U.S. Tourists Stuck In Mexico After Military Kills Cartel Boss
Plus: FBI Director Parties With Team USA After Olympics Win, Northeast Hit By Historic Blizzard
Good evening,
A powerful blizzard slammed the Northeast Sunday into Monday, dumping more than two feet of snow in at least five states. ❄️🌨️
CONDITIONS: The winter storm caused white-out conditions from Delaware to New Hampshire, leaving more than half a million homes and businesses without power.
The winter storm was a “classic bomb cyclone/nor’easter,” according to the National Weather Service.
🛫 TRAVEL: Air travel was halted for much of the East Coast on Monday, with over 6,000 reported cancellations. Nearly all of the flights (98%) were cancelled out of New York's LaGuardia Airport on Monday, according to FlightAware data.
For everyone bunkering down, stay safe — and we hope you at least got to build a ☃️
Mo News Team
🚨 ONE IMPORTANT THING
Cartel Violence Erupts In Mexico After Drug Lord’s Killing; Americans Told To Shelter In Place
The U.S. State Department urged Americans in parts of Mexico to continue to shelter in place Monday — a day after the Mexican military killed the leader of one of the country’s most powerful drug cartels.
The U.S. helped provide intelligence ahead of the operation, as part of the Trump administration’s demand that the Mexican government crack down on drug-trafficking cartels.
WHO: Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera, the longtime leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed Sunday. The former police officer turned drug lord helped traffic cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the U.S.
The U.S. government previously had a $15 million reward for information leading to El Mencho’s arrest.
El Mencho was wounded during a shoot-out as the Mexican military attempted to capture him. He later died while being flown to Mexico City. Eight other cartel members were also killed in the operation.
In response to the boss’s killing, cartel members burned vehicles, hijacked cargo trucks, and blocked roads. Taxis and public transportation were paralyzed in areas including Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara — popular American tourist destinations. Several U.S. airlines suspended flights to Puerto Vallarta due to the violence. The cartel was looking to embarrass and create chaos for the Mexican government in response to the killing.
U.S. PRESSURES MEXICO
Key to Trump’s second-term agenda is cracking down on cartels and drug trafficking. There are more than 75,000 overdose deaths in the U.S. each year, and the majority of drugs in the U.S. come through Mexico. Trump has recently increased pressure on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to intervene.
A recent New York Times analysis framed Sheinbaum as walking a tightrope — trying to prevent cartel violence from spiraling, while also avoiding a scenario in which Washington pushes for direct action on Mexican soil.
CHANGE IN STRATEGY: Sheinbaum is breaking from her predecessor, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), in her approach to the cartels.
AMLO’s “hugs not bullets” strategy failed at meaningfully reducing violence. Now, Sheinbaum is moving toward more direct military operations.
BY THE NUMBERS: Mexico has recorded about 30,000 homicides annually since 2018, at a rate of about 25 homicides per 100,000 residents, one of the highest in the world. By contrast, the U.S. homicide rate is 6.8 per 100,000 people.
Sheinbaum said “peace, security and normalcy” are being maintained across Mexico on Monday, but so far the violence has led to nearly 75 deaths, including one pregnant woman caught in the crossfire. Travelers report being stranded in hotels as major airlines cancelled flights from Puerto Vallarta and Guadalajara in the wake of the violence.
🚨 ONE THING WE ARE DISCUSSING
FBI Director Faces Criticism For Partying With U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
FBI Director Kash Patel is defending his trip to Italy, where he celebrated Team USA’s 2–1 Olympic men’s hockey win over Canada Sunday. Video shows him chugging a beer with players in the locker room after the victory — the team’s first in nearly 50 years.
The FBI says that his trip included a number of key official meetings with European security leaders. FBI directors are required to fly on government aircraft for business trips to ensure access to secure communications.
But critics are pointing out the cost to U.S. taxpayers (up to $75,000) for his pit stop at the Olympic Games — especially after Patel himself criticized his predecessor in 2023 for personal travel expenses.
In a post on X, Patel defended the celebration, saying he was “extremely humbled” to join the “newly minted Gold Medal winners on Team USA.”
TRUMP JOINS IN
Patel held up a phone as President Trump called to congratulate the men's hockey team Sunday and invite them to Tuesday’s State of the Union address in Washington, D.C.
The president added during the call, “I do believe I probably would be impeached” if he did not also invite the U.S. women’s hockey team, which also won the gold medal. The comment prompted laughs from the players.
A spokesperson for the women’s team said the players will be unable to attend "due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments."
The Mo News community had thoughts about whether it was appropriate for the U.S. men’s hockey team to laugh at the president’s joke. 🏒⬇️
Other community members said Trump’s comment was clearly a joke…
⏳ THE SPEED READ
🚨NATION
Judge blocks release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report on Trump classified documents case (AP)
Dem AGs plot to thwart Trump midterm election interference (POLITICO)
E.U. hits the brakes on U.S. trade deal after Trump threatens 15% global tariffs (NBC)
US evacuates staff from Lebanon embassy amid tensions with Iran (GUARDIAN) as Trump’s top general warns of Iran strike risks (AXIOS)
🌎 AROUND THE WORLD
EU fails to pass new sanctions targeting Russia due to Hungary’s objection (AP)
France will summon Ambassador Charles Kushner over US comments on activist’s death (POLITICO)
Rob Jetten sworn in as youngest-ever Dutch prime minister (DW)
ICC to hold hearing on charges against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte (NBC)
📱BUSINESS, SCIENCE & TECH
As more Americans embrace anxiety treatment, RFK Jr. derides medications (CBS)
Eli Lilly launches new form of obesity drug Zepbound with a month’s worth of doses in one pen (CNBC)
Paramount expected to raise the price of Warner Bros. Discovery bid (VARIETY)
6 planets will parade across the night sky at the end of February (AP)
🎬 SPORTS & ENTERTAINMENT
British film awards interrupted by racist slur from man with Tourette syndrome (CNN)
Nick Reiner pleads not guilty in the killing of his parents Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner (CBS)
Vonn says surgery saved her from amputation after Olympic crash (ESPN)
U.S. boosts gold medal tally at Winter Games, led by athletes from handful of states (NPR)
ICYMI FROM THE 📲
In case you missed it… A rejected baby monkey at a Japanese zoo built up his social skills after bonding with a stuffed orangutan toy. 🐒
The baby macaque, Punch, was abandoned by his mother following a difficult birth in July. Zookepers gave him a stuffed animal from IKEA, recognizing how important a mother figure is for healthy development.
Punch initially had a tough time socializing when he was reintroduced to other monkeys in January, but he now has “an active and fearless personality,” a zoo official said in late February.
IKEA has sold out of the DJUNGELSKOG orangutan toy in the U.S., Japan, and South Korea after Punch’s story went viral.