“In a report released Friday, the House Judiciary Committee found that the U.S. system for matching resident physicians to programs is monopolistic and anticompetitive. Every year, resident physicians in the U.S. learn which program they’ve been placed in. This is operated through the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP), commonly referred to as the ‘Match.’ The House Judiciary Committee determined in its investigation that the way residency programs are matched is the result of an ‘entrenched monopoly shielded from scrutiny by government protectionism.'” (03/27/26)
“Two sailboats carrying humanitarian aid from Mexico to Cuba finally reached Havana on Saturday after disappearing en route leading to days of searching for the missing vessels. In the Cuban capital, the crew of nine which included a four-year-old boy along with American, French and German citizens appeared to be in good health and spirits. … On Saturday, the Mexican Navy said the sailboats were spotted by a maritime surveillance aircraft some 80 nautical miles (roughly 148 kilometers) northwest of Cuba. The Reuters news agency cited them as saying they were slowed by unfavorable weather conditions. A Mexican ship escorted them to Havana to ensure their safe arrival in the Cuban capital, the Mexican Navy said.” (03/29/26)
“Nepal’s former prime minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, was arrested on Saturday as police investigate whether he was negligent in failing to prevent dozens of deaths in a crackdown on Gen Z-led anti-corruption protests last September, officials said. Oli’s arrest, which his lawyer said was illegal and sparked protests by supporters who clashed with police, followed rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah’s swearing in as prime minister on Friday and a recommendation by a panel investigating violence during the protests that he should be prosecuted for negligence. His former home minister, Ramesh Lekhak, was also arrested. Seventy-six people were killed last September during a police crackdown and arson and violent unrest during the protests, which led to Oli’s resignation.” (03/28/26)
“President Donald Trump on Friday signed a promised executive action to pay Transportation Security Administration employees after a bid to end the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security abruptly fell apart in Congress. Trump signed the action with an eye toward easing long security lines at many of the nation’s top airports. ‘America’s air travel system has reached its breaking point,’ Trump said in the memo authorizing the payments. He added, ‘I have determined that these circumstances constitute an emergency situation compromising the Nation’s security.’ Trump said his administration would use ‘funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations’ for the payments.” (03/28/26)
“Public transport in two Australian states will be made free to incentivise people not to drive as fuel prices soar due to the war in the Middle East. Victoria, home to Melbourne, has said it will have free travel throughout April, while Tasmania has said commuters will not need to pay from Monday until the end of June. However, other state governments have so far declined to follow suit, with New South Wales (in which Sydney is located) indicating it was reserving funds to meet increased demand for public transport. … Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sought to reassure motorists on Friday following reports of panic-buying and petrol stations running dry.” (03/29/26)
“Yemen’s Houthi rebels [sic] have attacked Israel with a barrage of ballistic missiles – their first such strikes since the United States-Israeli war on Iran began. Brigadier-General Yahya Saree, a military spokesperson for the Houthis, announced the attack on Saturday on the rebels’ [sic] Al Masirah satellite television. … Sirens went off around Beersheba and the area near Israel’s main nuclear research centre for the third time overnight Friday into Saturday as Iran and Hezbollah continued to fire on Israel. No casualties or damage were reported.” (03/28/26)
“Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blasted travel chaos gripping airports nationwide as a direct result of Democrats’ ‘temper tantrum’ over immigration policy, as the ongoing standoff snarls TSA operations and disrupts millions of passengers nationwide. ‘The reason we’re at this impasse is that Democrats are using long TSA lines to throw a temper tantrum about deportations of violent criminal illegal aliens and funding of ICE and Border Patrol,’ Cotton said on ‘Fox News Sunday.’ The Arkansas Republican argued the disruptions are not the result of funding shortfalls, but reiterated they stem from a deliberate political fight over immigration, accusing Democrats of shifting demands and prolonging the standoff as airport delays drag on nationwide.” [editor’s note: While I oppose deportation in general, I might be talked into an exception for scumbags like Cotton. He needs to be kept away from decent human beings – TLK] (03/29/26)
“A U.S. Secret Service agent on former first lady Jill Biden’s detail shot himself in the leg by mistake Friday in Philadelphia, the agency announced. Around 8:30 a.m., the agent sustained ‘a non-life-threatening injury following a negligent discharge while handling a service weapon at the Philadelphia International Airport during a protective assignment,’ a Secret Service statement issued to ABC News said.” (03/27/26)
“North Korean leader Kim Jong Un observed a test of an upgraded solid-fuel engine for weapons capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, and called it a significant development boosting his country’s strategic military arsenal, state media reported Sunday. While the test was in line with Kim’s stated goal of acquiring more agile, hard-to-detect missiles targeting the U.S. and its allies, some experts speculate North Korea’s claim may be an exaggeration. Missiles with built-in solid propellants are easier to move and conceal their launches than liquid-fuel weapons, which in general must be fueled before liftoffs and cannot last long. The official Korean Central News Agency reported Kim watched the ground jet test of the engine using a composite carbon fiber material. It said the engine’s maximum thrust is 2,500 kilonewtons, up from about 1,970 kilonewtons reported in a similar solid-fuel engine test in September.” (03/29/26)
“Mongolia’s Prime Minister Zandanshatar Gombojav resigned Friday after rising tensions within the ruling Mongolian People’s Party and a parliamentary boycott by the opposition. The parliament accepted Zandanshatar’s resignation. The opposition Democratic Party earlier this month launched a boycott of parliamentary activity, citing concerns over the concentration of power within the ruling party. There have been months of corruption allegations against Justice Minister Enkhbayar Battumur, a close ally of Zandanshatar, who has not been accused.” (03/27/26)
