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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the last 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
IRAN WAR
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced today that the Israeli military killed Alireza Tangsiri, the Iranian commander of the navy for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, in an airstrike in southern Iran this morning. Katz said Tangsiri was responsible for mining and blocking the Strait of Hormuz. Adam Rasgon reports for the New York Times.
The Israeli military is striking as many Iranian targets as possible, as Israel is concerned that the war could soon be brought to a halt, according to two senior Israeli officials and two other sources. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday ordered that every effort be made over the next 48 hours to destroy as much of the Iranian arms industry as possible. The order came after Netanyahu obtained a copy of the U.S.-drafted 15-point plan to end the war, the officials said. A Pakistani source told Reuters today that Israel had agreed to take Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf off its hit list following a request from Pakistan that Washington not target them. David M. Halbfinger, Ronen Bergman, Natan Odenheimer, and Adam Rasgon report for the New York Times; Ariba Shaid reports.
Iran’s state media yesterday quoted an anonymous official as rejecting the U.S. plan to end the war and responding with a counterproposal. This includes reparations for war damages, recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, an end to sanctions, and a wider cease-fire for the region that protects Hezbollah. Iranian officials told the New York Times that Iran does not want a pause in the fighting as they fear that Israel and the United States would take it as an opportunity to strengthen their forces before resuming strikes. Farnaz Fassihi, Shashank Bengali, and Sanam Mahoozi report; Barak Ravid reports for Axios.
“Messages being conveyed through our friendly countries and us responding by stating our positions or issuing the necessary warning is not called negotiation or dialogue,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said yesterday. He added that Iran was reviewing the U.S. proposal but had no intention of holding talks. A few hours later, Trump said Iranian leaders “are negotiating, by the way, and they want to make a deal so bad, but they’re afraid to say it because they will be killed by their own people.” An Iranian embassy official in Islamabad said talks in Islamabad were still on the table and Pakistan was the preferred destination for Tehran, although nothing had been finalized. Parisa Hafezi, Alexander Cornwell, and Kanishka Singh report for Reuters.
The Iraqi government yesterday accused the United States of attacking a clinic on a military base in western Anbar province, killing seven Iraqi service members and injuring 13. A spokesperson for U.S. Central Command said the army was aware of the reports but denied that U.S. forces had targeted the medical clinic. Mustafa Salim, Sammy Westfall, Alex Horton, and Meg Kelly report for the Washington Post.
Russia is close to completing a phased shipment of drones, medicine, and food to Iran, according to Western intelligence reports. Two officials said the processing of deliveries began in early March and was expected to be completed by the end of the month. When asked about Moscow sending drones, a Kremlin spokesperson said, “There are a lot of fakes going around right now. One thing is true – we are continuing our dialogue with the Iranian leadership.” Jacob Judah, Henry Foy, Max Seddon, and Meri Zilbert report for the Financial Times.
Iranian strikes on U.S. bases across the Middle East have forced many U.S. troops to relocate to hotels and office spaces throughout the region, according to military personnel and U.S. officials. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps has urged people to report these new locations as it plans to target the dispersed troops. Helen Cooper and Eric Schmitt report for the New York Times.
IRAN WAR – POLITICAL RESPONSE
“We want to know more about what’s going on, what the options are, and why they’re being considered,” House Armed Services Committee Chair Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL) said yesterday following a closed-door briefing from Defense officials, adding “we’re just not getting enough answers on those questions.” Several Republicans warned that the continued lack of transparency from the administration could erode congressional support. Connor O’Brien reports for POLITICO.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
The United States is making its offer of security guarantees for a peace deal in Ukraine conditional on Kyiv ceding all of the eastern region of Donbas to Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Reuters in an interview yesterday. “I would very much like the American side to understand that the eastern part of our country is part of our security guarantees,” he said. Zelenskyy had said in January that a security guarantees document was “100%” ready, but following weekend talks in Miami, he said there was still work to be done. Daniel Flynn and Olena Harmash report.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
A resolution proposed by Ghana at the U.N. yesterday to recognise transatlantic slavery as the “gravest crime against humanity” and calling for reparations has been adopted. 123 countries supported the resolution, 52 abstained, and the United States, Israel, and Argentina opposed it. Ruth Maclean reports for the New York Times.
The U.K. government said yesterday that Chinese turbine maker Ming Yang’s products pose a national security risk and it could not support their use in U.K. offshore projects. The ministers did not detail the risks, but the announcement came after months of deliberation. Ming Yang had set out plans in October last year to invest up to £1.5 billion in a factory to produce turbine blades and other parts for the U.K., Europe, and other markets. Jim Pickard, Rachel Millard, and Simeon Kerr report for the Financial Times.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held talks in Pyongyang today and signed a friendship and cooperation treaty. Dasha Litvinova reports for AP News.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Trump has rescheduled his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping for May 14 to 15, the White House announced yesterday. Ben Johansen reports for POLITICO.
Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to visit Hungary just days ahead of the country’s election on April 12, according to a State Department cable obtained by POLITICO. Vance would be the highest-level U.S. visitor to Hungary since then-President George W. Bush’s trip in June 2006, according to the cable excerpt. Nahal Toosi, Eli Stokols, and Diana Nerozzi report.
The United States yesterday offered a reward of $3 million and possible relocation in exchange for information on the financial activities of Haiti’s Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif criminal groups. The announcement marks a shift in tactics as previous bounties have been focused on individual gang leaders. Harold Isaac and Sarah Morland report for Reuters.
U.S. CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC OPERATIONS
The U.S. military killed four people in a strike against an alleged drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea yesterday, U.S. Southern Command said in a statement. Reuters reports.
U.S. suppliers have shipped approximately 30,000 barrels of fuel to Cuba’s private sector since early February, during a de facto oil blockade on the Cuban government, according to documents and shipping data reviewed by Reuters. Dave Sherwood and Marianna Perraga report.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum yesterday said she will continue to have Cuban doctors work in Mexico. “It’s a bilateral agreement that helps Mexico a lot,” Sheinbaum said when asked by reporters whether she would give in to pressures by the Trump administration to cease the agreement. Megan Janetsky reports for AP News.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) yesterday signed a bill putting permanent restrictions on state and local police cooperation with federal immigration authorities. “It’s pretty clear that New Jersey law enforcement should enforce New Jersey laws,” Sherrill said before signing the bill. “We shouldn’t use New Jersey resources to do federal agents’ jobs at the same time, and we’re not going to allow federal agents to terrorize our state.” Katie Bartlett reports for POLITICO.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
A California jury yesterday found Meta and YouTube negligent for designing addictive social media platforms that harmed a child. The jury ordered Meta and YouTube to pay the plaintiff $3 million in compensatory damage, with Meta assigned 70 percent of responsibility. The verdict comes a day after another ruling in New Mexico, where a jury found Meta was liable for endangering children and misleading the public about the safety of its platform. Tyler Katzenberger reports for POLITICO.
Climate scientist Dr Kate Marvel announced on Tuesday that she resigned from her position at NASA, citing the Trump administration’s attacks on climate science in the United States. Eric Niiler reports for the New York Times.
Trump retained government documents relevant to his business interests after he left office, according to an internal memo from former special counsel Jack Smith’s office. The memo was transmitted by the Justice Department to the House and Senate Judiciary Committees earlier this month. Hailey Fuchs reports for POLITICO.
More than 450 Transport Security Administration agents have quit in the nearly six weeks since the partial government shutdown began, contributing to the “highest wait times in TSA history,” a top Homeland Security Department official told a House committee yesterday. Brittany Gibson reports for Axios.
The United States Army last week raised its enlistment age limit to 42 from 35 and eased restrictions for people with marijuana convictions. While the policy for the regulations was first issued in 2023, the Army codified it last week in a regulation, according to an Army statement. Jonathan Wolfe reports for the New York Times.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
The Pentagon is not planning to release a Global Posture Review, which traditionally outlines military priorities and where the Defense Department plans to station assets, according to four U.S. and NATO defense officials and three European diplomats. Defense officials are instead opting to hold informal meetings with lawmakers and U.S. allies. Paul McLeary, Leo Shane III, and Chris Lunday report for POLITICO.
Trump yesterday tapped several high-profile technology executives to serve as members on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Brendan Bordelon reports for POLITICO.
The Justice Department has agreed to pay Michael T. Flynn, Trump’s former national security adviser, $1.25 million to settle claims that he was wrongfully prosecuted for making false statements to federal agents investigating ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, a source said yesterday. Flynn, who had previously been pardoned by Trump, called the settlement a step toward correcting “a profound wrong,” while the department framed it as redressing a “historic injustice.” Alan Feuer reports for the New York Times.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
A federal appeals court yesterday upheld the Trump administration’s policy allowing ICE to detain most people facing deportation without bond, marking the second appellate win for this approach. The panel ruled 2-1 that the administration had properly determined that federal law requires ICE to detain the vast majority of people it is seeking to deport. Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein report for POLITICO.
A federal judge yesterday ordered the Trump administration to provide details about an “unwritten” agreement with Mexico under which roughly 6,000 Cubans were deported, questioning whether the deal is secret and if it violated due process. Nate Raymond reports for Reuters.
Did you miss this? Stay up-to-date with our Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions.
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