Month: March 2026

Mojtaba Khamenei delivered his first message since becoming Iran’s supreme leader, declaring that the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz will remain closed as tensions escalate across the Persian Gulf. The statement, read by an anchor on Iranian state television, marked the first public communication attributed to Khamenei since he succeeded his father, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in strikes tied to the expanding conflict involving the United States and Israel.

Khamenei has not appeared publicly since taking power, and his location and health remain uncertain amid reports he may have been wounded during earlier U.S. and Israeli strikes. Analysts say the decision to communicate through a written statement rather than a televised address likely reflects security concerns.

In the message, the new leader described the narrow waterway — through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally passes — as a strategic pressure point for Iran: “Certainly, the lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz should still be used,” Khamenei said, according to the statement aired on television.

Iran has threatened to attack ships belonging to the United States, Israel, or their allies that attempt to move through the channel, and several oil tankers have already been struck in the region. The disruption has rattled global markets, pushing oil prices above $100 per barrel at times.

The International Energy Agency warned the conflict has created the “largest supply disruption in the history of the global oil market,” even after multiple countries agreed to release hundreds of millions of barrels from emergency reserves.

Beyond the shipping crisis, the new leader also vowed retaliation for civilian deaths during the conflict, including victims of a strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in the Iranian city of Minab. “I assure everyone that we will not abandon the pursuit of justice for the blood of your martyrs,” he said. He added that vengeance would be pursued for “the blood of our children,” and that “the crime deliberately committed by the enemy against the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, and similar cases, will receive particular attention.” Khamenei also defended Iran’s military actions in neighboring countries, saying they are directed at foreign military installations linked to the United States.

Meanwhile, the widening conflict has continued to disrupt shipping and energy infrastructure throughout the Persian Gulf.  President Trump has downplayed the surge in oil prices, arguing that higher energy costs can benefit U.S. producers, while officials say the U.S. Navy has not yet begun escorting commercial vessels through the contested waterway.

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Authorities say a man who crashed a vehicle into a suburban Detroit synagogue and allegedly opened fire was killed after being confronted by security personnel Thursday afternoon. Officials confirmed that no students or staff inside the building were injured; eight first responders were being treated at an area hospital.

Law enforcement responded to reports of an active shooter at around 1:35 p.m. Thursday in the area of Temple Israel in West Bloomfield, a suburb northwest of Detroit, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the suspect drove a truck through the synagogue’s entrance and continued down a hallway inside the building before exiting the vehicle with what authorities believe was a rifle. Authorities said the truck caught fire after crashing into the building’s front entrance. Investigators are carefully examining the vehicle and checking it for potential explosives as a precaution. “Something ignited in the vehicle. That’s a work in progress,” Bouchard said.

According to law enforcement sources, synagogue security engaged the suspect in gunfire shortly after the crash. The man was killed during the confrontation, though officials have not publicly detailed exactly how he died. Investigators say he was the only person inside the truck.

Officials also confirmed that everyone believed to have been inside the building at the time has been accounted for.“No kids or no staff were injured whatsoever,” Bouchard said, adding that one security guard was struck by the vehicle during the incident and was briefly knocked unconscious.  Other members of the security team pulled him to safety after the collision, and the was taken to a nearby hospital and is expected to recover.  “Security did their job, and then the responders did theirs,” Bouchard said.

Several law enforcement agencies responded to the scene, including West Bloomfield police, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police, and federal agents. FBI Director Kash Patel confirmed that FBI personnel were assisting with the response, with officials urging the public to avoid the area while investigators cleared the building and secured the scene.

Temple Israel, located on Walnut Lake Road near Drake Road, describes itself as the largest Reform synagogue in the United States, with about 12,000 members. The facility includes an early childhood education center and hosts a variety of programs for families and adults. The synagogue later confirmed in a statement on Facebook that all 140 students at Temple Israel’s childhood center were accounted for, as well as the teachers and staff. The synagogue credited its “heroic security personnel” for confronting the gunman, and expressed gratitude to those at the Shenendoah Country Club for sheltering its students and staff in the wake of the attack – “What incredible neighbors we have,” Temple Israel said. “What incredible police force we have.”

As a precaution, several nearby schools — including West Bloomfield High School, West Bloomfield Middle School, Doherty Elementary School, and schools in the Bloomfield Hills district — were placed in secure mode. The Jewish Federation of Detroit also advised Jewish organizations in the region to go into “lockout protocol,” temporarily restricting entry and exit.

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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has restored the Global Entry program after suspending it for more than two weeks during the partial government shutdown. Global Entry, which requires an application, background check and fee, enables low-risk travelers to move through customs faster when entering the United States.

Officials confirmed the service resumed at 5 a.m. ET on Wednesday, allowing pre-approved travelers arriving from international destinations to once again use the program’s expedited airport kiosks. “We are working hard to alleviate the disruptions to travelers caused by the Democrats’ shutdown,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement announcing the restart. The reopening of Global Entry lanes is expected to speed up international arrivals, though it is unlikely to significantly reduce congestion at standard TSA security checkpoints.

Industry leaders welcomed the decision. Geoff Freeman, head of the U.S. Travel Association, said programs like Global Entry and TSA PreCheck play an important role in keeping airports both secure and efficient. “Over the last two weeks, the travel industry has been clear about the role programs like Global Entry and TSA PreCheck play in both security and efficiency,” Freeman said.

The program was paused in late February as the shutdown forced the agency to redirect U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers who normally process Global Entry arrivals to assist with standard passenger screening. The suspension came shortly after the government funding lapse began on Feb. 14, when lawmakers and the White House failed to agree on legislation to finance DHS operations.

TSA PreCheck, which offers faster security screening for enrolled travelers, was briefly slated for suspension as well but resumed almost immediately after the announcement. As of 2024, the program had more than 20 million participants.

Despite the Global Entry restart, travel disruptions tied to the shutdown remain a concern. The funding dispute has affected several DHS agencies, including the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Coast Guard and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

At airports across the country, staffing shortages and employee callouts—linked to workers going without pay during the shutdown—have led to significantly longer security lines in recent days. Travelers have been advised to arrive up to three hours before departure as the busy spring travel season approaches.

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The International Energy Agency announced Wednesday that its member nations have unanimously approved a historic emergency measure, agreeing to release 400 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves to help stabilize global energy markets amid the ongoing conflict in Iran.

The move comes as the war has severely disrupted oil transport through the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime corridor that normally carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply—more than 20 million barrels per day. Since late February, tanker traffic through the narrow passage has largely stopped after security threats and attacks on vessels, prompting shipping companies, insurers, and energy firms to avoid the region.

Energy markets reacted immediately to the announcement. U.S. crude prices briefly dipped before climbing again, topping about $88 per barrel during trading. Oil prices had already surged dramatically since the conflict began, rising more than 30% in the United States. Average gasoline prices have also jumped by more than 50 cents, reaching roughly $3.57 per gallon nationwide, while natural gas, jet fuel, and global crude benchmarks have also climbed sharply.

IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol described the coordinated reserve release as a “major action” designed to counter the disruption in global energy supplies. However, he emphasized that restoring normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz remains essential for stabilizing markets.

The IEA represents 32 major energy-consuming countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Canada, Australia, Italy and Mexico. Together, these nations maintain massive emergency reserves intended to protect against major supply disruptions. The organization estimates its members collectively hold more than 1.2 billion barrels of oil in strategic stockpiles.

In the United States alone, the national strategic petroleum reserve contains over 415 million barrels, according to government data. Other countries across Europe and Asia also maintain significant reserves that could be tapped as part of the coordinated response.

Despite the record release, the additional supply may take time to reach consumers. Once a government authorizes oil from national reserves, deliveries can take nearly two weeks to begin, followed by additional shipping time before the fuel reaches refineries and markets.

The IEA was created after the energy crises of the 1970s to help major oil-importing nations coordinate responses to supply shocks. The organization has triggered emergency releases only a handful of times, most recently in 2022 after Russian invasion of Ukraine, when roughly 180 million barrels were released to stabilize global markets.

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new use for leucovorin calcium tablets, allowing the drug to treat cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), an extremely rare neurological condition. The medication is a synthetic version of vitamin B9 and has long been used to lessen the toxic side effects of chemotherapy or boost its effectiveness in cancer care. The drug—sometimes sold under the name Wellcovorin—was originally marketed by GlaxoSmithKline beginning in 1983, though the company later stopped selling it when generic versions became available.

According to the FDA, the decision was based on “a systematic review of the published literature on the topic, including published case reports with patient-level information, as well as mechanistic data.” Cerebral folate deficiency disrupts the body’s ability to transport folate into the brain. People with the condition—particularly those with variants in the FOLR1 gene—often experience severe developmental delays, seizures, movement problems and other neurological complications. The disorder is extraordinarily uncommon; the National Organization for Rare Disorders reports that fewer than 20 cases have appeared in scientific literature, and its true prevalence remains unclear.

Health officials say the approval marks the first FDA-authorized therapy for this genetic condition. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a statement: “Today’s approval represents a significant milestone for patients living with cerebral folate transport deficiency due to the FOLR1 variant, a rare genetic condition that has had no FDA-approved treatment options until today. This action may benefit some individuals with FOLR1-related cerebral folate transport deficiency who have developmental delays with autistic features.”

Leucovorin has also drawn attention recently as a possible treatment for autism symptoms, a claim that sparked debate after members of the Trump administration promoted the idea last year. At the time, officials suggested updating the drug’s label so it could be used for autistic children, with President Trump saying the change would “reflect potential benefits in reducing some autism symptoms.”

FDA officials said that they initially reviewed research on leucovorin’s potential role in autism, but ultimately narrowed their focus to patients with confirmed cerebral folate deficiency because that group showed the strongest treatment responses. FDA officials now say the evidence is not strong enough to support approving the drug for autism itself, noting that families should consult physicians if considering the medication. Despite the lack of formal approval for autism, doctors are allowed to prescribe leucovorin off-label. Interest in the drug has surged in recent months; one analysis found prescriptions for children increased 71% in the weeks after the administration highlighted it publicly.

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