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The U.S. pulls off daring rescue of two downed aviators in Iran. After the aviators鈥� fighter jet was shot down on Friday, the military plucked the pilot from behind enemy lines before setting off a complicated extraction of the second service member. As Tehran called for Iranians to help capture him, the CIA launched a deception campaign, allowing it time to uncover the location of the service member, who was hiding in a mountain crevice. Rescuers faced major obstacles, including two Black Hawk helicopters coming under fire and problems with two transport planes that forced the U.S. military to blow them up. Separately, another Air Force combat plane went down on Friday and an additional pilot was rescued.

A judge bars Trump administration from data on race in college admissions. The administration wanted higher education institutions to prove they aren鈥檛 considering race in admissions. The ruling follows a lawsuit filed last month by 17 Democratic state attorneys general. Mr. Trump had raised concerns that institutions were using personal statements and other proxies to consider race. The states argue the administration鈥檚 effort threatens student privacy and could lead to baseless investigations. The federal judge said the government likely has the authority to collect the data, but the demand was rolled out in a 鈥渞ushed and chaotic鈥� manner. 鈥� The Associated Press
Our coverage: How Trump has battled universities over antisemitism and DEI

Congo is the latest African nation to say it will accept U.S. deportees. The Congolese government said that the deportees will start arriving in April. At least seven other African nations have received migrants from the U.S. Lawyers say many migrants have judicial protection orders not to be returned to their home countries over major safety concerns, and that several of the African nations involved have repressive governments and poor human rights records. 鈥� AP
Our coverage: Nigeria had no shelter for returned male migrants. So, he built one.

British police investigate attack on Jewish charity ambulances as antisemitic hate crime. British men Hamza Iqbal and Rehan Khan, and a teenage male, had appeared in court on arson charges and were ordered to remain in custody. They are accused of torching four ambulances in London on March 23. The three defendants are set to appear at London鈥檚 Central Criminal Court on April 24. 鈥� AP

Japan鈥檚 postwar cherry trees require support.聽In Tokyo, the birthplace of Japan鈥檚 popular Somei Yoshino cherry blossom variety, many of the trees planted during the country鈥檚 postwar advancement of the 1960s are getting frail. Some have fallen and many others require support as the Japanese celebrate the season of their favorite flower. People gather under the trees during the season of hanami, or cherry blossom viewing. 鈥� AP

America鈥檚 European allies have mostly found ways to appease President Donald Trump when he鈥檚 questioned the value of U.S. alliances, especially NATO. Yet amid the bitter rhetoric and growing divide over the Iran war, there鈥檚 a sense the damage might be irreparable.

New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is keeping quiet about her political future. But in a tumultuous political environment, where many voters dislike both parties, some say the young, charismatic lawmaker is well-positioned to mount an outsider bid for the White House in 2028.

Over the past 100 years of wars, one incentive for peace has been a shared interest in preventing or ending famines 鈥� by opening humanitarian corridors. Adversaries would pause hostilities to allow food-related products to reach blameless, hungry civilians. Such a moment of goodwill sometimes opened a diplomatic window for a war to end.

A similar tenderness toward the innocent is now being expressed during the Iran war.

A number of countries including Italy, as well as the United Nations, are probing a diplomatic deal in which Iran would allow ships to sail through the Strait of Hormuz carrying raw materials for agricultural fertilizer made in Gulf Arab countries. Until the current war with Iran started Feb. 28, about a third of the world鈥檚 supplies of petroleum-based synthetic fertilizer products passed through the maritime choke point.

With Iran鈥檚 near-total closure of the strait, that flow has fallen about 90%. Small farmers in poor countries nearing planting season are now at risk of diminished harvests that might create food shortages in the coming year. 鈥淭he window to avert a massive global hunger crisis is rapidly closing,鈥� stated David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee.

A recent model for such a diplomatic initiative is a 2022 agreement that ended a Russian naval blockade of Ukraine鈥檚 ports in the Black Sea. The blockade was aimed at preventing Ukraine from exporting its sizable grain exports to much of the world. Moscow had to be persuaded that it should not harm people in countries it has long courted 鈥� a tacit recognition that war must have limits to protect the innocent, an idea coded into international law. And the pact led to a certain trust that diplomacy might at least mitigate the extent of worldwide civilian harm caused by Russia鈥檚 invasion, if not help to end the war.

Like Russia, Iran has an interest in not causing a global famine that would reflect poorly on its revolutionary ideology or desire to win allies. Opening the strait to fertilizer shipments 鈥渨ould protect Iran鈥檚 own food security and underline its claim that its selective control of the waterway is aimed only at belligerents,鈥� wrote a group of prominent individuals in an appeal organized by the International Crisis Group.

Iran, of course, should not be granted authority to decide which ships can pass through the international waterway. But rather than outside powers using military force to open the strait for the sake of oil shipments, Iran might at least agree to open the waterway to prevent starvation in the world. Weaponizing food in a war would run against the grain of international law that helps preserve the innocent in a conflict 鈥� even in Iran.