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February 23, 2026.

Man convicted of killing a grocery store owner during set to be executed in Florida

February 23, 2026

A man convicted of killing a grocery store owner is set to become the second person executed in Florida this year. Melvin Trotter is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Tuesday evening for the 1986 killing of grocery store owner Virgie Langford. A truck driver found Langford alive after the attack in Palmetto and she described Trotter before dying at a hospital. Trotter was initially convicted of murder and sentenced to death in 1987. After trial court errors were found in his case, he was resentenced in 1993, again drawing the death penalty. Last year Florida conducted a record 19 executions under death warrants signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

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President Donald Trump holds up a signed resolution during a Board of Peace meeting at the U.S. Institute of Peace, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

State of the Union offers Trump a chance to make the case for his foreign policy approach

February 23, 2026

The State of the Union offers President Donald Trump a chance to make the case for his foreign policy efforts to Americans who are increasingly demonstrating uneasiness about his priorities. The Republican president counts brokering a fragile ceasefire deal in Gaza, capturing autocratic leader Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela and pressing fellow NATO members to increase defense spending among his biggest wins. At a moment when polls show the American public increasingly concerned about the economy, Trump’s assignment Tuesday evening is to cut through a thickening skepticism that he’s staying true to his “America First” philosophy after a year in which his focus was often far from home.

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The U .S. Capitol is seen after sunset in Washington, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, ahead of President Donald Trump's State of the Union address. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Trump’s State of the Union will seek to calm voters’ economic concerns ahead of midterm elections

February 23, 2026

President Donald Trump will use his State of the Union address to argue that his whirlwind first year back has made America stronger and that Republicans deserve to keep control of Congress after the midterms. The president is expected in Tuesday’s speech to proclaim the economy booming while endorsing increased military funding and tighter voter ID rules. Authors of past State of the Union speeches say Trump sometimes sounds more restrained when giving the address, though exaggerations and forays into old grievances are also likely. Trump points to rising stock prices and job growth, but many Americans are worried about the economy and tariffs may yet slow growth.

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Kansas guards Tre White (3) and Darryn Peterson (22) celebrate after an NCAA college basketball game against Houston, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

White scores 23 as No. 14 Kansas rebounds with 69-56 win over No. 5 Houston

February 23, 2026

Tre White scored a season-high 23 points and No. 14 Kansas bounced back from a surprising defeat with a 69-56 victory over No. 5 Houston. Freshman star Darryn Peterson added 14 points on 5-of-14 shooting in 30 minutes for the Jayhawks, who fell six spots in this week’s AP Top 25 following an 84-68 loss at home Saturday to unranked Cincinnati. Bryson Tiller had 11 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks for Kansas, which handed the scuffling Cougars their third consecutive defeat — all against top-15 opponents. Houston hadn’t dropped three straight games since January 2017.

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FILE - Dario Amodei, CEO and co-founder of Anthropic, attends the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Jan. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, File)

Hegseth and Anthropic CEO set to meet as debate intensifies over the military’s use of AI

February 23, 2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth plans to meet with the CEO of Anthropic. The artificial intelligence company is the only one of its peers to not supply its technology to a new U.S. military internal network. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has raised ethical concerns about unchecked government use of AI, including the dangers of fully autonomous armed drones and AI-assisted mass surveillance. Hegseth has said he wants AI to become a key part of the nation’s defense and security and has criticized some AI models that restrict what he says is lawful military activity. A defense official who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed Tuesday’s meeting between Hegseth and Amodei.

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Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) drives against San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Tempers flare in Spurs-Pistons game in a matchup of 2 of NBA’s top teams

February 23, 2026

Tempers flared in the first half of the San Antonio Spurs-Detroit Pistons game, a matchup of two of the NBA’s top teams on Monday night. Pistons star Cade Cunningham was called for an offensive foul after extending his arms and knocking Spurs guard Stephon Castle down on the court. Spurs forward Keldon Johnson responded by pushing Cunningham and Pistons center Jalen Duren pointed his right finger in Johnson’s face. After a review, Johnson and Duren were called for technical fouls in the second quarter of the closely contested game.

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San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama cannot grab a rebound during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Spurs humble Pistons with 114-103 victory in potential NBA Finals preview

February 23, 2026

Victor Wembanyama had 21 points, 17 rebounds and six blocks, Devin Vassell scored 28 and the San Antonio Spurs beat the Detroit Pistons 114-103 in a potential NBA Finals preview. The Spurs have won a season-high nine games in a row and trail only the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference. The Eastern Conference-leading Pistons had won five straight. They will host Oklahoma City on Wednesday night in another test. Detroit star Cade Cunningham struggled, missing 21 of 26 shots and finishing with 16 points and 10 assists.

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Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal throws against the Minnesota Twins in the first inning of a spring training baseball game, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Lakeland, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

Tigers ace Tarik Skubal to make just 1 start for Team USA in World Baseball Classic

February 23, 2026

Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal plans to make only one start for the United States in the World Baseball Classic, regardless of how far Team USA advances. The two-time AL Cy Young Award winner wants to remain on a regular spring training regimen and ramp up for opening day mostly with the Tigers. Skubal made his first spring training start Monday, striking out four over two scoreless innings of two-hit ball in Detroit’s 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins. He is expected to pitch for the Tigers again Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays and then start for the U.S. late next week during WBC pool play in Houston. After that, the rest of his outings this spring will come in a Detroit uniform, he said.

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Witness who saw friend fatally shot by immigration agent in Texas last year dies in car accident

February 23, 2026

A Texas man who saw his friend get shot and killed last year by a federal immigration agent died last weekend in a fiery car crash. Joshua Orta was a key witness in the March 15 shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez, a U.S. citizen killed during a late-night traffic encounter that was not publicly disclosed by the Department of Homeland Security for nearly 11 months. Attorneys for Martinez’s family said Monday that Orta’s planned testimony contradicted the department’s account. The Associated Press and other media outlets reported last week on details of Martinez’s death, which would mark at least six deadly shootings by federal officers since President Donald Trump’s coast to coast immigration crackdown.

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FILE - Alabama center Charles Bediako (14) pulls down a rebound while guarded by Maryland guard Ian Martinez, left, during the second half of a second-round college basketball game in the men's NCAA Tournament in Birmingham, Ala., March 18, 2023. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Bediako appeals NCAA eligibility decision to Alabama Supreme Court as season winds down

February 23, 2026

Basketball center Charles Bediako is asking the Alabama Supreme Court to let him play the rest of the season for the Crimson Tide. The recent NBA G-League player is appealing a judge’s decision that ended his temporary playing status with the University of Alabama. His lawyers also asked a judge Monday to grant interim relief while the appeal is pending and order the NCAA to reinstate Bediako as a student-athlete. Bediako filed a lawsuit against the NCAA after it denied Alabama’s request to reinstate him and allow him to return to collegiate competition.

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A memorial grows outside the home of Nancy Guthrie, the missing mother of "Today" show host Savannah Guthrie, in Tucson, Ariz., Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Felicia Fonseca)

Volunteers scour the desert for Nancy Guthrie despite authorities urging them to stop

February 23, 2026

The disappearance of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother three weeks ago has inspired volunteers to launch their own searches in the dense desert near her home just outside Tucson. The Pima County Sheriff’s Department says it appreciates the concern for Nancy Guthrie. But it asked people inquiring about becoming volunteers to give investigators space to do jobs that are best left to the professionals. Experts say volunteers can be force multipliers but should undergo background checks and be trained to work under the direction of law enforcement.

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FILE - Democratic presidential hopeful Jesse Jackson with his wife, Jacqueline, salutes the cheering crowd at Operation Push in Chicago, March 10, 1988. (AP Photo/Fred Jewell, File)

Body of civil rights leader Jesse Jackson is to lie in state in South Carolina

February 23, 2026

The Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. is being honored in South Carolina, where he was born and where his civil rights work began as a teenager. Next Monday his body will lie in state at the South Carolina Statehouse. Jackson died on Feb. 17 from a rare neurological disorder. He will lie in repose this week at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition in Chicago before being honored in South Carolina. Jackson grew up in Greenville and in 1960 led seven other high school classmates into a whites only public library where they quietly read books and magazines until they were arrested.

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United States players and coaches stand during the playing of the national anthem after winning the women's ice hockey gold medal game at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

US women’s gold medal-winning team declines invitation from Trump to attend State of Union address

February 23, 2026

The U.S. women’s hockey gold medal-winning team has politely declined an invitation from President Donald Trump to attend his State of the Union address on Tuesday. In a statement, the U.S. women’s team said it was “sincerely grateful for the invitation” but would be unable to attend “due to the timing.” Trump also invited the U.S. men’s gold medal-winning team. Scheduling will be a challenge as the NHL schedule resumes with five games on Wednesday and the PWHL resumes on Thursday. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the status of both teams.

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FILE - The WNBA logo is seen near a hoop before an WNBA basketball game at Mohegan Sun Arena, May 14, 2019, in Uncasville, Conn. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)

WNBA, players union hold virtual CBA meeting with talks still far apart on key issues

February 23, 2026

The WNBA and its players union have held a virtual meeting to try and further negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement. That’s according to a person familiar with the discussions who told The Associated Press about the Monday meeting on condition of anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the negotiations. It was the first meeting between the two sides that involved players and the league since they met at the WNBA offices on Feb. 2. Because of the winter storm that hit New York, it was decided to hold the meeting virtually.

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. holds his wife, Cheryl Hines, during the National Governors Association dinner at the White House, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

RFK Jr. fought pesticides for years. Now he’s backing their production

February 23, 2026

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is doubling down on his support for an executive order that would aim to boost the production of a controversial weedkiller ingredient called glyphosate, even though it is widening a political fault line for the administration ahead of the midterm elections. Last Wednesday’s executive order would protect the domestic production of glyphosate-based herbicides and grant limited legal immunity to its makers if they’re following federal directives. Kennedy on Sunday posted a statement on social media calling pesticides “toxic by design” but framing Trump’s move as necessary for agricultural stability and national security. His embrace of Trump’s order is viewed by some as a striking reversal of the longtime environmental lawyer’s position.

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Education Secretary Linda McMahon arrives at The Mar-a-Lago Club, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, in Palm Beach, Fla., to attend the wedding of White House deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino and Erin Elmore, the director of Art in Embassies at the U.S. Department of State. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

Education Department hands off more of its responsibilities to other US agencies

February 23, 2026

The Education Department is handing over more of its programs and grants to other federal agencies. It announced a pair of new agreements Monday that move the Trump administration closer to its goal of shutting down the department. Under one interagency agreement, the Health and Human Services Department will take over grant programs that send millions of dollars to schools for safety and community engagement efforts. Another calls for the State Department to take over a portal that tracks foreign gifts to universities. The union representing department workers said the latest agreements would shift work to agencies with no educational expertise.

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FILE - The Pentagon, the headquarters for the U.S. Department of Defense, is seen from the air, Sept. 20, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, FIle)

US military strikes alleged drug boat in Caribbean Sea, killing 3

February 23, 2026

The U.S. military says it killed three people in a strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea. Monday’s attack brought the death toll to at least 151 people since the Trump administration began targeting alleged “narcoterrorists” in September. The military did not provide evidence that the vessel was ferrying drugs. But it posted a video on X that showed a small boat being destroyed. U.S. Southern Command said it confirmed the vessel was transiting a known trafficking route. President Donald Trump has said the U.S. is in “armed conflict” with cartels to stem the flow of drugs into the U.S.

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Oscar run is bittersweet for brother and friend who made film after death of journalist Brent Renaud

February 23, 2026

It’s a bittersweet Academy Awards season for documentarians Craig Renaud and Juan Arredondo. Renaud’s brother Brent was killed by Russian gunfire in Ukraine in 2022 in an attack that Arredondo survived. The two men are nominated for an Oscar for the short documentary they made honoring his life and work. They tell The Associated Press that they love that Brent Renaud has gotten the recognition that only the Oscars can bring, but both have lingering guilt and trauma over his loss. But they say their deceased brother and friend had said that if someone was killed in action, the others should keep filming.

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NFC wide receiver George Pickens (3), of the Dallas Cowboys, speaks after being named offensive MVP of the NFL Pro Bowl football game against the AFC, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Cowboys say they are leaning toward using franchise tag on receiver George Pickens

February 23, 2026

The Dallas Cowboys say they are leaning toward using the franchise tag on receiver George Pickens while continuing to discuss a long-term contract. Vice president of personnel Stephen Jones told reporters at the NFL scouting combine that the club wasn’t putting a timeline on getting a deal done with Pickens. The Cowboys have until March 3 to use the tag. Then there is a July 15 deadline for agreeing on a longer-term contract. Pickens had career highs in catches, yards and touchdowns in his first season with Dallas.

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More than 30,000 Kaiser Permanente health care workers to end strike in California and Hawaii

February 23, 2026

An estimated 31,000 registered nurses and other front-line Kaiser Permanente health care workers will return to work on Tuesday after a four-week strike in California and Hawaii to demand better wages and staffing. The union said in a statement Monday that “significant movement at the bargaining table” prompted an end to the walkout. There are no details about what progress was made during negotiations or what a potential deal might look like. Kaiser Permanente officials didn’t immediately comment on the union’s announcement.

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Nick Reiner pleads not guilty today to two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, with public defense attorney, Kimberly Green, during his arraignment on murder charges for the deaths of his parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Los Angeles. (Chris Torres/Pool Photo via AP)

Rob Reiner’s son pleads not guilty to murder in the killing of his parents

February 23, 2026

Nick Reiner has pleaded not guilty in the killing of his parents, Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. Nick Reiner’s attorney entered the plea to two counts of first-degree murder in a Los Angeles courtroom Monday. Authorities say the acclaimed director and his wife of 36 years were found dead with stab wounds in their Los Angeles home on Dec. 14. Nick was arrested hours later and has been held without bail for the two months since. Police have said nothing about possible motives. Prosecutors have not decided whether to seek the death penalty.

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First National Bank Pledges $275K to Boost Stanley County Schools

February 23, 2026

FORT PIERRE, S.D. — First National Bank has committed a $275,000 Community Leader Challenge donation to launch the Buffalo Legacy Campaign, a community-wide effort focused on investing in the future of the Stanley County School District. The Rapid City-area bank’s contribution will match every dollar raised through the campaign, effectively doubling community support and accelerating […]

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San Francisco Giants' Bryce Eldridge signs autographs before a spring training baseball game against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Peoria, Ariz. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Giants’ Bryce Eldridge faces big expectations, takes message from veterans to heart: be yourself

February 23, 2026

Early on at spring training, Giants veterans Willy Adames and Matt Chapman pulled some of the young position players in camp aside with a simple message: just be yourself. It hit right at home for Bryce Eldridge. There are tall expectations on the San Francisco first baseman, among the tallest position players in baseball at 6-foot-7, and he is trying to soak in everything during his second major league camp.

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FILE - Colin Gray, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, arrives to the courtroom at the Barrow County courthouse on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Winder,Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Mother testifies she urged Colin Gray to lock up guns before Apalachee High shooting in Georgia

February 23, 2026

Colin Gray is on trial after prosecutors say he helped enable his son’s deadly school shooting in Georgia by giving him a gun. On Monday, the boy’s mother, Marcee Gray, testified that their home life has been chaotic for years. She says she urged Colin to lock the guns in his truck so Colt could not reach them. Investigators say Colt hid a rifle in a backpack and opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. Defense lawyers say Colt hid his plans for the shooting from his father.

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‘Scrubs’ revival brings back the old goofy gang, but now they’re, gulp, in charge

February 23, 2026

The “Scrubs” revival brings back Dr. John Dorian and Dr. Christopher Turk, picking up 17 years after the original series ended. Creator Bill Lawrence says the characters are still playful but now lead responsible adult lives. The revival features the original cast as teachers to new doctors, reflecting changes in medicine and hospital culture. Dr. Perry Cox, played by John C. McGinley, can no longer berate interns as he did in the past. The show explores themes of male friendship and the second stage of life, maintaining its mix of drama and comedy while staying grounded in reality.

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FILE - President Donald Trump listens as Dr. Marty Makary, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Monday, Sept. 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, file)

FDA proposes new system for approving customized drugs and therapies for rare diseases

February 23, 2026

The Food and Drug Administration is proposing a system for approving customized drugs and medical treatments for patients with rare or hard-to-treat diseases. The pathway laid out Monday is aimed to approving one-of-a-kind therapies, including those using emerging gene-editing technology. It’s a shift long sought by patients, advocates and researchers focused on rare diseases, which often do not fit within the pharmaceutical industry’s business model. For many rare diseases, drug companies have had little financial incentive to develop new treatments. The FDA proposal, if finalized, would codify a path for drugmakers and researchers to study and commercialize treatments without conducting large, expensive clinical trials.

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A vehicle blocks access to a property in Cameron, N.C., Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Allen G. Breed)

Armed man shot and killed at Mar-a-Lago was never interested in politics or guns, cousin says

February 23, 2026

The 21-year-old North Carolina man who drove onto President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with a shotgun before he was shot and killed worked as a golf course groundskeeper and sold illustrations of golf courses. Braeden Fields, a cousin who grew up with Austin Tucker Martin says he never talked about politics and seemed afraid of guns. Fields told The Associated Press that he has no idea why his cousin would do this. Authorities say Martin drove through a gate at Mar-a-Lago in Florida early Sunday and raised a shotgun when confronted by law enforcement, who opened fire. Trump was at the White House at the time.

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FILE - A horse whinnies in a barn at the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City, during a cutting horse competition, Monday, June 20, 2011. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

A horse’s neigh may be unique in the animal kingdom. Now scientists know how they do it

February 23, 2026

A horse’s signature whinny comes from a combination of whistling and singing. The whinny is a unique combination of both high and low pitched sounds. The low tones come from vibration of tissue in the voice box. But what about the high ones? Scientists found the high notes stem from a whistle deep in the horses’ voice boxes. That’s different from human whistling, which is made with the mouth. Horses are the only animals known to whistle while they sing. The two-toned whinnies could help them convey multiple messages. The new study was published Monday in the journal Current Biology.

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Toyota Racing Development signs 13-year-old Keelan Harvick to a long-term driver deal

February 23, 2026

Keelan Harvick has signed with Toyota Racing Development to a long-term deal aimed at getting the 13-year-old into NASCAR. He is the son of Kevin Harvick, who spent 23 years in NASCAR and won the Cup Series championship and the Daytona 500. Keelan says he wants to reach the Cup Series like his father. He is shifting away from racing in Europe after a chaotic karting event in Italy. Toyota has a busy schedule with partner teams for dozens of late model races this year. Kevin Harvick says Toyota’s development approach fits the family. Keelan already has major wins in young driver events and late models.

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The Capitol is seen during heavy rain as the Department of Homeland Security funding bill remains in limbo, in Washington, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

After Supreme Court rebuke, Democrats call for government to refund billions in Trump tariff money

February 23, 2026

Senate Democrats are unveiling a bill to have the government refund about $175 billion in Trump-era tariff money after the Supreme Court ruled that President Donald Trump’s emergency tariffs were illegal. The bill from Senators Ron Wyden, Ed Markey, and Jeanne Shaheen would order Customs and Border Protection to issue refunds within 180 days and pay interest. The bill prioritizes small businesses. It also urges big companies to pass refunds along to customers. The Supreme Court announced its 6–3 on Friday, but it gives little guidance on refunds. Trump says refunds could be tied up in courts for years.

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United States' Lindsey Vonn is airlifted away after a crash during an alpine ski women's downhill race, at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Lindsey Vonn says surgery saved her from having her left leg amputated following Olympic crash

February 23, 2026

Lindsey Vonn says a crash at the Milan Cortina Olympics nearly cost her her left leg. Vonn detailed the extent her injuries in an Instagram post. The 41-year-old Vonn says the crash on Feb. 8 caused compartment syndrome in her left leg after the crash. The condition traps swelling and blood in the muscle. It cuts off blood flow and can cause permanent damage. Vonn says surgeon Tom Hackett performed an emergency fasciotomy, saving her leg. Vonn added she also broke her right ankle in the crash and is currently in a wheelchair.

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FILE - Serena Williams acknowledges the crowd after losing to Ajla Tomljanovic, of Austrailia, iin the third round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, Sept. 2, 2022, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

Serena Williams brings athlete discipline to business leadership in ‘The CEO Club’ series

February 23, 2026

Serena Williams has shifted her drive from tennis to business, and a new Prime Video series shows how she leads. On Monday, “The CEO Club” premieres and follows Williams and several other women as they run brands and handle family life. Williams says the same mindset that won her titles matters in the boardroom. She says leaders lose sometimes, but they show up again the next day. Williams also executive produces the show, and she says that helps her control the story. Another leader, Loren Ridinger, stresses discipline, tough calls, and strong support circles.

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President Donald Trump attends the National Governors Association dinner at the White House, Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Judge blocks release of special counsel Smith’s report on Trump classified documents case

February 23, 2026

A federal judge has permanently barred the release of a report by special counsel Jack Smith on his investigation into President Donald Trump’s hoarding of classified documents. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, granted a request from the Republican president to keep under wraps the report detailing Smith’s findings in the probe that resulted in criminal charges in 2023. Cannon dismissed the case in 2024 after concluding that Smith was unlawfully appointed. She said the release of the report would present a “manifest injustice” to Trump and his two co-defendants.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks at a news conference during the Critical Minerals Ministerial meeting at the State Department, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026 in Washington. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

State Department orders nonessential US diplomats to leave Lebanon as tensions with Iran soar

February 23, 2026

A State Department official says the U.S. has ordered nonessential diplomats and family members to leave Lebanon as tensions over Iran rise with the threat of a potentially imminent military strike. The official said Monday a continuous assessment of the regional security environment determined it was “prudent” to draw down the U.S. Embassy’s footprint so that only essential personnel remained at their posts. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move had not yet been formally announced. The official says that it is a temporary measure and that the embassy remains operational. A second department official says Secretary of State Marco Rubio may delay his intended visits to Israel this weekend.

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FILE - Federal Reserve Board of Governors member Christopher Waller poses for a photo on May 23, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

Fed’s Waller says rate cut in March is a ‘coin flip’ following a strong US jobs report

February 23, 2026

Federal Reserve governor Christopher Waller said Monday that solid job gains in January could mean the central bank can skip a rate cut at its next meeting in March, a move that would likely spur further attacks by President Donald Trump. Waller’s hedging is a notable shift from January, when he was one of the two Fed governors to dissent against the central bank’s decision to hold its key rate steady after three rate cuts at the end of last year. The decision left the Fed’s short-term rate at about 3.6%.

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Met Gala guests (and the rest of us) learn the next dress code: ‘Fashion is Art’

February 23, 2026

Beyoncé has her marching orders. The dress code for the next Met Gala is: “Fashion is Art.” The code takes its inspiration from the theme of the museum’s spring fashion exhibit, “Costume Art.” Curator Andrew Bolton says the show seeks to display the enduring connection between fashion and art through the centuries. This year’s gala co-chairs are Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, tennis champ Venus Williams and Anna Wintour, the influential Vogue editor who oversees each gala. The Met Gala is May 4. “Costume Art,” which opens to the public May 10, will inaugurate swanky new gallery space for the Costume Institute.

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FILE - People look up to the sky from an observatory near the village of Avren, Bulgaria, Aug. 12, 2009. (AP Photo/Petar Petrov, File)

6 planets will parade across the night sky at the end of February

February 23, 2026

Six planets will be visible in the night sky at the end of February, and most can be seen with the naked eye. It’s what’s known as a planetary parade, which happens when multiple planets appear to line up in the sky at once. On Saturday, go outside about an hour after sunset and venture away from tall buildings and trees. Look to the western sky and spot Mercury, Venus and Saturn close to the horizon. Jupiter will be higher up, along with Uranus and Neptune, but those last two are only visible with binoculars and telescopes.

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during a joint news conference with Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, Hungary, Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, Pool)

Rubio heads to Caribbean to reassert US interests after Venezuela strikes and Iran threats

February 23, 2026

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is traveling to the Caribbean country of St. Kitts and Nevis this week to reassert the Trump administration’s interests in the Western Hemisphere. Rubio’s visit comes a month after a U.S. military operation removed then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power. It also comes while the eyes of much of the world are on the U.S military buildup in the Middle East and President Donald Trump’s threats to attack Iran. The State Department says Rubio will visit St. Kitts on Wednesday to participate in a summit of leaders from the Caribbean Community. Rubio has long championed a greater U.S. role in the Western Hemisphere.

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FILE - The Google logo is displayed at their offices, Nov. 1, 2018, in London. . (AP Photo/Alastair Grant, File)

Police are finding suspects based on their online searches as courts weigh privacy concerns

February 23, 2026

Criminal investigators hoping to develop a suspect are turning to a powerful cyber tool by asking Google to disclose who had been searching for relevant information. It’s a practice that critics warn threatens the privacy of innocent people. The legal tension between the need to solve crimes quickly and the U.S. Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protections against overly broad searches was at the heart of a recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision that upheld what is known as a reverse keyword warrant in a rape investigation.

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Actor Max Voehl, who plays the lead character Auggie, performs during the musical "Wonder" at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass., Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

In ‘Wonder’ the musical, young actors with facial differences find their voices onstage

February 23, 2026

It was first a best selling novel, then a movie and now “Wonder” has been turned into a musical. This story, which recently finished its run at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, tells the inspiring story of a boy with a rare genetic condition known as Treacher Collins syndrome, which causes underdeveloped facial bones and tissue. The boy, named Auggie, overcomes bullying to find success in his first year at school. One of the big differences between the movie and musical is that Auggie played by two actors who have facial differences, one of them with his same condition.

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President Donald Trump speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Allison Robbert)

Trump’s big speech will be delivered to a changed nation and a Congress he has sidelined

February 23, 2026

President Donald Trump is heading to Capitol Hill this week to deliver the State of the Union address. Trump will speak Tuesday before a transformed nation. One year back in office, Trump is defying conventional expectations. The Republican president has executed a head-spinning agenda that includes upending priorities at home, shattering alliances abroad and challenging the nation’s foundational system of checks and balances. Lawmakers in the House chamber will listen to Trump’s agenda for the year ahead. It’s an important moment for Congress, which has essentially become sidelined as Trump often bypasses the legislative branch to act on his own, amassing enormous power.

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A screen on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange displays an intraday number for the QQQ, tracking the Nasdaq-100, Friday, Feb. 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

From dabblers to day traders, small investors’ impact on Wall Street grows even in volatile market

February 23, 2026

For years, retail investors were dismissed by some on Wall Street as “dumb money.” That’s no longer the case. Analysis shows they outperformed two of the most popular, professionally managed index funds last year and accounted for $5.4 trillion in trading activity across stocks and exchange-traded funds, according to Vanda. That included buying sprees during big stock market swoons that set them up for big gains when the market bounced back by the end of the year. The rise of retail investors has followed the advent of more access to financial education, sophisticated trading tools and a shift toward zero-commission on trades.

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