March Consumer Price Index

After six weeks of fretting about surging oil prices, investors have finally gotten some answers about their inflationary impact.

VERBATIM:
The March CPI report showed prices up 0.9% from a month earlier and 3.3% from a year earlier – the largest annual increase since May 2024.

Markets were little moved by the numbers, which were in line with economists’ expectations. U.S. stock futures were little changed. European stocks gained after Asian indexes largely closed up. Treasury yields inched lower, alongside the U.S. dollar.

Oil prices were little changed after climbing earlier Thursday. Brent crude was flat at just under $96 a barrel.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Islamabad is on Lockdown Ahead of Peace Talks

The capital city of Islamabad is under lockdown ahead of high-stakes US-Iran ceasefire talks in Pakistan. More on this from Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: Pakistan has imposed sweeping security measures across Islamabad ahead of crucial talks between the United States and Iran scheduled for this weekend, with authorities placing the capital on high alert amid heightened diplomatic sensitivity.

A 3-kilometre radius surrounding the luxury Serena Hotel in Islamabad has been sealed off, with all access routes blocked as both the US and Iranian delegations are expected to stay there during the negotiations.

Officials said the arrangements go beyond standard protocols for high-profile visits, with enhanced airspace surveillance and emergency response teams placed on standby.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Bill Gates Will Testify Before House Cmte. on Epstein

Bill Gates is scheduled to appear before the House Oversight Committee in the coming weeks, as the committee continues its investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. More details from reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: Gates will sit for a transcribed interview June 10. His interview comes after the committee issued a March 3 letter requesting his testimony.

A spokesperson for Gates said the Microsoft founder “welcomes” the chance to appear before the committee.

Gates has been under heavy scrutiny for his relationship with the disgraced financier. Documents released in December depicted Gates with Epstein, and Gates has previously said he had several dinners with Epstein, though he added he was under the impression Epstein would use his wealthy connections to fundraise for global health causes.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

CONGRESS-CEASEFIRE

U.S. lawmakers greet the news of a cease-fire with relief and more questions. Details from reporter Bernie Bennett.

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VERBATIM:
President Trump’s announcement Tuesday night of a cease-fire between the United States and Iran received a bipartisan welcome in Congress, but Democrats continued to raise questions about the path forward after weeks of war without congressional authorization.

House Speaker Mike Johnson reposted the president’s social media message announcing the cease-fire Tuesday night without commenting on it.

North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer called it an example of Mr. Trump’s “peace through strength” approach.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

ISRAEL-LEBANON

Israel says a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran doesn’t include their war in Lebanon against Hezbollah. Details from reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
The State National News Agency of Lebanon reports that a series of Israeli strikes hit several areas in central Beirut Wednesday without warning.

It was not immediately clear what was targeted, but several of the strikes were in busy commercial locations.

Since the outbreak of the latest Israel-Hezbollah war on March 2, Israel has regularly struck southern and eastern Lebanon and Beirut’s southern suburbs but rarely in the center of Beirut.

There was no immediate report on the number of casualties.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

IRAN-PRISONER RELEASE

An Iran-backed Iraqi militia says it will free a kidnapped American journalist. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has the details.

VERBATIM:
The powerful Iran-backed Iraqi militia known as “Kah-tah-eeb Hez-boh-lah” said in a statement Tuesday that it will release American journalist Shelly Kittleson, who was kidnapped from a Baghdad street last week.

The group said its decision came “in appreciation of the patriotic stances of the outgoing Prime Minister” Mohammed Shia al-Sudani, without giving more details. It added that “this initiative will not be repeated in future.”

Kataib Hezbollah had not previously acknowledged that it was the group responsible for Kittleson’s abduction, although both U.S. and Iraqi officials had pointed fingers at the group.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

UCLA Women’s Team Moves to NCAA Championship

PHOENIX (AP) – South Carolina smothers UConn to advance to NCAA Women’s title game.
Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM: Ta’Niya Latson scored 16 and Agot Makeer added 14 points and South Carolina played stifling defense to beat UConn 62-48 on Friday night, ending the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak and advancing to the women’s NCAA Tournament championship game.

The Gamecocks have now reached the NCAA championship game in four of the last five seasons, including the past three. They will be looking to win a fourth national title Sunday when they face UCLA, capping off another March Madness.

UConn entered the Final Four undefeated for the ninth time in school history and for the third straight time left without a title. The Huskies also lost in the 2017 and 2018 national semifinals.

I’m Bernie Bennett.

South Carolina Women Move to NCAA Championship

PHOENIX (AP) – South Carolina smothers UConn to advance to NCAA Women’s title game.
Reporter Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM: Ta’Niya Latson scored 16 and Agot Makeer added 14 points and South Carolina played stifling defense to beat UConn 62-48 on Friday night, ending the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak and advancing to the women’s NCAA Tournament championship game.

The Gamecocks have now reached the NCAA championship game in four of the last five seasons, including the past three. They will be looking to win a fourth national title Sunday when they face UCLA, capping off another March Madness.

UConn entered the Final Four undefeated for the ninth time in school history and for the third straight time left without a title. The Huskies also lost in the 2017 and 2018 national semifinals.

I’m Bernie Bennett.

President Trump Sends Budget to Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) -The White House is releasing details of President Donald Trump’s 2027 budget, including a $1.5 trillion defense spending request. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has more.

VERBATIM:
That’s the largest of its kind in decades. The Republican president had indicated even before the war against Iran that he wanted to increase defense spending to modernize the military. He’s also calling for a 10% cut in non-defense discretionary spending. The president’s annual budget does not carry the force of law. Instead, it reflects an administration’s priorities and provides a road map to Congress, which handles spending issues. But Congress is free to reject it and often does.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

New Report Shows Job Growth

WASHINGTON (AP) – American employers added a surprisingly strong 178,000 new jobs last month, rebounding from a dismal February. And the unemployment rate dipped to 4.3%.

VERBATIM:
The Labor Department reported Friday that hiring marked a rebound from the loss of 133,000 jobs in February. The job gains were about three times what economists had forecast.

The unemployment rate was down from 4.4% in February. That is partly because the labor force – those working and looking for work – dropped by 396,000 in March so fewer people were competing for jobs.

Factories added 15,000 jobs last month and construction companies 26,000, probably because of warmer weather last month.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Sec. Mullin Changes Rules at Homeland Security

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has rescinded a rule that DHS expenditures over $100,000 be personally approved by his office. Correspondent Bernie Bennett has more.

VERBATIM: The decision Wednesday ends a widely criticized policy implemented by his predecessor Kristi Noem that critics said put a particular burden on the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s work aiding disaster response and recovery. It marks the first major action by the new Homeland Security leader, sworn in last week, to change a policy implemented by Noem, whom President Donald Trump fired in March. Mullin’s move is expected to ease a spending bottleneck that lawmakers and states said delayed disaster response and recovery funds.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

House Republicans Plan to Pass Homeland Security Funding Bill

The Senate sent its deal to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security back to the House Thursday morning — marking what should be the beginning of the end of a historic partial government shutdown. Reporter Bernie Bennett explains.

(POSSIBLE OUTCUE: Even once both chambers clear the Senate bill, they will face a tight timeline for the second part of the Trump-blessed plan, delivering an immigration enforcement bill to his desk by June 1.)

VERBATIM:
Speaker Mike Johnson signed off Wednesday on the two-track strategy, effectively capitulating after torching the Senate bill Friday as a “joke.” But he could still struggle to move it quickly given early opposition from some members on the right flank of his conference.

The House briefly convened Thursday morning, but there were no attempts to pass the Senate-approved deal. Johnson will have two more opportunities in brief pro forma sessions scheduled for next week, otherwise he will need to wait until all of his members are back April 14.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Senate Sends DHS Funding Bill to the House

WASHINGTON – The Senate sent its deal to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security back to the House Thursday morning – marking what should be the beginning of the end of a historic partial government shutdown. Details from reporter Bernie Bennett.

[VERBATIM:
The Senate’s action, taken in a mostly empty chamber just after 7 a.m., came less than a day after President Donald Trump effectively endorsed a two-track strategy for DHS: funding most of it through a bipartisan deal with Democrats then using the party-line budget reconciliation process for immigration enforcement activities.

Now the bill is headed back across the Capitol. The Senate approved Thune’s motion Thursday to set aside the House’s plan, an eight-week all-DHS stopgap, and instead give it a second chance to pass the Senate bill, which omits funding for ICE and parts of Customs and Border Protection that Democrats oppose.

Asked Thursday how he revived the deal, Thune said, “You … have to just continue to define reality for people, what’s achievable in the Senate, what we can get done.”

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Senate Passes DHS Funding Bill

The Senate sent its deal to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security back to the House Thursday morning — marking what should be the beginning of the end of a historic partial government shutdown. Reporter Bernie Bennett explains.

(POSSIBLE OUTCUE: Even once both chambers clear the Senate bill, they will face a tight timeline for the second part of the Trump-blessed plan, delivering an immigration enforcement bill to his desk by June 1.)

VERBATIM:
Speaker Mike Johnson signed off Wednesday on the two-track strategy, effectively capitulating after torching the Senate bill Friday as a “joke.” But he could still struggle to move it quickly given early opposition from some members on the right flank of his conference.

The House briefly convened Thursday morning, but there were no attempts to pass the Senate-approved deal. Johnson will have two more opportunities in brief pro forma sessions scheduled for next week, otherwise he will need to wait until all of his members are back April 14.

Even once both chambers clear the Senate bill, they will face a tight timeline for the second part of the Trump-blessed plan, delivering an immigration enforcement bill to his desk by June 1.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

President Trump Attends Supreme Court Argument on Birthright Citizenship

WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump declared birthright citizenship ‘stupid’ after the Supreme Court wrapped up arguments in the case. More on this from Reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: President Trump, who wants to see the practice eliminated, repeated his opposition to it in a social media post.

He posted from the White House, “We are the only Country in the World STUPID enough to allow “Birthright” Citizenship!”

During the arguments, the justices cast doubt on Mr. Trump’s bid to limit birthright citizenship.

While the concept is relatively are rare around the world, about three dozen countries guarantee citizenship to children born on their territory.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

NATO Has Bipartisan Support in Senate

NATO is getting defended on a bipartisan basis by Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell and Democrat Sen. Chris Coons ahead of President Trump’s address to the nation on Wednesday night. Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
President Trump is expected to criticize NATO members for not joining the U.S. in its war with Iran.

McConnell and Coons said in a joint statement that “NATO is the most successful military alliance in history” and stressed how its members “fought and died,” along with U.S. forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The statement said, “Americans are safer when NATO is strong and united. The Senate will continue to support the alliance for the peace and protection it provides America, Europe, and the World.”

The National Defense Authorization Act in 2023 has provision that requires a two-thirds approval from the Senate in order to leave NATO or a separate measure by Congress, limiting the president’s ability to do so unilaterally.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

TMZ Follows Congress

WASHINGTON (AP) – TMZ built its brand tracking celebrities. Now it is turning its attention to Congress, chasing down paparazzi-style shots of lawmakers on break from Washington during a record-long partial government shutdown.

VERBATIM: Videos and photos posted by the tabloid website showing lawmakers in airports, Las Vegas and even Disney World have racked up millions of views and led to a growing backlash.

Beyond TMZ, President Donald Trump also wants lawmakers to come back, even hinting he might invoke rarely used powers to call Congress into session.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated the President’s request for lawmakers to return, saying at Monday’s Press Briefing that Mr. Trump would, “host a big Easter dinner here at the White House if Congress will come back.”

Bernie Bennett, Washington.

Trump OK’s Russian Tanker Helping Cuba with Energy Needs

President Donald Trump says he has “no problem” with a Russian oil tanker off the coast of Cuba delivering relief to the island, which has been brought to its knees by a U.S. oil blockade.

VERBATIM:
On Sunday, President Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington,“We have a tanker out there. We don’t mind having somebody get a boatload because they need it… they have to survive.”

When asked if a New York Times report that the tanker would be allowed to reach Cuba was true, Mr. Trump said: “I told them, if a country wants to send some oil into Cuba right now, I have no problem whether it’s Russia or not.”

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

Senate Democrats Block SAVE America Act Amendments

Senate Democrats blocked an amendment to voter ID legislation backed by President Trump that would have done something they publicly support: require photo identification to vote in federal elections. This update from Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
Democrats, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, have shown interest in photo voter ID, which has grown in popularity among voters across the country.

Still, Democrats blocked an amendment to the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act from Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted, meant to put them on record for that position.

Schumer said ahead of the vote that “Republicans are once again wasting time on voter suppression.”

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

A NORC-AP Poll on the War in Iran

WASHINGTON (AP) – Most Americans believe recent U.S. military action against Iran has gone too far, and many are worried about affording gasoline, according to a new AP-NORC poll. Details from reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
As the war launched by the U.S. and Israel continues in its fourth week, the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research indicates that while President Donald Trump’s approval rating is holding steady, the conflict could be swiftly turning into a major political liability for his Republican administration.

While the President is deploying more warships and troops to the Middle East, about 59% of Americans say U.S. military action in Iran has been excessive.

Meanwhile, 45% are “extremely” or “very” concerned about being able to afford gas in the next few months.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

U.S. Offers a 15-Page Agreement to Iran

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Iran has received an American plan to pause the war in the Middle East, a proposal sent even as Washington deploys paratroopers and more Marines to the region. An update from reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM: Tehran did not confirm receiving the plan and publicly dismissed the diplomatic effort while launching more attacks on Israel and Gulf Arab countries, including an assault that sparked a huge fire at Kuwait International Airport. Iran has also continued to come under attack.

Two officials from Pakistan, which delivered the plan to Iran, described the 15-point proposal broadly, saying it addressed sanctions relief, a rollback of Iran’s nuclear program, limits on missiles and reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil is shipped.

Bernie Bennett in Washington.

——————

***15 PAGE AGREEMENT

( ) 15 PAGE AGREEMENT-bennett-q-WEDam (:12) “the coming days.”

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Iran has received an American plan to pause the war in the Middle East, a proposal sent even as Washington deploys paratroopers and more Marines to the region.

OUTCUE: That’s reporter Bernie Bennett.

VERBATIM:
An Egyptian official involved in the mediation efforts added that the proposal includes restrictions on Iran’s support for armed groups. At least 1,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be sent to the Mideast in the coming days.

U.S. Has a New Negotiator in Iran

Iran’s parliamentary Speaker has emerged as a possible U.S. contact for peace talks… even as the Iranian leadership remains under fire during the war.

VERBATIM: Reports suggest Washington may see Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf as a negotiating partner.

Iran’s theocracy has been in turmoil since a Feb. 28 Israeli strike killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. His son Mojtaba has reportedly taken over. But he hasn’t been seen after reports of having been wounded.

Qalibaf is a former Revolutionary Guard commander and Tehran mayor. Critics link him to violent crackdowns and corruption claims. He denied on Tuesday that there are any talks with the U.S. underway.

The semiofficial Tasnim news agency called the reports about Qalibaf a Western plot to divide Iran.

Bernie Bennett reporting.

Iran Wants Victory

The spokesman of Iran’s top military command says that its armed forces will fight “until complete victory.”

VERBATIM: The comments by Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi of the Khatam-al Anbiya Central Headquarters appeared related to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that there were negotiations ongoing between Tehran and Washington.

Iran has denied any talks are taking place, though its foreign minister has been talking to counterparts around the region.

Iranian state television quoted Aliabadi as saying: “Iran’s powerful armed forces are proud, victorious and steadfast in defending Iran’s integrity, and this path will continue until complete victory.”

Bernie Bennett reporting

Sec. Rubio Visits the G7

Secretary of State Marco Rubio heads to France to sell the Iran war to skeptical G7 allies. Bernie Bennett has details.

VERBATIM:
He’ll attend a Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting near Versailles outside of Paris on Friday “to advance key U.S. interests” and “discuss shared security concerns and opportunities for cooperation.”

The State Department said, “Areas of focus will include the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in the Middle East, and threats across the world to peace and stability.”

Nearly all of the other G7 nations – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan – have reacted coolly at best to the U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran and have declined to participate.

Bernie Bennett, Washington.