Keeping up with America

• Fentanyl is increasingly being mixed with xylazine, the Drug Enforcement Administration warned in its first such alert about an emerging drug threat since 2021. The DEA has seized mixtures of fentanyl and xylazine in 48 of 50 U.S. states. Nearly a quarter of fentanyl powder tested by DEA labs in 2022 had xylazine, also known as tranq, mixed into it.

• An American held hostage in West Africa for more than six years has been released, in a stunning turn of events that left the former captive "thrilled to be free," officials and his family said.

• The United States is trying to discourage Honduras from following through on its plan to switch diplomatic allegiance from Taiwan to China, sources close to the matter say, hoping the lack of a formal agreement yet may leave the door open for a change of heart.

• Three men accused of killing 20-year-old rapper XXXTentacion during a 2018 ambush robbery have been found guilty. A Florida jury convicted Michael Boatwright, 27, Dedrick Williams, 26, and Trayvon Newsome, 24 on Monday after deliberating for more than a week.

• Last year, nearly 40,000 migrants crossed into Canada at an unofficial border crossing at the end of a remote rural road in upstate New York - a record number - to seek asylum. Many are driven by the belief that the country is more welcoming than the US. But can Canada handle the influx?

Daily World News

• Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia this week is aimed in part at positioning Beijing as a potential mediator between Moscow and Kyiv—but with both sides gearing up for spring combat operations, neither is ready now to talk about peace.

• UN chief Antonio Guterres says a major new report on climate change is a "survival guide for humanity". Clean energy and technology can be exploited to avoid the growing climate disaster, the report says. But at a meeting in Switzerland to agree their findings, climate scientists warned a key global temperature goal will likely be missed.

• The French government has narrowly survived a vote of no-confidence, which was triggered when it forced through an increase in the pension age to 64. (More)

Business & Tech

• New Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan takes over nearly two weeks earlier than expected (More)

• AI develops cancer treatment in 30 days, predicts survival rate (More)

• Amazon deepens tech-sector gloom with another 9,000 layoffs (More)

Wealthy Wise

• Why spring is a good time for homebuyers (More) | 5 things to know before the stock market opens Monday (More)

• US bank stocks rise as investors assess efforts to calm turmoil, Financial Times. US bank stocks closed higher on Monday as investors assessed efforts to address turmoil in the sector and looked ahead to the Federal Reserve’s upcoming decision on US interest rates. The KBW Nasdaq Bank index ended up 0.8 per cent, with heavyweights such as JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley rising 1.1 per cent and 1.8 per cent, respectively.

• UK banking system 'safe' after Credit Suisse rescue (More)

Sports and Entertainment

• Sports peers help Izzo, Michigan State navigate campus tragedy (More) | Rick Pitino agrees to 6-year deal with St. John's (More)

• Marvel Studios Veteran Victoria Alonso Exits (More) | Billie Eilish’s Creepy ‘Swarm’ Character Is Inspired by a Real Cult (More)

• Colleen Hoover is queen of the best sellers list. Who is she and why are her books so popular? (More) | Why did Steve from 'Blue's Clues' leave? Original host Steve Burns shares why in emotional video (More)

Meme of the Day

Tips and Tricks

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