Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed that Tuesday will be the “most intense” day of strikes on Iran. When asked about the timeline of the conflict, Hegseth and President Trump have given mixed messages. On Monday, Trump told CBS News that the war with Iran is “very complete,” before reversing course later in the day. Meanwhile, AI company Anthropic is suing the Department of Defense after being labeled a supply chain risk last week. The company alleges the government violated its First Amendment rights following disputes over how federal agencies could use Anthropic’s technology. In business, Ross has opened two new locations in Alhambra and North Hollywood as part of a national plan to launch 110 stores this year, and Beyond Meat officially rebranded as "Beyond The Plant Protein Co." to reflect its expansion into protein drinks and bars. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Oil prices surged Monday as the war in Iran escalates. Brent crude, the international benchmark, briefly climbed near $120 a barrel after Iran announced Mojtaba Khamenei will succeed his father as Supreme Leader. Meanwhile, travelers at some airports across the U.S. reported hours-long security lines as TSA agents prepare to go without pay during the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown. In business, Chinese Labubu maker Pop Mart has opened its 22,000-square-foot U.S. headquarters in Culver City, and Grocery Outlet announced it will close 36 underperforming stores by the end of the year. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The war on Iran continues to quickly escalate into a broader regional conflict. Iran is accusing the United States of an "atrocity at sea" after a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean. Civilian casualties from Israeli and U.S. attacks have topped 1,000, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency. Meanwhile, Paramount's deal to purchase Warner Brothers Discovery could soon bring two of the most powerful networks in television news, CNN and CBS News, together under one roof — forcing the longtime competitors into a potentially complex partnership. The Los Angeles City Council recognized the Brady Bunch home as a historic cultural landmark. California wineries are facing severe decline due to grape oversupply, decreased demand from younger consumers, and international trade boycott. And, Varda Space Industries has leased a former Mattel plant in El Segundo to scale its operations. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The United States' war on Iran is quickly expanding into a regional conflict. On its fourth day, Iran attacked the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, coming after their attack on the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. In total, over 700 Iranians have been killed as of Tuesday afternoon. Meanwhile, all eyes are on Texas, as voters head to the polls to cast their ballots in one of the first primary elections in the country. The race has already become the most expensive primary in U.S. history, with more than $15 million spent on advertising, according to AdImpact. Democrats haven't won a statewide election since 1994, and they're hoping to make history in November. In business, California gas prices may rise due to the U.S. war on Iran, and Paramount plans to merge its streaming platform with HBO Max as part of its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Over the weekend, the United States and Israel attacked Iran, killing the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Since then, over 500 Iranians, four U.S. soldiers, and at least 11 Israelis have been killed, according to reports. Iran has retaliated by striking at least six U.S. military facilities across the Middle East and attacking luxury hotels and airports in Dubai. President Trump says the U.S. military will continue to attack Iran for four to five weeks, if necessary. And, already the war is having dramatic effects on global markets, with oil and gas prices surging nearly 10%. However, about 20% of the world's oil supply flows through the Strait of Hormuz, where tanker traffic has effectively been shut down. In business, compounding factors are driving car insurance prices up in California, and Coco Robotics introduced Coco 2, an upgraded version of its autonomous food delivery robot. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

After more than two months of tug-of-war for Warner Brothers Discovery, Netflix is dropping the rope and clearing the way for Paramount Skydance to take over one of Hollywood's most iconic studios. Meanwhile, more fallout after the FBI raided Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho's home and office on Wednesday. And from flood watch to heat warnings, Southern California is rounding out February with more extreme weather. After a series of winter storms pummeled the Southland earlier this month, damaging roads and flooding businesses, a high-pressure system is sending temperatures 15 to 20 degrees above normal. In business, the majority of Moreno Valley Mall remains closed after city officials found hundreds of fire safety violations, and Trader Joe's issued a nationwide frozen chicken fried rice due to potential glass contamination. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

In this episode of The Envelope podcast, Teyana Taylor describes the “slingshot” of success that’s come with “One Battle After Another” and shares her insights as to why fictional revolutionary Perfidia Beverly Hills does what she does in the film.

President Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address on record Tuesday night, presenting an upbeat, defiant vision of America. But recent polling tells a different story: 57% of Americans disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy and 64% disapprove of his tariff policy. Meanwhile, Dr. Casey Means, Trump's controversial nominee for U.S. surgeon general, testified before the Senate on Wednesday seeking confirmation after the role sat empty for over a year. And in Los Angeles, autonomous delivery robots require an entire field team to keep them clean, charged, and safe, creating a new gig economy job: robot wranglers. In business, developer Kali P. Chaudhuri has agreed to purchase downtown Los Angeles’ unfinished Oceanwide Plaza that became infamous for its graffiti, and Public Storage becomes the latest company to leave California. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

President Trump’s State of the Union comes as a majority of American voters disapprove of how he is handling the economy, immigration, tariffs, healthcare, and foreign policy, according to a recent Wall Street Journal poll. Also, Savannah Guthrie is offering a $1   million reward for information leading to her mother Nancy's recovery. Meanwhile, the San Diego-based fast food chain, Jack in the Box, has struggled quite a bit. The chain lost over $400 million on the acquisition of Del Taco; Jack in the Box closed more than 60 locations, raised prices, and are now embroiled in tension over their board chairman. In business, seven candidates have entered the race for California Insurance Commissioner following a devastating wildfire season, and Uber announced it’s preparing to launch robotaxis in Los Angeles within the next few months under its "Uber Autonomous Solutions" program. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

For the first time in nearly 400 years, a senior member of Britain's royal family was arrested. Prince Andrew was arrested by British police on Thursday and questioned about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Meanwhile, Bari Weiss, the new CBS News editor-in-chief, cemented her media career around championing free speech. Weiss was slated to give a talk at UCLA for their prestigious Daniel Pearl Memorial Lecture Series. But, she’s withdrawing from the event, citing security concerns. UCLA, however, says the decision was made solely by Weiss and her team and that the university was ready to put in place comprehensive measures to ensure her safety. In business, California regulators decided not to suspend Tesla’s sales after the company revised the marketing language for its "Full Self-Driving" feature, and OpenAI has been temporarily blocked from using the name “Cameo” for an AI video feature after the celebrity video platform sued over trademark infringement. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

President Trump's Board of Peace met for the first time to discuss goals for redevelopment in Gaza, where more than 70,000 Palestinians have died over two years of war. And, more news is coming out about a High Sierra tragedy—the avalanche that left eight skiers dead and one still missing; of the 15 skiers who set out with Blackbird Mountain Guides, six were rescued and two remain hospitalized, but are expected to recover. It's now the deadliest avalanche in modern California history. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Senator Bernie Sanders is taking aim at billionaires, helping a campaign to tax California's wealthiest residents. The proposal would impose a one-time 5% tax on the total wealth of billionaires in the state. In business, L.A's westside is getting its first Ikea, and California regulators approved new rules that would ban blackjack in card rooms. Read more at https://LATimes.com.