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Lead On Feb. 27, 2026, U.S. officials and demographers reported the national birthrate has reached an all-time low, down more than 25 percent since 2007. The drop has captured political attention, but analysts point to a sharp fall among the youngest women — those in their early 20s — as the most striking shift. Many … Read more

Feb. 27, 2026 — Federal officials said the Department of Defense engaged and shot down a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) unmanned aircraft in the Fort Hancock area of southwest Texas on Wednesday. A U.S. official told reporters a laser counter‑unmanned aerial system was used to disable the drone while it was operating inside … Read more

Lead: Joichi Ito, who resigned from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2019 after disclosures about his financial links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has re-emerged as a visible organizer of a Tokyo startup initiative backed by senior Japanese officials in 2026. The project—called the Global Startup Campus Initiative—has more than $400 million in … Read more

Feb. 27, 2026 — Chris Fleming, 39, arrives on HBO this week with his first special, Chris Fleming: Live at the Palace. In the special, Fleming blends modern-dance training, bold costuming and deliberate physicality to shape punch lines and timing onstage. The result is a brand of stand-up that relies as much on choreographed movement … Read more

Lead: On Feb. 27, 2026, the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem authorized staff to leave Israel amid intelligence and planning that officials described as indicating a possible U.S. strike on Iran. Ambassador Mike Huckabee emailed mission personnel at 10:24 a.m. local time urging those who wished to depart to do so immediately, emphasizing swift travel from … Read more

February 26, 2026 — As Market Financial Solutions Ltd. moved toward collapse in London, investors and lenders scrambled for answers and capital. The failure surfaced late in February 2026 and prompted a rapid re‑pricing of exposure across nonbank finance deals, with Wall Street firms scrambling to cover what industry participants describe as billon‑dollar funding gaps. … Read more

Feb. 27, 2026 — President Donald Trump’s overseas strategy has shifted from rhetoric to repeated, forceful interventions around the Western Hemisphere and the Middle East. In recent months the administration has been linked to the seizure of Venezuela’s leader, a tightening blockade against Cuba and public claims over Canada and Greenland, while ordering a Middle … Read more

Lead On February 27, 2026, the United States national team lost to the Dominican Republic in the opening game of World Cup Qualifying Window 2 for the 2027 FIBA World Cup. The defeat hands the U.S. an 0-1 start to this phase while the Dominican Republic moves to 1-0 in the window. USA Basketball confirmed … Read more

Resident Evil Requiem launches on Nintendo Switch 2 today, and players are being asked to apply a day-one update before playing. Nintendo’s official Japanese site lists Version 1.1.0 as a “Day 1 Patch” containing several fixes and advises users to install it if it is not preloaded. The same notice confirms Grace Ashcroft and Leon … Read more

Trump administration enacts 6-month moratorium on Minnesota Medicaid payments – The Hill Lead: The Trump administration announced a six-month moratorium on certain Medicaid reimbursements to Minnesota on Thursday, saying the pause targets suspected fraud in specific programs. Vice President Vance and health official Mehmet Oz flagged 14 programs as high risk and said federal payments … Read more

Lead China’s top legislature has removed nine serving military officers from its list of deputies ahead of the annual “two sessions” in Beijing next week, state news agency Xinhua reported. The removals include five full generals, one lieutenant general and three major generals across multiple PLA branches. Named figures include information support force political commissar … Read more

Lead In late February 2026, roughly 50 influenza scientists gathered at a Hilton in Istanbul for the World Health Organization’s biannual committee to recommend strains for the fall 2026 vaccine. The meeting processes global surveillance data, evaluates last season’s vaccine performance and proposes candidate viruses for manufacturers to begin production. Although the U.S. formally withdrew … Read more

On Feb. 25, 2026 at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, Vice President JD Vance announced an indefinite pause on $259 million in federal Medicaid reimbursements to Minnesota as part of a newly launched “war on fraud.” The administration framed the action as routine enforcement tied to a three‑month audit from early 2025 and … Read more

The Los Angeles Lakers dropped a third consecutive game in Phoenix, surrendering a double-digit second-half lead to an undermanned Suns side. The loss followed a flat showing in Boston and a surrendered finish against Orlando, leaving the Lakers deep in a short-term tailspin. With a potentially shorthanded Golden State team and two favorable home dates … Read more

Lead: A veteran Los Angeles firefighter testified that smoldering hotspots remained at the Lachman fire on Jan. 2, 2025, and that his warnings were dismissed before crews packed up. The sworn statement by Scott Pike came during depositions in a lawsuit brought by victims of the later Palisades fire, which rekindled from the Lachman burn … Read more