Author: Emily Harper

Nine Detained in Expanding Investigation French authorities have detained nine individuals, including two employees of the Louvre Museum, as part of an investigation into a suspected €10 million ticket fraud scheme. The arrests follow a police inquiry launched after the museum reported concerns about large scale irregularities in ticketing operations. According to prosecutors in Paris, those held include museum staff members, several tour guides and a person believed to be at the center of the alleged operation. Officials say the available evidence points to an organized network that systematically manipulated ticket access to the world’s most visited museum. Investigators are…

A Close Finish in the Halfpipe Final U.S. snowboard star Chloe Kim secured a silver medal in the women’s halfpipe at the Winter Olympics, but her second place finish has fueled discussion over scoring in one of the Games’ most anticipated events. Kim opened with a strong first run that earned an 88.0, placing her at the top of the standings early. That score held through much of the competition until 17-year-old South Korean rider Choi Ga-on delivered a final run that scored 90.25, moving her into gold medal position. Kim attempted to reclaim the lead on her last run…

Amtrak is preparing to introduce a new generation of corridor trainsets branded Amtrak Airo, a fleet designed to modernize onboard comfort while improving operating efficiency on some of the system’s busiest routes. The trainsets are intended to refresh the passenger experience on services that, in many cases, still rely on equipment dating back decades, particularly in the Northeast and other short-to-medium distance corridors. The company has framed Airo as a centerpiece of a broader modernization push that also includes its newer high-speed equipment. In an update on the program, Amtrak said the introduction of Airo follows the rollout of NextGen…

Global cocoa markets have eased sharply from last year’s extremes, but the pullback is coming after an unusually volatile period for the commodity that underpins most chocolate. Cocoa futures had more than doubled in 2024 amid insufficient rainfall and crop disease across West Africa, which supplies more than 70% of the world’s cocoa, according to reporting and market analysis cited in the industry. Conditions have since improved in key producing countries, including Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, while production has also expanded in Ecuador and other origins, an outlook highlighted in J.P. Morgan’s analysis. The result has been a significant increase…

Munich Warning on Europe’s Diminished Role Europe has been pushed “totally on the sidelines” in major global negotiations as a new era of confrontational politics reshapes international relations, according to Wolfgang Ischinger, chairman of the Munich Security Conference. Ahead of this year’s gathering of political and business leaders in Munich, Ischinger argued that Europe’s declining influence is largely self-inflicted. He pointed to the continent’s inability to form unified positions on critical geopolitical issues, including relations with China, the future of the Middle East and the handling of Iran’s nuclear program. The Munich Security Conference’s latest report warns that the global…

Executive Order Restricts Federal Agents New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has signed an executive order barring immigration officers from accessing non public areas of state owned property without a judicial warrant. The order also prevents federal immigration agents from using state facilities as operational bases for enforcement activity. The move represents one of the most assertive actions by a state leader in response to expanded federal immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump. Sherrill’s directive aims to establish clear limits on how and where federal agents can conduct operations within New Jersey’s state controlled spaces. Under the new policy, immigration authorities…

Brazil’s Supreme Court justice Dias Toffoli said he has never received payments and has no relationship with Daniel Vorcaro, the controlling shareholder of Banco Master, after a federal police report cited references to the judge in material extracted from a seized mobile phone, according to people familiar with the document. In a statement released on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026, Toffoli rejected any suggestion of personal or financial ties to Vorcaro, and also denied receiving money from Fabiano Zettel, identified as Vorcaro’s brother-in-law. The statement framed the matter as a clarification rather than grounds for any change in Toffoli’s position overseeing…

How the Aging Brain Slows Down As the body ages, so does the brain. One of the most significant changes over time is a gradual decline in the production of new neurons. This process, driven by neural stem cells, plays a crucial role in learning, memory and overall cognitive function. In later life, however, these neural stem cells become increasingly dormant, reducing the brain’s ability to renew itself. A major biological driver of this slowdown lies in telomeres, the protective caps at the ends of DNA strands. Each time a cell divides, telomeres shorten slightly. Over time, this wear and…

McDonald’s said its renewed emphasis on affordability helped pull customers back in the final months of 2025, delivering a stronger-than-expected quarter on both sales and earnings. Global comparable sales, measured at restaurants open at least a year, rose 5.7% in the October–December period, above Wall Street’s 3.9% expectation tracked by FactSet.In the United States, comparable sales increased 6.8%, supported by discounted meal bundles and menu pricing initiatives aimed at shoppers feeling pressure from everyday costs. The company cited its “Extra Value Meal” promotions and its broader McValue lineup as key drivers, alongside the return of Snack Wraps priced at $2.99.…

Russia has attempted to fully block WhatsApp, the messaging service said, in what the company described as an escalation of official pressure on private digital communications. A WhatsApp spokesperson said the move was intended to “drive users to a state-owned surveillance app,” pointing to MAX, a state-supported messenger that has been promoted domestically as an all-in-one platform for chat, payments, and access to government services. The spokesperson warned that cutting off the app would isolate “over 100 million people” from “private and secure communication,” calling the effort a step that could reduce user safety inside the country. WhatsApp said it…