Lawmakers Condemn Iran ‘War’ Bets as Prediction Markets Face Scrutiny

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Lead U.S. lawmakers intensified scrutiny of prediction markets on March 2, 2026, after wagers linked to the fate of Iran’s Supreme Leader drew public outrage following his death in a recent bombardment. Senator Chris Murphy (D–Conn.) called the situation “insane” on X and said he would introduce legislation to prohibit such markets. Companies operating prediction … Read more

Qatar downs two Iranian Su-24 jets as Gulf nations face wave of Iran strikes

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Qatar said on March 2, 2026, that its air defenses shot down two Iranian Su-24 fighter jets after they entered Qatari airspace, part of a broader series of cross‑border strikes and interceptions across the Gulf since U.S. and Israeli air operations on Saturday. The Qatari defense ministry gave few operational details but said the action … Read more

Paramount to Merge HBO Max and Paramount+ After WBD Sale

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Lead: On March 2, 2026, Paramount CEO David Ellison told investors that Paramount plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single streaming service if regulators approve Paramount Skydance’s proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The companies reached agreement last week to sell WBD at $31 per share after Netflix withdrew from the … Read more

Lebanese PM bans Hezbollah military activities after attack on Israel

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Lead: On 2 March 2026, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced a ban on Hezbollah’s military and security operations after the Iran-aligned group launched rockets and drones at Israel from Lebanese territory and Israel carried out air strikes on Beirut’s southern suburbs. Salam said the group’s role must be confined to politics and ordered security … Read more

States Move to Tighten Access to H.I.V. Treatment

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Lead Nearly 20 U.S. states are tightening eligibility for Ryan White AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs), and several others are considering similar steps, officials and analyses show. On March 2, 2026, Florida implemented the largest immediate change, removing benefits for at least 16,000 residents and eliminating coverage of the widely prescribed drug Biktarvy. The shifts … Read more

Trump warns Iran of larger strikes as Middle East war spirals

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Lead: President Donald Trump warned Monday that a “big wave” of strikes against Iran is still to come as US-led operations with Israel expand across the Middle East. The warning came amid continuing cross-border exchanges between Israel and Hezbollah, missile and drone attacks across Gulf states and strikes that U.S. officials say have degraded Iranian … Read more

Macron says France will allow temporary deployment of nuclear-armed jets to European allies

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Lead: French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Monday at L’Ile Longue, a base that houses France’s ballistic missile submarines, a shift in Paris’s nuclear posture: France will both expand its arsenal and permit the temporary deployment of nuclear-capable aircraft to allied countries while retaining sole authority over any use. The measures are presented as steps … Read more

HBO Max and Paramount+ to Merge into One Streaming Service

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Lead: Paramount Skydance has announced plans to combine HBO Max and Paramount+ into a single direct-to-consumer streaming service if and when its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery completes. CEO David Ellison said the combined DTC base would be a little over 200 million subscribers and that Paramount plans to consolidate Paramount+, Pluto TV and BET+ … Read more

Versant to Test Wall Street’s Appetite for Cable TV with First Public Earnings Report

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Lead Versant Media Group will publish its first quarterly results as a standalone public company on Tuesday, giving investors the first clear look at an operator built largely around pay TV networks. The Comcast spinout — which includes CNBC, USA Network, Golf Channel, Syfy, E!, Oxygen and digital brands such as Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes … Read more