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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 34.

• In a nationwide broadcast last night, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that the goals of military operations in Iran have largely been met but that U.S. military action, possibly expanded, would continue for another "two to three weeks." Oil prices rose, stock futures fell, and reports note Iran continued targeting Gulf region countries with missiles and drones following Trump's address. [more]
• The U.K. is scheduled to host a virtual summit today in which 35 countries are expected to discuss “diplomatic and political measures” that could be used to restore shipping in the Strait of Hormuz after the war ends. Participants include multiple Gulf region countries and all G7 industrialized democracies except the United States. [more]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune announced a two-stage plan yesterday to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security and end the Department's record-long partial shutdown. Under the plan, the Senate would take up a new measure funding all of DHS except for ICE and Border Patrol as early as today and the House would later attempt to fund the two excepted agencies through separate spending legislation. [more]

U.S. CHURCH AND STATE | A federal judge in Texas yesterday dismissed a lawsuit that sought to allow churches to endorse political candidates without losing their tax-exempt status. The Department of Justice under the Biden administration had sought the case's dismissal, but the Trump DOJ revived the case and sided with the plaintiffs who were challenging the so-called Johnson Amendment that prohibits all 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates. [more]

NEW YORK | Federal prosecutors say Raymond Elders, 65, was arrested in White Plains, New York, earlier this week and faces charges including use of a weapon of mass destruction and manufacturing destructive devices after neighbors reported hearing explosions and a subsequent search found more than two dozen improvised explosive devices in Elders' apartment. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | According to Labor Department data, new applications for unemployment benefits in the U.S. fell 9,000 to a seasonally adjusted 202,000 in the week ended March 28. [full report] [more]

U.S. CYBERSECURITY | Media outlet Politico cites unnamed U.S. officials as saying the FBI last week deemed a China-linked cyber intrusion into a sensitive Bureau surveillance system earlier this year a "major incident" that poses risks to U.S. national security. [more]

U.S. AND VENEZUELA | According to a notice posted on the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control website yesterday, the U.S. has lifted individual sanctions on Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez. Analysts say the move furthers U.S. recognition of Rodriguez as a legitimate national authority and allows her to work more freely with U.S. companies and investors. [more]

PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN | The Associated Press cites unnamed Pakistani officials as saying Pakistan and Afghanistan held a first round of Chinese-mediated peace talks yesterday in Urumqi, China, with the aim of brokering a deal to end the countries' weeks-long conflict. [more]

INDONESIA | An undersea 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of northern Indonesia yesterday. Regional emergency officials say multiple buildings collapsed, and at least one person was killed, in the quake and that full damage assessments are still ongoing. [more]

HAITI | The first contingent of a new U.N.-backed gang-suppression force arrived in Haiti yesterday as part of efforts to quell ongoing violence in the Caribbean island nation. [more]

NEW ZEALAND AND COOK ISLANDS | In a move analysts say eases tensions between the two countries amidst Cook Islands' deepening ties with China, New Zealand and Cook Islands signed a new defense and security pact today. [more]

SPACE | The four-member crew of NASA's Artemis II moon mission are in orbit around Earth today following yesterday evening's successful launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Orion space capsule will carry the crew around the moon in the coming days before ending the 10-day mission with a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. [Artemis mission info] [more]

SPACE INDUSTRY | Elon Musk’s space exploration company SpaceX has filed preliminary paperwork for an initial public offering. Market analysts say the company could be looking to raise as much as $75 billion through the IPO, which would make it the largest public offering ever. [more]

SOCCER | Reports note that world soccer governing body FIFA raised its top ticket price for this summer's World Cup to $10,990 during yesterday's re-opening of ticket sales for select matches. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1917, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, in the lead-up to U.S. participation in World War I, asked Congress to declare war against Germany, saying, “The world must be made safe for democracy.” Congress declared war four days later. [more history]

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