US military builds up the largest force of warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is building up the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades, including two aircraft carrier strike groups, as President Donald Trump warns ofpossible military actionagainst Iran iftalks over its nuclear programfall apart.

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"It's proven to be, over the years, not easy to make a meaningful deal with Iran, and we have to make a meaningful deal," Trump has said. "Otherwise bad things happen."

Trump likely will have a host of military options, which could include surgical attacks onIran's air defenses or strikesfocused on Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, experts say. But they warn that Iran could retaliate in ways it did not afterattacks last year by the United States or Israel, potentially risking American lives and sparking a regional war.

"It will be very hard for the Trump administration to do a one-and-done kind of attack in Iran this time around," said Ali Vaez, an Iran expert at the International Crisis Group. "Because the Iranians would respond in a way that would make all-out conflict inevitable."

Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to agree to constrain its nuclear program and, earlier, overTehran's bloody crackdownon nationwide protests.

Aircraft carriers bolster US presence

The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and three guided-missile destroyers have been in the Arabian Seasince the end of Januaryafter being redirected from the South China Sea.

The strike group, which brought roughly 5,700 additional service members to the region, bolstered the smaller force of a few destroyers and three littoral combat ships already in the region.

Two weeks later, Trump orderedthe world's largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, along with three destroyers and more than 5,000 additional service members to head there.

This will bring the Navy's presence in the region to at least 16 ships and it will dwarf the 11-ship fleet that was, until the Ford's departure, stationed in the Caribbean Sea.

More aircraft have arrived

Numerous additional U.S. fighter jets and support aircraft also have touched down in the Middle East and bases in Europe.

More than 100 fighter jets, including F-35s, F-22s, F-15s and F-16s, left bases in the U.S. and Europe and were spotted heading toward the Middle East by the Military Air Tracking Alliance. That team of about 30 open-source analysts routinely analyzes military and government flight activity.

It says it also has tracked more than 100 fuel tankers and over 200 cargo planes heading into the region and bases in Europe in mid-February.

Adding to that force, the United States has moved 12 F-22 stealth fighter jets to a base in Israel, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to detail sensitive military movements.

Satellite photos from Planet Labs PBC of Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan that were analyzed by The Associated Press showed more than 50 aircraft, nearly all likely part of the American buildup. There could be more in hangars.

Steffan Watkins, a researcher based in Canada and a member of the MATA, said he also has tracked support aircraft, like six of the military's early-warning E-3 aircraft, head to a base in Saudi Arabia. Those are key for coordinating operations with a large number of aircraft.

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The massive wave was preceded by the arrival of Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles. U.S. Central Command saidon social mediathat the fighter jet "enhances combat readiness and promotes regional security and stability."

At the time, analysts of flight-tracking data also noticed dozens of U.S. military cargo planes heading to the region.

The activity is similar to last year when the U.S. moved in air defense hardware, like a Patriot missile system, in anticipation of an Iranian counterattack after the Junebombing of three key nuclear sites.

Iran launched more than a dozen missiles at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar days after the strikes.

Expectations of retaliation

Seth Jones, a defense expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said it's important to note that the U.S. is not deploying a major ground force.

The U.S. deployed more than 500,000 troops during Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s and roughly 250,0000 American forces in Iraq in 2003.

"So there are substantial limits to the force package," he said of the current military assets in the region.

The U.S. military buildup is technically the region's largest since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, even though the resources moved for the war dwarfed current assets, said Michael O'Hanlon, a defense and foreign policy analyst at the Brookings Institution.

O'Hanlon said the U.S. could simply use long-range B-2 bombers, as it had in June, if it wanted only to strike what is left of Iran's nuclear program. The forces in place now are clearly designed for attacking targets in Iran and defending against retaliation.

Many likely expect Iran to "just keep firing drones and cruise missiles back at Israel and American bases in regard to almost anything we might do," O'Hanlon said. But he said Iran could go bigger and broader, especially if its leadership feels targeted.

Vaez, the Iran expert at the International Crisis Group, said Iran is unlikely to limit its response as it did after the U.S. struck its nuclear facilities in June. Iran had signaled when and how it would retaliate with theattack on the military base in Qatar, allowing American and Qatari air defense to be ready and doing little damage.

"They have now come to the conclusion that the only way that they can stop this cycle is to draw blood and to inflict significant harm on the U.S. and Israel, even if that comes at a very high price for themselves," Vaez said.

Behnam Ben Taleblu, Iran program senior director at the Washington-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said Iran is still believed to have ballistic missiles that can strike its enemies in the region.

"The Islamic Republic may think that would be a deterrent to Trump, whereas in reality, that might be an inducement to move the president from a limited operation to a larger one," said Taleblu, whose think tank has long been critical of Iran andhas been sanctioned by Tehran.

Associated Press writer Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

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February 26, 2026

US military builds up the largest force of warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is building up the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in d...

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Walmart cottage cheese recalled in 24 states over pasteurization concerns

Three types of Walmart's Great Value brand cottage cheese are being recalled in 24 states over concerns the products may not have been properly pasteurized.

The Food and Drug Administration said the cheese's manufacturer, Saputo Cheese USA, discovered the issue during what it called "pasteurizer troubleshooting exercises" and then voluntarily issued the recall.

ICYMI |Peanut butter recalled after plastic pieces found in production

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The affected products were sold between Feb. 17 and Feb. 20 in Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

The FDA says there are no reports of illness or hospitalization connected to the recall.

If you have the products in question, do not eat them. Return them to Walmart for a refund.

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February 26, 2026

Walmart cottage cheese recalled in 24 states over pasteurization concerns

Three types of Walmart's Great Value brand cottage cheese are being recalled in 24 states over concerns the produc...

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Nearly blind refugee found dead in New York days after immigration agents dropped him at a coffee shop alone, officials say

The death of a nearly blind refugee in Buffalo, New York, days after Border Patrol agents dropped him off at a coffee shop alone, has prompted an investigation into the circumstances of his final days and drawn sharp criticism from the mayor, who called the incident "deeply disturbing."

Nurul Amin Shah Alam, 56, who spoke little English, had been missing since February 19, when the agents left him at the shop shortly after he was released from the Erie County jail, officials said. His body was found five days later, around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, about four miles from the coffee shop, the Buffalo Police Department said.

"Homicide detectives are investigating the circumstances and timeframe of events leading up to his death, following his release from custody," the police department said in a statement.

New YorkCongressman Tim Kennedydescribed Shah Alam's death as both "horrific" and "heartbreaking," calling for a "full and transparent investigation at the local, state, and federal levels."

"The public and Mr. Alam's family deserve answers immediately," the congressman said ina statement.

The Erie County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy and determined Shah Alam's cause of death was health‑related. Exposure and homicide have been ruled out, Buffalo city spokesperson Nick Beiling said.

"A vulnerable man – nearly blind and unable to speak English – was left alone on a cold winter night with no known attempt to leave him in a safe, secure location. That decision from US Customs and Border Protection was unprofessional and inhumane," Buffalo MayorSean Ryansaid Wednesday, calling Shah Alam's death "preventable," and insisting CBP "answer for how and why this happened."

The incident highlights growing concerns over the constitutionalrights and treatmentof people who come in contact with federal agents, regardless of their immigration status in the Trump administration's mass deportation efforts.

A year behind bars waiting for trial

Shah Alam, a refugee from Myanmar, had spent much of the previous year in custody awaiting trial on criminal charges that were ultimately resolved with a misdemeanor plea deal, Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane told CNN in a statement Thursday.

Apolice reportobtained byCNN affiliate WGRZshowed Shah Alam was being held on two counts of assault with intent to cause injury to an officer, a count of possession of a weapon and trespassing, among other charges, before a plea deal was reached.

He was arrested in February 2025, following what one of his children described toReutersas a misunderstanding with police. Shah Alam had been out for a walk and was using a curtain rod as a walking stick when he got lost and wandered onto private property, his son Mohamad Faisal said. When he did not understand officers' commands to drop the rod, Shah Alam was arrested.

At Shah Alam's arraignment on the indictment in June 2025, his bail was modified to $5,000 cash or bond but he remained in custody as the case moved to its trial date, the district attorney's office said.

In early February, Shah Alam pled guilty to misdemeanor charges with prosecutors and defense attorneys agreeing that he would remain in custody on bail pending a sentencing hearing set for March 24, Keane said.

"In this matter, the reduced disposition appropriately held the defendant accountable for the crime while avoiding a penalty that would be unduly harsh and disproportionate to the offense," Keane said.

His family didn't know where he was dropped off

Shah Alam was released from jail last week after his bond was posted on February 19, Keane said. It's unclear who posted bond for him.

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CNN has reached out to an attorney for Shah Alam.

As Shah Alam's discharge from jail was being processed, deputies notified US Border Patrol, which had earlier placed him under an immigration detainer, the Erie County Sheriff's Office said in a statement.

"U.S. Border Patrol arrived at the Holding Center prior to the finalization of Mr. Shah Alam's release from Erie County Sheriff's Office custody," the statement said.

A spokesperson for CBP said the agents later determined Shah Alam had entered the United States as a refugee on December 24, 2024, and "was not amenable to removal."

"Border Patrol agents offered him a courtesy ride, which he chose to accept to a coffee shop, determined to be a warm, safe location near his last known address, rather than be released directly from the Border Patrol station," the statement said. "He showed no signs of distress, mobility issues or disabilities requiring special assistance."

Upon learning that Shah Alam was ineligible for removal, Border Patrol agents, using a translator program, attempted to communicate with him, according to a federal law enforcement official who said that Shah Alam asked to be taken to the location where he was eventually left. He was offered an opportunity to make a phone call but declined, the official said.

But neither his family nor their attorney was notified by federal authorities where Shah Alam was dropped off and he did not read, write or use electronic devices, his son told Reuters.

It's unclear whether the family was immediately notified by the county that Shah Alam was transferred to federal custody after his bond was posted.

The family are Arakan Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, Faisal said, referring to the stateless Muslim minority from Myanmar's Rakhine state. Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya havefled the war-torn countrysince late 2016 following a brutal crackdown by the military junta that the US has since declared a genocide.

Shah Alam only wanted to "eat home-cooked food" and "be united with the rest of (his) family," Faisal told Reuters.

Funeral services for the father are scheduled for Thursday afternoon at a mosque in Buffalo, Faisal told CNN.

In his statement, Keane said his office first learned about Shah Alam's release from jail on Tuesday and will move to dismiss the charges against the man when they receive his death certificate.

"I am saddened to learn of the tragic death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam," Keane said. "I recognize the desire for answers sought by his family, friends and our community as his death remains under investigation."

CNN's Priscilla Alvarez and Taylor Romine contributed to this report.

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February 26, 2026

Nearly blind refugee found dead in New York days after immigration agents dropped him at a coffee shop alone, officials say

The death of a nearly blind refugee in Buffalo, New York, days after Border Patrol agents dropped him off at a coffee sho...

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Tamron Hall challenges Lisa Rinna on claims about TV conflict: 'No one's proud of selling their soul,' star says

Talk show hostTamron Hallheld actress and reality TV iconLisa Rinnato the fire over on-air heat theReal HousewivesandTraitorsstar has generated on the small screen.

Rinna appeared on theTamron Hallshow on Thursday to discuss her new book,You Better Believe I'm Going to Talk About It,which Hall said contains numerous dramatic revelations about Rinna's conflicts with people in her life. Upon returning from a commercial break, the show played a voiceover clip of Rinna reading a passage from the book, in which she addresses light regret about hurting feelings while drumming up drama during her tenure onThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hillsfrom seasons 4-12.

"I'm an actor, so I know what is needed to create drama on the show, yet you're still dealing with human beings. It hurts when you say something about someone, and vice versa. It's a very hard thing to process, even if it's a setup. At the end of the day, I never wanted to hurt anybody, and I didn't want to fight, but that's what the show was about: Women and conflict," Rinna said in the passage, to which Hall replied by challenging Rinna as she asked, "Going on that show was a choice. Why did you go on it?"

Rinna admitted that "at the time, I was as cold as a dead fish in my career. I was cold as ice," she said. "Trust me, I wasn't [in demand]. And I am a businesswoman, so I knew thatReal Housewiveswas great real estate on television."

After she said that she "thought this could be good for business," Hall again pushed back on Rinna's assertion that she felt bad about hurting people amid various conflicts on the Bravo program.

"One might say the fires that started there? You had to know the house was hot. The franchise was built on conflict," Hall said, pointing out that Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Teresa Giudice made headlines all the way back in 2009 (four years before Rinna joinedRHOBHseason 4 in a supporting role) for almost flipping a table during a heated clash with cast member Danielle Staub. "You kind of know what you're walking into. I get, as you said, your career had slowed down, but what good was it to gain a man to lose his soul?"

Rinna replied, admitting that "no one's proud of selling their soul, but I think you have to acknowledge it and go, that's where I was at the time, I did it, I didn't know it would be quite as rough as it ended up being."

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"Well, I'm still here," Rinna continued. "I'm still here. How can I make the world a better place and how can I bring joy and have more fun?"

Hall finished the segment by pointing out that some of the revelations Rinna made in the book, in her estimation, will lead to fractured relationships with people she'll "never talk to again." Rinna agreed, telling Hall, "Probably not. I've tried. Everyone I talk about — just about — in here, I have tried to make amends, or I have made amends. There are some people in our lives, you've probably all come across it, where amends are not able to be made. So, what do you do about that, when you want to move on, but that other person is like,no?"

Despite lamenting elements of her past clashes onHousewives, Rinna further weathered drama during her tenure onThe Traitorsseason 4, where she went toe-to-toe withBacheloralumColton Underwood, who targeted her at a later stage in the elimination-heavy gauntlet.

Speculation arose among fans that some of Rinna's words to Underwood hinted at his controversial past, including whenshe referred to him as "a stalker"in a Jan. 23 Threads post. Many assumed the reference pointed to arestraining order filed against Underwoodin 2020 by his ex, Cassie Randolph, who alleged at the time that Underwood placed a tracking device on her vehicle (theorder was ultimately dropped).

"I knew nothing. But I am not here to do anything to hurt anyone or make it worse for someone, because I've had that happen for me, and it's really rough when social media is turning on you. And I didn't want to be part of ... even though, listen, if you ask me to be a Housewife, I'm going to come at you however I'm going to come at you. And guess what? He got what he asked for because I definitely showed up as Lisa Rinna, the Housewife. But I didn't want it to further put gasoline on the fire,"Rinna later toldEntertainment Weeklyof the ordeal. "I'm fine with Colton. I knew nothing about his past. He was a great nemesis for me in the game, and we're all good. At the end of the day, it's a game. His past is his past. It doesn't have anything to do with me. So there it is."

The Traitorsfinale and reunion — featuring Rinna — streams tonight on Peacock.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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February 26, 2026

Tamron Hall challenges Lisa Rinna on claims about TV conflict: 'No one's proud of selling their soul,' star says

Talk show hostTamron Hallheld actress and reality TV iconLisa Rinnato the fire over on-air heat theReal HousewivesandTrai...

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Paul McCartney Says Making Amends with John Lennon Before His Death Is 'One of the Great Blessings in My Life'

Paul McCartney opens up about mending fences with John Lennon before the star's 1980 death

NEED TO KNOW

• McCartney says making up with Lennon is "one of the great blessings in my life"

• He talks about their bond in the new documentary Paul McCartney: Man on the Run

Paul McCartneyis forever grateful that he andJohn Lennongave peace a chance.

The legendary musician and his late bandmate had a bond so tight they were like brothers — but after theBeatles' breakupin 1970, their friendship frayed.

In the new documentaryPaul McCartney: Man on the Run, McCartney says he's glad that he and Lennon were able to set aside their differences before the "Imagine" singer's tragic murder on Dec. 8, 1980.

"One of the great blessings in my life is that we made up. It's beautiful and it's sad at the same time," says McCartney, 83. "You know, we loved each other all our lives."

McCartney and Lennon first met as Liverpool lads, and went on to find international fame and success as members of the Beatles alongsideGeorge HarrisonandRingo Starr. But their relationship soured as the band broke up in 1970, and things culminated in a lawsuit McCartney filed against his bandmates after taking issue with manager Allen Klein and the way he was handling their finances.

A 1971 diss track from Lennon called "How Do You Sleep?"added further salt into the wound, and the two grew apart.

InMan on the Run, McCartney talks about finally mending fences with Lennon before his death, and even recalls a visit to Lennon's New York City apartment with wife Linda.

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Together, they watchedSaturday Night Liveas creatorLorne Michaelsoffered them a good chunk of change to head on down to Studio 8H for an impromptu Beatles reunion.

"We got kind of excited. We just go down, we show up, hey! But it was like, why? It'd be great for them. Would it be great for us? We've come full circle and now we're off on another journey," he recalls in the film. "So we just decided to just have another cup of tea and forget the whole idea."

McCartney only briefly addresses Lennon's death in the film, saying that "time can take the edge off" as his daughter and Lennon's son discuss his reaction to losing the musician.

Lennon's son,Sean Ono Lennon, adds that the pair "had a once-in-a-millennium chemistrythat I don't think we're likely to see again."

Man on the Run, which hits Prime Video on Feb. 27 in an intimate look at McCartney's post-Beatles life in the 1970s, from his family life in Scotland to his decision toform and tour with Wings.

The film, directed by Morgan Neville, features interviews with McCartney, Linda, their daughters and Wings band members.

Read the original article onPeople

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February 26, 2026

Paul McCartney Says Making Amends with John Lennon Before His Death Is 'One of the Great Blessings in My Life'

Paul McCartney opens up about mending fences with John Lennon before the star's 1980 death NEED TO KNOW Mc...

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Dolly Parton Is 'So Excited' That East Tennessee Children's Hospital Is Being Renamed in Her Honor

Dolly Parton announced that the East Tennessee Children's Hospital is officially being renamed the Dolly Parton Children's Hospital

NEED TO KNOW

• "I've always believed that every child deserves a fair chance to grow up healthy, hopeful and surrounded with love. That belief is what brought me together with the incredible folks at East Tennessee Children's Hospital," Parton shared in a video message on Instagram on Thursday, Feb. 26

• In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Matt Schaefer, president and CEO of Dolly Parton Children's Hospital, said that "this is more than a name change"

Dolly Parton's philanthropic efforts are making another huge leap forward.

The country music icon, 80,shared an Instagram Reelon Thursday, Feb. 26, to announce that the East Tennessee Children's Hospital has officially been renamed the Dolly Parton Children's Hospital.

In a video message shared as a part of her collaborative post with theTodayshow and the official hospital page, Parton started off by noting, "I've always believed that every child deserves a fair chance to grow up healthy, hopeful and surrounded with love. That belief is what brought me together with the incredible folks at East Tennessee Children's Hospital."

"For nearly 90 years, their teams have provided compassionate and talented care. They see children not just as patients, but as precious lives. Each with a story, and a future. I am so excited to share, East Tennessee Children's Hospital is becoming ... guess what? Dolly Parton Children's Hospital. Yay!" Parton continued her loving message.

She then noted that "together, we're committed to strengthening our relationship where world class care and a caring heart go hand in hand for children across East Tennessee and beyond. And I hope that you'll join me in supporting this work."

"I can't do it all myself! I'm going to need you. So when we come together for our children, there's no limit to what we can do. To learn more or to get involved, visit DollyChildrens.org," Parton concluded.

In an additional statement on the renaming shared with PEOPLE, Parton doubled down on the talking points from her Instagram video, adding, "Being fortunate to have grown up in the mountains of East Tennessee, I learned early on what it means to take care of one another."

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She continued, "Every child deserves world-class care, wrapped in kindness and love. I'm so honored to stand alongside this hospital and do my part to help bring more hope, more comfort and more healing to children and families."

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The East Tennessee Children's Hospital, located in Knoxville, Tenn., first opened in 1937 to serve childhood polio patients in the greater East Tennessee area, and has been continually in operation ever since.

Parton, a native of Sevierville, Tenn., is no stranger to philanthropy, particularly efforts involving children. She famously leads Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, a book gifting program that provides literature completely free of cost to children from birth until they start their schooling in participating areas across the U.S. and beyond.

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"This is more than a name change," Matt Schaefer, president and CEO of Dolly Parton Children's Hospital, said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. "With Dolly's support, we are strengthening our mission to deliver world-class pediatric care to families, ensuring every child who walks through our doors receives the treatment they deserve."

Read the original article onPeople

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February 26, 2026

Dolly Parton Is 'So Excited' That East Tennessee Children's Hospital Is Being Renamed in Her Honor

Dolly Parton announced that the East Tennessee Children's Hospital is officially being renamed the Dolly Parton Child...

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Deadly shootout on Cuban seas. Who were the men on the speedboat?

This is a developing story and will be updated as details emerge.

A rare shootout on the high seas involving a Florida-registered speedboat andten Cuban nationalsbelieved to be living in the United States has triggered investigations in Washington and Havana.

Cuban authorities said that when the boat was intercepted in its territorial waters on Feb. 25 those aboard were carrying assault rifles, handguns, improvised explosive devices, bulletproof vests and other tactical military gear. Four were killed. Six were arrested. Another man was detained in Cuba accused of aiding the men on the boat.

Cuba's Interior Ministryhas accused all of the people involved of taking part in a terrorist plot, though officials in Washington have not corroborated that accusation. Cuba has identified one of the four men killed as Michel Ortega Casanova. It said it was still working to identify the other three.

But what do we know about the ten men involved in the latest escalation between two Cold war-era foes?

US interventions in Latin America.What they say about Trump's Venezuela gambit

Who were the people involved in the Cuba speedboat shooting?

Among those detained, according to Cuban authorities, were:

• Amijail Sánchez González

• Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez

• Conrado Galindo Sariol

• José Manuel Rodríguez Castelló

• Cristian Ernesto Acosta Guevara

• Roberto Azcorra Consuegra

• Duniel Hernández Santos was identified as the man arrested on Cuban soil.

Cuba has said that the majority of the participants in the incident have a history of criminal and violent activity. There does appear to be some accuracy to that assertion.

USA TODAY has reached out to Washington and inquired about their status in the United States. U.S. officials were not immediately available for comment.

Orlando Gutierrez-Boronat, of the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance, an exile group that opposes the Cuban regime, warned not to put too much credence into details of the incident emerging from the Cuban government.

His name appears on the same Cuban terrorist list as Sánchez González for allegedly starting an anti-Castro guerilla group − that was actually created six years before he was born.

"They have a history of lying and committing crimes," Gutierrez-Boronat said. "Why should we believe anything they say, especially at a moment like now when there's real pressure on them?"

This file photo shows a group of U.S. sailors from the battleship Connecticut and a gun they captured at Cape Haitien during the U.S. occupation of Haiti in 1915.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Officers at Jacmel, Haiti, during the U.S. occupation in 1915.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A group of Cuban revolutionaries with Fidel Castro are seen with artillery after routing the U.S.-backed invasion at the Bay of Pigs in 1961.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Children cheer on the U.S. Marines following offensive in Vecca Monte west of Panama City, during "Operation Just Cause," the U.S. invasion to remove Manuel Noriega, which lasted from December 1989 through January 1990.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A U.S. Marine corps crew takes up position on the outskirts of Santo Domingo, on May 2, 1965, during the Dominican Civil War.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The U.S. Army Airborne troops drive down a street in Santo Domingo during the occupation of the Dominican Republic in 1965.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> U.S. troops in full combat gear run on the docks of Port-au-Prince harbor, on Sept. 19, 1994, after arriving on an assault helicopter. Thousands of U.S. soldiers arrived in Haiti on Sept. 19, 1994, as part of "Operation Uphold Democracy," to pave the way for the restoration of the elected president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Hundreds of local residents run towards the U.S. Chinook helicopters, on Sept. 24, 1994, as a detachment of over 100 U.S. troops arrive in this small southern coastal town, 120 km south of Port-au-Prince, as part of the "Operation Uphold Democracy."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

From Cuba to Panama: US interventions that shaped Latin America

This file photo shows a group of U.S. sailors from the battleship Connecticut and a gun they captured at Cape Haitien during the U.S. occupation of Haiti in 1915.

Amijail Sánchez González

Sanchez Gonzalez, 47, was arrested in Miami-Dade County in 2020 and charged with aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest, fleeing the scene of a crime, reckless driving and property damage, according to public records. He spent over a year in jail. Two years later, he was back in jail on charges of tampering with an electronic monitor, a felony offense. He was also one the two men detained this week who Cuba's Ministry of Justice previously added to its "international most wanted" list, which also includes members of Miami's exile community dating back to 1999, according to a justice ministry "gazette" sent to USA TODAY by a Cuban official.

Sanchez Gonzalez lives in a suburb of Miami-Dade County just south of Miami.

In the justice ministry gazette, Sánchez González was accused of inciting an act of sabotage against the Municipal People's Court of Central Havana in 2022. And in 2023, Cuban authorities said he smuggled firearms, ammunition and other supplies across the northern coast of Cuba's Matanzas Province "with the purpose of carrying out terrorist acts against military units." He was allegedly financed by supporters residing in the U.S.

Separately, in a 2023 news bulletin from Cuban officials identifying alleged wanted terrorists,Sanchez Gonzálezwas among those named. A translated report by government media at the time showed a photo of Sanchez González that matches social media photos and videos promoting Cuban liberation found by USA TODAY.

In one of those video posts, the man who appears to be Sanchez González calls out PresidentDonald Trumpfor speaking about taking over Cuba as president but doing nothing to make liberation happen. The man uses Spanish curse words to punctuate frustration and urgency for change.

"We are going to fight for Cuba," he said multiple times in the post. Later, he said, "I have the balls to do what needs to be done now." He thanks America for welcoming him as a refugee and giving him a life back, including the opportunity to start a family. "But I want to die how real men die."

US and Cuba:A contentious relationship through the years

Leordan Enrique Cruz Gómez

Cruz Gómez, also 47, was the other man added to Cuba's "international most wanted list."

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Authorities opened up an investigation into him in 2025 for "sabotage activities" carried out in Villa Clara, Cuba, for which another Cuban citizen was arrested and prosecuted. A person with the same name as Cruz Gómez appears to have last resided at an address in Tampa, Fla., according to public records, which also associated that name with criminal activity, several arrests and the ownership of hunting and fishing licenses.

It was not immediately clear if they were one and the same person.

Neither Sánchez González nor Cruz Gómez were available to comment on the allegations. Attempts to reach potential family members or representatives in Cuba and the U.S. were not immediately successful.

Nicolás Maduro:Here are the charges against Venezuela's leader

Conrado Galindo Sariol

Posts on an Instagram account that appears to belong to Galindo Sorial alternate between videos of him offering deals on cars in a Miami used car lot and photos and interviews with prominent Cuban exiles advocating for a free Cuba.

In a March 2025 interview on the Radio Martí podcast, a hardline Cuban exile advocacy show, Galindo Sorial described how his mother was a teacher and his father fought alongside Castro's troops in the Sierra Maestra but later became disillusioned with the regime.

Beginning around 1991, Galindo Sorial became involved with the opposition in Cuba, distributing anti-Castro pamphlets and writing underground articles against the regime, before landing in a prison in Camaguey. He later left for Miami.

In the interview, Galindo Sorial said he dreams of a free Cuba, where all Cubans have equal rights and the ability to defend their homeland.

"Cuba is a jewel of the Americas," he said. "Before I die, I would like to see her free."

Roberto Azcorra Consuegra

There is scattered information about the other men alleged to be involved in the speedboat operation.

According to public records, a man with the name Roberto Azcorra Consuegra, 45, last lived at an address in Miami. Over a period of five years, the address and name were associated with dozens of reports of criminal activity. The name and address also match the apparent owner of a Miami-based a carpet-cleaning company.

A man who appeared to be Azcorra Consuegra's father answered the phone to a USA TODAY reporter, identified himself and promptly hung up. However, it wasn't immediately clear if Azcorra Consuegra was even in Cuba.

In a television interview on Feb. 26 with a localNBC affiliate in Florida, a man who identified himself as Azcorra Consuegra said he was surprised to learn his name was on the list issued by Cuba's Interior Ministry because he was at that moment in South Florida and not on the island. He also denied knowledge of any plans to go to Cuba.

Asked why he believed the Cuban government would put his name on the list and accuse him of terrorism, Azcorra Consuegra said: "They know me. They know me well, they know it all."

U.S. and Cuba: What now?

Cuba's government has accused the 10 people aboard the speedboat it intercepted off its coast of planning "an armed infiltration with terrorist aims." The U.S. has said little about the incident, though its top diplomat, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has said that Washington was investigating the "highly unusual" incident.

Rubio said it was not a U.S. government operation and that he wasn't "going to speculate about whose boat it was, what they were doing, why they were there, what actually happened."

The episode comes at a time of increased tension between the U.S. and Cuba, longtime adversaries. It also comes less than two months after American forces seized Cuba's close ally,Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, in a raid that has had severe economic and humanitarian consequences for Cuba.

Venezuela has supplied Cuba's oil for more than two decades. In the wake of the U.S. operation, Washington imposed an oil embargo on Cuba. However, in recent days it has moved to ease those restrictions as Cuba's Caribbean-nation neighbors have warned that the embargo could destabilize the entire region.

Contributing: Francesca Chambers

Kim Hjelmgaard, Rick Jervis and Jayme Fraser are all reporters of USA TODAY Investigations team.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Who were the 10 people in the deadly Cuba speedboat shootout?

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February 26, 2026

Deadly shootout on Cuban seas. Who were the men on the speedboat?

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Judge lets White House ballroom project continue, but suggests path for future challenges

A federal judge on Thursdayrejected the nation's top historic preservation group's attempt to blockto President Donald Trump's White House ballroom project, but also suggested a possible roadmap for the group to revive the challenge.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation sued the Trump administration in December over the sprawling ballroom project and asked for a preliminary injunction, claiming the White House has been carrying out the construction unlawfully because Trump hadn't gotten approval from Congress or submitted his plans to the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts for review, which would give the public a chance to weigh in.

The president has been personally involved in ballroom details, from floor plans to marble selection. The sprawling ballroom project has an estimated size of approximately 89,000 square feet, according to lead architect Shalom Baranes. By contrast, the primary White House structure, the Executive Mansion, is just 55,000 square feet.

Trump has maintained that the project isn't subject to any oversight and that he should be able to continue with it without any serious scrutiny.

Thursday's ruling from senior US District Judge Richard Leon focuses on the Trust's choice to use the Administrative Procedure Act to challenge the project. The judge concluded the law was an an inappropriate tool for the Trust, in part because the White House office for the president's executive office and the office over his residence – which are managing the ballroom's construction – aren't agencies that a court could curtail under the law.

"Unfortunately for Plaintiff, its challenge fails because the White House office in question is not an 'agency' under the APA and because Plaintiff did not bring theultra viresclaim necessary to challenge the President's statutory authority to complete his construction project with private funds and without congressional approval!" Leon wrote.

The Trust, Leon said, raised "novel and weight issues" in the case and could potentially restructure the lawsuit to test the president's authority in a different legal approach.

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In a Truth Social post, Trump called the ruling "Great news for America, and our wonderful White House!"

He added: "The Ballroom construction, which is anticipated to also handle future Inaugurations and large State Visits, is ahead of schedule, and under budget. It will stand long into the future as a symbol to the Greatness of America!"

The Commission of Fine Artsapproved the projectafter the lawsuit was filed.

CNN has reached out to the Trust for comment.

The lawsuit, filed last year after the East Wing had been completely demolished, hasforcedthe administration to make public details about the project that had otherwise been kept under wraps, including plans for a reimagined two-story East Colonnade revealed in December filings; information about the preservation of existing artifacts from the now-destroyed East Wing; and an expected timeline for construction.

CNN's Austin Culpepper, Devan Cole, Tierney Sneed, Katelyn Polantz and Kit Maher contributed.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

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Judge lets White House ballroom project continue, but suggests path for future challenges

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Kansas invalidates driver’s licenses, birth certificates of over 1,000 transgender residents

By Helen Coster

NEW YORK, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The Kansas state government has invalidated the driver's licenses and birth certificates of transgender residents who changed the gender ‌on those documents, in accordance with a law that took effect on Thursday.

The ‌move affects more than 1,000 people. The law requires residents to change their gender identification to the sex they ​were assigned at birth, and also bans residents from changing their gender on those documents in the future.

Affected residents must pay for their new driver's licenses.

The law also requires transgender people to use bathrooms and locker rooms in buildings owned or leased by government entities that match their ‌sex assigned at birth.

INCREASING RESTRICTIONS ⁠ON TRANSGENDER AMERICANS

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Transgender people in the United States have faced increasing restrictions at the state and national levels. Republican President Donald Trump has taken ⁠a particularly hard line since returning to office last year, issuing multiple executive orders limiting transgender rights.

One Trump directive stated that the U.S. government will recognize only two sexes, male and female. Another ​sought to ​exclude transgender athletes from female sports.

The new Kansas ​law "puts transgender people in danger any ‌time they interact with law enforcement or apply for a job or for housing or public benefits," said Harper Seldin, a senior staff attorney with the LGBTQ and HIV Project at the American Civil Liberties Union.

"The mismatch between how they present themselves in the world and their driver's license puts them at risk of discrimination or violence, and so that's why ‌many trans people choose to change the sex markers ​on our licenses so that we can live as ​ourselves in society and keep ourselves ​safe."

Kansas residents were permitted to change their gender markers on driver's licenses ‌and birth certificates until 2023, when those ​changes were halted amid ​litigation initiated by the state's Republican attorney general, Kris Kobach. Last year, the courts permitted transgender residents to once again make those changes. State lawmakers then introduced the ​bill enacted into law after ‌the Kansas legislature overrode Democratic Governor Laura Kelly's veto.

Seldin said the ACLU expects ​to file a lawsuit challenging the law by the end of Friday.

(Reporting by ​Helen Coster; editing by Donna Bryson, Rod Nickel)

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Kansas invalidates driver’s licenses, birth certificates of over 1,000 transgender residents

By Helen Coster NEW YORK, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The Kansas state government has invalidated the driver's lice...

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12 behind-the-scenes feuds that changed TV history

"It's funny, every Grey's actor I talk to who was there during that time is still traumatized by that incident," Shonda Rhimes toldThe Hollywood Reporterabout an early on-set conflict that nearly ended her hit medical drama. That sentiment captures a truth about television: sometimes the most consequential drama happens when cameras stop rolling. This article explores twelve behind-the-scenes conflicts that fundamentally altered shows, careers, and TV history itself.

Behind-the-scenes feuds that permanently rewrote television

Image credit: Spelling Television

When magic turned toxic on Charmed

Tensionsbetween Shannen Doherty and Alyssa Milano forced Doherty's Season 3 exit, killing off Prue Halliwell and introducing Rose McGowan as a previously unknown sister. According to Holly Marie Combs on Doherty's podcast, a producer told her that Milano delivered an ultimatum: fire Doherty or face a hostile workplace lawsuit. The feudhas persisted for over two decades, with both actresses offering conflicting accounts of who initiated the workplace conflict that ended one of television's most beloved supernatural partnerships.

Image credit: Chuck Lorre Productions

Charlie Sheen's meltdown ends an era

Charlie Sheen's public warwith Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorreled to his 2011 firing, marking the end of his television career as the highest-paid actor. After Sheen entered rehab and publicly attacked Lorre with profanity-laced tirades, calling him various names and coining phrases like "winning" and "tiger blood," CBS terminated his contract. Ashton Kutcher stepped in,transforming the show's premise entirelyas it continued for four more seasons without its original star.

Image credit: Scott Free Productions

The Good Wife's digital deception

Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi's alleged riftbecame so severe that their final scene together was filmed separately and composited using split screens, a visible testament to their inability to share a set. When Margulies claimedPanjabi was unavailable due to other commitments, Panjabi publicly contradicted her on social media, stating that she had been in New York and ready to film, which ignited speculation about the true nature of their estrangement.

Image credit: American Broadcasting Companies, Inc

Desperate Housewives' desperate isolation

Teri Hatcherreportedly became isolated from her Desperate Housewives co-stars due to salary disputesand perceived aloofness, which affected contract negotiations and created a tabloid narrative that overshadowed the show's success. The tensions culminated when the cast presented the crew with a farewell gift, andHatcher's name was conspicuously absent, replaced instead by Vanessa Williams, who had joined the cast only two seasons prior.

Image credit: ABC

Isaiah Washington's workplace reckoning

Isaiah Washington's use of a homophobic slurduring an argument with Patrick Dempsey on Grey's Anatomy led to his firing after Season 3, abruptly ending Preston Burke's relationship with Cristina Yang and bringing workplace conduct under greater scrutiny. The incident traumatized the cast and nearly killed the show, according to Rhimes, who noted that actors present during that time still carry the psychological impact of that moment.

Image credit: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures

Star Trek's decades of discord

William Shatner's alleged attempts to monopolize screen timecreated decades of public bitterness among the original cast that persisted through movies and convention circuits. George Takei has been particularly vocal, claiming that Shatner changed scripts to diminish the roles of other actors, while Nichelle Nichols called him an "insensitive, hurtful egotist" whose behavior affected everyone around him.

Image credit: CBS

NCIS and the dog that changed everything

Pauley Perrette and Mark Harmon's conflictover his dog biting a crew memberescalated to the point where Perrette left the show, with her final episodes carefully engineered so that she never directly shared scenes with Harmon. After the dog required 15 stitches to treat a crew member's injuries, Harmon continued bringing it to set. Perrette complained to thenetwork brass, leading to arrangements where the stars filmed separately for her entire final season.

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Image credit: ABC

Moonlighting's frantic collapse

Cybill Shepherd and Bruce Willisreportedly clashed both personally and professionally, with production delays stemming from their competing film careers leading to inconsistent scheduling and ultimately, the series' collapse. Willis filmed Die Hard during the show's fourth season while Shepherd dealt with a problematic pregnancy,creating grueling conditionsthat both stars publicly acknowledged years later. However, they eventually reconciled for DVD commentary recordings.

Image credit: NBC

Chevy Chase burns bridges on Community

Chevy Chase's disruptive behaviorled to reduced screen time and a mid-season departure, with showrunner Dan Harmon famously incorporating a profanity-laced voicemail exchange into the actual storyline. The public feud between the actor and creator became so toxic that Chase left before the show's final season, although both men later expressed regret about how they had handled the situation.

Image credit: SNL Studios

Saturday Night Live's early misogyny

John Belushi's refusal to perform sketches written by female writerson early Saturday Night Live suppressed emerging voices and highlighted systemic industry misogyny that took decades to address. His behavior toward writers like Anne Beatts and Rosie Shuster created a hostile environment that reflected broader entertainment industry attitudes of the era.

Image credit: ABC

Andy Kaufman's performance art goes too far

Andy Kaufman's performance art on Taxi, including bringing his alter ego, Tony Clifton, to the set, forced unprecedented accommodations, and his eventual "firing" became foundational TV comedy lore. The boundary between Kaufman's real personality and his performance personas became so blurred that cast and crew struggled to work with him, creating tensions that producers had to manage carefully.

Image credit: ABC

Harold Perrineau speaks out on Lost

Harold Perrineau's complaints about character developmentand writers' room diversity led to his character being written off, sparking revelations about systemic equity issues that became a major Hollywood case study. His public statements about the lack of representation behind the camera highlighted problems that the industry is still grappling with today.

Image Credit: DepositPhotos.

Wrapping Up

These conflicts remind us that television's most enduring stories aren't always the ones audiences see on screen. When personality clashes with production, the fallout can reshape entire series, launch meaningful conversations about workplace conduct, and create industry precedents that outlast the shows themselves.

Ask us! What questions do you have about content, strategy, pop culture, lifestyle, wellness, history or more? We may use your question in an upcoming article!

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February 26, 2026

12 behind-the-scenes feuds that changed TV history

"It's funny, every Grey's actor I talk to who was there during that time is still traumatized by that incide...

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