Anna's Daybreak News

_{Just facts, you think for yourself}

Tuesday, 5:01 AM

February 17, 2026

Good morning news friend! Discover today’s defining stories and the future they set in motion. 📰🌟

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Epstein’s Zorro Ranch

New Mexico launched a $2 million bipartisan commission to investigate Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch, site of alleged sex trafficking. The 7,500-acre ranch includes an airstrip and helipad.

The commission, with subpoena power, will gather survivor and local testimonies, issuing reports by July and December 2026. Epstein bought the ranch in 1993; Maxwell was convicted in 2021.

New files link two former governors and an attorney general to Epstein. An unverified 2019 email alleges foreign girls were buried near the ranch on state land, which was never searched.

The state plans ground-penetrating radar and cadaver dogs at the site. The probe aims to address past abuses and policy reform.

Sources: Scrippsnews, Detroitnews, Sourcenm, Newsfromthestates

Tax Deadline Glitch

Pandemic disaster declarations from January 20, 2020, to July 10, 2023, unintentionally paused IRS tax-filing and payment deadlines under Section 7508A(d).

A federal court ruled the suspension applies retroactively, allowing taxpayers to challenge interest and penalties accrued during this period. Companies like Western Digital and Meta have pursued refunds for wrongly assessed interest.

The IRS repeatedly extended deadlines due to the open-ended emergency, causing confusion. In May 2023, President Biden ended the disaster declaration, setting the final cutoff for deadline suspension.

Congress changed the law in 2021 to prevent indefinite deadline pauses for future disasters. Taxpayers must act quickly to claim refunds within limited timeframes.

Sources: WallStreetJournal

AI Drone Swarm Challenge

SpaceX and its AI subsidiary xAI entered a $100 million Pentagon contest to develop voice-controlled autonomous drone swarms for air and sea missions. The six-month competition spans software development to real-life testing.

xAI, founded in 2023, holds a $200 million Pentagon contract to integrate its chatbot Grok into military systems and is rapidly hiring cleared engineers.

The contest, run by the Defense Innovation Unit and the Defense Autonomous Warfare Group, advances AI-enabled offensive drone capabilities amid efforts to field thousands of expendable autonomous drones.

OpenAI supports another participant by translating voice commands but won’t control drones. Defense officials stress human oversight to mitigate AI risks in operational decisions.

Sources: Bloomberg

Geneva Nuclear and Peace Talks

U.S., Iranian, Russian, and Ukrainian officials will hold talks in Geneva to prevent conflict and seek diplomatic solutions. Iran shows willingness to dilute enriched uranium if sanctions ease but refuses to abandon its missile program.

Iran demands lifting all sanctions on oil and banking, rejecting zero uranium enrichment. The U.S. has increased military presence in the Persian Gulf with two aircraft carriers and fighter jets, warning Iran of possible attacks if talks fail.

Ukraine-Russia talks proceed without major European involvement, though France criticizes exclusion. U.S. leaders emphasize a dual-track approach of diplomacy and military readiness.

Iran faces internal unrest after a crackdown reportedly killing 7,000 protesters, complicating negotiations.

Sources: Genevasolutions, Ms, AXIOS

Smart Skin

Researchers developed a hydrogel-based smart synthetic skin that changes shape, texture, and appearance in response to heat, solvents, and mechanical stress.

Using 4D printing, digital instructions control parts of the skin to swell or soften at different rates, enabling morphing without layers.

The skin can hide and reveal images, demonstrated by a Mona Lisa photo that disappears with ethanol and reappears when cooled or warmed.

It also reveals hidden patterns when stretched, combining texture and color changes like octopus skin. Applications include adaptive camouflage, encrypted display, soft robotics, and biomedical devices, advancing programmable, environment-responsive materials.

Sources: SciTechDaily

DMT Depression Relief

A double-blind trial tested a single IV dose of DMT on 34 patients with treatment-resistant major depression. Seventeen received DMT; 17 got placebo.

DMT recipients improved within one week, with depression scores dropping about seven points versus placebo. Benefits lasted up to three months; some remained in remission six months.

One dose was as effective as two. DMT’s psychedelic effects lasted five minutes, shorter than psilocybin or LSD, potentially easing clinical use.

Side effects included mild nausea, anxiety, injection pain, increased heart rate, and blood pressure; no serious events occurred. The small sample and strong psychedelic effects limit conclusions. Larger trials are needed to confirm efficacy and safety.

Sources: Sciencealert

“If you haven't got a brain of your own, the next best thing is to know where to borrow one.”

Baked with love,

Anna Eisenberg ❤️