Table of contents for February 13, 2026 in Newsweek

1962 “The war in Vietnam is a special kind of war—an old and half-forgotten kind of war—which is revolutionizing military concepts and raising awkward questions about the relevance of missiles and hydrogen bombs to the Western world’s self-defense,” wrote Newsweek, questioning whether American troops were trained to counter North Vietnam’s guerrilla tactics. Similar concerns about the nature of American military advantage persist today. Using the war in Ukraine as a test case, some argue that the U.S.’s expensive arsenal may prove tactically irrelevant in an era of cheap, mass-produced drones. 1970 “What is needed is a frontal assault on the existing school structure,” Newsweek said of systems beset by declining academic achievement. Per The Nation’s Report Card for 2024, the most recent, math and reading scores are near all-time lows,…

“There has always been a push and pull between two ideas of American identity… Spanish has long been a trigger in that divide.” DAYS AFTER BEING ANNOUNCED AS THE HEAD-liner of the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show, Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny appeared on stage at Saturday Night Live’s hallowed Studio 8H to share the news—in his native Spanish. It was a moment many Latinos in the United States embraced as a cultural win. “If you didn’t understand what I just said,” he told the audience, “you have four months to learn.” Delivered with a smile, the line ricocheted across cable news, social media and political commentary, becoming shorthand for a backlash that had little to do with the music itself. Conservative lawmakers and pundits framed the booking as a…

FINDING THE PERFECT VALENTINE’S DAY TREAT CAN BE A CHALLENGE, especially for the person who has everything. But Newsweek’s his and hers gift guide is sure to make it an occasion they’ll never forget, from elegant jewelry to the most sought-after home accessories of 2026. FOR THE WANNABE CARRIE BRADSHAW Jimmy Choo Avril Pumps $4,900 These made-to-order rose pumps are layered all over in Swarovski crystals—the ultimate fairy-tale shoe. Featuring a suede base and a 3.9 inch heel, they are also available in crystal and rose gold colors and will allow fans of Sex and the City to live out their fashion fantasies. FOR HER For the trendsetter Brahmin Duxbury Satchel $315 Brahmin’s Duxbury bag will be a staple of any modern woman’s closet. The midsize satchel offers ample space…

IN HIS MEMOIR, NEVER MIND THE HAPPY, COMPOSER MARC SHAIMAN JOKED HE “ALMOST called the book, ‘Google Me.’” That’s because you know his music even if you don’t know his name. He’s the man behind the sound of films like Sister Act, The American President and Mary Poppins Returns. “When I get cast on shows now, the cast are young enough that they have no idea about my movie career. Every now and then they go, ‘Wait, you worked on what!?’ And I’m like, ‘Google me.’” His career spans legendary collaborations with “the mensch of all time” Billy Crystal and his “template for how to put the emotion of a song first” Bette Midler. “I love her style of performing. It matches my songwriting, my arranging, the way [I sing]...if…

Q _ What do President Donald Trump’s remarks about acquiring Greenland signal about U.S. Arctic intentions? A _ It seems to me that the current administration believes that climate change is real and that it’s impacting the circumpolar north. And that has opened up a plethora of opportunities for both commercial access and defense expansion in the region. Trump is making good on something he had raised during his first administration...to get Greenland, but also a general militarization of the North. What’s different about his insistence on “owning” Greenland? It seems that what he wants is full access, but we already have [that] by virtue of our agreements with the Kingdom of Denmark. We can get leases for drilling and mining. We could also expand our presence at Pituffik Space…

How did Paul Giamatti end up in a Star Trek series? They came to me with it! I guess I had said somewhere that somebody asked me what my dream role was, and I said “A Klingon!” I didn’t think anybody would actually ever let me be a Klingon. So they came to me and said, “Really? Do you wanna be in Star Trek?” I’m a huge, lifelong fan of it. Huge. I still can’t believe I got the chance to do it. For this new series, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, where do we meet your character? I play a pirate—a space pirate, space biker, lowlife—who has a very, very intense menacing axe to grind with the [United] Federation [of Planets]. I play a guy called Nus Braka. He is…