Brexit leader Nigel Farage departed Heathrow Airport on Saturday, bound for the Australian “jungle” – actually a rainforest – for reality TV show “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.” Farage, 59, was spotted enjoying a final cigarette in the airport’s smoking area, before boarding for the show which is believed to have netted him over $1M in appearance fees.
The British show has been running since 2002, and features feats of endurance and called the “Bushtucker Trials,” where contests are often made to eat bugs, tongues, eyes, and testicles.
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Previous seasons have featured former footballers, singers, politicians, and socialites.
This year’s cast of characters includes a former boxer, an ex jockey, and a handful of D-list celebrities. Farage is by far the most famous character in this year’s “jungle”. The show will air on Britain’s ITV channel from November 19th until mid December.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, was arrested by British police in connection with revelations in the Jeffrey Epstein files released by the U.S. government.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Thames Valley Police, and the late Jeffrey Epstein.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Arrest occurred on Thursday, his 66th birthday, in the United Kingdom.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office.” – Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright
🎯IMPACT: Mountbatten-Windsor could face life imprisonment if convicted.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, previously Prince Andrew, was arrested by Thames Valley Police on Thursday—his 66th birthday. The arrest relates to his ties to deceased pedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The ex-prince, whose royal titles were stripped by King Charles III last year, is suspected of misconduct in public office. Officers have carried out searches at properties in Berkshire and Norfolk.
The case centres on claims that Mountbatten-Windsor passed confidential trade documents to Epstein. An email from the Epstein files, released by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), indicates he forwarded official trade reports on Hong Kong, Singapore, and Vietnam to Epstein.
Virginia Giuffre, an Epstein accuser who died last year, had previously accused Mountbatten-Windsor of sexually abusing her when she was 17. Her family welcomed the arrest, saying, “Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty.”
King Charles III has called for a fair investigation, stressing, “Let me state clearly: the law must take its course.”
The release of the Epstein files has also put pressure on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Britain’s governing Labour Party, with Labour grandee Lord Peter Mandelson, whom Starmer appointed as ambassador to the U.S., also accused of passing confidential information to Epstein.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: An illegal immigrant from Ecuador, charged with sexual abuse of a child, was captured by federal authorities after being released due to Connecticut’s sanctuary policies.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Christian Espinosa-Sarango, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
📍WHEN & WHERE: Arrested on February 13 in North Haven, Connecticut, following charges filed on December 19, 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “These are the types of monsters Connecticut sanctuary politicians are releasing from their jails and onto the streets to perpetuate more crimes against children.” – Outgoing DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin
🎯IMPACT: The case highlights the dangers of sanctuary policies and the necessity of federal-local law enforcement cooperation.
IN FULL
Officers with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Christian Espinosa-Sarango, an Ecuadorian national unlawfully present in the United States, on February 13 in North Haven, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Espinosa-Sarango faces charges filed December 19, 2025, including sexual assault, illegal sexual contact with a child, and enticing minors with a computer.
Court records state he communicated online with an undercover law enforcement officer posing as the aunt of a 13-year-old girl. After being told the girl’s age, he allegedly requested explicit photographs, proposed sexual encounters, and arranged to meet her at a hotel, where authorities arrested him.
Officials said Espinosa-Sarango attempted to flee in his vehicle during the arrest, forcing officers to break a car window to take him into custody.
ICE lodged a detainer request with local law enforcement on December 23, but it was not honored under Connecticut’s sanctuary policies, resulting in his release. DHS criticized the state’s Trust Act, which limits cooperation between local agencies and federal immigration authorities.
Outgoing DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin condemned the policies, stating, “These are the types of monsters Connecticut sanctuary politicians are releasing from their jails and onto the streets to perpetuate more crimes against children.” She added, “We need local law enforcement to cooperate with us to get these heinous criminals out of our neighborhoods. Sanctuary policies make Americans less safe.”
McLaughlin praised ICE agents for apprehending Espinosa-Sarango, saying, “Thankfully, because of our brave ICE agents, Christian Espinosa-Sarango, a pedophile, will never walk American streets again. Sanctuary politicians must stop releasing pedophiles, murderers, rapists, and kidnappers into our neighborhoods.”
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Trump administration is proposing a legal change to restrict free transportation for illegal immigrants.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: The Department of Transportation and the Trump administration, with input from Marc Molinaro.
📍WHEN & WHERE: February 18, 2026, in the United States.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Systems that receive Federal funds are not using them to circumvent or break Federal immigrationlaw.” – Proposal Text
🎯IMPACT: Potentially restricts local governments from using federal transit funds for migrant transportation.
IN FULL
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) is drafting legislation that would prevent states and local governments from using federal transit funds to provide free transportation to illegal immigrants. The reform would prohibit the use of federal dollars for services that assist migrants in evading federal immigration enforcement. Sources familiar with the discussions say the language could be written broadly enough to cover a range of free transportation programs offered in some Democrat-led cities.
The measure is expected to be included in a broader surface transportation reauthorization package being assembled by DOT and the White House. Other provisions reportedly under consideration include banning speed cameras in Washington, D.C., and limiting federal funding for fare-free bus programs.
If enacted, the legislation would give Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy authority to withhold federal funding from transit agencies found to be using federal funds to transport illegal immigrants in ways that help them avoid federal authorities. Labor unions are reportedly watching the proposal closely.
The effort reflects a broader strategy by the Trump administration to use federal funding as leverage. DOT recently warned New York officials that transportation funds could be revoked after determining that more than half of the state’s commercial drivers were in the country illegally. The administration has also moved to cut funding to the Smithsonian Institution over disputes involving diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Republican Steve Hilton has taken the lead in the California governor’s race, according to a new poll.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Steve Hilton, Governor Gavin Newsom (D), Representative Eric Swalwell (D), Sheriff Chad Bianco (R), former Rep. Katie Porter (D), and billionaire Tom Steyer.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The poll was conducted from February 13–14 in California, ahead of the June 2 primaryelection.
💬KEY QUOTE: “The Republican electorate in California is split between Steve Hilton (38%) and Chad Bianco (37%), while Hilton also picks up a plurality of independent voter support at 22%,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.
🎯IMPACT: If Hilton wins, he would be the first Republican governor of California in two decades.
IN FULL
Republican Steve Hilton has emerged as the early front-runner in the race for governor of California, according to a new survey from Emerson College Polling. The former adviser to former British Prime Minister David Cameron leads the crowded field with 17 percent support, up five points since December, while 21 percent of voters remain undecided.
Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell and Republican Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco are tied for second at 14 percent each. Controversial former Rep. Katie Porter follows with 10 percent, while billionaire Tom Steyer trails closely behind. Among Republican voters, Hilton holds a narrow edge over Bianco, and he captures 22 percent support from independents.
“The Republican electorate in California is split between Steve Hilton (38 percent) and Chad Bianco (37 percent), while Hilton also picks up a plurality of independent voter support at 22 percent,” said Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling.
The poll, conducted February 13–14 among 1,000 likely voters, has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. California’s last Republican governor was Arnold Schwarzenegger, reelected in 2006. The state’s top-two primary system advances the two highest vote-getters, regardless of party, from the June 2 primary to the November 5 general election.
Hilton has raised nearly $6 million, second only to Steyer, who is largely self-funding. His campaign centers on housing affordability and economic concerns. According to the survey, 53 percent of voters say they have considered leaving California due to the high cost of living. Hilton has opposed proposals such as a billionaire tax and a mileage-based tax, and he has criticized Governor Gavin Newsom (D) and Mayor Karen Bass (D) over their response to the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) proposed a 9.5 percent property tax hike in his $127-billion preliminary budget to close a projected $5.4-billion budget gap.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Zohran Mamdani, Governor Kathy Hochul (D), the New York Apartment Association (NYAA), and the City Council.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The budget proposal was unveiled this week in New York City, with implementation aimed for the next fiscal year starting July 1.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Now he is proposing an across the board tax hike that will drive thousands of rent-stabilized buildings into further bankruptcy.” – Kenny Burgos, CEO of the New York Apartment Association.
🎯IMPACT: Landlords warn the proposal could bankrupt rent-stabilized properties and harm affordable housing.
IN FULL
Landlords across New York City are sharply criticizing Zohran Mamdani’s proposed 9.5 percent property tax increase, part of his $127 billion preliminary budget aimed at closing a projected $5.4 billion deficit over the next two fiscal years. Opponents warn the plan could further strain rent-stabilized housing and small property owners.
Kenny Burgos, CEO of the New York Apartment Association, said the proposal contradicts Mamdani’s campaign promises. “Mayor Mamdani promised that he would fight for property tax reform to help overtaxed apartment buildings when he was on the campaign trail,” Burgos said in a statement. “Now he is proposing an across the board tax hike that will drive thousands of rent-stabilized buildings into further bankruptcy,” he added.
The budget, which takes effect in July, outlines two options to address the shortfall. Mamdani has expressed support for raising income taxes on those earning more than $1 million annually and increasing corporate taxes. However, because such changes would require state approval, and Governor Kathy Hochul (D) has voiced opposition to new taxes on high earners, the mayor is considering raising property taxes instead, a move the city can enact on its own.
If approved, the property tax rate would rise from 12.28 percent to 13.45 percent, generating an estimated $3.7 billion per year. The Citizens Budget Commission estimates the increase would cost the average owner of a one-, two-, or three-family home about $700 annually.
Ann Korchak, board president of the Small Property Owners of New York, condemned the plan. “The mayor has declared war on thousands of immigrant property owners, most of them multigenerational families, who have their entire life’s savings invested in their small buildings,” she said.
Hochul questioned whether the tax hike is necessary, stating, “I don’t know that that’s necessary, but let’s find out what is really necessary to close that gap.”
Mamdani’s housing agenda has drawn controversy beyond the budget fight. In recent weeks, critics have pointed to reporting highlighting his administration’s rental policy hearings that have allegedly restricted New York City public housing tenants from criticizing city officials.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: NYU Langone Health announced it will permanently discontinue its transgender “treatment” program for minors.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: NYU Langone Health, the Trump administration, and childrenwho faced being transitioned at the hospital.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The decision was announced in Manhattan, New York, following regulatory pressures.
💬KEY QUOTE: “Given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program.” – NYU Langone spokesman
🎯IMPACT: The hospital will redirect minors to other local facilities.
IN FULL
NYU Langone Health will permanently shut down its transgender “treatment” program for minors, citing regulatory pressure and leadership changes after the Trump administration threatened to withdraw federal funding from hospitals transitioning children.
“Given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program,” a spokesman for NYU Langone said in a statement. The hospital said it would support affected patients during the transition and emphasized that its pediatric mental health services will remain in place.
The medical center has updated its website, replacing the name “Transgender Youth Health Program” with “Gender & Sexuality Service.” While counseling services will continue, minors seeking hormone treatments will be referred to other providers.
The decision follows policy actions by President Donald J. Trump aimed at restricting gender-affirming care for minors. In January 2025, Trump signed an executive order directing federal agencies to withhold funding from institutions that provide the “chemical and surgical mutilation” of children. The policy seeks to block federal support for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and certain surgeries for individuals under 19. The administration has also moved to roll back prior federal guidance expanding gender identity protections in healthcare and to restrict transition-related coverage under federal employee health plans.
NYU Langone is not alone. Baystate Health, the largest healthcare system in western Massachusetts, announced it would stop prescribing hormone therapies to minors, pointing to the evolving regulatory landscape and the need to safeguard Medicaid and Medicare funding, which covers a large share of its patients. “This decision offers patients the specialized expertise and continuity of care they need and deserve,” a spokesman said.
❓WHAT HAPPENED: Australian citizen journalist and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) critic Drew Pavlou is claiming that American music industry star Billie Eilish is responsible for his being denied entry to the United States.
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👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: Drew Pavlou, U.S. Customs officials, and music star Billie Eilish.
📍WHEN & WHERE: The denial of entry allegedly occurred last week, February 2026.
💬KEY QUOTE: “I wouldn’t be banned from the United States but I would not be allowed to use an ESTA visa waiver again.” — Drew Pavlou
🎯IMPACT: Pavlou says he was told he was denied entry to the U.S. due to his social media posts about Eilish
IN FULL
Australian citizen journalist and Chinese Communist Party (CCP) critic Drew Pavlou is claiming that American music industry star Billie Eilish is responsible for his being denied entry to the United States. Pavlou, in an essay published Wednesday, states he planned to travel to the U.S. and test Eilish’s “theory of land ownership, which she stated at the Grammys to great applause, and take over her LA mansion with the help of Native Americans.”
“But, sadly, I was turned back at the border last weekend—my sacred and inalienable right to freedom of movement curtailed by border guards who were, I suspect, briefed about my arrival by Eilish’s team,” the Australian national claims. Pavlou says after his arrival at the airport in Los Angeles he was pulled out the customs inspection line and “taken aside to a screening room and made to wait without access to my phone for four hours. Then I was brought to a holding area, a liminal zone that they referred to as the ‘Upstairs’ unit.”
After several hours and a phone call to the Australian consulate, Pavlou says he was “called in for an interrogation at about 4 AM by Officer Martinez,” who “started his interrogation by asking me who Billie Eilish was.” The Australian anti-CCP activist goes on to allege that Martinez—presumably a U.S. customs official—stated he had reviewed “open-source information” detailing Pavlou’s planned stunt to “trespass” on Eilish’s property.
According to Pavlou, he downplayed his intended social media stunt, but the officer then shifted his line of inquiry—pressing him on his anti-CCP activism and commentary on China. “He wanted to know if I had ever attempted to blow up a Chinese government building. Whether I had previously attempted to assassinate Chinese government officials,” Pavlou stated.
Ultimately, Pavlou says he was told he was denied entry to the U.S. due to his social media posts about Eilish, alleging he was informed, “I wouldn’t be banned from the United States but I would not be allowed to use an ESTA visa waiver again.”
❓WHAT HAPPENED: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is investigating ABC’s The View for potential violations of the Equal Time Rule after featuring Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, Texas State Representative James Talarico (D), ABC’s The View, and CBS’s Stephen Colbert.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: The investigation was confirmed on Wednesday, February 18, 2026; the events involve ABC, CBS, and FCC guidance issued last month.
💬KEY QUOTE: “We’re taking a look at it.” — Brendan Carr
🎯IMPACT: The investigation will examine political bias in media, while raising questions about the application of the Equal Time Rule.
IN FULL
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr confirmed that the agency is investigating ABC’s The View for a potential violation of the Equal Time Rule after the show featured Texas Democrat Senate candidate James Talarico. “We’re taking a look at it,” Carr said on Wednesday.
The Equal Time Rule requires broadcasters to provide airtime to rival candidates if requested. ABC has not commented. The View has previously hosted Representative Jasmine Crockett (D-TX), one of Talarico’s primary opponents, as a guest. CBS’s Stephen Colbert also faced scrutiny after his show declined to air an interview with Talarico, citing legal guidance that it could trigger the FCC rule.
Carr criticized media coverage of the Colbert situation, calling it a “perfect encapsulation of why the American people have more trust in gas station sushi than they do in the national news media.” He noted that Colbert’s actions appeared to be a deliberate effort to raise money for Talarico and generate attention for his bid as early voting began, with the Texas Democrat’s campaign reporting $2.5 million raised since the Colbert interview was posted on YouTube.
In its guidance last month, the FCC clarified that talk shows cannot assume automatic exemption from the Equal Time Rule when featuring political candidates. Carr suggested that factors like a host’s political donations could be considered in determining whether a show’s coverage is partisan. Colbert and other hosts have been involved in fundraising for Democrat candidates.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: The United States has issued a warning that it may leave the International Energy Agency (IEA) if the organization does not shift its focus back to energy demand forecasting without prioritizing green energy.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, the IEA, and Republican lawmakers.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: Ahead of an IEA ministerial meeting this week, with ongoing discussions since July 2025.
💬KEY QUOTE: “If they insist that it’s so dominated and infused with climate stuff—yes, then we’re out,” said Secretary Wright.
🎯IMPACT: The U.S. may either reform the IEA or withdraw, potentially altering the agency’s approach to energy policy and security.
IN FULL
The Trump administration has warned that the United States could leave the International Energy Agency (IEA) if the intergovernmental organization continues to prioritize green agenda policies over objective energy demand forecasting. The IEA was originally established in response to the 1970s Arab oil embargo to focus on global energy security.
Ahead of a key IEA meeting this week, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright stated, “If it goes back to what it was—it was a fabulous international data recording agency, it was getting into critical minerals, was focused on big energy issues—we’re all in on that.” However, he added, “If they insist that it’s so dominated and infused with climate stuff—yes, then we’re out.”
The tension between the U.S. and the IEA has been growing, particularly after the agency shifted its focus toward promoting net-zero and green agenda policies. Last November, the IEA adjusted its forecasts, suggesting oil demand growth would peak within a few years, a significant change from its earlier projections.
Republican lawmakers have also expressed concerns, with the House Appropriations Committee approving a bill last summer to withdraw U.S. funding from the IEA. They argue that the agency has moved away from its core mission of safeguarding energy security and has instead become an advocate for far-left environmentalist ideologies.
Previously, Secretary Wright emphasized that the U.S. could either reform the IEA or withdraw entirely. “We will do one of two things: we will reform the way the IEA operates, or we will withdraw,” he said in July 2025. “My strong preference is to reform it,” Wright added.
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❓WHAT HAPPENED: Industrial Production in the U.S. surged 0.7 percent in January, exceeding expectations and marking the third consecutive monthly increase.
👤WHO WAS INVOLVED: U.S. manufacturers and industrial sectors, along with President Donald J. Trump and American consumers.
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📍WHEN & WHERE: January 2026, across the United States.
🎯IMPACT: Positive trends in industrial production and manufacturing output reflect continued economic resilience.
IN FULL
Industrial Production surged 0.7 percent in January, surpassing the expected 0.4 percent and improving significantly from December’s revised 0.2 percent growth. The production data indicates that the U.S. economy continues to maintain a position of strength despite establishment economists’ claims that a slowdown is imminent.
Notably, this marks the third consecutive month of growth in Industrial Production, bringing annual growth to 2.3 percent, the strongest since September 2022. Manufacturing output also rose 0.6 percent in January, exceeding expectations and representing the best monthly gain since February 2025.
Meanwhile, capacity utilization increased to 76.2 percent, continuing a positive trend that began near the start of President Donald J. Trump‘s second term—though it fell slightly below projections. Additionally, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) Manufacturing Index saw a sharp rise in January, diverging from the ‘soft’ data trends observed throughout the year.
When combined with pricing and other economic data, the trends suggest the U.S. economy continues to stabilize and strengthen heading into the 2026 midterm elections, despite counterclaims by some economists who have continually argued the administration’s tariff policies will trigger a downturn.
The National Pulse reported earlier on Wednesday that the Trump White House’s Director of the National Economic Council, Kevin Hassett, took aim at a research paper published by the New York Federal Reserve Bank that claims tariff costs are predominantly being passed on to American consumers. “The paper is an embarrassment,” Hassett said, adding, “It’s, I think, the worst paper I’ve ever seen in the history of the Federal Reserve System.”
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