Security experts have long warned that the wives of Islamic State fighters were effectively raising the next generation of militants at the sprawling Al-Hol facility. Security at the camp fell apart in recent weeks after Syria's government routed the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, which had guarded Al-Hol for years, raising concerns about the release of people who might have become radicalized during the years held behind the razor wire. The size of a small city, the camp in Syria's eastern desert at one point held more than 70,000 people after U.S.-backed forces destroyed what remained of Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate in Syria in 2019. At the end of 2025, more than 23,000 people were there, according to a report this week from the Pentagon's Inspector General. Read more
The Supreme Court's decision to strike down many of President Donald Trump's tariffs came as a relief to many small-business owners struggling under the weight of higher prices. But uncertainty still reigns as the administration pushes ahead with other kinds of tariffs and companies figure out if they will get refunds.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr wants broadcasters to air "patriotic, pro-America content" to support the White House's plans to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary.
The people loudly departing the biggest AI companies aren't necessarily looking for fatter paychecks or more stock options; they're worried that AI businesses are putting profits over sanity and safety.
Let's be honest with each other for a minute and look at the landscape of American politics in this, the year of our Lord 2026. We aren't just fighting over marginal tax rates or parts per billion of carbon in the atmosphere, or whether we should build a bridge to nowhere anymore.
In January 2026, the U.S. government approved the potential sale of American-made missiles to Denmark to strengthen its defensive capabilities in and around Greenland. On its face, the transaction looked routine: a NATO ally purchasing weapons through the Foreign Military Sales program to improve readiness and interoperability.
Job cuts at the IRS's tech arm have gone faster and farther than expected, with 40 percent of IT staff and four-fifths of tech leaders gone, the agency's CIO revealed yesterday.
The Los Angeles Fire Department attempted to shield Mayor Karen Bass and other top brass from "reputational harm" caused by the city's handling of the devastating Palisades Fire that burned 23,448 acres and killed 12 people, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday. The department tried to shape news media coverage with a plan formulated ahead of the release of the high-profile After Action Fire Report on the Palisades Fire, including efforts to "minimize tough Q&A" by asking to hold closed-door briefings with the Fire Commission and City Council, according to The Times, which obtained a 13-page city document through a California Public Records Act request. Read more
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the latest effort Friday to ensure that drivers understand English well enough to read road signs and communicate with law enforcement officers. Florida already started administering its tests in English.
because so little of their life feels tangible'
By Michael Liedtke and The Associated Press February 20, 2026, 12:02 PM ET
There seems to be a deep-seated association between sounds and shapes.
The French security outlet Intelligence Online has reported that a squadron of veteran U.S. Air Force and Royal Netherlands Air Force pilots are flying F-16 fighters for the Ukrainian Air Force.
A shortage of trained Ukrainian pilots was identified at an early stage as the main obstacle to integrating F-16s into the Air Force, which has throughout its history operated only Soviet origin fighter types.
New GDP figures reflect subdued growth in 2025 from new trade policies and a weeks-long government shutdown.
A banner of U.S. President Donald Trump has been unfurled outside the headquarters of the Justice Department in the latest effort to stamp his identity on a Washington institution.
Seven-year-old Ethan had just learned to ride a bike. Now, he may never ride again. After contracting measles, the unvaccinated boy developed encephalitis, a serious complication that caused paralysis. He nearly died and remains unable to move from his hospital bed. Despite witnessing her child's life-threatening illness and its lasting consequences, his mother Kristina maintains that she made the right decision in declining the measles vaccine " a vaccine that has saved an estimated 94 million lives worldwide since it first started being used 50 years ago.
Butler Mayor Wesley Dingus faces allegations of voyeurism after authorities say he was caught on a hidden camera sniffing a teen girl's underwear. A report from the Richland County Sheriff's Office outlines the allegations against Dingus, with the claims being made by a juvenile who had been in his home. Richland County Children's Services relayed the reports to law enforcement on the day the incident is said to have taken place, with a deputy eventually interviewing the accuser at her school. Read more
