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In the news today: Another laser-drone incident shuts down air traffic in Texas; an American hockey gold medalist slams a TikTok video shared by the White House; and Netflix walks away from a deal to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, clearing the path for Paramount. Also, the viral trend that has teens climbing trees dressed as cats and foxes.

People stand in line at check-in counters at El Paso International Airport, Feb. 11, 2026, in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Morgan Lee)

US NEWS

US military used laser to take down Border Protection drone, lawmakers say

The drone was flying near the U.S.-Mexico border. It turned out the drone belonged to Customs and Border Protection, lawmakers said. The case of mistaken identity prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to close additional airspace around Fort Hancock, about 50 miles southeast of El Paso. Read more.

Why this matters:

• It was the second time in two weeks that a laser was fired in the area. The last time it was CBP that used the weapon and nothing was hit. That incident occurred near Fort Bliss and prompted the FAA to shut down air traffic at El Paso airport and the surrounding area.
  
  

• “Our heads are exploding over the news,” several top Democrats on the House Transportation and Infrastructure and Homeland Security committees said in a joint statement. They criticized the Trump administration for “sidestepping” a bipartisan bill to train drone operators and improve communication among the Pentagon, FAA and Department of Homeland Security, which includes CBP.
  
  

• The FAA, CBP and the Pentagon issued a joint statement late Thursday that acknowledged the military “employed counter-unmanned aircraft system authorities to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace.” The statement said it happened far from populated areas and commercial flights as part of the administration’s efforts to strengthen protections at the border.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

• A nearly blind refugee is found dead after Border Patrol agents drop him at Buffalo doughnut shop
  
  
• The Trump administration is detaining and questioning refugees already admitted to the US
  
  
• A chief judge warns Minnesota’s top prosecutor and ICE: Obey court orders or face contempt

POLITICS

US hockey player Brady Tkachuk slams White House TikTok as ‘clearly fake’ after anti-Canada slur

American hockey player Brady Tkachuk said Thursday that he did not appreciate a doctored TikTok video shared by the White House that made it look like he was disparaging Canadians after winning Olympic gold, calling it fake and something he would never say. Read more.

Why this matters:

• The U.S. women also beat Canada 2-1 in overtime, the first time the Americans swept both Olympic hockey tournaments. The celebration of the twin victories has been shadowed by U.S. politics almost since the final horn of the men’s game.
  
  

• The video includes fabricated audio of Tkachuk referring to Canadians as “maple syrup eating (expletive),” with the expletive bleeped out. The video carries a note saying it “contains AI-generated media.” Tkachuk, a 26-year-old Arizona native, is the captain of the NHL’s Ottawa Senators and has played his entire career in the Canadian capital. “It’s clearly fake because it’s not my voice and not my lips moving,” Tkachuk said. “I’m not in control of any of those accounts. … I know that those words would never come out of my mouth.” The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

• Live updates: Bill Clinton to testify in House Epstein investigation
  
  

• WATCH: Hillary Clinton slams Republicans after six-hour Epstein deposition
  
  
• EU orders probe of Mandelson’s Epstein ties while trade rep
  
  
• Hundreds of corrections being issued for Texas’ Bible-infused curriculum
  
  
• FedEx says it will return to customers any refunds it gets back from Trump’s illegal tariffs
  
  
• Mamdani pitches Trump on housing with mock newspaper in latest White House visit
  
  
• Anthropic refuses to bend to Pentagon on AI safeguards as dispute nears deadline
  
  
• Deadly shooting in Cuban waters highlights obsessions with counter-revolution as US pressure mounts
  
  
• American sympathy shifts toward Palestinians and away from Israelis: Gallup poll
  
  
• Trump heads to Texas, where 3 friends are battling it out in the Senate Republican primary
  
  
• Los Angeles Board of Education to discuss school superintendent after FBI searched his home
  
  
• Republican voter ID bill stalls in Senate despite Trump demands
  
  
• Trump’s State of the Union address seen by 32.6 million people, down 4 million from 2025 speech
  
  
• Melania Trump will preside over a UN Security Council meeting in a first for a first lady

BUSINESS

Netflix walks away from Warner Bros deal, clearing the path for Paramount

On Thursday, Warner’s board announced that Skydance-owned Paramount’s latest offer to buy the entire company for $31 per share was superior to the agreement it had previously struck with Netflix. Warner gave Netflix four business days to come up with a counteroffer — but Netflix instead responded less than two hours later, declining to raise its proposal. Read more.

Why this matters:

• Netflix said the new price it would have to pay made the deal “no longer financially attractive.” It’s a stunning move that effectively puts Paramount in a position to take over its storied Hollywood rival.
  
  

• A Paramount buyout of Warner Bros. Discovery would reshape Hollywood and the wider media landscape. And unlike Netflix — which was only eyeing Warner’s studio and streaming business — Paramount wants the entire company. That means HBO Max, cult-favorite titles like “Harry Potter” and even CNN could soon find themselves under the same roof as Paramount’s CBS, “Top Gun” and the Paramount+ streaming service. The prospect of such a combination, which will still need the green light from both Warner shareholders and regulators, poses both antitrust concerns and questions of political influence.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

• Growing more complex by the day: How should journalists govern use of AI in their products?
  
  
• Burger King is testing AI headsets that will know if employees say ‘welcome’ or ‘thank you’

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