’s popular collection

Her husband has described it as “OUT OF CONTROL”, a place where “everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad Slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been”.

But Melania Trump, the wife of US president Donald Trump, declared a temporary ceasefire in hostilities with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington on Friday – with the help of a silk gown, diamond brooch and headless mannequin.

Democrats rejoice in Supreme Court rebuke of Trump tariffs they have called illegal

President Donald Trump's tariff agenda took a blow Friday, prompting celebration from Democrats who have opposed his unilateral tariffs.

Trump previewed weak GDP on Truth Social ahead of official data release

Trump has revealed economic data before its official release on multiple occasions, raising questions about possible policy violations

Supreme Court Trump tariffs ruling could put U.S. on hook for $175 billion in refunds, estimate says

Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, in his dissent, warned that "the refund process" for tariffs "is likely to be a 'mess,'" citing oral arguments

Winter Olympics showcase golden oldies, fourth-place pain and sliding-doors moments | Lizzy Yarnold

Bravery on display has been inspirational, but behind the glamour and the glory it’s the humanity that captivates us

Milano Cortina has been the first Games where I’ve been around town, not just being whisked from the sliding centre to the athletes’ village. It has given me the chance to really be present and feel the excitement and anticipation that sport brings, not to mention the importance it has in giving us something else to focus on in difficult times.

As a TV pundit, it was hard to keep my emotions in check watching Great Britain’s skeleton success because I knew what it meant to Matt Weston and Tabby Stoecker to become Olympic champions – Matt twice, of course. Their achievements are not only historic but the day-to-day impact will be so meaningful to both of them. I remember seeing kids’ drawings of me and people dressing up as “Lizzy” and now I’m seeing it from a different perspective. I’m incredibly proud of them.

The week around the world in 20 pictures

The arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Ramadan in Gaza, Russian airstrikes in Odesa and flooding in France – the past seven days as captured by the world’s leading photojournalists

After dominant 6-2 win, the U.S. will face Canada for Olympic men's hockey gold

In the semifinal, Slovakia had few answers for the American onslaught. Now, the U.S. men will meet Canada for a chance to win the team's first Olympic hockey gold since the "Miracle on Ice" back in 1980.

NASA eyes March 6 to launch 4 astronauts to the moon on Artemis II mission

The four astronauts heading to the moon for the lunar fly-by are the first humans to venture there since 1972. The ten-day mission will travel more than 600,000 miles.

Ministers to consider removing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from line of succession

Move would follow any police investigation after former prince questioned on suspicion of misconduct in public office

The government will consider passing legislation to strip Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of his right to inherit the throne once any police investigation has concluded, it is understood.

Several politicians have called for the former prince to be removed from the line of succession after he was arrested and questioned by detectives on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The Guardian view on Trump’s Board of Peace: serving private interests more than public good | Editorial

As aid trickles into Gaza, Washington channels $10bn into a body chaired by the president. Peace in the region rests on law and sovereignty, not ego and brinkmanship

In Gaza, aid still trickles in at levels relief agencies say are far below what is required. Temporary shelters are scarce. Reconstruction materials are restricted by Israel’s controls on goods entering the territory. Conditions, say the UN, remain “dire”. The violence has not stopped: Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed about 600 people since the ceasefire began. The announcement that the US would transfer $10bn to President Donald Trump’s newly convened Board of Peace is hard to reconcile with the reality on the ground. Even worse is that Washington has paid only a fraction of its UN arrears – $160m against more than $4bn owed.

This raises the obvious question: why is a private initiative being capitalised so heavily while existing UN mechanisms remain severely cash-strapped? Funnelling state funds into a body chaired by Mr Trump suggests foreign policy is serving private interests, not the public good. The board has ambitious plans. Rafah is to be rebuilt within three years with skyscrapers. Gaza is to become self-governing within a decade. An International Stabilisation Force is expected to begin deployment, eventually numbering 20,000 troops. These are dramatic claims. But their delivery is largely notional.

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Eric Dane obituary

Actor who set pulses racing as Mark Sloan – nicknamed McSteamy – in the TV medical drama Grey’s Anatomy

The American actor Eric Dane, who has died of motor neurone disease aged 53, found fame and sex-symbol status as the brilliant plastic surgeon Mark Sloan in the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, which went to the top of the TV ratings in the US and attracted big audiences worldwide.

The character first appeared in 2006, in the second series of the show, as a one-off visitor to the fictional Seattle Grace hospital, to which his former best friend, the neurosurgeon Derek Shepherd (played by Patrick Dempsey), had moved following Mark’s affair with his wife. Mark’s flirting with Derek’s new girlfriend, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), leads his old pal to punch him in the face.

On pins and needles: Why Olympians pass the time knitting

A number of Olympic athletes have turned to knitting during the heat of the Games, including Ben Ogden, who this week became the most decorated American male Olympic cross-country skier.

Andrew under investigation: what's next for the former prince? - The Latest

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been released under investigation after police questioned the former prince in relation to allegations he shared confidential material with Jeffrey Epstein. Officers searched Mountbatten-Windsor’s Sandringham residence as well as his former home at the Royal Lodge in Great Windsor Park after arresting him on Thursday. The former prince has denied any wrongdoing. But what were the police searching for and what could happen next? Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s police and crime correspondent, Vikram Dodd

From 'vanlords' to safe parking sites: How RVs became Silicon Valley's housing safety net

Across California, the number of people living in vehicles has surged in recent years due to soaring rents.

U.S. trading partners cheer Supreme Court tariff ruling — but businesses must still navigate 'murky waters'

The U.S. Supreme Court voted 6-3 to strike down large parts of President Trump's tariff policies Friday.

Charles Leclerc clocks quickest time at final F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain

• Lando Norris second fastest; Max Verstappen third

• Aston Martin completed just six laps after problems

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc took the bragging rights with the quickest time at the final Formula One test before the season proper begins in Australia in just two weeks, while Aston Martin endured a horror show.

At the end of the final day of the third test, some of the cars were let off the leash to put in some runs on soft tyres with lower fuel loads and Leclerc looked very much at home as he hurled his Ferrari around the circuit in Bahrain. He set a time of 1min 31.992sec, eight-tenths clear of the second-placed McLaren of Lando Norris and a second up on Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell.

Martin Rowson on the impact of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on the royal family – cartoon

Continue reading...

Tax season presents a boom-or-bust test for U.S. auto sales

Auto industry experts anticipate that some Americans could use higher tax returns to finally purchase a new or used vehicle.

Trump’s EPA to roll back rule limiting hazardous mercury from coal plants

Environmental groups warn that weakening air toxics and mercury standards will lead to higher health-related costs

The Trump administration announced on Friday it would roll back air regulations for power plants limiting mercury and hazardous air toxics at an event in Kentucky, a move it says will boost baseload energy but that public health groups say will harm public health for the most vulnerable groups in the US.

Donald Trump’s EPA has said that easing the pollution standards for coal plants would alleviate costs for utilities that run older coal plants at a time when demand for power is soaring amid the expansion of datacenters used for artificial intelligence.

Psycho Killer review – delayed satanic serial slasher is devilishly dull

The writer of Seven commits the sin of boring us with this bland horror which should have stayed in development hell where it belongs

When a script has passed through multiple hands over an almost 20-year period, one assumes it must have something magnetic enough to keep it within the Hollywood ecosystem and out of the trash. Of course, it’s also assumed that there’s probably something a little cursed about it too but when it finally does get made, the curiosity factor is sky high. Psycho Killer, written in the mid-2000s by Seven’s Andrew Kevin Walker, has had its share of almosts over the years. In 2009, Fred Durst was set to direct. In 2010, Eli Roth was set to produce. In 2011, production was set to begin. In 2015, it was supposed to get German funding. But each iteration found a snag, and it took until 2023 for the film to finally get made.

Three years later, it’s now finally getting released by 20th, AKA Disney, with longtime producer Gavin Polone making his directorial debut, an answer to the question of “Why this?’ quietly arriving in 1,000-plus cinemas.

‘An incredible human being’: readers on their memories of Robert Duvall

Fans celebrate unmatched talent on screen, while those who met the actor in person remember his kindness

Another one of the greats has passed. What a career. I sincerely believe Duvall was the best actor in a generation of best actors: De Niro, Pacino, Hoffman, Nicholson and more. What made Robert stand above these other figures was how he disappeared into a part. There was no Duvall persona. He was invisible. There were just the characters he played. He could do loud and angry – see his sublime turns in The Great Santini or his seminal Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now. Yet I loved his quieter performances more, which would slowly sneak up on you, pull you close and then blow you away with the brilliance of his choices and the risks he took.

U.K. considers cutting ex-Prince Andrew from line of succession over his Epstein ties

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the British former prince, is being investigated on suspicion of misconduct in having shared confidential trade information with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

‘The costs could rise’: Austria manslaughter ruling could alter climbing in Europe

Amateur climber’s conviction over girlfriend’s death could put people off activity, say experts

• Climber convicted of manslaughter after leaving girlfriend on Austria’s highest peak to seek help

The decision of an Austrian court to convict an amateur climber of manslaughter after he had left his girlfriend behind to die on an Alpine peak in winter is certain to be examined closely throughout Europe.

In his decision in Innsbruck, the judge, Norbert Hofer – a climber, and an expert in Austrian law relating to the mountains – ruled that the “galaxies-wide” disparity in experience and skills between Thomas P and his late girlfriend Kerstin G meant he had been de facto acting as her mountain guide “as a favour” despite no financial arrangement having been involved.

German soccer club cancel US trip amid concerns over ICE actions in Minnesota

• Werder Bremen scrap plans to play in Minnesota, Detroit

• Club cites unrest after ICE killings, US visa restrictions

German soccer club Werder Bremen have canceled a trip to the United States due to concerns over unrest in Minnesota after the actions of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as well as economic risks, a club spokesperson told Reuters on Friday.

The top-flight team were planning to visit Minnesota and Detroit in May and play two friendly matches, according to media reports in the US and Germany. No opponents for the matches had been confirmed.

‘The trick is not being so annoying that people hate you’: is awards-show hosting the toughest gig out there?

From the dire Hathaway and Franco double act to the charming Fey and Poehler combo, the choice of MC is vital to a show’s success. With Alan Cumming set to helm the Baftas on Sunday, here’s what he needs to know

No modern film awards show is complete without a wisecracking host, who has the tricky job of compering the evening, bringing people on and off stage in rapid succession, keeping a restless audience entertained, and coming up with a decent comedy routine themselves. Hence the attention that is paid to the annual announcement of the Baftas, Golden Globes and Oscars hosts; they are gigs that can flourish in the cultural memory, such as Tina Fey and Amy Poehler’s multiple turns at the Golden Globes, or become infamous, such as Anne Hathaway and James Franco’s double act at the Academy Awards in 2011, which saw them castigated as “children” and “spectacularly unwatchable” by the media.

In December, the Baftas announced that Scottish actor Alan Cumming was to host of the 79th edition of the event, which takes place on Sunday; he takes over from fellow actor and Scot David Tennant, who occupied the berth in 2024 and 2025. Tennant was given a middling review for his efforts last year by the Guardian’s Gwilym Mumford, who called him “a game host, a willing song and dance man, but he definitely needs more help from whoever’s writing his gags” – but that was glowing compared with the notices that arrived for Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley after her turn in 2019; in an article headlined “Is Joanna Lumley the worst Baftas host of all time?” the Guardian said: “Watching it on TV was excruciating. Not only were the jokes bad, but the Bafta audience responded with a total, ominous silence.” Following the Lumley debacle, Bafta managed to claw back some credibility by hiring Graham Norton in 2020 (“a safe pair of hands”) and a well-reviewed Rebel Wilson in 2022 (“rescues Baftas”).

Fourth-quarter U.S. GDP up just 1.4%, badly missing estimate; inflation firms at 3%

The core PCE price index was expected to increase 3% from a year ago in December. GDP was projected to rise at a 2.5% pace in Q4.

‘It’s survival of the fittest’: the UK kebab chain seeking an edge with robot slicers

German Doner Kebab aims to open at 25 new sites this year with self-service screens and healthy options aimed at gen Z

They are already packing our groceries and delivering shopping. Now robots are coming to the kebab shop, alongside self-service screens and loyalty apps, as takeaways look for ways to tackle rising costs.

German Doner Kebab (GDK), a perhaps surprisingly British-owned chain that has been springing up across the country, has turned to technology to keep its fast food business buzzing in the face of rising costs and tough times on the high street.

From handsome prince to a ghost behind glass, Andrew’s face tells the story of his decline | Fay Bound-Alberti

Royals have always prized their images as ways to assert their lineage and authority. Now this pathetic photograph will define the former prince

You will have seen the photograph by now: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly a prince, slumped in the back of a car outside Aylsham police station in Norfolk. His face is corpse-like – his lips tight, stare fixed, eyes turned red by the camera flash. It’s a far cry from Randy Andy, the handsome prince with the big teeth and the easy grin, whose face was once plastered on china cups and plates and commemorative tins, pressed into the soft metal of national affection.

Never the heir, but less of a spare than Harry somehow, Andrew’s face was once memorialised in the way that only royalty, Jesus and the saints were: endlessly reproduced as public property. Andrew’s face was part of his – and the royal family’s – brand; he was the warrior prince, the helicopter pilot, the man who had served. He had sweated for us, so much in fact, that he could never sweat again.

Dr Fay Bound-Alberti is a writer and professor of modern history at King’s College London. Her book The Face: A Cultural History is published by Allen Lane on 26 February

Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.

Man receives £42,000 bill for data roaming charges after Morocco holiday

Andrew Alty thought O2 bill was a mistake, but daughter’s TikTok use allowed massive uncapped charges to accrue

A small business owner was left facing a £42,000 bill that he said nearly bankrupted him after his daughter racked up data roaming charges while the family were on holiday in Morocco.

Andrew Alty, who owns a curtains business, was in Marrakech when he received a bill for £22,000 from network provider O2, but at first he assumed it was a mistake.

U.S. trade deficit totaled $901 billion in 2025, barely budging despite Trump's tariffs

The U.S. trade deficit swelled in December, closing out a year in which the imbalance was essentially unchanged.

7 key things to know about Trump's tariffs after the Supreme Court decision

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that President Trump overstepped his authority in ordering tariffs on nearly everything the U.S. imports. Here's some economic context to understand that decision.

Alysa Liu released the pressure, reclaimed her joy and turned it into Olympic gold | Bryan Armen Graham

After stepping away from figure skating, the US star climbed back on her own terms. Her journey culminated in a medal, but it was about much more than that

Alysa Liu made her way through a mixed zone teeming with hundreds of reporters at a quarter past midnight early Friday morning, an Olympic gold medal draped around her neck, the sequins in her color-coordinated dress glimmering beneath the klieg lights and crush of television cameras. The 20-year-old from West Oakland had just become the first American woman to win figure skating’s biggest prize in 24 years, drilling seven clean triples to leapfrog a pair of Japanese rivals from third place after Tuesday’s short program and gatecrash her sport’s most rarefied air. But to hear Liu tell it, her second gold in 12 days was merely a passing footnote in a Milan fortnight she doesn’t want to end.

Liu’s carefree mindset should and will be studied in the weeks, months and years after these Olympics – especially these Olympics – as a counterpoint to the results-obsessed mindsets that have shattered the mental wellbeing of so many athletes thrust into the pressure-cooker of the world’s biggest sporting event. She spoke candidly and insightfully on how her unique journey from child prodigy to burnout case to second-act skater gave rise to an indifference to scores or placements. All she wanted in the end was a chance to make the US team and share her artistry on the world stage.

Facing a mental health crisis, an NJ school pulled a beloved novel from English class

Junot Díaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao was removed from an English class at the public school. PEN America says it's part of a trend of scrubbing literature dealing with uncomfortable topics.

Passport changes prevent British dual national from visiting dying mother

New Home Office rules causing ‘stress upon stress’ for British woman living in Netherlands trying to enter UK

A British woman living in the Netherlands has told of the “stress upon stress” caused by new Home Office rules that leave her unable to travel to see her 91-year-old dying mother back in England.

Annie, who requested her surname was not published, said her British passport expired last Friday and had been submitted as part of her passport renewal application. She had “reasonably expected” to use her Dutch passport to carry on visiting her mother, as she had done every couple of weeks for the past few months.

Supreme Court strikes down Trump's tariffs

The 6-3 ruling is a major blow to the president's signature economic policy.

More polish, less panto: brands push ‘real clothes’ at London fashion week

British labels move focus from innovation to style as names drop off show schedule owing to financial pressure

“London fashion has leant too much into being theatrical. Drama is great, but style is a huge piece of why we buy fashion,” said Mario Arena, the creative director of Joseph, at its first catwalk show in eight years.

Arena has a subversive idea to re-energise London fashion week. More polish, less pantomime: clothes that sell, rather than clothes that scream.

Trouble in paradise? Seven surprising signs you’re heading for divorce

From never arguing to knowing exactly what the other thinks, the signs your relationship is in trouble aren’t always obvious. Experts reveal what to watch for – and how to get the spark back

You would think this is a sign of perfect harmony. Not so if you have stopped arguing completely. “Stopping disagreeing isn’t a sign of peace, it points to emotional withdrawal,” explains Simone Bose, a relationship therapist at Relate. It happens, says Bose, because couples are “likely protecting themselves from feeling disappointed or from conflict itself, but are becoming emotionally numb”. Clinical psychologist and Couples Therapy star Dr Orna Guralnik agrees, noting that “some people don’t argue because they’ve come to a state of acceptance of who each other are, but some don’t argue because they’ve given up. It’s a cold, detached form of not arguing – a resignation.” For Oona Metz, a social worker, psychotherapist and the author of Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women, “Couples who stop arguing even when they have major disagreements are on a collision course towards either an unhappy marriage or a divorce.” This is because “unresolved issues get swept under the rug and eventually come out in some other way”.