Monday, March 9, 2026

The costs of war

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The Daily Briefing

YOUR MORNING NEWS ROUNDUP

Mon Mar 9 2026

Nicole Fallert
Newsletter Writer & SEO Editor

Welcome to the Daily Briefing. Here's what's breaking this morning:

•	An explosion at the U.S. embassy in Oslo may have been deliberate.
•	No injuries were reported after Rihanna and A$AP Rocky's home was shot at.
•	USA faces Mexico Monday in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Nicole Fallert here. Catch up with USA TODAY's News Quiz. We dive into Monday's news, from the latest on the war in Iran to worries over safe spring break destinations for Americans. Plus: We cheer for USA's paralympic hockey team.

More deaths to come in Iran war

A seventh American service member has died in the ongoing war with Iran, the U.S. military said on Sunday, more than a week after the conflict began. In Iran, the death toll from U.S.-Israeli strikes has exceeded 1,300, according to the Iranian Red Crescent. In Lebanon, the Lebanese Health Minister said Sunday nearly 400 people have been killed by Israeli strikes.

In an interview that aired on Sunday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told "60 Minutes" that "there will be more casualties" in the war in Iran.

Is an end in sight? Trump said that he is not interested in negotiations. Instead, he raised the possibility that the war would continue until the Middle East country no longer has a military or leadership. Trump also said on Sunday high oil prices are a "small price to pay" for Americans. Meanwhile, Iran named Mojtaba Khamenei as its next supreme leader.

More news to know now

•	Exclusive: Trump eyes surprise economic deal with Cuba. The Trump administration is advancing moves that reframe regime change in Cuba through economic deals that prioritize U.S. interests, staving off an all-out confrontation.
•	The DHS they knew is hardly recognizable. USA TODAY spoke with half a dozen Homeland Security veterans who worry that the administration's singular focus on deporting millions of people could lead to the agency's downfall.
•	A jail death shocked an Alabama town. Despite his outward calm, Sheriff Nick Smith is a man under siege.

2026 Paralympic Winter Games

Another hockey medal for Team USA?

Team Italy's Sandro Kalegaris and Team USA's Kayden Beasley and Declan Farmer face off in March 7 in Milan, Italy.

Remo Casilli, REUTERS

Team USA's para ice hockey team defeated Italy 14-1 over the weekend, and now the Americans face Germany on Monday at 12:05 p.m. ET at the Milano Cortina Paralympic Winter Games. If the USA makes it to Sunday's final and wins, it would be the third gold hockey medal for the country this year.

Travel

Spring break scramble

Rising geopolitical tensions are pushing some U.S. travelers have anxiety about spring break. In one instance, Mexico's recent civil unrest also put some travelers on edge, with the travel insurance platform Squaremouth reporting a sixfold surge in customer calls specifically about Mexico. Here are a few spring break destinations safe for Americans.