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Lead: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has already removed large volumes of crude from world markets and is pushing Asian refiners into rationing and costly replacement purchases. As of March 20, more than 130 million barrels were estimated lost from Middle Eastern flows, and industry trackers warn disruptions could swell dramatically through April. … Read more
Lead: On March 26, 2026, the International Olympic Committee announced a new policy that will bar transgender athletes from competing in the female category at the Olympic Games, effective at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The rule ties eligibility to a one‑time genetic screen for the SRY gene, according to the IOC, which … Read more
Lead: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday after proposing that Ukraine share its combat drone experience with Gulf states to bolster regional security. He framed the offer as linked to global energy stability and Europe’s cost of living, and said talks in Riyadh will include defense cooperation. The visit comes as … Read more
Lead: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and AEG announced on March 26, 2026, that the Oscars will relocate from Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre to the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live beginning with the 101st ceremony in 2029. The agreement commits the ceremony to the Peacock through 2039 and includes a comprehensive upgrade program … Read more
Lead: President Donald Trump announced an extension of a pause on strikes against Iran’s energy infrastructure, saying he granted Tehran a 10-day reprieve that now runs through April 6, 2026. U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed Washington circulated a 15-point action list to Iran via Pakistan as a framework for a possible deal. Tehran has … Read more
Lead On 2026-03-26 Google began rolling out a new import tool for Gemini that lets users bring in chat logs and memory data exported from other AI platforms. The feature appears alongside the Gemini 3.1 Flash Live update and offers a web path at gemini.google.com/import to upload exported .zip files. Users can import conversations from … Read more
March 26, 2026, 18:06 UTC — Apple is preparing to let outside artificial intelligence assistants interact with Siri as part of a broader Siri overhaul in its forthcoming iOS 27 update, according to people with knowledge of the plan. The move follows Apple’s existing arrangement that allows Siri to reach ChatGPT through a partnership with … Read more
Lead Federal authorities say two siblings were indicted after an improvised explosive device (IED) was discovered outside the visitor center at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. The device was found on March 16; the FBI announced indictments on March 26. Federal court records identify the charged suspects as Alen Zheng, 20, and Ann … Read more
Lead Netflix’s limited series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen follows engaged couple Rachel (Camila Morrone) and Nicky (Adam DiMarco) over the week before their wedding, when an anonymous warning—”Don’t marry him”—sets off a chain of revelations. As Rachel uncovers an ancestral bargain with Death and a strict rule about marrying one’s true soulmate … Read more
President Trump has sent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to major U.S. airports amid a partial government shutdown, aiming to support Transportation Security Administration (TSA) operations while staffing gaps persist. The deployment began after Department of Homeland Security funding lapsed in mid‑February, leaving many TSA employees working without pay and prompting hundreds of resignations … Read more
Lead: US prosecutors told a New York federal court that former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores should not be permitted to use Venezuelan government funds to pay criminal defence lawyers, arguing the couple “plundered” state resources. The dispute arose at a hearing on Thursday before 92-year-old Judge Alvin Hellerstein, who said … Read more
Lead On Thursday, March 26, 2026, Judge Jeffrey Karp acquitted former North Andover police officer Kelsey Fitzsimmons of a single count of assault with a dangerous weapon after a bench trial at Essex Superior Court in Lawrence. The charge stemmed from a June incident in which Officer Patrick Noonan shot Fitzsimmons after arriving at her … Read more
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led a prayer at a Pentagon worship service on Wednesday asking for decisive, merciless force against the United States’ enemies, according to accounts from witnesses and news reports. The gathering, held before military and civilian personnel, was Hegseth’s first public Pentagon worship session since the Iran war began and followed recent … Read more
Lead Major League Baseball opened its 2026 season on March 26, 2026, with the New York Yankees routing the San Francisco Giants 7-0 at Oracle Park. The slate continues through Thursday and Friday with every club playing its season opener across the two days. Fans can expect marquee pitching matchups, refreshed rosters and several high-profile … Read more
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced that the Academy Awards ceremony will move from the Dolby Theatre to the Peacock Theater at L.A. Live beginning in 2029, with the arrangement extending through 2039. The first ceremony at the new site will coincide with the telecast’s migration to YouTube and mark the … Read more
