Ukraine battles a brutal Russian offensive as Iran war takes the world&x27;s focus Daryna MayerSun, March 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC 1 KYIV, Ukraine — With the world's attention shifting to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Russia is pushing forward with a spring offensive in Ukraine despite months of peace talks that no longer appear to be Washington's priority.

Ukraine battles a brutal Russian offensive as Iran war takes the world's focus

Daryna MayerSun, March 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC

KYIV, Ukraine — With the world's attention shifting to the escalating conflict in the Middle East, Russia is pushing forward with a spring offensive in Ukraine despite months of peace talks that no longer appear to be Washington's priority.

While Moscow seeks to regain momentum and capture more territory four years into its full-scale invasion, Ukrainians caught up in the conflict told NBC News their hopes that President Donald Trump will settle their war while waging another in Iran are dwindling.

The Iran war is "definitely a distraction," Senior Sgt. Volodymyr Rzhavskyi said. Rzhavskyi, 44, has been serving since 2014, when Russian-backed separatists first began fighting in Ukraine's east. He has little faith in the peace talks, but remains "a hopeless optimist" that Ukraine "can win in this war, not just hold on, but win."

In a phone interview from the Donetsk region, where he is currently stationed, Rzhavskyi said that with Trump preoccupied, Ukraine must continue to defend itself. "This is not a sprint, it's a marathon," Rzhavskyi said. "We must dissuade the Russians from encroaching on anything Ukrainian for at least another hundred years."

Oleksandr, a lieutenant who is serving in Ukraine's south and did not want his last name or age revealed due to the sensitive nature of his service, said he is also ready to fight on. "As long as they push, we will kill them," he said in a series of audio notes from the front lines. "We see that the peace process is deadlocked. Russia is asking for what we can't give it — our land," he added.

Russia's latest push to alter a largely static front line has come at a steep human cost. In just one week, more than 8,710 Russian troops were killed or seriously wounded in Ukraine as Moscow intensified its "offensive actions," Ukraine's commander in chief, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Monday. His Russian counterpart, Gen. Valery Gerasimov, said last week that his troops were on the offensive "across the entire front line" and had taken 12 Ukrainian settlements in the first two weeks of March. Neither Russia nor Ukraine regularly reports the number of their own war dead, wounded or missing.

The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War, which has analyzed the battlefield situation in Ukraine since 2022, said in an assessment on Monday that the reported Russian casualty rate during the spring offensive was "unsustainable given Russia's current recruitment rates and would likely degrade Russia's ability to wage such large assaults in the mid- to long-term." It remains unlikely this year that Russian forces will seize the so-called "Fortress Belt," the main fortified defensive line in the fiercely contested eastern region of Donetsk, the assessment said, with Moscow likely to make some tactical gains at a significant cost.

The land that Ukraine still holds in Donetsk is at the center of a stalemate in negotiations after Kyiv refused to give it up in exchange for peace. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he would seize Donetsk by force and take full control of the Donbas region, composed of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, should the diplomatic track fail.

Footage released by the Russian Defense Ministry on Monday shows a Russian soldier firing artillery toward a Ukrainian position. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

A core part of Russia's information campaign is that a Ukrainian defeat is somehow inevitable because Moscow has a continuous battlefield momentum, said Christopher Tuck, an expert in conflict and security at King's College London. But the events of the last couple of months show that those assumptions are false, Tuck said.

"While Ukraine remains under sustained pressure, its battlefield performance demonstrates that its forces continue to be resilient and adaptive, capable of conducting successful local counterattacks and of leveraging new technologies and methods, especially in realms such as drones and artificial intelligence, to offset their numerical inferiority," he said, referring to Ukraine's lingering struggle to recruit more troops.

Meanwhile, Russia continues to be wedded to a method of war that relies on attrition, scale and firepower.

"Overall, this has allowed Russia to retain the initiative in some areas, but it absolutely has not established for Putin an irreversible path to victory," Tuck said. "At the moment, neither side believes the war has been decided, and so the conflict is likely to continue."

Even as his own war with Iran rages, Trump has pressured Ukraine to come to an agreement, accusing President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of stalling the peace process in an interview with NBC News earlier this month. Zelenskyy told Reuters on Wednesday that Washington had tied security guarantees for Ukraine, critical to the proposed peace deal, to Kyiv ceding the entire Donbas to Russia.

Trump told reporters Tuesday that Russia and Ukraine were "getting close" to a deal, but conceded he has been "saying that for a while" after well over a year of mediation efforts. The Kremlin responded on Wednesday, saying it expects the U.S. to "continue its goodwill" as it also denied Thursday that Putin has lost interest in a peace settlement since the Iran war broke out.

Iran's retaliatory attacks on neighboring Persian Gulf states have disrupted the trilateral talks between the U.S., Ukraine and Russia, some of which took place in the Middle East in the weeks before the Iran war. They have yet to resume in the same format.

Military medic Vadym said he and his fellow medics on the front lines have "very few illusions" that diplomacy can lead to peace on Ukraine's terms. (Courtesy of Rubigh Battalion ) (Courtesy of Rubigh Battalion)

Military medic Vadym, who did not want to reveal his last name due to his service on the front lines in the Donetsk region, said he and his colleagues witness firsthand the human cost of the raging war, rescuing wounded soldiers daily. They harbor "very few illusions" that diplomacy can lead to peace on Ukraine's terms, Vadym, who worked at a Kyiv hospital before he joined the army in 2024, said on the phone Tuesday. "There is a feeling that we are in a deadlock, and no one wants to give up territories or ambitions," he said.

The escalation in the Middle East has drained both attention and resources away from Ukraine, Vadym, 31, added. While he thinks Trump has not fully lost his interest in settling the war, the attention of global leaders can only stretch so far. "It's like dealing with one patient, where all your resources are focused on that person, versus looking after an entire ward."

Oleksandr, the lieutenant, hopes that Trump is "just more focused on a quick victory in Iran right now" and has not fully lost interest in Ukraine. The fates of the two conflicts are linked, he added, as Tehran was indirectly involved by supplying Russia with weapons and expertise.

Retaining the world's attention on his nation's fight is exactly what Zelenskyy appeared to try to do as he went on a tour of European capitals last week to ramp up support for Ukraine.

Zelenskyy told the BBC he had a "very bad feeling" about the impact of the U.S. operation in Iran on the war in Ukraine, fearing a deficit of Patriot missiles, which are being used to deflect Iran's retaliatory strikes on its neighbors. The missiles are in short supply in Ukraine as it continues to deflect Russia's near daily attacks.

But Tehran is Russia's ally, and any damage to its political regime is "good news" for Ukraine, said Sviatoslav Yurash, a member of Ukraine's parliament and a serving soldier. Kyiv should concentrate on helping its allies to contain "the evil multiplied by countries like Iran and Russia."

Yurash said he is "hoping against hope" that negotiations will succeed, but the reality is that Russia can't be trusted when it comes to peace agreements. "I can't focus on optimism when I understand that Putin continues to talk about his desires and dreams to take all of Ukraine."

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Ukraine battles a brutal Russian offensive as Iran war takes the world&x27;s focus Daryna MayerSun, March 29, 2026...

Looking to limit birthright citizenship, Trump turns to an 1884 ruling against a Native American Lawrence HurleySun, March 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC 0 "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States," the 14th Amendment states.

Looking to limit birthright citizenship, Trump turns to an 1884 ruling against a Native American

Lawrence HurleySun, March 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC

"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States," the 14th Amendment states. (Justine Goode / NBC News; Getty Images) (Justine Goode)

WASHINGTON — In a moment that could take on new significance almost 150 years later, Omaha election official Charles Wilkins on April 5, 1880, refused to register John Elk to vote on the grounds that he was Native American, and therefore not an American citizen.

Elk — believed to have been a member of what is now known as the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska — objected, saying he had severed all ties with his tribe and had willingly subjected himself to the authority of the United States.

He launched a legal challenge, arguing among other things that he was a citizen at birth because he was born within United States territory.

But the Supreme Court, in an 1884 case called Elk v. Wilkins, ruled against him, saying that Native Americans born within the territory of the United States did not have birthright citizenship. They had the same status as "the children of subjects of any foreign government born within the domain of that government," the court said.

President Donald Trump's administration is now citing that case as it defends his plan to end automatic birthright citizenship, putting a new spin on the long-standing interpretation of the Constitution's 14th Amendment. The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the case on Wednesday.

Trump's executive order, issued on the first day of his second term, seeks to limit birthright citizenship only to people with at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident.

The order is not in effect; lower courts put it on hold.

Solicitor General D. John Sauer, representing the government, referenced Elk in court papers, saying the Supreme Court has "squarely rejected the premise that anyone born in U.S. territory, no matter the circumstances, is automatically a citizen so long as the federal government can regulate them."

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson said in a statement that the case gives the Supreme Court the chance to "restore the meaning of citizenship in the United States to its original public meaning."

The Trump administration's arguments about the relevance of the Elk ruling are strongly contested by the American Civil Liberties Union, which is leading the challenge to Trump's executive order.

"At a fundamental level, this case is about an attempt to strip citizenship from the children of immigrants who have always been citizens of the U.S. The Native American questions the government raises are really beside the point," ACLU lawyer Cody Wofsy said in an interview.

Tribal status is 'unique'

Notably absent from any of the dozens of briefs filed in the case is anything from Native American tribes or organizations. Two scholars of Native American law, Bethany Berger at the University of Iowa College of Law and Gregory Ablavsky at Stanford Law School, did file a brief backing the ACLU's challenge.

Experts on Native American law told NBC News the administration's reliance on Elk was problematic, both rhetorically and legally.

"We believe the reliance on Elk to deny birthright citizenship to children of undocumented immigrants is misplaced. It's a misreading and a misunderstanding," said Leonard Fineday, general counsel of the National Congress of American Indians, which represents tribes.

The Elk decision rests solely on the specific nature of "quasi-sovereign tribal government" and is limited to that context, he added.

Monte Mills, director of the Native American Law Center at the University of Washington School of Law, agreed, saying it was ironic that the government would rely on such a ruling.

"It does betray a lack of understanding and awareness or willingness to acknowledge the nuance of Native American law," he added.

Another lawyer who works on Native American issues, who declined to be named because he did not want to be seen to be speaking on behalf of tribes with diverse views, said Indian law, a technical term still in use, is complex and not applicable to other areas of law. That's in part because there was never a blanket rule that applied to all tribes when it came to their legal relationship with the United States.

"I would say Native American history is anomalous. The status of tribes is unique. I'd at least be very cautious before trying to import any supposed lessons or principles from that context into other areas," the lawyer said.

The legal status of Native Americans within the U.S. has been addressed at length throughout history as the nation expanded westward, making — and breaking — treaties with tribes along the way and often mistreating them. The U.S. government simultaneously considered tribes to be somewhat independent nations while also exerting authority over them.

Tribes and Native American organizations likely did not file briefs in the birthright citizenship case for at least two reasons, Indian law experts said. First, they do not have a stake in the case because, since 1924, Native Americans have been guaranteed birthright citizenship via statute. Second, the more than 500 tribes likely differ politically on whether Trump's executive order is good policy.

"I do suspect some tribes would be supportive of the policy because some tribes are pretty politically conservative," the lawyer who works on Native American issues said.

'Subject to the jurisdiction thereof'

The unusual case focuses on the meaning of the "citizenship clause" of the 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868 after the Civil War and the end of slavery. It states: "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."

It's long been understood to confer citizenship on almost anyone born in the United States, regardless of their legal status. Exceptions include children born to diplomats and foreign invaders.

The Trump administration has zeroed in on "subject to the jurisdiction thereof," arguing it excludes both the children of people who entered the country illegally and those born to people with temporary legal status, such as work visas.

The Elk case is mentioned multiple times in the Trump administration's brief, with Sauer arguing that it shows birthright citizenship only applies to people who are subject to the "political jurisdiction" of the United States.

He quoted a line from the Elk ruling that says the "main object" of the citizenship clause was to address the issue of freed slaves after the Civil War.

The challengers, Sauer wrote, "cannot explain the long-established exceptions to birthright citizenship, including for children of tribal Indians."

Those backing the traditional understanding of birthright citizenship point to another 19th-century ruling, this one from 1898. In United States v. Wong Kim Ark, the court ruled that a man born in San Francisco to parents originally from China but living in the United States was an American citizen at birth.

The majority opinions in Elk and Ark were both authored by Justice Horace Gray. In the latter ruling, Gray distinguished his earlier opinion in the Elk case, saying it concerned "only members of Indian tribes within the United States and had no tendency to deny citizenship to children born in the United States" who were not Native American.

In his brief, Sauer downplayed the Ark ruling, saying it recognized birthright citizenship only for children of citizens and those born to immigrants who were permanent residents.

Ilan Wurman, a professor at the University of Minnesota Law School who filed a brief backing Trump, said it is unclear how much weight the Supreme Court will give the Elk case.

"The bottom line is that the case is helpful to the government, but it's ambiguous," he added.

Berger, the Native American legal expert who filed a brief in support of the challengers, said in an interview that Sauer's argument echoes what his predecessor argued in Wong Kim Ark's case more than a century ago.

"What the government is doing now is a retread of what it tried to and failed to do before," she added.

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Looking to limit birthright citizenship, Trump turns to an 1884 ruling against a Native American

Looking to limit birthright citizenship, Trump turns to an 1884 ruling against a Native American Lawrence HurleySun,...

The anesthesiologist, the nuclear engineer and an alleged attempted murder on a hike in Hawaii Eric Levenson, CNNSun, March 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC 0 Dr. Gerhardt Konig in court for his trial on Tuesday in Honolulu, Hawaii. KITV Looking at the steep cliffs just feet from her, Arielle Konig felt uncomfortable. The nuclear engineer and her husband, 47yearold anesthesiologist Dr. Gerhardt Konig, were hiking Oahu's "Pali Puka" trail to celebrate her 36th birthday.

The anesthesiologist, the nuclear engineer and an alleged attempted murder on a hike in Hawaii

Eric Levenson, CNNSun, March 29, 2026 at 9:00 AM UTC

Dr. Gerhardt Konig in court for his trial on Tuesday in Honolulu, Hawaii. - KITV

Looking at the steep cliffs just feet from her, Arielle Konig felt uncomfortable.

The nuclear engineer and her husband, 47-year-old anesthesiologist Dr. Gerhardt Konig, were hiking Oahu's "Pali Puka" trail to celebrate her 36th birthday. They took the weekend trip from their home in Maui after a rough few months in their relationship in the wake of what she acknowledged was an "emotional affair" with a coworker.

The Konigs had gone to couples counseling and worked to regain each other's trust, she said. And after receiving a love-filled birthday card on the morning of March 24, 2025, Arielle believed things were on the upswing.

"I teared up when I read it," she said. "I felt hopeful that this was a turning point for us in our marriage and that this was going to be a nice trip and the start of the next chapter for us."

The hike certainly began a new chapter for them – but not how she expected.

Her discomfort with the hike quickly turned into terror when she says her husband shoved her toward the cliff, tried to inject her with a syringe and bashed her head repeatedly with a rock.

"It was just very shocking," she said. "My initial reaction was he must be kidding."

This week, exactly a year to the day from that hike, Arielle Konig took the stand in a Honolulu courtroom and accused her husband of trying to kill her. She survived, she said, because she fought back and screamed until two fellow hikers arrived and intervened.

Her dramatic testimony represents the key evidence in the past two weeks of Gerhardt Konig's trial on an attempted second-degree murder charge. The trial has featured evidence of a tense divorce and child custody battle and has spurred a deeper examination of how this high-achieving couple came to sit across from each other in court.

In opening statements, prosecutors laid out the details of the attack and said Gerhardt Konig confessed to his 19-year-old son in a FaceTime conversation. He then allegedly hid from police for hours until he was apprehended around sunset while trying flee, prosecutors said.

His defense attorney, Thomas Otake, acknowledged Konig hit his wife with the rock but argued it was not a premeditated attack. He said she was the one who started the fight by hitting him first. Konig did not try to push her off a cliff, and there were no syringes involved, the attorney said.

"This was an unplanned, unanticipated scuffle that happened between a couple," he said.

The defendant could take the stand in his own defense. Testimony is set to resume Tuesday.

Trouble in paradise

Gerhardt and Arielle married in 2018, and they had a son in 2020 and another in 2023.

Born in South Africa, Gerhardt also has two children from an earlier marriage, his attorney said. Arielle, a nuclear engineer, works as a project manager for a nuclear energy company, she testified. The couple moved with their children to Maui in 2023, she testified.

In late 2024, she became close with a male coworker, sending him "flirty texts" and then deleting them so her husband wouldn't see them, she testified. She described it as an "emotional affair," saying it never became physical and there were no racy photos sent.

When Gerhardt found out in December 2024, "he was angry and upset," she said, and looked through her phone almost every day. They went to couples counseling for several months as they tried to repair their trust issues.

Then came the idea for a couples trip to the nearby island of Oahu. Arielle had wanted to go to Oahu "at some point," she said, and he planned a trip around her March 24 birthday.

They arrived to Oahu on March 23 and went to a spa and had dinner, she testified. The following morning, he gave her the birthday card. "Happy birthday, angelface," he wrote in the card. "There isn't an obstacle in this world too hard for me to fight through for you."

They planned to go to a hike that day and had made dinner reservations that night, she testified.

'He grabbed me really forcefully'

The Pali Puka trail is a popular hike about a 13-minute drive from Honolulu.

The wooded and rocky trail is short yet steep. It's only about one mile out and back, but the path traverses along a narrow ridge and requires hikers to scramble up rocky slopes before ending in a beautiful view of the coastline, a local hiking company explains.

Arielle and Gerhardt drove to the trail and began the trek at about 10 a.m., taking photos along the way and sending them to family on Snapchat, according to her testimony.

But after about a quarter-mile, she said she became uncomfortable with the steepness of the hike and refused to go on. Gerhardt went ahead for a bit, and when he returned, he expressed surprise she was still there, she said.

They took a selfie near the edge of the cliff as she held on to a tree, she testified, when he startled her.

"When I walked up to him, he grabbed me really forcefully by my upper arms, and he said, 'I'm so f—ing sick of this shit, get back over there.' He starts pushing me back towards the cliff," she testified.

She wrestled with him to try to get away, she said. She threw herself to the ground and held onto trees and shrubs so he couldn't push her off the edge, she testified. He then straddled her with his legs across her waist, holding an unexpected item, she said.

"He was on top of me, he had a syringe in his hand and he said, 'Hold still,'" she testified.

A shove, a struggle and a rock

She batted at his hand and the syringe fell to the ground, she said. He dug into his backpack with his left hand and held her down with his right arm while holding a vial of some liquid, she said.

"I'm screaming, I'm saying, 'What the f— are you doing, get off me.' He's saying like, 'f— you, you're done, I'm so sick of your shit, I'm so done with you,'" she testified.

She bit his forearm and squeezed his testicles as she screamed for help during the struggle, she said.

"He's saying, 'Shut the f— up. Nobody is going to hear you out here. Nobody is coming to save you.' I'm saying, 'You can't do this. Everyone knows we're on a hike, they'll know this wasn't an accident, and our kids will be orphans. You'll go to jail and I'll be dead. You have to stop.' He's saying, 'You're done, we don't need you anymore,'" she said.

He seemed to calm down a bit, she said. But then he repeatedly bashed her in the head with a rock as many as 10 times, she said.

"I just started screaming, because in my mind he's trying to knock me unconscious to be able to drag me over the edge. I was just screaming then as much as I could," she testified.

Finally, she heard a woman's voice say, "We're here and we're calling 911," she testified. "He froze and knelt back away from me. I crawled away really slowly."

The two women helped Arielle hobble down to safety, while Gerhardt stayed there frozen, she testified.

The women – registered nurses Amanda Morris and Sarah Buchsbaum – testified earlier in the trial that they had just begun their hike when they heard a woman screaming and saw a man hitting her with a rock. They identified the attacking man in court as the defendant.

Body-camera footage from responding officers also showed Arielle's bloodied face and head in the trail parking lot afterward. She was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Husband arrested, then indicted

Arielle Konig displays a scar on her forehead during her testimony in Gerhardt Konig's trial. - Pool/KITV

Meanwhile, Gerhardt Konig called his 19-year-old son on FaceTime, and while covered in blood, confessed that he tried to kill Arielle because he believed she had been cheating on him for months, according to prosecutors.

Police searched for him for hours and arrested him that night after he tried to flee, prosecutors said. He was indicted by a grand jury a week later.

Arielle Konig was treated for severe lacerations and stayed at the hospital for one night, she testified. She had stitches in her scalp and sports scars on her head and face, she said. In court, she pulled back the bangs covering the left side of her forehead to reveal a patch of scalp that no longer grows hair.

In cross-examination, the defense attorney suggested she was making false statements in an attempt to get his money and house.

After the alleged attack, she moved over $120,000 from their joint bank account to her own personal account to pay their mortgage, car, credit card bill and child care, she testified. She also filed for divorce, and their children are in her custody.

On cross-examination, Arielle Konig confirmed she had requested full custody of their children and possession of their house in their divorce and custody case. The verdict in this criminal trial will be relevant to that decision, she acknowledged.

"You and your divorce attorney are using the allegations in this case as a basis to ask for certain things in the divorce and custody case, correct?" said Otake, the defense attorney.

"Yes, in certain cases where it's applicable," she said.

If convicted, Gerhardt Konig faces a sentence of life in prison with the possibility of parole.

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The anesthesiologist, the nuclear engineer and an alleged attempted murder on a hike in Hawaii

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Pope Leo says God rejects prayers of leaders who wage wars By Joshua McElweeSun, March 29, 2026 at 9:04 AM UTC 1 Pope Leo XIV delivers a homily during the Palm Sunday Mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, March 29, 2026. REUTERS/Francesco Fotia By Joshua McElwee VATICAN CITY, March 29 (Reuters) Pope Leo said on Sunday that God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have "hands ‌full of blood", in unusually forceful remarks as the Iran war entered ‌its second month. Addressing tens of thousands of people in St.

Pope Leo says God rejects prayers of leaders who wage wars

By Joshua McElweeSun, March 29, 2026 at 9:04 AM UTC

Pope Leo XIV delivers a homily during the Palm Sunday Mass in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, March 29, 2026. REUTERS/Francesco Fotia

By Joshua McElwee

VATICAN CITY, March 29 (Reuters) - Pope Leo said on Sunday that God rejects the prayers of leaders who start wars and have "hands ‌full of blood", in unusually forceful remarks as the Iran war entered ‌its second month.

Addressing tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square on Palm Sunday, the celebration that opens the holiest week of the year in the lead-up to Easter for the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, the pontiff said that Jesus cannot be used to justify any wars.

"This is our God: Jesus, King of Peace, who rejects war, whom no ‌one can use to justify ⁠war," Leo, the first U.S. pope, told crowds in brilliant sunshine.

"(Jesus) does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war, ⁠but rejects them, saying: 'Even though you make many prayers, I will not listen: your hands are full of blood'," he said, citing a Bible passage.

Leo did not specifically name any world leaders, but he has been ramping up criticism of the Iran war in ‌recent weeks.

The pope, who is known for choosing his words carefully, has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict and said on Monday that military airstrikes are indiscriminate and should be banned.

Some U.S. officials have invoked Christian language to justify the joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 that initiated the expanding war.

U.S. ‌Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who has started leading Christian prayer services at the Pentagon, prayed at a service on Wednesday for "overwhelming violence of action against those who deserve no mercy".

Leo on Sunday ‌referenced a Bible passage in which Jesus, about to be arrested ahead of his crucifixion, rebuked one of his followers for striking the person arresting him with a sword.

"(Jesus) did not arm himself, or defend himself, or fight any war," ‌Leo said. "He revealed the gentle face of God, who always rejects violence. Rather than saving himself, he allowed himself to be nailed to the cross."

(Reporting by Joshua McElweeEditing by David Goodman)

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Pope Leo says God rejects prayers of leaders who wage wars

Pope Leo says God rejects prayers of leaders who wage wars By Joshua McElweeSun, March 29, 2026 at 9:04 AM UTC 1 Pope ...

New Photo - Your eyes do not deceive you: Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari are BFFs on the Laguna Beach re...

The former enemies are now friends after ending their feud: 'As you get older, you're not worried about the small stuff.' Your eyes do not deceive you: Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari are BFFs on the Laguna Beach reunion red carpet The former enemies are now friends after ending their feud: 'As you get older, you're not worried about the small stuff.' By Leigh Blickley March 27, 2026 11:44 a.m. ET Leave a Comment :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/kristincavallari1165aca4958d40399ad02e11a032aa23.jpg) auren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari at 'The Reunion: Laguna Beach' premiere.

The former enemies are now friends after ending their feud: 'As you get older, you're not worried about the small stuff.'

Your eyes do not deceive you: Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari are BFFs on the Laguna Beach reunion red carpet

The former enemies are now friends after ending their feud: 'As you get older, you're not worried about the small stuff.'

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March 27, 2026 11:44 a.m. ET

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Your eyes do not deceive you: Lauren Conrad and Kristin Cavallari are BFFs on the Laguna Beach re...

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New Photo - Here's your first look at the next Kennedy TV series starring Michael Fassbender

Netflix's &34;Kennedy&34; stars the &34;Steve Jobs&34; actor as patriarch Joe Kennedy Sr. Here's your first look at the next Kennedy TV series starring Michael Fassbender Netflix's &34;Kennedy&34; stars the &34;Steve Jobs&34; actor as patriarch Joe Kennedy Sr. By Wesley Stenzel :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/WesleyStenzelauthorphoto32b61793a2784639af623f2ae091477e.jpg) Wesley Stenzel Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at . He began writing for EW in 2022. EW's editorial guidelines March 27, 2026 1:46 p.m. ET :maxbytes(150000):stripicc()/fassbendercd8eead6b9ed45b3b8cdbf2dbe414d69.

Netflix's "Kennedy" stars the "Steve Jobs" actor as patriarch Joe Kennedy Sr.

Here's your first look at the next Kennedy TV series starring Michael Fassbender

Netflix's "Kennedy" stars the "Steve Jobs" actor as patriarch Joe Kennedy Sr.

By Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel

Wesley Stenzel is a news writer at **. He began writing for EW in 2022.

EW's editorial guidelines

March 27, 2026 1:46 p.m. ET

Michael Fassbender as Joe Kennedy Sr. on 'Kennedy'

Michael Fassbender as Joe Kennedy Sr. on 'Kennedy'. Credit:

*Love Story* may have ended, but the Kennedys' time on the small screen has only just begun.

On Friday, Netflix unveiled the first official look at Michael Fassbender as Joe Kennedy Sr. from its upcoming drama series *Kennedy*.

The first season of the new Kennedy series will begin in the 1930s following Joe (Fassbender) and Rose Kennedy (Laura Donnelly) as the former's political career takes off. The show will also star Nick Robinson as eldest son Joe Kennedy Jr. and Joshuah Melnick as second-born John F. "Jack" Kennedy.

The series will also unsurprisingly depict other members of the political dynasty, including Rosemary (Lydia Peckham and Tipper Seifert-Cleveland), Kick (Saura Lightfoot-Leon and Miley Locke), and Eunice (Georgina Bitmead). Other prominent recurring characters include Joe Sr.'s secretary Eddie Moore (Ben Miles), Jack's close friend Lem Billings (Cole Doman), and Hollywood actress Gloria Swanson (Imogen Poots), with whom Joe Sr. had an affair during his time as her business advisor.

Michael Fassbender; Joe Kennedy Sr.

Sam Shaw (*Castle Rock*) will serve as the showrunner on the eight-episode season. Thomas Vinterberg, the Danish filmmaker behind *The Hunt* and *Another Round*, will direct the first and last episodes of the first season and executive-produce.

A prominent member of the Democratic Party, Joe Sr. served in a number of positions under President Franklin Roosevelt, including as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission and ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Trump shares story of JFK Jr. and Carolyn allegedly 'kissing wildly' at Mar-a-Lago

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the Republican Members Issues Conference at Trump National Doral Miami on March 9, 2026 in Doral, Florida, John F. Kennedy, Jr. editor of George magazine, gives his wife Carolyn a kiss on the cheek during the annual White House Correspondents dinner May 1, 1999 in Washington, D.C.

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Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr at the Municipal Art Society Gala

*Kennedy* will also feature numerous notable figures from the early 20th century who overlapped with the titular family's social and professional circles, including journalist Inga Arvad (Hera Hilmar), aviator Charles Lindbergh (Wyatt Russell), journalist Arthur Krock (Patrick Fischler), writer Clare Boothe Luce (Caitlin FitzGerald), British aristocrat Billy Cavendish (Louis Landau), U.K. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain (Robin Soans), his successor Winston Churchill (Albert Welling), U.S. state department official Raymond Furness (Denis O'Hare), FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Eddie Marsan), and President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Toby Huss).

Inspired by Fredrik Logevall's book *JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917–1956*, the series recently began production in London. The show's other executive producers include Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping, Kaitlin Dahill, Eric Roth, Logevall, Lila Byock, Anya Epstein, Dustin Thomason, and Anna O'Malley.

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"The story of the Kennedys is the closest we have to American mythology — somewhere between Shakespeare and *The Bold and the Beautiful*," Shaw told Tudum. "But Fredrik Logevall's stunning, nuanced biography pulls a veil on the human strivings and burdens behind the myth, revealing as much about our present moment, how we got here and where we're going, as about the Kennedys themselves. I'm thrilled to be able to explore this saga of a family and a world in transition with Eric Roth, Thomas Vinterberg and our incredible band of artists and partners, at a moment when our past feels urgently present."

Original Article on Source

Source: "EW Drama"

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Published: March 29, 2026 at 04:57AM on Source: PRIME TIME

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Here's your first look at the next Kennedy TV series starring Michael Fassbender

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Flames ignite their offense, burn Canucks 73 Darren Haynes Sun, March 29, 2026 at 5:20 AM UTC 0 1 / 0Canucks Flames HockeyCalgary Flames C Morgan Frost, right, celebrates with RW Matvei Gridin and fans his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary, Alberta, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press via AP) () CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Matt Coronato extended his point streak to five games with a goal and two assists as the Calgary Flames scored four times in the second period in a 73 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Flames ignite their offense, burn Canucks 7-3

Darren Haynes Sun, March 29, 2026 at 5:20 AM UTC

1 / 0Canucks Flames HockeyCalgary Flames C Morgan Frost, right, celebrates with RW Matvei Gridin and fans his goal against the Vancouver Canucks during second period NHL hockey action in Calgary, Alberta, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (Larry MacDougal/The Canadian Press via AP) ()

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) — Matt Coronato extended his point streak to five games with a goal and two assists as the Calgary Flames scored four times in the second period in a 7-3 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday.

Morgan Frost also had a goal and two assists for Calgary. Joel Farabee, Ryan Strome, Olli Maatta, Zayne Parekh and Adam Klapka rounded out the scoring. The Flames finished 5-0-1 on their six-game homestand.

Liam Ohgren, Jake DeBrusk and Nils Hoglander scored for Vancouver. The last-place Canucks have lost five straight.

Getting the start for Calgary, Dustin Wolf had 31 stops to win his third straight.

For the Canucks, Nikita Tolopilo was beaten four times on 11 shots before getting pulled early in the second. Kevin Lankinen gave up three goals on 12 shots in relief.

The Flames entered the game as the league's lowest-scoring team, averaging 2.47 goals per game. The seven goals ties a season-high output. Calgary also scored seven in a 7-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Dec. 8.

Calgary will look to carry its momentum into a difficult six-game road trip that begins Monday against the league-leading Colorado Avalanche.

Up next

Canucks: Visit the Vegas Golden Knights on Monday.

Flames: Visit the Colorado Avalanche on Monday.

___

AP NHL: https://ift.tt/Okgh0rs

Original Article on Source

Source: "AOL Sports"

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