The briefing for Tuesday, March 17.

A federal judge in Boston temporarily blocked Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. from reducing childhood vaccine recommendations and halted a meeting of his newly appointed vaccine advisory committee. Judge Brian E. Murphy found Kennedy likely violated federal procedures in reconstituting the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, ordering the appointments and all committee decisions put on hold pending further legal proceedings.

Kennedy had announced plans in January to end broad recommendations for childhood vaccines against flu, rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, some forms of meningitis, and RSV. He also fired the entire 17-member ACIP panel and replaced it with a group including several anti-vaccine voices. The lawsuit, originally filed in July by the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups, was updated to challenge these expanded policy changes.

The HHS indicated plans to appeal, with a spokesperson saying the department expects the decision to be overturned. However, the ruling brings immediate clarity for parents and doctors, with 30 states having already rejected at least some of the new federal recommendations. The postponed ACIP meeting was unprecedented in the committee's 62-year history, according to Yale vaccine policy expert Jason Schwartz.

President Trump requested a one-month delay of his planned early April trip to China, citing the need to focus on Operation Epic Fury as the Iran conflict enters its third week. The announcement came as Trump's weekend call for an international coalition to secure the Strait of Hormuz met with widespread rejection from potential allies including Japan, Australia, and multiple European nations.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated Britain would not be drawn into a wider war, while other nations expressed similar reluctance despite Trump's warnings about NATO's future. The president now faces a difficult choice about committing additional U.S. Navy resources to secure the waterway through which 20% of global oil flows, or declaring objectives met while Iran continues threatening shipping. Last Friday, the U.S. ordered a 5,000-strong Marine amphibious unit from Japan to the Middle East.

The extended conflict poses growing political risks for Trump as oil prices surge. Polling expert Clifford Young of Ipsos warned that sustained high energy prices would threaten a president already on uncertain political ground. Trump continues to publicly project confidence while juggling multiple topics, having spent his weekend golfing in Florida and discussing matters ranging from Kennedy Center renovations to World Cup planning alongside war strategy.

Iran launched drone and missile attacks on Dubai International Airport and the strategically critical Fujairah oil port on Monday, temporarily halting flights and oil loading operations. The strikes on Fujairah, one of the world's largest oil storage facilities, marked the third attack near Dubai's airport since the conflict began. UAE air defenses intercepted six ballistic missiles and 21 drones, but fires erupted at both locations.

Fujairah's location on the Gulf of Oman side of the UAE makes it crucial for bypassing the Strait of Hormuz when that passage is blocked. The port serves as a major hub for oil exports to Asia and refueling for container ships. Oil analyst Matt Stanley noted the attacks demonstrate 'the vulnerability of Gulf infrastructure' and Iran's intent to disrupt energy flows. A separate rocket attack killed a Palestinian national on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.

Iran has launched over 1,900 missiles and drones at the UAE since the U.S.-Israeli war began. Despite the attacks affecting the world's busiest international passenger airport and threatening the UAE's image of stability, Dubai business leaders described the community as resilient. UAE Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh previously vowed the country would 'bounce back' from the conflict.

Afghan officials accused Pakistan of an overnight airstrike that hit a drug rehabilitation hospital in Kabul, with authorities claiming at least 400 deaths at the 2,000-bed Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital. Rescue crews worked through Tuesday morning to recover bodies from the rubble as fires burned among the ruins. Pakistan denied targeting any civilian sites, saying its Monday strikes hit only military installations and ammunition storage facilities.

The alleged hospital strike represents a dramatic escalation in the three-week border conflict between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Pakistani officials said they conducted precision airstrikes on technical support infrastructure in Kabul and Nangarhar province used to support what they described as terror proxies. The Pakistani military accused Afghanistan of harboring the Pakistani Taliban and Baloch separatist groups.

Earlier Monday, the two sides exchanged fire along their border, killing four people in Afghanistan. The U.N. Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution calling on Afghanistan's Taliban rulers to combat terrorism, though it didn't specifically reference attacks in Pakistan. Both nations dispute each other's casualty claims, with Pakistan calling Afghan allegations 'false and misleading.'

Countries across Asia are imposing aggressive energy conservation measures as the blocked Strait of Hormuz forces difficult trade-offs between economic activity and soaring fuel costs. The Philippines switched to a four-day government workweek and ordered air conditioning kept at 75°F, while Vietnam urged remote work and Thailand asked officials to use stairs instead of elevators.

The conservation efforts come as Asian nations, heavily dependent on oil and liquefied natural gas shipped through the Hormuz strait, compete for dwindling supplies. Japan began releasing 45 days' worth from its 254-day strategic oil reserve, while South Korea plans to release 22.46 million barrels. Thailand halted fuel exports to protect limited reserves, contributing to shortages that closed nearly a third of Cambodia's gas stations.

Analysts warn the measures create immediate economic drags. Vietnam's energy-intensive export industries face rising production costs that could slow factory output. In Hanoi, vegetable seller Dieu Linh said even a 10% fuel cost increase would nearly eliminate her profit margins. Control Risks consultant Linh Nguyen cautioned that 'even relatively modest constraints on energy use can create a drag on industrial activity.'

The Senate will take up legislation requiring proof of U.S. citizenship for new voters and mandated ID at polls, despite unanimous Democratic opposition that makes passage unlikely. The SAVE America Act would force Americans to present passports, birth certificates, or REAL ID-compliant licenses showing citizenship when registering to vote, with most registration happening in person at elections offices.

The bill would create penalties for election officials who register applicants without documentary proof and allow private citizens to sue officials in some cases. It would also require all states to mandate voter ID at polls and share voter information with the Department of Homeland Security for verification. President Trump pushed Senate Majority Leader John Thune to advance the bill, suggesting Republicans eliminate the filibuster, though Thune said there isn't sufficient support.

Democrats argue the legislation would disenfranchise millions of Americans without readily available documentation, while Republicans frame it as necessary election integrity measures. Currently 36 states have voter ID laws of varying strictness. Senate Republicans plan an extended debate lasting a week or more to force Democrats to defend their opposition, even as the bill's passage remains blocked by Democratic resistance.