The United States and Israel's war on Iran is going on a month now, with Iran reportedly dismissing President Trump's ceasefire plan and offering a proposal of their own. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is ordering 2,000 soldiers from the Army's 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. In total, an estimated 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed throughout the region in what the Pentagon is calling "Operation Epic Fury." And lawmakers are facing intense pressure to fund the Department of Homeland Security as travel chaos spreads across the country, with the Senate appearing to be closing in on a deal that would fund parts of DHS like TSA, but not ICE, which has been at the core of the dispute. Now, airlines are turning up the heat on lawmakers. Delta Airlines announced Wednesday that it will suspend special accommodations for members of Congress, including airport escorts and priority travel support. In business, Amazon-backed Zoox is quadrupling its autonomous vehicle service area in San Francisco and preparing for launches in Austin and Miami, and plus-size fashion retailer Torrid is shuttering a significant portion of its physical locations as it shifts focus toward digital sales. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

At New York City's LaGuardia Airport, two pilots were killed and dozens more injured after an Air Canada plane crashed into a Port Authority fire truck. The Federal Aviation Administration closed LaGuardia until the late afternoon on Monday. The fatal collision comes as anxiety surrounding air travel is already growing due to the ongoing partial government shutdown, which has led to hourslong security lines at some airports tied to a nationwide shortage of TSA agents. Meanwhile, President Trump calmed some market uncertainty brought on by the war in Iran, which is entering its fourth week, announcing a five-day moratorium on U.S. attacks of Iranian energy sites; this caused oil prices to come down, with the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all ticking up. In business, California lawmakers are debating a bipartisan bill that would prohibit children under 16 from maintaining social media accounts, and Uber is partnering with Rivian to deploy up to 50,000 autonomous R2 robotaxis across North America and Europe by 2031. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

A deal to merge two of the largest local television news companies, Nexstar and Tegna, closed Thursday despite a lawsuit from the attorneys general of eight states to block it. The Federal Communications Commission and the Justice Department approved the $6.2 billion deal, clearing the way for Nexstar to expand its already massive broadcast operation. Meanwhile, Muslims around the world are celebrating the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It's a day traditionally greeted with joy as families and friends gather in prayer, enjoy traditional delicacies, and take part in vibrant festivities, but this year the celebration comes amid conflict, with war in and across the Middle East. In business, Edison International's CEO received a significant pay raise despite ongoing scrutiny over its potential role in the fatal Eaton Fires, and a new bipartisan bill restored billions in federal funds to help Southern California aerospace and defense startups. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Cesar Chavez's name adorns city streets and university buildings, but later this month, Californians for the first time will celebrate Farmworkers Day after lawmakers voted on Thursday to change the name of the state holiday. This comes after a New York Times investigation came out Wednesday under the headline "Cesar Chavez, a Civil Rights Icon, Is Accused of Abusing Girls for Years." It was a watershed moment and a time of reckoning with Chavez's legacy. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is racing to contain a growing global energy crisis as the war with Iran pushes oil prices further. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business on Thursday that the U.S. government could lift sanctions on Iranian oil, freeing up more than 100 million barrels stranded in the Strait of Hormuz. In business, Josh D’Amaro has officially succeeded Bob Iger as CEO of Disney, and travelers face increasing ticket prices as jet fuel costs surge globally. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

As the Iran War rages on, it's continuing to cause ripples across the global economy, including an increase in the cost of jet fuel, meaning flights might get more expensive for consumers. Meanwhile, as controversial prediction markets take off, one of the biggest names in the industry, Kalshi, is being hit with criminal charges by the state of Arizona. And, just a year after the deadly 2025 Eaton fires, Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, which claimed responsibility for the blaze, rewarded two of their top executives with massive paydays. In business, Amazon has launched a one-hour delivery service in Los Angeles and hundreds of other cities, and Grindr is introducing AI features for premium subscribers to improve user matching and conversation tracking. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The SAVE America Act, a controversial election bill backed by President Trump, is headed for a Senate showdown. It would be one of the largest revisions to voting rights in U.S. history. Meanwhile, National Counterterrorism Center director Joe Kent is resigning, writing on X that he "cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran," which has left over 1,400 Iranians dead. And, Southern California is bracing for what climate scientist Daniel Swain is calling a "full on summer heat wave in March," with temperatures expected to peak Tuesday through Friday, reaching the 80s on the coast, and inland, possibly over 100 degrees. In business, Uber co-founder Travis Kalanick has confirmed his relocation to Texas, joining a growing list of billionaires leaving California ahead of a proposed 5% wealth tax, and Downtown Los Angeles advocates are pushing for the adoption of San Francisco’s "Vacant to Vibrant" program to fill retail vacancies. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr is threatening to revoke the licenses of news outlets that fail to align their reporting with what his agency deems the public interest. Meanwhile, leaders of the country's top airlines are urging Congress to end the partial government shutdown, which has left tens of thousands of TSA agents working without pay. The CEOs of American, JetBlue, Delta, and Southwest sent an open letter to lawmakers Sunday, calling on them to restore funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA. In business, El Pollo Loco plans to open 20 locations outside of California after reporting high sales numbers last year, and the luxury outdoor mall Victoria Gardens sold for $500 million dollars to a real estate venture group. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

The U.S. military announced the death of six service members, who lost their lives when a refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, bringing the total to at least 13 U.S. troops killed in the Iran War. At least 1,300 Iranian civilians have been killed. Meanwhile, the Senate on Thursday passed the most significant housing bill in about 35 years to address the nation's housing crisis. New data shows U.S. economic growth slowed at the end of 2025 after the record-long government shutdown. Hundreds of Los Angeles residents are wearing body cameras to record their daily chores, providing data to help train AI. And, California gas prices have reached an average of $5.20 per gallon, sparking renewed interest in electric vehicles, despite the elimination of federal tax credits and production cutbacks by major automakers. Read more at https://LATimes.com.

Florida's no state income tax and pro-business policies are making it a haven for the wealthy, especially tech billionaires from California. Meanwhile, Iran's attacks on commercial ships and oil refineries in the Persian Gulf have prompted the International Energy Agency to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves, with the U.S. contributing 172 million barrels. And Noma's head chef René Redzepi is stepping down from the restaurant he helped create in 2003, but his LA pop-up will go on. Read more at https://LATimes.com.