• Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International released coordinated reports on Thursday documenting alleged extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and torture by Bangladeshi security forces during recent political unrest, affecting approximately 340 individuals since January 2026.
• The organizations called for immediate international investigations and threatened to recommend sanctions if Bangladesh fails to establish independent accountability mechanisms within 60 days.
• The US State Department issued a statement expressing "deep concern" and indicated potential implications for bilateral aid flows and military cooperation, affecting approximately $89 million in annual assistance.
The National Capital Planning Commission had previously delayed the vote after thousands of negative public commentsHello and welcome to the US politics live blog.The National Capital Planning Commission will meet this afternoon to decide on Donald Trump’s White House $400m ballroom project, after a federal judge halted construction earlier this week.House Republicans announced that they will pass a bill, advanced by the Senate last week, to end the record-breaking partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown after previously rejecting the measure.Democrats quickly celebrated the win with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer saying “House Republicans caved” after previously “[derailing] a bipartisan agreement, making American families pay the price for their dysfunction”.Nasa’s lunar rocket successfully launched and the astronauts on the first crewed lunar rocket in more than 50 years received praise from across the US.Attorney general Pam Bondi’s job with the Trump administration is reportedly at risk. The president is said to be unhappy with Bondi’s performance as the head of the justice department and the controversy surrounding the Epstein files, according to a New York Times report.Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida signed legislation on Wednesday to require documented proof of citizenship to register to vote and to begin a process that will eventually unenroll voters who have not provided citizenship documentation.Supreme court justices appeared skeptical of the Trump administration’s argument to restrict birthright citizenship for hundreds of thousands of children born to undocumented immigrants of temporary foreign nationals. Trump himself attended the hearing, widely considered to be the first time a sitting president has attended arguments at the supreme court. Continue reading...
• Bluestem Health in Lincoln, Nebraska, serving 21,000 low-income and uninsured patients, has operated at a loss for two years and anticipates worsening conditions due to new Medicaid work rules under President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
• Nebraska becomes the first state to enforce work requirements for certain Medicaid enrollees, risking coverage loss and threatening clinic viability, as stated by CEO Brad Meyer.
• The policy darkens the outlook for government-backed clinics nationwide by reducing patient access to care amid rising operational costs.
Joani Reid MP reportedly swapped flirtatious messages with senior officer in charge of nuclear-armed submarineA Royal Navy captain in charge of one of Britain’s nuclear-armed submarines stepped back from his duties over his relationship with the MP Joani Reid, whose husband faces allegations of spying for China.The married senior officer was investigated by the navy last year over his contact with Reid after the messages, described as inappropriate, prompted an assessment of a potential blackmail risk, the Financial Times first reported. Continue reading...
• President Trump's mixed signals on the Iran war complicate predictions for its resolution, creating uncertainty for Republican strategists.
• The messaging discord may lead to electoral consequences for the GOP in the 2026 midterms, as voters question the party's foreign policy coherence.
• With primaries underway, internal party divisions over Trump's approach could erode his influence in battleground districts.
• The United States national soccer team faces Portugal in an international friendly match scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET on March 31.
• The match is being broadcast on FS1 as part of the men's international soccer friendlies schedule.
• This fixture provides both teams with preparation opportunities ahead of upcoming competitive tournaments and qualifiers.
Clowns in Bolivia have been upset by a new school mandate that cuts off the events from which they earn a livingDozens of clowns marched through the streets of Bolivia’s capital on Monday to protest against a government decree that limits extracurricular activities in schools, threatening their livelihoods.Wearing full face paint and their signature red noses, the clowns gathered in front of the ministry of education in La Paz to oppose a decree published in February. The new mandate says schools must comply with 200 days of lessons each year – in effect banning schools from hosting the special events where the entertainers are frequently employed. Continue reading...
• The NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament Elite Eight matchup between Michigan and Texas is scheduled for Monday, March 30 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN from Fort Worth, Texas.
• This Elite Eight game is one of four remaining contests determining which teams advance to the Final Four in Indianapolis on April 4 and 6.
• The women's tournament began with selections on March 15 and features the most competitive field of elite teams competing for the national championship.
• Legendary golfer Tiger Woods has been arrested on another DUI charge, prompting concern from his inner circle about his current lifestyle and behavior.
• According to sources close to Woods cited by People magazine, friends are expressing frustration that the 50-year-old golfer has not taken steps to change his behavior, with one source stating "Tiger has yet to look in the mirror and say, 'You're 50 years old and need to act like it.'"
• The latest incident marks a continued pattern of legal troubles for the golf icon, raising questions about his personal well-being and future.
• A New Mexico jury found Meta liable for US$375 million in damages for failing to protect young people from online harm, including exploitation by sexual predators, in violation of state consumer protection laws.
• This verdict follows a separate Los Angeles jury decision ordering Meta and Google to pay US$6 million to a 20-year-old woman over claims that their apps were addictive and caused mental health crises.
• Multiple states have filed similar cases against Meta, signaling a broader accountability movement targeting major tech platforms' user engagement and safety practices.
