“On Friday, Republican Congressman Sam Graves of Missouri became the 36th Republican — and 57th House member — to announce plans not to seek re-election, saying it was time to ‘pass the torch’ to a new generation. In fact, more Republicans are retiring ahead of the midterms than at any point in nearly a century, according to an ABC News tally of retirement announcements and a review of historical data since 1930 compiled by the Brookings Institution. … So far, 21 House Democrats have announced plans to retire, more than the total that left ahead of the 2018 midterms, but fewer than the 29 Democrats who did not run for office again before the party lost the House majority in 2021.” (03/29/26)
“French police stopped an apparent bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris early Saturday, and a man was arrested as he was about to set off a homemade explosive device. Police grabbed the man just after he placed a device, made of nine pints of a liquid believed to be fuel, 23 ounces of explosive powder, and an ignition system, according to an initial assessment. The device will undergo a full analysis at the Paris police’s forensics lab. The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m., while the office was closed. No employees were injured, according to the bank.” (03/28/26)
“Israeli police have blocked the head of the Catholic church in Jerusalem from entering Christianity’s holiest site to celebrate Palm Sunday. The Latin Patriarch, Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, and the Reverend Francesco Ielpo were stopped outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre — believed to be the site of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion, and where they planned to hold a mass to mark the start of Holy Week, church authorities said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said worshippers of ‘all faiths’ had been asked [sic] not to visit sites in Jerusalem’s Old City for safety reasons after recent Iranian attacks. But the move has drawn strong criticism from global leaders as well as the church.” (03/29/26)
“A federal judge late Friday put a hold on the $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar Media Group and Tegna, a deal that would create the largest operator of local television stations in the country. U.S. District Judge Troy L. Nunley in California granted a request from DirecTV, which argued in a lawsuit that the pending merger violates federal antitrust laws. Eight attorneys general, led by California’s Rob Bonta, filed a separate lawsuit on similar legal grounds. … Nunley issued a 14-day temporary restraining order and scheduled an April 7 hearing. Nexstar declined to comment. Tegna did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice both approved the merger earlier this month. President Donald Trump also publicly backed the deal.” (03/28/26)
“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)
