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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]

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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]

Today is also the 10th annual International Fact-Checking Day. At the Daily Brief we're dedicated to producing fact-driven, non-partisan updates that allow our readers to stay informed about important events around the world. If you agree with that mission, please consider supporting us by upgrading your account to a paid supporting membership at http://dailybrief.net or by letting others know about our free service.

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 33.

• U.S. President Donald Trump suggested yesterday that the military offensive in Iran could end within 2-3 weeks and that the U.S. would shift responsibility for ensuring passage through the Strait of Hormuz to countries that rely on oil and other products from the Gulf region. [more]
• U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced today that his country will host an international diplomatic conference this week to discuss re-opening and securing the Strait of Hormuz. [more]
• As U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran continue, Iranian airstrikes targeted Israel and multiple Gulf region countries today, including the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait. Reports cite Iran's Revolutionary Guard as saying yesterday that U.S. companies such as Google, Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft, and Tesla in the Gulf region would also become targets beginning today even if the companies are not operating on military bases. [more]
• In broadcasts to their respective countries today, U.K. Prime Minister Kier Starmer and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese each warned of fuel-related issues related to the Middle East war and announced steps to ease the related financial burden on citizens and industries. U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to give a nationwide address on the war tonight at 9 p.m. EDT. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,495 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• According to Russian media outlets, a Russian A-26 military transport plane carrying six crew members and 23 passengers crashed yesterday in southern Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014, killing all people aboard the aircraft. Reports cite Russian Defense Ministry officials as saying a technical malfunction may have caused the crash and that there was no “damaging interference” to the aircraft. [more]

U.S. VOTING | President Donald Trump signed an executive order yesterday calling for the Department of Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to work together to create a nationwide list of verified eligible voters and for the U.S. Postal Service to be barred from sending mail-in ballots to people not on the approved voter list. Opponents of the moves have said they intend to challenge the order in court, mostly on the grounds that they violate the Constitution by attempting to seize states’ power to run elections. [full executive order] [more]

U.S. CITIZENSHIP | The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments today in an appeal of a lower court ruling that blocked President Donald Trump's executive order ending birthright citizenship in the United States for children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily. Trump said yesterday that he plans to attend today's Supreme Court hearing – an action reports say would be the first such attendance by a sitting president at the nation's highest court. [more]

U.S. ENVIRONMENT | Meeting for the first time in more than 30 years yesterday, the government's Endangered Species Committee voted to exempt oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from provisions of the Endangered Species Act. The move came after Defense Secretary claimed environmental obstructions to the drilling threatened domestic energy production in what he called a matter of "national security." [more]

U.S. JUDICIAL RULINGS | Multiple high-profile federal judicial rulings were made yesterday, including:

• A U.S. District Court judge ordered the suspension of work on the $400 million White House ballroom, saying that "The President of the United States is the steward of the White House for future generations of First Families. He is not, however, the owner," and that congressional approval was needed to proceed with the project. [more]
• The U.S. Supreme Court, in an 8-1 ruling, struck down a Colorado law banning so-called "conversion therapy" for LGBTQ+ youths in the state, saying the law violates the First Amendment rights of counselors. [more]
• A federal judge ordered the University of Pennsylvania to comply with an administrative subpoena from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ordering the school to hand over records about Jewish employees for use in an investigation into antisemitic discrimination. [more]
• A three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit put a hold on a lower court ruling that ordered the Trump administration to bring hundreds of Voice of America employees back to work from paid leave while related court proceedings play out. [more]
• A federal judge ruled that the Department of Housing and Urban Development violated a law governing how federal agencies develop and issue regulations when it changed the rules for receiving $75 million to build housing for homeless families and individuals, saying the department's "slapdash imposition of political whims" was unlawful. [more]
• A U.S. District Court judge dismissed a Justice Department lawsuit yesterday that accused Colorado and the city of Denver of interfering with the enforcement of immigration laws through state and local laws that limit the use of resources for immigration enforcement and protect the rights and personal information of immigrants. [more]
• Citing a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that said the government cannot use its power – including the power of the purse – to punish or suppress disfavored expression by others, a federal judge ruled yesterday that the portion of an executive order on "Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media" from President Donald Trump that directed federal agencies to terminate “any direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS” was unconstitutional. [more]

BANGLADESH AND MYANMAR | Under the U.N. World Food Program’s new tiered system, hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled Myanmar for Bangladesh will have their food assistance cut from $12 per person per month to as low as $7 per month. Reports note that WFP funding was cut by almost a third last year after foreign aid cuts by numerous countries, but agency officials said yesterday the Rohingya aid cuts were unrelated to the funding cuts. [more]

TURKEY | Eighteen migrants were killed, and 21 others were rescued, today when their boat capsized during a high-speed chase by the coast guard off the Turkish coast near the city of Bodrum. [more]

SOUTH KOREA AND INDONESIA | Following a summit in Seoul between their countries' presidents, South Korea and Indonesia issued a joint statement today pledging expanded cooperation in defense industries, technology, energy, and supply chains. [more]

SPACE | NASA officials say conditions are still favorable for tonight's planned launch of the Artemis II mission in humanity’s first flight to the moon since 1972 on which four astronauts – three U.S., one Canadian – will travel around the moon before returning to Earth. The current targeted launch time is 6:24 p.m. EDT.  [NASA live updates] [mission info] [more]

SOCCER | The 48-team field for this summer's FIFA men's World Cup is complete after yesterday's final qualifying match in which Iraq beat Bolivia. Also yesterday, Bosnia and Herzegovina beat four-time champion Italy, meaning the Italian team will miss its third-straight World Cup. [full list of qualified teams] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1976, Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne formed Apple Computer Inc., starting what eventually became one of the world's leading tech companies. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 32.

• Israel and the U.S. are reported to have carried out large-scale strikes early today outside the Iranian city of Isfahan, which is home to one of Iran's three uranium enrichment sites and where other military assets are thought to be located. [more]
• An Iranian drone hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker in the water off the city of Dubai, UAE, today, sparking a fire that was later contained. Reports cite authorities as saying there is no evidence of oil leakage from the tanker following the attack. [more]
• The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency session today after three U.N. peacekeepers were killed in southern Lebanon over the past 24 hours amidst ongoing Israel military operations in the region. [more]
• Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said today that all homes in Lebanese villages near the border with Israel will be destroyed and that some 600,000 people who have fled the region will not be allowed back into southern Lebanon until northern Israel is secure. [more]
• U.S. President Donald Trump claimed yesterday that "great progress" is being made in talks with Iran to end military operations, but reiterated his threat of destroying Iranian energy facilities and other infrastructure if a deal to end the war is not reached soon. [more]
• The Associated Press cites unnamed U.S., Gulf nation, and Israeli officials as saying some Gulf allies of the U.S., including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are urging President Donald Trump to continue the war against Iran to destroy Tehran's ability to project military power and ensure the strategic Strait of Hormuz remains open. [more]
• In his latest statement condemning countries that did not join or support the U.S. in its war against Iran, President Donald Trump said in a social media post that "the U.S.A. won't be there to help you anymore, just like you weren't there for us. Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil!" [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,494 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Reports say Ukrainian drones struck Russia's Baltic Sea port of ‌Ust-Luga for the fifth time in 10 days today, hitting an oil loading terminal in what has become a continuing policy of targeting Russian energy infrastructure. [more]

U.S. GUN VIOLENCE | Authorities in Bulverde, Texas, say a 15-year-old student shot a teacher and then fatally shot himself yesterday at the city's Hill Country College Preparatory High School. The incident remains under investigation. [more]

U.S. TERRORISM | The FBI announced yesterday that it has determined the vehicle-ramming incident at a major Detroit-area synagogue and child-care center earlier this month was a "Hezbollah-inspired act of terrorism purposely targeting the Jewish community." [more]

U.S. ENVIRONMENT | The Endangered Species Committee – a cabinet-level committee chaired by the Secretary of the Interior – is scheduled to meet today for the first time since 1992 to consider exempting oil and gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico from provisions of the Endangered Species Act. According to related court filings, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth notified Interior Secretary Doug Burgum earlier this month that such an exemption was necessary for unspecified "reasons of national security." [more]

U.S. FUEL PRICES | According to motor club AAA, the average price for a gallon of gasoline in the U.S. is now $4.02 per gallon and the average price for diesel is $5.45 per gallon – up from $2.98 and $3.76 per gallon, respectively, before the Middle East war began. [more]

U.S. AIR TRAVEL | Security wait times at airports around the U.S. are reported to be decreasing significantly as TSA officers begin receiving backpay after President Donald Trump ordered workers be paid amidst the ongoing Department of Homeland Security partial shutdown. [more]

FLORIDA | Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law yesterday clearing the way for Palm Beach International Airport to be renamed the President Donald J. Trump International Airport. [more]

U.S. AND U.K. | Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Britain's King Charles III will make a state visit to the U.S. in late April. [more]

HAITI | Humanitarian rights group Defenseurs Plus says at least 70 people were killed in a large-scale gang attack near Petite-Riviere, Haiti, earlier this week – a significantly higher number than the 16 deaths estimated by Haitian officials. [more]

GLOBAL EXTREMISM | Reuters cites unnamed sources as saying the U.S. Trump administration is organizing an international summit for later this year to discuss strategies and urge intelligence sharing for countering antifa and other left-wing groups. Analysts note that antifa, or "anti-fascism," is generally considered more of an ideology than a cohesive entity in that it has no clear structure, command hierarchy, or leader. [more]

EUROPEAN ECONOMY | Inflation in the 21 nations that use the euro currency rose to 2.5% in March, according to European statistics agency Eurostat – up from 1.9% in February – with the increase attributed largely to price increases linked to the ongoing Middle East war. [more]

ISRAEL | Amidst internal and external opposition, the Israeli parliament passed a law yesterday that makes the death penalty the default punishment for West Bank Palestinians convicted of nationalistic killings. The law also gives courts the option to impose the death penalty on Israeli citizens convicted on similar charges, but language in the bill effectively limits the punishment to Palestinians. Civil rights activists in Israel have indicated they plan to legally challenge the new law. [more]

AUSTRALIA | In a follow-up to Australia's December law banning children under the age of 16 from having accounts on major social media platforms, the country's online safety watchdog says Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube are not doing enough to keep children off their platforms, and that new court action against the companies are being considered. [more]

SPACE | NASA's Artemis II mission is set to launch tomorrow evening, carrying four astronauts – three U.S., one Canadian – on a 10-day flight that will travel around the moon before returning to Earth. [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | South Carolina beat TCU and Texas beat Michigan last night to advance to the Final Four of the NCAA women's basketball tournament where they will play UConn and UCLA, respectively, in the tournament semifinals on Friday. [more]

ENTERTAINMENT | Ahead of this year's 70th anniversary of the Eurovision Song Contest, organizers have announced an Asian edition of the contest to be held in Bangkok, Thailand, with a finale planned for November. Countries confirmed to be taking part in the Asian contest so far include Thailand, South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Bhutan. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1889, the 984-foot (300-meter) Eiffel Tower, a wrought iron technological masterpiece created by Gustave Eiffel to commemorate the centenary of the French Revolution, was officially inaugurated in Paris. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 31.

• Pakistani officials said yesterday that their country will host U.S.-Iran talks but did not specify if the talks would be direct or indirect. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf suggested news of the talks could be a cover for possible military ground operations in Iran as U.S. troops continue to build up in the region. [more]
• Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen fired missiles at Israel over the weekend – the first such actions by the group since the U.S-Israel-Iran war began – signaling an expansion of the war and potential new shipping concerns in the Red Sea. [more]
• Following recent Israeli targeting of Iranian universities that were alleged to contain infrastructure and research facilities linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran said it would target U.S.- and Israel-linked universities in the Gulf region if the U.S. did not condemn the Israeli strikes. [more]
• Israeli media reports that efforts to control a fire near an oil refinery in northern Israel are ongoing after the site was targeted by an Iranian missile. It remains unclear if the refinery, located near the city of Haifa, was struck directly or by debris from a destroyed missile. [more]
• Spanish Defense Minister Margarita Robles said today that Spain has closed its airspace to U.S. planes taking part in the war in Iran. [more]
• U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that Iran has agreed to allow 20 oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz starting today. Trump's statement came as U.S. troops continue to arrive in the region and followed his suggestion that the U.S. may or may not attack Iran's key Kharg Island oil terminal. [more]
• The price of international benchmark Brent crude oil rose $3.41 today to $115.98 per barrel – up about 60% from the $70 per barrel price before the war in the Middle East began. [more]
• Citing government sources, reports say the death toll in the Middle East war has risen to more than 1,900 people in Iran, more than 1,200 in Lebanon, 19 in Israel, and 13 U.S. military service members, though various organizations suggest the number of people killed across the region could be much higher. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,493 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Speaking Friday following a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in France, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio denied an assertion by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that the U.S. is demanding Ukraine hand over its eastern Donbas region to Russia to receive American security guarantees in any ceasefire plan. [more]
• Finnish police said today that a Ukrainian drone that veered off-target and crashed in Finland yesterday carried an unexploded warhead. Reports say no injuries were associated with the incident and that Ukraine, which has apologized to Finland, said the drone likely went astray due to electronic interference from Russia. [more]

U.S. PROTESTS | Organizers say an estimated 8 million people took part in more than 3,100 "No Kings" demonstrations across the U.S. on Saturday to protest the actions and policies of President Donald Trump. Reports note that while almost all of the protests were peaceful, demonstrators at some locations, including Los Angeles and Denver, refused to disperse following marches, prompting some arrests and declarations of unlawful assemblies. [more]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | The House, just before beginning a two-week recess on Friday, rejected a Senate-approved bill to fund the majority of the Department of Homeland Security, excluding some operations of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division. Also Friday, President Donald Trump signed an order to pay Transportation Security Agency officers amidst the ongoing DHS shutdown. [more]

CUBA | Amidst the U.S. oil blockade on Cuba, Russia's Transport Ministry said today that a Russian oil tanker currently under sanctions by the U.S. and other nations arrived at the Cuban port of Matanzas today carrying “humanitarian supplies” of about 730,000 barrels of oil. U.S. President Donald Trump suggested last night that  he had "no problem" with the oil delivery being made, saying the people of Cuba need it. [more]

ARAB LEAGUE | Amidst the ongoing Middle East war, veteran Egyptian diplomat Nabil Fahmy was named the new head of the 22-member Arab League yesterday. [more]

U.K. | At least seven people were injured Saturday night when a car struck a number of pedestrians in the English city of Derby. Police say a suspect in the incident has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder and that while counterterrorism officers were assisting local police in related investigations, it "does not mean the incident is currently being treated as terrorism." [more]

AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN | Afghan government officials have blamed Pakistani forces for shelling on the outskirts of the eastern Afghan city of Asadabad yesterday in which at least one person was killed and 16 others were injured. [more]

CHINA AND JAPAN | China’s Foreign Ministry announced today that it is imposing sanctions on Japanese lawmaker Keiji Furuya, accusing him of “colluding with” separatists in Taiwan. [more]

CHINA AND NORTH KOREA | Ending a six-year suspension of such service sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, China's flagship carrier Air China resumed direct flights between Beijing and the North Korean capital of Pyongyang today. [more]

FRANCE | Reports say French police have arrested three suspects and are investigating a possible link to Iran after foiling a bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris on Saturday. [more]

SUDAN | Amidst the country's ongoing civil war, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and their allies in the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North are reported to have launched a major offensive Saturday on the city of Dilling in Sudan's South Kordofan province. [more]

AUSTRIA | Joining a number of countries around the world making similar moves, Austria's three-party government announced plans Friday to introduce a ban on social media use by children under the age of 14. [more]

SOUTH KOREA | Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said yesterday that South Korea may extend its recently imposed public sector restrictions on passenger car use to the general public if the price of oil continues to rise amidst the ongoing Middle East war. [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | Following weekend games, the men's NCAA basketball tournament Final Four is set, with Arizona, Michigan, UConn, and Illinois participating in the tournament's semifinals in Indianapolis next weekend. In women's play, UConn and UCLA have advanced to the Final Four, with the other two participants to be determined by games tonight between South Carolina and TCU and Texas and Michigan. [full men's bracket] [full women's bracket]

GOLF | Gary Woodland shot a final round 3-under-par 67 yesterday to win the PGA's Houston Open tournament. The win came just 30 months after Woodland underwent brain surgery to remove a problematic lesion. [more]

TENNIS | Jannik Sinner beat Jiri Lehecka and Aryna Sabalenka beat Coco Gauff over the weekend to claim the men's and women's titles, respectively, at the Miami Open tennis tournament. [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "Project Hail Mary" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $54.5 million in receipts, followed by "Hoppers" and "They Will Kill You." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1867, William H. Seward, secretary of state under U.S. President Andrew Johnson, signed the Alaska Purchase, a treaty ceding Russian North America to the United States for a price — $7.2 million — that amounted to about two cents per acre. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 28.

• U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that he would extend until April 6 his deadline for Iran to re-open the Strait of Hormuz or face destruction of its energy infrastructure. The announcement came as other U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iranian targets continued and followed the largest day of losses in U.S. stock market indices since the war began. [more]
• Iran continued to launch airstrikes on Gulf-region nations today, with officials in Saudi Arabia saying at least six Iranian missiles were launched toward Riyadh, and Kuwait noting missile and drone attacks on two of its ports. [more]
• The U.S. and Iran have both confirmed that messages have been passed to each other through third parties, but Iran continues to deny U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated assertions that negotiations to end the war are taking place. The U.S. delivered a 15-point framework for a cease-fire to Iran that included restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program and re-opening the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran rejected and responded to with its own five-point proposal that included reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait. [more]
• According to the U.N.'s International Organization for Migration, US and Israeli strikes on Iran have damaged at least 82,000 civilian buildings, including the homes of some 180,000 people, since the war began. [more]
• Israel announced yesterday that it will deploy another division of military troops to Lebanon as it pursues plans to occupy all Lebanese territory up to about 20 miles north of the Israeli border. Of note, the Associated Press, citing expansion of the Israel-Lebanon conflict, has said it will now call Israel's actions an "invasion" of Lebanon. [more]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | Amidst the department's 42-day partial shutdown, the Senate unanimously approved funding for most of the Department of Homeland Security early today. The funding measure, which excludes Immigration and Customs Enforcement from the funding, is expected to be taken up in the House today. Senate passage of the measure followed an announcement by President Donald Trump yesterday that he would order the use of funds from his spending and tax package passed last year to pay Transportation Security Agency officers amidst ongoing delays and security concerns at airports. [more]

U.S. Protests | More than 3,100 events are planned for tomorrow as part of the latest round of nationwide "No Kings" protests, and related demonstrations are planned in more than a dozen, mostly European, countries. Organizers say more than 9 million people are expected to take part in the events. [more]

U.S. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE | U.S. District Judge Rita Lin yesterday temporarily blocked the Department of Defense from labeling AI company Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" – a designation previously only directed at foreign adversaries that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to impose after Anthropic refused to allow its AI models to be used for autonomous weapons operation and mass surveillance of U.S. citizens. [more]

U.S. CURRENCY | In what would be the first such move for a sitting president, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said yesterday that the Treasury Department plans to put President Donald Trump’s signature on all new U.S. paper currency to honor the United States' 250th birthday. [more]

U.S. POPULATION | New population estimates from the Census Bureau indicate that the majority of metro areas in the U.S. had slower population gains from 2024 to 2025, with an average growth rate of 0.6%, compared to average growth of 1.1% from 2023 to 2024. Bureau analysts say lower levels of net international migration contributed significantly to the lower growth rate. [press release] [more]

U.S. AND BELARUS | The Trump administration announced yesterday that it will ease sanction on several Belarus-linked financial and potash companies as part of efforts to ease impacts on U.S. farmers of a shortage of nitrogen fertilizers linked to the ongoing Middle East war. [more]

GLOBAL SLAVERY | The U.N. General Assembly, with a 123-3 vote that also saw 52 abstentions, adopted a resolution Wednesday declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans "the gravest crime against humanity" and calling for reparations as a "concrete step towards remedying historical wrongs.” Reports note that votes against the resolution were cast by the United States, Israel, and Argentina, and that the U.K. and all 27 members of the European Union were among those countries that abstained from voting. [more]

GLOBAL ECONOMY | The Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development says the war in Iran has lowered its projections for 2026 economic growth in much of the world. The organization now projects global GDP growth of 2.9% this year – down from 3.3% growth in 2025. The revised OECD projections also say inflation across G20 countries is expected to rise to 4% this year – 1.2% higher than its previous estimate. [more]

GROUP OF SEVEN | G7 foreign ministers are meeting outside of Paris, France today, with the Middle East war, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, global oil and energy issues, and threats to world peace and stability among the main topics expected to be addressed. [more]

CONGO | United Nations official Vivian van de Perre said yesterday that conflict between government forces and numerous armed groups is expanding in the Democratic Republic of Congo's North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and that escalating and expanding violence in the region is posing series risks to civilians. [more]

CHINA AND PANAMA | The U.S. Federal Maritime Commission said yesterday that it is monitoring a surge in detentions of Panama-flagged vessels in China that appears to be linked to a Panamanian Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that invalidated a concession granted to Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison to operate the terminals at both ends of the Panama Canal. [more]

INDIA | In moves aimed at protecting consumers and curbing potential spikes in inflation amidst effects of the Middle East war on global energy markets, India yesterday reduced duties on gasoline and diesel fuel and imposed windfall taxes on aviation fuel and diesel exports. [more]

MYANMAR | Officials of Myanmar's ruling military junta say a re-shuffling of the country's military leadership is imminent just days ahead of the appointing of a new president by the Southeast Asian nation's parliament. Analysts note that current military chief Min Aung Hlaing has previously expressed his desire to serve as president. [more]

SOCIAL MEDIA | A California jury on Wednesday found both YouTube and Meta liable for harms to children that use their services due to the companies' creation of environments that encouraged social media addictions. The ruling came just days after a New Mexico jury determined that Meta knowingly harmed children's mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms. [more]

OLYMPICS | Under a new policy announced yesterday by the International Olympic Committee, "Eligibility for any female category event at the Olympic Games or any other IOC event, including individual and team sports, is now limited to biological females" as determined by mandatory genetic testing once in an athlete's career. [more]

BASEBALL | Heading into yesterday's opening day of the season, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani led Major League Baseball’s jersey sales for the third straight year, followed by Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh, and Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts. [more]

HUMOR AWARD | The Kennedy Center announced yesterday that comedian and television host Bill Maher will receive the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor. [press release] [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1915, American domestic Mary Mallon, better known as Typhoid Mary, was placed under a quarantine on North Brother Island, New York City, that lasted until her death in 1938. A typhoid carrier, Mallon was allegedly responsible for multiple outbreaks of typhoid fever. [more history]

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EDITORIAL NOTE: Due to various circumstances, we will be unable to produce a Daily Brief tomorrow, March 26. We look forward to resuming operations on Friday. ~editor

U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 26.

• As U.S. President Donald Trump continues to suggest that talks are under way to reach a deal to the Middle East war, reports say Iran has received a 15-point cease-fire proposal from the United States that includes, among other things, items on sanctions relief, civilian nuclear cooperation, shipping access to the Strait of Hormuz, and limitations on Iran's nuclear and missile programs, as well as its support of armed proxy groups. [more]
• Reports cite U.S. military sources as saying at least 1,000 troops from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division will be sent to the Persian Gulf region in the coming days. The deployment comes as an estimated 5,000 U.S. Marines are also expected to bolster U.S. force strength in the region. [more]
• Bahrain submitted a resolution to the U.N. Security Council yesterday calling for the United Nations to authorize countries or naval partnerships to use military action to secure passage and “to repress, neutralize and deter attempts to close, obstruct or otherwise interfere with international navigation through the Strait of Hormuz" and for Iran to cease all attacks on merchant and commercial vessels. Reports say several countries have raised concerns about the resolution, as it was filed under Chapter Seven of the U.N. Charter, which allows the council to authorize actions ranging from sanctions to the use of force. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,488 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• Amidst Moscow's reportedly renewed spring offensive, Russia and Ukraine traded large-scale airstrikes over the past day, with Russia claiming to have shot down 389 incoming Ukrainian drones and Ukraine reporting that Russia had fired almost 1,000 drones and 34 missiles at targets in Ukraine over a 24-hour period. [more]
• Lawmakers in Moldova approved a 60-day energy state of emergency yesterday after Russian strikes on energy infrastructure in Ukraine severed a key power transmission line linking Moldova and Romania. [more]

MINNESOTA | Saying the federal government has failed to comply with an agreement to cooperate with state investigations, Minnesota officials sued the Trump administration yesterday, seeking access to evidence they say is needed to independently investigate the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as well as the wounding of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, by federal immigration officers earlier this year during the enforcement surge in Minneapolis and St. Paul. [more]

U.S. SOCIAL MEDIA | Concluding a nearly seven-week trial, a New Mexico jury yesterday imposed a $375 million penalty on Facebook parent company Meta after finding the social media giant to have knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its social media platforms. Meta has indicated it will appeal the verdict. [more]

U.S. FRAUD PROSECUTION | The Senate voted, 52-47, yesterday to confirm President Donald Trump's nomination of Colin McDonald to lead a new Justice Department division focused on prosecuting cases of fraud nationwide – a role traditionally performed by the Department's Criminal Division. [more]

CALIFORNIA | In a lawsuit filed earlier this week, California sued the Trump administration, seeking to block an U.S. Energy Department emergency order that would force operators to restart an offshore oil and pipeline operation closed more than 10 years ago. State officials contend the emergency powers law cited in the order is meant to prioritize contracts during emergencies, not to override state law. [more]

U.K. | Officials with London's Metropolitan Police say two men were arrested yesterday in connection with Monday's arson attack that burned four ambulances operated by a Jewish charity in the city. A claim of responsibility for the attack by a group with potential links to Iran is under investigation, according to reports. [more]

MORE U.K. | Sarah Mullally will be installed today as the Church of England's first female Archbishop of Canterbury ‌and spiritual leader of 85 million Anglicans worldwide. Prince William and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer are among those expected to attend the investment ceremony at Canterbury Cathedral. [more]

DENMARK | Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s center-left Social Democrats lost ground in yesterday national elections in Denmark, receiving 21.9% of the vote, compared to the 27.5% received in the 2022 election. Reports note that the Danish government is typically formed of coalitions of parties and that Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen's centrist Moderate party appears to be in a key role to decide whether Frederiksen, who submitted her government's resignation today, will be able to serve a third term as prime minister. [more]

CUBA | The first of three planned shipments of humanitarian aid from the Nuestra America Convoy arrived by boat in Cuba yesterday amidst ongoing U.S. sanctions on the Caribbean island nation that have limited the delivery of oil and other supplies. [more]

SPACE | NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced several new initiatives for the U.S. space agency yesterday, including plans to launch a nuclear-powered spacecraft to Mars before the end of 2028 and the construction of a $20 billion base on the moon's surface. [more]

GAMING INDUSTRY | Fortnite publisher Epic Games announced the layoff of more than 1,000 employees yesterday – a reduction in its workforce of about 20%. Company executives said in a memo to employees that the cuts were not related to artificial intelligence, but, rather, to slower growth and spending in the gaming industry. [more]

SKIIING | With her finish in the season-ending giant slalom today in Norway, U.S. skiing icon Mikaela Shiffrin won her record-tying sixth overall women's ‌World Cup title, equaling the number won by Austrian Annemarie Moser-Proell ​in the 1970s. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | Robert the Bruce was crowned king of Scotland at Scone on this date in 1306. He went on to free Scotland from English rule, winning the decisive Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, and to confirm Scottish independence in the Treaty of Northampton in 1328. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 25.

• Estimated death tolls in the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran war have risen to more than 1,500 people in Iran, more than 1,000 people in Lebanon, 15 in Israel, and 13 U.S. military personnel. [more]
• Iran continued to fire missiles and drones at targets in Israel and Gulf Arab nations today as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will continue to strike Iran and Lebanon even as the U.S. considers a ceasefire. [more]
• Following US President Donald Trump's delay of threatened US strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure after what he said were "productive" talks with Iran, Iranian parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf denied that any talks with the US have taken place and suggested that news of such talks was being "used to manipulate the financial and oil markets." [more]
• Reports say multiple sites in Tel Aviv, Israel, were damaged by incoming Iranian missiles fire today and that several people were wounded in the attacks. [more]
• Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said today that his country's military plans to create a "defensive buffer" in southern Lebanon up to the Litani River – some 30 kilometers north of the Israel-Lebanon border. Reports note that Katz had previously warned Lebanon's government that it would lose territory if it did not disarm the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. [more]
• Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr declared an energy emergency for his country today amidst fuel supply, distribution and market uncertainty linked to the ongoing Middle East war. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,487 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Ukrainian Air Force officials say Russia launched large scale airstrikes overnight, firing at least seven ballistic missiles, 23 cruise missiles, four air-launched guided missiles, and 392 drones at targets across Ukraine. Reports say damage assessments from the strikes are ongoing, but that at least five people are known to have been killed in the attack. [more]

U.S. TRAVEL | White House immigration czar Tom Homan says Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been deployed to 14 airports across the U.S., including to major air hubs in New York, Chicago, Atlanta, and Houston, amidst the ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security that has resulted in Transportation Safety Administration officers not being paid. [more]

U.S. PENTAGON PRESS | Following a recent court ruling that found Department of Defense policies illegally restricted press credentialing and access at the Pentagon, the Defense Department announced yesterday that it will remove media offices for all members of the press from the Pentagon building. Responding to the announcement, the Pentagon Press Association characterized this latest move as a "clear violation of the letter and spirit of last week’s ruling." [more]

U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY | The Senate voted 54-45 last night to confirm Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin's nomination to replace Kristi Noem as the Secretary of Homeland Security. [more]

TEXAS | Residents of Port Arthur, Texas – located about 90 miles east of Houston – have been advised to shelter in place, limit outdoor activity, and keep windows and doors closed following a large explosion and resulting fire at the Valero oil refinery in the city. Reports say the state has deployed environmental monitoring equipment to the area and note that no injuries have been associated with the incident. [more]

U.S. ENERGY | The U.S. Department of Interior announced yesterday that it will refund $1 billion paid for two U.S. offshore wind leases by French energy company TotalEnergies under an agreement that calls for the company to abandon the leases and invest the refunded money in U.S.-based fossil fuel projects. [more]

COLOMBIA | According to Colombian military officials, 66 people were killed, and dozens of others were injured, yesterday when a military transport plane with 127 people on board crashed shortly after taking off in the southern border city of Puerto Leguizamo, Colombia. The cause of the crash remains under investigation. [more]

DENMARK | Voters are casting ballots in today's early general election in Denmark in which Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is seeking a third term in office. [more]

E.U. AND AUSTRALIA | The European Union and Australia announced new free trade and defense partnership agreements yesterday. Commenting on the trade agreement, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, "open rules-based trade delivers positive sum outcomes. Trust matters more than transactions," while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese characterized the defense partnership as showing "our shared commitment to global peace and security." [more]

THAILAND | Ruling in a decade-old class action lawsuit today, a Thai court found the Australian-owned Chatree Gold Mine responsible for environmental damage and health impacts on local residents in Thailand's Phichit province. Analysts say the ruling could set a precedent for climate litigation in the Southeast Asian country. [more]

NORTH KOREA | Speaking at the conclusion of his country's Supreme People’s Assembly session yesterday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un accused the United States of "state terrorism and aggression" and said North Korea would continue to cement its status as a nuclear power to counter U.S. and South Korean "provocations and schemes." [more]

VIETNAM AND RUSSIA | Under a new deal signed during a visit to Moscow by Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh, Russia and Vietnam have agreed to cooperate to build Vietnam's first nuclear power plant, which is expected to begin producing electricity in 2031. [more]

FOOTBALL | Wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $168.8 million contract extension with the Seattle Seahawks, making him the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1989, the oil tanker Exxon Valdez ran aground, spilling some 11 million gallons (41 million liters) of oil into Prince William Sound in Alaska and creating the largest oil spill in U.S. history up to that time. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 24.

• In a social media post this morning, U.S. President Donald Trump said the U.S. and Iran have had "very good and productive conversations regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities" over the past two days and that he was postponing his threatened U.S. strikes on Iranian power infrastructure over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Following the Trump post, Iranian media cited government sources as denying that any conversations between the U.S. and Iran have taken place. [more]
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte suggested in an interview yesterday that more than 20 countries are "coming together to implement" plans to open the Strait of Hormuz and make it safely navigable as soon as possible. [more]
• Amidst reports of U.S. ground forces being transported to the Gulf region, Iran's Defense Council threatened today to deploy naval mines across the "entire Persian Gulf" if a land invasion of Iranian territory takes place. [more]

U.S. AIR TRAVEL | As the partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security continues and airports are faced with screening delays linked to Transportation Security Administration officers not being paid, President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will be deployed to U.S. airports to assist with security measures. [more]

NEW YORK | LaGuardia Airport is expected to remain closed until at least 2 p.m. today following an incident yesterday in which an Air Canada regional jet struck a fire truck on a runway, killing both the pilot and co-pilot. Reports say about 40 passengers aboard the plane were taken to area hospitals to be treated for injuries. [more]

HAWAII | More than 2,000 customers remained without power yesterday on the Hawaiian islands of Oahu and Maui following extensive flooding that state officials have called the worst in more than 20 years. Governor Josh Green says flood and storm damage to airports, schools, roads, homes, and a Maui hospital could cost more than $1 billion to repair. [more]

U.S. VOTING | The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments today in a Mississippi case that questions whether states can count mail-in voting ballots that arrive after polls close if they are postmarked by Election Day. Reports say the Court is expected to make a ruling in the case by late June and that voting in the upcoming November elections in 14 states that allow grace periods for mail-in ballots could be affected. [more]

U.S. PRESS FREEDOM | U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman ruled Friday that a policy implemented by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last year illegally restricted the press credentialing of reporters who refused to agree to new Pentagon rules on Department of Defense access and coverage. [more]

U.K. | Four ambulances operated by a Jewish charity in London were set on fire early today in what British police say they are investigating as an antisemitic hate crime and that Prime Minister Keir Starmer characterized as a "deeply shocking antisemitic arson attack." [more]

CZECH REPUBLIC | Tens of thousands of people took part in peaceful protests Saturday in Prague against the new Czech government of Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. Reports cite protest organizers as saying the pro-democracy gathering was in response to autocratic and anti-E.U. policies of Babiš and his coalition government. [more]

CUBA | Amidst ongoing infrastructure issues and a U.S.-imposed blockade of oil, Cuba's power grid collapsed Saturday for the third time in a month. Limited restoration of power began yesterday, with reports saying some 72,000 customers, including five hospitals, had their power restored in the capital Havana. [more]

CANADA | The Supreme Court of Canada is scheduled to begin four days of hearings today on a controversial secularism law in Quebec that bars civil servants such as judges, police officers, and teachers from wearing religious symbols at work. Analysts say the Court's ruling in the case could affect not only the religious symbols law itself, but also the so-called "notwithstanding clause" of the Canadian constitution that allows provincial or federal governments to override certain "fundamental freedoms" of religion, expression, and association. [more]

SUDAN | Amidst the country's ongoing civil war, officials at the U.N.'s World Health Organization say at least 64 people were killed, and 89 others were injured, Friday in a strike on a hospital in Sudan's western Darfur region. The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces blamed the strike on the military, which denied responsibility. [more]

HUNGARY AND RUSSIA | Citing multiple unnamed current and former European security officials, the Washington Post reported on Friday that Hungary’s government under Viktor Orbán has for years provided Russia with detailed information from European Union Council meetings – an allegation that Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó, posting on social media, has denied. [more]

ISRAEL AND WEST BANK | The Palestinian Red Crescent Society says at least 10 Palestinians were injured last night in attacks by Israeli settlers on four Nablus-area villages in the occupied West Bank. [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | Following weekend games, reports say no perfect prediction brackets for this year's men's NCAA basketball tournament remain out of the 26.5 million entries tracked by ESPN and the 36 million tracked by the NCAA. [full bracket] [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "Project Hail Mary" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $80.5 million in receipts, followed by "Hoppers" and "Dhurandhar: The Revenge." [more]

R.I.P. | Former FBI Director Robert Mueller, who oversaw U.S. anti-terrorism efforts after the September 11, 2001, attacks and who led investigations into allegations of ties between Russia and Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, died Friday at the age of 81. [more]

MORE R.I.P. | Actor and martial arts icon Chuck Norris, best known for a number of action films and for his starring role in television's "Walker, Texas Ranger," died last Thursday at the age of 86. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1775, Patrick Henry, a major figure of the American Revolution, delivered his well-known speech featuring the phrase “give me liberty or give me death” at the second Virginia Convention, at St. John's Church in Richmond, Virginia. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 21.

• Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that Iran no longer has the ability to enrich uranium or make ballistic missiles and said that, at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel will not carry out additional attacks on Iran's South Par natural gas field. [more]
• In a statement today, Iran's new Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei called for his country's enemies to have their "security" taken away. Reports note that Khamenei has not been seen in public since being named the leader of Iran and that there is widespread speculation that he was injured in the opening days of the war. [more]
• Amidst reports that Russia is providing Iran with Russian-produced Shahed drones for use in the current conflict, Israeli forces carried out airstrikes this week on a major Caspian Sea port in northern Iran that is used to conduct trade with Russia. [more]
• U.K.-based shipping intelligence firm Lloyd’s List cites sources as saying India, Pakistan, Iraq, Malaysia, and China are negotiating with Iran to allow their vessels to transit through a “safe corridor” in the Strait of Hormuz. [Lloyd's List analysis] [more]
• The Paris-based International Energy Agency says working from home, sharing car rides, and avoiding air travel are among the emergency measures it recommends to help alleviate what it calls the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market” amidst the ongoing Middle East war. [press release] [full report] [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,483 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• In its latest assessment of the war in Ukraine, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War suggests that recent Ukrainian ground advances and systematic efforts to degrade Russian air defenses and other assets have likely disrupted Russian preparations for a planned Spring-Summer 2026 renewed offensive. [latest ISW analysis] [more]

U.S. ENVIRONMENT | 24 states, 10 cities, and five counties, all led by Democrats, filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency yesterday seeking to overturn the EPA rule finalized last month that revoked the landmark 2009 endangerment finding that determined carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases threaten public health and welfare. [more]

U.S. STUDENT LOANS | Under an agreement announced yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education will hand over management of about $180 billion in federal student loans whose borrowers are in default to the Treasury Department. The agreement, which also calls for Treasury to eventually take over management of all $1.7 trillion in federal student loans, comes amidst Trump administration plans to move forward with shuttering the Department of Education entirely. [more]

U.S. PROFILES IN COURAGE | The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum has announced the people of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as recipients of the annual Profile in Courage Awards. The Twin Cities award cites residents as "risking their lives to protect their neighbors and immigrant community members from an unprecedented federal law enforcement operation, peacefully defending the human rights and values that serve as the foundation of our Constitutional democracy," while the award for Powell cites his actions in "protecting the independence of the Federal Reserve, which is critical to the stability of the global economy, despite years of personal attacks and threats from the highest levels of government." [Powell citation] [Twin Cities citation] [more]

U.S. HEALTH POLICY | In a ruling that focused on proper administrative procedures, US District Judge Mustafa Kasubhai said yesterday that the federal government overreached when it issued a declaration last year that treatments like puberty blockers and surgeries are unsafe and ineffective for young people experiencing gender dysphoria. Kasubhai said in his ruling that, "The notion that 'I will go forward and issue a declaration and see if we can get away with it' is not a principle of governance that adheres to the overarching commitment to a democratic republic that requires the rule of law to be regarded and respected and honored as sacred." [more]

U.S. TRUMP COIN | The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts voted yesterday to approve the design of a limited-edition 24-karat gold commemorative coin featuring the likeness of President Donald Trump, clearing the way for the U.S. Mint to produce the coin ahead of America’s 250th birthday celebrations later this year. [coin design document] [more]

ARIZONA | The Yuma Desert community of Martinez Lake, Arizona, recorded a high temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 Celsius) yesterday, setting a record for the highest March temperature ever recorded in the United States. [more]

U.S. AND CUBA | Amidst an increased Trump administration focus on Cuba and the near-total blockade of oil products reaching the Caribbean island nation, General Francis Donovan, head of the U.S. military's Southern Command, said yesterday that there are no ongoing U.S. rehearsals or preparations taking place for an invasion of Cuba. [more]

DENMARK AND GREENLAND | According to Denmark's public broadcaster, DR, amidst U.S. President Donald Trump's repeated threats, Danish troops sent to Greenland under cover of a planned joint military exercise with several European nations in January were equipped with blood supplies and enough explosives to destroy Greenland's main airport runways for use in the event of a U.S. military action to take control of the Arctic island. [more]

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES | Security officials say a "terrorist network" alleged to have been funded and operated by the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group has been dismantled in the United Arab Emirates. UAE state media reports that the network had been operating under a fictitious commercial cover and was involved in "money laundering, financing terrorism, and threatening national security." [more]

SOUTH KOREA | Emergency officials say at least 55 people were injured, and 14 others remain missing, today in a fire at an auto parts factory in the South Korean city of Daejeon. Efforts to contain the fire are ongoing. [more]

BRAZIL | A new youth online protections law under consideration since 2022 went into effect in Brazil this week. Among other things, the Digital Statute of Children and Adolescents requires those under age 16 to link their social media accounts to a legal guardian to ensure supervision, prohibits platforms from using addictive features, and mandates that online service providers implement an effective age verification mechanism to prevent young users from accessing inappropriate or prohibited material. [more]

U.K. | The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions reports that more than 7.1 million people visited London's Natural History Museum in 2025, breaking the record for the most visitors to any museum or gallery in a single year and taking over first place in the visitors ranking from the British Museum. [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | Following several major upsets in the first full day of this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament, both ESPN and the NCAA say only 0.04% of fans' prediction brackets for the tournament remain error free. [more]

NBA | LeBron James started in last night's Los Angeles Lakers' game against the Miami Heat, playing in the 1,611th regular-season game of his professional career and tying Robert Parish’s all-time NBA record for games played. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1815, the Hundred Days—during which Napoleon, having ended his exile by escaping the island of Elba, would try to recapture his empire in France—began with Napoleon's arrival in Paris. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 20.

• U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday said the U.S. did not participate in Israeli airstrikes on Iran's South Par natural gas field and that Israel would not strike the field again. After Iran launched retaliatory strikes targeting energy facilities in Gulf countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, Trump pledged to "massively blow up" the South Pars field if Iran attacks Qatar again. [more]
• Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker said today that Europe will not be “blackmailed” into the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against Iran and ruled out Austrian participation in efforts to re-open the Strait of Hormuz. [more]
• Oil and gas prices continue to rise amidst the ongoing Middle East war and the new targeting of energy facilities in the Persian Gulf region by Iran and Israel. International benchmark Brent crude oil prices spiked today to nearly $119 per barrel, up from about $73 per barrel prior to the war. [more]
• According to Lebanon's government, 968 people have been killed, more than 2,400 have been wounded, and more than 1 million have been displaced since Israel began its renewed military operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon earlier this month. [more]
• Nearly three weeks into the U.S.-Israel-Iran war, U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, speaking before the Senate Intelligence Committee, said yesterday that Iran's government "appears to be intact but largely degraded." [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,482 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Officials in Moldova say a Russian attack on Ukraine's Novodnistrovsk hydropower plant earlier this month caused oil to pollute the Dniester River and that related health-related water supply cuts have deprived tens of thousands of Moldovans of water. [more]

U.S. NATIONAL DEBT | According to newly released Treasury Department data, the U.S. national debt surpassed a record $39 trillion earlier this week, just five months after the debt reached $38 trillion and seven months after reaching the $37 trillion level. [more]

U.S. WAR FUNDING | The Washington Post cites unnamed Trump administration sources as saying the Pentagon has asked the White House to approve a more than $200 billion request to Congress to fund the war in Iran. Asked about the funding request today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said, "It takes money to kill bad guys," and suggested the amount to be requested from Congress may be subject to change.  [more]

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY | The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is expected to advance Senator Markwayne Mullin's nomination to be the new Secretary of Homeland Security to the full Senate in a vote later today. Committee chair Rand Paul said he expects Mullin's nomination to move forward despite Paul's own "no" vote. [more]

NEBRASKA | Officials say four ongoing wildfires in western and central Nebraska that have been burning for a week amidst strong winds and dry conditions have burned about 1,300 square miles of land. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | Citing persistent inflation and labor market risks, the Federal Reserve left its benchmark interest rate unchanged yesterday at 3.5%-3.75%. [more]

U.S. OIL AND GAS | The Department of the Interior said yesterday that 11 companies submitted $163 million in oil and gas lease bids on 187 tracts covering 1.3 million acres of land in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve region in the first such lease sales since 2019. [more]

U.S. TRAVEL VISAS | The State Department yesterday added 12 countries to the list of nations whose citizens will be required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply for U.S. visas. The countries newly added to the existing list of 38 that require such bonds include: Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia. [full State Department list] [more]

U.S. AND JAPAN | Trade issues, Asian regional security, energy, and the war in Iran are expected to be among the main topics of discussion when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi meets with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House today. Reports note that Japan is among the countries Trump has criticized for not agreeing to help re-open the Strait of Hormuz amidst the ongoing Middle East war and that the topic is also likely to be discussed at today's meeting. [more]

GLOBAL HAPPINESS | In its 2026 World Happiness Report, researchers at the University of Oxford's Wellbeing Research Centre say Finland is the happiest nation in the world for the ninth year in a row, followed by Iceland, Denmark, Costa Rica, and Sweden. Other rankings of note include Israel at No. 8, Ireland at No. 13, the U.S. at No. 23, Japan at No. 61, Russia at No. 79, Iran at No. 97, and Afghanistan, with the worst ranking, at No. 147. The report also notes that heavy social media use appears to contribute to significant declines in well-being among young people, especially in teenage girls, and that high social media use was seen as a major contributor to quality-of-life evaluation declines in people under the age of 25 in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. [full report] [full rankings] [more]

E.U. LEADERS SUMMIT | The war in Iran, energy prices, migration, sanctions on Russia, and a massive new loan for Ukraine are expected to be among the main topics addressed at a summit of European Union leaders today in Brussels, Belgium. [more]

PAKISTAN AND AFGHANISTAN | Amidst their nearly month-long ongoing conflict, Pakistan and Afghanistan have announced a temporary cease-fire ahead of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The outlawed Pakistani Taliban militant group also announced a three-day cease-fire ahead of the holiday. [more]

U.K. | The UK Health Security Agency says 27 cases of meningitis have been confirmed in an outbreak of the disease that has affected students at four schools in the county of Kent and one in London. [more]

PAKISTAN | Emergency service officials say at least 15 people were killed, and more than two dozen others were injured, overnight in weather-related incidents when heavy rains and strong winds struck Karachi, Pakistan. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1918, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson signed the Standard Time Act, which established Daylight Saving Time in the United States. The legislation also gave the federal government oversight of the country's time zones. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 19.

• The price of benchmark Brent crude oil spiked 4% to nearly $108 per barrel today after Iranian officials said that South Pars – the world largest natural gas field – and its neighboring refineries had been targeted in ongoing U.S. and Israeli military operations and that Iran now considers a number of energy assets around the Persian Gulf to now be "legitimate targets." [more]
• Iranian and Russian officials say the grounds of Iran's Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, which is operated by Russian staff, were struck by a projectile yesterday evening. Officials blamed the incident on the U.S. and Israel and noted that no damage to the nuclear power unit occurred. [more]
• According to a new report from maritime data firm Lloyd's List Intelligence, at least 89 ships, including 16 oil tankers, passed through the Strait of Hormuz between March 1 and 15 – down from the approximately 100 to 135 that passed through the strait per day before the current war. The report further notes that more than 20% of the 89 successful passages were made by Iran-affiliated ships. [more]
• In the latest targeting of top Iranian government and military officials, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said today that Iranian Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib was killed in an overnight airstrike. Iran has not confirmed Khatib's death. [more]
• The Lebanese Health Ministry reports that at least 12 people were killed in Israeli airstrikes in central Beirut and Lebanon’s western Bekaa valley today, bringing to 912 the total number killed in Israel's renewed operations against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,481 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here are your updates:

• In an interview today with the BBC, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine will face a shortage of missiles due to the U.S-Israel-Iran war and suggested that Russia wants a "long war" in Iran because Kyiv would be weakened by allies' resources being directed to the Middle East. [more]

U.S. INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY | Top U.S. security, intelligence, and law enforcement officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, FBI Director Kash Patel, and Defense Intelligence Agency Director Lt. Gen. James H. Adams, are scheduled to appear before the House and Senate intelligence committees today and tomorrow. Among the main topics expected to be covered in the hearings are: the war in Iran and the intelligence assessments that led up to preemptive strikes against it and the prevention of terror attacks in the United States. [more]

U.S. FEDERAL FUNDING | President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week that establishes an anti-fraud task force to "fight fraud, close loopholes, enforce eligibility rules, and protect benefits for eligible Americans, while ensuring States administering Federal benefits programs do the same." Vice President JD Vance will head the task force. [full executive order] [more]

VOICE OF AMERICA | U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth yesterday ordered the U.S. Agency for Global Media to restore operations of the Voice of America, which was effectively shut down last year with the placing of 90% of its staff on administrative leave. Lamberth ruled last week that Kari Lake, who was appointed by President Donald Trump to run the agency, did not have the legal authority to shutter the Voice of America, which has transmitted news coverage and other media to countries around the world since its formation in World War II. [more]

U.S. COUNTERTERRORISM | National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent resigned from his position yesterday, citing his objections to the U.S. military actions in Iran, which he claimed were initiated due to pressure from Israel and its "powerful American lobby," as the reason for the move. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | Labor Department data released today indicates that U.S. producer prices, as measured by the Producer Price Index for final demand, rose a higher-than-expected 0.7% from January to February – up from a 0.5% monthly increase in January and a 3.4% increase over the past 12 months. [full report] [more]

FLORIDA | Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced a probe yesterday into Medicaid fraud in Florida, saying the state "has been a hotspot" for health care fraud for years and calling for state officials to share information on how they identify, prevent, and address potentially fraudulent claims. [more]

ARKANSAS | A federal judge on Monday struck down a Louisiana law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms. Reports note that the ruling directly applies to only the six school districts named as defendants in the lawsuit that challenged the law, and that Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has indicated the state will appeal the ruling in order to "defend our state’s values." [more]

U.S. EPSTEIN INVESTIGATION | The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform yesterday subpoenaed U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to appear for a deposition next month regarding the Justice Department's investigation into late financier and convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and the agency's handling and release of millions of files related to him. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that he has postponed his planned diplomatic trip to China, which had been expected to take place later this month, for up to six weeks due to the demands of the war in Iran. Trump had suggested earlier that he wanted to know if China would assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz before traveling to Beijing. [more]

E.U. AND SOUTH AMERICA | Paraguay became the latest and final South American country to ratify the landmark trade deal establishing a free-trade zone between the European Union and the four founding members of the Mercosur trade bloc. Final E.U. approval of the trade deal has been delayed due to a legal challenge by European lawmakers, though the European Commission has indicated it will provisionally ratify the agreement. [more]

JAPAN | Reversing from a deficit in January, Japan recorded a trade surplus of 57.3 billion yen ($360 million) in February, with exports showing a better-than-expected growth rate of 4.2% for the month. The country's exports to the U.S. and China were down for the month, while those to Europe and Asia expanded. [more]

BASEBALL | Venezuela beat the United States, 3-2, last night to win the World Baseball Classic tournament. [more]

IDITAROD | Defending champion Jessie Holmes won the 2026 Iditarod sled dog race yesterday, becoming the third competitor to repeat as champion of the nearly 1,000-mile event the year after winning for the first time. [more]

SOCCER | Ruling on an appeal related to the Africa Cup of Nations championship game in January in which Senegalese players left the field in protest of a penalty, the Confederation of African Football yesterday declared Senegal to have forfeited the game and awarded the Africa Cup of Nations title to Morocco. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1766, the British Parliament repealed the Stamp Act of 1765 after violent protests by American colonists, including a group known as the Sons of Liberty. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 18.

• Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said today that top Iranian security official Ali Larijani and General Gholam Reza Soleimani, the head of the Revolutionary Guard's Basij militia, were killed in overnight Israeli airstrikes on Tehran. [more]
• U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday criticized allies which he said have refused his request to provide military assistance in re-opening the Strait of Hormuz. Reports note that Germany, Italy, Australia, Spain, France, and Japan are among the countries believed to have said they will not support the effort with warships. [more]
• In an interview today, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called for the U.S. and Israel to end the war with Iran, said that Europe may still participate in efforts to re-open the Strait of Hormuz, likely through diplomatic efforts, and noted that the E.U. is consulting with Gulf-region countries on potential ways to bring the Middle East war to an end. [more]
• As U.S. and Israeli airstrikes on Iran continue, Iran has targeted facilities in numerous Gulf nations today, including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait. [more]
• In a new analysis published today, the World Food Programme suggests that up to 45 million additional people could be pushed into acute hunger this year if the Middle East war continues through June due to delays in humanitarian aid shipments and increased food, oil, and shipping costs. [more]
• Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said today that Beijing is offering emergency humanitarian assistance to Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq due to issues arising from the ongoing Middle East war. Details on the amount or nature of the assistance were not announced. [more]

U.S. VOTING AND CITIZENSHIP | The U.S. Senate is expected to begin consideration as early as today on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE, Act that would, among other things, require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote and mandate presentation of approved identification when actually voting. President Donald Trump has said the measure would "guarantee the midterms" for the Republican Party in the upcoming November elections, while opponents of the bill say it would infringe on the constitutional right of states to set their own election procedures and disenfranchise millions of American voters who don’t have birth certificates or other proof-of-citizenship documents readily available. [more]

U.S. IMMIGRATION | The U.S. Supreme Court agreed yesterday to hear arguments next month on the Trump administration's efforts to end temporary protected legal immigration status for some 350,000 people from Haiti and 6,000 people from Syria. Reports note that the Court, in a previous ruling, allowed the administration to end TPS for a total of 600,000 people from Venezuela while related lawsuits play out. [more]

U.S. VACCINATIONS | Boston-based U.S. District Court Judge Brian E. Murphy said yesterday that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. likely violated federal procedures in remaking the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and temporarily blocked federal health officials from reducing the number of vaccines recommended for every child. Department of Health and Human Services officials say they intend to appeal the ruling. [more]

U.S. TRAVEL | Amidst the ongoing partial shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security, just over 10% of Transportation Security Administration airport security officers did not show up for work on Sunday, according to DHS officials. Reports note that TSA officers are among those expected to work without pay during the shutdown, which has now entered its second month. [more]

KENNEDY CENTER | At a meeting hosted by President Donald Trump yesterday, the board of the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, DC, voted to shut down venue operations for two years while its buildings, which Trump has called "dilapidated," undergo renovations. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | Following trade talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Paris yesterday, Chinese international trade representative Li Chenggang said China is concerned that tariff-related U.S. investigations into manufacturing in foreign countries could "interfere with or damage the hard-won and stable China-U.S. economic and trade relations." Bessent characterized the talks as "constructive" and as showing "the stability in the relationship" between the U.S. and China. [more]

AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN | Afghan officials say at least 400 people were killed overnight in a Pakistani airstrike on a 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul. Pakistani officials have denied the Afghan reports, calling them propaganda, and said their airstrikes in the region have only targeted military facilities. [more]

CUBA | In the third such incident in the past four months, Cuban government officials yesterday reported a nearly nationwide disruption of the country's electrical system. State-owned media reported that, as of last night, power had been restored to about 5% of Havana's residents and to several hospitals across the Caribbean island nation. [more]

NIGERIA | Emergency officials say at least 23 people were killed, and more than 100 others were injured, last night in three suspected suicide bombing attacks in the city of Maiduguri in northeastern Nigeria. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, but reports note that the Islamic State-backed Boko Haram militant group has been responsible for similar incidents in the region previously. [more]

HAITI | U.N. human rights official William O’Neill said yesterday that "the next few months are going to be crucial" for Haiti as a 5,500-member U.N.-backed force begins to deploy to the Caribbean island nation as part of efforts to tackle pervasive gang violence. [more]

ECUADOR | Amidst ongoing large-scale anti-cartel operations, officials in Ecuador say 75,000 soldiers and police officers have been deployed to four provinces – Guayas, El Oro, Los Rios, and Santo Domingo de los Tsachilas – where a nightly curfew has been in place since Saturday. [more]

CHILE | Newly installed Chilean President José Antonio Kast yesterday announced the start of construction of a border barrier along his country's northern frontier as part of efforts to reduce illegal immigration and drug trafficking. [more]

ASIAN ENERGY | Amidst potential oil and energy shortages associated with the ongoing Middle East war, various policies aimed at conserving fuel have been introduced in a number of Asian nations, including:  Sir Lanka has declared every Wednesday a holiday for public institutions, Myanmar is allowing private vehicle operation only on alternates days depending on their license plate numbers, Bangladesh has introduced planned power blackouts, and Vietnam has urged citizens to restrict unnecessary personal vehicle use. [more]

BASEBALL | Venezuela beat Italy, 4-2, last night to advance to tonight's final of the World Baseball Classic tournament, in which they will face the United States. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1992, nearly 69 percent of white South African voters backed President F.W. de Klerk's reforms—which included the repeal of racially discriminatory laws—and effectively endorsed the dismantling of apartheid. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 17.

• U.S. President Donald Trump said over the weekend that NATO member nations face a "very bad future" if they do not help open the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world's oil normally travels and which has seen almost no traffic since the start of the U.S.-Israel-Iran war. Trump is reported to have requested direct participation in efforts to re-open the Strait from about seven countries, but no commitments have yet been made for such assistance.  [more]
• Amidst ongoing economic pressures linked to the Middle East war, international benchmark Brent crude oil was trading at about $105 this morning – up more than 40% since the war began. [more]
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi today denied that his country may be seeking to negotiate an end to the war, saying Iran is pursuing neither "truce nor talks." [more]
• Gulf region countries continue to experience attacks by Iran as U.S. and Israeli strikes on targets across Iran continue. Among today's incidents in the region are: the closure of Dubai International Airport for several hours after an Iranian drone strike hit a fuel tank near the travel hub, a fire at an oil facility in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, following a drone attack, and Saudi Arabia's interception of 35 Iranian drones targeting the country's eastern oil region. [more]
• Israel's military says additional ground troops have been deployed to southern Lebanon for "limited and targeted operations" against Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. Lebanese authorities say at least 850 people in the country have been killed in Israeli attacks over the past weeks and that more than 800,000 people have been displaced. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,479 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy yesterday accused E.U. allies of "blackmail" through the bloc's demand that Ukraine repair and re-open the Druzhba oil pipeline that transports Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia, and which was damaged, according to Zelenskyy, by Russian air strikes in January. Reports note that Hungary has said it will continue to block new E.U. sanctions on Russia and a much-needed 90-billion-euro E.U. loan to Ukraine until the pipeline is reopened. [more]

U.S. MEDIA | President Donald Trump and FCC Chairman Brendan Carr criticized U.S. media coverage of the war in Iran over the weekend, with Trump characterizing critical reporting as "criminal" and "unpatriotic," and Carr threatening the FCC licenses of broadcasters who do not "operate in the public interest." [more]

U.S. Department of Homeland Security | As the ongoing partial DHS shutdown enters its second month, the CEOs of major U.S. airlines urged Congress in an open letter published yesterday to ensure that air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers be paid during funding-related shutdowns. [more]

MICHIGAN | Reports cite Israeli military officials as saying Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, the man who drove his explosive-laden vehicle into the Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan last week, was the brother of a Hezbollah commander killed earlier this month in an Israeli airstrike in Lebanon. [more]

COLORADO | In what union organizers say is the first large-scale walkout at a U.S. slaughterhouse since the 1980s, some 3,800 workers at the Swift Beef Co. plant in Greeley, Colorado, went on strike this morning amidst labor practices and contract negotiations with plant owner JBS USA. [more]

U.S. AND CHINA | U.S. President Donald Trump suggested yesterday that he could delay an upcoming planned trip to China following his yet-unanswered request that China help to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amidst the war in the Middle East. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is in Paris today for a new round of trade talks with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng meant, in part, to prepare for Trump's trip to Beijing. [more]

U.S., MEXICO, AND CANADA | In the first of a series of meetings planned to discuss renewal of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, trade deal, U.S. and Mexican trade officials are scheduled to meet today. Reports note that the USMCA, which took effect in 2020 during the first Trump administration, encompasses some $1.6 trillion in annual trade between the three partners. [more]

ISRAEL AND WEST BANK | Palestinian health officials say at least 12 people, including four civilians and eight police officers, were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza yesterday, bringing to about 650 the number of people killed in intermittent outbreaks of violence in the Palestinian enclave since the Israel-Hamas cease-fire took effect. [more]

MYANMAR | Following the country's recent elections, which were widely criticized after major opposition parties were blocked from participation, Myanmar's first parliamentary session in five years opened today with nearly 90% of seats in the two-chamber parliament held by the ruling military junta and its allies. [more]

KAZAKHSTAN | According to the country's Central Election Commission, Kazakhstan's new constitution, which critics say could be used to extend President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s eligibility for office, was overwhelmingly approved in a referendum yesterday, having received 87% support. Among the constitutional changes approved are: merging the country's two parliamentary chambers into one, creating a "People's Chamber," with all members appointed by the president, with the power to initiate legislation, and defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman. [more]

AUSTRIA | In a report that researchers say highlights the impact of climate change, the Austrian Alpine Club says all but two of Austria's 96 glaciers retreated over the past two years, with an average retreat of more than 20 meters (65 feet). [more]

TECH INDUSTRY | Reuters cites unnamed sources as saying Facebook parent company Meta is planning large-scale layoffs that could affect 20% of the company's 79,000 employees. Shares of Meta rose about 3% in early trading following news of the layoff plans. [more]

COLLEGE BASKETBALL | In yesterday's Selection Sunday for the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments, Duke, Arizona, Michigan, and Florida were named No. 1 seeds in the men's tournament, while UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina topped the women's brackets. [full men's bracket] [full women's bracket] [more]

BASEBALL | The U.S. beat the Dominican Republic, 2-1, last night to advance to the final of the World Baseball Classic where they will face the winner of tonight's game between Italy and Venezuela. [more]

FILM AWARDS | "One Battle After Another" and "Sinners" were the big winners at last night's 98th Academy Awards. "One Battle After Another" was named best picture, and the film's director, Paul Thomas Anderson, won for Best Director. Michael B. Jordan won the Best Actor Oscar for his leading role in "Sinners," and Jessie Buckley was named Best Actress for her role in "Hamnet." [full list of winners] [more]

WEEKEND MOVIES | "Hoppers" topped the North American box office over the weekend with an estimated $28.5 million in receipts, followed by "Reminders of Him" and "Undertone." [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1945, U.S. Marines captured the Japanese island of Iwo Jima during World War II. [more history]

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U.S., ISRAEL, IRAN WAR | Day 14.

• Reports say at least one person was killed, and several others were injured, today when a large explosion occurred in Tehran's Ferdowsi Square where thousands of people were taking part in pro-Palestinian Quds Day demonstrations. [more]
• In a written statement that Iranian media attributed to the country's new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said yesterday that Iran will continue to use the Strait of Hormuz to put pressure on the U.S. and Israel to end the war and will target coalition assets in the region while fighting continues. Reports note that Khamenei has not been seen in public since being appointed after his father, the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed on the opening day of the Middle East war. [more]
• Four of six crew members aboard a U.S. military KC-135 refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq yesterday have been found dead, according to U.S. Central Command. Military officials say the crash was not the result of hostile or friendly fire and that the incident remains under investigation. Reports cite leaders of a pro-Iran Iraqi militia as saying the plane was targeted with a missile – a contention that has not been confirmed. [more]
• At least one French soldier was killed, and four others were wounded, yesterday in a drone attack on a Kurdish military base in Iraq's Irbil region. [more]
• In the third such incident since the Middle East war began, NATO air defenses intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran over Turkey today. [more]
• The U.S. has announced plans to ease restrictions on the sale of sanctioned Russian oil currently stranded at sea as part of efforts to stabilize oil supplies amidst the ongoing war. The U.K., which has accused Russia and Iran of conspiring to "hijack the global economy," says it will not join the U.S. in easing sanctions on Russian oil, and the European Union has criticized the U.S. move as potentially affecting E.U. security amidst the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. [more]
• U.N Secretary-General António Guterres is in Beirut, Lebanon, today in what he says is an act of solidarity with the Lebanese people who he claims have been dragged into the ongoing Middle East war. [more]

UKRAINE | Today is day 1,476 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here is your update:

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said today that Ukraine is awaiting word from the United States on a drone production agreement proposed by Kyiv last year that would see increased cooperative production of various types of drones and air defenses that operate as a single system to protect against swarms of Iranian-designed Shahed drones and missiles used by both Russia and Iran. [more]

U.S. TERROR ACTS | Two violent acts in the U.S. yesterday are being investigated as possible acts of terrorism potentially linked to the ongoing U.S.-Israel-Iran war:

• One person was killed, and two others were wounded, yesterday when a man identified as Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Sierra Leone and U.S. military veteran, opened fire in an ROTC classroom at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. Reports note that Jalloh, who was killed by ROTC students present during the attack, was convicted in 2016 of attempting to provide aid to the Islamic State militant group. [more]
• Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a 41-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen born in Lebanon, drove a vehicle containing explosives into the Temple Israel synagogue in Michigan's Detroit-region West Bloomfield Township yesterday. Reports note that the explosives in Ghazali's vehicle did not detonate, that Ghazali was fatally shot by security officers at the synagogue, and that none of the synagogue’s staff, teachers, or the 140 children at its early childhood center were injured in the attack. [more]

U.S. ECONOMY | In a downward revision of its economic growth estimate for the fourth quarter of 2025, the Commerce Department said today that the U.S. gross domestic product in the October-to-December period expanded at an annualized rate of 0.7% – down sharply from the 1.4% rate initially reported, and a much slower pace than the 4.4% in the third quarter. [full report] [more]

U.S. TARIFFS | As part of Trump administration efforts to impose new import tariffs after the president's earlier attempt was blocked by the Supreme Court, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced investigations into sixteen countries this week under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which allows a president to impose tariffs and other sanctions on countries engaged in "unjustifiable," "unreasonable" or "discriminatory" trade practices. [more]

CALIFORNIA | The Trump administration sued California pollution regulators yesterday, seeking to block long-standing state vehicle emission standards that are more strict than the federal government's standards. [more]

U.S. HOUSING BILL | The Senate voted 89-10 yesterday to approve a broad housing reform bill that would, among other things, give local governments more power on housing issues, allow expanded bank investment in affordable housing, lift some limits on public housing financing, and place new limitations on the purchase of single-family homes by institutional investors. The bill will now be considered by the House, which passed a similar, though different, measure earlier this year. [more]

U.S. WAR POWERS | Amidst reports of increased Trump administration focus on Cuba, Senate Democrats introduced a war powers resolution yesterday that would require congressional approval for any U.S. military attack on the Caribbean island nation. [more]

AFGHANISTAN AND PAKISTAN | In the third week of active conflict between the two countries, both Afghanistan and Pakistan claim to have inflicted heavy losses on the other. Afghanistan’s Taliban government said early today that at least six civilians were killed, and more than a dozen were injured, in overnight Pakistani airstrikes on the Afghan capital Kabul and in the southern and eastern provinces of Kandahar and Nangarhar. [more]

ISRAEL AND GAZA | The United States said in a filing to the International Court of Justice yesterday that South Africa's accusation that Israel was engaged in genocide against the Palestinian people through its military actions in Gaza is part of a "broader campaign” against Israel and the Jewish people “to justify or encourage terrorism against them.” [more]

CANADA | Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday announced a $24 billion ($32 billion Canadian) funding plan to strengthen and expand military forward operating locations and other infrastructure in northern Canada as part of efforts to increase Arctic region security. [more]

HAITI | Reports say a record 280 political parties have registered for Haiti's first general election in 10 years, though officials at the country's Provisional Electoral Council say not all parties will be allowed to participate. [more]

SPACE | Following necessary repairs, NASA says it has cleared its Space Launch System rocket for an April launch of the Artemis II mission to fly around the moon in preparation for later lunar orbiting and moon landing missions. [more]

BASKETBALL | Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points in last night's 104-102 win over the Boston Celtics, breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record for consecutive games with 20 points or more. [more]

TODAY IN HISTORY | On this date in 1925, the Tennessee General Assembly approved the Butler Act, which prohibited public schools from teaching the theory of evolution. The bill was challenged in court later that year in the famous Scopes Monkey Trial, and Tennessee ultimately repealed the law in 1967. [more history]