February 20 has seen many significant events throughout history, spanning exploration, science, culture, politics, and conflict. Here are some of the most notable ones, listed chronologically:

1472: Orkney and Shetland islands were ceded by Norway to Scotland as part of a royal dowry payment, shaping the modern map of the British Isles.
1547: Edward VI was crowned King of England at age 9, following the death of his father, Henry VIII.
1792: President George Washington signed the Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department (predecessor to the modern USPS) as a cabinet-level agency, ensuring affordable mail delivery and newspaper privileges.
1839: The U.S. Congress banned dueling in Washington, D.C., making it a felony punishable by up to 10 years of hard labor, prompted by a deadly congressional duel the previous year.
1864: During the American Civil War, the Battle of Olustee took place in Florida—the largest battle fought in the state—with a Confederate victory over Union forces.
1872: The Metropolitan Museum of Art opened in New York City, becoming one of the world's premier art institutions.
1877: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's ballet Swan Lake premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, now one of the most famous ballets in history.
1939: The largest pro-Nazi rally in U.S. history occurred at Madison Square Garden in New York City, organized by the German American Bund.
1942: U.S. Navy Lt. Edward "Butch" O'Hare became America's first flying ace of World War II by shooting down multiple Japanese bombers in a single engagement.
1962: Astronaut John Glenn became the first American to orbit Earth, completing three orbits aboard the Friendship 7 spacecraft in Project Mercury during a flight lasting about 4 hours and 55 minutes before a safe splashdown.
1986: The Soviet Union launched the core module of the Mir space station, which operated for over 14 years and became a key platform for long-duration space research.
1988: The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict escalated when the region's parliament voted to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia, triggering a war that lasted into the 1990s (with ongoing implications).

Other events include Caroline Mikkelsen becoming the first woman to set foot in Antarctica (1935) and various battles or cultural milestones.These highlight February 20's mix of milestones in space exploration, American institutions, arts, and global conflicts.

Here are the top latest news headlines as of February 20, 2026 (around midday CST), based on major sources:Dominant Story:

Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump's Sweeping TariffsIn a major setback to President Trump's economic agenda, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled (6-3) that most of his broad global tariffs—imposed using emergency/national security powers—are illegal and exceed executive authority. This is seen as a rare rebuke of the administration.

Markets reacted positively, with stocks rallying on the news (e.g., S&P 500 up notably).
Trump called the decision a "disgrace" and indicated he has a "backup plan" to pursue tariffs differently (possibly through other legal avenues or legislation).
The ruling could lead to refunds for affected parties, though experts describe the process as a potential "mess."
It weakens Trump's leverage in international trade negotiations and sets up tension ahead of upcoming addresses like the State of the Union.

This dominates coverage across CNN, NBC, Fox News, The New York Times, Washington Post, BBC, and others.Other Notable Developing Stories

U.S.-Iran Tensions: Trump has given a short window (around 10 days mentioned in reports) for Iran to reach a nuclear deal or face potential military action. The U.S. is surging forces/warplanes to the region amid ongoing standoff.
Former Prince Andrew (now Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor) Arrest: The former British royal was arrested on suspicion of misconduct tied to Jeffrey Epstein-related matters but has been released under investigation (no charges yet). This is rocking royal family efforts to move on from past scandals.
Other global items:
- Reports of mass killings in Sudan bearing "hallmarks of genocide."
- Incidents like a bus sinking in frozen Lake Baikal (Russia) killing Chinese tourists, landslides in the Philippines, and ongoing Ukraine-Russia developments (e.g., drone strikes in Crimea).
Domestic/misc:
- Ongoing search efforts (e.g., for missing persons in various U.S. cases).
- White House announcements on AI promotion (e.g., at India summit) and trade deals (e.g., with Indonesia).
- 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics updates (various events and medal wins).

17GEN4.com

On this day in 2026 - 2/20/2026

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