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International Women's Day, celebrated annually on March 8th, is being marked with a range of observances, from celebrations of female accomplishments to protests against gender inequality and violence. Demonstrations, complete with banners, took place in cities like Bangkok and Berlin, while women across the U.K. participated in various events. In the U.S., Women's March, an organization created during Trump's initial presidency to foster feminist activism, and its affiliates organized marches to mobilize supporters and promote their agenda. Executive director Rachel O'Leary Carmona of Women's March stated that the day's objective is to foster community and encourage democratic participation, especially given the perceived fragmentation of democratic opposition to the Trump Administration. The State of the Union address highlighted this fragmentation, with Democrats displaying varying reactions, including congresswomen expressing disapproval of Trump's policies affecting women and families, members wearing blue and yellow in solidarity with Ukraine, and some lawmakers staging a walkout. Carmona argues that differing priorities among those on the left should not preclude unity in opposing what she describes as "authoritarianism." She views International Women's Day events as an opportunity to cultivate this unity. "The fact that different people are focusing on different issues doesn't mean they aren't working towards the same goals," Carmona stated. "The country is fragmented...some people are focused on feminism, others on immigration rights. Labeling the left as 'fractured' prevents people from building power." Women's March, which organized a global protest following Trump's 2017 inauguration, was seen as a major unifying force during his first term, drawing approximately 500,000 marchers to Washington, D.C., and over 4 million across the country. Carmona describes the first march as "historic" and "the tip of the spear" of resistance. However, the impact of the original march and its ongoing message is undeniable. However, the current climate is different. "We are now eight years later, two presidential terms later, post-COVID, post-Jan. 6, [2021]," she said. "We have struggled to adapt to the moment, as the moment has significantly changed." Women's March has also evolved. In the years following 2017, the network faced internal challenges and accusations of being "overwhelmingly white" and anti-semitic. Now, Women's March aims to reclaim its unifying role during Trump's second term by embracing multi-racial, intersectional, and multifaceted activism. This involves welcoming back past participants while also incorporating new voices. Ashley Parys and Kailani Rodriguez are first-time organizers who spearheaded International Women's Day 2025 events in their respective cities. Parys described organizing in the Boston area as a whirlwind experience, noting that experienced march leaders have provided guidance. She says she has transitioned from a "baby activist" to someone who will continue to support Women's March. The event's page recorded nearly 1,500 RSVPs prior to the event. "People emailed me stating that they would be bringing buses filled with women of all ages to the protest," Parys said. Rodriguez, a 2023 high school graduate, organized a first-ever Women's March in her small town of Port Angeles, Washington. Finding no nearby Women's Day events, with the closest being in Seattle (several hours away), she took the initiative. She organized the event within days and received numerous messages from potential attendees and individuals hosting similar events. "I didn't expect this to happen. I didn't expect to be in charge...it just fell into my lap," Rodriguez stated, adding that she has received considerable support from older generations. For Carmona, International Women's Day 2025 is about more than just the present. It's about individuals like Rodriguez and Parys empowering their communities through democratic participation. "We're trying to help people build community and provide opportunities to organize in their communities outside of crisis moments, such as a negative Supreme Court decision or the loss of a right," she explained. "We want to build relationships now so that we can support each other in times of struggle." ```

President Donald Trump addressed crypto executives at the White House on March 7, declaring it "a very important day in your lives." Trump hosted the inaugural Crypto Summit, bringing together prominent figures in the crypto world with cabinet officials to reaffirm his support for the industry and solicit their input on regulation and legislation. Attendees generally felt empowered and optimistic about a new era for crypto in Washington. Sergey Nazarov, co-founder of Chainlink and a summit participant, stated that government representatives indicated a shift away from a negative stance towards the crypto industry, signaling substantial support. “Very open and receptive” For the past few years, the crypto industry has been frustrated by the enforcement actions of President Joe Biden's administration. The SEC, under Gary Gensler, aimed to curb what it deemed violations of securities laws by crypto companies and protect investors from widespread scams and fraud within the crypto sector. This led to lawsuits against both large and small companies, including Coinbase. Following Trump's election, he appointed cabinet members with close ties to the crypto industry, including an AI & crypto czar, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and a Treasury Secretary. Many enforcement actions, including the case against Coinbase, have since been. Furthermore, pro-crypto SEC commissioners, notably Hester Peirce, have been promoted, with Peirce now leading the. The Summit was attended by all of these officials, along with House Majority Whip Tom Emmer. Nazarov expressed surprise at the seniority of the government attendees, noting that industry representatives were given the opportunity to share their perspectives, and that the government officials were "very open and receptive." Trump led both a public press conference and a private meeting with the executives. In his public statements, he criticized Biden's anti-crypto position, urged Congress to pass legislation on stablecoins and a digital asset framework before the August recess, and allowed FIFA president Gianni Infantino to showcase the soccer World Cup Trophy and propose a FIFA meme coin. Trump joked that the coin might eventually be worth more than FIFA itself. (Trump's own meme coin, TRUMP, initially generated millions in trading fees, but its value has since declined from its $75 peak to $12.) Industry participants at the summit included Coinbase’s Brian Armstrong, MicroStrategy’s Michael Saylor, the Winklevoss twins, and Zach Witkoff, co-founder of Trump’s own crypto company, World Liberty Financial. Collectively, these individuals have contributed over $11 million to Trump’s inaugural committee, and critics have raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest. Robert Weissman, co-president of Public Citizen, stated that the significant spending by crypto companies in the 2024 elections has created "a new playbook for the purchase of large-scale political power in America." Avik Roy, co-founder and chairman of the think tank Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, questioned the distinction between legitimate actors and mere lobbyists, highlighting the challenge of discerning who is truly public-spirited. "The people that should be in front of him are in front of him, but there are also people who shouldn’t be in front of him who are in front of him," he said. Following the summit, Trump's Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) allowed banks to hold cryptocurrency, while urging them to conduct their own risk assessments. This action further suggested that the Trump administration would not heavily regulate the industry. Nazarov commented that the industry had been "unfairly suppressed" and that the intention was to move in the opposite direction. Trump’s crypto reserve The summit occurred a day after Trump issued an announcing the creation of a federal Bitcoin reserve. Initial reactions to Trump's earlier suggestion of the idea raised concerns, with some suggesting the possibility of taxes being levied to purchase crypto and risks associated with including smaller, volatile coins like Cardano and XRP in the proposal. However, the Executive Order significantly scaled back those plans. It stated that the U.S. would not acquire new Bitcoin but would only hold onto cryptocurrencies seized in enforcement actions. Andrew O’Neill, the digital assets managing director of S&P Global Ratings, described the order as "mainly symbolic." Industry insiders welcomed the decision to prioritize a separate Bitcoin reserve, thereby reducing the prominence of other crypto projects—whose. Roy commented that it would have been "a pretty clearly a cronyist outcome where well-connected people were able to get the government to buy their tokens without really any obvious strategic rationale for doing so," adding that "Bitcoin is a special case; it has no CEO." The Executive Order also mandates a comprehensive audit of the U.S.’ crypto holdings, estimated to include approximately 200,000 Bitcoin (worth about). Yesha Yadav, a law professor at Vanderbilt specializing in crypto and securities regulation, emphasized the importance of the audit in determining the usability of the Bitcoin and identifying what portion needs to be returned to fraud victims. A significant amount of this Bitcoin likely originates from the, seized by the U.S. government in 2022. Yadav noted that the audit will need to determine if efforts are being made to trace every victim, whether victims have come forward, and if claims have been addressed. Crypto prices have experienced turbulence in recent months, partly due to uncertainty surrounding. However, crypto industry insiders believe that Trump’s laissez-faire approach will ultimately facilitate growth. “FTX is in the past now,” says Nazarov. “The big failures are in the past.” Andrew R. Chow’s book about crypto and Sam Bankman-Fried, Cryptomania, was. ```

Warning: This post contains spoilers for Mickey 17. Around the release of his Oscar-winning film Parasite, the first foreign-language movie to win Best Picture, director Bong Joon-ho spoke about why the South Korean dark comedy resonated with audiences globally. He stated that "essentially, we all live in the same country, called Capitalism." Bong's previous works, such as the 2013 film Snowpiercer, the 2017 film Okja, and others, have frequently targeted the harsh realities of life under a hierarchical system. His new English-language film, Mickey 17, which is now playing in theaters, suggests that humanity may extend capitalism's reach into outer space. Based on Ashton Edward's 2022 novel Mickey7, the sci-fi satire is set in 2054 and follows Mickey Barnes (Robert Pattinson), a struggling man trying to escape a loan shark. Mickey and his business partner, Timo, decide to join an intergalactic colonizing expedition to the ice planet Niflheim. While Timo becomes a pilot, Mickey volunteers as an "expendable," whose job is to die repeatedly. Mickey faces agonizing and dehumanizing ends, whether accidentally or for research. After death (or near-death), he is tossed into a "cycler" with the ship's waste, reprinted as a new Mickey with his memories, and sent back to work. Mickey's solace is his romance with security agent Nasha (Naomi Ackie), who treats him as a person. The expedition is led by Kenneth Marshall (Steven Yeun), a failed politician whose ethics and followers resemble those of a U.S. president (though Bong denies the comparison). Marshall and his wife, Ylfa (Toni Collette), aim to establish a genetically "pure" colony under their rule. After Mickey 17 survives a mission on Niflheim due to the native "creepers," Mickey 18's printing creates a problem for the "multiples." They are caught in the Marshalls' war on the creepers, leading to Bong's most hopeful ending yet. The film's delay suggests it was intended for a pre-2024 election world. The emotional impact of the oppressed joining forces with aliens to defeat a fascist may depend on one's view of the current political climate. Mickey's journey from nihilist to hero leads to an optimistic conclusion. The society on Niflheim lives peacefully with the creepers and destroys the technology that made Mickey expendable, with Mickey triggering the demolition. "I just really wanted to prevent this character of Mickey Barnes from being destroyed," Bong said of the ending. "You know, he lives a very difficult life. Nothing is easy for him, but I just wanted to stop the world— this harsh world—from destroying this young man." ```

Betsy Arakawa, wife of Gene Hackman, officials in New Mexico announced Friday. Hantavirus, which exists globally, is transmitted through contact with rodents or their waste products like urine or feces. It cannot be transmitted from one person to another. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this virus can lead to a serious and potentially fatal lung condition known as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. The CDC started monitoring the virus following an outbreak in 1993 in the Four Corners area—where Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah converge. Since then, the overwhelming majority of U.S. cases have occurred in western states, especially the southwestern region. From 1993 to 2022, 864 cases were reported in the U.S. New Mexico had the highest number during that period, with 122 cases, followed by Colorado with 119. Symptoms usually appear between one and eight weeks after exposure and may initially include fatigue, fever, and muscle pain, says the CDC. As the illness progresses, symptoms can include coughing, shortness of breath, and chest tightness as fluid accumulates in the lungs. The CDC reports that approximately one-third of individuals who develop respiratory symptoms from the disease may die. The most effective way to prevent infection is to limit exposure to rodents and their excrement.

` tags. The hunt for Osama bin Laden, the founder of al-Qaeda responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks that killed 2,977 people and injured thousands more, lasted approximately a decade, culminating in his death in Pakistan on May 2, 2011. American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden, a Netflix documentary series premiering March 10, features interviews with individuals who were involved in planning the momentous raid. The three-part series features top intelligence officials who served under Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama, detailing the critical events that led to bin Laden's capture and the reasons it took almost ten years to locate him. According to Leon Panetta, CIA director at the time of bin Laden’s death, who shares his insights in the documentary, the terrorist’s death signified that “In many ways, we had really brought justice to all of those victims” of 9/11. Here's an examination of the most significant turning point in the highly classified mission, as well as the events unfolding in Pakistan and Washington, D.C. on the day of the raid. How the U.S. located Osama bin Laden In 2009, shortly after his first inauguration, President Barack Obama instructed intelligence officials to intensify their efforts to find Osama bin Laden, making it the top priority for the new CIA director, Panetta. These officials concentrated on finding a courier named Abu Ahmed, with the hope that he would lead them to bin Laden’s location. They knew they were progressing when they presented the name to top al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM), who was being held in Guantanamo Bay. KSM cautioned other detainees not to discuss Ahmed with any Americans, unaware that his conversations were being monitored. A crucial moment occurred in the summer of 2010, when intelligence officials intercepted one of Ahmed’s phone calls and tracked him to a white SUV. They followed the vehicle to a large compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, which immediately aroused suspicion. It was unclear how Ahmed, who had no apparent source of income, could afford such a substantial property. In addition, the compound's walls were topped with barbed wire, and the balcony had a large privacy screen. Panetta notes in the series that Abbottabad is a tourist destination known for its mountains: “Why would you put an eight-foot wall on the third floor?” Intelligence officials then measured the shadow of a man observed walking in the garden daily, who was determined to be the same height as bin Laden. They even contacted a journalist who had interviewed Osama to request footage of him walking, in order to compare the individual's gait. In April 2011, the Navy’s elite special operations force, Seal Team 6, began preparing to raid the compound, using a mock-up of the building located in North Carolina that was based on surveillance footage. Whenever a section of the mock-up was damaged during simulations, it was immediately repaired to allow the team to continue practicing. After about a month of training, Seal Team 6 launched the raid on the compound on May 2, using helicopters designed to minimize radar detection. Inside the war room In American Manhunt, top Obama advisors share details about their activities in the hours leading up to the bin Laden siege. As Seal Team 6 flew to the compound, American officials coped with the pressure in their own ways. Panetta mentions that he attended mass to pray. Deputy CIA director Michael Morell discloses that his marriage was strained because his wife was upset that he couldn’t attend his daughter’s final high school concert, and he couldn’t reveal the reason for his absence. Rob O’Neill of Seal Team 6 was writing letters for his children to read in the event of his death. President Obama, known to play when nervous, engaged in a game of spades. Ben Rhodes, a senior communications advisor, recalls that people began sharing their memories of where they were on 9/11. After landing their helicopters outside the compound, Seal Team 6 encountered several obstacles before locating bin Laden. One soldier recounts realizing they had reached bin Laden’s hiding place upon discovering a false door in a concrete wall, exclaiming “nobody does that!” After locating, shooting, and killing bin Laden’s courier Ahmed, they were confronted by women acting as human shields—"another indicator that he’s here,” O’Neill remembers. O’Neill recalls that when he finally came face-to-face with the world’s most wanted man, he recognized bin Laden’s nose and noticed that he was taller and thinner than he had anticipated. On May 2, 2011, Seal Team 6 fatally shot bin Laden and confiscated all intelligence records found on the premises. Despite the success of the mission, there was no immediate celebration in Washington, D.C. Rhodes explains that the President insisted on confirming that Seal Team 6 had safely exited Pakistani airspace before declaring any victory. No Americans were injured during the operation. In the series, O’Neill summarizes the team’s thoughts: “We accepted death on this mission but it’s nice to live.”

This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIME’s politics newsletter. Sign up to get stories like this sent to your inbox. Recent weeks have seen constant changes in policy from the White House, making it difficult to trust anything said at face value. A prime example is President Donald Trump's relationship with Canada and Mexico, which rapidly shifted from confirmed, to mostly off, and then potentially back on. Simultaneously, the President supported Elon Musk's ability to dismiss government employees during a speech filled with exaggerations and falsehoods. However, two days later, after an urgent Cabinet meeting, Trump placed some limitations on Musk. Even in this chaotic period in Washington, one Trump statement was particularly unbelievable. "I'm not even looking at the market," the President said on Thursday, a statement that surprised even his supporters. One senior Republican aide summarized the general sentiment in D.C. with an eye-roll emoji in a message. Another Republican who previously worked in the Trump administration suggested the situation felt surreal. This is a President who, during his first term, frequently used Wall Street as a measure of the economy's strength and his own success. "That big Stock Market increase must be credited to me," Trump stated in a tweet in 2019. "If Hillary won – a Big Crash!" Despite Trump's recent claims about not paying attention to the market when questioned about his tariff policies, his administration relies heavily on the markets, and currently, the market is declining. Friday's jobs report was intended to help Wall Street recover after its gains since Trump's election quickly disappeared. The Nasdaq, which is heavily weighted toward technology stocks, is now down 10% from its peak on December 16, a record Trump once highlighted. The Dow is down more than 5%. Anxious investors have put the markets on track for their worst week since September. As an advisor to the financial sector put it: "We are exhausted, and it’s still Q1." The jobs report was viewed as disappointing. The U.S. economy added 151,000 jobs, but unemployment rose to 4.1%. These figures were slightly below expectations, but the main concern was the absence of data on the recent firings and downsizing of federal employees. The report also failed to offset the anxiety caused by the tariff situation, which is undermining confidence in future investments. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the "Trump Bump" that followed his second term victory has become a "Trump Slump." A significant amount of wealth created since Election Day has been lost just this week. The duration of this downturn is uncertain. Friday’s jobs report adds to Trump’s economic record, the ultimate impact of which remains to be seen. Investors are increasingly frustrated by the unreliability of information coming from Trump's inner circle. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick initially stated that the tariffs would remain, only to be contradicted by Trump, who suggested they would be delayed. Then, on Friday, Trump revived the tariffs and announced a 250% tariff on Canadian dairy and timber. Much of this market instability stems from Trump's unpredictable nature and the influence of figures like Musk. Many government contractors are now constantly checking Musk's DOGE account to see if they will be paid for completed work. While Washington may be gradually adapting to the inconsistent nature of the White House, Wall Street is not. The situation has become a constant crisis, with market-moving decisions being made and reversed rapidly. Furthermore, the official jobs report has yet to reflect the impact of cuts across federal agencies, or the potential effects of service degradations, such as food safety inspections or weather forecasting, on the U.S. and global economy. We are all on this merry-go-round watching as the people who keep it running smoothly are being removed. Make sense of what matters in Washington. . ```

SANTA FE, N.M. — Authorities announced on Friday that the actor's death was due to heart disease and that he exhibited severe signs of Alzheimer's disease. This information comes a week after his wife passed away from hantavirus in their residence. Following the discovery of the bodies on February 26th, investigators initially ruled out any possibility of foul play. Initial tests for carbon monoxide poisoning came back negative. According to Chief Medical Investigator Dr. Heather Jarrell, it's possible Hackman was unaware that his wife had died in their home. Dr. Jarrell stated that Mr. Hackman showed signs of advanced Alzheimer's disease and was in very poor health. She added that he had significant heart disease, which she believes ultimately caused his death. Hackman, aged 95, was discovered in the entryway of his home. His death was attributed to heart disease, with Alzheimer's disease as a contributing factor. Betsy Arakawa, aged 65, was found with an open prescription bottle and pills scattered on the bathroom counter. Authorities have determined that her death was caused by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare and potentially fatal disease transmitted through infected rodent droppings. The disease is typically reported during the spring and summer months, often resulting from exposures when individuals are near mouse droppings in homes, sheds, or poorly ventilated spaces. Jarrell stated that the rate at which Arakawa died is currently unknown. Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza, along with state fire and health officials, made the announcement during a press conference. Earlier, investigators collected personal belongings from the couple's home, including a monthly planner and two cellphones. ```