Three women from the first group of Palestinians to enter Gaza through the newly reopened Rafah crossing told The Associated Press that Israeli troops blindfolded, handcuffed and interrogated them for hours after they crossed. They said the treatment occurred at a screening station in Israeli-controlled territory. Asked about the allegations, the Israeli military said it wasn't aware of any inappropriate conduct or mistreatment. Confusion over luggage rules and tight vetting further marred the reopening, which allowed fewer people to cross than expected.

President Donald Trump is demanding a $1 billion payment from Harvard University to end his prolonged standoff with the Ivy League campus, doubling the amount he sought previously as both sides appear to move further from reaching a deal. The president raised the stakes on social media Monday night, saying Harvard has been “behaving very badly.” He said the university must pay the government directly as part of any deal — something Harvard has opposed. Trump’s comments on Truth Social came in response to a New York Times report saying the president had dropped his demand for a financial payment, lowering the bar for a deal.

Defense lawyers in the Vatican’s “trial of the century” have argued that Pope Francis violated the fundamental rights of their clients by issuing four secret decrees that gave prosecutors “surreal carte blanche” to investigate.The tone of argument in the frescoed Vatican tribunal was so charged Tuesday that at one point the tribunal president asked defense lawyers to refrain from citing Francis by name.The request by Archbishop Alejandro Arellano Cedillo underscored how Francis’ problematic role in the financial trial poses something of an existential dilemma to the Holy See. On the one hand, popes can only be judged by God. On the other, Francis stands accused of violating the God-given rights of the defendants.

British politician Peter Mandelson is quitting the House of Lords over questions about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. The Speaker of the House of Lords says Mandelson will retire effective Wednesday. He faces a potential police investigation over claims he passed sensitive government information to Epstein. The British government sent police a file on Tuesday about Mandelson's alleged leaks. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is appalled by the revelations in newly released Epstein files. The files suggest Mandelson shared market-sensitive information about the 2008 financial crisis. Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday to avoid further embarrassment.

French prosecutors have searched the offices of Elon Musk’s social media platform X as part of an investigation into alleged offences, including spreading child sexual abuse images and deepfakes. The investigation began in January last year and involves the prosecutors’ cybercrime unit. Prosecutors are looking into alleged complicity in possessing and spreading pornographic images of minors, among other charges. They have asked Elon Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino to attend voluntary interviews on April 20. Employees of X have also been summoned as witnesses. Europol is supporting the French authorities in this investigation.

Bullied and buffeted by President Donald Trump’s tariffs for the past year, America’s longstanding allies are desperately seeking ways to shield themselves from the president’s impulsive wrath. U.S. trade partners are cutting deals among themselves —- sometimes discarding old differences to do so — to diversify their economies away from a newly protectionist United States. And central banks and global investors are dumping dollars and buying gold. Together, their actions could diminish U.S. influence and mean higher interest rates and prices for Americans already angry about the high cost of living.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that Russia has launched a major attack on Ukraine with around 450 drones and 70 missiles. The strikes reported Tuesday came a day before U.S.-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi. Zelenskyy said that Russia targeted the power grid again in five regions of Ukraine in a bid to deny civilians light, heating and water during a harsh winter. At least 10 people were wounded. Zelenskyy urged allies to send more air defense supplies and increase pressure on Russia. Talks between Moscow and Kyiv have been described as constructive. But a comprehensive settlement remains distant.

Argentina's Patagonia region is battling severe wildfires, with vast areas of Los Alerces National Park ablaze. The fires have destroyed more than 174 square miles of native forests, forcing thousands to evacuate. Critics blame President Javier Milei's austerity measures, which have slashed firefighting budgets. On Monday, the fires continued to spread. Milei's cuts have stabilized the economy but left firefighting efforts underfunded. Experts say climate change is worsening the situation. Milei declared a state of emergency on Thursday, unlocking funds for firefighters. Many are frustrated, feeling the crisis could have been mitigated with better preparation.

Cyprus has become a surprising player in drone manufacturing, with Swarmly producing over 200 H-10 Poseidon drones for Ukraine. These drones have logged more than 100,000 hours in the air over the last three years. Swarmly's factory also exports to countries like Indonesia and India. The rise of Cyprus's defense industry reflects a broader trend in Europe, where even small EU countries are developing high-tech defense capabilities. This shift is driven by the need for self-reliance, especially in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The EU has supported these efforts with significant financial assistance.

Speaker Mike Johnson’s ability to carry out President Donald Trump's “play call” for funding the government is being put to the test. The House is holding a procedural vote Tuesday on a bill that would end the partial government shutdown. Johnson will need near-unanimous support from his Republican conference to proceed. The legislation funds most of the federal government through Sept. 30 and the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks as lawmakers negotiate potential changes for the agency that enforces the nation’s immigration laws, often referred to as ICE. Trump urged lawmakers to back the bill in a social media post.

President Donald Trump is set to welcome Colombian President Gustavo Petro to the White House for talks. Tuesday's meeting comes weeks after Trump accused the Colombian leader of pumping cocaine into the United States and threatened military action against his South American country. U.S. administration officials say the meeting will focus on regional security cooperation and counternarcotics efforts. Bad blood between the leaders looms large ahead of the sit-down. Trump, on the heels of an operation to capture Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, warned Petro last month that he could be next. The conservative Trump and leftist Petro are ideologically far apart, but both leaders share a tendency for verbal bombast and unpredictability. That's giving the visit an anything-could-happen vibe.

The NFL faces pressure to take a stance against the Trump administration's immigration policies ahead of the Super Bowl. Over 184,000 people have signed a petition urging the league to denounce Immigration and Customs Enforcement's potential presence at the game. The liberal group MoveOn plans to deliver the petition to the NFL's New York City headquarters on Tuesday. Bad Bunny, the halftime show's headliner, is expected to address the moment. The Grammy-winning artist has criticized President Donald Trump on various issues. Trump has said he doesn't plan to attend this year's game and has derided Bad Bunny as a “terrible choice.”

State and local officials are pushing back against federal plans to expand immigrant detention facilities. President Donald Trump's administration is scouting locations across the U.S. for new sites, sparking protests and legal challenges. In Minnesota, fatal shootings during immigration enforcement have intensified scrutiny on ICE. In Virginia, a proposed detention center drew hundreds of people to a tense public hearing. Kansas City officials have passed a moratorium attempt to block a new ICE detention site. Meanwhile, New Mexico's legislature is advancing a bill to ban state and local contracts for ICE facilities. A law Trump signed last year includes $45 billion to expand ice detention facilities.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has told lawmakers that she attended an FBI search of the election center in Fulton County, Georgia, last week because President Donald Trump asked her to be there. She also acknowledged in a letter Monday that she “facilitated” what she described as a brief phone call between Trump and FBI agents who carried out the search but insisted that neither she nor the president issued any directives. The letter marked Gabbard’s first explanation for her unusual presence at an FBI search during which agents seized hundreds of boxes containing ballots and other documents related to the 2020 election.

Tourists visiting Rome's Trevi Fountain now pay a $2.35 fee for close access. This new fee structure, which began Monday, aims to raise funds and manage crowds at the iconic site. Tourists seem unfazed by the charge, appreciating the improved access. The fee is part of a broader initiative, including a nearly $6 fee for some city museums, to enhance the tourist experience and support maintenance costs. Officials expect to generate $7.7 million annually. The Trevi Fountain fee follows similar measures at other Italian sites, like the Pantheon and Venice's day-tripper tax.