One day after banning DeepSeek in South Korea, officials said the AI chatbot developed by a China-based startup shared user data with ByteDance, the Chinese owner of TikTok. The South Korean Personal Information Protection Commission confirmed the news Tuesday, Feb. 18 after already removing DeepSeek from app stores over data protection concerns.  There’s currently no…

Full Story Homebuilders are feeling less optimistic about housing market conditions as the Trump administration’s tariffs weigh on current and future sales. According to a new survey from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index, confidence for newly built, single-family homes is at its lowest level since September 2024. How much…

Full Story Czech Republic researchers said the wind may be partly to blame for the spread of bird flu. The study, released on Feb. 12, said that the virus may be spreading in part because of infected feces particles blowing in the wind, noting cases of people and farm flocks with no known exposure to…

Full Story A Michigan judge is turning to an unconventional punishment for those caught stealing. Instead of imposing massive fines or sending shoplifters to jail, Judge Jeffrey Clothier is offering them a chance to wash their crimes away by washing cars. Walmart car wash sentences instead of jail time In one day last month, Clothier…

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., appeared to suggest that President Donald Trump is to blame for the Delta plane crash in Canada. In a post on X, Schumer said Trump’s layoffs at the FAA are making the skies less safe, while Democrats are fighting to protect the public. “The flight took off from Minneapolis,”…

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, met with key leaders Tuesday, Feb. 18, to discuss potentially removing New York City Mayor Eric Adams from office. Hochul called on political figures, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and City Comptroller Brad Lander, for a series of one-on-one meetings at her Manhattan…

Full Story NASA just increased the chances a “city-killing” asteroid will crash into Earth with its latest update. Scientists said if the asteroid does hit the planet, it would create the same devastation as a nuclear bomb. How much did NASA increase the risk? The space agency, which declared the asteroid the most dangerous object…

The Department of Government Efficiency is expanding its reach within the federal government, aiming to conduct a massive overhaul. But one question remains: Who’s really in charge? It turns out Elon Musk isn’t technically leading the department. What’s in the court filing? The new information came from an affidavit filed by the White House Monday,…

Full Story The United States is escalating efforts to shut down fentanyl labs by flying drones over Mexico. U.S. officials told The New York Times on Tuesday, Feb. 18, that the expanded flights are part of the Trump administration’s enhanced efforts to combat drug cartels. Officials said it’s part of a previously undisclosed covert program…

Elon Musk suggested the federal government check into the nation’s gold supply to ensure it exists. Musk wants auditors to look at what is stored at Fort Knox in Kentucky. The U.S. stores its large and heavily secured gold reserve at Fort Knox. The public is prohibited from visiting the base. How did this apparent…