Son of deceased Iranian leader selected to lead country
Iran on Sunday named Mojtaba Khamenei as its new supreme leader, the position his father held for nearly four decades until he was killed by U.S.-Israeli air strikes more than a week ago. The younger Khamenei’s selection shows that Iran’s hardliners have been empowered, and is “a very bad sign for the war,” according to CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. The Trump administration had no plan for government succession in Iran when it started the war and killed the country’s leaders. The ensuing conflict continues today across the Middle East, with a CNN team witnessing apparent air strikes in Tehran after Israel said it launched fresh attacks on Iran.
Oil prices go above $100 per barrel
As the war spreads across the Middle East, the price of oil has surged past $100 per barrel for the first time since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. President Trump, in a social media post, called surging oil costs a “very small price to pay.” However, traders are worried that the war in Iran will lead to prolonged restrictions on the flow of oil around the globe. In the U.S., diesel fuel prices are rising more rapidly than regular gas, which affects more Americans – even those who don’t own diesel-powered vehicles.
Long lines at TSA airport checkpoints
Lines at security checkpoints stretched more than an hour at airports across the country on Sunday as the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security continues. Funding for the agency, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration, lapsed in mid-February amid a standoff between Republicans and Democrats over federal immigration reform. Airports in New Orleans, Atlanta and several other cities reported longer than normal wait times. At Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport, TSA lines stretched for more than three hours on Sunday afternoon, the agency reported. The airport advised passengers to arrive four to five hours before their flights.
Honor for Capitol Police finally in place
A plaque paying tribute to Capitol Police who fought to protect members of the House of Representatives and U.S. Senators was hung near an entrance to the Senate side of the Capitol at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday morning after having been blocked from public display by Republicans for about two years. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson had refused to allow the plaque to be put on display on the House side of the Capitol and said that he had no idea where the plaque was being stored. President Trump has supported members of the mob who attacked the Capitol while refusing to honor Capitol Police who defended it.
Judge rules Trump’s head of Voice of America is there illegally
Federal Judge Royce Lamberth has ruled that Kari Lake, who Donald Trump put in place to head the Voice of America is in the job illegally and has thrown out her actions that included firing most of the staff. The Voice of America has played a significant role in U.S. foreign policy by telling the truth to millions of radio listeners around the world. Voice of America for years had been periodically jammed by Russia, in attempts to prevent the broadcasts from being heard. The Trump administration has tried to shut down the radio broadcasts and installed Kari Lake to carry out its policy. Lake said she will appeal the judge’s ruling.
Some material ™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.
