Monday 03.24.25

Food banks across the country are struggling to find additional funding and donations after the US Department of Agriculture halted $500 million in food deliveries. The move comes as many Americans are struggling to afford groceries due to higher prices. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and on With Your Day.
 

By Jade Walker

US and Russian officials are meeting at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. 

(Mikhail Voskresenskiy/SPTNK/AP)

Russia-Ukraine

A US delegation has begun a high-stakes meeting with Kremlin negotiators in Saudi Arabia, where the Trump administration is pushing for a ceasefire in separate talks with Russia and Ukraine. The meeting comes one day after talks between a US team and Ukraine’s defense minister, which were described by the latter as “productive and focused.” However, a wide gulf in expectations exists between Russia, Ukraine and the US. Moscow says a ceasefire will not be possible unless Kyiv agrees not to use it to resupply or reorganize troops. It has also publicly voiced key demands such as Ukraine never being allowed to join NATO. Speaking late Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky put the onus on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war. “The one who brought this war must take it away,” he said.

Venezuela

Nearly 200 Venezuelan migrants were deported from the US and flown to Caracas early this morning. It was the first deportation flight to land in Venezuela since the two countries agreed to resume repatriations. The restarting of such flights occurred despite growing outrage in Venezuela over the deportation of 238 Venezuelans to a notorious prison in El Salvador. The US accused the migrants of being members of a Venezuelan criminal organization, but relatives denied that claim. The Trump administration also announced plans to end legal status for more than 500,000 migrants who arrived in the US from Venezuela, Cuba, Haiti and Nicaragua during President Joe Biden’s term under a humanitarian parole program. They will have just 30 days to leave or face deportation. 

Greenland

Greenland's Prime Minister Múte B. Egede slammed a planned trip to the island by a delegation of US officials, including second lady Usha Vance and national security adviser Mike Waltz. Egede took particular issue with Waltz’s visit, calling it “highly aggressive” in light of President Donald Trump’s recent comments about annexing the autonomous Danish territory. “What is the national security adviser doing in Greenland? The only purpose is to demonstrate power over us,” Egede said in an interview with Greenlandic newspaper Sermitsiaq on Sunday. “His mere presence in Greenland will no doubt fuel American belief in Trump’s mission — and the pressure will increase.” Jens-Frederik Nielsen, who is likely to be Greenland’s next leader, also said the timing of the visit showed “a lack of respect.”

Golden Dome

At a time when the Pentagon is looking to slash its budget, President Trump wants to ensure there’s still funding for one of his top priorities: a Golden Dome. The project, similar to Israel’s Iron Dome, would create a defense system capable of protecting the entire US from long-range missile strikes. While such a system would likely cost billions to construct and maintain, and take years to complete, the White House told military officials that no expense should be spared. In January, Trump issued an executive order that said Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had until March 28 to submit a plan for how the military will develop and implement the missile defense shield.

23andMe

Genetic testing firm 23andMe filed for bankruptcy on Sunday and CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki officially resigned. The company, which has struggled to find a sustainable business model, said it was seeking Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in order to facilitate a sale. Since 2006, 23andMe has been providing DNA testing services that give its members health and ancestry insights. It’s not yet known what will happen to all of the genetic data 23andMe currently possesses if a sale is finalized.

People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.

Ned is not dead
The Social Security Administration declared Ned Johnson dead last month — even though he’s alive and kicking. Find out what the 82-year-old Seattle resident had to go through to get "resurrected."

Men’s March Madness games finalized
The second round of the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament is over and the Sweet 16 is set. See which teams made the cut.

Sleepy debut for ‘Snow White’
Disney’s big-budget live-action remake of the 1937 classic earned $43 million at the domestic box office this weekend — slightly less than early industry estimates predicted. 

One of the biggest-selling K-pop acts announces hiatus
NewJeans blamed the “mental and emotional toll” of its long-running legal battle with record label Ador for the pause in “all activities.” The group, whose five members are all under the age of 21, found fame in South Korea with the 2022 release of the single, “Attention.” 

Famed French restaurant loses a little star power
Georges Blanc, the world’s longest-standing Michelin-starred restaurant, suffered a setback last week. Although the French eatery has boasted a three-star rating since 1981, the Michelin Guide announced it was now a two-star restaurant. 

In memoriam

Mia Love, the first Black GOP congresswoman, died Sunday. She was 49. Love represented Utah’s 4th Congressional District from 2015 to 2019 and was described by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox as “a true trailblazer and visionary leader.” After leaving office, Love became a political commentator at CNN and a rotating guest on the ABC talk show, “The View.” She was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2022.

50,000

That’s how many Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel’s war with Hamas began in 2023, according to the territory’s health ministry. The UN and the health ministry said the majority of the dead were women and children. 

This is not your grandmother’s Easter Egg Roll.

– A former official involved in planning the event, commenting on the White House hiring an outside event production company to seek corporate sponsorships for the annual Easter event. Solicitation for logo and branding opportunities runs counter to long-established regulations prohibiting the use of public office for private gain.

'Essentially a bomb'
A Los Angeles home suspected of containing dangerous chemicals exploded after firefighters attempted a controlled burn of the structure. An earlier blast in the house left one man critically injured.