News Above the Noise—Week of February 15, 2026
1. Alexei Navalny Poisoned by Deadly Dart Frog Toxin
Five European nations have confirmed that Alexei Navalny was poisoned with epibatidine, a South American frog toxin not naturally found in Russia, contradicting Moscow's claims of natural causes. This marks Russia's third confirmed use of banned chemical or biological weapons against opponents, including the 2018 novichok attack that killed British citizen Dawn Sturgess and the 2020 novichok poisoning of Navalny that he survived. The countries are now formally reporting Russia's violation of international weapons conventions and vowing to hold Moscow accountable through all available policy measures. For more on their findings, click here.
2. Are Tech Giants Liable for Our Phone Addictions?
Meta, Snap, TikTok and YouTube are facing a wave of trials beginning this year over claims their platforms were deliberately designed to be addictive and have caused serious harm to young users. The litigation argues that features like infinite scrolling and algorithmic recommendations create compulsive use leading to depression, anxiety, eating disorders and self-harm among children and teens. Thousands of lawsuits have been filed by individuals, school districts and state attorneys general, with the first bellwether trials potentially opening the door to an avalanche of similar claims if plaintiffs prevail. For more, New York Times reporter Cecilia Kang is covering the story.
3. Worst Measles Outbreak in 30 Years
South Carolina is experiencing the largest U.S. measles outbreak in over 30 years, with more than 930 cases centered in Spartanburg County where some schools have vaccination rates below 20%. Medical experts attribute the crisis to growing vaccine opposition fueled by COVID-19 backlash, social media misinformation, and policies promoted by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that have undermined public trust in immunizations. Doctors treating the outbreak warn this could become the new normal as statewide school vaccination rates have fallen nearly 3 percentage points since 2020, dropping below the 95% threshold needed to prevent measles spread. Learn more here.
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