Friday, February 13, 2026

Meridian

Your daily news, distilled.

USTop Signal

Trump Administration Revokes Major Climate Change Regulation, Impacting EPA Authority

Via BBC World, Aljazeera, New York Times, France24, The Verge, Euronews and PBS NewsHour

  • •The Trump administration revoked the 2009 'endangerment finding' affecting EPA's regulatory power.
  • •This decision is seen as the most extensive deregulation action in U.S. history, according to the White House.
  • •Environmentalists warn the rollback will likely increase greenhouse gas emissions and harm public health.
  • •The move concludes a decade-long effort to dismantle Obama-era climate policies.
  • •Experts express concern that ignoring scientific consensus may lead to significant environmental repercussions.
World

Geopolitical Tensions Reshape Agenda Ahead of Munich Security Conference

Via Aljazeera, France24, PBS NewsHour and Politico EU

  • •Geopolitical tensions are central to discussions at the upcoming Munich Security Conference.
  • •U.S. and EU leaders are reacting to shifting global dynamics influenced by Trump's policies.
  • •Russia's military actions in Ukraine remain a primary concern among NATO allies.
  • •The EU aims for economic reforms to improve competitiveness against pressures from the U.S. and China.
  • •U.S. Secretary of State Rubio is expected to address critical issues regarding Ukraine at the conference.
World

Bangladesh Nationalist Party Claims Landslide Victory in Historic 2026 Election

Via BBC World, NPR News, Aljazeera, New York Times, The Economist and France24

  • •The BNP claims over two-thirds of parliamentary seats in the first election post-2024 uprising.
  • •Tarique Rahman, leader of the BNP, celebrated victory with supporters in Dhaka's streets.
  • •The 2026 election reflects significant political shifts in Bangladesh following years of stability under Sheikh Hasina.
  • •Critics question the BNP's capability to implement promised reforms amid ongoing political challenges.
  • •Young voters played a crucial role in the 2026 elections, influencing the shifting political dynamics.
Business

Goldman Sachs General Counsel Kathryn Ruemmler Resigns Amid Epstein Email Controversy

Via New York Times, NPR News, Euronews and Aljazeera

  • •Kathryn Ruemmler, Goldman Sachs' General Counsel, is resigning amid Epstein connection revelations.
  • •Emails have surfaced showing a close relationship between Ruemmler and Jeffrey Epstein.
  • •Ruemmler referred to Epstein as 'Uncle Jeffrey' in personal communications.
  • •Her resignation is effective this summer as the firm seeks to address reputational damage.
  • •Goldman Sachs maintains a focus on ethical standards in light of public scrutiny.
World

Storm Nils Claims Lives and Causes Destruction Across Southern France and Northern Spain

Via France24, Euronews and Dw

  • •At least three fatalities have been confirmed due to Storm Nils impacting France and Spain.
  • •Around 450,000 households in southern France are still without power as clean-up efforts continue.
  • •Severe damages were reported to boats and infrastructure, especially along the Arcachon Basin in France.
  • •Emergency services are responding to restore utilities and clear blocked roads caused by fallen trees.

More Stories

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World

Japan Seizes Chinese Fishing Vessel, Heightening Tensions with Beijing

Via BBC World, Aljazeera, France24 and New York Times

  • Japan seized a Chinese fishing vessel for allegedly ignoring orders to stop for inspection.
  • The captain was arrested, and Japan claims the boat was operating within its exclusive economic zone.
7
World

South Africa Deploys Military Forces to Combat Rising Gang Violence

Via BBC World and Aljazeera

  • President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the deployment of troops to combat organized crime.
  • The military will assist police in addressing escalating gang violence and illegal mining.
8
World

Sophie Adenot Launches on Record-setting Nine-Month Mission to ISS

Via France24

  • Sophie Adenot successfully launched to the ISS for a nine-month mission.
  • Her mission aims to set a record for French astronauts with over 200 experiments.
9
World

Former Norway Prime Minister Charged with Corruption Linked to Epstein Network

Via BBC World, New York Times and The Economist

  • Thorbjorn Jagland has been charged with gross corruption related to Jeffrey Epstein.
  • The charges followed the lifting of Jagland's diplomatic immunity by the Council of Europe.
10
US

Federal Judge Blocks Trump's Plan to Punish Senator Mark Kelly Over Free Speech

Via Aljazeera, New York Times, PBS NewsHour and NPR News

  • U.S. District Judge Richard Leon blocked the Trump administration from punishing Senator Mark Kelly.
  • The judge ruled that the actions violated Kelly's First Amendment rights and threatened military retirees' liberties.
11
Tech

Waymo Seeks Human Assistance to Maintain Self-Driving Car Operations Amid Regulatory Delays

Via TechCrunch, Wired, Hacker News and Euronews

  • Waymo is requesting DoorDash drivers to close the doors of its self-driving cars to avoid them getting stuck.
  • The company is facing significant regulatory hurdles in Washington, D.C., which are delaying its robotaxi launch.
12
World

Highlights from February 2026 PlayStation State of Play Showcase

Via The Verge and google

  • The PlayStation State of Play event was held on February 12, 2026, and lasted over one hour.
  • A trailer for 'Resident Evil: Requiem' was a highlight, showing Leon as infected again.
13
US

Controversial ICE Operations in Minnesota Draw to a Close Amid Backlash

Via PBS NewsHour, The Economist, Euronews and New York Times

  • The Trump administration has announced a major drawdown of ICE operations in Minnesota.
  • Widespread protests and the deaths of two U.S. citizens triggered increased scrutiny of ICE's actions.
14
World

China Sees Strengthening Credit Growth Amid Shifts in Foreign Investment Trends

Via Bloomberg

  • China's credit growth increased significantly in January, driven by government bond sales.
  • Foreign-exchange conversions into the yuan decreased amid a slower pace of currency appreciation.
15
Tech

OpenAI Unveils GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark with Custom Cerebras Chips for Enhanced Speed

Via TechCrunch, Arstechnica and theregister

  • OpenAI launched the GPT-5.3-Codex-Spark model, which is significantly faster than its predecessor.
  • The new model operates on custom chips from Cerebras Systems, moving away from NVIDIA.
16
World

Tumbler Ridge community mourns after devastating mass shooting incident

Via BBC World and New York Times

  • The mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge has left the community in deep mourning.
  • Nearly every resident has a connection to the victims, intensifying the community's grief.
17
US

DHS Shutdown Imminent as Funding Talks Falter Among Lawmakers

Via New York Times and PBS NewsHour

  • Senate Democrats blocked a critical funding bill for the DHS over immigration enforcement limits.
  • Lawmakers are heading into a 10-day break, leaving negotiations stalled.
18
World

Venezuela Protests Erupt as Lawmakers Delay Landmark Amnesty Bill for Political Prisoners

Via Aljazeera and France24

  • Protesters in Caracas demanded the release of political prisoners and criticized government oppression.
  • The Venezuelan National Assembly postponed a vote on a key amnesty bill due to disagreements.
19
US

FBI Reveals New Details and Doubles Reward in Nancy Guthrie Kidnapping Case

Via BBC World, Washington Post and ABC News

  • The FBI has described a suspect in Nancy Guthrie's kidnapping and increased the reward.
  • The suspect is described as a 5-foot-9-inch man with a black hiking backpack.
20
World

Cuba's Energy Crisis Intensifies Amid US Blockade and Fuel Shortages

Via France24, The Economist and Euronews

  • Cuba is experiencing a severe energy crisis due to U.S. sanctions and fuel shortages.
  • The crisis has led to hotel closures and transport disruptions across the island.

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Curated from 20 sources. Every summary is reviewed for accuracy, but may still contain errors. We always link to original sources for verification.