Emerging Topics in U.S. News
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 17th 2026
Updated 16:12 ET
25 articles
SHOOTING, HOCKEY, RINK, RHODE
A video from Monday shows hockey spectators fighting back against the transgender father who opened fire on his family at Dennis M. Lynch Arena in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.
Breitbart News reported that police were called about the shooting around 2:28 p.m.
Continued at Breitbart...
22
GUTHRIE, NANCY, DNA, CASE
Savannah Guthrie issues new plea for her mom's return as police test DNA from glove Authorities investigating the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie are testing DNA they hope will point them toward a suspect. The DNA comes from a glove that was found about two
Continued at NPR...
20
JACKSON, JESSE, REV, CIVIL
President Donald Trump took to Truth Social to offer his condolences and pay tribute to the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. after the Tuesday death of the late civil rights activist and two-time presidential candidate.
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Trump wrote:
The Reverend Jesse
Continued at Red State...
15
NEWSOM, TRUMP, GAVIN, UK
Governor Gavin Newsom’s clean energy pact is getting torched as just another failure when it comes to California policy that has already driven serious business out of the state.
The memorandum of understanding, signed by Governor Gavin Newsom and U.K. Energy
Continued at New York Post...
13
IRAN, TALKS, NUCLEAR, TRUMP
Negotiations between the United States and Iran advanced Tuesday toward what Tehran described as the beginning of a potential framework, but sharp public divisions between the two sides underscored how far apart they remain.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas
Continued at Fox News...
8
RUBIO, HUNGARY, NUCLEAR, TRUMP
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is meeting Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán in Budapest as the two countries move to sign a civilian nuclear cooperation deal
Rubio meets Orbán in Budapest as US and Hungary are to sign a civilian nuclear pact
U.S.
Continued at ABC...
7
TEAM, OLYMPICS, GOLD, USA
The U.S. women's hockey team is dominating the Olympics. Now they will play for gold
toggle caption Alexander Nemenov/AFP via Getty Images
MILAN — Before Monday night, it might have been uncouth to admit the goal for the U.S. women's hockey team has been
Continued at NPR...
7
COLBERT, TALARICO, STEPHEN, INTERVIEW
In this article WBD
PSKY Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT
Democratic Texas State Rep. James Talarico speaks during a U.S. Senate campaign launch rally on September 09, 2025 in Round Rock, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty Images
Stephen Colbert
Continued at CNBC...
7
DAUGHTER, VEGAS, MOM, MURDER
A mom fatally shot her cheerleader daughter in a Las Vegas hotel room and then turned the gun on herself in a tragic murder-suicide, cops said.
Their bodies were discovered in a room at Rio Hotel & Casino on Sunday alongside an apparent suicide note after
Continued at New York Post...
7
SENATE, ENDORSEMENT, TEXAS, PRIMARY
FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Wesley Hunt, who is running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate in Texas, filed a police report on Tuesday after a senior campaign staffer for one of his GOP opponents posted a 2016 provisional ballot that included personal information
Continued at Fox News...
7
SCHOOL, ICE, GEORGIA, ILLEGAL
A married Indiana high school secretary was beaten by her husband when he allegedly caught her in a tryst with one student, which led to an investigation in which it was discovered that she had sexual relations with another.
The Union City Police Department
Continued at Fox News...
6
ROBERT, DUVALL, 95, DEAD
Robert Duvall died Sunday, according to his wife Luciana Pedraza Duvall. He was 95.
Circumstances surrounding his death were not immediately made available.
"Yesterday we said goodbye to my beloved husband, cherished friend, and one of the greatest actors
Continued at Fox News...
6
MAMDANI, TAX, HOCHUL, ZOHRAN
Mayor Zohran Mamdani is set to unveil a record $122 billion budget Tuesday — fueled by a proposed property tax hike on New Yorkers, The Post has learned.
The eye-popping preliminary budget — up more than $6 billion from the current year — will also call for
Continued at New York Post...
5
GAME, STAR, JAMES, LEBRON
Left-wing film director Spike Lee turned heads on Sunday when he attended the NBA All-Star Game wearing a head-to-toe pro-Palestinian outfit to the stadium.
Lee appeared at the Intuit Dome in Southern California wearing a red newsboy cap, and a sweater adorned
Continued at Breitbart...
5
TRUMP, SEWAGE, POTOMAC, FEDERAL
President Donald Trump ordered an all-of-government effort to protect the District of Columbia’s water supply and slammed Maryland Gov. Wes Moore as a sewage pipe interceptor rupture in Cabin John has released an estimated 240 million gallons into the Potomac
Continued at Fox News...
5
ICE, ROTHWELL, NATASHA, POLITICAL
HBO’s White Lotus star Natasha Rothwell went off-script Sunday night and condemned ICE as she spoke at the 41st Independent Spirit Awards.
FOX News first reported as with the Grammys earlier this month, many celebrities used the award show as an opportunity
Continued at Breitbart...
5
COSTA, CALIFORNIA, SURFING, LEGEND
The brother of a Californian surfer slain in Costa Rica has warned the killing is “more nefarious” than a random break-in.
During an interview with The California Post on Monday morning, Peter Van Dyke revealed more details about his brother Kurt Van Dyke’s
Continued at New York Post...
4
SPOKESWOMAN, TRUMP, TRICIA, DHS
Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin is leaving the Trump administration, Fox News has confirmed.
McLaughlin, one of the administration's most vocal defenders of President Trump's immigration enforcement
Continued at Fox News...
4
FUNDING, DHS, SHUTDOWN, DRAGS
DHS shuts down after a funding lapse. And, why athletes get the 'yips' at the Olympics
Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start
Continued at NPR...
4
POLICE, CAPITOL, GUN, APPEARS
Six semis were involved in the crash on I-25, police said.
4 dead in pile-up crash in Colorado involving over 30 vehicles, including multiple semis: Police
Police arrive at the scene of a multi-car pileup in Pueblo, Colorado, Feb. 17, 2026.
Police arrive
Continued at ABC...
4
MAYOR, OLYMPICS, BASS, WASSERMAN
Pot, meet kettle.
Los Angeles residents roasted Mayor Karen Bass after she called for LA 2028 Olympics chief Casey Wasserman to step down over his links to Jeffrey Epstein — saying Bass has her own explaining to do.
3 Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass speaks to
Continued at New York Post...
3
BILL, PILLS, ABORTION, OUTLAW
Democrat Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a Republican-led bill on Friday that mandates people use restrooms according to their biology rather than their self-proclaimed “gender identity.”
Republican lawmakers, who dominate both the state House and Senate, are
Continued at Breitbart...
3
SCHUMER, ID, VOTE, BILL
Senate Republicans say they’ve struggled to get out on the campaign trail ahead of the midterm elections — and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., argues Democrats are to blame.
"Their whole goal, and everything is to, you know, force us to stay around,
Continued at Fox News...
3
FLAG, SCHUMER, PRIDE, GIVE
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced on Sunday that he would be “introducing federal legislation to make the Pride Flag a congressionally authorized symbol.”
In a post on X, Schumer criticized President Donald Trump for attacking “not just
Continued at Breitbart...