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February 19, 2026.

Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black, left, and Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk, right, chase the ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Sacramento, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Randall Benton)

Magic use 3-point flurry to hand the Kings their franchise-record 15th straight loss

February 19, 2026

Paolo Banchero scored 30 points and the Orlando Magic beat Sacramento 131-94 on Thursday night for the Kings’ franchise-record 15th straight loss. Orlando made a team-record 27 3-pointers on 50 attempts. Banchero was 5 of 7 from 3-points range and had six assists and five rebounds in the opener of a four-game trip. The Kings broke the futility record a day after star center Domantas Sabonis and guard Zach LaVine had season-ending surgeries. The franchise had 14-game losing streaks in 1959-60 and 1971-72 while playing as the Cincinnati Royals. The NBA record for consecutive losses is 28, set by Philadelphia over the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons and matched by Detroit in 2023–24. The NBA-worst Kings are 12-45, with a five-game trip up next.

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Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, bottom, drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Beverly Hills apologizes to Celtics star Jaylen Brown for claims about his event that was shut down

February 19, 2026

The City of Beverly Hills apologized to Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown on Thursday for initially stating that an event he hosted on the eve of the NBA All-Star Game was shut down because the city said it lacked a permit. But Brown posted a statement from Jaylen Brown Enterprises on social media taking issue with another part of the city’s statement that claimed the event was actually shut down because of a perceived code violation. On Sunday, Beverly Hills released a statement to The Boston Globe, saying it rejected a permit. The event promoting Brown’s performance brand, 741, was held at Oakley founder Jim Jannard’s home. Brown has a sponsorship deal with Oakley.

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FILE - This Oct. 25, 1942, photo provided by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of History, shows Corporal Refines Slims, Jr., left, and Private Alfred Jalufka shaking hands at the, "Meeting of Bulldozers," for the ALCAN Highway in the Yukon Territory in Beaver Creek, Alaska. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Office of History via AP, File)

Alaska to replace Black Veterans Memorial Bridge, saving part as tribute to Alaska Highway builders

February 19, 2026

A historic bridge in Alaska named for segregated Black soldiers who battled extreme weather and terrain to help build the first road link between Alaska and Canada needs to replaced. But the state will keep part of the original Black Veterans Memorial Bridge to honor the soldiers credited with bringing changes to the Army’s discrimination policies. The bridge is located near the end point of the Alaska Highway south of Fairbanks. Japanese attacks on Alaska and Hawaii, including the invasion of two Alaska islands, prompted urgency for the road. The soldiers completed the 1,500 gravel road then named the Alcan Highway in eight months in 1942.

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Eric Dane, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Euphoria’ star, has died at 53

February 19, 2026

Eric Dane, the actor known for “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria,” has died at 53 after living with ALS. His representatives say he died on Thursday afternoon. His family says he spent his final days with loved ones. Dane rose to fame as Dr. Mark Sloan on “Grey’s Anatomy” and later played Cal Jacobs on “Euphoria.” He also starred on “The Last Ship,” where production paused as he battled depression. In April 2025, Dane shared his ALS diagnosis. He later spoke publicly to push ALS awareness and research. He leaves two daughters and his ex, Rebecca Gayheart.

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President Donald Trump waves after stepping off Air Force One, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., on return from a trip to Georgia. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Trump says he doesn’t know if aliens are real but directs government to release files on UFOs, more

February 19, 2026

President Donald Trump says he’s directing the Pentagon and other government agencies to identify and release files related to extraterrestrials and UFOs because of “tremendous interest.” Trump made the announcement in a social media post Thursday night, hours after he accused former President Barack Obama of disclosing “classified information” when Obama recently suggested in a podcast interview that aliens were real. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Thursday, “I don’t know if they’re real or not,” and said of Obama, “I may get him out of trouble by declassifying.”

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USA Stripes guard Stephen Curry arrives to the NBA All-Star basketball game Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Warriors’ Stephen Curry to be re-evaluated in 10 days after 2nd MRI on knee

February 19, 2026

Golden State star Stephen Curry had a second MRI on his troublesome right knee that revealed no structural damage, although the two-time NBA MVP is expected to miss at least another five games before being re-evaluated. The 37-year-old guard last played Jan. 30. He has been diagnosed with patella-femoral pain syndrome/bone bruising, otherwise referred to as runner’s knee. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Curry will be re-evaluated in 10 days.

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Primary candidate for U.S. Senate Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, speaks during a campaign event in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Texas’ Senate primary race between Crockett and Talarico ramps up after pulled Colbert interview

February 19, 2026

Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas is urging supporters to look at experience in a heated U.S. Senate primary with state Rep. James Talarico as he rides on wider attention thanks to late-night host Stephen Colbert. The March 3 primary in Texas is the nation’s first big contest of the 2026 midterm elections, and early voting is underway. Talarico and Crockett ramped up their bids Thursday as some Democrats see increasing opportunity in November’s elections despite not having won a statewide race in Texas in more than 30 years. Colbert’s pulled interview with Talarico put more of a spotlight on their race. Crockett rallied supporters at multiple stops around the Dallas area on Thursday.

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FILE - Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, speaks during a news conference Dec. 7, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib, File)

Texas congressman claims he’s being ‘blackmailed’ over alleged affair with staffer who later died

February 19, 2026

Congressman Tony Gonzales of Texas is claiming he’s being “blackmailed” following a report he allegedly had an affair with a former staffer who later died after she set herself on fire. The claim Thursday by the married Republican congressman came after the San Antonio Express-News obtained text messages in which the former staffer, Regina Ann Santos-Aviles, wrote she had an affair with the lawmaker. Bobby Barrera, an attorney for the husband of Santos-Aviles, denies he is trying to blackmail Gonzales. Barrera says he and the lawmaker’s attorney had discussed settling a potential lawsuit over claims Santos-Aviles had faced retaliation from Gonzales after the alleged affair was made public.

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FILE - Major League Baseball Players Association Senior Director, Collective Bargaining & Legal, Bruce Meyer answers a question at a news conference in their offices in New York, March 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

New MLB union head Meyer dismisses salary cap, defends free agency, arbitration as labor clash looms

February 19, 2026

Bruce Meyer staunchly defended free agency and salary arbitration on his first full day as head of the baseball players’ association, dismissing any possibility of agreement on a salary cap in another sign of a likely labor confrontation next winter. Meyer was thrust into the MLBPA’s top role, one day after the stunning, forced resignation of Tony Clark. The 64-year-old is set to lead the league’s players in what is expected to be a contentious round of negotiations with owners with baseball’s labor agreement set to expire on Dec. 1. Meyer said Thursday that he’s ready for the task, even if the circumstances are less than ideal.

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FILE - Julia Zagar, left, and her husband Isaiah Zagar pose for a photo with their dog Blue at the "Dear Julia" exhibit at Philadelphia's Magic Gardens May 26, 2016, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar, who created mirrored dreamscapes across Philadelphia, dies at 86

February 19, 2026

Philadelphia mosaic artist Isaiah Zagar has died at age 86. Zagar, who died Thursday, is known for creating hundreds of mirrored dreamscapes across the city, many of them on his beloved South Street. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens, a nonprofit he created, says Zagar died Thursday at home of complications from heart failure and Parkinson’s disease. Zagar left a unique and lasting mark on the city. The Magic Gardens is an immersive art experience that draws thousands of visitors each year. Zagar is survived by his wife and two sons.

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FILE - This image provided by Office of the New York Mayor shows Thomas Donlon, center, as New York City's interim police commissioner, Sept. 13, 2024. (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office via AP, File)

Judge dismisses ex-NYPD commissioner’s lawsuit alleging ‘systemic corruption’ in police department

February 19, 2026

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by New York City’s former interim police commissioner against the previous mayor, Eric Adams, and his top deputies. On Wednesday, Judge Denise Cote dismissed the racketeering case from Thomas Donlon, a former interim police commissioner. The lawsuit claimed Adams and his inner circle operated the department as a “criminal enterprise” by inflating overtime, blocking internal probes, and punishing whistleblowers. The judge said in her ruling that the claims do not meet the definition of federal racketeering. Donlon’s lawyer said he has appealed the ruling.

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FILE - A sign points in the direction of the Arizona State Prison in Florence, Ariz., March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Darryl Webb, File)

Judge orders takeover of health care operations in Arizona prisons after years of poor care

February 19, 2026

A federal judge has ordered a takeover of health care operations in Arizona’s prisons and will appoint an official to run the system after years of complaints about poor medical and mental health care. The decision on Thursday by U.S. District Judge Roslyn Silver came after her 2022 verdict that concluded Arizona had violated prisoners’ rights by providing inadequate care that led to suffering and preventable deaths. Silver wrote that the state hasn’t gotten a semblance of compliance with court-ordered changes and the Constitution after nearly 14 years of litigation. The state and attorneys representing prisoners have 60 days to submit a list of candidates to run health and mental health care operations in prisons.

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President Donald Trump stands with other World leaders before a Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Indonesian leader signs trade deal with Trump while in Washington for the Board of Peace

February 19, 2026

Indonesian leader Prabowo Subianto has signed a reciprocal trade agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump. It happened Thursday while Prabowo was in Washington to attend the first meeting of the Trump-led Board of Peace. The countries already had reached a framework trade deal that would drop most Indonesian tariffs on U.S. goods and have the U.S. set a 19% tariff on Indonesian exports. A White House statement called it a “great deal” that will “help both countries to strengthen economic security.” Indonesian and U.S. companies also reached several business deals a day earlier. They cover large farm purchases and new cooperation on critical minerals and computer chips.

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FILE - Karen Schwartz, a teacher at Phoenix School of Discovery in Louisville, stands with other teachers and their supporters to protest perceived attacks on public education on March 12, 2019, in Frankfort, Ky. (AP Photo/Bryan Woolston, File)

Kentucky Supreme Court rules that charter schools law is unconstitutional

February 19, 2026

The Kentucky Supreme Court has ruled that a measure establishing public funding for charter schools is unconstitutional. The high court ruled that state funds “are for common schools and for nothing else.” The Republican-backed measure was struck down by a lower court in 2023. In an opinion released Thursday, the Kentucky Supreme Court wrote that the Constitution “does not permit funneling public education funds outside the common public school system.” In 2024, Kentucky voters rejected a ballot measure that would have allowed for public tax dollars to be used by students attending private or charter schools.

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FILE - Joe Gibbs watches a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, July 27, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings, File)

Joe Gibbs Racing sues ex-director Chris Gabehart, alleging a ‘brazen’ trade secrets theft

February 19, 2026

Joe Gibbs Racing has sued former competition director Chris Gabehart. The team claims he stole sensitive data to help rival Spire Motorsports. JGR filed the case in federal court in North Carolina. JGR claims a dispute over Gabehart’s power ended with his planned exit. The team says it discovered he was moving to Spire and a laptop review showed searches, folders, and images of confidential setups. JGR says Gabehart misled them about a Spire role. JGR says the alleged actions caused more than $8 million in damages.

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Open Mic Night

February 19, 2026

Starting 01/29/2026 – We believe in second chances, and that includes your jokes. Join us at 7 PM for Thursday

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FILE - The state and U.S. flags fly over the Virginia State Capitol as the 2024 session of the Virginia General Assembly gets underway, Jan. 10, 2024, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Virginia judge temporarily blocks Democrats’ redistricting work on bid to flip 4 congressional seats

February 19, 2026

A Virginia court is temporarily blocking Democrats from preparing for an April voter referendum to redraw the state’s congressional maps. The ruling hands Democrats another setback in their efforts to pick up four more U.S. House seats in the national redistricting battle. The Tazewell Circuit Court in Virginia granted a temporary restraining order requested by the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee over the ballot referendum’s timing and phrasing.

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Flowers left in memory of Linda Davis lie by the roadway Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at the site outside Savannah, Ga., where Davis was killed in a crash. (AP Photo/Russ Bynum)

Cherished teacher mourned following deadly crash with driver who was being pursued by ICE

February 19, 2026

Kindergarten and first grade students at a Georgia school are mourning their teacher days after she was killed by a driver who authorities say was fleeing federal immigration officers. Principal Alonna McMullen says it was heartbreaking telling 5 and 6 year old students in Linda Davis’ special needs classes of her death. The crash happened Monday less than a half mile from the school where Davis taught in Savannah’s southern suburbs. Authorities say the driver was a Guatemalan man who crashed after running a stoplight to evade immigration officers seeking to detain him on a judge’s deportation order. McMullen said Davis had an upbeat personality and a determination to ensure all of her students thrived.

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The entrance of the San Rafael Ranch, which was previously owned by Jeffrey Epstein and called the Zorro Ranch, is seen, Jan. 31, 2026, near Stanley, N.M. (AP Photo/Savannah Peters)

New Mexico reopens investigation into alleged illegal activity at Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch

February 19, 2026

New Mexico’s attorney general has reopened an investigation into allegations of illegal activity at Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch. Attorney General Raúl Torrez’s office says the decision was made after reviewing information recently released by the U.S. Department of Justice. Although New Mexico’s initial case was closed in 2019 at the request of federal prosecutors in New York, state prosecutors say now that “revelations outlined in the previously sealed FBI files warrant further examination.” The New Mexico Department of Justice says special agents and prosecutors at the agency will be seeking immediate access to the complete, unredacted federal case file.

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CHhildren drawing after school inside one of the classrooms at the Children's Promise Centers child care center in Albuquerque, N.M., April 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Montoya Bryan)

New Mexico’s promise of free child care comes with a fiscal escape hatch

February 19, 2026

An ambitious program to provide free universal child care to working families in New Mexico is being enshrined into law. State lawmakers are tapping into a financial windfall from oil and gas production to pay for it, but they’re wary of an uncertain future and have left the door open to copays from high-income households. New Mexico last year became the first state to offer universal free child care to families of all income levels. From New York to San Francisco, more Democratic leaders are looking to expand access to free and subsidized care. However, the political stakes are high as the potential for fraud has increased scrutiny on such social programs.

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Giovanni Vincenzo Infantino, president of FIFA, tries out a USA hat during a Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

War-hammered Gaza needs basics like homes, roads and power. FIFA is offering a $50M soccer stadium

February 19, 2026

FIFA says it’ll pay to build a new $50 million national soccer stadium in war-ravaged Gaza, where two years of fighting between Hamas and Israel have left housing, electricity and basic infrastructure severely damaged. Soccer’s governing body made the announcement on Thursday in Washington during the first meeting of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has lately been a fixture by Trump’s side. He promised a stadium that could hold up to 25,000 people, as well as a training academy and new fields. Trump repeatedly singled out Infantino in his remarks, and recalled how FIFA had given him its newly created peace prize.

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FILE - Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin is seen during the sentencing portion of his trial in Atlanta on March 11, 2002. (AP Photo/Ric Feld, File)

Prosecutors stand by former militant’s conviction but blast judge’s prior conduct as prosecutor

February 19, 2026

Georgia prosecutors defending the 2000 murder conviction of a onetime Black Panther leader known as H. Rap Brown say new DNA evidence still points strongly to his guilt in the shooting of two sheriff’s deputies. However, they also accuse the case’s original lead prosecutor, now a  judge who has handled several high-profile political cases, of “grave and clear” misconduct. The Wednesday filing by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ office acknowledges serious wrongdoing by the former prosecutor and an FBI agent involved in the original investigation. But it argues that modern DNA testing and other evidence leave little doubt that Brown — by then known as Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin — shot the deputies. Al-Amin died in prison in November.

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Shia LaBeouf used homophobic slurs while assaulting New Orleans bar patrons, police say

February 19, 2026

Actor Shia LaBeouf has been charged with battery and is accused of repeatedly using homophobic slurs while hitting multiple people at a New Orleans bar during Mardi Gras. That’s according to a police report obtained Thursday by The Associated Press via a public records request. A local entertainer who police identified in the report says LaBeouf physically attacked him early Tuesday morning and called him homophobic slurs. Jeffrey Damnit says he believes he was targeted because he was wearing lipstick and eye makeup. LaBeouf was released without bond Tuesday by a New Orleans district judge. He faces two counts of simple battery.

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Members of the National Guard walk past a banner with President Donald Trump hanging on the Department of Justice, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Large banner featuring Trump’s face is displayed on Justice Department headquarters

February 19, 2026

A large banner featuring Donald Trump’s face has been hung on the exterior of Justice Department headquarters in a physical display of the Republican president’s efforts to exert power over the law enforcement agency. While Trump banners have been hung outside other agencies across Washington, the decision to place one on the storied Justice Department building Thursday amounts to a striking symbol of the erosion of the department’s tradition of independence from White House control. The banner, hung between two columns on one corner of the building, says, “Make America Safe Again,” a slogan used by the administration to tout its efforts to clamp down on illegal immigration and violent crime.

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FILE - Randy Santos, center, is arraigned in criminal court for the murder of four homeless men, Oct. 6, 2019, in New York. (Rashid Umar Abbasi/New York Post via AP, Pool)

Jury convicts man in killings of 4 men as they slept on NYC streets, rejecting insanity defense

February 19, 2026

A man who fatally beat four men as they slept on New York City’s streets has been convicted of murder. A jury on Thursday rejected Randy Santos’ insanity defense in the 2019 rampage. Santos’ lawyers acknowledged he did it, but they argued he was too mentally ill to be held criminally responsible. The 31-year-old has been diagnosed with schizophrenia. His lawyers say he believed he’d heard voices saying he had to kill 40 people or would die himself. Prosecutors say Santos realized the attacks were both illegal and immoral. Santos could be sentenced to life in prison at a sentencing hearing set for April 16,

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Oscars will bring back last year’s acting winners — Saldaña, Culkin, Madison and Brody — to present

February 19, 2026

The film academy says last year’s acting winners return as presenters at the next Oscars. On Thursday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Adrien Brody, Mikey Madison, Kieran Culkin and Zoe Saldaña will hand out trophies. The ceremony takes place on March 15 with Conan O’Brien as host. Saldaña, Madison and Culkin became first-time winners last year. Brody earned his second best actor Oscar. This year, “Sinners” leads nominations with a record 16. Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku and Delroy Lindo are the “Sinners” cast members up for acting trophies.

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FILE - Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger delivers her State of the Commonwealth address before a joint session of the Virignia General Assembly at the Capitol, Jan. 19, 2026, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger to give Democratic response to Trump’s State of the Union address

February 19, 2026

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger will deliver the Democratic response to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address next week, just months after resoundingly winning an office previously held by a Republican. The Democratic rebuttal will immediately follow Trump’s address to Congress next Tuesday, offering the party’s most high-profile opportunity to deliver a countermessage.

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FILE - Tributes lay on a memorial Sept. 26, 2025, for four teenage girls who were killed in a yogurt shop in 1991 in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Paul J. Weber, File)

Judge declares 4 men wrongly accused of 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders innocent

February 19, 2026

A Texas judge has declared four men who were wrongfully accused of the 1991 Austin yogurt shop murders innocent. State District Judge Dayna Blazey called her order “an obligation to the rule of law” in a packed Austin courtroom Thursday. The declaration was aimed at closing a dark chapter for the men and for a city that was shaken by the crime and investigators’ inability to solve it for decades. Four teenagers were found bound, gagged and shot in the head at the store where two of them worked. Cold case detectives announced last year that they had connected the killings to a suspect who died in a 1999 standoff with police.

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FILE - Cincinnati Bengals kick off to the Chicago Bears to start the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski, File)

Bears’ potential move to Indiana takes step forward as effort to build stadium in Illinois lingers

February 19, 2026

The Chicago Bears’ potential move to Indiana took another step forward when a key committee approved a plan to create an agency that would help get a stadium built. The Indiana House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee passed a bill establishing a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority to finance, construct and lease a stadium by a 24-0 margin. The Bears are looking at a tract of land near Wolf Lake in Hammond, Ind. The team calls it “the most meaningful step forward in our stadium planning efforts to date” in a statement. Republican Gov. Mike Braun and lawmakers in Indiana have been aggressive in trying to lure the Bears amid a yearslong effort to build an enclosed stadium in Illinois. The Bears did not mention Illinois in their statement.

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National Parks Service workers gather as panels that were part of an exhibit on slavery at the President's House Site in Philadelphia are put back Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Joe Lamberti)

Slavery exhibit removed by Trump administration is returning to Independence Mall in Philadelphia

February 19, 2026

Workers are restoring an exhibit depicting the history of the nine people once enslaved in Philadelphia amid a legal fight between the city and the Trump Administration. A city spokesperson says Mayor Cherelle Parker visited the site Thursday morning and saw the work being done. A federal judge had set a Friday deadline for the Interior Department to restore the exhibit on the people enslaved by George Washington at the former President’s House on Independence Mall. Senior U.S. District Judge Cynthia Rufe issued the deadline Wednesday even as the Justice Department appeals her order to reinstate the exhibit.

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FILE - South Carolina quarterback Lanorris Sellers (16) throws under pressure from Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker (3) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Nov. 29, 2025, in Columbia, S.C. (AP Photo/Scott Kinser, File)

Without nationwide rules, South Carolina lawmakers move to keep college athlete payments secret

February 19, 2026

South Carolina lawmakers have approved a bill to keep secret how much money teams and athletes are paid under new college sports rules. The state is poised to join Arkansas, Utah, Colorado and Kentucky, which already keep Name, Image and Likeness deals from the public. The push to do so came after a lawsuit prompted athletic directors from Clemson, South Carolina and other schools to ask for a new law. Gov. Henry McMaster says he supports transparency but will study the bill. Supporters say schools need secrecy to stay competitive. Critics say secrecy blocks oversight of public money and hurts athletes who want to know their market value.

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FILE - The Metropolitan Opera house at Lincoln Center appears on Aug. 1, 2014, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Met Opera’s 2026-27 season has 17 productions, its fewest in at least 60 years

February 19, 2026

The Metropolitan Opera cut back its 2026-27 season due to a tight budget, even as ticket sales improved slightly. The Met will have 17 productions, its fewest in a non-shortened season since the company moved to Lincoln Center in 1966. It leans hard on longer runs of familiar hits like “Tosca,” “La Bohème” and “Aida.” This season’s seat sales have reached 72%, near pre-pandemic levels. The Met says lower average ticket prices limit revenue. New works can draw crowds, but the Met says unknown titles struggle in movie simulcasts. Budget tightening also delayed planned projects and included layoffs.

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Kyle Busch prepares for a photo during NASCAR Daytona 500 qualifying, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Daytona, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Kyle Busch won all the time until the checkered flags dried up. Can he find NASCAR success again?

February 19, 2026

Kyle Busch was once the most dominant driver in NASCAR. He has 232 wins. That’s a NASCAR record across the three national series. But the last three seasons have been rough ones for Busch. He just lost his 21st straight Daytona 500. And that’s the longest active Daytona 500 losing streak in the series. He is also on a 94-race Cup Series losing streak. Busch is in a contract year and hopes to remind everyone that he can still hang on as a championship contender.

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In this image taken from video, Michael Black, a Rhode Island man who helped stop a shooter at a high school hockey game on Monday, holds up his injured hand during an interview with The Associated Press, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 in Spartanburg, S.C. (AP Photo)

When Rhode Island shooter started firing, bystanders jumped into action to end the carnage

February 19, 2026

Moments after Robert Dorgan starting shooting family members at a hockey game, three people in the stands rushed toward the shooter. Among them was Michael Black, who recalled hearing the shots and lunging for Dorgan’s gun. Black managed to catch his hand in the gun and jam it. Two others helped him subdue Dorgan, but not before the 56-year-old could reach for a second gun and die from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The shooter’s ex-wife Rhonda Dorgan and adult son Aidan Dorgan were killed Monday and three others were injured: Rhonda Dorgan’s parents, Linda and Gerald Dorgan; and a family friend, Thomas Geruso.

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FILE - Georgia linebacker Chris Cole (9) during an NCAA football game against Marshall on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Athens, Ga. Georgia won 45-7. (AP Photo/Mike Buscher, File)

Georgia is facing more reckless driving problems following the arrests of Cole and Ikinnagbon

February 19, 2026

Georgia linebackers Chris Cole and Darren Ikinnagbon have been arrested on misdemeanor charges of speeding and reckless driving. Ikinnagbon also was charged by Athens-Clarke County Police with following too closely. Georgia coach Kirby Smart addressed his frustration last season in trying to put an end to driving offenses by players. Georgia had three players leave the program following arrests on driving offenses last season. Cole ranked fourth on the team with 59 tackles and second with seven tackles for losses, including 4.5 sacks, as a sophomore last season. Ikinnagbon had two tackles as a freshman.

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Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (1) drives against Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Hornets guard LaMelo Ball is expected to play against the Rockets a day after being in a car crash

February 19, 2026

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball is not listed on the team’s injury report and is expected to play Thursday night against the Houston Rockets, one day after being involved in a two-car crash in Charlotte. The Hornets have won 10 of their last 11 games. Ball appeared to be driving through an intersection when his camouflage-colored, custom-made Hummer collided with another vehicle Wednesday, according to video obtained by WSOC-TV in Charlotte. The station later posted video of Ball, wearing an aqua-colored Hornets hoodie, getting out of his truck and into another car before being driven away. Police were on the scene at the time.

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Democratic Wisconsin Assembly Minority Leader Greta Neubauer, surrounded by Democratic colleagues, speaks in support of measures to expand Medicaid coverage for new mothers and insurance coverage for breast exams at a news conference in the state Capitol on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Scott Bauer)

Wisconsin poised to leave Arkansas as only state without expanded Medicaid for new moms

February 19, 2026

Wisconsin Republicans who long blocked a bipartisan measure to expand postpartum Medicaid coverage plan to pass the measure following pressure from Democrats. The vote on Thursday would leave Arkansas as the only state yet to expand Medicaid coverage for women a year after giving birth. Wisconsin Democrats, and even most Republicans, have pushed for years to expand Medicaid coverage for new mothers, only to be blocked by powerful Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos. But Vos relented on Wednesday, scheduling the bill for a final vote Thursday. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers is expected to sign it into law as soon as next week.

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This photo provided by NASA shows the Artemis II SLS (Space Launch System) rocket with the Orion spacecraft atop a mobile launcher at Launch Complex 39B, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Jim Ross/NASA via AP)

NASA conducts second rocket fueling test that will decide when Artemis astronauts head to the moon

February 19, 2026

NASA is taking another crack at fueling its giant moon rocket after leaks halted the initial dress rehearsal and delayed astronauts’ first trip to the moon in more than half a century. Launch teams on Thursday began pumping more than 700,000 gallons of fuel into the rocket at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center. It’s the most critical and challenging part of the two-day practice countdown. The outcome will determine whether March is possible for the Artemis II lunar fly-around with four astronauts. Two weeks ago, dangerous amounts of liquid hydrogen escaped during the operation. NASA replaced two seals and a clogged filter.

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Frank Rosenau

February 19, 2026

Frank Rosenau, 95, of Lemmon, SD, passed away on Friday, February 13, 2026.  Visitation for Frank will be held at

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(AP Illustration / Peter Hamlin)

As the US population ages, more employees are seeking caregiver benefits at work

February 19, 2026

More than 63 million Americans provide care for an adult family member, and most of them have regular paid jobs as well, according to AARP. But caretaking responsibilities can make holding down a full-time job challenging, especially for people caring for older adults and raising children at the same time. In the U.S., the Family and Medical Leave Act provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave per year to care for immediate family members. The law applies to government agencies and private companies with 50 or more workers. Some employers have responded to the needs of staff members by offering paid leaves and other benefits that can help make caregiving more manageable.

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FILE - Cargo containers line a ship at the Port of Oakland on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

U.S. trade deficit slipped to $901 billion last year amid Trump tariffs

February 19, 2026

The U.S. trade deficit slipped modestly in 2025, a year in which President Donald Trump upended global commerce by slapping double digit tariffs on imports from most countries. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that the gap the between the goods and services the U.S. sells other countries and what it buys from them narrowed to just over $901 billion from $904 billion in 2024.

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FILE - A recruiter holds information about employment during a hiring fair at Fair Park in Dallas, Jan. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)

US applications for jobless aid fall to 206,000 last week as layoffs remain low

February 19, 2026

U.S. applications for unemployment benefits fell last week as layoffs remain at historically low levels. The number of Americans filing for jobless aid for the week ending Feb. 14 fell by 23,000 to 206,000 from the previous week, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s significantly fewer than the 225,000 new applications that analysts had forecast. Filings for unemployment benefits are viewed as representative of U.S. layoffs. The total number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the previous week ending Feb. 7 increased to 1.87 million, up 17,000 from the previous week, the government said.

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Artist renderings and diagrams of the new White House East Wing and Ballroom, briefly posted on the National Capital Planning Commission's website ahead of a March 5, hearing, are photographed Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Elswick)

US fine arts commission is expected to vote to advance Trump’s White House ballroom proposal

February 19, 2026

A federal panel responsible for reviewing President Donald Trump’s plans to build a massive ballroom on the site of the former White House East Wing is expected to advance the project. The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, led by appointees of the Republican president, is likely to vote on the design at its monthly meeting Thursday. At last month’s meeting, some commissioners questioned the architect about the project’s “immense” design and scale even as they broadly endorsed the president’s vision for a ballroom twice the size of the White House itself.

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FILE - A shopper heads into a Walmart store Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, in Englewood, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)

Walmart delivers another quarter of impressive sales but offers a muted outlook

February 19, 2026

Walmart delivered another standout quarter as the promise of lower prices drew in a broader spectrum of Americans during the critical holiday shopping period, including wealthier households. The outlook from the Bentonville, Arkansas, company, however, hinted at a volatile economic environment ahead on Thursday. Walmart reported fourth quarter earnings of $4.24 billion, or 53 cents per share for the quarter ended Jan. 31. Adjusted per-share results were 74 cents, a penny better than Wall Street expected, according to FactSet. Last year, the company reported net income of $5.25 billion, or 65 cents per share.

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President Donald Trump gestures during a Black History Month event in the East Room of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nathan Howard)

Tariffs paid by midsized US firms tripled last year, new analysis from JPMorganChase Institute shows

February 19, 2026

New research shows midsized U.S. companies pay far more in Trump-era tariffs, and the costs land at home. On Thursday, the JPMorganChase Institute says tariff payments for these firms tripled over the past year. The report says these businesses may have to raise prices, cut hiring, or accept lower profits. Researchers also see signs companies are shifting purchases away from China and toward other parts of Asia. The study adds to other work, including New York Fed research, that says U.S. firms and consumers bear most tariff costs. The White House has sharply criticized that claim.

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Barbara Kingsolver returns with ‘Partita,’ her first novel since ‘Demon Copperhead’

February 19, 2026

Barbara Kingsolver has completed a new novel that brings classical music into her familiar rural world. HarperCollins announced on Thursday that “Partita” comes out Oct. 6. The story follows a married former pianist. She feels haunted by a musical life she never pursued. Kingsolver understands that pull. She studied piano on scholarship in college. She later switched to biology after doubting a music career. She also says she once hid her love of Bach and Tolstoy in small-town Kentucky. Her new book questions who gets to feel welcome in a symphony hall.

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