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Authorities announced Sunday, Feb. 22, that the Mexican military killedNemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, commonly known as"El Mencho."

The death triggered "27 cowardly attacks against authorities in Jalisco," Mexican Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch told reporters on Monday. He said that 30 cartel operatives were killed, as well as one bystander and at least 70 people were arrested in seven states.

Here's what to know.

After Mexican officials announced a powerful Mexican cartel leader was killed during a military operation on Sunday, several regions of the country are grappling with ongoing security risks and unrest.
Police officers secure the area where vehicles were set on fire by organized crime members to block a road following a military operation in which a government source said Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, commonly known as "El Mencho," was killed, in Zapopan, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Mexican Army personnel stand guard as passengers leave Guadalajara International Airport in Tlaquepaque, Jalisco State, Mexico, on Feb. 22, 2026.

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Photos show Mexico unrest after cartel leader 'El Mencho' killed

After Mexican officials announced apowerful Mexican cartel leaderwas killed during a military operation on Sunday, several regions of the country are grappling withongoing security risks and unrest.Police officers secure the area where vehicles were set on fire by organized crime members to block a road following a military operation in which a government source said Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera, commonly known as "El Mencho," was killed, in Zapopan, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2026.

Where are there shelter-in-place advisories?

TheU.S. State Department on Monday, Feb. 23,urged U.S. citizens to shelter in places if they were in Jalisco State, where Puerto Vallarta, a popular beach town, is located, and Nayarit, which is near Puerto Vallarta.

Multiple airlines are now operating from Guadalajara and from Puerto Vallarta as of Monday, Feb. 23, according to theState Department. Several airlines, including Air Canada, United Airlines and Aeromexico, had canceled flights to the area due to the violence.

The State Department on Feb. 23 said it "fielded hundreds of calls" from travelers in Mexico with "most pertaining to flight cancellations." The call center is operating 24/7, the State Department said.

How was 'El Mencho' caught?

Mexican Defense Minister Ricardo Trevilla Trejo told reporters that a close associate of El Mencho, who was known to the Mexican military, on Feb. 20 delivered one of the kingpin Oseguera Cervantes's romantic partners to a property in the pine-studded vacation spot of Tapalpa in Jalisco state. Authorities tracked their movements.

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The paramour met with her secretive boyfriend, stayed overnight and left the property on Feb. 21. Oseguera Cervantes stayed behind with his personal security detail.

Ground troops moved in Feb. 22, under the cover of darkness. The intention, Trevilla Trejo said, was to "detain" El Mencho. From intelligence, the defense minister said the military knew the kingpin's security detail was heavily armed – outfitted with long arms and rocket launchers – and troops planned for a siege.

Oseguera Cervantes and at least two bodyguards fled toward cabins in the pine woods outside of Tapalpa, Trevilla Trejo said. Special forces found him hidden in the brush and four men were fatally wounded in the firefight: El Mencho, two bodyguards and a Mexican military officer.

Who was 'El Mencho'?

Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes, commonly known as "El Mencho," rose through the ranks and launched a deadly coup to become the leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG).

The criminal enterprise rapidly grew into a continent-spanning empire that rivaled its former allies in the Sinaloa Cartel, run by kingpinJoaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, who is serving life in prison.

He was bornRubén Oseguera Cervanteson July 17, 1966, in the small farming city of Aguililla in the western state of Michoacán, according toThe Courier Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network. He later adopted the name Nemesio, some say to honor his godfather. It was shortened to "El Mencho" and has no other known meaning.

Contributing: Lauren Villagran, Francesca Chambers, Greta Cross and N'dea Yancey-Bragg, USA TODAY; Beth Warren, USA TODAY Network

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Violence erupted in Mexico after cartel leader killed. What to know.

On Sunday, Feb. 22, the anti-billionaire groupEveryone Hates Elon– referring toElon Musk– hung a framed photo ofAndrew Mountbatten-Windsorin Paris' Louvre Museum with the placard: "He's Sweating Now. 2026." The photo was on display for about 15 minutes before it was removed by museum security, Reuters reported.

The now infamous photo, captured by Reuters photographerPhil Noble, shows the former prince in the backseat of a police vehicle leaving the Aylsham Police Station in Aylsham, England, on Thursday, Feb. 19.

"We're sick of obscenely rich, powerful men thinking they can just do as they please," Everyone Hates Elon wrote in anInstagram postabout the photo on Monday, Feb. 23. "So when he was arrested, we wanted to show ex-Prince Andrew how the world will remember him, by hanging his arrest photo in the Louvre."

The Louvre Museum did not wish to make a comment about the photo when contacted by USA TODAY on Feb. 23.

Why was former Prince Andrew arrested?

Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, tied to his relationship with the late convicted sex offenderJeffrey Epstein.

Police officers, unmarked vehicles and media were seen at residences linked to disgraced former royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Feb. 19, 2026. Windsor was reportedly arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office on the Sandringham estate. In a statement, Thames Valley police said they were also "carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk" as part of the investigation. See the scene outside various residences, beginning here near the entrance to Wood Farm in Sandringham, Norfolk.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The media gather to report near the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Feb. 19, 2026, in Sandringham, Norfolk.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Unmarked police vehicles enter the gates of the Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former residence in Windsor Great Park, on Feb. 19, 2026, in Windsor, England.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> In this photo illustration, a statement from His Majesty King Charles III via communications at Buckingham Palace pledges his "full and wholehearted support and co-operation" to the "appropriate authorities" in response to the arrest of his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Unmarked vehicles exit the gates of the Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former residence in Windsor Great Park, Feb. 19, 2026, in Windsor, England.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A person steps out of unmarked car at the home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Feb. 19, 2026, in Sandringham, Norfolk.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Unmarked police vehicles exit the gates of the Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former residence in Windsor Great Park, Feb. 19, 2026, in Windsor, England.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Unmarked vehicles exit the gates of the Royal Lodge, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's former residence in Windsor Great Park, Feb. 19, 2026, in Windsor, England.

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Police investigate homes tied to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor amid his arrest

Police officers, unmarked vehicles and media were seen at residences linked todisgraced former royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsoron Feb. 19, 2026. Windsor wasreportedly arrestedon suspicion of misconduct in public office on the Sandringham estate. In a statement, Thames Valley police said they were also "carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk" as part of the investigation. See the scene outside various residences, beginning here near the entrance to Wood Farm in Sandringham, Norfolk.

In thelatest batch of Epstein files, photos show Mountbatten-Windsor with young women whose faces have been obscured. Emails demonstrating his lengthy friendship with Epstein and concerns from law enforcement that he wasn't cooperating with investigations were also in the files.

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Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing and said he regrets his friendship with Epstein.

What happens next?

If convicted of misconduct in public office, Mountbatten-Windsor would face a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, but experts like Andrew Lownie, author of "Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York," doubts the former prince will stand trial.

The royal family could be in favor of Mountbatten-Windsor fleeing the country as an "easy solution," Lowniepreviously told USA TODAY.

When it comes to the royal family's reputation, Lownie said the British monarchy can recover from the affair, as long as King Charles III is transparent and open to parliamentary scrutiny.

Contributing: Sarah D. Wire, Anthony Robledo, Taijuan Moorman, Kim Hjelgaard and Michelle Del Rey, USA TODAY

Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her atgcross@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Former Prince Andrew's arrest photo hung in Louvre by activists

Both men are suspected of improperly passing U.K. government information to the disgraced U.S. financier, and the high-profile British arrests are some of the most dramatic fallout from thetrove of more than 3 million pagesof Epstein-related documents released last month by the U.S. Justice Department.

London's Metropolitan Police force said "officers have arrested a 72-year-old man on suspicion of misconduct in public office" at an address in north London. He was taken to a police station for questioning.

The man was not named, in keeping with British police practice, but the suspect in the case previously was identified as the former diplomat, who is 72. Mandelson was filmed being led from his London home to a car by plainclothes officers on Monday afternoon.

Under U.K. law, police can hold a suspect without charge for up to 24 hours. This can be extended to a maximum of 96 hours. Mandelson could be charged, released unconditionally or released while investigations continue.

Claims of leaked government information

Police are investigating Mandelson over claims he passed sensitive government information to Epstein a decade and a half ago. He does not face allegations of sexual misconduct.

His arrest came four days afterAndrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former Prince Andrew, was arrested in a separate case on suspicion of a similar offense related to his friendship with Epstein. Andrew was released after 11 hours in custody while the police investigation continues.

Mandelson served in senior government roles under previous Labour governments and was U.K. ambassador to Washington until Prime Minister Keir Starmerfired him in Septemberafter emails were published showing that he maintained a friendship with Epstein after the financier's 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor.

The files released in January contained more explosive revelations about Mandelson's ties to Epstein, whom he once called "my best pal."

Messages suggest that Mandelson passed on sensitive — and potentially market-moving — government information to Epstein in 2009, when Mandelson was a senior minister in the British government. That includes an internal government report discussing ways the U.K. could raise money after the 2008 global financial crisis, including by selling off government assets. Mandelson also appears to have told Epstein he would lobby other members of the government to reduce a tax on bankers' bonuses.

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British police launched a criminal probe earlier this month andsearched Mandelson's two housesin London and western England.

Thedecision to appoint Mandelson nearly cost Starmer his jobearlier this month, as questions swirled around his judgment about someone who has flirted with controversy during a decades-long political career.

Though he acknowledged he made a mistake and apologized to victims of Epstein,Starmer's position remains precarious. His future may rest on the release of files connected to Mandelson's appointment. The government has pledged to begin releasing those documents in early March, though the timeline may be complicated by his arrest.

Mandelson a contentious figure

Mandelson has been a major, if contentious, figure in the center-left Labour Party for decades. He is a skilled — critics say ruthless — political operator whose mastery of political intrigue earned him the nickname "Prince of Darkness."

The grandson of former Labour Cabinet minister Herbert Morrison, he was an architect of the party's return to power in 1997 as centrist, modernizing "New Labour" under Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Mandelson served in senior government posts under Blair between 1997 and 2001, and under Prime Minister Gordon Brown from 2008 to 2010. In between, he was the European Union's trade commissioner. Brown has been particularly angered by the revelations and has been helping police with their inquiries.

Mandelson twice had to resign from government during the Blair administration over allegations of financial or ethical impropriety, acknowledging mistakes but denying wrongdoing.

He later returned to government and was back on the political front line when Starmer named him ambassador to Washington at the start of U.S. President Donald Trump's second term. Mandelson's trade expertise and comfort around the ultra-rich were considered major assets. He helped secure a trade deal in May that spared Britain some of the tariffs Trump has imposed on countries around the world.

The status of the deal is now up in the air after Trump announced a new set of global tariffs in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision quashing his previous import tax order.

Earlier this month Mandelson resigned from the House of Lords, Parliament's upper chamber, to which he was appointed for life in 2008. But he still has the title — Lord Mandelson — that went with it.

SEOUL, Feb 23 (Reuters) - South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held summit talks in Seoul on Monday with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio ‌Lula da Silva, where they agreed to expand cooperation in sectors including trade, key ‌minerals, technology and culture.

The leaders plan to elevate the bilateral relationship into a strategic partnership, and for the countries to ​work together to support stability on the Korean Peninsula, Lee said.

"Peace, built on conditions where conflict isn't needed, is the strongest form of security," the South Korean president told a joint press conference.

The leaders oversaw the signing of 10 memorandums of understanding (MOUs) spanning trade and industrial policy, core minerals, digital economy ‌including AI, agriculture, health and biotech, ⁠small-business exchanges and joint policing against cybercrime, narcotics and other transnational threats.

In earlier remarks, Lee said the two sides adopted a four-year action plan to ⁠map out concrete steps for expanding bilateral cooperation, from strategic minerals to defence and space industries, as well as food security.

Brazil is South Korea's largest trading partner in South America, making economic cooperation a ​key part ​of the agenda.

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Lula said Brazil holds large rare-earth reserves ​and has substantial nickel deposits, and ‌that his government hoped to attract investment from South Korean companies.

In a message posted to X earlier in the day, Lee welcomed Lula, who is in Seoul for his first state visit in 21 years, pointing out the similarities in their backgrounds.

"As a former child labourer, you proved with your whole life that democracy is the most powerful tool for social and economic progress," Lee wrote.

"I ‌support your life, your struggle and your achievements, which ​will remain forever in the history of global democracy."

The leaders, ​who first met at the G7 ​summit in Canada last year and later at the G20 summit in South ‌Africa, appear to have bonded over shared experiences ​of childhood factory work and ​workplace injuries.

The talks took place in South Korea's presidential Blue House, the first large-scale official welcome ceremony to be held since Lee moved his office back to the building.

A ​state banquet is scheduled for ‌Monday evening where barbecue dishes and Brazilian bossa nova pieces are due to be ​performed by a Korean jazz band alongside a children's choir, Lee's office said.

(Reporting by ​Kyu-seok Shim and Joyce LeeEditing by Ed Davies)

Police stand guard as twelve pro-democracy activists appeal their convictions and sentences in a landmark national security case at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts building, in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, Feb 23 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's Court of Appeal rejected an appeal by 12 pro‑democracy activists and upheld their jail terms on Monday in a national security case that critics say highlights the China-ruled city's crackdown ‌on dissent.

The appeal stems from the "Hong Kong 47" case, where many leading pro-democracy activists and politicians were arrested en masse in early ‌2021 and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion. Following marathon legal proceedings, most of the democrats were eventually sentenced in late 2024 to between 4 and 10 years' imprisonment, with two ​others acquitted.

Rights groups and some countries, including the U.S. and Britain, condemned the case as persecution of Hong Kong's political opposition and called for the immediate release of all those arrested.

Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong said she was "deeply concerned" that Australian citizen Gordon Ng had lost his appeal, noting Canberra has "expressed our strong objections to Chinese and Hong Kong authorities on the continuing broad application of national security legislation".

Judges Jeremy Poon, Derek Pang and Anthea Pang wrote in their ‌judgment that the defendants were part of a conspiracy ⁠conceived, advocated and pursued by legal scholar Benny Tai to produce a "constitutional mass destruction weapon" aimed at toppling the constitutional order in Hong Kong.

'WHAT CRIMES HAVE THEY COMMITTED?'

The case centred on an unofficial "primary election" organised by the democrats in ⁠mid-2020 to select the strongest candidates for a legislative council election.

The prosecution alleged that the democrats were conspiring to win a majority in order to paralyse the government by indiscriminately vetoing the city's annual budget in a bid to force Hong Kong's leader to resign.

The 11 democrats who lost appeals against their convictions included former ​lawmakers ​Helena Wong, Lam Cheuk-ting, Raymond Chan and "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung; former district councillors Clarisse ​Yeung, Kalvin Ho and Tat Cheng; and activists Gwyneth Ho, ‌Owen Chow, Winnie Yu, Gordon Ng.

The democrats, and one other activist, Prince Wong, also failed in their appeals against their sentences, with the exception of Gwyneth Ho who only appealed her conviction.

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After hearing the result, the defendants appeared calm and waved to their families and supporters.

"What crimes have they committed?" said Chan Po-ying, the wife of activist Leung Kwok-hung, after the ruling, echoing the arguments of some defence lawyers that legislators in Hong Kong were free to vote against any bills and veto the budget as a lawful "check and balance" under the city's mini-constitution.

ACQUITTAL OF DEMOCRAT UPHELD

Despite the international criticism, Hong ‌Kong and Beijing insist the democrats received a fair trial, and say a China-imposed ​national security law in 2020 helped restore order to Hong Kong after mass pro-democracy protests ​the year before.

The judges said any plan to veto the budget ​indiscriminately, regardless of its content or merits, was "clearly an abuse of the power (of legislators)".

The judges, however, dismissed an appeal by ‌the Department of Justice against the acquittal of barrister Lawrence ​Lau, saying he had never openly and ​directly advocated for the vetoing of the budget, like the others.

Lau told reporters he was "happy" with the result.

So far, 18 of the 45 convicted democrats have been released after serving their jail terms.

"By failing to overturn these wrongful convictions and sentences today, the court has ​missed a critical opportunity to correct this mass injustice," ‌said Fernando Cheung, a spokesman for Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas.

"Peaceful opposition to a government is not a crime, and all ​remaining jailed members of the Hong Kong 47 should be released immediately and unconditionally."

(Reporting by Jessie Pang and James Pomfret in ​Hong Kong, Christine Chen in Sydney; Editing by Saad Sayeed and Raju Gopalakrishnan)

Netherlands Politics

Rob Jetten, 38, heads athree-party administrationmade up of his centrist D66, the center-right Christian Democrats and the center-right People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. Together, the parties hold only 66 of the lower house of parliament's 150 seats. That means he will have to negotiate with opposition lawmakers to find support for every piece of legislation his government wants to pass.

That is likely to be tough with the biggest opposition bloc, the newly merged Green Left and Labor Party, already expressing strong objections to Jetten's plans to cut health care and welfare costs.

Opposition leader Jesse Klaver said Friday in a message on X that under the new government's plans, "ordinary people will have to pay hundreds of euros more, while the wealthiest are not asked to contribute anything extra." He added: "We are taking responsibility to adjust these plans. This must change."

Jetten and his team of ministers will formally accept their new roles when they are sworn in by the king at his palace in a forest on the edge of The Hague. They will then pose for a traditional photo of the new Cabinet on the steps of the palace before getting down to work with their first Cabinet meeting in the afternoon.

How we got here

Jettennarrowly wonan Oct. 29 election, taking the same number of seats as anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders' Party for Freedom, but with slightly more votes. The final result was decided by a count of postal ballots.

The snap election was forced when Wilders, who won the previous election,withdrew his ministersfrom the four-party right-wing coalition his party led in June last year. Outgoing premier Dick Schoof, whose 11-month-old administration was one of the shortest-lived governments in Dutch political history, has been caretaker leader ever since.

The new prime minister's foreign policy wish list

Jetten wants to usher in a new era of consensus in the Dutch parliament, after years of factional bickering across the splintered political spectrum.

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He is also looking for a reset of the Netherlands influential role in the European Union, which was widely seen as having eroded under the previous government.

Jetten, who has in the past voiced criticism of U.S. President Donald Trump, told The Associated Press last month that one of the first things he will do after taking office is "talk to my colleagues in Europe to see what role the Dutch can play again in strengthening the European cooperation."

But he also underscored the importance of ties with the United States, a major trading partner for the Dutch economy.

Jetten has pledged to maintain strong Dutch support for Ukraine as it battles against Russia's four-year-old invasion.

Who's who in Jetten's Cabinet

The ministers' posts in the new Cabinet are shared between Jetten's party and his coalition partners.

The new foreign minister is Christian Democrat Tom Berendsen. He is expected to seek to rejuvenate the Netherlands' position in Europe having previously served as the leader of his party's bloc in the European Parliament.

One name that is not changing is the finance minister — Eelco Heinen retains the job he held in the previous administration, where he was seen as a steady hand on the government's purse strings.

Dilan Yeşilgöz-Zegerius, a former justice minister and leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, moves to the defense ministry where she will oversee moves to beef up the nation's military.

Bart van den Brink, a Christian Democrat, has been tapped to be minister for asylum and immigration policy and is expected to continue moves by the previous government to rein in migration and speed up procedures for handling asylum applications.

Winter snow storm hits New York City

The storm has already snarled travel along the East Coast from ‌Washington to New England, with airlines canceling thousands of flights and officials urging people to stay off the roads. Winter weather in the Northeast may also slow the ​processing, transport and delivery of mail and packages, the U.S. Postal Service said.

New York City, the nation's largest school district, ordered all public school buildings closed for a traditional snow day, with no remote instruction and all after-school programs canceled.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani declared a state of emergency and ordered non-essential vehicles off city roads from Sunday night to noon Monday, saying plows and emergency crews needed the streets clear as snowfall intensified. ‌The city is under its first blizzard warning ⁠since 2017.

City offices will close for in-person services, and non-essential municipal employees may work remotely. "I'm urging every New Yorker to please stay home," Mamdani said.

REGIONAL EMERGENCIES

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said she had activated 100 National ⁠Guard members to assist in Long Island, New York City and the Lower Hudson Valley - areas expected to bear the brunt of the heavy snow and coastal winds. The storm also forced closure of the U.N. headquarters complex in Manhattan on Monday.

Parts of the Northeast could see up to two ​feet of ​snow and wind gusts could reach 70 mph, raising the risk of ​falling trees and power outages, according to the Department ‌of Homeland Security.

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In an update on Sunday, the agency said despite its ongoing funding lapse, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster‑response work continues uninterrupted, including staff travel, emergency operations, and critical assistance for people affected by active disasters, with life safety and property protection remaining top priorities.

Last week, Reuters reported that President Donald Trump's administration had ordered FEMA to suspend the deployment of hundreds of aid workers to disaster-affected areas around the country while the DHS is shut down.

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey declared an emergency and told state workers to stay home. Connecticut ‌barred commercial vehicles from limited-access highways Sunday evening, exempting only emergency and essential ​deliveries.

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a statewide emergency effective noon Sunday and urged ​residents to take the storm seriously. "People need to take ​this very seriously," she told CNN.

TRAVEL DISRUPTIONS

Air travel was among the earliest casualties. Flight-tracking site FlightAware showed more ‌than 5,000 flights already canceled for Monday. Aviation analytics firm ​Cirium said more than 25,000 flights ​were scheduled to depart from the United States on Monday, with cancellations also rising for Tuesday, especially at major Northeast airports.

NJ TRANSIT suspended bus, light rail and Access Link service Sunday evening and halted statewide rail service by Sunday night, with operations ​resuming only when conditions allow.

In New England, the ‌Rhode Island Public Transit Authority said it would suspend all service — including its RIde paratransit program — from Sunday night ​through Monday and would announce plans to resume service only when conditions improve.

(Reporting by Rajesh Kumar Singh in Chicago; ​Additional reporting by Tatiana Bautzer in New York; editing by Diane Craft)