Jefferson Parish officials are canceling Mardi Gras Day parades because they are worried strong winds could flip floats, send tents flying and create other unsafe conditions. Why it matters: It's the first time the holiday's parades have been canceled in recent memory,

Heavy winds headed for New Orleans on Fat Tuesday appear poised to cancel two of the city's climactic Carnival events, the Zulu and Rex parades, after officials said they would stop the parades from rolling if the forecast worsened.

US President Donald Trump stepped up his threats against Volodymyr Zelensky Monday after a blow-up row in the Oval Office, suggesting the Ukrainian leader "won't be around very long" without a ceasefire deal with Russia.The wider message was that Zelensky needed to apologize for the row in what Trump called the "cherished" Oval Office.