Trump Signs Executive Order to Dismantle U.S. Education Department

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing the U.S. Department of Education to begin the process of dismantlement, a move that fulfills a long-standing conservative goal. The order tasks Education Secretary Linda McMahon with taking steps to close the department "to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law," though the final shutdown would require congressional action. The order outlines maintaining certain core functions like Pell Grants, Title I funding, and disability education support, but ambiguities remain—especially regarding the handling of the $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio. The announcement has triggered strong reactions: conservatives applauded the move as a necessary rollback of federal overreach, while education advocates and Democratic lawmakers condemned it as a blow to equity in education and a threat to vulnerable student populations.

Sources: Associated Press

Israel and Hamas Trade Strikes

Violence surged in Gaza on Thursday as Israeli forces launched intensified air and ground attacks, killing at least 85 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The Israeli military claimed the killings of two senior Hamas commanders as part of renewed operations in key areas like Rafah and Khan Younis. In response, Hamas fired rockets into Israel for the first time since the recent ceasefire collapsed. The Trump administration reaffirmed its support for Israel, with White House officials stating that renewed hostilities were intended to pressure Hamas into releasing hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, attack. Protests erupted in Israel over fears that military action could endanger the remaining captives. On the ground in Gaza, residents faced renewed displacement, blocked roads, and widespread humanitarian distress as food, fuel, and aid remain cut off.

Sources: The Washington Post

Heathrow Airport Shuts Down After Fire Triggers Widespread Power Outage

Heathrow Airport, the busiest in the UK, has announced a full-day closure on Friday due to a major power outage caused by a large fire at an electrical substation in Hayes, West London. The incident has severely disrupted power supply to the airport and left more than 16,000 homes without electricity. Authorities confirmed the closure will last until 23:59 on March 21, advising passengers not to travel to the airport and to check with airlines for updates. Officials said the cause of the fire remains unknown and warned that disruptions in the surrounding area are expected to continue through Friday.

Sources: BBC

Apple Sued Over False Advertising Claims For Apple Intelligence Rollout

Apple is facing a federal lawsuit over allegations of false advertising and unfair competition related to its heavily marketed—but delayed—Apple Intelligence features, including a more personalized Siri. Filed in the U.S. District Court in San Jose by the Clarkson Law Firm, the lawsuit claims Apple misled consumers by promoting advanced AI capabilities in the iPhone 16 that were not available at launch. Plaintiffs argue that Apple's advertising campaign created a “reasonable consumer expectation” that features such as Image Playground, Genmoji, and Siri with contextual understanding would be included with the new devices. Despite pulling certain ads and adding disclaimers post-delay, the lawsuit alleges Apple has not sufficiently corrected its marketing or compensated affected customers. The case seeks unspecified damages on behalf of users who purchased Apple Intelligence-capable devices.

Sources: 9to5Mac

Wall Street Slips After Fed Optimism Fades

U.S. stock markets closed lower on Thursday after an initially promising start, as investor optimism from the Federal Reserve’s rate outlook waned. The Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.3%, extending its year-to-date losses to 8.3%, while the S&P 500 fell 0.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 11 points, staying relatively resilient with only a 1.4% decline in 2025 so far. A brief uptick followed news that existing-home sales rose 4.2% in February, but gains were erased by session’s end. European markets also retreated after ECB President Christine Lagarde warned that retaliatory tariffs could stifle growth. Meanwhile, gold hit a new record high, copper approached its all-time peak, and bond yields edged down, reflecting investor caution.

Sources: The Wall Street Journal