Trump administration data show slowing economy
Despite what President Trump says about the economy, new data on Feb. 20 from his administration show that the U.S. economy grew at a much slower pace in the final months of 2025 as prices continued to increase. Gross domestic product, which measures all the goods and services produced in the economy, registered at an annualized rate of 1.4% from October through December, according to the Commerce Department data. That’s a marked slowdown from the 4.4% rate in the third quarter. Overall, the economy grew by 2.2% in 2025, the slowest pace since 2020. The price index for gross domestic purchases increased 3.7% in the fourth quarter, compared with an increase of 3.4% in the third quarter. The personal consumption expenditures price index increased 2.9%, compared with an increase of 2.8% in the third quarter. The fourth-quarter data was supposed to have been released at the end of last month, but was delayed by the administration.
Prince Andrew released from police custody
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the younger brother of King Charles III, has been released from custody and remains under investigation following his arrest on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to UK police. Authorities have not disclosed what led to Andrew’s arrest but previously said they were assessing whether he shared confidential information with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during his decade as a UK trade envoy. Mountbatten-Windsor denied all prior wrongdoing but has not commented on the latest claims. King Charles III has expressed his “deepest concern” about the case and has distanced himself from his brother, stressing that “the law must take its course.” Andrew is the first senior British royal to be arrested in nearly 400 years.
Britain denies U.S. use of air bases for attack on Iran
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has blocked a request from U.S. President Donald Trump to allow U.S. forces to use British air bases during any preemptive attack on Iran, saying it could break international law, according to multiple reports in British media citing government sources. According to The Times of London, Starmer has denied the use of RAF Fairford in England and Diego Garcia – the British overseas territory in the Indian Ocean – for any strike on Iran. The Times reports Britain is concerned that allowing the U.S. to use the bases would be a breach of international law. The UK Ministry of Defence declined to comment on what it called operational matters. American requests to use UK bases for operational purposes historically have been considered on a case-by-case basis.
Trump retreats from threat of attack on Iran this weekend
President Trump on Thursday extended his timeline for a decision on whether to strike Iran, telling reporters on Air Force One, “10-15 days, pretty much maximum.” His escalated rhetoric follows months of attempts to pressure Iran into accepting a nuclear deal. “We’re either going to get a deal or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” Trump said. Iran’s Foreign Minister, interviewed Friday morning on the cable TV network MS Now, said that despite what Trump says, negotiations between Iran and the U.S. have been going well and Iran has committed to guaranteeing that any work Iran does on nuclear energy will be for peaceful purposes and not for weapons. Iran has been staging military exercises in the Persian Gulf and launched an intense crackdown on domestic dissent.
Wildfire danger continues in the Plains
Dangerous fire weather is impacting the Plains for a fourth consecutive day today as firefighters battle more than a dozen wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres and forced evacuations. The Ranger Road megafire is the largest, scorching more than 283,000 acres in Oklahoma and Kansas — an area nearly twice the size of Chicago. Dry air and gusty winds are hampering fire crews, particularly in the southern Rockies and Plains, where blustery conditions in New Mexico and Texas are fueling rapid spread through tinder-dry grasses. Meantime, another winter storm threatens the East over the next few days.
Still no firm leads in Nancy Guthrie case
Investigators say they still have no clear motive or leading theory as to why Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Arizona home nearly three weeks ago. A private donor is now backing a new $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Guthrie’s captors. Meanwhile, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department and the FBI have increased their reward to $100,000. The FBI also recently briefed border patrol authorities on both sides of the U.S. southern border to be on the lookout for any clues in Guthrie’s disappearance. On Thursday, Mexican officials said there is currently no indication that the 84-year-old was brought into Mexico.
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