13 World News Stories Americans Missed In February 2026

A cartel boss killed, a president sentenced to life, a UN genocide finding, and US allies building a trade bloc without America - here's what you missed.

Mar. 3, 2026 at 7:26pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

While American news has focused heavily on Washington infighting, critical developments across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa are reshaping the global order in ways that will directly affect Americans. This roundup covers 13 stories that dominated international headlines over the past month but received minimal US coverage.

Why it matters

These stories aren't just things Americans missed. They're the forces reshaping how the world works, often in ways that circle back to American consumers, alliances, and foreign policy, whether we're paying attention or not.

The details

The report covers a range of global events, including a museum heist in Paris, the killing of a cartel kingpin in Mexico, a life sentence for a former president in South Korea, a UN genocide finding in Sudan, nuclear brinkmanship with Iran, and students being beaten in Tehran for protesting the government. It also discusses how US allies are building a trading bloc designed to work without the United States, and how Europe's far-right keeps gaining ground despite losing elections.

  • The Louvre heist occurred in October 2025.
  • El Mencho, the leader of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, was killed in a raid in Jalisco state in February 2026.
  • Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison in February 2026 for leading an insurrection with his December 2024 martial law declaration.
  • The EU and CPTPP are in talks to form a new trading bloc as of February 2026.
  • The French presidential runoff election took place in April 2025.

The players

Waymo

An American autonomous driving company and is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company.

Walker Reed Quinn

A 45-year-old San Francisco resident who has a history of vandalism and was out on bail for prior cases related to Waymo vehicles.

Rainbow Grocery Cooperative

A local food natural foods grocery store, organized as an employee-owned co-op and born out of a 1970s grassroots natural food movement calling for access to nutritious and organic food.

Gordon Edgar

A 31-year employee who oversees Rainbow's cheese counter.

Mark Carney

The Canadian Prime Minister leading talks between the European Union and the 12-nation Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to form a new trading bloc.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

These stories highlight the forces reshaping the global order in ways that will directly impact American consumers, alliances, and foreign policy, whether or not the US is paying attention. From the rise of far-right movements in Europe to the formation of new trading blocs designed to function without the US, the world is changing rapidly, and Americans ignore these developments at their own peril.