Monday, March 9
Russia remains inactive in the US-Iran war
Amid climbing action in the war between the U.S., Israel and Iran, Russia sits back and only offers words of indignation, according to The Associated Press. President Vladimir Putin remains focused on the war in Ukraine, hoping the conflict in Iran will now have positive effects for Russia.
Moscow condemned the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but stayed inactive while its allies, Syrian ruler Bashar Assad and Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, were both ousted, the AP reported.
Russia, however, is already benefiting from the surge in energy prices caused by disruptions to tanker traffic and damage to energy facilities in Gulf countries. Russia hopes conflict can provide both financial support for and a major distraction from the Russia-Ukraine war.
Tuesday, March 10
FBI obtains 2020 election records from Arizona
The Republican leader of the Arizona state Senate officially handed over the 2020 presidential election records to the FBI, signaling President Donald Trump's continued belief that he lost the 2020 election to former President Joe Biden.
The records were from Maricopa County, and mark the second time this year the FBI obtained records regarding the 2020 election from the most populous county in one of the battleground states Trump lost, the AP reported.
Some Republican lawmakers aligned themselves with the false belief the 2020 election was stolen from Trump, even hiring a private firm to investigate, coming up with nothing, the AP reported.
Wednesday, March 11
Trump, Republicans disagree on plan to win midterms
At his golf course Monday, Trump explained a plan to Republicans who are concerned they might lose their congressional majority in the coming midterms, the AP reported. His two-fold plan includes building on national voter identification laws to ban mail ballots and restrict transgender rights.
House Republicans released their plan shortly after, which deviated from Trump’s, not including the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility, or SAVE America Act, high on the priority list.
According to the AP, Republicans are only a few seats away from losing their majority and are attempting to emphasize lowering costs, a task difficult amidst outrage over increasing costs due to the U.S.-Iran war. The voting bill Trump is pushing reiterated his belief that he won the 2020 presidential election, even amidst dozens of court decisions saying otherwise.
Thursday, March 12
Evidence points to US as culprit of strike on Iranian Elementary School
The military strike on an elementary school in Iran killed over 165 people during the start of the conflict and has been a focal point since then, according to the AP. The New York Times first reported a preliminary investigation into the matter found the U.S. to be responsible.
Trump initially denied the claims, blaming Iran, but has since said he is not sure and will accept the findings in the Pentagon investigation. The preliminary investigation suggests outdated U.S. intel led to the missile strike.
Information continues to come out that points to the U.S. as the culprit of the attack, and dozens of Democratic Senators are demanding answers from the Trump Administration. The administration stated the investigation is still pending.
Friday, March 13
Trump tariffs impact American households
Following a recent Supreme Court ruling that struck down Trump’s biggest tariffs, the administration is looking to find ways to replace the lost revenue, the AP reported.
Democrats in Congress are warning that if his measures pass, new import taxes could cost American households an average of $2,512 in 2026, up 44% from last year.
Now that the Supreme Court ruled Trump’s tariffs were illegal, the government has to provide refunds of around $175 billion to importers who paid them. Trump is quickly pivoting and attempting to initiate other tariffs on trade nations.
Sunday, March. 15
The SAVE America Act could limit citizens' rights to vote
The SAVE America Act, being pushed by the Trump administration, could have harsh effects on American voters. Republicans are arguing it is necessary to ensure integrity in elections and have passed it through the House.
While a part of the bill shows a less divisive mandate to show photo ID, another part outlines the requirement to show documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, according to the AP.
Most forms of documentation come with caveats that require more information or supporting documents, and hold the biggest implications for married women, people of color and voters who live in rural areas, the AP reported. If passed by Congress, the mandate would go into effect immediately, in time for the coming Midterm elections.
