5 things to know for March 20: Department of Education, Pentagon purge, Gaza, Taxpayer data, Alzheimer’s
CNN
By Jade Walker, CNN
(CNN) — The world’s happiest country has been announced and for the eighth year in a row … it’s Finland! Researchers credited the country’s strong social support systems, high trust levels and a less materialistic mindset. The US, on the other hand, received its lowest ranking ever.
Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
1. Department of Education
President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order today to begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education, two administration officials told CNN. Last week, the DOE announced it was cutting 50% of its workforce, a move decried by unions representing federal workers and teachers. The department’s civil rights office, which combats antisemitism, islamophobia, racism and discrimination against students with disabilities, was among the hardest hit. Nearly half of its staff was laid off and its regional offices in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco were closed.
2. Pentagon purge
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s order to remove “diversity” content from all of the Pentagon’s platforms has led to a massive purge of information. Tens of thousands of articles about cancer awareness, the Holocaust, the 9/11 terror attacks, sexual assault and suicide prevention were removed as was content about women, LGBTQ people and people of color — including baseball legend Jackie Robinson, who served in the US military during World War II. The automated process has led to “a high level of irresponsible collateral damage,” one defense official said. Separately, the Pentagon is considering making significant cuts to the top of the US military, according to a briefing document obtained by CNN and a US defense official. The plans under consideration include consolidating combatant commands, possibly eliminating a directorate that oversees development, training and education for the joint force and halting the expansion of US forces in Japan.
3. Gaza
The Israeli military launched a new ground offensive in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday in an effort to “expand the security zone and to create a partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza.” The move comes just one day after Israel broke a 2-month-old ceasefire with Hamas by conducting airstrikes in Gaza that killed at least 400 people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Hamas described the latest offensive as a “new and dangerous breach,” and said it remains committed to the ceasefire deal signed in January. Additional Israeli airstrikes overnight claimed at least 40 more lives, the European Hospital said.
4. Taxpayer data
The IRS and the Department of Homeland Security are engaged in discussions about sharing highly confidential taxpayer data to help authorities ramp up deportations. Currently, undocumented immigrants can register with the IRS and pay taxes — and the agency is required to keep their private information confidential, except in very specific circumstances specified in the tax code. Two immigrant rights groups have already filed suit to block the effort, but on Wednesday, a district judge declined to issue an emergency order blocking the IRS from sharing the data.
5. Alzheimer’s
Scientists examining the brains of people destined to develop Alzheimer’s dementia say there may be a way to keep symptoms at bay in certain patients. A new study published in the journal Lancet Neurology found that the risk of symptoms developing was cut in half if the participants had been taking an amyloid-lowering drug for about eight years. Beta amyloid plaques are known to collect between neurons in the brain and disrupt cell function. It’s “the first data to suggest that there’s a possibility of a significant delay in the onset of progression to symptoms,” said Dr. Eric McDade, a professor of neurology at Washington University in St. Louis, who led the study.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Spring has officially sprung!
The vernal equinox has arrived. Time to swap out your winter wardrobe and make plans to see the cherry blossoms.
Bullfighting in Mexico City to become a little less dangerous
The city’s local congress passed a bill that would bar bullfighters from using spades or swords to attack the animal and require the bull to have its horns covered to avoid injuries to the matadors.
Tesla booted from Vancouver auto show
A spokesperson for the show — which last year drew a record-breaking 130,000 visitors — said the removal was due to safety concerns.
Mikey Madison to make ‘SNL’ debut
The “Anora” star, who won her first Academy Award last month, will host the March 29 episode. Grammy-nominated country music singer Morgan Wallen will be the show’s musical guest.
Bruce Willis is ‘doing great,’ daughter says
The “Die Hard” star, who has been dealing with cognitive issues after being diagnosed with aphasia, turns 70 this week.
TODAY’S NUMBER
20
That’s how many years it’s been since actor/rapper Will Smith released an album. His new album, “Based on a True Story,” drops on March 28.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“You shouldn’t have to fight for it … He fought for you.”
— Linda Goulding, whose husband served in the Vietnam War and suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, referring to her struggle with the Department of Veterans Affairs. She was refused dependent death benefits when he took his own life 40 years to the day after leaving Vietnam.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY …
That was a close one!
A driver narrowly escaped being struck by lightning when a bolt hit a highway in Atlanta. Watch the video here.
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