President Trump declared that there would be no negotiated end to the war with Iran, demanding 'unconditional surrender' in a social media post after Iran's president said mediation efforts were underway. The White House said Iran would be considered to have surrendered when Trump determined it no longer posed a threat to the United States. The statement marked a shift in the administration's war aims.

Iran launched missiles and drones across the region, with Gulf nations reporting intercepted attacks, while Israel struck more than 400 targets in western Iran and continued operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians have fled their homes amid escalating violence. Oil prices climbed above 90 dollars a barrel as tensions threatened shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In the United States, employers cut 92,000 jobs in February and the unemployment rate rose to 4.4 percent, surprising economists. Job growth over the past three months has effectively stalled, though unemployment claims remain relatively low.

Elsewhere, Indonesia announced a ban on social media access for children under 16, joining other countries pursuing similar restrictions. Reporting also highlighted a growing industry of lobbyists and lawyers seeking presidential pardons for clients with ties to Trump's circle.