Listen to this issue.

0:00

/6:40

1×

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 42.

• U.S. and Iranian delegations are expected to begin peace talks tomorrow in Islamabad, Pakistan, where, according to reports, security has been increased and a two-day public holiday has been declared ahead of the talks. [more]
• In remarks made public today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukrainian military personnel shot down Iranian Shahed drones in multiple Persian Gulf countries during the Iran war, saying the operations were part of efforts to help countries counter the same weapons used against Ukraine by Russia. [more]
• State-run media in Iran cites national health officials as saying more than 3,000 people were killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran during the war. [more]
• While maintaining that a halt to operations in Lebanon were a part of the U.S.-Iran cease-fire agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that he has authorized direct negotiations with Lebanon to take place as soon as possible with the aim of disarming Iran-backed Hezbollah militants and establishing better relations between the neighboring countries. [more]
• Reports say only 12 ships have transited the Strait of Hormuz since the cease-fire went into effect. In social media posts last night, U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran was "doing a very poor job, dishonorable some would say, of allowing Oil to go through the Strait of Hormuz" and complained of reports that Iran was charging a toll for ships to pass through the Strait. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,504 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a 32-hour cease-fire in Ukraine starting tomorrow in recognition of Orthodox Easter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had previously suggested that "people need an Easter without threats." [more]

U.S. INFLATION | Data released by the Commerce Department today indicates that consumer inflation in the U.S. rose 0.9% in March from February and 3.3% from the year-ago period – up from a 2.4% annual increase in February and the highest year-over-year monthly increase since May 2024. The consumer price index increase was led by a 10.9% overall increase in energy costs, which saw a 21.25% hike in fuel costs over the previous month. [full report] [more]

U.S. PRESS | Saying related Defense Department policies amount to "viewpoint discrimination," U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled yesterday that the Department violated his previous order to restore full press access to the Pentagon. Department of Defense officials have indicated they will appeal Friedman's ruling. [more]

EPSTEIN INVESTIGATIONS | In a public statement made at the White House yesterday, first Lady Melania Trump denied reports of her association with late convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, calling the reports "completely false" and "mean-spirited attempts to defame my reputation." Mrs. Trump also called for Congress to hold public hearings that would give survivors of Epstein's crimes a chance to testify before lawmakers. [more]

U.S. POSTAL SERVICE | Amidst ongoing financial pressures, the U.S. Postal Service said yesterday that it will temporarily suspend its employer contributions to Federal Employees Retirement System annuities and will seek an increase in postage rates, including an increase in the price of First-Class Mail Forever stamps from 78 cents to 82 cents. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | In a downgrade of its previous estimate, the Commerce Department said yesterday that the U.S. economy grew at a 0.5% annual rate in the fourth quarter of 2025 – down from its previous estimate of 0.7% growth and lower than the 3.8% and 4.4% growth rates seen in last year's second and third quarters, respectively. For the year as a whole, the Department says the economy grew 2.1% – slower than the 2.8% rate in 2024 and 2.9% in 2023. [full report] [more]

U.S. LIBRARIES AND MUSEUMS | Under an agreement announced yesterday by the American Library Association and other plaintiffs, the Trump administration has reportedly agreed to restore funding and personnel to the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences, which was established by Congress to "advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development" and which was targeted for reduction in an executive order from President Donald Trump last year. [more]

U.S. AND NATO | Reuters cites diplomatic sources as saying that, following what is reported to have been a contentious meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has told European governments that Trump wants concrete commitments within days for help to secure the Strait of Hormuz. [more]

CHINA AND TAIWAN | Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Taiwanese opposition leader Cheng Li-wun in Beijing yesterday, after which both said they want to move forward with efforts to reunify Taiwan with mainland China. Reports note that the meeting was the first between the Chinese leader and the head of a pro-Beijing Taiwanese opposition party in more than 10 years. [more]

SUDAN | U.N. officials say a drone strike Wednesday on the town of Kutum in Sudan's North Darfur state hit a wedding party, killing at least 30 civilians. Local rights groups have blamed the attack, which comes amidst the country's ongoing civil war, on the Sudanese Armed Forces. [more]

ARGENTINA | Amidst opposition from environmental groups, lawmakers in Argentina approved a bill supported by President Javier Milei that would ease protections on glaciers to facilitate investments for metal mining. [more]

NORTH KOREA AND CHINA | Following a meeting of their foreign ministers yesterday in Pyongyang, North Korea and China pledged to deepen cooperation and exchanges between the two countries. [more]

IRELAND | Amidst ongoing protests over high fuel prices that have seen four days of slow-moving convoys and blocked fuel depots, the Irish government is reportedly set to meet with farmers, truckers, and agricultural contractors today to discuss the crisis. [more]

SPACE | The four crew members of NASA's Artemis II mission are scheduled to return to Earth today, having completed their 10-day circumlunar mission. The crew's Orion capsule is expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere this evening at more than 23,000 mph before slowing to about 19 mph for an 8:07 p.m. EDT splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern California. [Artemis II mission website] [live coverage] [more]

GOLF | Sam Burns and defending champion Rory McIlroy share the lead at five-under-par following yesterday's first round of the Masters golf tournament. [full leaderboard] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1998, the Good Friday Agreement was signed, calling for devolved government in Northern Ireland. The accord was ratified by Ireland and Northern Ireland the following month. [more history]