博客

Georgia pauses gas tax for 60 days as Iran war fuels price surge

March 20, 2026 8:02 PM UTC / Reuters

By Jasper Ward

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp signs bills into law, including one that will suspend the Georgia motor fuel tax, during a press conference at the Georgia State Capitol building in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., March 20, 2026. REUTERS/Alyssa Pointer Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

March 20 (Reuters) – Georgia Governor Brian Kemp on Friday suspended the state’s gas tax amid rising fuel prices as the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran enters its third week.

The ‌move – the first such relief offered by a U.S. state since the war started on February 28 – suspends Georgia’s tax of 33.3 cents per gallon on gas and 37.3 cents per gallon on diesel for 60 days.

The Reuters Power Up newsletter provides everything you need to know about the global energy industry. Sign up here.

The conflict has ⁠choked supplies from the Middle East – one of the world’s top oil-producing regions – so severely that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering military options to ensure safe passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil shipping route near Iran.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

The U.S. national average gas price on Friday was $3.912 a gallon, the highest since October 2022 and up 31% since the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran ⁠began.

Fifty-five percent of respondents in a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll said their household finances had taken at least “somewhat” of a hit from the increases in gas prices. Among those seeing an impact, 21% said their finances ⁠were affected “a great deal.”

Trump told Reuters earlier this month he was not concerned about the rising prices at the pump, saying he expected prices ⁠to decrease “very rapidly” once the war ended.

Fox News, citing the White House, reported on Friday that the Trump administration was ⁠working on options to alleviate the burdens felt by Americans at the pump.

Shows fuel price increase

Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; editing by Michelle Nichols

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Jury finds Elon Musk liable for misleading investors during Twitter purchase

Updated on: March 20, 2026 / 5:56 PM EDT / CBS/AP

A jury has found Elon Musk liable for misleading investors by deliberately driving down Twitter’s stock price in the tumultuous months leading up to his 2022 acquisition of the social media company for $44 billion. But it absolved him of some fraud allegations, finding that he did not “scheme” to mislead investors.

The civil trial in San Francisco centered on a class-action lawsuit filed just before Musk took control of Twitter, which he later renamed X. Jurors were asked to decide if two tweets and comments Musk made on a podcast in May 2022 amounted to him intentionally defrauding Twitter shareholders, who sold their shares based on Musk’s statements.

The nine-person jury returned the verdict after 3 days of deliberation, nearly three weeks after the trial began on March 2. They said that while Musk was liable for misleading investors with two tweets — including one said the Twitter deal was “temporarily on hold,” he did not do so with a statement he made on a podcast and that he did not intentionally “scheme” to defraud investors.

CBS News has reached out to X for comment on the ruling.

Because it is a class action case, it is not clear what amount in damages Musk will have to pay to thousands of shareholders, many of them institutional investors, but it is likely in the billions. The jury awarded shareholders between about $3 and $8 per stock per day

Musk’s fortune is currently estimated at about $814 billion, much of it tied up in Tesla shares.

Much of the trial focused on Musk’s claims about the number of bots on Twitter. Musk testified that Twitter had a much higher number of fake and spam accounts than the 5% it disclosed in regulatory filings. He used what he called Twitter’s misrepresentation of the number of fake accounts on its service as a reason to retreat from the purchase.

After Musk tried to back out, Twitter went to court in Delaware to force him to honor his original deal. Just before that case was scheduled to go to trial, Musk reversed course again and agreed to pay what he had originally promised.

‘Very foolish mistake’: Trump lashes out at NATO allies over their refusal to help | CNN Politics

By Ileya Robinson-Williams, CNN
Published 6:05 PM EDT, Fri March 20, 2026

‘Very foolish mistake’: Trump lashes out at NATO allies over their refusal to help

President Trump says NATO allies won’t get involved with the war with Iran as he promises prices will drop after the war. Joe Kent, appointed by President Trump to direct the National Counterterrorism Center, resigns over the war in Iran. CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports on the week at the White House.

4:57 • Source: CNN

Inside Politics Highlights 16 videos

新闻人间：苏宁掌门人张近东 首富归零仍是硬汉？

发布/2026年3月21日 05:00 | 联合早报

曾站在中国零售界巅峰，如今落入资产清零的窘境——中国苏宁集团创办人张近东的戏剧性起落，近日被中国舆论聚焦，一波唏嘘与批判声浪中，也夹杂几分敬意。

一度是中国家电零售巨头的苏宁，近年来业务下行并深陷财务困境。早在去年1月，江苏省南京法院已裁定苏宁旗下公司进入破产重整程序。

本周，关于法院裁定苏宁集团等38家公司全部资产装入信托计划的消息浮上台面。据中国媒体报道，高达2387亿元（人民币，下同，约442亿新元）的债务将通过信托计划处置；作为代价，张近东失去作为出资人的收益权，也须将全部个人资产注入重整信托。

庄慧良：赖清德“国民党比日本殖民更差”言论引发争议

发布/2026年3月21日 05:00

台湾总统赖清德（左二）3月14日在总统直选30周年研讨会上发表讲话。 （路透社）

台湾总统赖清德上周六（3月14日）在总统直选30周年研讨会上的一席谈话，迅速在社会上引发高度争议。他指出，国民党政府来台后的统治“比殖民统治的日本对待台湾人民还要差”，并以此解释前总统李登辉为何向日本作家司马辽太郎提及“台湾人的悲哀”。

赖清德去年在大罢免风潮中只讲了四讲便戛然而止的“团结十讲”，竟以如此尖锐的历史评价续篇。不过，总统府小编随后悄悄删除上述那句话，并将赖清德原先口误的“东京都知事”更正为“日本作家”。

政治人物口误在所难免，但谈话流露的价值判断，往往反映内心深层的历史认知。赖清德今年初才与五院院长新春茶叙，重申“在福尔摩沙，没有什么仇恨放不下”；如今一席“国民党比日本殖民还差”的发言，无异再度挑起台湾社会的认同矛盾。

Lawmakers reckon with question of special treatment at airport security amid DHS shutdown

2026-03-20T20:19:37.620Z / CNN Politics

By

[Camila DeChalus]

,

[Veronica Stracqualursi]

3 hr ago

PUBLISHED Mar 20, 2026, 4:19 PM ET

Air travel safety Aviation news Federal agencies Congressional news

[See all topics]

Facebook Tweet[Email]Link Threads

Link Copied!

Passengers walk through a queue to enter a TSA security checkpoint at Ronald Reagan International Airport in Arlington, Virginia., on March 15.

Aaron Schwartz/Reuters

More than a month into the Department of Homeland Security shutdown, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are reckoning with their own travel privileges amid anxieties the funding crunch could exacerbate issues at already understaffed airports around the country.

Lawmakers typically are allowed expedited screenings and to request security escorts at airports as they travel to and from Washington. Escorts, the Transportation Security Administration says, have been paused amid the funding stalemate. But the shutdown’s impacts to TSA, which falls under DHS, have raised fresh questions about how members of Congress travel and whether they should be afforded any preferential treatment.

The US Senate on Thursday passed a bill that would require members of Congress moving forward to go through the same security screening procedures as all passengers and end the use of federal funding for their expedited access. CNN has reached out to House leadership on the legislation.

Ad Feedback

The bill’s future in the GOP-led House wasn’t immediately clear Friday, but some have already come out in support of ending such privileges.

“Public servants should not get special treatment or special access, ever, on any front. That’s how I feel about it,” GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania told CNN.

Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said the issue is resonating with his constituents. “Increasingly, I hear it at town hall meetings — people want senators treated like everybody else,” he said.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna argued on X that TSA should immediately stop all escorts for senators who continue to keep DHS shuttered.

DHS already paused providing “courtesy and family police escorts” for members of Congress at airports last month after funding for the agency lapsed, according to the agency. In a statement to CNN, however, TSA noted that “there are some airports where other non-DHS entities are providing escorts” but did not elaborate on what those entities may be.

CNN has also reached out to US Capitol Police for additional clarity on whether the agency is providing congressional escorts locally.

Rep. Mike Rogers, who previously served as the top Republican on the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized Luna’s comments as “pandering.”

“I’m tired of members pandering like that. I don’t agree with what she said,” Rogers told CNN. He instead redirected his criticism toward the Senate, adding, “The Senate Democrats need to pass the damn DHS funding.”

Sen. John Cornyn, sponsor of the Senate bill, pushed back on resistance to the measure, arguing lawmakers should be held to the same standards as the public.

“I would love to have them stand up and say that to their constituents, because I bet their constituents will disagree with them,” he told CNN on Friday.

Key GOP and Democratic senators sat down Thursday with White House border czar Tom Homan in an attempt to reach a deal to reopen the department, which includes key functions like the Coast Guard and the Federal Emergency Management Agency along with TSA. Homan was set to return to the Hill again Friday for another round of talks with the group of appropriators.

TSA workers are currently going without full pay, prompting some to quit and others to take unscheduled time off, threatening wait times for security screenings at major airports. In recent days, spring break travel has also threatened to compound the travel woes.

“Congress does not seem to care that they are hurting us — that they are ruining lives because they can’t sit down and have a proper conversation on things,” a TSA worker told CNN, requesting anonymity out of fear of retribution.

The airport closest to Capitol Hill, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, has yet to see the long lines like at other airports or be impacted by the shortages in TSA staffing.

CNN’s Sarah Ferris, Kaanita Iyer and Karina Tsui contributed to this report.

Air travel safety Aviation news Federal agencies Congressional news

[See all topics]

Facebook Tweet[Email]Link Threads

Link Copied!

Ad Feedback

Pentagon’s limits on press access unconstitutional, US judge rules

2026-03-20T21:12:23.832Z / Reuters

By Jack Queen

March 20, 2026 9:12 PM UTC Updated 26 mins ago

The Pentagon logo is seen behind the podium in the briefing room at the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., January 8, 2020. REUTERS/Al Drago/File Photo Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab

• Summary
• Companies

• New York Times lawsuit alleged policy violated free speech rights
• Government said policy necessary for national security
• Judge says public should have access to information from different perspectives

NEW YORK, March 20 (Reuters) – A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration’s restrictive Pentagon press access policy, which threatens journalists with being branded security risks ​if they seek information not authorized for public release.

The lawsuit by the New York Times (NYT.N), opens new tab in Washington, D.C., federal court alleged that policy changes ‌by the Defense Department last year gave it free rein to freeze out reporters and news outlets over coverage the department did not like, in violation of the Constitution’s protections for free speech and due process. The government disputed that characterization and said the policy is reasonable and necessary for national security.

Jumpstart your morning with the latest legal news delivered straight to your inbox from The Daily Docket newsletter. Sign up here.

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

Report Ad

U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said in his ruling that he recognized the importance of protecting troops and ​war plans but that it was “more important than ever that the public have access to information from a variety of perspectives about what its government is ​doing” in light of President Donald Trump’s recent “incursion” into Venezuela and war with Iran.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said on social media that ⁠the government disagrees with the decision and will seek an immediate appeal.

New York Times spokesman Charlie Stadtlander said the ruling enforces constitutionally protected rights for the free press ​and “reaffirms the right of The Times and other independent media to continue to ask questions on the public’s behalf.”

Advertisement · Scroll to continue

“Americans deserve visibility into how their government is being run, and the ​actions the military is taking in their name and with their tax dollars,” Stadtlander said in a statement on Friday.

MOST NEWS OUTLETS DID NOT SIGN ON TO NEW POLICY

The changes approved under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in October 2025 state that journalists can be deemed security risks and have their press badges revoked if they solicit unauthorized military personnel to disclose classified, and in some cases unclassified, ​information.

Of the 56 news outlets in the Pentagon Press Association, only one agreed to sign an acknowledgment of the new policy, according to the Times’ lawsuit. Reporters who did ​not sign surrendered their press passes.

The Pentagon assembled a new press corps consisting of pro-Trump outlets and media personalities after the exodus of reporters, which the Times said was evidence that the policy ‌was aimed ⁠at stifling unflattering coverage.

The policy states that publishing sensitive information “is generally protected by the First Amendment” but says soliciting that information could be considered by officials when determining whether a reporter poses a “security or safety risk.”

In its lawsuit, the Times said the policy unlawfully restricts essential newsgathering techniques and gives the Pentagon “unfettered” discretion to revoke passes, permitting it to impose the type of “viewpoint-based” press restrictions forbidden by the Constitution.

Justice Department lawyers acknowledged the policy was partly subjective but said press credentialing decisions were still governed by neutral, objective criteria. The ​government also said soliciting military personnel to ​commit a crime by disclosing unauthorized information ⁠was not legally protected speech.

In his ruling on Friday, Friedman said the policy violated the First and Fifth Amendments because it was vague, overly expansive and “makes any newsgathering and reporting not blessed by the Department” a possible basis for revocation of a journalist’s ​pass.

He also rejected the government’s argument that the policy is aimed at preventing criminal solicitation of defense secrets by journalists, saying ​it was impossible for ⁠reporters to know whether information they seek is authorized for release.

The policy change was criticized by journalism advocates, who called it another attack on the free press by Trump and his administration.

Freedom of the Press Foundation advocacy chief Seth Stern praised Friday’s ruling in a statement, saying it was “shocking” that the government had argued that “journalists asking questions of the government is criminal.”

The Associated ⁠Press has a ​pending lawsuit against Trump administration officials over its removal from the White House press corps after the ​news agency decided to continue using the Gulf of Mexico’s established name, while acknowledging Trump’s executive order calling on U.S. institutions to refer to it as the Gulf of America.

The AP said the decision was illegal viewpoint-based ​discrimination, while the government countered that it had wide discretion over press access decisions for non-public spaces.

Reporting by Jack Queen in New York; Editing by Kate Mayberry and Rosalba O’Brien

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

大陆海警频现踪金门水域 台海巡吁停止可能引发冲突行为

发布时间：2026年3月21日 07:19

中国大陆海警船近一周内三度现踪金门周边水域，台湾海巡署呼吁大陆重视区域和平稳定，停止任何可能引发冲突的骚扰行为。

据台湾海巡署官网消息，台湾海巡署金马澎分署称，大陆海警船继3月16日及17日侵扰金门水域后，星期五（3月20日）下午再度被侦获航近台方水域。

台湾海巡称，星期五下午2时许，通过情监侦系统掌握大陆海警船动向，提前完成兵力部署；下午3时，大陆海警“14507”、“14609”、“14531”及“14604”等四艘船，自料罗与沙溪堡南方分两路进入限制水域，采编队方式接近。

台湾巡防艇采取一对一并航监控策略，通过中、英文无线电广播要求对方转向离开；经持续对应与驱离，大陆海警船于下午5时3分全数转向驶离金门限制水域。

台湾海巡署称，大陆海警近来频繁以不同编组模式进行灰色地带行动，企图干扰台方海域执法认知，营造其管辖权存在的假象。

台湾海巡署呼吁大陆重视区域和平稳定，停止任何可能引发冲突或升高对立的骚扰行为；并强调，面对日益严峻的灰色地带威胁，海巡将持续通过高科技装备，全天候掌握海面动态，全力捍卫主权，确保海域安全。

Trump reshapes a key US House race by offering a candidate and her husband roles if they drop out

2026-03-20T20:39:11.976Z / CNN

By

[Kit Maher]

,

[Sarah Ferris]

Updated 2 hr ago

Updated Mar 20, 2026, 4:49 PM ET

PUBLISHED Mar 20, 2026, 4:39 PM ET

Donald Trump Tariffs Primary elections Congressional news

[See all topics]

Facebook Tweet[Email]Link Threads

Link Copied!

President Donald Trump speaks with reporters before departing on Marine One from the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, March 20, 2026, in Washington, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP

President Donald Trump is reshaping a Colorado Republican primary by offering one of the candidates a role in his administration and returning his endorsement to the incumbent, whom he called a “RINO” just last month.

On Friday, Trump said that he met with Hope Scheppelman, who is running for Colorado’s 3rd District, and her husband, Steven, “to discuss various opportunities to serve our Country in a different capacity than her current run for the United States Congress.”

“Hope and Steven are wonderful and patriotic Veterans of our U.S. Navy, and loyal supporters of our Historic MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN Movement. Therefore, I am proud to announce that they will be leaving the Campaign trail in order to join my Administration, in a capacity to be determined,” [Trump wrote on social media], adding that they decided nothing should impede GOP Rep. Jeff Hurd’s race.

Ad Feedback

Trump has used his endorsement as a tool to exert power or threaten members of Congress who go against him, but despite Trump making good on that threat, House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared to demonstrate how the president can also be convinced to change his mind.

Two sources familiar with the matter said that Johnson made a strong case to the White House to support Hurd, who represents a competitive district that Trump won by about 10 points in 2024.

“The Speaker advocated vigorously for Jeff who has been a great colleague and great member of the House Republican Conference,” one of the sources said.

It’s not clear yet what roles Scheppelman and her husband will serve in the administration. The White House did not respond to CNN’s request for comment on what capacity the Scheppelman’s will be serving, why her husband was also offered a role and whether the president directly offered them jobs in exchange for stepping out of the race.

In a statement, Scheppelman announced she suspended her campaign and cited Trump’s “request to withdraw,” due to the slim GOP majority in the House. Calling on Hurd to “correct his naive voting record and support President Trump,” she vowed to run again in 2028 if indeed Hurd wins this fall and fails to do so.

It was a significant flip for Trump, who in February publicly withdrew his endorsement of Hurd based on “lack of support” for his tariffs, calling him “one of a small number of Legislators who have let me and our Country down.” He then gave Scheppelmam his “Complete and Total Endorsement.”

Another source familiar told CNN Johnson shared with the president he had to stand by Hurd, and the president told him he understood and wouldn’t object to that.

Trump made clear that his decision was fueled by preventing a Democratic alternative from winning, writing, “It is time to stand together against the people that want to destroy our Great Nation, and vote for Jeff Hurd.”

“I’m grateful for President Trump’s support and appreciate his efforts to unify Republicans in Colorado’s Third District. The President and I share the same goals: securing the border, American energy dominance, and helping working families,” Hurd [wrote in part on X].

Hurd was [one of the six Republicans] who voted to effectively repeal Trump’s tariffs on Canada, and the president attempted to punish Hurd in the midterms by [pulling his support.] Trump warned of the consequences of going against his tariffs, [writing on Truth Social], “Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!”

The change shows just how important each race is being treated by Republicans ahead of the midterms, and the Speaker specifically, who is working to maintain a thin majority in the House.

After losing Trump’s endorsement, Hurd told CNN’s Manu Raju manufacturers and agricultural producers in his district were “absolutely” hurting from tariffs, and their concerns weighed on his vote.

“No one here in Washington, DC, votes for me. It’s the people back in Colorado’s 3rd Congressional District,” Hurd said at the time.

Asked by Raju if he was concerned about Trump’s wrath, Hurd said, “I do the right thing, and what the consequences are, we’ll have to see.”

Hurd ultimately regained Trump’s endorsement without any mention of tariffs. As much as tariffs were a huge blow to Trump — and still remain a key issue — much of the conversation from the White House has revolved around the Iran war and next steps in the Middle East.

When Trump stripped Hurd’s endorsement, he emphasized how rare it was and how “Taking back an Endorsement is a difficult decision for me.”

Trump has taken his endorsement back from Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks and he also withdrew support for Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who ultimately resigned.

Donald Trump Tariffs Primary elections Congressional news

[See all topics]

Facebook Tweet[Email]Link Threads

Link Copied!

Ad Feedback

中国军方指菲飞机闯入美济礁附近空域 已警告驱离

2026年3月21日 07:50 / 联合早报

中国军方指菲律宾飞机闯入南中国海争议海域的美济礁（Mischief Reef）附近空域，解放军南部战区组织海空兵力跟踪监视、警告驱离。

据“南部战区”微信公号消息，南部战区新闻发言人、海军大校翟士臣说，星期五（3月20日），菲律宾一架C-208型机未经中国政府允许，非法闯入南沙美济礁附近空域。解放军南部战区组织海空兵力，依法依规跟踪监视、警告驱离。

翟士臣指菲方行为严重侵犯中国主权，“正告菲方立即停止侵权挑衅”，共同维护南中国海地区和平稳定。

两天前，解放军南部战区也曾通报，称两架菲律宾飞机星期三（18日）现身中菲有主权争议的黄岩岛（菲律宾称斯卡伯勒浅滩）空域，中国军方组织海空兵力警告驱离。

菲律宾军方星期五则发表声明，指责一艘中国海军舰艇本月较早时在南中国海萨比纳礁（Sabina Shoal，中国称仙宾礁）巡逻时，把火控雷达对准菲律宾的一艘舰艇；菲律宾军方指中方此举“令人警惕且具挑衅性”。