But first: These Buddhist monks walked from Texas to Washington, DC. Their message: The world needs peace. 🕊️ |
"I have proposed and President Trump has concurred that this surge operation conclude," Homan said, adding, "a significant drawdown has already been underway this week and will continue through the next week." Homan will remain in Minnesota to oversee the end of the operation that saw more than 3,000 agents descend on Minneapolis and St. Paul. | Children look at posters honoring Alex Pretti and Renee Good, who were fatally shot by federal immigration agents, in Minneapolis on Jan. 31, 2026. Tim Evans/Reuters |
Sanitizing history, staffing shortages at national parks |
Roughly one year since the National Park Service layoffs that some dubbed a "Valentine's Day massacre," workers, visitors and preservationists have noticed profound changes in America's national parks. References to transgender people have been scrubbed, and a Pride flag was removed from Stonewall National Monument. Entire displays about enslaved people held by George Washington while he lived in Philadelphia were dismantled. There are new fees for foreign visitors and President Donald Trump's face on passes. |
"(Visitors) just need to be more aware of what is happening to their beloved national parks," Bill Wade, executive director of the nonprofit Association of National Park Rangers, told USA TODAY. | Stonewall Inn owner Stacy Lentz speaks during a protest in front of the Stonewall Monument in Manhattan in New York, on Feb. 10, 2026 after the administration of US President Donald Trump ordered the removal of a Pride flag at the site. The Stonewall National Monument sits across the street from the Stonewall Inn, a National Historic Landmark known for its involvement in the beginning of the modern struggle for civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans. KENA BETANCUR, AFP via Getty Images |
🩷 🎶 Love is in the air. In Mexico, so is mariachi music. |
Valentine's Day is around the corner — the day when people around the world celebrate love. Here in the United States, we're partial to cards, candy, jewelry and flowers for our romantic partners. But mariachi bands? Serenades? Different kinds of chocolate for friends, family, even co-workers? Literally wearing your love on your sleeve? Here's how Valentine's Day is celebrated across the globe. |
Gold medal, diamond ring 🏅 💍 ⛷️ |
Skier Breezy Johnson is having quite a week. She won a gold medal on Sunday. She got engaged on Thursday to her boyfriend Connor Watkins. And the one and only Taylor Swift sent her congratulations in a social media post. Why Johnson could only say, "I am deaddddddd." |
| • | Watch: This mother-and-son duo skied their way into Olympic history. ⛷️ | | • | Team USA's men's hockey team made its debut against Latvia Thursday. 🏒 | | • | Madison Chock and Evan Bates were favored to win ice dancing gold. What happened? 🤔 | | Breezy Johnson of the United States reacts during Alpine skiing women's team combined during the 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy on Feb. 10, 2026. Michael Madrid, Imagn Images |
Phaedra Trethan is a national correspondent at USA TODAY. She'd love to hear from readers about The Short List, story ideas from across the nation and whether you've visited a national park lately. Email her at ptrethan@usatoday.com. | | The Senate on Thursday failed to advance a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security amid scrutiny of ICE and CBP tactics. | | Flights wouldn't be immediately impacted by a government shutdown, but history shows delays and TSA staffing issues grow the longer it lasts. | | | | The legislation would require people provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Here's what that could look like. | | | | Kendrick Simpson is a New Orleans native who fled to Oklahoma as a Hurricane Katrina evacuee. He was executed for gunning down two men after an argument. | | | | Both low-carb and low-fat diets can be heart healthy - but only if these ingredients are avoided, researchers found. | | | | The shooter in the racist 2022 attack easily removed a magazine lock made by MEAN Arms, the families claimed. | | | | The newspaper has long clashed with the government on First Amendment grounds. Experts said it's been a key player in fighting for press freedom. | | | | A federal judge temporarily blocked the Pentagon from punishing Sen. Mark Kelly for a video urging servicemembers to refuse unlawful orders, citing First Amendment violations. | | | | Everyone's open for business. And there's an awful lot of it for MLB teams to take care of in spring training. | | | | The internet can't stop talking about the sexiness of the new "Wuthering Heights" movie. What do the reactions say about us? | | | | | Play Your Way to a Relaxing Break | Unwind with crosswords and challenges that recharge you. | | | Crosswords, Puzzles, Comics & Horoscopes | | | | | | |
