News Desk

Social Media Murders is an anthology docu-series that looks into the shocking murders of young people.

Social Media Murders returns to screens this evening, examining the tragic killing of 19-year-old Bianca Devins.

The documentary series Social Media Murders first broadcast in 2021, and now the 10-part programme is being reshown, with its third episode airing tonight, Wednesday, February 11, at 11.40pm on ITV.

Titled The Murder of Bianca Devins, this episode explores the teenager’s death in July 2019. She was killed by Brandon Clark, 21, an acquaintance she’d connected with on Instagram.

The pair were travelling home from a gig in Queens, New York City, when he fatally attacked her with a knife before sharing disturbing photographs of her body online.

Clark then tried to end his own life after murdering Bianca but survived. Following his arrest, authorities discovered he had also recorded footage of her final moments.

Where is Brandon Clark now?

Brandon Clark admitted to the second-degree murder of Bianca Devins in February 2020 and is presently incarcerated at Attica Correctional Facility in New York, serving a 25-year sentence.

According to Distractify, during his sentencing hearing, Clark stated: “I hate myself for what I did to her.

“I don’t understand how I could do something like that. It disgusts me.”

That wasn’t his only public statement. Three years ago, he participated in a contentious interview with Yinka Bokinni for Channel 4‘s Interview With A Killer.

At the time, Bianca’s mother Kim penned a letter to Channel 4 and Plum Productions pleading with them not to broadcast the documentary, expressing her concern that it would inflict “immense emotional distress” on Bianca’s family and friends.

In the wake of her daughter’s tragic passing, Kim has been campaigning for reform in the realm of social media as images of Bianca’s body continued to circulate online.

Bianca’s Law was introduced in 2020, criminalising the posting of offensive images of crime victims within New York State.

Social Media Murders is available to watch on ITV and ITVX.

Feb. 11 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s National Fire Agency warned that choking incidents involving rice cakes and other foods tend to spike around major holidays, with older adults accounting for most victims.

A Seoul resident in his 60s recalled nearly choking while eating tteokguk, a traditional Lunar New Year soup, after a piece of rice cake lodged in his throat. He said he now cuts rice cakes into smaller pieces and eats more slowly.

The fire agency said an analysis of rescue statistics from 2021 through 2025 found an annual average of 239 people were transported to hospitals for airway obstruction caused by rice cakes or other foods.

During the same period, authorities recorded 1,487 related emergency responses and 1,196 hospital transports. Of those taken to hospitals, 455 people, or 38.1%, were in cardiac arrest, the agency said. Another 741 people, or 61.9%, were reported as injured, underscoring that choking can become life-threatening.

During the Lunar New Year holiday period over the past five years, 31 people were transported for choking incidents involving rice cakes or food, averaging 1.3 people per day.

Older adults made up nearly all of those cases. Among the 31 patients transported during the holiday period, 29 were ages 60 or older, or 96.7%, the agency said, citing factors such as increased meal frequency and faster eating during holiday gatherings.

Officials also pointed to age-related declines in chewing strength and swallowing function, warning that tough or sticky foods such as rice cakes can more easily block the airway when eaten quickly.

The agency urged families to watch elderly relatives during meals, particularly when they are eating alone, and encouraged the public to learn the Heimlich maneuver and use it immediately if someone shows signs of choking or breathing difficulty.

A fire official in Gyeonggi Province said most holiday choking transports involve seniors and can quickly lead to cardiac arrest if breathing is blocked.

Acting Fire Service Commissioner Kim Seung-ryong urged people not to eat too quickly or overeat during the holiday period and asked family members to closely monitor elderly relatives while they eat.

— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI

© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.

Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260202010000583

Measures would let authorities impose a 30-day blockade on sea arrivals if there is a ‘serious threat to public order”.

Italy’s government has signed off on a new bill to curb undocumented immigration, including using the navy to block incoming migrant ships in “exceptional” cases.

The cabinet of Italy’s conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni greenlighted the migration bill on Wednesday. It also calls for stricter border surveillance and expands the list of convictions for which a foreigner can be expelled.

Before going into effect, the bill must be approved by both chambers of parliament.

One of the most controversial elements allows authorities to impose a 30-day naval blockade on sea arrivals if there is a “serious threat to public order or national security”.

Such a threat could include “exceptional migratory pressure that could compromise the secure management of borders”, says the bill. It also cites the “concrete risk” of terrorist acts or infiltration in Italy, global health emergencies and high-level international events.

Those violating the rules would face fines of up to 50,000 euros ($59,400) and would see their boats confiscated in the case of repeated violations, a measure that seems to target humanitarian rescue ships.

If approved by parliament, the bill could help revive Italy’s beleaguered “return hub” migrants centre in Albania, which has failed to take off due to a series of legal challenges and has been roundly condemned by rights groups.

Migrant boat arrivals to Italy down

The draft legislation comes a day after the European Parliament adopted two flagship texts tightening European Union migration policy, which Italy had pushed for. That EU legislation allows member states to deny asylum and deport migrants to designated “safe” countries outside the bloc, provided there is an agreement with the receiving country.

Meron Ameha Knikman, senior adviser for the International Rescue Committee, said those measures are “likely to force people to countries they may never have set foot in – places where they have no community, do not speak the language, and face a very real risk of abuse and exploitation.”

Meloni, the head of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, was elected in 2022 on a promise to stop the tens of thousands of migrants who land in small boats on Italy’s shores each year.

Her government has signed accords with North African countries to limit departures, while also restricting the activities of the charities that operate rescue boats in the Central Mediterranean.

The number of migrants arriving in Italy by sea this year has fallen to 2,000 compared with 4,400 during the same period last year, according to government figures.

Still, large numbers of migrants continue to die crossing the Central Mediterranean, with nearly 490 people reported missing this year, according to the UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Pete Finney, a steel guitarist who toured with Patty Loveless for more than 20 years and recorded with Reba McEntire, the Chicks, Vince Gill, the Judds and more, has died. He was 70.

Confirmation came via a statement earlier this week from Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, which said Finney died Saturday. No cause of death was provided.

Calling him “a widely admired Nashville musician,” the museum said Finney “exemplified how top instrumentalists can adapt to a remarkable range of styles and settings, whether in a recording studio, a concert stage, or the corner of a small nightclub.”

Finney was born in Maryland in September 1955 and played his first gigs in Washington, D.C., with singer-songwriter Liz Meyer before Meyer moved to the Netherlands in the mid-1980s. He relocated to Austin, Texas, in the late 1970s and then moved to Nashville in the mid-1980s.

Upon his arrival in Tennessee, Finney toured with Foster & Lloyd and later contributed to the solo careers of Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd. His career would take him in diverse directions: He recorded with Beck, Jon Byrd, Shemekia Copeland, Justin Townes Earle, Jon Langford, Jim Lauderdale, Allison Moorer, Ron Sexsmith, Candi Staton and scores of other artists.

“RIP old friend!” wrote Asleep at the Wheel frontman Ray Benson in a comment on a Facebook post announcing Finney’s death. His was one of hundreds of comments, many left by those who had known Finney. “Pete came to a concert in 1970 and saw Asleep at the Wheel he told me that was when he decided to play pedal steel… and play he did with style grace and total command of that instrument! Hard to lose a great friend who was there at the beginning of it all for me and so many in those early Wash DC days.”

Finney was something of a music historian as well, co-curating the Hall of Fame museum’s 2015-2018 exhibition “Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats: A New Music City” and co-writing the exhibit’s accompanying book, which won the 2016 Chet Flippo Award for excellence in country music journalism from the International Country Music Conference.

“The idea for the exhibit came from Finney’s research on the many non-country artists from North America and England who came to Nashville in the 1960s and 1970s to record with the city’s talented and fast-working studio musicians,” the museum said.

Finney hosted programs at the Hall of Fame museum and participated in panel discussions frequently over the years.

The musician married singer Carol Tully on Oct. 15, 2017.

He was touring with Reba McEntire in 1991 when one of the tour’s planes crashed into a mountain near San Diego, claiming the lives of eight band members on their way to a show in Fort Wayne, Ind. Finney was traveling in the second plane to take off from a municipal airport that night; the first was the one that went down. McEntire was not on either plane.

“The planes took off three minutes apart,” a spokeswoman for McEntire told The Times after the March 1991 crash. “The plane that crashed took off first. The pilot of the second plane didn’t see anything. They just knew that they had lost radio contact with the other. They continued flying and were diverted to Nashville.”

Years later, when he was recruited by Mike Nesmith in 2017 to join the revival of the Monkees singer-songwriter’s country-rock group the First National Band, Finney stepped up to replace founding member Red Rhodes, who died in 1995.

“Finney often used Rhodes’ innovative parts from the recordings as his starting point, but frequently added dimensions of his own to prevent the set from simply replicating the original versions,” detailed former Times music writer Randy Lewis in a feature on a 2018 show by the reconstituted group. “Rhodes — and Finney — employ the steel guitar inventively, not just to evoke notes of melancholy often found in country music, but to bring an orchestra’s worth of color, texture and shading to the arrangements.”

In 2021, Finney joined the final Monkees tour, which included Mickey Dolenz as well as Nesmith and wrapped before Nesmith’s death that December.

The Hall of Fame said Finney “frequently performed in pickup bands in small Nashville clubs, where he might be seen with top-flight players such as Mac Gayden, Jen Gunderman, Jimmy Lester, Chris Scruggs, Kenny Vaughan, and others.”

Singer-songwriter and podcaster Otis Gibbs, who had Finney on his show several times, remembered frequently seeing the steel guitarist out on the Nashville music scene.

“I’d sometimes run into him 4, or 5 nights a week at shows,” Gibbs wrote Tuesday on his website. “If there were 9 people in attendance, Pete would usually be one of them. He’d joke that he liked seeing me at shows because he’d know it must be the place to be.”

Gibbs said he saw Finney just three weeks ago at a Jon Byrd show in East Nashville.

“I snuck up next to him and whispered, ‘I must be at the right show because Pete Finney’s here,’” he wrote. “That was the last time I saw him.”

Finney is survived by his wife. Friends and family are invited to a remembrance gathering Sunday at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Ford Theater in Nashville.

The vote is a direct contest between frontrunner Tarique Rahman’s BNP and a Jamaat-e-Islami-led coalition of 11 parties.

The celebrations between a group of City players at full-time to preserve a clean sheet epitomised the togetherness that has been forged and the character they are able to display.

The result at Anfield appears to have given City and Guardiola renewed belief that they are capable of chasing down Arsenal, despite not being at their rampant best this season.

City have the know-how of getting the job done, having been top dogs in six of the past eight seasons, while Arsenal will be hoping there isn’t a familiar story to the past three campaigns when they have finished runners-up.

Former Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given told BBC Radio Live: “There are still fragilities we haven’t seen in the past perhaps, but they still have the armoury I think to go on a crazy run now and be unbeaten and all that stuff.

“It’s not that big of a statement to say that. The manner in which they won on Sunday, the psychological side. They have gone ‘this is ours for the taking’.

“The belief runs through the whole club and fans where they think, ‘do you know what, we still have a great chance’. That will give them belief for this run-in.”

The weight of expectation will lie heavily on Arsenal‘s shoulders before facing the Bees, with an uncomfortable night’s sleep in store after seeing City take apart Fulham in a clinical first-half showing.

But Arsenal know they can respond by claiming three points at the G Tech Stadium and if they follow it up by beating bottom side Wolves next Wednesday, the tantalising prospect of a nine-point lead awaits.

The two sides meet in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday 22 March with the chance of inflicting the first direct psychological blow.

Recent history shows that seven of the last 12 winners of the EFL Cup have gone on to win at least one other trophy in the same season, highlighting the importance of claiming the trophy at Wembley next month.

They are scheduled to meet at Etihad Stadium in the Premier League in April but the rivalry could see them face each other another three times if they progress in both the Champions League and FA Cup.

While Arsenal did not sign anyone in the January transfer window, City added Antoine Semenyo, who has scored five goals already, and England international Marc Guehi, who contributed to a clean sheet.

Guardiola said his side are “growing”, adding: “We were together, more calm with the ball, we made inside, outside [runs]. I would say the position was not perfect for Nico O’Reilly and Phil [Foden] but sometimes it happens to be in better positions, but in general really pleased.

“We suffered a lot at Fulham and today, after physically and emotionally at Anfield, it is really tricky but we talked a lot and I said ‘guys we have to do it again’ and we did it.”

Produced by Reese Witherspoon, James Van Der Beek’s final TV role will debut on Amazon Prime later this year, months after the actor’s death following a harrowing cancer battle

James Van Der Beek‘s final TV show will air later this year. The actor, who died aged 48 on 11 February, starred as Dean Wilson in Elle, a prequel series to the iconic Legally Blonde film franchise.

Produced by Reese Witherspoon, the show follows a young Elle Woods (Lexi Minetree) in her pre-Harvard high school years, and James played Dean, a mayoral candidate and the school district’s superintendent. His scenes, the last of his that will ever air, were shot in May 2025.

Elle will air on Prime Video on 1 July 2026. This will come months after James’ death. He died aged 48 after a two-year battle with colorectal cancer.

READ MORE: James Van Der Beek’s heartbreaking final message weeks before devastating deathREAD MORE: James Van Der Beek’s cancer battle in full as Dawson’s Creek star dies aged 48

The news was confirmed in a statement from his wife, Kimberley: “Our beloved James David Van Der Beek passed peacefully this morning. He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace. There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now, we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

In an additional statement, Kimberly said: “James Van Der Beek was a beloved husband, father, and friend who touched the lives of everyone around him. After a long and courageous battle with cancer, James passed away on February 11, 2026, leaving behind his devoted wife, Kimberly, and their six wonderful children. Throughout his illness, the family faced not only emotional challenges but also significant financial strain as they did everything possible to support James and provide for his care.

“In the wake of this loss, Kimberly and the children are facing an uncertain future. The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time. The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead.” The family have since launched a GoFundMe to help them cover costs.

James was diagnosed with cancer in August 2023, after getting checked following changes in his bowel movements. He announced the diagnosis over a year later in November 2024.

Speaking about his diagnosis when he chose to go public, he explained: “The trickiest thing is there are so many unknowns with cancer. You think, ‘How do I fix this? Is this healing me? Is this hurting me? Is this working? Is it coming back?’ As someone who likes answers, not knowing is one of the hardest things. I have a lot to live for.”

In November last year, he announced that he would be auctioning off personal items from Dawson’s Creek, where he played Dawson Leery, in order to help with the costs associated with his ongoing treatment.

He starred in the show alongside Katie Holmes, who played Dawson’s childhood love Joey Potter, and Joshua Jackson, who played their friend and Joey’s second love Pacey Witter.

For more information or support about bowel cancer, you can contact Macmillan Cancer Support or you can call 020 7940 1760 for advice.

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Feb. 11 (UPI) — Gallup will stop measuring and publishing presidential approval ratings this year, the analytics firm announced on Wednesday.

The company said in a statement that it is getting out of tracking the approval ratings of politicians to focus its research on “issues and conditions that shape people’s lives.”

“That work will continue through the Gallup Poll Social Series, the Gallup Quarterly Business Review, the World Poll and our portfolio of U.S. and global research,” a spokesperson for Gallup said.

Gallup’s Presidential Job Approval Rating has been used to measure the public’s sentiment toward the president’s overall performance and performance on certain issues for decades. It began to report presidential approval ratings in 1938.

President Donald Trump‘s approval rating has fallen to 36% in his second term, Gallup’s December poll said. His average approval rating during his first term was 41.1%, lower than any president since Harry Truman, who was in office from 1945 to 1953.

Trump’s immigration enforcement and tariff policies are among the areas that the public has most disapproved of during his second term.

Gallup said that ending its presidential approval ratings was not in response to political pressure from the White House.

“This is a strategic shift based on Gallup’s research goals and priorities,” Gallup said.

Drones operated by Mexican drug cartels flying across the border prompted a major clampdown in air traffic over El Paso, Texas, earlier today, a Trump administration official has told TWZ. The airspace restrictions appeared without warning and created still lingering confusion. Cross-border cartel drone operations are a chronic issue, and we have been calling attention to the growing dangers they pose for many years now.

New details can be found in an update at the bottom of this story.

“Mexican cartel drones breached US airspace. The Department of War [DOW] took action to disable the drones,” the administration official told us. “The FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] and DOW have determined there is no threat to commercial travel.”

“The FAA and DOW acted swiftly to address a cartel drone incursion,” Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy has also said in a statement. “The threat has been neutralized, and there is no danger to commercial travel in the region. The restrictions have been lifted and normal flights are resuming.”

“The temporary closure of airspace over El Paso has been lifted,” according to an earlier post from the official FAA account on X. “There is no threat to commercial aviation. All flights will resume as normal.”

Reuters had earlier reported that the FAA’s action was “tied to the Pentagon’s use of counterdrone technology to address Mexican drug cartels’ use of drones,” citing anonymous “airline sources.” Politico had also reported a link to counter-drone testing, citing an unnamed aviation industry source. Coordination problems between the FAA and the military may have created a disconnect. An unnamed U.S. official reportedly told The Atlantic that the “FAA reopened the air space after talking to officials at Fort Bliss,” as well. Fort Bliss lies adjacent to El Paso International Airport.

TWZ has reached out to the White House, the FAA, the Pentagon, U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), Fort Bliss, and the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office for more information about the circumstances surrounding the airspace closure.

The FAA had issued the temporary flight restrictions suddenly and without apparent warning to various federal, state, and local authorities, causing immense confusion, which is clearly continuing to a degree. The airspace closure centered on El Paso International Airport, and extended 10 miles in all directions and up to an altitude of 17,999 feet. This led to a ground stop at the airport and a total shutdown of air traffic within the affected zone, which was declared to be “national defense airspace.” Warnings that intruders could face the risk of deadly force if deemed to be an “imminent security threat,” as well as the possibility of being “intercepted, detained, and interviewed,” were issued. Even military, police, and medical evacuation aviation activities were impacted. The only explanation given initially for the airspace closure, which was originally slated to last 10 days, was unspecified “special security reasons.”

Similar airspace restrictions were also imposed overnight over an area around Santa Teresa, New Mexico, to the west of El Paso, the current status of which is unclear.

“We were just as surprised as anyone that the NOTAM was imposed and just as surprised that it was lifted,” U.S. Army Maj. Will McGehee, a spokesperson for the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss, told TWZ this morning after the flight restrictions over El Paso were lifted. “We are trying to figure out what is going on and referring all calls to the FAA. We don’t have any information about why the FAA did this.”

In addition to the 1st Armored Division, Fort Bliss is home to a significant portion of the Army’s air defense units, which are increasingly charged with the counter-drone mission. The base is also a major hub for border security operations, which the U.S. military often conducts in cooperation with law enforcement agencies, as well.

“From what my office and I have been able to gather overnight and early this morning there is no immediate threat to the community or surrounding areas. There was no advance notice provided to my office, the City of El Paso, or anyone involved in airport operations,” Veronica Escobar, the Democrat who currently represents the El Paso area in the House of Representatives, wrote earlier on X. “We have urged the FAA to immediately lift the Temporary Flight Restrictions placed on the El Paso area.”

“Nobody local got advance notice. And I mean nobody – neither civilian or military leadership,” El Paso City Councilmember Chris Canales also said, according to Blake Spendley (who goes by the handle @OSINTtechnical on X).

As noted, cross-border drone activity linked to Mexican drug cartels is not new and happens routinely, historically as a means of smuggling illicit narcotics. However, cartels in Mexico have been expanding their drone capabilities in recent years to include the use of weaponized commercial types. These are developments that TWZ highlights regularly, including in a detailed feature last year about the prospect of U.S military action against the cartels and the ramifications thereof, which you can find here.

“Drones crossed over but the reason why they used a counter-unmanned aerial system (CUAS) was because they were extremely aggressive and put helicopters at risk,” Stefano Ritondale, chief intelligence officer for Artorias, an artificial intelligence-driven intelligence company specializing in cartel violence in Mexico, Latin American affairs, and trade/organized crime, told TWZ. “Drones cross over all the time.”

“Based on the area in which the TFRs are located and who we have seen operate in that area, the most likely culprit would be La Línea/Cartel de Juárez,” a spokesperson for a team of open source analysts with a focus on cartels & other non-state actors, who goes by the handle @natsecboogie on X, also told us. “We have documented some of their drone use along the border for smuggling.”

Last year, the U.S. military did announce the deployment of additional counter-drone capabilities as part of a larger buildup along the border with Mexico. This is known to have included radars and other sensors just to help better monitor for potential threats.

The action taken today also follows a string of announcements from the Pentagon recently about new authorities to respond to drone threats in the U.S. homeland. Last year, U.S. Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, head of NORTHCOM, had openly advocated for these authorities in part to address cartel drones along the southern border.

What happened today is evidence of the new counter-drone response mechanisms in place now. NORTHCOM has now established a rapidly deployable counter-drone capability, though it’s unclear if it was employed in this case. At least on the part of the U.S. military, the ability to decide to act seems to be much clearer-cut, in general. At the same time, what happened overnight underscores the importance of interagency coordination and communication, especially with the public and among stakeholders, which seems to still be sorely lacking.

General concerns about drone threats to the U.S. homeland, especially to military assets and other critical infrastructure, have been steadily building up for some time now, as well. This has included collisions and near-misses with U.S military aircraft flying over training ranges, as well as incidents involving U.S. naval forces offshore. Reported drone incursions over nuclear power plants and other facilities have spiked in recent years.

In many instances, drone concerns have become intertwined with claimed sightings of what are often now referred to as unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), or what used to be more commonly called unidentified flying objects (UFO).

Altogether, questions do still remain about what exactly prompted the airspace restrictions around El Paso today, but they do serve to underscore real concerns about drone threats that have been growing for some time.

Update: 1:55 PM EST –

CBS News and CNN have both now reported that a breakdown in coordination between the U.S. military and the FAA over the employment of a counter-drone system armed with a laser directed energy weapon contributed to the imposition of the flight restrictions around El Paso.

“Meetings were scheduled over safety impacts, but Pentagon officials wanted to test the technology sooner,” according to CBS News, citing multiple unnamed sources. “Airlines were also aware of the apparent impasse between the FAA and Pentagon officials over the issue because the Pentagon has been using Fort Bliss for anti-cartel drone operations without sharing information with the FAA.”

SCOOP: The unexpected airspace closure in El Paso stemmed from disagreements over drone-related tests, sources told @CBSNews. Pentagon had undertaken extensive planning on use of military tech near Fort Bliss. Two sources identified the technology as a high-energy laser.
Earlier…

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) February 11, 2026

“It’s unclear if the presence of [cartel] drones might have led to the acceleration of the deployment of the laser system,” per CNN‘s report, which also cites multiple anonymous sources.

CBS News‘ report also says the same “anti-drone technology was launched near the southern border to shoot down what appeared to be foreign drones” earlier this week, but what was ultimately shot down “turned out to be a party balloon.” The story separately says that “one official said at least one cartel drone was successfully disabled,” but it is unclear when that engagement may have occurred.

Questions remain about the exact chain of events that led the FAA to impose the temporary flight restrictions around El Paso.

“The statement by the administration that this shutdown was linked to a Mexican cartel drone that came into US airspace — that is not my understanding,” Rep. Escobar said at a press conference today.

”What happened in El Paso last night is unacceptable,” Rick Larsen and Andre Carson, Democratic Party representatives from Washington State and Indiana, respectively, also said in a joint statement. ”While we’re not happy with the disruption, we commend the FAA for taking swift action to protect travelers and ensure the safety of U.S. airspace.”

Larsen and Carson both sit on the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

“This chaotic outcome is the result of hamhanded language forced into the NDAA [the National Defense Authorization Act, the annual defense policy bill] by the White House that allowed the Pentagon to act recklessly in the public airspace,” their statement added. “We look forward to pursuing a bipartisan solution that strengthens interagency coordination and ensures that the Department of Defense will not jeopardize safety and disrupt the freedom to travel.”

Author’s note: The headline to this story was changed to reflect new information.

Contact the author: joe@twz.com

For three decades, the Dropkick Murphys have played their riotous brand of Boston Irish Celtic punk for legions of tattooed, mosh-pitting fans, but it wasn’t until last month that they found a new following among an unlikely demographic: C-SPAN viewers.

Washington policy wonks and political junkies who tuned in to watch former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith testify before the House last month were treated to lurid details about President Trump’s alleged involvement in 2020 election meddling and the Jan. 6 insurrection. What they didn’t bargain for were the animated actions of former D.C. cop Michael Fanone, who was in the chamber wearing a Dropkick Murphys T-shirt that read “Fighting Nazis Since 1996.”

Fanone, who was brutally attacked by a pro-Trump mob while defending the Capitol in 2021, was impossible to miss. He was seated directly behind Smith and the only guy visible in a band T-shirt. Also notable were his reactions to GOP suggestions that the attack on the Capitol never happened, or was everyone’s fault but Trump’s: He coughed out expletives and flashed colorful hand gestures. Dropkick Murphys T-shirt sales spiked.

“It was this crazy, organic thing,” says Ken Casey, lead singer of the band. “We never put up a poster saying, ‘Hey, wear our shirt!’ But over the course of the next week, we sold like 6,000 of those shirts.” And for those who want one now? The shirt is on back order.

Casey, who speaks in a thick, working-class Boston accent (think “The Departed” meets a Ben Affleck Dunkin’ Donuts commercial), isn’t a stranger to mixing music and politics. He has been outspoken onstage and in the recording studio about his opposition to MAGA’s immigration policy, racist rhetoric and war on the working class. And the band announced Tuesday they’re parting ways with the Wasserman Music agency because the namesake of the agency turned up in the Epstein files.

Casey spoke with The Times about challenging MAGA through the rebellion of punk rock.

The Dropkick Murphys’ “Fighting Nazis Since 1996” T-shirt is a hot item now thanks to its appearance on Capitol Hill, via Fanone. He’s been very active and adamant about countering MAGA’s Jan. 6 narratives, including testifying with his colleagues in front of the House select committee investigating the insurrection.

Ken Casey: “Michael is an old friend. He was at our very first Dropkick show in D.C. in 1996, so it’s not like he’s some kind of jump-on-the-bandwagon guy. I appreciate just how vocal he is. It’s one thing to talk the talk, but it’s another to walk the walk and be showing up at all those events, and really putting himself out there.

But why is it important for the Dropkick Murphys to speak out? You’ve no doubt lost fans.

I hate to say it, but in some ways, MAGA needs to be countered with a mirror of them, like in physical appearance. They love painting themselves as righteous warriors and the rest of the country as immigrants, or whatever other stupid s— they come up with. But it seems to trigger them more when someone like Michael Fanone and the Dropkick Murphys speak up to them because it just like explodes their mind. It’s like, “You’re supposed to be on my side!” It’s like no, remember when you were on our side? Before you got twisted up by this lying con man?

In some ways, no band has more to lose because our fan base is the population that might jump into MAGA. But there is that middle ground — the people who don’t have time for politics. Who don’t follow it as closely as you or I do. They hear things about Biden, hear things about Trump, and it’s like “I don’t know what to believe.” That’s where voices like [mine] are important. You’re hearing it from someone who really doesn’t have skin in the game. I’m an American citizen, not a politician. I don’t have corporate interest involved in this.

And then there’s the new interest in your band, from folks who are just discovering you, or maybe just know your material from film soundtracks like “The Departed” (“I’m Shipping Up to Boston”).

It’s also brought back fans and there’s this [renewed] punk rock urgency and importance to our shows. It’s gained us a lot of new fans, in theory, like people who don’t necessarily listen to punk rock, or who wouldn’t listen to our music or come to our shows, they now speak out and say, “I support Dropkick Murphys for what they’re doing.” It’s support in solidarity. For the [longtime] fans, it’s rekindled this new dedication. It’s reconnected us with some old fans who had drifted away.

What do you say to other music artists who are afraid to speak out against what they see as an injustice or wrongdoing?

We’ve already had every death threat, every friggin’ cancellation threat. So what would we say to other bands and other people who are keeping their head down because they don’t want to deal with all the drama that comes along with speaking up? Come on in. The water is great. There’s nothing to worry about. The [trolls] are a vocal minority — online is bots and paid influencer types. Don’t let anybody silence you.

At this year’s Grammy Awards ceremony, every other acceptance speech contained anti-ICE sentiment, so it does appear that more musicians are speaking out against Trump’s policies.

Listen, if executions in the streets of your citizens [by ICE agents] doesn’t get people to speak out, then nothing will. But it’s nice to finally see there’s a wave starting to peak, out of frustration and realization. I can also tell from the amount of attacks we get that there’s some backpedaling. Obviously, there’ll always be the die-hards — Trump could be molesting someone in front of their eyes, and they’d still stick with him. But there’s a lot of people trying to quietly distance themselves.

Ken Casey of Dropkick Murphys

(Riley Vecchione)

If we’re being historically accurate, the Dropkicks have always had something to say about what’s going on in this country.

The very first line sung on our very first album was in regards to how Reagan started the dismantling of unions and [created a] wealth gap, so we’ve been about it the whole time. We’ve been showing up on picket lines the whole time. Social justice, we’ve always been about it. But before Trump, we weren’t necessarily having to make it a social media presence type of thing. But we’re in a different time now.

The Republicans started to cosplay as working-class white males, and people bought right into it. There’s a portion of this country that is sick and twisted and MAGA has been a great vehicle for them, but then there’s also a big portion of the country that just got caught up in the lies and the bull— and the rhetoric.

Your band is part of a new initiative aimed at getting more punk bands to speak truth to power.

The Dropkick Murphys and Michael Fanone, along with the guys in Rise Against, have started a collaborative called Down for the Cause. It’s basically going to be kind of a punk rock collaborative because years from now, we don’t want punk rock to be disgraced by the silence. Just kind of get involved, not necessarily supporting candidates but more like taking back the air waves let people know that we don’t have to accept this unacceptable behavior. Also reminding people to vote, because if all those people didn’t stay on the sidelines in the last election, we probably wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in now.

Your band just released a new song, “Citizen I.C.E.” But is it new?

The song is actually 20 years old. It was called “Citizen CIA.” It was basically a mock recruitment song for the CIA, poking fun at the damage the CIA has done around the world. Now we flipped it to a mock ICE recruitment song, with lines like “Too scared to join the military, too dumb to be a cop.” It’ll be out on a split album, “New England Forever,” that we did with a younger Boston band called Haywire. We’re touring with them now [ on the “For The People…In the Pit St. Patrick’s Day Tour”].

What do you say to people who say shut up and sing.

I get that even people who aren’t necessarily MAGA don’t want to listen to someone [on a] soapbox. But I view where we are as five-alarm fire, and if you got a microphone in front of your mouth, you better damn well be talking into it.

New York City, United States – For 14 years, BC Dodge built a career telling other people’s stories as a marketing and communications professional in the nonprofit sector in the Washington, DC area in the United States. But in late 2024, that stable career hit a speed bump.

He was laid off from his job amid a round of restructuring. The news landed without warning. One day he had a job, and the next he was sitting at home, staring at the numbers, trying to figure out how to keep paying the mortgage and putting food on the table.

He is married, and his partner is a teacher, but the math did not work. One salary might cover things for a little while, but not long enough to maintain long-term stability.

So he started applying for new work immediately. Over three months, he submitted 350 job applications. He got six interviews.

After months of searching, something moved.

He advanced in the hiring process for a Washington, DC–based nonprofit, making it far enough to sit across from senior leadership. It felt like he finally caught a break.

Then the ground shifted again. As Dodge was interviewing for a new job, Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, was advising the administration of US President Donald Trump on how to shrink the federal government, and that meant cutting funding to agencies that provide contracts and funds to swaths of nonprofit organisations around the country. The effects rippled outward, and Dodge was caught in the crosshairs.

Contracts were cancelled and funding streams dried up. Nonprofits that depend on government support had to pull back and scale down ambitions — those very same nonprofits from whom Dodge sought employment.

“I got a call from HR saying they weren’t going to hire for the position, and that all hiring was on hold. I couldn’t argue with them, because I’d been hearing the same thing from organisations I’d spoken to since I started applying. ‘We were relying on federal funds, and now they’re gone,’” Dodge said.

Then it was back to the drawing board. He began searching yet again, but this time with a cloud of uncertainty looming over the entire industry he works in. Dodge finally took what he could get — part-time work in his field. The pay was well below what he had been earning before, but he accepted it anyway. Some income, he reasoned, was better than none.

The result is underemployment. Underemployment can manifest in several ways, often when workers are seeking full-time work but can only find part-time positions, or when the jobs they work do not fully utilise their skills and training. It is generally associated with industries like restaurants or retail, but it also reaches into fields with fewer resources and shrinking opportunities, including the nonprofit sector, where jobs are increasingly precarious and full-time stability is harder to find because of the wave of government funding cuts in 2025.

The upshot is lower incomes for underemployed workers, sometimes below the cost of living or even pushing them into the ranks of the working poor.

Underemployment has been on the rise, according to the Economic Policy Institute, which has tracked the rate of underemployment since 1978. Today, 8 percent of the US population is underemployed, up 0.5 percent from 2024 and it is up 1.1 percent from 2023.

At the same time, many in the US are seeing their expenses increase.

The impact of tariffs has hit low-to-middle-income earners harder than others. Analysis from the Yale Budget Lab found that lower-income households are paying a higher percentage of their post-tax income on goods subject to tariffs as opposed to higher-income households, all while costs for necessities like healthcare are increasing.

Earlier this year, Congressional leaders failed to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies. Premiums increased by an average of 144 percent, according to analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

“Some people have lost their jobs and found new ones that pay less, but others have kept their jobs, but their healthcare premiums have increased. Their electric bills have also gone up. Their salaries no longer cover basic living costs,” Jillian Hishaw, a personal bankruptcy lawyer in Charlotte, North Carolina, said.

She said that because of increased costs like these and a stalling job market, she is seeing an increase in inquiries about personal bankruptcy filings in efforts by potential clients not to lose their homes to foreclosure.

“In one day last week, 85 foreclosures were filed in Mecklenburg County [where Charlotte is located]. Foreclosures happen daily, but 85 in a single day is unusually high. Two years ago, the daily average was 10 to 20, but now filings are approaching triple digits each day,” Hishaw said.

Shrinking options

The surging economic pressures hit workers across various sectors, including financial and administrative services. An Ohio-based accountant who did not want his name to be published, has worked a patchwork of accounting and administrative jobs over the past few years. In March, he was laid off from a research organisation in central Ohio.

After months of searching, he found new work, but not as an accountant, and the pay falls far short of covering his cost of living.

“I’m working as a sales coordinator, which I really don’t want to be doing, but it was the only thing I could land with how bad things are. It’s not enough to live on,” he said.

The labour market is under strain. Layoffs reached more than 1.1 million in 2025, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas, while job creation failed to keep pace, with just 584,000 jobs added. As a result, more workers are settling for underpaid or part-time work that does not meet basic living expenses, including Dodge and the accountant.

Michele Evermore, senior fellow at the National Academy of Social Insurance, says that economic uncertainty driven by tariffs and developments in artificial intelligence has put businesses across a wide set of sectors essentially on pause — maintaining the status quo or scaling back.

“People who are already at the margins are getting kicked out entirely, and that’s placing pressure on everyone who is clinging to a job,” Evermore told Al Jazeera.

In January, one of the key measures of underemployment, the number of people who work part-time for economic reasons, such as an inability to find full-time work or had their hours reduced, hit 4.9 million. It was a 453,000 decline from the month before, but is up 410,000 from this time last year, according to the January jobs report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Wednesday.

Long-term unemployment jumped 386,000 from this time a year ago to 1.8 million, although it remains unchanged compared with the previous month.

The nonprofit sector has been hit particularly hard in the last year, losing 28,729 jobs in 2025, up sharply from 5,640 losses the year before, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Like the Ohio accountant, Dodge has been searching for new opportunities since he lost his full-time role a year and a half ago. He has applied for 460 jobs and only landed a handful of interviews.

Working weekends, washing dishes

The market is only getting tighter. US employers cut more than 108,000 jobs in January, while employers only announced intentions to hire 5,300 new roles for the month, the lowest on record since Challenger, Gray & Christmas started tracking that in 2009.

“Employers aren’t wanting to make any big investments right now, including increasing salaries to their workforce,” Evermore, who served as a policy adviser in the US Labor Department during the administration of former US President Joe Biden, added.

In December, labour market turnover remained stagnant. Amid economic uncertainty and a slowdown in new job growth, many Americans are hanging on to the jobs they already have. Job openings fell to 6.5 million, down 386,000 from the previous month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Openings and Labour Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

Hiring and separations, which include layoffs and firings, were unchanged. That followed November’s report, which similarly showed little movement in both new hiring and the number of workers leaving their jobs.

Combined, that means that for the underemployed, finding a new role, either part-time to augment their existing income, or to replace it altogether, is increasingly difficult for people like the accountant.

“I’m also working weekends at a friend’s cafe, washing dishes, and I’m still applying and interviewing for other opportunities. But it’s the same story, no offers. At the same time, I’m debating whether to switch professions or even go back to school, even though I already have a master’s degree,” he said.

That shared distress has also created an unlikely sense of camaraderie among those struggling to get by, even as the outlook remains bleak.

Dodge finds it in late-night scrolls through Reddit, watching strangers narrate versions of the same stalled search.

“I doomscroll a lot,” he said, “getting depressed about the state of politics and the global economy, and taking some solace in knowing I’m not the only one struggling to find viable employment after 12, 13, 14, even 15 months.”

For now, that recognition of others stuck in the same place, hitting the same walls, is enough to keep him moving forward, submitting applications and waiting for a response that might not even come.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office’s 10-year outlook projects worsening long-term United States federal deficits and rising debt, driven largely by increased spending, notably on Social Security, Medicare, and debt service payments.

Compared with the CBO’s analysis this time last year, the fiscal outlook, which was released on Wednesday, has deteriorated modestly.

The CBO said that the deficit for fiscal 2026 – President Donald Trump’s first full fiscal year in office – will be about 5.8 percent of GDP, about where it was in fiscal 2025, when the deficit was $1.775 trillion.

But the US deficit-to-GDP ratio will average 6.1 percent over the next decade, reaching 6.7 percent in fiscal 2036 – far above US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s goal to shrink it to about 3 percent of economic output.

Major developments over the last year are factored into the latest report, including Republicans’ tax and spending measure known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” higher tariffs, and the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration, which includes deporting millions of immigrants from the US mainland.

As a result of these changes, the projected 2026 deficit is about $100bn higher, and total deficits from 2026 to 2035 are $1.4 trillion larger, while debt held by the public is projected to rise from 101 percent of GDP to 120 percent — exceeding historical highs.

Notably, the CBO says higher tariffs partially offset some of those increases by raising federal revenue by $3 trillion, but that also comes with higher inflation from 2026 to 2029.

Rising debt and debt service are important because repaying investors for borrowed money crowds out government spending on basic needs such as roads, infrastructure and education, which enable investments in future economic growth.

CBO projections also indicate that inflation does not hit the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target rate until 2030.

A major difference is that the CBO forecasts rely on significantly lower economic growth projections than the Trump administration, pegging 2026 real GDP growth at 2.2 percent on a fourth-quarter comparison basis, fading to an average of about 1.8 percent for the rest of the decade.

Trump administration officials in recent weeks have projected robust growth in the 3-4 percent range for 2026, with recent predictions that first-quarter growth could top 6 percent amid rising investments in factories and artificial intelligence data centres.

CBO’s forecasts assume that tax and spending laws and tariff policies in early December remain in place for a decade. The government’s fiscal year starts on October 1.

While revived investment tax incentives and bigger individual tax refunds provide a boost in 2026, the CBO said that this is attenuated by the drag from larger fiscal deficits and reduced immigration that slows the growth of the labour force.

Jonathan Burks, executive vice president of economic and health policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center said “large deficits are unprecedented for a growing, peacetime economy”, though “the good news is there is still time for policymakers to correct course.”

‘Urgent warning’

Lawmakers have recently addressed rising federal debt and deficits primarily through targeted spending caps and debt limit suspensions, as well as deploying “extraordinary measures” when the US is close to hitting its statutory spending limit, though these measures have often been accompanied by new, large-scale spending or tax policies that maintain high deficit levels.

And Trump, at the start of his second term, deployed a new “Department of Government Efficiency”, which set a goal to balance the budget by cutting $2 trillion in waste, fraud and abuse; however, budget analysts estimate that DOGE cut anywhere between $1.4bn to $7bn, largely through workforce firings.

Michael Peterson, CEO of the Peterson Foundation, said the CBO’s latest budget projection “is an urgent warning to our leaders about America’s costly fiscal path.”

“This election year, voters understand the connection between rising debt and their personal economic condition. And the financial markets are watching. Stabilising our debt is an essential part of improving affordability, and must be a core component of the 2026 campaign conversation.”

Feb. 11 (UPI) — Local officials said a Russian drone strike on Ukraine‘s northeastern Kharkiv region killed three toddlers and their father, and injured their pregnant mother Wednesday.

The family was spending its first night in their new home in Bohodukhiv when it was struck during a drone and missile attack, regional leader Oleh Synegubov announced, the BBC reported.

The attack killed 2-year-old twins Ivan and Vladislav, their 1-year-old sister, Myroslava, and their father, Gryhoriy, 34.

The family’s 35-year-old injured mother, Olha, was 35 weeks pregnant and sustained burns and head injuries as the home was completely destroyed, local officials said.

Bohodukhiv Mayor Volodymyr Belyi called the aerial attack a “crime that is beyond human comprehension,” as reported by CNN.

“We lost the most precious thing we had — our future,” Belyi added.

The family recently evacuated the town of Zolochiv, which is located near the Russian border, due to ongoing shelling and sought refuge in Bohodukhiv, which is located 38 miles west of Kharkiv.

The attack shows that Russia has no intention of ending the war that it started by invading Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

“Each Russian strike undermines confidence in everything that is being done diplomatically to end this war,” Zelensky said in a statement.

He said Russia deployed 129 attack drones during the overnight hours that struck Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Poltava and Zaporizhzhia.

The aerial attacks carried into the daytime hours on Wednesday and included a strike on a medical vehicle that was carrying five healthcare professionals and civilians. One woman died in that attack.

Russian forces also launched two ballistic missiles that targeted the area near Lviv on Wednesday afternoon, but Ukrainian aerial defenses intercepted and destroyed them.

Russia had paused the aerial attacks for a week amid extremely cold weather, but Monday’s resumption killed a 10-year-old boy and a 41-year-old woman in Bohodukhiv.

The town has been targeted every day so far this week as Russian forces seek to damage energy and transport infrastructure with drones and ballistic missiles.

The strikes caused Ukrainian officials to declare a state of emergency due to the effect on local energy sources.

Tens of thousands of Ukrainians are without power and lack heat and running water during the frigid winter weather.

Russia’s resumption of attacks comes as Ukrainian and Russian officials are considering meeting in Washington, D.C., to further discuss a potential cease-fire and plan for peace.

Rutherford’s 76 and spinners’ control help the two-time champions beat the 2022 winners at the Wankhede Stadium.

Sherfane Rutherford struck ‌a belligerent half-century and Gudakesh Motie produced a brilliant display of spin bowling ⁠as West Indies ⁠thumped England by 30 runs in T20 World Cup Group C.

Rutherford smacked seven sixes in his unbeaten 76 off 42 deliveries to provide ⁠the bedrock of his team’s imposing total of 196-6 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Twice champions West Indies returned to choke their opponents with spin and bundled out England for 166 in 19 overs ⁠to top the group with their second successive victory.

England slipped to third place, behind Scotland, after their first defeat in the tournament.

“Disappointing. It’s never nice to lose a game, but West Indies played outstanding,” England captain Harry Brook said.

“We thought it was a chaseable total for ‌sure but it didn’t dew up as much as we expected and didn’t skid onto the bat.”

Put into bat, West Indies lost both openers in the first seven deliveries of their innings.

Shimron Hetmyer (23) and Roston Chase (34) steadied the ship before Rutherford walked in to light up the Wankhede Stadium.

He shared a 61-run stand with Jason Holder, who struck four sixes in his 33 off 17 balls, to take West ⁠Indies close to 200.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid excelled for England, conceding only ⁠16 runs in his four overs and claiming the wickets of Chase and Rovman Powell.

England made a flying start before losing Phil Salt (30) in the fourth over.

Chase removed Jos Buttler for 21 and left-arm spinner Motie ⁠produced a double strike to turn the heat on England, who slumped to 93-4 at the halfway stage of their innings.

The ⁠situation demanded caution and Brook duly curbed his normal ⁠aggression but the West Indian spinners would not be denied.

Motie (3-33) caught Brook off his own bowling and Chase trapped Will Jacks lbw to further turn the screw.

Sam Curran made a valiant 43 not out down the order ‌but lacked support.

“I have put in a lot of work coming into the World Cup,” Rutherford said.

“I trust my process and I can score runs in the end when ‌I ‌play with a clear mind. We were maybe 10 runs behind what we wanted given England’s powerful batting but the guys bowled well.”

BBC Radio 1 presenter Roisin Hastie has shared when she’ll be coming back on air after giving birth.

The radio star welcomed her second child in May of last year with her husband Jimmy blake.

But nine months on Roisin is gearing up for her big return to the studio.

Roisin shared a carousel of captioned images to her Instagram account this morning, reintroducing herself since exiting the airwaves.

The first snap shows a smiling Roisin in a selfie, with “it’s been a while so thought I’d say hi and introduce myself” penned over the top.

Roisin then shared a throwback snap of herself with a mic in a booth, detailing how she’s been “a journalist for 14 years!”.

BABY JOY!

BBC Radio 1 star gives birth to second child as she reveals adorable name and pic

live on air

BBC R1 reveal ANOTHER presenter re-shuffle as Love Island & TikTok stars join

More picture to follow showed Roisin with friends, the love of her life, and of course her newborn baby.

The last photo, however, got fans especially excited.

She wrote over a photo of the iconic BBC News red microphone, Roisin shared: “But making this ]post] has reminded me there’s a whole part of myself I’m excited to get back to.

“I’ll be back on air from April.

“Feels so strange to be thinking about work when I’ve spent the last 9 months in my baby bubble.

“Keen to jump into this new chapter with both feet.

“DM’s are always open so say hi.”

Fans were thrilled by the news and took to the comment section, with one writing: “Love you! So fab, the best of us.”

“Love this and miss hearing you on R1!,” said a second.

A third added: “ICONIC.”

Rosie works alongside Radio 1 DJ Greg James, who congratulated her live on the radio when she announced the birth of her second baby.

He shared: “We’ve got some breaking news, we’ve got breaking news.

“I’ve just heard from her wonderful husband Jimmy Blake that Roisin has given birth to her wonderful little baby boy Arlo.

“Lovely Arlo finally arrived at 4.55 this morning.

“Lovely Rosie who is still going to be doing the breakfast news when she’s back off maternity leave.

“A 37 hour labour. 37 hours! I want to big up the midwives, Eve and Gemma who were apparently there the whole way through.

“And I’m going to make Arlo star listener!”

Roisin first joined Radio 1 in 2018 as a newsreader.

Winning bidders include Chevron, Eni, QatarEnergy and Aiteo.

Libya has assigned new oil and gas exploration rights to foreign firms, aiming to revamp the sector after years of civil strife.

The country’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced the results of its first licensing round since 2007 on Wednesday. Winners included US oil giant Chevron and Africa’s largest privately-owned energy company, Nigeria’s Aiteo.

Other winning bidders were consortia: Spain’s Repsol with British Petroleum, Eni North Africa with QatarEnergy, and Repsol with Hungary’s MOLGroup and Turkiye Petrolleri.

The licensing awards signal some renewed interest in Libya’s oil sector, which foreign investors had long been wary of after the country erupted into conflict in 2011 with the overthrow of longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. But experts said the response was smaller than expected.

“It is likely that lingering uncertainty over Libya’s political dysfunction and insecurity in the areas around the blocks on offer were factors in the underwhelming response,” Hamish Kinnear, an analyst with UK-based risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft, told the AFP news agency.

Libya remains politically divided between rival administrations in the east and west, and disputes over the central ‌bank and oil revenues often disrupt production at key oil fields.

‘Return of trust’

The licensing round, in which five of 20 blocks on offer were awarded, follows a $20bn deal last month with France’s TotalEnergies and ConocoPhillips to boost oil production over 25 years.

Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah, who announced the deal, said the goal was to increase daily oil production by 850,000 barrels within that timeframe. Libya currently produces approximately 1.4 million bpd.

The round used a new, more investor-friendly contract model to replace the rigid terms that previously deterred investment.

NOC chief Masoud Suleman said a committee will be created to further “improve the terms” of the bidding system and negotiate with candidates to grant unallocated blocks.

Speaking at the bid’s announcement ceremony, he said “a return of trust and resuming institutional work in one of the country’s most important sectors after a long period of pause and challenges.”

“They are part of a broader national path that aims for prosperity, growth, the return of normalcy,” he added.

Caracas, February 11, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela’s oil output contracted to a two-year low following  Washington’s month-long naval blockade against the Caribbean nation’s crude exports.

The latest OPEC monthly report placed Venezuela’s January production at 830,000 barrels per day (bpd), down from 917,000 bpd in December, according to secondary sources. The figure is the lowest since May 2024. 

For its part, state oil company PDVSA reported 924,000 bpd produced in January, down from 1.12 million bpd the prior month. The direct and secondary measurements have differed over the years due to disagreements over the inclusion of natural gas liquids and condensates.

The output contraction was a result of the US Navy imposing a blockade on Venezuelan oil exports and seizing several tankers allegedly involved in Venezuelan crude shipments. The exhaustion of storage capacity forced PDVSA and partners to cut back production.

The blockade came on top of draconian sanctions that have stymied the Venezuelan oil industry for years. Since 2017, Washington has levied financial sanctions, an export embargo, secondary sanctions, and a host of other coercive measures aimed at strangling the country’s main source of foreign revenue.

Following the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Venezuelan oil began to flow once more under an arrangement imposed by the Trump administration. Commodity traders Vitol and Trafigura have been lifting Venezuelan crude, depositing proceeds in White House-administered bank accounts in Qatar, and offering cargoes to customers all over the world.

On Tuesday, the Venezuelan government denied a Bloomberg report that the country had shipped crude to Israel. According to the business outlet, the shipment would be delivered to the Bazan Group, Israel’s largest refiner. Bloomberg did not specify whether the Venezuelan crude cargo was purchased from Vitol, Trafigura, or another source. As part of the new US-imposed arrangement, the sale marks the first time Venezuelan oil will reach Israel since at least 2020, per Bloomberg. 

The Trump administration has sought to leverage its influence over the Venezuelan oil sector to pressure allies such as India to replace imports from US geopolitical rivals, including Russia and Iran. Indian public companies Indian Oil and Hindustan Petroleum are set to join private refiner Reliance Industries in purchasing Venezuelan oil, with 2 million barrels of Merey crude expected to be delivered in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, Venezuelan supplies are not expected to significantly alter global demand given the present output and the extra-heavy nature of Venezuelan crude blends.

US and European firms have likewise acquired Venezuelan cargoes in recent weeks.

For their part, Venezuelan acting authorities have courted foreign investment and enacted a pro-business overhaul of the country’s oil legislation. The reform offers lower taxes and royalties, as well as increased control over operations and sales, to private corporations, reducing the role played by the Venezuelan state.

Trump administration officials praised the oil reform for “eradicating restrictions” on private investment, while the US Treasury Department has issued several sanctions exemptions to boost US corporate involvement in the Venezuelan oil industry.

A January 29 license allowing US companies to purchase and market Venezuelan crude was followed up with a waiver on diluent exports to Venezuela on February 3. On Tuesday, the US Treasury published General License 48 permitting US exports of goods, technology and software for oil exploration to Venezuela.

The sanctions waivers demand that contracts be subjected to US law and forbid any transactions with companies from Russia, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and China. They also mandate that payments be deposited in accounts determined by the US Treasury.

In early February, US officials confirmed that US $500 million from crude sales had been rerouted to the South American country, to be offered in foreign currency auctions by public and private banks. A further $300 million is expected in the coming days. 

However, the initial deal announced by Trump comprised 30-50 million barrels and an estimated $2 billion. Venezuelan authorities have not disclosed what portion of revenues the country will receive, while Trump has said the US will “keep some” of the income. 

Senior Trump administration officials have vowed to maintain control over Venezuelan oil exports for an “indefinite” period, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio claiming that the Venezuelan acting government headed by Delcy Rodríguez needs to submit a “budget request” before accessing the country’s oil proceeds.

Bridgerton star Claudia Jessie has landed a leading role in an upcoming Channel 4 drama.

Bridgerton’s Claudia Jessie has secured a leading role in an upcoming Channel 4 drama, where she’ll star alongside Glenn Close.

Known for her portrayal of Eloise, the sharp-tongued and defiant fifth child in Netflix’s popular period drama Bridgerton, Jessie is set to take on a contrasting role in Up To No Good. The six-part series marks the television writing debut for playwrights Nina Raine and Moses Raine, who have adapted Helen Tursten’s short story collections An Elderly Lady Is Up to No Good and An Elderly Lady Must Not Be Crossed.

A press release teasing the forthcoming series reveals that Fatal Attraction star Glenn Close will portray Maud Oldcastle, described as “a hilariously brusque, cantankerous, ruthless older woman-and those are her nice qualities”.

The synopsis continues: “She is also a killer. Determined to break from a lifetime spent caring for her sister, Maud sets out to claim a long-overdue second act, but when a suspicious young detective investigating a death in Maud’s building starts to believe there is more to her than meets the eye, Maud is forced to reckon with her crimes, present and past.”

Toxic Town’s Jessie will be stepping into the shoes of young detective Hannah, with Andor’s Gloria Obianyo portraying Astrid, EastEnders‘ Anita Dobson as Elsa, Game of Thrones’ Ben Crompton playing Barry, and The Wheel of Time’s Meera Syal taking on the role of Margaret. Rounding off the star-studded cast announcement, Downton Abbey’s Penelope Wilton will be seen as Charlotte, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Rebecca Holdsworth, Commissioning Editor for Drama at Channel 4, expressed her excitement in a statement: “Nina and Moses Raine’s deliciously dark and witty world has drawn together a truly fantastic line-up, and we’re excited for audiences to be introduced to Maud Oldcastle and the unforgettable characters surrounding her. UP TO NO GOOD promises a bold, razor sharp and wickedly entertaining series that feels undoubtedly Channel 4.”

Scott Huff, Joint Managing Director, Playground, also shared his enthusiasm, saying: “We are thrilled to have brought together this extraordinary group of artists for UP TO NO GOOD. A cast of this calibre is a testament to Nina and Moses’s brilliant scripts, our casting director Robert Sterne’s exceptional taste and Glenn Close’s legendary talent. We can’t wait for audiences to see this group of actors together on screen.”

Andrew Plotkin, EVP of Drama Development at Sony Pictures Television, commented: “We are thrilled to have Lee Haven Jones directing the series, not only setting the tone, but immersing himself on the ground throughout production. With a standout cast joining Glenn to bring Nina and Moses’ brilliantly crafted scripts to life, their collaboration further elevates the storytelling at the heart of UP TO NO GOOD. What’s coming together is remarkable, and audiences are in for something truly special.”

The new series will see Claudia in a character completely different from her present role as an outspoken and curious Bridgerton daughter, who desperately resists societal pressures and would rather immerse herself in books than attend balls, showing minimal interest in marriage or potential suitors.

The current season follows Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) as he searches for a mysterious woman, Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), whom he met at a masquerade ball. It’s also building towards Eloise’s storyline, with Claudia having previously hinted at what lies ahead for her character when her moment in the spotlight eventually arrives.

The Shonda Rhimes production, based on Julia Quinn’s novels, first graced our screens in 2020, tracing the romantic journey of Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset (Regé-Jean Page). The following two series then saw the eldest Bridgerton sibling Anthony (Jonathan Bailer) tie the knot with Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley), and third Bridgerton son Colin’s (Luke Newton) passionate affair with the true author of Lady Whistledown, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan).

Discussing how the current series is paving the way for her own season, Claudia shared with RadioTimes.com: “Eloise is desperately trying to find her way of doing it, right? That’s what I’ve always been excited to be able to one day do, is to show love or romance or whatever her journey is in the most Eloise way possible. I think she’s just trying to find out her way of doing it.”

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She further added: “That’s what I think the set-up is until ultimately we see what her way of doing it is, her version of it. I’m buzzing to one day do it. I love this show with my whole heart.”

Discussing the future of her character, she previously shared with Netflix Tudum: “I like the idea of her becoming political. Obviously, romance is a very important part of the show, but out of all of the characters, Eloise is the one you’d like to see go a slightly different route. Because we see it in Season 2 where she’s meeting different people in different parts of society and reading new things, so I’d like to see that continue. Right now, she’s young and she’s just taking everything in. But I’d like her to have a really clear purpose, something that she really desires.”

Bridgerton is available to watch on Netflix.

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov did not say why he believed the US would respect the limits set out in New START.

Russia has said it will abide by limits on its nuclear weapons as set out in a lapsed arms control treaty with the United States, as long as Washington continues to do the same.

The New START agreement expired earlier this month, leaving the world’s two biggest nuclear-armed powers with no binding constraints on their strategic arsenals for the first time in more than half a century and sparking fears of a new global arms race.

In an address to parliament on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow was in no rush to start developing and deploying more weapons – backtracking on comments made by his ministry last week that said Russia considered itself no longer bound by the treaty’s terms.

“We proceed from the fact that this moratorium, which was announced by our president, remains in effect, but only while the United States does not exceed the outlined limits,” said Lavrov.

“We have reason to believe that the United States is in no hurry to abandon these limits and that they will be observed for the foreseeable future,” he said, without explaining the basis for that assumption.

US President Donald Trump rejected an offer from Russian President Vladimir Putin to voluntarily abide by the limits set out in New START for another year, saying he wanted a “new, improved and modernised” treaty rather than an extension of the old one.

Russia has also indicated it wants to strike a new arms control agreement.

Washington is pushing for China to be included in the talks, pointing to its growing nuclear arsenal.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), China’s nuclear arsenal is growing faster than that of any other country by about 100 new warheads a year since 2023.

However, Beijing refuses to negotiate with the US and Russia because it says it has only a fraction of their warhead numbers – an estimated 600, compared with about 4,000 each for Russia and the US.

As the treaty expired, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said that China would not be joining the bilateral arms-reduction talks.

Moscow says if China is brought into a new deal, then so too should the US’s nuclear allies, the United Kingdom and France, which have 290 and 225 warheads, respectively.

New START, first signed in Prague in 2010 by the then-presidents of the US and Russia, Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev, limited each side’s nuclear arsenal to 1,550 deployed strategic warheads – a reduction of nearly 30 percent from the previous limit set in 2002.

Deployed weapons or warheads are those in active service and available for rapid use as opposed to those in storage or awaiting dismantlement.

It also allowed each side to conduct on-site inspections of the other’s nuclear arsenal, although these were suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and have not resumed since.

Russia in 2023 rejected inspections of its nuclear sites under the treaty, as tensions rose with the US over its nearly four-year war in Ukraine.

But it said it had remained committed to the quantitative limits set down.

Who: India vs Namibia
What: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Group A
When: Thursday, February 12 at 7pm (13:30 GMT)
Where: Arun Jaitley Stadium, New Delhi, India
How to follow and stream: Al Jazeera’s live text and photo stream begins at 10:30 GMT

Namibia will look to make the most of an illness-and-injury-plagued Indian side when they meet the defending champions in their Group A match on Thursday.

India are likely to take the field without their swashbuckling opener Abhishek Sharma after he was hospitalised with an upset stomach on Tuesday.

While Sharma was discharged on the eve of the match, his presence in the playing XI is doubtful.

The world’s top-ranked T20I batter struggled in India’s opening match against the United States.

“He has been discharged today, and he is doing well,” Indian batter Tilak Varma told reporters.

“We have got one more day for the game. Hopefully, we decide by tomorrow on how he feels, and we go with it.”

In better news for the world champions, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah is expected to return after he missed the opener due to a fever.

Namibia expect ‘great spectacle’

Namibia, meanwhile, will be looking to move past their heavy loss against the Netherlands on Tuesday and register a shock win over the two-time world champions.

The African team’s coach, Craig Williams, admitted his side faces a stiff challenge against India, but they would like to pose a challenge against the pre-tournament favourites.

“Playing India in India – it’s going to be a great game for us and the spectacle is going to be fantastic for everyone back home as well,” Williams said before the match.

“As a professional team, we want to put on a good show, and hopefully, we’re going to stick to our game plan, and then we’ll see what happens at the end of the day.”

Williams said the key to Namibia’s chances will be a strong batting performance at the top of the order.

“We need someone in our top four to bat for a prolonged period of time, and then you need partnerships,” the former cricketer said.

“Playing against India won’t be easier, but if we can stick to our game plan, and take one ball at a time, hopefully, the result will then go our way.”

Form guide: India

India are on an eight-game unbeaten run in the T20 World Cup, carrying on from their title-winning campaign in 2024.

They lost one of their five T20Is against New Zealand last month.

Last five matches (most recent first): W W L W W

Form guide: Namibia

One of the biggest results in Namibian cricket history came in October, when they beat 2024 finalists South Africa by four wickets.

They have not been lucky enough to play international fixtures regularly, but can pose a challenge if one of their key players makes an impact.

Last five matches (most recent first): L W L W W

Team news: India

India’s squad has been hit by a range of illnesses and injuries, but Suryakumar Yadav’s team have plenty of power on the bench to grab another win.

Bumrah could return to the XI, replacing his stand-in Mohammed Siraj, and Sanju Samson could take Sharma’s place at the top of the order.

Predicted XI: Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy

Team news: Namibia

Namibia could field the same XI that lost to the Netherlands, hoping that the result goes the other way this time.

Predicted XI: Louren Steenkamp, Jan Frylinck, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Gerhard Erasmus (captain), JJ Smit, Zane Green (wicketkeeper), Dylan Leicher, Willem Myburgh, Ruben Trumpelmann, Bernard Scholtz, Max Heingo

A SUPERSTAR was out grabbing some groceries in Los Angeles when a fellow customer started to wheel her trolley away.

The moment left them both laughing, and didn’t deter the undercover icon from continuing her browse the produce section.

Wearing a large pair of shades and an all black outfit, the huge hitmaker was seen chuckling to herself after the incident.

But have you worked out who is is yet?

It was none other than US pop megastar Rihanna.

She spotted bagging up some loose potatoes with her trolley parked next to her.

A security guard was stood near the singer, but it wasn’t obvious that he was part of her security until he approached the customer.

Both the guard and Rihanna dressed in all black, Rihanna in a maxi dress with cut out details and the guard in a sweater and trousers.

But suddenly a woman standing between them started to wheel Rihanna’s trolley forwards.

The security guard promptly stopped her by putting his hand on the side of the trolley to prevent it from moving.

He then informed the woman that it wasn’t her trolley, which left her in stitches.

The guard added “it’s all right”, beginning to laugh himself and rubbed her briefly on the back.

Rihanna laughed and echoed: “It’s alright girl”.

Videos of the interaction have been circulating online, with some fans believing the woman knew it was Rihanna and wanted an excuse to talk to her.

“She was planning that lmao,” said one user on X.

“She just wanted to interact with Rih,” noted a second.

A third added: “Accidentally?”

Though other social media users thought if the interaction was real, Rihanna would have loved being treated like a “normal” person who wasn’t instantly recognised as a star.

“Omg I’m cackling. Rihanna really out here doing her own grocery runs like a regular person, so you KNOW she was living for that random old lady accidentally snatching her cart,” pondered a forth.

Billionaire Rihanna is a famous singer, businesswoman and actress with an endless sea of awards under her belt.

From Grammys to accolades from Billboard, MTV and more, bumping into her at the grocery store is truly a once in a lifetime moment.

In 1994, Rwanda was devastated when Hutu leaders orchestrated a systematic genocide against the Tutsi population – violence rooted in decades of engineered ethnic division and political manipulation designed to fracture the country. In the span of 100 days, nearly a million lives were taken, leaving communities destroyed and neighbours turned into enemies.

Decades later, the nation continues the difficult task of rebuilding trust. This episode follows Karenzi, a former perpetrator who was allowed to return to his village through the Gacaca courts, Rwanda’s traditional community tribunals. Under this system, reintegration depended not on serving long prison terms, but on openly confessing crimes, acknowledging the truth and seeking forgiveness from survivors. Karenzi’s path forces him to confront the weight of his actions and to engage directly with those who carry the memory of what he did.

As Karenzi and Murakatete begin to speak to each other, the episode witnesses how truth-telling, accountability, and the willingness to listen create a space for mutual healing, in the spirit of Mvura Nkuvure: “I heal you, you heal me.” Through their shared effort, the film explores how Rwanda’s reconciliation process continues to evolve, shaped by the people who dare to face one another after unimaginable loss.

A film by Fatima Lianes