The Mexican army killed the country’s most powerful cartel leader and one of the United States’ most wanted fugitives. El Mencho, as he’s known, is dead. While it’s a victory for law enforcement, cartel members have responded with a wave of violence across Mexico. Here’s what’s going down in the aftermath of Mencho’s death, per the Associated Press.

RELATED: Mexican Cartel Leaves “Sorry” Letter Alongside 5 Beaten & Handcuffed Men For Kidnapping-Murder Of Black Americans

El Mencho Dies During Attempted Arrest, Cartels Unleash Violence

Oseguera Cervantes, aka El Mencho, was killed during an attempt to capture him. Meanwhile, his followers attempted to fight off Mexican troops. Mexico’s Defense Secretary, Ricardo Trevilla, said Monday that the army and National Guard launched an operation in the southern part of Jalisco state to capture El Mencho. Mexican air force and special forces were also involved. Intelligence gathered about one of Mencho’s romantic partners led them to his hideout, he said.

The cartel counterattacked. In the confrontation, federal forces killed eight members of the criminal group. El Mencho and two of his bodyguards were wounded and died later during transfer by air to Mexico City, Trevilla said. Officials seized rocket launchers capable of shooting down aircraft and destroying armored vehicles at the scene.

The killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel leader Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes during an attempt to capture him in Jalisco state was a high-profile blow against cartels. The highest since the recapture of former Sinaloa cartel boss Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán a decade ago.

After El Mencho died, security forces were placed on alert throughout the country as gunmen unleashed violence. Cartels torched cars, blocking roads in 20 Mexican states. People locked themselves in their homes in Guadalajara, Mexico’s second-largest city and Jalisco’s capital. Also, school was canceled on Monday in several states.

Who Was El Mencho?

Oseguera Cervantes, better known as ‘El Mencho,’ was 59 years old and originally from the western state of Michoacan. His ties to organized crime went back at least 30 years. In 1994, he was tried for trafficking heroin in the U.S. He spent three years in prison. After returning to Mexico, he quickly rose through Mexico’s drug trafficking underworld.

Around 2009, El Mencho founded the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. It became Mexico’s fastest-growing criminal organization and moved cocaine, methamphetamines, fentanyl and migrants to the United States. The cartel recruited aggressively, experimenting with new ways to reach potential members online. It also made money through fuel theft, extortion and timeshare fraud.

Ultimately, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel earned a reputation for attacks on Mexican security forces, including downing a military helicopter in Jalisco in 2015. Mencho’s cartel also attempted a spectacular, but unsuccessful, assassination of Mexico City Police Chief Omar García Harfuch. Harfuch is now Mexico’s federal security secretary.

It’s not clear who will succeed El Mencho, or if any one person can. The Jalisco cartel has a presence in at least 21 of Mexico’s 32 states and is active in almost all of the United States, according to the U.S. DEA. But it is also a global organization.

Will The U.S. Respond?

The killing could give Mexico a leg up in its dealings with the Trump administration. The president has been threatening tariffs or military action if Mexico does not show results in the fight against the cartels.

El Mencho was facing multiple indictments in the United States and the U.S. State Department had offered a $15 million reward for information leading to his arrest. The Trump administration designated his cartel a terrorist organization a year ago.

Associated Press writer María Verza contributed to this report via AP Newsroom. 

‘The Real L Word’
Francine Beppu Dead at 43

Published
February 23, 2026
4:46 PM PST

Young and the Restless 2-week spoilers for February 23-March 06, 2026 divulge Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) begging and Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) panicking.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Noah & Audra Reminisce

On Monday, February 23rd, Noah Newman (Lucas Adams) and Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) have a pleasant run-in at the GCAC until Noah finds out the dream job that Audra is toasting includes Newman Media stolen from his family. Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) joins the conversation and agrees that Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) and Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) had karma coming.

Noah insists Victor didn’t deserve all this, but Kyle suggests a parade to celebrate. Audra agrees and Noah storms out irritated while Kyle and Audra smile about being on the same side for once. Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) and Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow) wonder if Victor left Genoa City to chase Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford). And then Nick shuts down Victoria’s plans to weaponize Phyllis’ kids against her.

Y&R Spoilers: Victoria Won’t let Up

Victoria insists and Nick finally says, “Wait to see what Victor got done.” Nick also says that Phyllis feels like everything she’s done is justified, so she’s not going to cave anyway. I think that’s an accurate read. But Nick is kind of drugged and overly chill and says that Victor can just take care of all this.

But Victoria thinks Victor is too stressed and will get sloppy. Meanwhile, she’s talking to the sloppiest person in the family right now because Nick’s sitting there high on fentanyl. Victoria pushes more and Nick finally agrees to consider the Phyllis plan and let her know.

Sally & Chelsea Spar on Young and the Restless

Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan) blasts Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope) about Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) and Phyllis. Chelsea tries a bunch of manipulation tactics, including guilt over taking Newman Media from Adam and that if Chelsea and Sally work together, they can stop this and it would save Billy from himself.

So, Sally has to set Chelsea straight and tells her that she and Billy are done. It’s over. Plus, Sally has no sympathy for the Newmans. And when Chelsea actually tries to threaten her, Sally snaps and says, “Don’t try to con me,” and she tells Chelsea that she has become a true Newman.

Y&R Spoilers: Victor Newman Returns and Phyllis Summers Faces Family Fallout

On Tuesday, February 24th, Victor is back in town, but he’s elusive about where he was and what he was doing. Nikki demands to know, but Victor won’t say. I suspect that he went to see Lily Winters (Christel Khalil), and things maybe didn’t go well. Victor might have been asking for more time to let Cane keep him scared and motivated to get the assets back.

Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic) and Victoria have a warm moment. We may finally get some of those sparks we’ve been expecting. There is so little romance on Y&R lately. Have you guys noticed it’s just non-stop nonsense? No lovey-dovey stuff.

Young and the Restless Spoilers: Phyllis Goes Off on Daniel

Daniel Romalotti (Michael Graziadei) and Tessa Porter (Cait Fairbanks) are over at Crimson Lights and Phyllis barges in raging at Daniel and vowing that she will not forgive him for this. Now, whatever “this” is, we’ll see. I wonder if Phyllis tried to go see Summer Newman (Allison Lanier) and Daniel warned his sister and Summer locked her out.

Whatever it is, Daniel doesn’t care and claps back at his mom, Phyllis. And then Daniel cuts Phyllis out of his life. He doesn’t want her there. She stole Newman Media. She conspired with Cane and now Billy, she’s doing shady and illegal stuff and Daniel is over it.

Y&R Spoilers: Matt Clark Disappears and Nick Newman Struggles with Fentanyl

On Wednesday, February 25th, it is the last day of sweeps and Nick is hopped up on fentanyl and panicking because Matt Clark (Roger Howarth) could be anywhere, even at the ranch right now. And that’s because Victor tells his family that Matt disappeared right after he was released from GCPD custody.

The villain up and vanished. Dirty Detective Annie Stewart (Catherine Kresge) may be with him, but we probably won’t see Matt until March based on Roger Howarth’s filming schedule. At least not in a meaningful way. Victor vows to stop Matt, but did they even have a lead on him?

If not, then awful Matt has a big advantage. It would be great for the end of sweeps to get a peek at Matt. Just even one scene of him creeping off—you know, maybe they’ll throw a bone to us. We’ll see. Detective James Burrow (Matt Cohen) is back to Young and the Restless this week. So maybe he’s got an update for the Newmans on Matt.

Sharon & Nick Flip Things around on Matt

Nick and Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) scheme is that they want to flip the script on Matt and take him down once and for all. So Sharon and Nick may try and lure Matt out with some kind of bait, but honestly, Nick’s not in his right mind, and he is not up to a physical confrontation, although I’m sure he thinks he is.

Devon Hamilton Winters (Bryton James) interrogates Cane and is grilling him about Lily. I think Devon may blame Cane for Lily falling off the radar. And I wonder if Cane turns around and points them towards Victor. And Cane may show Devon that kidnapping photo that he thinks is real, but we all know is fake.

Searching for Lily Winters and Setting Traps for Phyllis Summers

Thursday, February 26th, Devon and Nate Hastings demand answers from Victor about Lily’s whereabouts after their run-in with Cane. Then, they’re going to tell Abby Newman (Melissa Ordway) they have a lead they need to check out for Lily. Did they get that lead from Victor or was it from Cane?

Meanwhile, Noah is thrilled that Sienna Bacall (Tamara Braun) is back in Genoa City, but he’s extremely worried now because she’s in danger because Matt is on the loose again. Sienna, Noah, Nick, and Sharon discuss Matt and his taking off the second that he was out of custody.

So, Sienna may want to turn around and run back to Los Angeles. And Cane confesses to Phyllis. And I’m sure it’s going to be lots of apologies. Friday, February 27th, Victoria and Nick are setting up a trap together. And this may be for Phyllis. Lauren Fenmore (Tracey Bregman) gets an unexpected offer.

So, this could be something related to the Newmans’ downfall. Maybe somebody’s job hunting or it may be something about Fenmore’s because she and the store were name-dropped over on Beyond the Gates. Audra stops Sally from doing something she’ll regret, and it may be giving back Newman Media or giving Billy another chance.

Young and the Restless March Spoilers: The Matt Clark Showdown

The week of March 2nd through the 6th, we’ve got Sally’s conscience continuing to eat at her. She doesn’t like that Newman Media was rolled up in Abbottcom without her permission. But Audra is pressing her to forget it and just let the Newmans face the karma they earned.

Nick becomes more dependent on the fentanyl. Sienna is going to be a target again soon because Matt is lurking. He’s plotting. He’s biding his time and we’re going to have a big showdown with Victor, Nick, Sharon, and the other Newmans and possibly the Abbotts involved.

All versus Matt in a big boss fight showdown coming in March. Plus, we have Tessa and Daniel getting closer. Right at this moment, Tessa is not tempted to reunite with Mariah Copeland (Camryn Grimes), even though she feels bad for her. But at some point, Tessa may have second thoughts if Mariah begs her to stay with her or something like that.

Mariah Struggling on Y&R

Right now, Mariah Copeland feels like she doesn’t deserve Tessa or Aria Porter-Copeland (Millie Ingle), but if Mariah apologized and let Tessa in, that could be a game changer. Meanwhile, Christine Williams (Lauralee Bell) is busy fighting for Mariah. And Christine is pushing for psychiatric treatment, not prison.

And there’s supposed to be a trial soon. I don’t think we’re actually going to get a trial. I think we’re going to be told about an off-screen plea bargain that was made. They very rarely pull out the courthouse set. Like, it’s been—I can’t even think how long. It’s been quite a while since we had that courtroom set dragged out.

Concerns about Nick intensify. His behavior is getting more erratic. Of course, Matt’s going to be thrilled that Nick took the pills. Billy is spiraling further and we’ll see if Cane makes any headway with Phyllis And an update is coming on Lily from Devon and Nate as they search for her.

T.I.
Fires Off Blistering 50 Cent Diss Track … Listen!!!

Published
February 23, 2026
6:30 PM PST

By Chris Snellgrove
| Published 35 seconds ago

Even after all these years, Hugh Jackman is arguably still the biggest Marvel star: after all, his performance as Wolverine was so iconic that the mutant was brought (kicking and screaming, no less) into the MCU with Deadpool & Wolverine. Longtime comics fans were particularly excited for these films because the Marvel Cinematic Universe was once forbidden from using X-Men characters. As cool as it was to see the Avengers assemble onscreen, many of us were sad that everyone’s favorite band of merry mutants couldn’t join them

Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox finally made that crossover popular, and we’re going to see the rest of the X-Men join the MCU in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday. It’s a movie that execs like Kevin Feige have presented as a bold new take on the world of superhero cinema, but this film isn’t as innovative as they imagine. After all, Hugh Jackman basically predicted Avengers: Doomsday 13 years ago!

The Mutant Who Knew Too Much

Back then, Jackman was promoting a different Marvel movie altogether: The Wolverine, the surprisingly solid sequel to the disappointing X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This was way before Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, so there was no way for his beloved character to pop up in the MCU. However, The Avengers had premiered just one year before, and many could now see the potential of ambitious onscreen team-ups between different kinds of heroes.

This included Hugh Jackman. In a recently resurfaced promotional clip for The Wolverine, he discussed how he’s “maybe…optimistic” that Marvel, which has “a lot of big things going on,” couldn’t find some way to bring the characters owned by different studios into one film. “I find it almost impossible that there’s not a way [to take] Iron Man, all the Avengers characters, Wolverine, the X-Men characters, Spider-Man, and somehow get them in all together,” he said.

Now that the movie is set to premiere later this year, many Marvel fans are amazed that Hugh Jackman essentially predicted Avengers: Doomsday 13 years ago. So far, we know that this movie will feature the Avengers, the X-Men, Spider-Man, and Iron Man (or at least, Doomsday wearing Iron Man’s face). While he hasn’t yet confirmed he will be in it, many assume that Jackman’s Wolverine will make an appearance, especially after Deadpool & Wolverine made him part of the MCU and prominently joked about how the actor would be playing the same character for many years to come.

Finally Giving The Fans What They Want

If nothing else, Jackman gets points for knowing exactly what his audience wants to see onscreen. In that same interview, he said, “I’m totally in” for such a crossover “because that would be really exciting for fans across the board.” This is, of course, what Kevin Feige is hoping for: that the sheer excitement of seeing all these different characters onscreen will be enough to overcome the superhero fatigue that is threatening to destroy the MCU altogether.

Fans of Hugh Jackman are busy giving the mutant actor his props for predicting the biggest superhero film ever made over 13 years before its release date. Cynics, however, claim that he merely stated the obvious and that every Marvel fan worth their salt has wanted all these characters onscreen together since the beginning. But there’s one thing that both these groups can agree on: that the success or failure of Avengers: Doomsday will determine whether these epic team-ups are the new norm or just one last bit of “maximum effort” before the tights-and-flights genre finally flies off into the sunset.

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Diamond Brown‘s latest social media post has some internet users thinking that she has more tea to spill about Chris Brown.

RELATED: Oop! Some Social Media Users Speculate If Diamond Brown May Have Revealed The Gender Of Chris Brown’s Alleged “Baby On The Way”

More On Diamond Brown’s Latest Social Media Post

On Sunday, February 22, Diamond Brown took to TikTok to share a clip with her more than 64,000 followers. Furthermore, Diamond dropped an on-screen caption, which read, “The voices in my head deciding if I want to do it for the plot or have standards.”

Additionally, the clip showed her seemingly debating each option as the vocals of two women went back and forth — one saying “Hell naw” and the other saying “Hell yeah” — played.

“#doitforthelpot?” Diamond captioned the video.

Peep the clip below.

@diamondbrownn

#doitforthelpot?

♬ Corjha x Jayla – 2FunnyLives

Internet Users Think She Has More Tea To Spill About Chris Brown

Internet users immediately hopped into Diamond Brown’s comment section. Many were convinced that her clip meant that she has more tea to spill on Chris Brown.

TikTok user @J🌹 wrote, “Everyone hyping her up in the comments so she gives us more tea is hilarious 😂 tell it all girl”

While TikTok user @Lisbsl .56 added, “You‘re the BEST one!!! Love her downnnn”

While TikTok user @Mammajamma added, “Chris is in competition with Nick Cannon but I would be like Mariah ‘I don’t know her’ 😂”

TikTok user @liv wrote, “This your show now baby! We team Diamond!! 💎 💅”

While TikTok user @TequilaW added, “The plot my girl always for the plot 😭😭”

TikTok user @YERDUA 🪼 wrote, “Girrrrl leave my man alone!!!”

More On Diamond Brown & Chris Brown Recently Turning Heads On Social Media

As The Shade Room previously reported, last week, Diamond Brown turned heads when she called Chris Brown out, telling him to leave her alone. Additionally, she alleged that he has a “new baby on the way.”

Subsequently, Diamond alleged that Chris has been attempting to ruin her new romantic relationships. Therefore, she has no problem “airing” his business out.

Furthermore, Diamond even appeared to reveal the gender of all his alleged forthcoming child, per The Shade Room. This, before Jada Wallace, Chris’ rumored girlfriend, shared spicy words for Diamond. In part, Wallace alleged that Diamond has been keeping Chris’s daughter, Lovely, from him and even dating some of Chris’s friends.

In response, Diamond clapped back, denying Wallace’s claims while noting her plans to “whoop” Wallace.

Chris only weighed in by saying that he isn’t playing “internet games.”

Since then, Wallace shared a cryptic final word, while Chris has seemingly noted his plans to get back to work.

Most recently, Chris shared a message about “a lot” being on his plate. But he added that “manifesting” is his “superpower.”

RELATED: Back To Work! Chris Brown Shares Message For Fans Following Viral Blow-Up Between Diamond Brown & Jada Wallace

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Awards shows have always walked a tightrope between spectacle and control. The recent BAFTA Awards broadcast controversy, however, shows what happens when that balance slips, and why networks heading into Oscars season should be paying very close attention.

What unfolded during the ceremony exposed something structural about modern awards telecasts: when editorial standards appear uneven, even unintentionally, the broadcast itself becomes the story. At a time when these shows are already under intense scrutiny, consistency isn’t just a technical goal — it’s the foundation of viewer trust.

The Slur Airing Raises Questions About Broadcast Safeguards

Image via BAFTAs 2026

The most immediate backlash followed the BBC’s delayed airing of the BAFTAs, during which a racial slur shouted by an audience member remained in the final broadcast. The outburst came from Tourette’s advocate John Davidson, whose condition can include involuntary vocal tics. Host Alan Cumming had warned viewers during the ceremony that such language could occur and stressed that the symptoms were not intentional.

The BBC later apologized, saying the moment should have been removed before transmission. Producers reportedly did not hear the slur while monitoring the feed from the production truck, even though other instances of strong language were successfully edited out. From a broadcast perspective, the issue isn’t about Davidson’s intent. According to accounts, the outburst was involuntary. The larger question is procedural: If a two-hour delay exists specifically to catch unpredictable moments, how did something this significant slip through?

Tape delays are built on a simple promise — that there is a safety net. When that net visibly fails, even once, it invites scrutiny about how reliable the system really is, and in an awards-show environment, perception matters almost as much as process. There was real damage done with that slur slipping through, prompting responses from award winners. Oscar-winning Sinners production designer Hannah Beachler described the situation as “almost impossible,” but said the impact on Black attendees was real, noting that racial slurs were heard multiple times that night, including one directed at her after the ceremony. What appeared to frustrate some in the room even more was the response that followed. Beachler specifically criticized what she characterized as a “throw-away apology of ‘if you were offended,’” a line that highlighted how quickly a technical broadcast issue can evolve into a broader credibility problem.

Cutting Political Speech Creates a Perception Problem

The conversation might have remained narrowly focused on a missed edit if not for what viewers noticed next. Filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr.’s acceptance speech, which concluded with a brief political statement referencing Palestine, was removed from the BBC broadcast. To be clear, the BAFTAs telecast is routinely trimmed for time, and political remarks are not immune to those edits, but a racial slur left audible while a clearly delivered political line was cut became part of the public debate.

Even if the two decisions were made for entirely separate reasons, the contrast created the appearance of selective enforcement, and on broadcast television, appearances can be just as consequential as intent. This isn’t fundamentally a question about whether political speech belongs in awards shows; networks have long exercised editorial judgment over what makes the final cut. The complication arises when audiences can’t easily see the logic behind those decisions. Neutrality depends on consistency; when viewers perceive uneven application of standards, the editorial process itself starts to look subjective, whether it is or not.

Why the Oscars and Other Telecasts Should Pay Attention

Image via Shutterstock/Featureflash Photo Agency

If there’s a forward-looking takeaway from the BAFTAs situation, it’s this: the margin for editorial ambiguity is shrinking. Modern awards shows are global, heavily clipped, and instantly dissected online. Every bleep, every cut, every missed moment now travels far beyond the original broadcast window, which raises the stakes for clarity around how decisions are made.

For major telecasts like the Oscars, the lesson isn’t about avoiding every possible misstep — that’s unrealistic in live-event television. The real priority is transparency and consistency. Viewers are generally forgiving of honest mistakes. They are far less forgiving when the rules behind the broadcast feel opaque.

That means clearly defined delay protocols, consistent editing standards, and faster visible corrections when something slips through. Without those guardrails, even routine editorial choices risk becoming flashpoints. Awards shows thrive when the focus stays on the winners, the speeches, and the spectacle. When the conversation shifts to broadcast decisions instead, credibility starts to erode at the edges.

For broadcasters heading into the Oscars and beyond, this controversy offers a useful — and timely — reminder. Viewers don’t expect perfection; they do, however, expect the rules to make sense, and when they stop making sense, trust has a way of slipping out of frame until it’s nonexistent.