Journalists killed in Gaza, Africa on maps, and health insurance

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By Siddharth Karthikeyan

February 17, 2026

By Siddharth Karthikeyan

February 17, 2026

 
 

Good morning, I'm Siddharth filling in for Sarah Naffa.

 

Some National Guard units patrolling Washington, D.C., at the direction of President Donald Trump have started carrying firearms; an Israeli strike on a hospital in southern Gaza has killed four journalists, including a freelancer who worked for the AP, officials say; and why African advocacy groups are pushing for changes to the world map. Also, research offers a glimpse into ancient relations between modern humans and Neanderthals.

 
AP Morning Wire

Armed members of the South Carolina National Guard talk with a man outside Union Station in Washington on Sunday. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

POLITICS

Some National Guard units in Washington, D.C., now carry firearms in escalation of Trump deployment

Some National Guard units patrolling the nation’s capital at the direction of President Donald Trump have started carrying firearms, an escalation of his military deployment that makes good on a directive issued late last week by his defense secretary. Read more.

What to know:

  • A Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak publicly said some units on certain missions would be armed — some with handguns and others with rifles —  and that would include those patrolling to establish a law enforcement presence throughout the capital.  

  • The development in Trump’s extraordinary effort to override the law enforcement authority of state and local governments comes as he is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities.

  • In Washington, a patchwork of protests popped up throughout the city over the weekend, while some normally bustling corners were noticeably quiet.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

  • BREAKING: Kilmar Abrego Garcia surrenders to ICE in Baltimore, faces possible deportation to Uganda

  • ‘Stay out of our city': Chicago officials slam Trump’s threat to target city in next crime crackdown

  • Four ways ICE is training new agents and scaling up

  • Judge blocks Trump from cutting money to Chicago, LA and other cities over ‘sanctuary’ policies

  • France summons US Ambassador Kushner over 'unacceptable' letter about rising antisemitism

  • HHS moves to strip thousands of federal health workers of union rights

  • Texas redistricting fight shakes up battle lines for both parties in key US Senate race

  • Trump halts work on New England offshore wind project that’s nearly complete

  • Federal judge rules Alabama Senate district violates Voting Rights Act, orders new map

  • Wisconsin judge rejects motions to dismiss charges against Trump aides

  • Trump’s death penalty push faces setbacks as judges block attempts to reverse prior decisions

  • Judge strikes down Minnesota law banning religious tests for college credit program

  • A commuter college thought it could avoid Trump’s education crackdown. Here’s what happened

  • FACT FOCUS: Posts overestimate number of noncitizens living in US by tens of millions

  • Trump blames renewable energy for rising electricity prices. Experts point elsewhere

  • ‘No magic fixes’ for Democrats as party confronts internal and fundraising struggles

  • US releases Emmett Till investigation records ahead of 70th anniversary of his killing

  • UK’s top diplomat gets a warning for illegal fishing with US vice president
 

GAZA

AP freelancer among 4 journalists killed in Israeli strike on hospital in Gaza, health officials say

An Israeli strike on a hospital in southern Gaza killed four journalists on Monday, including a freelancer who worked for The Associated Press, according to health officials. In all, 19 people were killed in the strike on Nasser Hospital, according to Zaher al-Waheidi, head of the Health Ministry’s records department. The Israeli prime minister’s office and Israeli military declined to respond to questions about the strike. Read more.

Key points:

  • Mariam Dagga, 33, a visual journalist, freelanced for the AP and other news outlets since the Gaza war began. The AP said in a statement that it was shocked and saddened to learn of Dagga’s death, along with several other journalists. Dagga, who has a 12-year-old son who was evacuated from Gaza earlier in the war, frequently based herself at Nasser, most recently reporting on the hospital’s doctors struggling to save children from starvation.

  • Al Jazeera confirmed that its journalist Mohammed Salam was among those killed in the Nasser strike. Reuters reported that contractor cameraman Hussam al-Masri was killed and contractor photographer Hatem Khaled was wounded.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

  • Israeli airstrike on southern Gaza hospital kills 19, hospital says

  • WATCH: Tens of thousands march across Australia in support of Palestinians in Gaza

  • Netanyahu says Israel could withdraw from Lebanon if Hezbollah is disarmed
 

WORLD

Campaigners want to change the world map to show Africa is bigger

A campaign by African advocacy groups to replace the Mercator map, one of the world’s most popular maps, is gaining momentum online. The map, created in the 16th century, distorted landmasses by enlarging regions near the poles such as North America and Greenland while shrinking Africa and South America. Read more.

Why this matters:

  • On the Mercator projection, Greenland and Africa appear to be about the same size. On the Equal Earth projection, 14 Greenlands would easily fit inside the African continent. Campaigners are urging organizations and schools to adopt the Equal Earth projection, which they say more accurately displays the size of the continent.

  • Advocates argue correcting the map is about truth and accuracy, affecting how Africa is perceived globally. The African Union endorsed the campaign last week in what advocates call a major milestone.

RELATED COVERAGE ➤

  • How many giraffe species are in Africa? New scientific analysis quadruples the count
 

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IN OTHER NEWS

READ

Virginia Giuffre: Epstein accuser’s memoir is coming out months after her death

UK: Migrant protests spark angry confrontations as government scrambles to respond

Health insurance: Expect US prices to rise next year, brokers and experts say

Wildfires expand: Blazes in Oregon and California threaten homes and prompt evacuations

Menendez brothers: Erik and Lyle Menendez denied parole for 1989 murder of their parents

Skhul Cave fossils: Bones of ancient child suggest humans could have interbred with Neanderthals earlier than thought

Today in History: In 1916, Woodrow Wilson signed an act establishing the National Park Service

WATCH

Typhoon Kajiki: Vietnam evacuates hundreds of thousands as its strongest storm of the year nears

Kite festival: Hundreds of colorful kites adorn Colombo's skies as flyers from 25 countries gather

Giant omelette: Chefs crack 10,000 eggs to feed thousands of hungry spectators

 

A CHANGE OF PACE

AP Morning Wire

A man blows a horn as history buffs wearing Dacian warrior and Roman soldiers outfits march in Iasi, Romania, in July. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru)

History lovers replaying ancient Roman battles in Romania

History buffs dressed as Roman soldiers and Dacian warriors clashed in front of a crowd in a reenactment of a struggle culminating in the Roman conquest of land in present-day Romania. The event drew historical reenactment groups from elsewhere in Central Europe including Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

 

Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Siddharth

Please let us know what you think of this newsletter. You can sign up for more and invite a friend here. For news in real time visit APNews.com. - Siddharth

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