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February 20, 2026

Vietnam veterans sue to block Trump’s planned 250-foot arch near Arlington

A group of Vietnam War veterans is suing to try to block the construction of the proposed “Independence Arch,” a 250-foot monument planned near Arlington National Cemetery. The Trump administration intends to build the structure on Memorial Circle, across the Potomac River from the Lincoln Memorial and near the cemetery entrance.  The White House says […]

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February 20, 2026

After 144 years, Barcelona’s Sagrada Família one big step closer to completion

Barcelona’s Sagrada Família basilica has been under construction for just under 144 years, and on Friday, it came a big step closer to completion. A crane placed the upper arm of a cross on the “Tower of Jesus Christ.” The Sagrada Família reaches its highest point following the placement of the upper arm of the […]

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February 20, 2026

DHS authorizes ICE to detain thousands of refugees

The Department of Homeland Security issued a Feb. 18 memo directing federal immigration agencies to detain certain refugees who entered the U.S. lawfully but have not obtained lawful permanent resident status — a green card — at least a year after arrival. The memo was submitted in a federal court filing and frames the one-year […]

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February 20, 2026

Dinner drama at White House: Governors meeting leads to insults and infighting

The National Governors Association (NGA) winter meeting was expected to center on bipartisan issues. Instead, it opened Thursday with tension over who was – and was not – invited to Saturday night’s black-tie dinner at the White House. President Donald Trump initially only invited Republicans to the event. He later extended invitations to Democrats, but […]

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February 20, 2026

Europe seems to be punishing Epstein associates faster than US

Since the Justice Department released its last batch of Epstein files — containing more than 3 million documents, photos and videos — the world has been waiting for the fallout. And while the U.K. saw some on Thursday with the arrest of former Prince Andrew, Americans are still waiting for their country’s major moment.  Prior […]

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February 20, 2026

Trade deficit hit $901.5 billion in 2025, one of largest gaps recorded 

Federal data shows that the United States’ trade deficit rose to $70.3 billion in December — an increase of $17.3 billion from November.   In 2025, the full-year trade deficit for goods and services was at $901.5 billion, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Bureau of Economic Analysis said. While this is $2.1 billion less than […]

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February 20, 2026

What are Trump’s options as US builds up air power around Iran?

The United States and Iran are locked in a high-stakes military standoff. The Wall Street Journal reports that Washington amassed its largest concentration of air power in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and an attack on Iran may be imminent. Because of Tehran’s rapid expansion of uranium enrichment, attacks on commercial […]

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February 20, 2026

Silicon Valley billionaires fund fight against proposed California wealth tax

Google cofounder Sergey Brin is now one of several Silicon Valley leaders backing proposed ballot measures that would essentially undercut the proposed billionaire tax in California. Brin is also one of several billionaires who’ve moved out of the Golden State with the potential tax looming. Building a Better California Brin is helping finance a group […]

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February 20, 2026

Forensic genealogy helped catch killers. Can it find Nancy Guthrie’s kidnapper?

The sun was shining on the nicely maintained Sacramento neighborhood of Citrus Heights on April 24, 2018, and the California climate was living up to its golden reputation. But just outside a small home, a specialized team of police officers waited for its target, a serial rapist and murderer who had eluded capture for decades […]

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February 20, 2026

You’re about to pay more for gas. Conflict with Iran is just one driver

Oil markets are reacting to tensions between the U.S. and Iran with a 5% bump in per-barrel price. If the conflict escalates, it could send U.S. gasoline prices higher, because Iran is a major oil producer and controls a global supply chain chokepoint.  Large and long-lasting price spikes, however, are unlikely, oil market analysts told […]