Source: Axios
“U.S. and Ecuadorian forces announced drug-trafficking military crackdown operations in Ecuador on Tuesday. U.S. Southern Command in a Tuesday night statement said the operations targeted ‘Designated Terrorist Organizations’ and hailed the cooperation as ‘a powerful example of the commitment of partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to combat the scourge of narco-terrorism.'” (03/04/26)
Source: SFGate
“An independent researcher claimed on Wednesday that a marble bust of Christ in a Roman church is by Michelangelo, the latest purported attribution to the Renaissance genius who is one of the most imitated artists in the world. The unverified claim by Valentina Salerno has unsettled Renaissance scholars, especially since a recent sketch of a foot that was attributed to Michelangelo — but disputed by some as a copy — recently fetched $27.2 million at a Christie’s auction. Given the stakes — and Salerno’s suggestion that several other works can now be attributed to Michelangelo based on her documentary research — leading experts have declined to comment. Salerno has published her theory on the commercial website academia.edu, a non-peer reviewed social networking site academics use, and announced the first ‘rediscovery’ at a press conference Wednesday. The claims have drawn perhaps more attention than they normally would, given the Vatican seemed at least initially interested.” (03/04/26)
https://www.sfgate.com/news/world/article/claims-of-rediscovered-michelangelos-unsettle-21955153.php
Source: The New Arab [UK]
“A UK judge on Tuesday put on hold all trials of people charged with supporting Palestine Action, scheduling a blanket review of cases for July 30. Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring’s decision, made at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court, comes after the High Court last month ruled the government’s ban on the group unlawful — though the government has been granted leave to appeal. Palestine Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation last July, making it a criminal offence to belong to or support the protest group, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The move was slammed by rights groups as a government overreach and breach of civil liberties. Since then, there have been nearly 3,000 arrests, mainly for carrying placards, according to the activist group Defend Our Juries. Hundreds of people are facing charges.” (03/03/26)
https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-judge-pauses-palestine-action-trials-schedules-review
Source: The Guardian [UK]
“Israel said it had launched a ‘broad wave of strikes’ against government targets in Tehran, including the presidential office. A loud blast was reported in the north-east of Tehran this morning, as explosions rocked Iranian cities for a fourth night. Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon continues, with strikes reported in the southern Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh, seen as a support base for the militant group Hezbollah. Iran continues to launch retaliatory strikes, with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) saying it fired about 40 missiles at US and Israeli targets.” (03/04/26)
Source: Associated Press
“State Rep. James Talarico topped Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett in an expensive and fiercely contested Texas Senate Democratic primary that once again has the party dreaming of a big upset in November. Who Talarico will face depends on a May runoff between longtime Republican Sen. John Cornyn and MAGA favorite Ken Paxton — a race expected to get increasingly nasty over coming months and could hinge on whether or not President Donald Trump offers an endorsement.” (03/04/26)
Source: Daily Mail [UK]
“A Russian oil tanker is on fire in the Mediterranean after a drone attack, maritime security sources have said. Arctic Metagaz, which is carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) and is sanctioned by the US and UK, was hit on Tuesday near Malta, according to insiders. Shocking pictures and footage show the vessel ablaze, with large flames rising and clouds of smoke billowing into the sky. A source said the boat may have been attacked by a naval drone, suspected to have been dropped by Ukraine, amid the ongoing war between the two nations.” (03/03/26)
Source: The Hill
“Democrat Alex Holladay is projected to win the special election to represent Arkansas’s House District 70, edging out Republican Bo Renshaw, according to Decision Desk HQ. The race was seen as a pickup opportunity for the Democrats after Holladay, in 2024, narrowly lost his bid to unseat Republican incumbent Carlton Wing, who eked out a 50.97 percent victory. But Wing resigned in September to become the executive director of Arkansas PBS, giving Holladay another opportunity to vie for the seat.” (03/03/26)
https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5763559-democratic-pickup-arkansas-house-race/
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
“A Minnesota prosecutor announced an investigation Monday that may lead to charges against federal officers, including Border Patrol official Greg Bovino, for misconduct during an immigration enforcement crackdown. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a news conference that her office is already looking into 17 cases, including one where Bovino threw a smoke canister at protesters on Jan. 21. Another on Jan. 7 involved federal officers [abducting a victim] outside a high school and deploying chemical irritants while students and staff were in the area. … The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement, responded in a statement Monday night that such enforcement is a federal responsibility and states cannot prosecute federal officers.” (03/03/26)
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/03/03/minnesota-immigration-officer-investigation/
Source: CNN
“Colin Gray, the father of Georgia school shooter Colt Gray, was found guilty of murder and manslaughter charges Tuesday in a case testing the limits of who is responsible for a mass shooting. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting him on all 27 charges: Two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, 18 counts of cruelty to children and five counts of reckless conduct. … Prosecutors accused Gray of buying his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas present and allowing him access to that weapon and ammunition despite warnings that his son was a danger to others. Colt Gray, then 14, used that rifle to carry out a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024, killing two teachers and two students and wounding nine others.” (03/03/26)
https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/03/us/colin-gray-murder-trial-verdict
Source: Bloomberg
“New York City’s congestion pricing program can continue after a federal judge ruled that the Trump administration’s attempts to terminate it were unlawful — a financial win for the nation’s largest mass transit provider. US District Judge Lewis Liman found Tuesday that US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s move to end the program was ‘arbitrary and capricious.’ Liman, however, declined to issue an order blocking possible future attempts to stymie the program. The ruling means the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which sued in February 2025 to prevent Duffy from terminating the deal, can keep operating the program indefinitely, though the legal fight may continue.” (03/03/26)