Why the supreme court’s tariffs ruling is a win for world trade – but also tricky

The decision adds to economic uncertainty, as deals Donald Trump struck with other countries are upended

It is refreshing to witness the US supreme court recover its spine and stand up to Donald Trump’s most extreme caprices. The 6-3 decision on Friday to strike down his barrage of tariffs on imports from virtually everywhere based on the preposterous argument that they addressed national emergencies will reassure the world that the US’s system of government – based on the separation of powers, checks and balances, and the rule of law – has not collapsed entirely.

But let’s hold the (imported) champagne. The court’s ruling will not restore the United States to its former place as a reasonable, trustworthy player in the world economy. The rules-based economic architecture that underpinned the integration of the world economy over the decades that followed the second world war remains fractured. Trump is still intent on its disintegration. And he retains power to do so.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/20/supreme-court-tariffs-ruling-world-trade-trump

Large Trump banner hung at justice department headquarters

‘Make America Safe Again’ banner put up in striking symbol of president’s control over top US law-enforcement agency

A large banner featuring Donald Trump’s face was hung on the exterior of justice department headquarters on Thursday in a physical display of the president’s efforts to exert power over the law enforcement agency that once investigated him.

While Trump banners have been hung outside other agencies across Washington, the decision to place one on the storied justice department building amounted to a striking symbol of the erosion of the department’s tradition of independence from White House control.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/19/trump-banner-justice-department

After Activist’s Killing, Tensions Erupt Between France’s Far-Right and Far-Left #wanitaxigo

Tech firms must remove ‘revenge porn’ in 48 hours or risk being blocked, says Starmer

PM says measure, also applied to deepfake nudes, is needed owing to a ‘national emergency’ of online misogyny

Deepfake nudes and “revenge porn” must be removed from the internet within 48 hours or technology firms risk being blocked in the UK, Keir Starmer has said, calling it a “national emergency” that the government must confront.

Companies could be fined millions or even blocked altogether if they allow the images to spread or be reposted after victims give notice.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/feb/18/tech-firms-must-remove-revenge-porn-in-48-hours-or-risk-being-blocked-says-starmer

Colbert accuses Trump administration of censorship after CBS pulls interview

Host claims lawyers barred him from discussing decision to drop Texas Democrat segment amid FCC rules scrutiny

Talkshow host Stephen Colbert has accused the Trump administration and CBS of censorship after he said the network told him not to air a television interview with a Texas Democrat running for Senate.

On his show, Colbert told viewers of the Late Show that network lawyers told him he was also prohibited from talking about their refusal to air his interview with James Talarico, a Texas state representative seeking his party’s nomination to challenge the Republican incumbent, John Cornyn, for a Senate seat in November.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/feb/17/colbert-trump-administration-censorship-cbs

‘Daunting but doable’: Europe urged to prepare for 3C of global heating

Advisory board member says Europe already paying price for lack of preparation but adapting is ‘not rocket science’

Keeping Europe safe from extreme weather “is not rocket science”, a top researcher has said, as the EU’s climate advisory board urges countries to prepare for a catastrophic 3C of global heating.

Maarten van Aalst, a member of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change (ESABCC), said the continent was already “paying a price” for its lack of preparation but that adapting to a hotter future was in part “common sense and low-hanging fruit”.

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source https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/feb/16/europe-climate-advisory-board-3c-global-heating

Japan Wins Pairs Figure Skating, Knocking China From the Top #wanitaxigo