March 12, 2026

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 13.

• The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution yesterday that condemns and calls for an end to Iranian attacks on various Middle East countries but made no mention of the US and Israeli strikes that began the current Middle East conflict. Critics, including China and Russia, characterized the resolution as "extremely unbalanced" and as suggesting that Tehran was carrying out unprovoked attacks on Arab states. [more]
• Reports cite U.S. Defense Department sources as saying the Pentagon's preliminary investigation indicates the U.S. was responsible for a missile strike on a girls' school in southern Iran that killed at least 165 people on the opening day of the war with Iran and that outdated intelligence used in targeting the school suggested the facility was part of an adjacent Iranian naval base. [more]
• Reuters cites unnamed U.S. sources as saying new U.S. intelligence community assessments suggest that, after nearly two weeks of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, Iranian leadership remains largely intact, is not at risk of collapse any time soon, and retains control of the Iranian public. [more]
• The International Energy Agency said yesterday that it will release 400 million barrels of oil as part of efforts to stabilize oil prices amidst energy market unrest linked to the ongoing Middle East war. The IEA joins multiple countries, including the U.S., that have announced strategic reserve releases following spikes in oil prices. [more]
• The price of benchmark Brent crude oil briefly rose above $100 per barrel again today as concerns over global oil supplies persist and Iran continues to target commercial ships, oil tankers, and energy infrastructure in the Middle East. [more]
• Multiple media outlets cite unnamed sources as saying the U.S. Department of Defense informed Congress earlier this week that operations in the first week of war with Iran are estimated to have cost the United States $11.3 billion. [more]
• U.S. medical equipment company Stryker said yesterday that its global networks were disrupted in a cyberattack and that the timeline for a full restoration of services and the full scope of impact on its business remain unclear. Reports note that the logo of the Iran-linked Handala hacking group was placed on the company's network as part of the cyberattack and suggest that the attack could be linked to the ongoing war with Iran. [more]
• Israel's military says it struck Iran's “Taleghan 2” nuclear facility in recent days. Reports note that the site was heavily damaged in Israeli strikes last summer, but that intelligence suggested Iran was working to restore the facility. [more]

U.S. TERRORISM WARNING | According to media reports, the Federal Bureau of Investigation issued a security bulletin to law enforcement agencies last month warning of potential Iranian drone attacks in California in retaliation for any U.S. strikes on Iran. Responding to news of the bulletin, California Governor Gavin Newsom said he was not aware of any "imminent threats" to the state. [more]

U.S. EDUCATION | Seventeen Democratic state attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education yesterday seeking to block a department demand for reports covering seven years of data on the race, sex, and other information of college applicants and admitted and enrolled students or face fines, potential losses of funding, and additional investigations. Trump administration officials say the data collection is part of efforts to ensure colleges and universities are not considering race or gender in admissions. [more]

U.S. SOCIAL SECURITY DATA | Reports cite the Social Security Administration’s inspector general as having informed the leadership of four congressional committees that an investigation has been launched into allegations that a former Department of Government Efficiency worker was in possession of Social Security data on millions of Americans and had indicated he could share the data with his new employer. The Social Security Administration and the former employee are reported to have denied the allegations. [more]

U.S. HATE SPEECH | The U.N.-backed Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination issued a report yesterday saying that use of derogatory and dehumanizing language about migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers by U.S. President Donald Trump and other American political leaders has led to “grave human rights violations" and that such speech could be linked to increases in hate crimes and discrimination. Committee members also alleged that the U.S. is not living up to its obligations as a party in the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which the U.N. adopted in 1965. [more]

ECUADOR | Interior Minister John Reimberg has announced plans for a major offensive against criminal organizations in Ecuador's western provinces of Guayas, Los Ríos, and Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas. Reimberg said residents of the provinces should observe an 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew during the operations, which he noted are planned for March 15-30 and will be conducted with "significant support from U.S. forces." [more]

RUSSIA | A Moscow court convicted 19 people today in connection with the 2024 mass shooting at the city's Crocus City Hall concert venue in which 149 people were killed and more than 600 were wounded. The defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 19 years to life in prison. [more]

CHINA | In a move critics say could further erode the rights of minority groups, China's ceremonial legislature adopted a new law today that promotes "ethnic unity" in all government bodies and private enterprises, including local governments and state-affiliated groups. Among other things the law mandates the use of Mandarin Chinese in compulsory education, even in regions previously granted "meaningful autonomy" in language, cultural, and education contexts. [more]

SENEGAL | A new bill increasing legal penalties for homosexuality was approved by Senegal's parliament yesterday. The measure increases the punishment for those convicted of homosexual acts in the largely Muslim West African nation from prison sentences of one to five years to between five and 10 years. [more]

NORTH KOREA AND CHINA | Train service between the capitals of China and North Korea resumed today, ending a six-year suspension imposed early in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [more]

BASEBALL | Italy beat Mexico, 9-1, last night to finish first in their World Baseball Classic group and advance to the tournament's quarterfinals. The Italy win also assured the U.S. team's advancement to the knock-out stage, having finished second in the group. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1930, Mahatma Gandhi, leader of the Indian nationalist movement, began his 24-day, 240-mile Salt March as a non-violent act of civil disobedience to protest against British taxes and rule. The march is considered a key point in the beginning of international recognition of the legitimacy of claims for Indian sovereignty and self-rule, which was achieved in 1947. [more history]