Even longtime admirers see the writing on the wall for Keir Starmer.

Toppling autocrats is easier than rebuilding the institutions democracy depends on.

The vibrant celebration, banned for two decades, brightened the eastern city of Lahore, where residents face alarming levels of air pollution and political restrictions.

St. John's outlasted Xavier 87-82 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, giving coach Rick Pitino his 904th career win on the court to pass Roy Williams for third place in Division I history behind Mike Krzyzewski and Jim Boeheim.

The Daily Show host said it shouldnt be a performers job to unify the country: Isnt there another person whose job description is much more along those lines?

Gaza's civil defense teams work to recover the remains of members of the Abu Nada family, who remain trapped beneath the rubble of their four-story house after it was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike in December 2023, in Gaza City, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)2026-02-09T20:38:49Z DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) Israeli military strikes on Monday killed three people west of Gaza City, according to the hospital where the casualties arrived. Shifa Hospital reported the deaths amid the months-old ceasefire that has seen continued fighting. The Israeli army said Monday it is striking targets in response to Israeli troops coming under fire in the southern city of Rafah, which it says was a violation of the ceasefire. The army said it is striking targets in a precise manner.The four-month-old U.S-backed ceasefire followed stalled negotiations and included Israel and Hamas accepting a 20-point plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump aimed at ending the war unleashed by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack into Israel. At the time, Trump said it would lead to a Strong, Durable, and Everlasting Peace.Hamas freed all the living hostages it still held at the outset of the deal in exchange for thousands of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel and the remains of others.But the larger issues the agreement sought to address, including the future governance of the strip, were met with reservations, and the U.S. offered no firm timeline. Top UN official concerned over Israels West Bank decisionThe United Nations top official on Monday expressed concern about the Israeli security cabinets decision to deepen the countrys control over the occupied West Bank.Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is gravely concerned and warned that the Israeli decision could erode the prospect of a two-state solution, spokesperson Stphane Dujarric said in a statement. Such actions, including Israels continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are not only destabilizing but as recalled by the International Court of Justice unlawful, he said. Israel s security cabinet on Sunday approved measures that aim to deepen Israeli control over the occupied West Bank and weaken the already limited powers of the Palestinian Authority. Israels far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the measures would make it easier for Jewish settlers to force Palestinians to give up land, adding that we will continue to bury the idea of a Palestinian state.Israel captured the West Bank, as well as Gaza and east Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians want all three territories for a future state. Rafah crossing improving, official saysThe Palestinian official set to oversee day-to-day affairs in Gaza said on Monday that passage through the Rafah crossing with Egypt is starting to improve after a chaotic first week of reopening marked by confusion, delays and a limited number of crossings.Ali Shaath, head of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, told Egypts Al-Qahera News that operations at the crossing were improving on Sunday. He said 88 Palestinians were scheduled to travel through Rafah on Monday, more than have crossed in the initial days since reopening. Israel did not immediately confirm the figures.The European Union border mission at the crossing said in a statement Sunday that 284 Palestinians had crossed since reopening. Travelers included people returning after having fled the war and medical evacuees and their escorts. In total, 53 medical evacuees departed during the first five days of operations. That remains well below the agreed target of 50 medical evacuees exiting and 50 returnees entering daily, negotiated by Israeli, Egyptian, Palestinian and international officials.Shaath and other members of the committee remain in Egypt, without Israeli authorization to enter the war-battered enclave.The Rafah crossing opened last week for the first time since mid-2024, one of the main requirements for the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. It was closed Friday and Saturday because of confusion around operations.Palestinian officials say nearly 20,000 people are seeking to leave Gaza for medical care unavailable in its largely destroyed health system.Palestinians who returned to Gaza in the first days after the crossing reopened described hourslong delays and invasive searches by Israeli authorities and an Israeli-backed Palestinian armed group, Abu Shabab. Israel denied mistreatment. Gazas Health Ministry said on Monday that five people were killed over the previous 24 hours, bringing the death toll to 581 since the October ceasefire. The truce led to the return of the remaining hostages both living captives and bodies from the 251 abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war.Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the attack. Israels military offensive has since killed over 72,000 Palestinians, according to the ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government and is staffed by medical professionals. The U.N. and independent experts consider it the most reliable source on war casualties.___Magdy reported from Cairo and Metz from Jerusalem. Sally Abou AlJoud reported from BeirutFind more of APs coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war SAMY MAGDY Magdy is a Middle East reporter for The Associated Press, based in Cairo. He focuses on conflict, migration and human rights abuses. twitter facebook mailto SAM METZ Metz covers Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and points beyond for The Associated Press. mailto

Ali Larijani, center, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, gestures as Hezbollah supporters throw rice to welcome him outside Rafik Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein, File)2026-02-10T02:22:08Z DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) A top Iranian security official traveled Tuesday to Oman, the Mideast sultanate now mediating talks between Tehran and the United States over the Islamic Republic nuclear program aimed at halting a possible American strike.Ali Larijani, a former Iranian Parliament speaker who now serves as the secretary to the countrys Supreme National Security Council, likely will carry his countrys response to the initial round of indirect talks held last week in Muscat with the Americans. Larijani is due to meet with Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, the chief intermediary in the talks, and Omans Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, the state-run IRNA news agency reported. IRNA described the talks as important, without elaborating on what message Larijani will carry. It said he flew out of Tehran for Muscat on Tuesday morning. Iran and the U.S. held new nuclear talks last week in Oman. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking Sunday to diplomats at a summit in Tehran, signaled that Iran would stick to its position that it must be able to enrich uranium a major point of contention with U.S. President Donald Trump, who bombed Iranian atomic sites in June during the 12-day Iran-Israel war. That war disrupted earlier rounds of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to travel to Washington this week, with Iran expected to be the major subject of discussion, his office said. The U.S. has moved the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, ships and warplanes to the Middle East to pressure Iran into an agreement and have the firepower necessary to strike the Islamic Republic should Trump choose to do so. Already, U.S. forces shot down a drone they said got too close to the Lincoln and came to the aid of a U.S.-flagged ship that Iranian forces tried to stop in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf. The U.S. Transportation Departments Maritime Administration issued a new warning Monday to American vessels in the strait to remain as far as possible from Irans territorial sea without compromising navigational safety. The strait, through which a fifth of all oil traded passes, is in Iranian and Omani territorial waters. Those traveling into the Persian Gulf must pass through Iranian waters. JON GAMBRELL Gambrell is the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press. He has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. twitter instagram mailto

Young people use their phones to view social media in Sydney, Nov. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft, File)2026-02-10T06:00:06Z LOS ANGELES (AP) Comparing social media platforms to casinos and addictive drugs, lawyer Mark Lanier delivered opening statements Monday in a landmark trial in Los Angeles that seeks to hold Instagram owner Meta and Googles YouTube responsible for harms to children who use their products. Instagrams parent company Meta and Googles YouTube face claims that their platforms addict children through deliberate design choices that keep kids glued to their screens. TikTok and Snap, which were originally named in the lawsuit, settled for undisclosed sums. Jurors got their first glimpse into what will be a lengthy trial characterized by dueling narratives from the plaintiffs and the two remaining defendants. Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt spoke of the disagreement within the scientific community over social media addiction, with some researchers believing it doesnt exist, or that addiction is not the most appropriate way to describe heavy social media use.Lawyers representing YouTube will begin their opening statement on Tuesday. Addicting the brains of childrenLanier, the plaintiffs lawyer, delivered lively first remarks where he said the case will be as easy as ABC which stands for addicting the brains of children. He said Meta and Google, two of the richest corporations in history, have engineered addiction in childrens brains.He presented jurors with a slew of internal emails, documents and studies conducted by Meta and YouTube, as well as YouTubes parent company, Google. He emphasized the findings of a study Meta conducted called Project Myst in which they surveyed 1,000 teens and their parents about their social media use. The two major findings, Lanier said, were that Meta knew children who experienced adverse events like trauma and stress were particularly vulnerable for addiction; and that parental supervision and controls made little impact. He also highlighted internal Google documents that likened some company products to a casino, and internal communication between Meta employees in which one person said Instagram is like a drug and they are basically pushers. At the core of the Los Angeles case is a 20-year-old identified only by the initials KGM, whose case could determine how thousands of other, similar lawsuits against social media companies will play out. She and two other plaintiffs have been selected for bellwether trials essentially test cases for both sides to see how their arguments play out before a jury. Plaintiff grew up using YouTube, InstagramKGM made a brief appearance after a break during Laniers statement and she will return to testify later in the trial. Lanier spent time describing KGMs childhood, focusing particularly on what her personality was like before she began using social media. She started using YouTube at age 6 and Instagram at age 9, Lanier said. Before she graduated elementary school, she had posted 284 videos on YouTube.The outcome of the trial could have profound effects on the companies businesses and how they will handle children using their platforms. Lanier said the companies lawyers will try to blame the little girl and her parents for the trap they built, referencing the plaintiff. She was a minor when she said she became addicted to social media, which she claims had a detrimental impact on her mental health. Lanier said that despite the public position of Meta and YouTube being that they work to protect children, their internal documents show an entirely different position, with explicit references to young children being listed as their target audiences.The attorney also drew comparisons between the social media companies and tobacco firms, citing internal communication between Meta employees who were concerned about the companys lack of proactive action about the potential harm their platforms can have on children and teens.For a teenager, social validation is survival, Lanier said. The defendants engineered a feature that caters to a minors craving for social validation, he added, speaking about like buttons and similar features. Meta pushes backIn his opening statement representing Meta, Schmidt said the core question in the case is whether the platforms were a substantial factor in KGMs mental health struggles. He spent much of his time going through the plaintiffs health records, emphasizing that she had experienced many difficult circumstances in her childhood, including emotional abuse, body image issues and bullying.Schmidt presented a clip from a video deposition from one of KGMs mental health providers, Dr. Thomas Suberman, who said social media was not the through-line of what I recall being her main issues, adding that her struggles seemed to largely stem from interpersonal conflicts and relationships. He painted a picture with KGMs own text messages and testimony pointing to a volatile home life of a particularly troubled relationship with her mother. Schmidt acknowledged that many mental health professionals do believe social media addiction can exist, but said three of KGMs providers all of whom believe in the form of addiction have never diagnosed her with it, or treated her for it.Schmidt emphasized to the jurors that the case is not about whether social media is a good thing or whether teens spend too much time on their phones or whether the jurors like or dislike Meta, but whether social media was a substantial factor in KGMs mental health struggles.A reckoning for social media and youth harmsA slew of trials beginning this year seek to hold social media companies responsible for harming childrens mental well-being. Executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, are expected to testify at the Los Angeles trial, which will last six to eight weeks. Experts have drawn similarities to the Big Tobacco trials that led to a 1998 settlement requiring cigarette companies to pay billions in health care costs and restrict marketing targeting minors. A separate trial in New Mexico, meanwhile, also kicked off with opening statements on Monday. In that trial, Meta is accused of failing to protect young users from sexual exploitation, following an undercover online investigation. Attorney General Ral Torrez in late 2023 sued Meta and Zuckerberg, who was later dropped from the suit.A federal bellwether trial beginning in June in Oakland, California, will be the first to represent school districts that have sued social media platforms over harms to children. In addition, more than 40 state attorneys general have filed lawsuits against Meta, claiming it is harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms. The majority of cases filed their lawsuits in federal court, but some sued in their respective states.TikTok also faces similar lawsuits in more than a dozen states. Ortutay reported from Oakland, California. Associated Press Writer Morgan Lee in Santa Fe, New Mexico, contributed to this story. KAITLYN HUAMANI Huamani covers social media and internet culture for The Associated Press. mailto BARBARA ORTUTAY Ortutay writes about social media and the internet for The Associated Press. mailto

In this photo made from video and provided by the New Zealand Court of Appeal, Monday, Feb. 9, 2026, Brenton Tarrant appears before the court by video from Auckland Prison in Auckland. (New Zealand Court of Appeal via AP)2026-02-10T02:27:20Z WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) The self-professed white supremacist who murdered 51 Muslims in New Zealands deadliest mass shooting was pleased to be charged with terrorism and wanted to be described as a terrorist, his former lawyer told a court deciding if the man was in a fit state to admit to his crimes.Brenton Tarrant, 35, was sentenced to life in prison without a chance of parole after pleading guilty to terrorism, murder and attempted murder for his hate-fueled massacre of worshippers including children at two Christchurch mosques during Friday prayers in 2019. The Australian man is now seeking to recant the admissions he made in 2020, saying solitary confinement and other prison conditions made him irrational and mentally unwell.New Zealands Court of Appeal in Wellington is considering Tarrants bid in a five-day hearing. If the three-judge panel discards his guilty pleas, the case would return to court for trial. Shooters change of mind is examinedTarrant first pleaded not guilty to the charges he faced, then reversed his position before his trial was due to begin. He told the appeals court Monday that he felt forced into his admissions by nervous exhaustion brought on by constant solitary confinement, surveillance by prison staff, lack of access to reading materials and almost no contact with the outside world. Lawyers who represented him during the period when he entered both sets of pleas told the court Tuesday that they had laid a complaint about his prison conditions early in his confinement. Prison officials were dismissive of his grievances, the lawyers said. They said, however, that restrictions on Tarrant eased later and they didnt think his environment had harmed his ability to make decisions. Tarrant said Monday that he had masked symptoms of serious mental illness in an effort not to appear weak or to reflect poorly on others who held his racist views. Crown lawyers suggested to Tarrant on Monday that he had many opportunities to raise concerns about his mental health and or request a postponement of his trial. No witness has so far agreed with Tarrant that his conditions were so onerous and his mental state so poor that he wasnt fit to plead guilty. Shooter was told a political trial wasnt possibleOne issue at the heart of the case is whether Tarrant always intended to admit the charges or planned to contest them. Tarrant said Monday that he had meant to defend himself at a trial, while his lawyers said Tuesday that they were sure he intended to plead guilty due to the overwhelming evidence against him, which included his Facebook livestream of the massacre and a racist manifesto he posted online before the attack. Shane Tait, who previously acted for Tarrant, said his client had wanted to argue during a trial that he had been defending New Zealand a country he migrated to with a view to committing the attack from immigrants. Tait assured Tarrant that such a defense wasnt available under New Zealand law, he told the court. Brenton, what am I going to tell the jury if we go to trial? Tait said he had asked Tarrant. His client had responded, Dont worry, it wont get that far, Tait said. Both Tait and Tarrants other then-lawyer Jonathan Hudson said it was important to their client that he be convicted on the terrorism charge and he refused to allow his lawyers to attempt to negotiate it away in exchange for guilty pleas to the murder and attempted murder charges.He wanted to be described as a terrorist, Hudson said.The appeal outcome is due laterBids to appeal convictions or sentences in New Zealand must be made within 20 working days. Tarrant was two years late in seeking an appeal, filing documents in 2022.He told the court Monday that his bid had been late because he hadnt had access to the information required to make it.The judges are expected to release their decision at a later date. If they reject Tarrants attempt to have his guilty pleas discarded, a later hearing will focus on his bid to appeal his sentence.The hearing was the first time that Tarrant, who appeared by video conference from prison, had been seen or heard from in court for years. He appeared pale and thin, with a shaved head and black-framed glasses. Some of those bereaved or injured by his violence watched a live feed of proceedings from a courtroom in Christchurch, telling reporters afterward of their exasperation and anger that he was allowed to keep revisiting his case in court. Theres definitely no remorse at all, said Rashid Omar, whose son Tariq Omar was murdered, adding that the proceedings appeared to be a game to Tarrant. We are very, very strong, Omar said. Were not going to be bullied by him. CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-MCLAY Graham-McLay is an Associated Press reporter covering regional and national stories about New Zealand, Australia and the Pacific Islands by putting them in a global context. She is based in Wellington. twitter mailto

Currency traders work near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI), top center, and the foreign exchange rate between U.S. dollar and South Korean won, top left, at the foreign exchange dealing room of the Hana Bank headquarters in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)2026-02-10T03:36:21Z TOKYO (AP) Asian shares were mostly higher Tuesday as Japans benchmark topped new highs after a historic election win for the nations first female prime minister. Japans benchmark Nikkei 225 jumped 2.3% to 57,650.54 in afternoon trading. The index recorded a 3.9% jump to a record Monday, a day after the landslide victory for Sanae Takaichis political party in a parliamentary election. Hopes are high Takaichi will push through reforms expected to boost the economy and stock market.Australias S&P/ASX 200 declined less than 0.1% to 8,867.40. South Koreas Kospi gained less than 0.1% to 5,301.69. Hong Kongs Hang Seng surged 0.5% to 27,163.37, while the Shanghai Composite added nearly 0.2% to 4,130.00. On Wall Street, the U.S. stock market was coming off its best day since May to close last week, but several concerns still hang over the market. That includes criticism that stocks have simply become too expensive following their run to records. The S&P 500 pulled closer to its all-time high set two weeks ago, gaining 0.5% to 6,964.82. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up less than 0.1% to 50,135.87 and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.9% to 23,238.67. A key persistent worry is over whether the huge spending by Big Tech and other companies on artificial-intelligence technology will produce enough profit to make the investments worth it. Some of the winners from that rush into AI drove the market higher on Monday. Chip companies rose, for example, with Nvidia up 2.4% and Broadcom up 3.3%. In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady ahead of potentially market-moving reports coming later in the week. The U.S. government will offer the latest monthly update on the health of the job market on Wednesday. Friday will bring the latest monthly reading of inflation at the consumer level.Either report could sway expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates. The Fed has put its cuts to interest rates on hold, but a weakening of the job market could push it to resume more quickly. Too-hot inflation, on the other hand, could keep it on hold for longer. One of the reasons the U.S. stock market remains close to records is the expectation that the Fed will continue cutting interest rates later this year. Lower rates can give the economy a boost, though they can also worsen inflation.The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.20% from 4.22% late Friday. Gold rose 2% to settle at $5,079.40 per ounce. Its been swinging sharply after roughly doubling in price over 12 months, and it has bounced between $4,500 and nearly $5,600. Silver, whose price has been even wilder, jumped 6.9% Monday.Bitcoin was hanging just below $71,000 after drifting above the level during the weekend. It had dropped close to $60,000 last week, more than halfway below its record set in October. In other dealings early Tuesday, benchmark U.S. crude slipped 1 cent to $64.35 a barrel. Brent crude, the international standard, rose 1 cent to $69.05 a barrel. The U.S. dollar edged down to 155.34 Japanese yen from 155.83 yen. The euro cost $1.1902, down from $1.1916. ___AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed.Yuri Kageyama is on Threads: https://www.threads.com/@yurikageyama YURI KAGEYAMA Kageyama covers Japan news for The Associated Press. Her topics include social issues, the environment, businesses, entertainment and technology. twitter instagram facebook mailto

A Palestinian laborer who works inside a West Bank Israeli industrial zone maintains the garden at his house, in the West Bank city of Jericho, Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)2026-02-10T05:22:49Z TULKAREM, West Bank (AP) Hanadi Abu Zant hasnt been able to pay rent on her apartment in the occupied West Bank for nearly a year after losing her permit to work inside Israel. When her landlord calls the police on her, she hides in a mosque.My biggest fear is being kicked out of my home. Where will we sleep, on the street? she said, wiping tears from her cheeks.She is among some 100,000 Palestinians whose work permits were revoked after Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack ignited the war in the Gaza Strip. Confined to the occupied territory, where jobs are scarce and wages far lower, they face dwindling and dangerous options as the economic crisis deepens.Some have sold their belongings or gone into debt as they try to pay for food, electricity and school expenses for their children. Others have paid steep fees for black-market permits or tried to sneak into Israel, risking arrest or worse if they are mistaken for militants. Israel, which has controlled the West Bank for nearly six decades, says it is under no obligation to allow Palestinians to enter for work and makes such decisions based on security considerations. Thousands of Palestinians are still allowed to work in scores of Jewish settlements across the West Bank, built on land they want for a future state. Risk of collapseThe World Bank has warned that the West Bank economy is at risk of collapse because of Israels restrictions. By the end of last year, unemployment had surged to nearly 30% compared with around 12% before the war, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.Before the war, tens of thousands of Palestinians worked inside Israel, mainly in construction and service jobs. Wages can be more than double those in the landlocked West Bank, where decades of Israeli checkpoints, land seizures and other restrictions have weighed heavily on the economy. Palestinians also blame the Palestinian Authority, which exercises limited self-rule in parts of the territory, for not doing enough to create jobs. About 100,000 Palestinians had work permits that were revoked after the outbreak of the war. Israel has since reinstated fewer than 10,000, according to Gisha, an Israeli group advocating for Palestinian freedom of movement. Wages earned in Israel injected some $4 billion into the Palestinian economy in 2022, according to the Institute for National Security Studies, an Israeli think tank. Thats equivalent to about two-thirds of the Palestinian Authoritys budget that year.An Israeli official said Palestinians do not have an inherent right to enter Israel, and that permits are subject to security considerations. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.Israel seized the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem in the 1967 Mideast war, territories the Palestinians want for a future state. Some 3 million Palestinians live in the West Bank, along with over 500,000 Israeli settlers who can come and go freely.The war in Gaza has brought a spike in Palestinian attacks on Israelis as well as settler violence. Military operations that Israel says are aimed at dismantling militant groups have caused heavy damage in the West Bank and displaced tens of thousands of Palestinians. My refrigerator, its emptyAfter her husband left her five years ago, Abu Zant secured a job at a food-packing plant in Israel that paid around $1,400 a month, enough to support her four children. When the war erupted, she thought the ban would only last a few months. She baked pastries for friends to scrape by.Hasan Joma, who ran a business in Tulkarem before the war helping people find work in Israel, said Palestinian brokers are charging more than triple the price for a permit.While there are no definite figures, tens of thousands of Palestinians are believed to be working illegally in Israel, according to Esteban Klor, professor of economics at Israels Hebrew University and a senior researcher at the INSS. Some risk their lives trying to cross Israels separation barrier, which consists of 9-meter high (30-foot) concrete walls, fences and closed military roads. Shuhrat Barghouthis husband has spent five months in prison for trying to climb the barrier to enter Israel for work, she said. Before the war, the couple worked in Israel earning a combined $5,700 a month. Now they are both unemployed and around $14,000 in debt.Come and see my refrigerator, its empty, theres nothing to feed my children, she said. She cant afford to heat her apartment, where she hasnt paid rent in two years. She says her children are often sick and frequently go to bed hungry.Sometimes she returns home to see her belongings strewn in the street by the landlord, who has been trying to evict them. Forced to work in settlementsOf the roughly 48,000 Palestinians who worked in Israeli settlements before the war, more than 65% have kept their permits, according to Gisha. The Palestinians and most of the international community view the settlements, which have rapidly expanded in recent years, as illegal. Israeli officials did not respond to questions about why more Palestinians are permitted to work in the settlements. Palestinians employed in the settlements, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution, say their employers have beefed up security since the start of the war and are far more willing to fire anyone stepping out of line, knowing there are plenty more desperate for work.Two Palestinians working in the Mishor Adumim settlement said security guards look through workers phones and revoke their permits arbitrarily.Israelis have turned to foreign workers to fill jobs held by Palestinians, but some say its a poor substitute because they cost more and do not know the language. Palestinians speak Arabic, but those who work in Israel are often fluent in Hebrew.Raphael Dadush, an Israeli developer, said the permit crackdown has resulted in costly delays.Before the war, Palestinians made up more than half his workforce. Hes tried to replace them with Chinese workers but says its not exactly the same. He understands the governments decision, but says its time to find a way for Palestinians to return that ensures Israels security.Assaf Adiv, the executive director of an Israeli group advocating for Palestinian labor rights, says there has to be some economic integration or there will be chaos.The alternative to work in Israel is starvation and desperation, he said. SAM MEDNICK Mednick is an AP correspondent for Israel and the Palestinian Territories. She focuses on conflict, humanitarian crises and human rights abuses. Mednick formerly covered West & Central Africa and South Sudan. twitter

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., center, speaks during a news conference as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. listens, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)2026-02-10T05:02:02Z WASHINGTON (AP) Democratic leaders say a proposal from the White House is incomplete and insufficient as they are demanding new restrictions on President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown and threatening a shutdown of the Homeland Security Department. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement late Monday that a White House counterproposal to the list of demands they transmitted over the weekend included neither details nor legislative text and does not address the concerns Americans have about ICEs lawless conduct. The White House proposal was not released publicly. The Democrats statement comes as time is running short, with another partial government shutdown threatening to begin Saturday. Among the Democrats demands are a requirement for judicial warrants, better identification of DHS officers, new use-of-force standards and a stop to racial profiling. They say such changes are necessary after two protesters were fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis last month. Earlier Monday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., had expressed optimism about the rare negotiations between Democrats and the White House, saying there was forward progress. Thune said it was a good sign that the two sides were trading papers, and hopefully they can find some common ground here. But coming to an agreement on the charged issue of immigration enforcement will be difficult, especially as rank-and-file lawmakers in both parties were skeptical about finding common ground. Republicans have balked at the Democrats requests and some have demands of their own, including the addition of legislation that would require proof of citizenship before Americans register to vote and restrictions on cities that they say do not do enough to crack down on illegal immigration. And many Democrats who are furious about Immigration and Customs Enforcements aggressive crackdown have said they wont vote for another penny of Homeland Security funding until enforcement is radically scaled back. Dramatic changes are needed at the Department of Homeland Security before a DHS funding bill moves forward, Jeffries said earlier Monday. Period. Full stop.Trump deals with Democrats Congress is trying to renegotiate the DHS spending bill after Trump agreed to a Democratic request that it be separated out from a larger spending measure that became law last week. That package extended Homeland Security funding at current levels only through Feb. 13, creating a brief window for action as the two parties discuss new restrictions on ICE and other federal officers. Democrats made the demands for new restrictions on ICE and other federal law enforcement after ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, and some Republicans suggested that new restrictions were necessary. Renee Good was shot by ICE agents on Jan. 7. While he agreed to separate the funding, Trump has not publicly responded to the Democrats specific demands. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said late last week that the Trump administration is willing to discuss some items on the Democrats list, but others dont seem like they are grounded in any common sense, and they are nonstarters for this administration. Democratic demands Schumer and Jeffries have said they want immigration officers to remove their masks, to show identification and to better coordinate with local authorities. They have also demanded a stricter use-of-force policy for the federal officers, legal safeguards at detention centers and a prohibition on tracking protesters with body-worn cameras.Among other demands, Democrats say Congress should end indiscriminate arrests, improve warrant procedures and standards, ensure the law is clear that officers cannot enter private property without a judicial warrant and require that before a person can be detained, its verified that the person is not a U.S. citizen.Republicans have said they support the requirement for DHS officers to have body-worn cameras language that was in the original DHS bill but have balked at many of the other Democratic asks. Taking the masks off ICE officers and agents, the reason we cant do that is that it would subject them to great harm, their families at great risk because people are doxing them and targeting them, said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., on Monday. Weve got to talk about things that are reasonable and achievable. Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty said on Fox News Sunday that Democrats are trying to motivate a radical left base. The left has gone completely overboard, and theyre threatening the safety and security of our agents so they cannot do their job, Hagerty said. Consequences of a shutdown In addition to ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the homeland security bill includes funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Transportation Security Administration. If DHS shuts down, Thune said last week, theres a very good chance we could see more travel problems similar to the 43-day government closure last year.Lawmakers in both parties have suggested they could separate out funding for ICE and Border Patrol and pass the rest of it by Friday. But Thune has been cool to that idea, saying instead that Congress should pass another short-term extension for all of DHS while they negotiate the possible new restrictions. If theres additional time thats needed, then hopefully Democrats would be amenable to another extension, Thune said. Many Democrats are unlikely to vote for another extension. But Republicans could potentially win enough votes in both chambers from Democrats if they feel hopeful about negotiations. The ball is in the Republicans court, Jeffries said Monday. ___Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report. SEUNG MIN KIM Kim covers the White House for The Associated Press. She joined the AP in 2022 and is based in Washington. Kim is also a political analyst for CNN. twitter mailto

Bournemouth forward Junior Kroupi is attracting attention from some of Europe's elite clubs. Transfer Talk has the latest.

As federal immigration agents surge into communities and detain people, the number of cases filed by those claiming their detention is illegal has risen to historic highs. ProPublica is tracking the volume of these cases, known as habeas petitions, as they overwhelm legal advocates and government attorneys.Immigrants filed more habeas cases in the first 13 months of the second Trump administration than in the past three administrations combined, including his first.View the tracker on our site.The post Tracking Habeas Cases appeared first on ProPublica.

The Trump administrations push for mass deportations has resulted in more than 18,000 challenges in federal court from immigrants claiming their detention is illegal, more than were filed under the last three administrations combined including President Donald Trumps first term.So far this year, immigrants are filing on average more than 200 of these cases, known as habeas petitions, daily across the country, with California and Texas accounting for about 40% of new cases, a ProPublica analysis of federal court filings found. To keep tabs on this historic rise, ProPublica is publishing a habeas case tracker.I dont recall a time that anything like this has ever happened, said Daniel Caudillo, director of the Immigration Law Clinic at Texas Tech University School of Law and a recently departed immigration judge.More Immigrants Than Ever Are Challenging DetentionAn analysis of habeas cases since 2009 shows that immigrants have filed more challenges to their detention in the first 13 months of Trumps second term than in the last three administrations combined and the number keeps rising.Immigration-related habeas cases filed by month. Source: ProPublica analysis of Public Access to Court Electronic Records and Free Law Project. Ruth Talbot and Pratheek Rebala/ProPublicaThe wave of habeas petitions comes in response to new administration policies aimed at ramping up the number of deportations. Among those are policies that require the majority of immigrants who entered the country illegally to remain in detention while their immigration cases are proceeding.Lawyers say these policies upend decades of legal precedent that previously allowed immigrants who had been in the country for years and posed no security or flight risk a chance to remain in their communities until an immigration judge could determine whether they could stay in the country legally.Read MoreTracking Habeas CasesOn Friday night, a divided three-judge panel in the conservative U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit sided with the administration in limiting bond hearings to immigrants who entered the country lawfully. Caudillo called the decision devastating, adding that as a result, most immigrants held in states that fall under the circuit, which includes Texas, will now be subject to mandatory detention. Appeals of judges rulings in habeas cases challenging immigrants detention have been filed in nine of the 12 regional appeals courts, meaning the question could ultimately find its way to the Supreme Court.A large majority of federal judges whove ruled on the habeas petitions so far are siding with immigrants. A recent analysis by Politico found that over 300 judges have ruled against the administrations new detention policies, while only 14 have upheld them. The result is that federal judges frequently are ordering the government to either release immigrants from detention or offer them a bond hearing before an immigration judge to determine whether they are eligible for release while their immigration case proceeds.Officials from the White House and Department of Homeland Security didnt respond to a list of questions, but in statements, spokespeople insisted that the Trump administration is fully enforcing federal immigration law and placed the blame on the federal judges.Do you work or have you worked at an immigration detention facility? Get in touch with ProPublica reporters on Signal at 917-512-0201 to share your experience.If you or someone you know is or was in an immigration detention facility, you can also reach us over email at immigration@propublica.org. We take your privacy seriously.President Trump and Secretary Noem are now enforcing the law and arresting illegal aliens who have no right to be in our country, and reversed Bidens catch and release policy. We are applying the law as written, wrote Tricia McLaughlin, a DHS spokesperson.The caseload has overwhelmed legal advocates and government attorneys.In court filings, U.S. attorneys are telling judges the sheer volume of petitions is burdening their offices, pushing them to shift resources away from other priorities. In a case originating from Minnesota, where the administration has been waging a monthslong immigration crackdown, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen wrote in a declaration that his attorneys and paralegals were continuously working over time while the offices civil division was at 50% capacity.The number of habeas filings in that state jumped from a dozen in 2024 to over 700 in the past two months alone, placing Minnesota third behind Texas and California, ProPublica found. The load has been such that, in a rare moment of candor, a government attorney detailed to the office complained to a federal judge that the system sucks, this job sucks. The lawyer, Julie Le, reportedly was let go from the U.S. attorneys office after the public rant. (ProPublica was not able to reach Le for comment. The Department of Justice confirmed her detail with the office was over.)If rogue judges followed the law in adjudicating cases and respected the Governments obligation to properly prepare cases, there wouldnt be an overwhelming habeas caseload or concern over DHS following orders, a DOJ spokesperson wrote in response to questions from ProPublica.Then there are a lot of rogue judges, said David Briones, a senior judge in the Western District of Texas, in response to the Justice Departments statement. Obviously we feel that were correct, thats all I can say. The Western District of Texas leads the country in habeas cases, with over 1,300 filed in the last three months, and Briones has generally ruled against the government in these cases, according to El Paso Matters. The Texas Tribune has also reported on the rise of habeas cases in Texas.Judges are growing increasingly frustrated, publicly rebuking the administration for missing deadlines and failing to comply with court orders.Recently, a Texas federal judge ordered the release of the 5-year-old Minnesota boy who made headlines after he was pictured wearing a blue bunny hat and a Spider-Man backpack as immigration agents escorted him and his father to their vehicle. In a fiery ruling, judge Fred Biery of the Western District of Texas chastised the administration for Liam Conejo Ramos detention. The case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children, he wrote.The number of immigrants held in detention has increased from around 40,000 when Trump took office to more than 70,000 this year. While the number of recent border crossers in detention has fallen, the number of detained immigrants arrested by federal immigration agents elsewhere in the country tripled during the first nine months of the Trump administration, a recent analysis by the Deportation Data Project found.Its just been a very, very chaotic landscape, said Sirine Shebaya, executive director of the National Immigration Project, a national advocacy organization that, among other things, represents detained immigrants and provides assistance to attorneys and community-based groups.And I think that chaos is bleeding into communities everywhere, both because of the extremely traumatizing ways that people are being arrested and detained, she said, and because of the amount of money and resources being spent on detaining people who in the past would have gotten out on bond or not been detained in the first place as their cases made their way through the process.Denise Gilman, co-director of the Immigration Clinic at the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, who has argued habeas cases on behalf of immigrants over the years, sees a positive side to the sudden rise in cases, she told ProPublica.People are starting to pay attention to how massive and arbitrary and illogical the immigration detention system is.For this story, ProPublica analyzed federal habeas petitions filed by immigrant detainees in district courts across the country using records from Public Access to Court Electronic Records and the Free Law Project. The data includes some cases that were refiled for a variety of reasons, such as filing errors or deficiencies.ProPublica plans to continue reporting on conditions inside immigration detention facilities. Please get in touch with our reporters through Signal at 917-512-0201 if you or someone you know:Has worked at a detention facility housing immigrants.Has been detained at such a facility.Knows information about companies that have been contracted to build and provide services at such facilities.Can share other insight or information about immigration detention facilities.We are also interested in any letters, images, videos or other documentation that you can share. Check out these tips for contacting us securely. We take your privacy seriously.The post Immigrants Who Say Their Detention Is Illegal Have Filed More Than 18,000 Cases. Its a Historic High. appeared first on ProPublica.

The president wants to change the public landscape to honor himself. Its not the worst thing hes done, but it will require fixing.

Nature, Published online: 10 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00420-3Preserving water under megacities is crucial and urgent

Nature, Published online: 10 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-04166-2Taking to the stage to present your science is a key part of research, but talks often fall flat, says John Tregoning. Can scientists learn from performers to better engage an audience?

Nature, Published online: 10 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00387-1Increased geopolitical tensions are prompting some in China to argue that the country should go it alone in biotechnology. That would be a backwards step for China and the rest of the world.

Nature, Published online: 10 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00421-2Marine protection in the Azores: a triumph for conservation and sustainability

Nature, Published online: 10 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00419-wPublishing less wont save the research system

Plus, Olympic medals are falling apart again.

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La estadounidense Amber Glenn celebra con su medalla de oro en la prueba de equipos de patinaje artstico en los Juegos Olmpicos de Invierno, el domingo 8 de febrero de 2028, en Miln. (AP Foto/Ashley Landis)2026-02-10T11:12:51Z MILAN (AP) U.S. figure skater Amber Glenn says she has smoothed out copyright concerns with the artist behind one of the pieces of her free skate music, and that the Olympic team gold medalist may have struck up a new friendship with him because of it.Canadian artist Seb McKinnon, who produces music under the name CLANN, had taken to social media after Glenn performed her free skate to conclude the team event Sunday and expressed surprise that his song, The Return, was used as part of the program. So just found out an Olympic figure skater used one of my songs without permission for their routine. It aired all over the world ... what? Is that usual practice for the Olympics? McKinnon posted to X, eventually congratulating Glenn on her gold medal.Figure skaters are required to obtain copyright permission for the music they use. But the process is confusing and prone to mistakes, and several skaters have changed programs at the last minute for the Milan Cortina Games because problems have arisen. The issue of music rights can be complex and confusing, Glenn said in a statement. Seems like there was a hiccup in that whole process. Im glad we cleared things up with Seb and I look forward to collaborating with him. Glenn has been performing her free skate to The Return for the past two years without any issues.It was a dream come true to perform at the Olympic Games and to have Seb acknowledge my performance and congratulate me afterward made the moment even more special, Glenn said. Its my sincere hope that I was able to help create new fans of both figure skating and Seb. We will move forward and continue supporting both artists and the skating community.___AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics DAVE SKRETTA Skretta is a Kansas City-based sports writer for The Associated Press. He covers the Royals, the Chiefs and college sports along with auto racing, the Olympics and other sports.

Nature, Published online: 10 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00390-6Documents that lay out a research groups ethos and practical guidelines are becoming increasingly popular in the academic community.

Nature, Published online: 10 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00405-2Large proportion worked at Columbia University, which had its grants cut and frozen by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Nature, Published online: 10 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00418-xInternet blackout: Irans academic shutdown

Nature, Published online: 09 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00436-9Greener tech comes at an invisible human cost, writes journalist Nicolas Niarchos. Plus, the risks of measles outbreaks for vaccinated people and how a five-day break in complete darkness changes your body.

Nature, Published online: 09 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00409-yStudy suggests moderate caffeine intake might reduce dementia risk and slow cognitive decline.

There are no surefire free agent QBs available this March, and the draft class has only one first-round lock. So what now for NFL teams that might need a quarterback?

In the post-Assad era, more Jews are visiting a country that some fled decades ago. One hotel restaurant offers a corner where religious dietary requirements are melded with the local cuisine.

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With defiant ingenuity, Kyiv residents are trying to find ways to stay warm in a cruel winter.

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Nature, Published online: 10 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00384-4In an era of escalating conflict, a development-only approach to aid will yield fleeting results.

Nature, Published online: 06 February 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-00417-yKanzi the bonobo was the first animal to clearly grasp the concept of make believe in experiments. Plus, a new generation of CAR-T therapy and the displaced academics who are keeping the spark of scholarship alive in exile.

Most of soccer's top coaching jobs will be vacant in the next year or so. Let's rank which jobs are the most -- and least -- attractive, from clubs to national teams.

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TikTok is the new home for musical theater fans who want to put themselves in the action. Viral re-enactments of four big numbers show why.

Republican politicians and strategists in Texas are amping up anti-Muslim rhetoric as a way to energize Republican voters after several elections when the border was the animating force.

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