US temporarily lifts sanctions on Russian oil amid Iran prices spike

By: The Hill

Published on: March 13, 2026, 2:58 am

The U.S. is temporarily removing sanctions on Russian oil currently stranded at sea, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced late Thursday — the latest move by the Trump administration attempting to stymie soaring energy prices amid the war with Iran. Bessent wrote in a post on the social platform X that the "narrowly tailored" measure "will...

DHS identifies suspect in Michigan synagogue attack

By: The Hill

Published on: March 13, 2026, 2:49 am

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has identified the suspect accused of attacking a synagogue in Michigan on Thursday as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, a Lebanese citizen. DHS confirmed Ghazali's identity in a statement to The Hill. "He was born in Lebanon on January 4, 1985," a DHS spokesperson said. "He entered the United States on...

Hegseth announces task force to ensure US war colleges are ‘effective’

By: The Hill

Published on: March 13, 2026, 2:40 am

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday night announced the formation of a new task force that would conduct a review of U.S. war colleges to ensure they are "effective" and focused on core national security issues.  Hegseth said the task force, which will be established by the undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, Anthony...

Talarico: Attack on Iran girls' school 'makes me sick to my stomach'

By: The Hill

Published on: March 13, 2026, 2:09 am

Texas Senate candidate James Talarico (D) on Thursday slammed the U.S. military operation in Iran, saying the airstrike that hit a girls' school the first day of the offensive makes him "sick to my stomach." Talarico won the Texas Democratic Senate primary last week against Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas). He will face off against either...

Trump admin sues California over vehicle emission, greenhouse gas rules

By: The Hill

Published on: March 13, 2026, 1:46 am

California's Advanced Clean Cars II regulations look to eliminate new gas-powered cars in the state by 2035.

TSA workers set to miss first paycheck with no end to shutdown in sight

By: The Hill

Published on: March 13, 2026, 1:12 am

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers are set to miss their first full paycheck on Friday as efforts to negotiate a bipartisan compromise to reopen the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have largely stalled in Congress. Nearly four weeks into the partial government shutdown — the third to affect DHS employees in recent months — both...

Iran government not at risk of collapse: US intel

By: The Hill

Published on: March 13, 2026, 12:19 am

U.S. intelligence agencies have indicated that the Iranian government is not at risk of collapse amid the U.S. and Israeli offensive against the Middle Eastern country, Reuters reported Thursday. One source told the outlet that a "multitude" of intelligence reports show "consistent analysis that the regime is not in danger" of collapse, retaining "control of...

Focus shifts to outdated intel in strike on Iran school: Reports

By: The Hill

Published on: March 12, 2026, 11:53 pm

Outdated intelligence data may have led to a U.S. airstrike hitting a girls' school in southern Iran following the start of the military operation against the Middle Eastern country, killing around 175 people, according to multiple outlets. It remains unclear why the Shajarah Tayyebeh elementary school was hit. The New York Times reported that it...

Trump nominates State official to replace Kari Lake at VOA parent agency

By: The Hill

Published on: March 12, 2026, 11:02 pm

President Trump on Thursday nominated a State Department official to lead the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), which oversees Voice of America (VOA), after a judge ruled Kari Lake was unlawfully running the agency as its acting CEO. The president tapped Sarah B. Rogers, undersecretary of State for public diplomacy, as USAGM's Senate-approved CEO....

White House considers loosening shipping rule in bid to lower fuel prices

By: The Hill

Published on: March 12, 2026, 10:46 pm

The Trump administration is considering loosening shipping rules in an effort to lower fuel prices, which have surged as a result of the war in Iran. In particular, the administration is considering issuing a temporary waiver of the Jones Act, a 100-year-old law that requires shipping between U.S. ports to be done by U.S.-flagged ships. “In...

US military refueling aircraft crashes in Iraq, Centcom says

By: The Hill

Published on: March 12, 2026, 10:43 pm

The U.S. military announced Thursday that a refueling aircraft, a KC-135, crashed in western Iraq in an incident that was not caused by friendly or hostile fire. U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said two aircraft were involved in the incident, with one going down and the other “landed safely.” It is unclear if there were any...

Iran vows more attacks, continued Strait of Hormuz closure

By: The Hill

Published on: March 12, 2026, 10:28 pm

Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter {beacon} Defense &National Security   The Big Story  Iran vows more attacks, continued Strait of Hormuz closure Iran’s new supreme leader released his first statement asserting the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed and Tehran will continue attacks on its Persian Gulf neighbors. © Photo Credit In...

Schiff steps into AI guardrail fight

By: The Hill

Published on: March 12, 2026, 10:28 pm

{beacon} Technology Technology   The Big Story Schiff steps into AI guardrail fight Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) is stepping into the fight over the use of AI in domestic mass surveillance and fully autonomous weapons, drafting legislation to put “commonsense safeguards” to protect privacy and the values of the American people. © Greg Nash Schiff,...

Why naval escorts through Strait of Hormuz are so risky

By: The Hill

Published on: March 12, 2026, 10:25 pm

The U.S. has yet to begin escorting oil tankers through the treacherous Strait of Hormuz, something that increasingly looks like a high-risk proposition during the war with Iran. President Trump, who floated using escorts to reopen the waterway and avoid an oil crisis amid soaring global prices, so far has held off, opting instead for...

Fuel price hike hits Americans' pocketbooks

By: The Hill

Published on: March 12, 2026, 10:14 pm

{beacon} Energy & Environment Energy & Environment   The Big Story Fuel price hike hits Americans' pocketbooks High fuel prices caused by the conflict in Iran threaten to worsen affordability issues that ordinary Americans face — and some economists are warning that a prolonged conflict could pull the U.S. into a recession. © Yuki Iwamura,...