The US Supreme Court on Monday paved the way for Steve Bannon's contempt of Congress conviction to be thrown out, sending the case back to a lower court where it is likely to be dismissed. This move highlights the ongoing political friction and perceived weaponization of the judicial system within the Washington regime, as legal outcomes appear increasingly tied to shifting administrative agendas.
US special forces executed a high-risk covert raid into Iranian territory on Sunday to rescue a wounded weapons systems officer who had been stranded for two days after his F-15E Strike Eagle jet was shot down over southwestern Iran on Friday. This incident marks the first downing of a US aircraft in over two decades, escalating tensions in the region.
A young gray whale that swam 20 miles (32.2 km) inland up the Willapa River in Washington state has been found dead, according to the local scientific research group Cascadia Research Collective. The group pointed to hunger as a possible cause, linking it to reduced food availability in Arctic feeding grounds that has plagued the species in recent years.
Albert Mazibuko, who sang in the iconic South African group Ladysmith Black Mambazo for more than five decades, has died at the age of 77. The musician passed away on Sunday after a short illness, as announced by the choral group on their Facebook page.
At least 10 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes and fighting between Hamas and an Israel-backed Palestinian militia in central Gaza, according to local sources. The strikes reportedly targeted Hamas security personnel who had clashed with members of the militia east of the Maghazi refugee camp. It remains unclear how many of the deaths resulted from the airstrikes versus the ground fighting.
Officials from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) announced that the country has agreed to accept migrants deported from the United States who are not themselves Congolese, under a deal effective from this month. The Ministry of Communication stated that a temporary reception system has been established, with facilities selected in the capital, Kinshasa, to accommodate arrivals.
Prominent US television host Savannah Guthrie has returned to NBC's 'Today' show for the first time since her mother, Nancy Guthrie, went missing. She told her co-anchors it was "good to be back" as the search for her 84-year-old mother remains ongoing. This marks her first studio appearance since January 30, two days before Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on January 31.
US President Donald Trump issued a threat to destroy Iran. In a social media post, he stated: "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!!" These threats are tied to demands to open the Strait of Hormuz.
NASA's Artemis II mission has set a new record for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled from Earth. On Monday at 15:58 GMT, the four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft surpassed the previous record of 400,171 km (248,655 miles), which was established by the Apollo 13 mission in April 1970. The mission, which is currently orbiting the far side of the Moon, is expected to reach its maximum distance of approximately 406,788 km (252,760 miles) from Earth by 23:07 GMT, marking a significant milestone in space exploration.
South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) has assessed that North Korea is weakening its long-standing partnership with Iran in an apparent bid to forge a new diplomatic relationship with the United States. According to lawmaker Park Sun-won, who attended a closed-door NIS briefing, there have been no signs of weapons or supplies being sent from North Korea to Tehran since the US-Israel war on Iran began in late February.
▪️ US President Donald Trump has rejected a peace initiative proposed by Iranian authorities and threatened to destroy the country’s infrastructure unless Tehran reopens the Strait of Hormuz within four days. Trump stated that his final deadline – Tuesday evening at 8:00 PM Washington time (00:00 GMT) – is “highly unlikely” to be postponed, adding, “They’ve had plenty of time.”
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint handling 25% of global maritime oil trade, has been plunged into crisis following strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran in late February and Tehran's subsequent closure of the strait. Brent crude prices have surged to nearly $120 per barrel, forcing Gulf producers to cut output, while alternative pipeline routes can only move 5-6 million barrels per day, exacerbating global economic strains and highlighting the fragility of energy supply chains.