April 3, 2026

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 35.

• Iranian media reports that a U.S. military pilot ejected from a downed aircraft over southwestern Iran today and that a reward was being offered for citizens to turn the pilot over to authorities. The U.S. has yet to comment on the reports. [more]
• The U.N. Security Council is expected to vote tomorrow on a Bahrain-proposed resolution that would authorize defensive, but not offensive, action to ensure safe passage of vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. An earlier draft of the resolution was revised after countries including Russia, China, and France expressed opposition to language that would have allowed "all necessary means," including possible military action, to re-open the strait. [more]
• Kuwait said today that "material damage" was done to a desalination plant in the country by an Iranian airstrike. Reports note that about 90% of drinking water in Kuwait comes from desalination plants. [more]
• Meeting in Seoul today, French President Emmanuel Macron and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed to cooperate on efforts to re-open the Strait of Hormuz and ease global economic unrest linked to the ongoing Middle East war. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,497 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed today that Ukraine's frontline situation in the war with Russia is the best it has been since the middle of 2025, adding that Ukraine successfully thwarted a Russian spring offensive. [more]
• Russian airstrikes on Ukraine increased overnight and into the day today, with more than 400 drones, 25 cruise missiles, and 10 ballistic missiles targeting Ukrainian sites. Reports say at least one person was killed, and 25 others were injured, in Russian strikes on Ukraine eastern Kharkiv region. [more]

U.S. MILITARY | Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth yesterday asked General Randy George, the Army Chief of Staff, to resign and retire immediately. No reason for the move was released by Hegseth, and analysts note that the removal of George in the midst of the ongoing Middle East war is the latest in a series of firings of top generals and admirals during the second Trump administration. [more]

U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL | President Donald Trump yesterday fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, who will transition, according to the president, "to a much needed and important new job in the private sector." Bondi's removal comes amidst the administration's reported concerns over her handling of files related to the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation and a failure to prosecute the president's perceived enemies. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who is one of Trump's former personal attorneys, has been named as the acting attorney general. [more]

U.S. TARIFFS | In a pair of proclamations signed yesterday, President Donald Trump, citing reasons of "national security," announced new tariffs of up to 100% on patented pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical ingredients imported into the U.S. from companies that do not reach trade deals with the United States along with plans for new tariffs on aluminum, steel, and copper imports. Trump cited section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 as legal justification for the new duties – a legal framework different than that used for his previous country-specific tariffs that were struck down by the Supreme Court. [pharmaceuticals proclamation] [aluminum, etc., proclamation] [White House fact sheet] [more]

U.S. DRINKING WATER | The Environmental Protection Agency yesterday proposed adding microplastics, pharmaceuticals, and disinfection byproducts, as well as numerous other chemicals, to its list of contaminants in drinking water. The agency's Contaminant Candidate List identifies contaminants in drinking water not currently regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act and signals possible future regulations for new limits on the substances in drinking water. [full list update] [more]

U.S. MILITARY SPENDING | Preliminary reports of President Donald Trump's 2027 budget proposals out today say Trump plans to ask Congress to increase defense spending to $1.5 trillion for the year. A White House budget proposal summary also suggests non-defense federal spending would be cut by 10% by shifting some responsibilities to state and local governments. [more]

U.S. EMPLOYMENT | Labor Department data released today indicates that U.S. employers added a higher-than-expected 178,000 non-farm jobs in March – up from a revised decline of 133,000 jobs in February. The unemployment rate for March fell to 4.3%, according to the data – down from 4.4% in February. [full report] [more]

U.S. VOTING | The governors of Florida and Mississippi each signed measures into law on Wednesday that require state officials to verify the citizenship of voters. Opponents of the measures say the moves will make it more difficult for residents of the states who, for various reasons, lack necessary documentation, to vote or register to vote. [more]

U.S. PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS | In an opinion released yesterday, Justice Department lawyers say the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which requires presidential documents be sent to the National Archives and Records Administration, is unconstitutional and that the president "need not further comply with its dictates." In issuing the opinion, the DOJ said the Records Act exceeds Congress' powers and does so at the expense of the autonomy of the presidency. [full DOJ opinion] [more]

WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM | The 12-member National Capital Planning Commission gave final approval yesterday to President Donald Trump's planned $400 million ballroom addition to the White House complex. The approval came just days after a federal judge ordered construction of the ballroom halted, saying Congressional approval was necessary for the project. [more]

CONGO | Congolese Health Minister Roger Kamba declared an end yesterday to his country's two-year outbreak of mpox in which more than 2,200 people are believed to have died from the infectious viral disease. [more]

MORE CONGO | Local officials say at least 43 people were killed yesterday in an attack on the eastern Congolese village of Bafwakoa by the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces militia. [more]

BELARUS | Lawmakers in Belarus gave final approval yesterday to a bill that introduces punishments of fines, community labor, and 15-day arrests for people who promote "homosexual relations, gender change, refusal to have children, and pedophilia." President Alexander Lukashenko is expected to sign the measure into law. [more]

CUBA | The Cuban government announced plans yesterday to release 2,010 prisoners in a "humanitarian gesture" linked to the Christian Holy Week. The move comes amidst increasing U.S. pressure for reforms in the Caribbean island nation, but officials made no mention of the U.S. in announcing the releases. [more]

MYANMAR | Min Aung Hlaing, the general who ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s civilian government in 2021 and who most recently served as the country's commander-in-chief, was elected president by Myanmar's parliament today. [more]

SUDAN | Medical group Doctors Without Borders says at least 10 people were killed yesterday in a drone attack on a hospital in Sudan's White Nile province that was carried out by the Sudanese paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. [more]

SPACE | On day two of NASA's 10-day Artemis II mission, the Orion crew capsule fired a translunar ignition overnight, sending the four-person crew out of Earth's orbit on its course for its trip around the moon early next week. NASA officials note that the action marked the first time since 1972 that humans have left Earth orbit. [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | UConn sophomore Sarah Strong has been named the AP women’s college basketball Player of the Year after leading the Huskies to an undefeated season and an appearance in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1948, the Marshall Plan – designed to help European allies rebuild after World War II and resist communism – was signed into law by U.S. President Harry S. Truman.  [more history]