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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
President Trump yesterday said he did not regret going to war against Iran. Trump said that if he had to do it again, “I would do exactly as I did,” and rejected claims some of his supporters were demoralized about the war. Kanishka Singh reports for Reuters.
The U.S. Treasury Department yesterday announced new sanctions against firms and individuals that it says are aiding Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies in the Middle East. The sanctions targeted entities and individuals in Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, and Turkey who the department says support Kata’ib Hezbollah, an Iraqi paramilitary group under the command of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent yesterday said the department will also sanction a large bank next week. Bessent said that the United States would “continue with this process until everyone stops dealing with this regime,” but did not name the bank nor its country. Andrea Shalal reports for Reuters; Jasper Ward reports for Reuters.
IRAN WAR – YEMEN
Yemen’s Iranian-aligned Houthis today reached the strategic island of Perim in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and took the coastal town of Dhubab, four Yemeni government sources told Reuters. The Houthis yesterday seized the Red Sea port city of Mohka, according to Houthi, Yemeni, and Saudi officials. Yemeni government military sources said the Houthis had gained further leverage over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of the world’s most important routes for commodity vessels, and had reached the islands of Hanish. Mohammed Ghobari, Eman Abouhassira, and Catherine Cartier report; Summer Said and Saleh al-Batati report for the Wall Street Journal; Enas Alashray, David Brunnstrom, and Jana Choukeir report for Reuters.
The Houthi’s advance towards the Red Sea coast came with direct guidance from the IRGC seeking to open a new front in the Iran war, according to Yemeni government and Iranian sources. Iran told the Houthis last week to escalate attacks on Saudi Arabia, and promised more funding, weapons, and senior officers to help them do so. Parisa Hafezi, Mohammed Ghobari, and Timour Azhari report for Reuters.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman yesterday called Trump twice urging him to launch strikes against the Houthis, and Trump declined, sources told Axios. The United States is concerned about the escalating fighting in Yemen and is stepping up support for Saudi Arabia while trying to avoid direct military conflict. Barak Ravid reports.
More than 100 U.S. military advisers are on the ground in Saudi Arabia providing intelligence, sources told CNN. The military personnel are working as part of a newly established joint forces command, and the presence of U.S. troops assisting Saudi Arabia was described by sources. Zachary Cohen, Katie Bo Lillis, and Kylie Atwood report.
IRAN WAR – LEBANON
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz yesterday said the Israeli military destroyed Hezbollah underground infrastructure at the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, and added that Israeli forces would remain in the area to prevent Hezbollah from re-establishing its presence. Yomna Ehab and Enas Alashray report for Reuters.
IRAN WAR – OTHER DEVELOPMENTS
Iranian Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Mohsen Rezai yesterday said the International Atomic Energy Agency’s “political moves” will push countries to exit the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, after the U.N. nuclear watchdog passed a resolution reporting Iran to the U.N. Security Council for breaching its non-proliferation obligations. Elwely Elwelly reports for Reuters.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Ukrainian officials today said Russian strikes on Kyiv killed two people at a petrol station. Russia targeted two petrol stations, and a rescue worker was among those injured in a double-tap strike on one of them, according to emergency services. Gleb Garanich reports for Reuters.
Russia’s Tula region Gov. Dmitry Milyayev today said two people were killed and three injured in Ukrainian drone attacks in the region. Russia’s Belgorod regional authorities yesterday said Ukrainian drone attacks killed one person and wounded seven. Gleb Garanich and Jekaterīna Golubkova report for Reuters; Reuters reports.
Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region Gov. Oleksandr Hanzha yesterday said Russian drones killed five people in the city of Pavlohrad. Hanzha said Russian strikes in the wider region killed two more people, and injured a total of 76 people, including several children. Pavel Polityuk and Anna Pruchnicka report for Reuters.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday said Canada has agreed a C$350 million aid package for Kyiv to acquire air defense interceptors after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Carney did not give details of which interceptors would be delivered or when the aid would start flowing. Amanda Stephenson reports for Reuters.
Zelenskyy yesterday said there would be no trilateral meeting on how to end the war before the elections in Russia. Yuliia Dysa reports for Reuters.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi today began talks in New Delhi. Talks are expected to focus on trade, energy, and defense ties. Saurabh Sharma and Shilpa Jamkhandikar report for Reuters.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry yesterday severed diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, citing what it described as a series of “provocative or hostile” actions by the UAE. The ministry said the UAE’s actions had reached a point where they could no longer be considered acceptable, and that it had “exhausted all means of preserving bilateral relations.” The UAE Foreign Ministry said it hoped Algeria’s decision to cut diplomatic ties would be temporary. Jana Choukeir reports for Reuters.
The U.K. MI5 Director General Ken McCallum today marked the 25th anniversary of 9/11 by stating intelligence services must not dwell on past threats but accept that a new strategic shock along the lines of the 9/11 attacks could already be in preparation where they are not looking. Michael Holden reports for Reuters.
CLIMATE DEVELOPMENTS
The International Energy Agency yesterday projected that the world is set to burn record amounts of coal this year, in large part because of the Iran war. The increase in coal use is a major setback for efforts to address climate change, as when burned for fuel, coal produces more planet-warming greenhouse gases than any other energy source. Brad Plumer reports for the New York Times.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday said that the United States would work with recently elected Peruvian President Keiko Fujimori to crack down on organized crime groups in the country. Rubio gave no details on any plans for cooperation. Fujimori said Peru had joined the Shield of Americas, a coalition of Latin American nations mostly led by conservative leaders organized by the Trump administration. Edward Wong and Mitra Taj report for the New York Times.
U.S. IMMIGRATION DEVELOPMENTS
The City of Denver yesterday asked a federal judge to block the Department of Homeland Security from allowing armed ICE agents to serve warrants at polling sites. The lawsuit asserts Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and the acting Head of ICE David Venturella are allowing federal agents to enforce civil immigration laws at polling locations as a matter of policy, and argue that the practice violates federal laws protecting free and fair elections. The Department of Homeland Security yesterday stated that any arrests near polling sites would be the result of “intelligence-driven targeted enforcement.” Jazmine Ulloa reports for the New York Times.
Common Cause, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization, yesterday filed a lawsuit that accuses the Department of Homeland Security, the Justice Department, the FBI, and other federal agencies of violating the First Amendment and privacy rights of observers through intimidation at ICE raids. The lawsuit asks for federal agencies to be barred from intimidating or retaliating against observers, and is the largest observer lawsuit to date, as it includes incidents from multiple states and seeks national relief. Jude Joffe-Block reports for NPR.
Former immigration judge Chloe Dillon yesterday filed a lawsuit against the Justice Department claiming she was terminated last year in retaliation for “her whistleblowing activity,” in violation of the Whistleblower Protection Act and the First Amendment. Dillon’s lawsuit said she was fired roughly 48 hours after she sent an email to her supervisor flagging “potential violations of statutory law and due process” in the detainment of an unaccompanied minor. Dillon was included in a list that ICE shared with the Justice Department identifying immigration judges the agency believed showed bias in their rulings, according to an administration official. Celine Castronuovo reports for Bloomberg.
U.S. TECH DEVELOPMENTS
The Environmental Protection Network yesterday released a report about the health consequences of data centers, and claims that Trump administration plans to speed up approvals of the facilities threatened to exacerbate those health harms. The report listed 30 federal actions taken by the Environmental Protection Agency and other government agencies which could further increase emissions and health risks. Hiroko Tabuchi reports for the New York Times.
Anthropic yesterday said it had disrupted several potential plots this year by scientists who used its AI models to conduct research that could have helped develop biological weapons. In a report describing misuse of AI models, the company said it could not determine whether the research served a legitimate or nefarious purpose, and erred on the side of caution because the consequences of missing malicious activity could be severe. Dustin Volz reports for the New York Times.
A Texas judge yesterday ruled TikTok violated the state’s consumer protection law by misleading users about how it filtered content for minors and whether its “Restricted Mode” feature shielded children from inappropriate material. The ruling says TikTok told users it would remove content that violated its Community Guidelines, but internally classified some of the violatory material as “hard to find” rather than “do not allow,” allowing it to remain on the platform. Sathvi G. Bhat reports for Reuters.
U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
The Supreme Court yesterday blocked Missouri from using a Republican-drawn congressional map in the midterm elections. The court issued a brief order to end a dispute that spanned three separate courts. Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins (R) yesterday instructed election officials to use prior district lines. The Missouri Supreme Court said Hoskins’ new notice “corrected his contemptuous conduct.” The Missouri Supreme Court yesterday found Hoskin in contempt of court for instructing officials to use the Republican-drawn map on Tuesday. Lydia Wheeler and James Romoser report for the Wall Street Journal.
McClatchy, whose titles include the Miami Herald, yesterday executed its most severe layoffs in years, cutting newsroom staff at some papers by upwards of 40%. McClatchy Executive Vice President of Local News Greg Farmer said in an email to newsrooms that the company “cannot continue investing where subscriber interest does not support the investment.” A current employee said at least 90 journalists had been laid off at dozens of publications. Angela Fu reports for Poynter; Katie Robertson reports for the New York Times.
Trump loyalist and veteran prosecutor Joe diGenova yesterday abruptly resigned from the Russia-related investigation into whether former law enforcement and intelligence officials conspired against Trump. Sources told ABC News that the resignation came amid growing frustrations from Trump and senior Justice Department officials regarding his work on the so-called “grand conspiracy” investigation. DiGenova confirmed his resignation to POLITICO and AP News, but declined to explain his departure. Katherine Faulders, Alexander Mallin, and Luke Barr report; Josh Gerstein reports; Eric Tucker and Alanna Durkin Richer reports.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) yesterday asked Trump for help in rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Lowell. Hurricane Lowell was the second hurricane to strike Hawaii in the past few weeks after Hurricane Lala, killing a total of 5 people across the state. Green added that the state had also been battered by another storm and earthquake, and estimates Hurricane Lowell to have done more damage than Hurricane Iniki in 1992, which killed at least 7 people and left $1.8 billion in damage. Christina Morales and Jennifer Sinco Kelleher report for the New York Times.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) yesterday signed into law restrictions on addictive social media technology and interactions with harmful AI chatbots. The laws are the first of their kind in the country, and are among more than a dozen digital safety laws Newsom signed, saying it was too hard for parents alone to protect their children from powerful algorithms. Cecilia Kang and Laurel Rosenhall report for the New York Times.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTION
The Department of Homeland Security yesterday proposed eliminating a 60-day grace period that allows certain immigrants, including workers on H-1B visas, to stay in the country and find a new sponsor after losing their job. The department acknowledged companies affected by the change could see some disruption, but said the jobs could go to American workers instead, and added that in some circumstances, people who left could potentially reapply if their employer petitions for them. Susan Heavey reports for Reuters.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
An appeals court yesterday declined to lift a federal judge’s injunction that prevented the Postal Service from enforcing a new rule to tighten mail-in voting requirements before the midterm elections. The Trump administration had already asked the Supreme Court to make a decision on the rule without waiting for the appeals court verdict. 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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