BEIJING, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - China urged the United States on Monday to cancel unilateral tariffs announced by President Donald Trump after the US Supreme Court struck down many of his measures. "China urges the United States to cancel its unilateral tariff measures on its trading partners," the ministry said in a statement. The Supreme Court ruling was a stunning rebuke to Trump from a judicial body that has largely sided with him since his return to office. It marked a major political setback in striking down his signature economic policy that has roiled the global trade order. Several countries have said they are studying the Supreme Court ruling and Trump's subsequent tariff announcements.

MEXICO CITY, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum urged citizens on Sunday to remain calm and stay informed following the operation that led to the death of narcotrafficking kingpin Nemesio Oseguera, one of the most-wanted criminals in the country. "There is absolute coordination with governments in every state; we should keep ourselves informed and stay calm," Sheinbaum wrote on X. Following the military operation, armed men blocked off multiple highways and burned businesses in the states of Jalisco, Michoacan, Guanajuato, Puebla and Sinaloa.

MIAMI, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Sebastian Korda captured his third ATP Tour title on Sunday, beating fifth-seeded Tommy Paul 6-4, 6-3 in an All-American final at Delray Beach, Florida. Korda, 25, shrugged off blustery winds, dictating play from the baseline and saving five of six break points that he faced. That included four in the final game, when Korda rallied from 0-40 down, and then saving one more break point before clinching the victory after one hour and 22 minutes. Korda, who was playing in his first final in more than a year, beat three of the top five seeds on the way to the title, dispatching second seed Casper Ruud in the quarter-finals and third-seeded Flavio Cobolli in the semis. Paul, hindered last year by injuries including a ruptured foot ligament and an abdominal strain, was playing his first final since he lifted the trophy in Stockholm in 2024.

HONG KONG, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Asian stocks mostly rose and the dollar fell Monday after the US Supreme Court struck down a large part of President Donald Trump's tariffs policy that had sent shockwaves through the global economy last year. Trump's trade agenda was dealt a hefty blow Friday when the country's top court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act used by the White House to impose sweeping levies in April "does not authorise the president to impose tariffs". "The first observation to make is that IEEPA tariffs may be dead, but Trump's trade regime isn't," wrote Rodrigo Catril at National Australia Bank. Still, Asian investors welcomed the news, which is seen benefiting China and India, with tech firms the best performers. Hong Kong rose more than two percent, with ecommerce titans Alibaba and JD.com surging more than three percent, while Seoul hit another record high thanks to big advances for chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix.

CARACAS, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - More than 200 Venezuelan political prisoners were on hunger strike Sunday to demand their release under a new amnesty law that excludes many of them. "Approximately 214 people in total, including Venezuelans and foreigners, are on hunger strike," said Yalitza Garcia, mother-in-law of a prisoner named Nahuel Agustin Gallo. Not all the inmates at the prison were joining the hunger strike, the relatives said. But the amnesty extends to 11,000 political prisoners who, over nearly three decades, were paroled or placed under house arrest. The NGO Foro Penal, dedicated to the defense of political prisoners, reported 23 releases on Sunday.

New Dutch government to be sworn in under centrist JettenTHE HAGUE, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The new Dutch government will be sworn in on Monday, with 38-year-old centrist Rob Jetten set to be the country's youngest-ever prime minister and the first openly gay one. Jetten pulled off a stunning election win in October, coming from behind to dethrone the far-right Freedom Party (PVV) led by firebrand politician Geert Wilders by a razor-thin margin. After his election victory, Jetten declared that it was possible to beat populist movements "if you campaign with a positive message for your country". Jetten and his cabinet will be sworn in on Monday by King Willem-Alexander at the Huis Ten Bosch in The Hague. His PVV party plunged from 37 seats in 2023 to 26 seats after what was widely seen as a lacklustre campaign.

The "confirmation of charges" hearing, taking place over four days, will determine whether there is enough evidence against Duterte to proceed to a trial. ICC prosecutors have charged Duterte with three counts of crimes against humanity, alleging his involvement in at least 76 murders between 2013 and 2018. He followed his initial hearing three days later by video link, appearing dazed and frail and barely speaking. Human Rights Watch said the hearing beginning Monday was "a critical step in ensuring justice for victims of the Philippines' 'war on drugs'". Duterte, the first Asian former head of state to appear before the ICC, remains hugely popular in the Philippines, where many favoured his tough approach to crime.

LOS ANGELES, United States, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The Oklahoma City Thunder drilled 21 three-pointers in a 121-113 victory over Cleveland on Sunday that halted the Cavaliers' seven-game NBA winning streak. The teams traded the lead in the third, but Oklahoma City took the lead into the fourth and didn't relinquish it. Seven Thunder players scored in double figures, with center Chet Holmgren contributing a 17-point, 15-rebound double-double. Harden and Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points apiece for Cleveland. Harden, acquired by the Cavs on February 4 from the Los Angeles Clippers, suffered his first defeat after six straight wins with his new team.

SEOUL, Feb 23, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been re-elected as the general secretary of the ruling Workers' Party at a rare congress, state media said Monday. Held just once every five years, the days-long party congress offers a rare glimpse into the workings of a nation where even mundane details are shrouded in secrecy. At the last party congress in 2021, Kim made an extremely rare admission that mistakes had been made in "almost all areas" of economic development. Kim has already declared this year's congress will unveil the next phase in the nation's nuclear weapons programme. It is just the ninth time the Workers' Party congress has convened under the Kim family's decades-long rule.

What does Trump want in Iran? -Trump said Thursday he would decide in 10 or 15 days whether to order strikes on Iran if no nuclear deal is reached. The United States and Iran recently held two rounds of indirect talks, in Oman and Switzerland. Trump is "surprised" that Iran has not "capitulated" given the massive US military buildup, his envoy Steve Witkoff has said. She said Iran has more diffuse centers of power and a "decapitation strike" could end up "really unleashing a mess inside of Iran."

The National Weather Service (NWS) said blizzard conditions would "quickly materialize" from Maryland up to southeastern New England, making travel "extremely treacherous." "New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade," he said, explaining the state of emergency. The ban will not apply to essential workers or New Yorkers needing to travel due to emergencies. The NWS warned heavy snow, high winds and low visibility were "expected to cause dangerous to impossible travel" conditions. The NWS said "moderate to major" coastal flooding affecting waterfront roads and properties was possible from Delaware up to Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

"Roadblocks have impacted airline operations, with some domestic and international flights canceled in both Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta," it said. It urged citizens in Michoacan, Guerrero and Jalisco states to shelter in place, citing "shootouts with security forces and explosions." Several US and Canadian airlines cancelled flights to parts of Mexico on Sunday following the unrest. Some planes had to turn back while already en route to Mexico, several airlines said, including Southwest, which turned back four flights originally bound for Puerto Vallarta. Southwest said it would send aircraft to Mexico to repatriate its stranded passengers and staff once the situation normalizes.

Leaders of the Online News Portal Association of Bangladesh (ONAB) met with State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yeaser Khan Choudhury today at his office in the Secretariat. Photo: PIDDHAKA, Feb 22, 2026 (BSS) - Leaders of the Online News Portal Association Bangladesh (ONAB), an organization of registered online news portal owners, paid a courtesy call on State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yeaser Khan Choudhury at his office at the Secretariat today. The ONAB leaders said, “At this critical juncture of the nation, we are discharging our duties by delivering important news first and keeping the nation informed.”They sought government support in resolving several problems, including the renewal fee for registration. In response, State Minister Yeaser Khan Choudhury assured them of implementing the rational demands in the interest of sustaining online news portals. ONAB Convener Mostafa Kamal Majumder, Member Secretary Shahin Chowdhury, Joint Convener Latiful Bari Hamim, Executive Members Ashraful Kabir Asif, Mohsin Hossain and Ayon Ahmed were present, among others.

Fourteen days later, Guilday was back out on the ice in Milan, this time with a gold medal around her neck. Serving as the extra defender throughout the tournament, Guilday was part of a historically dominant U.S. team, which outscored opponents 33-2 in its 7-0 campaign. However, for nearly 40 minutes of the gold medal game, Canadian Kristen O’Neill ’20 seemed poised to be the hero of the tournament. Guilday’s gold was the first Olympic ice hockey medal won by a non-Canadian Cornell alum. Meanwhile, the Cornell’s women’s ice hockey team returns to the ice next weekend for a best-of-three playoff series against Colgate at Lynah Rink.

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