Violence erupts in Mexico after cartel boss death; Blizzard freezes East Coast

Mexico killed the leader of a powerful drug cartel. Within hours, violent retaliation spread across several states.

Plus, a major winter storm hammers the East Coast, forcing travel bans and grounding thousands of flights.

And an armed man was shot and killed after breaching the perimeter of Mar-a-Lago. Investigators are now detailing what brought him there.

These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, February 23, 2026.

Mexico kills cartel leader ‘El Mencho’ during military raid in Jalisco

Mexico’s military said it has killed the head of the Jalisco New Generation cartel, but his death has triggered violent reprisals and reported casualties in several states.

Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes was wounded in a raid in the town of Tapalpa and died while being airlifted to Mexico City.

“El Mencho” wasn’t just another cartel figure. The DEA considered his organization as powerful as the Sinaloa cartel, with operations in all 50 U.S. states and deep involvement in fentanyl trafficking.

The U.S. had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his capture.

American officials said U.S. intelligence provided support, but stressed this was a Mexican-led operation.

Within hours of his death, cartel members launched widespread retaliation, including more than 250 vehicle blockades, arson attacks and gunfire across multiple states. It left at least 14 people dead, including members of the National Guard.

Panic broke out at airports in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, with some flights canceled and travel waivers issued. Mexico’s president has urged calm, saying most of the country remains stable.

The U.S. State Department has issued shelter-in-place warnings for American citizens in several Mexican states, particularly including major tourist hubs.

Mexico: Update – Due to ongoing security operations & related road blockages & criminal activity, U.S. citizens in a number of locations in Mexico are urged to shelter in place, as U.S. government staff in several locations are doing and will continue to do on Feb 23. While no… pic.twitter.com/OxPzmcdFYT

— TravelGov (@TravelGov) February 23, 2026

El Mencho’s killing delivered a major blow to one of the world’s most aggressive criminal organizations.

What’s less certain is whether removing him weakens the cartel or sparks more violence.

NYC, Boston see first blizzard warning in years as snowfall surges

More than 40 million people are waking up under blizzard warnings on Monday as a powerful winter storm barrels up the East Coast.

Overnight, snow and wind intensified from the mid-Atlantic through southern New England, with snowfall rates of one to two inches per hour in some areas and gusts strong enough to create whiteout conditions.

New York City, Boston and Philadelphia are all under blizzard warnings from this massive system.

In New York, a state of emergency is in effect, a citywide travel ban remains in place through midday, and schools are closed for what the mayor called the first “old-school snow day” since 2019.

NYC, we’ve declared a local state of emergency ahead of this blizzard.

Here’s what that means for you:

Roads closed at 9pm — streets, highways, and bridges closed to all vehicles (cars, trucks, scooters, e-bikes) through 12pm Monday. Essential and emergency trips only.

No…

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) February 22, 2026

Mayor Zohran Mamdani banned most travel across the city from 9 p.m. Sunday until noon Monday, only allowing emergency and essential traffic as crews prepare for the height of snow and wind.

Gov. Kathy Hochul warned this could rank among the worst in the city’s history.

“This will be something the likes of which we’ve not seen in years,” Hochul said. “And in fact, New York City is bracing for one of the, to make some history, being the top 10 worst winter storms in the last 150 years.” 

New Yorkers: this is a serious winter storm.⁰⁰I’ve declared a State of Emergency and activated the National Guard ahead of blizzard conditions expected across Long Island, New York City, and the Hudson Valley.⁰⁰Stay home, stay informed, and stay safe. pic.twitter.com/3wN4XWWjMs

— Governor Kathy Hochul (@GovKathyHochul) February 22, 2026

Pennsylvania is preparing for major impacts in and around Philadelphia.

Governor Josh Shapiro laid out what the area is expecting. 

“We expect there to be very, very significant snowfall in the Philadelphia region,” Shapiro said. “Right now, those estimates are about 18 to 24 inches.”

Air travel has already been heavily disrupted. Airlines have canceled more than 7,500 flights through Monday, and major hubs in New York, Boston, and Philadelphia are largely shut down.

The heaviest snow is forecast to taper off by late Monday afternoon, but the wind and the risk of power outages could linger.

EU may freeze US deal as tariff confusion sparks review

The European Union is holding an emergency meeting on Monday, with its trade chief expected to propose suspending ratification of the U.S.-E.U. trade deal until Brussels gets what it calls “full clarity” on American tariff policy.

The move follows a Supreme Court ruling on Friday that President Donald Trump does not have the authority to impose unilateral tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

A day later, the president posted on Truth Social that because of the ruling, he’s “effective immediately, raising the 10% worldwide tariff” to 15%.

European officials are pressing the White House for answers on how that decision affects trade agreements signed last year. 

The EU’s international trade chair blasted the situation on social media Sunday, calling it “pure customs chaos on the part of the U.S. government,” adding, “no one can make any sense of it anymore .”

Reines Zollchaos seitens der US-Regierung. Niemand kann sich mehr einen Reim darauf machen – nur offene Fragen und wachsende Unsicherheit für die EU und andere Handelspartner der USA (1/3)

— Bernd Lange (@berndlange) February 22, 2026

The Trump administration is pushing back.

Trade representative Jamieson Greer told CBS News the White House intends to “stand by” the agreements already reached.

“I’ve been telling them for a year, whether this case — whether we won or lost, we were going to have tariffs. The president’s policy was going to continue. That’s why they signed these deals, even while the litigation was pending,” Greer said. “So we’re having active conversations with them. We want them to understand that these deals are going to be good deals. We expect to stand by them. We expect our partners to stand by them. And I haven’t heard anyone yet come to me and say, ‘the deal’s off.’ They want to see how this plays out.”

The EU does have tools to respond.

Its so-called  “anti-coercion instrument” allows Brussels to restrict trade or investment from countries it determines are applying economic pressure or member states.

For now, European leaders say they want clarity.

Armed man shot at Mar-a-Lago after breaching perimeter: Secret Service

A man is dead after federal authorities say he breached the perimeter of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida over the weekend.

The Secret Service reports that the man — 21-year-old Austin Martin from North Carolina — was armed with a shotgun and carrying a gas canister when agents, aided by the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, confronted him.

Authorities said Martin was ordered to drop the items. He set down the canister but not the weapon. Officials said he then raised the shotgun toward officers. Agents opened fire, killing him at the scene.

According to TMZ, co-workers described Martin as a Trump supporter who had grown increasingly upset over the Justice Department’s recent release of Epstein-related documents.

Trump was not at Mar-a-Lago at the time of the shooting.

Investigators find mixed DNA, unknown profile inside Guthrie’s home

It’s been nearly three weeks since 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie went missing from her Arizona home. Investigators have turned to genetic genealogy, the same technique that helped identify the Golden State Killer.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos said investigators recovered mixed and partial DNA at Guthrie’s home, including genetic material that does not belong to Guthrie, her family or anyone known to have worked at the residence.

But the sample represents challenges.

When DNA is mixed, especially when a victim’s DNA overwhelms any potential suspect profile, it becomes difficult to build a clean genetic profile for the FBI’s CODIS database or for commercial genealogy comparisons.

Authorities also found gloves about two miles from the home.

The DNA profile from those gloves did not match entries in CODIS or other DNA recovered at the property. 

Nanos said technology continues to improve, and the lab believes those challenges could be resolved in weeks, months or maybe a year, potentially allowing investigators to enter the profile into CODIS or pursue genetic genealogy.

For now, though, investigators aren’t there yet.

Team USA wins Olympic gold in overtime

The United States and Canada battled it out on the Olympic ice and into overtime, tied at one goal apiece after regulation.

Less than two minutes into overtime, Team USA’s Jack Hughes took a pass from Zack Werenski and fired a wrist shot under Canada’s Jordan Binnington’s pad into the net, scoring what is now being referred to as the “golden goal.”

Hughes’ goal gave the Americans a 2-to-1 win and sparked a delirious celebration on the ice and in the locker room.

American goalie Connor Hellebuyck was spectacular in net, stopping 41 shots from Canada.

The Americans won the gold in hockey for the first time since the “Miracle on Ice” at Lake Placid, New York, in 1980. Forty-six years later, a historic victory, from the “Miracle on Ice” to the unforgettable conclusion at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.  

As Hughes said afterward, “This is all about our country right now. I love the USA. I love my teammates.”  

Team USA returns to the U.S. on Monday, no doubt to a hero’s welcome on American soil. 

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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief