NEWS - THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2026 - NEWS
Attacks on multiple commercial ships around Iran on Wednesday increased global energy concerns and pushed nations to unleash strategic oil reserves. LA Times
War with Iran drives oil prices higher, boosting Russian energy revenues and shifting global attention from Ukraine as Moscow gains economic leverage. LA Times
VOA VIEW: A benefit for now.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass appears to be heading into the thick of her re-election campaign on shaky ground. New York Post
VOA VIEW: She should lose, big time.
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The indicted tycoon Alex Saab is being detained in Venezuela on a U.S. request. His case tests President Trump’s sway over the country’s new rulers. New York Times
VOA VIEW: If he doesn't win, he will get rid of the present President.
For years, China has flown military jets near Taiwan almost daily. Then they suddenly stopped, leaving analysts to wonder why. New York Times
VOA VIEW: The war in Iran is the cause.
Outdated targeting data may have resulted in a mistaken missile strike, according to the ongoing military investigation, which undercuts President Trump’s assertion that Iran could be to blame. New York Times
VOA VIEW: Present speculation.
The majority leader is getting pounded for not pushing hard enough, but he says the votes just aren’t there to circumvent the filibuster. New York Times
VOA VIEW: He has to at least try.
In celebration of 250 years of independence, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that fireworks will again be launched at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial after a five-year absence. OANN
After President Donald Trump nominated Oklahoma Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Trump's pick now faces scrutiny from Kentucky GOP Senator Rand Paul, whom Mullin recently labeled a “freaking snake.” OANN
VOA VIEW: Paul has not been a Trump fan.
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Present Donald Trump has revealed that the United States has “hit” and “completely destroyed” 10 inactive mine laying boats and/or ships in the Hormuz Strait using the same technology and missile capabilities previously deployed against drug traffickers. OANN
A federal appeals court has ruled that First Amendment free speech rights apply all the way down to first graders, as the judges weighed in on a tricky case involving a student who wrote a note to a Black classmate trying to say "all lives matter." Washington Times
International travelers who paid for the Global Entry program will once again be able to use it when entering the U.S., even as the Department of Homeland Security remains shut down. Washington Times
A van drove through a security barricade near the White House on Wednesday morning, and the driver has been detained. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: The driver went crazy.
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Consumer prices grew at an annual pace of 2.4% in February, meaning inflation is holding steady. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Not too shabby.
Senate Republicans sought to add heft Tuesday to President Trump's argument that the Constitution doesn't -- and shouldn't -- require birthright citizenship, saying the great grant of American status shouldn't be reduced to a legal "loophole" of birth. Washington Times
Calls on the right are growing to stop the antisemitism that has pervaded the Democratic Party from infiltrating the GOP - and that means banishing anti-Israel provocateurs like Tucker Carlson. Washington Times
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The latest lava fountaining episode of an erupting Hawaii volcano reached 1,000 feet (300 meters) high Tuesday, prompting temporary closures at a national park and part of an important highway because of falling glassy volcanic fragments, including ash. Washington Times
A string of tornadoes touched down in multiple states as severe weather stretched from Texas to Michigan. CBS
The eruptions at Kilauea prompted closures at a national park and part of a highway because of falling glassy volcanic fragments, including ash. CBS
The growing incidents, known as shark depredation, have grown common in Hawaii's coastal waters and other parts of the Pacific. CBS
TSA officer call-out rates have climbed into double-digit percentages at some airports, including half the officers at Houston's Hobby Airport, straining screening operations and contributing to longer security lines. CBS
VOA VIEW: Thanks to Dems.
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The FDA issued a warning letter to Novo Nordisk, the Danish drugmaker behind the diabetes and weight-loss medications Ozempic and Wegovy, over unreported potential side effects. CBS
Senate Majority Leader John Thune made clear that an elections bill known as the SAVE America Act faces an unlikely path to passage. CBS
The incidents mark the latest in a string of reported attacks in or near to the Strait of Hormuz, where shipping traffic has virtually ground to a halt. CNBC
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U.S. President said India's largest private energy company Reliance Industries is investing in a $300-billion refinery project in Texas. CNBC
Mortgage rates surged higher last week to due rising oil prices, causing a recent boom in refinancing to pull back. CNBC
A suspected MS-13 gang member was arrested by the FBI in Connecticut for allegedly killing a pastor in El Salvador. He was then turned over to ICE. FOX News
The FBI raised the reward to $1 million for Omar Cardenas, accused of fatally shooting a man in California. The dangerous fugitive may be hiding somewhere in Mexico, according to officials. FOX News
VOA VIEW: It should be caught.
Federal investigation underway after Pennsylvania students accused of explosive attack outside mayor's residence. ISIS inspiration concerns cited. FOX News
VOA VIEW: They should be caught and arrested.
Clarke County, Ga., Superior Court Judge H. Patrick Haggard denied Jose Ibarra's request for a new trial as Ibarra serves a life sentence. UPI
The U.S. Department of Defense estimates that about 140 U.S. troops have been wounded since the United States began military action against Iran. UPI
VOA VIEW: Sad aspect of war.
The average price of a gallon of gas in the United States hit $3.54 on Tuesday as the Trump administration continues military action against Iran. UPI
VOA VIEW: The cost of war.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Tuesday that the U.S. Navy has not escorted any oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. UPI
VOA VIEW: The U.S. has taken no action.
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The Los Angeles Police Department won't enforce a California directive banning federal immigration agents from wearing masks or hiding their faces while conducting operations in the state. As he should - does not have authority.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell told Fox Los Angeles' "Good Day LA" that his department will not enforce the directive from California Gov. Newsom. From a tactical perspective, having officers cite federal authorities for what amounts to a misdemeanor could be unsafe, he said. "From a practical standpoint, our role when we get to a scene is to de-escalate the situation, not to ramp it up," McDonnell said. "Trying to enforce a misdemeanor violation on another law enforcement agency, that's not going to end well. And that's not going to be good."
"From a public safety standpoint for anybody in that environment. Potentially you have a crowd that could be agitated and trying to get their point across," he added. "And then you have the ICE agents who are doing their job. And for us to come in then and try and create an enforcement action for wearing a mask, it's not a safe way to do business." In September 2025, Newsom signed a bill into law banning law enforcement from wearing face coverings while conducting official business across the state.
The bill makes it a misdemeanor crime for local, state or federal law enforcement to wear masks or personal disguises during their duties, unless an officer is undercover or performing a tactical operation that requires protective gear. "What are you afraid of?" Newsom said as he signed the legislation into law. The Trump administration has sued over the law.
"The federal government has sued to stop the state from enforcing this law," a spokesperson for Newsom's office told Fox News Digital. "We are defending the law in court which would go in effect on July 1."
Critics of the Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration have cited masked ICE agents as a public safety risk, accusing them of trying to shield their identities from being leaked. Authorities said ICE agents have masked up to avoid doxxing and threats to them and their families from the public.
The ban came after a series of immigration raids in and around Los Angeles, where federal agents were spotted wearing masks. At the time, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said federal agents are already required to identify themselves and wear clothing that designates they are with ICE or Homeland Security markers during operations.
