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US airstrike signals start of ‘large-scale combat operation’ against Iran

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US airstrike signals start of ‘large-scale combat operation’ against Iran

President Donald Trump said the U.S. military, with help from Israel, will launch a “major combat operation” against Iran on Saturday morning, February 28, with the goal of halting the country’s military and nuclear weapons programs and ending its regime.

President Trump announced the attack as part of a “large-scale, ongoing operation” in an eight-minute video posted to Truth Social at 2:30 a.m. ET. “We’re going to destroy their missiles and we’re going to completely destroy their missile industry,” Trump said.

President Trump told the Iranian people, “When we’re done, please take over your government.” “Take control of your own destiny.”

Details are unclear, but Reuters reported, citing Iranian media, that an explosion was heard in Tehran around 9:45 a.m. local time. The New York Times reported that smoke was seen over the area where Iran’s presidential palace and National Security Council are located.

Reported attacks and possible targets in Iran

At least five students were killed at a girls’ school in Minab province in southern Iran, Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported.

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“The lives of our brave American heroes may be lost, and we may suffer casualties, as is often the case in war,” Trump said in a Truth social video. “But we’re not doing this for now, we’re doing it for the future, and that’s a noble calling.”

Prior to the airstrike, the U.S. Embassy in Israel emailed non-essential diplomatic personnel and their families early on February 27 to leave Israel as soon as possible. The email does not mention Iran.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that Israel had confirmed missiles fired from Iran toward its territory. The number of people and targets were not disclosed. Iran has not commented on the claim.

The United States has long-range bombers based in the Middle East and fighters from two carrier strike groups near Iran, the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R. Ford.

The Pentagon announced that the US attack on Iran was named “Operation Epic Fury.”

Why did the US attack Iran?

President Trump said Iran was rebuilding its nuclear program after the United States bombed its nuclear facilities last June. He said Iran is developing long-range missiles that could threaten U.S. allies and U.S. forces abroad. He said the weapons “could soon reach U.S. soil.”

How did we get here?

In May 2018, President Trump withdrew the United States from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, an international agreement aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief.

President Trump has said the deal, known as the Iran nuclear deal, is flawed and does not do enough to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. US sanctions have since been reimposed on Iran.

According to a July 2019 International Atomic Energy Agency report, Iran ignored the provisions of the agreement and began accumulating low-enriched uranium beyond the limit.

Iran has since increased its stockpile of near-weapon-grade materials and restricted inspections by international organizations. If diplomacy fails, President Trump has threatened to use military force to prevent Iran from building nuclear weapons.

On June 21, 2025, the United States struck Iran’s nuclear facilities for the first time with a stealth bomber, a guided missile submarine, and an array of support aircraft in a nighttime operation dubbed “Midnight Hammer.”

President Trump announced the military operation in a speech Saturday night, saying Iran’s main nuclear enrichment facility had been “destroyed.” He threatened future attacks if Iran did not make “peace.”

How this conflict escalated

The US used bases in the Middle East as attack bases.

What weapons did the United States use against Iran?

Which sites did the US attack in June 2025?

On June 22, 2025, American bombers and fighter jets attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities during Operation Midnight Hammer.

Fordow uranium enrichment plantdeep in the mountainside near the city of Qom.

Natanz fuel enrichment plantin Isfahan province.

Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centernear Isfahan, including access to above-ground buildings and tunnels.

How will Iran retaliate? This is what it is about

Iran has responded with missile attacks on multiple U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf, including a U.S. naval base in Bahrain. Attacks have also been reported in Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

The Israeli military said Iran had fired several missiles into Israel and was using anti-missile systems to defeat them. State media reported explosions were confirmed across northern Israel near the border with Lebanon.

US military bases in neighboring countries are within range of short- and intermediate-range missiles owned by Iran. According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the following missiles are known to have been launched by Iran toward Israel in the past:

Iran has a large fleet of short-range ballistic missiles that can be used to attack U.S. military bases in the Middle East. Countries with major U.S. military bases in the Middle East that could be vulnerable to Iranian ballistic missiles include Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, and the United Arab Emirates.

What happened after the June 2025 attacks?

A few days after the US attack on Fordow on June 23, 2025, Iran launched a missile attack on US military facilities in Qatar. This is the first counterattack from Iran, and the Pentagon has been preparing for it since the June 21 mission.

President Trump said Iran fired 14 missiles at US military bases in Qatar. Thirteen missiles were intercepted, and the 14th was determined not to pose a threat.

President Trump said there were no reports of American or Qatari casualties, and there was little damage from the attack.

Contributed by Kim Hjemgaard, Francesca Chambers and will carless

SOURCE USA TODAY NETWORK REPORTS AND INVESTIGATIONS. Reuters; Council on Foreign Relations; Center for Arms Control and Nonproliferation. Arms Control Association. securitycouncilreport.org;U.S. Naval Research Institute;Nuclear Threat Initiative

Sammy Hagar has a new product line. It’s not tequila, it’s vitamins.

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Sammy Hagar has a new product line. It’s not tequila, it’s vitamins.

For Sammy Hagar, the former Van Halen frontman also known for his tequila and spirits lines, there’s more than one way to rock. Recently, he has been credited with independently developing a new line of vitamins and supplements.

Hagar’s Red Rocker Essentials, a new premium line of nutritional supplements developed by Nature’s Lab, is now available on the Red Rocker site as well as in Amazon.com and Walmart stores. The product line includes men’s and women’s multivitamins, as well as energy support powders that promise “frustration-free energy,” elevated mood, and sustained focus.

Hager, 78, says he has long taken multivitamin and amino acid supplements to increase his endurance when touring and performing. “It takes strength and flexibility to do a two-hour show at this age…and I just want to do this for as long as I can for the rest of my life,” he said in an interview with USA TODAY. “But I had no idea what I was doing. I’m just doing it blindly.”

McDonald’s: Drake teams up with fast food giant on new meal. Let’s look at what the United States is missing.

Sammy Hagar collaborates with Nature’s Lab to develop vitamin products

Wayne Gorcek, a huge music fan and founder of Las Vegas-based Nature’s Lab, attended several performances during Hagar’s residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas in May 2025 and asked to meet. They talked about the need for musicians to get energy without relying on caffeine-based energy drinks and other stimulants.

“The first thing I said to Wayne was, ‘We need energy without that crash,'” said Hager, who visited Nature’s Lab with his wife, Kari. Gorsec then brought Hagar some supplement packs and said, “Take one of these before the show.” “I took it about an hour before the show, and then I felt better. I felt like I was more flexible.”

Although researchers have published conflicting information in recent years about the need for multivitamins and supplements, a 2024 study found that taking a multivitamin can slow age-related cognitive decline by up to two years. Despite studies finding mixed results, some experts suggest that people over 50 may benefit from multivitamins and supplements.

What’s in Sammy Hagar’s new supplement?

Ingredients in Red Rocker Essentials Men’s and Women’s Multivitamins include turmeric (an anti-inflammatory), selenium (a mineral that promotes cardiovascular health), lycopene (an antioxidant that supports heart and prostate health; a men’s vitamin only), and for longevity, vitamin D3 (5,000 IU) and methylated B-complex, which is better absorbed than synthetic vitamins. Gocek says it’s the B vitamins.

Red Rocker Essential Energy Support, a powder mixed with water, contains Methylated B Vitamins and Enfinity Paraxanthine. Enfinity Paraxanthine is a compound that the body naturally converts into caffeine, but is thought to be potentially safer than caffeine for some people. “This is a metabolite of caffeine that breaks down more quickly,” Gorsek says. “It doesn’t have the side effects of caffeine, but it gives you the extra boost your energy (and) spirit needs, giving you a safe, natural energy product without the crashes or side effects.”

“I’m not a huge advocate. I usually start my own companies,” said Hager, who famously sold his tequila brand Cabo Wabo for nearly $100 million before starting Santo Tequila in 2017. “But I thought I couldn’t do this on my own. … Wayne, he’s like my supplement coach.”

Sammy Hagar won’t ‘sit in the middle’

It’s timely for Hagar, whose tour begins in June with return residencies at Park MGM in Las Vegas from March 12-21 and September 18-26. His band includes former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, guitarist Joe Satriani, drummer Kenny Aronoff, and keyboardist Greg Phillinganes.

Haggar wants her fans to try the supplement as well. “I want the fans to stick with me,” Hager said. “When I look in the audience now, I see 12- and 14-year-old kids with their parents. And there are people my age in there. … I don’t want to see them sitting in the middle of a show.”

Mike Snyder is a national trends news reporter for USA TODAY. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, and X, and email him at: mike snyder & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com.

How will President Trump’s emphasis on immigration affect the 2026 election?

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How will President Trump’s emphasis on immigration affect the 2026 election?

Trump has twice sent tough messages on immigration to the White House, but his signature theme has increasingly been his responsibility to voters.

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The immigration debate that has raged across the country and divided Congress is once again at a critical juncture in the election campaign, with the president looking to reassert his position after losing ground.

As voting begins for the 2026 midterm primaries, both major parties are charting their future course on the issue ahead of November’s showdown for control of Congress, with attention focused on whether Democrats will have more power to check President Donald Trump’s policies or whether the Republican majority will continue to give him more latitude.

Trump has twice sent tough messages to the White House on immigration, but with polls showing Americans disgusted with his approach, Trump’s signature theme has become increasingly responsible.

The president was backing down amid outrage over federal immigration agents who killed two people in Minneapolis in January. But President Trump said this week in his State of the Union address, one of the biggest platform statements of his second term so far. − He sought to regain the political high ground and reinvigorate the central pillars of his presidency ahead of the next critical election.

On February 22nd, President Trump held an event at the White House with families of people killed by immigrants without legal status and signed a proclamation declaring the day National Angel Families Day. The next night, he delivered his annual address to a joint session of Congress, with tens of millions of people watching from home, highlighting his immigration policies and targeting Democrats, criticizing their failure to stand when he asked those who agreed that “the first duty of the American government is to protect Americans, not illegal aliens,” to stand.

“Everyone should have stood up.”

Clips of Trump’s made-for-television moments were quickly aired by the president’s political operation and featured in campaign ads as Republicans argued that Democrats were out of step.

“I couldn’t believe the Democrats would stand on their feet,” Sen. Ron Johnson, Republican of Wisconsin, told USA TODAY at the Capitol this week, adding, “Everyone should have stood up.”

But nearly six in 10 Americans disapprove of President Trump’s handling of immigration, according to a Quinnipiac/Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll released this month. The president is losing significant support among independents, Latino voters, and young voters, according to the latest CNN poll. President Trump’s efforts to reframe the issue come as the midterm elections heat up, with primary elections held in Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas on March 3, and Trump holding an event on February 27.

Democrats say President Trump is losing on this issue and is trying to shift focus.

“He knows that the overwhelming majority of Americans do not support his ICE actions,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Maryland.

From “superpower” to “super problem”

Trump launched his first presidential campaign by descending an escalator from Trump Tower in Manhattan and declaring that Mexican immigrants “are bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some of them may be good people.”

The president’s dark portrayal of immigrants has been central to all three presidential elections, This includes two wins in 2016 and 2024. He led chants of “build the wall” during his first campaign and ran two years ago promising the largest mass deportation effort in American history.

Matthew Bartlett, a Republican consultant and State Department official during Trump’s first term, said immigration has been one of Trump’s “superpowers” for more than a decade, but has recently become a “super issue.”

Trump’s push for deportation has become a central part of his second-term agenda, employing tactics such as deploying the National Guard to areas such as Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland to help fight crime and immigration, flooding cities with immigration agents and funneling deportees to notorious prisons in El Salvador and other countries, despite protests from local leaders. Migrants from Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar and Vietnam were sent to war-torn South Sudan.

The move, which is being challenged in court, sparked mass protests after the outrageous shootings of Renee Good and Alex Preti by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year. A Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll found that 62% of Americans oppose Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s tactics.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) said in an interview that Trump “doesn’t admit that what ICE is doing in Minnesota or what they’re doing in Los Angeles is wrong.” “So he thinks this is a great idea.”

focus on boundaries

Amid the backlash against ICE, President Trump emphasized border security in his State of the Union address, which polls show is more popular.

President Trump mentioned the border five times in the first three minutes of his speech, declaring, “We now have the strongest and most secure border in American history.”

The president initially reversed the policy after the Minneapolis incident, saying he wanted a “softer response” to the withdrawal of immigrants and federal workers. He entered into negotiations with Democrats over ICE reform after they resisted an extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security that expired and caused a partial government shutdown.

In his State of the Union address, President Trump slammed Democrats over funding for DHS, saying they were targeting an agency “responsible to protect the American people from terrorists and murderers.”

President Trump also raged against the “Somali pirates who pillaged Minnesota,” praised a girl injured in an accident allegedly involving an illegal immigrant, and told the story of a Texas teen who was stabbed to death by an illegal immigrant in her home. Her mother was in the gallery.

more: Approval ratings for President Trump’s immigration policies drop in new poll

“We allowed this to happen on our open borders,” Trump said.

The president has often sought to frame illegal immigration as a criminal problem, despite evidence suggesting that illegal immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than the general population.

“It’s literally true that thousands of Americans are alive today because of President Trump’s reelection and the election of a Republican House and Senate,” Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said in an interview.

Meanwhile, a Washington Post/ABC News/Ipsos poll found that 70% of Americans do not believe the majority of deported immigrants are violent criminals.

“The American people know very well that this is not just about pursuing the worst of the worst,” Van Hollen said.

primary battle

As both parties consider how to move forward on immigration, strong sentiment about President Trump’s immigration policies in the primaries and within both Republican and Democratic bases could influence the outcome of the issue.

Early voting has already begun in the Texas Senate primary., The three Republican candidates, Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, and Rep. Wesley Hunt, are enthusiastic supporters of President Trump’s immigration policies. Two Democratic members of Congress, U.S. Representative Jasmine Crockett and State Representative Talarico, have harshly criticized ICE.

Democrats vying for the party’s nomination to replace retiring Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin have also taken aim at ICE, with Illinois Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton calling for “abolition of ICE,” and Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi saying he wants to “abolish President Trump’s ICE.” Voters will make their choice on March 17th.

The debate was reminiscent of the “defund the police” rhetoric that has run through Democratic politics in recent years, and was seen by moderates as damaging to the party. But anger over ICE could also pose a problem for Republicans in some battleground states.

Democratic Gov. Janet Mills, who is seeking her party’s nomination to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, issued a statement warning against “sowing intimidation and fear” as DHS launched stepped-up immigration operations in Maine. Collins said immigrants were important to Maine and urged the operation to be halted, but the operation was called off a few days later.

While Trump’s allies say immigration is an issue Republicans can fight in the midterm elections, many Democrats are keen to keep the spotlight on ICE. Voters tend to reject extreme views on either side and will have their say in November.

Contributor: Zachary Schermele

President Trump announces attack on Iran, says US will ‘destroy’ missile

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President Trump announces attack on Iran, says US will ‘destroy’ missile

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WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump has announced a “massive combat operation” in Iran aimed at wiping out Iran’s ballistic missile program and weakening Ayatollah Khamenei’s regime.

After nuclear negotiations failed to reach an agreement that met all of the Trump administration’s concerns, including halting its missile program, the United States launched an attack on Iran in coordination with Israel.

“A short while ago, the United States military launched a major combat operation in Iran. Our objective is to protect the American people by eliminating the immediate threat from the Iranian regime, which is an evil group of very tough and scary people,” Trump said in a video statement streamed from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

Latest updates: President Trump says US launches ‘massive and sustained’ attack on Iran

For weeks, the Trump administration has strengthened its military presence in the region while continuing negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program. The US president said Tehran’s refusal to abandon its nuclear ambitions prompted nighttime airstrikes that sent plumes of smoke over Iran.

“They just wanted to practice evil,” Trump said in a video posted to social media. “And I can’t take it anymore.”

In explaining the legitimacy of the attack in a speech on February 28, President Trump said that Iran was seeking to rebuild its nuclear program.

Maps and graphics: US military launches ‘large-scale combat operation’ against Iran

The United States bombed a nuclear facility in Tehran in June last year. President Trump said at the time that all three sites attacked by the United States had been destroyed, but said U.S. intelligence assessments had found that only one of them had been destroyed.

After the airstrike, President Trump said Iran was developing long-range missiles that could threaten U.S. allies and U.S. forces overseas and that they “could soon reach the U.S. mainland.” President Trump also made the latter claim in his State of the Union address, but experts dispute it.

He reflected on decades of hostility by the Iranian regime and its proxies, saying they had waged a campaign of “massive terror” against U.S. forces and international shippers in the region.

“We’re not going to put up with it any longer,” President Trump said.

“An American hero may be lost.”

President Trump said the United States would “destroy” Iran’s missiles, “annihilate” its navy and ensure that proxies such as Hezbollah and Hamas can no longer destabilize the region. “And we’ll make sure Iran doesn’t get a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.

“This administration will soon learn that no one should challenge the power and might of our military,” Trump said.

It was not immediately clear when the video posted to President Trump’s social media accounts was filmed. In a video statement, Trump wore a white hat with the word “USA” written on it and stood at a podium displaying the presidential seal and two flags.

“The lives of our brave American heroes may be lost, and we may suffer casualties, as is often the case in war. But we’re not doing this for now, we’re doing it for the future. This is a noble mission,” Trump said.

President Trump urges Iranians to overthrow government

President Trump called on Iran’s military and police to lay down their weapons and “earn complete immunity or face certain death.” He told Iranian protesters facing brutal government repression that their “time for freedom” was nearing, but that they should shelter in their homes while bombs were being dropped.

President Trump said, “When we’re done, take over your government. It’ll be yours. This will probably be your only chance for generations.”

President Trump called on the Iranian people to take control of their government while they can.

“There’s never been a president willing to do what I want to do tonight. Now you have a president who’s going to give you what you want. So let’s see how you react,” Trump said. “Now is the time for action. Don’t let it pass.”

A low-cost and comfortable retirement destination in the south

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A low-cost and comfortable retirement destination in the south

The Motley Fool’s 2026 Best Places to Retire report found that these three cities combine great advantages.

ruben greg brewer
|The Motley Fool

Retirement is a big step and often involves physical relocation as retirees seek to maximize their benefits after quitting their jobs. The Motley Fool’s 2026 Best Places to Retire report did the heavy lifting so you can quickly narrow your search to a small number of the best choices. If you’re looking for low costs, low stress, and lots of amenities, these three southern cities should be on your radar.

What do you look for in a nursing home?

The Motley Fool’s Best Places to Retire Index was created to help you find the right place to live when you quit your job. The index was developed with input from 2,000 retirees ages 55 and older to determine what’s important to them. The main factors examined were affordability, safety, access to healthcare, and quality of life.

Not retired: They had enough money to retire. Then the cost of living went up.

With that foundation, The Motley Fool pitted cities against cities across the United States. But if you’re looking for warmer weather, there’s really only one direction to go: south. That’s where The Motley Fool’s list of the best places to retire in the South comes in. If cost, comfort, and a stress-free lifestyle are important to you, here are three great options…and they’re all located in Florida.

1. Fort Lauderdale

Located in Broward County, Fort Lauderdale offers a coastal location, easy access to beaches, and a walkable lifestyle. The cost of living is relatively low, and the region has attractive health care options. Condo prices will be higher if you live along the coast, but you should be able to find more attractive housing costs if you move away from the coast.

2. St. Augustine

St. Augustine, located in St. Johns County, ranks second on the list. We share many of the positives and negatives of Fort Lauderdale, most notably the ease of access to water. If you like historic buildings and a walkable downtown, it may be your preferred option. However, if you have special needs, your access to healthcare may be more limited. But Jacksonville, a much larger city, is not far away.

3. Quincy

Quincy, located in Gadsden County, had a reputation for offering “the best of small-town living.” It’s not as close to the ocean as the two cities above, but it’s close to Tallahassee, Florida’s capital. This means you can enjoy the best of both worlds, enjoying living in a small community while still being able to access the culture that city living has to offer with just a short drive. State parks, on the other hand, offer many recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

The $23,760 Social Security bonus that most retirees completely overlook

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Report says Social Security funds may be depleted sooner than expected

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Report says Social Security funds may be depleted sooner than expected

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The clock is ticking toward depletion of the Social Security Trust Fund, which supports benefits for about 70 million Americans.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) this month said it expects the Old Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, one of two funds used to pay Social Security benefits, to run out in 2032, a year earlier than expected. CBO, which provides budget analysis to Congress, estimated last year that the trust fund would be empty in 2033.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) said that once the fund is depleted, Social Security recipients could see their monthly retirement and survivor benefits reduced by an average of 28%. The CRFB previously estimated that the typical married couple retiring immediately after bankruptcy would face a benefit reduction of $18,400 per year.

“Social Security has been on a path to bankruptcy for some time, but over the past year politicians have made its financial situation even worse,” the CRFB said in its report.

What changes the outlook for Social Security?

According to the CRFB, new legislation from the tax and spending package President Donald Trump signed last year will reduce revenue to the fund.

“The recently enacted settlement law, the One Big Beautiful Building Act (OBBBA), reduced the income flowing into the Social Security Trust Fund from income taxes on benefits by lowering the income tax rates paid by seniors,” the report said.

Social Security actuary chief Karen Glenn estimated in a letter last year to Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, that the bill is expected to cost the program about $168.6 billion over 10 years.

Before that, the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, passed in January 2025, had already put a strain on Social Security, CRFB said. The law repealed the Windfall Exemption Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), two decades-old laws that reduced Social Security benefits for some retirees receiving pension income.

The CRFB estimates that the law increased the Social Security shortfall by an additional $200 billion over 10 years.

“As a result of these laws, combined with various economic, demographic, and technical amendments, and, most importantly, years of neglect by policymakers reluctant to provide Social Security relief, the program’s 75-year deficit has widened,” the report said.

Can the government save Social Security from benefit cuts?

Congress can pass laws to protect Social Security, but it doesn’t. “It is important that Congress focuses on this issue immediately, because delaying it would narrow the viable options to one that relies on tax increases, making it more difficult to resolve,” the American Academy of Actuaries said in a post.

Options for Congress to evaluate include making higher levels of income subject to payroll taxes and raising the normal retirement age for Social Security, the academy said.

“But the most important solution is political will,” CRFB said. “Politicians need to be honest with the public about the challenges facing this system and what it will take to ensure it pays benefits in full…Time is running out.”

Medora Lee is USA TODAY’s money, markets and personal finance reporter. Please contact us at mjlee@usatoday.com. Subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday morning.

Mega Millions winning numbers for February 27 drawing: $458 million jackpot

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Mega Millions winning numbers for February 27 drawing: 8 million jackpot

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The Mega Millions jackpot is rising again ahead of the Friday, February 27th drawing, and now stands at $458 million, or $212.4 million if you choose the cash option.

Anyone who hits the jackpot on Friday night will have a big decision to make. You can either receive a one-time lump sum payment, or you can make an immediate payment and then receive an annual check that’s 5% higher than the previous year.

Not all states share in the Mega Millions fortune. According to the Lottery, only 28 of the 45 participating states have produced jackpot winners. The largest prize in the history of the game was won in Florida in 2023, when $1.602 billion was won on a single ticket.

The states with the most Mega Millions jackpot winners are New York, California, New Jersey, Ohio, and Michigan.

With that in mind, here’s what you need to know about Friday’s drawing.

What are the winning Mega Millions numbers for February 27, 2026?

Here are the winning numbers for Friday’s Mega Millions lottery drawing. 11, 18, 39, 43 and 67. mega ball is twenty three.

more: Which states have the most lottery winners? What you need to know.

When is the next Mega Millions drawing?

The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3rd at 11:00 PM ET.

Top 10 Mega Millions Jackpots

  • $1.602 billion in Florida on August 8, 2023
  • $1.537 billion in South Carolina on October 23, 2018
  • $1.348 billion on January 1, 2023 in Maine
  • July 29, 2022, $1.337 billion in Illinois
  • December 27, 2024, $1.269 billion in California
  • $1.128 billion in New Jersey on March 26, 2024
  • $1.05 billion in Michigan on January 22, 2021
  • $983 million in Georgia on November 14, 2025
  • $810 million in Texas on September 10, 2024
  • March 30, 2012, $656 million in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland

more: Millionaire for Life Lottery: How to play and win the jackpot

What is Mega Millions?

Mega Millions is a lottery that is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Each ticket costs $5, and players can choose six numbers from two different number pools: five different numbers from 1 to 70 (white balls) and one number from 1 to 24 (gold mega ball), or choose Easy Pick/Quick Pick.

If you match all six winning numbers in the drawing, you win the jackpot. If there are multiple jackpot winners, the jackpot prize will be shared.

How to play Mega Millions

To play Mega Millions, you must purchase a ticket. This can be done at several locations, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, you can purchase Mega Millions tickets online.

Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls numbered 1-70. The golden mega ball ranges from 1 to 24.

If you’re feeling particularly unlucky or don’t want to go through the hassle of picking, you can request a “quick pick” or “easy pick.” When you use these options, your computer randomly generates numbers.

Mega Millions tickets have built-in multipliers that increase your non-jackpot prize by 2, 3, 4, 5, or 10 times. Previously, players had to pay an extra dollar to add a “Megaplier”.

Where can I buy lottery tickets?

Mega Millions tickets can be purchased directly at gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery courier, in the following U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington, DC, and West Virginia.

The Jackpocket app allows you to choose your lottery games and numbers, place your order, check your tickets, and claim your winnings, all using your phone or home computer.

The lottery winning numbers sponsors are: Jackpocket, USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery delivery company.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery carrier of USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue from viewer referrals to the Jackpocket Service. Must be 18 years or older, 21 years or older in Arizona, 19 years or older in Nebraska. Not affiliated with any state lottery. Gambling problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (ALL OTHERS). visit jackpocket.com/tos Over the entire period.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.

Lauren Boebert defends leaked photos from Hillary Clinton’s deposition

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Lauren Boebert defends leaked photos from Hillary Clinton’s deposition

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Congresswoman Lauren Boebert is defending the decision to suspend proceedings after leaking photos of Hillary Clinton’s private deposition with the House Oversight Committee regarding the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Around noon on Thursday, February 26, conservative YouTuber Benny Johnson posted a grainy photo of Clinton on X (formerly Twitter), calling it “the first image of Hillary Clinton testifying under oath” about Epstein before the committee. Johnson acknowledged that Boebert, R-Colorado, provided the image and later shared an additional photo with Boebert’s nameplate on the front.

Depositions were temporarily suspended because of the leak, but Clinton told reporters at a news conference that evening that it was against committee rules to take and share photos during proceedings, so she had suspended them “until we can receive assurance that we will not violate the rules in the future.” “One of our members violated that rule, which was very upsetting because it implied a potential violation of our other agreements,” she said.

Boebert shared another post Johnson posted to X, saying Johnson “did nothing wrong” and that the meeting had resumed after an interruption.

Boebert: “I really admire her blue suit.”

“Why not?” Boebert said when asked by reporters as she left a deposition in Chappaqua, New York, why she leaked the photos, according to a video posted online.

“I really admire her blue suit, so I wanted to share it with everyone,” she added with a laugh.

She later told reporters outside the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center that she returned to her hotel room, installed BleachBit software, a program that deletes and cleans up digital files, and “took a hammer to my iPad.”

“That’s why I don’t remember any of the photos,” she said in a video seen by USA TODAY.

Later, she shared another post with X, poking fun at the situation, saying, “Not a single US ambassador was harmed in today’s photo shoot.”

Garcia: Violations of commission rules ‘unacceptable’

Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.) spoke to reporters during a break in the proceedings and admonished Boebert.

“What is unacceptable is breaking the own committee rules that Oversight Republicans have established with the Secretary and his team,” he told reporters. “We were grateful that the Chief Justice and his team continued with the deposition.”

In an online video, Boebert also told reporters outside the deposition that she had not received any formal disciplinary action regarding the leak.

Clinton called to testify about Epstein

Clinton appeared before the committee on Thursday, February 26, after she and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, received subpoenas from members of Congress. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Oversight Committee, said earlier this month that he would be questioned about the couple’s inclusion in Epstein’s file, including records that he raised money for the Clinton family foundation and that his colleague Ghislaine Maxwell attended his daughter’s wedding.

The Clintons agreed to appear in person after the Republican-led House of Representatives moved to vote to hold them in contempt of Congress. Hillary and Bill are scheduled to submit their affidavits on Friday, February 27th, but have called for a public hearing first. Both depositions were ultimately conducted in private, but will be transcribed, filmed, and eventually made public.

Comer previously said committee rules do not allow outsiders to take photos or videos of proceedings, and the recordings were intended for review by Clinton’s lawyers before being released.

The congressional investigation comes after lawmakers and women who have accused Epstein of abuse forced the Justice Department to release 3 million pages of documents related to its criminal investigation. But millions more pages remain sealed, including one that purports to refer to President Donald Trump saying the country should move forward.

Bill Clinton appeared in numerous photos released with the files, posing with Epstein, Maxwell, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker.

In sworn testimony, Hillary Clinton denied knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and called the pursuit by Republicans a “fishing expedition.”

The Clinton Foundation and Boebert’s office did not respond to requests for comment.

This story has been updated with new information.

Contributors: Fernando Cervantes Jr., Bert Jansen, USA TODAY

These 10 high-paying jobs don’t require a college degree

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These 10 high-paying jobs don’t require a college degree

You don’t need a college degree to earn a high salary.

Blue-collar jobs are enjoying fresh currency. According to a May 2025 Resume Builder survey of 1,434 young adults, two in five Gen Zers are opting out of college or job training in favor of pursuing blue-collar fields.

Job and trade programs are booming, according to federal data. One reason for this is the realization that blue-collar jobs pay well and the cost of college is becoming prohibitive.

With this in mind, career site Resume Genius has published a list of the top 10 highest-paying blue-collar jobs.

What qualifies as a blue-collar job?

What exactly is a blue collar job? Investopedia defines this as a job that takes place outside of an office and typically requires manual labor or skills in a specific industry.

“These are high-paying, high-growth jobs, and they don’t require a degree,” Resume Genius report author Nathan Soto told USA TODAY in 2025. This report was last updated in January 2026.

“My brother is a pipe fitter. He makes six-figure figures,” Soto said.

Soto said many of the jobs on the list fall into the energy and transportation sectors. No one can predict the future of robots and AI, but most are “safe from automation for now,” he said. Such job security is important as the labor market tightens and concerns grow that AI will replace American workers.

Here are the top 10 highest paying blue collar jobs.

elevator and escalator technician

These workers install and maintain airport elevators, escalators, and moving walkways. The median salary in 2024 is $106,580, with the top 10% of earners earning $149,250. This job typically requires a high school diploma.

Power line installers and repair companies

Power line workers service the nation’s power grid. The median salary is $92,560, with the top 10% of earners receiving $126,610. Employment growth is strong and a high school diploma is usually all that is required. But it’s a physically demanding job that involves climbing poles and swinging around in bucket trucks.

Aircraft Avionics Equipment Mechanics and Technicians

These workers care about the safety of air travel. Work can get noisy. The median salary is $79,140, ​​with the top 10% of earners setting down $120,080. This field typically requires post-secondary training.

railroad worker

Like a train? The median salary for this job is $75,680, with the top 10% of earners receiving $100,130. Typically requires a high school diploma and on-the-job training. Expect to work outdoors and have unpredictable hours.

Stationary technicians and boiler operators

These workers maintain heating, air conditioning, and power systems in large buildings and factories. The median salary is $75,190, with the top 10% earning $121,200. This job typically requires only a high school diploma, but often requires an apprenticeship.

industrial machinery mechanic

They are the ones who support the smooth operation of the factory. The median salary is $63,510, with the top 10% earning $85,970. This job typically requires a diploma and an apprenticeship.

plumber, pipe fitter, steam fitter

These workers install and repair systems that transport water, gas, chemicals, and steam within homes and businesses. The median salary is $62,970, with the top 10% of earners making $105,150. Educational requirements are typically a high school diploma, often combined with a practicum.

wind turbine technician

Wind turbine installation and maintenance is “not for those with a fear of heights,” Resume Genius reports. Workers often work in the air over remote areas. The median salary is $62,580, with the top 10% of earners receiving $88,090. Employment growth is steady. This position typically requires a higher education qualification or higher.

electrician

This is another job that typically requires only a diploma and often requires a paid apprenticeship. The median salary is $62,350, with the top 10% of earners receiving $106,030. It’s a large sector and job growth is strong. Overtime can be lucrative.

solar power installation company

These workers install solar panels. These jobs typically require only a high school diploma, and the median salary is $51,860. The top 10% of earners receive $80,150. Job growth is healthy. Be sure to wear sunscreen.

Is it a wise choice to take a required minimum distribution now?

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Is it a wise choice to take a required minimum distribution now?

There are pros and cons to withdrawing at the beginning of the year.

morley backman
|The Motley Fool

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If you’re saving for retirement in a traditional IRA or 401(k), you may know that you can’t keep that money forever. Once you reach age 73 (or later, depending on your year of birth), you must begin taking required minimum distributions (RMDs).

You can defer your first RMD until April 1 of the year after you turn 73. All subsequent RMDs are due by December 31 of each year. But beyond that, there are no rules governing when you must take RMDs during the year.

These distributions can be taken monthly, quarterly, or in a lump sum. You can receive it on January 2nd, February 23rd, or June 26th and it doesn’t matter to the IRS. As long as you make your withdrawals by the appropriate deadline each year, you won’t be hit with the 25% penalty that can occur if you miss your RMD.

You may be wondering whether you should take a 2026 RMD in February. Here’s why it’s a good idea and why you might want to wait.

Why it pays to act now

One of the benefits of taking an RMD at the beginning of the year is that you can cross important tasks off your list. By taking an RMD in February, you eliminate the risk of forgetting and being penalized later.

You can also base your decision on your portfolio’s performance. If it is rising, it may be a good time to accept RMDs rather than risking the volatility that could occur later this year.

And if you delayed taking your first RMD last year, you only have about a month left to take that withdrawal. And, as you all know, we’re going to have to deal with a little tax issue in the coming weeks. By taking an RMD now, you can focus on filing your tax return without risking missing the April 1st deadline.

Why waiting is beneficial

While it may be good to complete an RMD, remember that the longer you leave your funds in your IRA or 401(k), the more tax-advantaged growth you may enjoy. Plus, waiting gives you more flexibility.

It may be difficult to figure out your annual income in February. When the end of the year comes and you may find yourself in a higher tax bracket, you can strategically make qualified charitable contributions to avoid paying taxes on RMDs.

There is no right or wrong time of year to take RMDs. So if it’s on your radar in February and you decide to move forward and back out, that’s a perfectly reasonable move. It’s okay to wait, but be sure to set a calendar reminder to take your RMD before the end of the year so you don’t forget about it.

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner providing financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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President Trump says he is considering appointing Ted Cruz to the Supreme Court

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President Trump says he is considering appointing Ted Cruz to the Supreme Court

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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – President Donald Trump said at a rally in Texas on February 27 that he was considering nominating Republican Sen. Ted Cruz to be a future U.S. Supreme Court justice, but Cruz said last month he was not interested.

President Trump introduced Cruz at a rally in Corpus Christi, calling the Texas Republican a “great guy” and joking that he would easily win confirmation because both Democrats and Republicans in Congress want to oust him from the Senate.

“He’s the only person I know who will get 100 percent of the Democratic vote, 100 percent of the Republican vote. They want to get him out of there. He’s a very difficult person, but he’s very good and talented.”

(Reporting by Bo Erickson; Writing by Andrea Charal; Editing by Bhargav Acharya)

“Alpine divorce” is a scary, viral dating term. What does that mean?

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“Alpine divorce” is a scary, viral dating term. What does that mean?

Scary dating terminology is all the rage and all daters need to be aware of it.

The term “Takayama divorce” is currently being talked about on the Internet. It happens when a couple goes on a date in nature, such as a hike, camping trip, or bike ride, and one person leaves the other in the wilderness to fend for themselves.

Experts say this is egregious abuse. And it’s not as rare as you think.

Psychotherapist Stephanie Serkis, who specializes in narcissistic abuse among other mental health issues, says that unfortunately some of her clients have experienced this. She says a “high altitude divorce” can be deeply traumatic and cause untold mental and physical pain.

“I’ve seen it a few times,” Serkis said. “For a lot of people, that’s the biggest fear: being in an environment where you can’t control what’s going on and being left behind somewhere. I think we all have a fear of abandonment to varying degrees. When you’re out in an area you don’t know and there’s wild animals and you can easily get lost, especially when there’s no signage, that’s a real fear for people.”

Why is everyone talking about the “Alpine divorce”?

The term likely originates from a short story by Robert Barr from the late 1800s called “An Alpine Divorce.” The story features a man who attempts to murder his wife while the two go hiking in the mountains.

The term “alpine divorce” has received new attention thanks to a recent viral TikTok in which a woman shares a video taken alone in nature. The video, which has been viewed more than 19 million times, includes the text, “POV: You go hiking in the mountains with him, but he leaves you alone and you realize he never liked you to begin with.”

The comments include people relating to her experience, as well as horrified and shocked reactions.

One person wrote: “My boyfriend did this to me.” “I found another hiker who told me how to get back, so I went home and blocked his number.”

“I was left alone in the woods once,” wrote another. “After he drove away, I had to walk back alone for two hours.”

“My friend was left alone by her partner on the trail, and now she’s hiking alone with her dog because she wants to be close to other women who have been through the same thing,” another woman wrote. “You are strong”

more: There’s a harmful new dating trend called “ghostwriting.” It’s even worse than a ghost.

Serkis says an “Alpine divorce” can happen not only with someone you recently started dating, but also with someone you’ve been dating for a while. She says this is usually accompanied by other patterns of behavior that show your partner lacks empathy and care for you.

“It’s abandonment. People who do things like this usually lack empathy, and they may also show a lack of empathy in other areas, such as not caring about your needs, ignoring you, ridiculing you, telling you you’re not good enough, and forcing you to cater only to their needs,” says Serkis. “If you feel like someone lacks empathy, it’s probably in your best interest not to go hiking alone with them or engage in other strenuous activities that could be isolating.”

What should I do if I am worried about “high mountain divorce”?

Serkis says it’s common for people going through a “high-mountain divorce” to feel gaslighted or blamed by the person who left them. Often, abusive partners blame the other person for not having enough water, walking fast enough, or not having the proper gear and equipment.

This is gaslighting, plain and simple, Serkis says. Moreover, no one deserves to be abandoned by someone who is supposed to love them.

“People who lack empathy are eager to teach others a ‘lesson.’ They look for reasons to blame you, but because they have a short temper, they just walk away without thinking about your needs or whether they’re trying to abandon you,” Serkis says.

Her fake Hinge profile went viral. It turns out there’s a big problem with online dating.

If you’re worried about a “high mountain divorce,” Serkis recommends making sure you always have a way to contact authorities in case of an emergency whenever you’re out in nature. If you’re hiking with someone you don’t know very well, make sure it’s a short trail not too far from civilization and that there are plenty of other people around.

And if you’ve ever experienced a “mountain divorce,” give yourself time and space to heal.

“I recommend seeing a therapist because that kind of abandonment can be really traumatic,” she says. “The bottom line is, this person did this act and is likely to do it again.”

What are fuel additives and should I use them?

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What are fuel additives and should I use them?

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For most drivers, filling up their car with gas is a daily habit. But what is less well known is how dirty a car’s fuel system can get over time.

Using poor quality gas without additional fuel additives or detergents can contaminate the fuel system and injectors. Although using higher quality fuel helps, you can also provide additional cleaning yourself by adding a fuel injector cleaner or fuel system cleaner to your gas tank from time to time.

Why does my fuel system get dirty?

Over time, carbon deposits build up within the fuel system, fouling it along with the fuel injectors. Dirt and debris from the fuel pump can also enter the system. If these contaminants are not removed, they can continually build up and cause fuel system blockages. This can damage your car and will cost you a lot of money to repair if something goes wrong.

What does fuel injector cleaner do?

Fuel injector cleaner is an additive that is injected directly into the gas tank to remove carbon deposits and other contaminants from the injectors. This improves fuel economy, improves throttle response and reduces carbon emissions.

How are fuel system cleaners different?

Although similar in name to fuel injector cleaners, the system cleaner variant is more hygienic. Fuel system cleaners not only remove contaminants from fuel injectors, but also clean the fuel system. These are added to your vehicle in the same way as fuel injector cleaner.

How to use it and how often?

Adding it to your tank is very easy. When about a quarter of the tank is left, pour the additive into the same opening you used to fill the gas tank and fill the rest with gas.

Each brand of fuel additive has instructions regarding the number of miles between uses. Many fuel system and injector cleaners recommend using them approximately every 5,000 miles.

Kenan Thompson is a car culture reporter for the Detroit Free Press. Contact Keenan at kthompson@freepress.com. Follow him on Instagram @keenanaautos. To sign up automotive newsletter. become a subscriber.

Neil Sedaka passes away – “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” singer dies at age 86

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Neil Sedaka passes away – “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” singer dies at age 86

Neil Sedaka wrote more than 700 songs during his lifetime, including such hits as “Laughter in the Rain,” “Calendar Girl,” and “Love Will Keep Us Together.”

Neil Sedaka, the legendary singer-songwriter behind songs like “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” and “Oh! Carol,” has died at the age of 86, his agent Victoria Varela confirmed to USA TODAY.

“Our family is devastated by the sudden passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather, Neil Sedaka,” the family said in a statement to USA TODAY. “A true rock and roll legend, an inspiration to millions, but most importantly, a wonderful human being who will be sorely missed, at least by those of us who were lucky enough to know him.”

Barrera said he could not share any further details at this time.

The Brooklyn, New York native has developed into a beloved pop and rock musician with over 700 songwriting credits, including such enduring and universal hits as “Laughter in the Rain” and “Calendar Girl.”

Before he turned 20 in 1959, Sedaka co-wrote Connie Francis’ single “Stupid Cupid” with lyricist Howard Greenfield, which entered the Billboard Top 100, peaking at number 17. A year later, Sedaka wrote and recorded his own song, “Oh! Carol,” which peaked at number 9 and remains one of the highlights of his career.

Throughout his career, Sedaka had three songs peaking at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and nine top 10 charts, primarily in the early 1960s. In 1975, he experienced a career resurgence through his collaboration with Elton John, “Bad Blood.”

“We mastered the art of the two-and-a-half minute song. Back then, a 45-rpm song had to be two and a half minutes, and it had to tell the whole story from start to finish,” Sedaka said in a 2010 Reuters interview. “I was the king of the tra-la-las and doo-be-doo of the ’50s and ’60s. It had to be a really catchy song with a catchy beat that you could dance to.”

The Recording Academy nominated him for five Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year.

His accomplishments were further cemented when he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978 and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983.

Born in 1939, he was raised in the Brighton Beach neighborhood of Brooklyn by his father, Mordecai, a taxi driver, and his mother, Eleanor, who worked part time at a department store.

Having an obvious talent for music from an early age, he was awarded a scholarship to the Juilliard School’s Child Preparation Department in 1947.

By 1956, Sedaka was chosen by pianist Arthur Rubinstein to appear on his radio show, and at age 16 he was honored as New York City’s best high school pianist, he said in a 2019 interview with The Morning Call.

“I think the reason my music was special was because it was a combination of show music, pop music, evergreen standards, rock. It’s like me and Phil Cody, Carol Sager, Howie Greenfield. We were a combination of all those styles,” he said in an interview. “And Stevie Wonder came up to me once and said, ‘You’re the product of all the music you’ve heard your whole life. And that’s true.’

Sedaka is survived by his wife of more than 60 years, Reba, their children, recording artist Dara, television writer and film editor Mark, and three grandchildren.

Used Tesla Model 3 prices have hit an all-time low. Should I buy it?

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Used Tesla Model 3 prices have hit an all-time low. Should I buy it?

Is it the best time to buy a used Tesla Model 3, or should you give up on the EV?

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  • Used Tesla Model 3 prices are dropping, creating an opportunity for used car buyers.
  • Prospective buyers should consider battery deterioration and develop a reliable charging plan before purchasing.

Tesla’s best-selling electric sedan is now incredibly affordable as a used car.

Between depreciation and the current administration’s efforts to reduce EV charging and incentives, market prices for many used electric vehicles have plummeted. This may not be great news for owners who want to preserve their value, but it’s an opportunity for used car buyers who are willing to take a risk on a vehicle that has accumulated some mileage over the years.

Tesla’s Model 3 sedan has consistently been one of the best-selling EVs in the country because it’s well-balanced, fun to drive, and customizable with each trim. Here’s how much a used Model 3 will cost in 2026 and whether a used Model 3 is worth considering.

How much will a used Tesla Model 3 cost in 2026?

Used Tesla Model 3 prices vary by model year and mileage as of 2026, but the most affordable Model 3 listed on used car site CarMax is the 2019 Model 3 Standard Range, priced at $18,998 before delivery, taxes, and surcharges. The mileage is now 73,000 miles.

CarMax currently has three Model 3 EVs listed for $18,998, as well as newer, low-mileage Model 3s listed for less than $20,000. Carvana also has many used Model 3 EVs for sale for under $20,000 before shipping.

According to Kelley Blue Book, the fair purchase price for a 2019 Model 3 Standard Range with average mileage as listed on CarMax is $17,590, with a typical list price of $19,240. The MSRP for the 2019 Tesla Model 3 when it was first released was approximately $36,200, so some of these models have dropped in price by as much as $17,202 in just a few years.

In case you missed it: Tesla leads in fuel efficiency, Honda slips into second place

Tesla Model 3 specifications and features

The 2019 Tesla Model 3 Standard Range produces 271 horsepower, which is exhilarating for its size. It accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. The 2019 Model 3 has a standard range of 220 miles, but the range will decrease slightly due to battery degradation in used cars.

The Model 3 EV comes standard with a large 15.0-inch infotainment system. This electric sedan also has a standard moonroof, heated mirrors, and parking sensors. It also has a standard pre-crash safety system, tire pressure monitoring, and a four-wheel anti-lock braking system.

Should you buy a used Tesla Model 3 in 2026?

The Tesla Model 3 is a great vehicle in terms of performance. It has plenty of power and a good range for a used EV. Additionally, Model 3 can take advantage of the extensive Tesla Supercharger network, making charging sessions faster and easier for drivers.

The 2019 model has a “minimalistic interior design” that “feels chic, modern, and luxurious,” Edmunds said. Kelley Blue Book praises the 2020 model’s software updates, driver assistance features, and infotainment system.

If you’re looking for a used electric sedan, there are plenty of reliable Tesla Model 3 options to choose from, from newer models to older models.

What drivers need to know before buying an EV

One of the most difficult parts of owning an electric car in 2026 is charging the vehicle. Charging infrastructure may have improved significantly over the past few years, but it still has a long way to go when it comes to convenience.

Before you decide to own an electric car in 2026, be sure to create a charging plan that fits your commuting needs.

Charging planning questions drivers should ask before buying an EV

  • Where do I charge my electric car most often?
  • How much does it cost to charge an EV per session?
  • Do you have access to reliable public charging services?
  • Is it okay to install a home charger?

Owning an EV can be difficult if you don’t have access to reliable public chargers and aren’t willing to install a home charger. Unlike gasoline cars, EVs are completely dependent on long charging sessions with a charger, which can be tricky in some locations.

Before you commit to owning an EV, experiencing life (and charging) as a potential electric car owner with a trial or rental can help you make an informed purchasing decision.

Why are Texans saying no to President Trump’s border wall?

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Why are Texans saying no to President Trump’s border wall?

Landowners and tourists, nature lovers and hunters, Democrats and Republicans are speaking out against plans to expand the border wall through the Big Bend.

Bride in a foamy white dress. Groom with a ring. A desert landscape with endless canyons against the backdrop of the vast sky.

Think construction noise, bulldozed roads, and a steel border fence in the background, says Texas wedding photographer Anna Claire Beasley.

Bipartisan opposition to the Trump administration’s plan to build a border wall in Big Bend National Park in West Texas is growing, and business owners like Beasley are also voicing concerns. Hunters and outdoor enthusiasts. Local residents and elected officials from both the Republican and Democratic parties.

Beasley, who is based in Telinkua, said she takes couples to the park for “adventure elopements” that reflect the Texan spirit of “charting your own path.” A petition she started on Change.org against the wall garnered about 40,000 signatures in a week.

“We’re seeing people from all political walks of life saying no to the wall,” she said. “We rely on tourism income to make a living and live here. There is a big fear that if construction goes ahead we will have to leave.”

Since launching his first successful presidential campaign in 2015, President Donald Trump has promised to build a “big, beautiful wall” on the southern border. The president installed 137 miles of new border fencing in his first term, according to an analysis by border security researcher Adam Isakson.

Isakson reported that more than 1,100 miles of the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border is fenced, with barriers erected across Democratic and Republican administrations. Subdivisions built in remote rural areas rarely cause major public backlash. One reason for this is that the area is sparsely populated and conservative ranchers often support construction.

But although Big Bend is rural and sparsely populated, it is a major draw for tourism in West Texas.

Big game hunters, backpackers, river runners, national park visitors, artists, and musicians all make long journeys to Big Bend National Park in search of the great outdoors, wilderness, and solitude. Justin McFarland, a Texas Hill Country educator who describes his politics as “nonpartisan and common sense,” shoots music videos there and visits annually.

“So many people are investing,” he said. It’s a “primitive wilderness, largely untouched area. Building a wall would cause irreversible damage.”

Republican Texas Rep. Wes Bardell said he has begun hearing from his constituents, including McFarland, that they believe the Big Bend border wall is a “bad idea.” He has heard from business owners concerned about a decline in tourism and property owners who have begun receiving prominent domain notices from the federal government.

Badel, whose 53rd District lies north of the Big Bend region, supports Trump and border security. But he also describes himself as an avid outdoorsman. “It’s a pristine natural area,” he said, adding that wildlife habitat depends on access to the Rio Grande.

“As Republicans, it is also our duty to protect our homeland.” “I want[the Trump administration]to say, ‘Wait a minute, let’s talk some more.’ I hope that cool minds will prevail.”

The sky is dark and there are almost no “illegal entries”

The National Park Service calls Big Bend a place where “coal and rivers carve temple-like canyons in ancient limestone and the night sky is dark.” Locals call it one of the last truly wild places in Texas, where quail, elk, and bighorn sheep roam.

The Trump administration canceled a routine environmental study to assess the impact of fencing in the area.

In a Feb. 17 notice posted in the Federal Register, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem waived 28 separate laws, including the Endangered Species Act and the National Historic Preservation Act, regarding the construction of “physical barriers and roads” within Big Bend National Park.

Noem cited the “urgent and urgent need to construct additional physical barriers and roads” along the border to “prevent illegal entry into the United States” and control drug trafficking.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection told USA TODAY that “new infrastructure and upgrades are planned” throughout the 517-mile stretch of the Border Patrol’s Big Bend Sector, according to an email response to questions.

“CBP has and will continue to coordinate with stakeholders and other federal agencies during the planning and construction process to minimize the impact as possible if the physical barrier is constructed while meeting Border Patrol operational requirements,” the statement said.

The border barrier “project area,” as defined in the Federal Register notice, includes 275 miles along the Rio Grande, including the riverfront of Big Bend Ranch State Park and some of the region’s most popular views, trails and river rafting, according to the Big Bend Sentinel.

The Border Patrol’s vast Big Bend region covers nearly a quarter of the Southwest border but boasts one of the lowest numbers of illegal immigrants. The region’s rugged topography, characterized by mountains and steep valleys, has long been a barrier to migration.

Illegal border crossings across the border have plummeted under the Trump administration. But the number of immigrants in the Big Bend was relatively low even when illegal traffic was high. In 2023, when the El Paso area reported encountering more than 50,000 migrants per month, the Big Bend area reported fewer than 1,500.

In January, Border Patrol arrested 151 immigrants in the Big Bend area.

Lawmakers: ‘…you need to talk to us’

Polly Peters, a retired investment manager, inherited several hundred acres of land in Big Bend after her father’s death. She supports Trump, border security, and a border wall in some areas, but not in the Big Bend.

“You can put cameras in there. The technology is there,” she said. “Let’s try it.”

She is one of the landowners who received a notice from U.S. Customs and Border Protection indicating that the federal government wants to negotiate a price and seize some of her land, or it intends to “initiate eminent land/expropriation proceedings,” according to documents reviewed by USA TODAY.

She describes this land with reverence: “Beautiful mountains that go on forever…beautiful cliffs, streams, and valleys covered with cactus, woodard, and moose everywhere.”

Lawmakers “need to work on that,” she said. “They need to come down and talk to us, the people who live there and make a living.”

Wedding ceremony on “protected land”

Katie Crump and Chase McMillan hired Beasley to photograph their intimate wedding in Big Bend. The Dallas couple had visited the park early in their relationship and wanted to go again.

“It’s my favorite place in Texas,” Crump said. Mr McMillan added: “It touches the soul.”

Beasley helped choose the site along the Hoodoo Balanced Rock Trail in Big Bend. They got married at golden hour and stayed late into the night to photograph their reflections under a stream of stars.

Was there a border wall in the background? Crump says they would not have returned to get married there.

“What makes this area special is that it’s all natural,” she said.

“The important thing is that it’s protected land,” McMillan said. “Maybe the only thing we all agree on is that it’s sacred, right?”

Lauren Villagran covers the border and can be reached at lvillagran@usatoday.com or Signal at laurenvillagran.57.

Lil Jon’s son Nathan Smith’s cause of death revealed

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Lil Jon’s son Nathan Smith’s cause of death revealed

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The cause of Lil Jon’s son Nathan Smith’s death was revealed after the 27-year-old’s body was recovered from a pond near his home in Georgia on February 6th.

The Fulton County Coroner confirmed Smith’s cause of death was “drowning in the context of psilocybin use,” according to People and E! News reported citing the autopsy report.

According to E!, the autopsy also stated that Smith’s blood tested positive for “psilocybin, a hallucinogenic mushroom that is a pharmacologically active hallucinogenic compound.” News and people.

USA TODAY has reached out to the Fulton County Coroner’s Office.

Smith, who went by the stage name DJ Young Slade, was found dead around 6 a.m. on February 3 after he ran out of his home without his cell phone, according to a missing persons report. Milton Police in Milton, Georgia, said at the time that the man was “disoriented and may require assistance.”

After police confirmed Smith’s death on February 6, Lil Jon released a statement saying he and Smith’s mother, Nicole Smith, were “deeply heartbroken” and “devastated.”

“Nathan was the kindest human being I have ever met. He was extremely caring, thoughtful, polite, passionate, and warm-hearted.”

“He loved his family and his lifelong friends to the fullest. He was an incredibly talented young man – a music producer, artist, engineer, and graduate of New York University,” the statement continued. “We love Nathan dearly and are so proud of him. He was loved and appreciated, and we take comfort in knowing that we expressed those exact feelings to him the last time we spent together.”

Lil Jon and Nicole Smith got married in 2004 and then separated in 2022. The rapper is also the father of daughter Nahara with girlfriend Jamila Sozada.

Who is DJ Young Slade?

Nathan Smith, just like his father Lil Jon, was a DJ and musician.

“Reid released this when he graduated from college. He was so happy to express his art and do it himself. I was so proud of him for doing it all himself,” Lil Jon wrote on Instagram promoting the song “Move Through Fire.”

Under the stage name DJ Young Slade, Smith aimed to forge his own path while following in his father’s footsteps. In March 2025, he released a new single titled “Feels”, which premiered on MTV.

“It’s great to thank my dad and show him respect and look at everything he’s done. It’s great to take the torch and do my own thing,” Smith told The Quintessential Gentleman after releasing the song in March. “It’s like it’s from him, but at the same time I’m making sure I’m taking it and making it my own.”

According to People magazine, Lil Jon previously said that his son started DJing at the age of 11 and graduated from the Scratch DJ Academy in Los Angeles at the age of 12. As a teenager, he DJed at various clubs in LA before making his own music.

“It’s literally in your child’s genes to do what you do,” he told People. “It’s in their genes. It’s in their DNA. We pass on everything we gain and learn to our children. So he was destined to be in the music business and do music.”

Contributors: Anika Reed and Anna Kaufman

EEOC announces federal agency can restrict bathroom access based on gender

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EEOC announces federal agency can restrict bathroom access based on gender

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The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has announced that federal agencies can ban employees from using restrooms based on their gender identity, the latest in a series of moves by the Trump administration to boost transgender rights in the workplace.

The ruling reversed part of an earlier ruling that denied transgender federal employees access to the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity, a form of sex discrimination and harassment.

The committee’s Republican majority (2-1) cited President Donald Trump’s executive order recognizing only two genders: male and female. The order directed federal agencies to ban transgender individuals from same-sex spaces that match their gender identity.

Federal law “allows federal employers to maintain single-sex restrooms and similar intimate spaces; and permits federal employers to exclude employees, including those who identify as transgender, from opposite-sex-only facilities,” the ruling said.

Kalpana Kotagal, the committee’s only Democrat, disagreed.

“This decision is based on the false premise that transgender workers do not deserve government protection from discrimination and harassment,” Kotagal wrote.

Bathroom access is an unresolved legal issue

Whether employees should have access to restrooms that match their gender identity is an open legal question.

Kathryn Oakley, senior director of legal policy at the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ+ advocacy group, said the decision acknowledged the lack of legal precedent for such decisions. He also said transgender federal employees are at risk of being barred from using restrooms, locker rooms and other private spaces consistent with their gender identity.

“Everyone should be able to go to work and provide for their families without facing discrimination or harassment just because of who they are,” Oakley said in a statement. “But it is precisely these hostile workplaces that this ruling encourages.”

Roger Severino, Vice President for Economic and Domestic Policy at the Heritage Foundation, praised the EEOC’s finding that “Federal Federal Reserve employees who identify as transgender do not have special access to restrooms, showers, or lockers of the opposite sex.”

“This is a huge victory especially for common sense, the rule of law and women’s spaces,” he wrote on social media platform X.

EEOC reverses position on transgender bathrooms

For more than a decade, the EEOC has maintained that discrimination based on an employee’s transgender identity is illegal. In 2020, the Supreme Court extended federal workplace protections to LGBTQ+ employees, ruling that discrimination based on transgender status “inevitably involves discrimination on the basis of sex.”

But siding with three employees who were fired because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, the country’s top court said it did not address “toilets, changing rooms, or anything like that.”

“Whether other policies or practices constitute unlawful discrimination is a matter for future litigation,” Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote.

During the Biden administration, the EEOC issued guidance stating that unlawful harassment in the workplace includes denying access to restrooms and other gender-segregated facilities based on a person’s gender identity.

Transgender rights: How the bathroom became ground zero in President Trump’s battle over gender identity

Some courts agreed, but last May a federal judge in Texas watered down the guidance, saying the EEOC exceeded its statutory authority in “defining discriminatory harassment as not accommodating a transgender employee’s bathroom, pronoun, or clothing preferences.”

How office toilets joined the culture wars

The office bathroom, a mundane fixture of daily work life with its industrial metal cubicles and fluorescent lights, has become a major battleground in this country’s culture wars.

In recent years, bills challenging civil rights gains for LGBTQ+ Americans have swept through red state legislatures across the country. In 2016, North Carolina became a hub for the movement, passing a bill known as the “bathroom bill.” According to the Movement Advancement Project, one in three transgender people currently live in states with some level of bathroom restrictions.

After campaigning against what he called “transgender insanity,” Trump issued a directive during his second term rolling back protections and workplace policies for people who identify as transgender.

EEOC President Andrea Lucas said her top priority is to “protect the biological and binary realities of sex and related rights, including women’s rights to exploit homosexual spaces in the workplace.”

“This decision is consistent with the clear meaning of ‘sex’ as Congress understood it when it enacted Title VII, and with the long-standing civil rights principle that similarly situated employees should be treated equally,” Lucas said in a statement.

The Justice Department warned that “federally funded agencies” that allow men who identify as women to access same-sex spaces risk “compromising the privacy, safety, and equal opportunity of women and girls” and creating a hostile work environment.

This legal position has drawn pushback from former EEOC and Labor Department officials who have served in multiple presidential administrations and formed a group called EEO Leaders. EEO leaders have criticized efforts to “hide” all references to harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

Although the Supreme Court took no position on these issues, EEO Leaders previously stated, “It is a serious misreading of the decision to argue that the court’s silence on these specific issues means that all harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity is not prohibited discrimination.”

They refused to say “they/them.” then they were fired

Some legal experts expect the Trump administration to extend bathroom regulations to the private sector, affecting about 2.1 million transgender adults, who make up less than 1% of the population.

Most employers prohibit harassment based on gender identity and strive to create an inclusive environment for transgender employees.

Lawyers say they are now faced with the conundrum of whether transgender individuals have the right to use the restroom of their choice, or whether there are co-workers who object to that when deciding which employees to admit.

More than 600,000 water bottles recalled due to unsanitary packaging

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More than 600,000 water bottles recalled due to unsanitary packaging

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More than 600,000 bottles of water have been recalled because they were “bottled in unsanitary conditions,” according to a Food and Drug Administration enforcement report.

Wisconsin-based bottler Valley Springs Artesian Gold announced a recall of 651,148 bottles of water on February 6 due to unsanitary conditions during production, according to an FDA enforcement report. On February 26, the FDA classified the recall as Class II, or when exposure to the product could cause “temporary or medically reversible adverse health effects.”

USA TODAY contacted Valley Springs Artesian Gold on Feb. 27 but did not receive a response.

Here’s what you need to know about bottled water recalls.

Which bottled water products are affected by the recall?

  • Valley Springs 1 Gallon 100% Natural Bottled Water (UPC 0 31193-00701 9)
  • Valley Springs 2.5 Gallon 100% Natural Bottled Water (UPC 0 31193-01501 4)
  • Valley Springs 1 Gallon Toddler Water (“Not sterile. Use as directed by your doctor or as directed on the label for use with infant formula.”) (UPC 0 31193-01401 7)
  • Valley Springs 1 Gallon Daisy’s Doggy Water (“100% pure water. Contains no chlorine.”) (UPC 0 31193-90100 3)
  • Valley Springs 1 Gallon 100% Natural Bottled Water (UPC 0 31193-01301 0)
  • Valley Springs 1 gallon distilled water (UPC 0 31193-00601 2)

Where were the recalled water bottles sold?

According to an FDA enforcement report, the recalled bottled water was sold at retail stores in Illinois and Wisconsin. The report does not list specific retailers that carried the recalled products.

What to do if you have recalled bottled water

The FDA said customers with recalled bottled water should immediately stop using it.

Greta Cross is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Story ideas? Email her at gcross@usatoday.com.

President Trump orders federal agencies to stop using Anthropic’s AI technology

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President Trump orders federal agencies to stop using Anthropic’s AI technology

Andrea Shalal, Jeffrey Dustin, Ryan Patrick Jones
|Reuters

WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump announced on February 27 that he would direct federal agencies to stop working with the artificial intelligence lab Anthropic, while the Pentagon declared it a supply chain risk, ending a weeks-long battle over technology guardrails with an apparent blow to the startup’s business.

In a post on Truth Social, President Trump said, “I am directing all federal agencies of the United States Government to immediately stop using Anthropic’s technology. We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and we will never do business with them again!”

He added that there will be a six-month phase-out for the Department of Defense and other government agencies using the company’s products.

Meanwhile, supply chain risk designations by the Department of Defense are typically limited to companies from adversarial countries, meaning defense contractors could be barred from deploying Anthropic’s AI as part of their DoD operations. The defense industrial base includes tens of thousands of contractors, including large publicly traded companies.

The action was pegged to a Friday deadline set by the Pentagon to resolve an escalating conflict with San Francisco-based Anthropic over concerns about how the military uses AI in war.

A spokeswoman for Anthropic, which won a contract with the Pentagon last year worth up to $200 million, did not respond to a request for comment.

President Trump’s announcement halted the Pentagon’s threat to potentially invoke the Defense Production Act to force Anthropic into compliance. However, the US president has vowed to take further action if Anthropic does not cooperate in the future.

President Trump warned that if Anthropic did not cooperate in phasing out its technology, he would “use the full power of the President to compel compliance, with significant civil and criminal consequences.”

Concerns about weapons and surveillance

The setback comes as AI leader Anthropic tries to survive fierce competition to sell its novel technology to companies and governments, especially for national security purposes, ahead of a widely anticipated initial public offering. The company said the IPO decision has not yet been finalized.

At the same time, the fight over technological guardrails has raised concerns that the Pentagon will be subject to U.S. law and few other constraints when deploying AI for national security missions, regardless of the safety or ethical terms of service accepted by the technology’s developers.

Anthropic had sought assurances that its AI would not be used for fully autonomous weapons or domestic mass surveillance, but the Pentagon has said it is not interested in these uses.

Anthropic is the first frontier AI lab to deploy models on a classified network via cloud provider Amazon.com, and the first to build customized models for national security customers, the startup says.

The company’s product, Claude, is used across intelligence and military agencies.

Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Select Committee on Intelligence, criticized Republican President Trump’s actions.

“The president’s directive to suspend the use of major U.S. AI companies across the federal government, coupled with inflammatory rhetoric attacking the companies, raises serious concerns about whether national security decisions are made with careful analysis or political considerations.”

The conflict is the latest eruption in a series of unrest dating back to at least 2018. That same year, employees at Alphabet Inc.’s Google protested the Pentagon’s use of the company’s AI to analyze drone footage, straining relations between Silicon Valley and Washington. They continue to grow closer, with companies like Amazon and Microsoft vying for defense projects, and more CEOs pledged to work with the Trump administration last year.

But the theoretical “killer robots” continue to be a concern among human rights and technology activists. At the same time, Ukraine and Gaza are the scene of increasingly automated systems on the battlefield.

This story has been updated to add new information.

(Reporting by Jeffrey Dustin in San Francisco, Ryan Patrick Jones in Toronto, Andrea Shalal in Washington and Ismail Shakir in Ottawa; Writing by Daphne Psaredakis; Editing by Caitlin Webber and Matthew Lewis)

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