5 things to know for April 7: Historic spaceflight, Tax refunds, Iran war, Georgia special election, March Madness

CNN

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

After weeks of war rattling supply chains, some businesses are beginning to pass along higher costs to consumers with sneaky — and not-so-sneaky — price hikes. Several airlines, for example, have raised checked baggage fees, while Amazon and other companies have introduced fuel surcharges.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ Historic spaceflight

The four Artemis II astronauts are headed back to Earth after venturing farther from the planet than any humans have ever gone, breaking the 1970 record set by Apollo 13. On Monday, they completed a lunar flyby, sweeping around the moon’s far side on an unprecedented path and capturing rare images of terrain never seen before. The crew also enjoyed a total solar eclipse from their perspective in the Orion spacecraft. After the milestone, President Donald Trump called to congratulate the astronauts. “Today you’ve made history,” he said, inviting them to the Oval Office upon their return.

2️⃣ Tax refunds

Trump administration officials say that US taxpayers may receive bigger refunds this filing season thanks to a new tax measure in the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.” While not all taxpayers are eligible due to income limits and other restrictions, those who qualify could see a modest boost. The IRS has processed 87.5 million returns so far this tax season and, as of March 27, it has paid out nearly 63 million refunds. The average amount returned: $3,521. That’s up $351 (or 11.1%) from the same period last year, but still well below the average $1,000 boost that the US Treasury projected.

3️⃣ Iran war

Iran remains defiant as President Trump warns their “entire country” could be demolished if no deal is reached today to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump said Monday the US has a plan under which every bridge and power plant in Iran could be destroyed by midnight, although he has previously declared — and then shifted — similar deadlines for the opening of the strait multiple times. Analysts note that targeting critical civilian infrastructure could be considered a war crime. An Iranian official cautioned that such attacks would have consequences far beyond the region, with “destructive effects on global energy and the economy.”

VISUAL: The cascading global impact of the Iran war

4️⃣ Georgia special election

A Democrat’s long-shot bid to flip former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s deep-red Georgia district heads to a runoff today, drawing national attention as Republicans try to protect their razor-thin House majority. The race to replace Greene, the former ally of President Trump turned critic who resigned from Congress in January, advanced to a runoff when neither Democrat Shawn Harris nor Republican Clay Fuller secured a majority in March’s crowded election. A potential win by Harris, although a tall task, would further tighten Speaker Mike Johnson’s margin — especially with an expected Democratic pickup in an upcoming New Jersey special election, leaving him little room to lose votes.

5️⃣ March Madness

The University of Michigan defeated UConn 69-63 to win its first men’s basketball national championship since 1989. After dominating Arizona in the Final Four, the Wolverines were heavily favored going into Monday’s matchup. The Huskies pushed Michigan to the brink, but the Wolverines held firm behind point guard Elliot Cadeau, who scored a game-high 19 points and was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player. In one of college basketball’s enduring traditions, members of the Wolverines climbed a ladder to snip the net after the win, taking home the season’s final strands of nylon.

Breakfast browse

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How India plans to count 1.4 billion people for its 2026 census

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Weather

🌤️ Check your local forecast to see what you can expect.

And finally…

▶️ AI will redefine how cities operate, says tech chief

At the Smart City Summit and Expo 2026 in Taipei, ASUS co-CEO Samson Hu discusses how artificial intelligence will change cities.

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