Experts say newly recently released documents show the need for an independent investigation into Epstein’s sex-trafficking ring.

A group of United Nations experts have suggested that abuses carried out by convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein could meet the definition of crimes against humanity.

On Tuesday, the independent experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) released a statement in response to the millions of files released by the United States government related to criminal investigations into Epstein.

They explained that the records tell a story of dehumanisation, racism and corruption.

“So grave is the scale, nature, systematic character, and transnational reach of these atrocities against women and girls, that a number of them may reasonably meet the legal threshold of crimes against humanity,” the experts wrote.

The UNHRC panel called for an investigation into allegations around Epstein and his associates, who include prominent figures in global politics, business, science and culture.

They added that the revelations from the files suggest a “global criminal enterprise”.

“All the allegations contained in the ‘Epstein Files’ are egregious in nature and require independent, thorough, and impartial investigation, as well as inquiries to determine how such crimes could have taken place for so long,” the experts said.

The latest condemnation follows the January 30 release of 3.5 million pages of files from the US government’s records on Epstein.

The files were required to be released as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation signed into law in November.

The act gave the US government 30 days to publish all of its Epstein-related documents in a searchable format, obscuring information only to protect victims’ privacy.

But the 30-day deadline came and went, with only a partial release of the files. Even the January 30 publication has been criticised as incomplete, with reports indicating that there could be more than 6 million files in the government’s possession.

The newly released documents have revealed new details about Epstein’s relationships with influential figures, but few have faced accountability.

Critics have argued that Epstein himself faced scant legal consequences for the sex crimes he perpetuated. He reached a plea deal in Florida in 2008, wherein he pleaded guilty to soliciting a child for prostitution and sex trafficking, but he only served 13 months in custody.

He was in jail in 2019, facing federal charges, when he died by suicide in his cell.

Epstein’s ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, has been sentenced to more than 20 years for her role in the sex trafficking scheme.

In Tuesday’s statement, the experts on the UN panel slammed the heavy redactions in the Epstein files that appear to shield the identities of powerful figures.

“The reluctance to fully disclose information or broaden investigations, has left many survivors feeling retraumatized and subjected to what they describe as ‘institutional gaslighting’,” the UN experts said.

Their criticism echoes similar accusations in the US. Lawmakers there have argued that the administration of President Donald Trump, a former friend of Epstein, has defied the November law by redacting documents beyond the guidelines set out by Congress.

The experts also noted that there appeared to be “botched redactions that exposed sensitive victim information”. They added that more must be done to ensure justice for the survivors.

“Any suggestion that it is time to move on from the ‘Epstein files’ is unacceptable. It represents a failure of responsibility towards victims,” they said.

Silent Witness viewers spotted a “huge flaw” just minutes into Tuesday’s episode

Viewers of Silent Witness believed they’d identified a “huge flaw” just moments into Tuesday’s (February 17) pulled episode.

The 29th series of the enduring BBC crime drama premiered earlier this month, with Emilia Fox and David Caves returning as Dr Nikki Alexander and Jack Hodgson, joined by Maggie Steed and Fran Mills as Harriet Maven and Kit Brooks.

The programme has now relocated to Birmingham, delivering five compelling new investigations across ten instalments. Silent Witness has recently experienced multiple schedule changes, after this evening’s episode was withdrawn from broadcast last week in light of a horrific incident that occurred in Birmingham.

A BBC representative informed TV Guide at the time: “Due to the attack in Birmingham over the weekend, this week’s episodes of Silent Witness will not transmit as planned and instead they have been replaced with two episodes from later on in the series,” reports the Express.

Just a week after the adjustments, the programme made its comeback to BBC One this evening, airing the opening chapter of The Enemy Within.

During the episode, the forensic specialists were tasked with examining a fatal knife attack in Birmingham. Initially, the incident seemed to bear the hallmarks of racial motivation, but as enquiries progressed, the team gradually discovered evidence suggesting a probable perpetrator.

As the team persisted in pursuing clues, racial tensions rapidly intensified throughout the city. At the same time, Jack discovered that his new gym mates weren’t who he thought they were, whilst Kit started having second thoughts about her relationship with DC Jonno Magath (Gerard Kearns).

The episode boasted a star-studded cast list, with guest appearances including Chris Reilly (Slow Horses), Selin Hizli (Am I Being Unreasonable?), and Phaldut Sharma (EastEnders).

However, just moments into the episode, BBC viewers spotted a “huge flaw”. Many fans believe that the episode was originally intended to be the series opener, after Nikki was shown cheerfully walking through the new Bowman Centre, whilst Harriet kept getting lost on her way to work.

“Does anyone actually know which order the episodes are actually supposed to run in because I assumed this one was just swapped out for Creekwood last week but seems to make more sense as the first episode of the series before Alice Hill?” one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Another added: “So we can all agree this was originally meant to be episode one, right?” whilst a third said: “I’m sorry but where did all these people working there suddenly come from.”

A fourth fan echoed the sentiment, saying: “I’m so confused by the order of these eps. This looks like the first ep not last week’s. Huge airing flaw or what?”

Silent Witness is available to stream on BBC iPlayer

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new Everything Gossip website

Tiger Woods turned 50 in December.

He’s four months removed from disk replacement surgery in his lower back — the same back that has endured six other operations, including spinal fusion in 2017.

Woods won’t be taking part in this week’s Genesis Invitational, a tournament he has hosted since 2020, as he continues to recover from that procedure. The 15-time major championship winner told reporters at Riviera Country Club on Tuesday that he has been able to start taking full golf shots during his training.

Still, the 2026 Masters tournament is less than two months away. So considering everything mentioned above, it would seem pretty unlikely that Woods would be ready to compete in the first major championship of the year.

Right?

Well, a reporter asked Woods quite simply, “Is the Masters off the table for you?”

Woods gave an even simpler answer.

“No,” he said without hesitation or further elaboration. He did give a slight smile after a brief pause, for what that’s worth.

It should come as no surprise that Woods would be doing everything he can to be able to play April 9-12 at Augusta National. He has won the event five times, most recently in 2019.

Woods famously played in the 2022 Masters just 14 months after a catastrophic rollover car accident — and actually made the cut before finishing at 13-over par. He last played the Masters in 2024, making the cut for a record 24th time but finished with a 16-over 304, his highest 72-hole score.

Woods missed all of the 2025 season as he recovered from a back surgery the previous year and surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon in March. He spoke Tuesday on the multiple challenges he faces in attempting to return to the PGA Tour and also brought up the possibility of playing on the PGA Champions circuit.

“The disc replacement has been one thing. It’s been a challenge to have had a fused back and now a disc replacement. So it’s challenging,” said Woods, who added that his back is still sore following the most recent procedure.

“And I entered a new decade. So that number is starting to sink in and has [me] thinking about the opportunity to be able to play in a cart. That’s something that, as I’ve said, I won’t do out here on this tour, because I don’t believe in it. But you know, on the Champions tour, that’s certainly an opportunity.”

Feb. 17 (UPI) — The Venezuelan government on Tuesday released Evanan Romero, a Venezuelan-American oil consultant detained four days earlier at the Maracaibo airport, without a judicial warrant or formal charges publicly announced.

Romero, 86, a Venezuelan with U.S. citizenship, was detained by authorities under Delcy Rodríguez’s government while attempting to travel from Maracaibo to Caracas, where he had scheduled a series of meetings with companies in the oil sector.

After an initial detention, Romero spent the first night at Interpol facilities at the airport. The next day, due to his advanced age and medical condition, authorities authorized his transfer to a private clinic in Maracaibo, where he remained under guard, local outlet Efecto Cocuyo reported.

The release occurred without official statements from the government. Local journalists and media outlets, such as Spain’s ABC, reported Romero’s detention.

“I’ve been here since Friday,” the expert said from a private clinic, while guards remained in an adjacent room.

Romero had planned to meet with the local management of Repsol and to participate in a videoconference with Reliance’s leadership in India to discuss a possible return to oil blocks in the Orinoco Belt.

He also had meetings scheduled with investors interested in the energy stabilization phase that would reportedly be coordinated from Washington after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro in a U.S. military operation Jan. 3.

The consultant had arrived in Venezuela from Panama, with a stop in Colombia, intending to visit a relative before traveling to the capital.

In statements to ABC, Romero said his detention could be linked to a past administrative dispute related to a family investment, which he said was resolved in his favor by the Supreme Court of Justice.

No Venezuelan authority has publicly confirmed that or provided details about the case.

Romero is part of a committee of about 400 former state-owned oil company Petróleos de Venezuela technicians and executives dedicated to developing proposals for rebuilding the energy sector under a future government, Infobae reported.

He has maintained contacts with U.S. oil companies such as Exxon and ConocoPhillips, and his name has appeared in discussions about compensation for expropriated assets and the opening of new blocks, the publication added.

Romero is considered a veteran expert in Venezuela’s oil sector, with more than six decades of experience. He served on the board of PDVSA, since the 1960s, with responsibilities in operational oversight, capital projects and maritime operations.

He later served as president and chief executive officer of Grupo Asesor Petrolero Venezolano LLC, a firm specializing in reservoir performance studies, reserves evaluation, thermal recovery of heavy crude and basin master development plans.

He has also been affiliated with the Harvard Electricity Policy Group at Harvard University.

The detention occurred just days after the visit to Caracas by U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright at a time when the White House has intensified pressure for the release of political prisoners and reiterated that reconstruction of the oil sector will depend on clear legal and political guarantees.

President Donald Trump has publicly argued that major U.S. companies should invest billions of dollars to repair deteriorated infrastructure and restore production.

Washington, DC – More than 40 years ago, United States civil rights leader Jesse Jackson called on the Democratic Party to open its doors and welcome “the desperate, the damned, the disinherited, the disrespected and the despised”.

This included Arab Americans and Palestinian rights supporters, who have suffered from decades of racism, demonisation and marginalisation.

Advocates in those communities say that Jackson, who died on Tuesday at the age of 84, helped elevate their voices over his decades-long career.

“I don’t think there’s a way to tell the Arab Americans’ political empowerment story without understanding the path that Reverend Jackson created for us,” said Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute (AAI).

In 1984, Jackson appointed Arab American activist James Zogby as one of his deputy campaign managers as he mounted a bid for the presidency. Zogby would later found the AAI.

Jackson’s campaign also actively courted Arab Americans and amplified calls for Palestinian self-determination in an era when unquestioning support for Israel was the default position in US politics.

Berry said Jackson always rejected pressure to disassociate from Arab Americans who view Palestine as a focal issue.

“He understood that the fight for justice was one that had to be done when it was both hard and easy. Our country has lost a giant,” she told Al Jazeera.

The party platform

Jackson launched a second campaign for president in 1988, winning 13 states, including Michigan and much of the South, in the Democratic primary.

He ultimately lost the nomination to then-Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis. Still, Jackson’s campaign catapulted Palestinian rights into the national discourse.

Zogby and other Jackson delegates at the Democratic National Convention rallied to include support for Palestinian statehood in the party’s platform that year.

While the push eventually fell short at the national level, 11 state parties adopted platforms expressing support for “the rights of the Palestinian people to safety, self-determination and an independent state”.

Jackson’s relative success in the primary also led to the appointment of an Arab-American activist, Texan Ruth Ann Skaff, to the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the party’s executive board.

At the time, Skaff faced unfounded accusations of anti-Semitism for her pro-Palestinian stance, not to mention calls to be removed from the committee.

But in an interview with Al Jazeera, she said she was just a local organiser from Houston, Texas, not a high-level political operative.

She explained that Jackson’s embrace of the Arab-American community rang “true to his message of wanting to empower those who do not have power or who are excluded”.

She also recalled him being humorous and approachable.

“We were learning how to organise, how to spread the message and then take it to the next step of being active politically at the very local level. And he guided us and inspired us the entire way,” Skaff said.

Born in South Carolina in 1941, under the racial segregation of the Jim Crow laws, Jackson was dedicated to civil rights from a young age.

He was considered a talented public speaker, and as a pre-teen, he became a protege of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

A central part of his national platform was to stress the need for a broad coalition of communities to come together and demand equal rights.

Jackson moved to Chicago in 1965, where he founded the civil rights and community empowerment movement that became known as the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition.

Even after his presidential run, Jackson remained close with the Arab community.

Hatem Abudayyeh, the executive director of the Arab American Action Network (AAAN) in Illinois, praised Jackson as “a tried-and-true Chicagoan, one of us, who opened the doors to Rainbow/PUSH for Palestinians and Arabs in Chicagoland”.

“Under his leadership, Black, Latino, Asian, Arab and so many other communities worked together for racial, economic, and social justice,” Abudayyeh told Al Jazeera in a statement.

“He never shied away from solid and principled solidarity with our Palestinian and Arab communities,” he added. “We mourn today with our friends in the Black community, and with all those who will carry on his fight.”

Support for Gaza protesters

Nabih Ayad, the founder of the Arab American Civil Rights League (ACRL), said Jackson was one of the first leaders to shine light on the plight of Palestinians at the national stage.

He also worked on other issues related to the Arab community. In 2015, for instance, Jackson lobbied for the admission and resettlement of Syrian refugees, despite opposition from Republican governors.

The ACRL, based in the Michigan suburb of Dearborn, hosted Jackson on a panel to highlight the refugees’ plight. Ayad said Jackson’s message was that “justice is universal”.

“It was an honour to cross his path and be able to see a giant like Jesse Jackson really caring about the little people, the small guys, about injustice wherever it happens, no matter where it is around the world,” Ayad told Al Jazeera.

This drive to address injustice drove Jackson to speak up for Palestinians even when it may have cost him politically, according to Ayad.

Jackson’s Rainbow/PUSH Coalition organised an emergency summit in 2024 to call for a ceasefire during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Later that year, he voiced support for pro-Palestine protests on college campuses, writing in the University of Chicago’s newspaper, The Chicago Maroon, that the student leaders “represent the best of our nation”.

Matthew Jaber Stiffler, the director of the Center for Arab Narratives, a research institution, said Jackson helped the Arab community feel “seen”. He, too, highlighted the political costs of championing Palestinian rights.

“Even just saying, ‘I support the rights for Palestinians to exist in the national political sphere,’ could get you branded as a radical, could get you pushed to the margins,” Stiffler told Al Jazeera.

“Mainstream candidates didn’t – and still don’t – really want that plank in their platform. And I think that’s why there was such love for Jesse Jackson and what he stood for, because he was not afraid.”

‘Work that has to be done’

In the decades since Jackson’s presidential campaigns, Palestine has become less of a taboo subject in US politics. Congress members, mayors and celebrities have become vocal in criticising Israeli abuses.

Still, the leadership of the Democratic and Republican parties have avoided publicly supporting Palestinian rights. During the 2024 presidential race, for instance, both major parties adopted staunchly pro-Israel platforms.

The campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris even refused to allow a Palestinian speaker at the party’s convention that year.

The flow of US money and weapons to Israel has also continued uninterrupted, despite the horrific atrocities in Gaza.

Furthermore, since taking office in January 2025, the administration of President Donald Trump has led a crackdown on Palestinian rights advocates, threatening foreign-born activists with deportation and other penalties.

Berry said that while the current conditions are challenging, Jackson taught the community to overcome barriers and build its power.

“I think that the lessons and the legacy of someone like Reverend Jackson teaches us that this is work that has to be done,” she told Al Jazeera.

For her part, Skaff said Jackson wanted Arab Americans to stand up and let their message be known.

“We’re stronger when we’re united and when we exercise our rights and responsibilities as American citizens: to stand up, to speak out, to run for office, to vote, vote, vote, vote,” she told Al Jazeera.

JAMES Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly renewed their wedding vows on his deathbed, just days before he passed away.

The iconic Dawson’s Creek actor, 48, sadly died last week after a cancer battle, leaving his friends, family and fans devastated.

Along with his wife, Kimberly, James is survived by their six children Olivia, 14, Joshua, 12, Annabel, 10, Emilia, 8, Gwen, 6, and Jeremiah, 3.

Now his heartbroken wife has revealed how the couple renewed their vows shortly before he died.

Kimberly revealed they managed to quickly put together a small ceremony with the help of close friends and family.

Speaking to People, she said: “We decided two days beforehand, and our friends got us new rings, filled our bedroom with flowers and candles, and we renewed our vows from bed.”

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Kimberly described the ceremony as “simple and beautiful and moving”.

In a sweet moment, musician Poranguí, a close friend of the couple, played Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

James and Kimberly met in 2009 and immediately fell in love.

Following a whirlwind romance they got married the next year, while they were expecting their first child.

Sadly, 16 years after their wedding, James had passed away.

Fans were left in shock when it was revealed by Kimberly and the actor’s family, that he had died after battling cancer.

The heartbreaking statement read: “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.”

The actor had been battling stage three colorectal cancer since 2024.

James spent the final years of his life advocating for early screenings to help spread awareness.

The actor got his start in small television roles on Clarissa Explains It All in 1993, As The World Turns in 1995 and Aliens in the Family in 1996.

He then scored the breakout role of Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek from 1998 to 2003 alongside Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams.

After finding success with the teenage drama, he went on to star in Varsity Blues in 1999, Scary Movie in 2000 and The Rules of Attraction in 2002.

He then had appearances on TV shows Criminal Minds in 2007, Ugly Betty in 2007, One Tree Hill in 2008, and Law and Order in 2011 and 2012.

Other appearances include How I Met Your Mother, CSI and Modern Family.

One of his final roles was on two episodes of Overcompensating in 2025.

James has won two MTV Movie Awards, one Teen Choice Award and other honors.

MILAN — She’s the only U.S. skater still in medal contention. Alysa Liu is the last person to care.

The unbothered 20-year-old is the only American who finished in the top six of the women’s short program Tuesday and is holding the weight of an Olympic medal drought that’s as old as she is. But after placing third in the short program, she said she hadn’t even looked at the standings. She is angling more for an invitation to the post-competition gala than a medal.

“A medal?” Liu asked with a sarcastic scoff and giggle. “I don’t need a medal. I just need to be here, and I just need to be present. And I need people to see what I do next.”

Next will be the women’s free skate Thursday, where Liu will try to be the first U.S. woman to stand on an Olympic podium for singles figure skating since Sasha Cohen in 2006.

The United States entered the Milan-Cortina Games with three strong contenders to end the drought, but will need comeback performances from the other two “Blade Angels.”

Alysa Liu is the top hope for the U.S. in women’s singles figure skating after finishing third in the short program.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Isabeau Levito skated cleanly in her Olympic debut but finished the short program in eighth with 70.84 points, almost eight points back from leader Ami Nakai’s 78.71.

Amber Glenn appeared poised to join Liu in medal contention after she started her “Like a Prayer” program with a steady triple axel. Looking inspired from a good luck message from Madonna this week, Glenn executed a strong triple-triple combination with her second jumping pass. The crowd at Milano Ice Skating arena roared.

Then Glenn popped her last planned triple jump. She earned zero points on the element. Her face fell immediately.

Glenn went through the motions of her step sequence but she looked lifeless, and after her program, she clutched the necklaces on her burgundy lace dress and knelt at center ice. She broke down in tears when she hugged her coach.

“I had it,” Glenn said through sobs.

With 67.39 points in 13th place, the three-time national champion is well outside the medal race led by Nakai and three-time world champion Kaori Sakamoto, who is in second with 77.23 points. Levito, skating in her mother’s hometown and paying homage to iconic Italian actress Sophia Loren with her short program, is less than six points out of podium position behind Liu’s 76.59 points.

Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart, wearing bedazzled headphones in a booth at the top of the arena, were shown on the video screen after Glenn’s skate clapping for her performance. U.S. teammate Ilia Malinin cheered behind them.

Malinin could empathize as Glenn held back tears on the ice. The United States won the team figure skating competition with a dramatic one-point victory but hasn’t secured any of the individual gold medals that appeared likely. Malinin, whose free skate collapse was one of the most stunning moments of the Milan-Cortina Games, cited the intense Olympic pressure.

Isabeau Levito competes during the women’s short program Tuesday.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

After a shaky performance in the team competition, Glenn tried to escape the spotlight by training with U.S. teammates at a facility in Bergamo, 50 minutes outside of Milan. She tried to commit to rest and recovery and shy away from social media. She said after training Monday that she felt physically strong and had refocused enough to make the competition feel like any other world championship.

Knowing how hard it was for Glenn to get one jump away from putting herself into medal contention made the sight of her mistake all the more painful for Liu.

“She works so freaking hard,” Liu said after seeing Glenn’s skate on TV screens in the interview area. “Genuinely, such a hard worker, and she’s overcome a lot, and I just want her to be happy.”

Liu received some of the loudest applause of the night. Before beginning her program, she skated by the boards and high-fived both of her coaches, who hugged and hopped for joy when Liu executed her tricky triple lutz-triple loop combination jump. After hitting her ending pose, Liu covered her face to hide the tears that often well up in her eyes after her program set to “Promise.”

The reigning world champion returned to her second Olympics seemingly oblivious to any sort of pressure after a two-year retirement changed her perspective on skating. In Beijing, she was a 16-year-old who skated as she was told. She executed the jumps, performed to the music and wore the costumes that she was given.

But she laid the road to Milan all by herself and on her own terms.

One strong free skate away from her first individual Olympic medal — and second overall after helping the United States to team gold last week — Liu can’t be bothered to fret about how she’ll prepare for her last Olympic competition. Instead, she said she wants fans to see her new gala program.

A new dress just arrived and the choreography is almost done. All she needs is an invitation.

Feb. 17 (UPI) — Officials for Germany-based Bayer have agreed to pay $7.25 billion to settle a class action filed by those who say its Roundup weedkiller caused them or their loved ones to develop cancer.

The proposed settlement would create a fund to pay for existing and future claims filed by those who say the weed killer caused non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is blood cancer that forms in the body’s lymphatic system – most often in the lymph nodes — and spreads to other organs.

Bayer filed the proposed settlement in the city of St. Louis Circuit Court on Tuesday that also would include a separate Durnell case that is before the Supreme Court.

“The proposed class settlement agreement, together with the Supreme Court case, provides an essential path out of the litigation uncertainty and enables us to devote our full attention to furthering the innovations that lie at the core of our mission: Health for all, Hunger for none,” said Bayer Chief Executive Officer Bill Anderson.

“This litigation and the resulting cost underscore the need for guidance from the Supreme Court on clear regulation in American agriculture.”

“The class settlement and Supreme Court case are both necessary to help bring the strongest, most certain and most timely containment to this litigation.”

Bayer subsidiary Monsanto produces the popularly used Roundup weedkiller and will make annual payments into the settlement fund over the next 21 years.

Monsanto officials do not admit to any wrongdoing and said they agreed to the settlement to end the tens of thousands of lawsuits filed against it and stop more from being filed.

The settlement applies to those who say they were exposed to Roundup before Tuesday and who have a medical diagnosis of non-Hodgkin lymphoma or are diagnosed with it within 16 years of the proposed settlement gaining final approval.

Mahdawi, a Palestinian student activist, faced deportation proceedings amid a protest crackdown under the Trump administration.

An immigration judge in the United States has ruled against an attempt under President Donald Trump to deport Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia University student arrested last year for his protests against Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

The decision, issued on February 13, became public as part of court filings on Tuesday from Mahdawi’s lawyers.

The filing was submitted to a federal appeals court in New York, which has been considering a challenge from the Trump administration against Mahdawi’s release from custody.

In a public statement released through the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Mahdawi thanked the immigration court for its decision, which he framed as a strike in favour of free-speech rights.

“I am grateful to the court for honoring the rule of law and holding the line against the government’s attempts to trample on due process,” Mahdawi said. “This decision is an important step towards upholding what fear tried to destroy: the right to speak for peace and justice.”

But the ACLU indicated that the immigration court’s decision was made “without prejudice”, a legal term that means the Trump administration could refile its case against Mahdawi.

Raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, Mahdawi is a lawful permanent resident who has lived in Vermont for 10 years.

He enrolled at Columbia, a prestigious Ivy League university, to study philosophy. But he was also a visible member of the campus’s activist community, founding a Palestinian student society alongside fellow student Mahmoud Khalil.

Columbia became a hub for pro-Palestinian protests in 2024, and Trump campaigned for re-election, in part, on cracking down on the demonstrations.

Khalil became the first student protester to be detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in March of last year, less than three months into Trump’s second term.

Then, on April 14, Mahdawi was arrested at a meeting set up by the government, allegedly to process his citizenship application.

ICE detained him in “direct retaliation for his advocacy of Palestinian rights”, the ACLU said in a statement at the time.

The Trump administration attempted to transfer Mahdawi out of state to Louisiana, but a court order ultimately blocked it from doing so.

Mahdawi was ultimately released on April 30, after US Judge Geoffrey Crawford accused the Trump administration of doing “great harm” to someone who had committed no crime.

Human rights advocates have described the Trump administration’s attempts to deport foreign-born student activists as a campaign to chill free speech.

After his release last year, Mahdawi walked out of the court with both hands in the air, flashing peace signs as supporters greeted him with cheers.

As he spoke, he shared a message for Trump. “I am not afraid of you,” Mahdawi said to Trump.

He also addressed the people of Palestine and sought to dispel perceptions that the student protest movement was anything but peaceful.

“We are pro-peace and antiwar,” Mahdawi explained. “To my people in Palestine: I feel your pain, I see your suffering, and I see freedom, and it is very soon.”

Mahdawi’s arrest comes as part of a wider push by the Trump administration to target visa holders and permanent residents for their pro-Palestine advocacy.

Trump has also pressured top universities to crack down on pro-Palestine protests in the name of combating anti-Semitism. In some cases, the Trump administration has opened investigations into campuses where pro-Palestinian protests were prominent, accusing them of civil rights violations.

Last July, Columbia University entered into a $200m settlement with the Trump administration, with a further $21m given to end a probe into allegations of religious-based harassment.

The university, however, did not admit to wrongdoing.

KATIE Price appeared to take a swipe at her new husband Lee Andrews exes with a cryptic quote.

The former glamour model, 47, shocked fans when she tied the knot with self-confessed businessman Lee in Dubai after just two weeks of knowing him.

It didn’t take long before Katie was issued a warning by Lee’s exes Alana Percival and Crystal Janke, who he dated at the same time last year. 

Last month Alana, 32, and Crystal, 40, told The Sun exclusively how they were hoodwinked by the businessman — branding him a lying swindler who preys on women.

But despite the women sharing their experiences with Lee, Katie appears to have paid it no attention.

Katie has taken to social media with what appears to be a swipe at those who have been critical of her whirlwind marriage.

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Katie shared a quote that read: “Be careful what you hear about a female.

“Rumours either came from a male that can’t have her or a female that can’t compete with her.”

She shared another pointed message, which said: “Classy is when you have a lot to say, but choose to remain silent in front of fools.”

Lee’s exes didn’t hold back when they revealed how they charmed them.

Last month Katie posted photos of her lover’s wedding proposal, with flowers spelling “Will you marry me?” at Dubai’s Burj Khalifa hotel. 

Alana, who works in property, said she got engaged to him at the same venue last September in the same way. 

And two weeks before that, Crystal believed Andrews was going to ask her to marry him there too. 

The family nurse practitioner from Texas said: “I was supposed to meet Lee at the Burj Khalifa two weeks before he proposed to Alana. 

“We’d looked at rings, he told me he wanted to marry me. 

“Luckily I had to cancel the trip because I was too busy with work. 

“He would have proposed to both of us. Who does that?” 

Mum-of-five Katie, who flew back from Dubai to her home in Horsham, West Sussex just days after the wedding.

The pair struck up a relationship on social media before their whirlwind wedding last week, days after they met in person. 

And Alana and Crystal fear history may repeat itself. 

Lee connected with Alana on Facebook in March last year and struck up an online conversation with Crystal two months later. 

Earlier today, it was revealed that Katie and Lee have still not returned to the UK after their honeymoon.

It came after speculation that Lee was banned from touching down on home turf after “taking out a £200K loan in his ex’s name”.

Katie returning back to the UK on her own just days after their wedding – as her husband explained she needed to see her children.

Lee vowed he would soon be on a flight from the UAE to join her.

However, he remained in Dubai to house hunt ahead of Katie putting a deposit down on a home. She then rejoined him for their honeymoon in the emirate over a week ago and they have been together ever since.

Ivan Toney leaves the door open for a move back to the Premier League, Liverpool have no plans to sell Dominik Szoboszlai, but Nick Woltemade keen for a move back to the Bundesliga.

Al-Ahli’s 29-year-old England striker Ivan Toney has left the door open for a move back to the Premier League. (Sky Sports), external

Liverpool have no plans to sell Dominik Szoboszlai despite speculation linking the Hungary midfielder with Real Madrid, with talks progressing over a new contract for the 25-year-old. (Teamtalk), external

Germany striker Nick Woltemade is unhappy at Newcastle and the 24-year-old would welcome a move back to Stuttgart or Bayern Munich. (Bild – in German), external

Manchester United have no intention of lowering their £26m asking price for 28-year-old England forward Marcus Rashford, who is on loan at Barcelona. (Mail), external

Nicolas Jackson and Chelsea will evaluate their options in the summer with Bayern Munich not expected to trigger an obligation to buy the 24-year-old Senegal striker during his season-long loan in Germany. (Mail – subscription required), external

Sunderland will try to sign a new striker this summer to replace 25-year-old French forward Wilson Isidor, who wants to leave the club. (Football Insider), external

Atletico Madrid want Argentina striker Julian Alvarez to sign a new contract but the 26-year-old’s preferred destination is Barcelona. (Sport – in Spanish), external

Tottenham, Crystal Palace and West Ham are among the clubs keen on signing Real Madrid’s 32-year-old Germany defender Antonio Rudiger this summer. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external

Nottingham Forest‘s 23-year-old Brazil defender Murillo has emerged as a key target for Chelsea but the Reds’ asking price is around £70m. (Caught Offside), external

Everton are set to reject any approach for 27-year-old English midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall this summer amid interest from Tottenham. (Football Insider), external

Former England forward Jesse Lingard, 33, is on the verge of joining Brazilian side Remo after leaving FC Seoul in January. (Sun), external

Feb. 17 (UPI) — Officials for Fulton County, Ga., said in a filing Tuesday that the Department of Justice lied to get a warrant to raid and seize 2020 election materials from the county’s elections office.

The officials say President Donald Trump‘s former campaign attorney, Kurt Olsen, orchestrated the search and seizure by the FBI that happened on Jan. 18 at the Fulton County Elections Hub and Operation Center.

“The affidavit admits that the entire ‘criminal investigation originated from a referral sent by Kurt Olsen,’ but it conceals the fact that multiple courts have sanctioned Olsen for his unsubstantiated, speculative claims about elections,” the officials said in an amended motion filed Tuesday.

County officials want the Justice Department to return seized election ballots, voter rolls, digital ballot images and tabulator tapes that are related to the county’s certification of the 2020 presidential election.

“Instead of alleging probable cause to believe a crime has been committed,” the county officials say the Justice Department’s application “does nothing more than describe the types of human errors that its own sources confirm occur in almost every election — with no wrongdoing whatsoever.”

The FBI did not tell the magistrate judge who approved the search warrant that the claims made against Fulton County election officials already had been investigated and debunked, county officials said in their newest filing.

The federal lawsuit was filed on Sunday in the U.S. District Court of Northern Georgia by the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Georgia Coalition for the People’s Agenda, the NAACP and Atlanta and Georgia State Conference branches of the NAACP.

They want to stop the Trump administration from using the voter records to purge voters, improperly disclose information or intimidate or dox voters.

⁠Vinicius Jr scored a sublime second-half winner as Real Madrid beat Benfica 1-0 in their Champions League playoff first leg, a night overshadowed by the Brazilian accusing Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni ⁠of directing a racist slur at him.

The alleged incident occurred moments after Vinicius had curled Real ahead, five minutes into the second half at the Estadio da Luz on Tuesday, before referee Francois Letexier halted the match for 11 minutes under FIFA’s ⁠anti-racism protocol.

Television pictures showed the Argentinian winger covering his mouth with his shirt before making a comment that Vinicius and nearby teammates interpreted as a racial slur against the 25-year-old, who has repeatedly suffered racism in Spain during matches.

“It is unbelievable that, with dozens of cameras in the stadium, that none could have caught [Prestianni’s] racial slur, but if you cover your mouth ‌to say something, that says a lot,” Real captain Federico Valverde told Movistar Plus.

“According to my teammates who were close, they heard something very ugly. Many people have been fighting against racism in football; Vinicius is one of them. I’m proud of him and his great game.”

The Associated Press news agency reported that television cameras picked up Vinicius Junior telling the referee that Prestianni had called him a “monkey”.

Benfica began the game on the front foot, but the visitors gradually assumed control while the hosts appeared content to counterattack, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois producing a stunning one-handed save to keep out a 25th-minute strike from Fredrik Aursnes.

Real finished the first half strongly, and only goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin’s brilliance kept ⁠the score goalless at the break as he produced stunning saves to deny Kylian ⁠Mbappe and Arda Guler.

The breakthrough came five minutes after the restart. Mbappe burst forward and fed Vinicius on the left. The Brazilian cut diagonally towards the box, shifted inside and unleashed an unstoppable curling shot into the far top corner.

Vinicius celebrated by dancing with the corner flag and ⁠was booked by Letexier for excessive celebration.

As the forward argued with the referee, he became involved in a heated exchange with Prestianni, with Vinicius and several teammates suddenly running towards ⁠the referee.

Letexier crossed his arms in front of his face to activate ⁠FIFA’s protocol and stopped the match. Real’s players threatened to leave the pitch as tensions flared, before play eventually resumed 11 minutes later.

The atmosphere turned hostile, with Vinicius loudly booed whenever he touched the ball, and the broadcast camera appeared to show an outraged Mbappe calling Prestianni “a bloody racist” to ‌his face several times after the game resumed.

Tempers flared again in the 85th minute, when Vinicius fouled Richard Rios. Benfica manager Jose Mourinho stormed towards the fourth official, demanding a second booking for the Brazilian, but was himself cautioned ‌for ‌his protests.

An incensed Mourinho continued remonstrating, and was promptly shown a second yellow card.

Benfica pushed late on, but managed only three shots on target as Real secured a slender advantage to take back to Madrid for the return leg.

Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa decried the alleged abuse against Vinicius Junior.

“I think everyone can see what happened with Prestianni,” he said.

Arbeloa added, “We have to fight against this type of attitude”, and, “If we don’t respect each other, then it is a problem”.

Madrid right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold told Amazon Prime that what allegedly happened during the match was a “disgrace to football” and overshadowed the performance and an amazing goal.

“Vini has been subject to this a few times throughout his career,” he said. “To ruin a night like this for our team is a disgrace. There is no place for it in football or society. It is disgusting.”

Mourinho criticised Vinicius Junior’s celebration and defended the club – if not Prestianni – against allegations of racism.

“Words were exchanged. I want to be independent. I don’t want to say I believe in Prestianni or believe in Vinicius,” he said.

“I told [Vinicius], ‘When you score a goal like that, you just celebrate in a respectful way’. When he was arguing about racism, I told him the biggest person [Eusebio] in the history of this club was Black. This club, the last thing that it is, is racist.”

Galatasaray thrash Juve 5-2

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Dutch midfielder Noa Lang scored a brace as Galatasaray thumped Juventus 5-2 in a pulsating contest in Istanbul in the first leg of a Champions League playoff.

In a nerve-shredding atmosphere, Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus actually led 2-1 at half-time after Teun Koopmeiners replied to Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Sara’s opener with a brace of his own.

But Colombian full-back Juan Cabal was dismissed for two bookings in a calamitous second half for the Italian side, as Lang’s brace and goals from Davinson Sanchez and Sacha Boey sunk Juventus.

Meanwhile, Champions League holders Paris Saint Germain overcame a horror start and a two-goal deficit to beat 10-man Monaco 3-2 away in the first leg of their knockout round ⁠playoff tie.

Desire Doue came off the bench to engineer an impressive turnaround for PSG, who conceded a goal in the opening minute and were 2-0 down after 18 minutes as Folarin Balogun grabbed a double for ⁠the hosts.

The 20-year-old Doue replaced Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele, who went off injured after 27 minutes, and proved decisive for the visitors as he struck two superb goals, as well as setting one up for Achraf Hakimi.

In Germany, striker Serhou Guirassy ⁠scored one ⁠goal and created another as hosts Borussia Dortmund claimed a ⁠2-0 victory over Italian visitors Atalanta in the first leg ⁠of their Champions League playoff tie on Tuesday.

A Gogglebox family has been missing a family member on their sofa in the latest series and he has now shared the reason for his absence in a hospital selfie

A Gogglebox star has revealed why he hasn’t been in front of the camera lately. Raza Siddiqui is a fan favourite on the hit Channel 4 series, but had to take time away from filming.

He had been a regular on the show since it first started in 2013. He often appeared alongside his family as they offered their thoughts on the latest shows. But he was nowhere to be seen in the latest series, leaving fans questioning where he was, while dad Sid and brothers Umar and Bassit continue to entertain.

Now, Raza has posted an update from his hospital bed. Sharing the snap on the Siddiqui family’s Instagram page, the upload showed a series of pictures of him in hospital. In some images, he was hooked up to breathing machines.

And to explain his absence from the show, the post read: “For you eagle eyed Goggleboxers, you may have noticed that Raza (@razathefaint) hasn’t joined us on the sofa so far this season. Sadly he had a bit of a fall, a few weeks back and cracked some ribs.”

The post said they fully expect him to return in a few weeks as he is recovering well. It went on: “He’s absolutely smashing his recovery, staying positive and keeping himself entertained with walks, telly, reading and nephew cuddles with Theodore.

I know you guys reaching out and sending your well wishes will put a bigger smile on his face than morphine ever could. Can’t wait for all four Siddiquis to be back on team @c4gogglebox with the rest of the fab families.”

The post was met with an influx of positivity and messages of well wishes. One user wrote: “Bless you get well soon, we look forward to having you back on our screens when you are well enough.”

Another wished him a “speedy recovery”. And a third said: “Oh no! Get well soon!”

The Siddiquis weren’t the only family to be missing a member in the latest series. Fans quickly spotted siblings Tremaine and Tristan Plummer weren’t joined by their brother Twaine. The trio had joined the programme in 2016, but Twaine was a recent absentee from the show.

On Instagram before the episode aired, Tremaine and Tristan confirmed: “It’s just the two T’s today as Twaine left us to go on holiday. So we’ve got a new member of the team now,” before picking up their adorable dog.

Twaine let his feelings be known as he responded to the post, saying: “Wish I was there.” He was quickly supported by his fans, who went on to wish him a happy birthday.

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PHOENIX — With Tommy Edman opening the season on the injured list, Hyeseong Kim is a prime candidate to see an uptick in playing time at second base for the Dodgers in the coming season. On Tuesday, he further solidified his case.

With teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto throwing a live batting practice session on the backfields at Camelback Ranch, Kim took the World Series MVP on an unexpected ride. On the 16th pitch of Yamamoto’s live batting practice, Kim crushed an opposite-field home run, dazzling the hundreds of Dodgers fans gathered to watch the team ready itself for its first slate of exhibition games that begin Saturday.

Kim’s home run came after watching Yamamoto walk Teoscar Hernández, induce a ground ball from Andy Pages, and strike out newcomer Kyle Tucker looking. However, Kim wasn’t finished quite yet.

Yamamoto took a short break, as Shohei Ohtani threw a round of batting practice himself. After Ohtani got his work in, Yamamoto returned to the mound, with Kim waiting for him in the batter’s box.

On the fifth pitch of his second at-bat versus Yamamoto, Kim ripped a base hit to right field. Yamamoto would see eight at bats on the day, logging 30 pitches. He allowed three hits, two of which came from Kim.

Kim said he tweaked his swing last year after coming over from the KBO on a three-year, $12.5 million contract, and is continuing to progress and feel more comfortable with the adjustments he’s made.

“The swing changes we made last year, I would say I felt about 70% comfortable with,” Kim said through an interpreter on Monday. “And then, this offseason and spring training, we were able to recognize some of the other stuff that we needed to work on, so I’m working very hard to make those changes again this year.”

As a rookie, he batted .280 with a .314 on base percentage, .699 OPS, three home runs and 17 RBI across 71 games. He began the season in Triple-A, before earning a promotion in May. A left shoulder injury would land him on the IL, limiting his time in his first big league season — though he was healthy enough to be on the team’s postseason roster primarily as a late-inning defensive replacement, playing second base when the Dodgers closed out their Game 7 World Series victory.

Kim also mixed in 17 games in the outfield to provide depth behind Pages last season, and he knew his outfield defense would be an offseason priority.

“I was aware that I needed to work on my center field and outfield defense,” Kim said. “Even without the front office telling me, I knew that it was something I needed to work on, so I was going to work on it regardless.”

As he prepped for the coming season, Kim focused on his nutrition, upping his protein intake and adding some weight.

“I noticed that I lost a little bit of weight throughout the season and I wanted to make sure that I was gaining my weight back before the season started,” Kim said. “So, I made sure to intake my proteins and my meals so that I was able to gain 2-3 kilograms this offseason.”

With the news that Edman is still on the mend from offseason ankle surgery, Kim stands to benefit in terms of playing time but he says he’s not getting ahead of himself.

“I’m using this time — the offseason and spring training — to just get better,” Kim said. “Whether I play more or not, it doesn’t really affect me much. I’m just trying to get better every day.”

Feb. 17 (UPI) — The DNA on a glove found Nancy Guthrie’s home was not a match to anyone in the federal DNA database, police said Tuesday.

Guthrie, 84, is the mother of Today show host Savannah Guthrie. She has been missing from her home since Jan. 31 and was reported missing after she failed to show up the next morning to watch a live stream of a church service at a friend’s house.

“We’re hopeful that we’re always getting closer, but the news now, I think, is we had heard this morning that, of course, the DNA on the glove that was found two miles away was submitted for CODIS. And I just heard that CODIS had no hits,” Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos told KARE 11 News.

The glove DNA was sent through the Combined DNA Index System, which is managed by the FBI. CODIS is a national DNA database that has more than 19 million profiles of offenders.

“There is additional DNA evidence that was found at the residence, and that is also being analyzed,” Nanos said.

There were about 16 gloves found near Guthrie’s home, and most of the gloves belonged to searchers who discarded them while in the area.

Investigators are also reviewing evidence taken via two search warrants from last week, CNN reported the sheriff said. All those detained for questioning have been released, Nanos said.

Police are “canvassing businesses and showing the doorbell video released by the FBI to determine whether the suspect appears familiar,” the sheriff’s department said in response to questions about gun shops.

On Monday, police confirmed that no members of Guthrie’s family are suspects and that the family have been “100 percent cooperative” in the investigation.

“Not one single person in the family is a suspect,” Nanos said. “Effective today, you guys need to knock it off. Quit. People are hurting — they are victims.”

He added that police took their phones and computers, and processed their vehicles and homes.

Colombia’s largest criminal group paused talks after President Gustavo Petro pledged to target its leader, Chiquito Malo.

Colombia’s government has announced it will resume peace talks with the powerful Gulf Clan, also known as the Gaitanist Self-Defence Forces (ECG), after the criminal group expressed concern about a recent deal with the United States.

Tuesday’s announcement addresses a temporary suspension the Gulf Clan announced earlier this month, in the wake of a meeting between Colombian President Gustavo Petro and his US counterpart, Donald Trump.

Faced with US pressure to crack down on drug cartels, Petro agreed to prioritise three “kingpins” his government considered “high-level targets”.

One of those targets was the leader of the Gulf Clan, Jobanis de Jesus Avila Villadiego, known as Chiquito Malo.

The Gulf Clan responded by pausing talks with the Petro government until it received clarity on the scope of the government’s actions.

In a joint statement on Tuesday, the two parties said they had “overcome” any hurdles to the talks.

They also explained that the ongoing talks would be mediated by the Catholic Church and the governments of Qatar, Spain, Norway and Switzerland.

The Gulf Clan is one of several armed groups that have jostled for control of territory as part of Colombia’s six-decade-long internal conflict, which has pitted criminal groups, left-wing rebels, government forces and right-wing paramilitaries against each other.

With approximately 9,000 fighters, the Gulf Clan is considered one of the country’s largest cartels. The US designated it a “foreign terrorist organisation” in December.

Trump has pushed the Petro government to take more aggressive action against drug trafficking overall. In January, he even threatened to attack Colombia, saying that Petro needed to “watch his a**”.

But relations between the two leaders have warmed in recent weeks, particularly since Petro’s visit to the White House on February 3.

Previously, Colombian governments had taken a more militarised approach to addressing the country’s internal conflict. Colombia has long been considered a top ally in the US’s worldwide “war on drugs”.

But upon taking office in 2022, Petro sought to take a different approach, bringing armed groups and criminal networks to the table for negotiations under a programme called “Total Peace”.

The peace talks, however, have faced a series of setbacks, particularly in the wake of new bursts of violence.

In January, for example, Petro granted himself emergency powers following an outbreak of violence near the border with Venezuela between various armed groups, including the National Liberation Army (ELN).

That violence resulted in the suspension of peace talks with the ELN.

Petro, the country’s first left-wing president, has also faced pressure from the right to assure justice is carried out on behalf of the victims of drug trafficking.

His government has repeatedly rejected allegations that it has not done enough to stem drug trafficking in Colombia, which has historically been the world’s largest producer of cocaine.

Petro has pointed to historic drug busts, including one in November that resulted in the seizure of 14 tonnes of cocaine, as evidence of his government’s efficacy.

Criminal networks and other groups have long jostled to gain control of drug-trafficking routes.

Those clashes saw a spike after a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), a leftist rebel group that agreed to disarm in 2016.

The group’s dissolution left a power vacuum that other drug-trafficking organisations have sought to fill.

How to address Colombia’s ongoing internal conflict is set to be a major election issue in May, when the country chooses a new president. Petro is limited by law to a single consecutive term and will therefore not be on the ballot.

Tiger Woods says competing at this year’s Masters is “not off the table” but the 15-time major champion still has no timetable for his return.

Woods, who turned 50 on 30 December, underwent surgery in October to replace a disc in his back.

It was the latest in a series of operations and injuries that have kept the American sidelined since missing the cut at The Open in July 2024.

“It’s just one of those things where it’s each and every day, I keep trying, I keep progressing,” said Woods.

“I keep working on it, trying to get stronger, trying to get more endurance in this body and trying to get it at a level at which I can play at the highest level again.”

Speaking at the Riviera Country Club near Los Angeles, where he hosts this week’s Genesis Invitational, Woods said he has progressed from chipping and putting practice and is now “able to” hit full shots.

“Not well every day, but I can hit them,” he said.

“As far as the disc replacement, it’s just sore. It takes time. My body has been through a lot.”

Woods claimed his fifth Masters title in 2019, ending an 11-year major championship drought, and added that he had not ruled out competing at Augusta from 9-12 April.

He suffered severe leg injuries in a 2021 car crash before undergoing a back operation in September 2024 and suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon last March.

“I’ve had a fused back and now a disc replacement, so it’s challenging,” said the 50-year-old. “Now I’ve entered a new decade so that number is starting to sink in and has us thinking about the opportunity to be able to play in a cart [on the Champions Tour].”

Feb. 17 (UPI) — Artificial intelligence and software analytics firm Palantir Technologies Inc. has moved its headquarters from Denver to Miami, company officials announced on Tuesday.

The announcement was made on social media and says only that Palantir has moved its headquarters to Miami without providing other information.

The tech firm has many government contracts, including with federal immigration law enforcement agencies and the military, which recently triggered protests and vandalism at Palantir’s Denver headquarters.

Palantir co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Alex Karp recently described it as a “completely anti-woke” firm that seeks employees who share its values, according to the Denver Gazette.

Palantir accepted a $30 million contract to create the ImmigrationOS app that enables Immigration and Customs Enforcement to support self-deportation, and the U.S. Army awarded the tech firm an up-to-$10 billion contract to provide data and software tools over the next decade.

Palantir also is among the corporate donors that contributed $300 million to build a ballroom on the site of the former East Wing of the White House.

Palantir’s co-founders established the tech firm in Palo Alto, Calif., in 2003 and in 2020 moved its headquarters to Denver.

The move to Miami follows that of many other tech firms and positions the coastal city as a rival to California’s Silicon Valley.

Florida’s tax-friendly business environment has helped the state to lure many tech billionaires from California, where lawmakers are wrangling over a proposed 5% wealth tax on residents who have a net worth of $1 billion or more.

Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel has relocated to Miami ahead of the tech firm’s headquarters move, and Karp in 2020 said the tech firm does not share the same values as many others in Silicon Valley’s tech community.

Meta Platforms Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg also is among wealthy big-tech bosses who have moved from California to Florida, and many tech firms have established hubs in Miami.

A large wave of American airpower is heading toward the Middle East to bolster forces already there as U.S. President Donald Trump considers an attack against Iran. Online flight trackers are showing F-22 Raptors, F-16 Fighting Falcons, E-3 Sentry radar planes and a U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane either in transit across the Atlantic or newly arrived in Europe. In addition, a seventh Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer, the USS Pinckney, has recently deployed to the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility (AOR) as well, a U.S. Navy official told us.

While we don’t know whether Trump will decide to attack Iran, these are exactly the movements we’ve been expecting, but so far not seeing, in advance of a sustained operation, both defensive and offensive. The U.S. aircraft heading east represents the most intense phase of a force plus-up that began after Trump started threatening Iran over its harsh treatment of anti-regime protesters. Taken together, the force now assembling in the Middle East, combined with the Israel Air Force’s capabilities, including hundreds of fighter aircraft, as well as USAF ‘global airpower’ bomber flights, would be enough for a major operation that could last weeks not days. We will likely see additional assets deploy in the coming days.

This intensifying buildup comes against the backdrop of another round of peace negotiations between Washington and Tehran that wrapped up Tuesday morning Eastern Time with future discussions being planned. You can read more about that later in this story.

Online flight tracking data shows that at least a dozen F-22s have left Langley Air Force Base in Virginia at about 5 a.m. Eastern, heading east. Their first destination is most likely Lakenheath Air Base in the U.K., a major transit hub for aircraft moving between the U.S. and Middle East. However, we don’t know that for sure and CENTCOM has declined to talk about aircraft, ship and troop movements.

F-22s are primarily America’s most capable air-to-air fighter, but they can also be used to destroy enemy air defenses and strike other ground targets. Raptors helped protect B-2A Spirit stealth bombers during last June’s Operation Midnight Hammer attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. It should be noted that four days before Midnight Hammer, F-22s made a similar transit across the Atlantic and took part in the mission.

I’m just going to say that they don’t forward deploy F-22s to leave them hanging around for ages.

For Midnight Hammer there was a 4 day gap between the F-22s leaving CONUS and the operation.

— Oliver Alexander (@OAlexanderDK) February 17, 2026

At least 36 F-16s appear to be on the move toward the Middle East as well. This reportedly includes 12 each from Aviano Air Base in Italy, Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany and McEntire Joint National Guard Base (JNGB) in South Carolina. As with the Raptors, these jets could be used in a defensive air-to-air role against drones and missiles or in an air-to-ground role. There are a limited number of USAF F-16s already in theater.

Large USAF fighter deployment underway toward Middle East: 36× F-16 (12 Aviano, 12 Spangdahlem, 12 McEntire JNGB) and 12× F-22 TREND51 from Langley, supported by multiple tanker waves staging via Europe and the Atlantic toward regional bases.

Details:

USAFE: KC-135 LAGER 12/13… pic.twitter.com/sKmFSluKQm

— Shah Faisal AfRidi (@Sfaisalafridi) February 17, 2026

Two E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning And Control Systems (AWACS) jets landed at Mildenhall Air Base in the U.K. shortly after 10:30 a.m. local time (about 5:30 a.m. Eastern), aviation photographer Stewart Jack told us. With look-down radar and its advanced communications suite, as well as passive sensors, these jets would play a critical role managing the allied air battle and tracking Iranian threats, especially drones and cruise missiles.

There is also at least one U-2 Dragon Lady spy plane on the way to the region as well. As we have previously noted, the U-2 can provide high-altitude surveillance in addition to serving as a communications link between F-22s and F-35 Lighting II stealth fighters.

Yesterday, 18 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters left Lakenheath Air Base in the U.K. headed for Muwaffaq Salti, in central Jordan, which has become a central hub for U.S. tactical jets and other aircraft. As we have explained in the past, these types of jets played a key role in Midnight Hammer, suppressing and destroying Iranian air defenses. They were also the first tactical aircraft in and the last ones out.

These movements follow previous flights of F-35A Lighting II stealth fighters, F-15E Strike Eagles, E/A-18G Growler electronic warfare jets and other aircraft to Muwaffaq Salti, where they joined tactical aircraft, including Strike Eagles, Growlers, and A-10 Thunderbolt II close support jets, already deployed. MQ-9 Reapers and special operations MC-130s and other U.S. assets are also hosted there. The Jordanian base is becoming increasingly crowded, raising questions about where additional aircraft could go. All these assets are deploying to Muwaffaq Salti despite statements from Amman that it would not allow its airspace to be used for any attack against Iran.

Taking these assets out of the fight, or not allowing overflights by other aircraft, reduces the U.S. and allies’ ability to strike targets in Iran. It is unlikely to factor into the possibility of defending against the large number of missiles and drones Iran could fire in retaliation for any attack.

There is also the possibility that Jordan issued its statement for consumption by a home audience wary of war with Iran, especially if that means fighting on the side of the Israelis. It’s also possible that messaging is intended to keep them from being struck by Iran in a massive retaliatory strike, but U.S. access to basing and airspace may be clandestinely allowed, even if to a limited degree. We just don’t know.

Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, hosting F-15Es, A-10s, ISR drones, THAAD/PATRIOT and potentially F-35s, is a key CENTCOM hub. In conflict, Iran could strike with MRBMs or long-range drones to degrade U.S. regional power and ISR capabilities. pic.twitter.com/3f2TyWnlld

— Mohammad Hassan Sangtarash (@MHSangtarash) February 16, 2026

On the sea, with the addition of the Pinckney, the Navy now has 12 surface combatants in the area, including the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (CSG) and its three Arleigh Burke class escorts, three independently deployed Arleigh Burke class ships in the CENTCOM region and two in the Mediterranean, and three Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) also now in the CENTCOM area. There are also nuclear submarines there, with at least one accompanying each CSG, as well as likely guided missile submarines (SSGN), but the Navy does not disclose the location of those boats.

In addition, the Gerald R. Ford CSG is now in the 6th Fleet region, a Navy official told us. The carrier and its three Arleigh Burke escorts were ordered by Trump to head to the Middle East from the Caribbean, where it took part in the mission to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. There are also more than 30,000 U.S. troops in bases across the Middle East.

Having two carriers, with F/A-18E-F Super Hornets and EA-18G Growlers, and one with F-35Cs, all escorted by Aegis-equipped, missile carrying Arleigh Burkes add a significant amount of mobile firepower that gives U.S. planners increased flexibility.

As the U.S. boosts its assets, the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has closed off the Strait of Hormuz for a live-fire exercise, state media reported. It marks the first time Iran has shut parts of the Strait since Trump threatened Iran with military action in January.

Dubbed “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz,” the drills began Monday and include firing anti-ship cruise missiles at targets and IRGC naval drone and submarine units carrying out operations originating from the three Iranian islands, according to Iranian media.

“The armed drones used in the exercise—capable of engaging both air and sea targets—are among the IRGC Navy’s newest strategic platforms and are deployed in significant numbers, though their names and technical specifications remain classified,” the official Iranian FARS News outlet claimed.

An official from CENTCOM, which had previously warned against Iranian actions in the Strait, declined comment on Tuesday.

You can read more about how Iran could shut down the Strait, a stragetically important chokepoint through which about 20% of the world’s crude oil passes, in our analysis of the possibility here.

⚡️BREAKING

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards fired Anti-Ship Missiles into the Strait of Hormuz

Parts of the Strait are now closed for military activity pic.twitter.com/ZkJuthNLaD

— Iran Observer (@IranObserver0) February 17, 2026

The Tasnim news agency released footage of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards holding drills in the Hormuz Strait a day before the US and Iran resume nuclear negotiations pic.twitter.com/QkVsYLNJ0i

— Reuters (@Reuters) February 16, 2026

In a speech Tuesday morning, Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Sayed Khamenei issued a threat against U.S. warships.

“We constantly hear that they have sent a warship towards Iran,” Khamenei said. “A warship is certainly a dangerous weapon, but even more dangerous is the weapon capable of sinking it.”

The Iranian leader offered no details about what weapon.

Khamenei to Trump:

‘They keep saying we sent an aircraft carrier towards Iran. Well, an aircraft carrier is certainly a dangerous tool, but more dangerous than the aircraft carrier is the weapon that can send this warship to the bottom of the sea’ pic.twitter.com/uzpyUPibzV

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) February 17, 2026

Meanwhile, as both sides rattle sabers, the indirect negotiations in Switzerland, moderated by Oman, ended on Tuesday with an agreement on a “set of guiding principles,” according to Iran’s foreign minister. Abbas Araghchi said both sides had agreed to exchange drafts on a potential deal. However, Araghchi “was as positive as he was vague, providing little clarity on what had been discussed or when the next round of discussions might be held,” The New York Times noted.

“American officials did not immediately comment publicly on the talks, but one U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss private negotiations, said the two sides had made progress,” the publication added. “The official said the Iranians would provide more detailed proposals in the next two weeks to address some of the gaps between the United States and Iran, but did not provide any specifics.”

“We now have a clear path ahead, which in my view is positive,” he said.

Araghchi told Iranian state television that the talks had been “more constructive” and had made “good progress” compared with a previous round of negotiations in Oman this month.

Still, there remains a wide gap between Washington and Tehran. Trump does not want Iran to have nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them while Araghchi “has emphasized that Iran’s right to use peaceful nuclear energy is inherent, non-negotiable, and legally binding,” according to the official Iranian IRNA news outlet.

In an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker said the Trump administration is willing to negotiate, but noted what Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Monday that “it would be a very bad day for Iran” if it decides not to reach an agreement.

US Ambassador to NATO Matt Whitaker: President Trump is “willing to give real diplomacy a chance to solve this peacefully, but if it doesn’t, as he said, it will be a very bad day for Iran.” pic.twitter.com/rZh6D3wWql

— Moshe Schwartz (@YWNReporter) February 17, 2026

Though these talks may be progressing to another round, remember that three days before Midnight Hammer, the White House said Trump would decide “within two weeks” about whether to strike or keep negotiating.

While Trump’s ultimate intentions toward Iran remain a mystery, this latest influx of U.S. air and sea power gives him greater options, and above all else, far more credibility that an attack could do massive damage to the Iranian regime, which could factor heavily in negotiations.

The bottomline here is that we are finally seeing the exact force mix coalesce that would be expected of a major air campaign against Iran, especially if Israel intends to play a central role with all its assets already in the region.

Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com