LOADING ERROR LOADINGRep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) on Thursday claimed he’s being “blackmailed” over the recent death of a staff member with whom he reportedly had an affair. “Disgusting to see people profit politically and financially off a tragic death. Aviles told the Express-News he and his wife had separated after he learned she’d cheated on him. AdvertisementIn a response to Gonzales’ post on Thursday, Aviles expressed disgust at the lawmaker’s demand for the release of the police report about his wife’s death. Gonzales is facing Brandon Herrera, a gun-enthusiast YouTuber who nearly defeated him in the 2024 primary.

Former Prince Andrew Released After Arrest by British PoliceThe British authorities released Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor after arresting him on suspicion of misconduct in public office following the latest release of documents linked to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. By Monika Cvorak and Jorge MitssunagaFebruary 19, 2026

DP World announced on Friday that Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem had resigned as chief executive and chair. In their correspondence, Bin Sulayem discussed sexual relationships with women with whom Epstein helped him connect. Cooking TogetherIn one email exchange, Epstein described Bin Sulayem as funny, trustworthy and a foodie. Epstein went on to say that Bin Sulayem, a Muslim, does not drink and prays five times a day. DP World declined comment.

Everything you need to solve 'Connections' #984. The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a good cook. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. Then give these a try:Yellow: ResurrectionGreen: Warm and cozyBlue: '70s filmPurple: Chef termsHere are today's Connections categoriesNeed a little extra help? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

They voice mounting frustration over how the California Department of Insurance investigated their complaints about State Farm. Now, they said, State Farm is cutting off prepaid rentals and leases for fire victims who aren’t close to returning home. “ When it comes to the [insurance department], we’re all totally in the dark.”A spokesperson for State Farm declined to address complaints from L.A. fire victims. A representative for the state insurance department declined to comment on its handling of complaints against State Farm. By far, the largest share of those claims are with State Farm General, the California subsidiary of State Farm Mutual.

Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech next Tuesday, Democratic congressional leaders said Thursday — a sign of her growing importance to the national party. “Governor Spanberger embodies the best of America as a mother, community leader and dedicated public servant,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) said Thursday in a joint announcement with Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York). Ask The Post AIDive deeperWhile the speaking opportunity offers her broader national exposure, it is often seen as a mixed blessing. Ask The Post AIDive deeper“We are at a defining moment in our nation’s history,” Spanberger said in the announcement. Next week, I look forward to laying out what these Americans expect and deserve — leaders who are working hard to deliver for them.”

The desert tortoise, a once-resilient reptile, is a keystone species in the Mojave Desert, where other animals depend for their survival on the burrows it digs. The two vehicles barreled over a road and careened into the Ord Rodman Area, which the federal government has deemed critical to the desert tortoise’s survival. It caps the latest battle between conservationists, off-roaders and other interests in a long-running war over who gets to access the Mojave desert and how. A desert tortoise in the Mojave Desert near Kramer Junction, on BLM land. There is one area in the western Mojave where tortoise populations are recovering: the Desert Tortoise Research Natural Area near California City.

AdvertisementThe FCC issued new guidance in January to late-night and daytime hosts that they needed to give political candidates equal time. Brendan Carr, commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), speaks during a news conference following an open commission meeting at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) headquarters in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr sees legitimate competition concerns in Netflix Inc.'s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. AdvertisementTalarico reported that he had raised $2.5 million in campaign donations in the 24 hours after the Colbert interview. CBS says Colbert was provided “legal guidance” that broadcasting the interview with Talarico could trigger the equal time rule.

LOADING ERROR LOADINGThe victims of the devastating avalanche in Northern California include the spouse of a local search and rescue team member and a group of parents, mostly mothers, whose children reportedly attended a local ski academy. AdvertisementThe group consisted of four professional ski guides and 11 trip participants. AdvertisementMost of the ski trip’s participants were women and mothers of children on a ski team at the nearby Sugar Bowl ski resort, the San Francisco Chronicle reported, citing a person familiar with the tragedy. Lake Tahoe-area ski school Sugar Bowl Academy confirmed Wednesday that several of its members were among the avalanche victims, though it said it would not immediately name them out of respect for their families. All of the ski guides were certified in backcountry skiing and were instructors with the American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education, which sets “the industry standard for avalanche education,” according to Blackbird Mountain Guides.

AdvertisementThe 90,000-square-foot ballroom would be nearly twice the size of the White House, which is 55,000-square-feet, and would accommodate about 1,000 people, Trump has said. The East Room, currently the largest room in the White House, can fit just over 200 people at most. To date, the White House has only released an incomplete list of donors. AdvertisementDonald Trump holds a rendering of the planned White House Ballroom extension in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. The ballroom project is scheduled for additional discussion at a March 5 meeting of the National Capital Planning Commission, which is led by a top White House aide.

Uber has announced this investment, which is intended to cover costs for site development, equipment, grid connections, and the associated infrastructure required to build charging stations, according to an Uber spokesperson speaking to Bloomberg. Both partnerships align with the planned locations for the DC fast charging stations. For instance, Uber drivers in the US who wish to purchase an electric vehicle can receive a grant of up to $4,000 US dollars. These agreements aim to promote the installation of hundreds of new charging stations in these cities. Uber drivers will receive discounts at these charging stations, and in return, Uber will guarantee high utilisation rates.

NationalDancers perform in protest of ICE killingsFebruary 19, 2026 | 5:39 PM GMTA group of dancers performed outside the Kennedy Center and the Lincoln Memorial on Presidents' Day in protest of the killings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis.

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In mid-2025, when the Trump administration suddenly felt compelled to downplay the Jeffrey Epstein files, officials said they didn’t have enough evidence to prompt any additional investigations of third parties. Andrew has denied all allegations of misconduct related to Epstein, and his name appearing in the files is not evidence of wrongdoing. Prosecutors in Paris opened two new investigations into potential sex abuse and financial wrongdoing related to Epstein on Wednesday, according to the Associated Press. She’s also repeatedly said things about the Epstein files that seemed convenient in the moment, regardless of how true they were. Advertisement AdvertisementAdvertisement AdvertisementThat breeds distrust regarding any future assertions you make about the files — a persistent problem the Trump administration hasn’t been able to shake.

A handful of states have passed laws to encourage off-grid data centers by loosening rules around who can build power plants and where they can be located. It is being propelled by a 2025 state law that eased approvals for off-grid data centers. Oracle and OpenAI are also developing off-grid power plants for their data centers. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman is an investor in aerospace firm Boom Supersonic, which has refashioned a jet engine design to power off-grid data centers. The first batch will go to developer Crusoe, which is building one of the world’s largest data center campuses in Wyoming.