When ICE forced families into hiding, informal medical networks sprang up to deliver critical health care services. If you think our work is valuable, support us with a donation of any size. MINNEAPOLIS — Gabi has big brown eyes, pigtails, and a genetic condition that makes her bones brittle. When federal immigration agents descended on their city, officers deported Gabi's father and detained her aunt. Gabi was born in the U.S. and is an American citizen. Her best chance to stand, or even walk, someday is a complex surgery on her legs and feet that was scheduled for January. KFF Health News agreed to only partially identify the patients and their families in this article because they fear becoming targets of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. “I want more than anything for my baby to walk,” her mother said in Spanish, as Gabi cooed and wriggled in her arms, a feeding tube snaking from her stomach to an IV pole. The Department of Homeland Security has declared an end to what it called Operation Metro Surge, carried out by officers with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agencies. Even so, health care workers say, immigration agents are still camping out in hospital parking lots. Similar health crises surfaced wherever immigration officers massed in the past year. In Dallas, public health clinics administered about 6,000 vaccinations to Latinos last August, half as many as during a similar program a year earlier. Across the country, crackdowns suppressed immigrants' health care visits. In Minnesota, medical systems have reported cancellation and no-show rates of up to 60% since December. “If anyone is impeding Americans from making appointments or picking up prescriptions,” she said, “its [sic] violent agitators who are blocking roadways, ramming vehicles, and vandalizing property.” While Minnesotans rose up to oppose the surge in the streets, doctors and nurses have quietly operated informal, underground medical networks, dodging detection to care for patients at home. “I used to look somebody in the eyes and say, with good faith, ‘You will be fine at the hospital,'” said Emily Carroll, a nurse practitioner at HealthFinders Collaborative, a community clinic in Faribault, some 50 miles south of Minneapolis. As thousands of federal agents move on from Minneapolis, other communities need to prepare, said Minnesota Democratic state Sen. Alice Mann, a physician. “I know it sounds crazy,” she said, but health care providers “need to start an underground network of how to get people care in their homes. Because letting people die at home or come close to death because they are terrified to go into the hospital, in 2026, is outrageous.” Home visits, clinicians say, may be the only way to reach those who still feel under siege. In Los Angeles, starting last June, St. John's Community Health brought medical care to some 2,000 immigrant families too frightened to leave home during an immigration sweep after the clinic's no-show rates ballooned to more than 30%, said Jim Mangia, the organization's president. Many of Minnesota's large health institutions have relied on telemedicine and only dabbled in home care. Not Munira Maalimisaq, co-founder of Inspire Change Clinic in Minneapolis' Ventura Village neighborhood. After about one-third of her patients stopped showing up for appointments, “I was like, ‘We have to do something,'” the nurse practitioner said. What if they just started seeing patients at home? They now have about 150 doctors — a volunteer “rapid response” team that has made more than 135 home visits. The first call was a woman whose husband had been deported. Maalimisaq called an obstetrician volunteer, and they rushed to the patient's house. “She was 8 centimeters dilated,” Maalimisaq said, “and did not want us to call an ambulance. “If we were not there, I can only imagine what would have happened.” Maalimisaq's caregiving follows a Hippocratic logic: “Someone was in need. We had no choice but to do something, and that was the only thing that we could do safely.” In other visits, she has seen “people so stressed out they pulled the hair out of their skull.” She said she met a mother who'd been rationing her child's seizure medicine despite the child having experienced “one seizure after another.” The Trump administration says its Minnesota operation improved public safety. “Since Operation Metro Surge began, our brave DHS law enforcement have arrested over 4,000 criminal illegal aliens including vicious murderers, rapists, child pedophiles and incredibly dangerous individuals,” according to McLaughlin, the DHS spokesperson. DHS announced last month that McLaughlin was leaving her post. Minnesota correctional officials say many people accused of crimes were released directly to ICE by state or county prisons and jails. And only 29% of people arrested by ICE nationwide in January had criminal convictions, according to DHS data. On the first day of his second term, President Donald Trump rescinded a 2011 policy that prohibited immigration enforcement in “sensitive locations” such as schools, hospitals, and churches. In Northfield, about 45 miles south of Minneapolis, ICE agents have been sitting in their cars for hours at least twice a week outside the town hospital, said Carroll, the nurse practitioner. Agents have made arrests in the area almost every day, Carroll and her colleagues said. “ICE does not conduct enforcement at hospitals — period,” McLaughlin said. One recent morning, three ICE vehicles sat in a Baptist church parking lot across the street from an elementary school in Northfield as volunteers ferried 35 children of immigrants back and forth to the school so their parents could avoid going out, Carroll said. Drones that Carroll and others believe are operated by immigration agents hover most nights, and sometimes during the day, over a trailer park that mostly houses immigrants who have moved to the area to work in agriculture and manufacturing over the past 15 years. At the Faribault clinic where Carroll works, staff members deliver medicine, food, and other necessities to patients. Carroll recently diagnosed a baby with influenza, telling the parents it wasn't an immediate threat — yet. In Minneapolis, nurse-midwife Fernanda Honebrink spends most of her daylight hours calling, coordinating, and shuttling between a ballooning group of fearful people stuck in their homes. She prefers not to call it a medical underground. “It's more like, that's how we function in Minnesota,” said Honebrink, a U.S. citizen who emigrated from Ecuador 23 years ago. But they haven't left their apartment for more than a month. “You don't know what is most important: whether to go out for his well-being, or to go out and think that you might not come back,” Alex said. Since then, federal agents have detained and deported workers at a company where Alex, a mechanical engineer by training, worked in construction. Alex and Isa have seen government vehicles outside their home. It was a terrifying prospect for those who've fled that country's dictatorship and economic chaos. The state program that provided health insurance to all immigrants ended Jan. 1. A therapist checks in occasionally by phone, free of charge. “It was something I never imagined,” said Isa, who sobbed as she recalled the moment. I've already signed as a sponsor for four kids.” As soon as she left the apartment, Honebrink jumped back on the phone and traded favors with local pediatricians, clinic schedulers, and volunteers. Within hours, she'd set up a new well-child visit for the baby and found a vetted driver to transport the family. Two days later, Honebrink sent a picture of her small victory: Alex and Isa's baby boy with a Band-Aid on his legs. But other medical needs cannot be as swiftly addressed. Her mother said she hoped by then it would be safe to leave home. KFF Health News' Jackie Fortiér contributed to this report. KFF Health News is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs at KFF — an independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. As Trump cracks down on political speech, independent media is increasingly necessary. Truthout produces reporting you won't see in the mainstream: journalism from the frontlines of global conflict, interviews with grassroots movement leaders, high-quality legal analysis and more. Help Truthout catalyze change and social justice — make a tax-deductible monthly or one-time donation today. Arthur Allen is a contributor at Kaiser Health News. Kate Wells is a Peabody Award-winning journalist currently covering public health and the COVID-19 pandemic. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day.

President Donald Trump said Thursday on social media he was firing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and would name Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin to replace her. Trump thanked Noem for her service, saying in his Truth Social post she “has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border! He said Mullin would take over the position March 31. Trump loves watching Mullin on TV, aides said, which played a role in the president's decision to tap him for the position. Trump has called Mullin following combative interviews to praise him and White House staffers have often dispatched the senator to do cable news hits around big moments for the administration. “The western hemisphere is absolutely critical for U.S. security,” she said, referring to her new position. “In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security.” Noem, who was tapped by Trump to helm DHS at the start of his administration, has faced growing scrutiny over her conduct in the position, including her alleged romantic relationship with her chief adviser, distribution of the windfall of cash the department has received — particularly for an expensive ad campaign that showcased her prominently — and her conflicting accounts over fatal incidents involving federal immigration agents. Current and former Homeland Security officials had privately questioned how much longer the secretary would remain in the post following what they perceived as a series of missteps. Those include blindsiding the White House with a decision to pause TSA precheck during the current DHS funding lapse — a decision that was reversed within hours — and her responses during two congressional hearings this week. Trump himself was angry with how the hearings went — particularly her assertion, which he denies, that the president was aware of her DHS ad campaign. Since the fatal shootings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, and Noem's controversial responses, Trump has been asking allies about what they think of her. Those close to him believed at the time that it was largely Trump being Trump — he often asks about his team and how they are doing, particularly amid backlash. CNN has previously reported that some top White House officials have long been frustrated with Corey Lewandowski, Noem's top aide and the subject of some pointed questioning during this week's congressional hearings. White House officials maintained that the two were in lockstep with each other. That was evident in questions posed by Republicans during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing this week. “Quality matters, not quantity, quality, and what we've seen is a disaster under your leadership,” GOP Sen. Thom Tillis said at the hearing. ProPublica reported last year that the recipient of a lucrative advertising subcontract was the husband of a former DHS spokesperson. While Noem argued that bids for the advertisements were properly submitted, Kennedy said his research “shows that you did not bid them out” and, in one instance, chose a company that was formed “11 days before you picked them.” “It troubles me, quarter-fifth to a quarter of a billion dollars in taxpayer money when we're scratching for every penny and we're fighting over rescission packages, I just can't agree with Madam Secretary,” Kennedy said, later asking whether the president approved the campaign which featured her prominently. “Did the president know you were gonna do this?” Kennedy asked. In an interview with Reuters Thursday, Trump denied knowing about the campaign. Multiple other Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, where Noem testified this week, wouldn't say Thursday if they back her leadership, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally. Homeland Security officials were stunned by the president's announcement Thursday afternoon, though some saw her ouster as inevitable. Within DHS, officials had expressed increasing frustration — and at times, exhaustion — over the way Noem and Lewandowski, a longtime Noem confidante who was tapped early on to serve at DHS as a special government employee, run the agency. Honestly, it's been unreal,” one Homeland Security official told CNN. Lewandowski, who's only intended to serve in his role on a temporary basis, has developed a reputation at the department of reprimanding officials, directing the firings of personnel, requesting employees be put on administrative leave, calling agency leaders “to hold them accountable,” and micro-managing — including over the massive infusion of cash the department has received to ramp up deportations. There are thousands of them,” Noem said, maintaining that Homeland Security officials were following rules and regulations associated with special government employees in an exchange with Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley. She called it “tabloid garbage” during a House hearing Wednesday. Mullin told reporters Thursday afternoon that he's spoken with Trump, but said they “still have to communicate” and “get on the same page.” “So we'll talk about it moving forward,” he said, adding that he has “no idea” how the confirmation process will go. In his tenure, Mullin has been a staunch ally of Trump and was a regular fixture in negotiations within his party, relying on his relationships across the Capitol to serve as a conduit between House and Senate Republicans. Over the summer, he was crucial in bringing Republicans together on passing the president's landmark tax legislation, securing a deal with New York House Republicans on a state and local tax deduction. A former Mixed Martial Arts fighter, Mullin is famous on Capitol Hill for intense workouts that he used to run for House members. In January, shortly after the killing of Pretti, Mullin told CNN he “absolutely” had confidence in Noem, though he said he hasn't “had time” to see the viral videos of Pretti's death. Mullin has been working with the White House and Senate Democrats to try and find an end to the current DHS shutdown, while arguing that he does not want Congress to pass restrictions that would inhibit agents from doing their job. Some officials and sources close to the White House had mused, before Trump announced he was sidelining her, whether Noem would try to run for the Senate in South Dakota, challenging incumbent Sen. Mike Rounds in the GOP primary. But jumping in the race now wouldn't give Noem much of a runway to campaign. Trump has also already endorsed Rounds for Senate and an effort to paint him as an instigator of the president would prove challenging. In his endorsement last year, Trump wrote on Truth Social that Rounds was “an America First Patriot” who had his “complete and total endorsement for re-election.” Unlike other Republicans on the ballot this year, like Maine Sen. Susan Collins or Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, Rounds voted against convicting Trump in his impeachment trial in 2021. He voted for every one of Trump's cabinet nominees and has rarely spoken out against Trump even though he is seen in the chamber as a pragmatic and more traditional Republican. Rounds also voted for Trump's signature tax package. There was one notable squabble between Rounds and Trump. “I will never endorse this jerk again,” Trump said in a Truth Social post at the time. This story has been updated with additional developments and reporting. CNN's Manu Raju, Kaitlan Collins, Kevin Liptak and Sarah Ferris contributed to this report.

“The American people will remember who voted to continue an illegal, unnecessary war,” said one progressive advocate. Support justice-driven, accurate and transparent news — make a quick donation to Truthout today! Democratic senators had framed the vote not only as necessary for blocking President Donald Trump's war on Iran — which he is waging without congressional approval, in violation of the Constitution — but also as a means for alerting voters to how their senators view the deeply unpopular war. “Today every senator, every single one, will pick a side: Do you stand with the American people who are exhausted of forever wars in the Middle East? Or stand with Donald Trump and Pete Hegseth as they bumble us headfirst into another war?” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) said in a floor speech preceding the vote. “We can't afford to hide under a desk and let any president, Democrat or Republican, send our best and brightest, our own kids, into war to risk their lives unless we have debated it, we have determined it is in the national interest, we have voted and thereby put our signature and our thumb print on the notion that it's worth sending our best and brightest to risk their lives,” said resolution author Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia). In a press release statement, Demand Progress Senior Policy Advisor Cavan Kharrazian blasted senators opposed to the War Powers Resolution vote. “The American people will remember who voted to continue an illegal, unnecessary war,” Kharrazian said. “The stakes are clear and there is no more time for political games. We cannot accept anything except full opposition to Trump's war,” Kharrazian added. The constitutional powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, are exercised only pursuant to (1) a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory authorization, or (3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces. However, he has not cited any such authorizations in his recent war with Iran. In a letter to Congress announcing the military campaign, the administration merely cited a “responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests both at home and abroad,” but failed to cite a specific imminent threat as the law requires. Officials have attempted to justify the war by falsely claiming that attacks on U.S. bases in the Middle East (and, absurdly, in the U.S. itself) were imminent, baselessly suggesting that Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapon, and citing a supposed need for regime change. Trump allies have also peddled blatant Islamophobia in attempting to justify the war, with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) claiming it is necessary because of Iran's “misguided” beliefs. Although this War Powers Resolution vote has failed, other Senate votes could take place in the near future. Several organizations — including Act Now to Stop War and End Racism (ANSWER) Coalition, Palestinian Youth Movement, National Iranian American Council (NIAC), and The People's Forum — have planned a mass demonstration for this weekend, in multiple U.S. cities, demanding an end to the war on Iran. 🚨This Saturday, March 7th, in cities and towns around the country, stand up to say No War on Iran! Hundreds have already been killed by the U.S. and Israel's war on Iran—including over 100 children as they sat in their elementary school. “And it has the possibility of becoming a much wider war.” Becker also explained that mass demonstrations would be the best way to pressure Congress into holding Trump accountable. Truthout is funded almost entirely by readers — that's why we can speak truth to power and cut against the mainstream narrative. But independent journalists at Truthout face mounting political repression under Trump. Chris Walker is a news writer at Truthout, based in Madison, Wisconsin. He can be found on most social media platforms under the handle @thatchriswalker. Get the news you want, delivered to your inbox every day.

On Tuesday, Texas held its Democratic and Republican primaries ahead of the upcoming November midterms. Crockett conceded the race and endorsed Talarico on Wednesday, but only after claiming late on election night that she wasn't ready to concede because of a voting issue in Dallas. “We don't have any of the results because there was a lot of confusion today,” Crockett told supporters at her election-night party: “We were able to keep the polls open, but I can tell you now that people have been disenfranchised.” Crockett received 45.6% of the vote, compared to Talarico's 53.1%. Voting rights advocates say that the difficulties in voting amount to voter suppression – and they raise concerns about how smoothly the November midterms will go. (Republican candidates, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton, and the incumbent senator John Cornyn will face-off in a run-off on 26 May.) Denisse Molina, who worked as a poll monitor with the Texas Civil Rights Project in Williamson county, said that she saw several voters go into one precinct only to be routed elsewhere. In one large voting site, Democratic and Republican voters were lost as to where they were supposed to go because of a lack of adequate signage. At another site, a leasing office at an apartment complex, Molina said there were only three voting machines available despite people from 13 precincts being routed to that location. About 200 people waited in line for hours – so long that voters began to leave. For the first time in years, the Dallas and Williamson county Republican parties refused to agree to a joint primary election, meaning that Democratic and Republican voters would not vote at a centralized site, as they had done in previous elections. “It does set a precedent that Republicans can continue to do this and get away with it,” Kendall Scudder, chair of the Texas Democratic party said. And while the chaos stemmed from a change unique to Texas, voting advocates fear it may have implications for November's midterm elections. “What happened in Texas is a warning to the entire nation. Voters who showed up, stood in line, and did everything right were turned away because partisan officials chose conspiracy theories over countywide voting systems that worked without problems for years,” Derrick Johnson, NAACP President and CEO, said in a statement. It is a blueprint for voter suppression being tested in real time.” Amber Mills, issue advocacy director of Move Texas, said that young, working-class and people of color are more likely to vote on election day, as opposed to early voting. Crockett mobilized Black voters in Dallas county, while Talarico, to whom she conceded the race on Wednesday, mobilized Latino and white voters in Williamson county. Mills said it was “very telling that these two counties were potentially targeted in some sort of way”. “When we look at this in a pattern of the state's ongoing attempt, whether it be local elections or whether it be state leaders or local Republican parties making decisions, that ultimately causes this mass confusion and ultimate suppression, we see that as part of this larger pattern,” Mills said. “We saw that with the redistricting of them intentionally gerrymandering our communities, especially in areas like Dallas.” While voter suppression efforts aren't new, Mills said: “They're getting more targeted at the local level. Scudder remains hopeful that the trials people experienced while voting will motivate them.

The West's war against Russia is no longer hybrid, but direct and "hot," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at an embassy round table on the settlement of the conflict in Ukraine. The West wanted Russia to collapse when it unleashed a conflict against it through Ukraine: "The goal of the war against Russia that was prepared and ultimately unleashed by the West through the Ukrainian regime is to weaken, as they themselves say, to inflict a strategic defeat on our country. And there is every reason to believe that behind this lies, you know, the utmost desire to destroy our country." The EU has already "outstripped" NATO in its policy against Russia: "And in its determination to militarize and sharpen its weapons against our country, it is no less persistent than the North Atlantic Alliance." Even now, when the special operation has proven that the West's plans to defeat Russia will not come to fruition, "the stubborn Europeans in Brussels, London, Paris, and Berlin insist that NATO's doors must remain open." Russia sees no reason to suspect that the negotiations on the Ukrainian settlement with the participation of the US are a "smokescreen": "We currently see no reason to suspect that these negotiations are also a ‘smokescreen'." And most importantly, in Anchorage, a clear understanding was reached on the basis of the proposals made by President [Donald] Trump and his team of negotiators." The understandings reached at the Anchorage summit imply serious compromises on Russia's part: "Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly commented that we have accepted the proposals [of Trump and his negotiating team in Anchorage], including those aspects of the proposals that are already a serious compromise for us." Russia is fully committed to the understandings reached at the Anchorage summit: "Our conscience is clear. We are committed to the understandings that were clearly reached at the US suggestion in Alaska." Russia remains committed to a settlement in Ukraine and hopes that the US "will not be led astray from this true path." Ukrainian terrorists "are actively involved in information security, engaging in cyberterrorism, targeting civilian objects such as banks, power plants, and transportation systems." The Ukrainian trace is not even hidden in the attack on the gas tanker Arctic Metagaz, which was legally following its route: "From the shores of Libya, they destroyed gas tanker Arctic Metagaz, which was sailing completely legally, and the Ukrainian trace - by and large, they are not even hiding it." The United States and the United Kingdom have deployed infrastructure in Ukraine to carry out hacker attacks: "According to our reliable information, this infrastructure, created by the Anglo-Saxons, specialists, instructors, and military personnel from the US and Britain, is still in Ukraine and continues to engage in this criminal activity." Major Western companies, including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and SpaceX, led by American entrepreneur Elon Musk, openly sponsor the activities of Ukrainian hackers. Russia's strategic partners are suffering from the actions of the US and Israel: "We are talking about our close friends. All those who suffer from the aggression of the United States and Israel are our strategic partners." Russia and its partners on the world stage will do everything to create a mood that would stop the hostilities: "We will do everything to work with other peace-loving members of the international community, including in the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, to create an atmosphere that will make this operation completely impossible." NATO is getting dragged into the war that the US and Israel have started against Iran: "Here, Mr. [NATO Secretary General Mark] Rutte is making some pretty strong statements. He said, ‘NATO is ready to use the collective defense clause in the US operation against Iran.' "His statements mean: dear members of the international community, know that NATO's interests lie wherever we tell you they lie." Aggression in the Middle East must be stopped immediately: "We advocate an immediate end to aggression." A moratorium on attacks that cause civilian casualties must be introduced in the Middle East: "Let us all stand together for the cessation of all hostilities, starting with a complete moratorium on attacks that lead to civilian casualties and the destruction of civilian infrastructure, as is happening in many Arab countries." Russia opposes suffering of the Persian Gulf nations in the conflict, Iran does not benefit from it, but the war must be stopped: "Politically, it is highly doubtful that Iran gains anything from this. But we also cannot accept the logic that Iran's actions are unacceptable, while everything the US and Israel do is beyond discussion." Russia will distribute materials reflecting the Russian concept of collective security in the Persian Gulf region. Russia calls for "jointly stopping" hostilities in the Middle East; a UN Security Council resolution is possible.

Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox “I don't have any love lost for the ayatollahs,” said Iraj Roshan, a 66-year-old retired cardiologist and US citizen who was born in Tehran, in an interview with the Guardian. Roshan fled to Turkey after the Iranian revolution, making his way to Austria and later the US, where he has lived since 1983. Over the last decade, Donald Trump has denounced US military intervention in other countries. In December 2016, the then president-elect said: “We will stop racing to topple foreign regimes that we know nothing about, that we shouldn't be involved with.” On the campaign trail – in 2016, 2020 and 2024 – Trump and his allies spoke against foreign intervention, painting Democrats as enablers of war. In a series of social media posts days before the 2024 election day, Trump adviser Stephen Miller repeatedly warned that a win for Kamala Harris, the then vice-president, would lead to young men being “drafted to fight” in a “3rd World War”. “That's been an ongoing drum beat of terror in my neighborhood,” she said. How much suffering has to be inflicted on them for mindless reasons?” Barb, a 74-year-old retired mental health counsellor based in North Carolina, wrote in to the Guardian: “We can be sure that Trump has launched this war for selfish purposes. While many lawmakers, US citizens and others around the world have pushed back on Trump for unnecessary US involvement in a foreign regime change, others struck a less critical tone. “The [Iranian] regime is a very controlling and horrible thing,” Sriram Shanmugam, an 18-year-old in Texas who identifies as a Republican, shared with the Guardian. However, Shanmugam acknowledged that the US is “not doing much to minimize civilian casualties, and that we have no real plan after we finish this operation”. Is there any guarantee that this won't be our generation's Afghanistan or Iraq?” he asked. A 47-year-old social worker in Washington, who asked to remain anonymous, wrote about the impact that another war will have on US veterans. “I spent 15 years working as a social worker therapist specifically with combat veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan,” she said. She also pointed to the myriad of domestic issues that people in the US are facing, including an affordability crisis and fewer jobs.

This image taken from a video shows damages at the Nakhchivan International Airport following what Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said was a drone attack carried out by Iran on Thursday.The Associated Press Azerbaijan on Thursday accused Iran of a drone attack on its territory that injured four civilians, and it vowed to retaliate as the war in the Middle East reached into another country. Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Iranian drones attacked its exclave of Nakhchivan and damaged an airport building. Iran's general staff of the armed forces denied it had launched a drone toward Azerbaijan's territory. Azerbaijan, in turn, has sought to give assurances that its territory won't be used for an attack on “neighbourly and friendly” Iran. Video captures blasts when two Iranian drones struck Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan International Airport. The Defence Ministry said four drones were fired by Iran toward Nakhchivan, and while one was disabled by Azerbaijani forces, the others targeted civilian facilities – including a school where classes were under way. Nakhchivan accounts for about 6 per cent of the country's territory, bordering Azerbaijan's close ally Turkey and Iran. “We will not tolerate this groundless act of terror and aggression committed against Azerbaijan,” Aliyev said at a meeting of his country's Security Council in remarks carried by the Azertac news agency. He said Azerbaijan's military has been instructed “to prepare and implement retaliatory measures.” Fighting in Lebanon expands to areas that are not traditional Hezbollah strongholds He added: “We have neither interest in conducting any operations against neighbouring countries, nor does our policy allow it.” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Aliyev to condemn the Iranian drone attack and express support. U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Aliyev and other top officials at the White House last year for a three-way summit with Armenia. Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan signed a deal aimed at ending a decades-long conflict between the countries, which included an agreement to create a transit corridor to the Nakhchivan exclave through Armenia to be called the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity.” He later hosted Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Azerbaijan and met with U.S. Vice President JD Vance last month. Still, Azerbaijan's close ties with Israel makes it “a plausible target of hostile Iranian actions,” he added. In recent days, however, Baku appeared to try to assuage any concerns Iran might have over its ties with Israel and its possible role in the war, which began Feb. 28 when the U.S. and Israel unleashed a series of strikes and killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Aliyev was among world leaders who sent a message of condolence over Khamenei's killing to Pezeshkian. Bikarski said in his written comments that it is unclear whether the drones “were sent deliberately, but given one of the areas hit was a regional airport, it is likely that Azerbaijan was indeed deliberately targeted.” He added: “Azerbaijan's close ties with Israel means it a plausible target of hostile Iranian actions.” Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on March 5 that Moscow had neither seen nor accepted any Western security guarantees for Kyiv, contradicting an earlier claim by a top Ukrainian official. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, said on Feb. 28 that Russia would accept U.S.-backed security guarantees for Ukraine. The President's Office did not respond to a request for comment. He added that Russia understands it may be "forced" to accept such guarantees. Budanov's remarks came days after U.S. and Ukrainian officials met in Geneva on Feb. 26 as part of ongoing efforts to broker peace with Moscow. The delegations reportedly discussed Ukraine's postwar recovery needs and plans for a subsequent round of negotiations that would include Russia. As diplomatic efforts continue, Kyiv has maintained that strong, binding security guarantees from its partners — particularly the United States — are essential to any peace deal and to deterring a future Russian invasion. Moscow has previously rejected proposals tied to Ukraine's security, including NATO membership or the deployment of European peacekeepers on Ukrainian territory — both seen as the strongest deterrents for future attacks. Russia has also sought security guarantees of its own. Zelensky's statement comes after the Financial Times reported on March 5, citing Ukrainain industry figures, that the Pentagon and at least one Gulf state are holding talks to purchase Ukrainian-made interceptors to counter Iranian drones. Kyiv said it was an attempt to worsen Ukraine's relations with Hungary as part of Russia's hybrid aggression against Europe. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 5 he hopes the blocking of a 90 billion euro ($107 billion) European Union loan for Ukraine by "one person" will end, warning that otherwise he could give that individual's address to Ukraine's military. President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is ready to provide drone interceptors in exchange for missiles, though he did not specify which countries could be involved. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, said on Feb. 28 that Russia would accept U.S.-backed security guarantees for Ukraine. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on March 4 claimed he has satellite imagery proving that the Druzhba oil pipeline is not damaged.

You can find episodes from all three seasons here. Harp Sandhu, senior wealth advisor and portfolio manager with Sandhu Wealth at Raymond James Ltd. in Victoria, talks about growing up in a small British Columbia lumber town, how he got into financial services, and why he thinks Mr. Miyagi of The Karate Kid would make a great advisor. I grew up in Campbell River, B.C., the oldest of three sons born to parents who emigrated from India in 1970. My dad worked at the local lumber mill, and my mom stayed home to raise us kids. It was a fairly typical immigrant upbringing, struggling between being Canadian and the internal pressures of being Indian. My parents were pretty strict, with an emphasis on working hard and saving money. What was your experience with money as a kid? Then, in Grade 10, my dad got me a job at the sawmill where he worked, doing weekend cleanup. I learned early in life the value of money and how hard people work for it. It also made me realize I didn't want to work in a lumber mill for the rest of my life. Then, I was thinking about a management job of some kind. After graduating with a degree in economics from the University of Victoria, I began my career at Royal Bank of Canada as a personal banker and later became a mutual fund specialist at the branch. I then worked at Edward Jones and, after a couple of stops at smaller independent firms, I started Sandhu Wealth at Raymond James in early 2014. In my mid-20s, I bought a speculative stock with about $20,000 from my RRSP and lost it all. I learned early on not to treat the stock market like a casino. What's the best piece of advice you've received in your career? A former manager once told me that being successful in this business isn't about trying to triple your clients' money every year. It's about making enough money for them to live well in retirement. It's not hard to get wealthy slowly. Buy and hold very good dividend-paying stocks. What's the hardest piece of money advice for you to follow? Perhaps I was trying to catch up on things I had missed earlier in my life. I made some big-ticket purchases that, in hindsight, were not the best ideas at that stage of my life and career. I find that experiences are much more important now, such as travel. If I do want to make a more substantial purchase, I set goals to then reward myself. What advice do you have for someone who wants to enter your business? Don't forget that you're a salesperson. It doesn't matter how good you are at wealth advisory; you still need to sell yourself to the client. Which famous person or fictional character would make a great financial advisor, and why? He was very even-keeled, disciplined and gave good advice. One of the things I say to my clients is, ‘We're not going to co-manage your assets.' I don't want my name on a statement for investments I didn't make. This interview has been edited and condensed Authors and topics you follow will be added to your personal news feed in Following. © Copyright 2026 The Globe and Mail Inc. All rights reserved.

This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies. Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. TOKYO (AP) — Australia opened the World Baseball Classic on Thursday by beating Taiwan 3-0 on Robbie Perkins' two-run homer in the fifth inning and Travis Bazzana's homer in the seventh at the Tokyo Dome. The two big swings were enough in a tight game dominated by pitching on both sides. Taiwan managed only three hits, and Australia had seven. It was a critical victory for Australia, which also won its first game in 2023, defeating South Korea enroute to reaching the quarterfinals and a narrow 4-3 loss to Cuba. Australian starter Alex Wells pitched three no-hit innings with Jack O'Loughlin negotiating the next three and allowing only two hits and setting the stage for the bullpen. O'Laughlin got the victory with a save for Jon Kennedy. Following Perkins' homer, Taiwan put two runners on in the sixth with two out but failed to score. Bazzana, who is expected to start in Triple A this season in the Cleveland Guardians farm system, added the insurance run on a towering shot to right field. Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting, readable fomat.

Trilateral peace talks between Ukraine, Russia, and the U.S. are on hold due to the war between Washington and Tehran, President Volodymyr Zelensky said March 4. "We continue to engage with the United States practically on a daily basis. For now, because of the situation with Iran, the necessary signals for a trilateral meeting haven't come yet," he said in an evening address. The attack came after talks between Washington and Tehran failed to reach an agreement on Iran's nuclear enrichment program. U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia intensified over the winter and have slowed down in recent weeks. Ukrainian and U.S. officials met in Geneva on Feb. 26 to discuss progress toward the next stage of trilateral negotiations. Before U.S. strikes on Iran, Zelensky said that the subsequent round of trilateral peace talks would likely take place in Abu Dhabi in early March. Volodymyr Ivanyshyn is a news editor for The Kyiv Independent. He is pursuing an Honors Bachelor of Arts at the University of Toronto, majoring in political science with a minor in anthropology and human geography. Volodymyr holds a Certificate in Business Fundamentals from Rotman Commerce at the University of Toronto. He previously completed an internship with The Kyiv Independent. Kyiv said it was an attempt to worsen Ukraine's relations with Hungary as part of Russia's hybrid aggression against Europe. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on March 5 he hopes the blocking of a 90 billion euro ($107 billion) European Union loan for Ukraine by "one person" will end, warning that otherwise he could give that individual's address to Ukraine's military. President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine is ready to provide drone interceptors in exchange for missiles, though he did not specify which countries could be involved. Kyrylo Budanov, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's chief of staff, said on Feb. 28 that Russia would accept U.S.-backed security guarantees for Ukraine. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on March 4 claimed he has satellite imagery proving that the Druzhba oil pipeline is not damaged. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said one drone hit the terminal building at Nakhchivan International Airport, while another landed near a school in Shakarabad, a village near the airport, at around midday local time.

This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content, and analyzing our website traffic. By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies. TOKYO (AP) — It's officially named the World Baseball Classic. Ohtani's life-size image is all over the Tokyo Dome, and racks of Ohtani jerseys — about $125 each — dominate the adjacent merchandise center. Ohtani skipped batting practice on Wednesday, surely disappointing several hundred fans who were in the stadium expecting a show. Japan is not only a favorite to advance, it's also possible it will again meet the United States in the final in Miami. Three years ago, Japan defeated the Americans 3-2 when Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to end a dramatic game that gave the WBC a huge popularity boost. Ohtani is expected to only bat for Japan, not pitch as the Los Angeles Dodgers want to save him for the season. But he left the door slightly ajar before leaving spring training in Arizona. But if (Mike) Trout shows up, it's tempting,” he said, speaking through interpreter Will Ireton. Trout will not be playing this time for the United States because of insurance issues, which have kept several players on the sidelines. Travis Bazzana will be the second baseman for Australia. “I personally believe he is the greatest of all time,” Bazzana said. “He epitomizes the work ethic and mastering his craft in baseball. That is someone I look up to, but when it comes to that game in a couple of days — you can't focus on who's across the field.” The pitching staff has lost some stars from 2023 including with Roki Sasaki, Shota Imanaga and Yu Darvish. The pitching anchor will be World Series MVP and Ohtani's Los Angeles Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto. “It's a chance to go up against the best team in the world and it's a special event going against Ohtani,” said Australian manager Dave Nilsson, a former all-star catcher with the Milwaukee Brewers. “We're not going to get caught up in the sideshow.” Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting, readable fomat.