THE BIG STORY
The US-Iran war enters Day 25 with Trump's March 27 deadline approaching fast. The US sent Iran a 15-point peace plan via Pakistan, but nobody's sure if Israel—or Iran—will actually go for it. Meanwhile, the war keeps expanding south.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
MIDDLE EAST
Israel Announces Plan to Occupy Southern Lebanon: Defense Minister Israel Katz says Israeli forces will control the remaining bridges and the security zone up to the Litani River—that's about 30km into Lebanon. A second Israeli division has already deployed for the ground invasion.
Death Toll in Lebanon Hits 1,072+: Since the start of the month, Israeli attacks have killed at least 1,072 people in Lebanon, with nearly 3,000 wounded. An Israeli strike on a residential apartment in Beirut killed a three-year-old girl.
Trump's 15-Point Peace Plan: The US delivered a 15-point proposal to end the war through Pakistan. Whether Israel is on board or Iran will accept it remains completely unclear.
TECH
Nvidia's $20B Groq Bet Paying Off: The Groq 3 LPU is making waves with its SRAM-based architecture that boosts AI model interactivity. Meanwhile, Nvidia's Rubin GPUs use HBM for faster data processing—and Musk's projecting $1 trillion in AI chip revenue by 2027.
Senators Want Nvidia Chip Exports to China Suspended: Bipartisan group of US senators want Commerce Dept to suspend Nvidia's AI chip export licenses to China, saying Jensen Huang's claims of no chip diversion were contradicted by reporting available. Chinese companies reportedly looking at black market H200 chips.
EUROPE
Australia and EU Seal Massive Trade Deal: After eight years of negotiations, Australia and the EU finally signed a free trade agreement, removing tariffs on almost all goods and giving the 27-nation bloc better access to critical minerals like lithium and aluminum.
Denmark's Election Ends in Dead Heat: Mette Frederiksen's leftwing bloc won 84 seats, the blue bloc got 77, and the Moderates grabbed 14—but no one has a majority. Get ready for some fun coalition negotiations.
US POLITICS
Congress Voting on Iran War Funding: Lawmakers are set to vote on funding for Trump's Iran conflict. The catch? Trump launched the whole war without Congressional approval, and the price tag could be massive.
TODAY'S SMOOTHBRAINS
This one's for Israel Katz, the Israeli Defense Minister who announced plans to occupy southern Lebanon up to the Litani River. Congratulations, you've just volunteered Israel for another multi-year occupation with no clear exit strategy, a thousand-plus civilian death toll already, and international condemnation raining down. Bold strategy, cotton.
THE SKIM
• MIDDLE EAST: Israel announcing Lebanon occupation up to Litani River; 1,072+ dead in Lebanon this month; US 15-point peace plan delivered • TECH: Nvidia's Groq acquisition paying off; US senators want China chip exports suspended • EUROPE: Australia-EU trade deal done after 8 years; Denmark election—Frederiksen wins but no majority • US: Congress voting on Iran war funding