Monday, February 23, 2026
Good morning.
- 1.
Mexican military killed cartel leader 'El Mencho', sparking widespread violence across 20 states. The US provided intelligence support, and the White House applauded Mexico's efforts.
(Al Jazeera) - 2.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani ordered a citywide travel ban as a severe snowstorm hit the northeast US, causing power outages and flight cancellations. Blizzard warnings extended from Maryland to Maine.
(The Guardian World) - 3.
Russia's war in Ukraine reached its fourth anniversary, with an estimated 1.2 million Russian casualties and 600,000 Ukrainian casualties, according to the CSIS. Sanctions and economic impacts continue.
(Al Jazeera) - 4.
The US Supreme Court ruled Trump's tariffs illegal under emergency powers. The US Customs and Border Protection said it would stop collecting these tariffs starting Tuesday.
(The Guardian World) - 5.
The International Criminal Court began pretrial hearings for former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, accused of crimes against humanity for his anti-drugs crackdown. Duterte waived his right to appear.
(Al Jazeera) - 6.
President Trump delivered his State of the Union address to Congress, outlining his administration's priorities amid a government shutdown and low public approval ratings.
(The Hill) - 7.
France summoned U.S. Ambassador Charles Kushner to protest comments by the Trump administration regarding the death of far-right activist Quentin Deranque, the foreign affairs minister said.
(CBS News) - 8.
The Winter Olympics concluded with a closing ceremony at Verona Arena. Italy won a record 30 medals, while the US broke its gold medal record with 12.
(Al Jazeera)