U.S. payrolls unexpectedly fell by 92,000 in February; unemployment rate rises to 4.4%
There were also job losses in professional and business services as well as manufacturing, which shed 12,000 jobs. Despite Trump’s emphasis on restoring domestic manufacturing jobs through measures like tariffs, factory employment has now fallen in all but one month since his return to the White House. The Dow Jones dropped 1.6%, the S&P 500 fell 0.6% and the Nasdaq slipped 0.3%.
Gas Prices Continue to Surge in U.S., Rising 14% in a Week
The national average now stands at $3.32, with Kansas and Oklahoma the cheapest. California, Washington, and Hawaii in the mid- to upper-$4 range. After falling below $3 in December for the first time since 2021, the national average stayed there for about 13 weeks before surging this week.
Here are 3 themes that drove another challenging week on Wall Street
Futures on the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average (YM=F) sank roughly 0.7% each after another volatile and losing session on Thursday. The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) declined 1.6% for the day and 1.2%. The Dow (^DJI) slipped into negative territory for 2026 after the US and Israel attacked Iran.
Moore was in rehab for the two preseason injuries he had faced in the last two years. After being traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, Moore dislocated his right knee during training camp in August and was sidelined for the entire season. Then, in 2025, after being tradedto the Minnesota Vikings, Moore suffered a season-ending ACL injury during the 2025 preseason.
The White House and officials affiliated with the Trump administration have shared on X a series of hype videos that show off deadly combat footage from the strikes on Iran. The videos are short, rapidly edited, and seem designed to appeal to the attention spans and tastes of Gen Z males. On X, commenters have responded to the videos’ ham-fisted and bloodthirsty aesthetics, describing the US as a cat’s-paw of Israel.
FDA vaccine head will step down in April after string of controversial decisions
Vinay Prasad, director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, will leave the FDA at the end of April. Companies have accused the FDA of reversing previous guidance on the evidence they could use to support their applications. An FDA spokesperson said there was "no regulatory uncertainty," adding the agency "does not make assurances about outcomes"
Nepal’s gen-Z election: can popular former rapper Balen topple a veteran political heavyweight?
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, popularly known as Balen, has emerged victorious in Nepal's Jhapa-5 constituency. Shah secured a decisive victory over former four-time Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli by about 50,000 votes. Shah, a former Kathmandu Mayor and an engineer by profession, is upending the political scene.
China spent years building ties in Latin America. Can Trump make room for the US?
Latin America wants to look beyond China for its economic prosperity. “The U.S. is offering the region tariffs, deportations and militarization. China is offering trade and investment,” says Kevin Gallagher, of Boston University. But he expects Latin American countries to be pragmatic and take the best of a relationship with both the U.N. and China.
Hungary ‘demands answers’ over seized Ukrainian gold and cash as Kyiv accuses Budapest of ‘hostage’ situation – as it happened
Hungary has accused Ukraine of deliberately holding up supplies of Russian crude. Hungary has vowed to take countermeasures against Kyiv until oil flows resume. Hungary and Ukraine are embroiled in a bitter feud over Hungary's access to Russian oil. Ukraine accused Hungary of taking the Ukrainians hostage and illegally seizing millions of dollars in cash.
Inside Venezuela's political transition two months after Maduro's ousting
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Trump sets his sights on crisis-hit Cuba after Iran action
The European defense commissioner warned the U.S. will not be able to provide missiles to its allies. Ukraine needs 700 Patriot, PAC-2, and PAC-3 missiles, which he noted is “more or less equal to the number of missiles that American manufacturers are capable of producing in a year.”
Iranian President’s Apology to Neighboring Gulf States Showcases Leadership Rifts
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian apologizes for attacks on neighbors. He suggests it was the result of miscommunication in the ranks. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened that the country would be “hit very hard.” He is part of the three-member leadership council overseeing Iran since Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was kille.
Airspace: Partially closed in the area bordering Iraq and the Persian Gulf. Airspace: Open, but many airlines have canceled flights. Airspaces have closed, cruise ships and tankers have been unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Many people on social media claimed the attack was the result of a failed missile launch.
At Trump’s Summit in Miami, Bolivia Makes a Political U-turn Toward the U.S.
The US cannot sustain its influence in the Western Hemisphere through only multilateral bodies that the Trump administration chooses to engage with. The Trump administration is hosting the “Shield of the Americas Summit” with select Latin American leaders in Miami on March 7, 2026. The approach is to narrow the alliance to like-minded leaders to support US interests in the region.
How Talarico Won Texas Democrats With Love, Luck and a Little Restraint
The last time Texas elected a new Democratic senator was in 1970. Talarico will have to hope that Trump’s current unpopularity persists. He has also called Paxton “the most corrupt politician in America.” The race is a bellwether for the Democratic Party in the Age of Trump 2.0.
Brandon Herrera’s YouTube Gives Democrats More Hope in West Texas Race
The district is the second-largest in the country and was one of Congress’ perennial battlegrounds. President Donald Trump carried the district by nearly 15 points in 2024. “Texas’ 23rd District is deep red, and Democrats know it,” said National Republican Congressional Committee.
Ex-Liberal MP says the party must introduce gender quotas to start winning elections
The NSW Liberal state council meets on Saturday for the first time since the review became public, where the division will elect a new executive. “The Australian people have told us they don’t like what the Liberal party looks like. Otherwise, we cannot get back into government,” Ware says.
Trump Demands ‘Unconditional Surrender’ by Iran, Shifting U.S. Objectives Again
Russia providing intelligence to Iran on U.S. positions, sources say. Russia and Iran have long been allies. It was the first known indication that Russia is aiding Iran. The USS George H.W.Bush CSG to get to the region, but the USS. Bush carrier strike group set to deploy.
Pakistani man convicted of plotting to kill Trump over death of Iranian commander
Merchant was convicted of “murder for hire and attempting to commit an act of terrorism transcending national boundaries,” the US department of justice said in a statement. Prosecutors argued that Merchant had strong connections to Iran and was part of a broader effort linked to Iranian interests to target American leaders.
Lebanon at ‘Tipping Point’ as It Seeks to Disarm Hezbollah
Lebanese officials have had to strike a delicate balance over the past year. The last time the Lebanese government moved against Hezbollah, in 2008, the confrontation quickly turned deadly. Hezbollah has allowed the government to move forward with its disarmament plans “and not used,” he says.
How Good Intentions Helped Pave Trump’s Road to Iran
When announcing the strikes, Trump said the U.S. military would destroy Iran's ballistic missile program. The White House was describing the Republican president’s decision to launch Operation Epic Fury as a consideration of past Iranian threats to the United States. Trump expressed frustration over nuclear negotiations with Tehran but also indicated he was willing to give negotiations more time.
Trump Demands Iran’s ‘Unconditional Surrender’ as Israel Pounds Tehran and Lebanon
Israel has intensified its air strikes on Lebanon, repeatedly bombing and ordering the evacuation of Beirut's southern suburbs. Israel also launched a new wave of attacks on Iran, saying 50 of its warplanes had struck a bunk. Tehran has responded by hitting Israel and Gulf Arab states hosting U.S. military installations.
As Trump Focuses on Cuba, DOJ Seeks Charges Against Its Leaders
The president fired Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem yesterday, making her the first Cabinet member to be removed in Trump’s second term. An administration official told NBC News the move was due to a culmination of Noem's “many unfortunate leadership failures,” most notably her $220M ad campaign on self-deportation.
Families Forced to Sleep on the Streets of Beirut as Israel Pounds Hezbollah
Israel warns Lebanon of a "very heavy price" if it does not rein in Iran-backed Hezbollah. The United Nations warns that the conflict is set to get "even worse" Israel says it has no territorial claims against Lebanon, but will not allow a situation where there could be fire from Lebanese territory.
Israel Says It Struck Underground Bunker at Khamenei’s Compound
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With Iran, Trump Takes the U.S. to War Without the Public’s Support
Even Republicans who previously asserted Congress’ power of declaring war, like Sen. Todd Young (R-Indiana), said it was too late to challenge the president. Iran's revolutionary guards said on Thursday that they have hit a U.S. tanker in the northern part of the Gulf and the vessel is on fire.
New England Patriots’ Plane Ferried Americans Back From Middle East
Fears of inflation were sparked by higher oil prices. The US is the world's largest oil producer, and relatively insulated from shocks in the Middle East. Get caught up on this morning's news: Iran war updates, Bondi subpoenaed over Epstein files and more in today's edition of The Yodel newsletter.
Revealed: the Ukrainian facility where UK engineers help fix vital weapons
Since Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion in February 2022, the UK has committed over £21.8 billion for Ukraine. The UK has provided Ukraine with more than GBP21.9 billion (US$29,2 billion) since Russia's full- scale invasion. British engineers are on the ground in Ukraine, working side-by-side with Ukrainian counterparts to service and repair military vehicles.
Indonesia to ban social media for children under 16
Indonesia is the latest country to ban social media for under-16s. The ban will go into effect on March 28. Australia, Malaysia and the UK have already banned social media use for under 16s. It is unclear how long the ban will be in place, but it is expected to last until April.
Celtics star Jayson Tatum made his return to the court after 298 days. Tatum missed his first shot the night, misfiring a jumper off the back of the rim. The 28-year-old scored 15 points on 6-of-16 shooting, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
Amazon says Anthropic’s Claude still OK for AWS customers to use outside defense work
Anthropic’s marketplace is positioned further up the enterprise stack, targeting procurement officers and CIOs rather than individual users. For those partners, distribution through the Anthropic Marketplace offers access to the enterprise customer relationships Anthropic has been cultivating.Enterprise customers with committed annual spending on Anthropic will be able to use a portion of that spend to purchase third-party software applications.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also apologized on Saturday for Iran’s attacks on neighbouring countries. He suggested it was the result of miscommunication in the ranks and insisted that it would stop from now on. U.S. President Donald Trump threatened that the country would be “hit very hard.”
Russia has fired tens of thousands of Iranian-designed drones at Ukraine since it invaded its neighbor just over four years. It has launched a large-scale domestic production of them and battered Ukraine with hundreds of drones in a single night — more than were used during some entire months in 2024. The war in the Middle East has drawn international attention away from Europe’s biggest conflict since World War II.
US submarine sinks Iranian warship as conflict spreads beyond Middle East
Israel's military issued warnings to residents of dozens of border villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate “immediately” Wednesday. Iran's revolutionary guards said on Thursday that they have hit a U.S. tanker in the northern part of the Gulf and the vessel is on fire. Sri Lanka is trying to "safeguard lives" on another Iranian ship off its coast, the country's cabinet spokesperson said.
The Iran war did little to dent the stock market this week. The market's ability to weather the war in Iran will likely hinge on its resilience to rising oil prices. If a crash event does ensue from the Iran war, history implies it would be short-lived and a buying opportunity for opportunistic long-term investors.
Kristi Noem Survived Many Crises. Then She Crossed a Trump Red Line.
Noem had faced criticism for months, primarily from Democrats, about the administration’s tough immigration crackdown. Noem has become a deeply unpopular figure in recent months as people around the country have taken to the streets to protest the T. But for all of her public bluster about immigration, she still managed to alienate potential allies inside the government.
Trump Maintains That U.S. Has Ample Weapons as Iran War Depletes Stocks
Russia has provided Iran with information that can help Tehran strike US military, AP sources say. Russia has provided information that could help Iran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region, officials say. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a meeting with Nizhny Novgorod Region Governor Gleb Nikitin at the Kremlin.
Iran Attacks and Mideast Flights: How Safe Is Air Travel?
Israel carried out a “broad wave of attacks” across the Iranian capital, including strikes on Mehrabad Airport. “More than 80 fighter jets of the Air Force completed, under the guidance of Military Intelligence, an additional wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in Tehran,” the defence forces said in a post on X.
Robinhood's venture fund, which gives investors access to private companies, tanks 11% on first day
Robinhood priced the IPO at $25 per share and sold 12.6 million shares, raising less than initially targeted. The fund could eventually expand into other sectors including energy, robotics, aerospace and defense. Once known mainly as a trading app for mom-and-pop investors, Robinhood has since expanded into a broader financial services platform.
As Trump Out-Putins Putin, Russia’s Global Influence Erodes
Unified IP Services is using Pearl to identify and chart prior art against U.S. Patent 7,209,959. The ‘959 patent monopoly relates to a method, apparatus, and system for anonymous network communication through an ad hoc virtual domain. Unified has added a new PATROLL contest, with a $2,000 cash prize, seeking prior art.
A U.S. intelligence assessment in February found that an attack on Iran was unlikely to result in regime change.
President Trump claimed Saturday that Iran had "surrendered" to its Middle East neighbors. Trump warned Iran will be "hit very hard" as he suggested the US could target more Iranian officials. The president said Iran would be hit by "areas and groups of people" not previously considered as targets.
Iran’s Navy Is Weakened but U.S. Still Faces Challenges in Strait of Hormuz
Sexual education is not optional it is essential for building a healthy, informed, and compassionate society. Young people who receive comprehensive sexual education tend to delay sexual initiation and engage in safer behaviours. When delivered appropriately, sexual education empowers young people to make better choices. The Netherlands, Sweden, and global initiatives supported by UNESCO clearly show that comprehensive sex education leads to positive individual and societal outcomes.
Europe Didn’t Want War With Iran. But So Far, It Can’t Stay Out of It.
Iran carried out retaliatory attacks targeting Israel and U.S. military bases in Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. American forces intercepted many of the Iranian missile and drone attacks. A drone strike also hit a British air force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus last Sunday, and the U.K. says it has intercepted more drones since.
What the U.S. and Israel Have Targeted in Their Iran Blitz
US President Donald Trump said on Friday that "there will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER" White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that when the president determines Iran no longer poses a threat to the United States, "Iran will essentially be in a place of unconditional surrender"
Iran’s state broadcaster reported that explosions were heard and smoke was seen in the eastern and western parts of Tehran. The footage suggests that several areas of Tehran may have been targeted. Israel announced earlier that it was launching a new wave of strikes against Iran. Also, US President Donald Trump said only Iran's unconditional surrender would bring an end to the escalating Middle East war.
Wordle is a deceptively simple daily word game that debuted in 2021. The first letter of today's Wordle is VOGUE. Today's answer is 'Victor', which means 'victory' or 'victim' in English. The game is free to play and there are no repeated letters in today's answer.
Can we say senior UN official? he is the head of an agency
Noem was confirmed by the Senate as DHS secretary on January 25, 2025. She pledged to “work every day to keep all Americans safe and secure.” Noem remained steadfast and unapologetic about the shifts in DHS resources toward immigration enforcement. Noem said she remained committed to pushing back on state laws blocking DHS access.
Israel says it struck an underground bunker at Khamenei’s compound.
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Russia Is Sharing Intelligence With Iran, U.S. Officials Say
Russia providing intel to Iran about U.S. positions, sources say. Russia is providing intelligence to Iran during the ongoing joint military operations in Iran. Russia has provided Iran with information that could help Tehran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region, according to two officials familiar with the intelligence.
