Muted Nowruz: Iranians Mourn Amid Bombardment and Repression

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As Nowruz arrived on March 20, 2026, many Iranians marked the spring new year in a subdued atmosphere across Tehran and other cities. Markets such as Tajrish Bazaar saw smaller crowds than usual as families balanced traditional customs with grief after a deadly January crackdown and three weeks of U.S.-Israeli bombardment. Economic hardship — rising … Read more

Trump Administration Sues Harvard Over Alleged Antisemitism

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On March 20, 2026 the U.S. Department of Justice, representing the Trump administration, filed a civil suit in federal court in Boston alleging Harvard University violated the civil rights of Jewish and Israeli students and staff. The complaint accuses Harvard of tolerating antisemitic conduct and seeks to compel compliance with Title VI while pursuing recovery … Read more

Trump Brands NATO ‘Cowards’ as 2,200 Marines and Warships Head to Middle East

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Lead President Trump on Friday attacked NATO allies for declining to send ground forces to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, calling them “cowards,” as the Pentagon dispatched a second Marine expeditionary unit and three warships toward the Middle East. The moves come amid an intensifying U.S.–Israeli campaign against Iranian targets and continued Iranian missile and … Read more

Orbán accused of disloyalty and blackmail after vetoing €90bn Ukraine loan

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Lead European leaders at a Brussels summit on Thursday accused Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán of disloyalty and blackmail after he blocked a €90bn loan package intended for Ukraine. Orbán posted on X, “No oil = no money,” linking his veto to a dispute over a damaged Druzhba pipeline that carries Russian oil to Hungary. … Read more

Chuck Norris, Action Icon and ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’ Star, Dies at 86

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Lead: Chuck Norris, the martial-arts champion turned movie and television action star, died at age 86 after being hospitalized in Hawaii. His family said in a statement posted Friday that he passed that morning and was surrounded by loved ones. Norris built a decades-long career from 1970s fight films to the CBS series Walker, Texas … Read more

Spanish police say University of Alabama student Jimmy Gracey likely died in accident in Barcelona

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Lead: James “Jimmy” Gracey, a 20-year-old University of Alabama student from Elmhurst, Illinois, who vanished while on break in Barcelona, was found dead Thursday afternoon in waters off a beach near the city’s nightlife district, Catalonia regional police said. He had been last seen around 3 a.m. on Tuesday outside the Shoko nightclub and did … Read more

Stocks Fall Again, Set for Fourth Weekly Loss as Iran-Israel Conflict Escalates

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U.S. equity indexes slipped on Friday as investors monitored fresh exchanges between Iran and Israel and reports of additional U.S. military reinforcements to the region. The Dow fell 257 points, the S&P 500 dropped 0.8% and the Nasdaq slid 1.2% on March 19, 2026, leaving major averages headed for a fourth consecutive weekly decline. Oil … Read more

Global vs. Regional: How U.S. and Israeli Aims Are Diverging Over Iran

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Lead: In mid-March 2026, a major Israeli strike on facilities tied to Iran’s South Pars gas operations triggered Iranian reprisals against Gulf states and a noticeable bump in fuel markets. Washington initially denied prior knowledge before President Trump said he had warned Israel against the attack, highlighting public strains in coordination. Analysts say the episode … Read more

BTS Honors Their Roots and Looks to the Future on Long-Awaited ‘Arirang’: A Track-By-Track Breakdown

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On March 20, 2026, BTS returned with Arirang, their first full-length record in three years and nine months, blending hip-hop intensity with Korean folk motifs and wide-ranging production collaborators. The seven members — RM, Jin, Suga, J-hope, Jimin, V and Jungkook — reunited after completing mandatory military service and separate solo projects, and debuted the … Read more

FCC Approves Nexstar’s $6.2 Billion Acquisition of Tegna, Creating Largest Local-TV Owner

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Lead: The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday approved Nexstar Media Group’s $6.2 billion acquisition of Tegna, a deal that would make the combined company the largest local television-station operator in the United States. The agency waived a 39% national ownership cap, saying the merged group would reach at least 60% of U.S. households. The announcement … Read more

Lebanon war widening divide within Shi’ite community as frustrations with Hezbollah grow

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Lead: Renewed fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli forces since March 2, 2026 has intensified divisions inside Lebanon’s Shi’ite community. The exchange of rocket fire and Israel’s large-scale response — including a targeted ground operation announced on March 16 — has displaced hundreds of thousands and, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry, left more than 900 … Read more

A little-known immigration appeals board is remaking U.S. deportation policy

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Lead Inside the Justice Department, the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) has quietly become a central engine of immigration policy, altering how courts handle detention, bond and removal. Since President Trump took office, the board was cut from 28 seats to 15 within weeks and refilled with his appointees, a change that coincided with a … Read more

Where Pollen Counts Are Rising This Spring — What Allergic Americans Should Know

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Lead On March 20, 2026, public-health and weather forecasts warned that spring pollen is already increasing across much of the United States, an early sign of a difficult season for people with allergies. An estimated 106 million Americans live with allergies or asthma, and many will face worse symptoms as tree, grass and weed pollen … Read more