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Trump says talks are happening. Iran says they’re not. Why a former Trump Iran negotiator says both might be true | CNN Politics

2026-03-23T17:34:26.950Z / CNN

Trump says talks are happening. Iran says they’re not. Why a former Trump Iran negotiator says both might be true

By Dana Bash, CNN

Published 1:34 PM EDT, Mon March 23, 2026

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Trump says talks are happening. Iran says they’re not. Why a former Trump Iran negotiator says both might be true

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Nate Swanson, who previously served on President Trump’s Iran negotiator team and as an Iran lead at the National Security Council, joins CNN’s Dana Bash on the state of the war amid reports of possible U.S.-Iran negotiations.

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A ruling from the high court is expected by June

By Breanne Deppisch, Shannon Bream, Bill Mears

Fox News

Published March 23, 2026 2:40pm EDT

The Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Monday appeared poised to overturn state laws from Mississippi and other U.S. states that allow for the counting of mail-in ballots received after Election Day — a major case that could upend voting laws for millions of Americans just months before the 2026 midterm elections.

At issue is a Mississippi voting law that allows the state to count mail-in ballots that are received up to five days after the election, so long as they are postmarked by or before Election Day.

President Donald Trump has focused on mail-in voting during his second White House term, and has argued that such laws undermine voter confidence. Similar laws are currently on the books for at least 13 states and the District of Columbia, in a sign of the wide-ranging nature of the case.

During roughly two hours of oral arguments Monday, conservative justices appeared sympathetic to the argument made by the Trump administration’s lawyer, U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer, who noted that the Mississippi law and similar voting laws in other states could erode voter trust in election results.

SCOTUS TO REVIEW TRUMP EXECUTIVE ORDER ON BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

Supreme Court justices are seen at the State of the Union.(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Justice Samuel Alito pointed to concerns that “confidence in election outcomes can be seriously undermined” when results are delayed, which was echoed later by Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

“If the apparent winner the morning after the election ends up losing due to late arriving ballots, charges of a rigged election could explode,” Kavanaugh noted.

The case comes as Trump has targeted mail-in voting efforts in his second presidential term. He previously signed an executive order seeking to end mail-in ballots in federal elections, with which several GOP-led states have complied.

That action was separate from the current Supreme Court appeal, however, which centered on the Republican National Committee’s lawsuit brought against Mississippi over its mail-in voting statutes, enacted after the COVID-19 pandemic. The law allows mail-in voting ballots to be received up to five days after the election.

Mississippi officials sought to defend their law against questions from conservative justices regarding a “slippery slope,” and other hypothetical questions raised by conservative justices, including questions centered on early voting, and votes sent by U.S. service members stationed overseas.

SUPREME COURT SIGNALS IT MAY LIMIT KEY VOTING RIGHTS ACT RULE

Certified absentee ballots are seen in this file photo ahead of the Supreme Court’s consideration of a Mississippi mail-in voting law.(AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

“If history teaches anything,” Justice Neil Gorsuch noted, “[it is that] as soon as anything is allowed, it will happen.”

Gorsuch pressed lawyers on various hypothetical questions, including how far states could go in pushing their own deadlines for accepting mail-in ballots, should the Supreme Court side with Mississippi in the case.

“If we were to rule against you, is there anything that would limit a state from allowing a receipt by election officials up until the day of the next Congress?” Gorsuch asked at one point during arguments.

Paul Clement, who presented arguments for the Republican Party and Libertarian voters, suggested that a high court ruling for Mississippi would open the door to “limitless” options.

“Maybe the next state can figure out a way to have an election without anybody even receiving anything, I don’t know,” Clement said. “That seems to me to be a large reason why Election Day should mean ‘Election Day.’”

FEDERAL JUDGES IN NEW YORK AND TEXAS BLOCK TRUMP DEPORTATIONS AFTER SCOTUS RULING

The Supreme Court building in Washington, D.C.(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

The high court’s consideration of the case comes amid a long-standing legal tug-of-war over how much control states should have over their voting regulations, including in elections involving both federal and local candidates.

It comes as justices are weighing other high-stakes election cases this year, including the use of race to draw congressional voting districts, and a federal law restricting the amount of money that political parties can spend in coordination with candidates for Congress and president.

Lawyers for Mississippi told the court that an ”election’ is the conclusive choice of an officer… So the federal Election-Day statutes require only that the voters cast their ballots by Election Day.”

“The election has then occurred, even if election officials do not receive all ballots by that day.”

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The high court is expected to rule on the states’ counting of mail-in ballots by June.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

Breanne Deppisch is a national politics reporter for Fox News Digital covering the Trump administration, with a focus on the Justice Department, FBI and other national news. She previously covered national politics at the Washington Examiner and The Washington Post, with additional bylines in Politico Magazine, the Colorado Gazette and others. You can send tips to Breanne at Breanne.Deppisch@fox.com, or follow her on X at @breanne_dep.

Two dead in New York jet collision, Trump deploys ICE to strained US airports | Reuters

March 23, 2026 4:11 PM UTC / Reuters

ATLANTA/WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, March 23 (Reuters) – Two pilots died in ​a runway accident that shut New York’s LaGuardia Airport and President Donald Trump deployed armed immigration agents to help with hours-long lines, adding further strain to a U.S. air-travel ‌system already hobbled by personnel shortages and rising fuel costs.

The crash between an Air Canada Express (AC.TO), opens new tab jet and a fire truck at LaGuardia injured dozens of passengers and led to hundreds of flight cancellations at the start of the working week, the latest disruption for airports and carriers that have been knocked off-kilter by a weeks-long budget standoff in Congress.

The Reuters Iran Briefing newsletter keeps you informed with the latest developments and analysis of the Iran war. Sign up here.

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Travelers have endured hours-long waits at security screening checkpoints in recent days as absentee rates have spiked among ​Transportation Security Administration employees who have gone without pay for more than a month.

“If you work, you should get your money. Why should that be a problem?” said traveler ​Edwin Blain, 60, who showed up four hours early to avoid missing his flight at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport, the nation’s busiest, where 42% of TSA ⁠agents were absent on Sunday.

ICE DEPLOYED TO AIRPORTS

On Monday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents wearing flak jackets and pistols stood guard in airports in Atlanta, New York and New Jersey, according ​to Reuters witnesses. They were not wearing the masks that have become a divisive symbol of Trump’s immigration crackdown and a subject of negotiations in Congress.

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White House immigration czar Tom Homan said agents ​had been deployed to 14 airports, in cities including New York, Chicago, Atlanta and Houston.

Authorities said the agents would provide crowd control, but Trump said they could also make arrests – raising concerns that the chaotic raids that have played out on the streets of Minneapolis, Chicago and elsewhere might come to the nation’s airports as well.

“They’re able to now arrest illegals as they come into the country. That’s very fertile territory,” Trump told reporters. “But that’s not ​why they’re there. They’re really there to help.”

Item 1 of 7 Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents walk at Newark Liberty International Airport, as hundreds of them were ordered to deploy to airports to help fill TSA staffing gaps, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

[1/7]Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents walk at Newark Liberty International Airport, as hundreds of them were ordered to deploy to airports to help fill TSA staffing gaps, in Newark, New Jersey, U.S., March 23, 2026. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon [Purchase Licensing Rights, opens new tab]

In Washington, there was little sign that the standoff between Trump’s Republicans and opposition Democrats would end soon. Democrats have refused to fund the Department ​of Homeland Security without new curbs on immigration agents, who have killed U.S. citizens and sparked public outrage during their crackdown.

Though the White House has engaged in talks, Trump said on Monday he would not sign off ‌on any ⁠compromise until Congress first passed a series of voting restrictions that Democrats have rejected, adding another potential roadblock to a deal.

Airlines are also facing rising fuel costs, which have spiked since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran more than three weeks ago. United Airlines (UAL.O), opens new tab said on Friday it would cut flights through the busy summer travel season, citing elevated oil prices.

LAGUARDIA COLLISION KILLS TWO, SEVERAL HOSPITALIZED

In New York, the pilot and first officer of an Air Canada Express jet were killed when the plane collided with a fire truck while it was landing, while another nine people were hospitalized with serious injuries. The ​CRJ-900 plane, operated by regional partner Jazz Aviation, ​had been carrying 72 passengers and four ⁠crew members. Some 572 flights were canceled, more than 50% of LaGuardia’s daily total.

A separate 35-minute ground stop at nearby Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday morning added to delays after air traffic controllers evacuated their tower because of a burning smell from an elevator, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

U.S. ​aviation has faced a chronic shortage of air traffic controllers, but it was not immediately clear what led to the crash. Transportation Secretary ​Sean Duffy and other officials ⁠were traveling to New York to investigate. Air-crash investigations typically find that accidents result from multiple contributing factors, rather than a single cause.

Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, said the fire truck was responding to a separate aircraft that had reported an “issue with odor.”

According to air traffic control audio, a controller can be heard telling the craft that a fire truck ⁠was en route ​and clearing a truck to cross a runway. Moments later, the controller can be heard saying: “Stop, stop, stop, truck ​1 stop, truck 1, stop.”

On Monday morning, the Air Canada jet could be seen on the runway, surrounded by emergency vehicles, its crushed cockpit pointing skyward. By Monday afternoon, LaGuardia had reopened one of its runways.

Reporting by Shannon Stapleton in New ​York, Jayla Whitfield-Anderson in Atlanta, David Shepardson in Washington and Allison Lampert in Montreal, additional reporting by and Bhargav Acharya; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Scott Malone, David Gaffen and Bill Berkrot

Amid Iran talks, Strait of Hormuz dotted with about a dozen Iranian mines, U.S. officials say

March 23, 2026 / 2:57 PM EDT / CBS News

Washington — Amid Trump administration demands for Tehran to keep the free flow of commerce in the Strait of Hormuz, U.S. officials have told CBS News that there are at least a dozen underwater mines through the vital passageway, according to current American intelligence assessments.

U.S. officials, who have seen current American intelligence assessments and spoke to CBS News under condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive national security matters, said the mines currently employed by Iran in the strait are the Iranian-manufactured Maham 3 and Maham 7 Limpet Mine.

Another U.S. official said the count was less than a dozen.

On Monday morning, President Trump backed off his threat to “obliterate” power plants if Iran continued to block the strait. Mr. Trump said his Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner had engaged in negotiations with Tehran.

“That’ll be open very soon, if this works,” the president said of the strait and the latest ploy for diplomacy. Mr. Trump said the flow of oil in the strait would be jointly controlled by “me and the Ayatollah, whoever the Ayatollah is.”

Iran’s foreign ministry denied that direct talks had taken place. Iranian state media accused Mr. Trump of wanting to buy time.

The Maham 3 is a moored naval mine that uses magnetic and acoustic sensors to detect nearby vessels without physical contact. It can engage targets within about 10 feet, analyzing movement to determine the most effective moment to activate. An electronic timer controls when the mine is active, while its one magnetic and two passive acoustic sensors can be configured through coded inputs, allowing for flexible and simplified operation, according to the Collective Awareness to Unexploded Ordnance website, a platform that connects the explosive ordnance disposal community to share information and improve global awareness of unexploded ordnance and related hazards.

First shown publicly at an arms exhibition in 2015, the Iranian-made Maham 7, known as a “sticking mine” is a more elusive naval weapon. The device, a compact high-explosive limpet mine designed to rest along the seabed, relies on a combination of acoustic and three-axis magnetic sensors to detect nearby vessels. Its intended targets included medium-sized ships, landing craft and smaller submarines.

Flexible in deployment, it can be released from surface vessels or dropped by aircraft and helicopters, even into relatively shallow waters. The shape of the Maham 7 was engineered to scatter incoming sonar waves that complicates detection by minesweeping systems, allowing it to remain concealed until a target passes within range, according to the Collective Awareness to Unexploded Ordnance website.

Contacted by CBS News on Monday, U.S. Central Command declined to comment.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said: “The Department of War has destroyed over 40 minelaying vessels to stop Iran from attempting to disrupt the free flow of energy. And thanks to President Trump, many countries around the world have agreed to help in this effort.”

Last week, Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters that U.S. Central Command, the primary unit conducting American military operations against Iran, is continuing to target and destroy mine storage facilities and naval ammunition depots.

“We continue to hunt and kill afloat assets, including more than 120 vessels and 44 mine layers, and the pressure will continue,” said Caine.

Caine also underscored the U.S. military’s targeting of Kharg Island where Iran has mine storage and deployment facilities. Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command has overseen more than 90 precision strikes in that region.

Earlier this month, CBS News reported that Iran was preparing to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz in an effort to further disrupt key shipping lanes.

American officials told CBS News that Iran was using smaller crafts that can carry two to three mines each to lay them into the strait. While an official account of Iran’s naval mine stock is not publicly available, estimates over the years have ranged from roughly 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines largely produced by Iran, China or Russia—even mines dating back to the former Soviet Union. A 2019 report from the Defense Intelligence Agency said Iran had a naval mine stockpile of more than 5,000 that could be rapidly deployed by way of “high-speed small boats equipped as minelayers.”

Following the report from CBS News, Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social: “If Iran has put out any mines in the Hormuz Strait, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed, IMMEDIATELY!”

That same day, U.S. Central Command released declassified footage of airstrikes on 16 minelayers near the Strait of Hormuz.

Other news outlets, including CNN and Reuters reported earlier this month that Iran had laid mines.

Meanwhile, the residual impacts of the U.S.-Israel led war with Iran has been felt abroad and in the United States as the war enters its fourth week.

About 20% of global oil supply flowed through the strait prior to the war’s start on February 28. Domestic gas prices have steadily risen since, up an average of roughly a dollar a gallon, according to GasBuddy.com.

A recent CBS News poll shows the majority of Americans feel negatively about the ongoing war with Iran. While 43% said the conflict with Iran was going “very to somewhat well,” 57% reported that it was “very to somewhat badly.” Overall, 62% disapprove of Mr. Trump’s handling of the Iran war and 38% saying they approve.

Stocks rallied sharply on Monday, reversing early pessimism after Mr. Trump said he would delay his ultimatum deadline for Iran over the strait given his claim of productive peace talks with Tehran. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed more than 1,000 points, rising 2.4% to 46,654. The broader market followed suit: the S&P 500 gained 2.1 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite, heavily weighted toward technology companies, advanced 2.4%.

Arden Farhi, Kathryn Watson, Caroline Linton, Aimee Picchi and Layla Ferris contributed to this report.

Thousands in taxpayer funds spent on horse, hair and makeup expenses for Kristi Noem’s Mount Rushmore ad | CNN Politics

3 min read

Thousands in taxpayer funds spent on horse, hair and makeup expenses for Kristi Noem’s Mount Rushmore ad

By

Michael Williams

Updated 17 min ago

Updated Mar 23, 2026, 3:43 PM ET

PUBLISHED Mar 23, 2026, 12:51 PM ET

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Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem rides a horse while filming an ad at Mount Rushmore in South Dakota on October 2, 2025.

Tia Dufour/DHS

Tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars were spent on expenses for hair and makeup artists and a horse for the advertisement showcasing outgoing Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in front of Mount Rushmore, according to invoices seen by CNN.

Invoices to the Strategy Group, a DHS subcontractor that produced the advertisement, show taxpayers footed a $20,000 bill to a South Dakota-based barrel racer, along with nearly $4,000 for hair and makeup services. The invoices were sent by the subcontractor in response to a request from Sens. Peter Welch and Richard Blumenthal and shared with CNN on Monday.

Upon becoming DHS secretary last year, Noem pledged to root out wasteful spending from her agency. The secretary instituted strict cost-control efforts and tightened her grip on the purse strings of the country’s federal disaster management agency.

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But at the same time, DHS spent exorbitant amounts of money on advertising campaigns that featured Noem prominently, part of a broader advertising effort by the department that cost more than $200 million. That spending was the basis of several questions she received from lawmakers during a pair of congressional hearings earlier this month.

Under questioning from Republican Sen. John Kennedy, Noem said President Donald Trump approved the spending. Trump denied doing so, and shortly after Noem made that claim, the president announced she would leave DHS by the end of this month. Trump selected Markwayne Mullin to replace Noem, and the Oklahoma senator is headed toward an expected Senate confirmation vote as soon as Monday evening.

Asked for comment by CNN, DHS responded with a statement that did not address the specific expenses but noted the department “cannot and does not determine, control or weigh in on who contractors hire or use to fulfill the terms of the contract.”

Invoices shared with CNN showed that the Strategy Group — whose CEO is the husband of Noem’s former top spokesperson — accrued more than $100,000 in labor costs, along with a $60,000 “signing bonus” to produce the ad. About $50,000 was spent on videography, photography and production vendors.

“This looks like waste, fraud, and abuse to me,” Welch said in a statement. “While leading the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem and her senior team allowed tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to be spent on wasteful production costs, a shady signing bonus, and a very expensive horse — and that’s just what we know so far.”

CNN has reached out to the Strategy Group for comment. The company has previously pushed back on the efforts of Welch and Blumenthal and accused them of mischaracterizing the spending on the ad.

The 60-second ad, which was filmed in October, shows Noem riding a chestnut-colored horse while wearing a cowboy hat and chaps in front of Mount Rushmore. “Why do I love these wide-open spaces? They remind me of why our forefathers came here. Not just for its beauty, but for the freedom only America provides,” the former South Dakota governor says in the ad.

The ad intersperses pivotal moments in American history with images of Trump, including after his July 2024 assassination attempt. In a voiceover, Noem vows to protect Americans’ freedom and to arrest undocumented immigrants.

“But if you come here the right way,” she says toward the end of the ad, “your American dream can be as big as these endless skies.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

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前大学同事：郭振羽不畏艰难 为大学教育作贡献 助亚洲学者建立沟通桥梁

发布时间 / 来源：2026年3月23日 22:59 / 联合早报

南洋理工大学于2011年把“终身荣誉教授”荣衔授予郭振羽。这是是南大颁发的最高荣衔，只颁给在学术与服务方面有非常杰出贡献的退休教职人员。 （档案照片）

在前同事的眼中，已故的郭振羽教授是一位不畏艰难的学者，为本地大学教育贡献良多，还竭力为亚洲学者建立学术沟通的桥梁。

南洋理工大学黄金辉传播与信息学院终身荣誉教授汪炳华接受《联合早报》采访时说，尽管郭振羽当年在新加坡国立大学已享有崇高的声誉，但仍然接受挑战，毅然转投南大创办传播学院（黄金辉传播与信息学院前身），一切从头开始。

创院初期，郭振羽积极与国外大学接洽，以设立双向的交换生计划，让南大学生能够到国外传播学院学习与交流。有一回郭振羽登门拜访一所美国大学，但院长拒绝见面。

汪炳华说：“那名院长还让秘书告诉郭教授，不会与南大合作设立交换生计划，因为在新加坡是不可能教授新闻学的。不过，郭教授没气馁，仍继续与其他大学接触。”

国际传播学会于2000年在新加坡举办学术年会，南大是承办单位。当时有些国外学者认为新加坡没有言论自由，发起抵制行动，呼吁其他学者不要出席会议。但郭振羽还是费尽心力办好年会，争取各地学者出席，结果年会举办得很成功。

据汪炳华说，郭振羽创院和出任院长时碰到很多困难，都没向同事和下属诉苦，只是咬紧牙根把事办好。很多事情都是在多年后，大家聊天时无意中提起才知道的。

第一届“新加坡华语电影节”2013年4月26日至5月5日举行。新加坡电影协会主席陈继贤（左）与时任新跃大学新跃中华学术中心主任郭振羽签署备忘录，加强双方合作，共同致力于将新加坡华语电影节打造为本地的年度盛事之一。（档案照片）

2018年退休的郝晓鸣教授也曾在南大与郭振羽共事多年。让他印象很深刻的其中一事，是1995年协助筹办首届“世界华文传媒与华夏文明国际学术研讨会”。会议由南大、中国新闻史学会，以及中国华中科技大学联办，约150名来自中港台、新加坡和其他国家地区的学者，从武汉出发，沿着三峡水域到重庆，在船上进行深入讨论，发表100多篇论文。

郝晓鸣认为，郭振羽的这项努力不只为新中学者搭起学术沟通的桥梁，也帮助中国大陆学者和其他国家地区学者之间的交流开了路。

郝晓鸣至今仍记得当年在美国深造，驾车八小时到芝加哥与郭振羽见面，获得一纸聘书的情景。“他和下属相处很融洽，也没有架子。他平等对待所有人，即使观点不一样，也给予尊重。他也很信任下属，只要把工作交托给我们，就会完全放心。”

郭振羽去世前一天的下午，郝晓鸣到医院探望。当时郭振羽相当清醒，只是说话较为费力；他约12个小时后离世，让郝晓鸣有些意外。

本地资深广告创意人林少芬是郭振羽在国大执教时的学生。她在郭振羽弥留之际，到医院病榻探望。她当时握着郭振羽孱弱的手说：“老师，在国大我最高兴的是成为您的学生。”

郭振羽以气若游丝的声音回应“It’s my honour”（意为这是我的荣幸），让林少芬感动得几乎落泪。

她告诉《联合早报》，课堂上的郭振羽思路清晰、风趣幽默，且见解独到。他在讲台上是一口流利的英语，讲台下则是字正腔圆的华语，是许多学生心中的偶像。

林少芬说：“数十年来，无论著述、学术研究还是公开演讲，他对新加坡社会、媒体与语文现象的观察与思考始终深刻而独到。更难能可贵的是，他总能以语重心长之姿，提出真诚而有分量的见解与建言。老师对新加坡文化建设的贡献，远远超出人们表面所见。”

在学生眼中，郭振羽思路清晰、风趣幽默，还是一名会鼓励学生的好老师。（档案照片）

新加坡艺术大学校长郭建文教授于1977年至1982年间在国大求学，是郭振羽在社会学系执教时的学生。他形容郭振羽是一名会鼓励学生的好导师，激励着他成为一名学者。

郭振羽2003年创办南大人文与社会科学学院时，邀请郭建文出任副院长。“我从他身上学到的宝贵经验，也一直为我在新艺大的工作提供指引。我永远对他作为老师、学者、学术领袖和公共知识分子的榜样，深怀感激。”

南大退休教授陈抗曾是人文与社会科学学院的经济学系主任，也与郭振羽共事过。据他形容，郭振羽和五名系主任工作融洽，组成一个很好的团队。

陈抗说：“我十分欣赏他的领导力和人格魅力。作为署理院长，郭教授非常支持经济系的工作，包括经济系在2004年率先招生，以及2005年开办公共行政硕士课程。”

身体欠佳仍坚持写书分享想法

国大李光耀公共政策学院政策研究所兼治理与经济部门主管周瀚毅博士，在南大传播学院攻读硕士学位时，和郭振羽合作撰写一篇关于文化民族中心主义的学术论文。

周瀚毅说：“尽管对我了解不多，郭教授仍然与我合作，并教会我怎么把学术论文写好。后来有机会到北京出席学术会议，与学者分享我们的论文，他也把机会让给我，让我能够去开眼界。与会的学者高度尊崇郭教授在论文中提出的论点，我当时亲身体会到他在国际间的威望。”

2024年10月，周瀚毅到郭振羽的家中拜访，发现他在写书，正是去年8月配合新加坡建国60周年推出的《新加坡国族建构之路：文化、语言与传播》。“他当时身体已经不是太好了，也无须再证明自己的能力了，但仍然很活跃。他告诉我说，他还有很多想法，想要和大家分享。”

台湾作家龙应台教授（中）于2015年10月25日在新跃大学总部大礼堂举行的“2015新跃文化中华讲座”上，发表“从村落到都会—我的文化经验”专题演讲。时任新跃大学新跃中华学术中心主任郭振羽（左）和时任新加坡报业控股华文媒体集团执行副总裁陈康威，赠予龙应台一件手工艺品。（档案照片）

《联合早报》前总编辑林任君与郭振羽相交多年，把年长九岁的郭振羽视为良师益友，认为从他身上学习到了很多。“他对新加坡的大学教育和华族文化事业做出巨大的贡献，他的离世是国家和社会的一个重大损失。”

“作为一名具有深厚中华文化底蕴，并受过西方扎实学术训练的学者，他是新加坡建国初期急于引进的珍稀双语双文化人才。自1970年代初在这里落地生根以来，他数十年如一日，努力耕耘、积极奉献，以种种重大的功绩，对这块让他安身立命的土地给予加倍的回报。”

对于《联合早报》多次邀请郭振羽主持大型报庆论坛及其他重要讲座，或参与咨询团工作，而他总是倾力相助，林任君铭感于心。

中国驻新大使：辩证看待内卷 整治过度竞争

2026-03-23T15:01:46.000Z / 联合早报

中国开启深入整治“内卷式”竞争之际，中国驻新加坡大使曹忠明强调，政府要整治的是不顾盈利、片面压低价格抢占市场的过度竞争，但没有竞争不利于市场和经济发展；应辩证看待内卷，区分公平竞争和过度竞争。

曹忠明也指出，中国企业出海时与当地企业竞争是必然，但竞争应是健康良性的。他提醒中企出海应遵守当地规则、了解当地市场，并为当地带来机遇。

新加坡制造商总会星期一（3月23日）举办主题为“中国发展新篇章，赋能新加坡本地企业”的炉边对话会。曹忠明在会上发表主旨演讲，并与新报业媒体华文媒体集团社长李慧玲对谈。

中国在本月召开的全国两会（人大、政协年会）上，通过了第十五个五年（2026年至2030年）规划，本地商界关注如何通过规划了解中国发展前景，把握新中合作机遇。

曹忠明在演讲中介绍“十五五”规划体现的发展战略布局亮点，以及在这一规划下中国经济今年如何开局。他说，中国将坚持发展实体经济，重点部署占比80%的传统产业，以及新兴产业和未来产业；坚持扩大内需、优化入境消费环境的同时，进一步推进高水平对外开放，为同包括新加坡在内的世界各国企业深化合作共赢，营造透明、稳定、可预期的制度环境。

在炉边对话环节，曹忠明回应了外界对中国市场反内卷进程的关切。

去年12月召开的中共中央经济工作会议，将“综合整治”内卷式竞争的表述，升级为“深入整治”，标志着中国政府的反内卷政策从宏观导向深化为具体攻坚任务。

曹忠明指出，企业之间的竞争不可避免，如果没有竞争就变成了垄断，对市场和经济发展都不利，“所以内卷的问题要辩证来看”，应区分公平竞争和内卷式竞争，不能将所有竞争都归为内卷。

他解释，中国企业的竞争优势是多年来“苦练内功”的结果，包括持续技术创新、产业链分配、规模经济效益和管理优化等，都是中国商品物美价廉的重要因素。

曹忠明强调，中国政府要整治的是过度的、不良的竞争，即企业不顾自身盈利、无视成本价格实际供求关系盲目抢占市场、扰乱市场秩序的行为，“这确实让同行觉得日子没法过了，这种我们是反对的。”

除了国内竞争激烈，走出国门的中企也为当地企业带来压力。李慧玲以新加坡餐饮市场为例指出，近年来中国企业通过外移产业链，加剧本地市场的价格竞争，令本地餐饮业者“哀嚎一片”。

曹忠明直言，全球化背景下中企出海是必然过程，给当地企业带来更多竞争也不可避免。但对于在某些领域过于集中、利用产业链优势压低价格、造成同行焦虑的情况，官方正在治理中，“我们希望能够有一种健康的、良性的竞争。”

他也提醒中企在出海过程中要遵守本地规则要求，了解本地市场情况，为本地创造就业等机遇，“比方说在经营管理方面，能够把中国的一些好的经验带过来，就会受到欢迎。”

曹忠明说，他听到不少关于本地餐饮行业的讨论，也欣赏新加坡对此抱持的开放态度，即在允许和鼓励竞争的同时，也出台措施保留食阁等本地特有餐饮场所的特色，使得竞争主要在本地企业之间展开，且保持在可控范围内。

【体坛周爆】：当导弹呼啸过赛场 美伊冲突下中东赛事的震荡与风险

林超君 发布/2026年3月23日 23:36

随着美伊战火的蔓延，导弹袭击与空域限制已导致F1大奖赛、国际足球赛事、网球比赛等相继取消。沙特等海湾国家以石油资本打造的全球体育中心梦想，正面临前所未有的考验。

在2022年的世界杯决赛，梅西（中）领衔的阿根廷队击败法国队夺冠。赛后，卡塔尔埃米尔（国家元首）谢赫·塔米姆（左）为梅西披上象征尊贵、权力和荣耀的黑色阿巴亚长袍，旁边放着大力神杯，留下中东体育的标志性画面。 （法新社档案照片）

过去10多年来，凭借丰富的石油与天然气资源，卡塔尔、沙特阿拉伯、阿联酋等海湾国家大举投入体育产业。从卡塔尔举办2022年世界杯到沙特联赛引进克·罗纳尔多（C. Ronaldo）在内的顶级运动员，体育逐渐成为其塑造国家形象与输出软实力的重要工具。

2022年12月底，葡萄牙球星克·罗纳尔多（图）加盟沙特球会艾纳斯，以2亿欧元（约2亿9500万新元）的超级年薪，开启了沙特联赛的“金元时代”，也打开了众多国际球星陆续登陆沙特的窗口。（路透社档案照片）

然而，随着美伊冲突升级，中东地区安全局势持续紧张。曾经象征繁荣的烟花与无人机表演，开始与导弹和刺耳的防空警报并存。在这样的不确定性之下，中东还能否继续向“全球体育中心”的目标迈进？

事实上，冲击已经显现。原定计划星期五（3月27日）在卡塔尔多哈上演的“欧美超级杯”——欧锦赛冠军西班牙与世界杯冠军阿根廷之间的重量级对决已被迫取消，意味着阿根廷巨星梅西（Messi）与西班牙超级新星亚马尔（Yamal）之间的首次正面交锋将无限期推迟。

2024年，年仅17岁的西班牙小将亚马尔（图）帮助球队夺得欧锦赛冠军。他的球风和场上位置与梅西相似，因此两人经常被放在一起比较。（路透社档案照片）

同时，中东多地足球联赛停摆，包括亚冠精英联赛和二级联赛在内的洲际赛事同样受到波及，而不足百日就要开赛的美加墨世界杯也存在着许多变数，包括仍在和美国交战的伊朗是否参赛等。

按照原定计划，伊朗的三场世界杯小组赛都在美国进行。他们目前正寻求将比赛移至墨西哥，但困难重重，这一切都证明了，全球体坛的不确定性正显著上升。

去年，美国就拒绝伊朗代表团入境，导致他们无法参加世界杯抽签仪式。图为NBA名宿“大鲨鱼”奥尼尔（左二）在去年的抽签仪式抽中伊朗。（路透社档案照片）

F1取消两站比赛 直接损失2亿美元

美伊战争对体育的影响，不仅局限于绿茵场。原定于卡塔尔举行的体操单项世界杯已宣布取消，男子网球协会（ATP）也取消了原计划在阿联酋举办的两站挑战赛。

世界一级方程式（F1）大奖赛也受冲击，巴林和沙特两个赛站，包括其附带的F2，以及更低级别的系列赛，目前已因安全风险全部取消，直接经济损失约2亿美元（约2亿5700万新元）。

在F1明确不会补办巴林和沙特两站比赛后，各车队将在3月底日本站结束后，迎来长达五周的空档期，一直到5月初的迈阿密站。图为马赛地车手安东内利在中国大奖赛驾驶战车，他最终夺得该站冠军。（法新社档案照片）

更深层的影响在于结构性冲击。长期以来，海湾地区不仅是F1赛历的重要组成部分，也深度参与车队运营与赛事资本结构。例如，去年夺得车队冠军的迈凯伦（McLaren）就由巴林国家主权基金拥有。这意味着，一旦地区局势持续动荡，影响的不只是比赛本身，更可能波及整个赛事体系的稳定性。

中东局势不稳 沙特豪掷体育产业蒙风险？

在众多体育赛事延期或取消的背后，被放大的是整个中东地区面临的不确定性，而希望通过体育实现经济转型的海湾各国，也正面对潜在危机。

以投资体育较为激进的沙特为例，他们自2016年推出“2030愿景”以来，体育产业规模从之前不足50亿沙特里亚尔（约16亿9000新元）增长至去年的320亿，并计划在2030年前突破800亿。

沙特官方明确提出，体育不再是辅助性产业，而是重塑国民经济、吸引投资和构建新型价值链的重要途径。

为此，沙特大举扩展赛事体系，获得2027年亚洲杯和2034年世界杯的主办权，意图打造“中东体育中心”。围绕这一目标，他们还豪掷约5000亿美元，推动建设“新未来城”（NEOM）项目，包括建设2029年亚洲冬运会主场地——“特罗耶纳”（Trojena）户外滑雪胜地，预计造价190亿美元。

沙特还宣布将打造世界首座“浮空体育场”——新未来城体育场（NEOM Stadium），该项目预计造价约10亿美元，悬于地面约350米之上，意在成为世界杯期间最具象征意义的赛场之一。

沙特计划建设的新未来城体育场，将坐落在新未来城项目的楼顶。该体育场预计明年开工，到2032年完工，可容纳4万6096名观众。（Wikipedia示意图）

然而，在美伊冲突持续升级的背景下，沙特的宏大投资与规划，更像是一场豪赌。要知道，以世界杯为代表的国际重大赛事，高度依赖全球范围内的人员、资本与物资的自由流动。一旦空域受限、旅行受阻，全球性体育赛事的运行基础便会发生动摇。

对沙特这样志在通过体育实现经济转型的国家来说，如果地缘政治的风险不断累积，安全问题变成常态，那么将产生滚雪球般的巨大连锁反应：先是投资方望而却步，再到赛事规模缩小，最后是旅游业等受冲击。那时，恐怕就难以将巨额前期投入转化为预期经济回报。

总言之，不管是伊朗的受限处境，还是沙特的宏大蓝图，都在指向同一个现实——和其他行业一样，体育也从未真正脱离政治。地缘风险始终是全球体育版图中无法回避的变量，若连安全都成了不可保障的变量，“以发展体育驱动转型”的叙事，也将沦为一纸空谈。

海南封关冲击新加坡港口地位？曹忠明：两地可错位发展互补合作

2026年3月23日 23:57 / 联合早报

新加坡制造商总会星期一（3月23日）举办主题为“中国发展新篇章，赋能新加坡本地企业”的炉边对话会，中国驻新加坡大使曹忠明与新报业媒体华文媒体集团社长李慧玲（不在图中）对谈。 （白艳琳摄）

针对网络舆论盛传中国海南岛封关将冲击新加坡港口地位的说法，曹忠明认为，两地可以错位发展，甚至形成互补合作关系。

海南自由贸易港去年12月18日全岛封关，海南升级为海关特殊监管区域，实施6600个税目商品零关税等多项优惠政策，至今已三个多月。其间有舆论称海南封关将重创新加坡，甚至取代我国港口的地位，部分本地企业在对话会上也对此表示关切。

曹忠明说，网上不少说法都是“无稽之谈”。他坦言，海南与新加坡都是自贸港，要说毫无影响“恐怕也不符合事实”，但海南封关与新加坡没有利益冲突，两地可以错位发展，甚至形成互补的合作关系。

他从三个方面阐述海南封关对新加坡企业带来的发展机遇，包括政策红利、产业机遇，以及交流往来便利。

政策方面，海南封关后零关税商品税目扩大，企业进口设备、原料可节约大量税收成本，加工增值达到30%的货物，还可以免关税进入中国市场。

产业方面，本地企业可抓住海南商业航天、医疗旅游、国际教育创新等机遇。他以新加坡鹏瑞利集团（Perennial）为例指出，这家发展商正在海南建设首家外商独资医院。

此外，海南封关后在贸易投资、跨境资金流动、人员进出往来方面更加便捷。曹忠明鼓励本地企业到海南投资，也提议两地加强交流合作。

特朗普称美伊对话富有成效 军事行动推迟五天

2026-03-23 / 联合早报

美国总统特朗普称，美国与伊朗进行了良好且富有建设性的对话，因此决定暂缓对伊朗的军事打击。 （彭博社）

美国总统特朗普星期一说，美国与伊朗在过去两天里进行了“非常良好且富有成效”的对话，美国将打击伊朗发电站的行动“推迟五天”。

路透社报道，特朗普星期一（3月23日）在社交媒体上发文说：“过去两天，美国与伊朗就我们在中东地区敌对行动的全面彻底解决方案进行了非常良好且富有成效的对话。对话将持续至本周末。基于这些深入、详细且具有建设性的对话氛围与基调，我已指示战争部（国防部）将针对伊朗发电站及能源基础设施的所有军事打击行动推迟五天，具体情况取决于当下的会议与讨论是否成功。”

特朗普星期一告诉美国媒体，伊朗非常渴望达成协议，可能在五天内或更早实现，双方在若干关键问题上已达成重要共识。

特朗普透露，美方代表包括他的女婿兼高级顾问库什纳（Jared Kushner）、中东事务特使威特科夫（Steve Witkoff）等人，于星期天（22日）晚与伊方代表进行了谈判。

特朗普还说，美国正与伊朗一名最高层级官员接触，但并非最高领袖。

据以色列媒体同日引述消息人士的话报道，美方正同伊朗伊斯兰议会议长卡利巴夫进行会谈。

伊朗否认有任何接触

不过，伊朗塔斯尼姆通讯社否认卡利巴夫同美方会谈的消息，称有关方面试图在伊朗制造“政治和社会裂痕”，这是一个“弥天大谎”。

伊朗媒体周一早些时候引述消息人士的话说，伊朗方面与特朗普没有任何直接或间接接触。