**🌍 Current Events — 2026-03-24 17:25**
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## Top US Stories
**Senate confirms Markwayne Mullin as new DHS Secretary amid shutdown standoff**
Mullin replaces fired Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security. Senate Republicans say they've found a path to ending the five-week DHS shutdown following a meeting with Trump. Matters because the agency overseeing immigration enforcement has been rudderless during one of the most aggressive deportation campaigns in US history.
*Source: [Just Security](https://www.justsecurity.org/134713/early-edition-march-24-2026/)*
**Trump admin pays $1 billion to kill offshore wind leases**
The Interior Department announced it will pay French energy giant TotalEnergies $1 billion to abandon two US offshore wind leases. It's one of the largest payouts ever made to exit clean energy contracts and signals a major pivot in federal energy policy.
*Source: [NPR](https://www.npr.org/sections/national/)*
**Bill Cosby civil jury awards $59.25 million to sexual assault survivor**
A California jury found Cosby liable for drugging and sexually assaulting Donna Motsinger at a Sausalito restaurant in 1972. The verdict adds to a long legal record against Cosby and sets a significant civil damages benchmark.
*Source: [Go Local Prov](https://www.golocalprov.com/news/5-big-news-stories-overnight-tuesday-march-24-2026)*
**Trump claims Iran peace talks underway — Tehran says that's "fake news"**
Trump announced the US is in negotiations with Iran to end the ongoing war, citing Iranian willingness to settle. Iran's parliamentary speaker denied any talks are happening, calling the claims a manipulation of oil markets. The contradiction deepens uncertainty around a conflict now entering its fourth week.
*Source: [CNN](https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/iran-war-us-israel-trump-03-24-26)*
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## Top World Stories
**Iran strikes central Tel Aviv; Israel bombs Beirut apartment block**
Iranian missiles hit four Israeli sites including Tel Aviv, injuring at least six. In parallel, Israel struck a residential building in Beirut, killing three — including a 3-year-old girl — as Lebanon's death toll since early March surpasses 1,000. The conflict is widening even as diplomatic signals remain mixed.
*Source: [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/24/iran-war-live-tehran-says-trumps-claims-of-peace-talks-fake)*
**Military cargo plane crashes in Colombia with 128 aboard**
A Colombian military transport aircraft went down shortly after takeoff in the country's southwest, with most passengers reported to be soldiers. Casualty figures are still emerging. The crash is one of the deadliest aviation incidents in Latin America in recent years.
*Source: [Democracy Now](https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/24/headlines)*
**Denmark calls snap election after PM pushes back on Trump over Greenland**
Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called early parliamentary elections, riding a wave of public support after her firm response to Trump's repeated threats to seize Greenland. The move reflects how Trump's foreign pressure is reshaping domestic politics across NATO allies.
*Source: [One World News](https://www.oneworldnews.com/desh-ki-baat/global-political-roundup-24-march-2026/)*
**Antisemitic arson attack targets Jewish ambulance service in London**
Four vehicles belonging to a Jewish ambulance service were set on fire in a suspected hate crime. Metropolitan Police launched an investigation. The attack comes amid a broader reported rise in antisemitic incidents across Europe.
*Source: [Al Jazeera](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/24/iran-war-live-tehran-says-trumps-claims-of-peace-talks-fake)*
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## Science & Technology
**Physicists successfully transport antimatter for the first time**
Researchers achieved the first-ever controlled transport of antimatter — described as the most expensive and volatile substance on Earth. The milestone opens new possibilities for fundamental physics experiments and could eventually inform energy and medical research.
*Source: [SciTechDaily](https://scitechdaily.com/)*
**Exploit kit targeting millions of iPhones publicly leaked**
A fully functional exploit kit capable of compromising millions of iPhones has been leaked publicly online. Security researchers are urging immediate patching; the scope of potential exposure is significant given iPhone's global install base.
*Source: [Tech Startups](https://techstartups.com/2026/03/24/top-tech-news-today-march-24-2026/)*
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## Wildcard
**Archaeologists find a new rhino species in the Canadian High Arctic**
Scientists discovered fossils of a previously unknown rhinoceros species in Canada's High Arctic — upending assumptions about how far north these animals ever ranged. The find rewrites part of the prehistoric record of North American megafauna, and suggests ancient climates were more hospitable in the far north than currently understood.
*Source: [ScienceDaily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/)*
---
Sources:
- [CNN — Iran/US/Israel live updates](https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/iran-war-us-israel-trump-03-24-26)
- [Just Security — Early Edition March 24](https://www.justsecurity.org/134713/early-edition-march-24-2026/)
- [Al Jazeera — Iran war liveblog](https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2026/3/24/iran-war-live-tehran-says-trumps-claims-of-peace-talks-fake)
- [Democracy Now — Headlines March 24](https://www.democracynow.org/2026/3/24/headlines)
- [One World News — Global Political Roundup](https://www.oneworldnews.com/desh-ki-baat/global-political-roundup-24-march-2026/)
- [Go Local Prov — 5 Big Stories Overnight](https://www.golocalprov.com/news/5-big-news-stories-overnight-tuesday-march-24-2026)
- [Tech Startups — Top Tech News March 24](https://techstartups.com/2026/03/24/top-tech-news-today-march-24-2026/)
- [SciTechDaily](https://scitechdaily.com/)
- [ScienceDaily](https://www.sciencedaily.com/)
