Trump launches strikes on Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen, killing 24: Live updates

Donald Trump’s Oval Office attack on Ukraine’s president last month appeared to mark a very public realignment of America’s sympathies – away from Europe and towards Russia in a manner that few could have imagined during the Cold War years.

The Republican Party, now dominated by Trump’s “America First” MAGA movement, once considered the former Soviet Union “the evil empire” under Ronald Reagan and relished its collapse.

Today, the GOP stands accused of parroting Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric and some even refuse to admit the plain fact that Moscow began the war by invading its neighbor.

Jimmy Carr has reflected on the time Elon Musk attended one of his comedy shows with a group of heavily armed men.

Although he appears to be at odds with some people in the comedy world the same can’t be said for Carr. Shortly after Musk’s “Nazi salute” controversy at Donald Trump’s inauguration celebration, Carr defended the Tesla CEO during a stand-up gig in Washington DC.

“For the record, Elon Musk is not a f**king Nazi. It’s just the internet goes ‘he’s a Nazi’ almost immediately. He’s a f**king genius. And Neal Brennan, my friend pointed this out brilliantly, if you’re a genius…there’s a little Salt Bae of f**king crazy that comes with it. He’s maybe a little bit crazy but he’s not a f**king Nazi. He’s alright. I’ve met him. He’s a very nice fella. Great sense of humour.”

Speaking to The Telegraph, Carr recalled an encounter with Musk when the billionaire attended a television performance of his in Los Angeles in 2016.

Demonstrators gathered outside the Tesla centre in Park Royal, west London, on Saturday (15 March), holding up banners that read “Honk if you hate Elon.”

It followed a Just Stop Oil protest on Wednesday. Two protesters were arrested after pouring orange powdered paint over a robot at a shop in Shepherd’s Bush, the Metropolitan Police said.

Organisers are encouraging Tesla owners to sell their cars and for people to dump stock amid calls for a boycott over Musk’s close ties with US president Donald Trump.

Tesla has been a target of protests and vandalism in America in recent weeks.

Alexander Butler has the story:

President Donald Trump appears to have expanded the scope of the travel ban from his first term to include 43 countries, according to a report.

It was developed by the State Department weeks ago, officials familiar with the matter told the outlet, who cautioned it will likely undergo changes by the time the White House gets ahold of it.

Kelly Rissman has the story:

A surging portion of American voters are dissatisfied with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a new poll has revealed.

In addition, 54 percent of respondents agreed with the statement that DOGE was doing “more damage than good” to America.

Only 36 percent of respondents support the world’s richest man’s brash measures slashing federal departments and jobs.

Madeline Sherratt has the story:

Trump administration workforce cuts at federal agencies overseeing U.S. dams are threatening their ability to provide reliable electricity, supply farmers with water and protect communities from floods, employees and industry experts warn.

The Bureau of Reclamation provides water and hydropower to the public in 17 western states. Nearly 400 agency workers have been cut through the Trump reduction plan, an administration official said.

“Reductions-in-force” memos have also been sent to current workers, and more layoffs are expected. The cuts included workers at the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest hydropower generator in North America, according to two fired staffers interviewed by The Associated Press.

In the span of a week, a hush has descended on higher education in the United States.

International students and faculty have watched the growing crackdown on pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University with apprehension. Some say they are familiar with government crackdowns but never expected them on American college campuses.

The elite New York City university has been the focus of the Trump administration’s effort to deport foreigners who took part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at colleges last year.

Federal immigration agents have arrested two foreigners — one of them a student — who protested last year at Columbia. They’ve revoked the visa of another student, who fled the U.S. this week. Department of Homeland Security agents also searched the on-campus residences of two Columbia students on Thursday but did not make any arrests there.

The head of Donald Trump’s task force on antisemitism has shared a white nationalist’s quip about the president revoking “Jew cards.”

The startling share comes even as Trump threatens to deport or arrest university students protesting on behalf of war-torn Gaza, implying such actions are antisemitic.

Former Fox News contributor Leo Terrell, who now heads the Federal Task Force to Combat Antisemitism, shared the post by white nationalist Patrick Casey earlier this week chortling that Trump can “revoke someone’s Jew card.”

Read more from Mary Papenfuss:

President Donald Trump launched military strikes against the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, reportedly killing at least 24 people.

Reuters reported that the Houthi-run health ministry said that 13 civilians were killed in the capital Sanaa. At least 11 others were killed in the northern province of Saada, according to the Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV.

Trump said the strikes would continue until the Houthis stopped their attacks on shipping vessels off the coast.

“Our brave Warfighters are right now carrying out aerial attacks on the terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore Navigational Freedom,” the president said in a social media post on Saturday. “No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.”