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February 22, 2026
Education Department puts pressure on colleges ahead of upcoming student loan changes
02/21/26 5:00 PM ET The Trump administration is turning up the pressure on schools to rein in student loan default rates ahead of changes the federal government is implementing this summer that advocates worry could hurt borrowers. The Department of Education released guidance to universities this week to offer “best practices to reduce default rates” — and reminded schools that failing to meet their obligations could lead to a loss of access to federal student aid programs. The guidance ...
Go to discussionKennedy Center ice rink vandalized, investigation underway
Posted: Feb 21, 2026 / 12:09 PM EST Updated: Feb 21, 2026 / 06:35 PM EST WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — An investigation is underway after the Kennedy Center’s outdoor ice rink was vandalized Friday, forcing the cancellation of a performance, officials said. Officials with the Kennedy Center confirmed to DC News Now that a chemical was poured onto the ice rink early Friday morning, prompting the center to cancel a Friday night performance by Le Patin Libre, a Canadian skating company. “Today, a ...
Go to discussionTrump approves FEMA role in repair of collapsed DC sewer pipe
11h (Bloomberg) -- The Federal Emergency Management Agency said it’s helping the District of Columbia clean up and make repairs after a section of sewer line collapsed last month, leading to a massive discharge of raw sewage into the Potomac River. Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser declared a public emergency over the collapse on Wednesday and asked President Donald Trump in a letter to declare a major disaster. She also asked the federal government to reimburse the city for costs related to ...
Go to discussionUS ambassador causes uproar by claiming Israel has a right to much of the Middle East
Updated 4:25 PM EST, February 21, 2026 TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) -- Arab and Muslim nations on Saturday sharply condemned comments by the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who said Israel has a right to much of the Middle East. Huckabee made the comments in an interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson that aired Friday. Carlson said that according to the Bible, the descendants of Abraham would receive land that today would include essentially the entire Middle East, and asked ...
Go to discussionHomeland Security suspends TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programs
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is suspending the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programs as a partial government shutdown continues. The programs are designed to help speed registered travelers through security lines. Suspending them could cause headaches for fliers. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement that “shutdowns have serious real world consequences.” She also said that “TSA and CBP are prioritizing the general traveling ...
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