These are the key developments from day 1,459 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
Published On 22 Feb 202622 Feb 2026
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Here is where things stand on Sunday, February 22:
Fighting
A Russian drone attack on Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region killed four people, including a 17-year-old boy, while another attack on the southeastern Zaporizhia region killed a 77-year-old man, according to Ukrainian authorities.
Russian attacks on Ukraine’s Odesa region wounded two people and caused damage to homes, cars and an energy facility, officials said. Another Russian attack on the Dnipropetrovsk region wounded a 77-year-old man.
In the Donetsk region, Russian shelling wounded four people in 18 attacks throughout the day, Governor Vadym Filashkin wrote on Telegram. Authorities evacuated 562 people, including 244 children, from front-line settlements.
Russian forces also hit the facility of US snack food company Mondelez in Sumy, sparking a reaction from Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha, who wrote on X that Russia was “targeting American business interests in Europe”.
“Moscow cannot speak of economic dialogue with the United States while attacking US-owned production facilities,” Sybiha added.
In the front-line Kherson region, Russian shelling wounded two police officers and one civilian, Ukraine’s National Police wrote on Telegram. Three apartment buildings, 18 homes, a hospital and numerous public buildings sustained damage.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Ukrainian security forces “neutralised Russian mercenaries preparing assassination attempts” against “high-profile” figures, including military personnel, intelligence officers and journalists.
Moscow’s forces took control of the village of Karpivka in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, the Russian RIA state news agency reported on Saturday, citing the Ministry of Defence.
A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Belgorod region wounded a man and a three-year-old child, according to the Russian TASS news.
The Ukrainian General Staff said Ukraine’s home-produced “Flamingo” cruise missiles hit a Russian ballistic missile plant in the Udmurtia region, as well as a gas plant in the Samara region.
Politics and diplomacy
Zelenskyy held discussions with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte on the next round of trilateral negotiations with the US and Russia, as well as Ukraine’s energy situation. He said on X that “in many areas, our views align”.
Zelenskyy said in his evening address that “we continue working every day… so that the next round of negotiations can deliver results for Ukraine, results for peace”.The Ukrainian leader said he was closely coordinating with European partners so that the European Union is “involved in all processes and grows only stronger”.
Demonstrators in Washington, DC, Paris, and Prague rallied in support of Ukraine ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion on February 24.
Zelenskyy awarded Ukraine’s civilian award, the Order of Princess Olga, to Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo in the Ukrainian capital. Hidalgo’s visit marked her sixth trip to Kyiv since the start of the war.
Sybiha, the Ukrainian foreign minister, condemned Russia’s alleged ongoing recruitment of Kenyans and other Africans into Moscow’s war, writing that it “evokes the worst memories of colonial attitudes from the past” and warning Africans against signing contracts with Russian recruiters.
Ukraine enforced new sanctions against the captains of vessels allegedly transporting Russian oil, a list that Zelenskyy said totalled 225 people.
Energy
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened to stop providing emergency electricity supplies to Ukraine unless Kyiv resumed Russian oil transit to Slovakia over Ukrainian territory, through the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary said it would block a 90 billion euro ($106bn) EU loan for Ukraine for the same reason.
Shipments of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia have been cut off since January 27, when Kyiv says a Russian drone strike hit pipeline equipment in Western Ukraine. Slovakia and Hungary say Ukraine is to blame for the prolonged outage.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “rejects and condemns” Hungary and Slovakia’s statements and that the “provocative, irresponsible ultimatums threaten the energy security of the entire region”.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk criticised Hungary’s move on X, writing, “Guess who’s happy”, in an apparent reference to Russia.
Military aid
The Czech Republic transferred 200 reconnaissance drones to five Ukrainian brigades, equipment worth about $800,000, Ukraine’s Interfax news agency reported.
Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in an interview with the BBC that the United Kingdom and the EU should send “peaceful ground forces” to “show our support for a free, independent Ukraine”.
Embattled Hollywood mogul Casey Wasserman, who is facing mounting pressure to resign from his position at the helm of the 2028 L.A. Olympics, also holds another important cultural appointment on the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s board of trustees.
Wasserman, 51, joined LACMA’s board in 2004 when he was 30, two years after he founded his eponymous talent and marketing agency. Just last week, Wasserman announced he would sell his agency after racy emails between himself and convicted sex trafficker and Jeffrey Epstein associate, Ghislaine Maxwell, emerged at part of the Justice Department’s latest release of millions of documents related to the Epstein files.
Wasserman, the grandson of legendary studio exec Lew Wasserman, arrived at LACMA as part of a wave of relatively young additions to a notoriously older board. His addition also heralded the dawning of an era in which LACMA actively sought to strengthen its connections with the entertainment world. In 2011, LACMA launched its glitzy Art + Film Gala, an annual party co-chaired by Leonardo DiCaprio that serves as a melting pot for A-list celebrities and art world stars.
“There was an understanding — the message was there needed to be a change in the board,” museum director Michael Govan told The Times in a 2015 interview. “The board was in extreme need of refreshment.”
Now that Wasserman’s leadership in other roles is being questioned , will his relationship with LACMA follow? LACMA did not respond to a request for comment. Although the board generally meets a few times a year, it may not be an issue that has come to the fore as of yet.
Thus far, LA28 has stood by Wasserman, noting in a recent statement that his emails with Maxwell were sent years “before Mr. Wasserman or the public knew of Epstein and Maxwell’s deplorable crimes … This was his single interaction with Epstein.”
“The Executive Committee of the Board has determined that based on these facts, as well as the strong leadership he has exhibited over the past ten years, Mr. Wasserman should continue to lead LA28 and deliver a safe and successful Games,” LA28 wrote.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said in a recent CNN interview that she believed Wasserman should step down, and that it is “unfortunate” that Olympic organizers remained in support of him.
In a memo to staff at his talent agency, Wasserman wrote that he was “heartbroken that my brief contact with them 23 years ago has caused you, this company, and its clients so much hardship over the past days and weeks.”
I’m arts editor Jessica Gelt with this week’s arts and culture news.
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY
The cast of “Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale.”
(South Coast Repertory)
Cinderella: A Salsa Fairy Tale The classic fairy tale moves to the basketball court in this hip-hop fueled musical adaptation for young audiences with a book and lyrics by Karen Zacarías and music by Deborah Wicks La Puma. Directed by Sara Guerrero. Through March 8. South Coast Repertory, Julianne Argyros Stage, 655 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scr.org
Dear Little Friend: Impressions of Galka Scheyer The exhibition from the German-born art dealer’s collection includes portraits and ephemera, featuring such artists as Maynard Dixon, Peter Krasnow, Beatrice Wood and Edward Weston, as well as gifts from the Blue Four artsist, whose work Scheyer championed: Alexei Jawlensky, Lyonel Feininger, Paul Klee and Vassily Kandinsky. Thursday-Monday, through July 20. Norton Simon Museum, 411 West Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. nortonsimon.org
The Industry LAB 2026 The innovative opera company partners with REDCAT for this series featuring new works: a shared program of Guillermo E. Brown’s “The Instrument, Romance, Bee Boy” and Carmina Escobar’s “Our Voice Is Not at the End of Anything” (8 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 3 p.m. Saturday-Sunday); and Matana Roberts’ “spiral resonance: a study in the abstract,” an immersive sound and moving image installation exhibition (noon-6 p.m., daily through March 1) with solo activation performances in the space by Patrick Shiroishi (8 p.m. Tuesday); Ryan Sawyer (8 p.m. Wednesday); Roberts (8 p.m. Feb. 27); Kyp Malone (8 p.m. Feb. 28); and Judith Berkson (3 p.m. March 1). Through March 1, 2026 REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org
Wallace Berman/Bruce Conner A pair of solo exhibitions highlighting extraordinary mark-making: “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing)” salutes the centennial of post-war counter-culture artist Berman with a rare showing of his large-scale photographic collages; “Inkblots and Felt Tip Drawings” focuses on an often overlooked aspect of multimedia artist Conner’s work. A selection of Conner’s experimental films are being exhibited at Marciano Art Foundation (see below). Tuesday-Saturday, through April 25. Michael Kohn Gallery, 1227 North Highland Ave. kohngallery.com
Missa Solemnis Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic are joined by more than 100 voices from the Cor de Cambra of the Palau de la Música Catalana and Orfeó Català of Barcelona for this Beethoven mass that is rarely performed due to its ambitious scale. 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 2 p.m. Sunday. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Jon Serl: As One, As Many Starting in vaudeville before moving to California and working as a Hollywood voice actor and gardener, Serl became a painter following World War II with a long, expressive career illustrated in this retrospective. Fittingly, the artist had his first museum exhibition in 1981 at the Newport Harbor Art Museum (now UC Irvine Langson Orange County Museum of Art). Through June 7. UC Irvine Langson/Orange County Museum of Art, 3333 Avenue of the Arts, Costa Mesa. ocma.art
Marco Perego “The Being” is a solo exhibition featuring video, installations and drawings by Italian-born artist. Through April. Jeffrey Deitch, 7000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles. deitch.com
Christina Kirk and Norbert Leo Butz, seated, with the cast of “The Recipe.”
(Rich Soublet II/La Jolla Playhouse)
The Recipe Christina Kirk and Norbert Leo Butz star as Julia and Paul Child in the world premiere of Claudia Shear’s play about the world-famous chef. Directed by Lisa Petersen. Through March 22. La Jolla Playhouse, 2910 La Jolla Village Dr. lajollaplayhouse.org
Puppet Up! – Uncensored Created by Brian Henson and directed by Patrick Bristow, this irreverent, ever-changing show features the Miskreant puppets plus classic Jim Henson sketches unseen by live audiences for decades. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5 p.m. Sunday; 7 p.m. Feb. 27-28; 5 p.m. March 1. The Montalbán, 1615 Vine St., Hollywood. puppetup.com
SATURDAY Kyreeana Breelin Alexander The interdisciplinary artist performs “We Cool,” a solo autobiographical coming-of-age story fueled by rhythm and movement. 8 p.m. UCLA Nimoy Theater, 1262 Westwood Blvd. cap.ucla.edu
Judith F. Baca With “The Great Wall Of Los Angeles: The 1970’s — A Decade Of Defiance And Dreams,” the artist’s organization SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) exhibits the latest complete segment in the monumental work’s expansion. Opening reception, 6-8 p.m.; through April 4. Jeffrey Deitch, 925 N. Orange Dr. deitch.com
Bruce Conner, “Crossroads,” 1976. 35mm, black/white, sound, 37 min. Digitally Restored, 2013.
(The Conner Family Trust/Michael Kohn Gallery)
Bruce Conner “Recording Angel” brings together seven of the artist’s experimental films, composed of found, scavenged and original footage, and re-cut using his influential rapid-fire editing techniques. Through July 18. Marciano Art Foundation, 4357 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. marcianoartfoundation.org
Patti LuPone The Broadway star marks the 25th anniversary of her concert “Matters of the Heart,” which ran on Broadway and London’s West End and toured the globe. 7:30 p.m. Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laopera.org
John Snow The bassist and his band explore “The Poetry in Music” through works by John Coltrane, Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith, Langston Hughes, Hoagy Carmichael, Bob Dylan and others. 8 p.m. Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com
Tap Fest: Listen to This! Dancers Derick Grant, Sam Weber and Josette Wiggan join the Colburn’s tap faculty and students for a program exploring the concept of the Tap Artist as both a dancer and musician. 7 p.m. Colburn School, Thayer Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. colburnschool.edu
SUNDAY Zhanna Kadyrova A collaboration with Kyiv to LA, an ongoing project supporting Ukrainian artists through a Los Angeles-based residency, and the Thomas Mann House, the solo exhibition “Sliced Realities” explores the artist’s anti-war practice and coincides with the four-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Sunday-Feb. 28. Thomas Mann House (1550 N San Remo Drive, Pacific Palisades. vatmh.org
Museums Free-For-All An Southland tradition in which Southern California arts and cultural institutions open their doors for free general admission. Participants include the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, the Autry Museum of the American West, The Broad, California African American Museum, the Getty Center and the Getty Villa, UCLA Hammer Museum, LACMA, MOCA, Skirball Cultural Center and many, many more. At some locations, tickets are limited and reservations may be required. All-day Sunday. See complete list of participating institutions at socalmuseums.net/free
Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel Colburn Conservatory of Music welcomes the Belgian conservatory and its master-in-residence, cellist Gary Hoffman, for a joint performance of Fauré’s “Piano Quintet No. 1” and Messiaen’s “Quartet for the End of Time.” 3 p.m. Colburn School, Thayer Hall, 200 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. colburnschool.edu
Sueño Perro This film Installation by Alejandro G. Iñárritu both marks the 25th anniversary of his debut “Amores Perros” and serves as a “resurrection” using projections of never-before-seen fragments from that film’s production. Through July 26. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, BCAM, Level 1, 5905 Wilshire Blvd. lacma.org
We Hold These Truths: A Celebration of Black History Month Over 100 Years The contributions of Black Americans to the cause of democracy over the years are recognized in this collaboration of performers from across artistic mediums. Featured artists include actor Phil Morris, composer Tamar-kali, dancer Ishaun Jackson-Moaney, the West Angeles COGIC Victory Dance Company, opera baritone Derrick Lawrence and promising talent out of the USC Thornton School of Music, opera mezzo-soprano and producer Raehann Bryce-Davis, poet Alyesha Wise and arts scholar and activist Derrell Acon. 3 p.m. Nocturne Theatre, 324 N. Orange St., Glendale. eventbrite.com
TUESDAY Flashback Fun Six Disney classics return to the big screen: “Muppet Treasure Island” (Tuesday); “The Aristocats” (Wednesday); “Dumbo” (Thursday); “The Rescuers” (Feb. 27); “Bolt” (Feb. 28); and “Oliver and Company” (March 1). The El Capitan Theatre, 6838 Hollywood Blvd. elcapitantheatre.com
Filmmaker Jafar Panahi at the Toronto International Film Festival last September.
(Kate Dockeray/For The Times)
It Was Just an Accident: Live Read Film Independent presents writer-director Jafar Panahi’s “incisive drama,” winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2025 and nominated for international feature film and original screenplay at this year‘s Academy Awards, to the Wallis stage read by a new cast. 7:30 p.m. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. thewallis.org
Haegue Yang “Star-Crossed Rendezvous” pairs two of the Korean-born, Berlin-based artist’s large-scale installations employing utilitarian objects. The first, “Sol LeWitt Upside Down — K123456, Expanded 1078 Times, Doubled and Mirrored” (2015) is a monochromatic installation inspired by the cube structures of the American conceptual artist. Across the gallery, “Star-Crossed Rendezvous after Yun” (2024) is an homage to composer and political dissident Isang Yun (1917–95). Synchronized to Yun’s “Double Concerto” (1977), an array of moving lights animate vibrant geometric structures to create an ever-changing, multisensory experience. The L.A. Philharmonic will perform Yun’s piece on March 10 at Walt Disney Concert Hall, with a pre-concert viewing of the installation at MOCA Grand. Through Aug 2. Museum of Contemporary Art, 250 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. moca.org
WEDNESDAY L.A. Art Week It happens every February. Thousands of artists, collectors, curators and gallerists descend on the city, swelling an already vibrant local scene with a global reach into a week of discovery, creative adventure and fashion flamboyance. The Big Kahuna, of course, is Frieze Los Angeles (Thursday-March 1. frieze.com), a fair with a primarily contemporary focus, approximately 100 galleries, installations and pop-ups restaurants from around L.A.; Butter Fine Art Fair (Thursday-March 1. Hollywood Park, 1237 District Drive, Inglewood. butterartfair.com) features artists representing the African diaspora; Enzo (Wednesday-Saturday. 1634 W. Temple St. enzolosangeles.com) presents nine New York City galleries in an Echo Park warehouse; Felix Art Fair (Wednesday-March 1. Hollywood Roosevelt, 7000 Hollywood Blvd. felixfair.com) showcases exhibitors from around the world in a classic Hollywood setting; the cheekily-named The Other Art Fair Los Angeles (Thursday-March 1. 3Labs, 8461 Warner Dr., Culver City. theotherartfair.com) promises “the bizarre, unexpected, and never normal” with work from 160 independent artists; Post-Fair (Thursday-Feb. 28. 1248 5th St., Santa Monica. post-fair.com) is a dealer-led event in a historic Santa Monica Post Office building; and Start Up Art Fair (Friday-March 1. The Kinney Venice Beach, 737 Washington Blvd. startup-art.com) brings together 150 independent artists, collectors, curators and art professionals. It’s mostly next weekend but we wanted to give you a heads-up. Be sure to watch for Times reporter Malia Mendez’s upcoming preview. Happy art hunting and people watching.
THURSDAY Beethoven and Ortiz with Dudamel Gustavo Dudamel and the L.A. Phil are joined by Grupo Corpa and the L.A. Master Chorale for this charged program pairing Beethoven’s “Seventh Symphony” with Gabriela Ortiz’s ballet “Revolución diamantina (Glitter Revolution).” 8 p.m. Thursday and Feb. 27; 2 p.m. Feb. 28-March 1. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Norbert Leo Butz The Broadway star and two-time Tony Award winner (currently performing in “The Recipe” at La Jolla Playhouse, above) will perform excerpts from his signature roles, original compositions from his four solo records and covers from Tom Waits, Elton John and Bruce Springsteen. 7 p.m. Thursday-Feb. 28. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Samueli Theater, 300 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa. scfta.org
Arts anywhere
Something to read, something to hear and something to watch wherever you are.
The Art Book: Mini Format
(Phaidon Press)
The Art Book What’s it like to hold art history in the palm of your hand? Find out with the new Mini edition of this beloved text celebrated for bringing art appreciation to the masses. First introduced in 1994, the updated edition of this A-Z survey features more than 600 artists from medieval times to the present. It’s far from stuffy, including overlooked and contemporary figures including Berenice Abbott, Romare Bearden, Guerrilla Girls and more; plus Takashi Murakami and Wolfgang Tillmans, who The Times happened to interview recently and have L.A. shows (see below). Phaidon Press: 592 pp., $20. phaidon.com
Yunchan Lim
(IMG Artists)
Goldberg Variations Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, 2025 Recorded fewer than 30 blocks form where Glenn Gould laid down his own landmark recording of Johann Sebastian Bach’s masterpiece, pianist Yunchan Lim’s new album has been topping the classical charts since its release earlier this month. If you missed his performance of the Variations at Disney Hall last October (or if even if you didn’t), this is a must listen. Decca Records: $8-38. Available on vinyl, CD and digital download. deccarecordsus.com
An image from Frederick Wiseman’s ‘Titicut Follies.’
(courtesy of Zipporah Films)
Frederick Wiseman The filmmaker, who died Monday at 96, was a master storyteller and craftsman who mainly inhabited the nonfiction realm of the documentary. His perceptive explorations of public and cultural institutions was unparalleled and he was honored with an honorary Academy Award in 2016. If you would like to revisit Wiseman’s work or want an exhaustive introduction, check out the Frederick Wiseman Essential Films Collection at kanopy.com. Virtually every film he ever made is available and all you need is a public library card (an apt requirement!). His final film, “Menus-Plaisirs Les Troisgros” from 2023, can be viewed via the PBS Passport membership portal.
— Kevin Crust
Culture news and the SoCal scene
A detail of miniature “sportraits” during a preview of award-winning animator and visual-effects artist Lyndon J. Barrois’ exhibit, “Futbol Is Life” at LACMA.
Jefferson Mays in “Amadeus” at Pasadena Playhouse.
(Jeff Lorch)
A new take on Peter Shaffer’s “Amadeus” premiered at Pasadena Playhouse last week, and it may be the Tony Award-winning regional theater’s most lavish production to date. I got a behind-the-scenes tour of the theater’s amazing on-site scene shop to write about what it took to put the set, lighting and costumes together; and Times theater critic Charles McNulty attended opening night. Director Darko Tresnjak, writes McNulty in his review, “treats the play as though it were a tragedy wearing the mask of comedy. He doesn’t resist the melodrama that’s inherent in the material, but he refuses to overindulge it. This production hasn’t convinced me that ‘Amadeus’ is a world classic… But I doubt I’ll have the opportunity to see a better revival in my lifetime.”
McNulty also caught a performance of “Sylvia Sylvia Sylvia,” Beth Hyland‘s new play that recently had its world premiere at the Geffen Playhouse, and explores the lives of married writers living in the Boston apartment once occupied by the poet Sylvia Plath and her husband Ted Hughes. “World premieres are risky, and the writing for this one hasn’t yet settled. The play’s split focus, moving between 1958 and the present, is a sign of conceptual ambition. But Hyland struggles to find the pacing and rhythm of her complicated vision,” McNulty writes.
Meanwhile, “Here Lies Love,” David Byrne’s disco musical about the Ferdinand Marcos regime arrived at the Mark Taper Forum in a show directed by Center Theatre Group’s artistic director Snehal Desai. The Times’ Malia Mendez sat down with members of the all-Filipino cast to discuss the ways the show’s exploration of the perils of authoritarianism dovetail with the modern political moment.
Japanese artist Takashi Murakami sits in front of his painting at Perrotin Gallery on Feb. 13, 2026 in Mid City in Los Angeles, Calif.
(Ariana Drehsler/For The Times)
I had the opportunity for a one-on-one chat with artist Takashi Murakami about his solo show at Perrotin, Los Angeles, which features 24 new canvases that explore the connection between the ancient Japanese art of ukiyo-e and Impressionism. A trip to Monet’s gardens in Giverny, France, cemented Murakami’s idea for the paintings.
Contributor Steve Appleford wrote a thoughtful profile on German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans, who is currently staging his ninth Los Angeles exhibition at Regen Projects. “In 2000 Tillmans became the first photographer and first non-British artist to win the prestigious Turner Award. Tate Britain staged his mid-career retrospective in 2003 and the Hammer Museum in Westwood mounted his first major U.S. retrospective that same year, which traveled to Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, D.C.,” Appleford writes.
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A sketch from architect Paul R. Williams’ archive at The Getty Center.
(Juliana Yamada/Los Angeles Times)
Paul Williams, the first Black architect licensed west of the Mississippi, is the focus of a series of upcoming shows to be staged from August through July 2027 at the Getty, LACMA and USC Fisher Museum of Art. Throughout the course of his six-decade career Williams designed more than 3,000 projects, including for clients such as Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball and the Beverly Hills Hotel. The exhibitions will feature architectural drawings, photographs, plans and memorabilia, some of which have never been on view to the public before.
Los Angeles Master Chorale announced Artistic Director Grant Gershon’s 25th anniversary season featuring work by Brahms, Bruckner, Arvo Pärt, Bach, Morten Lauridsen and Orlando di Lasso. Guest artists will include the National Chorus of Korea, composer Eric Whitacre, violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, Baroque ensemble Le Concert d’Astrée and theater director Peter Sellars. Subscriptions are available now, and single tickets will go on sale June 1.
The nonprofit arts organization, Los Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND), announced the four artists chosen to receive its 2026 Mohn LAND Grants. They are Shana Hoehn, Angela Anh Nguyen, Harrison Kinnane Smith and Adam Thompson. Winners receive a $5,000 award as well as $5,000 in production funds to use towards a new work commission.
NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska, left, joined the European Group of Five in Krakow, Poland, on Friday to discuss efforts to strengthen Euro-Atlantic security and NATO’s deterrence and defense. Talks included a deal for the E5 countries — Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland — to produce low-cost drones to support Ukraine and proved better defense for NATO nations in Europe. Photo by NATO
Feb. 21 (UPI) — Britain announced it has made a deal with four NATO allies to launch an initiative that would see the five nations manufacture low-cost drones to protect Europe.
The European Group of Five (E5) — Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Poland — announced on Friday that they will launch the Low-Cost Effectors & Autonomous Platforms initiative, or LEAP, which is “inspired by Ukraine’s battlefield innovation,” the British government said in a press release.
The purpose of the program is to jointly develop low-cost autonomous drones that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization can use to counter Russian provocation in the airspace above NATO-allied nations, Politico reported.
The first focus of LEAP, according to British officials, will be the development of a new surface-to-air weapon that is lightweight and affordable in order to defend against Russia’s drone and missile threats.
“European security is at a pivotal moment,” Luke Pollard, Britian’s Minister for Defense Readiness and Industry, said after the E5 meeting. “The U.K. and our E5 partners are stepping up — investing together in the next generation of air defense and autonomous systems to strengthen NATO’s shield and keep our people safe.”
Over the course of the last year, Russian fighter jets have violated NATO partner’s airspace, including fighter jets over Estonia and drones over Poland, which the E5 countries said has spurred their new plans.
At a meeting Friday in Krakow, Poland, the E5 members met to with NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska to discuss the plans, which she said would be beneficial for Ukraine, which she said needs its allies to step up their support, as well as for all member nations of NATO in Europe.
Britain noted Friday that the new drone initiative comes as it also works with its European allies to develop long-range precision weapons and hypersonic weapons, with plans to spend more than $500 million on those initiatives just this year.
“The stronger each ally becomes, the stronger NATO will be,” Shekerinska said.
Team USA members celebrate their first goal in the first period of the men’s hockey semifinal game against Slovakia at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on February 20, 2026. Photo by Aaron Josefczyk/UPI | License Photo
United States President Donald Trump has doubled down on his new global tariffs, raising them from 10 to 15 percent, days after the Supreme Court struck down his sweeping levies on imports.
The move on Saturday came as businesses and governments around the world sought repayment for the estimated $133bn that Washington has already collected.
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In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump announced the raise “effective immediately” and said the move was based on a review of the “ridiculous, poorly written and extraordinarily anti-American decision” issued by the Supreme Court on Friday.
By a six-to-three vote, the court had ruled that it was unconstitutional for Trump to unilaterally set and change tariffs, because the power to tax lies with the US Congress.
The court’s decision struck down tariffs that Trump had imposed on nearly every country using an emergency powers law, known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
Trump railed against the majority justices as “fools and lapdogs” in a news conference after the ruling, calling them an “embarrassment to their families”. He quickly signed an executive order – resting on a different statute, Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 – to impose the blanket 10 percent tariff, starting on Tuesday.
The 15 percent hike announced on Saturday is the highest rate allowed under that law.
However, those tariffs are limited to 150 days unless they are extended by Congress. No president has previously invoked Section 122, and its use could lead to further legal challenges.
It was not immediately clear whether an updated executive order was forthcoming.
The White House said the Section 122 tariffs include exemptions for certain products, including critical minerals, metals and energy products, according to the Reuters news agency.
Lawsuits
Trump wrote on Saturday that his administration will continue to work on issuing other permissible tariffs.
“During the next short number of months, the Trump Administration will determine and issue the new and legally permissible Tariffs, which will continue our extraordinarily successful process of Making America Great Again,” he said.
The president has already said his administration intends to rely on two other statutes that permit import taxes on specific products or countries based on investigations into national security or unfair trade practices.
Tariffs have been central to Trump’s economic agenda, which he has used as a tool to address a range of goals – from reviving domestic manufacturing to pressuring other nations to crack down on drug trafficking, and pushing warring countries toward peace.
He has also wielded tariffs, or the threat of them, as leverage to extract trade concessions from foreign governments.
Federal data shows the US Treasury had collected more than $133bn from the import taxes the president has imposed under the emergency powers law as of December.
Since the Supreme Court’s ruling, more than a thousand lawsuits have been filed by importers in the US to seek refunds, and more cases are on the way.
While legally sound, the path forward for such claims is not straightforward, especially for smaller firms, said John Diamond, director of the Center for Tax and Budget Policy at Rice University.
“It’s pretty clear that they will win in court, but it’ll take some time,” Diamond said. “Once we get the court orders in effect, I don’t think those refunds will be all that messy for larger firms. Smaller firms are going to have a much more difficult time getting through the process.”
But foreign governments are managing “the real mess”, Diamond said.
“What do you do if you’re Taiwan, or Great Britain, and you have this existing trade deal, but now it’s kind of been turned upside down?”
The US-Taiwan trade deal lowers the general tariff on Taiwanese goods from 20 percent to 15 percent, the same level as Asian trade partners South Korea and Japan, in exchange for Taipei agreeing to buy about $85bn of US energy, aircraft and equipment.
The US-United Kingdom deal imposes a 10 percent tariff on imports of most UK goods, and reduces higher tariffs on imports of UK cars, steel and aluminium.
‘Pickpocketing the American people’
After the Supreme Court’s decision, Trump’s trade representative, Jamieson Greer, told Fox News on Friday that those countries must honour their agreements even if they call for higher rates than the Section 122 tariffs.
Exports to the US from countries such as Malaysia and Cambodia would continue to be taxed at their negotiated rates of 19 percent, even though the universal rate is lower, Greer said.
Indonesia’s chief negotiator for US tariffs, Airlangga Hartarto, said the trade deal between the countries that set US tariffs at 19 percent, which was signed on Friday, remains in force despite the court decision.
The ruling could spell good news for countries like Brazil, which has not negotiated a deal with Washington to lower its 40 percent tariff rate but could now see its tariff rate drop to 15 percent, at least temporarily.
Governments around the world have reacted to the Supreme Court decision – as well as Trump’s subsequent tariff announcement – with a mix of cautious optimism, trepidation and frustration.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would coordinate a joint European stance before talks with Trump in early March, while Hong Kong’s secretary for financial services and the Treasury, Christopher Hiu, described the situation surrounding Trump’s new tariff moves as a “fiasco”.
With the November midterm elections in the US looming, Trump’s approval rating on his handling of the economy has steadily declined during his year in office.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll that closed on Monday showed 34 percent of respondents saying they approved of Trump’s handling of the economy, while 57 percent said they did not approve.
Democrats, who need to flip only three Republican-held seats in the US House of Representatives in November to win a majority, have blamed Trump’s tariffs for exacerbating the rising cost of living.
They were quick to condemn Trump’s new tariff threat on Saturday.
Democrats on the House Ways and Means Committee accused Trump of “pickpocketing the American people” with his newly announced higher tariff.
“A little over 24 hours after his tariffs were ruled illegal, he’s doing anything he can to make sure he can still jack up your costs,” they wrote on social media.
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom, a Trump nemesis, added that “he [Trump] does not care about you”.
Britain’s Got Talent viewers were left divided by the drone performance featuring King Charles’ voice that closed the first episode of the ITV series
22:32, 21 Feb 2026Updated 22:36, 21 Feb 2026
The judges were blown away by the final act(Image: ITV)
Britain’s Got Talent viewers were left split over one particular act that brought the curtain down on the opening episode of the ITV programme.
This year, hundreds of hopefuls will be greeted by award-winning presenters Ant and Dec before showcasing their abilities to judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden, Alesha Dixon, and newcomer KSI.
Performers from every corner of the UK and across the globe will be taking to the stage, hoping not only to impress the judging panel but also the voting public, in a bid to scoop the life-changing prize of £250,000 and a coveted spot at the legendary Royal Variety Performance.
Fans were quick to voice their opinions after Somerset act Celestial closed the show with a spectacular mega-drone display. As the judges and audience filed outside, Celestial put on a breathtaking show combining drones and lights.
Towards the finale of the performance, King Charles‘ voice was heard in a poignant tribute, leaving some viewers feeling it “couldn’t have come at a worse time”, reports Belfast Live.
The voice said: “Wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love.
“Our nation and the wider family of realms, of whose talents, traditions and achievements, I am so inexpressibly proud. Have prospered and flourished, which makes us great as a nation.”
Amanda Holden remarked, “I am going to start crying.”
Responding to the act, one viewer wrote: “An act with the King’s voiceover could not have come at a worse time!”
“This is kinda sick #BGT,” wrote one viewer, whilst another chimed in with, “Not good timing but wow this is cool.”
One sharp-eyed fan noted, “Celestial- very cool very different I love it but I can’t see the King going outside to watch it that’s the only thing #BGT.”
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Another raised a valid point, asking: “How is a drone act going to work on the stage at The Royal Variety Show?”
Heaping praise on the heartfelt performance, one devoted viewer declared, “Celestial, best act of the Night #BGT.”
“Well, wasn’t that brilliant? Brought a wee tear to my eye #BGT,” gushed yet another fan.
Britain’s Got Talent is available to watch on ITVX.
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The move is in line with a new law, giving hope to throngs of others jailed over alleged plots to oust the government.
Published On 21 Feb 202621 Feb 2026
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Venezuelan authorities have granted amnesty to 379 political prisoners, according to a lawmaker, after a new law was enacted by interim authorities following the United States’ abduction of President Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuela’s National Assembly unanimously adopted the law on Thursday, providing hope that hundreds of political prisoners may soon be released.
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National Assembly deputy Jorge Arreaza, the lawmaker overseeing the amnesty process, said in a televised interview on Friday that the 379 prisoners “must be released, granted amnesty, between tonight and tomorrow morning”.
“Requests have been submitted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office to the competent courts to grant amnesty measures,” he said.
Opposition figures have criticised the new legislation, which appears to include carve-outs for some offences previously used by authorities to target Maduro’s political opponents.
It explicitly does not apply to those prosecuted for “promoting” or “facilitating … armed or forceful actions” against Venezuela’s sovereignty by foreign actors.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez has levelled such accusations against opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who hopes to return to Venezuela at some point from the US.
The law also excludes members of the security forces convicted of “terrorism”-related activities.
Arreaza said earlier that “the military justice system will handle” relevant cases for members of the armed forces, “and grant benefits where appropriate”.
Hundreds have already been granted conditional release by President Rodriguez’s government since the deadly US raid that seized Maduro.
‘Amnesty is not automatic’
The NGO Foro Penal had said before the announcement that about 650 were detained, a toll that has not been updated since.
Foro Penal director Alfredo Romero said on Friday that receiving “amnesty is not automatic”, but would require a process in the courts, viewed by many as an arm of Maduro’s repression.
Opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa, a Machado ally, announced his release from detention shortly after the bill was passed.
Earlier this month, he had been freed from prison but then quickly re-detained and kept under house arrest.
“I am now completely free,” Guanipa wrote on social media. He called for all other political prisoners to be freed and exiles to be allowed to return.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Venezuelans have been jailed in recent years over plots, real or imagined, to overthrow the government of Maduro – who was taken to New York to stand trial on drug trafficking and other charges.
Rodriguez was formerly Maduro’s vice president and took his place as the South American country’s leader with the consent of US President Donald Trump, if she toed Washington’s line.
The US has taken over control of Venezuela’s oil sales, with Trump promising a share for Washington in the profits.
Other snaps show her cheering with friends and sharing hugs, all round having a good day out.
It comes just after Emily gave her fans a sneak peak into her new countryside home.
She teased her new abode with some subtle photos including one of a rustic bookshelf in the interior, old fashioned panelled walls and lovely wooden flooring.
Captioning the snaps, Emily wrote: “Welcome to our new home!
“Can’t wait to bore you all to death with my unhinged wallpaper decisions.”
Emily also shared a number of photos during the process of her moving house with her fiance Alistair Garner, including pics of moving boxes and a removals and storage van.
She brought her beau along for the game
Emily posed with a huge grin and two thumbs up outside the van as it was being loaded.
Excited about the new chapter, she reflected on how far she had come.
“From single girl flats in Camden, to where I had my baby in North London. Now the big one.
“As me Al, Barney and Penny have moved out of London and to the countryside to our dream home.”
Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, denounce US ambassador’s remarks suggesting Israel has right to much of the Middle East.
United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has triggered an avalanche of criticism from Arab and Muslim countries after suggesting Israel has a right to expand its territory across a large swath of the Middle East.
Carlson asked Huckabee, a self-professed Christian Zionist and staunch supporter of Israel, to clarify his stance on the Biblical promise of the land spanning the area between the Euphrates River in Iraq and the Nile River in Egypt to the descendants of Abraham, and if the modern Israeli state had the right to claim that lineage.
“It would be fine if they took it all,” said Huckabee.
Such territory would encompass modern-day Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and parts of Saudi Arabia.
The US ambassador later appeared to walk back the claim, saying it was “somewhat of a hyperbolic statement”. He also said Israel was not looking to expand its territory and has a right to security in the land it currently holds.
‘Extremist rhetoric’
Huckabee’s comments sparked immediate backlash from neighbouring Egypt and Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States, which in separate statements called them “extremist”, “provocative” and “not in line with Washington’s official position”.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry described Huckabee’s comments as “extremist rhetoric” and “unacceptable”, and called for the US Department of State to provide clarification.
Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called the remarks a “blatant violation” of international law, adding that “Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory or other Arab lands.”
Jordan’s foreign ministry dismissed them as “absurd and provocative,” a violation of diplomatic norms and “an infringement on the sovereignty of states in the region”.
“Statements of this nature — extremist and lacking any sound basis — serve only to inflame sentiments and stir religious and national emotions”, the League of Arab States also said in a statement.
Huckabee, whom US President Donald Trump nominated as ambassador in 2024, has long opposed the idea of a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinian people, and denied the existence of an illegal Israeli occupation of the West Bank. Back in 2008, Huckabee went so far as to question Palestinian identity altogether, saying, “There’s really no such thing as a Palestinian.”
But Israeli law does not clearly demarcate the country’s borders. Israel also occupies the Golan Heights in Syria, which it illegally annexed in 1981.
The US is the only country that recognises Israel’s claimed sovereignty over the Syrian territory, and only since 2019, during Trump’s first term as president.
After its 2024 war with Hezbollah, Israel also set up military outposts in five points inside Lebanon.
Pakistan’s military has carried out air strikes in Afghanistan, targeting what it called “camps and hideouts” belonging to armed groups behind a spate of recent attacks, including a suicide bombing that killed dozens of worshippers at a Shia mosque in Islamabad.
There was no immediate comment from Afghanistan’s Taliban government, but Afghan sources told Al Jazeera the strikes on Sunday hit two border provinces.
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The sources said a drone strike hit a religious school in the Paktika province, and that attacks also took place in Nangarhar province.
Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in a statement on X, said the country’s military conducted “intelligence-based, selective operations” against seven camps and hideouts belonging to the Pakistan Taliban, also known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and its affiliates.
An affiliate of the Islamic State group was also targeted in the border region, it said.
The ministry said it had “conclusive evidence” that recent attacks in Islamabad, as well as in the northwestern Bajaur and Bannu districts, were perpetrated by fighters “on behest of their Afghanistan-based leadership and handlers”.
It said Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Taliban government to take action to prevent armed groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks, but that Kabul has failed to “undertake any substantive action”.
Pakistan “has always strived to maintain peace and stability in the region”, it added, but said the safety and security of Pakistani citizens remained its top priority.
The Pakistani air strikes on Afghanistan came hours after a suicide bomber targeted a security convoy in the Bannu district of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, killing two soldiers, including a lieutenant colonel.
On Monday, a suicide bomber, backed by gunmen, rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the wall of a security post in the nearby Bajaur, killing 11 soldiers and a child. Authorities later said the attacker was an Afghan national.
On February 6, another suicide bomber detonated his explosives during noon prayers at the Khadija Tul Kubra mosque in Islamabad’s Tarlai Kalan area, killing at least 31 worshippers and wounding 170 others.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.
While bombings are rare in the heavily guarded capital, the attack on Khadija Tul Kubra was the second such attack in three months, raising fears of a return to violence in Pakistan’s major urban centres.
At the time, the Pakistani military said the “planning, training, and indoctrination for the attack took place in Afghanistan”.
In its statement on Sunday, the Pakistani Information Ministry reiterated a call on the international community to press the Taliban to uphold its commitments under the agreement it signed with the United States, in the Qatari capital, Doha, in 2020, to prevent the use of Afghan territory for attacks against other countries.
The ministry said the move was “vital for regional and global peace and security”.
Pakistan has seen a surge in violence in recent years, much of it blamed on the TTP and outlawed Baloch separatist groups. Islamabad accuses the TTP of operating from inside Afghanistan, a charge the group denies.
The Taliban government has also consistently denied sheltering anti-Pakistan armed groups.
Relations between the neighbouring countries have remained tense since October, when deadly border clashes killed dozens of soldiers, civilians and suspected fighters.
The violence followed explosions in Kabul, which Afghan officials blamed on Pakistan.
A ceasefire mediated by Qatar on October 19 has largely held, but subsequent talks in Turkiye’s Istanbul failed to produce a formal agreement.
The latest episode of Ryan Murphy’s JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette show features a mysterious warning letter
23:09, 21 Feb 2026Updated 23:18, 21 Feb 2026
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette previewed
*Warning – this article contains minor spoilers for Love Story.*
Ryan Murphy’s newest series has thrust the turbulent romance of John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette back into public consciousness.
The fourth instalment of Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette arrived this Friday (February 20) and explored a troubling chapter in the pair’s relationship.
During a casual American football match, John (portrayed by Paul Anthony Kelly) discovers a letter in his gym bag containing damning claims about his new partner, Carolyn (Sarah Pidgeon).
Whilst the programme takes creative freedom with particular aspects of the celebrated couple’s narrative, the letter reportedly existed and apparently caused JFK Jr. and Bessette to separate, reports the Daily Record.
Did JFK Jr receive a letter about Carolyn Bessette?
As viewers will be aware, Love Story draws inspiration from Elizabeth Beller’s biography entitled Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy.
In the book, Beller alleges that JFK Jr. was given a scathing letter about Bessette in 1992, precisely when their romance was flourishing.
Whilst the programme depicts John challenging Carolyn about the accusations at his apartment, the biography suggests they actually engaged in a public row during an evening meal at iconic eatery El Teddy’s.
Based on Beller’s account, the couple separated for a year following the devastating letter, before reuniting in 1993.
For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.
Who wrote the letter?
Beller doesn’t disclose the writer’s name. Nevertheless, she explains that they “came from a milieu of boarding schools, Ivy League universities, and ‘old money’ families of New York”.
She continued that it supposedly took Bessette several years to uncover who penned the note, but upon learning the identity, she proceeded to “freeze them out”.
Bessette and JFK Jr wed in an intimate ceremony in September 1996. The pair tragically perished together in an aircraft accident in July 1999.
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette is streaming on Disney+
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Ukraine Defense Forces on Friday night used attack drones to strike a Russian missile factory in the Udmurt Republic that builds the hypersonic Iskander-M, pictured, and the Oreshnik missile systems. Photo by Sergei Ilnitsky/EPA
Feb. 21 (UPI) — Ukrainian Defense Forces late Friday night struck a Russian missile production facility that manufactures some of Russia’s fastest and deadliest missile systems.
Ukrainian forces used attack drones to strike the Votkinsk Machine Building Plant in Russia’s Udmurt Republic, which produces the advanced missile systems, Ukrainska Pravda reported.
The factory builds the hypersonic Iskander and Oreshnik missile systems.
“On the night of February 21, units of the Missile Forces and Artillery of the Armed Forces of Ukraine carried out a strike with FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles. A defense industry enterprise — the Votkinsk Plant in the city of Votkinsk — was hit,” the statement said.
“A fire was recorded on the premises of the facility,” it added. “The results are being clarified.”
The Udmart Republic is located about 770 miles east of Moscow and about 1,300 miles northeast of Kyiv.
The Iskander missile is a mobile system that is carried and launched from atop a large military transport and is capable of carrying conventional or nuclear warheads with a range of up to 310 miles for some variants. The missile travels at hypersonic speeds of up to Mach 7.
The Oreshnik missile is a medium-range ballistic missile that can carry either conventional or nuclear warheads at distances of up to 1,000 miles and possibly more than 3,000 miles, while traveling at up to Mach 11, or 8,000 mph.
Ukrainian Defense Forces also targeted the Neftegorsk Gas Processing Plant in the Samara Region of Russia and fuel and lubricants storage facilities in Russian-occupied parts of the Donetsk region.
The extent of damage from those strikes is under assessment.
More than 1,5000 political prisoners in Venezuela have applied for amnesty under a new law that came into effect just a few days ago, according to the head of the country’s legislature.
“A total of 1,557 cases are being addressed immediately, and hundreds of people deprived of their freedom are already being released under the amnesty law”, National Assembly chief Jorge Rodriguez told a news conference on Saturday.
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Rodriguez’s announcement comes two days after the country’s legislature unanimously adopted a landmark amnesty law.
Amnesty is not automatic under the law: petitioners must ask the court handling their cases.
On Friday, the lawmaker overseeing the amnesty process, Jorge Arreaza, announced that prosecutors had asked courts to free 379 prisoners. They include opposition members, activists, human rights defenders, journalists and many others detained for months or even years.
So far, 80 prisoners have been freed, Rodriguez told the AFP news agency on Saturday. All of those released had been detained in the capital, Caracas, he said, without offering further details.
Further releases could be granted within 15 days, said Arreaza.
Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, the sister of the top lawmaker, pushed for the United States-backed legislation after she rose to power following the US’s abduction of leftist leader Nicolas Maduro during a military raid on January 3.
The legislation’s approval marked a reversal for Venezuelan authorities, who have for decades denied holding political prisoners and say those jailed have committed crimes.
During its signing, Rodriguez said the law showed that the country’s political leaders were “letting go of a little intolerance and opening new avenues for politics in Venezuela”.
However, opposition figures have criticised the new legislation, which appears to include carve-outs for some offences previously used by authorities to target Maduro’s political opponents.
Human rights organisations are also calling for the law to be applied to all prisoners held for political reasons, even if they are not listed among the beneficiaries.
“It is discriminatory and unconstitutional to exclude imprisoned military personnel and persecuted political figures,” Alfredo Romero, president of rights group Foro Penal, said on X Saturday. Without this, “there can be no talk of national coexistence”.
The law explicitly does not apply to those prosecuted for “promoting” or “facilitating… armed or forceful actions” against Venezuela’s sovereignty by foreign actors.
Delcy Rodriguez has levelled such accusations against opposition leader and Nobel peace laureate Maria Corina Machado, who hopes, at some point, to return to Venezuela from the US.
Opposition politician Juan Pablo Guanipa, a close ally of Machado, had a house arrest order against him lifted, his brother, lawmaker Tomas Guanipa, told the Reuters news agency late on Thursday.
The law also excludes members of the security forces convicted of “terrorism”-related activities.
But the amnesty extends to 11,000 political prisoners who, over nearly three decades, were paroled or placed under house arrest.
“The law provides for those substitute measures to be lifted so that these people can enjoy full freedom”, Rodriguez told reporters.
Outside a national police facility in Caracas known as Zone 7, relatives – some of whom have been on site for weeks – waited patiently.
“Let’s hope it’s true,” Genesis Rojas told AFP.
A group of relatives who have been camped out for days chanted: “We want to go home!”
Hundreds have already been granted conditional release by Rodriguez’s government since the deadly US raid that resulted in Maduro’s capture.
Maduro and his wife are in US custody awaiting trial. Hehas pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking charges and declared that he was a “prisoner of war.”
The epic series, which takes its cue from George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, is comprised of six half-hour episodes.
Here’s a look at when you can watch the final episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms after a recent schedule change due to the Super Bowl.
When does A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 6 come out?
In the UK, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode six – titled The Morrow – will be airing on Monday, February 23 at 3am GMT on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
The episode will then be available on NOW for those to watch on demand if they didn’t stay up in the early hours to watch the season one finale.
Sky Atlantic will then be repeating the episode at 9pm for those who didn’t stay up to watch the Transatlantic simulcast.
Meanwhile, in the USA, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode six will be on HBO on Sunday, February 22 at 10pm and will be available to watch on HBO Max.
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What will happen in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode six?
HBO previously dropped a sneak peek at the forthcoming season one finale, which shows Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall (played by Peter Claffey) talking to Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) in the aftermath of the Trial of Seven.
Dunk feels deeply guilty for the death of Baelor ‘Breakspear’ Targaryen (Bertie Carvel) as the Targaryens conduct his funeral.
Valarr Targaryen (Oscar Morgan) says to a despondent Dunk: “He had it in him to be great king. Why would the god take him and leave you?”
Dunk responds: “I’ve wondered the same.”
The scene cuts to Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell) speaking to Dunk about how much his son Aegon ‘Egg’ Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell) wishes only to squire for him and no other knight.
However, it looks like Dunk doesn’t want any more to do with Egg after the fallout from the Trial of Seven and responds to Maekar: “I think I’m done with princes.”
The preview ends on an ambiguous note as Egg tells Dunk: “Maybe you’re not the knight I thought you were.”
Although the show might be coming to an end, season two is already in the works after HBO confirmed that it had renewed A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for another outing.
The recommission was announced back in November 2025, even before the first episode had hit screens.
Along with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, House of the Dragon was renewed for season four ahead of its highly-anticipated third season premiere this June.
HBO executive Francesca Orsi said at the time: “We are thrilled to be able to deliver new seasons of these two series for the next three years, for the legion of fans of the Game of Thrones universe.
“Together, House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms reveal just how expansive and richly imagined George R. R. Martin’s universe continues to be.
“In January, I think audiences will be delighted by the inspiring underdog tale of Dunk and Egg that George and Ira Parker have so beautifully captured.
“And this Summer, House of the Dragon is set to ignite once again with some of its most epic battles yet.”
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ series finale will air on HBO Max and HBO in the USA tonight at 10PM ET and on NOW and Sky Atlantic tomorrow at 3am GMT
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Manchester City’s win cut Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to two points.
Nico O’Reilly’s first-half brace inspired Manchester City to a vital 2-1 victory over Newcastle United, which turned up the heat on Premier League leaders Arsenal.
City took the lead on Saturday when O’Reilly slammed in a left-footed shot in the 14th minute before Lewis Hall levelled.
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O’Reilly headed in Erling Haaland’s cross to restore City’s lead in the 27th minute, and it proved to be the match-winner as Pep Guardiola’s side cut Arsenal’s lead to two points.
The stuttering form of Arsenal, who drew with the bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday, opened the door for City, but victory over Newcastle was imperative.
It looked like a formality early on as they overran their visitors, but it was a different story after the break as they nervously held on to the victory.
Nothing illustrated City’s determination more than the sight of goal-machine Haaland working tirelessly back in his own area, blocking shots and making clearing headers.
Newcastle pushed hard for an equaliser, and when the final whistle blew, there was relief around Etihad Stadium. They will now be watching Arsenal’s Sunday derby with added interest.
City were slick at the start and went ahead when a surging Omar Marmoush played in O’Reilly. He could have touched it on for Haaland to his left, but the 20-year-old opted to trust his left foot, and his powerful shot beat Nick Pope.
Newcastle were level soon afterwards, though, as a weak clearance fell to Hall, whose shot took a touch off a City player before beating keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Haaland was not on the scoresheet but showed many other attributes to his game, and it was his measured cross that was met by O’Reilly, who directed his header past Pope.
City were nowhere near as effective as an attacking force after the break, but they defended doggedly when required and were always a threat on the counter-attack.
They now have 56 points from 27 games. Should Arsenal fail to beat Tottenham on Sunday, City will feel they have the title race firmly in their hands.
O’Reilly said he was “over the moon” about the goals and three points.
“The win was the most important thing: close the gap and apply as much pressure as possible,” he told TNT Sports.
“Very happy with the two goals. It is a dream of mine to win [the Premier League].”
Asked if City, unbeaten in eight games, can win the title, he added: “Yeah, definitely. We always believe we can win games.”
Elsewhere on Saturday, Aston Villa’s faint Premier League title hopes suffered a blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Leeds United, and Chelsea’s top-four ambitions were damaged when they dropped two points against relegation-bound Burnley.
Anton Stach’s stunning 31st-minute free kick past Emiliano Martinez looked like giving Leeds a vital victory at Villa Park, but substitute Tammy Abraham levelled late on.
Chelsea moved above Manchester United into fourth spot on goal difference, but it felt like two points dropped for the second week running as they drew 1-1 with Burnley at home.
Joao Pedro put Chelsea ahead, but the hosts were reduced to 10 men when Wesley Fofana received a second yellow card and Burnley equalised in stoppage time through Zian Flemming.
Brighton’s James Milner broke the Premier League appearance record in their 2-0 win at Brentford.
The 40-year-old former Manchester City and Liverpool player made his 654th appearance to go past Gareth Barry.
West Ham had the opportunity to really put some pressure on Nottingham Forest and Spurs in the relegation battle, but played out a turgid draw with visiting Bournemouth. It was the sixth successive Premier League stalemate between the sides.
China reacted angrily to the CIA’s public campaign, launched in February 2026, to recruit spies from within the ranks of the Chinese military, vowing to take “all necessary measures” to protect its national security. The Chinese response to the “recruitment video” included an official warning: Foreign Ministry spokesperson “Lin Jian” stated that the attempts by forces hostile to China “will not succeed,” emphasizing that Beijing would resolutely counter foreign infiltration and sabotage operations. In addition to Beijing’s accusation that the United States engaged in blatant political provocation, the Chinese Embassy in Washington described the American recruitment video targeting Chinese military personnel as a “blatant political provocation” and an explicit admission by the United States of its attempts to steal other countries’ secrets. This was especially true given the nature of the video, released by the CIA, which featured Mandarin Chinese and targeted “disillusioned” Chinese military officers, exploiting corruption within the Chinese army and recent purges within the Chinese military leadership. While other foreign intelligence agencies typically maintain contact with sources and agents within both friendly and hostile militaries, observers noted that the 95-second CIA video was “unusually explicit,” as described by Newsweek magazine. This angered China, prompting it to lodge a formal protest through the Chinese Embassy in Washington.
To counter this American intelligence campaign, official Chinese measures to contain Western and American intelligence intensified. Beijing pursued a multi-pronged strategy to tighten the noose on espionage activities, including expanding the Anti-Espionage Law: China amended its laws to broaden the definition of “espionage” to include any data or documents that threaten national security, granting authorities greater powers to search and access electronic devices. (Increasing Public Awareness and “Reporting Hotlines”): The Chinese Ministry of State Security, which acts as China’s intelligence agency, encouraged citizens to report suspicious activities through substantial financial rewards and released educational videos on how to detect “foreign spies” who might be disguised as researchers or diplomats. (Chinese Technological Counter-Response): China used artificial intelligence and simulation tools to mock American recruitment videos, releasing videos that mimicked the same style to highlight “Wall Street corruption” and internal American crises. With (China’s purge of sensitive leaders): Beijing launched a widespread purge within the People’s Liberation Army, targeting high-ranking generals such as “Zhang Youxia” on charges of corruption and leaking sensitive information. With China’s expansion in drafting and enacting counter-sanctions laws: In March 2025, China activated new regulations for its Foreign Counter-Sanctions Law, allowing it to freeze assets and impose visa bans on any foreign individuals or entities that interfere in its internal affairs or threaten its security interests.
This confrontation comes at a time when reports indicate that the CIA is seeking to rebuild its human network in China after most of it was dismantled between 2010 and 2012. China has begun intensifying its internal security measures to counter Western espionage, particularly American espionage, by updating its anti-espionage laws, strengthening cybersecurity, and raising public awareness, targeting the activities of the CIA and Mossad. These efforts include strict data controls, protecting sensitive technology, dismantling spy recruitment networks, and considering Western espionage a direct security threat. Among the most prominent Chinese measures to contain Western and American intelligence activities are the following (updating anti-espionage laws): China has broadened the definition of espionage in its laws to include any documents, data, or materials related to national security, granting authorities wider powers to search and investigate suspects. (Strengthening cybersecurity): Beijing is conducting intensive campaigns to secure sensitive networks and data and is working to protect its digital infrastructure from infiltration, especially after reports indicating widespread cyber operations by Western actors. This is in addition to (Chinese security awareness campaigns): The Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) is urging citizens to report any suspicious activities, considering counter-espionage a societal responsibility. It has also published warnings about methods used to recruit spies. Along with Chinese authorities tightening control over foreigners and foreign companies in China, control has been intensified over foreign consultancies and companies that could be used as cover for intelligence activities, with a focus on uncovering foreign spies, whether affiliated with the CIA or any other foreign agency. Along with China’s emphasis on protecting technology and scientific research: Here, Beijing is taking strict measures to protect its technological and industrial secrets from theft, especially in the fields of artificial intelligence and computing, to prevent their exploitation to advance the interests of foreign countries.
This Chinese escalation comes at a time when US intelligence reports have described China as the “greatest overall military and security threat” to the interests of the United States and its allies, further intensifying the intelligence conflict between the two sides. Therefore, China began taking strict and decisive measures to contain Western and American intelligence activities within the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). These measures include strengthening information security through the Information Support Force, enforcing anti-espionage laws, and increasing internal oversight to ensure the protection of national security and development interests from infiltration and sabotage. The most prominent measures include tightening digital surveillance by enhancing capabilities in electronic espionage, signals intelligence, and cybersecurity to counter any breaches; strengthening internal security by tightening security measures around personnel and sensitive data to prevent recruitment or leaks; and activating the role of the Ministry of State Security domestically. The Chinese intelligence ministry, “MSS,” has become highly effective in combating foreign espionage, particularly American espionage, and in maintaining political security within military and civilian institutions. The Chinese authorities also established the Information Support Force: this force was created to promote the development and implementation of secure network information systems, thereby enhancing the army’s ability to repel infiltrations. With China’s keenness to modernize its anti-espionage laws, it has taken strict measures against infiltration and sabotage activities, pledging to protect China’s national security.
Based on the preceding analysis, we understand that these Chinese security measures are a response to intensive US intelligence efforts to recruit informants within the Chinese military, which has provoked Beijing’s ire and resentment. This is especially true given the sensitive timing for the Chinese military establishment, coming just weeks after another senior officer was implicated in President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign within the army. The video released by the CIA showing the recruitment and targeting of Chinese military personnel represents the latest episode in a US intelligence campaign targeting Chinese military personnel on social media. This campaign, which openly targets China, has been described by CIA Director “John Ratcliffe” as the agency’s top intelligence priority amidst what he called a generational competition with Beijing.
MODEL Emily Ratajkowski knows how to stand out from the crowd — as she also shows off her new love interest.
The 34-year-old, pictured in a revealing structured dress, has posted pictures on Instagram of her with French film and music video director Romain Gavras, 44.
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The model is dating French film and music video director Romain GavrasCredit: TheImageDirect.com
A series of shots shows them embracing as Emily wears a backless dress, posing in a snowy street and enjoying a breakfast.
The model looked stunning in a skimpy red dress as she cheekily stuck out her tongue for the camera.
Another snap showed Romain gently caressing her head and wrapping his arm around her while she wore a figure hugging backless dress and held a drink in her hand.
Others showed Romain posing in the snowy streets of New York City and an image of Emily, who wore a white headscarf and black sunnies.
Fans flocked to the comments section and one wrote: “We love to see it.”
Another added: “Things that just make sense.”
While a third said: “Handsome! Great looking couple!”
Gavras has previously been in relationships with singers Dua Lipa and Rita Ora.
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Emily divorced movie producer Sebastian Bear-McClard in 2022 and they share a four-year-old son, Sly.
In Instagram posts yesterday, the model looked stunning in a skimpy red dress as she cheekily stuck out her tongue for the cameraCredit: InstagramAnother pic showed Romain gently caressing her headCredit: InstagramRomain Gavras previously dated pop star Dua LipaCredit: AFP
The Palestinian prisoners in Israel’s Shatta Prison are medically neglected and enduring unprecedented maltreatment, the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs said on Thursday.
The Commission described the conditions of the Palestinian prisoners in Shatta as “horrifying,” reported the Palestinian Information Centre. “They are exposed constantly to brutal beatings and pepper spray attacks, and served raw and unsalted food.”
According to the Commission’s lawyer who visited the prisoners in Shatta recently, they are medically neglected and not provided with any treatment. The lawyer specifically mentioned Waleed Musallam, who suffers from severe psoriasis, and Fadi Raddad, who has been suffering from sharp pains in his back and right shoulder since Israeli jailers assaulted him.
The detainees appealed to rights groups to intervene with the Israel Prison Service to allow them to practice their religious rituals during the holy month of Ramadan without restrictions, to improve the quality of food, and to provide them with copies of the Holy Qur’an and clocks.
The former England player appeared on Michael McIntyre’s Big Show on Saturday night
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show returned on Saturday night (Image: BBC)
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show took an emotional turn on Saturday night, leaving a famous footballer fighting back tears.
The beloved family series returned on February 21 with famous faces, including Peter Crouch and Abbey Clancy, who took on the Remember Me segment. The couple was tasked with identifying people from their past whom they haven’t seen in years.
Everyone from their wedding singer to Peter’s childhood crush made an appearance. But it was the former England footballer’s first professional coach, Barry Quinn, who left him utterly stunned.
Upon hearing Barry’s voice, Peter immediately became emotional, and Abbey quickly noticed, pointing out, “He’s crying.”
Although the sports star didn’t break down into tears, the surprise left him teary-eyed.
Speaking of his close bond with the coach, he said, “I’ll never forget him. When I was a kid, I genuinely believed that my technique came from the grounding I had with Barry Quinn.”
The duo knew each other when Peter was finding his feet in the sport at around 10 years old.
The footballer went on to add: “I just think at that time, at that age, it’s such a time for you to develop. I was so lucky to have a coach like Barry, who I felt got me to the next level, really. And I know that grounding was what shaped the player I became.”
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Barry also opened up about their relationship, praising the striker: “He had a fantastic attitude.
“He had natural talent but always wanted to progress, always wanted to get better. Worked harder than everybody else and had great family support. So he was an absolute coach’s dream.”
The 45-year-old striker played for the likes of Liverpool, Stoke City, Tottenham Hotspur, and Burnley throughout his impressive career.
Michael McIntyre’s Big Show is available to stream on BBC iPlayer
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Hundreds of Britain First protesters faced larger antifascist crowds in a tense Manchester city centre standoff.
Manchester, United Kingdom – Chants of “send them back” echoed through a damp underpass as hundreds of far-right anti-Islam protesters prepared to march through the streets.
Union Jacks fluttered in the wind as protesters – some visibly under the influence of alcohol – chanted a series of anti-immigration slogans and derisive comments about British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
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In response to the demonstration organised by Britain First, a far-right political party that calls for mass deportation and the removal of migrants and Muslims from the UK, a counterprotest was also planned for midday on Saturday.
It formed a much larger crowd made up of antifascist protesters who gathered a few streets away, carrying antiracist banners and waving an array of flags, including the Palestinian flag.
Ruby, 20, a student from South London, took a five-hour coach ride to show her support for the counterprotest and told Al Jazeera that attending was a “no-brainer”. She asked that her surname not be published, fearing repercussions.
Three counter-protesters face the oncoming Britain First demonstrators [Nils Adler/Al Jazeera]
‘A master race’
Ruby said her grandparents, originally from Montserrat, were part of the Windrush generation – immigrants invited to the UK between 1948 and 1971 from Caribbean countries – and, despite having given so much to their adopted country, are now feeling increasingly unwelcome.
She said her grandparents had told her they were witnessing a return to the levels of racism they experienced when they came to the country in the 1950s.
It was a sentiment echoed by Llowelyn, 16, a counter-protester from Wales who said her father, who is British Guyanese, has received more verbal abuse based on his race in the past few years than at any other point.
The tension was palpable before the two marches were due to begin, with far-right agitators livestreaming to their followers as they entered the area assigned to the counterprotest.
John – a stocky, tenacious counter-protester from Wales – confronted them with arms outstretched as police officers looked on.
“They come here to cause a ruckus and make money of it online, but I come here to protect the left. These guys [far-right agitators] try and intimidate … minorities because they think they are a master race”, he told Al Jazeera.
As the Britain First march began, flanked by police and led by Paul Golding, a portly, combative far-right activist who has previously been imprisoned for religiously aggravated harassment, the celebratory mood quickly turned aggressive as they came across counter-protesters in the city centre.
“Leftie scum,” screamed one member of the Britain First crowd as they harassed three young people who staged a sit-down, forcing riot police to encircle and pull them to safety.
Far-right agitators turn up at a counterprotest [Nils Adler/Al Jazeera]
‘Divisive, racist positions’
The two marches finally met in an expletive-ridden crushendo as police struggled to hold ranks.
Britain First protesters prodded counter-protesters with flag poles, and some slipped through the porous police lines as they shouted anti immigration and anti-Palestine slogans.
A number of counterprotesters and bystanders expressed frustration that the police allowed the march to go ahead.
“We, as Jews and internationalists, are having to confront Britain First, the fascists who are organising on the streets, who have been permitted to market their divisive, racist, dictatorial positions on our streets,” Pia Feig, of Jewish Action for Palestine, told Al Jazeera.
Audrey, a teacher and counterprotester who was pushed away by police after being shoved by a Britain First protester, said the police always “protected” the far-right groups.
A police officer told Al Jazeera that the day required extensive planning and was a particularly difficult operation, as the two groups kept changing their planned route.
He said on condition of anonymity that handling the two conflicting protests, a rally in support of Ukraine, and managing crowds at large football fixtures held this weekend had stretched the local police force thin.
Artemis 2 is a precursor to the US space agency’s planned astronaut moon landing with Artemis III scheduled for 2028.
Published On 21 Feb 202621 Feb 2026
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NASA chief Jared Isaacman says Artemis 2 – the first crewed flyby mission to the moon in more than 50 years – will not launch next month because of technical problems.
Workers detected an issue with helium flow to the massive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket that will “take the March launch window out of consideration”, Issacman said in a post on social media Saturday.
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Solid helium flow is essential for purging the rocket’s engines and pressurising its fuel tanks.
“I understand people are disappointed by this development. That disappointment is felt most by the team at NASA who have been working tirelessly to prepare for this great endeavor,” Isaacman said.
NASA’s next opportunity for the launch would be at the beginning or end of April.
The US space agency hopes to put humans back on the moon as China forges ahead with a rival effort that is targeting 2030 at the latest for its first crewed mission.
China’s uncrewed Chang’e 7 mission is expected to be launched in 2026 for an exploration of the moon’s south pole, and testing of its crewed spacecraft Mengzhou is also set to go ahead this year.
Multiple postponements
NASA surprised many late last year when it said Artemis 2 could happen as soon as February – an acceleration explained by the administration of US President Donald Trump’s wish to beat China to the punch.
But the programme has been plagued by delays. The uncrewed Artemis 1 mission took place in November 2022 after multiple postponements and two failed launch attempts.
Then, technical problems in early February – which included a liquid hydrogen leak – cut short a so-called wet dress rehearsal for the Artemis 2 launch. That was finally completed earlier this week.
The wet dress rehearsal was conducted under real conditions – with full rocket tanks and technical checks – at Cape Canaveral in Florida, with engineers practising the manoeuvres needed to carry out an actual launch.
The space agency revealed the latest technical problem just one day after targeting March 6 for the launch of the Artemis 2 mission.
The towering SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft will be rolled back into the Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida to investigate the technical issues and make any necessary repairs, Isaacman said. He said a bad filter, valve, or connection plate could be to blame for the stalled helium flow.
Isaacman added that a complete briefing will follow in the coming days.
The goal of the Artemis 2 mission, a 10-day flight around the moon and back, is to “explore the Moon for scientific discovery, economic benefits, and to build the foundation for the first crewed missions to Mars”, according to NASA.
The planned Artemis 2 crew includes three US astronauts – Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch – and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The mission is poised to be the farthest human flight into space ever, and the first crewed moon mission since the US Apollo programme more than half a century ago.
Artemis 2 is a precursor to NASA’s planned astronaut moon landing with Artemis 3, which is scheduled for 2028.
