Top stories
Lead: A mutated version of SARS‑CoV‑2, designated BA.3.2, was first detected in the United States in a traveler who tested positive at San Francisco International Airport in June 2025 and is now showing signs of broader circulation. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on March 19 detailed the variant’s genetic changes in … Read more
Researchers publishing in Science Advances (2026) report evidence that Earth’s magnetosphere creates an extended energetic-particle “cavity” that reduces radiation on the lunar surface by about 20% at certain orbital phases. The result derives from analysis of measurements from China’s Chang’e-4 lander supplemented with trend checks from NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The effect appears when … Read more
Lead: U.S. intelligence sources say Iran has reinforced Kharg Island in recent weeks—adding troops, air defenses and mines—after learning Washington has discussed the option of a ground seizure. The island, a linchpin for roughly 90% of Iran’s crude exports, sits at the northern end of the Persian Gulf near key oil facilities. U.S. planners have … Read more
Lead Stephen Colbert announced on March 25, 2026, that he is developing a new Lord of the Rings feature to write after his late-night program ends this spring. The short video, posted by Warner Bros., featured director Peter Jackson and said the film will adapt early chapters of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring … Read more
Lead U.S. public health officials are monitoring a newly identified Omicron-lineage called BA.3.2 that carries spike-protein changes officials say could reduce protection from prior infection or vaccination. The lineage was first detected at San Francisco International Airport last summer during routine traveler genomic surveillance and has been found in at least five hospital patients in … Read more
Lead: Lawmakers in Washington unveiled a tentative plan this week intended to fund large portions of the Department of Homeland Security after funding lapsed in mid-February, as travelers face long lines at airports and federal workers remain unpaid. Senate Republicans say the proposal would finance most DHS operations while excluding ICE’s enforcement and removal operations; … Read more
In a March 25, 2026 interview with the BBC, BlackRock founder and CEO Larry Fink laid out two stark end-states for the ongoing Iran conflict: either the international community reconciles with Iran and its oil returns to markets, depressing prices and spurring growth, or the confrontation endures and keeps oil elevated for years, triggering a … Read more
Lead On March 25, 2026, the Environmental Protection Agency announced a temporary federal waiver to allow broader sales of higher-ethanol gasoline as U.S. pump prices spiked amid the war with Iran. The waivers lift limits that normally restrict E15 sales in many states during summer months and remove federal impediments to E10 in certain jurisdictions, … Read more
Kim Raver and Kevin McKidd will leave Grey’s Anatomy with the Season 22 finale airing on May 7, 2026. Both actors play long-running characters—Dr. Teddy Altman and Dr. Owen Hunt—whose shared arc has spanned multiple seasons and personal milestones, including a Season 18 marriage. Production on Season 22 has wrapped and the departures are described … Read more
Lead: Ring has updated its battery-powered doorbell lineup, adding 4K capture to the Battery Doorbell Pro (2nd gen) and 2K imaging to its mid- and entry-level battery models. The Pro now supports 10x zoom and promises longer intervals between charges, while the Battery Doorbell Plus and Battery Doorbell (2nd gen) gain 2K resolution and 6x … Read more
Federal Transportation Security Administration officers across the United States are facing a prolonged pay interruption as a dispute in Congress has left the Department of Homeland Security without full funding. About 50,000 screeners expected another $0 paycheck this week, forcing some to use food banks, tap savings or consider selling personal assets to cover rent … Read more
Lead Payton Sandfort faces an uncommon March: his younger brother Pryce stars for Nebraska while Payton remains closely tied to his alma mater, Iowa, as the teams meet in the Sweet 16 in Houston on March 26, 2026. Sandfort, who finished his Iowa career with 1,619 points and now holds a two-way NBA contract, has … Read more
Lead The Department of Homeland Security remains unfunded as lawmakers race to avert a deepening operational crisis. On March 25, 2026, Senate leaders continued negotiations in the Capitol as Democrats pushed for binding reforms to ICE and Republicans pressed for a funding structure that would separate ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations. Airlines, airports and TSA … Read more
Lead On March 25, 2026 the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Cox Communications could not be held liable for widespread online music piracy absent evidence that the company intended or actively encouraged infringement. The decision resolves a high-profile dispute that began with a 2018 lawsuit by major music labels and publishers alleging repeated subscriber … Read more
25 March 2026 — Stephen Colbert will move from late-night to Middle-earth: filmmaker Peter Jackson announced in a social-media video on Tuesday that Colbert will co-write a new Lord of the Rings feature, tentatively titled The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past. The project, described as set 14 years after Frodo’s departure, will … Read more
