Top Stories

U.S. Prepares for Potential Ground War in Iran — The Trump administration is making detailed preparations for potentially sending ground troops into Iran, while approximately 2,200 Marines and three additional warships are being deployed to the Middle East. The war is nearing its three-week mark with no signs of abating. Simultaneously, the administration has temporarily lifted sanctions on Iranian oil already at sea, in what appears to be an effort to stabilize energy markets. President Trump has also lashed out at NATO allies for refusing to send forces to the Strait of Hormuz. (CBS News)

Government Shutdown Enters 35th Day — The Senate failed for a fifth time to advance a bill funding the Department of Homeland Security, with no deal in sight. The prolonged shutdown has caused significant disruptions to air travel, with some passengers reporting waits of up to three hours in TSA lines. Border czar Tom Homan is expected back on Capitol Hill for bipartisan talks. (CBS News)

Musk Found Liable in Twitter Investor Lawsuit — A jury found Elon Musk liable for misleading investors by deliberately driving down Twitter's stock price in the months leading up to his 2022 acquisition of the social media company. (CBS News)

Chuck Norris Dies at 86 — Action star and martial artist Chuck Norris died suddenly, his family announced. The "Walker, Texas Ranger" star's cause of death was not disclosed. (CBS News)

Left Perspective

Left-leaning outlets are focusing heavily on the escalation in Iran and the human costs of the conflict. CBS News highlights the growing humanitarian crisis, reporting that Lebanon is "in dire straits" according to World Food Programme officials. Coverage emphasizes the lack of clarity around when or why President Trump would authorize ground troops, and features retired military leaders questioning the administration's demand that NATO patrol the Strait of Hormuz. Ret. Gen. Joseph Votel told CBS it's "hard to make that connection" between NATO's mission and the Hormuz strait. Coverage of the shutdown centers frustrated travelers and the real-world consequences of congressional inaction. CBS also reported a federal judge striking down restrictive Pentagon press policies as violating the First Amendment.

Right Perspective

Right-leaning outlets are framing the Iran conflict through a different lens. National Review published "The Israel Hoax," examining the U.S.-Israel alliance dynamics in the current war. The outlet also ran analysis on the Strait of Hormuz debate ("Two Social Media Takes on the Strait of Hormuz"), engaging with the question of allied burden-sharing from a perspective more sympathetic to Trump's demands. National Review's "The Self-Radicalization Canard" challenges narratives around extremism and Hezbollah. Separately, the outlet celebrated a milestone in nuclear energy deregulation ("After 52 Years, Democrats' Red Tape Unravels"), noting the first-ever NRC construction permit for a private advanced nuclear reactor, framing it as a victory over bureaucratic overreach.

International View

The war with Iran is generating significant international ripple effects. NATO allies have rejected President Trump's call to patrol the Strait of Hormuz, a major point of friction in the transatlantic alliance. The humanitarian situation in Lebanon is deteriorating amid the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, with the World Food Programme warning of a growing crisis. The temporary lifting of sanctions on Iranian oil at sea suggests concern about global energy market disruptions. Meanwhile, Colombian President Gustavo Petro has been caught up in U.S. narcotics trafficking probes based in New York, adding a Latin American dimension to the week's geopolitical tensions. (CBS News, National Review)

Underreported

• Children's Ibuprofen Recall: Nearly 90,000 bottles of children's ibuprofen have been recalled across the U.S. after reports of "gel-like mass and black particles" in the product. (CBS News/FDA)
• CBS News Radio Shutting Down: After nearly a century of broadcasting, CBS News Radio will cease operations this spring, citing "challenging economic realities" — a significant moment in American media history. (CBS News)
• Nuclear Energy Milestone: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission issued its first-ever construction permit for a private advanced nuclear reactor, a potentially transformative development for U.S. energy policy. (National Review)
• Cesar Chavez Abuse Allegations: Sexual assault allegations against the late civil rights icon Cesar Chavez have led to canceled commemorative events and political fallout, with California lawmakers grappling with his legacy. (CBS News)

Sources

• CBS News (Lean Left)
• National Review (Right)