In today’s newsletter: From historic gold medals to top scandals, take a look at the top moments of the Winter Olympics. The killing of the most wanted cartel boss in Mexico sparks a wave of violence in the country. And tens of millions across the United States are under tropical storm warnings as the powerful storm hits the northeast.
Here’s what you need to know today.
Moments that defined the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics
After almost three weeks of competition, the Olympic torches were extinguished to end the 2026 Milan Cortina Games. The athletes said Ciao went to Italy in the ancient Roman arena of Verona, where “The Beauty of Action” was the theme of the closing ceremony.
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The Winter Olympics will be remembered for historic victories, epic losses and viral controversies. Here are some of the highlights:
🏒 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 Sweeping hockey: The US defeated Canada to win hockey gold in overtime – twice. The men’s team won their first gold medal since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” and the women’s first since 2018.
🧊 ⛸️ Figure skaters stun: Alysa Liu won gold in women’s figure skating, the first for an American in the event in more than two decades. And with great upset, Ilia Malinin missed the podium in each of his events.
🇳🇴 🥇 Norway leads with 41 medals: Cross-country skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo, known as “King Klæbo,” led the way with six golds, the most in a single Olympics.
🗣️ Cheating heard ’round world: The skier’s admission in a post-race interview that he cheated on his girlfriend went viral. As did the shouting match after Sweden accused the curling Canadian team of illegal touching.
From crashes to records, see our full Olympics coverage here. And the action isn’t over yet, because The Paralympics begin on March 6.
The killing of the most wanted cartel bosses sparks a wave of violence in Mexico
The Mexican army killed the leader of the country’s most powerful drug cartel yesterday, sending the nation into chaos.
Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, known as “El Mencho,” was injured during a seizure operation and died in a fall in Mexico City, the Defense Department said in a statement. The drug lord was part of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, known for smuggling fentanyl and other drugs into the United States.
White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said the US “provided intelligence assistance to the Mexican government to assist with the operation” where Oseguera Cervantes was killed.
The group had a strong impact on his death, setting up roadblocks with burning cars. Videos showed smoke billowing from the tourist town of Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco and people running through the airport in the country’s capital in panic. Although no airports are closed, roadblocks are disrupting flight operations.
Read the full story here.
Heavy snow and travel disruptions arrive in the Northeast
About 41 million people are under blizzard warnings from Maryland to Maine, as a record storm. Forecasters were calling for up to 2 feet of snow in some areas, 70 mph wind gusts and dangerous whiteout conditions this morning.
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and Connecticut have declared states of emergency, with commercial vehicle bans and travel restrictions. New York City’s travel ban is in effect until noon, and officials are warning that the storm could be among the city’s 10 worst in 150 years.
For the first time in 30 years, all 21 New Jersey counties are under a snow warning. David Sierotowicz, acting superintendent of the New Jersey State Police, advised anyone in the water to stay home if they can. He reminded the public that “roads can wait, your life cannot.”
Follow live updates on our program blogagain track the storm’s path here.
The fallout of the Epstein files: Tracking the resignation, firing and investigation
The Justice Department’s release of millions of files related to Jeffrey Epstein has shaken high powers around the world. It has resulted in high-profile firings and resignations, as well as ongoing criminal investigations overseas.
Peter Mandelson has been sacked as Britain’s ambassador to the US after documents revealed he had a much closer relationship with a convicted sex offender than previously known. In others, he appeared to share sensitive government information with Epstein.
Thorbjørn Jagland, Norway’s former prime minister, has been charged with “gross corruption” after his home was searched. And billionaire Tom Pritzker is stepping down as executive chairman of Hyatt Hotels Corp. because of the revelations in the files.
Those are some of the rich and powerful people affected by the leaked information. NBC News is tracking the fallout, too you can read the full list here.
read all about it
- The manhunt for Nancy Guthrie is in its fourth week, and authorities have yet to publicly identify a suspect or person of interest. Here is what may follow in the investigation.
- The BBC apologized for racial slur calling actors “Sinners” during the BAFTAs, saying it was the result of spontaneous tics associated with Tourette syndrome.
- TSA PreCheck it will continue to work for nowsaid a spokesman for the agency, which has postponed plans to stop earlier due to a lack of funds for Homeland Security.
Staff Selection: This powerful forensic tool cracks cold cases – but its price tag is often a deterrent
Since the arrest of the “Golden State Killer” nearly a decade ago, the forensic tool that made that case possible – genetic genealogy – has grown in popularity. It is often used to help law enforcement agencies and medical examiners solve cold cases.
But I was surprised to find a fundraiser full of people asking for donations to investigate a cold-blooded murder in California. Why should authorities rely on private donations to pay for a genetic genealogy research tool? When I started trying to answer that question, I found dozens of fundraisers from all over the United States and talked to experts. about the harsh financial reality many face who are trying to solve these cases that have been pending for a long time.
– Tim Stelloh, leading news reporter
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