Sports

UEFA opens probe into Prestianni after Vinicius Jr racial slur allegation

UEFA has opened a disciplinary investigation into Benfica forward Gianluca Prestianni after allegations of racist behaviour during the first leg of the Champions League play-off against Real Madrid at the Estadio da Luz. The governing body appointed a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector to examine events following Vinicius Jr'

Business

Oil prices rise as sanctioned crude piles up at sea

Oil futures climbed this week as traders weighed the risk of supply disruptions amid tensions between the US and Iran and uncertainty over the war in Ukraine after talks in Geneva ended without a breakthrough. On Wednesday prices ended more than 4% higher; early Thursday US West Texas Intermediate traded

Health

N.I.H. Director to Serve Temporarily as C.D.C. Acting Director

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health, will also serve as the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention while continuing to lead the N.I.H. He will remain in the temporary post until President Trump appoints a permanent director, a position

Tech

Windows 11 adds an internet speed test to the taskbar

Microsoft has added a built‑in network speed test to the Windows 11 taskbar. The feature appears in Windows 11 Builds 26100.7918 and 26200.7918 (KB5077241) and measures Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, and Cellular connections. Buttons to run the test appear in the network icon's context menu and

AI

Money Talks as India Searches for Its Place in Global A.I.

The India A.I. Impact Summit unfolded across 120 acres in New Delhi, with more than 300 exhibitors, 500 sessions and organizers expecting 250,000 participants. A fleet of foreign leaders attended, including President Emmanuel Macron and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and tech bosses from Google, Microsoft and

Culture

Starfleet Academy Season 2 Nears Wrap, Actor Says

As Season 1 approaches its finale, cast members report that production on Starfleet Academy's second season is nearly complete. The development comes as the show prepares to close out its inaugural chapter on Paramount+. George Hawkins, who plays Darem Reymi, confirmed the schedule, saying, "We wrap on

Politics

Study finds EU subsidies favour beef and lamb over legumes 580-fold

Beef and lamb received 580 times more in EU subsidies than legumes in 2020, a report finds, while pork was subsidised nearly 240 times more and dairy 554 times more than nuts and seeds. The analysis by the charity Foodrise says the common agricultural policy (CAP) gives disproportionately large support

Sports

Pierre Kalulu says 'it's a shame' after Bastoni apology

Pierre Kalulu has broken his silence over the controversial red card involving Alessandro Bastoni that dominated Italian football headlines this week. Kalulu was sent off shortly before half-time after receiving a second yellow for a challenge on Bastoni, who went to ground; Bastoni appealed that Kalulu had pulled his shirt,

Culture

Jason Bateman got sober after tension with wife Amanda Anka

Jason Bateman said he decided to get sober because his drinking caused "tension" with his wife, Amanda Anka. She described the "drip, drip, drip" of his partying as "annoyingly unpredictable" and asked when the "spigot was going to completely turn off." They

Culture

Four upcoming birdwatching games on Steam

Birdwatching is a hobby I recommend everyone try, but if you haven’t picked up binoculars yet, several upcoming Steam games let you explore birds from home. They won’t let you tick species off a life list, but they can be a gentle introduction to the hobby. Flock Around

Culture

TMNT Secret Lair Superdrop has a $30 ninja reprint with Kevin Eastman art

Wizards of the Coast used a Feb. 17 “Turtle Tuesday” reveal to unveil a Magic: The Gathering – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles crossover and the Secret Lair Totally TubuLair Superdrop. The set mixes retro, VHS-style art with a number of playable reprints, including a nearly $30 ninja staple that hasn’t

Culture

'How To Make a Killing' Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed

A24's How to Make a Killing opens Feb. 20, and early reviews have arrived: the film holds a 51% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 39 reviews. Glen Powell stars as Becket Redfellow, a man disowned at birth who begins killing relatives to become the

Culture

Guy Ritchie's Fountain of Youth Spends 320 Days in Apple TV Top 10

Guy Ritchie's Apple TV+ adventure film Fountain of Youth has spent more than 320 days in the Top 10 of the Apple TV charts. The movie, Ritchie's attempt at an Indiana Jones–style picture, premiered to one of the iciest receptions of his career. Rotten Tomatoes

Sports

Rafa Benitez facing Panathinaikos sack as Igor Biscan lined up

Rafa Benitez is teetering on the edge of unemployment after a short, disappointing spell at Panathinaikos. He arrived in Athens in October on a two-and-a-half-year deal reportedly worth about £3.5 million, but in his first 25 matches across all competitions has managed just 13 wins and suffered six defeats.

Culture

Tom Brady's 'fun' fling with Alix Earle is more than just a random hookup

Tom Brady and Alix Earle are both having "fun" amid a budding, albeit "not-that-serious," fling. Brady is described as "very particular," "intentional" and a "perfectionist" who "doesn't hook up with just anyone," suggesting he is genuinely

Sports

Martin O'Neill marks 1,000th game as Celtic head to Stuttgart

Martin O’Neill says he takes satisfaction from proving he can still succeed in management as Celtic prepare to visit Stuttgart for his 1,000th game in professional management. He was completely unaware of the milestone until informed this week. O’Neill, 73, is in his second stint in charge

Culture

DayZ creator urges greater acceptance of game delays

Dean Hall, creator of DayZ and CEO of RocketWerkz, urged greater acceptance of game delays during a recent AMA. He said developers can often work themselves into "far too much of a tizz" about avoiding delays, sometimes to the detriment of the final game. Hall noted that "

Crypto

Coinbase and Ledn Strengthen Crypto Lending Push Despite Market Slump

Digital asset lender Ledn completed what it described as the first-ever transaction of its kind in the asset-backed debt market, selling $188 million in securitized bonds backed by Bitcoin. The deal consists of two bonds, one portion rated investment-grade and priced at a spread of 335 basis points above the

Culture

Lonesome Dove Sees Spike in Streams After Robert Duvall's Death

Following the sad passing of Robert Duvall on February 15, audiences revisited his work and the 1989 limited series Lonesome Dove saw a massive spike in viewership. FlixPatrol data shows it was the most-watched show on the domestic iTunes charts on February 17, ahead of Halt and Catch Fire, Landman,

Business

Botswana’s ‘Corn Lady’ Builds a Culinary Business

After earning an honors degree a decade ago, Tshephiso Marumo began selling ears of corn door-to-door and was derisively nicknamed Mmammidi, or Corn Lady. She reclaimed the name, turned it into a brand and opened two roadside food stalls in Gaborone that serve traditional village dishes and have attracted politicians,

Sports

Liverpool urged to sign Jarrod Bowen as Mohamed Salah replacement

Mohamed Salah has a contract at Anfield until 2027 but has been tipped to leave this summer while Liverpool can still extract a fee. He was voted PFA Players' Player of the Year for 2024-25 as Liverpool won the Premier League, yet the club sit sixth after 26 fixtures,

Sports

Multiple Victims Tied to Sugar Bowl Academy in Sierra Nevada Avalanche

Sugar Bowl Academy, a private ski-focused school in Norden, Calif., said Wednesday night that multiple people who died in a Sierra Nevada avalanche had ties to its program. The school said it would not release names or details of those who took part in the three-day expedition. “We are an

Culture

The story behind Carolyn Bessette Kennedy’s unconventional engagement ring

When John F. Kennedy Jr. proposed over Fourth of July weekend in 1995, he offered Carolyn Bessette Kennedy a platinum eternity band set with alternating diamonds and sapphires. The understated choice stood apart from typical engagement rings and has returned to the spotlight with FX’s “Love Story: John F.

Tech

Overwatch grants event rewards after battle pass glitch

After a glitch prevented progress across the battle pass and its time-limited Conquest event, Blizzard is sending the event rewards to eligible players. The issue left many players stuck on one faction's track and unable to max out both sides after the game's recent reboot and

World

U.S. Military Moves Into Place as Trump Weighs Strikes on Iran

The rapid U.S. military buildup in the Middle East has reached a point where President Trump could order strikes against Iran as soon as this weekend, even as indirect diplomatic talks continue. Iran asked for two weeks to return with detailed proposals; the talks produced what Iran’s foreign