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‘It’s time to have a baby’: Kris Jenner Pressures Kendall, 26, To Get Pregnant Or Freeze Her Eggs

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Kendall

Kris Jenner and her daughter Kendall shared a humorous scene in which the momager tried to convince the off-guard model to take steps to have a baby on the latest episode of The Kardashians.

Kris, 66, shocked Kendall, 26, with a discussion about freezing her eggs, which caused the catwalk star to momentarily choke on her coffee.

‘It’s my life. I don’t know if I’m ready yet,’ Kendall replied, after Kris suggested she should have a baby, seemingly out of nowhere.

‘Maybe it’s time to have a baby’: Kris Jenner pressures Kendall

‘When you were born, I made your body inside my body, so I made your eggs inside of me,’ Kris explained. ‘That means I made —’

‘—My eggs. I’ve seen this on TikTok. Are you watching TikTok?’ Kendall interjected.

Kris decided to call up her OB-GYN out of the blue, who recommended a cycle of egg freezing, adding that it would be more successful since Kendall was still young.

Kris likely had Kendall’s boyfriend, Phoenix Suns star Devin Booker, on her mind while talking her daughter into planning ahead for a baby.

Kendall had previously met Devin while she was still in a relationship with Ben Simmons, but they were spotted together on a road trip together in April 2020.

The pairing raised eyebrows, as he had previously dated Kylie Jenner’s banished BFF Jordyn Woods, who was cast out of their circle after Khloé Kardashian’s partner Tristan Thompson kissed her at a party.

By June, things had accelerated and the two were reportedly hooking up, though not yet serious.

The two continued sharing photos of each other on social media in late 2020 and early 2021, showing they weren’t afraid to hide the relationship.

They made things Instagram official with joint posts of the romantic outing for Valentine’s Day last year.

Since then, they’ve been inseparable, but don’t expect to see Devin anytime soon on The Kardashians.

Showrunner Danielle King told Variety that Kendall won’t be including the NBA star, though her friends will be more prominently featured this time around.

Before the chat about freezing her eggs, Kendall also got an unpleasant surprise when an offer to cover US Vogue was rescinded — with her sister Kim Kardashian getting the covers shoot instead.

Kris met up with Kendall later in the episode to break the news about losing out on the cover, but she didn’t have to say anything as Kendall’s agent had already informed her, which was a big relief.

‘I’m happy for my sister, and she should be really happy,’ Kendall said kindly. ‘There’s not an upset bone in my body because it went to the right person.

‘I’m happy to give it up to my sister,’ she added.

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Kris was over the moon at how well she took it in a confessional chat.

‘Kendall is the best! She’s the most delicious human being in the world,’ she said.

Elsewhere, Kim tried to make amends with her family for how her ex-husband Kanye West had ‘treated’ them over the years.

She shared her regrets over how the superstar rapper had behaved in recent years after most of her famous siblings dropped by for a lovely family dinner at her home.

The group — which included Khloé, Kendall, Kourtney, and her future husband Travis, and their mother Kris with her boyfriend Corey Gamble — sat down for a heart to heart at a breakfast nook before moving over to the dining room.

Their chit chat was interrupted when both Kim and Kris got the same text message revealing that Kanye was preparing to release a new song.

‘It means he’s talking s*** about me and probably saying whatever,’ Kim explained to her confused siblings.

‘You’re the mother of his kids and have been nothing but great to him,’ Kris said. ‘One day your kids are going to read all of it, and see all of it. And that’s something that everybody has to be really aware of.’

She added that ‘When people are saying disparaging things about any of us, it hurts all of us.’

Khloé said the only thing Kim could control was her own actions, and she said she would ‘never regret’ being kind to others.

Kim vowed that she would never ‘stoop’ to her ex’s level and suggested that Kanye had ‘always’ treated her family poorly, suggesting the issues preceded his battle with bipolar disorder and their split.

‘I protected that for so long, but I said I will never let that happen to you guys again,’ Kim said defiantly.

Kim sounded excited to have her family back together after saying she had ‘zero time’ recently to spend with them while she studied for law school and raised her four children.

Before dinner was served, Kourtney and Travis shared that they had to refrain from any kind of sex or exercise while undergoing a cleanse to help them conceive a child.

Kourtney added that they asked for some clarity from their advisor. ‘What about oral sex? What about hands? What about feet?’ she recounted asking.

‘Feet?’ inquired a confused Kris, which got a sheepish laugh out of her oldest daughter.

Once the elegant dinner was served, Kourtney revealed that she had finally had a conversation with her former partner Scott Disick about his rude behavior around herself and her family due to her relationship with Travis.

She recounted how he called her to ask about sports equipment for their son Mason, only to ask, ‘By the way, should I just expect to not be invited to dinners from now on?’

‘Honestly, there’s some unfinished business, and then I just said a conversation would be helpful to get out of this strange place,’ Kourtney recalled saying.

Luckily, Scott sounded open to the chat. ‘”Of course I’m interested. This is my life,”‘ she recounted him responding.

Khloé thought that was a positive sign and mentioned that it took years for ‘mom, dad and [Caitlyn] to get comfortable around each other.’

Earlier in the episode, Kim had the spotlight on herself as she showed off her modeling prowess during a photoshoot with Kendall.

She was continuing her Balenciaga collaboration with a new ad campaign that was being shot in her home and would subsequently be featured on billboards.

‘I feel like I’ve already been in a campaign,’ she said of her time wearing the fashion house’s clothing at the instigation of Kanye.

While she was being styled before the photoshoot, Kris dropped by and Kim revealed that she had worked on the contract herself to practice what she had learned of contract law so far.

‘Who better to practice on than myself?’ she said in the makeup chair.

‘You’ll still get 10 percent,’ joked Kim’s makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic to Kris.

Later, Kim went through an enormous warehouse filled with all of her old outfits, and she says there could be as many as ‘30,000 pieces’ in storage.

She admitted that she wasn’t sure what her new style should be. ‘I’ve always had Kanye there as this crutch to teach me so much about fashion,’ she said.

‘The status of my relationship with Kanye hasn’t really been clear to people because I was trying to figure that out too. And I’m ready to move on,’ Kim admitted in a confessional.

She was joined by her publicist Tracy Romulus, who shared that Kim has an amazing memory and could remember what outfit she wore on a given date, along with how her hair was styled and what kind of eyeshadow she wore.

To prove it, Tracy asked her about her New Year’s Eve outfit from Las Vegas — ‘What year?’ Kim had to have her specify — and the Skims founder seemed to nail the details.

While going through outfits, Tracy reminded Kim of the time Kanye apparently cleared out her closet and replaced everything in it.

‘I forgot that I can make decisions too,’ she said of her newfound independence.

For the Balenciaga shoot, she later met up with Martina Tiefenthaler, the chief creative officer for the fashion house.

‘To know that one of my favorite designers ever is valuing my opinion and wants me to be me is just a good, empowering feeling,’ she bragged.

Kim gushed that Balenciaga let her use her own hair and makeup team and to rock the long braided ponytail extension she had been wearing around that time.

But during some downtime, Kris dropped by and revealed the good news that Kendall had been potentially offered the cover of American Vogue.

However, there was a bump in the road, and the magazine had decided to bump her and to offer the cover to Kim, who had already graced it twice before.

‘I feel so bad,’ Kim said, and Kris wasn’t sure how to break the news.

In a confessional, the aspiring lawyer joked she would have ‘killed’ Kendall to get the cover from her 15 years ago.

Kris wondered if she should just say nothing, and Kim laughed at the idea of her little sister suddenly seeing her on the cover at a newsstand.

Later, at the Vogue shoot, Kim said she was feeling confident and like a new person.

‘Nothing I would wear before felt like me. This is me,’ she said as she gushed about having more control in choosing her outfits and style.

She was interrupted by a FaceTime call from Anna Wintour, who complimented her outfit and was happy about the items Kim planned to wear.

‘You look perfect,’ she enthused.

While Kim was working on finding herself, Kourtney and Travis were focused on their fertility journey.

After her last egg retrieval was unsuccessful, the two had decided to try a Panchakarma cleanse, which she said was a ‘3,000-year-old’ practice that would remove ‘toxins in our tissue.’

However, the bizarre practice has not been scientifically validated, and many nutritionists believe it could even be dangerous, according to WebMD.

Kourtney did the cleanse 10 years earlier, and Travis was open to it, as it was the only option she had mentioned that he hadn’t tried yet.

He seemed agitated about not being able to exercise or have sex for a week, though he was still playful and affectionate around Kourtney.

She warned him that she was on ‘so much estrogen right now’ that it might give her severe mood swings.

‘I’m OK with a bad day, or a rough day with you, than a day without you,’ he replied sweetly.

‘OK, good luck,’ she replied with a perfect deadpan.

Later, they were joined by Martha Soffer, their Ayurvedic expert who was supervising the cleanse.

Kourtney recounted their last appoint where a ‘doctor’ told her that Travis had ‘grade-A’ sperm. His medical advice seemed questionable, though, as he had urged her to drink Travis’ semen ‘four times a week.’

‘Love this doctor,’ Travis added.

He started rubbing his hands all over his love and kissing her. ‘I love you, I’d do anything for you,’ he added.

They followed up the meeting with a trip to Martha’s spa, where they would be going seven days in a row for four-hour spa treatments.

Kourtney was going to have a ‘yoni steam,’ or vaginal steam, in which she would sit nude over steaming water filled with herbs, though there is also no medical evidence that it has any benefits, and many OB-GYNs argue that it could be harmful, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Kourtney also got a ginger foot bath, which was supposed to bring ‘warmth to the womb.’

For her vaginal steam, she sat down on what looked like a toilet seat covered in towels, while draping another towel over herself to protect her modesty.

Nasir El-Rufai Begins Formal Testimony in ICPC Custody

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai , ministerial appointments
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai

ABUJA, Nigeria — Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has begun providing formal testimony to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission while in custody, according to documents detailing his initial cautionary statements.

El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State for eight years, is under investigation over actions taken during his tenure.

He elected to give a voluntary statement in the presence of his lawyer, Ubong Akpan.

In the opening portion of the document obtained by The Trent on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, El-Rufai acknowledged the legal caution attached to his testimony.

“I have read the above cautionary statement and I understand its meaning and implication,” he said.

The statement then began with personal details for the commission’s record.

“My name is Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai. I was born in Dandawa, Katsina State, in 1960, and grew up mostly in Kaduna State,” the document read.

Seizure of Electronic Devices

The formal testimony follows a raid conducted last week at El-Rufai’s residence, during which investigators recovered several electronic items.

An official inventory indicated that the commission seized 18 mobile devices along with laptops, hard drives and other digital storage equipment.

Initial reports had suggested the recovery of surveillance equipment, but the inventory listed primarily computers and legacy mobile phones.

Legal and Investigative Process

Legal analysts said the presence of counsel during the questioning indicates a standard approach to an anti-corruption investigation.

“A voluntary statement made under caution, especially in the presence of counsel, is a standard but critical phase in any anti-graft inquiry,” an Abuja-based legal analyst said.

“It sets the stage for how the defendant will account for the administrative and financial decisions made during his time in office.”

Investigation Into Kaduna State Finances

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has not publicly detailed potential charges or the amount of money under review.

However, the commission has previously said it is carrying out a forensic audit of Kaduna State’s accounts covering the period between 2015 and 2023.

Investigators are expected to continue questioning El-Rufai through the week, including confronting him with information extracted from the electronic devices seized during the search.

As of Wednesday afternoon, members of El-Rufai’s legal team said he was cooperating with investigators and remained confident about decisions taken during his administration.

Trump Says Iran’s Leadership Has Been ‘Neutered,’ Signals Openness to New Religious Ruler

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US President Donald Trump, Minnesota
US President Donald Trump | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, USA — President Donald Trump has said that Iran’s leadership has been “neutered” following recent military strikes and suggested that the United States could help shape the country’s next leadership, even if the future government is not democratic.

In a phone interview with CNN on Friday, March 6, 2026, Trump said the situation in Iran had changed dramatically in recent days.

“Iran is not the same country it was a week ago. A week ago they were powerful, and now they’ve been indeed neutered,” Trump said.

The president expressed confidence that replacing Iran’s leadership would be straightforward, comparing the situation to events in Venezuela earlier this year, when the United States captured former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his deputy assumed power.

“It’s gonna work very easily. It’s going to work like did in Venezuela. We have a wonderful leader there. She’s doing a fantastic job. And it’s going to work Iike in Venezuela,” Trump said, referring to acting president Delcy Rodriguez.

Iran
From left: Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran; Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader; and Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces. | Getty Images

Comments on Possible Future Leadership

Trump said he was open to a religious leader taking power in Iran if that person maintained cooperative relations with the United States and its allies.

“Well I may be yeah, I mean, it depends on who the person is. I don’t mind religious leaders. I deal with a lot of religious leaders and they are fantastic,” he said.

Pressed on whether the United States would insist on a democratic system in Iran, Trump said the key requirement would be leadership that works constructively with Washington and its partners.

“No, I’m saying there has to be a leader that’s going be fair and just. Do a great job. Treat the United States and Israel well, and treat the other countries in the Middle East — they’re all our partners,” he said.

Iran
A man carries an Iranian flag to place on the rubble of a police facility struck during the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. | Vahid Salemi / AP

Trump also described the recent military operation against Iran as highly successful.

“It’s a 12, maybe 15 on the scale of 10,” he said.

He dismissed concerns about rising fuel prices resulting from the conflict.

“That’s all right. It’ll be short term time. It’ll go way down very quickly,” he said.

Trump also said U.S. forces had significantly weakened Iran’s naval capacity.

“We’ve knocked their Navy because, you know, when you knock out the Navy, they can’t do what they wanted to be able to do. The Navy is almost, we just hit about the 25 mark. Can you imagine that? Big ones — 25 ships are down,” he said.

Iran
People watch as smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran on Saturday, February 28, 2026. | AP

Remarks on Relations in the Middle East

Trump said he had developed strong relationships with several governments in the Middle East and credited those ties with strengthening cooperation during the conflict.

“And I became very friendly with all those countries. That’s why they’re all fighting for us,” he said.

“Before I got involved, we didn’t even speak to UAE and Saudi Arabia. You know, (President Joe) Biden shut out. Biden and (President Barack) Obama shut Saudi Arabia, UAE Qatar, he shut them all out. They were all going to go to China, and I got involved in very short period of time that became my friends.”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. | Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters at Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis on Wednesday, February 25, 2026. | Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Trump Predicts Change in Cuba

During the same interview, Trump said Cuba could soon experience political change.

“Cuba is gonna fall pretty soon, by the way, unrelated, but Cuba is gonna fall too. They want to make a deal so badly,” he said.

He added that Secretary of State Marco Rubio could be involved in negotiations.

“They want to make a deal, and so I’m going to put Marco over there and we’ll see how that works out,” Trump said, adding that the administration’s immediate focus remains the conflict with Iran.

The president also made similar remarks a day earlier at the White House, suggesting that American Cubans might soon be able to return to the island.

“He’s doing some job, and your next one is going to be, we want to do that special Cuba,” Trump said, referring to Rubio.

Push for Voter Identification Legislation

Trump also said that once the conflict with Iran concludes, his administration will prioritise passing voter identification legislation.

He said the proposal could influence his endorsement in the upcoming Texas Senate race between Senator John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton.

“I’m making a decision fairly shortly, but I want and then I feel very strongly that we have to have the full and complete SAVE America Act, OK? I want the SAVE America Act. It is more important than everything else we’re working on other than the war,” Trump said.

Trump said he wanted assurances that candidates he endorses would support the legislation.

“I’ve got to have the assurance of — you have a big story here come to think of it, but I’m just telling you — uh, I like John Cornyn, get along with him well. Get along with both of them very well. But we have go in with the SAVE America Act,” he said.

Trump said the measure should include several requirements, including voter identification, proof of citizenship for voter registration and restrictions on mail-in ballots.

“We have to have voter ID. We have to have proof of citizenship. We have to have no mail-in ballots except the military, illness, disability and travel,” he said.

He also repeated his call for the Senate to eliminate the filibuster in order to pass the legislation.

“The Senate has to act on it. The House on it. And I don’t want the watered down one — that doesn’t mean anything. I want the one that just told you, five things,” Trump said.

Cornyn has said he supports the bill but has indicated that there are not enough Republican votes to change Senate rules to pass it. Paxton has said he would consider dropping out of the race if Senate leaders agree to eliminate the filibuster and approve the legislation.

US Congress Rejects Measure to Limit Trump’s Military Action in Iran

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Iran
A man carries an Iranian flag to place on the rubble of a police facility struck during the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. | Vahid Salemi / AP

WASHINGTON, United States — The Republican-controlled House of Representatives on Thursday, March 5, 2026, voted narrowly to defeat a resolution that would have limited President Donald Trump’s military operations against Iran, a day after the Senate blocked a similar measure.

The House vote was 212 to 219, with most Democrats and two Republicans supporting the resolution, which would have required Trump to obtain congressional approval before conducting additional military action against Iran.

Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Warren Davidson of Ohio were the only Republicans to back the proposal, joining most Democrats.

Four Democrats — Jared Golden of Maine, Greg Landsman of Ohio, Juan Vargas of California and Henry Cuellar of Texas — voted with Republicans to oppose it.

The failed votes in both chambers leave Trump free to continue the military campaign launched last weekend. Polling cited by lawmakers indicates that a majority of Americans oppose the conflict.

Iran
The site of a strike on a girls’ school in Minab, in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, on Saturday, March 1, 2026. | Ali Najafi/ISNA/AFP/Getty Images

Bipartisan Effort to Invoke War Powers

The legislation was introduced by Massie and Representative Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California.

The measure would have halted the military operation unless Congress voted to declare war or specifically authorised the use of force.

Democratic lawmakers argued that the Constitution assigns Congress the authority to declare war and noted that Trump and senior administration officials have referred to the conflict as a war.

Massie acknowledged before the vote that the resolution was unlikely to pass but said forcing a debate in Congress was itself significant.

“A war is never more popular than it is on the first day. And I think enthusiasm for this will decline,” Massie told reporters.

He added that “as the true cost of this war starts to be known and starts to pile up, there’ll be more support to end it.”

According to officials, six Americans have been killed since the conflict began.

Trump Iran
President Donald Trump delivers remarks during an event at the Port of Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday, February 27, 2026. | Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

Sharp Debate Between Parties

At a weekly news conference on Thursday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticised the administration and Republican lawmakers for supporting the military campaign.

“What’s the justification for sending American men and women into a theater of war, risking their lives?” Jeffries said.

“We’ve already tragically lost six heroic service men and women, and we mourn for them, and we pray for their families, and we don’t want to see any more American lives lost in Trump’s war of choice.”

Republican leaders defended the president’s actions, arguing that the strikes were necessary to protect the United States from what they described as an immediate threat.

Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, a Republican from Florida and an Afghanistan war veteran, said the president had acted decisively.

“Defending yourself is a choice. It’s a choice that not everybody makes. Some people, instead of defending themselves, curl up into a corner and cry,” Mast said.

“Some people stand up, and they step into the fight, and they make the tough choice of going through the battles that it takes to defend yourself.”

“I will thank again President Trump for defending America from an imminent threat — an imminent threat that no other president has had the guts to stand up to,” he added.

Speaker Mike Johnson
UNITED STATES – MAY 8: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., left, attend the unveiling ceremony for the Daisy Bates statue in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. Bates was a civil right leader who was influential in the initiative to integrate Arkansas schools. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Separate Vote on Homeland Security Funding

In a separate vote on Thursday, the House approved a spending bill to end the shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security and fund the agency through September.

The bill passed by a vote of 221 to 209, with four Democrats joining Republicans in supporting it.

The measure closely resembled a funding bill the House approved in January with bipartisan support.

However, it did not become law after the Senate removed it from a broader government funding package amid Democratic demands for changes to immigration enforcement policies at the department.

Negotiations between Democrats and the White House over immigration enforcement remain ongoing.

Trump Removes Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary

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Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testifies during a House Committee on the Judiciary oversight hearing of the Department of Homeland Security on Capitol Hill, March 4, 2026, in Washington. | Heather Diehl/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, USA — President Donald Trump said on Thursday, March 5, 2026, that Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma will replace Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, marking the first cabinet-level dismissal of Trump’s second term.

In a message posted on social media, Trump said Mullin would assume the role beginning March 31, 2026.

“I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026,” Trump wrote.

Trump said Noem would move into a new position as special envoy for “The Shield of the Americas,” which he described as a regional security initiative to be announced Saturday in Doral, Florida.

“The current Secretary, Kristi Noem, who has served us well, and has had numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!), will be moving to be Special Envoy for The Shield of the Americas, our new Security Initiative in the Western Hemisphere we are announcing on Saturday in Doral, Florida. I thank Kristi for her service at ‘Homeland,’” Trump said.

DHS
Sen. Markwayne Mullin speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on February 25, 2026 in Washington. | Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Mullin Responds to Appointment

Speaking to reporters shortly after the announcement, Mullin said he was prepared to take on the role, though his nomination must still be confirmed by the Senate.

“My focus is to keep the homeland secure,” Mullin said.

Asked about succeeding Noem, Mullin described her as “a friend” who had been “tasked with a very difficult job.”

Responding to a question about lessons from Noem’s tenure, Mullin said “there’s an opportunity to build off successes, and there’s also opportunities to build off things that maybe didn’t go quite as planned.”

Funding Dispute Affects Department Operations

The leadership change comes as several components of the Department of Homeland Security remain closed during a funding dispute involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The impasse has affected agencies including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Transportation Security Administration and the Coast Guard.

Democratic lawmakers have said they will only support funding for the department if changes are made to ICE following the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.

Reactions From Political Leaders

Some Democratic leaders welcomed the news of Noem’s departure.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said at a news conference, “Kristi Noem is gone. Good riddance,” adding that “a change in personnel is not sufficient” to reopen the department.

“We need a change in policy that has to be bold, dramatic, transformational and meaningful,” Jeffries said.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on social media that “the problems at DHS go much deeper than any one person. They’ve got to rein in ICE and end the violence.”

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat who had clashed with Noem over immigration enforcement in the state, said, “Kristi Noem has done a stunning amount of damage and it’s good she’s gone.” Walz called for a “complete overhaul of DHS.”

Frustration Over Senate Testimony

Trump’s decision followed internal discussions about Noem’s performance, according to people familiar with the matter.

The president had expressed frustration with testimony Noem delivered during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing earlier in the week, sources with direct knowledge of the conversations said.

During that hearing, Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, questioned Noem about a $220 million Department of Homeland Security advertising campaign funded by taxpayers. Noem indicated that Trump had been aware of and approved the initiative.

A senior administration official later said the president had not authorised the campaign.

“Absolutely not,” the official said.

Kennedy told reporters that Trump had called him about the exchange.

“I’m not going to speak for him. You folks know him. You can ask him yourselves, but his, I want to put it this way, his recollection and her recollection are different,” Kennedy said.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appears in an advertisement made for the Department of Homeland Security in front of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. | Screengrab from DHS

Additional Controversies

Officials in the administration and some Republicans on Capitol Hill had also raised concerns following other incidents involving Noem, according to sources.

Earlier in the week, Noem and her adviser Corey Lewandowski temporarily suspended the TSA PreCheck programme during the partial government shutdown. The decision was later reversed after intervention from the White House, according to people familiar with the situation.

Noem has also faced scrutiny over Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations in Minneapolis following the deaths of Good and Pretti during actions carried out by federal law enforcement.

After the incident, she was removed from overseeing operations in the state, and Tom Homan, the administration’s border czar, was assigned to take over.

During congressional hearings this week, Noem declined to apologise for describing the conduct of Good and Pretti as “domestic terrorism” without presenting evidence.

Noem Responds to New Role

In a social media message on Thursday afternoon, Noem thanked Trump for appointing her to the new position.

“In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security,” she wrote.

Media Mogul Jimmy Lai Will Not Appeal 20-Year Sentence in Hong Kong National Security Case

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Jimmy Lai
Jimmy Lai (right) escorted by police officers upon his arrival at the Hong Kong court, February 1, 2021. | AFP via Getty Images

HONG KONG, China — Media entrepreneur Jimmy Lai will not challenge his conviction or 20-year prison sentence for collusion with foreign forces and sedition, his lawyer said on Friday, closing the door on an appeal in a closely watched national security case that has drawn international criticism.

Lai, 78, founded the pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, which has since ceased publication. He has long been one of the most prominent critics of the Chinese Communist Party.

The decision follows a legal process that lasted nearly five years and concluded in February with Lai’s sentencing after a December conviction.

He was found guilty on two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of publishing seditious materials.

A member of Lai’s domestic legal team told Reuters that his client had given firm instructions not to contest the verdict or sentence.

“We can confirm we have clear and definitive instructions not to lodge an appeal against conviction or sentence,” the lawyer said, speaking on condition of anonymity. No explanation for the decision was provided.

In a related development, Fung Wai-kong, the former editor-in-chief of Apple Daily’s English-language news section, filed an appeal on Monday against his own sentence.

Fung received a 10-year prison term in the same national security case.

Members of Lai’s family have expressed concern about his health while in custody.

His son and daughter have warned that he could die in prison, citing a decline in his condition after spending more than five years in solitary confinement.

According to his family, Lai has diabetes and suffers from heart palpitations and high blood pressure.

Human rights organisations and several democratic governments have called for his release.

President Donald Trump of the United States has raised the issue with President Xi Jinping of China and is expected to revisit the matter during a planned visit to Beijing later this month.

Officials in Hong Kong and Beijing have defended the case, saying Lai received a fair hearing and that the national security law is applied equally.

Authorities say the legislation restored stability in the city following the large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations that erupted in 2019.

In a separate legal matter last month, Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal overturned Lai’s fraud conviction and set aside a 69-month prison sentence that had been imposed in that case.

The ruling marked a rare courtroom victory for Lai amid the series of prosecutions he has faced under Hong Kong’s national security framework.

United States Submarine Sinks Iranian Warship as Conflict Escalates Across Middle East

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Iran, submarine
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference on US military action in Iran, at the Pentagon on Monday, March 2, 2026. | Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, United States — The United States Navy sank an Iranian warship in international waters with a torpedo fired from an American submarine, War Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, as hostilities between the United States, Israel and Iran continued to escalate across the Middle East.

“We are just accelerating, not decelerating,” Mr. Hegseth said during remarks at the Pentagon.

The announcement came as Iran intensified retaliatory strikes across the region, launching attacks targeting Bahrain, Kuwait and Israel, raising fears that the confrontation could expand into a broader regional war.

Iran
The site of a strike on a girls’ school in Minab, in Iran’s southern Hormozgan province, on Saturday, March 1, 2026. | Ali Najafi/ISNA/AFP/Getty Images

Rising Casualties After Weekend Assault

The latest developments follow a joint United States and Israeli assault on Tehran over the weekend that has sharply increased tensions between Washington and Tehran.

More than 1,000 people have been killed in Iran since the operation, including the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to reports cited by American officials. At least 11 people have been killed in Israel.

The United States has also reported military casualties linked to Iran’s response. Six American service members have died in retaliatory strikes, according to United States Central Command.

The Pentagon on Tuesday released the names of four of those personnel, who were killed in a drone strike while stationed in Kuwait, the Department of Defense said.

Trump Iran
President Donald Trump delivers remarks during an event at the Port of Corpus Christi in Corpus Christi, Texas, on Friday, February 27, 2026. | Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters

Trump Defends Military Action

President Donald Trump defended his decision to order the strikes on Iran without seeking prior approval from Congress, saying Iran’s continued pursuit of nuclear weapons capabilities and its expanding ballistic missile programme posed “an intolerable threat.”

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was preparing to intensify military operations.

The United States will “unleash” additional attacks in the coming days that will represent a significant escalation in both the scale and intensity of the campaign against Iran, Mr. Rubio said.

American officials have not ruled out the possibility of deploying ground forces inside Iran as the conflict unfolds.

Operation Epic Fury

Trump said the current military campaign, which the administration has named “Operation Epic Fury,” is expected to last between four and five weeks. He added that the United States has the capability to sustain military operations for a longer period if necessary.

Writing on Truth Social on Monday night, the president said wars “can be fought ‘forever.’”

FIFA Verdict on DR Congo Brings Nigeria’s World Cup Qualification Bid to an Abrupt End

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Super Eagles, World Cup
Super Eagles

ZURICH, Switzerland — FIFA on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, confirmed the final list of teams for the inter-confederation play-off tournament for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, naming the Democratic Republic of Congo as Africa’s representative and effectively ending Nigeria’s attempt to qualify for the global competition.

In an accreditation notice distributed to journalists ahead of the tournament, the governing body of world football outlined the format of the play-off event and identified the six participating teams.

The announcement confirms that Bolivia, Congo DR, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname will compete for the final two places at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Nigeria’s Appeal Fails

The decision closes the door on Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the tournament after the Nigeria Football Federation contested the outcome of a decisive Confederation of African Football play-off held in November 2025.

Nigeria had lost the tie against DR Congo after a 1–1 draw was settled by a penalty shoot-out. Following the match, the federation lodged a formal protest alleging that DR Congo had fielded ineligible players during the encounter.

The appeal sought to overturn the result of the match and secure Nigeria’s place in the inter-confederation play-offs.

Six Teams to Compete for Final Places

Confirming the final line-up, FIFA said the tournament would determine the last two qualifiers for the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted across Canada, Mexico and the United States.

“The FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament will see six teams fight it out for the final two places at the FIFA World Cup 2026™, to be staged in Canada, Mexico and the United States across 16 Host Cities,” FIFA said in a statement.

“All of the six teams have now been decided, with Bolivia, Congo DR, Iraq, Jamaica, New Caledonia and Suriname confirmed as qualifiers.”

The play-off tournament is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 26, 2026.

‘Their days are numbered’: Trump Ally Names ‘Next’ Country Targetted for Regime Change

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US President Donald Trump, Minnesota
US President Donald Trump | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, USA — US Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a close ally of US President Trump, said that Cuba could become the next target of United States pressure under Trump, asserting that the island’s communist leadership is approaching the end of its rule.

Speaking on Sunday, March 1, 2026, during an interview with Trey Gowdy on Fox News, Graham suggested that recent actions taken by Washington abroad indicate a wider policy aimed at governments viewed by the administration as adversarial.

“Cuba is next,” Graham said. “They are going to fall. This communist dictatorship in Cuba — their days are numbered.”

Comments Framed Around Recent U.S. Actions Abroad

During the interview, Graham linked his remarks to recent developments involving other countries that have drawn American involvement.

He cited the arrest of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and recent joint military operations carried out by the United States and Israel against Iran as examples of what he described as firm action by the Trump administration.

According to Graham, discussions about how to address Maduro had persisted for years before Trump authorised operations that resulted in Maduro’s capture and his transfer to the United States, where he faces narcoterrorism charges.

“All I can say is President Trump finished the job that President Reagan failed to do,” Graham said.

Strained Relations Between Washington and Havana

Tensions between the United States and Cuba have intensified in recent months.

Cuba has faced mounting economic pressure following the decline of assistance from Venezuela, whose oil supplies have long supported the island’s economy.

At the same time, the Trump administration has expanded sanctions and increased diplomatic pressure on governments in the region that maintain close ties with Havana.

President Trump recently raised the possibility of what he described as a “friendly takeover” of Cuba, saying the country’s economic difficulties could eventually lead to negotiations with the United States.

“They have no money, no oil, no food,” Trump said while speaking with reporters, referring to the country’s economic conditions.

Cuban officials have said that there are no formal high-level discussions under way between Havana and Washington.

cuba
A policeman watches over the aftermath of a rare demonstration against Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel in Havana, on July 11, 2021. | Yamil Lage/AFP/Getty Images

Debate Over Regional Stability

Graham’s remarks have prompted criticism from analysts and political opponents who argue that public discussion of regime change risks increasing tensions across Latin America.

The United States and Cuba have had strained relations since the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Over the decades, sanctions, covert activities and diplomatic confrontations have defined the relationship between the two countries.

Some specialists in regional affairs say statements about removing governments recall periods of Cold War intervention in the Western Hemisphere.

Supporters of the administration, however, say pressure on Havana reflects a broader strategy aimed at confronting authoritarian governments in the region.

Whether the United States intends to take further steps toward Cuba remains uncertain. Graham’s comments, however, illustrate the sharper tone that has recently emerged in Washington’s public discussion of the island nation.

US War Secretary Urges Iranians to ‘Take Advantage’ of Opening for ‘Change’ as Conflict Deepens

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War Pete Hegseth
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a press conference on US military action in Iran, at the Pentagon on Monday, March 2, 2026. | Brendan Smialowksi/AFP/Getty Images

WASHINGTON, United States — US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Monday, March 2, 2026, called on the Iranian people to “take advantage” of what he described as an unprecedented opportunity for change, even as he insisted that US military operations were not intended to forcibly remove Iran’s government.

“We hope the Iranian people take advantage of this incredible opportunity,” Hegseth said during a Pentagon press briefing.

“President Trump has been clear — now is your time.”

He pointed to protests that swept across Iran earlier this year, suggesting that segments of the population had already signaled a desire for political transformation.

“We saw many, many of the Iranian people seek a change there,” Hegseth said. “This is their moment to take advantage of it.”

Iran
Rescue workers and residents search through the rubble in the aftermath of a strike on a girls’ elementary school in Minab, Iran, on Saturday, February 28, 2026. | ISNA/AP

“Not a Regime Change War” — But Leadership Decimated

Despite the rhetoric, Hegseth maintained that the current conflict is not a formal campaign to topple the government in Tehran.

“This is not a so-called regime change war,” he said. “But the regime sure did change, and the world is better off for it.”

US and Israeli operations in recent days have reportedly killed numerous senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dramatically reshaping Iran’s leadership structure and raising questions about succession and stability.

President Donald Trump, in remarks shortly after the joint US-Israeli operation began, echoed similar themes.

“Seize control of your destiny,” Trump said Saturday in an address directed at the Iranian people. “America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.”

Iran
Iran, “will make the enemies sorry for their miscalculation,” said Iran’s national security chief Ali Larijani. | Wael Hamzeh/EPA/Shutterstock

Conflict Expands Across the Region

The war has continued to spiral, with explosions reported across multiple Middle Eastern cities and widening regional involvement.

The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff warned that additional American casualties are expected and cautioned that the campaign “will not be a single, overnight operation.”

The US military confirmed that one American fighter jet was lost in what it described as an “apparent friendly fire incident,” though all crew members are reported to be in stable condition.

Lebanon
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam speaks at the government headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, on December 3, 2025. | Mohamed Azakir/Reuters

Economic and Energy Shockwaves

The conflict has begun sending shockwaves through global energy markets and air travel networks.

Qatar’s state-run energy company temporarily halted production of liquefied natural gas following an Iranian strike near one of its facilities.

Tehran has denied attacking any oil refinery in Saudi Arabia.

Airspace closures across the Middle East have disrupted international flights, stranding travelers and rerouting major carriers as governments reassess security risks.

Iran
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average displayed outside a securities firm in Tokyo, Japan, Monday, March 2, 2026. | Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg/Getty Images

A Pivotal Moment

While US officials publicly deny pursuing regime change as a military objective, their messaging has clearly encouraged internal political transformation within Iran.

Whether that message resonates with the Iranian population — or further hardens nationalist sentiment amid foreign strikes — remains uncertain.

What is clear is that the conflict has entered a volatile new phase, with military, political and economic consequences unfolding simultaneously across the region.

Afghanistan Claims Coordinated Airstrikes Inside Pakistan as Border Tensions Escalate

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Afghanistan-Pakistan skirmish in October 2025 A member of the Afghan Taliban standing over a military vehicle at a rally in Khost, Afghanistan, on October 13, 2025, amid days of deadly clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan. | AFP/Getty Images

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan said Friday, February 27, 2026 that it carried out “coordinated airstrikes” targeting military installations inside Pakistan, in what officials described as retaliation for earlier Pakistani attacks on Afghan territory.

Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry said the strikes were launched at approximately 11:00 a.m. local time and targeted what it called a military camp near Faizabad in Islamabad, a base in Nowshera, positions in Jamrud and additional sites in Abbottabad.

Pakistan had not immediately issued an official response to the claims.

Afghanistan
A general view shows push carts parked at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town of Torkham on October 13, 2025, amid cross-border clashes between the two countries. | AFP

Escalation After Border Clashes

The reported strikes follow a sharp deterioration in relations between the two neighbors since late Thursday, when Kabul announced it had begun “retaliatory operations” along the border in response to Pakistani airstrikes carried out last Sunday.

According to Afghan authorities, the latest operations were a response to what they described as aerial incursions by Pakistani forces overnight into Kabul, Kandahar and Paktia provinces.

“The strikes were carried out in response to the aerial incursions conducted last night by Pakistani forces,” the Afghan Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Tolo News, citing local sources, reported that a mortar shell allegedly fired by Pakistani forces struck a civilian home near Angoor Ada in the Barmal district of Paktika province.

The outlet said three civilians, including children, were killed and seven others wounded.

Casualties on Both Sides

At least 11 people were killed in Pakistan during the recent exchanges, including a civilian and two soldiers, according to Pakistani sources.

Afghan officials said eight Afghan soldiers were killed in the confrontations.

The cross-border violence marks one of the most serious flare-ups in months between the two countries, whose relations have steadily worsened amid mutual accusations over militant activity.

Disputed Narratives

The escalation began after Pakistan conducted airstrikes inside Afghanistan last Sunday, claiming it killed 70 “terrorists.”

Afghan authorities and the United Nations disputed that account, reporting civilian casualties. Islamabad has denied targeting civilians.

Pakistan has repeatedly accused militant groups of operating from Afghan territory and launching attacks across the border — a charge Kabul rejects. Afghan officials, in turn, accuse Pakistan of violating Afghan sovereignty.

Despite ongoing diplomatic contacts aimed at de-escalation, tensions have intensified in recent weeks, raising fears of a broader confrontation between the two neighbouring states.

With both sides trading accusations and military action, regional observers warn that continued retaliatory strikes could destabilise an already fragile border region.

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Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El Rufai , ministerial appointments

Nasir El-Rufai Begins Formal Testimony in ICPC Custody

ABUJA, Nigeria — Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has begun providing formal testimony to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission...