“China has prohibited the export of dual-use items to 20 Japanese entities that it says supply Japan’s military, the commerce ministry said Tuesday, in the latest escalation of a dispute with Tokyo. China is using its influence over supply chains to ratchet up pressure on Tokyo even after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who angered Beijing with comments about Taiwan in November, won a sweeping mandate in a landslide election victory this month. The measures target units of major Japanese industrial conglomerates such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ shipbuilding and aero engines divisions, the ministry said. The rules effectively cut companies off from the seven rare earths and associated materials currently on China’s dual-use control list, along with a swath of other controlled critical minerals.” (02/24/26)
“A Boise, Idaho woman has been charged with malicious destruction of federal property by fire after prosecutors said she stole an ambulance, drove it into a building that houses U.S. Department of Homeland Security offices and then poured accelerant inside the property. Sarah Elizabeth George, 43, was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Boise. In court documents, FBI special agent Daniel Ramirez said a suspect believed to be George stole a Canyon County Paramedics ambulance from St. Luke’s Hospital Emergency Center in the Boise bedroom community of Meridian late on Feb. 18. Ramirez said the suspect then drove the ambulance to a nearby parking lot, loaded at least two gas jugs and a plastic bag into the vehicle and then drove the ambulance through the front doors of a nearby office building before getting out and pouring the contents of the jugs on the lobby floor.” (02/24/26)
“Police in Mexico are searching a number of inmates sprung from a prison in Puerto Vallarta during a wave of attacks launched by the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) on Sunday. Puerto Vallarta, a beach resort on Mexico’s Pacific coast, was among the towns where the CJGN blockaded roads and torched cars in retaliation for the killing by security forces of their leader, Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as ‘El Mencho.’ During the unrest, armed men rammed one of the prison gates with a car, paving the way for 23 prisoners to escape, an official said. More than 70 people – including 25 National Guard members – were killed in the operation to capture El Mencho and the violence which followed.” (02/24/26)
“A Utah judge on Tuesday declined to disqualify the local county attorney’s office from prosecuting the accused shooter in Charlie Kirk’s killing after the defense argued there was a conflict of interest because a prosecutor’s daughter was present when Kirk was shot. Prosecutors plan to seek the death penalty against Tyler Robinson, 22, who is charged with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.” (02/24/26)
“Slovakia’s opposition is suing Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico over his decision to halt emergency power supplies to Ukraine amid a growing diplomatic spat over a key Russian oil pipeline. The chairman of the center-right Freedom and Solidarity party, Branislav Gröhling, said his party had filed a criminal complaint against Fico, accusing him of abuse of his office, treason, terrorism and the ‘violation of duties in the management of other people’s property,’ according to Slovak newspaper Dennik N. … Slovakia has been providing emergency electricity exports to Kyiv to help support its energy sector, which has been crippled by a months-long Russian bombardment. On Monday Bratislava cut off those exports in retaliation for what it claims to be Ukraine’s refusal to resume flows of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline …. Ukrainian authorities insist the pipeline was damaged in a Russian airstrike in late January and is undergoing repairs.” (02/24/26)
“A coalition of Wisconsin school districts, teachers’ unions, advocacy groups, parents, students and others announced a lawsuit Tuesday against the state Legislature, alleging that it’s failing to fund public schools adequately. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Eau Claire County Circuit Court, argues that schools are in crisis, with high-needs students facing the greatest risk. It asks the court to adopt a new finance system that meets the needs of districts unless the Legislature and governor enact one first ‘in a timely fashion’. School funding lawsuits have been brought for decades in states across the country with varying degrees of success. Fights over how and whether to reshape Wisconsin’s complex school finance system have usually taken place in the Statehouse. Now it will move to the courthouse, where this challenge will almost certainly end up before the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court.” (02/24/26)
“A one-time techno DJ who orchestrated a £40m global fraud selling fake aircraft parts from his garage outside London has been jailed. Engine parts from AOG Technics found their way into planes used by American Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines, Delta and Ryanair before the scam was discovered, leading to regulators issuing safety alerts and planes being grounded. Jose Alejandro Zamora Yrala, director of the firm, was on Monday sentenced at Southwark crown court to four years and eight months in prison, after pleading guilty to fraud. An investigation by the Serious Fraud Office found that Zamora Yrala, 38, bought aircraft engine parts including seals, bolts and washers and sold them on to airlines and suppliers around the world, with forged certificates guaranteeing their airworthiness.” (02/24/26)
“Fintech startup Stripe is now valued at $159 billion after a secondary stock sale for employees and shareholders, the company announced Tuesday. The valuation shows blistering growth from a year ago, when it was valued at $91.5 billion. Stripe’s valuation nearly tripled to $95 billion in 2021. Thrive Capital, Coatue Management, a16z, and others are participating in the tender offer and Stripe will also repurchase shares, the company said in a release. Current and former employees are eligible to sell shares.” (02/24/26)
“Federal prosecutors in Washington have dropped their case against six Democratic lawmakers who released a video urging military servicemembers to refuse illegal orders. The decision – confirmed by the BBC’s media partner CBS News – follows US Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office failing to secure a grand jury indictment against the six military and intelligence veterans. The justice department could still pursue the case in a different district, but there were no signs on Tuesday that it intended to do so. Pirro’s office had no comment. After the Democrats released the video, President Donald Trump called the lawmakers ‘traitors’ and suggested the video was an offence ‘punishable by death.’ He later said he was not threatening death for the six.” (02/24/26)
“France has banned United States Ambassador Charles Kushner from meeting French government ministers, after he failed to attend a meeting at the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs in Paris to explain comments made by the Trump administration following the recent killing of a French far-right activist. The French Foreign Ministry announced the decision on Monday, as diplomatic relations between Paris and Washington continue to deteriorate amid several disagreements, including on trade tariffs, the war in Ukraine and the role of Europe in countering Russia. … Foreign Minister Barrot summoned Kushner after the US embassy in Paris reposted on Sunday comments by the Trump administration in Washington about the death of far-right activist Quentin Deranque, 23, who was beaten to death in a fight with alleged far-left activists, in an incident that shocked France.” (02/24/26)
