Ukraine Says Russia Is Aiding Iran, And The Record Is Closed: The Weekend Rundown
Russia took satellite images of a US air base in Saudi Arabia three days before Iran attacked the base and injured US soldiers, according to a summary of Ukrainian intelligence shared with NBC News by. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
In an interview held in the Gulf nation of Qatar on SaturdayZelenskyy said he is “100%” sure that Russia is sharing such intelligence with Iran to help target US forces in the Middle East.
“I think it is in Russia’s interest to help the Iranian people. And I don’t believe – I know – that they are sharing information,” he said. “Are they helping the Iranian people? Yes. How many percent? One hundred percent.”
Zelenskyy shared a summary of the president’s daily briefing that he received from Ukrainian intelligence agencies. The report revealed that Russian satellites took pictures of Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia on March 20, March 23 and March 25.
At that time, Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., he did not decide to support the deployment of US ground troops in Iran, telling NBC News’ “Meet the Press” that “we have to be able to know what the objectives are and what they’re actually doing.”
In a separate interview, Sen. Cory Booker, DN.J., said the Trump administration has “led us into what will be considered the biggest mistakes, presidential mistakes, of our time.”
Booker criticized the administration for not seeking approval from Congress, saying Trump is “moving us into an unseen conflict and thousands of troops moving into that region.”
More news on the Iran war:
- The US is sending more troops: Iran said yes ready to face US troops on the groundaccusing Washington of secretly planning the attack while seeking talks to end the war.
- The regional invasion continues: The Houthis are supported by Iran he fired a missile at Israel from Yemenan increase that could further disrupt important Middle East shipping routes, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country’s military expand its campaign south of Lebanon.
- Earth impact: There is no end to the war in sight after one month since Iran is depressing the world economy.
- MAGA pulse: Trump supporters this year Conference on Radical Political Action he said they trust the president, but they are worried about the chaos that could lead to war.
‘Meet the media’
Sen. Cory Booker, DN.J., said Sunday that he was present let’s not give up hope of running for president in 2028but that he is focused on running for re-election in the Senate this year.
“I hope New Jersey will support me for another six years,” Booker told NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
Booker has already run for president once, in the 2020 election cycle when he dropped out of the Democratic primary, citing a lack of money to continue his campaign.
But Booker has fueled rumors in recent years that he might not run again. The senator raised $10 million through his campaign account and a joint fundraising committee, with the biggest bump coming after he delivered a record-breaking 25-hour, 5-minute speech on the Senate floor.
Politics in a nutshell
- Close the record: The end of DHS funding is now The longest shutdown in US history in 44 days as lawmakers stalled. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will remain in airports until TSA officials can resume normal operations, said border chief Tom Homan.
- ‘No Kings’: Crowds of protesters gathered in cities across the country on Saturday to rally the third round of protests against the Trump administration.
- After 150 years: Trump turns to an 1884 Supreme Court decision against the Native American in his struggle to reduce the right to citizenship, experts quote that it is a legal problem.
- Cleaning house: Corey Lewandowski, a special civil servant who served as a senior adviser to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, he left his position.
God and bitcoin: Why some Christians put their faith in cryptocurrency
Todd and Janet Gatewood, who founded the Nashville-based radio show “God, Freedom and Bitcoin” in January, see the current downturn in the bitcoin market as a blessing. “This is what we call ‘selling,'” Janet said, encouraging listeners to “buy the dip.”
During this period of instability, some of the following Christian investors and other financial promoters doubled down.
The Gatewoods are among a diverse group of Christian finance advocates, businessmen and even pastors who work there include the faithful in digital currency. The campaign aligns with the emerging Christian culture, from churches that allow congregations to tithe with digital coins to blogs that promote bitcoin as biblically sound.
But the adoption of cryptocurrencies has not been without controversy, and some observers fear that the excitement of digital coins is ready for abuse.
Taylor Frankie Paul’s video is dominating online discourse surrounding domestic violence
When a 45-second video of reality star Taylor Frankie Paul dumped her ex-boyfriend during a controversial 2023 show just days before her season of “The Bachelorette” premiered on ABC, the buzz went viral.
ABC said it would not air the show. Others have cast members from both “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” — where Paul starred — and the rest of “The Bachelor” and distanced themselves. Several content creators specializing in pop culture analysis have criticized the depiction of domestic violence.
But Paul also had defenders of the voice who rushed to social media were killed labeling the incident as “virtual abuse,” a term used to describe when a victim of abuse is pushed to respond in an aggressive manner. It’s a topic that’s often debated online among lawyers, experts and analysts after domestic violence cases make headlines.
A notable quote
Real estate is one of the only professions where you meet strangers on your own in private, closed spaces, without a standardized screening process.
Beth Andress, who teaches violence prevention and self-defense to housing professionals
The fatal shooting of a 27-year-old real estate agent at an open house in Iowa in 2011 shook his industry. But in interviews with NBC News after last week’s arrests in the long-running case, others said dozens of threats and dangers are continuing. Not enough has been done to protect agents.
March Madness comes down to the wire
Freshman Keaton Wagler scored 25 points and Illinois ended underdog Iowa’s March Madness run with a dominant frontcourt run, beating the Hawkeyes 71-59 on Saturday advancing to the Final Four for the first time since 2005.
This will be the sixth trip to the Final Four for Illinois, which has never won a national title. Joining the Illini are the Arizona Wildcats, who up Purdue 79-64and Michigan, which blew out Tennessee 95-62. Duke and UConn are vying for the final spot in the Final Four.
In the women’s bracket, UConn became the first to earn a spot in the Final Four after that defeating Notre Dame 70-52.
In case you missed it
- World leaders expressed concern after Israeli police arrested Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre per week.
- A pro-Palestinian activist whose home was the target of a bomb attack had filed a petition in court. accusing a far-right pro-Israel group of threats.
- As the world’s attention turns to the Iran conflict, Russia is moving forward with a spring offensive in Ukraine despite months of peace talks that no longer seem important to Washington.
- Bank of America agreed to pay $72.5 million to survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking career that the bank allegedly allowed and profited from his crimes.
- Colombian officials he found the body during the search for an American flight attendant who went missing in the country last weekend.
- The Denver Summit broke the National Women’s Soccer League attendance record with 63,004 fans at Empower Field at Mile High.
