Daily Briefing: He was 'Somebody'
- - Daily Briefing: He was 'Somebody'
Nicole Fallert, USA TODAY February 17, 2026 at 4:38 AM
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U.S. curling upset | Medal count | Olympian salaries
Morning! Welcome to the Daily Briefing. Here’s what’s breaking this morning:
It's Fat Tuesday and Ramadan.
Peanut butter was recalled in 40 states.
These bobsled queens champion medals — and motherhood.
Nicole Fallert here, bringing you the news to know on Tuesday, from the legacy of Jesse Jackson to a deadly shooting at a youth hockey game. Plus, flying during a DHS shutdown.
A towering civil rights icon dies
The Rev. Jesse Jackson is interviewed in Montgomery, Alabama, in 2024.
Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson has died at 84 following a lengthy battle with the progressive neuromuscular disease progressive supranuclear palsy, a condition similar to Parkinson's disease. He was a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, a presidential candidate and one of the world's best-known Black activists.
Born in 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson's rise to prominence began after he and seven other men were arrested in 1960 for protesting segregation at their town's public library. He then joined Martin Luther King Jr.'s burgeoning civil rights fight, and was just feet away when King was assassinated in 1968.
He went on to negotiate global hostage releases and called out corporations for their lack of corporate diversity and failure to support voting rights. Jackson founded what would be the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and ran for president as a Democrat in 1984 and 1988, energizing and registering millions of Black voters.
Jackson was known for his "I am Somebody" chant that inspired generations of activists.
More news to know now -
The latest on US-Iran nuclear talks: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump would not succeed in deposing the Islamic Republic, state media reported, days after Trump said regime change "would be the best thing that could happen."
Sports world speaks after hockey shooting. A shooting during a youth hockey game in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, left two people dead and three others injured on Monday. The New England Patriots were among the many in the sports world to react to the shooting.
Hollywood mourns. Stars grieve Robert Duvall, the Academy Award-winning actor known for his roles in Hollywood classics such as "The Godfather" and "Apocalypse Now." He was 95.
2026 Lunar New Year
Welcome to the year of the Fire Horse
Performers on the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Horse at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing, China, February 17, 2026.
Festivities began across the country on Tuesday for the start of the Lunar New Year. Celebrations usher in the Year of the Horse, specifically the Fire Horse, symbolizing "energy, freedom, and forward momentum," according to Asia Society Texas.
Travel
TSA works without pay
The Department of Homeland Security remains shut down Tuesday after a political impasse in Congress over immigration enforcement. Critically, DHS includes the Transportation Security Administration, and airport security workers are currently on the job without pay. The situation has the potential to impact many travelers and TSA employees for an indefinite period of time.
Before you go -
George W. Bush is on Substack.
Beyoncé's new short bob sparked a fan frenzy.
Michigan is No. 1 in USA TODAY Sports' latest Coaches Poll Top 25.
Have feedback on the Daily Briefing? Shoot Nicole an email at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jesse Jackson dies, Iran, hockey shooting, Robert Duvall, Lunar New Year, DHS shutdown, Olympics: Daily Briefing
Source: “AOL Breaking”
