The Latest: Trump says the military could end its Iran offensive in 2 to 3 weeks

U.S. President Donald Trump said the military could end its Iran offensive in two to three weeks and will shift responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz to countries that rely on it for oil and shipping as the White House announced a prime-time presidential address Wednesday evening on the war.

Associated Press A family who fled Israeli shelling in southern Lebanon warm themselves by a bonfire next to tents used as shelters in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti) Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike hits a building near the airport road in Beirut, Lebanon, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) A man inspect the wreckage of an Iranian missile that landed near the West Bank village of Marda, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed) Residents and Israeli security forces inspect a site struck by an Iranian missile in Petah Tikva, Israel, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

APTOPIX Lebanon Israel Iran War

Trump expressed frustration Tuesday with allies who have been unwilling to do more to support the U.S. war effort, telling them to "go get your own oil." Trump recently has vacillated between insisting there is progress in diplomatic talks with Iran andthreatening to widen the war.

He said the U.S. "will not have anything to do with" what happens next in the vital waterway that has been closed by the Islamic Republic. Instead, he told reporters, the responsibility for keeping the strait open will rest with countries that rely on it. Gulf states rely on the waterway for both exports and imports, including food, and 20 percent of the world's oil supply flows through it.

U.S. gas prices jumped past an average of$4 a gallonfor the first time since 2022 on Tuesday, as the Iran war continues topush fuel prices higher worldwide. Analysts say those high fuel costs will trickle into groceries as businesses' transportation and packaging costs pile up.

Here is the latest:

Israel warns of incoming Yemeni missile attack

Israel's military warned the public Wednesday a missile was incoming from Yemen, yet another attack from the country's Houthi rebels who have just entered the war on Iran's side.

Air raid sirens went off in southern Israel, from Beersheba to the Mediterranean coast.

The warning, just around dawn, broke a long lull, more than 19 hours since the last time Israel's military warned of an incoming missile launch from Iran, and more than six hours from the last alarms in the northern part of Israel, which in past days received near-constant fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Iranian drone attack starts fire at Kuwait International Airport

A drone attack by Iran and its allies hit a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, sparking a fire, authorities said.

The state-run KUNA news agency said the attack early Wednesday sparked a "large fire" at the airport.

It said there were no immediate injuries from the attack and firefighters were working to control the blaze.

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Kuwait International Airport has been attacked before by Iran during the war. The KUNA report suggested the attack may have been launched by Iranian-supported militias in Iraq with Tehran's support.

In another strike, Bahrain said early on Wednesday morning that it was working to extinguish a fire at a business facility that resulted from an Iranian attack.

Israel strikes factory in Iran it alleges supplies fentanyl for chemical weapons

Israel said early Wednesday it struck a plant supplying Iran's theocracy with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid, to allegedly use in a chemical weapons program. Iran acknowledged the strike on Tofigh Daru factory, but insisted it only supplied "hospital drugs" used in medical operations.

The strike happened Tuesday, both the Israelis and the Iranians said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted a picture of the factory in Tehran, writing on X: "The war criminals in Israel are now openly and unashamedly bombing pharmaceutical companies."

Hospitals extensively use fentanyl to treat severe pain. But a small amount of the drug can be fatal.

Both Israel and the United States have warned in recent years Iran was experimenting with fentanyl in munitions. The U.S. previously pointed to Iranian academic research studying how Russia likely used a fentanyl derivative during the 2002 Moscow theater hostage seizure by Chechen militants.

Israel alleged Tofigh Daru supplied fentanyl to an advanced research institute in Tehran, known by its acronym SPND. The U.S alleges SPND has conducted research and testing that could be applicable to the development of nuclear explosive devices and other weapons.

Major airlines in United Arab Emirates say country is barring Iranian travelers

The United Arab Emirates has barred Iranians from entering or transiting the country as the war rages, three major airlines said Wednesday.

Long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad, as well as the lower-cost airline FlyDubai, made the announcements on their websites.

Entry rules can sometimes be opaque in the autocratic United Arab Emirates, a federation of seven sheikhdoms, the three airlines agreed on the order. It said holders of 10-year Golden Visa residency permits could still enter the country.

Authorities have offered no official comment. But Dubai has already shut down the city-state's Iranian Hospital and Iranian Club, institutions that date back to the time of the shah.

The Latest: Trump says the military could end its Iran offensive in 2 to 3 weeks

U.S. President Donald Trump said the military could end its Iran offensive in two to three weeks and will shift responsib...
Supreme Court hears high-profile fight over Trump's bid to limit birthright citizenship

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Supreme Courtis taking up one of the term's most consequential cases,President Donald Trump'sexecutive order onbirthright citizenshipdeclaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are not American citizens.Trump plans to be in attendance.

Associated Press The U.S. Supreme Court is seen as the moon rises Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House Tuesday, March 31, 2026, in Washington, as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick listens. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Supreme Court Birthright Citizenship

In arguments Wednesday, the justices will hear Trump's appeal of a lower-court ruling from New Hampshire that struck downthe citizenship restrictions, one of several courts that have blocked them. They have not taken effect anywhere in the country.

A definitive ruling is expected by early summer.

Trump will be the first sitting president to attend oral arguments at the nation's highest court.

The case frames another test of his assertions of executive power that defy long-standing precedent for a court that has largely ruled in the president's favor, but with some notable exceptions that Trump has responded to with starkly personal criticisms of the justices.

The birthright citizenship order, which Trump signed the first day of his second term, is part of his Republican administration's broadimmigration crackdown.

Birthright citizenship is the first Trump immigration-related policy to reach the court for a final ruling. The justices previously struck down global tariffs Trump had imposed under an emergency powers law that had never been used that way.

Trump reacted furiously to the late February tariffs' decision, saying he was ashamed of the justices who ruled against him and calling them unpatriotic.

He issued a preemptive broadside against the court on Sunday on his Truth Social. "Birthright Citizenship is not about rich people from China, and the rest of the World, who want their children, and hundreds of thousands more, FOR PAY, to ridiculously become citizens of the United States of America. It is about the BABIES OF SLAVES!," the president wrote. "Dumb Judges and Justices will not a great Country make!"

Trump's order would upend the longstanding view that the Constitution's14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, and federal law since 1940 confer citizenship on everyone born on American soil, with narrow exceptions for the children of foreign diplomats and those born to a foreign occupying force.

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The 14th Amendment was intended to ensure that Black people, including former slaves, had citizenship, though the Citizenship Clause is written more broadly. "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside," it reads.

In a series of decisions, lower courts have struck down the executive order as illegal, or likely so, under the Constitution and federal law. The decisions have invoked the high court's 1898 ruling in Wong Kim Ark, which held that the U.S.-born child of Chinese nationals was a citizen.

The administration argues that the common view of citizenship is wrong, asserting that children of noncitizens are not "subject to the jurisdiction"

The court should use the case to set straight "long-enduring misconceptions about the Constitution's meaning," Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote.

No court has accepted that argument, and lawyers for pregnant women whose children would be affected by the order said the Supreme Court should not be the first to do so.

"We have the president of the United States trying to radically reinterpret the definition of American citizenship," said Cecillia Wang, the American Civil Liberties Union legal director who is facing off against Sauer at the Supreme Court.

More than one-quarter of a million babies born in the U.S. each year would be affected by the executive order, according to research by the Migration Policy Institute and Pennsylvania State University's Population Research Institute.

While Trump has largely focused on illegal immigration in his rhetoric and actions, the birthright restrictions also would apply to people who are legally in the United States, including students and applicants for green cards, or permanent resident status.

Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court athttps://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.

Supreme Court hears high-profile fight over Trump's bid to limit birthright citizenship

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Supreme Courtis taking up one of the term's most consequential cases,President Donald Trump'...
From TMZ to Trump, pressure grows to bring Congress back during partial shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — TMZ built its brand tracking celebrities. Now it's turning its attention to Congress, chasing down paparazzi-style shots of lawmakers on break from Washington during a record-longpartial government shutdown.

Associated Press Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., talks with reporters about a funding bill to end the shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security shutdown that began more than a month ago, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, March 23, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) President Donald Trump speaks with reporters during the swearing in ceremony for Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin in the Oval Office of the White House, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Congress Homeland Security

Videos and photos posted by the tabloid website showing lawmakers in airports, Las Vegas and even Disney World have racked up millions of views and fueled a growing backlash. With travel disruptions persisting and some federal workers going without pay, pressure is mounting on Congress to cut short its regularly scheduled recess.

Beyond TMZ, President Donald Trump also wants lawmakers to come back, even hinting he might invoke rarely used powers to call Congress into session.

Still, it's not clear what a return would accomplish, with the 45-day partial government shutdown at adeeper impassethan ever. The Senate reached a bipartisan funding deal last week, but House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected it, and House Republicans passed their own version before heading for the exits.

"I'm not sure that we'd come," Democratic Sen. Chris Coons said Monday when asked about members being called back. "And I'm not sure that there would be any difference from what's happened so far."

On recess — and on camera

As lawmakers headed out of Washington last week, the celebrity-gossip outlet TMZ put out a call.

"TMZ is on the hunt for photos of politicians on vacay as TSA officers suffer!" the outlet said in a social media post.

The focus from TMZ — an outlet known more for capturing unflattering footage of celebrities than digging into the nuances of federal policy — was the latest example of how politics is being fueled by viral images and populist sentiment.

Videos quickly followed, showing senators moving through airports — often attempting to shield themselves from cameras — with provocative headlines layered on top. The clips racked up millions of views.

The outlet didn't stop there. Photos of lawmakers on vacation soon followed, including viral images of Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham at Disney World with captions such as: "Lindsey Graham lives it up at Disney World during the partial government shutdown!"

Graham said that he had been in Florida for a meeting with Trump administration officials and had made a stop at Disney World with a friend. He also blamed Democrats for the shutdown.

Another widely shared post showed Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia in Las Vegas.

"Actually I don't mind what TMZ is doing here," Garcia posted in response, adding that he was visiting his father. "Like I said a few days ago, Speaker Mike Johnson should have never sent us all home."

The effort grew out of frustration, said TMZ executive producer Harvey Levin, after the outlet interviewed a TSA worker struggling due to missed paychecks during the shutdown.

"It outraged us so much we wanted to use our platforms to show how Congress — Dems AND Republicans — have betrayed us," Levin said in a statement.

He added that lawmakers shouldn't expect the coverage to end anytime soon.

"Several months ago we decided to amp up our presence and our voice," Levin said. "We now have a producer and a photog circulating in the Capitol, showing the intersection between politics and pop culture."

Pressure mounts on Congress to return

The backlash playing out online is fueling other pressure as well. Trump has called on Congress to return. He spoke with Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Sunday and Monday, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said he has urged leadership to cancel recess "repeatedly."

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"He'll host a big Easter dinner here at the White House if Congress will come back," she added.

So far, Republican leadership has not blinked, raising questions about how much pressure Trump will ultimately apply — and whether he would be willing to concede ground to Democrats to end the shutdown.

Unions are adding to that pressure.

"To leave Washington while tens of thousands of workers are going without pay shows a clear lack of respect for the essential employees tasked with keeping our nation safe," said Hydrick Thomas, president of the American Federation of Government Employees TSA Council 100.

Although vacation snapshots have stirred outrage, recess is also an opportunity for lawmakers to reconnect with constituents back home. Some hold town hall events. Others go on trips abroad, such as joining a delegation to Taiwan.

Why the funding impasse won't be easy to solve

Even if lawmakers return to Washington, there isn't an easy way out of the funding impasse.

Senators already labored for weeks to try to find agreement on Democrats' demand that any funding for the Department of Homeland Security come with restrictions on how federal immigration agents conduct enforcement. In vote after failed vote, Democrats showed they wouldn't budge.

As the partial government shutdown extended to the longest in U.S. history, the Senate settled on a last-ditch effort to fund most of DHS while leaving out money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Border Patrol.

But that deal was rejected by Johnson in the House, who instead pushed through a bill to extend DHS funding on a party-line vote. The collapse of the bipartisan agreement has soured the mood for negotiations and left lawmakers pointing fingers.

"There's no point in calling us back because that was the result of a conscious choice by the Republican majority," said Coons, a Delaware Democrat.

Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, told Fox News on Tuesday that the House can come back "on a moment's notice," but "the Senate has to do their job and help us on this heavy lift."

But Thune, a South Dakota Republican, has been clear that he sees no way to get a DHS funding bill through the Senate with its 60-vote threshold for advancing legislation, known as the filibuster.

Still, Thune is coming under renewed pressure to find a way past the funding impasse — with calls from Trump and some conservatives to get rid of the filibuster.

That's unlikely to work either because of a handful of Republican senators who have made it clear they won't vote to change the Senate's rules. Still, Trump told reporters Sunday night that, "They should terminate the filibuster and they should vote."

Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, agreed. He said on social media that he thinks one of the only options for the Senate is to "nuke the filibuster and pass everything."

"Inaction is unacceptable," he added.

Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.

From TMZ to Trump, pressure grows to bring Congress back during partial shutdown

WASHINGTON (AP) — TMZ built its brand tracking celebrities. Now it's turning its attention to Congress, chasing down ...
Trump says he plans to attend Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship

President Donald Trumpis planning to make an appearance at theSupreme Courtas the justices weigh whether his administration canrestrict birthright citizenship.

USA TODAY

Trump's daily schedule has him at the Court for oral arguments at 10 a.m. on April 1. He told reporters March 31 during an Oval Office event that he likely would attend the hearing.

"I'm going,"Trump said, adding: "I think so. I do believe. Because I've listened to this argument for so long."

<p style="No Kings" protesters gathered with signs, chants and costumes on Saturday, part of the third such coordinated demonstration against President Donald Trump's actions and policies since he took office for his second term. More than 3,000 events are expected throughout the nation. See moments from the protests across the nation. See the signs protesters created.

The Roebling Suspension Bridge near Cincinnati stands tall in the background while a protester holds a sign that reads "Elvis forever Trump never," at a protest against President Trump and his administration's policies on March 28, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Over 700 people participated in a A woman holds a sign with a drawing of a glass of iced coffee that reads The 'No Kings' rally in Somerville on March 28, 2026, opposing policies of the Trump administration. Over 1,000 people gathered at University Town's Center for a 'No King's' protest on Saturday, March 28. This marks the third nationwide The 'No Kings' rally in Somerville on March 28, 2026, opposing policies of the Trump administration. The 'No Kings' rally in Somerville on March 28, 2026, opposing policies of the Trump administration. A man wears three different

Signs range from poignant to funny to critical at 'No Kings' protests

"No Kings" protesters gathered with signs, chants and costumes on Saturday, part of thethird such coordinated demonstrationagainst PresidentDonald Trump's actions and policies since he took office for his second term. More than3,000 events are expected throughout the nation. See moments from the protests across the nation. See the signs protesters created.The Roebling Suspension Bridge near Cincinnati stands tall in the background while a protester holds a sign that reads "Elvis forever Trump never," at a protest against President Trump and his administration's policies on March 28, 2026.

Trumppreviously saidhe was considering attending a Supreme Court hearing on his tariffs, but ultimately opted against it. He would make history if he follows through this time. No sitting president has attended a Supreme Court argument.

Trump on his first day back in office last yearsigned an executive orderdenying automatic citizenship to babies born in the U.S. unless they have at least one parent who is a citizen or legal permanent resident. The move is a dramatic reinterpretation of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which states "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." The order was quickly challenged in court.

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The 14th Amendment has long been interpreted to give citizenship to nearly everyone born in the U.S., other than children of diplomats and invading armies. Native Americans also were excluded from birthright citizenship until a 1924 law.

President Donald Trump attends the signing ceremony for an executive order on mail ballots, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., March 31, 2026.

"It is the craziest thing I've ever seen," Trump said March 31 in criticizing birthright citizenship. "It's been so badly handled by legal people over the years."

It could be a busy day for Trump. He also plans toaddress the nationabout the Iran war at 9 p.m. on April 1.

Contributing:Maureen Groppe, Bart Jansen

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump says he plans to attend Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship

Trump says he plans to attend Supreme Court hearing on birthright citizenship

President Donald Trumpis planning to make an appearance at theSupreme Courtas the justices weigh whether his administrati...
Food assistance slashed for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees trapped in Bangladesh camps

SYDNEY (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees struggling to survive in Bangladesh's overcrowded camps will see their food assistance slashed starting on Wednesday, raising alarm throughout the increasingly desperate community.

Associated Press FILE - An aerial view of a Rohingya refugee camp, home to over a million of Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya minority, covers the land in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Nov. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu, File) FILE - Rohingya refugee women and children walk along a street in the Rohingya refugee camp in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, Nov. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu, File)

Bangladesh Rohingya Ration Cuts

Currently, the 1.2 million Rohingya trapped in the squalid camps receive $12 a month per person, an amount the persecuted minority from Myanmar has long warned is barely sustainable. Most of the Rohingya in the camps fled brutal attacks by Myanmar's military in 2017 and they are legally barred from working in Bangladesh, leaving them largely reliant upon humanitarian aid to survive.

Under the United Nations' World Food Program's new tiered system, the amount each person receives will vary based on the severity of their family's needs, with around 17% of the population getting as little as $7 per month. A third of the population that has been classified as "extremely food insecure," such as households headed by children, will continue receiving $12.

"It is very difficult to understand how we will survive now with only $7. Our children will suffer the most," said camp resident Mohammed Rahim, who said he and his wife were already struggling to feed their three children before the reduction. "I am deeply concerned that people may face severe hunger and some may even die due to lack of food."

The WFP has repeatedly warned that rations in the camps could be slashed as a result of last year's steep foreign aid cuts by the United States and other countries, which saw the agency lose a third of its funding. But WFP spokesperson Kun Li said Wednesday's change in food distribution was unrelated to the funding cuts, and it should not be described as a "ration cut," despite two-thirds of the population receiving fewer rations as a result.

The agency said a ration cut implies food assistance is being reduced below 2,100 calories a day, the recommended minimum standard for emergency food aid. But the WFP said even those who will now receive just $7 per month will still be able to meet that threshold.

The plan "ensures that even with differentiated ration sizes, all Rohingya continue meeting their minimum food needs, strengthening fairness, transparency, and equity in food assistance," the agency said in a statement.

But a ration cut is precisely what the change means for the Rohingya, said Bangladesh's Refugee Relief and Repatriation Commissioner Mohammad Mizanur Rahman.

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With desperation already running high, Rahman told The Associated Press that the Rohingya will attempt to flee in search of food and work.

"Law and order will be deteriorated," he said.

The same military that attacked the Rohingya in 2017 during what the U.S. declared a genocide overthrew Myanmar's government in 2021 and remains in control of the country. That has made it virtually impossible for the Rohingya to return home safely.

Last year's foreign aid cuts deepened misery across the camps, particularly for children, with the closure of schools contributing toa surge in kidnapping, child marriage and child labor. Programs to support the Rohingya were only around half funded in 2025, and are only 19 percent funded this year.

In 2023, the WFP was forced to cut rations to $8 a month due to a drop in donations. By November of that year, the agency said that 90% of camp residents could not afford an adequate diet and 15 percent of children were suffering from acute malnutrition, the highest rate ever recorded in the camps. Rations were restored to $12 a month in 2024.

Hungry, exhausted and increasingly hopeless camp residents who lived through that ration cut wonder how they will cope moving forward. Dozens of Rohingya staged protests against the new system on Tuesday, calling for the restoration of full rations. Many held signs warning of starvation and declaring "Food is a right, not a choice."

Rahim, the father of three whose food aid has been reduced to $7 a month, said he is sick, and his children cannot safely leave the camps to earn money due tothe increasing risk of kidnapping, violence and trafficking.

Rahim said several people he knows are already considering returning to Myanmar because of the reduced rations, despite the severe risks. Many others, he said, are considering fleeing to Malaysia on rickety fishing boats —an incredibly dangerous journeythat results in hundreds of Rohingya children, women and men dying or vanishing each year.

"Ration cuts are pushing people toward life-threatening risks, leaving them with no safe choices," he said. "I am very worried about the future of our children."

Food assistance slashed for hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees trapped in Bangladesh camps

SYDNEY (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees struggling to survive in Bangladesh's overcrowded camps will...
US journalist abducted in Iraq; State Department says she was warned of threats

The Iraqi government is now investigating after an American journalist was abducted in Baghdad on Tuesday.

Scripps News

The journalist, who was identified as freelancer Shelly Kittleson by one of the outlets she reported for, was abducted by "unknown individuals", Iraq's Ministry of the Interior said in astatement on Facebook.

According to the Ministry, security forces launched an immediate operation and were able to intercept a vehicle believed to be linked to Kittleson's abduction. Kittleson, however, was not found inside the vehicle.

One suspect has been arrested. Scripps News reached out to the Ministry to get more information about the suspect and is awaiting a response.

In a post on X, Dylan Johnson, the Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs for the U.S. State Department, said that the individual arrested is believed to be associated with Iranian-aligned militia group Kataib Hizballah.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT |Trump tells allies: 'Get your own oil' as Iran blocks Strait of Hormuz

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Without naming Kittleson, Johnson also added, "The State Department previously fulfilled our duty to warn this individual of threats against them, and we will continue to coordinate with the FBI to ensure their release as quickly as possible."

Scripps News understands Kittleson was contacted at least 4 times in recent days about credible threats, including Monday night by the FBI.

The search for Kittleson and others involved in her abduction is ongoing.

According to Kittleson's X account, her work primarily focuses on the Middle East and Afghanistan. Kittleson has reported for several news outlets, including Al-Monitor, BBC, Politico, Foreign Policy, and more.

In a statement on their website, Al-Monitor expressed concern over Kittleson's abduction, stating, "We call for her safe and immediate release. We stand by her vital reporting from the region and call for her swift return to continue her important work."

The Committee to Protect Journalists also called for Kittleson's safe return in a statement to Scripps News, saying "CPJ calls on Iraqi authorities to do everything in their power to locate Shelley Kittleson, ensure her immediate and safe release, and hold those responsible to account."

US journalist abducted in Iraq; State Department says she was warned of threats

The Iraqi government is now investigating after an American journalist was abducted in Baghdad on Tuesday. The...
Pope Leo XIV urges an Easter end to the US-Israel war on Iran, calling for dialogue

VATICAN CITY (AP) —Pope Leo XIVexpressed hope that theU.S.-Israel war on Irancould be finished before Easter in remarks to reporters as he left the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo outside of Rome on Tuesday.

Associated Press Pope Leo XIV talks to journalists as he leaves his residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, to return to the Vatican, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Pope Leo XIV talks to journalists as he leaves his residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, to return to the Vatican, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Pope Leo XIV talks to journalists as he leaves his residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, to return to the Vatican, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) Pope Leo XIV talks to journalists as he leaves his residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, to return to the Vatican, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

APTOPIX Italy Pope

"I'm told that President Trump has recently stated that he would like to end the war,'' the U.S.-born pope said. "I hope that he's looking for an off-ramp.''

"Hopefully he's looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence, of bombing, which would be a significant contribution to removing the hatred that's being created, that's increasing constantly in the Middle East and elsewhere."

Leo called on all world leaders to return to dialogue and look for "ways to reduce the amount of violence,'' so that "peace, especially at Easter, might reign in our hearts.''

Leo's remarks came during Holy Week, the most sacred period of the year for Christians.

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"It should be the holiest time of the year. It is a time of peace, a time of reflection. But as we all know, again, in the world, in many places we are seeing so much suffering, so many deaths, even innocent children,'' Leo said. "We constantly make the call for peace, but unfortunately, many people want to promote hatred, violence, war.''

On Palm Sunday, the pontiff said God doesn't listen to the prayers of those who make war or cite God to justify their violence, as he prayed especially for Christiansin the Middle Eastduring Mass in St. Peter's Square.

Leaders on all sides of the Iran war have used religion to justify their actions. U.S. officials, especiallyDefense Secretary Pete Hegseth,have invoked their Christian faith to cast the war as a Christian nation trying to vanquish its foes with military might.

Russia's Orthodox Church, too, has justified Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a"holy war"against a Western world it considers has fallen into evil.

As Holy Week continues, Leo will carry out the Holy Thursday foot-washing tradition in the basilica of St. John Lateran, where popes have performed it for decades. On Friday, Leo is due to preside over the Good Friday procession at Rome's Colosseum commemorating Christ's Passion and crucifixion, and will carry the cross himself. Saturday brings the late night Easter Vigil, during which Leo will baptize new Catholics, followed a few hours later by Easter Sunday when Christians commemorate the resurrection of Jesus.

Leo will celebrate Easter Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square and then deliver his Easter blessing from the loggia of the basilica.

Pope Leo XIV urges an Easter end to the US-Israel war on Iran, calling for dialogue

VATICAN CITY (AP) —Pope Leo XIVexpressed hope that theU.S.-Israel war on Irancould be finished before Easter in remarks t...

 

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