Iran received a ceasefire plan from the US but Tehran dismisses idea of negotiating with Washington
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran has received a 15-point plan from the United States for a possible ceasefire even as Washington is beginning to move paratroopers to the Mideast. The troops will back up a contingent of Marines already heading to the region on Wednesday. Iran’s military scoffed at the diplomatic effort and launched more attacks on Israel and the Persian Gulf region, including an assault that sparked a fire at Kuwait International Airport. Iran, which says there are no talks with the U.S., says Washington is in no position to negotiate. Exact details have not been released, but the U.S. 15-point ceasefire plan touches on sanctions relief, civilian nuclear cooperation and access for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
What we know and don't know about the Iran war negotiations
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump’s surprising claim this week that talks with Iran were yielding great progress has only raised more confusion over a war whose goals were already unclear. A 15-point plan from the Trump administration offering a potential pathway to an exit has been delivered to Iran through Pakistan, according to a person briefed on the contours of the plan but who was not authorized to speak publicly about it. The most basic question: What talks? Iran denied any negotiations were taking place, pledging to fight “until complete victory.”
Russia says it shot down almost 400 Ukrainian drones as Moscow and Kyiv escalate aerial barrages
Russia is reporting that it has shot down hundreds of Ukrainian drones in a massive overnight attack across its regions and Crimea. Russia’s Defense Ministry says its air defenses downed 389 drones over 13 regions and the Crimean Peninsula. The attack highlights Ukraine’s growing long-range drone capability. It follows a Russian barrage on Tuesday that Ukraine says hits civilian areas with almost 1,000 drones and 34 missiles. Ukrainian officials say at least six people died and about 50 were hurt. Regional officials in Russia report fires and power disruptions.
New Mexico jury says Meta harms children's mental health and safety, violating state law
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico jury finds that social media conglomerate Meta is harmful to children’s mental health and in violation of state consumer protection law. The jury announced its verdict Tuesday as another jury deliberates a similar case in California against Meta, which owns Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. State prosecutors said Meta prioritized profits over safety in violation of the state’s Unfair Practices Act and failed to adequately monitor the platforms for child sexual exploitation. Attorneys for Meta say company discloses risks and makes efforts to weed out harmful content and experiences, but that some bad material gets through its safety net. A Meta spokesperson says the company will appeal.
UK police arrest 2 men over arson attack on ambulances belonging to a Jewish charity
LONDON (AP) — British police have arrested two men over an arson attack that destroyed four ambulances from a Jewish charity. They're treating the fire as an antisemitic hate crime. Police say the two suspects are in custody in London. Commander Helen Flanagan has called the arrests a breakthrough. She says CCTV suggests three people took part in the attack. Police do not call it a terror attack. They're investigating an online claim from a group with possible Iran links. The fire started early on Monday in the Golders Green neighborhood. Oxygen cylinders exploded and nearby windows shattered. MI5 says it has disrupted many Iran-backed plots.
A timeline of the deadly collision at LaGuardia Airport
NEW YORK (AP) — It took less than a minute for a routine landing to spiral into a deadly crash Sunday at New York’s LaGuardia Airport. But a timeline reconstructed from by The Associated Press from air traffic control recordings and information from federal safety investigators and other sources shows that the collision between an Air Canada flight and a fire truck crossing the runway was the culmination of a series of events that began much earlier. Two pilots died in the crash, and several passengers were seriously hurt.
TSA officers describe tears, tough choices and dwindling savings from working without pay
Tens of thousands Transportation Security Administration officers are set to receive another $0 paycheck this week. A dispute in Congress over funding the Department of Homeland Security has held up their salaries since mid-February. With monthly bills coming due, many of these federal employees are making difficult choices about how to make ends meet while continuing to screen passengers and luggage at airports across the U.S. In Indianapolis, a TSA officer has turned to a local food bank. A married couple in Florida is worried about providing for their family while the DHS shutdown holds up both their incomes. A father of three in Utah quit his TSA job to find one that pays.
Oil falls more than 5% and world shares gain over possible de-escalation of Iran war
HONG KONG (AP) — Oil prices have fallen more than 5% and world shares have gained over possibilities of a de-escalation of the Iran war and negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Brent crude, the international standard, has dropped 5.2% to around $95 per barrel. U.S. futures are up 0.9%. President Donald Trump’s claims of progress being made from talks with Iran this week and his postponement of a deadline to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants have fueled optimism that an end to the Iran war could come soon. On Wall Street, the S&P 500 lost 0.4% Tuesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite was 0.8% lower.
Jewish communities boost security and continue observances amid rise in hateful incidents
Jewish and Muslim communities in the United States observed some of the most sacred holidays of their respective religions despite increased security measures and concerns over hateful rhetoric as the war in the Middle East continues. Leaders from local communities stressed efforts to build interfaith dialogue and continue religious observations undeterred by an increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic rhetoric in recent years. Experts have blamed the rise of hateful rhetoric on new technologies, polarized politics and foreign conflicts. Local leaders say that interfaith dialogue and not cowering to hateful actors is the best response to the increase in hateful violence and rhetoric.
Perfect homework, blank stares: Why colleges are turning to oral exams to combat AI
A growing number of U.S. college instructors are turning to oral exams to help combat an AI crisis in higher education. Some are replacing written assignments with oral exams. Others are pairing Socratic-style questioning with written assignments or requiring students to attend office hours. Instructors say they know student use of AI is ubiquitous but hard to police, and it's impacting student learning. Oral exams allow instructors to determine what students know and where they need help. Students say they don't always love the testing format, but many agree that it's effective. As one student says, knowing that you will be face-to-face with a professor “makes you realize, ‘I should study this.’”
