MILAN — Russia’s long sporting exile is ending. A pariah in global sports for more than a decade, Russia will be represented by a small team of athletes at the 2026 Paralympic Games in Italy next month, organizers confirmed, prompting condemnation from European leaders Wednesday. The decision follows increased acceptance...
Morgan Stanley Opened Accounts for Epstein Trusts as Late as 2019
TORONTO/NEW YORK, Feb 18 - Morgan Stanley opened accounts for Jeffrey Epstein's trusts between 2015 and 2019, years after the financier was convicted and registered as a sex offender under a 2008 plea deal, documents released by the U.S. Justice Department show. The emails made public by the DOJ, which...
Kentucky Derby Operator Accused of Regulatory ‘Freeloading’
In 2023, beneath Churchill Downs’ twin spires, seven horses died during the week of its showpiece event — two of them in races in the hours leading up to the Kentucky Derby. In the days that followed, five more horses sustained fatal injuries, making the track’s Spring Meet one of...
Eight Skiers Confirmed Dead in California Avalanche, One Still Missing
At least eight skiers died in an avalanche in California's Sierra Nevada mountains, and a ninth is presumed dead, authorities said on Wednesday, making the disaster one of the deadliest single avalanches in U.S. history. Rescuers on skis were able to reach six survivors amid an intense winter storm that...
US Withdrawing All Forces From Syria, WSJ Reports
The United States is in the process of withdrawing all of its roughly 1,000 troops from Syria, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday, citing three U.S. officials. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Last week, the U.S. military said it completed a withdrawal from a strategic base in...
Hanford Business Owner Escapes Fire Through Window
Firefighters contained a large structure fire at a Hanford truck parts business Tuesday evening after the building's owner escaped through a window as flames spread through the attic, the Hanford Fire Department said in a statement. Hanford firefighters responded to the blaze at approximately 4:45 p.m. in the 8400 block...
Mamdani to Reinstitute Homeless Encampment Sweeps
NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani was to announce Wednesday that he has directed New York City agencies to restart the process of sweeping homeless encampments, reversing a campaign vow and ending a pause that he instituted on Day 5 of his tenure. Mamdani’s handling of homelessness has come under...
Factory-Built Housing Hasn’t Taken Off in California, but This Year Might Be Different
This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. As the first home rolled off the factory floor in Kalamazoo, Michigan — “like a boxcar with picture windows,” according to a journalist on the scene — the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development proclaimed it “the coming...
Big Food Pours Millions into Rebrands as Obesity Drugs Reshape US Demand
Feb 18 - Global food and beverage companies from PepsiCo to Coca-Cola are focusing on shorter ingredient lists and smaller pack sizes in 2026 as more people take appetite-suppressing GLP-1 drugs for weight loss. Companies that previously took a wait-and-see attitude now see GLP-1s as here to stay. So far...
$2 Million Federal Grant to Fund ADA Improvements, San Joaquin River Trail
The city of Fresno and the San Joaquin River Conservancy have secured $2 million in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Economic Development Initiative. “By investing in these lands, we’re protecting local wildlife, expanding access for our communities, and making sure future generations can experience...