Senate spending package, total solar eclipse, and rat selfies.

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Big Stories

Senate releases new $118 billion spending package

The Senate appropriations committee released its $118.3 billion emergency spending package that combines foreign aid with new policies for the US-Mexico border.

• The bill includes funds for multiple purposes including supporting Ukraine, assisting Israel, addressing the Indo-Pacific region, and implementing changes at the U.S.-Mexico border.

• The package allocates $60 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, and $4.8 billion for the Indo-Pacific, along with additional funds for humanitarian aid. The $20 billion U.S.-Mexico border policy changes include tougher asylum processes, mandatory detention or tracking for asylum seekers, and emergency authority to turn back illegal border crossers. The bill also offers pathways for permanent status to Afghans evacuated to the US, adds immigrant visas, and protects the children of legal H-1B visa holders from deportation.

• The fate of the bill is unclear because it has faced delays due to disagreements over U.S.-Mexico border security. Republicans are divided on supporting aid for Ukraine and the effectiveness of the proposed border measures. Some progressive Democrats may oppose the bill because the border measures are more restrictive than most border bills that have been passed previously.

FIFA announces location of 2026 World Cup final

The 2026 World Cup final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

• The FIFA World Cup will be spread across three nations for the first time — the US, Mexico, and Canada. The opener of the 39-day tournament will be held at Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca on June 11.

• The United States will host 78 of 104 matches, with the quarterfinals onwards played exclusively in the US. The quarterfinal matches will kick off at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, SOFI Stadium in Inglewood, California, Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Mexico and Canada will host 13 games each.

• The World Cup's expansion from 32 to 48 nations brings changes, including an increased tournament length. The eventual winner will have to play eight matches instead of seven. FIFA also divided the group stage into East, Central, and West regions to shorten travel times between games.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards were held last night despite severe storms.

• Taylor Swift won album of the year for “Midnights.” With the win, she now holds the record for most album of the year wins at 4. Her producer, Jack Antonoff, won producer of the Year and is now tied for the most wins in that category. Celine Dion surprised the audience by presenting Swift with the award. Dion was forced to stop performing after being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome in 2022.

• Victoria Monet was voted best new artist. Miley Cyrus won two Grammys during the show — her first-ever win.

• Rapper Killer Mike was detained at the awards after he won three Grammys. He was seen in a video being escorted out by police who say the detention stemmed from an altercation inside the arena. No additional information was given.

Little Stories

• California declared a state of emergency due to potential flooding and hurricane-force winds caused by an atmospheric river fueling fierce storms. The heavy rainfall is forecast to cause mudslides, rockslides, flash flooding, urban flooding, and additional hazards. (More)

• President Joe Biden won convincingly in South Carolina’s Democratic primary Saturday, claiming 96.2% of ballots cast with 97% of total votes tallied as of Sunday. Roughly 4% of the state’s registered voters cast a ballot in this year’s primary compared to about 16% in 2020. (More)

• A total solar eclipse will cross 13 US states on April 8. The sun will be completely blocked out between 2 to 5 minutes in certain cities across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. (More)

• The White House national security advisor said the US intends to launch more strikes at Iran-backed militant groups in the Middle East after their series of retaliatory attacks over the weekend. A Houthi spokesperson said the strikes “will not pass without a response and consequences.” (More)

• Firefighters in central Chile are grappling with massive forest fires that erupted two days ago. The fire has killed 99 people and the number is expected to rise. Two hundred people are missing and 1,600 homes have been destroyed. (More)

Extra Credit

Where S’mores and other treats originated.

The average price of a Super Bowl ticket is now $12,240.

Rats like taking selfies too.

Visit 15 of the prettiest places in the US.