“Former U.K. ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson was arrested Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. In a statement a Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: ‘Officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office.’ … The force is probing claims that the senior British politician leaked internal government discussions to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the wake of the 2008 financial crash. Emails released as part of the Epstein files in the United States appeared to show the then-business secretary forwarding on correspondence to Epstein, triggering fresh scrutiny of his relationship with the late, disgraced financier. He has not been charged with an offense. Under British law, police can hold a suspect for up to 24 hours before either applying for more time for questioning, charging that person with a crime or releasing them.” (02/23/26)
“The US government has ordered all non-essential staff to leave its embassy in the Lebanese capital of Beirut after a security review, a senior State Department official has told the BBC. The decision comes as there are heightened tensions in the region, with US President Donald Trump threatening military action against Iran if it does not reach a deal over its nuclear programme. Iran has previously vowed to retaliate if attacked by the US, with American bases and facilities in the Middle East thought to be possible targets. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has delayed a planned trip to Israel without announcing a reason. A senior State Department official said: ‘We continuously assess the security environment, and based on our latest review, we determined it prudent to reduce our footprint to essential personnel.'” (02/23/26)
“With Blizzard Warnings covering over 40 million people, major hubs like New York City, Boston, and Philadelphia have shut down as up to two feet of snow buries the I-95 corridor in Blizzard ’26. Stay tuned for updates on power outages, mandatory travel bans, flight cancellations, and emergency declarations.” (02/23/26)
“Former senior FBI official David Sundberg announced Monday that he plans to run for Congress this year in Maryland’s 5th Congressional District. Sundberg is running for the seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., which he has held since he won a special election in 1981. The district covers southern Maryland and portions of Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties. Cook Political Report rates it as a solid Democratic seat in this year’s midterm elections. Sundberg, who joined the FBI in 2002, previously served as the assistant director in charge of its Washington field office during the Biden administration and was notified in late January 2025, just days after President Donald Trump took office, that he was going to lose his job. His termination was among a number of firings of top FBI officials at the beginning of Trump’s second term.” (02/23/26)
“President Donald Trump on Monday threatened countries around the world to abide by any tariff deals they agreed to despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down many of his far-reaching taxes on imports. And he said he wants a global tariff of 15%, up from 10% he had announced immediately after the ruling. The court’s Friday decision struck down tariffs Trump had imposed on nearly every country using an emergency powers law. But the Republican president won’t let go of his favorite tool for rewriting the rules of global commerce and applying international pressure. ‘Any Country that wants to ‘play games’ with the ridiculous supreme court decision, especially those that have ‘Ripped Off’ the U.S.A. for years, and even decades, will be met with a much higher Tariff, and worse, than that which they just recently agreed to,’ Trump posted Monday on Truth Social.” (02/23/26)
“North Korean leader Kim Jong Un was reelected to the top post of the ruling Workers’ Party, with delegates crediting him for bolstering the country’s nuclear arsenal and strengthening its regional standing, state media reported Monday. The report from the party congress, a major propaganda spectacle where Kim is expected to outline his political and military goals for the next five years, suggests he will double down on accelerating a nuclear arsenal already equipped with missiles capable of threatening Asian U.S. allies and the American mainland. The party also released a new roster for its powerful Central Committee that confirmed a generational shift in Kim’s leadership circle, with aging military chiefs and the 76-year-old head of Pyongyang’s rubber-stamp parliament among dozens replaced in the 138-member body.” (02/22/26)
“Violent clashes erupted in parts of western Mexico on Sunday amid a military operation that led to the death of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader, triggering widespread security concerns throughout the region. Mexican security forces killed Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, also known as ‘El Mencho,’ during an operation in the western state of Jalisco, Mexico’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement on X. It said he was wounded during the raid in the town of Tapalpa and died while being flown to Mexico City. The state of Jalisco is the base of the cartel known for trafficking huge quantities of fentanyl and other drugs to the United States.” (02/23/26)
“The Supreme Court scrambled the US trade landscape Friday when it struck down the centerpiece of President Trump’s second-term tariff program, ruling 6-3 that his sweeping blanket tariffs are illegal. … Trump attacked the high court in his first response Friday, particularly the justices in the majority, saying they were a ‘disgrace to our nation.’ He hinted that the administration would pursue alternative methods toward implementing its trade goals. His first move: Imposing a 10% ‘global tariff’ under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974. … Then on Saturday, he raised the levy to 15%” (02/22/26)
“Tensions flared Sunday across Iran as anti-government protests reignited at major universities and in the streets of Tehran, with reports of tear gas and shots fired in the capital. Students gathered in Tehran and the northeastern city of Mashhad to mark 40-day memorials for those killed during January’s nationwide anti-government demonstrations before violence broke out. … Iran’s state TV showed videos of what it said were people ‘pretending to be students’ attacking pro-government students in Tehran who were taking part in protests to condemn January’s protests. The individuals were allegedly injuring students by throwing rocks, Reuters reported. Some witness accounts and opposition groups described a more forceful response by authorities. Security forces reportedly fired tear gas at crowds of demonstrators, many of them young people.” (02/22/26)
“The Department of Homeland Security on Sunday suspended the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry security programs that speed through airport security checkpoints, citing a partial government shutdown. The move comes as the U.S. Northeast braces for a massive winter storm that could disrupt airline flights for days. … The U.S. Travel Association, which represents major hotel chains and many other businesses in the industry, called DHS’s move ‘extremely disappointing.'” (02/22/26)
