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The NCAA announced the 2026 men’s tournament bracket with Duke seeded No. 1 overall out of the East region, while Arizona, Michigan and Florida earned the top seeds in the West, Midwest and South, respectively. Selection Sunday confirmed a 68-team field that begins with the First Four in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed … Read more

Lead CHICAGO — Oscar Cluff scored 21 points and Trey Kaufman-Renn added 20 as No. 18 Purdue defeated No. 3 Michigan 80-72 on March 15, 2026, to claim the Big Ten Tournament championship at the United Center. Braden Smith finished with 14 points, 11 assists and three steals, helping Purdue (27-8) rebound from a late … Read more

Two people have died and more than a dozen others are reported seriously ill after an outbreak of invasive meningitis in Canterbury linked to the University of Kent. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is contacting over 30,000 students, staff and family members and arranging antibiotic prophylaxis for those identified as close contacts. At least … Read more

Lead On March 15, 2026, US forces struck military positions on Iran’s Kharg Island, the country’s main oil-export hub, a move President Donald Trump announced late that day. The strike and a White House warning to target energy infrastructure if Iran disrupts shipping have sharply raised supply-risk concerns across the Middle East. The incident comes … Read more

Lead: The 98th Academy Awards opened in Los Angeles on March 15 with host Conan O’Brien setting a playful tone, quick to riff on politics, tech and the arts. The ceremony’s early highlights included Amy Madigan’s surprise win and speech, Misty Copeland’s ballet cameo during Sinners’ performance, and a high-profile Bridesmaids reunion on the red … 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: 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

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

Who: The film industry’s leading talents and nominees. When: The Oscars ceremony begins in Los Angeles at 16:00 local time (23:00 GMT) on Sunday. Where: Live from Los Angeles, with global audiences following online and on broadcast. What: This story lists every nominee across major Academy Award categories and will be updated as winners are … Read more

On March 15, 2026 in Nashville, No. 3 seed Arkansas defeated No. 4 seed Vanderbilt 86-75 to claim the SEC Tournament championship. The Razorbacks captured their first league tournament crown since 2000, paced by SEC Player of the Year Darius Acuff Jr., who finished with 28 points and 11 assists. Arkansas coach John Calipari added … 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

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

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

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

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