Illini-UConn Final Four: Three Keys and a Pick

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Lead On Saturday, April 4 at 5:09 p.m. CT at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, No. 3 seed Illinois (28-8) meets No. 2 seed UConn (33-5) in the men’s Final Four. The game will be televised on TBS/TNT/TruTV with Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill and Tracy Wolfson on the call. Illinois arrives off a … Read more

Three Keys and a Pick: No. 3 Illinois vs. No. 2 UConn

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Illinois (28-8) meets two-time defending champion UConn (33-5) on April 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis in a Final Four semifinal starting at 5:09 p.m. CT. The matchup pits Illinois’ historic offensive output against UConn’s top-10 defense, with the Illini listed as a 1.5-point favorite and an over/under of 139.5. The winner advances to … Read more

Trump Contemplates Other Cabinet Changes as He Faces Political Clock

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Published April 3, 2026; Updated April 4, 2026, 9:30 a.m. ET President Donald Trump is privately weighing additional alterations to his cabinet in Washington as he races against a shrinking window to get new nominees through the Senate before the November midterm elections. The moves follow abrupt departures of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in … Read more

US and Iran Race to Recover Crew After F-15 Downing

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Lead: A US Air Force F-15 was shot down over Iran on April 4, 2026, prompting an active search-and-rescue effort as Tehran and Washington both seek the fate of one missing crew member. One of the two aircrew was recovered and is receiving medical care in US custody; the other remains unaccounted for. The incident … Read more

US and Iran race to recover missing pilot

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Lead US and Iranian forces raced on 4 April 2026 to locate a crew member from an F-15 shot down over Iran, after Tehran said it downed the jet and state and US media reported one crew member rescued and one still missing. The incident unfolded days into a wider US‑Israel campaign of strikes across … Read more

Final Four Live: 2026 Women’s Semifinals in Phoenix

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Lead: In Phoenix on April 3–4, 2026, all four No. 1 seeds met expectations as UConn, South Carolina, UCLA and Texas converged for the Women’s Final Four at the Mortgage Matchup Center. South Carolina defeated UConn 62-48 in the opening semifinal, ending the Huskies’ 54-game winning streak and booking the Gamecocks’ third straight national title … Read more

Two airlines raise baggage fees: What to know

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Lead: United Airlines announced on April 3, 2026, that it is raising checked-bag charges by $10 for tickets purchased on or after that date, the carrier said. The increase raises prepaid first-bag fees to $45 and first-bag fees paid within 24 hours to $50, with second-bag prepaid and within-24-hour prices set at $55 and $60 … Read more

US rescues one crew member after F-15E shot down over Iran, sources say

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Lead On April 3, 2026, U.S. forces recovered one of two aircrew after an F-15E Strike Eagle was downed over southwestern Iran, U.S. sources told CNN. The second crew member’s status remains unclear as search-and-rescue operations continued in the Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad region near Deh-e Ramezan and Dehdasht. Iranian state media and local officials said … Read more

US rescues one crew member after F‑15E shot down over Iran; search for second continues

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Lead: A U.S. F‑15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran on Friday, and U.S. forces recovered one of the aircraft’s two crewmembers, sources said. The rescued service member is in U.S. custody and receiving medical treatment; the fate of the second crewmember remains unknown as search-and-rescue operations continue. President Donald Trump has been briefed, … Read more

International law experts allege violations in Iran war

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Lead: More than 100 international law specialists published an open letter this week accusing the United States, Israel and Iran of serious breaches of international law in the current Middle East conflict. The signatories say recent military strikes and public threats—including high-level statements from US officials—undermine the United Nations Charter’s prohibition on force except in … Read more

Judge Dismisses Blake Lively’s Harassment Counts Against Justin Baldoni; Retaliation Claims Proceed

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On April 2, 2026, a federal judge in Manhattan ruled that actor Blake Lively’s sexual-harassment claims against co-star and director Justin Baldoni under Title VII must be dismissed, while leaving three claims — including retaliation and a breach-of-rider contract claim — intact for a jury to consider. The written opinion by U.S. District Judge Lewis … Read more