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Sudden Airspace Closure, Bondi vs. Lawmakers & Team USA Makes History - Thursday, February 12, 2026
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Today is Thursday, February 12th. We'll tell you about the airspace suddenly closing over a part of Texas, possibly because of US Military action. Also, the congressional hearing that descended into shouting interruptions and personal insults all over the Epstein files and why half a dozen Republicans are breaking with President Trump over one of his signature policies. Plus, the new calls for the government to investigate Bad Bunny's super bowl halftime show. The the Team USA athlete who's now made history at the Winter Games. And the old timey words that seem to be making a comeback with a younger generation. Those stories and even more news to know next. Welcome to the newsworthy all the days news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Lacey Evans in for Erica. Mandy, thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. The airspace over El Paso, Texas, was shut down this week. In a surprising and confusing move, the FAA abruptly announced the airspace would be closed for 10 days, meaning no planes would be allowed in or out of the El Paso International Airport or surrounding community. Then the FAA reopened the skies. Fewer than eight hours later, the agency explained, saying drones from Mexican cartels forced officials to take action. But once the Pentagon disabled the drones, things were able to go back to normal. But since then, several news outlets like the ap, New York Times, Washington Post, Fox News and others cite Trump administration officials who tell a different story. They say the closure was actually caused by Customs and Border Protection officials. They reportedly tried out a new high energy laser technology that's on loan from the US Military. The problem, reports say, is they didn't give aviation officials enough time to assess the risks it could have to commercial aircraft. Either way, the FAA's decision to close the airspace for 10 days apparently blindsided the White House and the Pentagon, as well as local and state officials. Federal agencies haven't said much else about the controversy, just that the airspace is now safe. But both Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill want more answers. Since they are skeptical about the administration's version of events, they are now demanding a classified briefing on the incident. At this point, authorities say they've received thousands, thousands of calls about the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother. But as of this morning, they still haven't been able to name a suspect or person of interest. The person we told you about yesterday who was detained for questioning was released after a few hours without being charged. He told news outlets he makes deliveries in the Tucson area and his eyes apparently look similar to the person who was caught on video, but that he didn't know anything about the kidnapping. Remember, the FBI released the security video that seemed to show a person trying to tamper with the camera on Nancy Guthrie's front door the morning she disappeared. That's been considered their most promising lead yet. Beyond those images, investigators have also been expanding their search of the surroundings of Guthrie's home. They have collected some evidence, like a black latex glove that's being examined for possible DNA. In the meantime, investigators say they're still working around the clock following up on all leads since they haven't given up hope. A hearing on Capitol Hill this week really went off the rails as multiple lawmakers got into shouting matches with Attorney General Pam Bondi. It actually was tense from the start. In opening statements, Democrats criticized the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files and the agency's treatment of Jeffrey Epstein's survivors, including some who were in the hearing room. They spoke about how the files revealed photos and intimate details about many victims, while keeping some prominent names secret. One congresswoman asked if Bondi would apologize for what the DOJ has put the victims through, to which Bondi accused her of theatrics. In her opening statement, Bondi did say she was sorry for what the Epstein victims had endured, quote, as a result of that monster, but she didn't apologize to them on behalf of the DoJ. Bondi also told lawmakers she wouldn't stand for them attacking President Trump. She pointed out how the stock market was doing well, saying that's really what they should be talking about. In response, one lawmaker asked, what does the Dow have to do with anything? To which Bondi yelled back, are you kidding? Prompting an uproar. She accused one Republican of being a failed politician with Trump derangement syndrome and asked if he demanded the same level of transparency from former President Biden's Attorney general. And when one Democrat tried to stop Bondi from speaking over one of his colleagues, she said, quote, you don't tell me anything, you washed up loser lawyer. Most Republicans praised Bondi, though, Talking about the DOJ's efforts to combat violent crime, illegal immigration, and what they consider to be the weaponization of the Justice Department under former President Biden. So what's next? Well, Democrats and some Republicans have said they still have a lot of questions that need to be answered about the Epstein files in particular, even though the DOJ has called it case closed. So it's likely Bondi could be called back to testify again soon. The full GOP led House has voted to overturn President Trump's tariffs on Canada. The vote came down 219 to 211, with six Republicans joining Democrats to back the resolution. But don't expect anything to actually change because of this vote. For that to happen, the Senate would also have to sign off, followed by President Trump himself, which is, of course, extremely unlikely. Still, it's a way for lawmakers to show their disapproval, even if it means upsetting the president. As the vote was happening, Trump posted on Truth Social, quote, any Republican in the House or Senate that votes against tariffs will seriously suffer the consequences of come election time. The Trump administration says tariffs have given the US Both economic and national security, but critics say they've only hurt American consumers, manufacturers and farmers, while hurting America's relationship with allies like Canada. Separately, the tariffs are facing legal scrutiny as the US Supreme Court is set to rule soon on whether the president had the legal authority to impose tariffs in the first place. Stay tuned. The US Is celebrating former President Abraham Lincoln. Today would be Lincoln's 217th birthday. In his actual life, he only made it to 56, but it was a meaningful 56 years. Of course, he led the US through the Civil War and issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which began the process of ending slavery in America. Even though today is not a federal holiday, the federal government is marking the occasion. The National Park Service is hosting a public ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial this morning, complete with wreath presentations, music, and a reading of the Gettysburg Address. The Abe Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Illinois is also offering free admission today and special activities elsewhere. There are all kinds of local celebrations planned, like themed dinners, readings, and educational activities around Lincoln's life and legacy. Some offices and schools may also be closed. More news is still ahead, but first, here's your main host, Erica Mandy, to talk about our sponsor.
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The US economy has apparently started 2026 on a strong footing. The most recent government data came out yesterday showing employers added 130,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate fell to 4.3%. That's much better than expected. Also, the new jobs report shows more people are working in their prime working years. For people between 25 and 54, the labor force participation rate is now over 84%, the highest it's been in 25 years, and it's seen as a sign the jobs market could be emerging from a year of pretty slow growth. But it depends a lot on industry. As has been the case for more than a year, health care accounted for more than half of job gains last month. Construction also gained tens of thousands of jobs, but most other sectors were flat and the federal government cut another 35,000 positions. All of this is expected to weigh heavily on the Federal Reserve, which is set to meet again next month for its next interest rate decision. Actor James Van Der Beek has died. He was 48 years old. His family shared the news on Instagram, writing that he passed peacefully and met his final days with courage, faith and grace. Van Der Beek revealed in November 2024 he had been diagnosed with stage three colorectal cancer. He later spoke candidly about how cancer changed him, calling it a journey of self love and saying the biggest gift it gave him was presents. He was best known for playing Dawson Leary on the WB hit Dawson's Creek, which ran for six seasons starting in 1998 and helped define a generation of teen drama. During that time, he also starred in Varsity Blues and later took on a range of other roles. Tributes are now pouring in from across Hollywood, including from some of the co stars of Dawson's Creek. James Van Der Beek is survived by his wife and their six children. House Republicans are calling for a federal investigation into Bad Bunny's super bowl halftime show, claiming it may have violated broadcast decency rules. Tennessee Congressman Andy Ogles is asking the House Energy and Commerce Committee to look into whether the NFL and NBC approved what he called explicit and indecent content. Florida Congressman Randy Fine says he and others will also urge the FCC to consider fines or even broadcast license reviews. Critics point to sexually suggestive choreography and translated lyrics from some of Bad Bunny's songs, including Safiera. But there's an important detail. While the artist is known for explicit lyrics, many of the most graphic lines being circulated online were not actually performed during the live broadcast and some words were bleeped. Bad Bunny also did not use the F word on air. Supporters point to the 13 minute set's cultural homages to Puerto Rico, a real life wedding moment and a symbolic handoff of his recently won Grammy to a young boy. This isn't the first time a Super bowl halftime show has drawn complaints, with some others also criticized for being suggestive or provocative, like 2020 show featuring Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, 2012's featuring Madonna, 2013's featuring Beyonce, and so on. But lawmakers are now pushing for formal regulatory scrutiny. So far, the NFL and NBC have not publicly responded. Team USA is starting to make history at the Winter Olympics One big highlight of the Games yesterday was speed skating. American Jordan Stoltz won the men's 1000 meters in Olympic record time, and American Chloe Kim dominated in the women's snowboard halfpipe. Qualifying Americans also won gold and silver in women's freestyle mogul skiing and silver and ice dancing. At this point, Norway is in the lead with seven gold medals. The U.S. and Italy are tied for second with four each. There's a lot more competition left to go, though. There are medal events today for skiing, luge, snowboarding and women's speed skating. Plus in men's hockey, Team USA will be going up against Latvia and this is the first time in 12 years NHL players are allowed to play on Team USA in the Olympics. Stay tuned. That's it for the Maine News Today. Now it's time for Thing to Know Thursday. But first, here's your main host Erica Mandy, again with a word about our sponsor.
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Now back to Thing to Know Thursday. Some of today's hottest slang isn't new at all. According to a New York Times deep dive, words like yap, skedaddle, diabolical, and even brain rot are becoming more common, even though they actually date back decades or in some cases, more than a century. Yap was used in the early 1900s to describe trivial chatter and brain rot. Henry David Thoreau used it in 1854. Linguists say old words can come back like an old song stuck in your head, basically an earworm primed in our minds from books, songs or movies, just waiting for the right moment to resurface. Resurfacing often starts with a small group, the linguistic avant garde, if you will, before spreading through social networks and eventually a broad swath of the population. So why are we recycling old fashioned words now? Well, we're in the 20s again, and some scholars suggest major milestones like a new decade can spark a kind of linguistic nostalgia. Of course, not every old word makes a comeback, but if you've been waiting to revive a word from your past, linguists point out you don't need permission. Language is always evolving, even if sometimes it's just recycling. Thank you for listening today. We'll catch you up on more news to know today, tomorrow. Until then, have a great day.