Daily Briefing: Gaza is starving

Further escalation of the Israel-Hamas war could push around half of Gaza’s total population to the brink of starvation, a new report says. Also in the news: California, Ohio and Illinois brace for close primary contests and special elections on Tuesday. The First Four tips off the NCAA Men's tournament tonight.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. These are our spring must-haves.

Here is the news to know Tuesday.

Gaza facing 'catastrophic hunger'

Famine is "imminent" in the northern Gaza Strip and is projected to affect more than 200,000 Palestinians by May, the U.N.'s World Food Program has warned. The program cited a report released this week that says 70% of the 300,000 Palestinians in northern Gaza face "catastrophic hunger." The almost complete lack of access that humanitarian aid organizations face in northern Gaza will likely compound the problems of hunger, healthcare, water and sanitation, the report said. Meanwhile, Israeli forces launched another raid on the Gaza Strip’s largest hospital, saying it killed a Hamas commander who was hiding there. Read more

• Trump yet again made comments which Jewish leaders called antisemitic.

Here's what to watch in Tuesday's primaries and elections

Tuesday's congressional primaries and special elections are promising tough contests and close battles as November's general election quickly approaches.

A different kind of March madness: National races like these give a sense of American voter sentiment ahead of the general election, especially in races where Donald Trump-backed candidates are on the ballot.

• Ohio holds pivotal Senate primary: Voters will choose a Republican to compete with Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown in the fall. And Trump has put his endorsement record on the line yet again.

• Californians pick Kevin McCarthy's replacement: A pack of nine candidates are seeking the vacant Congressional seat from McCarthy, the Bakersfield Republican who was ousted from his leadership post late last year.

• Primaries in Illinois and Ohio: Voters can cast ballots in these presidential primaries although the presumptive nominees for each — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump — are all but set.

Related: Far-right conspiracy theories threw one voter integrity system into peril.

More news to know now

• The EPA banned asbestos nationwide.

• We are yet again asking whether there will be a government shutdown.

• The Federal Reserve may signal fewer interest rate cuts in 2024 after strong inflation reports.

• Liz Cheney hits back at Donald Trump after he attacked the Capitol riot investigation.

• On today's The Excerpt podcast, the Supreme Court let stand a ban against the Cowboys for Trump co-founder using the 14th Amendment. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your smart speaker.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

A $454 million bond a 'practical impossibility' for Trump

Facing a fast-approaching deadline, former President Donald Trump hasn't been able to get a bond in his civil fraud case to shield his assets while he appeals a $454 million judgment, his lawyers told an appeals court in New York Monday. Trump would need nearly $1 billion in cash or cash equivalents to post the bond while also keeping his businesses running and paying other debts, they said in a court filing. The Trump team is pleading for the court to block New York Attorney General Letitia James from collecting on the judgment — which could begin next week — without requiring him to post a bond or deposit for the full amount. Read more

Supreme Court extends hold on Texas border law

The Supreme Court indefinitely paused a Texas law that would allow police to arrest migrants accused of crossing into the country illegally. The decision keeps on hold the law, originally set to go into effect on March 5, while it’s being litigated. Texas officials said the state is the nation’s “first-line defense against transnational violence” and the law is needed to deal with the “deadly consequences of the federal government’s inability or unwillingness to protect the border.” But the Justice Department argues the law would create "chaos" in border enforcement. Read more

Keep scrolling

• United Airlines' CEO said a string of incidents "have sharpened our focus."

• A new Banksy mural debuted in London.

• We made a timeline of the Princess Kate debacle.

• It's been one year of the Eras Tour.

• Turnover is still high in these industries.

March Madness begins with First Four

The First Four is the kickoff party for the Men's 2024 NCAA Tournament. With two games on Tuesday and two on Wednesday in Dayton, Ohio, these games typically involve the four lowest-ranked conference champions and the four lowest-ranked at-large teams. The winners move on to the first round to make up the field of 64 for the NCAA Tournament. The teams hoping to bust brackets tonight are Wagner College, which is up against Howard University, and Colorado State faces Virginia. Read more 73014946007

• What women's March Madness games are tomorrow? What to watch as the tournament begins.

• The NCAA was hit with a lawsuit involving prize money for college athletes.

Photo of the day: Peak bloom comes early

Washington, D.C.'s famous cherry blossoms burst into peak bloom on Sunday, drawing visitors to the springtime event to take in the natural beauty of the nation's capital. Click here for more photos of the pretty petals.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com or follow along with her musings on Twitter. Support journalism like this – subscribe to USA TODAY here.

Associated Press contributed reporting.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Israel-Hamas war, primary election, Trump trial, border, March Madness, spring: Daily Briefing