International News

Trump says Ukraine 'should have never started' war in Ukraine

Feb. 19, 2025

President Donald Trump suggested Tuesday that Ukraine was responsible for Russia's invasion of the country three years ago, arguing Kyiv could have made a deal to avoid the conflict. “You should have never started it,” Trump said of Ukraine while criticizing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who had expressed concern that his country was not included in talks between the U.S. and Russia in Saudi Arabia.

Entertainment

‘Saturday Night Live’ will next feature Lady Gaga, Shane Gillis and Tate McRae

Feb. 19, 2025

“Saturday Night Live” will follow up its 50th anniversary celebrations with new shows and some familiar faces — Lady Gaga doing double duty as musical guest and host, and an episode hosted by Shane Gillis with Tate McRae performing. On March 1, Gillis will host “SNL” for the second time, alongside McRae, who releases her third album “So Close to What” in late February. On March 8, Lady Gaga will mark her second appearance as “SNL” host and fifth appearance as its musical guest. Her latest album — “Mayhem” — will have dropped the day before.

International News

Senate confirms Howard Lutnick as commerce secretary; Marco Rubio attends peace talks with Russia

Feb. 19, 2025

The Senate confirmed Howard Lutnick as Trump’s commerce secretary after advancing Kash Patel’s nomination for FBI director. Both were party-line votes.

Entertainment

'90 Day Fiancé' star Jasmine Pineda announces she's expecting a baby with boyfriend

Feb. 19, 2025

Jasmine Pineda, known for appearing on "90 Day Fiancé" and its spinoffs on TLC, announced Tuesday she’s expecting a baby with her boyfriend. "I have very special news for you,” Pineda said, smiling and cradling her belly in an announcement video. “I am pregnant. I am so happy and excited and I cannot wait to meet my beautiful baby.” Her child's father, Matt Branistareanu, also shared a photo from the pair's maternity shoot on Instagram.

Automotive

Honda posts positive US sales growth in Q3, but global declines impact profit

Feb. 19, 2025

American Honda Motor Co. reported sales revenue growth of 8.9% to 1.63 trillion yen ($10.7 billion) on brisk vehicle sales in the U.S. for the first nine months of fiscal year ending March 31, the automaker announced in its earnings report Feb. 13. The automaker reported sales of 1,271,000 vehicles in the U.S. during the nine month period, a 13.3% year-over-year increase of 60,000 units.

International News

As U.S. and Putin negotiate, intel shows he's not interested 'in a real peace deal,' sources say

Feb. 18, 2025

As the Trump administration begins preliminary talks with Russian officials about ending the war in Ukraine, intelligence from the United States and close allies shows that Russian President Vladimir Putin still wants to control all of Ukraine, according to four Western intelligence officials and two U.S. congressional officials. “We have zero intelligence that Putin is interested in a real peace deal right now,” one of the congressional officials said.

Entertainment

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Feb. 23-March 1

Feb. 18, 2025

Celebrity birthdays for the week of Feb. 23-March 1: Feb. 23: Actor Patricia Richardson (“Strong Medicine,” ″Home Improvement”) is 74. Guitarist Brad Whitford of Aerosmith is 73. Singer Howard Jones is 70. Guitarist Michael Wilton of Queensryche is 63. Actor Kristin Davis (“Sex and the City”) is 60. Actor Marc Price (“Family Ties”) is 57. TV personality Daymond John (“Shark Tank”) is 56. Actor Niecy Nash (“Claws,” “Reno 911!”) is 56. Bassist Jeff Beres of Sister Hazel is 54. Guitarist-keyboardist Lasse Johansson of The Cardigans is 52. Songwriter Robert Lopez (“Frozen”) is 50. Actor Kelly Macdonald (“Boardwalk Empire”) is 49. Rapper Residente of Calle 13 is 47. Actor Josh Gad (“Frozen”) is 44. Actor Aziz Ansari (“Parks and Recreation”) is 42. Actor Emily Blunt (“A Quiet Place,” “The Devil Wears Prada”) is 42. Actor Dakota Fanning is 31.

International News

U.S. and Russia agree to restore embassy staffing in high-level talks on Ukraine war

Feb. 18, 2025

Attention in Europe is still focused on the war in Ukraine, the deadliest conflict on the continent since World War II. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other European leaders expressed alarm and dismay at being shut out of the talks Riyadh. One of Kyiv's main concerns is that Russia will be given the go-ahead to keep some of the 20% of Ukraine it has occupied. “Ukraine did not know anything about it,” Zelenskyy warned ahead of the meeting.

Automotive

Trump says auto tariffs are coming April 2

Feb. 18, 2025

President Donald Trump said he is planning to enact automotive tariffs “around April 2,” in response to a reporter’s question on Friday. Trump did not expand on which countries would be impacted nor how much the tariffs would be. The comments, which were captured in a Bloomberg video, came as he was signing an unrelated executive order. Trump said he initially slated the tariff to go into effect April 1, or April Fools’ Day, but decided to delay the plan since he is a “little superstitious.”

Entertainment

No longer guilty: How romance books have changed readers attitudes toward sex in real life

Feb. 18, 2025

Love is in the air – and on the page. Look on any “As Seen on BookTok” table at your local bookstore, and you’re likely to find them: Romance books that seem demure with cursive fonts and illustrated couples on the cover but with pretty explicit sex scenes inside the pages. Because of that, there can be an air of pretentiousness when readers talk about romance novels, saying “I like something with a little bit more substance,” or feeling the need to qualify them as guilty pleasures.