Good morning. In today’s edition:

• 🌍 US preps for ground invasion
• 🏀 Final Four is set
• 📲 iPhone autocorrect fix

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~3.69-minute read (981words).

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"I've always tried to go a step past wherever people expected me to end up."

–Beverly Sills (1929-2007)

More than 3,500 additional US troops arrived in the Middle East, officials announced Saturday, as the ongoing war in Iran enters its second month.

Catch up quick

Two of the biggest developments over the weekend come from exclusive news reports:

• The Pentagon is preparing for a weekslong ground operation in Iran that would fall short of a full-scale invasion, per a Washington Post report on Saturday citing US officials. However, WaPo says it’s still unclear whether Trump will approve any such plans.
• At the same time, President Trump is reportedly weighing a military operation to extract nearly 1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran, which would place US troops on the ground for days or weeks, according to a WSJ report Sunday night.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio over the weekend said the US can meet its objectives in Iran "without any ground troops." But he also said President Trump "has to be prepared for multiple contingencies," with American forces available to allow Trump “to adjust to contingencies, should they emerge."

Negotiations are ongoing, but slow. Iran recently rejected a US-proposed 15-point peace plan, as officials from both sides continue to communicate through intermediaries during the war.

• Some progress was made last week, when Iran eased certain restrictions on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz.
• But this weekend provided little sign of talks progressing.

US officials have insisted the war may be nearing an end and that Iran is willing to make a deal, but Iranian leaders continue to publicly reject negotiations with the US.

Iran’s missile progress is in the spotlight. Iran fired two missiles at a joint US-UK base in the Indian Ocean earlier this month, though they didn’t do any damage. But while the attack was unsuccessful, it also indicates Iran has the ability to attack targets that were previously considered out of its reach under a self-imposed 1,240 mile range limit for Iranian missiles.

Looking ahead…The White House and the Pentagon are reportedly considering sending at least 10,000 additional combat troops to the Middle East in the coming days, according to reports from Axios and the Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, top Pakistani officials say their government is ready to facilitate peace talks between the US and Iran in the coming days, which would mark the first such talks since the month-long conflict began.

📊 Flash poll (long-form): What are your thoughts on the ongoing conflict in the Middle East? The most insightful answers will be featured in tomorrow’s newsletter.

• Leave a response here

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BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 📉 US stocks fell across the board Friday to reach their lowest level since August 2025; Dow and Nasdaq closed in correction territory, or 10%+ off a recent high, while the S&P ended just shy. (S&P: -1.7% | Dow: -1.7% | Nasdaq: -2.2%)
• 💼 Labor Department proposes rule that would require higher wages for foreign workers on H-1B and other high-skilled visas; move is aimed at discouraging US companies from hiring foreign nationals over Americans.
• 💵 US paper currency to bear ‌President Trump's signature starting this summer, per the Treasury Dept.; it will mark the first time a sitting president has signed American money.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏀 March Madness: The Men’s Final Four is set: #2 UConn vs. #2 Illinois, and #1 Arizona v. #1 Michigan; Women’s Final Four will be finalized tonight after the remaining two Elite 8 games.
• 🍿 Netflix raises prices for all streaming tiers by at least $1; their last price hike came in January 2025. | 🏆 Taylor Swift wins Artist of the Year at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
• 🚨 Tiger Woods released on bail after being arrested and charged with DUI following a rollover crash in Florida with no reported injuries; authorities say the golfing legend wasn’t under the influence of alcohol, but showed signs of impairment and refused a urine test.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🤖 AI chatbots and agents that lie and cheat appear to be growing in number, new study reveals; research finds five-fold rise in misbehavior like disregarding direct instructions, evading safeguards, and deceiving humans since last October.
• 🚀 UK startup achieves first-ever plasma ignition in nuclear fusion rocket engine, which can create up to 1,000x more thrust than standard engines.
• 🌌🥚 Sperm in space are likely to get disoriented and struggle to find their way to an egg while in a zero-gravity environment, new research shows.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 💰 President Trump’s net worth is now $6.5 billion, after he added ~$1.4 billion over the past year while serving as President, according to Forbes. | 🪧 Over 3,300 “No Kings” protests were held in cities across the US on Saturday; hundreds of thousands of protesters gathered to express discontent toward President Trump, whom many of them view as acting like a monarch.
• 🏛️ House approves bill to fully fund DHS for 60 days; it comes after House GOP leaders decided not to act on a Senate-approved plan to fund the DHS, excluding ICE and Customs and Border Protection; meanwhile, President Trump signs executive order to pay TSA workers amid the shutdown, which began in mid-February.
• ⚖️ Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL) found guilty of 25 ethics charges following televised House trial, likely setting the stage for her ouster from Congress; it caps three-year investigation into allegations she stole millions in federal relief funds and used some on her congressional campaign.

👆 You’re looking at some of the winners from the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award, a global contest which drew 60,000+ entries. The winning shot of a lynx playing with its prey was captured by Austrian photographer Josef Stefan (top left).

🤔 Did you know? There have been zero sole ruling queens in the world since the abdication of Margrethe II of Denmark in January 2024, marking the first such stretch of time in over 200 years.

📰 Worth a read: Everyone hates iPhone autocorrect. An update fixes one of the biggest problems.

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• The world’s 51 most beautiful places
• How BTS turned an entire city into a stage
• Think Love Island is bad? Wait until you see the AI fruit version

On Friday, we covered how the mood on Wall Street is starting to shift toward fears of an upcoming recession, with many US economists upping their risk of a potential recession (which still remains far from guaranteed).

❓ Our question to you: In your opinion, will the US experience a recession at some point over the next four quarters?

• Yes: 70%
• No: 18%
• Unsure/other: 12%

Click here to read some of the most thoughtful longform responses.

+Note on sample size: We received 592 votes and 81 longform responses.

Monday: National Doctors Day

Tuesday: Nike reports Q3 earnings

Wednesday: April Fools’ Day; The Super Mario Galaxy Movie hits theaters; ISM publishes US manufacturing index

Thursday: Weekly unemployment claims

Friday: Good Friday; Labor Department publishes March jobs report; The Drama starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson hits theaters

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Guess the definitions of the following Greek/Latin root words:

1. Equ
2. Junct
3. Orn
4. Rhin
5. Cerat

🧠 10-year-old Honey Cooper can now add “college student” to her resume. The brainiac fourth grader is dual enrolled in a course at San Bernardino Valley College on top of her elementary school studies.

+Note: This story previously appeared in Positive DONUT, our weekly newsletter surfacing all the good things you don't hear about in the news.

1. Equ = Even (e.g., equal)
2. Junct = Join (conjunction)
3. Orn = Decorate (ornament)
4. Rhin = Nose (rhinoplasty, rhinocerous)
5. Cerat = Horn (keratin, rhinocerous)

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