Netflix’s hit reality dating series “Love Is Blind” returned for its milestone 10th season on February 11, 2026, marking the first time the show has ventured beyond a single city to feature singles from across an entire state: Ohio. Dubbed informally by fans as “Love Is Blind: Ohio,” the season follows 32 contestants — ranging in age from 28 to 38 — as they seek love sight unseen in the pods, with Columbus serving as the primary filming hub and backdrop.

The premiere dropped just before Valentine’s Day, drawing massive viewership as Ohio daters from Cincinnati to Cleveland to Columbus entered the experiment. Hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey — with Nick sharing a personal tie as a Cincinnati native — the season promises the signature mix of emotional connections, shocking reveals, love triangles and wedding-day decisions.

Netflix released the cast in late January 2026, spotlighting a diverse group including professors, retired athletes, former professional dancers and everyday professionals. The pod squad features a notable number of Pisces men, sparking fan speculation about romantic sensitivities. Full cast lists and Instagram handles are available on Netflix’s Tudum site, allowing viewers to follow along as relationships develop.

The show’s format remains unchanged: singles date through opaque walls in luxurious pods, building emotional bonds without physical sight. Successful connections lead to proposals, face-to-face reveals, a couples retreat and, ultimately, weddings — or breakups. This season emphasizes cutting through “the static of modern dating,” with Ohio’s Midwestern charm adding a fresh regional flavor.

Filming took place largely in Columbus, including at the Jaeger Square apartment complex in the historic German Village and Schumacher Place areas. The development, owned by The Pizzuti Companies, served as the cast’s home base during production. Local landmarks, dining spots and attractions appear throughout, boosting Ohio’s visibility. Experience Columbus confirmed the city as the “main location,” with watch parties at venues like Budd Dairy Food Hall and The Brass Eye drawing crowds eager to spot familiar places and people.

Episode releases follow Netflix’s weekly drop pattern, airing Wednesdays at 3 a.m. ET (12 a.m. PT). The schedule includes:

– Episodes 1-6: February 11, 2026 (premiere batch, focusing on pod dates and proposals)
– Episodes 7-9: February 18, 2026
– Episodes 10-11: February 25, 2026
– Episode 12 (likely the reunion or finale): March 4, 2026

Early episodes introduced the contestants and pod conversations, with initial connections forming quickly. By the February 18 drop, several couples had advanced to the real-world phase, navigating reveals and early relationship hurdles. Viewers have buzzed over dramatic moments, including potential love triangles and heartfelt confessions, though major spoilers remain under wraps to preserve the experiment’s integrity.

Ohio’s statewide approach differs from prior seasons’ city-specific focus (e.g., Minneapolis for Season 8, Colorado for Season 9). Production scouted across the state, drawing participants from major metros and beyond. Columbus residents celebrated the spotlight, with local media highlighting hidden gems and community pride. Watch parties and social media reactions amplified excitement, as fans spotted familiar venues and cheered on hometown singles.

The season builds on “Love Is Blind’s” enduring popularity, which has produced multiple marriages and sparked global conversations about love, compatibility and modern dating. Past seasons generated viral moments, from dramatic exits to lasting unions, keeping audiences hooked. Season 10’s milestone status — the 10th installment — adds extra anticipation, with Netflix promoting it heavily through trailers and cast spotlights.

As episodes continue rolling out, attention turns to which Ohio couples will walk down the aisle. Early feedback praises the fresh setting and relatable contestants, though some viewers note the challenges of long-distance dynamics for statewide pairings. The Lacheys’ hosting brings continuity, with Vanessa and Nick guiding the emotional journey.

For fans tracking the drama, Netflix Tudum offers recaps, deleted scenes and cast updates. Social media buzzes with theories, memes and live reactions, especially in Ohio where locals feel a personal stake.

With new episodes arriving weekly, “Love Is Blind” Season 10 continues to captivate, proving the experiment’s premise — that love can indeed be blind — holds strong in the heartland.

Home Depot on Tuesday posted a roughly 4% quarterly sales decline, as a sluggish real estate market and selective spending by homeowners continued to weigh on home improvement demand.

The company also stuck by the current fiscal year forecast that it shared in December at an investor day. It said it expects full-year total sales growth to range between about 2.5% and 4.5% and adjusted earnings per share to be between roughly flat and up 4% from $14.69 in the prior fiscal year. It expects full-year comparable sales growth, which takes out one-time factors like store openings and closures, to range from flat to up 2%.

Despite the fourth-quarter sales decline, Home Depot topped Wall Street’s revenue and earnings expectations for that period.

In an interview with CNBC, Chief Financial Officer Richard McPhail said U.S. consumers and the company have “been in a frozen housing environment for three years” – and there hasn’t been a meaningful thaw. 

“What we’ve seen as an added pressure during the last year has been this increase in consumer uncertainty, a gradual decline in consumer confidence,” he said. “And so those are signs we’re watching.”

He said customers have told the company that they are concerned about housing affordability and job losses, dynamics that colored Home Depot’s outlook for the year.

Here’s what Home Depot reported for the fiscal fourth quarter of 2025 compared with Wall Street’s estimates, according to a survey of analysts by LSEG:

• Earnings per share: $2.72 adjusted vs. $2.54 expected
• Revenue: $38.20 billion vs.  $38.12 billion expected

Shares rose about 2% in premarket trading on Tuesday, as Home Depot beat earnings expectations after missing estimates three quarters in a row. 

Higher interest rates, lower housing turnover and economic uncertainty have challenged the company, as homeowners delay the pricier projects typically spurred by buying or selling a home. 

As the Atlanta-based retailer waits for business to pick up, it laid off 800 employees and announced a five-day a week return-to-office policy in late January.

Yet some investors anticipate an inflection point could be coming for Home Depot, as mortgage rates moderate slightly. The average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage fell to 5.99% on Monday, matching its lowest level since 2022, according to Mortgage News Daily. 

Home Depot’s biggest selling season, springtime, is also ahead.

McPhail said Home Depot’s business was relatively stable throughout the year, including in the fourth quarter, when adjusting for storms. He said the company is gaining market share, even as the sector lags.

In the three-month period that ended Feb. 1, Home Depot’s net income fell to $2.57 billion, or $2.58 per share, from $3.0 billion, or $3.02 per share, in the year-ago period. 

Revenue dropped from $39.70 billion in the year-ago period. The company said some decline was due to the most recent fiscal year 2025 having one fewer week. The additional week in the 2024 fiscal year contributed $2.5 billion in sales. 

Comparable sales, an industry metric also called same-store sales, increased 0.4% in the fiscal fourth quarter across the business and 0.3% in the U.S.

Store transactions in the quarter across Home Depot’s website and stores dropped by 1.6% year over year, but average ticket rose 2.4% year over year. Big-ticket purchases, which the company defines as those over $1,000, were 1.3% higher than the year-ago period.

Some of those larger orders may reflect higher prices. McPhail said Home Depot has had “modest” price increases, though he declined to say which items and categories now cost customers more.

Higher tariffs have been one of the forces driving price hikes at retailers, including Home Depot. Companies now face a new landscape for import duties after the Supreme Court on Friday ruled that some of the Trump administration’s tariffs were illegal. Soon after the ruling, President Donald Trump said at a press conference that he would pursue alternative tariffs and proposed an across the board global tariff that he has since set at 15%.

He said Home Depot is “still in the middle of our analysis” after the Supreme Court ruling and latest proposed tariffs.

“Not all the information is out right now. Not all the language is final around what was announced,” he said. He added that Home Depot is “as well positioned as anyone to understand any impacts and manage through them.” 

More than half of what Home Depot sells comes from the U.S., according to the company. It’s diversifying its imports, so that no single country outside of the U.S. represents more than 10% of the company’s purchases, McPhail said.

Though do-it-yourself buyers have cut back, the company still has a more stable business segment.

A growing business from home professionals, such as contractors and roofers, has boosted Home Depot’s overall business. It acquired SRS Distribution, a company that sells supplies to roofing, landscaping and pool professionals, for $18.25 billion last year in 2024 and bought GMS, a specialty building products distributor, for about $4.3 billion last year. 

Pro sales were stronger than do-it-yourself sales during the fourth quarter, McPhail said, though he declined to share specific figures. 

Home Depot opened 12 stores in fiscal 2025 and plans to open 15 additional stores this fiscal year.

The company also announced on Tuesday that its board of directors increased its quarterly dividend by 1.3%, or 3 cents, to $2.33 per share. It will be payable next month.

As of Monday’s close, Home Depot shares are down about 2% over the past year, but up about 10% year to date. That compares to the S&P 500’s nearly 14% gains over the past year and its roughly flat performance year to date.

Student accommodation developer reports 9% increase in adjusted earnings to £232.3m for 2025, while strategic shift targets top-tier institutions

Unite Students experienced a dip in occupancy levels throughout its portfolio, though this was balanced by strong demand at leading elite universities.

The student accommodation provider posted a 9 per cent rise in adjusted earnings to £232.3m for 2025. Nevertheless, its statutory profit dropped by 78 per cent owing to a reduction in the valuation of the property portfolio.

The company’s portfolio occupancy declined to 95.2 per cent for the 2025/26 academic year, down from 97.5 per cent, with empty rooms primarily in Leicester, Nottingham, and Sheffield due to elevated supply and softer demand.

Nevertheless, the Bristol-headquartered FTSE 250 firm witnessed demand staying strong at top-tier universities, where applications increased by 6 per cent. Consequently, Unite stated it intends to boost its portfolio alignment to these institutions from 67 per cent to 80 per cent.

Unite completed the £530m takeover of Empiric Student Property in January 2026, bringing in 7,700 beds; though the portfolio is presently underperforming with 89 per cent occupancy, significantly beneath Unite’s core portfolio, as reported by City AM.

“We are working closely with the Empiric team to drive performance across the portfolio,” it added.

The company also observed that supply in private houses in the multiple-occupation sector has decreased by 9 per cent over four years due to climbing mortgage costs and new regulations, such as the Renters’ Rights Act, pushing more students towards purpose-built student accommodation. Despite the difficult trading environment, the company recommended a final dividend of 24.9p, taking the full-year payout to 37.7p, representing a 1 per cent rise on 2024.

The figures come on the heels of Unite’s £100m share buyback programme, launched in January to redistribute excess capital to investors.

Chief executive Joe Lister said the group “delivered a robust performance in 2025, with strong trading across the majority of our portfolio offset by weaker demand in a small number of cities for the 2025/26 academic year.”

Alongside its financial results and disposal announcement, Unite confirmed the appointment of Duncan Cooper as non-executive director and chair (designate) of the audit and risk committee.

Cooper currently serves as chief financial officer at Travis Perkins, having previously held the position of group finance director at Crest Nicholson, as well as senior finance roles at Sainsbury’s.

President Donald Trump will formally call on tech companies to pay more for electricity for new data centers, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Trump is expected to make the call during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night, announcing new “rate payer protection pledges” the administration has negotiated with top tech companies. The pledges require tech companies to pay increased electricity costs in communities where new AI data centers are being built, officials told the Journal.

Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress is expected to put the economy front and center, pairing working-family guests with a data-driven case on affordability in addition to various economic policy announcements.

Trump is slated to begin his speech at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time Tuesday evening from the U.S. Capitol. The Journal reported that Trump made edits to the speech over the weekend.

TRUMP HITS THE ROAD TO SELL ECONOMIC WINS, AS REPUBLICANS BRACE FOR HIGH-STAKES MIDTERM SHOWDOWN

President Donald Trump will address the nation before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday. (Reuters/Carlos Barria / Reuters)

“President Trump’s State of the Union Address will celebrate 250 glorious years of our nation’s independence and excellence, highlighting incredible stories of American heroes throughout the speech,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital ahead of the speech.

Touting Trump Accounts, tax cuts in the “big, beautiful bill,” lowering drug prices and working to ease the ability of American families to purchase a home are among Trump’s top orders of business, Fox News Digital learned. The president also is expected to make undisclosed economic policy announcements during the speech. 

The economy is a top concern for voters as they prepare to vote for a new Congress in November, which follows Democrats’ 2025 winning campaign strategy around “affordability.”

TRUMP APPROVAL CLIMBS AS REPUBLICANS RALLY BEHIND PRESIDENT’S AFFORDABILITY AGENDA: POLL

Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent has been a key figure in Trump’s economic policy. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images / Getty Images)

A White House official told Fox News Digital that Trump invited guests tied to the various economic initiatives in his speech, including Catherine Rayner of Norfolk, Virginia. Rayner and her husband have been navigating fertility complications and in vitro fertilization for five years, with Rayner becoming the first patient of the portal earlier in February when it rolled out. 

The couple’s spending on fertility medications dropped from roughly $4,000 to $500 under the program, Fox News Digital learned.

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The president is also expected to invoke his well-known populist tone in the speech, including to speak out against “special interest groups” that have been entrenched in power despite “ripping off” and leaving working Americans behind, a White House official told Fox News Digital. 

Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.

The New York Times’ Wordle puzzle continues its daily streak of brain-teasing challenges, with players worldwide tackling No. 1,709 on Sunday, February 22, 2026, and No. 1,711 on Tuesday, February 24, 2026. These recent entries highlight the game’s mix of moderate difficulty, clever word choices and the enduring appeal of its simple yet addictive format.

Wordle No. 1,709, released February 22, stumped many with its tropical theme. The answer was **GUAVA**, a noun referring to a yellowish, round or pear-shaped edible fruit native to tropical regions. According to The New York Times Wordle Review, testers averaged 4.6 guesses out of six, rating it moderately challenging. Hints focused on the repeated letter “A,” three vowels and the starting letter “G.” Many players noted the word’s uncommon usage in everyday English, though fruit lovers solved it quickly. Mashable called it “easy if you love a healthy snack,” while Forbes emphasized its consonant-heavy structure. The puzzle sparked discussions on Reddit’s r/wordle about tropical fruits and vowel placement strategies.

Today’s puzzle, Wordle No. 1,711 on February 24, proved similarly tricky, with an average of 4.6 guesses per NYT testers — again moderately challenging. The answer is **BUYER**, a noun meaning a person who purchases goods or services, often for a retail store or business. Webster’s New World College Dictionary defines it as someone whose work involves buying merchandise.

Hints for #1711 included: starts with “B,” ends with “R,” contains two vowels (U and E) and three consonants, no repeated letters, and a direct tie to purchasing or shopping. Subtle clues described it as “a consumer,” “opposite of seller,” or “like the curators at TJ Maxx.” No double letters appeared, making vowel placement key. Starting words like SLATE or CRATE left players with many possibilities initially, but vowel tests quickly narrowed options.

Mashable advised a subtle hint: “A consumer.” Tom’s Guide noted it contains two of the five most common Wordle letters and two vowels. CNET highlighted it refers to “a person who makes a purchase.” Parade suggested “like the curators at TJ Maxx,” while Forbes offered “a shipping and logistics job” and “this Wordle begins and ends with consonants.” The puzzle’s difficulty stemmed from its everyday term yet uncommon in casual puzzles, leading to varied solve times.

WordleBot analysis showed average solves around 4.5 in easy mode and 4.6 in hard mode. Community threads on Reddit’s r/wordle and r/wordlegame filled with grids, from three-guess wins to six-guess struggles. Players shared starting strategies — many favored words with common vowels like ADIEU or AUDIO early, then consonant tests.

The game’s viral nature persists in 2026, with millions playing daily since its 2021 launch and NYT acquisition. No major changes have occurred, preserving the six-guess limit, green/yellow/gray feedback and shareable grids. Variants like custom Wordles or alternate modes (e.g., Quordle) keep engagement high, but the core puzzle remains the draw.

Recent puzzles reflect NYT’s balance of accessibility and challenge. #1709’s GUAVA rewarded fruit knowledge or vowel spotting, while #1711’s BUYER tested commercial awareness and letter elimination. Both avoided obscure words, aligning with Wordle’s philosophy of fair, solvable terms.

As February ends, anticipation builds for March puzzles. Players can access Wordle free at nytimes.com/games/wordle, with archives for past solutions (though spoilers apply). Tips remain timeless: start with vowel-rich words, eliminate letters quickly and use hard mode for stricter play.

Wordle’s daily ritual fosters community, from family shares to online forums dissecting hints. Whether solving in three or six tries, the satisfaction of the green grid endures.