Apple News Today – February 9, 2026

Episode Title: The Epstein files trigger a political crisis — but not in the U.S.
Host: Cecilia Ley (filling in for Shamita Basu)
Main Theme:
This episode explores the global fallout from the latest Jeffrey Epstein files, examining the impact on political leaders outside the U.S.—especially in the U.K.—and how the revelations are exposing systemic vulnerabilities, ethical failings, and resulting in political crises. The episode also highlights ongoing challenges within the U.S. justice system, the spread of toxic chemicals in water supplies, and provides a roundup from the Super Bowl and other headline news.

Epstein Files Rock British and Global Politics

[00:05] Main Focus:

• The newly released Epstein documents haven’t greatly affected U.S. politicians but have triggered scandals and investigations among high-profile European officials, most notably U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Key Developments

• Impact in the U.K. ([00:30] – [02:58]):

  • Peter Mandelson Scandal: Starmer’s appointment of Mandelson (former cabinet minister and U.S. ambassador to the U.K.) is under fire after documents revealed Mandelson maintained a close friendship with Epstein post-conviction and allegedly passed confidential government information to him.

  • Mandelson is under police investigation, denies financial misconduct, and has apologized. He was fired in September, but fallout continues, including the resignation of Starmer’s chief of staff.

    "We've got to clean up the system. A total cleanup of the system. An end to the corruption and unethical behavior. And if we don't do it, we'll pay a heavy price."
    — Labour Party veteran to the BBC ([01:12])

  • Sky News confrontation with Starmer:

    "I regret the decision to appoint Mandelson as ambassador. He was asked questions about the nature and extent of his relationship with Epstein, and he told lies."
    — Keir Starmer ([02:28])

  • Starmer’s polling is now among the worst of any modern British leader.

• Wider European Fallout ([02:58]):

  • Norwegian police investigate a former prime minister and current Nobel Committee chair.
  • CEO of the World Economic Forum faces an internal review.
  • Former French culture minister under investigation.
  • All deny wrongdoing.

U.S. Ramifications and Congressional Fallout

• Focus on Congress ([03:38]):

  • Lawmakers to view unredacted Epstein files—over 3 million, with as many still unreleased.

  • The Clintons summoned for closed-door depositions; they’ve called for open testimony.

  • Republicans accused of political motivation as Trump isn’t called to testify.

  • Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, a former Epstein neighbor, is under scrutiny for alleged continued contact.

    "My wife and I decided that I will never be in the room with that disgusting person ever again... If that guy was there, I wasn't going because he's gross."
    — Howard Lutnick ([04:30])

  • Documents allegedly show business and social connections persisted.

• Congressional Testimonies:

  • Ghislaine Maxwell to testify to the House Oversight Committee (expected to plead the Fifth).

Inside America’s Immigration Courts: Prosecutor Burnout & Systemic Strain

[05:34] Segment Highlight:

• National reporting draws attention to overwhelmed federal lawyers struggling with soaring workloads amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.

  "I wish you would just hold me in contempt so I can get 24 hours of sleep."
  — Julie Lee, DHS attorney ([05:34]), read by reporter Paul Bloom

  "This job sucks."
  — Julie Lee ([05:42])

  • Lee's breakdown in court highlights the crisis faced by government attorneys.

• Expert Insight ([06:11]):

  • Sadie German (WSJ) explains:

    • The immigration crackdown and protests have overburdened already thinly staffed U.S. attorney offices.
    • DOJ has to bring in lawyers from elsewhere, even military attorneys.

    "They're just in triage mode because the volume of work is overwhelming, and that is a concern."
    — Former acting U.S. Attorney Anders Fouk ([08:01])

• Systemic Reforms ([06:58]):

  • DOJ working to create “emergency jump teams” to rapidly deploy prosecutors to hotspots.
  • Backlogs lead to prolonged detentions; in Minnesota, staff fell from 55 to under 20 attorneys.
  • At least 500 petitions challenging detentions lead to missed deadlines and court contempt rulings.

“Forever Chemicals” in America’s Water: The PFAS Crisis

[09:00] Segment Opening:

• PFAS chemicals are increasingly contaminating private drinking wells across the U.S.; attention on the town of Stella, Wisconsin.

  "PFAS are very useful in general in the manufacturing process… Firefighting foam is something commonly made with PFAS."
  — Michael Filis, AP reporter ([09:00])

• Health Impact ([09:16]):

  • PFAS linked to developmental delays and increased cancer risks due to accumulation in the body.

  "...this substance can kind of sit in your body and create problems, especially sitting in livers and kidneys..."
  — Michael Filis ([09:16])

• Case Study: Stella, WI ([09:34]):

  • Contamination suspected from sludge spread on farm fields.

  • Resident Kristin Hanneman learned her well contained PFAS “thousands of times higher than federal legal limits”.

    "...she gets a phone call from the state toxicologist letting her know that there's a huge issue and she should not be drinking the water..."
    — Michael Filis ([10:48])

  • Snowballing effects: expanded testing, no-hunt orders, community upheaval.

• Systemic Issue ([11:10] – [12:24]):

  • Most states do not mandate PFAS tests for private wells; contamination often goes undetected for years.

  • Unlike public supplies, private wells aren’t federally regulated—responsibility falls to homeowners. Remedies involve long, expensive fixes.

    "In the end, you're dealing with a years long fight or problem-solving exercise to figure out how this can be fixed and how much it needs to be fixed for what amount of money. And that can be really problematic for communities that don't quite know how to deal with it and really what their options are."
    — Michael Filis ([12:09])

• Regulatory News ([12:24]):

  • EPA weakened PFAS limits under Trump in 2025, after Biden implemented federal standards in 2024.

Brief News Roundup

Hong Kong Democracy Crackdown ([12:24]):

• Pro-democracy newspaper owner Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years under China-imposed national security laws.

Olympic Drama ([13:20]):

• U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn sustains injury in the Winter Games, but had been a comeback story after six years off the circuit.

Super Bowl and Halftime Show ([13:40] – [15:08]):

• Seahawks defeat Patriots 29-13 at Santa Clara's Levi's Stadium, avenging a past Super Bowl loss.

  • Dominant defensive performance, not much late-game excitement.

• Bad Bunny delivers a historic halftime show:

  • Emerges among sugarcane props, joined by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin.

  • A "sensational Love Letter performance to his home island of Puerto Rico."

  • Majority of show sung in Spanish; closes by naming countries across the Americas.

    "God Bless America. Se achile Al Jazeera Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, United States, Canada, Puerto Rico."
    — Bad Bunny ([14:40])

  • Closes with: "The only thing more powerful than hate is love." ([15:08])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "We've got to clean up the system...And if we don't do it, we'll pay a heavy price." (Labour veteran, [01:12])
• "He was asked questions about the nature and extent of his relationship with Epstein, and he told lies." (Keir Starmer, [02:28])
• "If that guy was there, I wasn't going because he's gross." (Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick, [04:30])
• "I wish you would just hold me in contempt so I can get 24 hours of sleep." (Julie Lee, [05:34])
• "This job sucks." (Julie Lee, [05:42])
• "They're just in triage mode because the volume of work is overwhelming..." (Anders Fouk, [08:01])
• "She should not be drinking the water… the issues around Stella kind of blew up from there." (Michael Filis, [10:48])
• "The only thing more powerful than hate is love." (Bad Bunny, [15:08])

Important Timestamps

• [00:05] – Cecilia Ley introduces main themes: Epstein fallout, U.K. political crisis, Super Bowl
• [01:12] – Labour Party veteran on Parliament’s crisis
• [02:28] – Keir Starmer’s apology and accountability
• [04:30] – Howard Lutnick’s response to Epstein allegations
• [05:34] – Prosecutor burnout in U.S. immigration courts (Julie Lee quote)
• [09:00] – PFAS water contamination explained
• [10:48] – Stella, Wisconsin: real-world impact of PFAS
• [13:40] – Seahawks’ Super Bowl victory, Bad Bunny’s halftime show
• [14:40] – Bad Bunny’s tribute and closing message

Conclusion

This episode of Apple News Today weaves global scandal, domestic policy, and cultural moments, spotlighting the far-reaching effects of the Epstein files—particularly outside the U.S.—while also tracking U.S. justice system strain and growing environmental health threats. Through expert commentary and insider quotes, listeners gain a nuanced, multifaceted view of how old wrongs and modern crises are shaping the political, social, and cultural landscape of 2026.