{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftodays-news.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2Ftodays-news-february-17-18-2026-N_8eIMOT","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"TODAY'S NEWS, February 17-18, 2026","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/01f7d4b2-716c-43f9-8a03-c96056c76782/dc203511-d7a4-4f3f-9ee6-4d4fc5c356dd/wwoptodays_news_cover.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"","height":200,"description":"Voter registration trends showed mixed signals in Pennsylvania and Republican gains in Arizona, while speculation grew over a possible retirement of Samuel Alito and renewed debate surfaced over past impeachment strategy admissions; additional election integrity investigations emerged in California and Georgia, DOJ launched a probe into Portland schools, and internal turnover continued within the Trump administration. Immigration enforcement intensified with over 100,000 visas revoked, expanded ICE cooperation nationwide, and ongoing criminal cases, as the DOJ also pursued discrimination and fraud matters. Economic indicators pointed to industrial growth, rising factory utilization, a 7.2% jump in durable goods orders, and a newly announced $33 billion Ohio natural gas facility, while AI disruption accelerated with warnings from Anthropic leadership about rapid automation and potential self-improving systems. Internationally, Xi Jinping delivered remarks remotely to China’s military, attention turned to Svalbard’s strategic Arctic role, and geopolitical alignments remained fluid. In entertainment, tributes followed the reported deaths of Robert Duvall and James Van Der Beek, leadership changed at Disney, and MLB’s union head resigned amid investigation, while medical updates included promising MIT research using sound waves against Alzheimer’s plaque and the appointment of Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to lead the CDC, alongside a successful rescue of 51 dogs from an Arkansas shelter collapse."}