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A curated weekday guide to major news and developments over the past 24 hours. Here’s today’s news:
ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR
The Israeli military will seize “large areas” of Gaza and incorporate them into “security zones” to “destroy and clear the area of terrorists and terrorist infrastructure,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said today. According to Katz, the execution of the plan will entail large-scale evacuations of Palestinians. Katz did not make clear whether the move would represent a permanent annexation of territory. Rachel Hagan and Yolande Knell report for BBC News; James Mackenzie reports for Reuters.
Hamas militants last week tortured to death a Palestinian man who publicly criticized the group and participated in anti-Hamas protests, the man’s family alleges. Ibrahim Dahman and Nadeen Ebrahim report for CNN.
At least 332 children have been reportedly killed and 609 wounded since the start of Israel’s renewed offensive in Gaza two weeks ago, UNICEF said on Sunday, citing figures released by Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. Tom Bennett reports for BBC News.
A U.N. spokesperson yesterday described as “ridiculous” Israel’s claim that “there is enough food for a long period of time” in Gaza, adding that U.N. aid supplies are “at [their] tail end.” Michelle Nichols reports for Reuters.
U.S. FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The Trump administration is in conversations to have countries in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe take in migrants deported from the United States, following the model adopted by Panama in February, officials say. The administration is also close to finalizing a deal for Honduras to be designated as a safe place for migrants to ask for asylum, according to a source. Alexander Ward, Michelle Hackman, and Vera Bergengruen report for the Wall Street Journal.
DOGE is finalizing its dismantlement of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and has ordered the firing of thousands of local workers and U.S. personnel assigned to overseas posts, two former top USAID officials said yesterday. Jonathan Landay reports for Reuters.
The White House is preparing estimates of the cost of controlling Greenland as a territory, according to sources. The move is the most concrete effort yet to turn Trump’s wish to acquire the island into government policy. Lisa Rein, Michael Birnbaum, Natalie Allison, and Jeff Stein report for the Washington Post.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomats to scrutinize the social media of some applicants for student and other types of visas in a bid to screen out those suspected of criticizing the United States and Israel from entering, U.S. officials say. Edward Wong reports for the New York Times.
The Trump administration told the migrants it deported to El Salvador in mid-March they would be sent to Venezuela, according to two women who were on the deportation flight. The women said that upon landing, the El Salvadoran authorities did not take them into prison and they have since returned to detention in the United States. Didi Martinez, Julia Ainsley, and Laura Strickler report for NBC News.
The Paris U.S. Embassy’s request for European companies doing business with the State Department to certify their compliance with the Trump administration’s anti-diversity, equality, and inclusion push is a “piece of paperwork,” the State Department said yesterday following sharp reactions from French and Belgian lawmakers. Sammy Westfall reports for the Washington Post.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) yesterday said it has begun furloughing staff because the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) has not sent it the funding for April despite rescinding its termination of RFE/RL’s grant agreement. RFE/RL will seek court orders to compel USAGM to pay the money, its statement added.
The Pentagon has moved at least 30% of the U.S. Air Force’s stealth B-2 bomber fleet to Diego Garcia, satellite images show, in what analysts say is a likely message to Iran amid tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program. Brad Lendon, Haley Britzky, and Avery Schmitz report for CNN.
The head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund is expected to visit Washington D.C. this week to discuss strengthening the U.S.-Russia relations with U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, sources say. Alex Marquardt, Jennifer Hansler, and Alayna Treene report for CNN.
The body of the fourth U.S. soldier missing in Lithuania was found yesterday, a White House spokesperson has confirmed. Ellen Mitchell reports for the Hill.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ACTIONS
National Security Adviser Michael Waltz and other members of President Trump’s National Security Council have conducted government business over personal Gmail accounts, according to documents seen by the Washington Post and interviews. A senior Waltz aide used Gmail to discuss sensitive military positions and weapons systems relating to an ongoing conflict, the documents show. An NSC spokesperson said Waltz “didn’t and wouldn’t send classified information on an open account.” John Hudson reports.
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP has reached an agreement with the Trump administration to provide at least $100 million in legal services to White House-favored causes and end diversity programs to lift the threat of being targeted by an executive order, the third firm to do so following Paul, Weiss and Skadden Arps. Former Vice President Kamala Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff is a partner at Willkie Farr. Gregory Svirnovskiy reports for POLITICO.
The Health and Human Services Department staffing cuts began overnight into today, with employees across the panoply of HHS agencies receiving notices of termination. The cuts eliminated the entire staff of a program that helps low-income households pay utility bills, as well as senior civil service leaders and workers in other roles. Sophie Gardner, Ruth Readers, Lauren Gardner, and David Lim report for POLITICO; J.J. McCorvey reports for NBC News.
Trump is looking to nominate the Ohio Solicitor General, T. Ellior Gaiser, to be the assistant Attorney General leading the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, according to a Justice Department official. The position traditionally often has the final say on legal debates within the executive branch. Charlie Savage reports for the New York Times.
The Trump administration is demanding deep cuts at the National Endowment for the Humanities, with DOGE recommending 70-80% reductions in staff, the agency’s leaders informed employees in an email yesterday. Jennifer Schuessler reports for the New York Times.
Marko Elez, a DOGE employee who resigned over racist social media posts last month, has been reinstated to the Elon Musk-led entity, court filings confirm. Ashleigh Fields reports for the Hill.
OTHER U.S. DOMESTIC DEVELOPMENTS
In closer-than-expected races, Republican candidates won the pair of House special elections in Florida yesterday, adding two more seats to the party’s narrow House majority. Separately, the liberal candidate for a key seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court defeated a conservative challenger endorsed by Trump and Elon Musk. Kimberly Leonard and Gary Fineout report for POLITICO; Scott Bauer reports for AP News.
The Justice Department will seek the death penalty for Luigi Mangione, accused of shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, Attorney General Pam Bondi said yesterday. Kara Scannell, Lauren del Valle, and Dakin Andone report for CNN.
The Senate yesterday voted 52-45 to confirm former acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to serve as U.S. ambassador to NATO. Giselle Ruhiyyih Ewing reports for POLITICO.
A Boston judge on Monday held an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in contempt of court after the agent detained a suspect as he was leaving court, ruling that the detention violated the defendant’s due process rights. Michael Casey reports for AP News.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to conscript 160,000 men aged 18-30 in the spring call-up for a year’s military service, according to a statement published on a Russian government website. The size of the new call-up is the highest since 2011. Paul Kirby reports for BBC News; Euronews reports.
Russia cannot accept the U.S. proposals for ending the war in Ukraine “in their current form” as it does not consider they address problems Moscow regards as having caused the conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said in an interview released yesterday. Andrew Osborn reports for Reuters.
Ukraine will work with the United States towards a mutually acceptable text of a rare minerals deal, Kyiv’s foreign minister said yesterday. Reuters reports.
OTHER GLOBAL DEVELOPMENTS
The Congo government and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels aim to hold direct talks on April 9 in Qatar’s Doha, sources from both factions said yesterday. Sonia Rolley reports for Reuters.
Finland will leave the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention and boost defense spending in response to evolving military threats from Russia, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said yesterday. Essi Lehto and Anne Kauranen report for Reuters.
The Myanmar junta’s soldiers opened fire on a convoy of vehicles carrying aid supplies from the Chinese Red Cross for the victims of last Friday’s earthquake, according to a rebel armed group. The convoy was delayed due to the attack, the group added. Sui-Lee Wee reports for the New York Times.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday withdrew the nomination of Eli Sharvit to lead Israel’s domestic Shin Bet intelligence agency amid right-wing backlash to Sharvit’s candidacy. Aaron Boxerman reports for the New York Times.
The Chinese military today launched live-fire strikes in the East China Sea today as its exercises around Taiwan entered their second day. Commenting on the exercises, the U.S. State Department condemned “China’s escalating military intimidation tactics” in the region. Nectar Gan and Eric Cheung report for CNN.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LITIGATION
A federal judge yesterday ordered the Trump administration to temporarily reinstate probationary employees fired from several federal agencies, limiting the order to the reinstatement of workers whose “duty station” is in Washington D.C. or one of the 19 states that brought a challenge against the move. Zach Schonfeld reports for the Hill.
The Trump administration is to temporarily restore legal aid to unaccompanied migrant children after a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order to this effect yesterday at the request of a network of legal aid groups. Janie Har reports for AP News.
A federal judge yesterday declined the Trump administration’s request to transfer Columbia student and pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil’s immigration detention challenge to Louisiana, where Khalil is held, ruling that the case should be heard in New Jersey, where Khalil was detained. Zach Schonfeld reports for the Hill.
Groups who sued on behalf of Venezuelan migrants accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang yesterday filed a request for the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold a temporary block on Trump’s use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 authority to deport migrants to El Salvador’s mega prisons. Abbie VanSickle reports for the New York Times.
Did you miss this? Stay up-to-date with our Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions
