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The NewsWorthy
High-Stakes Talks, RIP Civil Rights Icon & Psychedelics Show Promise - Wednesday, February 18, 2026
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Today is Wednesday, February 18th. We'll tell you about a whirlwind of diplomacy as the US Works to strike a peace deal for Ukraine and a nuclear deal for Iran all at once. Also, how Americans, including presidents, are paying tribute to a civil rights icon. Plus, why a historic sewage spill has leaders pointing fingers, what a new clinical trial found about a psychedelic drug's impact on severe depression. And how Taylor Swift made a cameo at the Winter Olympics. Those stories and even more news to know coming up. Welcome to the Newsworthy. All the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy, thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. It's a busy week for top American negotiators in Geneva. First, they kicked off indirect nuclear talks with Iran yesterday. There's a lot of pressure behind them since President Trump has said Iran must broker a deal or else risk a possible attack. In fact, there's already a US Military buildup happening in the Middle East. But Iran has threatened retaliation if attacked, which is a concern for more than a dozen military bases and tens of thousands of troops in the region. And as yesterday's talks were starting, Iran's military conducted military drills in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Despite all the tension, yesterday's talks ended with both sides saying some progress had been made, more than in previous meetings. Still, there was no big breakthrough to report. The talks reportedly focused on Iran's nuclear program, since the US Wants to keep Iran from being able to develop a nuclear weapon and Iran wants relief from crushing U.S. sanctions. But the U.S. also wants to talk about ballistic missiles and Iran's support of proxy militia groups in the Middle East. A third round of talks is expected in the next two weeks. Other talks started up again yesterday meant to end Russia's war in Ukraine, but hopes are pretty low, most mostly because both sides are sticking to their positions. For example, Russia wants Ukrainian land, which Ukraine has ruled out. Ukraine also wants stronger security guarantees from the west before any settlement with Russia can be agreed upon. Meanwhile, Russian strikes on Ukraine have continued on a nightly basis. They've done massive damage to the Ukrainian power grid during sub zero temperatures, continuing the humanitarian crisis there. Ukraine has mostly been fighting back with drones. Just this week, one drone strike caused an oil refinery fire in southern Russia. But Ukrainian President Zelensky says his country is ready to stop the strikes, saying it does not need war, it needs independence. Those negotiations continue this morning. The U.S. homeland Security Department is still shut down. And at this point, it's not clear how or when this partial shutdown will end. The White House and congressional Democrats have traded offers, but they've been rejected. And a White House official said yesterday the two sides are still pretty far apart. So with that, the shutdown grinds on, meaning paychecks are on hold for hundreds of thousands of Homeland Security employees. So far, it has not had an impact on TSA security lines or any of the department's key national security functions. But officials have warned FEMA disaster aid could be delayed as well as worker visas. And the longer it drags on, the more likely it is that everyday Americans will start to feel the strain. Investigators have hit another dead end in the search for TODAY anchor Savannah Guthrie's mother. The sheriff's department says DNA evidence from gloves found near Nancy Guthrie's home did not come back with any matches in a national criminal database. Now the plan is to test the DNA against ancestry sites, a tactic that's been used to track down notorious killers in the past. Other DNA found at Nancy's home is also being tested. Investigators are also still hoping to retrieve video from other cameras beyond just the one at her front door. But the sheriff says that video is now in the hands of Google and it's not clear how long it may take to uncover. All in all, the Sheriff's office and FBI have fielded about 40 to 50,000 leads so far. Some former law enforcement officials have criticized the way local authorities are handling the messaging and coordination in this case, but the local sheriff says his focus is just bringing Nancy home. America is saying goodbye to one of the most powerful voices in the fight for civil rights. The Reverend Jesse Jackson died at 84 years old after battling a neurogenerative condition for more than a decade. The Jackson family shared a statement saying, quote, his unwavering belief in justice, equality, and love uplifted millions. And we ask you to honor his memory by continuing to fight for the values he lived by. For most of his life. Reverend Jackson championed civil rights and social justice. He showed up at protests and marches around the country when public unrest would break out. Jackson urged restraint and nonviolence. He also advocated for freedom and democracy around the world. And in the 1980s, Jackson was the first black candidate for president to attract a major following. Even though his own campaigns were not successful, he continued to be an important figure within the Democratic Party. His registration drives added millions of voters to the rolls. He also campaigned for other presidential nominees, including former President Obama, who, of course, was the first black presidential candidate to actually win. After Jackson's death, Obama paid tribute to him in part by crediting him for laying the foundation for his own campaign. Though President Trump, in his tribute, said Jackson could not stand Obama, the president also said the reverend, quote, loved his family greatly and to them I send my deepest sympathies. A memorial has been growing outside Jackson's home in Chicago, and public observances are now being planned. Today marks the first day of Lent for millions of Christians around the world. It's also known as Ash Wednesday, so you may see Catholics, especially with smudges of ashes on their foreheads today with which is part of the tradition. Many will also choose to give something up for the next 40 days like chocolate, social media or alcohol. Lent is meant to be a season of reflection and preparation leading up to Easter, which this year falls on April 5. April 5 also falls within the week of Passover for the Jewish faith. We have more news for you still coming up, but first a quick break to talk about our sponsor, One Skin. Some of you already know I turned 40 last year, so I want to make sure I have a skincare routine that is science backed and helps my skin feel and look great now and in the long term. And yet I'm just not someone who is going to do a 10 step process. I don't have the time or desire. That's why I love One Skin. From my face, my eyes, lips and more. It's simple but effective and even certified safe for sensitive skin. Their products are free from over 1500 harsh or irritating ingredients. They're dermatologists, tested and have been awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance by the NEA to delivering powerful results without the harsh side effects. I also love that it was founded by an all woman team of longevity Scientists with PhDs in stem cell biology, skin regeneration and tissue engineering. Born from a decade of longevity research, OneSkin's OS1 peptide is proven to target the visible signs of aging, helping you unlock your healthiest skin now and as you age. And for a limited time you can try OneSkin with 15% off using the Code Newsworthy at Oneskin co. Newsworthy. That's 15% off OneSkin Co with the Code Newsworthy. After your purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them. So please support our show and tell them we sent you. Okay, now back to the news. People with major depression might be able to get quick relief from a psychedelic drug. In a new clinical trial, researchers found just a single dose of DMT significantly lowered depressive symptoms. Specifically, the study looked at dozens of adults with moderate to severe depression who haven't responded well to standard treatments. Unlike other psychedelics like magic mushrooms or lsd, DMT acts very quickly and wears off within minutes. In the trial, participants who got DMT ended up doing much better after two weeks than those given a placebo and follow ups found the antidepressant effects continued for up to three months, in some cases as long as six months and no major long term side effects were reported. Researchers say there's a lot more to be done before DMT can actually be approved as a depression treatment on a wide scale scale but if all goes well, this could end up reshaping mental health care. Bayer is making another multi billion dollar offer to end a years long legal fight over Roundup weed killer. This proposed settlement would be worth $7.25 billion. It would cover tens of thousands of current and future claims for up to 21 years from people who say they got cancer because of Roundup exposure. At this point, it's not clear how much would end up going to each person who but payouts would be given based on a tiered system that considers the person's age, cancer type and more. Bayer also would not have to admit any liability, but this deal still requires a judge's approval and previous settlements have not survived legal scrutiny. Meanwhile, Bayer is still waiting on the US Supreme Court to take up its case on regulations that could determine whether Roundup stays on the market in the U.S. at this point, it's still among the most widely used weed killers in the country. Bayer says decades of studies have shown Roundup to be safe despite some limited evidence that's shown the opposite. Stay tuned. A sewage spill has now become another political fight, with President Trump and Democratic officials pointing fingers. There's a lot of back and forth, but one thing is clear. No matter who's to blame, it's a huge issue. Hundreds of millions of gallons of raw human waste have spilled into the Potomac river just outside of Washington, D.C. have ever since a sewer line collapsed last month. The spill appears to be the largest release of its kind in American history. Public health officials say the spill doesn't impact drinking water quality, but people are still being told to avoid all contact with the river. As you might imagine, it smells terrible. Local officials have been working for weeks to stop the flow and look at the damage, but it's taking a while for crews to safely remove debris and stabilize the pipe, even though local officials say the spill is now mostly contained. Well, this week President Trump called attention to the issue, saying the so called radical left in Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. are all responsible. He's demanding they fix it or else call him and politely ask for federal assistance. To that. Maryland's governor Wes Moore fired back, saying the federal government bears the responsibility anyway since the damaged portion of the sewage infrastructure is owned by a public utility overseen by the epa. FEMA says it's already monitoring the situation. CBS is under fire over another segment that didn't air this time, Late night host Stephen Colbert said the network's lawyers kept him from running an interview with Democratic Texas state Rep. James Talarico, who's running for his party's nomination for U.S. senate. Remember, the FCC last month said daytime and late night talk shows need to abide by equal time rules. In other words, for all the time they spend talking to Democrats, they need to offer the same amount of time talking to Republicans who or other politicians running against them. Well, Colbert accused the FCC of just trying to silence anyone who says anything bad about President Trump. The host also criticized cbs, saying it's only enforcing the directive for, quote, purely financial reasons. Purely financial reasons was the exact explanation CBS parent company gave when it announced Colbert would go off the air later this year as it simultaneously hopes for the FCC to approve a multi billion dollar merger. CBS has since defended its decision to scrap the Talarico segment, saying it would be allowed had other candidates been given equal time, just as the rule states. Either way, the show has added the Talarico interview to its YouTube page. Women's figure skating has finally gotten underway at the Winter Olympics. For Team usa. That means all eyes are on the so called Blade Angels. That's what the three top American women skaters call themselves. And before they hit the ice for the individual events, they got a little extra hype from arguably the biggest pop star in the world, Taylor Swift. The US Figure Skating Olympic team posted a video of Swift announcing the three Olympians, Amber Glenn, Alyssa Liu and Isabeau Levito. In the video, Swift's song Opalite plays as she tells their stories on their first day of competition. Lou did the best. She's now in third and in contention for a gold medal tomorrow. There was also an upset for Team USA yesterday in speed skating. The American men were heavily favored to win the team pursuit, but they ended up getting silver while Italy took gold today. There's a lot more to look forward to. For example, Alpine skier Mikaela Schiffrin is getting her last chance to medal when she competes in women's slalom. Plus, the US Men's hockey team will play its quarterfinal game against Sweden and more. And that's it for the main news today. So now it's time for Work Wednesday when we break down one interesting career or work related news story every Wednesday. But first, this episode is brought to you by Home Chef. We recently celebrated my husband's birthday and I loved knowing I had all the ingredients in the fridge ready to go to make a delicious meal that night. Thanks to Home Chef. We all loved what they call the idiot proof crispy peanut chicken sandwich with pickled cucumber ribbons and Sriracha mayo and a side of sweet potato fries. Not only did it feel like a restaurant style meal right at home, but also I was pretty proud of myself to be able to make it. Even my 4 year old ate this and loved it. Plus sometimes I want to make food from scratch, but other times I just need something I can stick in the oven and be done. Home Chef has both options and it's not just me, other people really love it. Home Chef is rated number one by users of other meal kits for quality, convenience, value, taste and recipe ease. For a limited time, Home Chef is offering my listeners 50% off and free shipping for your first box, plus free dessert for life. Go to homechef.comnewsworthy that's homechef.comnewsworthy for 50% off your first box and free dessert for life. Homechef.comnewsworthy. you must be an active subscriber to receive the free dessert. Now back to work Wednesday Today we're talking about how more Americans are deciding to take extended breaks in their careers. Call it a sabbatical or adult gap year or micro retirement. The whole idea is getting a reset. A recent MetLife study found 65% of workers say they've at least considered taking a career break to support their mental health. And more companies here in the US are actually allowing it, offering weeks or months of either paid or unpaid leave as a way to hold onto valued employees even when companies don't offer it. Some employees are deciding to take these kinds of breaks between jobs to get a substantial breather. Of course, cost is one common obstacle for people who don't get the actual paid time off. Some get around that by taking up odd jobs on their breaks like house or pet sitting. Others use their long held savings. No matter what people who have done it says there's risk but plenty of rewards and it's possible there could be a day when it's considered a way of life. Thank you so much for listening today. We'll be back tomorrow with the latest news. Until then, have a great.