海角大神

The Senate approved funding for Transportation Security Administration and most of Homeland Security, but not immigration enforcement. The deal, which was approved without a roll call vote, goes next to the House, which is expected to consider it Friday. It鈥檚 a potential endgame to the 42-day shutdown that has jammed airports, disrupted travel, and imposed financial hardship on workers. President Donald Trump said he will sign an order to immediately pay TSA workers, but if the bill becomes law that won't be needed.听鈥� The Associated Press

A federal judge declined to dismiss the case against ousted Venezuela leader Nicol谩s Maduro and his wife. In a hearing in New York on Thursday, the couple 鈥� who have pleaded not guilty to narcoterrorism-related charges 鈥� argued that they should be released because the U.S. government is preventing Venezuela from helping to pay their legal fees. U.S. District Court Judge Alvin Hellerstein declined to do so, but he promised to rule soon on whether to order the U.S. government to allow Venezuela to help cover the couple鈥檚 legal expenses.

Israel said it killed Iran鈥檚 naval commander. Alireza Tangsiri was killed in a Wednesday air strike targeting him and 鈥渟enior officers of the naval command,鈥� according to Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz. Mr. Tangsiri had been a key figure in Iran鈥檚 naval strategy in the Strait of Hormuz, the vital Persian Gulf shipping lane that the country has effectively closed. His assassination, not yet confirmed by Iran, comes as other top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and security chief Ali Larijani, have been killed by Israel since the start of the Iran war.

The European Parliament approved the creation of 鈥渞eturn hubs鈥� for migrants. The proposal allows member states to create the centers in third countries outside the European Union for migrants facing deportation. The text, which will also increase the legal detention period to two years, has been criticized by left-wing Parliament members and nongovernmental organizations. But those in favor say that strengthened 鈥渞eturn regulation鈥� is key to cracking down on irregular migration on the European continent.

Wall Street had its worst day since the start of the Iran war. The drop is connected to growing doubts about a de-escalation. The S&P 500 slumped 1.7%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1%, and the Nasdaq composite sank 2.4%. President Donald Trump said he was postponing a threatened attack on Iran's energy facilities after the sharp falls in stocks Thursday. Asian stocks traded mostly lower Friday. 鈥� AP

A federal judge听temporarily blocked the Pentagon from labeling AI company Anthropic a supply chain risk. The legal challenge comes amid the Trump administration鈥檚 efforts to punish Anthropic after the company refused to let its technology be deployed in听fully autonomous weapons听or surveillance of Americans. U.S. District Judge Rita Lin on Thursday said the 鈥渂road punitive measures鈥� appeared arbitrary and capricious. 鈥� AP

The International Olympic Committee banned transgender women from competing in women鈥檚 Olympic events. The new policy, expected to take effect with the 2028 Los Angeles Games, limits eligibility to 鈥渂iological females鈥� and will require a one-time genetic test. It also restricts some female athletes with medical conditions known as differences in sex development. The decision follows years of debate over fairness in women鈥檚 sports and aligns with an executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump, 鈥淜eeping Men Out of Women鈥檚 Sports.鈥� It is expected to face criticism from human rights experts.

鈥� Compiled by Monitor writers around the world

President Donald Trump is pushing a 15-point proposal to end Iran hostilities amid large troop deployments to the region. Distant from a deal, he is threatening to destroy power plants if Iran doesn鈥檛 open the Strait of Hormuz.

With all the focus on what the Iran war is, or isn鈥檛, achieving, the U.S. and its regional allies will have to grapple with an issue critical to the shape of a post-war Middle East: the war鈥檚 鈥渙pportunity cost.鈥�

Under cover of the Iran war, settler extremists have increased violent attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank. A range of Israeli leaders, from rabbis and former diplomats to Benjamin Netanyahu鈥檚 hand-picked military chief of staff, are raising their voices in condemnation.

Some 40% of households in Maine struggled to afford essentials in 2023, according to the ALICE report.听Taking care of whoever needs it, without stigma, is a driving principle for the Maine Needs organization.

Our reviewers鈥� March picks travel the globe and beyond, from stories about women in India blazing new trails and Eritrean immigrants following their dreams to an astronaut winging his way to Europa.

When the ruling party in Britain proposed last year that the voting age be lowered to 16, one smart TV station went out and asked 16- and 17-year-olds what they thought of the idea. Of 500 surveyed, a bare 51% supported it. Only 18% said they would definitely vote.

The Labour Party might have learned a lesson. To nurture maturity in teens, one must respect what maturity they already have 鈥� in how they view their own potential and problems. Love means listening first, then legislating. The bill to lower the voting age has yet to pass.

This year, as public pressure builds worldwide to ban teen use of social media, the U.K. government has commissioned a pilot test before making a power slap against tech giants such as Meta, Google, or TikTok. In a research trial in coming months, a few hundred persons听ages 13 to 17 (yes, they are persons) will voluntarily be banned from social media in their home for six weeks to measure the impact on their well-being and safety.

The research, led by a team at the University of Cambridge and听Bradford Institute for Health Research, is not only scientific but also exemplifies a sensitivity to the nuances of both the harm and benefits of online content. Another group with access to social media will also be watched. The trial鈥檚 restrictions will vary, such as setting different time limits, to fine-tune possible regulations.听

鈥淲e can act at pace on the results of the consultation on young people and social media,鈥� stated U.K. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall.

听Focusing only on evil aspects of online content might blind lawmakers 鈥� as well as court judges 鈥� to the good, such as advances in safe, supportive social media that might drive off the bad. Teens themselves can give advice on how to sift the chaff from the wheat.听

A blanket ban might end up not improving children鈥檚 safety and well-being. Or teens could devise methods to skirt a ban. Working with them 鈥� as many parents have learned 鈥� can reduce social media鈥檚 harms while enhancing mental growth in dealing with such challenges.

In the United States, a Pew Research Center survey last year found 45% of teens agree that they spend too much time on social media, while a majority says it helps in making connections and expressing their creativity. A minority 20% says it hurts their mental health or grades.

Thousands of lawsuits in the U.S. are now testing courts in deciding if tech companies should be held responsible for such harms. In two separate cases this week, verdicts held social media companies accountable for harm cited by young users.

Solutions might lie in simply giving an ear to teens, both individually and societywide. Close attention to their fears and aims can also spark self-regulation.听

This year, Britain launched a campaign called 鈥淵ou Won鈥檛 Know Until You Ask.鈥� It provides practical advice for parents in conversations with kids on internet use. Any government action, said Technology Secretary Kendall, must be 鈥渋nformed by the experiences of families themselves.鈥�