Read Trends

Lead: As of March 15, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security funding lapse has entered its second month, and travelers at Pittsburgh-area airports report noticeably longer TSA screening lines. Federal transportation security officers and other frontline staff say morale and staffing flexibility have eroded as the shutdown continues, contributing to delays during busy travel windows. … Read more

Lead: On March 15, 2026, a US strike hit military targets on Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export terminal, raising fears of renewed crude supply disruption in the Middle East. The reported action sent Brent crude up as much as 3.3%, pushing prices above $106 a barrel, and pressured Asian equities into weaker openings. Futures … Read more

This evening Hollywood’s biggest names gathered at the Dolby Theater for the 98th Academy Awards, a sunlit red carpet and an awards show that promises tighter races than in recent years. Temperatures approached 83 degrees as stars including Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Pedro Pascal and Emma Stone navigated the roughly 900-foot carpet; Elle Fanning, nominated … Read more

Lead A team of astronomers led by Alexander Venner (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy) has identified an Earth-size planet candidate, HD 137010 b, after spotting a single 10-hour dip in archival Kepler data. The signal implies a 355-day orbit around a K-type star about 146 light-years away, making it unusually close and bright for follow-up. … Read more

Lead Apple is reportedly prioritizing stability and performance for iOS 27, aiming for an update that echoes Mac OS X Snow Leopard’s 2009 emphasis on under‑the‑hood fixes. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reiterated in his Power On newsletter on March 15, 2026, that Apple plans a largely refinement‑focused release with selective new features. The company is expected … Read more

On March 15, 2026, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation issued an urgent statewide advisory for the Northeast Region based in Green Bay, urging residents to stay off highways, main roads, rural roads and secondary routes across 11 counties due to life‑threatening blizzard conditions. The alert covers Brown, Calumet, Door, Fond du Lac, Kewaunee, Manitowoc, Marinette, … Read more

The Oscars red carpet opened in Hollywood as celebrities, nominees and presenters began arriving for the ceremony that will be hosted by Conan O’Brien. The arrivals took place against the backdrop of a reported downturn in Los Angeles film and TV production, which industry group FilmLA says hit its lowest level in 2025 since the … Read more

Lead: The 98th Academy Awards unfolded at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 15, 2026, with Conan O’Brien as this year’s host. The ceremony — honoring the best films of the past year — was broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, with ABC7 running a live updates feed. A pre-show, … Read more

Lead Three large wildfires in central and western Nebraska have scorched roughly 600,000 acres and remained 0% contained as of Sunday, officials said. The largest, the Morrill Fire, has burned more than 460,000 acres across Morrill, Arthur and Keith counties and is the biggest blaze in Nebraska history. The fires have killed one person in … Read more

Lead Bonnie Rotten (legal name Alaina James), identified as the estranged wife of motorcycle customizer Jesse James, was booked into the Hays County Jail on a charge of assault causing bodily injury involving a family member. The booking entry, recorded and reviewed by media, lists the arrest as “warrantless/on-view” and shows bond set at $3,000. … Read more

Lead: Former US president Donald Trump said the United States is not yet prepared to negotiate an end to the US–Israeli offensive against Iran, even as Tehran and its adversaries continued exchanges of missiles, drones and air strikes across the Gulf and Levant. His comments followed fresh Iranian attacks on Gulf states and Israel and … Read more

Lead On the night of March 15, 2026, Israeli soldiers shot and killed four members of a single Palestinian family returning by car from Nablus after breaking the Ramadan fast, Palestinian officials said. Two young boys, ages 5 and 7, were among those killed; an 11-year-old survivor described gunfire striking the vehicle and his parents. … Read more

Lead The chair of the US Federal Communications Commission, Brendan Carr, warned this week that broadcast stations could lose their licences if they fail to serve the public interest, after comments from President Donald Trump about media coverage of the US-Israel war with Iran. Carr reiterated the point in an interview with CBS News and … Read more

Lead: Vanderbilt and Arkansas meet in the SEC Championship on Sunday, March 15, with tip-off scheduled for 1 p.m. ET on ESPN. The Commodores enter as 2.5-point favorites (-2.5) with a moneyline of -135; Arkansas is listed at +2.5 and +115 on the ML. The total is currently 167.5 points. This preview lays out the … Read more

Lead Riyadh, March 15 — Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, told Reuters in a written response that relations between Tehran and Arab Gulf states need a “serious review” in light of the U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran. He denied Iranian responsibility for recent strikes on Saudi oil facilities, including incidents at Ras Tanura … Read more