America

• 7.7 Million Student Loan Borrowers Default on $181 Billion in Debt
  
  Nearly 8 million federal student loan borrowers had fallen into default by the end of last year, according to newly released data from the U.S. Department of Education, underscoring the growing strain of student debt as pandemic-era relief programs fade...
• NASA Moves Moon Rocket to Pad for Artemis II Launch
  
  For the second time this year, NASA moved its moon rocket from the hangar out toward the pad Friday in hopes of launching four astronauts on a lunar fly-around next month.
• DOJ Targets Harvard in Lawsuit Over Campus Antisemitism
  
  The Justice Department filed a new lawsuit Friday against Harvard University, saying its leadership failed to address antisemitism on campus, creating grounds for the government to freeze existing grants and seek repayment for grants already paid.
• Trump Organization Pursues New Romania Expansion
  
  The Trump Organization is reportedly moving forward with plans to expand its global footprint, with a new project under consideration in Romania's historic Transylvania region – home to Bram Stoker's literary vampire, Dracula.
• FCC Approves Nexstar Deal, Massive Consolidation Starts Legal Fight
  
  In a sweeping and controversial move, the Federal Communications Commission under Chairman Brendan Carr has approved the $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna, creating the largest television broadcasting company in U.S. history.
• ICE Family Detentions Drop as Trump Shifts Strategy
  
  The number of families detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has dropped due to the Trump administration shifting to a more targeted approach to immigration enforcement in recent weeks, according to a report.
• Teens Sue Musk's xAI Over Alleged AI-Generated Explicit Images
  
  Three teenagers in Tennessee sued Elon Musk's xAI this week, claiming the company's image-generation tools were used to morph real photos of them into explicitly sexual images.
• Clergy Seek Court Order for Access to ICE Detainees
  
  Protestant and Catholic clergy are asking a federal judge to order that they be allowed to minister to immigrants in a holding facility at the headquarters of the Trump administration's enforcement surge in Minnesota.
• Judge: Govt Overreached With Trans Care Declaration
  
  A federal judge said the government overreached by issuing a declaration that called treatments like puberty blockers and surgeries unsafe and ineffective for young people experiencing gender dysphoria, according to a ruling Thursday in Oregon.
• TSA: Airport Delays Will Worsen as Staffing Thins
  
  A senior TSA official warned Thursday that airport security delays will likely worsen as the DHS shutdown continues, with rising absences straining checkpoints and risking disruptions at smaller airports.
• Peter King to Newsmax: DHS Threats Growing, Confirm Mullin Quickly
  
  Former New York congressman Peter King is calling for the swift confirmation of Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., to lead the Department of Homeland Security, telling Newsmax that the U.S. faces heightened threats that demand urgent, nonpartisan action.
• Paul Kengor to Newsmax: Extraordinary Moment to Have American Pope
  
  Dr. Paul Kengor, author of "American Pontiff: Pope Leo XIV and His Plan to Heal the Church," told Newsmax on Thursday it was an "extraordinary moment" for the Catholic Church to have its first American Pope.
• Alaska Airlines, FedEx Planes Nearly Collide at Newark Airport
  
  An Alaska Airlines 737 and FedEx cargo plane nearly collided Tuesday while attempting to land at Newark Liberty International Airport, according to radar data from FlightRadar24.
• Feds Target Iran-Linked Hacking Domains
  
  Federal authorities are seeking to seize internet domains allegedly linked to an Iran-connected hacking operation targeting government systems, individuals, and critical infrastructure, according to a newly unsealed court affidavit.
• Russia: Talks on Ending Ukraine War on 'Situational Pause'
  
  The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran has led to peace talks on ending the war on Ukraine to go on a "situational pause," Russia said.
• Fla. Passes Bill Allowing Armed Staff on College Campuses
  
  Florida lawmakers have sent a bill to Gov. Ron DeSantis that would allow trained faculty and staff to carry firearms on public college and university campuses.
• Arkansas Gov. Sanders Asked to Leave Restaurant
  
  Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders was asked to leave a restaurant in Little Rock last week.
• KFF Poll: Rising ACA Costs Force Americans to Cut Spending, Drop Coverage
  
  Millions of Americans who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace are facing sharply higher costs in 2026 after enhanced premium tax credits expired at the end of 2025, according to a new KFF follow-up survey released Thursday.
• Israeli Officials: US Knew of Attack on Iran Gas Field
  
  Three Israeli officials told The New York Times that the United States was aware of and coordinated with Israel on its strike against Iran's South Pars gas field, contradicting President Donald Trump's claim that Washington "knew nothing about this particular attack."
• Feds Subpoena Comey in Expanding Probe of Trump-Era Investigations
  
  Federal prosecutors in Miami have subpoenaed former FBI Director James Comey as part of a Justice Department investigation into Obama-era intelligence officials, CBS News reported Thursday, citing two sources familiar with the probe, after Axios first reported that Comey...
• Treasury Department Taking Over Some Student Loans
  
  The U.S. Education Department is handing off a portion of its student loan portfolio to the Treasury Department, a first step toward shedding management of all student loans as Trump administration officials dismantle the federal education agency.
• US F-35 Forced to Land After Suspected Iranian Fire
  
  A U.S. F-35 stealth fighter was reportedly forced to make an emergency landing at a base in the Middle East after coming under what the military believes was Iranian fire.
• DOJ Warns Letitia James in NYU Gender Care Dispute
  
  The Department of Justice has warned New York Attorney General Letitia James that it could act to defend NYU Langone Health if she moves against the hospital over its halt of certain gender care procedures for minors, escalating a standoff between federal officials and the ...
• Rep. Sheri Biggs to Newsmax: 'No Mercy' Bill Would Lock Up Terrorists for Life
  
  Rep. Sheri Biggs, R-S.C., told Newsmax she is advancing new legislation aimed at dramatically increasing penalties for terrorism-related crimes as the Senate moves toward a possible floor vote next week on President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
• North Dakota Crude Output Set to Increase
  
  North Dakota crude output is expected to rise in March and the following months as operators in the third-largest oil-producing state restart inactive wells and winter restrictions are eased, the state's regulator said Thursday.The North Dakota Department of Mineral...

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