The past 30 days have witnessed tense exchanges of airstrikes between Israel and Iran, beginning with Israel’s alleged bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus on April 1. Iran retaliated in a widely telegraphed response designed to minimize human casualties and to provide room for de-escalation. Israel responded similarly with an even smaller second strike,…

Anti-Israel protests escalated on Columbia University’s campus over the weekend of April 20. In response, Columbia President Minouche Shafik announced the campus would switch to remote learning on Monday, April 22, out of concerns for student safety. Shafik sent a letter in the middle of the night to the student body, saying the school is…

The 12-person jury is set to hear opening statements in former President Donald Trump’s criminal trial. Learn more about what is in the $95 billion foreign aid package passed by the House. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Monday, April 22, 2024. Jury to hear opening statements in Trump’s first criminal trial…

Two days after pro-Palestinian protestors halted traffic and blocked the Golden Gate Bridge calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, San Francisco’s district attorney, Brooke Jenkins, asked affected drivers to come forward. Jenkins said she’s considering filing “false imprisonment” charges against the protestors and making them pay restitution for drivers who were trapped in…

The University of Southern California (USC) is continuing to receive backlash for its decision to cancel this year’s valedictorian’s graduation speech. USC banned Asna Tabassum, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering, from speaking at the school’s commencement ceremony in May, as the school cited safety concerns. Some Jewish students called for USC to disinvite Tabassum,…

President Biden entered office with a promise to repair the damage inflicted by former President Trump on the international stage. He vowed to prioritize values like democracy and human rights while also aiming to end the “forever wars” in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Yet, some critics argue that U.S. foreign policy has been marked…

The first seven jurors are selected in former President Donald Trump’s hush money trial, and historic rain in the United Arab Emirates leads to major flooding at the Dubai airport and across the region. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Wednesday, April 17, 2024. First 7 jurors selected in Trump hush money…

Saudi Arabia refuted reports saying it aided in defending Israel against Iranian airstrikes on Saturday, April 13. Initially circulated by public broadcaster Kan and an allegedly fake website, the report is now being denied by Riyadh. According to informed sources, no official Saudi websites have made such statements. The country stated that it did not…

Six months after Hamas abducted more than 250 people, U.S. officials believe a majority of the hostages still held by Hamas are dead, according to information received during cease-fire talks on Wednesday, April 10. The information comes after Israelis began protesting in Tel Aviv the week of April 1, chanting and marching as cease-fire talks…

With Israel on alert for an attack from Iran, the U.S. sents over a top military commander in a show of support. O.J. Simpson passed away at age 76, sparking mixed reactions. These stories and more highlight The Morning Rundown for Friday, April 12, 2024. US sends top commander to Israel ahead of expected attack…