Today's Top News

Representatives from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey meet to discuss regional de-escalation. Turkish Foreign Ministry Handout via REUTERS

War in the Middle East

Pakistan said it was preparing to host "meaningful talks" to end the conflict over Iran in the coming days.
The Israeli military said Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel, and an attack had also been launched from Yemen for only the second time since the US-Israeli war began.
US President Donald Trump said the US and Iran have been meeting "directly and indirectly" and that Iran's new leaders have been "very reasonable", as more US troops arrived in the region.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon said a peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exploded at one of its positions in southern Lebanon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had ordered the military to further expand its operations in southern Lebanon, citing continued rocket fire by Hezbollah.

In other news

The leader of Taiwan's largest opposition party will visit China in April after being invited by Chinese President Xi Jinping, a trip that will come a month ‌before President Trump's Beijing visit.
Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's military chief who led a coup in 2021, stepped down to stand as president in a parliamentary vote following the first polls in the ‌Southeast Asian nation since the takeover that triggered a civil war.
Russia appears to be launching a spring offensive with its primary target the 'Fortress Belt' of heavily-defended cities in eastern Donetsk. Dan Peleschuk tells the Reuters World News podcast that small but strategic gains by Ukraine are exposing weaknesses in Russian morale and preparation.

Business & Markets

Oil prices extended gains with Brent headed for a record monthly rise. Brent soared 59% this month, the steepest monthly jump, exceeding gains seen during the 1990 Gulf War.
The war in Iran has sparked chaos across financial markets. Investors say they have at times struggled to ‌get prices or execute trades over the past four weeks, as market makers fear being stuck with large positions that could quickly become unprofitable.
President Trump signaled he was reversing course on blocking oil shipments to Cuba, saying he had "no problem" with any country sending in ‌crude as a Russian tanker neared a Cuban port.
Global airlines have begun to hike fares and cut capacity to cope with the sudden surge in the oil price, but the industry's ability to remain profitable may depend on whether consumers pull back on flying as gasoline costs threaten household budgets.
Australia halved the excise on ‌fuel and diesel for three months to help households cope with a surge in costs driven by the Iran war.
Nike's troubles in China are being laid bare as operational missteps collide with fierce domestic competition and a cooling consumer, revealing execution flaws at the US sportswear giant beyond just a backlash against foreign brands.
Toyota said global production fell for a fourth successive month, dragged down ‌by weaker output in Canada.

'JD or Marco?’: Iran war raises 2028 stakes as Trump weighs Vance vs. Rubio

President Trump takes questions from reporters while Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio look on. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

As the war in Iran threatens to imperil President Donald Trump's legacy, the political stakes are also rising for two of his top lieutenants: Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The pair, widely viewed as potential successors to Trump, have been thrust into still-developing negotiations to end the war at a moment when the Republican Party is already weighing its post-Trump future.

Vance has taken a cautious approach, reflecting his skepticism toward prolonged US military involvement. At the same time, Rubio has aligned himself closely with Trump’s hawkish stance and emerged as one ‌of the administration’s most vocal defenders of the campaign.

With the next presidential election due in 2028 and term limits barring Trump from running again, the president has been asking allies and advisers, "JD or Marco?" two people familiar with his views said.

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And Finally...

A sign from the anti-Trump 'No Kings' protest in Chicago, Illinois. REUTERS/Jim Vondruska

Demonstrators decrying US President Donald Trump's aggressive deportation efforts, war in Iran and