Free Speech Chills and Legal Controversies

Two astronauts returned to Earth yesterday after spending more than nine months in space. Andrea Leinfelder, reporter at the Houston Chronicle, tells us about the journey. 

The latest from two crises overseas: Hours after Putin agreed in a phone call with Trump to pause attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Russia launched missiles and drones into Ukraine. And Israeli forces have resumed full combat in Gaza, the BBC reports.

Florida offers an early window into how the Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI initiatives at universities nationwide could pan out. Wall Street Journal reporter Doug Belkin has the details. 

Plus, Chief Justice John Roberts issued a rare statement that rebuked Trump, a judge ruled that the administration most likely acted unconstitutionally when it shut down USAID, and Sabreena Merchant and Justin Williams from The Athletic explain how to fill out your March Madness brackets. 

Today’s episode was hosted by Shumita Basu.