By Jessie Schuster
Edited by Elissa D. Hecker
Entertainment
Netflix Boss Says $83B Warner Bros Takeover Will Benefit Industry
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos defended the company’s $82.8B Bid to Acquire Warner Bros. Discovery assets, saying the deal would spur industry growth and benefit creators and consumers, even as political and competitive scrutiny mounts.
https://www.theguardian.com/media/2026/feb/23/netflix-warner-bros-takeover-ted-sarandos-donald-trump-susan-rice
Ryan Reynolds Skips Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni Settlement Conference
The ongoing legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni continues in New York with a court-ordered settlement conference that Blake Lively attended on her own. Attorneys failed to reach agreement and no deal was made.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/videos/ryan-reynolds-skips-blake-lively-054157585.html
Shia LaBeouf Allegedly Called Queer Man Homophobic Slurs Before New Orleans Arrest
Actor Shia LaBeouf was arrested in New Orleans after allegedly assaulting two men and repeatedly directing homophobic slurs at them during a Mardi Gras confrontation.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/feb/18/shia-labeouf-arrest-new-orleans
Arts
Was This Painting Looted by Nazis? After 19 Years, the Debate Goes On.
A nearly two-decade dispute continues over whether a painting by Franz Marc was looted by Nazis, with heirs and current holders still battling over provenance and rightful ownership.
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/17/arts/design/franz-marc-painting-nazi-looting.html
Arrests Made Over Alleged 10M Euros Louvre Ticket Scam
French authorities arrested suspects accused of orchestrating a €10 million scam involving fraudulent ticket sales to the Louvre Museum, allegedly exploiting high tourist demand.
https://www.theartnewspaper.com/2026/02/16/arrests-made-alleged-10-million-euro-louvre-ticket-scam
South Africa Will Officially Sit Out Venice Biennale After Gabrielle Goliath Cancelation
South Africa has officially withdrawn from the Venice Biennale after canceling artist Gabrielle Goliath’s pavilion, citing internal disputes and funding issues that left the country unable to participate this year.
https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/south-africa-officially-cancels-venice-biennale-pavilion-1234774028/
Sports
Let’s Take a Look at What NIL Agents Are Slipping Into Representation Agreements
NIL Agents are becoming overly comfortable with NIL agreements, as many are including broad commissions, exclusivity clauses, and long-term control provisions into athlete representation agreements, raising legal and ethical concerns.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/newsletter-image-likeness-vol-172-lets-take-look-what-darren-heitner-btfke/
Norway Breaks Record for Most Gold Medals Won at a Single Winter Olympics
Norway set a new record for the most gold medals ever won at a single Winter Olympics, cementing its dominance in winter sports.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/norway-breaks-record-for-most-gold-medals-won-a-single-winter-olympics/
Team USA Skier Hunter Hess Has Cheeky Response to Trump Calling Him A Loser
Hunter Hess fired back playfully after President Donald Trump called him a “loser,” turning the criticism into a viral moment during Olympic coverage.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2026/02/20/hunter-hess-donald-trump-olympics/88778685007/
Eileen Gu Responds to Criticism From JD Vance, Others in United States
Eileen Gu addressed criticism from JD Vance and others over her international affiliations, defending her choices and identity amid Olympic scrutiny.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2026/02/19/eileen-gu-jd-vance-united-states-2026-olympics/88764808007/
The Olympics Has a Russia Problem Heading Toward 2028 Summer Games in LA
As the 2026 Winter Olympics come to an end and the 2028 Summer Olympics approach, officials face mounting pressure over how to handle Russian athletes amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and sanctions tied to Russia.
https://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/article/the-olympics-has-a-russia-problem-heading-toward-2028-summer-games-in-los-angeles-181729283.html
Ski Guides Killed in Lake Tahoe Avalanche Identified as All Bodies Recovered From Mountain
Authorities confirmed that all victims from a deadly avalanche near Lake Tahoe have been recovered and identified as professional ski guides.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/21/us-news/blackbird-ski-guides-killed-in-lake-tahoe-avalanche-identified/
Media & Technology
Brendan Carr Confirms That the FCC Has Begun ‘Enforcement Proceedings’ Against ABC’s ‘The View’ Over Equal Time Issues
Brendan Carr has confirmed that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has opened enforcement proceedings into “The View” over alleged equal-time rule violations.
https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/brendan-carr-fcc-the-view-equal-time-colbert-1236667002/
Stephen Colbert, CBS, and the FCC: What to Know about the Heated Media Feud
Months after Jimmy Kimmel was briefly taken off the air, tensions have escalated among Stephen Colbert, CBS, and the FCC amid scrutiny over political commentary and broadcast regulations.
https://www.foxnews.com/media/stephen-colbert-cbs-fcc-what-know-about-heated-media-feud
SONY Group Develops Tech to Track Original Music in AI-Generated Songs
Sony Group is aiming to strengthen attribution and royalty enforcement by developing technology to trace original copyrighted music embedded in AI-generated songs.
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/sony-group-develops-tech-to-track-original-music-in-ai-generated-songs-report/
West Virginia Attorney General’s Lawsuit Alleges Apple’s iCloud Allows for Distribution of Child Pornography
With disturbing news on the rise following the release of the Epstein Files, the West Virginia attorney general filed suit alleging that Apple’s iCloud platform facilitated the distribution of child sexual abuse material.
https://www.wsj.com/tech/west-virginia-attorney-general-files-lawsuit-alleging-apples-icloud-allowed-for-distribution-of-child-pornography-48cb02e3?gaa_at=eafs&gaa_n=AWEtsqcYbC5XmlWOHhFHJc3RX2QlCXD7SKs_NcaRwqNLnqsIEKg5Fvi1nFehMSWARx4%3D&gaa_ts=699ba42f&gaa_sig=9EHrRevkzjkEr20VjauOKjCrv-Ixe-VncNwfLsa_nBLoR28cB-W8kLn1e6nQ4-LqZoSwsyP4vWsOHVSYgUuRaQ%3D%3D
After a Deadly Raid, an AI Power Struggle Erupts at the Pentagon
Following a deadly raid, internal conflict emerged within the Pentagon over the use and oversight of AI tools, spotlighting tensions between military leaders and tech contractors.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2026/02/22/pentagon-anthropic-ai-dispute/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/after-a-deadly-raid-an-ai-power-struggle-erupts-at-the-pentagon/ar-AA1WPKGj?item=flightsprg-tipsubsc-v1a?season
General News
The Supreme Court Struck Down Trump’s Tariffs. Now Comes the Hard Work of Issuing Refunds
After the Supreme Court invalidated tariffs imposed by Trump, federal agencies now face the complex task of calculating and issuing refunds.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2026/02/22/tsa-precheck-global-entry-suspended-shutdown/88810311007/
In Tariff Case, Supreme Court Justices Bicker Over Treating Trump and Biden Differently
During arguments, justices on the Supreme Court of the United States debated whether tariff powers were applied inconsistently between the administrations.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/tariffs-case-supreme-court-justices-bicker-biden-trump-treatment-rcna259922
Supreme Court’s Tariff Ruling and Trump’s Immediate New Levies Add New Uncertainty in Global Trade
The decision is a major setback for Trump, who responded by imposing a 10% global tariff after lashing out at the justices who ruled against him. Trade deals his administration has struck with countries around the world are now in question.
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2026/02/20/us/trump-tariffs-supreme-court
Supreme Court Asked to Reconsider 62-Year-Old Ruling
Petitioners are urging the Supreme Court of the United States to revisit a 62-year-old precedent that could significantly reshape federal legal doctrine. The petition asks the court to consider modifying or discarding standards established in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan. The 1964 ruling held that a state cannot award damages to a public official for defamatory falsehood relating to official conduct unless they prove "actual malice," meaning the statement was made knowing that it was false or with reckless disregard of whether it was true or false.
https://www.newsweek.com/supreme-court-asked-to-reconsider-62-year-old-ruling-11544235
TSA PreCheck Won’t Shut Down After All, DHS Says
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that TSA PreCheck will remain operational despite earlier shutdown concerns.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/news/2026/02/22/tsa-precheck-global-entry-suspended-shutdown/88810311007/
‘Beyond Parody’: Democrats Criticize Giant Trump Banner Hung at Justice Department Headquarters
Democrats condemned a large banner featuring Trump displayed at the United States Department of Justice, calling it inappropriate and politicized.
https://time.com/7379999/democrats-criticize-giant-trump-banner-justice-department/
Trump Trademarks His Name Ahead of Palm Beach Airport Renaming
Trump filed trademark applications for his name as discussions continue about renaming Palm Beach International Airport in his honor.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/02/17/trump-trademark-name-palm-beach-airport-renaming/88725793007/
In 2025, the U.S. Was the Only Tourist Area to See a Decline in Visitors. It’s Not Looking Any Better This Year.
The U.S. was the only major global destination to see a tourism decline in 2025, with forecasts showing continued weakness this year.
https://nypost.com/2026/02/21/us-news/blackbird-ski-guides-killed-in-lake-tahoe-avalanche-identified/
Gov. Murphy Vetoes Immigrant Protection Bills, Angering Activists
Phil Murphy vetoed several immigrant protection bills in New Jersey, drawing backlash from advocacy groups who say the measures were critical safeguards.
https://newjerseymonitor.com/2026/01/20/gov-murphy-vetoes-immigrant-protection-bills-angering-activists/
Will MAHA Turn on Trump? How His Executive Order Feels Like ‘Betrayal’
Supporters of the MAHA movement say a new executive order, influenced by tensions with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., undermines their environmental and health priorities.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2026/02/20/trump-executive-order-glyphosate-rfk-maha-moms/88780353007/
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Arrested
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by U.K. police, prompting renewed scrutiny of his past controversies and legal troubles regarding misconduct in public office, following the release of the Epstein Files.
https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/andrew-mountbatten-windsor-arrested-uk-police-02-19-26
Cuba-Bound Tanker Carrying Russian Fuels to Test Trump Blockade
A tanker transporting Russian fuel to Cuba is set to challenge enforcement of a blockade policy tied to Donald Trump’s sanctions strategy.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-20/cuba-bound-tanker-carrying-russian-fuels-to-test-trump-blockade