U.S. Says Staff Can Leave Israel, Urging Speed, as Possible Iran Strike Looms  —  In an email to embassy workers Friday morning, Ambassador Mike Huckabee warned them that if they wanted to leave Israel, they “should do so TODAY.”  —  With the threat of a U.S. strike on Iran looming …

Scouting America to end DEI efforts in deal with Pentagon  —  Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Feb. 26 announced the Pentagon will conditionally continue to provide support to Scouting America following the youth organization's “commitment to pull all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from its program.”

New poll: Democrats' real problem isn't being too liberal — it's being seen as too weak  —  This article is the last in a four-part series presenting findings from the latest Strength In Numbers/Verasight poll, conducted February 18-20 among 1,566 U.S. adults.  The margin of error is +/- 2.5 percentage points.

For CNN, a Change in Ownership Means a Suddenly Uncertain Future  —  Paramount's apparent victory over Netflix in securing Warner Bros. Discovery has led to concerns within the CNN newsroom.  —  Once again, CNN is facing an uncertain fate.  —  Netflix's stunning surrender on Thursday …

Trump Iranian missile claim unsupported by U.S. intelligence, say sources  —  U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Iran will soon have a missile that can hit the United States is not backed by U.S. intelligence reports, and appears to be exaggerated, according to three sources familiar with the reports …

Rep. Jamie Raskin Opens Investigation Into Howard Lutnick and His Former Firm's Tariff Dealings  —  The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee has opened an investigation into potential conflicts of interest between Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and his former firm, Cantor Fitzgerald …

A new poll shows just how quickly Israel has lost America's sympathy  —  For the first time, a Gallup survey found more Americans sympathize with Palestinians than Israelis in the long-running Middle East conflict, a watershed moment in relations between the US and one of its closest — but most controversial — allies.

Bill Clinton denies knowledge of Epstein's crimes: ‘I saw nothing’  —  Former President Bill Clinton said he had no knowledge of Jeffrey Epstein's criminal conduct and “did nothing wrong,” according to opening remarks released publicly on Friday as he appeared for a closed-door deposition before the House oversight committee.

Government Agencies Raise Alarms About Use of Elon Musk's Grok Chatbot  —  Warnings about xAI's safety and reliability preceded Pentagon decision to approve Grok for use in classified settings.  —  Officials at multiple federal agencies have raised concerns about the safety and reliability …

911 calls capture kids burning with fever, struggling to breathe at ICE detention center  —  EMS crews were called to the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas at least 11 times since September for children in medical distress, records show.  — ADD NBC NEWS TO GOOGLE

Kansas revokes driver's licenses from trans residents in latest assault on rights  —  Law demanding IDs match ‘sex at birth’ also includes bathroom ban provision for trans people in public buildings  —  Transgender Kansas residents have begun receiving letters from the state's department …

Same Brutal ICE.  Now Stealthier.  —  What approach should Donald Trump take to rigging this year's midterms?  A coalition of hardcore MAGA activists has a few ideas.  The Washington Post reports that activists “who say they are in coordination with the White House” are circulating …

Elon Musk's Secret Web of Companies in Texas  —  The megabillionaire was tied to about 90 companies in the state, which he uses for everything from paying nannies to buying land to supporting Donald Trump's re-election, according to a Times examination.  —  In 2020, Elon Musk announced …

Lawmakers say US military used laser to take down Border Protection drone  —  The U.S. military used a laser Thursday to shoot down a Customs and Border Protection drone, according to members of Congress, and the Federal Aviation Administration responded by closing more airspace near El Paso, Texas.

Trump Media & Technology Group in talks to spin off Truth Social  —  Trump Media & Technology Group said Friday it is in talks to spin off Truth Social into a new publicly traded company. … - TMTG businesses including Truth Social would merge with a blank-check company called Texas Ventures Acquisition III Corp.

How a Call From Trump Ignited a Bitter Feud Between Two U.S. Allies  —  A request made to President Trump about the war in Sudan is at the heart of a diplomatic dispute between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.  —  Behind the scenes, tensions had simmered for years between Saudi Arabia …

Republicans are boosting Jasmine Crockett ahead of critical Senate primary  —  In today's edition ... The effort to remake elections ... We feature many of your reflections on the U.S. men's hockey team ... but first ...  Republicans in Texas, and nationwide, are looking to boost Rep. Jasmine Crockett …

FEMA taps billions for disasters, warning Democrats of ‘dire’ shutdown impact  —  The Trump administration spent more than half of the balance in the nation's disaster relief fund this week, pointing to that dwindling aid as means to pressure Democrats into yielding in Department of Homeland Security funding negotiations.

New ACLU Report Reveals How the Trump Administration is Using Local Police to Build a National Deportation-Policing Force Through the 287(g) Program  —  Report Finds At Least 77.2 Million People Live in Counties Where Local Law Enforcement Participates in the Program

The US surpassed 1,100 measles cases in two months.  Expect more deaths next  —  Vaccines Children's health Federal agencies  —  The US has recorded more than 1,100 measles cases so far this year, according to data published Friday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Justice Department indicts 30 more in anti-ICE church protest in Minnesota  —  A total of 39 defendants now face charges in the case that has already ensnared journalist Don Lemon, formerly of CNN.  —  The Trump Justice Department secured a new indictment charging 30 more people in connection …