Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared that Iran would not engage in negotiations with the United States under threats, telling President Donald Trump to “do whatever the hell you want,” Iranian state media reported Tuesday.*
“It is unacceptable for us that they (the U.S.) give orders and make threats. I won’t even negotiate with you. Do whatever the hell you want,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reaffirmed on Saturday that Tehran would not be pressured into talks, following reports that Trump had sent a letter urging Iran to negotiate a new nuclear agreement.
While expressing willingness for a potential deal, Trump has reinstated the “maximum pressure” strategy used during his first term, aiming to further isolate Iran economically and curb its oil exports.
In a Fox Business interview last week, Trump stated, “There are two ways Iran can be handled: militarily, or you make a deal” to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
Iran has denied pursuing nuclear weapons but has significantly accelerated uranium enrichment to 60% purity, nearing the 90% threshold required for weapons-grade material, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Tehran’s nuclear advancements have intensified since 2019, a year after Trump withdrew from the 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers and reinstated economic sanctions that have severely impacted Iran’s economy.
The Trump administration has lifted its suspension of military aid and intelligence sharing for Ukraine, as Kyiv indicated willingness to enter a 30-day ceasefire with Russia, contingent on Moscow’s agreement, U.S. and Ukrainian officials said Tuesday following diplomatic talks in Saudi Arabia.
The move represents a significant shift from a week earlier when the administration halted assistance, reportedly to pressure Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy into negotiations aimed at ending the war with Russian forces. The suspension of aid came shortly after a tense White House meeting between Zelenskyy and President Donald Trump over the conflict.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who led the American delegation at the Jeddah talks, stated that Washington would present the ceasefire proposal to the Kremlin. However, Russia has so far rejected any resolution short of a full settlement without concessions.
“We’re going to tell them this is what’s on the table. Ukraine is ready to stop shooting and start talking. And now it’ll be up to them to say yes or no,” Rubio told reporters. “If they say no, then we’ll unfortunately know what the impediment is to peace here.”
The U.S. Department of Education announced plans Tuesday to lay off more than 1,300 employees, reducing its workforce by half as part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to shrink the federal government.
The cuts, which follow previous staff reductions through buyouts and probationary terminations, will leave the department with approximately 2,050 employees, down from its previous 4,100. Officials raised concerns about the agency’s ability to maintain regular operations amid the downsizing.
The layoffs are part of a large-scale federal workforce reduction spearheaded by Trump, with thousands of positions also expected to be cut across the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Social Security Administration, and other agencies. In addition, the Education Department is terminating building leases in cities such as New York, Boston, Chicago, and Cleveland.
Despite the workforce reductions, department officials stated that key responsibilities—including distributing federal aid to schools, managing student loans, and overseeing Pell Grants—would continue.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon defended the move, emphasizing the need to redirect funds to state education authorities. “So many of the programs are really excellent, so we need to make sure the money goes to the states,” McMahon said in a Fox News interview Tuesday.
In a memo issued on March 3, the day she was confirmed by the Senate, McMahon warned employees of impending deep cuts, describing the department’s “final mission” as eliminating bureaucracy and transferring its authority to state governments.
Trump, who campaigned on dismantling the agency, has repeatedly claimed it is controlled by “radicals, zealots, and Marxists.” While McMahon acknowledged during her confirmation hearing that only Congress has the power to abolish the department, she indicated that restructuring and budget reductions were necessary.
Concerns remain over whether the staff reductions will impact core functions such as enforcing civil rights protections for students with disabilities and managing the $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio. Critics argue the cuts could hinder the department’s ability to address these responsibilities effectively.
Jeanne Allen, of the Center for Education Reform, supported the cuts, arguing they would empower state and local leaders to create more flexible education solutions. However, Roxanne Garza, a former chief of staff in the Office of Postsecondary Education under President Joe Biden, questioned whether essential services could continue unaffected. “How those things will not be impacted with far fewer staff… I just don’t see it,” she said.
The department temporarily closed its Washington headquarters and regional offices Wednesday, citing unspecified security concerns, before reopening Thursday.
Russian officials are pressuring President Vladimir Putin to deploy the hypersonic Oreshnik missile following Ukraine’s largest drone assault on Moscow since the war began, according to state reports.
The calls for retaliation intensified after Moscow experienced an unprecedented wave of Ukrainian drone strikes, with 337 drones targeting ten Russian regions overnight. Russian air defenses intercepted 91 drones over the capital, but falling debris caused multiple casualties, infrastructure damage, and temporary shutdowns at major airports.
Col-Gen Andrey Kartapolov, a Russian lawmaker and former deputy defense minister, stated that launching the Oreshnik missile would be a proportional response. “The decision rests with the Supreme Commander-in-Chief [Putin], but I believe it would not be unreasonable—better yet, more than one,” he said.
Col-Gen Andrey Kartapolov, a Russian lawmaker and former deputy defense minister
The Oreshnik missile, an advanced intermediate-range ballistic weapon, is capable of reaching speeds of 7,600 mph (Mach 10) and generating temperatures up to 4,000 degrees. Designed to carry multiple warheads, its velocity makes interception nearly impossible. The missile was previously used in a strike on Dnipro last November after Ukraine fired U.S.-supplied ATACMS missiles into Russian-controlled territory.
Amid escalating tensions, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko confirmed that the Oreshnik missile system would soon be operational in Belarus, further raising security concerns. The situation unfolds as U.S. and Ukrainian officials engage in high-stakes negotiations in Saudi Arabia, discussing military support, economic aid, and the future course of the conflict.
Washington, D.C., has begun dismantling Black Lives Matter Plaza, the once-symbolic site of protests against police brutality, as city officials face mounting political pressure.
Starlette Thomas, a 45-year-old Maryland resident, returned to 16th and H streets on Monday, where she had once protested daily during the summer of 2020. As jackhammers tore into the bold yellow lettering, she quietly picked up a piece of pavement.
“To walk away with a piece of that means it’s not gone,” Thomas said. “It’s more than brick and mortar.”
Crews began removing the iconic “Black Lives Matter” street painting one block from the White House, a move D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced last week following pressure from congressional Republicans. The project, expected to take six weeks, will replace the words with city-sponsored murals.
The mural, commissioned by Bowser in June 2020, was a direct response to days of nationwide protests following George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis police officer. Its removal now reflects the shifting political landscape under President Donald Trump’s return to the White House and Republican control of Congress.
Bowser, a Democrat, originally ordered the mural and designated the site as Black Lives Matter Plaza in defiance of Trump’s handling of racial justice protests. Now, however, she faces limitations on D.C.’s autonomy.
“The mural inspired millions and helped our city through a painful period,” Bowser posted on X last week. “But we can’t afford to be distracted by meaningless congressional interference. The devastating impacts of federal job cuts must be our number one concern.”
Among those witnessing the removal was Megan Bailiff, CEO of Equus Striping, the company that originally painted the letters.
“This is historically obscene,” Bailiff said. “Its presence is more significant at this very moment than it ever has been in this country.”
Far-right figures quickly celebrated the change. Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk visited the site, declaring it “the end of this mass race hysteria in our country.”
Since Trump’s return to office, Bowser has shifted tactics to avoid direct conflict. She met with him at Mar-a-Lago after the election and has publicly focused on areas of agreement. However, Trump has reignited campaign rhetoric about federal intervention in Washington, describing the capital as overrun with crime, graffiti, and homelessness.
Reports suggest the White House is preparing an executive order targeting D.C., though Bowser has not commented. Instead, she has pointed to Congress as the greater threat to D.C.’s Home Rule, which grants the city limited self-governance.
Congressional Republicans continue efforts to tighten control over D.C. governance. A proposed measure, the **BOWSER Act**, aims to revoke the Home Rule Act of 1973, potentially stripping the city of its remaining autonomy.
Russia said it was targeted by a large-scale Ukrainian drone assault overnight Tuesday, just hours before crucial discussions between U.S. and Ukrainian officials commenced.
Moscow’s defense ministry reported downing 343 drones allegedly launched by Ukraine, including 91 targeting the Moscow region. Officials also said six Ukrainian strike drones were intercepted near Russia’s Kursk nuclear power plant. If confirmed, the attack would mark one of the most significant aerial strikes on Russian soil since the start of the war.
Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the incident as the “most massive” attack on the capital, reporting damage to buildings caused by falling debris. Authorities said three people were killed and at least six others injured. Moscow Region Governor Andrey Vorobyev stated that debris ignited a fire in a parking lot, destroying more than 20 vehicles.
Ukraine’s Armed Forces claimed responsibility for striking the Moscow Oil Refinery’s production facilities, alleging that Russian air defense operations led to collateral damage on civilian infrastructure.
Geolocated footage verified by CNN showed an explosion at an apartment building in southern Moscow. The attack prompted the temporary closure of two major Moscow airports and additional airports east of the city, forcing flight diversions, according to state-run news agency TASS.
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Air Force reported repelling Russian missile and drone attacks overnight. According to Ukrainian officials, at least one person was killed and 18 injured in the strikes.
The escalation comes as U.S. and Ukrainian delegations convene in Saudi Arabia for discussions on military aid and conflict resolution. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and National Security Adviser Mike Waltz are meeting with Ukraine’s national security adviser, foreign minister, and defense minister.
“We will protect Ukrainian interests, have a clear vision of ending the war, and work effectively with our American partners,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Chief of Staff Andriy Yermak stated.
Ahead of the talks, Rubio emphasized the U.S. aim to assess potential concessions Ukraine may consider in negotiations with Russia. The outcome of the discussions could influence whether Washington resumes full intelligence-sharing and military aid to Kyiv.
CNN previously reported that while the U.S. continues to share intelligence for Ukraine’s defense, it has scaled back details that could be used for offensive strikes on Russian forces.
Fighting has intensified in recent weeks amid strained U.S.-Ukraine relations, following a heated Oval Office exchange between former U.S. President Donald Trump and Zelensky.
Russia launched a major aerial assault on Ukraine over the weekend, killing more than two dozen people, according to Ukrainian authorities. Additional strikes between Sunday and Monday claimed six more civilian lives.
Ukraine’s foothold in Russia’s Kursk region is diminishing, with Russian advances posing a threat to Kyiv’s territorial leverage at a critical stage in the conflict.
Tuesday’s reported drone assault on Moscow appears to surpass Ukraine’s previous largest attack on the capital in November, when 34 drones were shot down. In September, Russia claimed to have destroyed at least 20 Ukrainian drones near Moscow in an attack that left one person dead and forced airport closures.
Separatist militants hijacked a passenger train in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, taking hostages and engaging in gunfire with security forces, officials said Tuesday.
The Jaffer Express, carrying approximately 450 passengers, was intercepted by armed militants as it entered a tunnel in the Bolan region while en route from Quetta to Peshawar, according to railway and government officials.
“Armed individuals stopped Jaffer Express inside Tunnel No. 8 (in Bolan),” said Muhammad Kashif, Quetta Railways’ controller. Communication with passengers and crew has been lost, leaving the situation unclear, he added.
The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), a separatist militant group, claimed responsibility for the attack, warning in a statement that hostages would be executed if security forces launched an operation.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind confirmed that intense gunfire was reported on the train and that security forces were en route to secure the area. The hijacked train remains in the mountainous Sibi region, making access difficult. Emergency response efforts, including a relief train, have been dispatched, Rind said.
Authorities are investigating the incident as a possible terrorist attack. A recent intelligence alert from Balochistan’s Counter-Terrorism Department had warned of a planned attack by the BLA and advised heightened security measures.
Balochistan has faced a decades-long insurgency, which has intensified since Pakistan leased the Gwadar port to China under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative. Militants claim the government exploits the province’s mineral wealth without benefiting local communities. The BLA has carried out some of the deadliest attacks in Pakistan over the past year, frequently targeting Chinese workers in the region.
A federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s efforts to deport Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate and permanent U.S. resident, who was arrested over the weekend by immigration authorities.
Khalil, a key organizer of last year’s Gaza war protests at Columbia University in New York City, was detained on Saturday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. His arrest aligns with President Donald Trump’s recent pledge to crack down on pro-Palestinian demonstrations on college campuses, which he referred to as “the first arrest of many to come.”
On Monday, hundreds of protesters gathered in Lower Manhattan’s Foley Square, waving Palestinian flags and demanding Khalil’s release while condemning the Trump administration’s actions. The demonstration later moved south toward City Hall, with at least one protester reportedly detained.
Columbia University Professor Michael Thaddeus called Khalil’s detention “a horrifying reality,” stating, “Our own student, a member of the Columbia community, has become a political prisoner in the United States.”
Khalil is scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday for a hearing, according to legal filings.
ICE officials informed Khalil during his arrest that his student visa and green card were being revoked. His lawyer, Amy Greer, denounced the action as “an egregious violation of civil liberties” and part of a broader suppression of student activism.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) accused Khalil of “leading activities aligned with Hamas” but did not provide specific evidence. Requests for further details from DHS remain unanswered.
Trump previously announced that foreign students found to be “terrorist sympathizers” would face deportation, and Khalil’s arrest marks the first known implementation of this policy.
Khalil, a Palestinian refugee born in Syria, has not been charged with any crime. ICE initially detained him at his university-owned apartment in Manhattan before transferring him to a detention facility in Jena, Louisiana. His attorney also alleges that ICE agents threatened to arrest Khalil’s wife, a U.S. citizen who is eight months pregnant, when she attempted to visit him.
Columbia University denied inviting ICE onto campus but acknowledged that law enforcement agencies can enter school property with a warrant.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio reaffirmed the administration’s position, posting on X (formerly Twitter), “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
Last week, the Trump administration announced it was rescinding $400 million in federal grants to Columbia, accusing the university of failing to address antisemitism on campus.
Columbia was the focal point of last year’s nationwide student-led protests against the war in Gaza and U.S. military support for Israel. Khalil served as a lead negotiator for Columbia University Apartheid Divest, the student group that organized a large tent encampment on the university lawn in protest.
Following his involvement, Khalil was temporarily suspended from Columbia, where he was pursuing a graduate degree at the School of International and Public Affairs.
The New York Civil Liberties Union condemned Khalil’s deportation efforts as “targeted retaliation and an extreme attack on the First Amendment.” New York Attorney General Letitia James expressed “deep concern” and confirmed that her office was monitoring the case.
Reactions to Khalil’s arrest have been divided. Some Jewish students at Columbia argued that protest rhetoric occasionally veered into antisemitism, while others actively participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Carly, a Jewish-American graduate student and friend of Khalil, described him as “a very, very caring soul” and criticized the misrepresentation of his activism.
Meanwhile, Trump’s border enforcement adviser, Tom Homan, claimed on Fox News that Khalil violated his visa terms by “locking down buildings and destroying property” during protests.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated after Hamas launched an attack into Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 48,000 Palestinian deaths, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
The case against Khalil is expected to set a legal precedent for how the Trump administration enforces its immigration policies against foreign nationals engaged in political activism on U.S. campuses.
European stock markets showed resilience on Tuesday following a significant sell-off in U.S. equities, as investors reacted to growing concerns over the economic impact of President Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade policies.
The S&P 500 fell nearly 3% on Monday, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 2%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq suffered a steeper decline of 4%, with Tesla losing 15.4% and artificial intelligence chipmaker Nvidia falling over 5%. Other major technology stocks, including Meta, Amazon, and Alphabet, also saw sharp declines.
In contrast, European markets remained relatively stable. Germany’s DAX index rose 0.4%, France’s CAC 40 edged up 0.2%, and the UK’s FTSE 100 dipped slightly by 0.1%. Asian markets initially declined but showed signs of recovery, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 closing down 0.6% and South Korea’s Kospi dropping 1.3%.
Trump, in a Fox News interview broadcast over the weekend, acknowledged concerns about economic uncertainty, stating the U.S. was in a “period of transition.” His comments came as analysts reassessed the perception of Trump as a “stock market president.”
Charu Chanana, an investment strategist at Saxo Bank, told the BBC, “The previous notion of Trump being a stock market president is being re-evaluated.”
Investor anxiety has been fueled by fears that U.S. tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada could lead to higher prices and slower economic growth. While the White House defended the measures, some analysts warned that uncertainty was prompting businesses and consumers to cut back on spending.
Ruth Foxe-Blader of Foxe Capital told BBC’s Today program that Monday was a “very difficult and chaotic day” for U.S. markets, as investors grappled with uncertainty. Meanwhile, Lindsay James, an investment strategist at Quilter Investors, attributed Tesla’s stock drop to declining demand in Europe and China, competition from Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers, and broader concerns over an economic slowdown.
Despite the turbulence, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett told CNBC that there were still reasons to be optimistic about the U.S. economy, emphasizing that tariffs were bringing jobs and manufacturing back to the country.
“The economy remains strong, and we are seeing industry leaders respond with significant investment commitments,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement.
Markets will continue to react to ongoing economic policies and trade tensions as investors weigh the broader implications for global growth.
A school bus carrying 31 people crashed and overturned on the Garden State Parkway on Monday night, leaving 13 injured, including one child in critical condition, officials said.
The crash occurred in Montvale, a borough in Bergen County, as the bus was traveling from New Jersey to New York, Montvale Mayor Mike Ghassali confirmed.
Emergency responders transported 13 people to local hospitals, with one child suffering life-threatening injuries.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured and their families during this difficult time,” Ghassali said in a statement.
Gov. Phil Murphy acknowledged the incident on X, noting that the crash took place near the James Gandolfini Service Area. He confirmed that an investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing.
