International
Violence erupted across Mexico after the killing of cartel boss Nemesio “El Mencho” Oseguera Cervantes of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel last week.
Oseguera and other members were killed in a Mexican military operation aided by U.S. intelligence, sparking a series of attacks on public infrastructure including bus hijackings and arson.
Mexico is a top trading partner with the United States, and officials are reporting impacts on air and trucking routes.
Several airlines are canceling flights to affected regions, including American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Delta, United Airlines, and Air Canada.
Cross-border logistics firm Kuehne + Nagel told CNBC the situation is affecting shipping capabilities.
“The situation is impacting our ability to deliver and pick up cargo,” a spokesperson said. “So far, we have not observed any issues at our main gateways (Felipe Ángeles Airport and Mexico City Airport) for flight operations, but the situation will raise challenges with the delivery and pickup process to/from affected states.”
The U.S. State Department issued a shelter-in-place order for several regions, meaning many logistics employees are currently working from home.
National
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gave Anthropic an ultimatum on Tuesday requesting the AI company roll back new safeguards to allow the U.S. military unrestricted access to its tools.
Hegseth said if Anthropic does not comply by Feb. 27, the Pentagon will cancel a $200 million contract and possibly take other punitive measures.
Hegseth said AI companies should be required to allow their products for lawful military use without company oversight or approval.
Anthropic prioritizes responsible development of AI technologies, and operates under strict guidelines. The company recently updated its policies to include red lines forbidding the use of its AI for fully autonomous weapons or mass surveillance of Americans.
“We’ve gone a significant step further from our prior policies by committing to publicly publish detailed reports at regular intervals on our plans to strengthen our risk mitigations, as well as the threat models and capabilities of all our models.” Anthropic told CNN in a statement. “From the beginning, we’ve said the pace of AI and uncertainties in the field would require us to rapidly iterate and improve the policy.”
Anthropic announced it has been in “good faith talks” with the Pentagon to help support national security without breaking its principles for responsible AI use.
Local
Wildfire season is upon Oklahoma, and officials warn residents to stay vigilant as people are evacuated from their homes and farmers struggle to maintain their cattle as food supplies burn up.
Public Safety Secretary Tricia Everest said changing weather patterns mean wildfires are becoming more common and severe year-round.
“Wildfire in Oklahoma is no longer a seasonal threat,” Everest told Yahoo News. “It’s a year-long reality.”
The wildfires are especially devastating to farmers, as hundreds of thousands of acres of pasturelands are ruined, wiping out food sources and killing livestock.
According to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, the Ranger Road Fire in the northern part of the state scorched more than 280,000 acres before containment on Thursday.
Collin Domer, volunteer firefighter at the Laverne Fire Department, noted the scale of the fire’s destruction.
“Grass is gone. It’s sand,” Domer told The Oklahoman. “Take a sand pit and cover that over 285,000 acres.”
The Kansas Livestock Association is coordinating hay donations from several states in an effort to aid struggling farmers affected by the Oklahoma wildfires.
According to the United States Geological Survey, wildfire risk is expected to diminish near the end of the week.
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