A new wave of Christian artists from various backgrounds is drawing young audiences to faith-based rap, Afrobeats and R&B. They are making music that hasn't traditionally been represented in many Christian spaces, which makes it challenging for them to break into the mainstream. However, social media algorithms have helped them reach wider audiences and bigger labels are catching on. Christian rap has been growing for over a decade, but its newer subgenres and counterparts have grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. The artists say their songs help people connect with God when traditional worship and gospel songs don't resonate.

The White House says President Donald Trump has the right to amend a permit for a new bridge between Canada and Michigan. The Gordie Howe International Bridge, connecting Ontario and Michigan, is set to open in 2026. But Trump has threatened to block it, demanding unspecified concessions as the two countries prepare to renegotiate a trade pact. The White House says all international infrastructure permits require a presidential permit, and that Trump would be within his right to change its parameters. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has expressed confidence the issue will be resolved. The bridge, under construction since 2018, is a joint project between Canada and Michigan.

In an earlier era, Britain’s royal family might have tried to bury the scandal surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Not during the reign of King Charles III. Since October, the king has stripped his younger brother of the right to be called prince, forced him to move out of the royal estate he occupied for more than 20 years and issued a public statement supporting the women and girls abused by Epstein. Then came Monday’s unprecedented announcement that Buckingham Palace was ready to cooperate in the event of a police inquiry into Mountbatten-Windsor’s links to Epstein.

The National Governors Association is not going to hold a formal meeting with President Donald Trump. This decision comes after the White House planned to invite only Republican governors to the event. Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt, a Republican, shared this in a letter to fellow governors on Monday. The NGA's mission is to represent all 55 governors, so the association will no longer facilitate the event. The NGA is scheduled to meet in Washington from February 19th to 21st. Representatives for Stitt, the White House, and the NGA didn't immediately comment on the letter.

Authorities say a single-engine plane made an emergency landing on a busy road in Georgia, striking three vehicles and leaving two people with minor injuries. Before the landing, one of the two pilots on board told air traffic controllers to let his wife and parents know that he loved them. The Federal Aviation Administration and police say the Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza landed Monday in Gainesville, Georgia, northeast of Atlanta, due to reported engine issues. Police say the plane struck three cars, dislodging a fuel tank into one of them, and two people were taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Pilot Thomas Rogers told WAGA-TV they lost their engine while taking off.

Paramount is intensifying its efforts to take over Warner Bros. Discovery. On Tuesday, the company offered Warner shareholders an added “ticking fee” if the deal doesn't close by year-end. Paramount also pledged to fund Warner's proposed $2.8 billion breakup payout to Netflix under their merger agreement. Paramount's offer otherwise remains at the same price of $30 per share in cash. Paramount aims to buy Warner for $77.9 billion but needs more shareholder support — and is again extending the deadline for its tender offer, which is now March 2. Meanwhile, Warner's leadership has continued to back its $72 billion studio and streaming deal with Netflix. Both deals face tremendous antitrust scrutiny.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has acknowledged that he had met with Jeffrey Epstein twice after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a child. It's a reversal of Lutnick’s previous claim that he had cut ties with the late financier after 2005. He was questioned by Democrats during a Tuesday subcommittee hearing of the Senate Appropriations Committee. But Lutnick is facing calls from several lawmakers for his resignation after the release of case files on Epstein contradicted Lutnick’s claims on a podcast last year that he had decided to “never be in the room” with Epstein again after a 2005 tour of Epstein’s home that disturbed Lutnick and his wife.

A White House official says the Trump administration is expected this week to revoke a scientific finding that long has been the central basis for U.S. action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. The Environmental Protection Agency will issue a final rule rescinding a 2009 government declaration known as the endangerment finding. That Obama-era policy determined that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare. Legal challenges are certain. The White House official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to confirm the details ahead of the official announcement.

Maine’s Republican Sen. Susan Collins has announced her reelection bid, entering a closely watched race that Democrats have targeted in their effort to retake the Senate majority in Congress in this year’s midterm elections. Collins has defended the seat for decades, casting herself as a reflection of Maine’s independent spirit. However, Collins has faced criticism for not condemning President Donald Trump’s immigration tactics. Democratic Gov. Janet Mills and oyster farmer Graham Platner are top Democratic challengers. Platner recently outraised both Mills and Collins. Collins previously defeated Democrat Sara Gideon in 2020 despite being outspent.

Shoppers unexpectedly paused their spending in December from November, closing out the holiday shopping season and the year on a lackluster tone. The report, issued by the Commerce Department on Tuesday, surprised economists who were looking for growth despite mounting concerns about a slowing job growth, uncertainty about President Donald Trump’s tariffs and other economic headwinds. And it raised questions about shoppers’ ability to spend after they have remained resilient for months despite souring consumer confidence, economists said.

A senior European intelligence chief says Russia cannot launch an attack on NATO this year or next but is planning to increase its forces significantly along the alliance’s eastern flank, depending on the outcome of the war in Ukraine. The head of Estonia’s foreign intelligence service suggested Moscow is playing for time in talks with Washington. Kaupo Rosin, the head of the service, said his comments were based on intelligence his country gathered from “Russian internal discussions.” Rosin said Russia’s plan involves creating new military units and multiplying the prewar force along its border with NATO by two to three times. Russia continues to bombard Ukraine, causing civilian casualties and damaging energy infrastructure.

Keir Starmer has secured a temporary respite after fallout from the Jeffrey Epstein files threatened his leadership. The British prime minister was saved by a fightback and hesitation among Labour Party rivals about the consequences of a coup. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said Tuesday that Labour lawmakers decided to unite behind Starmer. The crisis stems from Starmer's decision to appoint Epstein friend Peter Mandelson as U.K. ambassador to Washington. Starmer has apologized and said that Mandelson had lied about his ties to Epstein. Starmer's leadership remains shaky despite firing Mandelson. Many lawmakers are concerned about their reelection chances.