US EditionDaily Briefing
Russian hardliners propose nuking Starlink; Brazilian supreme court ethics pushed to brink; Pink noise may hurt sleep
171 Articles •
Australian Teen Swims 4 Hours to Save Family Swept Out to Sea
Left 29%
Center 43%
Right 28%
What happened: Thirteen-year-old Austin Appelbee swam roughly 4 kilometers through shark-frequented waters last Friday after his family was swept 14 kilometers offshore near Quindalup, WA. His mother Joanne and siblings Beau, 12, and Grace, 8, clung to a paddleboard for over eight hours before a multi-agency helicopter rescue located them around 8:30pm.
Why it matters: Austin's four-hour swim—equivalent to running two marathons—directly saved three lives and highlights how rapidly ocean conditions can deteriorate even in popular tourist areas. Police emphasize wearing lifejackets and monitoring weather are critical, as strong offshore winds can quickly turn calm waters deadly within hours.
65% of sources are Original Reporting
39 Articles •
Iranian Gunboats Challenge US Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
L 20%
Center 40%
Right 40%
What happened: Three pairs of Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats ordered the US-flagged tanker Stena Imperative to stop and prepare for boarding Tuesday while it transited the Strait of Hormuz 16 nautical miles north of Oman. The tanker ignored the radio commands, increased speed, and continued its route under US warship escort, with the company stressing it never entered Iranian waters.
Why it matters: The Strait of Hormuz is the critical chokepoint through which OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Kuwait and Iraq export most of their crude oil to Asia. This confrontation occurs days before expected US-Iran nuclear talks on Friday and amid sharply escalated tensions, with at least 10 US warships including an aircraft carrier now deployed near Iranian waters.
72% of sources are Original Reporting
29 Articles •
Investigation Finds 890 Nazi-Linked Accounts at Credit Suisse
L 15%
Center 25%
Right 60%
The details: A US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today examines 890 Credit Suisse accounts with potential Nazi links, including previously undisclosed wartime accounts for the German Foreign Office, a German arms manufacturer, and the German Red Cross. Two high-level UBS executives and independent ombudsperson Neil Barofsky are testifying about the ongoing investigation, which has produced over 16.5 million documents and is expected to conclude by early summer with a final report due at the end of this year.
Why it matters: The investigation could reopen the landmark 1999 settlement between Swiss banks and Jewish community organizations, potentially recovering assets for descendants of Holocaust victims. UBS, which acquired Credit Suisse in 2023 and is pursuing a US national bank charter, faces scrutiny over a dispute involving 1990s-era attorney communications and allegations of concealing information from congressional investigators.
Blindspot: Low Coverage from Left Sources
90% of sources are Original Reporting
29 Articles •
Russian Intelligence Accuses France of Coup Plots in Africa
L 21%
Center 29%
Right 50%
The accusation: Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service publicly accused President Macron on Monday of authorizing operations to eliminate African leaders, alleging French involvement in a Jan. 3 coup attempt in Burkina Faso targeting President Ibrahim Traoré. The SVR claims France supports terrorist groups across Mali, Niger, and the Central African Republic to destabilize governments and restore pro-French regimes after losing influence in former colonies.
Why it matters: The allegations deepen the France-Russia rivalry in Africa and could destabilize the Sahel region, where Russian forces recently helped repel an airport attack in Niger's capital that killed 24 people last week. Ivory Coast and Benin have denied involvement and summoned Niger's ambassador in protest, while France has not commented, highlighting competing narratives that may reshape African alliances and security partnerships.
97% of sources are Original Reporting
5 Articles •
Engineered Algae Capture Microplastics and Create Bioplastics
Center 100%
The breakthrough: University of Missouri researchers engineered algae to produce limonene, making them water-repellent so they bind with microplastics in water, forming sinking clumps that can be collected and converted into bioplastic products. The findings were published last week in Nature Communications by lead author Bin Long and principal investigator Susie Dai.
Why it matters: Microplastics currently slip through wastewater treatment plants and contaminate drinking water, harming ecosystems and human health. This three-pronged approach could eventually integrate into municipal water systems to remove microplastics from your drinking water, clean wastewater nutrients, and upcycle pollution into useful products.
100% of sources are Original Reporting
60% of sources are High Factuality
68 Articles •
Woman Receives First Face Transplant from Euthanized Donor
L 23%
Center 33%
Right 44%
What happened: Last autumn, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona performed the world's first face transplant from an assisted dying donor to a woman named Carme who suffered severe facial necrosis from a bacterial infection. The 15-24 hour surgery involved around 100 medical professionals using advanced 3D imaging to transplant skin, muscle, nerves, fat and bone, restoring Carme's ability to breathe, eat, speak and see.
Why it matters: This unprecedented procedure represents a major medical and ethical milestone, combining Spain's assisted dying framework with organ donation to give a recipient a second chance at vital functions. The surgery demonstrates how advanced transplant techniques and compassionate end-of-life choices can transform lives, potentially influencing future organ donation and assisted dying practices worldwide.
90% of sources are Original Reporting
49 Articles •
Firefox to Let Users Block All AI Features with Single Toggle
Left 53%
Center 47%
What's happening: Firefox will roll out a new AI controls panel on Feb. 24 with Firefox 148, featuring a master "Block AI enhancements" toggle that disables all current and future AI features including chatbots, translations, tab grouping, and link previews. Users can also control individual AI tools separately, with all preferences persisting across browser updates.
Why it matters: This gives you complete control over AI in your browser experience, allowing you to eliminate unwanted AI pop-ups and prompts while choosing exactly which features you want. The toggle responds to user backlash and offers a rare opt-out option as competitors like Chrome and Edge increasingly push AI integration.
Blindspot: No Coverage from Right Sources
96% of sources are Original Reporting
49 Articles •
Notepad++ Confirms State-Sponsored Hackers Hijacked Updates
Left 33%
Center 59%
8%
What happened: Chinese state-sponsored hacking group Lotus Blossom compromised Notepad++'s shared hosting server from June through December 2, 2025, redirecting targeted users' auto-updates to attacker-controlled servers that delivered a custom backdoor called Chrysalis. The breach gave hackers interactive control of infected computers at select organizations with East Asia interests, including government, telecom, and critical infrastructure sectors.
What to do: Update immediately to Notepad++ version 8.8.9 or later, which includes hardened security verification and signature checks. Remove any previously installed self-signed Notepad++ root certificates from your system, check for suspicious files like update.exe in your TEMP folder, and download updates only from the official website.
Blindspot: Low Coverage from Right Sources
100% of sources are Original Reporting
27 Articles •
Brazil Supreme Court to Discuss Ethics Code as Justices Embroiled in Multibillion-Dollar Scandal
Left 38%
Center 37%
Right 25%
What happened: Brazil's Supreme Court announced an ethics code initiative yesterday as justices face scrutiny over the collapse of Banco Master and Will Bank, which were liquidated in November 2025 and January 2026 respectively. The scandal involves alleged fraud with nonexistent credit securities, affecting 1.6 million depositors and triggering up to R$46.9 billion ($8.7 billion) in deposit guarantee payouts, potentially Brazil's largest bank fraud.
Why it matters: The scandal tests Brazil's deposit guarantee system and judicial credibility, with allegations that a Supreme Court justice's spouse held a R$130 million contract with the bank and another justice traveled on the bank owner's private jet. Customers still owe on loans and credit cards despite the bank closures, and missed payments can damage credit histories even though the institution no longer operates.
100% of sources are Original Reporting
Daily Briefing
Russian hardliners propose nuking Starlink; Brazilian supreme court ethics pushed to brink; Pink noise may hurt sleep
171 Articles •
Australian Teen Swims 4 Hours to Save Family Swept Out to Sea
Left 29%
Center 43%
Right 28%
What happened: Thirteen-year-old Austin Appelbee swam roughly 4 kilometers through shark-frequented waters last Friday after his family was swept 14 kilometers offshore near Quindalup, WA. His mother Joanne and siblings Beau, 12, and Grace, 8, clung to a paddleboard for over eight hours before a multi-agency helicopter rescue located them around 8:30pm.
Why it matters: Austin's four-hour swim—equivalent to running two marathons—directly saved three lives and highlights how rapidly ocean conditions can deteriorate even in popular tourist areas. Police emphasize wearing lifejackets and monitoring weather are critical, as strong offshore winds can quickly turn calm waters deadly within hours.
65% of sources are Original Reporting
39 Articles •
Iranian Gunboats Challenge US Tanker in Strait of Hormuz
L 20%
Center 40%
Right 40%
What happened: Three pairs of Iranian Revolutionary Guard gunboats ordered the US-flagged tanker Stena Imperative to stop and prepare for boarding Tuesday while it transited the Strait of Hormuz 16 nautical miles north of Oman. The tanker ignored the radio commands, increased speed, and continued its route under US warship escort, with the company stressing it never entered Iranian waters.
Why it matters: The Strait of Hormuz is the critical chokepoint through which OPEC members Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Kuwait and Iraq export most of their crude oil to Asia. This confrontation occurs days before expected US-Iran nuclear talks on Friday and amid sharply escalated tensions, with at least 10 US warships including an aircraft carrier now deployed near Iranian waters.
72% of sources are Original Reporting
29 Articles •
Investigation Finds 890 Nazi-Linked Accounts at Credit Suisse
L 15%
Center 25%
Right 60%
The details: A US Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today examines 890 Credit Suisse accounts with potential Nazi links, including previously undisclosed wartime accounts for the German Foreign Office, a German arms manufacturer, and the German Red Cross. Two high-level UBS executives and independent ombudsperson Neil Barofsky are testifying about the ongoing investigation, which has produced over 16.5 million documents and is expected to conclude by early summer with a final report due at the end of this year.
Why it matters: The investigation could reopen the landmark 1999 settlement between Swiss banks and Jewish community organizations, potentially recovering assets for descendants of Holocaust victims. UBS, which acquired Credit Suisse in 2023 and is pursuing a US national bank charter, faces scrutiny over a dispute involving 1990s-era attorney communications and allegations of concealing information from congressional investigators.
Blindspot: Low Coverage from Left Sources
90% of sources are Original Reporting
29 Articles •
Russian Intelligence Accuses France of Coup Plots in Africa
L 21%
Center 29%
Right 50%
The accusation: Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service publicly accused President Macron on Monday of authorizing operations to eliminate African leaders, alleging French involvement in a Jan. 3 coup attempt in Burkina Faso targeting President Ibrahim Traoré. The SVR claims France supports terrorist groups across Mali, Niger, and the Central African Republic to destabilize governments and restore pro-French regimes after losing influence in former colonies.
Why it matters: The allegations deepen the France-Russia rivalry in Africa and could destabilize the Sahel region, where Russian forces recently helped repel an airport attack in Niger's capital that killed 24 people last week. Ivory Coast and Benin have denied involvement and summoned Niger's ambassador in protest, while France has not commented, highlighting competing narratives that may reshape African alliances and security partnerships.
97% of sources are Original Reporting
5 Articles •
Engineered Algae Capture Microplastics and Create Bioplastics
Center 100%
The breakthrough: University of Missouri researchers engineered algae to produce limonene, making them water-repellent so they bind with microplastics in water, forming sinking clumps that can be collected and converted into bioplastic products. The findings were published last week in Nature Communications by lead author Bin Long and principal investigator Susie Dai.
Why it matters: Microplastics currently slip through wastewater treatment plants and contaminate drinking water, harming ecosystems and human health. This three-pronged approach could eventually integrate into municipal water systems to remove microplastics from your drinking water, clean wastewater nutrients, and upcycle pollution into useful products.
100% of sources are Original Reporting
60% of sources are High Factuality
68 Articles •
Woman Receives First Face Transplant from Euthanized Donor
L 23%
Center 33%
Right 44%
What happened: Last autumn, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona performed the world's first face transplant from an assisted dying donor to a woman named Carme who suffered severe facial necrosis from a bacterial infection. The 15-24 hour surgery involved around 100 medical professionals using advanced 3D imaging to transplant skin, muscle, nerves, fat and bone, restoring Carme's ability to breathe, eat, speak and see.
Why it matters: This unprecedented procedure represents a major medical and ethical milestone, combining Spain's assisted dying framework with organ donation to give a recipient a second chance at vital functions. The surgery demonstrates how advanced transplant techniques and compassionate end-of-life choices can transform lives, potentially influencing future organ donation and assisted dying practices worldwide.
90% of sources are Original Reporting
49 Articles •
Firefox to Let Users Block All AI Features with Single Toggle
Left 53%
Center 47%
What's happening: Firefox will roll out a new AI controls panel on Feb. 24 with Firefox 148, featuring a master "Block AI enhancements" toggle that disables all current and future AI features including chatbots, translations, tab grouping, and link previews. Users can also control individual AI tools separately, with all preferences persisting across browser updates.
Why it matters: This gives you complete control over AI in your browser experience, allowing you to eliminate unwanted AI pop-ups and prompts while choosing exactly which features you want. The toggle responds to user backlash and offers a rare opt-out option as competitors like Chrome and Edge increasingly push AI integration.
Blindspot: No Coverage from Right Sources
96% of sources are Original Reporting
49 Articles •
Notepad++ Confirms State-Sponsored Hackers Hijacked Updates
Left 33%
Center 59%
8%
What happened: Chinese state-sponsored hacking group Lotus Blossom compromised Notepad++'s shared hosting server from June through December 2, 2025, redirecting targeted users' auto-updates to attacker-controlled servers that delivered a custom backdoor called Chrysalis. The breach gave hackers interactive control of infected computers at select organizations with East Asia interests, including government, telecom, and critical infrastructure sectors.
What to do: Update immediately to Notepad++ version 8.8.9 or later, which includes hardened security verification and signature checks. Remove any previously installed self-signed Notepad++ root certificates from your system, check for suspicious files like update.exe in your TEMP folder, and download updates only from the official website.
Blindspot: Low Coverage from Right Sources
100% of sources are Original Reporting
27 Articles •
Brazil Supreme Court to Discuss Ethics Code as Justices Embroiled in Multibillion-Dollar Scandal
Left 38%
Center 37%
Right 25%
What happened: Brazil's Supreme Court announced an ethics code initiative yesterday as justices face scrutiny over the collapse of Banco Master and Will Bank, which were liquidated in November 2025 and January 2026 respectively. The scandal involves alleged fraud with nonexistent credit securities, affecting 1.6 million depositors and triggering up to R$46.9 billion ($8.7 billion) in deposit guarantee payouts, potentially Brazil's largest bank fraud.
Why it matters: The scandal tests Brazil's deposit guarantee system and judicial credibility, with allegations that a Supreme Court justice's spouse held a R$130 million contract with the bank and another justice traveled on the bank owner's private jet. Customers still owe on loans and credit cards despite the bank closures, and missed payments can damage credit histories even though the institution no longer operates.
100% of sources are Original Reporting