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U.S. employers added 178,000 new jobs in March, according to new Bureau of Labor Statistics data released on April 3. Prior to the non-farm payrolls report, economists had forecast a more modest reading of 60,000. The unemployment rate also dipped to 4.3 percent last month, from the 4.4 percent registered in February. Markets had projected the jobless rate holding steady at 4.4 percent.President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Friday that the U.S. can open the Strait of Hormuz "with a little more time." Reopening the strait has become a priority for governments around the world as energy prices soar.

Oil prices climbed to around $110 a barrel on April 2 after President Donald Trump said the United States would continue attacks on Iran. And the United Kingdom is hosting a virtual meeting of around 40 countries to discuss options for reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The United States is not due to attend.An end to the longest Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown in history is on the horizon. Trump and congressional GOP leaders have rallied behind a two-pronged approach to bypass Senate Democrats on immigration funding. Lawmakers will fund the DHS through regular order, but remove funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. Those will be handled in a second party-line bill using a budget process that will allow passage without support from Democrats.

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on March 29, said talks with Iran are ongoing and making “very good” progress. He urged Tehran to take the deal or face destruction of its critical infrastructure. A spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry denies negotiations are taking place.Transportation Security Administration agents are expected to be paid again soon after Trump signed a presidential memorandum last week that would allow them to get paid despite the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, which is now officially the longest in history, with no end in sight.

The U.S. Senate voted on Friday (March) to end a partial government shutdown that has snarled airports across the country, though it did not resolve a dispute over immigration enforcement that prompted the six-week standoff in the first place. The House of Representatives must also pass the bill before Trump can sign it into law. A vote was expected later on Friday.President Donald Trump announced actions to help U.S. farmers on Friday, as the White House host hundreds of farmers, ranchers and executives for an event highlighting the agricultural sector.

President ​Donald Trump on March 25 warned Iran to "get serious" about a deal to end nearly four weeks of fighting, after its foreign minister said Tehran was reviewing the U.S. proposal, but there were no direct talks on winding down the war.Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Thursday that Iran had been "militarily obliterated, with zero chance of a comeback", and was "begging" for a deal.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on March 25 that the Israeli military had killed an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps navy commander responsible for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Wall Street's main indexes opened higher on Wednesday as prospects of a de-escalation in the Middle East conflict allayed some investor fears around prolonged energy supply disruptions.A source at the Pentagon has told media that elements of the elite 82nd Airborne Division are being deployed to the region. A key element of the 82nd Airborne is the Immediate Response Force—highly-trained soldiers who can parachute into enemy territory. The deployment comes after U.S. airstrikes on Iran's Kharg Island, targeting military facilities but leaving oil infrastructure untouched. President Donald Trump also warning that the United States could target oil facilities if Iran interferes with the Strait of Hormuz.

Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) will be sworn in as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the Oval Office of the White House on March 24. Mullin was confirmed by the Senate on March 23 and replaces fired DHS Secretary Kristi NoemIran and Israel have continued strikes in the Middle East after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed the bombing of the Iranian regime's ​power plants and other energy infrastructure because of what he described as productive talks with Iranian officials. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that Iran launched multiple waves of missiles at Israel on March 24, striking the coastal city of Tel Aviv.

Israel has confirmed that it killed the spokesman for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Ali Mohammad Naini. He's the fourth high-profile Iranian official killed this week.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said he held multiple roles in propaganda and media operations. The military says over the past two years, he served as the IRGC’s main propagandist and spread the regime’s messaging across the Middle East. His work targeted proxy groups to influence and advance terror attacks against Israel, according to the IDF.An additional force of U.S. warships and an attached Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is set to deploy to the Middle East amid ongoing combat operations against Iran, The Epoch Times has learned.The USS Boxer amphibious ready group and the 11th MEU, currently based out of San Diego, are set to sail across the Indo-Pacific region to reach the waters of the Middle East, according to a U.S. military source familiar with the matter.

President Donald Trump will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi at the White House for a bilateral meeting. It's the Japanese prime minister's first trip to the United States since taking office last October.Takaichi told reporters that she hopes to discuss restoring peace in the Middle East, saying global peace and stability are under threat. Japanese officials say the two sides will work to deepen cooperation in regional security, critical minerals, energy, and China-related issues.Top Trump administration intelligence officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and FBI Director Kash Patel, testify before the House Intelligence Committee at their annual hearing, focusing largely on the security implications of the Iran war.

Top Trump administration intelligence officials, including Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and FBI Director Kash Patel, testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee at their annual hearings. Hearings are expected to focus largely on the security implications of the Iran war.The Israeli military said it killed Iran's minister of intelligence, Esmaeil Khatib, in an overnight strike. It's the third death of a top Iranian official in 24 hours. Israel says Khatib played a significant role during the recent protests throughout Iran, including arresting and killing protestors and leading terrorist activities against Israelis and Americans around the world.

President Donald Trump said the Iran War could be wrapped up soon, when asked on Monday whether he thinks the war could end this week. Trump said the operation stopped Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, adding that it prevented a nuclear war that could have escalated into World War III. Trump also says some countries have agreed to help patrol the Strait of Hormuz. He says an announcement on the patrol effort will be made soon.Trump will meet with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the White House on St. Patrick's Day. NTD will have live coverage of the bilateral meeting.

President Donald Trump said he may delay a planned meeting with Chinese communist leader Xi Jinping. The president did not indicate how long the meeting might be delayed. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent clarified at a press conference after talks with a Chinese delegation that if Trump's trip is delayed, it's because the president wants to remain in Washington to oversee the Iran war.Oil prices are climbing again as the Iran war threatens global oil supply. Brent crude hit $106 per barrel on Sunday. The biggest concern remains the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for global oil shipments. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said the conflict could end soon, which would help bring prices back down.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on Friday that Iran's new leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is wounded and likely disfigured, questioning Khamenei's ability to lead. Khamenei has not been seen by Iranians since his selection by a clerical assembly on Sunday, and his first comments came in a statement read out by a television presenter on Thursday.All six crew members aboard a U.S. military refuelling aircraft have been confirmed dead after it crashed in western Iraq, U.S. Central Command said on Friday. CENTCOM ruled out the cause of the crash as either hostile fire or friendly fire. The identities of the deceased service members are being withheld until next of kin have been notified.

Oil prices jumped back toward the $100-per-barrel mark on March 12 despite a coordinated release of strategic reserves by the United States and its allies, as Iranian attacks on oil and transport infrastructure across the Middle East intensified fears of supply disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz and a prolonged regional conflict.The Trump administration has launched new trade investigations under the Trade Act. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the probes will examine excess industrial capacity in 16 major trading partners.The countries include China, the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, and Mexico. The investigations will determine whether foreign policies and practices are unfairly displacing U.S. manufacturing and restricting commerce.A second investigation will focus on imports produced with forced labor, targeting roughly 60 countries. These inquiries could lead to new tariffs or import restrictions.

Members of the International Energy Agency (IEA) agreed on March 11 to release 400 million barrels of oil from reserves. This is the largest withdrawal on record as governments attempt to mitigate the spike in global energy prices.Major storms whipped up tornadoes that killed at least two people in northwest Indiana and leveled buildings in Kankakee, Illinois, authorities said Wednesday, as another round of rain, hail and strong winds made its way through the region.

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said on March 10 that U.S. airstrikes against Iran will reach their most intense level on Tuesday. He said the operation is focused on three main objectives: destroying Iran’s missile stockpiles and launch systems, eliminating its naval capabilities, and preventing the country from obtaining nuclear weapons. Hegseth also said President Donald Trump will make the decision on when to end the war.U.S. stocks are rising after President Trump indicated that the war against Iran could be short-lived. Oil prices briefly shot to their highest level since 2022, but later fell on the news that the war may not last much longer.

President Donald Trump says in a March 8 post on Truth Social that higher oil prices are “a very small price to pay” for safety and peace, as the Iran war continues.The New York Police Department (NYPD) said improvised explosive devices were ignited and thrown outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence over the weekend. The devices did not explode.NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on Monday that the department is investigating the incident as an "ISIS-inspired" terrorist act.

President Donald Trump called on Iran to surrender unconditionally and said there will be no deal with Iran, according to a post on Truth Social on March 6. He said the United States and its allies would “bring Iran back from the brink of destruction” after Iran surrenders.The U.S. economy unexpectedly lost 92,000 jobs in February. This comes after January’s better-than-expected performance of 126,000 new jobs. The unemployment rate edged up to 4.4 percent from 4.3 percent. National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett is projecting optimism, saying the U.S. economy remains strong, and that job creation is on net positive.

The U.S. State Department is asking Americans in Israel, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates to register online to receive assistance from authorities to leave the region amid the conflict with Iran. U.S. citizens can contact the State Department directly at +1-202-501-4444 for assistance.Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry says it's preparing a response after two suspected Iranian drones injured four people. Iranian officials have denied responsibility. The UAE says its air defenses detected seven ballistic missiles on March 5. Six were intercepted and destroyed. Qatar also reported a missile attack earlier on March 5. Authorities urge residents to remain indoors as tensions remain high.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Wednesday confirmed that a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship in the Indian Ocean with a torpedo, noting it was the first time a U.S. submarine sank an enemy vessel by torpedo since World War II. Hegseth vowed continued and intensifying military pressure on Iran, declaring that the campaign was “not a fair fight” and promising sustained operations in the days ahead.Turkey said that NATO air defenses destroyed an Iranian ballistic missile headed into Turkish airspace on Wednesday, marking the first time the alliance member has been drawn into the Middle East conflict and raising the possibility of a major expansion involving bloc allies.

The United Stated closed its embassies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait on Tuesday. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh is also warning of immediate missile and UAV threats over Dhahran, a city in the eastern part of Saudi Arabia, directing residents to shelter indoors. Iran has fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Gulf states hosting U.S. air bases. A drone also struck the U.S. Embassy compound in Kuwait yesterday. The embassy said today it would close until further notice, citing regional tensions.President Donald Trump will meet with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday. In an X post on Saturday, Merz said the two will discuss "the latest developments in the Middle East."

A fourth US service member was killed on the third day of the Iran conflict. Israel responded to Hezbollah strikes in Lebanon as Iran widened its targets, including an oil refinery in Saudi Arabia.

Former President Bill Clinton is testifying Friday behind closed doors to a congressional panel about his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Clinton flew on Epstein's plane several times in the early 2000s after he left office, and a tranche of millions of documents released by the Justice Department includes photos of him with women whose faces are redacted. He has denied wrongdoing and expressed regret for his association with Epstein.President Trump is traveling to southern Texas Friday to promote his economic and fossil fuel agenda. The president is set to speak in Corpus Christi, the nation’s top exporter of liquefied natural gas. Trump's visit comes as Republicans battle over key House and Senate races ahead of November’s midterms.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is set to testify on Thursday in a closed-door session before the House Oversight Committee. The panel is investigating the case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Clinton says she has limited information to provide. Former President Bill Clinton is expected to testify tomorrow.The United States and Iran are holding another round of indirect talks in Geneva on Thursday to try to reach a deal on Tehran's nuclear program, as the United States gathers a massive fleet of warships in the Middle East. President Donald Trump wants a deal to constrain Iran’s nuclear program.

President Donald Trump highlighted his economic agenda in a record-long State of the Union address, declaring the United States is “bigger, richer, and stronger than ever before.” We have guests joining for analysis of the president's speech.Dr. Casey Means testifies before a Senate committee on Wednesday on her nomination as U.S. surgeon general. Means is expected to face questions about the agenda of her key ally, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

President Donald Trump will deliver the first State of the Union address of his second term tonight before a joint session of Congress. He's expected to highlight his administration’s actions over the past year and outline his agenda for the future. NTD will have live coverage of the speech starting at 7 p.m. ET.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and world leaders marked the fourth year of the war in Ukraine on Tuesday as the fighting on the battlefield continues. In a video posted on X, Zelenskyy invited Trump to visit Ukraine. Trump has vowed to bring an end to the conflict, with U.S.-mediated negotiations between Russia and Ukraine still ongoing.