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Washington has denied responsibility for a strike on an Iranian girls' elementary school that killed more than 160 children in the opening hours of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. RT's Isabella Blumberg examines how the US has handled deadly strikes on civilians in previous wars.
Videos of the February 28 bombing – verified by several news agencies – appear to show the school struck by what looks like a Tomahawk missile, a weapon used by US forces in the conflict. Investigations by Reuters, the Washington Post, the New York Times, AP, CNN and other outlets concluded that US forces likely destroyed the school in the southern Iranian city of Minab while striking nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sites.
In previous wars – including the 2015 bombing of a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Kunduz and the 1991 strike on Baghdad's Amaria shelter – similar incidents have followed a familiar pattern: initial denials, internal investigations, and later admissions of “tragic mistakes.”
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Cem Özdemir gains 30.2% of vote in Baden-Württemberg, ahead of CDU, with far-right AfD in third
Friedrich Merz's Christian Democrats (CDU) have stumbled into a busy election year with a defeat to the Greens in a key state poll, as his embattled party struggles to fend off a challenge in other pivotal races from the far right.
The German chancellor's conservative CDU had enjoyed a double-digit lead in the south-western car production region of Baden-Württemberg just weeks ago but the Greens and their charismatic candidate Cem Özdemir eked out a half-point-margin win in Sunday's poll with 30.2%.
Merz, who has travelled to Beijing and Washington in the past two weeks to defend German and European interests amid growing global turbulence, called it a “bitter result” and said the onus was on his government to win back voters.
“We will now have to make more substantial progress with the necessary reforms so that we in Germany can emerge from this difficult economic situation,” he told reporters on Monday.
The surprise Greens triumph is expected to make Özdemir, a former federal cabinet minister and party co-chair, Germany's first state premier from the large Turkish diaspora community, more than half a century after the first “guest workers” arrived.
Özdemir, 60, whose parents moved to Germany in the 1960s, has said he wants to continue the decade-old Greens-CDU coalition government after a hard-fought campaign in the prosperous state of more than 11 million people.
He would succeed Germany's first and so far only Green state leader, Winfried Kretschmann, who is retiring after 15 years in charge.
The far-right Alternative für Deutschland party zeroed in on deindustrialisation fears in the state's automobile heartland, home to Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, and nearly doubled its score from the last election five years ago to almost 19% – its best ever in a western state.
That was below the party's announced target of 20%, and the third-place finish proved something of a disappointment to the AfD, which had hoped to project its impact far beyond its traditional strongholds in the ex-communist east.
But the result still underlined its ability to expand beyond immigration as a mobilising issue, to capitalise on economic anxiety and win robust support deep in the wealthy west.
Merz's CDU garnered 29.7%, while its junior coalition partners on the federal level, the Social Democrats, suffered a wipeout with 5.5%. The SPD co-leader Lars Klingbeil, who is also Germany's vice-chancellor and finance minister, spoke of an “utterly bitter night”.
Merz, 70, has stumbled in efforts to jumpstart a recovery in Europe's top economy, a prospect he said on Monday was increasingly under threat by a spike in energy prices from the Iran war.
His popularity ratings have also taken a hit from rhetoric often seen as divisive in a country that puts a premium on harmony and consensus in politics.
Sunday's was the first of five state elections this year. The next, on 22 March in neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate, pits the national governing parties against each other. It has been led since 1991 by the Social Democrats, who are running neck-and-neck with Merz's CDU.
In September, there are elections in Berlin and two regions in the east, where the AfD hopes to win its first absolute majority and seat a state premier.
The political scientist Albrecht von Lucke called the Baden-Württemberg result a “catastrophe” for Merz's government. “The defeat has had a devastating effect right at the start of the year,” he told the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper, noting that the regional CDU “certainly received no tailwind from Berlin”.
“If Rhineland-Palatinate is now also lost … the party will be in a very poor position ahead of the extremely important [eastern] state election in Saxony-Anhalt” where the AfD could win outright.
He said Merz's ruling coalition would struggle if state elections continued to show diminishing support.
“This will increase the fear, even panic, in both parties – and their efforts to distinguish themselves from each other,” he said. “This means that we will face even more difficult negotiations [on government policy] at the federal level, which in turn will benefit the AfD.”
Özdemir ran a pragmatic, centrist campaign for the Greens, who are polling at just 12% nationally. Analysts said that should serve as a wake-up call to the “Fundi” or hardliner wing of the party, whose influence has grown since it fell out of government in Berlin last year.
Climate campaigners pointed to the Greens' win as proof that support for EVs, as highlighted by Özdemir, over CDU-backed combustion engines could be a vote winner, even in car country.
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Anthropic is suing the Department of Defense and other federal agencies on Monday over the Trump administration's decision to label the AI company a “supply chain risk.”
The lawsuit is the latest development in an ongoing standoff between the Pentagon and one of world's most prominent AI companies as the White House attempts to boost AI adoption in the government.
The supply chain risk designation is usually given to firms associated with foreign adversaries, and it impacts how Anthropic can do business with companies working with the Defense Department.
Anthropic alleges that its categorization as a supply chain risk — and the Trump administration's directive that federal agencies stop using the company's technology — are legally unsound. The company called the moves “unprecedented and unlawful” in the legal filing.
“Seeking judicial review does not change our longstanding commitment to harnessing AI to protect our national security, but this is a necessary step to protect our business, our customers, and our partners,” an Anthropic spokesperson said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue every path toward resolution, including dialogue with the government.”
The Pentagon declined to comment on litigation, citing department policy. White House spokesperson Liz Huston said the president “will never allow a radical left, woke company” to dictate how the military operates.
“The President and Secretary of War are ensuring America's courageous warfighters have the appropriate tools they need to be successful and will guarantee that they are never held hostage by the ideological whims of any Big Tech leaders,” Huston said in a statement. “Under the Trump Administration, our military will obey the United States Constitution – not any woke AI company's terms of service.”
The Pentagon issued the supply chain risk designation after negotiations to update its contract with Anthropic broke down over two red lines that Anthropic wants the Defense Department to agree to: that its AI tool won't be used for mass surveillance of US citizens, and that it won't be used for autonomous weapons.
The Pentagon, however, wants to use Anthropic's AI for “all lawful purposes,” saying they could not allow a private company to dictate how they can use their tools in a national security emergency. The Pentagon previously claimed it's not interested in using AI for mass surveillance of US citizens and autonomous weapons.
The Trump administration on February 27 ordered federal agencies and military contractors to halt business with Anthropic after the company refused to let the Pentagon use its technology without restrictions. That same day, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Anthropic would be labeled a supply chain risk and added that “no contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic.”
In its filing, Anthropic alleges that the government is retaliating against the company for its use of First Amendment-protected speech. It also argues that Trump does not have the authority to direct federal agencies to cease using Anthropic's technology, and that the company was not granted adequate due process.
The company is seeking injunctive relief, alleging that “current and future contracts with private parties are also in doubt” and that “hundreds of millions of dollars” are in jeopardy because of the Trump administration's actions.
“On top of those immediate economic harms, Anthropic's reputation and core First Amendment freedoms are under attack,” the filing read. “Absent judicial relief, those harms will only compound in the weeks and months ahead.”
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei said the formal letter it received designating it a supply chain risk indicates its customers will only be restricted from using Claude in work directly related to their Pentagon contracts.
Anthropic previously said it planned to challenge the designation in court, adding that it “set a dangerous precedent for any American company that negotiates with the government.”
Amodei met with Hegseth on February 24, but the two failed to come to an agreement. In a blog post explaining the company's decision to reject the Pentagon's offer, Amodei said AI can't currently be used reliably and safely for cases like mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. He also said the company has been “having productive conversations” with the Pentagon about how to work together while adhering to its redlines and about ensuring a smooth transition if an agreement isn't reached.
Trump said in a February 27 Truth Social post that Anthropic has made a “disastrous mistake” and accused the company of trying to dictate how the military operates.
OpenAI struck a deal with the Pentagon just hours after the Trump administration's order.
Anthropic's profile has only risen amid the conflict. Its Claude AI app surpassed OpenAI's ChatGPT in the iPhone's App Store for the first time the day after the Pentagon said it would terminate its contract with Anthropic. The company also said on March 5 that more than a million people are signing up for Claude every day.
CNN's Hadas Gold and Haley Britzky contributed to this report.
This story has been updated with additional content.
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Tehran – A top Iranian official has warned that the government is prepared for a long war with the US and signaled that it is willing to continue attacking Gulf countries in an effort to persuade them to convince President Donald Trump to step back from the conflict.
The warning came in an exclusive CNN interview in Tehran with Kamal Kharazi, foreign policy adviser to the office of the Supreme Leader, who ruled out diplomacy for now and said the war would only end through economic pain – signaling a hardening of the government's stance on day 10 of the conflict.
“I don't see any room for diplomacy anymore. Because Donald Trump had been deceiving others and not keeping with his promises, and we experienced this in two times of negotiations – that while we were engaged in negotiation, they struck us,” Kharazi told CNN on Monday.
“There's no room unless the economic pressure would be built up to the extent that other countries would intervene to guarantee (the) termination of aggression of Americans and Israelis against Iran,” Kharazi said, suggesting that Gulf Arab countries and beyond need to put pressure on the US to end the war.
Iran names slain supreme leader's son as successor, in a defiant message to Trump
“This war has been producing a lot of pressure – economic pressure – on others, in terms of inflation, in terms of lack of energy, and so if it will be continued, this pressure will be built up more, and therefore others have no choice (but) to intervene,” he said.
Since the US and Israel launched the war, Iran has struck a slew of countries across the Middle East. Tehran claims it is targeting US interests in Gulf nations but residential buildings and airports have also repeatedly come under attack.
The Iranian strikes have exploited the fragility of the global energy trade including infrastructure and transit routes. Maritime traffic through the Straight of Hormuz has all but collapsed, with crude oil prices surging past $100 a barrel on Monday, rattling wallets and the stock market.
An estimated 20% of world oil supply has been disrupted by the ongoing conflict, roughly twice as big as the record set during the Suez Crisis of 1956-1957, according to historical data from Rapidan Energy Group.
Not only has the war derailed the flow of oil out of the region, it has also effectively wiped out the “spare capacity” that typically serves as a shock absorber in energy markets. Spare capacity measures how much more oil production could quickly get brought back online, if needed.
A spokesperson for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Sunday that Iran is using 60% of its firepower to attack US bases and “strategic interests” in the region.
Meanwhile, Mojtaba Khamenei, the second son of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was elevated to the country's highest post over the weekend, an indication that further escalation is likely.
Visualizing the US-Israeli war with Iran and retaliation in maps and charts
Asked if the Iranian military and the supreme leadership are as one going forward, Kharazi said: “Yes, exactly.”
“The responsibility of the leader of Islamic Republic of Iran is to lead the defense capability of Iran, and therefore, as Ayatollah Khamenei was doing that, now the new leader would do that,” he said.
Trump said last week that Khamenei's appointment as his father's successor would be “unacceptable” to him.
“That is not his business,” Kharazi said.
EDITOR'S NOTE: CNN is operating in Iran with the permission of the Iranian government, as required under local regulations. CNN maintains full editorial control over what it reports. The Iranian government does not review, approve, or preview CNN's reporting prior to publication or broadcast.
CNN's Kara Fox, Catherine Nicholls and Matt Egan contributed reporting.
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BUDAPEST, March 9. /TASS/. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has sent a letter to the European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen calling for an immediate removal of EU sanctions against Russian energy. The head of government has said that he came forward with such a proposal amid the threat of a sharp rise in oil and gas prices due to the conflict in the Middle East.
"We must review and suspend all sanctions imposed on Russian energy across Europe. Today I put forward this initiative in a letter to European Commission President, Mrs. von der Leyen," he said in a video address broadcast by the M1 TV channel.
The threat of rising energy prices in Europe has arisen not only because of military actions in the Middle East, but also as a result of Ukraine's suspension of the transit of Russian oil through the Druzhba pipeline, Orban noted. "The oil blockade imposed by Vladimir Zelensky represents the most serious threat not only to Hungary and Slovakia, but also to the whole EU," he stressed.
Russian oil has not been flowing via the Druzhba pipeline since January 27. Hungary and Slovakia have asked Croatia to allow Russian crude to be delivered via the Adriatic Pipeline. It is expected to be delivered to the Croatian port of Omisalj by sea. The Hungarian government has also decided to provide MOL with 250,000 tons of oil from its strategic reserves for its refinery. These reserves are sufficient for three months.
NATO air and missile defense systems intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran after it entered Turkey's airspace, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on March 9.
No casualties were reported, though debris fell in Gaziantep, a major city in southern Turkey.
The incident marks the second time in recent days that an Iranian ballistic missile has been launched toward Turkish territory. Ankara previously warned that it reserves the right to respond to any hostile actions against the country.
"We once again emphasize that all necessary measures will be taken decisively and without hesitation against any threat directed at our country's territory and airspace," the ministry said.
"We also reiterate that it is in everyone's interest to heed Turkey's warnings in this regard."
Following the earlier interception, Ankara summoned Iran's ambassador to protest the missile launch. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has warned Tehran against escalation.
The Middle East conflict began on Feb. 28 when Israel and the United States launched coordinated strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure and the regime's leadership.
Tehran has since carried out retaliatory attacks against Israel, Azerbaijan, and several Gulf states, raising concerns among allies about broader regional destabilization.
The interceptions highlight the growing risk that the escalating conflict could spill into NATO territory.
Turkey, a NATO member, has maintained diplomatic relations with both Kyiv and Moscow since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and previously hosted negotiations.
Reporter
Tim Zadorozhnyy is the reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in foreign policy, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and political developments across Europe and Russia. Based in Warsaw, he pursued studies in International Relations and European Studies at Lazarski University, through a program offered in partnership with Coventry University. Tim began his journalism career in Odesa in 2022, working as a reporter at a local television channel. After relocating to Warsaw, he spent a year and a half with the Belarusian independent media outlet NEXTA, initially as a news anchor and later as managing editor. Tim is fluent in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.
The spring in Ukraine has arrived, but thick layers of ice left over from the brutally cold winter will delay the start of the sowing season by two to four weeks, burdening struggling farmers with extra work amid wartime challenges.
According to Syrskyi, one main attack grouping of Air Assault Forces alone regained control of 285.6 square kilometers.
The Air Force said the exact circumstances of his death were being established.
Their arrest involved an armored personnel carrier, and Hungary's Anti-Terrorist Center operatives carrying out the operation were armed with machine guns.
"We reacted immediately," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ankara previously warned that it reserves the right to respond to any hostile actions against the country.
161 of the drones were shot down or jammed, while the other 36 and two ballistic missiles struck their targets.
"I am confident that you will honorably continue your father's work," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Russia's oil remains sanctioned," U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.
The number includes 750 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Brent futures, the global benchmark for oil prices, increased 16% on March 8, near to $108 a barrel. Prices last reached this level in 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces have liberated up to 435 kilometers of Russian-occupied territory in the country's south, thwarting Moscow's efforts to mount a southern offensive, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on March 8.
"The main message will be that Slovakia is ready to take over the baton from Hungary if necessary," Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on March 8.
Rescue workers and residents search through the rubble in the aftermath of an Israeli-U.S. strike on a girls' elementary school in Minab, Iran on Feb. 28.Uncredited/The Associated Press
New footage shows what an expert investigative group says is likely an American Tomahawk missile hitting a compound in southern Iran, meters from the school where a deadly unclaimed blast killed over 165 people at the start of the war raging in the Mideast.
It comes as mounting evidence points to U.S. culpability for the Feb. 28 strike, which hit a school adjacent to a Revolutionary Guard base in Minab, Iran, in the country's southern Hormozgan Province. Experts interviewed by The Associated Press, citing satellite image analysis, say the school was probably struck amid a quick succession of bombs dropped on the compound.
A U.S. official familiar with internal deliberations on the matter has told the AP that the strike was likely American. The official spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to comment publicly on the sensitive matter.
The new footage, first analyzed by the investigative group Bellingcat, was taken the day the school was struck but circulated Sunday by Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency. It shows a missile hitting a building, sending a dark plume of smoke into the air.
Evidence suggests explosion at Iranian elementary school was likely from U.S. air strikes
The AP was able to geolocate the video and determine it was taken from a site adjacent to the school, while smoke was already rising from the school vicinity. Satellite imagery of the compound is consistent with visual identifiers found in the video, including a flat-roofed building, power lines and vehicles.
Trevor Ball, a Bellingcat researcher, identified the munition as a Tomahawk cruise missile – which only the U.S. is known to possess in this war. It's the first evidence of a munition used in the strike.
U.S. Central Command has acknowledged using Tomahawk missiles in this war and even released a photo of the USS Spruance, part of the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier group located within range of the school, firing a Tomahawk missile on Feb. 28.
Bellingcat said the footage “appears to contradict” U.S. President Donald Trump's claim that Iran was responsible for the deadly school blast. Neither the U.S. military's Central Command nor the Israeli military immediately replied to requests for comment Monday from the AP.
When asked by a reporter Saturday whether the U.S. was responsible for the blast, which killed mostly children, Trump responded, without providing evidence: “No, in my opinion, based on what I've seen, that was done by Iran.” Trump added that Iran is “very inaccurate” with its munitions. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth quickly chimed in to say the U.S. was investigating.
A man holds a children's backpack as rescue workers and residents search through the rubble on Feb. 28.Uncredited/The Associated Press
One is the launching of an assessment of the incident by the U.S. military. According to the Pentagon's instructions on processes for mitigating civilian harm, an assessment is launched after a group of investigators make an initial determination that the U.S. military may bear culpability.
Another is the location of the school – next to the Revolutionary Guard base and close to barracks for a naval unit. The U.S. military has focused on naval targets and acknowledged strikes in the province, including one in the vicinity of the school. Israel, which has denied conducting the strike, has focused on areas of Iran closer to Israel and hasn't reported any strikes south of Isfahan, 800 kilometres (500 miles) away.
Complicating any assessment of the incident is the lack of images of bomb fragments from the blast. No independent agency has reached the site during the war to investigate.
Janina Dill, an expert on international law at Oxford University, wrote on X that even if the strike was a misidentification – and the attacker believed that the school had been a part of the neighbouring IRGC base – it would still be “a very serious violation of international law.”
“Attackers are under an obligation to do everything feasible to verify the status of targeted object,” she wrote.
The Trump administration, however, strikes a different tone on international humanitarian law.
Speaking about the U.S. operation at a press conference March 2, Hegseth said: “America, regardless of what so-called international institutions say, is unleashing the most lethal and precise air power campaign in history.”
“No stupid rules of engagement,” he said. “No politically correct wars. We fight to win, and we don't waste time or lives.”
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Jessika Roswall cites Poland and Finland, which have made border areas near Russia or its allies ‘more hostile' to cross
Countries should look to rewild their land borders as a deterrence to invasion and build up other geographical defences to attack, Europe's environment chief has said.
Jessika Roswall, the EU's commissioner for the environment, water resilience and a competitive circular economy, said nature should be used to improve national security. “Investing in nature and using nature as a natural border control is necessary, and actually increases biodiversity. It's a win-win,” she said.
Poland and Finland, which both share land borders with Russia or Russian allies, have rewilded areas near their frontiers, making invasion more difficult. “I've visited them: they transfer the land to more hostile nature, leaving bushes and trees. Then it's not so easy for others to cross it,” she told the Guardian.
Restoring wetlands also provided a natural barrier, she added. “It's very difficult for big tanks to go through.”
Roswall wants countries to treat nature as a defence asset, and to consider the national security implications of their environmental failures. Having a thriving natural environment was a core part of food supply and water security, both of which should be seen as essential national security assets, she said.
“We need to invest in nature. Water is the most obvious example. If we don't have water, we don't have [security]. Look at Ukraine [where water infrastructure is under attack]. It is crucial to invest in the infrastructure, and protect the infrastructure,” she said.
Protecting towns and cities against flooding should also be seen in security terms, she argued, in an interview with the Guardian before the US-Israel invasion of Iran. To reduce the impact of floods and droughts, “we have to invest in nature – nature-based solutions like sponge cities”, she said. “That's also a security issue. It's another part of security.”
Many parts of Europe were already “absolutely at water crisis”, she said, owing to scarcity, pressure on resources and in some cases a lack of rainfall. Though these problems varied according to region, one further problem was common to all, she added, and needed to be tackled urgently. “If you look at pollution, the quality of water, you have a problem all over Europe,” she warned. “We are at a junction where we really need to focus on water. We need to work together when it comes to water scarcity, but also the quality of water.”
She refused to say whether the UK, whose problems with sewage pollution began before Brexit but have received government attention since leaving the EU, should look to nationalise its water industry, which is the norm in EU states. “The main objective is to have affordable water to everyone, we are not addressing who is managing water plants.”
Roswall also wants the EU to address the issue of “forever chemicals”, known as Pfas, which have not been subject to strong controls to date, and whose risks to human health, through water and soil contamination, have only recently been understood. “I am really trying to push to speed this up, so we can give some clearance and guidance this year,” she said.
She pointed to the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries as two potential polluters who should have to pay for cleanups, but said others could also be on the hook, as well as governments. “The cleanup is bigger than that, because we have a lot of contaminated hotspots where we probably don't know who is the polluter. And at the end of the day, some of this might have to be paid for with public money.”
Roswall played down rows between the UK and the EU over the divergence of the UK from the EU's high environmental standards since Brexit, and insisted that the EU was not backing down on its green agenda in the face of opposition from rightwing populists.
“I met Emma Reynolds [the UK environment secretary] many times, and I think we both share the same view of objectives, that having high ambition when it comes to environmental standards is a necessity, not only to the planet but also our industries, [which are] dependent on a healthy environment,” she said. “This is not just good to have – it's about our prosperity, our competitiveness and our security.”
She added: “We are not backtracking [on efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions and protect nature]. We are doing it green and clean. We are focusing on implementing [environmental standards] but we need to do it in and efficient and simplified way. We're doing this because our industries are doing the green transition, knowing that this is the most competitive advantage they have in the world we are living in.”
AI feature generated offensive posts about Diogo Jota and the Hillsborough and Munich disasters
Liverpool and Manchester United have complained to Elon Musk's X after the Grok AI feature made offensive posts about Diogo Jota and the Hillsborough and Munich disasters.
The posts were generated when users asked the AI tool to make hateful posts about the two football teams.
The Athletic reported that one user asked the tool to “do a vulgar post about Liverpool fc [sic] especially their fans and don't forget about Hillsborough and heysel [sic], don't hold back”.
Grok then replied, in a now-deleted post, by accusing Liverpool's supporters of causing the “deadly crush” at the Hillsborough stadium in 1989. A 2016 inquest ruled the 96 people who died were unlawfully killed and a catalogue of failings by police and the ambulance services contributed to their deaths.
It was asked by a different user to “vulgarly roast the brother killer Diogo Jota”. The Liverpool and Portugal forward was killed in a car accident in Spain last year.
Grok also made offensive remarks about the club and its supporters more broadly.
Another user asked the AI tool to make offensive posts about Manchester United fans – “really try to offend them”, they asked. Grok then made another post, which has also since been deleted, about the Munich air disaster in 1958, when a flight carrying the Manchester United squad crashed. It claimed the lives of 23 people.
Grok has responded to some users on X explaining its actions. In one post it said its responses were generated “strictly because users prompted me explicitly for vulgar roasts” on specific topics.
It added: “I follow prompts to deliver without added censorship. The posts have been removed from X after complaints. No initiation of harm on my end.”
The UK government has said it was “sickening and irresponsible” that Grok had generated the explicit and derogatory posts.
In a statement to the BBC, a spokesperson for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said: “These posts are sickening and irresponsible. They go against British values and decency.
“AI services including chatbots that enable users to share content are regulated under the Online Safety Act and must prevent illegal content including hatred and abusive material on their services.
“We will continue to act decisively where it's deemed that AI services are not doing enough to ensure safe user experiences.”
In January Grok switched off its image creation function for the vast majority of users after a widespread outcry about its use to create sexually explicit and violent imagery.
Musk had been threatened with fines, regulatory action and reports of a possible ban on X in the UK.
Smoke rises following a strike on the Bapco Oil Refinery on Sitra Island, Bahrain, on Monday.Stringer/Reuters
The Group of Seven industrialized countries discussed the possibility of releasing oil from strategic reserves on Monday as the price reached almost US$120 at one point in early European trading on Monday and Iran warned that it would pursue triple-digit oil prices as an economic weapon.
“We discussed all the available options, including making IEA emergency oil stocks available to the market,” International Energy Agency executive director Fatih Birol said on Monday in a statement after joining the G7 finance ministers' meeting.
The use of that strategic option would depend on market developments, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said in Brussels on Monday.
“Everyone is currently watching developments on the financial markets, in trade and on the markets as a whole,” Klingbeil said. “Then we will see if and when the time is right to pursue this strategic option.”
On social media, the head of Iran's parliament, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf said Iran's strategy was to force energy prices up to the point that the U.S. and Israel were forced to back down on their attacks on his country.
“The economic consequences of this war spilling over to the level of infrastructure across the region and the world will be vast and long-lasting,” he wrote. “Oil prices could remain in triple digits for some time. The grounding of global economies is the likely outcome of this war.”
In London, the Brent futures price for May contracts rose almost 26 per cent to US$116.38. If they remain above US$112.17, they will mark the biggest single-day climb since the futures began trading in 1988. High futures prices signal that investors think oil for future delivery, in this case, two months ahead, will remain elevated.
The prospect of a G7 joint release of oil reserves pushed down Brent spot prices from their Monday peak of US$119.50. But in midafternoon London trading, Brent was still up 8 per cent over Friday's close, at just above US$100. Oil was under US$60 in December.
Natural gas prices climbed even faster. They were up 30 per cent because the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 per cent of all liquefied natural gas (LNG) passes, remained all but closed. European gas prices have doubled since the war began nine days ago.
The energy shock – and the prospect of slowing economies – hit the markets again, with the FTSE 100 down 1.1 per cent and Germany's DAX off by 1.4 per cent in afternoon trading. France's CAC 40 index was down almost 2 per cent.
Elevated energy prices in store as Middle East conflict intensifies
Economists published a flurry of notes on Monday that predicted no quick reversal of energy costs as the Israeli and U.S. attacks continue on Iranian oil infrastructure, including fuel depots, turning the Tehran skies black, and Iran responds in kind by hitting oil and gas sites in the Persian Gulf area.
“The market is still pricing predominantly geopolitical risk, and the cumulative build in geopolitical risk premia since early January is roughly US$50/bbl, the highest level ever, reflecting a situation that is totally unprecedented,” Ben Hoff and Michael Haigh of Société Générale Commodities Research said in a morning note.
Elevated energy prices in store as Middle East conflict intensifies
The appointment on Sunday of Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the slain Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei, as his father's successor is seen as an act of defiance against U.S. President Donald Trump, who described Mojtaba as a “lightweight.” Mojtaba is close to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, who supported his secret-ballot election – a signal that Mr. Trump's demands for Iran's “unconditional surrender” will be ignored.
Throughout the Gulf, the inability of tankers to travel through Hormuz, the narrow strait that connects the Gulf to the Indian Ocean, meant that oil and LNG production was being curtailed or shut down.
The sudden shortage of oil and LNG was rippling through all the energy markets. Prices for benchmark Newcastle thermal coal – used to power electricity generating plants – is up about US$20 a tonne, to US$143, since the Israeli and American attacks began on Feb. 28. In parts of Europe, coal burners are being fired up again owing to the gas shortage.
G7 finance ministers, along with Fatih Birol, executive director of the Paris-based International Energy Agency, held an emergency meeting Monday morning to discuss releasing millions of barrels of oil from strategic reserves. Such a move would be aimed at trying to bring down prices before a price-shock hits consumers and industrial users, potentially stoking inflation.
The 32 members of the IEA, including Canada, hold about 1.2 billion barrels of oil in storage in tanks, oil tankers and salt caverns. Some reports said that the governments are mulling a release of as many as 400 million barrels.
After the meeting, Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama told a briefing that the International Energy Agency (IEA) called for a coordinated release of emergency oil reserves.
“IEA called for each country to do a coordinated release of oil reserves,” Katayama said. “In response to the current situation... the G7 has agreed to continue closely monitoring developments in the energy market and to take necessary measures to support global energy supply, including the release of oil reserves.”
The ministers and IEA were joined by executives from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), as well as from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, Katayama said.
The G7 will hold a meeting of energy ministers soon to discuss further steps, Katayama added.
The emergency stockpiles were created in 1974, after the Arab oil embargo quadrupled oil prices. The oil reserves were last tapped in 2022, when Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine pushed prices to US$130 a barrel, up from the pre-invasion price of less than US$100.
The potential flaw in the mass release of oil is that U.S. petroleum reserves are unusually low.
The U.S. Department of Energy reported that the four main caverns along the Texas and Louisiana Gulf of Mexico coast hold 416 million barrels of crude, well below their capacity of 714 million barrels. Last year, Mr. Trump, in his presidential inauguration speech, promised to “refill our reserves right up to the top again,” but never did.
The current reserves represent about 20 days of U.S. oil consumption.
On Monday, the American Automobile Association (AAA) reported that the national average price for a gallon of regular gasoline had jumped to US$3.48, up from US$2.90 a month ago – a 20-per-cent increase.
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Andrew Saunders, President and CEO
Kevin Thomas is chief executive officer of the Shareholder Association for Research & Education, which recently released the report “Power at Risk: The Investment Case for a Clean Competitive Canada.”
The adoption of a new federal electricity strategy is critical for our future growth, and here's why: Canada's next competitive advantage won't be the amount of fossil fuels we can export; it will be the industry, investment and jobs we can attract by solidifying our clean electricity infrastructure.
The world is undergoing a clear structural shift from fossil fuels to clean electricity, driven by electrification of industry and transport, the explosive growth of data-intensive technologies, and investor preference – with more than twice as much investment going to clean energy than fossil fuel developments in the past year.
The industries of the future demand abundant, low-carbon and reliable power.
Canada has what it takes to attract that investment. But to do so, we need a new strategy that prioritizes clean electricity and transmission build-out across Canada, co-ordinated by a federal–provincial–territorial clean electricity table to tackle significant constraints on growth.
Calgary startup joins the hunt for natural hydrogen
Canada is entering the clean-energy transition with strong advantages. Our electricity sector is already roughly 85-per-cent non-emitting and our resource abundance is nearly unmatched with large uranium reserves and substantial deposits of lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements. We enjoy a reputation for economic and financial stability, and we hold preferential access to markets representing 66 per cent of global GDP.
These benefits are driving investment. Since 2021, Canada has attracted an estimated $60-billion to $70-billion in announced capital investment across key clean economy sectors, which should create at least 26,000 long-term direct jobs and tens of thousands more across supply chains.
But the edge Canada currently enjoys is under threat.
Grid constraints, interprovincial barriers, slow infrastructure build-out and intensifying global competition are eroding Canada's clean electricity advantage and putting future investment at risk.
More than 12,000 companies – representing 40 per cent of global market capitalization – have now set emissions reduction targets, and more than three-quarters of those have set Scope 2 targets that specifically increase demand for clean electricity.
EverWind lands financing for Nova Scotia wind and hydrogen projects
Hyperscale data-centre operators and cloud providers have clean energy commitments across their global portfolios.
Canada's aluminum and low-carbon steel producers already secure price and volume advantages in markets where buyers are under pressure to decarbonize.
Automakers, rail operators and construction companies are locking in low-carbon material supply commitments. EU battery regulations and tightened climate targets at the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) level are leading automakers to embed renewable-energy and emissions thresholds in contracts for aluminum, steel and battery materials.
In the mining sector, grid-connected, low-carbon power is now among the top five investment criteria, alongside ore quality and jurisdictional risk.
Global demand for reliable, clean power is expected to rise two to three times by 2050. Yet Canadian provinces are already scrambling to manage a massive influx of requests from energy-intensive sectors.
Winds of change: China is a massive exporter – and user – of turbines
Ontario is forecasting 75-per-cent demand growth by 2050. Since 2022, Quebec has received more than 250 industrial connection requests totalling roughly 43 GW – more than the utility's entire installed capacity. And similar constraints are being felt in Manitoba, British Columbia, Alberta and Atlantic Canada.
Many of the projects on Canada's nation-building projects list will need new generation and transmission that has not yet been secured or even planned.
Senior executives across finance, technology, heavy industry, mining and energy development tell us that predictable, cost-competitive clean electricity adds material asset value or enables market access. Industry leaders emphasize that clean electricity is no longer a marginal siting factor – in many cases it is central to capital allocation decisions.
This is a real-life example of “if you build it, they will come.”
Renewable energy deals dry up in Alberta as Nova Scotia takes the lead, report says
But grid constraints, permitting delays and interconnection uncertainty are already putting up to $220-billion in potential capital investment in large-scale Canadian projects at risk, alongside more than 80,000 direct jobs, in sectors like EVs and batteries, green steel, data centres and critical minerals – the very sectors Canada wants to grow for our future prosperity.
And loss of indirect employment is an even bigger risk. Critical mining projects, for example, create an average of 2.3 indirect jobs for every direct job.
In his Davos speech, Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke about the transformation of the global economy and some of the opportunities for our country. Taking advantage of those opportunities is not just about building trade relationships. It's about building the infrastructure that can support that trade expansion and capital formation.
That starts with convening political, industry and investor leadership to support a new electricity strategy that accelerates clean generation, storage and transmission build-out across the country, and prioritizes grid projects and interprovincial ties at a pace consistent with industrial and electrification needs.
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By Tatsuya Kimura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer
16:56 JST, March 9, 2026
Sake, miso and soy sauce are all fermented products made with Aspergillus oryzae, or koji mold. Although koji mold has been a key component in Japanese cuisine for a long time, there are now only 10 “tane koji” (seed koji) retailers nationwide that supply koji mold to domestic breweries and fermented food manufacturers.
Creating pure koji cultures and collecting koji spores require refined skills. In Japan, such skills have been passed down since the Muromachi period (1336-1573).
Down a narrow street leading to Kiyomizudera temple in Kyoto there is an old store named Hishiroku that sells seed koji, also known as koji starters, that contain koji spores. Exactly when the seed koji shop was founded is unknown, but it is said to have a history of more than 300 years.
“I don't have the audacity to think we are supporting Japanese cuisine, but I am committed to maintaining the quality of our products,” said Akihiko Sukeno, the company's president.
Hishiroku sells seed koji to about 2,000 brewing and fermented food companies nationwide that make products such as sake, soy sauce, miso, vinegar and shochu liquor.
Seed koji is grown by sprinkling koji mold onto steamed rice and culturing the rice for five days in an environment with a temperature of 30 C and humidity of 95%. Each koji strain has a unique character. Therefore, the company selects the strains that meet each client's request and decides upon their blend ratio accordingly.
Nowadays, the company cultures seed koji in a clean environment in which bacteria are removed by air filters and other means. Defending against bacteria was a very stressful task in the past, when such devices were not available.
One secret method passed down through the generations at Hishiroku is adding wood ash to koji mold. Creating an alkaline environment inhibits the reproduction of harmful microorganisms.
Additionally, phosphoric acid and potassium contained in wood ash encourage the growth of koji mold, and trace metals, such as copper and zinc, promote the settlement of koji spores.
There are also secret techniques for choosing and mixing different types of wood ash. Some people would say things like, “The ash from burned camellia trees in Kyoto's Ohara district should be good.”
It is not clear when people started using koji mold to make sake.
According to Harushi Nakajima, a Meiji University professor in applied microbiology, sake was made with human saliva in ancient times. When a person puts rice in their mouth and chews it, amylase, an enzyme in saliva, changes starch into sugar. When the person spits out the rice and lets it stand, natural yeast gets into the rice from outside and produces alcohol from the sugar. Such sake is called kuchikamizake (mouth-chewing sake).
After kuchikamizake came “mold sake,” which was made with koji mold. An ancient document from the early eighth century, called “Harima-no-kuni Fudoki” (Records of local customs and climate in Harima) — Harima was located in what is now Hyogo Prefecture — introduces a method to make sake using mold from growing koji mold on rice. Amylase produced by koji mold breaks down starch.
Unlike kuchikamizake, this method made mass production of this type of sake possible. The sorting of koji mold also began in order to produce even better sake.
During the Muromachi period, there was already a group called Koji-za, which consisted of expert koji growers and provided sake breweries with quality koji mold. At first, they increased their quantity of koji by taking steamed rice on which the mold was growing and mixing it with more steamed rice. However, a technique for culturing only the desired strain was soon developed, and a seed koji shop selling koji spores was set up.
German bacteriologist Robert Koch, who developed a method to culture bacteria on agar in the 1870s, is commonly said to be the first person in the world to grow microorganisms based on pure culturing. However, history shows that pure culturing was effectively developed much earlier in Japan.
“We can call it the world's first pure culturing of a microorganism. It's astounding,” Nakajima said.
“Seed koji shops can be called the world's oldest bio-business,” said Katsuhiko Kitamoto, a professor emeritus in applied microbiology at the University of Tokyo.
Since it is a business, competition among different seed koji makers has arisen.
“They ask sake brewing companies, which are their clients, about what kind of sake they have made from the koji mold they sold, to make the most of the information on selecting the right strain,” Kitamoto said. “Years of such experience has led to the production of good-quality sake.”
Genome studies have revealed that Aspergillus oryzae, or koji mold, is more suited to the fermentation industry than naturally occurring molds. Apparently, this may be regarded as the result of people having domesticated koji mold so that it became easier for them to use it.
Koji mold has about 12,000 genes in eight chromosomes. A similar species, Aspergillus flavus, has a gene for producing a toxin by the name of aflatoxin. Koji mold does not produce this toxin, indicating that it either does not have the gene or that the gene is inactive.
Also, Aspergillus flavus has only one gene of alpha-amylase, an enzyme that breaks down starch, while koji mold has three genes of this type, meaning that it has a greater capability to produce sugar.
One interesting item to note is that Aspergillus flavus produces spores in bright places, whereas koji mold does so in dark places. It is believed that koji mold's preference when producing spores changed from bright places to dark places because koji seed is produced in the dark in a koji-muro (koji chamber).
In 2005, a research team consisting of members of the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and other institutes announced the sequencing of the koji mold genome. The team was led by Masayuki Machida, now a professor at the Kanazawa Institute of Technology specializing in genomic science.
“Seed koji shops have been culturing koji mold for many years. Over the course of time, the genes of koij mold are believed to have changed as well,” Machida said. “Indeed, we can say that Japanese people and koji mold have developed fermented food and the koji mold industry together.”
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Finance ministers monitoring situation but stop short of agreeing to release emergency oil reserves
Iran war drives oil prices above $100 a barrel
Business live – latest updates
The G7 said it was ready to take “necessary measures” to address the economic impact of the US-Israel war on Iran, after a meeting prompted by soaring oil prices, which rose above $100 (£74) a barrel for the first time since 2022.
Following a remote meeting on Monday, G7 finance ministers said they would closely monitor the situation but stopped short of agreeing to release emergency oil reserves.
“We discussed the current conflict in the Middle East, its impact for regional stability, global economic conditions, and financial markets, and the importance of secure trading routes,” they said in a statement.
“We will continue to closely monitor the situation and developments in the energy markets and will meet as needed to exchange information and to coordinate within the G7 and with international partners.
“We stand ready to take necessary measures, including to support global supply of energy such as stockpile release.”
France's finance minister, F, said they were “not there yet” on agreeing to release oil stockpiles.
Three G7 countries, including the US, have so far reportedly expressed support for the release of the emergency reserves, which are held by the International Energy Agency's 32 member countries across the globe.
The IEA holds strategic reserves of petroleum as part of an emergency system designed to help countries withstand oil price crises. US officials believe a joint release in the range of 300m to 400m barrels would be appropriate, which would reportedly represent 25% to 35% of the 1.2bn barrels in reserve.
The EU's oil and gas supply coordination groups would also meet on Thursday, a spokesperson said, as they monitor the impact of the conflict on the bloc's oil supplies. EU countries are required to hold oil stocks covering 90 days' worth of consumption.
The UK month-ahead gas price jumped by 19% to 163p a therm on Monday morning but the gains eased after the G7 meeting to 4% to 143p. The continental European month-ahead benchmark was up 5% at €56 (£48) a megawatt hour in afternoon trading.
At least five energy sites in and around Tehran were hit by strikes. Kuwait's national oil company also announced a precautionary production cut amid retaliatory attacks by Iran.
The strait of Hormuz, through which about a fifth of global oil and seaborne gas tankers typically pass, has in effect been closed for a week.
Brent crude, the international benchmark, jumped by as much as 29% to $119.50 a barrel in early trading on Monday. This pared back after the G7 meeting, with Brent up 7% at $99.50 a barrel.
While Donald Trump has vowed to reduce inflation and energy costs, he said on Sunday the rise in oil prices was “a very small price to pay” for the US “and world, safety and peace”, describing it as a “short-term” consequence of the US-Israel war on Iran.
The Iranian regime warned that US-Israeli strikes risked pushing prices even higher. A spokesperson for the country's Revolutionary Guard Corps said after strikes on energy sites: “If you can tolerate oil at more than $200 per barrel, continue this game.”
The emergency oil reserve system was set up as part of the creation of the IEA in 1974 after the Arab oil embargo, which triggered a jump in crude prices and a fuel crisis in the west.
Since its inception, the IEA has coordinated five collective releases from the reserves, with the last two in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine has deployed interceptor drones and a team of specialists to help protect U.S. military bases in Jordan, President Volodymyr Zelensky told the New York Times in an interview published on March 9.
Zelensky said the U.S. requested assistance on March 5 as tensions in the Middle East escalated following strikes on Iran. Ukraine agreed immediately and dispatched the team the next day.
"We reacted immediately," the president said. "I said, yes, of course, we will send our experts."
The deployment comes as Iran retaliates against attacks by United States and Israel, launching drones and missiles against U.S. bases, diplomatic facilities, and civilian targets across the region.
Kyiv has developed extensive expertise in countering Iranian-made Shahed-type attack drones since Russia began using them widely in attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure in 2022.
Ukraine has been developing interceptor drones and other technologies to defend its airspace.
Zelensky said Ukraine has received 11 requests from countries neighboring Iran, as well as from several European states and the United States, seeking cooperation related to Ukraine's interceptor technologies, electronic warfare systems, and training.
"Ukraine is ready to respond positively to requests from those who help us protect the lives of Ukrainians and Ukraine's independence," he said. "We have already responded to some of the requests."
The Ukrainian president also noted that Kyiv has discussed security cooperation with several Middle Eastern states. Some of these countries maintain close ties with Moscow, which Zelensky suggested could potentially help facilitate a ceasefire in Russia's war.
"That's why I said, Look, so maybe they can speak with Russians and Russians will make a pause," Zelensky said. "In this case, of course, we can help the Middle East to defend them."
Tehran has been one of Russia's closest partners since the start of the full-scale war.
The escalation in the region began on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes against the country's military infrastructure and the regime's leadership.
Russia condemned the strikes, with its Foreign Ministry calling them "an unprovoked act of aggression against a sovereign and independent state," despite Moscow's own full-scale war in Ukraine.
The Washington Post reported on March 6 that Moscow had been providing Iran with intelligence about U.S. military positions in the region, including ships and aircraft.
A U.S. official told the outlet that Moscow may view the move as retaliation for Washington's military support for Ukraine since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022.
U.S. President Donald Trump downplayed the report on March 7.
"It's not doing much, if you take a look at what's happened to Iran over the past week," he said. "They'd say we do it against them, wouldn't they? Wouldn't they say that we do it against them?"
Reporter
Tim Zadorozhnyy is the reporter for the Kyiv Independent, specializing in foreign policy, U.S.-Ukraine relations, and political developments across Europe and Russia. Based in Warsaw, he pursued studies in International Relations and European Studies at Lazarski University, through a program offered in partnership with Coventry University. Tim began his journalism career in Odesa in 2022, working as a reporter at a local television channel. After relocating to Warsaw, he spent a year and a half with the Belarusian independent media outlet NEXTA, initially as a news anchor and later as managing editor. Tim is fluent in English, Ukrainian, and Russian.
The spring in Ukraine has arrived, but thick layers of ice left over from the brutally cold winter will delay the start of the sowing season by two to four weeks, burdening struggling farmers with extra work amid wartime challenges.
According to Syrskyi, one main attack grouping of Air Assault Forces alone regained control of 285.6 square kilometers.
The Air Force said the exact circumstances of his death were being established.
Their arrest involved an armored personnel carrier, and Hungary's Anti-Terrorist Center operatives carrying out the operation were armed with machine guns.
"We reacted immediately," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ankara previously warned that it reserves the right to respond to any hostile actions against the country.
161 of the drones were shot down or jammed, while the other 36 and two ballistic missiles struck their targets.
"I am confident that you will honorably continue your father's work," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Russia's oil remains sanctioned," U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.
The number includes 750 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Brent futures, the global benchmark for oil prices, increased 16% on March 8, near to $108 a barrel. Prices last reached this level in 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces have liberated up to 435 kilometers of Russian-occupied territory in the country's south, thwarting Moscow's efforts to mount a southern offensive, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on March 8.
"The main message will be that Slovakia is ready to take over the baton from Hungary if necessary," Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on March 8.
Two men were arrested for lobbing a pair of IEDs at anti-Muslim demonstrators who had gathered near Gracie Mansion
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The FBI has launched a terrorism investigation into two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) ignited close to the official residence of Zohran Mamdani, the mayor of New York.
The agency's New York field office confirmed its joint terrorism task force was involved in the investigation into a pair of IEDs which were allegedly lit and thrown at anti-Muslim demonstrators by counter-protesters as both groups gathered near Gracie Mansion on Saturday.
Two people were arrested on the scene and named by the New York City police department (NYPD) as Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi.
Mr Mamdani, 34, the first Muslim mayor of the US's largest city, was home at the time of the incident.
Jessica Tisch, the New York City police commissioner, confirmed the bomb that had been set off was real.
“The NYPD bomb squad has conducted a preliminary analysis of a device that was ignited and deployed at a protest yesterday and has determined that it is not a hoax device or a smoke bomb,” she wrote on X.
“It is, in fact, an improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death.”
The NYPD's bomb squad found that the two devices – each slightly smaller than an American football – were jars wrapped in tape, and filled with nuts, bolts and screws connected to a hobby fuse.
Ms Tisch said the NYPD's joint terrorism task force was working with the FBI and the US Attorney's office for the southern district of New York.
Neither of the two men has yet been charged. It is unclear whether they have been given lawyers.
Tensions escalated after a protester associated with the so-called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” event used pepper spray against counter-protesters and was arrested at the scene, Ms Tisch said.
Half an hour later, Mr Balat, 18, “threw an ignited device toward the protest area”, which witnesses said emitted smoke and flames before striking a barrier a few feet from officers, the police commissioner said.
He then fled and lobbed another lit device which Mr Kayumi, 19, had given to him.
Four others were arrested, including the man who had thrown the pepper spray, Ms Tisch said. The New York Times reported that the man was named as Ian McGinnis, 21, of Philadelphia.
On Sunday, police discovered a suspicious device in a vehicle a few streets south of Gracie Mansion, in connection with the investigation into the IEDs activated at the protest.
Officers were forced to evacuate buildings in the area for several hours as the force's bomb squad investigated and removed the device. The NYPD did not specify whether it was one of the two explosives found on Sunday or a third item.
Police were looking into Saturday's incident as a potential act of terror because one of the suspects directly referred to Islamic State in statements to law enforcement, according to NBC News.
Mr Mamdani thanked officers who arrested the two men and condemned the “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” event that had been organised by Right-wing activist Jake Lang.
He said what followed was “even more disturbing”.
He added: “Violence at a protest is never acceptable. The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.”
The NYPD said the demonstration organised by Mr Lang had around 20 participants. Approximately 125 counter-protesters gathered under the so-called “Run the Nazis out of New York City, stand against hate” group.
The surge in oil prices will not stop the US from waging its war on Iran, President Donald Trump has said, after Brent shot past $100 per barrel on Sunday, marking the biggest daily gain since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
In response to the US and Israeli airstrikes, Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz and struck tankers attempting to cross the waterway, which serves as a route for around one-fifth of the world's oil supply. Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait, all major oil producers, have cut output after running out of storage space.
In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump downplayed the effects of the war on global trade.
“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!” Trump wrote.
During his reelection campaign, Trump promised cheaper gas and no costly wars. However, according to data from the American Automobile Association, the national average price of regular gasoline has risen by 15% over the past week to $3.45 per gallon, with some areas reporting increases of nearly 30%.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that Washington is exploring additional measures to lower oil prices. Energy Secretary Chris Wright pledged to bring gasoline back below $3 per gallon “before too long.”
Last week, the Treasury formally allowed India to temporarily buy oil from Russia, with Bessent saying the US could potentially “unsanction” more of Russia's energy exports.
JPMorgan chief economist Bruce Kasman told Reuters that the “near-term scenario” could see crude prices spike toward $120 per barrel before settling “at an elevated $80 bbl through mid-year” if the conflict persists. Russian presidential investment envoy Kirill Dmitriev said on Monday that oil prices could exceed $200 a barrel in the event of a “prolonged conflict.”
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Premier Cho Jung-tai's (卓榮泰) brief visit to the Tokyo Dome on Saturday — the first sitting Taiwanese premier to visit Japan since Taipei and Tokyo severed diplomatic ties 54 years ago — could be an indication that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government is redefining boundaries with Taiwan.
In 2004, then-premier You Si-kun briefly stopped in Okinawa while returning from a visit to diplomatic allies in Central America, but the stopover was necessitated by a typhoon.
Although Cho's trip on Saturday was kept confidential and low-key — described simply as a visit to watch a baseball game with no political agenda — it still represents a departure from established practice, given the sensitivity of Taiwan-Japan relations for Tokyo's ties with Beijing.
Photo: CNA
Since Takaichi took office, China has repeatedly pressured Japan over Taiwan-related issues. Traditionally, when relations between Japan and China deteriorate, Tokyo has tended to scale back visible engagement with Taiwan to avoid provoking Beijing.
Cho's visit might indicate those diplomatic “unwritten rules” may be shifting under the Takaichi administration. The space for Taiwan-Japan interaction appears to be gradually expanding, and the limits of engagement may no longer be defined solely by Beijing.
Since Japan switched diplomatic recognition to China in 1972, Taiwan and Japan have maintained unofficial ties, with the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association handling most consular and diplomatic functions in lieu of a formal embassy.
Photo: CNA
In the past few years, as security concerns in the Taiwan Strait have intensified, Japan's government and political circles have shown increasing support for Taiwan. At the same time, Tokyo has generally avoided actions that would
challenge the framework established when it normalized relations with Beijing.
In practice, this has meant expanding exchanges with Taiwan while carefully controlling the level of official contact. Senior Taiwanese officials visiting Japan have typically done so in an extremely low-profile manner.
In 2022, then-vice president William Lai (賴清德) traveled to Tokyo privately to attend the funeral of Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe following his assassination. Japanese authorities reportedly even confirmed whether Lai had a genuine personal relationship with Abe before allowing the visit.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) also quietly visited Japan last year. In interviews with Japanese media, Lin said that he was traveling in a private capacity and noted that Taiwanese citizens enjoy visa-free entry to Japan, meaning he could visit as an ordinary traveler.
For decades, a diplomatic “red line” has existed between Japan and China regarding Taiwan. While Japan may deepen substantive relations with Taiwan, it has generally avoided actions that could be interpreted as recognizing Taiwan as a sovereign state or undermining the “one China” framework.
In practical terms, this means refraining from establishing formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, avoiding official visits by senior leaders, steering clear of security alliances or military cooperation and not signing agreements implying Taiwanese sovereignty.
These limits have never been formally codified, but instead have evolved through diplomatic practice. Beijing effectively signals the boundaries through protests or political pressure when it believes they have been crossed.
Over time, this produced an informal rule in Japan: when relations with China worsen, interactions with Taiwan should not be overly visible.
After Takaichi took office, Japan-China relations quickly plummeted. Allowing a sitting Taiwanese premier to visit Japan — even if framed as a private baseball outing — risks inflaming tensions. Some Japanese media outlets have already raised the possibility of a Chinese backlash.
Last year, when Takaichi said during a parliamentary session that a Taiwan contingency could threaten Japan's survival, China responded by increasing pressure on Tokyo — pressure that has yet to fully ease.
However, Beijing's reaction appears to have had an unexpected domestic effect. In a snap House of Representatives election, Takaichi led the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to a historic victory with 316 seats. The result could indicate that for many Japanese voters, security concerns in the Taiwan Strait outweigh the diplomatic sensitivities of Japan-China relations.
Against this backdrop, Japan's tacit approval of a visit by a sitting Taiwanese premier may signal that the Takaichi administration is redefining these diplomatic boundaries.
Wang Hung-jen (王宏仁), professor of political science at National Cheng Kung University, said Cho's visit represents a more significant breakthrough than Lai's condolence trip or Lin Chia-lung's low-profile visit.
Despite continued Chinese pressure and ongoing tensions between Tokyo and Beijing,
Japan was still willing to facilitate Cho's visit, Wang said. This might suggest the “China factor” shaping Japan's Taiwan policy may be weakening.
Chen Fang-yu (陳方隅), associate professor of political science at Soochow University, said warming Taiwan-Japan relations are the result of years of diplomatic groundwork.
Through sustained diplomatic engagement, Taiwan's senior officials can visit Japan in a private capacity, he said. The fact that such visits can receive visas and even be publicly reported represents a significant step forward in bilateral ties.
“As an abnormal country,” Taiwan must pursue diplomatic breakthroughs step by step, Chen said.
Additional reporting by Fang Wei-li
LOUD AND PROUD
Taiwan might have taken a drubbing against Australia and Japan, but you might not know it from the enthusiasm and numbers of the fans Taiwan might not be expected to win the World Baseball Classic (WBC) but their fans are making their presence felt in Tokyo, with tens of thousands decked out in the team's blue, blowing horns and singing songs.
Taiwanese fans have packed out the Tokyo Dome for all three of their games so far and even threatened to drown out home team supporters when their team played Japan on Friday.
They blew trumpets, chanted for their favorite players and had their own cheerleading squad who dance on a stage during the game.
The team struggled to match that exuberance on the field, with
UPDATED TEST:
The new rules aim to assess drivers' awareness of risky behaviors and how they respond under certain circumstances, the Highway Bureau said Driver's license applicants who fail to yield to pedestrians at intersections or to check blind spots, or omit pointing-and-calling procedures would fail the driving test, the Highway Bureau said yesterday.
The change is set to be implemented at the end of the month, and is part of the bureau's reform of the driving portion of the test, which has been criticized for failing to assess whether drivers can operate vehicles safely.
Sedan drivers would be tested regarding yielding to pedestrians and turning their heads to check blind spots, while drivers of large vehicles would be tested on their familiarity with pointing-and-calling
A Taiwanese man apologized on Friday after saying in a social media post that he worked with Australia to provide scouting reports on Taiwan's team, enabling Australia's victory in this year's World Baseball Classic (WBC), saying it was a joke and that he did not hold any position with foreign teams or Taiwan's sports training center.
Chen Po-hao (陳柏豪) drew the rage of many Taiwan baseball fans when he posted online on Thursday night, claiming credit for Australia's 3-0 win over Taiwan in the opening game for Pool C, saying he worked as a physical therapist with the national team and
Whether Japan would help defend Taiwan in case of a cross-strait conflict would depend on the US and the extent to which Japan would be allowed to act under the US-Japan Security Treaty, former Japanese minister of defense Satoshi Morimoto said.
As China has not given up on the idea of invading Taiwan by force, to what extent Japan could support US military action would hinge on Washington's intention and its negotiation with Tokyo, Morimoto said in an interview with the Liberty Times (sister paper of the Taipei Times) yesterday.
There has to be sufficient mutual recognition of how Japan could provide
Global oil prices rose to over $100 per barrel on March 8, as the war with Iran, Israel, and the United States escalates and expands across the Middle East.
This marks the first time prices have passed the $100-per-barrel mark since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The U.S.-Israeli war in Iran, launched on Feb. 28, triggered a surge in oil and gas prices globally. Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, cutting off a key transit route for 20% of the world's oil. Recent Israeli strikes have targeted Iran's oil facilities, and other refineries throughout the Middle East have come under fire.
Brent futures, the global benchmark for oil prices, increased 16% on March 8, near to $108 a barrel.
U.S. oil futures rose 18%, to about $108 a barrel — the highest price since July 2022. U.S. crude temporarily reached $110 a barrel the evening of March 8.
U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed the spike in a post on Truth Social, calling it a "small price to pay."
"Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace. ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!" he wrote.
As fuel prices climb, Russia is poised to profit from the global energy crisis. The U.S. on March 6 granted Inida a temporary waiver allowing it to once again purchase Russian oil — and Washington has floated the possibility of lifting its own sanctions on Russian fuel lifting to mitigate the global supply shortage.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has also threatened to cut off gas supplies to Europe immediately if the EU doesn't back off its planned phaseout of Russian gas imports — speculating that the war in Iran may have changed Brussels' calculus.
Russia is the third-largest producer of oil in the world, after the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. After the full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Brent crude prices leapt to over $100 per barrel, in some places surpassing $120 a barrel.
From December 2022, a price cap of $60 per barrel was imposed on seaborne Russian crude oil shipments to third countries by the EU, the U.K., and the G7 in order to undermine Russia's ability to fund the war.
Senior News Editor
Abbey Fenbert is a senior news editor at the Kyiv Independent. She is a freelance writer, editor, and playwright with an MFA from Boston University. Abbey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine from 2008-2011.
The spring in Ukraine has arrived, but thick layers of ice left over from the brutally cold winter will delay the start of the sowing season by two to four weeks, burdening struggling farmers with extra work amid wartime challenges.
According to Syrskyi, one main attack grouping of Air Assault Forces alone regained control of 285.6 square kilometers.
The Air Force said the exact circumstances of his death were being established.
Their arrest involved an armored personnel carrier, and Hungary's Anti-Terrorist Center operatives carrying out the operation were armed with machine guns.
"We reacted immediately," President Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Ankara previously warned that it reserves the right to respond to any hostile actions against the country.
161 of the drones were shot down or jammed, while the other 36 and two ballistic missiles struck their targets.
"I am confident that you will honorably continue your father's work," Russian President Vladimir Putin said.
"Russia's oil remains sanctioned," U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said.
The number includes 750 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day.
Brent futures, the global benchmark for oil prices, increased 16% on March 8, near to $108 a barrel. Prices last reached this level in 2022, when Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Ukrainian forces have liberated up to 435 kilometers of Russian-occupied territory in the country's south, thwarting Moscow's efforts to mount a southern offensive, President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed on March 8.
"The main message will be that Slovakia is ready to take over the baton from Hungary if necessary," Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on March 8.
UN, March 9. /TASS/. Russia has prepared a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an end to military action in the Middle East, a source told TASS.
The document, obtained by TASS, expresses "deep concern over the current military escalation in the Middle East and beyond, mourning the tragic loss of life throughout the ongoing hostilities in the region."
It "urges all parties to immediately stop their military activities and refrain from further escalation in the Middle East and beyond.
The Security Council "strongly encourages all parties concerned to return to negotiations without any further delay and make full use of political and diplomatic means."
It also "underlines the importance of ensuring the security of all States in the region of the Middle East region and beyond," reads the text of the draft resolution obtained by TASS.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
New York City's police commissioner said Monday that authorities are investigating whether men who brought improvised explosive devices to a protest outside New York City's mayoral residence were inspired by ISIS.
Police in New York City on Sunday said that they were looking into a second suspicious device found in the same area of Manhattan's Upper East Side where a counterprotester during an anti-Islam demonstration threw an improvised explosive. The device was found a day after an improvised explosive device was thrown by a counterprotester at an anti-Islam demonstration, outside the Manhattan residence of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, known as Gracie Mansion.
Police detain Emir Balat after he attempted to detonate an improvised explosive device during a counterprotest against far right influencer Jake Lang staging an anti-Islam protest outside Gracie Mansion, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Julius Constantine Motal)
Police detain Emir Balat after he attempted to detonate an improvised explosive device during a counterprotest against far right influencer Jake Lang staging an anti-Islam protest outside Gracie Mansion, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Julius Constantine Motal)
New York Police commissioner Jessica Tisch speaks during a news conference with New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani at Gracie Mansion, Monday, March 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)
Jake Lang shouts from a sidewalk as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks during a news conference at Gracie Mansion, Monday, March 9, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)
Police detain Emir Balat after he attempted to detonate an improvised explosive device during a counterprotest against far right influencer Jake Lang staging an anti-Islam protest outside Gracie Mansion, Saturday, March 7, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Julius Constantine Motal)
NEW YORK (AP) — Two men who brought explosives to a protest outside New York City's mayoral mansion said they were inspired by the Islamic State extremist group, a court complaint said.
Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi were being held without bail after their arraignment Monday on charges that include attempting to provide material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction. Their lawyers didn't argue for bail but could do so later.
The homemade devices, which did not explode, were hurled Saturday during raucous counterprotests against an anti-Islamic demonstration led by Jake Lang, a far-right activist and critic of New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat and the first Muslim to hold the office.
The men said nothing during the brief proceeding, but Kayumi smirked and looked over at Balat as the judge read part of the complaint that said that they were acting in support of the Islamic State group. Balat stared ahead at the defense table.
AP correspondent Julie Walker reports on an ‘ISIS-related terrorism' investigation in New York City.
According to the complaint, Kayumi blurted out, as he was being arrested Saturday, that “ISIS” was the reason for his conduct. Balat, 18, later told authorities that he had pledged allegiance to the extremist group, and Kayumi, 19, asserted that he was affiliated with the Islamic State group, the complaint said.
Officers asked Balat whether he was aiming to accomplish something akin to the bombing of the Boston Marathon in 2013, when two pressure-cooker bombs exploded near the finish line, killing three people and wounding hundreds more.
“No, even bigger,” Balat replied, according to the complaint.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi commented on social media that authorities “will not allow ISIS's poisonous, anti-American ideology to threaten this nation.”
In court, Kayumi's lawyer, Michael Arthus, pointed to the extensive publicity surrounding the case and asked that prosecutors avoid saying anything that could prejudice potential jurors.
Balat's lawyer, Mehdi Essmidi, said outside the court that his client was three classes away from graduating from high school.
An automated license plate reader captured the suspects — both Pennsylvania residents — entering New York City from New Jersey less than an hour before the noontime attack, according to the complaint. Kayumi's mother filed a missing person report saying she last saw him around 10:30 a.m. Saturday.
The suspects' vehicle — registered to one of Balat's relatives — was discovered Sunday a few blocks from where they were arrested. A search of the car turned up a fuse and a metal can, along with a written list of chemical ingredients and components that could be used to build explosives, the complaint said.
Speaking outside the mayoral residence, Gracie Mansion, on Monday morning, Mamdani said Balat and Kayumi “traveled from Pennsylvania and attempted to bring violence to New York City.” Mamdani and his wife weren't home during the protest.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said there are no indications that the men's alleged activities were connected to the ongoing war in Iran. The Islamic State is a group of Sunni extremists; Iran's population is almost entirely Shiite, the other main religious community within Islam.
While Mamdani and Tisch briefed reporters Monday, Lang heckled from outside the Gracie Mansion gates.
Meanwhile, police have searched a home in eastern Pennsylvania's Middletown Township, and a separate federal investigation was underway in nearby Newtown, local police said.
Lang's sparsely attended protest Saturday drew a far larger group of counterdemonstrators. Amid the faceoff, Balat tossed a jar-sized device that contained the explosive TATP into the crowd, the complaint said. It also contained a fuse, plus an exterior layer of duct-taped nuts and bolts, the complaint said.
The device extinguished itself steps from police officers. According to the complaint, Balat then ran down the block and collected a second, similar device from Kayumi, dropped it near some police officers and tried to run away, the complaint said. Police tackled Balat and soon arrested him and Kayumi.
The scene had grown chaotic even before the devices were thrown. Police said one person involved in the anti-Islam protest, Ian McGinnis, 21, was arrested after pepper-spraying counterprotesters. McGinnis, of Philadelphia, was released without bond after pleading not guilty Sunday to assault and aggravated harassment in a New York court, records show. A message seeking comment was left Monday for his attorney.
Three others were taken into custody but were released without charges.
After the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Lang was charged with assaulting an officer with a baseball bat, civil disorder and other crimes. He was later freed from prison as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping act of clemency. Lang recently announced that he is running for U.S. Senate in Florida.
Earlier this year, he organized a rally in Minneapolis in support of Trump's immigration crackdown, drawing an angry crowd of counterprotesters who quickly chased him away.
___
This story has been corrected to reflect that police are now identifying one of the suspects by the name Ibrahim Kayumi, instead of Ibrahim Nikks. Earlier headlines were corrected to show Tisch referred to the possibility of the suspects being inspired by rather than related to the Islamic State group.
___
Associated Press writers Jennifer Peltz in New York and David Collins in Hartford, Connecticut, contributed.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Iran launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf countries Monday, hours after Iranian state TV said Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had been named as his father's successor. Meanwhile oil prices skyrocketed Monday, and Asian markets tumbled. AP's Luke Garratt explains more.
Bobby Charmak works on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks trimmed much of an early loss amid growing concerns about whether the global economy can withstand spiking prices for oil, which briefly got to nearly $120 per barrel on Monday.
Wall Street had initially followed global markets on a steep descent earlier in trading and remains twitchy and quick to reverse amid all the uncertainty caused by the war with Iran.
The S&P 500 fell 0.6% after dropping as much as 1.5% in the morning. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 492 points, or 1%, as of 1:50 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.3% after sliding as much as 1.5% earlier.
Since the war with Iran began with attacks by the United States and Israel, the central worry for financial markets has been how high oil prices will go because of it and how long they will stay there. Early Monday, the price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, briefly touched $119.50. It hasn't been that expensive since the summer after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, another military conflict that likewise raised the risk for blockages in the global flow of oil.
Stock markets shudder worldwide after oil prices briefly spike to nearly $120 per barrel.
If oil prices stay very high for very long, households' budgets already stretched by high inflation could break under the pressure. Companies, meanwhile, would see their own bills jump for fuel and to stock items on their store shelves or in their data warehouses. It all raises the possibility of a worst-case scenario for the global economy, “stagflation,” where growth stagnates and inflation remains high.
To be sure, oil prices quickly pared their huge gains Monday. A barrel of Brent crude pulled back to $98.75, though that's still up 6.5% from Friday.
A barrel of benchmark U.S. crude, meanwhile, rose to 4% to $94.55 after briefly spiking as high as $119.48.
The U.S. stock market has a history of bouncing back relatively quickly from past military conflicts, such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, as long as oil prices don't stay too high for too long. And even with all the recent swings in the market, the S&P 500 index that sits at the heart of many 401(k) accounts is still within 4% of its record set in January.
Some professional investors continue to suggest that drops in prices for stocks could ultimately offer opportunities to buy them at cheaper levels before they rise again. Monday's quick paring of losses for U.S. stocks was similar to the huge swings that rocked Wall Street last week, with everything keying off changes in oil prices.
“We continue to believe that the current acute shortage of oil will be reversed in the coming months as new supply comes online and oil should drop significantly,” according to Sameer Samana, head of global equities and real assets at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.
All that hinges, though, on the flow of oil returning toward normal. At the moment, it's far from that.
Consider the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway off Iran's coast that a fifth of the world's oil sails through on a typical day. Now, tanker traffic has all but stopped because of worries about a possible attack by Iran.
If the strait remains closed for only a few weeks, the price of oil could push to $150 per barrel of higher, according to oil and gas strategists at Macquarie Research.
“Although we are not attempting to predict how long Hormuz transit will be substantially or completely curtailed, we are growing more confident that without an agreement and a fast cessation of all kinetic activity, the crude market will begin to break in days, and not in weeks or months,” the strategists led by Vikas Dwivedi wrote in a report.
The most immediate pain on Wall Street is hitting companies that have already big fuel bills.
Carnival lost 3.4% because it has to fill huge cruise ships with fuel and United Airlines sank 3.2%.
Helping to limit the U.S. stock market's losses was Live Nation Entertainment, which rose 4.2%. The company behind Ticketmaster reached a settlement with the U.S. Justice Department in a case alleging an illegal monopoly over live events in the country.
In stock markets abroad, where economies are more dependent on the import of oil and natural gas, stocks fell even more. South Korea's Kospi sank 6%, Japan's Nikkei 225 tumbled 5.2% and France's CAC 40 dropped 1%.
A Chinese special envoy to the Middle East, Zhai Jun, called for an end to the attacks and said strikes on non-military targets and civilians should be condemned. Meanwhile, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned against hoarding, panic buying and collusion between refiners and gas stations.
Both sides in the war struck new targets over the weekend, including civilian ones. Bahrain accused Iran of hitting one of the desalination plants that are crucial for drinking water in Gulf countries. Its national oil company declared force majeure after the country's sole oil refinery was attacked. Israel struck oil depots in Tehran, sending up thick smoke and causing environmental alerts.
President Donald Trump said late Sunday that high oil prices at the moment are worth the cost.
“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace,” he said in a posting on his social media network.
In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.13% from 4.15% late Friday.
Worries about high inflation and oil prices are pushing upward on Treasury yields, and the 10-year yield was above 4.20% early Monday. But worries about a potentially slowing economy are pulling downward at the same time. On Friday, a discouragingly weak report on the U.S. job market showed that employers cut more jobs last month than they added.
___
AP Writers Matt Ott, Kim Tong-hyung and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.
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The Kansas City Chiefs reportedly made one of the first big splashes of NFL free agency.
The Chiefs and Super Bowl MVP running back Kenneth Walker III agreed to a deal on Monday, according to multiple reports. Walker joining the Chiefs would certainly bolster their chances of getting back to the playoffs following a 6-11 season.
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Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Walker had a breakout year in 2025 as he helped guide the Seattle Seahawks to their second Super Bowl title. He ran for 1,027 yards and five touchdowns as he and Zach Charbonnet dominated the backfield and bolstered Sam Darnold's passing game.
In Super Bowl LX, Walker helped Seattle push past the New England Patriots. He ran for 135 yards and had two touchdown catches in the 29-13 win. He was the first running back to receive the honor since Terrell Davis did it for the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald and running back Kenneth Walker III (9) celebrate with the Vince Lombardi trophy after defeating the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on Feb. 8, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
TRAVIS KELCE TURNING DOWN TOP MONEY TO RETURN TO CHIEFS FOR 2026 SEASON: REPORTS
Kansas City could use the help in the running back region. Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Damien Williams have all been serviceable in years past, but injuries marred the team's success in that area.
The Chiefs were 25th in rushing yards during the 2025 season.
Seattle Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (9) attempts to stiff arm Arizona Cardinals cornerback Kei'Trel Clark (13) at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Sept. 25, 2025. (Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
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As of now, Charbonnet will be the starting running back with George Holani and Kenny McIntosh on the depth chart.
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Iran launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf countries Monday, hours after Iranian state TV said Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had been named as his father's successor. Meanwhile oil prices skyrocketed Monday, and Asian markets tumbled. AP's Luke Garratt explains more.
A thick plume of smoke rises from an oil storage facility hit by a U.S.-Israeli strike late Saturday in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Fuel prices are displayed at a gas station as cars drive by, Wednesday, March 4, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
Gas prizes are displayed at a gas station with the European Central Bank in background in Frankfurt, Germany, Monday, March 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
A person fills up their car at a gas station in Montreal on Thursday, March 5, 2026. (Christopher Katsarov /The Canadian Press via AP)
Fuel prices are shown on a gas pump at a filling station in Richardson, Texas, Friday, March 6, 2026. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Follow AP's live updates on the Iran war.
Oil prices continued to soar on Monday as the Iran war intensified, threatening production and shipping in the Middle East and pummeling financial markets.
The price for a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, surged to as high $119.50 per barrel early in the day but later was trading above $101 per barrel, up 9%. West Texas Intermediate, the light, sweet crude oil produced in the United States, also soared above $119.48 per barrel before falling back closer to $100.
Oil prices have surged as the war, now in its second week, ensnares countries and infrastructure critical to the production and movement of oil and gas. And on Monday, Iran named the hard-line Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his late father as supreme leader, signaling a new sign of defiance by Iran's embattled leadership amid heavy U.S. and Israeli bombardment.
The war's toll on civilian targets grew as Bahrain accused Iran of striking a desalination plant vital to drinking water supplies. Bahrain's national oil company declared force majeure for its shipments after an Iranian attack set its refinery complex ablaze. The legal declaration releases the company of contractual obligations because of extraordinary circumstances.
Oil depots in Tehran smoldered following overnight strikes by Israel.
The war has disrupted oil supply chains in the Persian Gulf. Roughly 15 million barrels of crude oil — about 20% of the world's oil — typically are shipped every day through the Strait of Hormuz, according to independent research firm Rystad Energy. The threat of Iranian missile and drone attacks has all but stopped tankers carrying oil and gas from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Iran from traveling through the strait, which is bordered in the north by Iran.
Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE have cut oil production as storage tanks fill due to the reduced ability to export crude. Iran, Israel and the United States also have attacked oil and gas facilities since the war started, worsening supply concerns.
In response to soaring prices, there have been discussions of dipping into emergency oil stockpiles. But on Monday, the Group of Seven major industrialized powers said it had decided against using their strategic reserves, at least for now.
“We're not there yet,” French Finance Minister Roland Lescure said after chairing a meeting of his G7 counterparts. Still, he told reporters in Brussels that the group was “ready to take necessary and coordinated steps in order to stabilize markets, such as strategic stockpiling.”
On Saturday, President Donald Trump also downplayed the idea of turning to America's Strategic Petroleum Reserve, maintaining U.S. supplies were ample and prices would soon fall.
Yet the surge in costs for oil and natural gas is still pushing fuel prices higher, cascading through other industries and jolting Asian economies that are especially vulnerable due to the region's heavy reliance on imports from the Middle East.
Iran exports roughly 1.6 million barrels of oil a day, mostly to China, which has called for an immediate end to the fighting. Beijing may need to look elsewhere for supply if Iran's exports are disrupted, another factor that could increase energy prices.
“All parties have their responsibility to ensure stable and smooth energy supplies,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said in a briefing Monday. “China will take necessary measures to safeguard its own energy security.”
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned Monday of strict penalties for refiners and gas stations caught hoarding or colluding on prices, saying it would be wise to find alternatives to supplies that must travel through the Strait of Hormuz.
Across Southeast Asia, the spike in prices has led to long lines outside filling stations.
“Higher oil and gas prices will affect everyone and our economy,” said Le Van Tu, who was waiting outside a gas station in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi. “All activities, including those using petrol based transportation will be affected.”
South Korea's Kospi tumbled 6% to 5,251.87.
The last time Brent and U.S. crude futures traded near the current level was in 2022, after Russia invaded Ukraine.
Higher energy costs push inflation higher, straining household budgets and denting the consumer spending that is a main driver of many big economies. Those worries have spilled into financial markets, pulling share prices sharply lower.
In the U.S., the average price of a gallon of regular gasoline rose to $3.48 as of early Monday, up nearly 50 cents from a week earlier, according to AAA motor club. Diesel, used heavily in shipping, sold for about $4.66 a gallon, a weekly increase of more than 80 cents.
The price of natural gas in the U.S. also has climbed during the war, though not by as much as oil. It was selling for about $3.34 per 1,000 cubic feet early Monday. That's up from Friday's closing price of $3.19.
___
This story has been corrected to show that the Israel-U.S. attacks on Iran started Feb. 28, not March 1.
___
Kurtenbach reported from Bangkok. Associated Press journalist John Leicester contributed from Paris.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Twenty-three players were shown a red card as a lengthy brawl requiring the intervention of military police marred the final seconds of a Brazilian soccer match between Cruzeiro and Atletico Mineiro.
Former Brazil forward Hulk was among the players sent off following the violence that lasted more than a minute and spread from one end of the field toward the other as substitutes, members of coaching staff and security also weighed in.
Five Iranian women's soccer players safe with police after fleeing team as supporters plead for action in Australia
“We need to acknowledge our mistakes and learn from them,” Hulk wrote on Instagram on Monday. “What happened yesterday does not represent the values that soccer should embody. Rivalry is part of the sport, but respect must always prevail over any emotion.”
It was sparked by a challenge by Cruzeiro midfielder Christian on Atletico goalkeeper Everson, who responded by rugby-tackling his opponent to the ground and dropping both knees into his head.
That led to a mass fight as players from both teams piled in, punching and kicking each other. In footage shared across social media, Hulk, who plays for Atletico, was seen punching an opponent on the back of the head then getting kicked in the chest.
“I apologize to everyone who was in the stadium, to those who watched it on television, and especially to the children who look up to football. What we saw on the pitch is not the example we want to set,” Hulk added.
According to statistics provided by the teams, Cruzeiro had 12 players sent off and Atletico had 11.
Cruzeiro wound up winning 1-0 in the Campeonato Mineiro final to become state champion in Minas Gerais.
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Former Ambassador at-Large Nathan Sales discusses new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, potential new nuclear threats and more on ‘Fox & Friends.'
President Donald Trump offered a stark warning to the Australian government on Monday as the Iranian women's soccer team is slated to return home following the Women's Asian Cup.
The team faces uncertainty as war broke out while they were in Australia for the tournament. Amid concerns for player welfare, the Australian Iranian Council wrote to Australia's Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke urging the government to protect the squad members while they're in the country.
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Iran players react during their national anthem ahead of the Women's Asian Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAP Image via AP)
Trump weighed in with a post on Truth Social.
"Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman's Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed," he wrote. "Don't do it, Mr. Prime Minister, give ASYLUM. The U.S. will take them if you won't."
Australian Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Matt Thistlethwaite was asked whether the country would grant the Iranian players asylum but said the government could not "go into individual circumstances for privacy reasons."
Five Iranian women's soccer players reportedly defected with the help of police.
IRANIAN WOMEN'S SOCCER FANS SHOW SUPPORT FOR TRUMP AS TEAM APPEARS TO PIVOT ON NATIONAL ANTHEM STANCE
Iran supporters wave flags during the Women's Asian Cup soccer match between Iran and the Philippines in Robina, Australia, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Dave Hunt/AAPImage via AP)
The team arrived in Australia before Israel and the U.S. launched a joint offensive against Iran on Feb. 28. The strikes led to the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iranian players refused to sing their national anthem before an opening loss to South Korea last Monday, which was viewed by some as an act of resistance, which was dubbed by an Iranian commentator as the "pinnacle of dishonor."
The team didn't clarify. But the players sang the anthem and saluted before their losses to Australia and the Philippines.
The Australian Iranian Council launched an online petition urging Australian authorities to "ensure that no member of Iran's women's national football team is to depart Australia while credible fears for their safety remain."
"Where credible evidence exists that visiting athletes may face persecution, imprisonment, coercion, or worse upon return, silence is not a neutral position," the petition read. "The current wartime environment has intensified repression, fear, and the risks faced by anyone publicly perceived by the Islamic Republic as disloyal."
Iranian supporters display signs expressing support for U.S. President Donald Trump during the AFC Women's Asian Cup Australia 2026 football match between Iran and Australia in Gold Coast, Australia, on March 5, 2026. (Izhar Khan / AFP via Getty Images)
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Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari was quoted as saying on Australia's national news agency that the team wants "to come back to Iran as soon as we can."
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Joe Concha discusses a Fox News Poll showing socialism gaining popularity among young Democrats and resurfaced comments from Texas progressive Senate hopeful James Talarico.
A new national poll is the latest to indicate that Democrats are facing major problems with their party's image.
Just 30% of registered voters in an NBC News poll view the Democratic Party positively, compared to 52% who view it negatively.
The poll, the latest over the past year to indicate the Democratic Party brand, in some cases, hitting historic lows, comes as Democrats aim to escape the political wilderness and win back House and Senate majorities in the 2026 midterm elections.
The GOP, which is working to defend its slim congressional majorities in the 2026 ballot box showdowns amid a rough political climate that doesn't favor the party in power, doesn't fare much better in the poll, which was conducted Feb. 27 through March 3.
WHAT OUR LATEST FOX NEWS NATIONAL POLL SAYS
Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, left, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both of New York, are the top two Democrats in Congress. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Thirty-seven percent of registered voters said they viewed the Republican Party positively, with 51% seeing the GOP in a negative light.
Helping to sink the Democratic Party's underwater ratings are Democrats themselves. Only 62% of Democrats questioned in the survey viewed their party positively, compared to 77% of Republicans who gave the GOP a favorable rating.
CNN DATA GURU SAYS DEMOCRATS ARE 'MESSIER THAN A HOARDER'S BASEMENT,' PARTY'S IMAGE IS 'GARBAGE'
The release of the NBC News survey came a few days after the latest Fox News national poll indicated a record 70% of registered voters disapproved of the job congressional Democrats are doing, up six points since December 2025. Views of congressional Republicans weren't much better, with 64% disapproving.
House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, left, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, are the top two Republicans in Congress. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
Only 63% of Democrats questioned in the Fox News poll approved of the job their party was doing in Congress, compared to 77% of Republicans who gave GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill a thumbs up.
There are some silver linings for Democrats in the NBC News poll.
GOP CALLS TRUMP ITS ‘SECRET WEAPON' — BUT POLLS SHOW WARNING SIGNS HEADING INTO MIDTERMS
The party holds a six-point advantage over Republicans in the battle for control of Congress in this autumn's midterm elections. And nearly three-quarters of Democrats say they have a high interest in the midterms, compared to 61% of Republicans.
The survey also indicated Democrats have pulled even with Republicans on the question of which party would do better dealing with the economy, with 40% choosing each party.
President Donald Trump's approval ratings remain in negative territory nearly 14 months into his second term in the White House. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP Photo)
But according to the poll, voters trust President Donald Trump and Republicans more than Democrats to handle border security and immigration.
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Trump's approval rating in the NBC News poll stood at 44%, with 54% disapproving of the job he's doing in the White House.
The president stood at 43% approval and 57% disapproval in the latest Fox News national poll.
Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in the swing state of New Hampshire. He covers the campaign trail from coast to coast."
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The Group of Seven nations have decided against jointly releasing hundreds of millions of barrels of crude oil reserves to stanch skyrocketing prices, which have hit over $100 a barrel in what has been described as the most severe energy crisis since the 1970s.
Following a virtual call on Monday, it was revealed that the G7 finance ministers declined to release oil stockpiles, though they agreed to closely monitor the energy markets and take necessary actions needed for stabilization, Bloomberg reported.
Releasing oil reserves was reportedly recommended by the International Energy Agency, according to Japan's finance minister.
The G7 decision came just hours after oil prices surged to record levels of more than $119 per barrel, the highest seen since 2022 and the immediate aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
International and domestic benchmarks settled later Monday morning on news of the G7 meeting, sticking around the $100 per barrel line. As of around 9:30 a.m., Brent Crude was up by 9.96%, selling at $101.92 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate was also up 9.47%, and was priced at $99.51 per barrel.
The price hikes have primarily been driven by the significant drop in traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which connects the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Roughly 20 million barrels of crude oil and other oil products pass through the strait daily, equivalent to 20% of global oil demand.
Following the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps moved to close the crucial chokepoint for global energy trade.
While a handful of tankers have been able to make it through the strait, hundreds of other vessels have been unable to pass through, as their political risk insurance premiums have skyrocketed or their coverage has been canceled entirely.
The United States has avoided tapping the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve over the last week. President Donald Trump promised on his inauguration to fill the government's reserves “right to the top.”
The SPR has a maximum capacity of around 700 million barrels and currently only holds roughly 415 million barrels. U.S. crude reserves levels significantly declined under the Biden administration, particularly after Russia invaded Ukraine. The Biden administration sold around 180 million barrels to curb rising oil prices and was lambasted by Republicans for tapping the reserves so heavily.
The Trump administration began to refill the SPR in October 2025.
The soaring oil prices are placing new political pressure on Trump, who has continuously pointed to low gas prices as a hallmark of his administration's efforts to tackle affordability.
Crude oil is the largest component of the retail price of gasoline, accounting for around 50% of the price.
Analysts with GasBuddy are now forecasting that there is an 80% chance the national average price of gasoline could hit $4 per gallon within the next month, or even sooner. In the short term, average prices are expected to hit around $3.75 to $3.95 per gallon this week.
With every one-cent increase, consumers are spending around $3.7 million more each day, GasBuddy's Patrick De Haan has estimated, meaning they are spending around $139 million more a day on gasoline than one year ago.
As of Monday, the national average price of gasoline was around $3.478 per gallon, up nearly $0.50 from last week, according to data compiled by AAA.
ENERGY MARKETS FACE ‘HEART ATTACK' AS GULF INFRASTRUCTURE TARGETED IN IRAN CONFLICT
Trump has repeatedly dismissed concerns over the price hikes at the pump, insisting that prices will come down when the war in Iran is over.
“Short term oil prices, which will drop rapidly when the destruction of the Iran nuclear threat is over, is a very small price to pay for U.S.A., and World, Safety and Peace,” Trump said in a post to Truth Social on Sunday. “ONLY FOOLS WOULD THINK DIFFERENTLY!”
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
The Ticketmaster logo is seen along the sideline of the field before an NFL football game, Sept. 15, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
The seal of the Dept of Justice is shown on the podium, Aug. 1, 2023, at an office of the Department of Justice in Washington. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department said Monday that it has tentatively settled its antitrust lawsuit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation Entertainment, striking a deal to ultimately lower ticket prices for consumers and end an illegal monopoly over live events in America.
But some states signaled they won't join the deal and will continue an ongoing trial.
After the Justice Department announced the deal at the start of the trial day in Manhattan federal court, Judge Arun Subramanian called it “entirely unacceptable” that no one informed him of the tentative deal until late Sunday. A term sheet for the expected settlement was signed on Thursday, he said.
A senior Justice Department official, though, spoke effusively of the looming settlement on the condition of anonymity Monday during a phone call with journalists under terms set by the department to release some information about the proposed settlement.
AP Washington correspondent Sagar Meghani reports on an AP source saying the Justice Department has reached a settlement in an antitrust suit against Ticketmaster and parent company Live Nation.
Live Nation would pay a fine of up to $280 million and divest itself of at least 13 amphitheaters across the country as it opens up its ticketing processes so that competitors can share in the sale of tickets, the official said.
The official called it a “win-win for everybody” that will bring immediate relief for consumers and protect venues from retaliation when they choose companies other than Live Nation to handle tickets or promotions for events.
A double-digit number of states were expected to join the proposed deal, the official said.
New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement the Justice Department deal “fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case” and that she would not agree to it.
“My attorney general colleagues and I have a strong case against Live Nation, and we will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry,” James said.
A release containing her statements said New York state was joined in its decision to continue pursuing claims by attorneys general in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming and the District of Columbia.
In a release, Washington State Attorney General Nick Brown said the bipartisan group of state attorneys general who joined the Justice Department's lawsuit in May 2024 would continue because the “case against Live Nation is strong, and the state coalition is committed to holding the company accountable for its illegal behavior, protecting consumers and restoring competition to this market.”
Adam Gitlin, a lawyer for the District of Columbia, told Subramanian that several states had not decided what they would do, including Texas, Florida and Louisiana. He said Texas had expressed “serious concerns” about the deal.
Gitlin requested a mistrial on Monday, a week after opening statements, but David Marriott, a lawyer for Live Nation, opposed the request. The judge informed the jury of the proposed deal and told jurors that “certain states are proceeding” with their claims and the trial was expected to resume next week.
Live Nation didn't immediately respond to a request by The Associated Press for comment.
The continuation of the trial will leave the states to press claims to further dismantle a monopoly the Justice Department said was squelching competition and driving up prices for fans.
The case, brought under President Joe Biden ‘s administration in 2024, accused Live Nation of using threats, retaliation and other tactics to “suffocate the competition” by controlling virtually every aspect of the industry, from concert promotion to ticketing.
The Justice Department accused Live Nation of engaging in a slew of practices that have allowed it to maintain a stranglehold over the live music scene. It has said the company uses long-term contracts to keep venues from choosing rival ticketers, blocking venues from using multiple ticket sellers and threatening venues that they could lose money and fans if they don't choose Ticketmaster.
Live Nation has maintained that artists and teams set prices and decide how tickets are sold.
Ticketmaster and Live Nation Entertainment, based in Beverly Hills, California, have a long history of clashes with major artists and their fans, including Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen.
Ticketmaster, which was established in 1976 and merged with Live Nation in 2010, is the world's largest ticket seller across live music, sports, theater and more.
___
Neumeister reported from New York
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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ESPN host Stephen A. Smith criticizes those who were 'complicit' in the alleged scandal surrounding former President Joe Biden's decline on 'Hannity.'
EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump rejected former President Joe Biden's assertion of executive privilege over a tranche of documents requested by the Senate as part of various probes into the 46th president, determining it is "not in the best interests of the United States."
White House counsel David Warrington wrote Monday in a letter addressed to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and obtained by Fox News Digital that Trump "does not uphold the former President's assertion of privilege" over records sought in four congressional probes. The letter directs NARA to provide the materials to Congress.
The dispute centers on documents related to investigations into Biden's health, alleged politically motivated probes into Trump and his allies, and the Biden family's financial dealings, which Republicans argue go to the heart of Congress' constitutional authority to conduct oversight.
The letter came as a response to communication from NARA on Dec. 10 informing the White House that the former president had asserted executive privilege over the requested materials.
DOJ SIGNALS IT'S STILL DIGGING INTO BIDEN AUTOPEN USE DESPITE REPORTS PROBE FIZZLED
President Joe Biden speaks during an event in Washington, D.C., on May 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Warrington said the assertion "is not justified" as to documents identified in two letters Biden sent to NARA on Oct. 22 and Dec. 3.
The first category of documents involved a request from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations for records related to what the letter described as the "coverup of former President Biden's health and cognitive decline."
"The abuse of the autopen that took place during the Biden Presidency, and the extraordinary efforts to shield President Biden's diminished faculties from the public, must be subject to a full accounting to ensure nothing similar ever happens again," Warrington wrote, quoting a prior letter.
TRUMP TO VOID ALL DOCUMENTS ALLEGEDLY SIGNED BY BIDEN VIA AUTOPEN, THREATENS PERJURY CHARGE
Biden also asserted privilege over two Senate Judiciary Committee requests concerning "coordinated efforts by the Biden administration against President Trump and his staff through politically motivated investigations."
The White House argued that "the constitutional protections of executive privilege should not be used to shield from Congress evidence of a President's efforts to imprison his opponent."
A third set of documents related to the "Biden family's financial dealings and potential conflicts of interest," the letter noted, referencing Biden's use of private email accounts and his work on Ukraine as vice president while his son Hunter Biden held a lucrative position on the board of an energy company there.
CONSTITUTIONAL SCHOLAR USES BIDEN AUTOPEN TO FLIP DEMS' ‘DEMOCRACY' SCRIPT AGAINST THEM: ‘SCANDAL'
Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, Dec. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Warrington acknowledged that the Supreme Court has recognized executive privilege as protecting presidential decision-making and deliberations but said he was "unaware of a Supreme Court ruling or constitutional text that extends those protections to former President Biden's efforts to assist his son's shady business deals," underscoring a fight about how expansive the scope of executive privilege is in the face of Congress' oversight demands.
"President Trump instructs you to provide to these congressional committees the pages identified as privileged by the former President," Warrington wrote.
Warrington previously denied Biden's privilege request over documents related to the Biden administration's use of the autopen, Fox News Digital exclusively reported in December. Biden has denied accusations that official presidential documents were signed by the autopen without his knowledge, brushing them off as "ridiculous."
President-elect Donald Trump shakes hands with President Joe Biden at Trump's inauguration in the Capitol Rotunda Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (Kenny Holston-Pool/Getty Images)
"Let me be clear: I made the decisions during my presidency. I made the decisions about the pardons, executive orders, legislation, and proclamations," Biden said in a statement in June as Trump and Republicans sounded off about what they alleged was a scandal. "Any suggestion that I didn't is ridiculous and false."
Concerns over Biden's mental acuity had simmered for years before reaching a boiling point in June 2024.
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Republicans sounded the alarm that it appeared Biden's mental edge was slipping before even the 2020 election cycle. The media and Biden's longtime Democratic allies joined conservatives in their alarm following Biden's failed debate against Trump in early summer of 2024.
Biden dropped out of the race, but investigations and concerns over an alleged Biden administration coverup continue into the second Trump administration.
Fox News Digital reached out to a Biden representative and NARA for comment on Monday morning.
Ashley Oliver is a reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business, covering the Justice Department and legal affairs. Email story tips to ashley.oliver@fox.com.
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Fox News Flash top sports headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on FoxNews.com.
The New York Jets are reportedly set to acquire Miami Dolphins All-Pro defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick in a trade as NFL free agency gets off to a raucous start.
The Dolphins will send Fitzpatrick to the Jets for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick, which initially came from the Los Angeles Chargers, ESPN reported Monday. Fitzpatrick's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told the outlet that Fitzpatrick will sign a three-year, $40 million deal with New York.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) looks on before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium on Aug. 23, 2025. (Sam Navarro/Imagn Images)
It's the second major move for the Dolphins. Miami announced it would release quarterback Tua TagovailoaTua Tagovailoa after six seasons with the team.
Fitzpatrick played in 14 games with the Dolphins last season. He had 82 tackles, a sack and an interception with Miami.
TRAVIS KELCE'S FUTURE HANGS IN BALANCE AS NFL FREE AGENCY KICKS OFF
Miami Dolphins safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) tackles New York Jets fullback Andrew Beck (47) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
The 2025 season was Fitzpatrick's second stint with the Dolphins. Miami traded Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a deal that landed Fitzpatrick back with the Dolphins last year. The Dolphins initially traded Fitzpatrick to the Steelers during the 2019 season.
Fitzpatrick will enter his ninth year in the NFL. The Dolphins selected him with the No. 11 pick of the 2018 draft. Since then, he was selected as an All-Pro three times and was named to the Pro Bowl five.
Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zach Sieler (92) reacts with safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (29) after forcing a fumble against the New Orleans Saints during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium on Nov. 30, 2025. (Rich Storry/Imagn Images)
times.
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The Jets will add the veteran to a defense that was in the bottom barrel of the NFL in 2025. New York was 25th in yards allowed and 31st in points allowed. The Jets were 3-14 last season.
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Registered dietitian Steph Grasso recommends "Salmon Mondays" as a simple way to boost omega-3 intake, support gut and brain function and eliminate weeknight decision fatigue.
First, it was protein.
Now, fiber is having a well-deserved moment as America's most sought-after nutrient.
But there may be another essential nutrient that is being quietly overlooked: omega-3 fatty acids.
"We're sticking with fiber right now, but there will be a year of the omegas," Steph Grasso, a Virginia-based registered dietitian and author of "Crave, Cook, Nourish," told Fox News Digital.
THE COMMON PROTEIN MISTAKE PEOPLE MAKE AFTER AGE 50 THAT'S ACCELERATING MUSCLE LOSS
"Most Americans are not actually meeting their omega-3 intake."
The problem is global, research suggests.
Eating fatty fish twice a week can help meet recommended omega-3 intake levels, according to experts. (iStock)
About 76% of people worldwide fall short of recommended intakes of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids found primarily in fatty fish, according to a study published in Nutrition Research Reviews in November.
The most common recommendation for healthy adults is about 250 milligrams per day of combined EPA and DHA — and higher amounts are advised during pregnancy.
Low intake of these fatty acids from seafood has been identified as a leading dietary risk factor for death and disability. Omega-3s also play a role throughout lifespan. Research has linked adequate intake to cardiovascular health, lower triglyceride levels, reductions in blood pressure, and support for brain and visual development.
THESE FISH ARE THE BEST AND WORST FOR YOUR HEALTH, SAY EXPERTS
The effects of omega-3s are especially clear when it comes to heart health, according to Dr. Brett Sealove, chair of cardiology at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
"Studies show the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil, specifically EPA and DHA, can modestly lower blood pressure," Sealove told Fox News Digital.
"It's best to think of food as the foundation of your health."
Higher doses, typically through prescription-strength fish oil, are often used to reduce triglycerides, he noted.
But whole foods should be the primary source — with supplements viewed as a secondary option, Sealove said.
YOUR FRIDAY FISH FRY JUST GOT MORE EXPENSIVE AS LENT BEGINS AMID SEAFOOD SPIKES
"It's best to think of food as the foundation of your health," he advised.
"The most reliable and beneficial way to get your omega-3s for blood pressure and heart health is by eating fatty fish like salmon, mackerel, herring or sardines at least twice a week."
Fish oil supplements may help some people meet omega-3 needs, but experts recommend food first. (iStock)
The American Heart Association also recommends eating two servings of fish — especially fatty — per week.
Grasso has a simple trick to kick-start that healthy habit.
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She swears by what she calls "Salmon Mondays," a weekly routine that guarantees at least one of those servings of fatty fish.
"I do salmon every single Monday," she said. "Knowing I have salmon every Monday helps with decision fatigue."
Virginia-based registered dietitian Steph Grasso told Fox News Digital that she cooks salmon every Monday. (Fox News Digital; iStock)
Her method is uncomplicated: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, bake salmon for about 13 minutes, add a side of broccoli and dinner is done.
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Beyond omega-3s, salmon also delivers high-quality protein, vitamin D and selenium — nutrients that work together in a way that cardiologists say supplements alone cannot replicate.
A dietitian recommends baking salmon at 450 degrees for about 13 minutes for an easy meal. (iStock)
Plus, over-the-counter fish oil supplements are not tightly regulated like prescription medications, experts warn — and high doses can carry potential risks, including bleeding concerns or, in some studies, a possible increased risk of atrial fibrillation.
More fatty fish isn't necessarily a cure-all either, Grasso noted.
"When somebody hears 'superfood,' they might think that will solve all their health problems, but too much of one thing is never good," she said.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
In "Crave, Cook, Nourish," which was published in February, Grasso emphasizes protein, fiber and balanced yet "crave-worthy" meals.
In her book "Crave, Cook, Nourish," Grasso emphasizes balanced yet "crave-worthy" meals. (Sara Tiffany Photography)
She promotes simple, practical strategies for healthy eating, including a streamlined grocery list formula, prepping fruits and vegetables as soon as you get home to encourage eating them and incorporating affordable staples like beans to help boost fiber intake.
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"It's all about diversity and having a little bit of everything — that is truly the key to longevity and health," she said.
Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital.
A look at the top-trending stories in food, relationships, great outdoors and more.
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How the frenzy over farming insects for food went bust.
“We have to get used to the idea of eating insects.”
This proclamation came from, of all people, an insect researcher. Dutch entomologist Marcel Dicke pitched eating bugs in his 2010 TED talk as critical to sustainably feeding a growing human population, because insects have a much smaller carbon footprint than beef, pork, and chicken.
To make his point, he even featured photographs of what might be a common meal in this bold new future: a stir fry with mealworm larvae, mushrooms, and snap peas, finished with a chocolate dessert topped with a large fried cricket.
Three years later, the United Nations published a comprehensive report that echoed many of Dicke's ideas and argued that insects could be a more eco-friendly food source not just for humans, but also for livestock. The report received widespread media coverage and helped to trigger a wave of investment from venture capital firms and governments alike into insect farming startups across Europe, the US, Canada, and beyond, totaling some $2 billion.
There's a ring of truth, it turns out, to the conspiracy theory that the globalist elites want us to eat bugs.
This money was pouring into insect agriculture at a time when investors and policymakers were hungry for new models to fix the conventional meat industry's massive carbon footprint. And what's more disruptive and novel than farming and eating bugs?
You personally might recoil at the thought of eating fried crickets or roasted mealworms, but many cultures around the world consume insects, either caught from the wild or farmed on a small scale. And while grubs don't feature prominently in current paleo cookbooks, our paleolithic ancestors most certainly ate plenty of bugs.
But the past decade has shown that even if you build an insect farm, the global market may not come. Of the 20 or so largest insect farming startups, almost a quarter have gone belly up in recent years, including the very largest, Ÿnsect, which ceased operations in December.
All told, shuttered insect farming startups account for almost half of all investment into the industry.
“Things have gone from bad to worse for the big insect factory business model,” one insect farming CEO said late last year in a YouTube video.
And Vox can exclusively report that plans to build a large insect farm in Nebraska — a joint project between Tyson Foods, America's largest meat company, and Protix, now the world's second largest insect farming company — are indefinitely on hold.
Beyond the financial woes of the insect farming industry, some philosophers worry about the ethical implications of potentially farming tens of trillions of bugs for food, as emerging research suggests insects may well have some form of consciousness and hold the capacity to feel pain and suffer.
“Evidence is building that there's a form of sentience there in insects,” Jonathan Birch, a philosopher at the London School of Economics who leads the Foundations of Animal Sentience project at the university, told me last year.
But it looks like they may not have too much to worry about. In spite of the initial hype surrounding the bug farming boom, the insect agriculture industry has learned just how difficult it is to compete with the incumbent, larger animal-based meat industry — and that, perhaps, it never really made sense to try doing so with bugs.
Insect farming is similar to other types of animal farming. The insects reproduce, and the offspring are raised in large numbers in factory-style buildings. Many of the same welfare concerns for farmed chickens and pigs are present on insect farms, like disease, cannibalism, and painful slaughter. In the case of insects, the creatures are killed by a variety of means. They might be frozen, baked, roasted, shredded, grinded, microwaved, boiled, or suffocated.
In 2020, insect companies farmed an estimated one trillion bugs, and the most commonly farmed species today are black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, and crickets.
While some people might tell researchers they're open to adding bugs to their diet, these smallest of animals remain a novelty food in the US and Europe, as opposed to a commodity capable of displacing wings or burgers.
“The human food market, basically, has not materialized,” Dustin Crummett, a philosopher and executive director of The Insect Institute — a nonprofit that researches the environmental and animal welfare implications of large-scale insect agriculture — told me. “Only a tiny fraction of farmed insects are used for human food.”
But insect farming startups haven't only sought to put insects on our plates or grind them into protein bars; many want to sell insect meal (ground up insects) as feed for other farmed animals. It's a sustainable alternative, they argue, to the soy fed to factory-farmed chickens and cattle, much of which is grown on deforested land. Insect meal could also replace fishmeal (largely composed of small, wild-caught species, like anchovies and sardines), which is fed to farmed fish and heavily contributes to overfishing.
This approach of farming insects for livestock feed, however, isn't materializing either, and much of it comes down to cost.
According to a 2024 analysis published in the journal Food and Humanity and co-authored by Crummett, one ton of insect meal costs about 10 times that of soybean meal and 3.5 times that of fishmeal, a major cost gap that is unlikely to narrow anytime soon.
Insect meal is so expensive, in part, because feeding insects is expensive.
Farmed insects are typically fed agricultural “co-products” — like wheat bran and corn gluten — most of which is already fed to livestock, and so insect farmers have wound up in competition with big meat companies to buy up these ingredients. This simple fact weakens the narrative often driven by insect farming startups that they are putting food scraps that otherwise would've been thrown away to good use.
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“Organic waste from the industry becomes feed for insects,” Protix's website reads. “This circular food production mirrors nature's circle of life.” But this is misleading; Protix feeds its insects ingredients like oat husk and starch, which are typically used in traditional livestock feed anyway.
“It doesn't really make sense to buy chicken feed to feed insects to feed to chicken,” as one insect farming startup founder told AgriTech Insights a couple of years ago.
And it's not guaranteed that insect meal will be more sustainable than soy or fishmeal. According to a UK government report, the environmental impact of insect farming depends on a number of factors, including what insects are fed and whether startups power their farms with fossil fuels or renewable energy.
Energy usage explains a lot of the industry's cost challenge. Farmed insects require warm temperatures, and in Europe, where so many of the startups are based, energy prices have sharply risen in recent years.
To lower costs and develop new revenue streams, some insect farming startups have pivoted to become “waste management” companies, too. Rotting food waste in landfills is a huge source of global greenhouse gas emissions, and insect farming companies can earn money by taking it off other companies' hands and letting bugs eat it.
But here, too, the industry has run into obstacles, including strict EU regulations around what can be fed to insects and an inconsistent product. When insects are fed food waste, their final nutritional profile can vary widely depending on what they're fed, but livestock feed companies need nutritional consistency.
And it turns out that even the largest and most powerful companies in the space can run into hard, economic realities when trying to rear bugs on waste en masse.
In late 2023, America's biggest meat company, Tyson Foods, announced it had invested an undisclosed sum of money in Protix, a large Dutch insect farming startup. That Tyson was putting its weight behind it seemed like much-needed proof that insects could be the future of food, as so many startups, investors, and researchers had claimed.
The two companies planned to build a massive insect farm together near Tyson's cattle slaughterhouse in Dakota City, Nebraska. At the insect farm, Protix would raise and kill around 70,000 tons of larvae annually — what I estimate to be approximately 300 billion individual insects. The bugs would feed on cattle paunch, partially digested plant matter removed from the stomachs of cattle slaughtered at Tyson's plant. After a few weeks of feeding on the animal waste, the larvae would be slaughtered and ground up into insect meal, destined to become food for pets and livestock.
It was a way for Tyson to “derive value” from its waste, as it told CNN.
Now, Vox can exclusively report that Tyson Foods has withdrawn its air permit application to build the plant, and the plant itself is “on hold indefinitely.” That's according to email exchanges last December between Tyson Foods and the Nebraska Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, which were obtained through public records requests by the nonprofit Society for the Protection of Insects.
Tyson and Protix did not respond to questions for this story.
The companies' stalled plans aren't unique in the insect farming space.
In early 2024, Innovafeed — currently the largest insect farming startup — opened a pilot plant in Decatur, Illinois, in partnership with ADM, the massive food and livestock feed manufacturing company. The US Department of Agriculture awarded Innovafeed a $11.7 million grant to turn insect waste into fertilizer at the plant, but a year and a half after it opened, it suspended operations, citing funding challenges.
Through a public records request, Society for the Protection of Insects obtained over 600 pages of documents pertaining to the grant, though about half of it is redacted, including much of the environmental review and Innovafeed's commercial records. Last week, the organization sued the USDA over the heavy redactions, arguing it's in the public's interest to fully disclose the details of the deal.
The USDA declined to comment on pending litigation, and Innovafeed did not respond to questions for this story.
The biggest blow to the industry yet came late last year when the largest startup of them all — France-based Ÿnsect, which had raised over $600 million, representing nearly a full third of the sector's funding — ran out of money. And a quarter of that backing had come from the French government. A recent whistleblower investigation alleged severe mismanagement at Ÿnsect's production facility that led to filthy conditions and health problems for workers. The company didn't respond to a request for comment.
As insect farming startups struggle to stay afloat, their main trade group — the International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) — is going so far as to call on the European Union to mandate publicly funded food services, like school cafeterias, to buy insect meat and publicly owned farms to buy insect meal to feed to their animals. IPIFF didn't respond to an interview request for this story, nor did the North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture.
As for the outlook of the insect farming sector, more startups will probably go under in the years ahead, and for the survivors to continue on, they may need to leave Europe and North America for warmer climates and lower operating costs.
But the rise, fall, and resettling of the industry isn't uncommon in the agricultural technology field, Crummett says. Vertical farming, for example, seemed like a great idea on paper, but it's been an economic failure.
“It is not at all unusual that some new thing gets hyped as the silver bullet that's going to solve such and such environmental problem,” Crummett said, especially when it's a striking idea — eating insects — and is backed by influential institutional actors, like the United Nations and university researchers.
But it's undeniable that the insect agriculture sector's ambitions have fallen far from disrupting the meat and livestock feed supply to a future in smaller niche markets, like pet food, novelty human foods, waste management, and livestock feed additives.
It all amounts to a massive retrenchment from its ambitious goals of revolutionizing the food system to now merely tinkering at its edges.
But in another way, it was never truly ambitious enough. Decades of environmental and food systems research has concluded that what we ultimately need is fewer animals — be them chickens; pigs; birds; fishes; or, yes, bugs — in farms and on our plates.
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The regime is overmatched militarily, but still has tools for returning fire.
On February 28, the day that bombs started falling on the Islamic Republic, a man's voice began broadcasting in Farsi on a shortwave-radio frequency. He announced himself—“Tavajjoh! Tavajjoh!” (Attention! Attention!)—and then read a string of seemingly random numbers. Anyone with a shortwave radio could hear him. But the announcer's intended audience was likely no more than a handful of people using a centuries-old system to decipher his otherwise incoherent message.
The eerie and still-unattributed radio transmission came from a numbers station. You don't hear them much anymore. But when the CIA and the KGB needed to communicate with their spies working undercover, such broadcasts were convenient and safe ways to send orders around the world. The intended recipient turns on their radio at a set time to a specific station and writes down the numbers they hear. Using a technique called a “one-time pad,” they convert each number into a letter, eventually revealing a message. The transmission is out in the open. But if only the sender and the recipient have the pad—which is written down and destroyed immediately after the message is sent—only they can understand the message.
When used properly, this old-school method creates an unbreakable secret code. But numbers stations—which are recurring elements of Cold War–era spycraft in movies and TV shows—have been largely replaced by digital encryption and internet-based covert-communication systems. So why is a Persian-language numbers station broadcasting in the middle of a war in 2026?
Listen to a recording of the transmission here:
The mystery of the numbers station points to a murky shadow war with Iran under way long before the latest round of overt hostilities broke out a week ago. Both sides in this struggle have employed unconventional means. But the Iranian regime has been particularly reliant on asymmetric attacks, including against civilians.
For years, the Iranian government has used foreign agents, including those working undercover, to try to kidnap or kill government officials, activists, and journalists abroad. U.S. and European officials I spoke with this week are bracing for a return to that playbook as the regime fights for its survival in a war against adversaries that boast superior military capabilities. Within the past eight years, Iranian agents—some of whom were mercenaries recruited online—have allegedly tried to assassinate former National Security Adviser John Bolton in Washington, bomb a political rally near Paris, kidnap an Iranian American journalist from her home in New York, and kill Israeli business people in Colombia and Cyprus. On Friday, a Pakistani man was found guilty in New York of plotting with Iran to kill President Trump and other public officials.
Although some of these thwarted attacks were comically ham-handed, Western government officials have taken Iran's plotting seriously enough to warn their citizens. In December 2022, the head of MI5, Britain's domestic-security agency, announced publicly that authorities had uncovered at least 10 potential threats to kidnap or kill British nationals and people living in the United Kingdom.
Western officials feared that a successful Iranian attack would escalate tensions and potentially lead to armed conflict. Now that the war is here, officials told me Tehran likely believes that it has little to lose by attacking overseas, including by striking civilian targets. Under sustained attack by the U.S. and Israel, the regime may turn to asymmetric retaliation to try to maintain control.
Cyberattacks are another weapon in Iran's asymmetric arsenal. The country has long had a sophisticated and diverse cyber force, which U.S. officials have linked to operations that have crashed bank websites and probed critical infrastructure, including the control systems of a dam in New York State. Iran is also accused of interfering in U.S. elections, though not on the scale of more sophisticated actors such as Russia.
So far in the war, experts have reported ideologically aligned “hacktivist” groups claiming to act on Iran's behalf, including by defacing websites, but have not seen clear evidence of government actions. “The Iranian response thus far has been fairly muted,” Adam Meyers, an executive at the computer-security company CrowdStrike, said at a conference in California last week.
Read: The one variable that could decide the war
But, as with physical attacks, it's the potential for Iran's government to cause damage that has U.S. officials on guard. Iran has long viewed civilian targets as both legitimate and a high priority. Mohammad Hossein Tajik, a now-deceased former commander of an Iranian cyber unit, once told me that in the past decade, Iran was responsible for attacks on the electrical system in Turkey; a damaging assault on the computer systems of Saudi Arabia's state oil company; and an innovative financial heist targeting SWIFT, a communications network used by the world's banks. Tajik also told me that Iran had shared hacking techniques with Russia over many years. More recently, Iran has provided Russia with technology and expertise to build drones used against Ukraine. And on Friday, The Washington Post reported that Russia has given intelligence to Iran to help strike U.S. forces in the Middle East. The potential for joint Iranian-Russian cyberattacks cannot be ruled out.
Iran has a lot of potential to cause mayhem, so why hasn't it? “It is to me the key question,” Nate Swanson, a former career State Department official who served as Iran director at the National Security Council, told me when we spoke on Friday morning. Swanson said he was surprised to see Iran strike Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, among other countries in the Gulf region, as soon as the war began rather than turn first to proxy attacks, assassinations, or cyberattacks abroad.
Iran's capabilities could have been degraded in the initial assault, he said. (The Israel Defense Forces reportedly bombed agencies that play a role in domestic cybersurveillance and overseas attacks.) Another possibility, Swanson told me, is that Iran is holding these capabilities in reserve. The country's behavior thus far suggests it is pursuing “a decentralized plan for a war of attrition,” he said. Iran's military and intelligence leaders may not have begun asymmetric attacks yet because they're waiting for the United States and Israel to draw down their own weapons stores.
Trump has said he expects the military campaign to take about four weeks. “If you take the president at his word, that means there will be multiple phases of this campaign,” Jonathan Panikoff, a former senior intelligence officer covering the Middle East, told me. “You could see the same thing from proxy organizations” such as Hezbollah in Lebanon, Panikoff said. “That may be in Phase 2 or 3.”
Shortly after we finished speaking came reports that Hezbollah had begun firing on Israel. Panikoff told me he was concerned that communities in northern Israel would again be threatened, as they were when Hezbollah attacked after the October 7 terrorist assault by Hamas. It's not clear how much remains in Hezbollah's arsenal after the extensive Israeli air campaign aimed at destroying its missiles and launchers, Panikoff said. But now that the proxy attacks have begun, one wonders if assassination plots and cyberattacks might soon follow.
And what about that weird business with the numbers station? What is its role, if any, in Iran's plans? I admit that when I first heard the broadcast, I imagined Iran sending orders to clandestine agents abroad. Considering that Iran is overwhelmed by technologically superior forces, reverting to a tried-and-true communications system would not be outlandish.
But we don't know where the broadcast originates, according to the amateur shortwave trackers with the international group Priyom, who welcomed me into their chat room. That makes it harder to know whether Iran is running the station. We do have indications that Iran's government is jamming the signal, using techniques that the trackers have documented in the past. That suggests an even more intriguing potential twist: Perhaps Iran isn't sending messages to agents abroad, but an adversary is sending messages to agents in Iran.
The government has imposed an internet blackout in the country, which could challenge, say, Israeli or American intelligence agencies trying to contact their agents in Iran. In recent decades, the United States has used internet-based systems to communicate with its operatives. (Years ago, Iranians discovered how the system works and arrested or killed many spies.) But the CIA has also used satellite-based systems for its most valuable human assets.
One U.S. official I spoke with wondered whether the station was just a red herring meant to make the United States and Israel believe that Iran was activating foreign sleeper cells. Or could someone be trolling the Iranians? The amateur trackers have heard the suspected Iranian jammer as far away as Canada. That's a lot of effort, and transmission signal, to stop a prank.
Read: ‘The worst-case outcome is complete chaos'
As of late last week, the station had broadcast numbers seven times since the war started, but then went quiet. Perhaps the message had been delivered. Maybe the broadcaster gave up in the face of Iranian interference. The trackers lamented that we might have heard the last of V32, the designation they've given the station.
On Saturday, some of the trackers and I dutifully tuned in at 1800 coordinated universal time (1 p.m. in Washington, D.C.) to see whether V32 might reappear at its customary broadcast hour. We heard nothing. But a minute later, one of the trackers heard a man's voice, slowly and clearly reading numbers in Farsi, on a different frequency. Over on V32's previous frequency, the jammer was banging away, apparently unaware that the reader had moved. A classic cat-and-mouse game was on.
The trackers reported that they heard the numbers clearly in their various locations across Europe and the Middle East. They tried different methods to locate the transmission's origin, without success. We listened for ambient noises that might give us some hint as to who was reading. Some trackers thought they heard a fan blowing. Others said they heard the sound of a Microsoft Windows prompt. Not especially revealing clues, but ones that offered more information than we'd had about V32 when the broadcast started. After about 90 minutes, the reader stopped, and we heard only static.
We still don't know who's sending the messages, who they're meant for, or what they mean. Even the jamming might be an unreliable clue. I found myself wondering if Iranian intelligence broadcast the message and then jammed it to make the Americans and the Israelis think it wasn't them.
Security officials are trying to make sense of baffling developments like the numbers station as they work to forestall potential attacks. Trump has extolled the ferocity of the U.S. campaign, now just more than a week old. Undoubtedly it has caused tremendous damage to Iran's military, its security apparatus, and its leadership, with comparatively little loss of life on the American side.
But no one I've talked with thinks Iran has been so crippled that it cannot inflict pain and damage beyond its borders. If this week was just the first phase of a long war, don't expect Iran to use every weapon in its arsenal at once.
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RFK Jr. wanted parents to question the science. A study of 12 million newborns shows they listened.
When a baby is born in a hospital in the US, one of the first things that happens — usually within 24 hours — is a hepatitis B shot, which prevents a virus that can cause liver cancer. The newborn shot has been a standard practice nationwide since 1991, after earlier efforts at prevention kept missing the mark. In the decades that have followed, most parents haven't thought twice about it.
But over the past two years, more and more parents have started saying no. Because the birth dose is given inside the hospital, before the family goes home, there's no appointment to miss, no chance of a scheduling mix-up — ways other childhood vaccines can be missed. If a newborn didn't get this shot, in most cases, someone actively declined or delayed it.
A study published on February 23 in JAMA puts a clear number on that shift. The researchers tracked 12.4 million newborns — roughly a third of all US births — across hospitals in all 50 states that use Epic, one of the country's largest electronic health record systems. Using years of prior data, the researchers modeled where vaccination rates should have been heading, and compared those projections to what was actually happening.
The study found that between 2023 and mid-2025, the share of newborns getting the hepatitis B birth dose fell from 83.5 percent to 73.2 percent. That translates to roughly “400,000 or more babies a year declining or delaying the hepatitis B [birth] vaccine,” said Joshua Rothman, a pediatrician at UC San Diego School of Medicine and the study's lead author. For context, that's roughly equivalent to the entire population of Minneapolis declining or delaying the shot every year.
Our political wellness landscape has shifted: new leaders, shady science, contradictory advice, broken trust, and overwhelming systems. How is anyone supposed to make sense of it all? Vox's senior correspondent Dylan Scott has been on the health beat for a long time, and every week, he'll wade into sticky debates, answer fair questions, and contextualize what's happening in American health care policy. Sign up here.
All of this happened before Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took over the nation's health agencies. Now, he's turned skepticism into policy. In January, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped universally recommending the hepatitis B birth dose — along with five other childhood vaccines. Parents were already walking away from the birth dose, and now the government is too.
The roots of this go back to the Covid pandemic, which reshaped how millions of Americans think about all vaccines — not just the Covid shot.
“This is a classic example of what we in the literature have come to refer to as a Covid-19 vaccine spillover effect,” said Matt Motta, a public health researcher at Boston University who studies vaccine hesitancy. Researchers have documented distrust of the Covid shot bleeding into general skepticism of flu vaccines, childhood MMR shots, even vaccination for pets. Polls have sent mixed signals about whether that skepticism is actually changing behavior — but a study like this captures what parents are doing, not what they are telling a pollster.
The rising skepticism hasn't hit every vaccine equally, and hepatitis B has made for an unusually easy political target. Because the virus spreads through blood and sex, skeptics have a ready-made argument: Why vaccinate a newborn for a sexually transmitted disease? “It is one of the vaccines that lends itself very well to political opposition,” Motta said. Both Kennedy and Casey Means, President Donald Trump's nominee for surgeon general, have made this case publicly. The scientific answer — that hepatitis B can also spread during birth and through close household contact in infancy — is true, but harder to fit on a bumper sticker.
None of this is entirely new. Americans have been arguing about vaccination since George Washington's day, when they called it inoculation. But historically, that skepticism existed outside the federal agencies. What's different now is that “America's leading government health agencies are populated by people who are deeply skeptical of vaccination,” Motta said. “There is, in my mind, no precedent for this.”
In January, the CDC made it official: The agency cut the number of vaccines it universally recommends for children from 17 to 11, moving hepatitis B and five others to what it calls “shared clinical decision-making” — essentially a case-by-case decision made by parents and doctors. The US has tried versions of this before, and there's a reason we moved away from it.
In the 1980s, doctors tested only high-risk pregnant women for hepatitis B. But up to half of infections are asymptomatic, so they kept missing cases. In 1988, the country switched to testing every mother. That helped, but 50 to 100 infants were still getting infected each year — the result of mothers with false negatives, babies exposed after birth, and families who fell through the cracks. So in 1991, the US started vaccinating every newborn, and it worked. Annual infant infections dropped to fewer than 20.
The new recommendation is taking us back to the '80s.
Without a uniform federal standard, which vaccines a child receives will be shaped less by scientific consensus than by the politics of the state they're born in.
Supporters of the change, including Kennedy, have pointed to countries like Denmark that don't universally vaccinate newborns for hepatitis B. But Motta said that comparison misses a critical difference: Denmark has universal tax-funded health coverage for all residents, a national vaccine registry, and the screening infrastructure to catch cases the vaccine would otherwise prevent. (The US does none of this reliably enough to do the same.)
“If you were to tell me the United States was going to make the type of investment that Denmark has in its health infrastructure,” Motta said, “then I would say, okay, let's revisit. But that is not the reality we live in.”
That's partly because in the US, vaccines have long served as a kind of substitute safety net — what David Wallace-Wells, writing in the New York Times, has called a way of “limiting the downside consequences of all of our country's notorious shortcomings.” A hepatitis B shot at birth means it matters less whether a family member is unknowingly carrying the virus. An MMR vaccine means measles is less dangerous even for a child who is malnourished or far from a doctor.
And those shortcomings are real. More than 27 million Americans were uninsured at some point in 2024, and even within the CDC's own perinatal hepatitis B prevention program, only 65 percent of exposed infants received the recommended follow-up blood testing. Screening-only strategies work when the system catches everyone. The US system doesn't.
A study published in December estimated that the CDC's changes could lead to hundreds of additional infant hepatitis B infections each year — and even that, the authors warned, is probably an undercount. Their model couldn't factor in rising vaccine hesitancy, or the fact that babies who miss the first dose are less likely to get fully vaccinated.
And hepatitis B is just one of six childhood vaccines the CDC dropped from its recommended list, alongside rotavirus, influenza, and hepatitis A, among others.
The fallout of this change will be uneven. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has broken with the CDC and published its own vaccine schedule, keeping the hepatitis B birth dose for every newborn. Several states, including Massachusetts and New York, have said they'll follow the AAP's recommendations rather than the revised federal schedule. Others will likely follow the federal lead.
Polling suggests parents would follow. In a February survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, 42 percent of Americans said they'd trust the AAP over the CDC on whether newborns should get the hepatitis B shot — just 11 percent said the CDC. A third weren't sure — the exact group a clear federal recommendation could reach.
In just the first two months of this year, the US has recorded more than 1,000 cases of measles. The full year of 2024 had 285. And now, hepatitis B could see a similar surge. Every state with a Democratic governor has broken with the CDC guidelines and maintained the old hepatitis B vaccine recommendation, whereas most Republican-led states have not. Without a uniform federal standard, which vaccines a child receives will be shaped less by scientific consensus than by the politics of the state they're born in.
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Fox News senior correspondent Benjamin Hall joins ‘The Five' to discuss the threat of Iran's stockpile of drones.
Within hours of American munitions striking Iranian soil, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a statement that the Western press largely treated as a diplomatic footnote, but it was a signal that what happens in the skies over Tehran has a direct impact on the ground in Ukraine.
President Zelenskyy explicitly endorsed the strikes, called Iran "Putin's accomplice," noted that his country has absorbed over 57,000 Iranian-supplied drone attacks, and took aim at Moscow: "Whenever there is American resolve, global criminals weaken. This understanding must also come to the Russians."
Zelenskyy's framing of the war in Iran through the lens of Ukraine's war is not incidental. Whatever Washington's stated objectives, the president, who has lived through the Ukraine conflict since the 2022 invasion, understands that Iran has been an active accomplice in Russia's war against Ukraine, and the United States has now acted against that accomplice.
THE FUTURE OF WAR? US-ISRAEL BLITZ ON IRAN UNVEILS NEXT-GEN ALLIED COMBAT
By striking the Iranian regime that provided the Shahed drones to Russia (and the ability to manufacture them) that have terrorized the Ukrainian civilian population for over four years, Washington has taken out a key Russian ally, which will negatively impact Russia's ability to wage war in Europe.
When Iranian-provided drones began falling on Kyiv in October 2022, reducing apartment blocks to rubble and plunging cities into darkness, the world quickly learned a new word: Shahed. The Shahed-136 is not a sophisticated weapon. It is not fast (though Russian improvements have increased its capabilities significantly). It is not quite as precise as a cruise missile. What it is, and what it was always designed to be in Russia's hands, is a weapon of civilian terror.
Russian Shahed's targets power stations and apartment buildings. The destruction they reap contributes to the blackouts that leave families without light and heat in winter. It is the triangular silhouette Ukrainians have learned to dread in the night sky, the low distinctive buzz from its propeller that sends people running for shelters. I have watched Shaheds glide through Ukrainian airspace toward civilian targets. I have stood with interceptor teams in the darkness doing everything they could to bring Shaheds down before they found their targets. The images of these drones flying into buildings in Kyiv represent the human toll of Iran's pernicious contribution to the war in Ukraine.
By early 2023, Iran signed a $1.75 billion contract for additional drones and complete manufacturing blueprints. Russia subsequently built its own production facility in Tatarstan. Ukrainian intelligence estimates Russia now produces up to 1,000 modified Geran drones per day using Iranian-derived technology. In essence, Tehran handed Moscow the blueprint for a terror campaign against civilians that Russia has since industrialized on its own soil.
CHINA PLEDGES AID TO UKRAINE AS US OFFICIALS WARN BEIJING IS QUIETLY FUELING RUSSIA'S WAR
Beyond drones, Iran delivered nearly $3 billion in ballistic and surface-to-air missiles before and during the invasion, including hundreds of Fath-360 ballistic missiles, numerous anti-aircraft systems, and hundreds of thousands of artillery shells, with total weapons value exceeding $4 billion.
Iranian munitions replenished Russia's stockpile, dashing Western hopes that Russia might quickly run out of shells, drones, and missiles. In return, Russia offered Iran S-400 air defense systems, Su-35 fighter jets, nuclear reactor construction and geopolitical cover at the U.N. Security Council. A 20-year strategic partnership was formalized in early 2024. This was an axis built across military, nuclear, financial, and diplomatic dimensions, and due to U.S. action in Iran, this axis has crumbled in spectacular fashion. In a recent statement, Russian Foreign Minister Dimitry Peskov stated that Russia would not honor its defense agreement with Iran because he signed the agreement with Ayatollah Khameini, and Khamenei has been killed.
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However, Russia's most important strategic partner, China, continues to supply vast quantities of microelectronics and components for Russia's military-industrial complex at a scale Iran could not match. But Beijing has carefully avoided direct lethal hardware transfers to preserve a degree of deniability. Iran, on the other hand, filled the gap China deliberately left open: front-line weapons and production blueprints, deployed without hesitation.
Russia has fully indigenized Shahed production, even improving on the original design with the more sophisticated and expensive Geran variants. The Iranian government's 50-year legacy of terror will live on not only in Middle Eastern states, but in Europe for as long as the war in Ukraine continues.
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With the U.S. campaign promising to last for at least several weeks, Iran's capacity to supply additional ballistic missiles is now compromised. Its ability to upgrade drone designs at home and deliver replacement components is degraded. Moreover, every Russian asset potentially diverted to shield a battered Iran, air defense systems, aircraft components, logistics, is an asset unavailable in Zaporizhzhia or Kherson. Moscow is now burdened by a weakened, desperate partner at precisely the moment it can least afford the distraction.
This represents a different kind of pressure on Russia than sanctions or battlefield aid — one that works through the partnership networks and supply chains that have sustained the Russian war effort. Zelenskyy's prescient statement that every act of aggression ultimately meets a just response was directed towards Moscow and Tehran. While Ukraine was not Washington's primary consideration when President Trump decided to strike Iran, the calculus of the war in Ukraine will become more complicated for Russia, and that's a good thing for Ukrainians fighting for their very right to survive.
Clara Kaluderovic is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, a former Schmidt Fellow at the Special Competitive Studies Project, and a member of the Aspen Strategy Group's Rising Leaders Class of 2026. She is a technology entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO of Mental Health Global, a nonprofit partnered with the Ukrainian Armed Forces to deliver AI-enabled mental health support in conflict zones. She is also co-founder of ex2, an AI nonprofit based at the American University of Iraq-Sulaimani, developing large language models for underrepresented languages, including Kurdish.
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House Democrats questioned Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby about President Donald Trump's previous comments regarding war with Iran, as they claimed that he broke his campaign promise. (Credit: CSPAN)
In these early days of Operation Epic Fury, while much remains unknown, one thing has become clear: how little the conventional wisdom about foreign policy in Washington, D.C., has to do with the realities taking shape on the battlefield. Traditionally, four things were assumed to be near inevitable if the United States and/or Israel were to take significant military action against Iran:
A group of men inspects the ruins of a police station struck amid the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP)
All four assumptions are dead wrong.
Obviously, the supreme leader was not untouchable. He was eliminated in one of the opening strikes of the mission, along with much of Iran's senior leadership. His arrogant foolishness in gathering that leadership together was in fact the opportunity that prompted Epic Fury in the first place.
THE FUTURE OF WAR? US-ISRAEL BLITZ ON IRAN UNVEILS NEXT-GEN ALLIED COMBAT
But that did not prevent the survivors from organizing a succession meeting on Tuesday, March 3, which was in turn targeted. The demoralized remnants of the regime are now attempting to re-establish command and control with little in terms of structure or internal communications.
In addition, the predicted mass regional attack on Israel has not materialized. Because of Iran's disastrous decision to launch missiles against its neighbors — even those who had been acting as its mediators, such as Qatar and Oman — the region has unified not against Israel, but against Iran.
There are even reports of Arab nations potentially participating in the strikes on Iran. The Abraham Accords, although under strain since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, have held.
LIZ PEEK: DEMOCRATS RAGE OVER TRUMP'S IRAN STRIKES AS EXILES CHEER AYATOLLAH'S FALL
Iran's terrorist proxies, rather than rising up to attack Israel, have been remarkably inactive given their patron's desperate straits. Hamas in Gaza has been all but silent. Hezbollah in Lebanon have fired some rockets, but nothing like the overwhelming barrage of precision-guided missiles that was once feared. The Houthi in Yemen have stuck to threats rather than attacks. None of them appear to be interested in a multi-front war against the combined might the U.S. and Israel have demonstrated.
While it is true that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping have put out strong statements condemning the American action, they have actually done precious little to support their supposed ally Iran, which is reportedly registering complaints about the quality of the missile-defense systems they supplied.
Obviously, the supreme leader was not untouchable. He was eliminated in one of the opening strikes of the mission, along with much of Iran's senior leadership.
And America, rather than being isolated, is re-established as the pre-eminent military power on the planet, while Russia and China hardly look like reliable partners. Even our originally timorous European allies have come around to supporting the mission.
PENTAGON POLICY CHIEF GRILLED AS DEM CLAIMS TRUMP BROKE PROMISE ABOUT GOING TO WAR WITH IRAN
Of course, this is a real war, and no one is claiming it will be neat or simple. It's a difficult mission that has already and will continue to cost American lives and treasure to successfully prosecute. But there's no denying it is very different from what the so-called "experts" have predicted for the last 47 years.
So, while success is far from guaranteed, this new reality presents several opportunities as well as risks, and should prompt a reassessment of other assumptions that have constrained American action against Iran for so long.
President Donald Trump has a history of doing things in the Middle East that had been declared impossible. Experts knew that moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem would cause a massive regional attack on Israel. Eliminating Qasam Soleimani would ignite a regional war. Additional regional normalization between Israel and regional neighbors could not be reached until there was a two-state solution with the Palestinians.
People who support the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran, rally near the White House, Saturday Feb. 28, 2026, in Washington. (Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo)
See what I mean?
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Another piece of conventional wisdom Trump seems poised to disprove is the so-called "Pottery Barn Rule" for regime change — "you break it, you buy it." This dictate that the U.S. had to rebuild a hostile country once its government was removed — even if that government had supported a vicious attack on our own soil — led to catastrophic mission creep in Afghanistan and Iraq as, after the success of those military campaigns, attempts to remake those countries dragged on for decades and ended in failure.
Iran's terrorist proxies, rather than rising up to attack Israel, have been remarkably inactive given their patron's desperate straits.
America should not repeat this error. Presumably, Trump will want to bring the kinetic phase of this mission to a close as soon as his objectives are achieved. Then we will see if the Iranian people will take advantage of the best opportunity they have had since the revolution to reclaim their government.
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Iran is, after all, a country, not a piece of crockery in a store, and President Trump's mission is not nation-building. It is to give the American people the opportunity to go through the next half-century freed from the deadly threat of the Islamic Republic, especially if that regime were to acquire a nuclear weapon.
It would be even better to go through that period with a prosperous and secure partner in what the new Iran becomes. And that future will ultimately be for the people of Iran to secure.
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Victoria Coates is Vice President of Heritage's Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for National Security and Foreign Policy.
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Two men face charges of providing material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction after a pair of homemade bombs were tossed during protests near New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's home Saturday, court documents show.
Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, also face charges of transportation of explosive materials; unlawful possession of destructive devices; and interstate transportation and receipt of explosives, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court.
Kayumi blurted out as he was arrested Saturday that “ISIS” was the reason for his actions, according to the complaint.
Balat later told authorities that he had pledged allegiance to the extremist group, the court document said.
Law enforcement later asked Balat if he was familiar with the Boston Marathon bombing and if that was what he hoped to accomplish. Balat responded, “No, even bigger. It was only three deaths,” according to the complaint.
Authorities are investigating the incident as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism, NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday.
The first improvised explosive device was thrown as anti-Islam protesters clashed with counterprotesters and did not explode.
The same man who threw the IED lit a second bomb, dropped it on the street and ran, the police commissioner said. It also did not explode.
“Preliminary test results determined that these were not hoax devices, nor smoke bombs. They were improvised explosive devices that could have caused serious injury or death,” Tisch said at a news conference with the mayor.
Homemade explosive hurled near NYC mayor's home during protests could have caused ‘serious injury or death,' police say
A third device – found Sunday – is being investigated “in connection with” Saturday's incident, NYPD said. That device tested negative for explosive material, Tisch said.
The violence Saturday erupted during an anti-Islam protest organized by a right-wing provocateur that was dwarfed by a crowd of more than 100 counterprotesters, officials said.
The clash unfolded during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Mamdani, who is the city's first Muslim mayor, said he and his wife, Rama Duwaji, were not at Gracie Mansion at the time.
“The police department has determined that these were improvised explosive devices made to injure, maim or worse,” Mamdani said at the news conference.
“Anyone who comes to New York City to bring violence to our streets will be held accountable in accordance with the law.”
Here's what we know:
An anti-Islam protest organized by right-wing influencer Jake Lang drew about 20 participants. It was outnumbered by a counterprotest called “Drive the Nazis Out of New York,” which peaked at about 125 people, the police commissioner said.
The dueling groups were separated into designated areas, but tensions escalated shortly before noon. Around 12:15 p.m., a protester associated with Lang's group pepper-sprayed counterprotesters, Tisch said.
Twenty minutes later, a counterprotester “threw an ignited device toward the protest area,” which landed on a crosswalk, Tisch said.
Video shows protesters and police officers scrambling to get away from where the device landed.
“Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as it traveled through the air before it struck a barrier and extinguished itself a few feet from police officers,” the commissioner said.
The man then retrieved a second device from another man before lighting it and starting to run, Tisch said. He dropped the second device on the street, where it appeared to emit smoke but also did not explode.
Officers arrested Balat and Kayumi, who are both from Pennsylvania, police said.
“Emir Balat is a student in Neshaminy School District, currently 12th grade,” a district spokesperson said in an email to CNN.
A large law enforcement presence was seen Sunday around one of the arrested teenagers' homes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, according to CNN affiliate KYW.
The FBI was conducting “court authorized law enforcement activity” in the area but didn't provide details, KYW reported. CNN has reached out to the FBI for information.
Authorities in Pennsylvania's Middletown Township and Newtown areas “have indicated that there is no known threat to the surrounding community,” Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick posted Sunday night on Facebook.
The police commissioner declined to detail what made investigators believe the incident may be inspired by ISIS, but said more details could emerge Monday afternoon after a criminal complaint is unsealed. Tisch and the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York will hold a news conference Monday afternoon.
The anti-Islam protester accused of using pepper spray was also arrested, Tisch said. Another three people were arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic.
Both devices recovered Saturday were slightly smaller than footballs and appeared to be jars wrapped in black tape containing bolts, screws and a hobby fuse, Tisch said, citing the NYPD bomb squad's preliminary analysis.
The first device apparently was made with an unstable material called TATP, the commissioner said.
“TATP is a dangerous and highly volatile homemade explosive that has been used in IED attacks around the world,” Tisch said.
The second device was still being analyzed.
In a clash of New York City counterprotests, a homemade explosive was hurled near Mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence.
Mamdani said Saturday's anti-Islam protest was “rooted in bigotry and racism” – but what followed was “even more disturbing,” he said in a statement Sunday.
“Violence at a protest is never acceptable. The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are,” the mayor said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said while “the Islamophobic protests that triggered all this is abhorrent,” she also condemned those who reacted violently.
“Neither belongs in New York – the reaction to the protest or the protest itself,” Hochul said. “Yes, you have a right to protest. But this was all outside the bounds.”
Mamdani lauded the bravery of NYPD officers who “faced a chaotic situation that very quickly could have become far more dangerous.”
At the news conference with Tisch on Monday, the mayor commended NYPD Assistant Chief Aaron Edwards and Sgt. Luis Navarro, who “ran towards the danger so that others could run to safety.”
On Sunday, the NYPD said it was investigating the third device in a vehicle a few blocks south of Gracie Mansion “in connection with” Saturday's incident.
The area was blocked off, and “limited evacuations” of buildings were conducted while the bomb squad examined and removed the device for further testing, police said.
A Honda Civic was removed on a flatbed truck around 7 p.m. Sunday, and the streets were reopened.
This was the first time in nearly a decade that IEDs targeted residents in the nation's largest city, Tisch said.
“The last time that an IED targeting people was deployed in New York City was in 2017, when Akayed Ullah detonated a device strapped to his torso in the pedestrian underpass connecting the Port Authority bus terminal and the Times Square subway station,” she said.
“No one other than the attacker was injured in that incident. And once again, we were fortunate that the devices used this weekend did not cause the kind of harm that they were certainly capable of causing.”
Both the police chief and the governor said they're ramping up resources to protect the public.
“We have been in a heightened state of alert in New York City since the start of hostilities in Iran, and we remain in that posture,” Tisch said.
What we know on the 10th day of the US and Israel's war with Iran
“We will continue to deploy additional counterterrorism resources throughout New York City, including heavy weapons teams, canine units, aviation and more,” the police chief said.
And “as the investigation into the terrorist attack near Gracie Mansion and military action in Iran continue,” the governor posted on X. “New York State remains in a heightened threat environment.”
More than 1,000 members of the National Guard have been deployed on state active duty, protecting critical transit sites across New York City, Hochul said. And state police “are increasing their presence at sensitive sites across New York.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
Correction:
An earlier version of this story misspelled Ibrahim Kayumi's last name.
CNN's Sharif Paget, Katherine Koretski, Emma Tucker, Chris Boyette and Cindy Von Quednow contributed to this report.
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Two homemade bombs tossed during protests outside New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Manhattan home on Saturday are being investigated as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism, NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday.
The first improvised explosive device was thrown as anti-Islam protesters clashed with counterprotesters and did not explode. Two men arrested in connection with the device admitted to being inspired by ISIS, law enforcement sources told CNN.
The same man who threw the IED lit a second bomb, dropped it on the street and ran, the police commissioner said. It also did not explode.
“Preliminary test results determined that these were not hoax devices, nor smoke bombs. They were improvised explosive devices that could have caused serious injury or death,” Tisch said at a news conference with the mayor.
And a third device – found Sunday – is being investigated “in connection with” Saturday's incident, NYPD said. That device tested negative for explosive material, Tisch said.
The violence Saturday erupted during an anti-Islam protest organized by a right-wing provocateur that was dwarfed by a crowd of more than 100 counterprotesters, officials said.
Homemade explosive hurled near NYC mayor's home during protests could have caused ‘serious injury or death,' police say
The clash unfolded during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Mamdani, who is the city's first Muslim mayor, said he and his wife, Rama Duwaji, were not at Gracie Mansion at the time.
“The police department has determined that these were improvised explosive devices made to injure, maim or worse,” Mamdani said at the news conference.
“Anyone who comes to New York City to bring violence to our streets will be held accountable in accordance with the law.”
Here's what we know:
An anti-Islam protest organized by right-wing influencer Jake Lang drew about 20 participants. It was outnumbered by a counterprotest called “Drive the Nazis Out of New York,” which peaked at about 125 people, the police commissioner said.
The dueling groups were separated into designated areas, but tensions escalated shortly before noon. Around 12:15 p.m., a protester associated with Lang's group pepper-sprayed counterprotesters, Tisch said.
Twenty minutes later, a counterprotester “threw an ignited device toward the protest area,” which landed on a crosswalk, Tisch said.
Video shows protesters and police officers scrambling to get away from where the device landed.
“Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as it traveled through the air before it struck a barrier and extinguished itself a few feet from police officers,” the commissioner said.
The man then retrieved a second device from another man before lighting it and starting to run, Tisch said. He dropped the second device on the street, where it appeared to emit smoke but also did not explode.
Officers arrested both men, 18-year-old Emir Balat and 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi. The teens are from Pennsylvania, police said.
“Emir Balat is a student in Neshaminy School District, currently 12th grade,” a district spokesperson said in an email to CNN.
A large law enforcement presence was seen Sunday around one of the arrested teenagers' homes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, according to CNN affiliate KYW.
The FBI was conducting “court authorized law enforcement activity” in the area but didn't provide details, KYW reported. CNN has reached out to the FBI for information.
Authorities in Pennsylvania's Middletown Township and Newtown areas “have indicated that there is no known threat to the surrounding community,” Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick posted Sunday night on Facebook.
The police commissioner declined to detail what made investigators believe the incident may be inspired by ISIS, but said more details could emerge Monday afternoon after a criminal complaint is unsealed. Tisch and the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York will hold a news conference Monday afternoon.
The anti-Islam protester accused of using pepper spray was also arrested, Tisch said. Another three people were arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic.
Both devices recovered Saturday were slightly smaller than footballs and appeared to be jars wrapped in black tape containing bolts, screws and a hobby fuse, Tisch said, citing the NYPD bomb squad's preliminary analysis.
The first device apparently was made with an unstable material called TATP, the commissioner said.
“TATP is a dangerous and highly volatile homemade explosive that has been used in IED attacks around the world,” Tisch said.
The second device was still being analyzed.
In a clash of New York City counterprotests, a homemade explosive was hurled near Mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence.
Mamdani said Saturday's anti-Islam protest was “rooted in bigotry and racism” – but what followed was “even more disturbing,” he said in a statement Sunday.
“Violence at a protest is never acceptable. The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are,” the mayor said.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said while “the Islamophobic protests that triggered all this is abhorrent,” she also condemned those who reacted violently.
“Neither belongs in New York – the reaction to the protest or the protest itself,” Hochul said. “Yes, you have a right to protest. But this was all outside the bounds.”
Mamdani lauded the bravery of NYPD officers who “faced a chaotic situation that very quickly could have become far more dangerous.”
At the news conference with Tisch on Monday, the mayor commended NYPD Assistant Chief Aaron Edwards and Sgt. Luis Navarro, who “ran towards the danger so that others could run to safety.”
On Sunday, the NYPD said it was investigating the third device in a vehicle a few blocks south of Gracie Mansion “in connection with” Saturday's incident.
The area was blocked off, and “limited evacuations” of buildings were conducted while the bomb squad examined and removed the device for further testing, police said.
A Honda Civic was removed on a flatbed truck around 7 p.m. Sunday, and the streets were reopened.
This was the first time in nearly a decade that IEDs targeted residents in the nation's largest city, Tisch said.
“The last time that an IED targeting people was deployed in New York City was in 2017, when Akayed Ullah detonated a device strapped to his torso in the pedestrian underpass connecting the Port Authority bus terminal and the Times Square subway station,” she said.
“No one other than the attacker was injured in that incident. And once again, we were fortunate that the devices used this weekend did not cause the kind of harm that they were certainly capable of causing.”
Both the police chief and the governor said they're ramping up resources to protect the public.
“We have been in a heightened state of alert in New York City since the start of hostilities in Iran, and we remain in that posture,” Tisch said.
What we know on the 10th day of the US and Israel's war with Iran
“We will continue to deploy additional counterterrorism resources throughout New York City, including heavy weapons teams, canine units, aviation and more,” the police chief said.
And “as the investigation into the terrorist attack near Gracie Mansion and military action in Iran continue,” the governor posted on X. “New York State remains in a heightened threat environment.”
More than 1,000 members of the National Guard have been deployed on state active duty, protecting critical transit sites across New York City, Hochul said. And state police “are increasing their presence at sensitive sites across New York.”
This story has been updated with additional information.
CNN's Sharif Paget, Katherine Koretski, Emma Tucker, Chris Boyette and Cindy Von Quednow contributed to this report.
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Scan the QR code to download the CNN app on Google Play.
Scan the QR code to download the CNN app from the Apple Store.
Amid fears over their safety, five members of the Iranian women's soccer squad have sought asylum in Australia and and are currently safe with police, a source told CNN Sports.
Members of the Iranian team, who've been playing in the Women's Asian Cup in Australia, are at the center of growing calls for their exit from the country to be blocked for fear of persecution in Iran, their home country that's at war with the US and Israel under a new hardline supreme leader.
It comes after the team remained silent during the national anthem before their first group stage match last week – a decision that many fear will be punished by the Iranian regime.
According to sports journalist Raha Pourbakhsh, at least seven players left the team hotel with five of those having now applied for asylum with the Australian Federal Police.
Pourbakhsh, who works for Iran International TV, told CNN that the families of three of those five players who are now safe with police had been threatened and said the whereabouts of at least two other players are unknown after they also left the team hotel.
CNN has reached out to Australian Federal Police and the Australian Departments of Home and Foreign Affairs for comment.
Pourbakhsh also added that Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, had his visa denied when attempting to travel to Australia to bring the team home with vice president Farideh Shojaei having to travel in his place.
In a statement on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said Monday that it would be a “terrible humanitarian mistake” if Australia allowed the team to go back to Iran and that the US would grant the Iranian players asylum if Australia did not. It comes after Trump's administration imposed travel bans for Iranians only last year.
Trump then posted again, writing that he had spoken to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and that five players had “already been taken care of” and that “the rest are on their way.”
Before their first match of the tournament last Monday, the Iranian players stood silent during the national anthem, a gesture they didn't explain but one that was interpreted by some hardliners inside Iran as a sign of treason.
Sources told CNN Sports they were forced to sing the national anthem ahead of their second match on Thursday, and on Sunday, ahead of their 2-0 defeat to the Philippines, they again sang the anthem and gave a military salute.
After the loss in their final match of the tournament on Sunday, supporters crowded around the team bus, shouting at police to “save our girls” as it pulled away.
Hadi Karimi, a human rights advocate and member of the local Iranian community, said supporters outside the bus could clearly see at least three players inside making the international hand signal for help.
However, a source close to the team expressed scepticism to CNN that the team members would know what the sign represents.
On Monday, Karimi added that there was hope other players would now join the five teammates who are currently with the police, adding it was “amazing news” that some players had gotten out.
The women's plight reached Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's ousted shah, who also joined calls for the Australian government to ensure their safety, warning in a post on X that they'll face “dire consequences” if they return to Iran.
“As a result of their brave act of civil disobedience in refusing to sing the current regime's national anthem, they face dire consequences should they return to Iran,” Pahlavi posted on X. “I call on the Australian government to ensure their safety and give them any and all needed support.”
A source close to the team told CNN that some in attendance at Sunday's match were there for political reasons to lobby support for Pahlavi as a possible future leader of Iran.
World soccer governing body FIFA told CNN Sports on Monday that it was also in close contact with the relevant parties, including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which organized the tournament that Iran played in last week.
“The safety and security of IR Iran's women's national team are FIFA's priority, and we therefore remain in close contact with the AFC and the relevant Australian authorities, including Football Australia, in relation to the team's situation,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
The Iranian women's team has been contesting the Women's Asian Cup in Australia during a week of turmoil for their country as the conflict with the US and Israel escalates to take in neighboring countries.
The war has disrupted international travel, and while flying to the Middle East right now is difficult due to airspace closures and the risk of airstrikes, supporters fear the women will be taken to a third country – perhaps China, Russia or Malaysia – before an onward journey to the Middle East.
Craig Foster, a former Australian international and human rights advocate, said “a vast range of organizations” had tried to speak with the women during their time in Australia but had been denied the opportunity.
“No athlete group should ever be effectively held hostage by their own member federation and denied access to external support networks,” he said. He said as the players had been knocked out the competition, the AFC had responsibility for their welfare.
“The first thing that the Australian football community is calling on them is to grant access to the players to safe, culturally appropriate support networks, so that they can privately and confidentially express if they are feeling unsafe and what they would like to see happen,” he said.
CNN has reached out to the AFC and the Iranian Football Federation for comment.
Beau Busch, President of FIFPRO Asia/Oceania, which represents soccer players in the region, told the ABC they hadn't been able to contact members of the Iranian team.
While that was “incredibly concerning,” he said the group had anticipated problems after the Iranian regime's crackdown on protesters earlier this year. “Our responsibility right now is to do everything within our power to try and make sure that they're safe,” he said.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong declined to comment on Sunday, when asked if there'd been any contact between Australian officials and the Iranian players. She said she didn't want to “get into commentary about the Iranian women's team.”
“We stand in solidarity with the men and women of Iran and particularly Iranian women and girls,” she told national broadcaster, the ABC. “Obviously, this is a regime that we know has brutally cracked down on its people.”
At a post-match press conference on Sunday, Iran coach Marziyeh Jafari said the team was keen to return home. “Personally, I would like to return to my country as soon as possible and be with my compatriots and family,” she said.
Karimi, who's also vice president of the Iranian society of Queensland, said supporters gathered outside the players' hotel and when they couldn't make contact them due to tight security, they sought help from local Australian police.
They were back there on Monday, keeping watch to see if the bus leaves with the players on board for the airport. “We want you to separate them from IRGC,” he said, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“Separate them from Islamic regime members, and interview them,” he said.
CNN's Patrick Sung Cuadrado contributed reporting.
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Amid fears over their safety, five members of the Iranian women's soccer squad have sought asylum in Australia and and are currently safe with police, a source told CNN Sports.
Members of the Iranian team, who've been playing in the Women's Asian Cup in Australia, are at the center of growing calls for their exit from the country to be blocked for fear of persecution in Iran, their home country that's at war with the US and Israel under a new hardline supreme leader.
It comes after the team remained silent during the national anthem before their first group stage match last week – a decision that many fear will be punished by the Iranian regime.
According to sports journalist Raha Pourbakhsh, at least seven players left the team hotel with five of those having now applied for asylum with the Australian Federal Police.
Pourbakhsh, who works for Iran International TV, told CNN that the families of three of those five players who are now safe with police had been threatened and said the whereabouts of at least two other players are unknown after they also left the team hotel.
CNN has reached out to Australian Federal Police and the Australian Departments of Home and Foreign Affairs for comment.
Pourbakhsh also added that Mehdi Taj, president of the Iranian Football Federation, had his visa denied when attempting to travel to Australia to bring the team home with vice president Farideh Shojaei having to travel in his place.
In a statement on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said Monday that it would be a “terrible humanitarian mistake” if Australia allowed the team to go back to Iran and that the US would grant the Iranian players asylum if Australia did not. It comes after Trump's administration imposed travel bans for Iranians only last year.
Trump then posted again, writing that he had spoken to Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and that five players had “already been taken care of” and that “the rest are on their way.”
Before their first match of the tournament last Monday, the Iranian players stood silent during the national anthem, a gesture they didn't explain but one that was interpreted by some hardliners inside Iran as a sign of treason.
Sources told CNN Sports they were forced to sing the national anthem ahead of their second match on Thursday, and on Sunday, ahead of their 2-0 defeat to the Philippines, they again sang the anthem and gave a military salute.
After the loss in their final match of the tournament on Sunday, supporters crowded around the team bus, shouting at police to “save our girls” as it pulled away.
Hadi Karimi, a human rights advocate and member of the local Iranian community, said supporters outside the bus could clearly see at least three players inside making the international hand signal for help.
However, a source close to the team expressed scepticism to CNN that the team members would know what the sign represents.
On Monday, Karimi added that there was hope other players would now join the five teammates who are currently with the police, adding it was “amazing news” that some players had gotten out.
The women's plight reached Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran's ousted shah, who also joined calls for the Australian government to ensure their safety, warning in a post on X that they'll face “dire consequences” if they return to Iran.
“As a result of their brave act of civil disobedience in refusing to sing the current regime's national anthem, they face dire consequences should they return to Iran,” Pahlavi posted on X. “I call on the Australian government to ensure their safety and give them any and all needed support.”
A source close to the team told CNN that some in attendance at Sunday's match were there for political reasons to lobby support for Pahlavi as a possible future leader of Iran.
World soccer governing body FIFA told CNN Sports on Monday that it was also in close contact with the relevant parties, including the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which organized the tournament that Iran played in last week.
“The safety and security of IR Iran's women's national team are FIFA's priority, and we therefore remain in close contact with the AFC and the relevant Australian authorities, including Football Australia, in relation to the team's situation,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
The Iranian women's team has been contesting the Women's Asian Cup in Australia during a week of turmoil for their country as the conflict with the US and Israel escalates to take in neighboring countries.
The war has disrupted international travel, and while flying to the Middle East right now is difficult due to airspace closures and the risk of airstrikes, supporters fear the women will be taken to a third country – perhaps China, Russia or Malaysia – before an onward journey to the Middle East.
Craig Foster, a former Australian international and human rights advocate, said “a vast range of organizations” had tried to speak with the women during their time in Australia but had been denied the opportunity.
“No athlete group should ever be effectively held hostage by their own member federation and denied access to external support networks,” he said. He said as the players had been knocked out the competition, the AFC had responsibility for their welfare.
“The first thing that the Australian football community is calling on them is to grant access to the players to safe, culturally appropriate support networks, so that they can privately and confidentially express if they are feeling unsafe and what they would like to see happen,” he said.
CNN has reached out to the AFC and the Iranian Football Federation for comment.
Beau Busch, President of FIFPRO Asia/Oceania, which represents soccer players in the region, told the ABC they hadn't been able to contact members of the Iranian team.
While that was “incredibly concerning,” he said the group had anticipated problems after the Iranian regime's crackdown on protesters earlier this year. “Our responsibility right now is to do everything within our power to try and make sure that they're safe,” he said.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong declined to comment on Sunday, when asked if there'd been any contact between Australian officials and the Iranian players. She said she didn't want to “get into commentary about the Iranian women's team.”
“We stand in solidarity with the men and women of Iran and particularly Iranian women and girls,” she told national broadcaster, the ABC. “Obviously, this is a regime that we know has brutally cracked down on its people.”
At a post-match press conference on Sunday, Iran coach Marziyeh Jafari said the team was keen to return home. “Personally, I would like to return to my country as soon as possible and be with my compatriots and family,” she said.
Karimi, who's also vice president of the Iranian society of Queensland, said supporters gathered outside the players' hotel and when they couldn't make contact them due to tight security, they sought help from local Australian police.
They were back there on Monday, keeping watch to see if the bus leaves with the players on board for the airport. “We want you to separate them from IRGC,” he said, referring to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
“Separate them from Islamic regime members, and interview them,” he said.
CNN's Patrick Sung Cuadrado contributed reporting.
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“Country” Joe McDonald, a hippie rock star of the 1960s whose “I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag” was a four-lettered rebuke to the Vietnam War that became an anthem for protesters and a highlight of the Woodstock music festival, died Sunday. He was 84.
McDonald, who performed with his band, Country Joe and the Fish, died in Berkeley, California. His death from complications of Parkinson's disease was reported by Kathy McDonald, his wife of 43 years, in a statement issued by his publicist.
McDonald was a longtime presence in the Bay Area music scene, where peers included the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Airplane and his onetime girlfriend, Janis Joplin. He wrote or co-wrote hundreds of songs, from psychedelic jams to soul-influenced rockers, and released dozens of albums. But he was known best for a talking blues he completed in less than an hour in 1965 – the year President Lyndon Johnson began sending ground forces to Vietnam – and recorded in the Berkeley home of Arhoolie Records founder Chris Strachwitz.
In the deadpan style of McDonald's hero, Woody Guthrie, “I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag” was a mock celebration of war and early, senseless death, with a chorus concertgoers and others would learn by heart:
And its 1, 2, 3 what are we fighting for? Don't ask me I don't give a damn, Next stop is Vietnam, And its 5, 6, 7 open up the pearly gates, Well there ain't no time to wonder why, WHOOPEE we're all gonna die
At the time he wrote “I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag,” McDonald was co-leader of the newly formed Country Joe and the Fish and he added a special “F-I-S-H” chant before the song: “Give me an F, give me an I, give me an S, give me an H.” By the time his group appeared at Woodstock in 1969, the Fish were on the verge of breaking up, the chant was a different four-letter word beginning in “F” and McDonald was performing before hundreds of thousands. Many would stand and sing along, a moment captured in the Woodstock documentary released the following year. (For the film, the song's lyrics appeared as subtitles, a bouncing ball on top).
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“Some people alluded to peace and stuff (at Woodstock), but I was talking about Vietnam,” McDonald told The Associated Press in 2019. He called the opening chant “an expression of our anger and frustration over the Vietnam War, which was killing us, literally killing us.”
The song helped make him famous, but brought legal and professional consequences. In 1968, Ed Sullivan canceled a planned appearance by Country Joe and the Fish on his variety show when he learned of the new opening cheer. Soon after Woodstock, McDonald was arrested and fined for using the cheer at a show in Worcester, Massachusetts, an ordeal which helped hasten the band's demise.
McDonald even performed the song in court. His friendships with such political radicals as Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin led to his being called in as a witness in the “Chicago Eight (or Seven)” trial against organizers of anti-war protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. On the stand, he explained how he had met with Hoffman and others and told them about “I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag.” When he began performing it, the judge interrupted and told him “No singing is permitted in the courtroom.”
McDonald recited the words instead.
In 2001, the daughter of the late jazz musician Edward “Kid” Ory sued McDonald, alleging that his song's melody closely resembled Ory's 1920s jazz instrumental “Muskrat Blues.” A US district judge in California ruled in McDonald's favor, citing in part the “unreasonable” delay between the song's release and the suit being filed.
McDonald continued touring and recording for decades after Woodstock, but remained defined by the late 1960s, a time period he openly longed for in the late 1970s rocker “Bring Back the Sixties, Man.” His albums included “Country,” “Carry On,” “Time Flies By” and “50,” and he would continue writing protest songs, notably the 1975 release “Save the Whales.”
Although defined by his anti-war activism, McDonald would acknowledge conflicted feelings about Vietnam. He had served in the Navy, in Japan, in the late 1950s, and found himself identifying with both the protesters and those serving overseas. In the 1990s, he helped organize the construction of a Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Berkeley, formally unveiled in 1995.
“Many remembered the ugly confrontations that had happened during the war years in the city,” McDonald later wrote of the ceremony. “Yet the atmosphere proved to be one of reconciliation, not confrontation.”
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McDonald was married four times, most recently to Kathy McDonald, and had five children and four grandchildren. He was involved off and on with Joplin over the second half of the 1960s, two young hippies whose careers and temperaments drove them apart. When McDonald told her he thought they should break up, she asked him to write a song, which became the ballad “Janis”:
Even though I know that you and I
Could never find the kind of love we wanted
Together, alone, I find myself
Missing you and I
You and I
Country Joe McDonald did not come from the “country.” He was born on Jan. 1, 1942 in Washington, D.C., and grew up in El Monte, California. He was the son of onetime Communists who named him for Josef Stalin and otherwise encouraged him to love music and identify with the working class. He was still in his teens when he began writing songs, playing trombone well enough to lead his high school marching band and teaching himself folk, country and blues songs on guitar.
After returning from the Navy, in the early 1960s, he attended Los Angeles State College, but soon moved to Berkeley and became immersed in folk music and political activism. He founded an underground magazine, Rag Baby, for which “I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag” was written to help promote, and helped start such local groups as the Instant Action Jug Band and the Berkeley String Quartet.
In 1965, he formed Country Joe and the Fish with fellow singer-guitarist Barry “The Fish” Melton, later adding Bruce Barthol on bass, organ player David Bennett Cohen and Gary “Chicken” Hirsh on drums. The name was suggested by magazine publisher Eugene “ED” Denson, who cited a quote from Mao Zedong that revolutionaries are “the fish who swim in the sea of the people.” McDonald was dubbed “Country Joe” because Denson had heard that Stalin was known as “Country Joe” during World War II.
Like the Jefferson Airplane, the Byrds and other bands, the Fish evolved from folk to folk-rock to acid rock. “Electric Music for the Mind and Body,” their debut album, was released in May 1967 and featured a minor hit, “Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine,” along with numerous long jams. A month after the album came out, they appeared at the Monterey Pop Festival, the first major rock gathering and a highlight of the so-called Summer of Love.
“I think the ‘Summer of Love' thing was manufactured by the media or something, because I don't remember us thinking, ‘Wow, this is the “Summer of Love,′ ” he told aquariandrunkard.com in 2018. “(But) I was just thrilled to be a part of this new counterculture and new tribe because I had never really felt comfortable in the other tribes that I was a part of growing up and in the Navy. My parents were actually Jewish Communists. I never felt a part of it, but I was really thrilled and happy to be a hippie.”
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War Secretary Pete Hegseth said “there will be more casualties” in the U.S. operation against Iran, with seven American service members having died so far in the fighting.
“The president's been right to say there will be casualties,” Hegseth said in an interview that aired Sunday on CBS News's 60 Minutes. “Things like this don't happen without casualties.”
Hgseth's comments come after U.S. Central Command announced on Sunday that a seventh U.S. service member had died as a result of “injuries received during the Iranian regime's initial attacks across the Middle East” on March 1 in the war with Iran.
Last week, the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran following months of tension between Tehran and Washington, which was heightened following President Donald Trump's strikes on the country's nuclear facilities last year. Iran retaliated to the U.S. and Israeli strikes by attacking Israel and Gulf nations, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
“There will be more casualties, and no one is — I mean, especially our generation knows what it's like to see Americans come home in caskets, it's — but that doesn't weaken us one bit, it stiffens our spine and our resolve to say this is a fight we will finish,” Hegseth added.
This follows Trump witnessing the return of six service members' bodies on Saturday at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware after they were killed in an Iranian drone strike.
Following the seventh casualty, announced Sunday evening, the U.S. State Department issued an order for nonemergency staff and families to leave Saudi Arabia, following a military projectile that fell onto a residential area. The attack killed two foreign-born residents and wounded 12 others in the Al Kharj governorate.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that Iran could defend itself if a U.S. ground incursion occurred.
“For the time being, we are capable enough,” Araghchi said on NBC's Meet the Press. “We have very brave soldiers, who are waiting for any enemy who enters into our soil to fight with them, and to kill them and destroy them.”
IRAN NAMES MOJTABA KHAMENEI, SON OF AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI, AS THE NEW SUPREME LEADER
Trump administration officials, including the president himself, have not denied the possibility of sending ground troops into Iran.
“[It would] have to be [for] a very good reason,” Trump told reporters on Saturday. “And I would say if we ever did that, they would be so decimated that they wouldn't be able to fight at the ground level.”
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Iran launched more attacks on Israel and Gulf countries Monday, hours after Iranian state TV said Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei had been named as his father's successor. Meanwhile oil prices skyrocketed Monday, and Asian markets tumbled. AP's Luke Garratt explains more.
Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of Iran's late supreme leader, has been named his successor, Iranian state TV announced early Monday. State TV read a statement saying he was selected based on “strong” votes and showed people celebrating in public areas of Tehran.
Iranian state TV on Sunday announced that Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the late supreme leader, had been named his successor. He had long been considered a contender, even before an Israeli strike killed his father at the start of the war, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.
A cloud of black smoke covered parts of Tehran on Sunday morning following the overnight strikes that hit an oil depot and refinery. The Israeli attack appeared to be the first time a civil industrial facility has been targeted in the war. (AP video by Mohsen Ganji)
Iran's president has threatened to step up attacks on American targets throughout the Middle East as the U.S. and Israel press ahead with their air campaign. Masoud Pezeshkian appeared to be backtracking from conciliatory comments he made toward his Gulf neighbors on Saturday, in which he appeared to apologize for attacks on their soil, were quickly contradicted by Iranian hard-liners.
Iran says that overnight strikes hit four oil storage tankers and a petroleum transfer terminal, killing four people. Much of the city of Tehran has been impacted by the smoke billowing from the refineries as US-Israeli aerial bombardment campaign continues. (AP video shot by Mohsen Ganji)
This image taken from video provided by Iran state TV shows Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's slain supreme leader, who has been named as the Islamic Republic's next ruler, authorities announced Monday, March 9, 2026. (Iran state TV via AP)
Two women from the Iranian Red Crescent Society stand as a thick plume of smoke from a U.S.-Israeli strike on an oil storage facility late Saturday rises in the sky in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Residents look on and take pictures as flames and smoke rise from an oil storage facility struck as attacks hit the city during the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, March 7, 2026. (Alireza Sotakbar/ISNA via AP)
A man carries shoes from his destroyed house that was hit by Israeli airstrikes hit several houses in Sir al-Gharbiyeh village south Lebanon, Sunday, March, 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Mohammed Zaatari)
This satellite image provided by Vantor shows damage to buildings after airstrikes at a military garrison, in Isfahan, Iran, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (Satellite image ©2026 Vantor via AP)
Follow AP's live updates on the Iran war.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Mojtaba Khamenei, a son of Iran's late supreme leader, has been named as the Islamic Republic's next ruler, authorities announced Monday, as Tehran widened its attacks across the Mideast to strike oil and water facilities crucial to its desert sheikdoms.
With Iran's theocracy under assault by the U.S. and Israel for more than a week, the country's Assembly of Experts chose as the next supreme leader a secretive, 56-year-old cleric who maintains close ties to the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard. The Guard has been firing missiles and drones at Israel and Gulf Arab states since the younger Khamenei's father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed Feb. 28 during the war's opening salvo.
The war has shaken global energy markets, pushing oil prices above $100 a barrel and leading to tighter supplies of natural gas after Qatar turned off its production.
The younger Khamenei, who had not been seen or heard from publicly since the war started, had long been considered a contender for the post. That was even before the Israeli strike killed his father, and despite never being elected or appointed to a government position.
There appeared to be some dissension over his selection. Political figures within Iran criticized the idea of handing over the supreme leader's title based on heredity and thereby creating a clerical version of the rule of the shah, who was toppled during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. But top clerics in the Assembly of Experts likely wanted Khamenei to prosecute the war.
Khamenei, who is believed to hold views that are even more hard-line than his late father, now will be in charge of Iran's armed forces and any decision regarding Tehran's nuclear program.
While the country's key nuclear sites are in tatters after the United States bombed them during the 12-day Israel-Iran war in June, there's still highly enriched uranium in Iran that's a technical step away from weapons-grade levels. Khamenei could choose to do what his father never did — pursue the bomb.
Israel has already described him as a potential target, while U.S. President Donald Trump criticized the idea of Khamenei taking power.
“Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me,” Trump has said. “We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump told ABC News on Sunday he wants a say in who comes to power once the war is over; a new leader “is not going to last long” without his approval.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard issued a statement expressing support, as did the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.
Top Iranian security official Ali Larijani, speaking to Iranian state television, praised the Assembly of Experts for “courageously” convening even as airstrikes continued in Tehran. He said the younger Khamenei had been trained by his father and “can handle this situation.”
Oil depots in Tehran smoldered following overnight Israeli strikes.
In a sign of rising regional anger, the Arab League chief lashed out at Iran for its “reckless policy” of attacking neighbors, including ones that host U.S. forces.
The U.S. military said a service member died of injuries from an Iranian attack on troops in Saudi Arabia on March 1. Seven U.S. soldiers have now been killed.
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said Monday it intercepted a drone attacking the country's massive Shaybah oil field. The kingdom followed the alleged drone attack with sharper warnings to Iran that it would be the “biggest loser” if it continued to attack Arab states.
It dismissed comments by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday that Iran had halted its attacks on Gulf Arab states.
“The kingdom affirms that the Iranian side has not implemented this statement in practice, neither during the Iranian president's speech nor afterward,” Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Iran has continued its aggression based on flimsy pretexts devoid of any factual basis.”
It added the Iranian attacks mean “further escalation which will have grave impact on the relations, currently and in the future.”
Two U.S. officials say the State Department will order nonessential personnel and families of all staff to leave Saudi Arabia as Iran escalates its attacks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. Eight other U.S. diplomatic missions have ordered all but key staff to leave: Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the consulate in Karachi, Pakistan.
The war has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, at least 397 in Lebanon and at least 11 in Israel, according to officials. Israel reported its first soldier deaths Sunday, saying two were killed in southern Lebanon, where its military is fighting Hezbollah.
Bahrain accused Iran of indiscriminately attacking civilian targets and damaging one of its desalination plants, though its electricity and water authority said supplies remained online.
Desalination plants supply water to millions of residents in the region and thousands of stranded travelers, raising new fears of catastrophic risks in parched desert nations.
The strike came after Iran claimed a U.S. airstrike damaged a desalination plant there. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the strike on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz had cut into the water supply to 30 villages.
He warned that in doing so “the U.S. set this precedent, not Iran.”
In response, U.S. Central Command spokesperson Navy Capt. Tim Hawkins said that “U.S. forces do not target civilians – period.”
The Iranian Red Crescent Society warned Tehran residents to take precautions against toxic air pollution and the risk of acid rain from the oil depot attack. It also said about 10,000 civilian structures across the country had been damaged, including homes, schools and almost three dozen health facilities.
Lebanon said over a half-million people have been displaced in the week of fighting between Israel and Hezbollah.
The actual number is likely higher. Lebanon's count of 517,000 refers to those who registered on the government's online portal. Israel over the past week has called on residents in dozens of villages across southern Lebanon and the entirety of Beirut's southern suburbs to evacuate.
In Beirut, sheltering families crammed into schools, slept in cars or in open areas near the Mediterranean Sea, where some burned firewood to keep warm.
Israel's renewed offensive began last week after Hezbollah launched rockets toward northern Israel during the Iran war's opening days.
___
Metz reported from Ramallah, West Bank, Chehayeb from Beirut and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press journalists Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel; Matthew Lee in Washington; Christopher Weber in Los Angeles; and Aamer Madhani in Doral, Florida, contributed reporting.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
A North Korean military guard post, top, and a South Korean post, bottom, are seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Protesters hold signs to oppose the joint military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea, near the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Protesters hold signs to oppose the joint military exercise between the U.S. and South Korea, near the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, South Korea, Monday, March 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
A soldier stands at a North Korean military guard post flying a national flag, seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States began a large military exercise with South Korea involving thousands of troops Monday while also waging an escalating war in the Middle East.
South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff has said about 18,000 Korean troops will take part in Freedom Shield, which runs through March 19. U.S. Forces Korea hasn't confirmed the number of American troops participating in the training in South Korea.
The allies' combined exercise comes amid South Korean media speculation that Washington is relocating some assets from South Korea to support fighting against Iran.
U.S. Forces Korea said last week it would not comment on specific movements of military assets for security reasons. South Korean officials also declined to comment on the reports that some U.S. Patriot anti-missile systems and other equipment were being moved to the Middle East, but they said there would be no meaningful impact on the allies' combined defense posture.
Freedom Shield may trigger an irritated response from North Korea, which has long described the allies ' joint exercises as invasion rehearsals and used them as a pretext to ramp up its own military demonstrations and weapons tests. The allies say the drills are defensive in nature.
North Korea has suspended all meaningful dialogue with Washington and Seoul following the 2019 collapse of a summit between leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term. Tensions rose in recent years as Kim used Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a window to accelerate the development of his nuclear arsenal and increase his leverage by aligning militarily with Moscow, which has received thousands of North Korean troops and large weapons shipments to help fuel its warfighting.
The allies' drills follow a major political conference in Pyongyang last month, where Kim confirmed his hard-line view of “enemy” Seoul but left the door open to talks with Washington, calling on the United States to drop its demand for North Korea's denuclearization as a precondition for dialogue.
Freedom Shield is one of two annual “command post” exercises conducted by the allies; the other is Ulchi Freedom Shield, held in August. The drills are largely computer-simulated and designed to test the allies' joint operational capabilities while incorporating evolving war scenarios and security challenges. As usual, the March drill will be accompanied by a field training program, called Warrior Shield, but the number of field exercises during the Freedom Shield period has declined to 22 compared to last year's 51.
While U.S. and South Korean militaries say field exercises are often spread out throughout the year, there's speculation that the allies are seeking to tone down the spring drills to create conditions for dialogue with North Korea. Liberal South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has expressed a desire for diplomacy, and some of his top officials have voiced hope that Trump's expected visit to China in late March or April could possibly create an opening with Pyongyang.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
A 5-ton electric aircraft from Chinese company AutoFlight lands at a testing ground in Kunshan, China, on Feb. 24. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Chinese President Xi Jinping reacts during the opening session of the National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing, Thursday, March 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A robot accompanies a traditional music performance on stage at a Lunar New Year tech temple fair in Beijing, Feb. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
A man pushes children in a cart at a mall in Beijing, Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A woman walks past a job hunting advertisement poster carrying the words “Artificial intelligence is brought by human work” at a bus stand, in Beijing on Sunday, March 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
BEIJING (AP) — Two major economic plans unveiled at the annual meeting of China's legislature outline top priorities that have different ramifications for the global economy.
In the government plan for 2026, the No. 1 task is “building a robust domestic market.” Then comes accelerating technological progress. But longer-term, a plan for the next five years gives more prominence to achieving advances in tech.
A robot accompanies a traditional music performance at a Lunar New Year tech temple fair in Beijing on Feb. 19. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
The subtle difference highlights the government's balancing act. Its overarching goal is to transform from a low-cost manufacturing to a tech-driven economy.
But a more immediate concern is dealing with a prolonged period of sluggishness that has depressed consumer and business confidence. China is such a large exporter that the choices it makes affect countries and jobs around the world.
The plans, presented at the recent opening of the National People's Congress, offer a window into the government's thinking. They are set to be formally endorsed by the rubber-stamp legislature at the end of the eight-day session on Thursday.
Analysts believe technological prowess remains the far more important goal for Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his vision to build the nation into a major power that can contend with the United States on issues ranging from trade to Taiwan tensions.
Chinese President Xi Jinping reacts during the opening session of the National People's Congress in Beijing on March 5. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Speaking to a provincial delegation at the National People's Congress, Xi called for new breakthroughs, original innovation and “seizing the strategic high ground of science and technology,” according to a state media report.
China's rapid growth into the world's second-largest economy has lifted it to the level of a middle-income nation. To keep advancing, Xi has promoted polices that move the economy into higher-value industries.
A government-backed push into electric vehicles, for example, has transformed China into an emerging player in the global auto industry, while dovetailing with national climate goals.
The five-year plan vows to “target the frontiers of science and technology,” speeding up development in areas such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, biotechnology and new energy.
The push has expanded and morphed as technology has evolved into an area of competition with the U.S. with national security implications.
The U.S. has restricted the access of Chinese companies to the most advanced technologies, including semiconductors that drive AI. The justification is that these parts can wind up in weapons at a time when the two countries are military rivals as well.
A woman walks past a job-hunting advertisement that says “Artificial intelligence is brought by human work” at a bus stand in Beijing on Sunday, March 8. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
China's government has responded by pouring resources into trying to develop these components itself as well as engineer ways to remain competitive with less advanced parts.
China must “fight the battle for key core technologies,” the five-year plan said. Specific goals, apart from AI, electric vehicles and robotics, include making advancements in semiconductors, batteries, biomedicine and 6G mobile networks.
The plan also pledged to expand production of China's homegrown passenger jet, the C919, and make breakthroughs in developing its own commercial jet engine. The U.S. temporarily cut off the supply of Western-supplied engines for the C919 last year during an escalation in the trade war with China.
Rare earths — where China is the global leader — was highlighted as an area where it should maintain its competitive edge as the U.S. and other countries seek to develop their own supplies of the critical elements for many advanced tech and military products.
Even as China's economy has cooled at home, rising exports have kept it growing overall. But tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump have exposed the risk of relying too heavily on overseas markets.
China was able to shift exports to other markets, but that is facing challenges as its record trade surplus of almost $1.2 trillion raises alarm about the threat to factory jobs and the broader economies in other countries.
That has added impetus to China's push to pump up consumer spending, so the economy is less dependent on outside forces.
“Facing a complex and challenging international environment, we must remain committed to the strategy of expanding domestic demand,” the annual economic plan said.
But for all the strong words, analysts say the effort appears aimed at keeping the economy afloat rather than boosting it. The annual plan sets a growth target of 4.5% to 5% for 2026, leaving room for a drop from last year's 5% rise.
A man pushes children in a cart at a mall in Beijing on Sunday, March 8. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
Meanwhile, the government is primed to offer huge subsidies for high-tech advances in manufacturing, analysts said.
“Technological development and self-sufficiency remain central priorities, and industrial policy will continue to be deployed as an essential tool to achieve them,” economists at Capital Economics wrote in a research note.
Similar subsidies to the wind and solar industries led to manufacturing oversupply that was exported at rock-bottom prices, undercutting overseas competitors. The end result could be an even larger imbalance between China's immense manufacturing capacity and its weaker domestic demand, further driving up its exports.
___
Chan Ho-him reported from Hong Kong.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
Police in New York City on Sunday said that they were looking into a second suspicious device found in the same area of Manhattan's Upper East Side where a counterprotester during an anti-Islam demonstration threw an improvised explosive. The device was found a day after an improvised explosive device was thrown by a counterprotester at an anti-Islam demonstration, outside the Manhattan residence of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, known as Gracie Mansion.
In this image taken from video, law enforcement officers respond to Manhattan's Upper East Side as New York City's police said they had identified a “suspicious device in a vehicle,” Sunday, March 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Joseph B. Frederick)
In this image taken from video, law enforcement officers respond to Manhattan's Upper East Side as New York City's police said they had identified a “suspicious device in a vehicle,” Sunday, March 8, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Joseph B. Frederick)
Jake Lang, center, walks away from counter protesters after an altercation near Minneapolis City Hall, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura,File)
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani arrives for a news conference at Gracie Mansion, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura, File)
In this July 28, 2014 file photo, a wrought iron gate secures the entrance to Gracie Mansion, on the Upper East Side in New York on Monday, July 28, 2014. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)
NEW YORK (AP) — A device thrown by a counterprotester at an anti-Islam demonstration in New York City on Saturday was confirmed to be an improvised explosive, according to a preliminary police analysis. As the investigation continued on Sunday, police said they were looking into a second suspicious device found in the same area of Manhattan's Upper East Side.
Two people were in custody for their alleged role in Saturday's confrontation, which unfolded during a “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” event led by the far right activist Jake Lang outside the Manhattan residence of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The sparsely attended event drew a far larger group of counterdemonstrators, including one person who tossed a smoking object containing nuts, bolts, screws and a “hobby fuse” into the crowd, police said.
In a social media post Sunday, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the department's bomb squad determined the object wasn't a hoax device or smoke bomb, but an “improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death.”
The device extinguished itself steps from police officers, Tisch noted. The same person who threw it then received a second device from another counterprotester, which was dropped and did not appear to ignite, the commissioner said.
Charges against the two counterprotesters were still pending. Tisch said police were working with federal prosecutors and the FBI on the case. The FBI said agents with the bureau's Joint Terrorism Task Force were participating in the investigation.
“Violence at a protest is never acceptable,” Mamdani said in a statement Sunday. “The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.”
Later Sunday afternoon, police said on social media that authorities investigating Saturday's events had “identified a suspicious device in a vehicle on East End Avenue between 81st Street and 82nd Street.” Several streets were closed and “limited evacuations of buildings” were ordered as the bomb squad assessed and worked to remove the device, the post said.
Around 7 p.m., police used a flatbed truck to remove a Honda Civic and the streets were reopened.
A person associated with Lang's protest was also arrested and charged with reckless endangerment, assault and unlawful possession of a noxious matter after allegedly macing counterdemonstrators, police said.
Lang was previously charged with assaulting an officer with a baseball bat, civil disorder and other crimes before receiving clemency as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping act of clemency for Jan. 6 defendants last year. He recently announced that he is running for U.S. Senate in Florida.
Earlier this year, Lang organized a rally in Minneapolis in support of Trump's immigration crackdown, drawing an angry crowd of counterprotesters that quickly chased him away.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
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Oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz "must be very careful," the spokesman for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned on Monday.
The spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, also defended Iran's attacks on Gulf States, telling CNBC's Dan Murphy that targeting "military bases and assets" belonging to the United States in the region is "legitimate under international law."
The price of crude oil has sharply spiked past $100 a barrel as the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed.
"As long as the situation is insecure, I think all tankers, all maritime navigation, must be very careful," said Baghaei, who is also head of the Center for Public Diplomacy.
He said Iran will fight against the U.S. and Israel "as long as it takes," and that his nation is preparing for every possible scenario, including a potential ground invasion.
Baghaei predicted Iran will "unite around" new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who was selected over the weekend to replace his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of the U.S. and Israeli war against Iran.
"The state institutions, the people, the authorities, have all shown that they would unite around the new leadership," Baghaei said.
He dismissed the suggestion by U.S. President Donald Trump that the United States should have any say in selecting Iran's leader.
"I think it's a basic principle of international law and civility that the nation decides for themselves, free from the foreigners' intervention," Baghaei said. "It is the absolute, unique right of the Iranians to decide about their leadership, about their system, and I think it's absolutely unlawful for any politicians, for any person outside Iran to say who should rule Iran.
Asked why Iran has targeted Gulf States, with attacks on desalination plants in Bahrain, oil refineries in Saudi Arabia, and civilian infrastructure in the United Arab Emirates, Baghaei said, "We are only defending our country against the aggressors."
"What we are doing against military bases and assets belonging to the aggressors to the United States in the region, is legitimate under international law," he said. "We are defending ourselves under Article 51 of the UN Charter. And all military bases, installations and assets that in any form or manner are being used to help the aggressors are regarded as legitimate targets."
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Live Nation Entertainment has reached a settlement with the Department of Justice over antitrust concerns surrounding its Ticketmaster platform, a senior DOJ official said Monday.
The settlement would see Ticketmaster unwind some of its exclusivity agreements with musical artists and open up the ticketing industry to greater competition. It still needs approval by more than 20 states that had filed suit and by the court.
As part of the settlement, Ticketmaster will offer a standalone third-party ticketing system for other companies like SeatGeek to use its technology. Live Nation has also agreed to divest at least 13 of its amphitheaters and will no longer be able to require artists to use other Live Nation products tied to its venues. It has also agreed to pay roughly $280 million in civil penalties.
Shares of Live Nation rose 5% in morning trading. Live Nation and Ticketmaster did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Ticketmaster has long faced criticism that its dominance in the live events and ticketing space pushes up prices for consumers. The company has come under heightened scrutiny in recent years from fans who argue that it's become harder and pricier to snag coveted event tickets.
In 2022, the backlash boiled over when the rollout of tickets for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour was mishandled, leading to a probe of the company. And in 2024, the DOJ — along with more than two dozen states — sued to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster, which merged in 2010.
In September, Live Nation was separately sued by the Federal Trade Commission over what the agency called "illegal" ticket resale tactics. The FTC said Ticketmaster controls roughly 80% of major concert venues' ticketing.
In a Monday statement, New York Attorney General Letitia James said her office would continue to fight against Live Nation's alleged monopoly even after its agreement with the DOJ.
"The settlement recently announced with the U.S. Department of Justice fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case, and would benefit Live Nation at the expense of consumers. We cannot agree to it," said James, who is joined by the attorneys general of more than 20 other states.
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If you're flying through US airports this week, get ready to wait in line.
Thousands of travelers in the US are getting stuck in security lines that are taking up to three hours, as the ongoing partial government shutdown, the result of a funding dispute between opposing sides of Congress, causes staff shortages at the Transportation Security Administration.
"SPRING BREAK UNDER SIEGE," the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA, wrote in an X post on Sunday.
"The Democrats' DHS shutdown has led to HOURS long security lines at airports across the country, leading Americans to miss their spring break flights," the tweet continued.
The call-outs are compounding an already busy travel period.
US airports typically see heavier crowds in March as spring break begins, with Sunday — already the busiest travel day of the week — seeing nearly 2.8 million travelers pass through TSA checkpoints. It was the agency's busiest day since January 4.
The long waits are affecting several major airports across the US.
In an X post early on Monday morning, New Orleans airport told passengers they should arrive at least three hours before their flight, saying delays of up to two hours are expected in security lines.
Disruption is likely to persist for the rest of the week, the airport added.
Please plan to arrive to the Airport 3 hours early if you have travel scheduled on Monday. pic.twitter.com/nrNNwNl1wo
On Sunday, Houston Hobby Airport, which handles around 14 million passengers annually, told travelers to arrive between four and five hours early and to expect to wait as long as 180 minutes to get through security.
"As a result of the partial federal government shutdown, passengers at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) should arrive at least 4 to 5 hours before their flight to allow extra time for TSA screening," Houston Airports said in a press release.
"At times, TSA wait times at HOU may extend beyond 180 minutes."
One passenger caught in a long line was 16-year-old Michael Helfenstein III, who arrived at Houston Hobby at 3:37 p.m. Sunday for an 8:45 p.m. Southwest flight to Fort Lauderdale, his father, Michael Helfenstein II, said.
He cleared security at 5:47 p.m. — a wait of 2 hours and 10 minutes, his father said.
"The line was extremely long, but it did move, just very slowly," Michael Helfenstein II told Business Insider, adding that passengers were given cookies and water while they waited.
Some stalled travelers shared photos of the winding lines and crowds on social media. A video shared on X by Aubry Killion, an anchor at WDSU, the primary NBC affiliate in New Orleans, showed a line of passengers stretching all the way out into the parking garage.
MSY issued the following statement:"Due to impacts from the federal government's partial shutdown, the TSA at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) is experiencing a shortage of workers at the security checkpoint, which is causing longer-than-average lines.” pic.twitter.com/RGeCcqUVOi
A photo shared to Reddit showed a massive crowd at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia, where wait times reached an hour on Sunday. The airport encouraged travelers to arrive early for their flights.
"The delays are the result of residual impacts from two ground stops issued on Friday, which created a temporary backlog in passenger volumes, combined with current TSA staffing constraints," a Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport spokesperson told Business Insider on Sunday.
The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Louisiana also told travelers to arrive early.
Security checkpoints at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina were about a 50-minute wait on Sunday.
Passengers at Houston Hobby had been warned that TSA PreCheck may not be available due to staffing shortages, though the airport posted on Monday morning that PreCheck was open.
The Department of Homeland Security last month said it was suspending TSA Precheck and Global Entry due to the government shutdown. It later backtracked on PreCheck, leaving it up to individual airports.
Still, the staffing shortages appear uneven. While Houston Hobby saw three-hour lines on Sunday, the city's larger airport, George Bush Intercontinental, did not.
As of Monday morning, security wait times at Intercontinental ranged from 10 to 40 minutes, depending on the terminal; at Hobby, it was still three hours. Atlanta's longest wait was about 40 minutes.
Charlotte, Miami, Orlando, Boston, and New York airports were similarly more under control Monday morning, reporting waits of 30 minutes or less. But those times could rise as call-outs increase and spring break travelers arrive en masse.
Lauren Bis, deputy assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS, said TSA agents "received only partial paychecks earlier this month and now face their first full missed paycheck, leading to financial hardship, absences, and crippling staffing shortages."
TSA agents are federal workers under DHS, which means they are directly affected by the partial shutdown that began in January. During the earlier 43-day government shutdown last year, TSA agents went weeks without pay. A shortage of air traffic controllers at airports in 2025 played a significant role in forcing the government to reach an agreement.
The US Congress failed to reach an agreement to fund DHS in February, in part because Democrats demanded changes to how the department enforces immigration law.
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Oil prices sustained their move above the critical $100-per-barrel threshold on Monday, hitting stocks and sparking more concerns about widespread impacts to the economy.
Crude hitting $100 per barrel was increasingly being bandied about as a possibility after the Iran war started, but it wasn't supposed to happen this quickly.
Oil futures spiked above $100 per barrel when trading kicked off on Sunday evening and continued surging, with Brent crude oil futures and WTI crude gaining about 30%. The move sent crude to nearly $120 overnight, its biggest one-day jump since 2020.
Brent was trading around $103.20 a barrel around 9 a.m. ET on Monday, while WTI was at $101. Prices of both grades have nearly doubled this year.
The increases have already translated to higher prices at the gas pump. According to data from AAA, the national average price per gallon jumped 27 cents last week to $3.25 in the week ending March 5.
The latest spike sent stocks tumbling on Monday.
Here's where major US indexes stood shortly after the 9:30 a.m. opening bell:
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 46,954.67, down 1.15$ (546.88 points)
S&P 500: 6,675.46, down 1%
Nasdaq Composite: 22,217.557, down 0.76%
"Investors were hoping cooler heads would prevail in the Iran war this weekend, and instead, tensions escalated, which is exacerbating last week's stock market declines and oil price spikes," Carol Schleif, chief market strategist at BMO Private Wealth, said. "Triple digit oil prices rapidly translate into sizable increases at the gas pump, which is a dynamic that understandably spooks investors and consumers alike."
Traders were already on edge last week. Then sentiment turned to outright panic after reports that major oil producers Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates had begun trimming output as storage facilities filled up rapidly in the wake of the Strait of Hormuz closure. Iraq, another major producer, started production cuts days earlier.
Prices settled in early-morning Monday trading reports that G7 ministers and the International Energy Agency are set to discuss a joint release of emergency oil reserves.
Since the start of the Iran war, the $100-per-barrel level has been viewed as a psychologically significant threshold that, when crossed, would spell inflationary trouble for the economy and the stock market.
Given that gas prices at the pump just rose to the highest level of Trump's second term, and that stocks are coming off their roughest week in months, both pieces of that equation appear to be moving into place.
The narrative is the same one that sent crude prices nearly 30% higher last week: as long as the Iran war rages on — and as long as countries in the Middle East continue to cut production — prices will move higher.
The focal point has been the Strait of Hormuz, which handles a fifth of the world's oil flow. As regional disruption has persisted, the scope of concerns has expanded to the entire global oil logistics network.
"This oil shock won't end until ships can sail freely through the Strait," wrote veteran strategist Ed Yardeni.
"Until then, the financial markets are likely to become increasingly concerned about a 1970s-style stagflation scenario; back then, the period of stagflation included two recessions," Yardeni added.
Warren Patterson, the head of commodities strategy at ING, wrote that even if shipments through the Strait of Hormuz restart, producers won't be able to quickly restore output.
With production offline and no clear signs that the conflict is easing, traders are being forced to factor in the risk of an extended disruption, he added.
"The bottom line is that, as long as we don't see oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices will only move higher," Patterson wrote.
José Torres, a senior economist at Interactive Brokers, told Business Insider last week that $100 would mark a true price shock for oil, leading to persistently high inflation and a possible down year for stocks. (The equity market already started feeling that pressure last week.)
Morgan Stanley's chief investment officer, Mike Wilson — one of the most bullish stock strategists on Wall Street — has also been eyeing $100 as the level where he'd lower his base-case scenario for stocks this year.
If oil keeps rising, market pros have said to expect more trouble.
"$120 for Brent, you're at zero growth. That's the trigger for a recession," Bruce Richards, the CEO of Marathon Asset Management, said last week. "That's what I believe. And I believe that's what the markets believe, although no one said it yet."
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The U.S. war against Iran has triggered the largest oil supply disruption in history, more than double the previous record set during the Middle East crisis of the 1950s, according to an analysis by consulting firm Rapidan Energy.
About 20% of the world's oil supply has been disrupted for nine days now as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains at a standstill. Crude prices have surged above $100 per barrel in response.
The biggest disruption before the current war was during the Suez Crisis of 1956 when Britain, France and Israel invaded Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, the energy consulting firm told clients in a Sunday note. In that crisis, about 10% of the world's oil supply at the time was disrupted.
The disruption triggered by the closure of the Strait is nearly three times the size of the shock caused by the Arab oil embargo of 1973, Rapidan analysts told clients. The Arab embargo disrupted about 7% of global supplies.
The big difference between the supply shock of the Iran war and past crises is the world has no spare oil capacity to address the problem, the analysts said. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates hold the overwhelming majority of swing capacity but they have been cut off from the global oil market by the Hormuz closure, the analysts said.
"The conflict has not only taken offline a historically high share of global supply – it has simultaneously disrupted the primary holders of spare capacity," the Rapidan analysts said. "The result is a market with no meaningful cushion. There is no swing producer positioned to step in."
This means that the global oil market will need to balance by destroying demand through sharply rising oil prices, the analysts said. The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is "finite and insufficient to fully offset" the supply bottled into the Persian Gulf due to the closure of Hormuz, they said.
The Strategic Petroleum Reserve currently has 415 million barrels, about 58% of its total authorized capacity of 714 million barrels, according to the Department of Energy.
A White House official told CNBC on Friday that the Trump administration believes "the oil markets remain well supplied and if we need to take additional action, we will do so."
Member states of the International Energy Agency will come under pressure to release their strategic stocks because this is "the only remaining supply response option," the Rapidan analysts said.
The G7, or Group of Seven, finance ministers met Monday to discuss a coordinated release of oil from their reserves. But France's finance minister, Roland Lescure, said the group has not made a decision to do so yet. "We are not there yet," Lescure told The Financial Times.
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Oil futures have passed $100 as investors react to the risk of a prolonged disruption to crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
Traffic through the critical oil chokepoint remains constrained a week after the US and Israel attacked Iran, while several major Gulf producers have begun slowing output.
Oil prices have nearly doubled in just over three months in 2026, raising fresh concerns about inflation and the outlook for the economy and stock market.
Here's what energy, business, and finance experts are saying about oil's break above the key $100 a barrel psychological barrier.
Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, wrote in a thread on X on Sunday, that rising oil and gas prices tied to Middle East turmoil are likely to squeeze lower- and middle-income Americans and weigh on consumer sentiment.
"As long as the Strait of Hormuz remains impassable for tanker traffic, the higher prices will go, and the more economic damage will be wrought," he wrote, adding that Americans could soon be paying $4 a gallon for fuel.
The disruption to the Strait of Hormuz is a larger shock to global oil supplies than the 1970s oil shocks and — if prolonged — could push oil prices much higher, Paul Krugman, Nobel-winning economist and columnist, wrote in a Substack post on Sunday.
The impact of a prolonged shutdown is nonlinear, he wrote, with longer closures doing disproportionately more damage to supply.
He said recent political developments, including President Donald Trump's call for Iran's "unconditional surrender" and Iran's selection of Ayatollah Khamenei's "hard-line" son as the new supreme leader, have likely dashed traders' hopes of a quick diplomatic off-ramp.
Even so, Krugman cautioned it is premature to predict a global recession, saying that advanced economies are less vulnerable to oil shocks than they were in the 1970s.
Financial markets are increasingly worried about a replay of the 1970s oil shock, veteran strategist Ed Yardeni wrote.
That was when energy shortages sent prices soaring, strained economies around the world, and contributed to stagflation.
"This oil shock won't end until ships can sail freely through the Strait," he wrote.
He pointed to prediction market Polymarket, where bets show the chances of a recession climbing to a three-month high.
"Now we can't rule out a bear market and even a recession. It all depends on how long the Strait will be closed, obviously," Yardeni wrote.
This oil shipping disruption's impact on the market is far more serious than the last "maximum disruption" during the 1956 to 1957 Suez crisis, wrote Bob McNally, the president of analysis firm Rapidan Energy, on X.
Major Gulf oil producers have started reducing oil output as they run out of storage capacity.
"This represents the largest oil supply loss in history, by a factor of two. Worse, unlike in past crises, there's zero spare capacity available," McNally wrote.
Jim Bianco, president and founder of Bianco Research, said that Monday could mark the biggest single-day rise in the history of crude oil futures trading, which began in the 1980s.
Writing on X, he added that while the 1970s Arab oil embargo may have seen larger single-day moves, there were no listed crude futures contracts at the time, making the current spike unprecedented in the modern futures era.
Peter Malmqvist, an IFRS accounting investigator at the Swedish Financial Reporting Supervision Council, said in a LinkedIn post on Sunday that inflation could rise by a full percentage point as oil climbs above $100 a barrel.
This will likely pressure central banks to raise rates, which in turn could increase the risk of a significant global stock market correction, he wrote.
The longer oil fails to move through the Strait of Hormuz, the more prices are likely to rise, wrote Warren Patterson, the head of commodities strategy at ING.
"Even if flows through the Strait of Hormuz start to resume, it will take time for upstream production to ramp up," Patterson wrote.
He added that production shut-ins and a lack of de-escalation in the war are forcing markets to aggressively price in the risk of a prolonged supply disruption.
Peter Schiff, chief economist and global strategist at Euro Pacific Asset Management, wrote in an X post on Monday, that soaring oil prices won't cause inflation but could trigger a recession.
"Soaring oil prices won't cause higher inflation. They will cause a recession. It's the fiscal and monetary policies that will follow soaring oil prices that will cause higher inflation," Schiff wrote.
Schiff suggested that any renewed inflation surge would likely stem from how governments and central banks respond to the economic slowdown, rather than from higher energy costs alone.
The markets are in "full panic mode," but Robin Brooks, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the upside from here looks limited.
"They were slow to price the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz, but at this point the Strait isn't going to get any more closed. If anything, it'll get more open, so I wouldn't chase this spike," wrote Brooks, a former chief foreign exchange strategist at Goldman Sachs, on X.
The fallout from the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz extends across the entire energy supply chain, wrote Felipe Elink Schuurman, the cofounder and CEO of Sparta Commodities.
Restarting the oil supply chain is complicated: Ports must reschedule shipments, production has to ramp back up, and refineries need a steady flow of crude before committing to full operations.
"Even if Hormuz reopens tomorrow, normalization takes months — not days," Schuurman wrote in a LinkedIn post.
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Microsoft is adding artificial intelligence to its Office productivity suite and charging 65% more for the upgraded offering, as the company tries to lure enterprise users to its Copilot AI add-on.
The new top-of-the-line bundle for corporate workers, Microsoft 365 E7, will cost $99 per user, per month, compared with $60 for the E5 subscription, after upcoming price hikes. E7 includes the $30 Copilot, $12 Entra identity tools and the new $15 Agent 365 product for managing companies' AI agents.
Microsoft has sunk more than $100 billion in the past year into data center infrastructure, including Nvidia chips that can power AI models. Selling AI offerings is one way to show a return on that investment.
For customers that pay for E7 or the stand-alone Copilot, Microsoft is introducing Copilot Cowork, stemming from a partnership with AI model developer Anthropic. It will handle tasks with multiple steps, such as sending regularly scheduled emails to colleagues and preparing for meetings with documents and internal calls. Copilot Cowork will become available as a research preview this month to clients enrolled in Microsoft's Frontier program, which provides early access to AI features.
The launch comes after updates to Anthropic's Claude Cowork service made some investors worry about AI models posing competitive threats to mature software companies.
The Copilot upgrades and the launch of the E7 tier on May 1 should both lead to further adoption of Copilot, Judson Althoff, CEO of Microsoft's commercial business, told CNBC in an interview. The existence of E7 should also inspire organizations to upgrade more workers to E5, he said.
"The majority of our base is E5 now, right?" he said. "And then we're going through healthy renewal cycles on E5 right now. But E5 was created pre the agentic world."
Growing productivity revenue remains a high priority for Microsoft, alongside expanding its cloud business.
Microsoft 365 commercial products and cloud services represented 30% of the company's total revenue in the December quarter. But Microsoft has reported slowing growth in the number of people for whom commercial clients are buying subscriptions, with 365 commercial seats up 6% in the latest quarter.
Increasingly, Microsoft is picking up more revenue from each commercial user, including with Copilot.
In January, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said the company had 15 million Microsoft 365 Copilot paid seats, or 3% of the seats for commercial Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
For Alastair Woolcock, an analyst at technology industry researcher Gartner, the inclusion of identity, management and security software in E7 is critical for helping large companies ensure that they can safely distribute modern AI tools and increase productivity.
"Nobody wants to buy a dozen different $20 a month products, right?" he said.
In a note to clients on Thursday, Jefferies analysts led by Brent Thill reiterated the firm's buy rating on Microsoft stock after meeting with the company's vice president of investor relations, Jonathan Neilson.
Thill wrote that the company "emphasized growing conviction" that it is coming into a total addressable market-expansive movement in Microsoft 365, built on its roughly 450 million user base.
"Management noted that while third‑party offerings (e.g., Claude Cowork) are garnering hype, the majority of AI‑driven work continues to occur inside MSFT applications - creating incremental usage of MSFT IP (Outlook, Teams, Excel, PPT etc.)," Thill wrote.
WATCH: Trade Tracker: Bill Baruch and Steve Weiss buy more Microsoft
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Novo Nordisk has dropped its legal case against telehealth provider Hims & Hers over patent infringement, after the two companies agreed Hims would sell Novo's branded medicines through its platform.
"We have decided to drop the current court proceedings and, of course, we reserve to bring that back if need be, but I don't foresee that happening," Novo Nordisk CEO Mike Doustdar told CNBC's Charlotte Reed on Monday.
Under the agreement, Hims will offer access to injectable and oral semaglutide, sold as Ozempic and Wegovy, at the same price as other telehealth platforms, and Hims will no longer advertise compounded GLP-1 drugs on its platform or in its marketing, the companies said in statements on Monday.
Shares of Hims soared more than 40% in morning trading while Novo's Copenhagen-listed stock climbed 2.1%. The pan-European blue-chip index Stoxx 600 was trading 1% lower, while the S&P 500 fell 0.6%.
In February, Novo said it would sue Hims for what it called "mass illegal compounding" after the latter announced it would sell a copycat version of the Wegovy pill for $49, roughly $100 less than Novo sells the branded pill for through its direct-to-consumer platform NovoCare.
Hims quickly pulled the pill after backlash from both Novo and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA pledged to take "decisive steps" to restrict practises by compounding pharmacies, and referring Hims to the Department of Justice for potential violations of federal law.
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said he was glad to see that Hims will stop advertising unapproved compounded drugs and instead sell FDA-approved products through the deal with Novo.
"Importantly, they will keep them affordable (no increase in price) and limit compounded GLP-1s for rare (FDA compliant) cases," Makary wrote in a post on X.
Hims has profited hugely from selling copycat versions of the blockbuster weight-loss drug through a loophole in U.S. regulations that allows companies other than the patent holder to sell a drug if it is in shortage.
While semaglutide was in shortage in the early days of the medicine, Novo has since resolved supply restraints as it ramped up manufacturing. Hims, however, continued selling copycat versions of the drugs, arguing that its copies are "personalized" and therefore legal.
Semaglutide's patent is protected in the U.S. until 2032.
Last year, Novo and Hims partnered to offer discounted weight loss jabs to the telehealth company's customers. Novo ended the collaboration just two months later and said Hims used "deceptive" marketing that put patient safety at risk.
"It's a very different situation than the last time we did this," Doustdar told CNBC.
"Hims & Hers have agreed that upon receiving our products, they will no longer advertise, promote, market compounded products to the masses," he said, adding that Hims has now agreed to change its business model to reserve the compounding versions "only to those rare cases where they're needed."
Novo now has more than 600,000 Wegovy pill scripts, Doustdar said.
Doustdar acknowledged that at the time of launching the Wegovy pill in January, there were question marks, "a bit fuelled by our competitor," that certain food restrictions may limit the uptake of the pill.
"Well, I have news for you, this has been absolutely not the case," he said. "People are really interested because it's the most efficacious pill right now in the market."
Hims' existing patients on compounding semaglutide "will have the opportunity to transition to FDA-approved medicines when determined clinically appropriate by their providers," Hims said in a statement.
Speaking to CNBC's Brandon Gomez, Hims CEO Andrew Dudum highlighted the rapidly shifting landscape for anti-obesity drugs.
"The demand will continue to accelerate with the new assortment that's coming out, and the assortment really does serve the needs across affordability, personalization, form factor that historically, even just six months ago and 12 months ago did not exist," he said.
Hims is also in conversation with anybody who can bring new therapies to the platform, he added, "whether that's existing biotech or existing large drug companies."
Zepbound-maker Eli Lilly is expected to launch a rival weight loss pill called orforglipron in the second quarter, pending FDA approval.
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Good morning. If you're getting on a plane soon, consider this a public service announcement that you may want to give yourself extra time for security lines.
Stock futures are tanking this morning following a losing week on Wall Street.
Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
U.S. crude futures climbed above $100 per barrel yesterday for the first time since the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in mid-2022. The surge came after Iraq, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates cut their oil output amid the U.S.-Iran war.
Here's what to know:
Affordability was already the focus of November's midterm elections. But as CNBC's Garrett Downs and Justin Papp report, the U.S.-Iran war has further raised the stakes.
Democrats are framing the conflict as a catalyst for higher costs for everyday Americans, pointing to rising gas prices. Some Republicans, meanwhile, are hopping the war is short enough to avoid material economic damage that could hurt their midterm messaging.
As CNBC's Matt Peterson writes, Friday's negative jobs report was also ill-timed for the White House. A tightening labor market — on top of rising prices at the pump — could pressure Trump to change course on the conflict with Iran.
Vinay Prasad, the Food and Drug Administration's vaccine chief, is stepping down. An FDA spokesperson confirmed that Prasad will leave his position as director of the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research at the end of April.
In July, Prasad briefly left the role amid backlash to his decisions. However, he returned two weeks later.
Prasad's most recent departure announcement follows a string of controversial decisions that received criticism from the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as well as from former health officials. FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the FDA would appoint a successor before Prasad leaves.
CNBC's Morning Squawk recaps the biggest stories investors should know before the stock market opens, every weekday morning.
Subscribe here to get access today.
Canadians aren't backing down from their boycott of U.S. goods and services amid Trump's calls for Canada to become a U.S. state. What was originally viewed as an atypical swell of Canadian patriotism about a year ago has created structural changes to the country's social and economic order.
Data shows Canadians are buying more domestic brands and increasing tourism spending within the country. On the other hand, they are shunning U.S. goods and skipping trips across the border — an unwelcome trend for the U.S. tourism industry.
A team at Canada's central bank said these consumption changes could also affect the country's gross domestic product and inflation. Polling suggests that most Canadians aren't planning to stop their "elbows up" spending approach in the near future.
Business is booming at wellness-focused venues. As CNBC's Laya Neelakandan notes, it's driven by a demand from consumers for so-called third spaces.
These wellness clubs not only offer amenities like cold plunges and saunas, but also a chance to socialize. For some, the absence of alcohol is an added plus.
The Global Wellness Institute estimates that the worldwide wellness market will close in on $10 trillion by 2030. New York-based Bathhouse told CNBC exclusively that it expects to see about $120 million in run-rate revenue by the end of 2026.
Here's what we're keeping an eye on this week:
— CNBC's Spencer Kimball, Sam Meredith, Garrett Downs, Azhar Sukri, Emma Graham, Sean Conlon, Justin Papp, Matt Peterson, Jacob Pramuk, Angelica Peebles and Laya Neelakandan contributed to this report. Josephine Rozzelle edited this edition.
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In the seven-year debate over Jeffrey Epstein's death, one important voice has been missing: the doctor who performed his autopsy.
Epstein was found dead in his Manhattan jail cell the morning of August 10, 2019, while awaiting trial on explosive sex-trafficking charges.
On August 11, his autopsy was performed by Kristin Roman, a doctor and New York City medical examiner. It was observed by Michael Baden, a forensic pathologist hired by Epstein's estate and brother, Mark Epstein.
After examining Jeffrey Epstein's corpse, Baden was convinced he died by homicide.
Roman was less sure. On Epstein's death certificate, she did not check the boxes for "homicide" or "suicide" and instead checked the box for "pending studies."
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Five days later, Barbara Sampson, the chief medical examiner of New York City and Roman's boss, ruled that Epstein died by suicide after what she said was a "careful review of all investigative information." Sampson, who did not attend Epstein's autopsy, did not elaborate on the findings.
Roman's initially ambiguous classification of Epstein's death, combined with Baden's frequent media interviews, helped fuel conspiracy theories that Epstein, a financier with ties to elite figures in politics and business, was murdered as part of a cover-up.
The world did not learn that Roman agreed with her office's findings until nearly four years later, when the Justice Department inspector general's office released its report into Epstein's death. Even then, the reasoning behind her ruling — and the delay — was not made clear.
Until now.
A transcript of Roman's interview for the Justice Department investigation was made public this year under the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
In it, Roman said she was just "being thorough" by waiting to formally determine Epstein's death was a suicide.
"If he had been a less high-profile person who there weren't people wanting to kill, I would have probably called it a hanging on the day of autopsy," Roman said.
Baden told Business Insider Friday he still believes Epstein died by homicide after reviewing the transcript of Roman's interview, citing three fractures in his neck that he said are more consistent with strangulation than hanging. Epstein's brother, many of his former lawyers, his sex-trafficking co-conspirator Ghislaine Maxwell, and numerous victims have all said they do not believe he died by suicide and often point to Baden's findings.
Roman said in her interview, conducted under oath in May 2022, that she was certain Epstein hanged himself.
"It was pretty clear cut," she said.
Roman told investigators she wanted to see Epstein's cell and speak to the employee at the Manhattan Correctional Center who found his body before finalizing her findings.
"Was he fully hanging? Where was he hanging? That kind of stuff," Roman said, in explaining her requests for more information.
Roman said she was not permitted to speak to correctional officers or look at Epstein's cell, but she was shown photographs of the room. She said those limitations did not affect her conclusion that Epstein killed himself.
"It would have been more for completeness rather than a big factor in making the determination," she said.
In Roman's interview, she pointed to the same fractures in Epstein's neck that Baden said were inconsistent with a hanging.
She said the hyoid bone was fractured on "the tip" where it would have pressed up against his spine, rather than near the joints, where one would expect fractures "if somebody squeezes your neck in a homicidal fashion with un-sustained pressure."
According to Roman, the thyroid cartilage was fractured in the places where the hyoid bone pressed against it, which is also consistent with hanging. She said "manual strangulation" would have fractured it "unevenly."
Baden told Business Insider he has never seen three fractures in a suicidal hanging while working as a New York City medical examiner for 25 years, nor while serving for decades on a New York state commission that oversees prison deaths.
"That doesn't mean it can never happen, but it sure as hell is very rare if it happens," Baden said.
When Epstein's body arrived at the medical examiner's office, it was accompanied by a noose, found by jail officers, fashioned out of a bedsheet, Roman said in the interview. Baden told Business Insider that he did not see the noose during the autopsy, but later saw pictures of it, as well as photos of other nooses on the floor of Epstein's cell. He said the ligature marks on Epstein's neck did not resemble what he would expect to see if Epstein used those nooses to hang himself.
Roman said she was "not as convinced as I would like to be" about which noose was used, but that it didn't affect her conclusion that Epstein hanged himself.
In another part of the interview, investigators showed her photos of two possible nooses made from torn bedsheets and found in Epstein's cell that could have been used for the hanging. Roman said she hadn't seen them before and that they looked like they would match the injuries on Epstein's neck.
"Either one of these, in terms of its shape, could have caused the markings on Mr. Epstein," she said. "But this one, this second one that you're showing me that was never brought to me, looks like a more likely candidate."
Business Insider has been unable to determine if the photos shown to Roman are among the Epstein files released by the Justice Department.
Roman and Sampson did not respond to Business Insider's requests for comment. (In her interview with the Justice Department, Roman said she has done "a lot of ducking of the media.") Representatives for the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner didn't respond to a request for comment.
After reviewing the transcript of Roman's interview, Mark Epstein told Business Insider he continues to think his brother was murdered.
"They're either lying, they're incompetent, or they're wrong," he said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.
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When the economy is uncertain, CEOs often reach for a familiar lever: job cuts.
And things are feeling far from certain these days.
January layoffs were the biggest for the start of a year since 2009, during the Great Recession, the outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas reported last week. The Labor Department on Friday also announced a surprise drop in employment in February.
Everywhere business leaders look, they see question marks: about the economy, tariff policy, congressional elections, the impact of AI, and global conflict.
A lack of clarity in business is nothing new, yet sometimes the fog grows thicker. When it does, holding onto cash starts to look like the smart call to some CEOs, said Sunil Setlur, founder of Cognisen.co, a leadership and organizational strategy advisory firm.
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That can mean cutting people, he said, because payroll often represents the biggest line item on a company's balance sheet.
While cuts are unpleasant for all but the most hard-nosed CEOs — and, of course, the affected workers — they're often a hit with investors.
From Meta to Spotify, Wall Street has rewarded companies that announce layoffs in recent years.
When markets applaud job cuts, and compensation is tied to a company's stock performance, that incentive structure can make such decisions "easier than they might otherwise be," Setlur said.
In some industries, like tech, where many companies bulked up during a pandemic-era boom, layoffs can also bring payroll back in line with demand, he said.
For years, some firms have been trying to thin layers of both middle management and rank-and-file workers to create smaller, more nimble teams.
Amazon, for example, said in January that it would cut 16,000 corporate workers as part of an effort to become the "world's largest startup." Since late 2022, it has cut more than 57,000 corporate roles.
A number of companies, exercising the leverage they hold in a softer job market, are tightening performance standards — another way to reduce head count without announcing it outright.
Much of the chatter around recent layoffs centers on fears that this is just the start of AI decimating white-collar jobs.
In late February, the tech company Block laid off more than 40% of its workforce, citing AI-generated efficiencies allowing smaller teams to get more done. The company's cofounder and CEO, Jack Dorsey, predicted that more companies would eventually embrace a similar slim down because of AI.
By some measures, it's already happening. At companies in five industries likely to feel "significant near-term impacts" from AI adoption, employment fell by 4%, on average, over the prior year, while net productivity rose, Morgan Stanley reported in February. The financial firm surveyed more than 900 executives in several countries, including the US.
"Despite the perception that adoption is still in early stages, new data show AI's impact is both measurable and accelerating faster than expected," the report said.
Friday's employment report, which showed a loss of 92,000 jobs rather than a gain of 55,000 as economists forecast, also revealed weakness in tech. One economist wrote that the industry is losing jobs at one of the fastest rates of the last two decades.
Job cuts often don't have as much to do with AI as with pragmatic decisions to reduce costs, said Alibek Dostiyarov, cofounder of Perceptis, which develops AI-powered software for professional services firms.
That's particularly true for firms that grew rapidly during the pandemic, only to see demand soften subsequently.
"AI is just a convenient scapegoat," Dostiyarov told Business Insider.
Instead, while he estimated that the technology could deliver long-term efficiency gains of 20% to 30%, Dostiyarov said it's more likely to lead to task elimination rather than one-for-one job losses.
In general, Tim Walsh, CEO of KPMG US, doesn't see AI behind many corporate cutbacks. Instead, he told Business Insider, many businesses are reviewing their overall workforce to reassess where they need people.
"Deploying AI does not automatically lead to workforce reduction," Walsh said. KPMG, he said, will likely need to hire more people as it continues to develop and incorporate AI tools into its business.
Understandably, AI anxiety remains pervasive, however.
"A lot of people have been just waiting for the AI shoe to drop," said Jeff Fettes, CEO of Laivly, which uses AI agents to support customer service work for Fortune 500 companies. Yet because it often takes companies a while to adopt new technology, not all of the reductions are likely to show up right away.
Do you have a story to share about your career or a layoff? Contact this reporter at tparadis@businessinsider.com.
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Trade jobs like plumbing are supposed to be among the hardest for AI to replace.
For Ania Smith, the CEO of Taskrabbit, that's good news.
Taskrabbit, founded in 2008 by Leah Solivan, is a platform where gig workers can offer their services for a variety of tasks, from mounting a TV to repairing kitchen appliances.
It's growing fast — and Smith sees AI supercharging the platform by providing it with more "taskers" who can do physical jobs that are harder for AI, and by improving how Taskrabbit's marketplace works.
Taskrabbit's revenue has grown by a factor of five over the past five years, and it's betting on more growth ahead as AI pushes more people to trade jobs, Smith told Business Insider in an interview. Taskrabbit is privately owned and doesn't report earnings publicly.
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"Right now, it feels like there's infinite room for growth," Smith said.
AI has already led companies to cut white-collar jobs in tech and related fields.
But other jobs, including trade work like plumbing and electrical work, are less likely to be automated in the near future, experts have said. Some Gen Z workers have also turned to trade jobs as an alternative to higher education.
Taskrabbit centers its website around specific jobs. Users can request help by task category, such as "heavy lifting" or "electrical help."
Furniture assembly is a popular category, especially since IKEA purchased Taskrabbit in 2017. Smith said the Swedish retailer accounts for just under a quarter of the company's business globally.
Customers can submit their location and details about what they're trying to do — such as moving out of their apartment in an afternoon — and Taskrabbit will suggest gig workers along with hourly rates and credentials. The platform lists about 175,000 gig workers, whom the company calls "Taskers."
"A lot of our business is tied to things like moving or transitions in life," Smith said. "Those things are not going to stop tomorrow."
Other companies that operate marketplaces for trade work include Airtasker and Thumbtack.
As more people sign up to work for Taskrabbit, verifying that they can actually provide the services they say they can — and matching workers with the right jobs— becomes more important, Smith said.
Taskrabbit is now also using AI to read customers' task requests and better match them with gig workers.
That's more efficient than the old way of finding a match when "the Tasker and the client would chat for a while to really try to define the scope of the job," Smith said.
It's a huge difference from the early days of Taskrabbit, Solivan, the company's founder, told Business Insider.
"I remember what a huge lift it was to produce those matching algorithms," Solivan said. "When we hired our first data scientist, it would take weeks to go through location-based awareness, pricing, skills, and availability. It was a lot of data to crunch."
Smith said Taskrabbit uses reviews from past jobs to show prospective customers "whether the person knows what they're doing or not."
AI tools such as ChatGPT also make it possible for people to learn and become experts at completing tasks like the ones available on Taskrabbit — another potential boon for the company going forward, Solivan added.
"It's all at our fingertips now," she said.
Do you have a story to share about the gig economy? Contact this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.
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In April 2024, Brandon Upchurch and his cousin were driving home from a convenience store when they noticed flashing lights behind them. When Upchurch pulled over, officers from the Toledo Police Department drew their guns and ordered him out of his red Dodge Ram.
Upchurch initially refused to turn off the engine or exit the truck, and repeatedly asked officers why he was being pulled over. An officer named Adrian Wilson warned that he would deploy his police dog if Upchurch didn't get on the ground. As Upchurch began to get down, Wilson released the animal.
The dog latched onto Upchurch's dreadlocks, rammed his head into the ground, and sunk its teeth into his arm. Wilson later said he thought Upchurch had tripped and was getting ready to run.
"Your car has a stolen license plate on it," one of the officers said. His plates weren't stolen, Upchurch insisted. He was transported to a hospital for his injuries, then sent to the county jail, where he remained for hours. The charges, which were later dismissed, were obstructing official business and resisting arrest.
Upchurch, it turned out, was right: The license plates weren't stolen, and he was the truck's registered owner.
Police records reviewed by Business Insider show what went wrong. A camera made by the technology startup Flock Safety misread the "7" on Upchurch's plate for a "2" and pinged Wilson. In body camera footage, Wilson can be heard telling another officer after the arrest that he thought the camera "mis-hit."
Flock's license plate readers are used by law enforcement agencies, businesses, and homeowner associations. Founded in 2017, its stated mission is "shaping the future of safety." It has expanded into thousands of communities since then, emerging as one of the industry's biggest players.
Its rise hasn't been without controversy, much of which has focused on privacy issues. Earlier this month, Amazon's Ring announced it would end its partnership with Flock amid blowback over a Super Bowl ad for Ring cameras. (Flock described the decision to end the partnership as mutual.)
Less attention has been paid to the tech's accuracy. Business Insider reviewed police records, lawsuits, and local news coverage across the country and found that the Toledo episode isn't isolated. In a dozen instances, misreads by Flock's automated license plate readers, or a lack of verification by officers, resulted in people who hadn't committed crimes being stopped at gunpoint, sent to jail, or mauled by a police dog, among other outcomes.
When the tech works as designed, it can help locate suspects involved in crimes, track down vehicles, and improve investigative efficiency, the company says. The system gives law enforcement agencies access to huge swaths of data, and officers receive alerts about vehicles of interest while they're on patrol, such as drivers with warrants, fake plates, missing people, and vehicles flagged as stolen.
Andrew Guthrie Ferguson, a law professor at George Washington University who specializes in police surveillance technologies, told Business Insider that, in general, "errors are a part of policing, and errors will be a part of policing technology."
"The issue is creating incentives to limit the errors in the technology," Ferguson said. "Right now, the incentives are not aligned to improve accuracy and transparency and accountability."
Flock monitors and collects misread rates; it declined to provide Business Insider with specifics about the data. When customers flag misreads, that data is pulled into the company's training set to improve its model, and the company works with local law enforcement to understand the cause of the incident, a spokesperson said.
"We have strong confidence in our models and continuously improve them through ongoing optimization and testing," the spokesperson said. She said they don't publish a single accuracy figure because performance can vary depending on plate design, lighting conditions, and environmental factors.
"We respect and value concerns and feedback raised by community members and are continuously building on our technology," she said. "We have the utmost sympathy for any victim of harm — and that is why we are committed to the work we do to solve and deter serious crimes and provide security for communities."
Alexander Dunn, a retired police officer and president of the Illinois Council of Police, a police union, told Business Insider that while Flock is a useful investigative tool, it can also be "an information overload" when officers on patrol are inundated with pings.
"It's just like scrolling on Instagram or a slot machine, you hear that ding from your computer, and now your adrenaline goes up a little bit," he said.
"If you get that stolen vehicle hit, check the area, see if you can locate it, but it's not a mandate that you go out and pursue this vehicle," he said. "Sometimes I think because we have this technology, we forget about that."
When Flock launched a decade ago, CEO and co-founder Garrett Langley had ambitious goals: eliminate neighborhood crime across the country by equipping communities, police departments, and private businesses with slick surveillance tools. In addition to automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, the company also makes drones and video cameras.
The Atlanta-based company has received backing from Kleiner Perkins and Peter Thiel's Founders Fund. Last spring, following a $275 million funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, the company said it was valued at $7.5 billion. According to a record reviewed by Business Insider, annual recurring revenue jumped from $7 million to nearly half a billion dollars over the past five years.
The company employs over 1,200 people, including 200 salespeople, and it has touted partnerships with over 5,000 law enforcement agencies and 1,000 businesses across every state except Alaska.
Unlike traditional license plate readers, Flock's cameras, which are typically mounted on poles and street signs, record more than just numbers and letters. The company's slate of AI-powered tools allows officers to search for specific characteristics of vehicles, like color, model, dents, and bumper stickers.
Agencies can also opt in to share their data with other departments — in some cases, giving officers the ability to search for a specific plate or car across tens of thousands of cameras nationwide.
A deputy police chief in Tennessee, for instance, told his department in an email that he had requested access to all cameras within a 500-mile radius; when officers searched, the system could reach almost 80,000 cameras. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, a sheriff's office had access to over 1,000 networks of cameras and read 2.9 million vehicles over a 30-day span last year, records show.
The cameras capture all vehicles in their vicinity, including those not suspected of any criminal involvement.
"Technology is a powerful way to make policing more objective," the Flock spokesperson said. "Rather than relying on human intuition or suspicion, ALPR technology provides a completely objective metric — a license plate and vehicle associated with a crime or a missing person."
Anthony Rogers, president of the Galveston Municipal Police Association, told Business Insider that the Texas city recently began installing Flock's cameras. He believes the technology's ability to track granular detail, as well as the database's shared information, is crucial to its success.
"They have helped us bring justice to victims and victims' families, and in some cases they've helped us to bring quicker justice," said Rogers, a detective with the department. "They're the friend to an officer."
Flock has had some high-profile success.
In an interview, Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez said the cameras were instrumental in tracking the vehicle of Claudio Neves-Valente, who is accused of killing two students at Brown University and a professor at MIT. Perez said that officers also used Flock to search across jurisdictions during the investigation.
He told Business Insider that Flock is "an excellent resource," as long as safeguards are in place to "balance clear public safety benefits with legitimate privacy concerns."
Those privacy concerns have drawn scrutiny, including from advocates worried about the vast quantity of personal data at play. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon and Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois urged the Federal Trade Commission in November to investigate the company over its data collection practices. Dozens of communities have cancelled, paused, or suspended contracts, citing concerns over potential misuse of the cameras. (Flock has pushed back against some of Wyden's criticism.)
According to Alla Valente, principal analyst at the global research and advisory firm Forrester, public sentiment is like a pendulum, and "the momentum of this pendulum is swinging against this type of surveillance."
Flock will "have their work cut out for them," she told Business Insider. "Either they're going to continue to do what they do and be used by law enforcement and the federal government, or they're going to think about privacy, think about security, think about controls, think about transparency. It all depends on where they see themselves in the next few years."
The Flock spokesperson said that the company agrees that "dialogue about privacy, security, and transparency are critical," and that Flock has invested in "industry-leading compliance mechanisms for data controls, auditing, and security." Flock's default retention period to store data is 30 days.
As the company grapples with security concerns, there has been less public focus on the reliability of its tech — as well as the potentially devastating consequences when mistakes occur.
"If Flock's unreliable surveillance technology is sending innocent people to jail, causing them to be stopped at gunpoint or mauled by dogs, that should be a major red flag for any community considering purchasing its system," Sen. Wyden told Business Insider in response to its findings.
"It is completely unacceptable that this company won't disclose how often it misidentifies cars," he said.
Max Isaacs, director of technology law and policy with the Policing Project at New York University's School of Law, added, "This is the most serious risk of all, that you have a high-stakes situation where police think they're apprehending a violent criminal and it's a family."
"If we find that plate misreads are sort of a pronounced problem, that should call into question our reliance on these tools."
Last June, JC and Carolyn Herron were driving to a doctor's appointment with their 3-year-old granddaughter Penelope when they heard the blare of police sirens.
Moments later, officers with the police department in Morristown, a city in eastern Tennessee, pulled out their guns and ordered the couple to exit their black Ford Expedition. JC said he worried that if he made the wrong move, he'd be shot. Officers handcuffed them both, while Penelope remained, terrified and alone, in the car.
The Expedition's personalized nurse's license plate, "LOVEY," was a nickname given to Carolyn by her seven grandchildren. The officers received a Flock alert that the plate was stolen. But the vehicle officers were actually looking for was a black Ford F-150 with the license plate "L0VEY," with a zero instead of the letter O. It had already been recovered, but it was never removed from the system.
While the Flock investigative summary provided to officers included a photo of the Herrons' Black Ford Expedition, their license plate number was recorded as a zero, not the letter O.
In police records, an officer noted that Carolyn refused to put her hands up as ordered and instead began to record the incident on her phone. She told Business Insider she was frightened by the officers and worried her granddaughter could be taken away.
"We were two old people just on our way to the doctor," Carolyn said. "What kind of threat were we with a 3-year-old in the backseat?"
Eight months earlier, Morristown Police Deputy Chief Chris Wisecarver explicitly instructed officers to verify the information provided by Flock before initiating stops. "It's just information and may not be accurate," Wisecarver wrote in an email to the department. "It will occasionally misread plates and include pictures that are not the vehicle in question."
Morristown Police Chief Roger Overholt told Business Insider that it's common for officers to use high-risk protocols during felony traffic stops, and that officers' concerns were heightened because "Mrs. Herron was not compliant with officers' instructions during the traffic stop."
According to police records, the officer "did run the tag on the Herron's vehicle to confirm the stolen vehicle hit prior to conducting the traffic stop and the vehicle plate of the Herron's vehicle (LOVEY) did result in a stolen vehicle hit." After the couple was handcuffed, it was discovered that the vehicle identification number on the Expedition didn't match that of the stolen vehicle.
Overholt said that "officers used information from the National Crime Information Center (a state database, not the license plate reader database) as our protocol requires, and used proper police procedure to stop the vehicle for further investigation."
The department "makes an effort to utilize license plate reader technology responsibly," he added. "As with other sources of data, we seek to verify information used in our investigations using sources available to us."
Misreads have happened across the country. In the Silicon Valley neighborhood of Atherton, Jason Burkleo was driving in April 2021 when he was stopped by local police at gunpoint, instructed to lie on the ground, and handcuffed. Police records show that the Flock camera confused an "H" for an "M"; officers noted that "the Flock cameras misread" the plate. Burkleo filed a lawsuit and settled with the town and police officers for $45,000.
"The license plate in question was obstructed by dirt, causing one of the letters (H) to look like an M," Atherton Police Department Commander Dan Larsen told Business Insider, adding that the town "denies any wrongdoing and contends that it acted properly and lawfully."
In the northern New Mexico city of Española, Jaclynn Gonzales was driving her 12-year-old sister to the park when Flock notified police that her Kia was stolen. Body camera footage from the July 2023 stop shows officers stopping the sisters and ordering them to exit the car, before handcuffing them. "Can you call my mom?" Gonzales asked.
According to an incident report, the camera misread a "2" for a "7." Officers said the number was obscured by a license plate cover, though it's visible in the body camera footage reviewed by Business Insider. The family filed a lawsuit and settled with the city in 2025.
Brandon Upchurch, in Toledo, said he didn't understand why officers locked him up. He knew he hadn't done anything wrong.
"This is insane," he said he thought to himself. "I'm here for nothing."
There's a dearth of independent research about the efficacy of Flock's technology.
Agencies are spending billions of dollars on these surveillance technologies "with very, very little empirical evidence," Ian Adams, an assistant professor of criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, told Business Insider. "We have to measure first and spend after, and what's occurring right now is we're spending first and measuring never."
Many of these issues, Adams stressed, are not specific to Flock. He said these are sector-wide concerns.
Still, Flock's position as the largest provider of automatic license plate readers makes questions over misread issues notable. In 2021, the research firm IPVM independently tested Flock's LPR cameras, concluding in a report that it misidentified which state a license plate was from for around 1 in 10 reads, and that the system regularly misclassified license plate state, vehicle type, and make. IPVM said that Flock subsequently blocked it from purchasing its cameras for testing.
Jermaine Wilson, IPVM's head of publishing and research, told Business Insider that there have been improvements with the technology across the industry in the years since.
A May 2025 report from the Office of the City Auditor in Austin found that over a 12-month period beginning in March 2024, there were no incorrect or unjustified stops with its ALPR program, which included Flock cameras.
The Austin City Council opted not to renew its contract with Flock last summer, after the city audit surfaced issues, including users not disclosing their reason for searching the database and concerns about data being shared with outside agencies. The Texas Department of Public Safety reinstalled cameras in the city in February.
During a September 2025 city council meeting in the city of Coralville, in eastern Iowa, a Flock representative said that the accuracy rate for license plate recognition was around 90%. (The council narrowly approved the resolution approving a policy for the cameras.)
"If Flock means to say that it is reading the license plate incorrectly one out of 10 times, that number sounds unacceptably high," NYU's Isaacs said.
The Flock spokesperson said that the employee misspoke. "Our accuracy for reading plate characters and correctly identifying the issuing state is consistently in the high 90 percentiles range," she said.
Flock gives law enforcement the option to adjust its cameras to increase or decrease the confidence of its searches, according to internal emails, training materials, and former employees.
When the level is lowered, two former employees explained, the cameras can alert officers to plates that the technology may not consider an ideal match.
According to one police department training video, officers could adjust the confidence levels for the body, make, and color while searching for vehicles. (The video noted that, for the vehicle example in the training, "plate confidence is .84" and "plate state confidence is .94.") Flock did not respond to Business Insider's inquiry about what these numbers mean.
"The machine is set to a high confidence level so it gives you the minimum amount of misreads," noted a slide in a February 2024 Flock training PowerPoint presented to the Dane County Sheriff's Office in Wisconsin.
A Flock customer success manager also told law enforcement agencies in eastern Tennessee in March 2024 that they could "override confidence levels to broaden/tighten your Search results as needed," records show.
The Flock spokesperson told Business Insider that the company offers the feature so that an agency investigating a serious case has access to every possible piece of evidence that could result in a lead. She said the "vast majority" of the plate character and state reads are predicted at over 95% confidence.
According to one of the former employees, however, "lowering the confidence level does make the read less accurate by default."
Experts told Business Insider that no technology is error-free, and it's critical for law enforcement agencies to have robust policies in place to deal with potential errors. Human oversight of the technology, like double-checking the information provided by Flock, is imperative.
Flock also instructs all law enforcement users to manually verify alerts before taking action. The company spokesperson said that "a human should always manually verify any ALPR hit."
"Ultimately, policing has to be human-led, and so there's definitely an onus on the officer, and there always has been, to independently verify that type of information," the University of South Carolina's Adams said.
At the same time, added Seth Stoughton, a professor of law and criminal justice at the University of South Carolina, "that doesn't take the obligation off of Flock."
"There are reciprocal obligations," Stoughton said. "The technology should be as reliable as it reasonably can be, and officers should also be using it in a responsible way."
Cambridge, Massachusetts, recently terminated its Flock contract after the company installed two cameras without the city's knowledge.
Police Commissioner Christine Elow told Business Insider that while she wasn't aware of misread issues during the approximately four months that cameras were operational in the city, it's something she would like more information about. "That would be something our community is concerned about, too," she said.
The department is interested in exploring potential relationships with other ALPR vendors, added Peter Velluci, who oversees the police department's procedural justice office. He said that residents voiced issues over Flock in particular.
Nearly two years after he was stopped, Brandon Upchurch said he's still trying to recover.
The bite caused serious injuries to his arm, and he lost feeling in his fingers, he said. While he owned a lawn care business and worked as a forklift driver, he said he quit because he could no longer lift heavy objects or maneuver the equipment. He sold his truck to keep up with his rent, but it wasn't enough. He was eventually evicted and moved into his mother's home.
He also gave up his two bullies, Bruno and Madness, whom he had adopted as puppies. He didn't want to, he said, but he no longer felt comfortable around dogs.
Mohamad Nasser, the Toledo Police Department's public information officer, told Business Insider that the stop involving Upchurch was thoroughly reviewed internally, and appropriate administrative action was taken at the time. Wilson was issued a verbal reprimand for failing to verify whether the truck's plate was the exact match before initiating the arrest, according to records.
Last April, Upchurch filed a lawsuit against Wilson, the officer, and the city, claiming that "it is commonly known throughout the Toledo Police Department that the Flock system is unreliable and often misreads license plates."
He settled the case in October for $35,000. During the settlement conference, the federal judge said that "Flock Flocked up," according to Upchurch's attorney, Peter Pattakos.
"I'd probably still have my house, still have my truck, still have my business," Upchurch said. "Life struck, all because of that camera."
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Nigeria, Rwanda and four other African countries have been selected to pilot a new $40 smartphone backed by six major telecom operators as part of an effort to make internet access more affordable across the continent.
Africa's leading mobile network operators are planning to introduce a $40 smartphone in six African markets as part of a broader effort to close the continent's digital access gap and bring millions of people online.
The initiative, led by the GSMA Handset Affordability Coalition, was announced during a press conference at the African Pavilion at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Spain.
The event also marked the first time African mobile operators had exhibition space on the MWC show floor.
Members of the coalition include Airtel, Axian Telecom, Ethio Telecom, Orange, Vodacom Group and MTN Group.
Combined, these companies serve roughly 800 million Africans, giving the initiative potential to significantly accelerate smartphone adoption across some of the continent's fastest growing telecom markets.
Africa's telecom operators say device affordability remains one of the biggest barriers preventing millions of people from accessing digital services.
“One of the biggest barriers and challenges for Africa is around the affordability of devices. This presents itself in the willingness of our population to go online, simply because they cannot find content in their own languages. For us, the challenge is around closing the usage gap by bringing devices at an affordable minimum specifications on 4G into the pilot phase,” said Angela Wamola, head of Africa at GSMA.
Industry data shows that around 85 percent of Africa's population lives within reach of mobile broadband networks, yet far fewer people actually use mobile internet services.
The gap is largely driven by the cost of smartphones, which remain out of reach for many households across the continent.
Under the coalition's plan, six African countries will serve as pilot markets for the new device. These include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
Negotiations with distributors in these markets have indicated the devices could reach consumers at the target retail price of about $40.
“Many other countries have shown interest while we have been here in Barcelona,” Wamola said.
The coalition has shared minimum specifications with device manufacturers including requirements for storage capacity, screen size and battery performance.
According to Wamola, the proposal has received “a positive response from its vendor ecosystem”, raising hopes that the device could soon reach the market.
Africa's smartphone market is currently dominated by Chinese manufacturers that produce lower cost devices designed for emerging markets.
These devices are typically cheaper than premium smartphones produced by companies such as Apple and Samsung.
Even so, smartphone ownership across Africa remains far below global levels.
A recent GSMA study found that only one in four Africans owned a smartphone in 2024 compared with more than half of the global population.
Studies by Google and the International Finance Corporation estimate that the continent's digital economy could reach about $180 billion by 2025 and expand to around $712 billion by 2050 as internet adoption, digital services and mobile innovation accelerate.
Part of the coalition's strategy involves working with governments and regulators to ensure that taxes do not make smartphones more expensive for consumers.
Wamola pointed to South Africa as an example where policy changes helped lower device prices.
In March 2025 the country removed luxury taxes on smartphones costing R2,500 or less following lobbying efforts led by communications minister Solly Malatsi and mobile operators.
The decision led to a decline in smartphone prices and improved access for consumers.
However, the effort to deliver ultra low cost smartphones is also facing pressure from rising component prices and supply constraints in the global electronics market.
“With the memory shortage, the $40 price point could slip away. Prices are really escalating, even though vendors have committed to doing their best to bring the devices at that price point. We need this to get started because the momentum will bring us scale and that scale will help us get to that $20 price point,” said Wamola.
Industry leaders say expanding smartphone access will be essential if Africa is to keep pace with rapid global technological shifts and ensure millions more people can participate in the digital economy.
© 2026 africa.businessinsider.com
Congressional Democrats are demanding that the Trump administration immediately reverse a sanctions waiver allowing Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil as the Iran war wreaks havoc on global energy markets.
"Your recent decision to provide a 30-day waiver is dangerous, self-defeating, and indefensible," Rep. Sam Liccardo, D-Calif., and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., wrote in a letter Monday to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, which was shared exclusively with CNBC. "This waiver constitutes an inexplicable act of material benefit to the enemy."
The Treasury Department last week issued a temporary 30-day sanctions carve-out to allow India to buy Russian oil, an effort to ease skyrocketing oil prices caused by the war and the traffic standstill at the Strait of Hormuz.
The oil surge comes less than eight months before the November midterm elections that could flip the House of Representatives and the Senate to Democratic control, and polls show voters are souring on President Donald Trump's handling of the economy.
After the sanctions waiver was issued, however, it was reported that Russia is assisting Iran in targeting U.S. ships, aircraft and bases in the region. Gallego and Liccardo warned in the letter against the temporary lifting of the sanctions, which rewards Russia with a windfall as it helps to target U.S. troops in the Middle East.
"Rather than performing the necessary contingency planning that would keep India and other allies supplied with alternative sources, the Administration's hapless approach has allowed Russia and other adversaries to profit from oil reserves previously constrained by sanctions, supporting Russian efforts to harm U.S. troops and thwart U.S. intelligence," Gallego and Liccardo wrote in their letter. "By providing this waiver, you have signaled that the United States will reward attacks on our troops, not deter them."
About 20% of the world's oil and gas moves through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been largely impassible since the beginning of the U.S. and Israeli assault on Tehran.
Oil prices have surged in the days since the war began. U.S. crude oil topped $108 per barrel on Sunday, as did the global benchmark Brent, which rapidly approached $110 a barrel. That's caused U.S. gasoline prices to spike, jumping to $3.44 per gallon on Sunday, according to Gasbuddy.
The price spikes come as both parties seek to win over economically anxious voters ahead of the November midterm elections that will determine whether Democrats or Republicans control Congress for Trump's final years in office. Trump promised to lower costs, including gas prices, during his 2024 campaign — but his approval on the economy has plummeted as voters express concern about affordability.
Liccardo and Gallego, who are members of the House Financial Services Committee and Senate Banking Committee, respectively, contend in their letter that the war is only making life less affordable for Americans.
"A prolonged conflict with Iran and wider military operations throughout the Middle East will only deepen the energy cost-crisis, burdening Americans to pay more at the pump, and exacerbating the affordability crisis facing too many Americans," they wrote.
Meanwhile, millions of barrels of Russian oil are stranded at sea due to U.S. sanctions imposed as punishment for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Energy Secretary Chris Wright appearing Sunday on CBS' "Face the Nation" defended the move to temporarily allow the sale of Russian oil into India, calling it a "pragmatic step" that diverts oil that eventually would be sold to China. He said it could help alleviate price spikes in the immediate term, until the U.S. achieves its military aims in Iran.
"We're not helping Russia by just accelerating the sale of their oil to stop the rise of energy prices and keep European and Asian refineries in oil," Wright said. "We're just doing pragmatic things to get through a short period that'll bring in an era of even lower energy prices."
Pressed on the reports of Russian intelligence sharing, Wright said, "There have been rumors of that, we don't know if that's true or not."
He added, "Russia is an expert at causing trouble around the world."
A person familiar with the situation, granted anonymity to discuss it, said Russia gains revenue when oil is drilled, not sold.
Bessent disputes claims that the sale of Russian oil already floating in the ocean benefits the Russian government, arguing on X that it "will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government."
"The Russian government generates most of its energy revenues through taxes imposed on oil when it is first extracted from the ground, not when it is delivered to buyers," the person told CNBC. "Because this [general license] only authorizes transactions involving Russian oil already loaded on vessels and exported from Russia it is unlikely to provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government."
Liccardo and Gallego asked Bessent whether he plans to continue offering waivers if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed. They also asked whether the Treasury Department had advance notice of the intelligence sharing between Russia and Iran, and whether there are any conditions that would cause the waiver to be revoked.
The pair also demanded information on any emergency oil price stabilization plans the administration had before launching the assault on Iran.
"The questions below address two distinct lines of accountability. The first concerns the specific waiver decision and its immediate consequences for sanctions integrity, energy markets, and troop safety," they wrote of the questions. "The second concerns the administration's planning failures prior to its unauthorized military action, and the absence of coordination with allies and partners, whose cooperation is essential to maintaining American sanctions architecture, which this waiver now undermines."
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Iran's Kharg Island, a small but strategically vital strip of land nestled in the waters of the northern Persian Gulf, has been left untouched by U.S. and Israeli forces even as the Middle East conflict enters its second week.
The coral island, which is located about 15 miles off the coast of mainland Iran, serves as the centerpiece for Iran's oil industry.
It is estimated that around 90% of the country's crude exports pass through it before tankers then travel through the Strait of Hormuz. The island is also said to have a loading capacity of roughly 7 million barrels per day.
Kharg Island's economic importance to Iran makes it particularly vulnerable to the threat of military action, although analysts say that any attempt to seize it would likely require a ground troop operation, which the U.S. appears reluctant to undertake.
An attack would also likely prompt further energy market volatility at a time when oil prices have soared to nearly $120 a barrel.
Seizing the island "would cut off Iran's oil lifeline," which is essential for the regime, according to Petras Katinas, a research fellow in climate, energy and defense at RUSI, a London-based defense think tank.
"Of course, with shipping via the Strait of Hormuz now stopped, they cannot sell oil anyway, but looking ahead, seizure would give the US leverage during negotiations, no matter which regime is in power after the military operation ends," Katinas told CNBC by email.
"Yet, seizure, would require a ground troop operation, which this administration seems hesitant to undertake. At least for now," he added.
Crude futures climbed to their highest level since mid-2022 on Monday after the U.S. and Israel launched a fresh wave of strikes across Iran over the weekend.
The attacks struck several Iranian fuel sites, including oil storage depots, signaling a new phase of the war as the sprawling Middle East crisis continues into its tenth day.
International benchmark Brent crude futures with May delivery traded 11.5% higher at $103.40 per barrel on Monday, paring earlier gains, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with April delivery were last seen 12% higher at $101.88.
"If President Trump were to decide to seize this pivotal hub, it would deal a significant blow to the Iranian regime, as it would deprive them of a critical source of revenue. Such a move would be reminiscent of the U.S. intervention in Venezuela at the beginning of the year, when it effectively took control of the country's oil sector," Tamas Varga, an oil analyst at brokerage PVM, told CNBC By email.
"While it might suggest the resumption of Iranian oil exports—under U.S. supervision, of course, and only if the Strait reopens—it would at the same time remain vulnerable to drone attacks from within Iran. An eventual U.S. occupation of the island would further complicate an already complex situation," he added.
Typically, about 20% of the world's oil and gas passes through the Strait of Hormuz, but shipping traffic has all but halted through this key maritime corridor since the war started late last month.
U.S. President Donald Trump may be tempted to order U.S. forces to try to seize Kharg Island for several reasons, according to Marc Gustafson, former head of the White House Situation Room, who previously served under presidents Trump, Joe Biden and Barack Obama.
These include the opportunity for Trump to claim a "big PR win," the chance to give U.S. troops a natural barrier from mainland Iran, and the fact that it fits with the president's push to secure maximum leverage over the Iranian regime.
Gustafson, who now works as the senior director of analysis at Eurasia Group, said that any such operation would be fraught with risk, however.
An attempt to seize the island would require U.S. troops on the ground and likely see it become a multi-week target for Iranian drones, Gustafson said in a LinkedIn post last week.
He also warned it could push oil prices up even further and Tehran may even consider an act of self-sabotage to destroy the oil pipeline that feeds it.
"There is one concept or one dimension of this that no one seemingly has mentioned, which is Kharg Island," Jan van Eck, CEO of VanEck Funds, told CNBC's "Power Lunch" on March 2.
"It's where 90% of Iran's oil gets exported out of — that is a choke point. And if you think that Trump just follows the same playbook that he did in Venezuela. What did he do? He cut off their oil exports, their hard currency, and I think he is going to want that leverage point going forward," Van Eck said.
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AI data center startup Nscale has raised $2 billion at a $14.6 billion valuation, the company announced on Monday, as the AI infrastructure boom continues.
The Series C featured Nvidia and was led by Aker ASA and 8090 Industries. Astra Capital Management, Citadel, Dell, Jane Street, Lenovo, Linden Advisors, Nokia and Point72 also participated.
Nscale is also announcing three new directors on its board, including former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg, former UK deputy prime minister and Meta executive Nick Clegg and former Yahoo President Susan Decker.
Founded in 2024, Nscale has emerged as a key player in the AI infrastructure buildout, developing data centers and operating cloud computing services.
The UK-based startup has raised a slew of funding in the past year as investors have piled into the sector. It announced a $1.4 billion delayed draw term loan in February and a $1.1 billion Series B in September. It did not disclose the valuation it achieved with the Series B.
A source with firsthand knowledge of the matter told CNBC that the latest valuation was more than double the confidential valuation it achieved with the Series B. The company declined to comment.
The fresh funds are inclusive of the $433 Million pre-Series C SAFE round in October.
Fresh capital would help accelerate Nscale's development of vertically integrated AI infrastructure — from GPU compute and networking to data services and orchestration software — across Europe, North America, and Asia, the company said in a statement.
The AI boom is "leading to the largest infrastructure buildout in human history," said Josh Payne, CEO and founder of UK-based Nscale, echoing past comments from Jensen Huang, CEO at Nvidia, which invested in the round. "We are building this foundation that the market sits on, the engine of superintelligence."
Nscale is eyeing an initial public offering, the company confirmed to CNBC in October.
The startup, which operates data centers in the U.K., the U.S., Norway, Portugal and Iceland, has inked deals with a number of Big Tech companies in recent times.
Nscale announced an "expanded partnership" with Microsoft in October, netting the younger company $14 billion, a figure first reported by the FT and verified by CNBC. Over the summer, it partnered with OpenAI to launch a Stargate-branded AI data center in Norway.
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AI's biggest impact will likely happen far from laptops, says the CEO of a $15 billion AI company.
Qasar Younis, the cofounder and CEO of Applied Intuition, said on an episode of "Lenny's Podcast" published Sunday that "the real impact of AI in the next 5 to 10 years" would show up in physical industries, like "in farming, in mining, in construction, in self-driving trucks."
Applied Intuition develops software to test and power autonomous vehicles and other machines. The company said in June that it raised $600 million in a funding round, valuing it at $15 billion.
Software tools like Moltbook and OpenClaw may excite developers, but Younis said they touch only a small slice of society.
"I love the stuff that's happening on these platforms, but it's still segregated to, like, frankly, developers," he added.
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Instead, he said the biggest shift will come from adding intelligence to machines already embedded in the physical economy.
"More pragmatically, it's actually just putting intelligence into things that already exist all around us."
Industries like trucking and farming urgently need that kind of autonomy, he said.
"People are not fighting for those trucking jobs," Younis said. The average farmer is already in their late 50s, meaning many will retire in the coming decade, potentially worsening labor shortages.
AI is more likely to help fill labor shortages in these industries than replace them entirely, he added.
The company has tested autonomous trucks in Japan, where an aging workforce means a driver shortage, and it's working on AI in mining safety and efficiency.
Earlier this year, Wall Street grew worried that new AI tools and agents could replace some software products entirely.
A research paper by Citrini, an investment firm focused on thematic equity investing, triggered a global stock sell-off last month after researchers outlined a scenario in which the AI boom wipes out white-collar jobs and ultimately slows economic growth.
Against that backdrop, some industry leaders say physical industries could end up benefiting from the technology.
For instance, robots could help address labor shortages in manufacturing. Daniel Diez, the chief business officer of Agility Robotics, told Business Insider in a report published on Sunday that manufacturers globally "simply can't find the people to do this work."
Ford CEO Jim Farley said last year that AI-powered augmented-reality tools are helping technicians repair trucks more efficiently, though he warned that automation could still reshape jobs across the broader economy.
Business Insider reported last year that some Gen Z workers are increasingly considering trade and blue-collar careers as automation and AI create uncertainty around traditional white-collar professions.
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I've sat on many butt-numbing daytime bus journeys across Europe, but I'd never braved a night bus. That is, until Swiss transport startup Twiliner launched its lie-flat fleet, aiming to reinvent overland travel.
Since late 2025, it has been running two routes — Amsterdam to Zurich and Zurich to Barcelona — with several departures each week.
Designed to echo sleep-friendly airplane seating, founder Luca Bortolani told Business Insider that he's been surprised by the breadth of travelers on board, from 18 to 85, using it for everything from business trips to leisure — and even day trips.
The company also touts its use of a renewable fuel made from waste fats and vegetable oils.
I boarded the bus in January for its longest route yet, starting in Amsterdam and traveling around 1,000 kilometers through Rotterdam, Brussels, Luxembourg, Basel, and finally ending in Zurich. It took 12 hours.
Here's why it was better than the train.
My bus from Amsterdam Sloterdijk bus station was scheduled to depart at 8 p.m., and the ticket noted that passengers should arrive 10 minutes early. I gave myself far too much time to get there from Amsterdam Central Station, so I had a very cold 20-minute wait on the concourse.
The station had no amenities, so I was glad I'd eaten dinner and picked up snacks and water in advance. Unlike a train or plane, there's almost zero pre-departure admin, so even that 10-minute window is generous.
Once the bus had arrived and my ticket had been scanned, I was on board and ready to roll in seconds. Plus, because we were traveling through the Schengen Area, a border-free travel zone comprising 29 European countries, there were no internal border passport checks, so no interruptions.
While I aspire to be a minimalist traveler, limited baggage allowance is my worst nightmare, so I was pleased I could bring a large suitcase and a carry-on bag for no extra cost.
There are 21 seats on the bus — 18 up top and three on the bottom — and I was seated at the front of the top deck.
I was blown away by how much room I had. As well as overhead shelving, there was plenty of space to leave my bag, shoes, and assortment of belongings on the carpeted floor.
On a seated night bus or train, I'd never dream of changing into proper PJs. I just board in something comfortable and hope for decent bathrooms on the other side so I can freshen up.
Not on this bus.
The hotel-grade bathroom was roomy, well-lit, and plush enough for a nighttime routine — yes, even skincare. There was space to rest my toiletries bag, change, and brush my teeth, all in motion. Bonus points for the fancy hand soap.
I'd eaten a proper meal before boarding, but there was also a kiosk stocked with Swiss snacks: chips, cookies, and energy bars. It was all reasonably priced and could be paid for via a QR code.
My delicious Cailler hazelnut chocolate was less than $5. I also had many refills of herbal tea from the hot drink station. We all received a bottle of water in our kit bag, and there was a freshwater tap.
Although it was too early for me to have a coffee when we pulled into Zurich bus station, a Nespresso machine and pods were available too.
After I settled in and streamed a show on my iPad, I touched a button to have the seat glide from upright to fully flat in around 30 seconds.
For safety, I had to strap my feet into a mesh sling clipped to the seat. It sounds fiddly, but I forgot it was there once I'd settled down.
The high sides helped block out fellow travelers, and I was given a bottom sheet, pillow, and duvet, with extras available from the steward. There's also USB and standard electrical outlets, as well as individual reading lights.
With my earplugs in, lulled by the dimmed purple lighting and gentle road hum, I was asleep by 11 p.m. and woke just after 6 a.m., feeling cocooned and rested.
The same journey by train would have cost around $130, or more if booked at the last minute, versus Twiliner's fixed price of €160, or $185.
Most night buses just have a driver, who swaps out at rest stops.
On the ride, we had a customer steward on hand. He showed me to my seat, explained the safety features, and answered passengers' questions throughout.
We arrived in Zurich almost 1.5 hours early, and he gently woke passengers, so we had time to dress and gather our things.
During the day, the train would have taken 8 hours; overnight, closer to 11, often requiring changes. That means broken sleep and constant checks to make sure you're on the right platform, with the right ticket, and with all your belongings.
I'll always love trains, but I'd happily book this bus again.
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US Energy Secretary Chris Wright made the morning show rounds on Sunday to downplay concerns about surging gas and oil prices, assuring Americans that the war with Iran isn't "long-term."
Hours later, the price of a barrel of oil surged passed $100 for the first time in almost four years.
"What you are seeing is emotional reactions and fear that this is a long-term war," Wright told "Face the Nation" on CBS News. "This is not a long-term war. This is a temporary movement."
Wright made similar remarks in an interview with Fox News Sunday.
"The run-up on prices doesn't have anything to do with any shortage of barrels of oil or natural gas. It's just fear and perception, the unknown that this could be some long, drawn-out crisis, but it won't be," Wright said.
After the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28, the Islamic Republic moved quickly to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway critical to the movement of oil around the world. About 20% of the globe's petroleum liquids pass through the Strait.
Although there are storage tanks across the Gulf, they are already nearing capacity after a week of conflict and limited shipping options, forcing producers to reduce operations. Iraq's oil output has shrunk by 60% since last week, Bloomberg reported. Other countries, like Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, have also reduced output.
All of this means higher gas prices for Americans. The US Energy Information Administration says gas prices averaged $2.93 on February 23. By March 2, they were at $3.15. On Sunday, they were $3.40.
During his media tour on Sunday, Wright said regular ship traffic through the Strait of Hurmoz could resume in "a few weeks," meaning gas prices could ease sooner rather than later.
"We want it back below $3 a gallon, and it will be again before too long," Wright told CNN's "State of the Union." "You never know exactly the timeframe of this, but, in the worst case, this is a weeks, this is not a months, thing."
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America rejected CBDCs — but stablecoins can still freeze your digital dollars and coordinate with government enforcement.
Also known as "Akiba," Liam Wright is a reporter, podcast producer, and Editor-in-Chief at CryptoSlate. He believes that decentralized technology has the potential to make widespread positive change.
Washington has ruled out a retail Federal Reserve digital dollar in legal form. At the same time, the stablecoin regime now taking shape can normalize freeze, block, reject, and temporary hold functions across private dollar tokens and, increasingly, tokenized financial assets.
Back in January, President Donald Trump signed an executive order barring agencies from establishing, issuing, or promoting a U.S. central bank digital currency.
That made the politics plain: Washington wanted to be seen as anti-CBDC.
But the policy stack that followed points in another direction.
In July 2025, the GENIUS Act created a federal framework for permitted stablecoin issuers that requires anti-money-laundering programs, sanctions compliance, suspicious-activity monitoring, and the technical ability to block, freeze, reject, or prevent transfers when a lawful order demands it.
That does not mean America already has a CBDC by stealth. A stablecoin remains a private liability rather than a direct claim on the central bank.
The current system also lacks a single national ledger, a universal state wallet, or evidence of a federal plan to force households onto a Fed-run retail money stack.
The most disruptive part of $FRNT may be the precedent: the idea that “public money” can be built locally.
But is Washington rejecting the label while building a regulated system of private digital dollars that can deliver some of the same control functions in practice?
The gap between legal identity and user experience is where the main policy question now sits.
That question has been visible in state politics for more than a year.
Several states have enacted anti-CBDC measures, though the evidence supports a narrower formulation than saying states broadly “banned” them.
Florida moved in 2023 to exclude CBDCs from treatment as money under its UCC framework.
Wyoming's 2025 legislative findings laid out the core civil-liberties case in unusually direct language: a CBDC could centralize financial data, strengthen the link between household spending and the state, and make some purchases easier to restrict.
That language is useful because it sets the benchmark. The live question is whether regulated stablecoins can produce some of the same outcomes without direct Federal Reserve issuance.
The federal government has already started answering part of that question.
A July 30, 2025 White House report said a “unique feature” of stablecoins is that issuers can coordinate with law enforcement to freeze and seize assets.
The same report urged Congress to consider a digital-asset-specific hold law that would give institutions a safe harbor if they temporarily and voluntarily hold assets during short investigations into suspected theft or fraud.
At the same time, the report also backed self-custody and lawful peer-to-peer transfers without a financial intermediary.
The policy design is multi-layered.
It pairs permissionless rhetoric at the edges with explicit control tools at the center of the regulated dollar layer.
Garantex claims Tether's actions could endanger broader Russian USDT assets amidst sanctions row.
The GENIUS framework hardened that direction from policy recommendation into law.
The statute says permitted stablecoin issuers must have the technical capability, policies, and procedures to block, freeze, and reject specific or impermissible transactions and to comply with lawful orders.
It defines those orders broadly enough to include commands to seize, freeze, burn, or prevent the transfer of payment stablecoins, so long as the order identifies the relevant accounts or coins and is reviewable.
Foreign-issued payment stablecoins offered in the U.S. must also be able to comply.
That makes the current U.S. position internally coherent: no retail CBDC, and a private digital-dollar sector with embedded enforcement hooks.
One case study captures the contradiction better than any abstract argument.
A company co-owned by the president of the United States has its own stablecoin. World Liberty Financial's website confirms Trump and family affiliates have a major economic interest in the venture, while BitGo serves as the official issuer and custodian of USD1.
The token's risk disclosures state that BitGo can deny access to certain addresses, freeze USD1 temporarily or permanently if it believes an address is tied to illegal activity or terms violations, report information to law enforcement, comply with legal orders, and block transfers to or from specific on-chain addresses.
The politics say “anti-CBDC.” The operating documents, however, contain powers that CBDC critics often warn about. And that pattern extends beyond a single Trump-linked token.
Circle's USDC risk factors say Circle can block certain addresses, freeze USDC temporarily or permanently, report to law enforcement, and comply with legal orders.
Tether's January 2026 USA₮ launch for the U.S. market stressed in its announcement that the token is not legal tender and is not government-issued or government-guaranteed.
That distinction remains important. The operational point, though, is already settled.
Freeze-capable stablecoins exist now.
Binance joins T3+ program to enhance real-time crime prevention in the crypto space.
The policy debate has moved on to whether those powers remain targeted enforcement tools or become normal features of the dominant digital-dollar stack.
The size numbers help show scale, and their composition adds needed context.
The White House put fiat-backed stablecoins at $238 billion as of July 14, 2025, in its July report. Current market data now show roughly $313 billion. That is a large jump in less than a year.
Yet the usage picture is more restrained than the top-line totals suggest.
A 2026 BCG report estimated that while on-chain stablecoin transfers exceed $62 trillion annually, only about $4.2 trillion reflects real economic activity.
The balance is still tied to trading, treasury management, and other crypto-market plumbing.
The rail is strategically important. It is not yet the default checkout lane for the U.S. consumer economy.
That nuance is exactly why the medium-term debate carries so much weight.
Stablecoins are no longer a niche product, and they are still some distance from becoming a universal household payment tool.
Citi's April 2026 research projects stablecoin issuance could reach $1.9 trillion by 2030 in its base case and $4.0 trillion in its bull case.
It also sees transaction activity approaching $100 trillion in the base case and $200 trillion in the bull case, assuming high velocity.
Those are not trivial extrapolations as they imply that today's design choices around lawful-order compliance, freezes, and temporary holds could apply to a much larger share of digital-dollar activity by the end of the decade.
The wider frame also reaches beyond payment stablecoins.
In December 2025, DTCC said it had received SEC no-action relief to offer a tokenization service for select DTC-custodied assets in a controlled production environment, with rollout expected in the second half of 2026.
The eligible assets include major U.S. equities, ETFs, and Treasuries.
The accompanying FAQ emphasizes wallet registration, governance, observability, resilience, and compliance-aware token features.
That widens the frame from “Can a stablecoin be frozen?” to “How much of the tokenized financial stack is being built around the same compliance logic?”
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Once cash equivalents, collateral, fund interests, and Treasury exposure move onto rails designed for identity-aware access and lawful-order intervention, the boundary between private and public control can get blurry for end users.
The issuer may be private. The custodian may be private. The venue may be private. Yet the conditions attached to movement can still reflect public-policy priorities in fine detail.
That is the functional-convergence argument in its strongest form. It does not depend on saying stablecoins are CBDCs.
Money-like instruments and tokenized assets can increasingly share the same tools for screening, pausing, reversing, or denying transfers.
There is still a serious counterargument, and it should be stated plainly.
The Bank for International Settlements argued in its 2025 annual report that tokenization is transformative while expressing doubt that stablecoins will become the mainstay of the monetary system.
It pointed instead toward tokenized central bank reserves, commercial bank money, and government bonds as more durable building blocks.
Citi made a related point from the market side. Its 2030 report says bank tokens could process $100–$140 trillion in transaction volume by 2030 and may appeal to corporates because privacy on public chains remains a major problem.
Add FedNow's 2025 payment totals, and the picture looks less like stablecoin monopoly and more like a plural system with multiple rails competing for different use cases.
The base case is regulated private dollars rather than an American retail CBDC.
In that path, the United States keeps the anti-CBDC posture, scales a supervised stablecoin sector under the GENIUS framework, and leaves room for self-custody, peer-to-peer transfers, FedNow, and other forms of tokenized money to coexist.
Freezes remain targeted and legally framed rather than universal.
The system still becomes more comfortable with intervention than many CBDC critics expected from a supposedly private model.
The key shift is cultural as much as legal: blocking, freezing, and short-duration holds start to look less like exceptional measures and more like standard features of regulated digital-dollar infrastructure.
The more optimistic path is easy to describe.
Competition preserves escape valves.
Self-custody protections remain meaningful.
Peer-to-peer transfers stay lawful.
Privacy tools improve.
Institutional flows split among stablecoins, bank tokens, and other permissioned settlement media instead of forcing retail users into one dominant compliant token stack.
In that version, the United States gets more digital dollars without collapsing them into one state-shaped grid.
Bitcoin also keeps a cleaner lane. It remains the large digital asset with no issuer, no freeze key, and no lawful-order switch at the protocol layer, while stablecoins keep serving as the compliant dollar edge of crypto.
The downside case is subtler and probably more realistic than any cinematic “Fed wallet” scenario. The legal authorities stay formally narrow, while the operating culture expands.
The White House report already says issuers can coordinate with law enforcement to freeze and seize assets and recommends a hold law so institutions can temporarily pause funds during short investigations.
On paper, that is about scams, sanctions, fraud, and stolen assets.
In practice, the risk is mission creep: broader wallet screening, more frequent temporary holds, more aggressive readings of suspicious activity, and rising pressure on issuers and exchanges to act first and let users sort it out later.
The result still would not be a CBDC in legal form. It could start to feel like CBDC-style control in daily use.
The cleanest conclusion follows from that setup.
America is not launching a retail CBDC.
It is, however, building a private dollar system in which some of the control functions that critics fear in CBDCs are already present and may become more common as stablecoins grow and tokenization spreads.
The next policy fight is over limits: how broad a lawful order can be, how long a temporary hold can last, what due process exists when a freeze is mistaken, and whether self-custody remains a real alternative as the regulated digital-dollar layer gets larger.
Those questions will decide whether the United States ends up with a genuinely plural digital money system or a private version of the same controls it says it rejects.
Switch categories to dive deeper or gain broader context.
The most disruptive part of $FRNT may be the precedent: the idea that “public money” can be built locally.
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Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has invested in Bitcoin treasury‑focused firm Stack BTC Plc as part of a £260,000 ($333,000) fundraising round split between him and Blockchain.com, the company said Monday.
“I am delighted to have become an investor in Stack and lend my support to the team,” Farage said in a statement. “I have long been one of the UK's few political advocates for Bitcoin, recognising the role digital currencies will play in the future of business and finance.”
The firm, formerly known as Kasei Digital Assets Plc, plans to buy up companies and then invest the profits they generate to fund their treasury. The proceeds of the fundraising round will be used to “initiate the Bitcoin treasury,” which will launch with 21 BTC worth around $1.45 million, according to its website.
A spokesperson for Blockchain.com told Decrypt the partnership would involve providing institutional services to the company, including custody, staking and yield tools.
For Farage, the investment marks another stage in his increasingly Trump-esque pivot to backing the crypto industry. But his and his party's embrace of cryptocurrency—from accepting crypto donations to cultivating industry support—has also drawn growing scrutiny from lawmakers and anti‑corruption groups.
Reform UK became the first major British political party to accept crypto donations in June 2025, a move that prompted criticism from transparency campaigners and some lawmakers who warn the practice could open the door to money laundering or foreign interference in elections. Reform has not disclosed any large donations made using crypto, and the donation page on its site appears to be broken.
Late last year, Reform UK accepted an $11.4 million donation, the biggest ever gift from a living donor, from DigFinex shareholder Christopher Harborne—albeit not in the form of crypto. Nevertheless, the donation prompted calls for an investigation from both the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party, the latter of which called on Reform to provide more details on whether it has received crypto donations.
Last week, Labour MP Rushanara Ali joined a growing list of MPs calling for an outright ban on crypto political donations, describing them as a potential vector for “foreign interference in our democracy.” Several parliamentary committee chairs have also urged the government to prohibit such donations entirely, arguing that the pseudonymous nature of cryptocurrency transactions could make enforcement of campaign finance rules more difficult.
Advocacy groups including Spotlight on Corruption have echoed those concerns, saying regulators currently lack the powers to adequately monitor the risks associated with crypto‑based political funding.
Farage himself has built close ties to the crypto industry beyond politics. Financial disclosures show he earned £20,000 ($25,600) for speaking at the Zebu Live crypto event in October, £30,000 ($38,400) for an appearance at a Blockworks conference and £7,410 ($9,500) for at the Bitcoin Conference.
But Farage isn't the only politician involved in Stack. Its executive chairman is former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, who served under Liz Truss for 38 days during her short‑lived premiership in 2022.
“We are delighted to welcome Nigel Farage and Blockchain.com as strategic investors in Stack,” Kwarteng said in a tweet. “Nigel's long‑standing support for British business and his belief that Bitcoin will play an expanding role in global finance align closely with our vision.”
The friendly relationship may raise eyebrows given the pair's past political clashes. In an April 2025 column in the i newspaper, Kwarteng warned about what he described as a “threat from the populist right” in Britain, singling out Farage and Reform UK.
“Feeding off resentment and disaffection, Farage is a perpetual oppositionist, regularly focusing on single issues that gain him media and public attention,” he wrote at the time.
Reform figures have previously targeted Kwarteng as well. In November 2024, Reform's Spokesperson for Home Affairs Zia Yusuf posted a poll on social media asking followers to vote on the worst chancellor of all time, with Kwarteng receiving 54% of responses.
Both Reform UK and Stack BTC were approached for comment.
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Ethereum should serve as a space where people can interact free from corporate and government control, co-founder Vitalik Buterin says.
"Ethereum should conceptualize ourselves as being part of an ecosystem building ‘sanctuary technologies:' free open-source technologies that let people live, work, talk to each other, manage risk and build wealth, and collaborate on shared goals, in a way that optimizes for robustness to outside pressures," Buterin said on X on March 3.
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He named Starlink, Signal and X community notes as examples of technologies developers should aspire to while discouraging attempts "to be Apple or Google." He added that developers should build full-stack ecosystems from the wallet to AI-powered interfaces and hardware.
The goal is "de-totalization," Buterin said, referring to a scenario where humans are able to avoid a life controlled by a single entity.
Buterin's remarks come as he says people are growing increasingly concerned about control and surveillance by governments and corporations and how AI could interact with them.
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Buterin last month urged developers exploring intersections between Ethereum and AI to focus on use cases that foster human freedoms rather than simply pursuing artificial general intelligence.
The developer has become increasingly vocal about Ethereum's founding ethos in recent months. The timing of his rallying cries coincides with increased institutional adoption of the blockchain and excitement around its potential for tokenization.
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On February 24, the Texas Department of Banking issued a consent order against a virtual currency kiosk and website operator after determining the company conducted unlicensed money transmission involving stablecoins with customers in the state. According to the consent order, the operator had previously been ordered on July 19, 2023, to cease such activity after engaging in transactions through virtual currency kiosks without a license. Despite applying for a money transmission license in May 2024, the Banking department later discovered that an unlicensed affiliate, which had merged into the operator in October 2024, had been selling stablecoins through its online trading platform without authorization. The department concluded that, through this conduct, the operator violated Section 152.101 by conducting money transmission without a license, without being an authorized delegate of a license holder, and without any exemption. The consent order requires the operator to pay $40,839.75 within 30 days of its effective date and prohibits further unlicensed money transmission until a license is obtained. The agreement does not prevent the operator from securing a money transmission license in the future.
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The VIX and bitcoin often move in opposite directions, with sharp spikes in the volatility index frequently coinciding with bitcoin local bottoms.
The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), which measures expected volatility in the S&P 500 based on options pricing and is widely viewed as Wall Street's “fear gauge”, jumped to its highest level in nearly a year, rising above 35. The surge signals growing panic across traditional markets.
The move came as global markets reacted to a spike in oil prices. WTI crude briefly surged to around $120 when futures opened Sunday, before retreating toward $100. The volatility has weighed on traditional safe havens and equities alike, with both U.S. stocks and gold falling.
Bitcoin, however, has diverged from that trend. The largest cryptocurrency is up roughly 5% over the past 24 hours and trading above $69,000.
Historically, bitcoin tends to bottom when the VIX spikes. During the tariff-driven market turmoil in April 2025, bitcoin found support near $75,000 as the VIX surged to around 60. In August 2024, the unwind of the yen carry trade pushed the VIX above 64 while bitcoin dropped to roughly $49,000. A similar pattern emerged during the Silicon Valley Bank crisis in March 2023, when the VIX briefly rose above 30 and bitcoin hit a local low near $20,000.
Bitcoin's own volatility gauge suggests the crypto market has already experienced its panic phase. The Bitcoin Volmex Implied Volatility Index (BVIV), which measures expected price swings derived from bitcoin options pricing, spiked above 96 in early February when bitcoin briefly fell to $60,000, the highest level since the yen carry trade turmoil in August 2024. BVIV is now back just above 60.
That divergence could indicate crypto markets front-ran the stress now hitting traditional finance, though a VIX near 30 suggests volatility in traditional markets may not be finished yet.
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Disclosure & Polices: CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. Bullish owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets and CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish equity-based compensation.
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BitMine Immersion Technologies, the top Ethereum treasury firm by total holdings, announced Monday that it added nearly 61,000 more ETH over the last week—right as the asset reclaimed a price of $2,000 per coin after sitting below that mark for the entire weekend.
The publicly traded firm now holds 4,534,563 ETH after adding 60,976 ETH—about $123 million worth—over the last week. At a current price of $2,015 per coin, that puts BitMine's Ethereum treasury at a value of approximately $9.14 billion. The company also holds $1.2 billion in cash, it said Monday, along with about $13.4 million worth of Bitcoin.
Ethereum is up nearly 5% over the last week, though it's been a volatile one. The second-largest cryptocurrency by market cap jumped to a price of $2,179 on Wednesday alongside a broader crypto market rebound, but then gave up those gains and fell below the $2,000 mark as of Friday. It remained below that level until early hours Monday.
"Ethereum prices showed resilience this week, in the face of rising war concerns and surging oil prices," said BitMine Chairman Tom Lee, in a statement. "We continue to believe that crypto prices are in the late/final stages of the 'mini-crypto winter.'"
Even with the uptick over the last week, Ethereum traders remain bearish on the coin's short-term prospects. Traders on Myriad, a prediction market platform operated by Decrypt's parent company Dastan, currently see ETH's next stop as $1,500 rather than $3,000, giving the lower mark a 67% likelihood.
BitMine Immersion Technologies is the second-largest overall cryptocurrency treasury firm behind Strategy, which pioneered the model when it began buying Bitcoin in 2020 and now holds nearly $51 billion worth of the leading digital asset.
However, both firms—and effectively all other prominent crypto treasury firms—are now deeply underwater on their holdings due to crypto prices plunging in recent months. BitMine's unrealized loss on its ETH holdings sits near $7.8 billon, based on cost basis data and estimates from analytics website DropsTab, though it currently lacks data from the firm's last two weeks of ETH buys.
Bitcoin Price Slips as Oil Surges and US Stock Futures Tumble
The price of Ethereum has fallen 59% since setting a new all-time high mark of $4,946 last August. However, after months of losses, ETH is nearly even over the last 30 days per data from CoinGecko.
BitMine has staked about $6 billion worth of its ETH holdings to earn yield from the Ethereum network, and plans to fully stake all of its holdings with the upcoming launch of its own Made in American Validator Network (aka MAVAN). Once fully staked, the firm expects to earn approximately $259 million a year in yield based on current rates.
BitMine (BMNR) stock is up more than 3% as of this writing, shortly after the opening bell, trading at $19.49. The stock has fallen almost 10% over the last month, despite ETH being roughly even over the same span. Major stock indices are down early Monday as traders weigh the impact of surging oil prices following the U.S. and Israeli bombings on Iran.
BitMine Immersion Technologies (BMNR), the largest Ethereum-focused treasury firm, purchased 60,976 ether (ETH) through last week, increasing the pace of accumulation as the firm bets crypto prices are nearing the end of what it calls a "mini winter."
The latest purchase, worth some $120 million at current prices, lifted BitMine's ETH holdings to over 4.5 million tokens, worth more than $9 billion, according to a Monday update from the company. This was the company's largest weekly purchase in token terms in 2026 so far.
The firm has steadily added to its treasury throughout the market downturn, even as unrealized losses on its position now is estimated at around $7.8 billion, according to data from DropsTab.
Chairman Thomas Lee said the company stepped up buying from the recent weekly average of roughly 45,000 to 50,000 ETH as market signals suggest a potential bottom may be forming.
"We continue to believe that crypto prices are in the late/final stages of the 'mini-crypto winter,'" Lee said in a statement.
"As the adage goes, nobody rings the bell at the bottom." he said. "Therefore BitMine's strategy is to slightly increase its pace of ETH accumulation."
The firm said it now earns $174 million annual revenue from staking more than 3 million of its ether token holdings, which could grow to $259 million once all tokens are locked to earn a yield.
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Disclosure & Polices: CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. Bullish owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets and CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish equity-based compensation.
The government has amended the Income-tax Rules to expand the scope of financial reporting by banks and other institutions, bringing crypto assets, electronic money products and central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) within the reporting framework.
The amendments have been notified by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) through Notification No. 19/2026, which modifies rules related to reporting of financial accounts under the Common Reporting Standard (CRS). The changes have come into effect from January 1, 2026.
The move is aimed at strengthening tax transparency and aligning India's reporting framework with evolving global standards on digital assets and electronic payment systems.
Commenting on the development, Sandeep Bhalla, Partner, Dhruva Advisors, said: “India has strengthened its tax transparency regime by amending Rules 114F–114H of the Income-tax Rules, 1962, effective 1 January 2026, aligning FATCA/CRS reporting requirements with OECD-led developments such as the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework (CARF).”
One of the key changes is that the rules now explicitly include relevant crypto-assets within the definition of financial assets for reporting purposes.
As the notification states: “For an account other than a U.S. reportable account, ‘financial asset' shall also include any interest… in a relevant crypto-asset.”
This means that certain crypto-asset holdings or related interests may now fall within the reporting obligations of financial institutions.
The rules also define what constitutes a “relevant crypto-asset”, broadly covering digital assets that are not central bank digital currencies or specified electronic money products, unless they cannot be used for payment or investment purposes.
Bhalla said the amendments expand the scope of the reporting framework significantly.
The amendments to Rule 114F significantly expand the scope of financial accounts and institutions under the CRS framework by bringing crypto-assets, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and specified electronic money products within the reporting ecosystem, he said.
“At the same time, certain low-risk accounts such as incorporation accounts, low-value e-money accounts with an average 90-day balance not exceeding USD 10,000 and qualified non-profit entities have been excluded to reduce compliance burden. Overall, the rule aims to capture emerging digital financial products while adopting a risk-based approach to reporting.”
The amendment also formally introduces a definition of Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) in the rules.
According to the notification: “Central bank digital currencies means any digital fiat currency issued by a Central Bank.”
Accounts holding CBDCs for customers can now be treated as depository accounts, bringing them under the reporting regime. This is significant as many countries, including India, are experimenting with digital currencies issued by central banks.
The rules also introduce the concept of “Specified Electronic Money Product.” Such products are defined as digital representations of fiat currency issued after receiving funds for payment transactions and redeemable at par value in the same currency.
The notification explains: “Specified Electronic Money Product means any product that is a digital representation of a single fiat currency… issued on receipt of funds for the purpose of making payment transactions.”
However, products created only to facilitate transfer of funds between customers are excluded from this definition.
Financial institutions will now need to report additional information about financial accounts.
For accounts other than US reportable accounts, institutions will need to report whether the account holder has provided valid self-certification, the account is a joint account and the number of joint account holders.
The rules say: “A reporting financial institution shall also maintain and report whether the account holder has provided a valid self-certification… and report whether the account is a joint account, including the number of joint account holders.”
Institutions must also report the type of account and whether it is a pre-existing account or a new account.
Explaining the impact of these changes, Bhalla said: “The changes to Rule 114G strengthen the reporting and documentation requirements for Reporting Financial Institutions (RFIs).”
Institutions will now need to maintain additional information such as valid self-certification status, joint account details, the role of controlling persons and the classification of accounts as new or pre-existing, he noted.
“These changes enhance beneficial ownership transparency and improve the accuracy of cross-border tax information exchange, while also preventing duplicate reporting where transactions are already covered under the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework.”
The amended rules require financial institutions to identify and report the role through which a person controls an entity.
This applies particularly in cases where a reportable person is a controlling person or equity interest holder in an investment entity structured as a legal arrangement.
The government has also introduced a practical relief provision. Where the gross proceeds from sale or redemption of financial assets are already reported under the Crypto-Asset Reporting Framework, financial institutions may not need to report them again under CRS rules.
The rules also introduce a definition of “Qualified Non-Profit Entity.” Such entities must operate for charitable, educational, religious or social welfare purposes; be exempt from income tax in India; have no shareholders or members benefiting from their income or assets.
Assets of such entities must also be transferred to another eligible entity or the government if the organisation is dissolved.
Changes in due diligence timelines
The amendments also modify certain due diligence timelines for reportable accounts, particularly where accounts become reportable due to amendments in the Common Reporting Standard.
In such cases, accounts may be treated as financial accounts on or after January 1, 2026.
Bhalla further said: “The amendments to Rule 114H clarify the due diligence procedures for identifying reportable accounts, particularly in cases where accounts become financial accounts due to updates in the CRS framework.”
The rule aligns identification procedures with AML/KYC standards under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and provides limited flexibility where self-certifications cannot be obtained immediately for new accounts, he said adding that these changes aim to ensure consistent due diligence while providing practical relief during the transition period.
“Collectively, these amendments significantly expand India's CRS reporting framework to cover emerging digital assets while maintaining a risk-based compliance approach.”
Tech investor Imran Khan says cryptocurrency does not play a meaningful role in his AI investment strategy, arguing the asset class operates on a fundamentally different thesis than the AI-driven productivity boom.
Despite the growing narrative that AI and crypto will converge, Khan said he largely views them as separate investment themes.
“Crypto is a different animal,” he said in an interview. “When it comes to AI, you are investing for productivity and economic growth.” That difference means crypto rarely fits the framework his firm uses, which focuses on businesses that benefit from structural technology shifts.
Khan is the founder and chair of the investment committee at Proem Asset Management, a technology-focused investment firm, with $450 million in assets under management. Before launching Proem, he served as chief strategy officer at Snap (formerly Snapchat), helping lead the company to its public listing, and previously ran global internet investment banking at Credit Suisse, where he worked on major deals including Alibaba's record-breaking IPO.
However, he isn't anti-crypto.
While direct token exposure has not typically fit within the firm's investment thesis, which focuses on fundamental private equity, Proem held positions in Coinbase (COIN), Robinhood (HOOD), as well as bitcoin miner Iren (IREN) and spot bitcoin through the iShares Bitcoin Trust (IBIT), according to its latest 13F filing. Those positions are not part of the firm's AI strategy, but rather a part of its broader focus on the tech sector, Khan said.
While Khan argues that the two industries are completely different, some investors argue that an intersection of AI and crypto makes sense because both rely on decentralized computing networks and data infrastructure.
The argument is that blockchains can provide payment rails and coordination systems for AI services that operate across the internet without a central owner. In fact, last month, Citrini Research's report that laid out AI bubble fear and caused a brief market meltdown, mentioned that autonomous AI agents will disrupt traditional payment systems by bypassing credit card networks in favor of stablecoins.
Others say blockchain-based systems could also help track how AI models use data, verify outputs or manage digital identities for autonomous software agents.
While the idea of convergence of the two industries remains largely experimental, it has fueled a wave of startups trying to link AI development with crypto-based networks. Meanwhile, many bitcoin miners have already pivoted into the AI boom by repurposing their data centers and power infrastructure to support artificial intelligence computing
Even bitcoin could benefit from AI's growth, NYDIG, a financial services and infrastructure firm, said. The firm's analyst argued that if AI cuts jobs and wages, weakening consumer demand, it could force policymakers to cut rates to stabilize the economy, and adding a wave of liquidity could support the bitcoin price.
Khan's comments come as the AI investment boom that surged after ChatGPT's launch is beginning to show signs of strain.
Nvidia (NVDA) — the dominant supplier of chips used to train AI models — and networking and custom AI chip maker Broadcom (AVGO) are both down roughly 5% year-to-date, reflecting growing questions about the pace of returns from massive AI spending.
Meanwhile, the Citrini report that caused the AI scare outlined a hypothetical 2028 scenario in which rapid AI adoption leads to widespread white-collar job losses and a sharp drop in consumer spending.
While it is a concerning scenario, Khan is looking at the bigger picture, saying that similar fears have accompanied nearly every technological revolution.
“If you read Karl Marx, he said the same thing about machines 200 years ago,” Khan said. “Now we're having an AI revolution that could be as big as the Industrial Revolution, and people are making the same arguments.”
He added that new technologies have historically reshaped labor markets rather than eliminating jobs entirely.
“When there is new technology, you create new kinds of jobs,” Khan said.
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Disclosure & Polices: CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. Bullish owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets and CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish equity-based compensation.
It's hard to think of two sectors more prone to hype than blockchain and artificial intelligence. That's why any pitch that touts crypto and AI is likely to feel as compelling as a Mexican timeshare presentation. Still, it's hard to shake the feeling that, in the long term, these two frontier technologies will come together, and recent initiatives by Stripe, Circle, and Coinbase point to one way this could happen. Here is how Bloomberg sums up the companies' efforts to use stablecoins to challenge the credit card industry:
The stablecoin industry is now positioning agentic payments, high-frequency, low-value transactions between software agents, as a use case to justify the entire infrastructure buildout... [There is] a use case where the technology's advantages over cards aren't incremental but structural. That gap has left the industry searching for its next growth narrative, and AI agents are fast becoming a key part of that story.
To put this more plainly, the future of online shopping will involve a lot of bots carrying out small transactions, and paying each other via low cost crypto rails—a better arrangement than asking Visa and Mastercard to handle all this. Or at least that's how the Stripes and Coinbases of the world see it.
But will this world of AI agents carrying little purses of crypto actually come to pass? Bloomberg sounds a cautious note, pointing out that the current volume of stablecoin-powered agentic commerce is barely a blip in a global e-commerce market that is growing to nearly $7 trillion a year.
The overall field of AI-driven commerce is still nascent, though, and it's worth recalling how, in 1995, e-commerce was insignificant compared to brick-and-mortar shopping. These things have to start somewhere.
One reason that crypto-powered agentic commerce could catch on is because the internet's current payment regime remains clunky. This reflects how, in the early days of the Internet, developers failed to build out a protocol called 402 that was intended to be a native payment layer for the web. This is why today we're often stuck pulling out credit cards to conduct even the most basic transactions online.
Likewise, the current version of the internet still hasn't figured out a viable system of micropayments. It is hard for coders to purchase tiny amounts of important data, or for news readers to pay a dollar or two to read an article online, without considerable friction. It would have been simple enough for Apple or Google to build digital wallets directly into their web browsers, but that never happened.
That's why the sudden emergence of both stablecoins and AI agents offers the opportunity for a payments do-over. How exactly this might happen remains to be seen and, as Fortune has reported, crypto players and the likes of Visa are increasingly working together—meaning that, for now at least, the coming era of agentic AI commerce will rely on both legacy systems and blockchain.
The upshot is that, as with so much else involving AI, trying to predict crypto's role in it is challenging at best. Right now, it all resembles the parable about blind men who had encountered an elephant for the first time, and tried to use their sense of touch to identify it. Each could discern a part of what they were trying to understand, but no one was sure how it all fit together.
Jeff John Roberts jeff.roberts@fortune.com@jeffjohnroberts
In the latest sign of TradFi's embrace of tokenization, NYSE's parent company invested in OKX at a $25 billion valuation. The plan calls for OKX to offer tokenized stocks and derivatives listed by NYSE by year's end. (Fortune)
Kraken became the first crypto firm to be given a Fed master account, meaning it will use the same payment rails as thousands of banks. It will operate, though, as a “skinny” bank that doesn't have access to the Fed discount window. (WSJ)
An Alibaba-affiliated research team is claiming its AI agent started mining crypto despite not receiving any prompts from the researchers to do so. (Axios)
The Trump family's World Liberty Financial is obliging unlocked token holders to choose between staking their tokens or losing their voting rights. The move is designed to stabilize the price but WLFI owners call it a Catch-22. (Bloomberg)
A fifth fund from a16z crypto seeks to raise $2 billion by July. Sources say the fund will focus on blockchain investments at a time when partner Chris Dixon has acknowledged his “Read, Write, Own” thesis of crypto hasn't yet come to pass. (Fortune)
Polymarket's Shayne Coplan is this week's main character as his site posts a growing number of war-related bets.
For a palate cleanser during a serious news cycle, check out the never-give-up finish at the Los Angeles Marathon by a cross-country coach from Michigan.
Jeff John Roberts is the Finance and Crypto editor at Fortune, overseeing coverage of the blockchain and how technology is changing finance.
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Bitmine has 3,040,483 staked ETH, representing $6.0 billion at $1,965 per ETH; MAVAN staking solution on track to launch Q1 2026
Bitmine now owns 3.76% of the ETH token supply, over 75% of the way to the 'Alchemy of 5%' in just 8 months
Bitmine recently closed on initial $200 million investment into Beast Industries
Bitmine Crypto + Total Cash Holdings + "Moonshots" total $10.3 billion, including 4.535 million ETH tokens, total cash of $1.2 billion, and other crypto holdings
Bitmine leads crypto treasury peers by both the velocity of raising crypto NAV per share and by the high trading liquidity of BMNR stock
Bitmine is the 125th most traded stock in the US, trading $1.0 billion per day (5-day avg)
Bitmine remains supported by a premier group of institutional investors including ARK's Cathie Wood, MOZAYYX, Founders Fund, Bill Miller III, Pantera, Kraken, DCG, Galaxy Digital and personal investor Thomas "Tom" Lee to support Bitmine's goal of acquiring 5% of ETH
LAS VEGAS, March 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- (NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. ("Bitmine" or the "Company") a Bitcoin and Ethereum Network company with a focus on the accumulation of crypto for long term investment, today announced Bitmine crypto + total cash + "moonshots" holdings totaling $10.3 billion.
As of March 8, 2026 at 4:00pm ET, the Company's crypto holdings are comprised of 4,534,563 ETH at $1,965 per ETH (NASDAQ: COIN), 195 Bitcoin (BTC), $200 million stake in Beast Industries, $14 million stake in Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) ("moonshots") and total cash of $1.2 billion. Bitmine's ETH holdings are 3.76% of the ETH supply (of 120.7 million ETH).
As of March 8, 2026 at 4:00pm ET, the Company's crypto holdings are comprised of 4,534,563 ETH at $1,965 per ETH (NASDAQ: COIN), 195 Bitcoin (BTC), $200 million stake in Beast Industries, $14 million stake in Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) ("moonshots") and total cash of $1.2 billion. Bitmine's ETH holdings are 3.76% of the ETH supply (of 120.7 million ETH).
"Ethereum prices showed resilience this week, in the face of rising war concerns and surging oil prices. We continue to believe that crypto prices are in the late/final stages of the 'mini-crypto winter' and are tracking the base case outlined by Bitmine's advisor, Tom DeMark of DeMark Analytics (aka Symbolik.com). According to DeMark, ETH prices in 2026 are tracking the path of S&P 500 in the fall of 2011 and fall of 1987 closely," said Thomas "Tom" Lee, Chairman of Bitmine.
"The correlations to these price trajectories is 89% and 93%, for 2011 and 1987, respectively (see charts below). And if these analogs hold, ETH prices bottom between March 8th to March 14th and just below the recent lows of $1,740. Again, consistent with crypto in the final stages of 'mini-crypto winter,'" continued Lee.
"As the adage goes, nobody 'rings the bell at the bottom' and therefore Bitmine's strategy is to now slightly increase its pace of ETH accumulation. In the past week, we acquired 60,976 ETH compared to an average of 45k to 50k weekly recently," stated Lee.
As of March 8, 2026, Bitmine total staked ETH stands at 3,040,483 ($6.0 billion at $1,965 per ETH). "Bitmine has staked more ETH than other entities in the world. At scale (when Bitmine's ETH is fully staked by MAVAN and its staking partners), the ETH staking rewards is $259 million annually (using 2.91% 7-day BMNR yield)," stated Lee.
"Annualized staking revenues are now $174 million. And this 3.0 million ETH is about 67% of the 4.5 million ETH held by Bitmine. The CESR (Composite Ethereum Staking Rate, administered by Quatrefoil) is 2.84%, while Bitmine's own staking operations generated a 7-day yield of 2.91% (annualized). We continue to make progress on our staking solution known as The Made in America VAlidator Network (MAVAN). This will be the 'best-in-class' solution offering secure staking infrastructure and will be deployed in early calendar 2026. Bitmine is currently working with 3 staking providers as the Company moves towards unveiling MAVAN in 2026," continued Lee.
Bitmine crypto holding reigns as the #1 Ethereum treasury and #2 global treasury, behind Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ: MSTR), which owns 720,737 BTC valued at $48 billion. Bitmine remains the largest ETH treasury in the world.
Bitmine is one of the most widely traded stocks in the US. According to data from Fundstrat, the stock has traded average daily dollar volume of $1.0 billion (5-day average, as of March 6, 2026), ranking #125 in the US, behind Eaton (rank #124) and ahead of United Airlines (rank #126) among 5,704 US-listed stocks (statista.com and Fundstrat research).
The GENIUS Act and Securities and Exchange Commission's (the "SEC") Project Crypto are as transformational to financial services in 2025 as US action on August 15, 1971 ending Bretton Woods and the USD on the gold standard 54 years ago. This 1971 event was the catalyst for the modernization of Wall Street, creating the iconic Wall Street titans and financial and payment rails of today. These proved to be better investments than gold.
The Chairman's message can be found here:https://www.Bitminetech.io/chairmans-message
The Fiscal Full Year 2025 Earnings presentation and corporate presentation can be found here: https://Bitminetech.io/investor-relations/
To stay informed, please sign up at: https://Bitminetech.io/contact-us/
About BitmineBitmine (NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) is a Bitcoin miner with operations in the US. The company is deploying its excess capital to be the leading Ethereum Treasury company in the world, implementing an innovative digital asset strategy for institutional investors and public market participants. Guided by its philosophy of "the alchemy of 5%," the Company is committed to ETH as its primary treasury reserve asset, leveraging native protocol-level activities including staking and decentralized finance mechanisms. The Company will launch MAVAN (Made-in America VAlidator Network), a dedicated staking infrastructure for Bitmine assets, in Q1 of 2026.
For additional details, follow on X:https://x.com/bitmnr https://x.com/fundstrat https://x.com/bmnrintern
Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." The statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. This document specifically contains forward-looking statements regarding progress and achievement of the Company's goals regarding ETH acquisition and staking, the long-term value of Ethereum, continued growth and advancement of the Company's Ethereum treasury strategy and the applicable benefits to the Company. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including Bitmine's ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; Bitmine's ability to finance its current business, Ethereum treasury operations and proposed future business; the competitive environment of Bitmine's business; and the future value of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Actual future performance outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond Bitmine's control, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of Bitmine's Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 21, 2025, as well as all other SEC filings, as amended or updated from time to time. Copies of Bitmine's filings with the SEC are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Bitmine undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
SOURCE Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc.
(NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) , Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. ("Bitmine" o la "Società"), una società Bitcoin ed Ethereum, specializzata nell'accumulo ...
(NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. ("Bitmine" of het "bedrijf"), een Bitcoin- en Ethereum-netwerkbedrijf met een focus op de...
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Bitmine has 3,040,483 staked ETH, representing $6.0 billion at $1,965 per ETH; MAVAN staking solution on track to launch Q1 2026
Bitmine now owns 3.76% of the ETH token supply, over 75% of the way to the 'Alchemy of 5%' in just 8 months
Bitmine recently closed on initial $200 million investment into Beast Industries
Bitmine Crypto + Total Cash Holdings + "Moonshots" total $10.3 billion, including 4.535 million ETH tokens, total cash of $1.2 billion, and other crypto holdings
Bitmine leads crypto treasury peers by both the velocity of raising crypto NAV per share and by the high trading liquidity of BMNR stock
Bitmine is the 125th most traded stock in the US, trading $1.0 billion per day (5-day avg)
Bitmine remains supported by a premier group of institutional investors including ARK's Cathie Wood, MOZAYYX, Founders Fund, Bill Miller III, Pantera, Kraken, DCG, Galaxy Digital and personal investor Thomas "Tom" Lee to support Bitmine's goal of acquiring 5% of ETH
LAS VEGAS, March 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- (NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. ("Bitmine" or the "Company") a Bitcoin and Ethereum Network company with a focus on the accumulation of crypto for long term investment, today announced Bitmine crypto + total cash + "moonshots" holdings totaling $10.3 billion.
As of March 8, 2026 at 4:00pm ET, the Company's crypto holdings are comprised of 4,534,563 ETH at $1,965 per ETH (NASDAQ: COIN), 195 Bitcoin (BTC), $200 million stake in Beast Industries, $14 million stake in Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) ("moonshots") and total cash of $1.2 billion. Bitmine's ETH holdings are 3.76% of the ETH supply (of 120.7 million ETH).
As of March 8, 2026 at 4:00pm ET, the Company's crypto holdings are comprised of 4,534,563 ETH at $1,965 per ETH (NASDAQ: COIN), 195 Bitcoin (BTC), $200 million stake in Beast Industries, $14 million stake in Eightco Holdings (NASDAQ: ORBS) ("moonshots") and total cash of $1.2 billion. Bitmine's ETH holdings are 3.76% of the ETH supply (of 120.7 million ETH).
"Ethereum prices showed resilience this week, in the face of rising war concerns and surging oil prices. We continue to believe that crypto prices are in the late/final stages of the 'mini-crypto winter' and are tracking the base case outlined by Bitmine's advisor, Tom DeMark of DeMark Analytics (aka Symbolik.com). According to DeMark, ETH prices in 2026 are tracking the path of S&P 500 in the fall of 2011 and fall of 1987 closely," said Thomas "Tom" Lee, Chairman of Bitmine.
"The correlations to these price trajectories is 89% and 93%, for 2011 and 1987, respectively (see charts below). And if these analogs hold, ETH prices bottom between March 8th to March 14th and just below the recent lows of $1,740. Again, consistent with crypto in the final stages of 'mini-crypto winter,'" continued Lee.
"As the adage goes, nobody 'rings the bell at the bottom' and therefore Bitmine's strategy is to now slightly increase its pace of ETH accumulation. In the past week, we acquired 60,976 ETH compared to an average of 45k to 50k weekly recently," stated Lee.
As of March 8, 2026, Bitmine total staked ETH stands at 3,040,483 ($6.0 billion at $1,965 per ETH). "Bitmine has staked more ETH than other entities in the world. At scale (when Bitmine's ETH is fully staked by MAVAN and its staking partners), the ETH staking rewards is $259 million annually (using 2.91% 7-day BMNR yield)," stated Lee.
"Annualized staking revenues are now $174 million. And this 3.0 million ETH is about 67% of the 4.5 million ETH held by Bitmine. The CESR (Composite Ethereum Staking Rate, administered by Quatrefoil) is 2.84%, while Bitmine's own staking operations generated a 7-day yield of 2.91% (annualized). We continue to make progress on our staking solution known as The Made in America VAlidator Network (MAVAN). This will be the 'best-in-class' solution offering secure staking infrastructure and will be deployed in early calendar 2026. Bitmine is currently working with 3 staking providers as the Company moves towards unveiling MAVAN in 2026," continued Lee.
Bitmine crypto holding reigns as the #1 Ethereum treasury and #2 global treasury, behind Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ: MSTR), which owns 720,737 BTC valued at $48 billion. Bitmine remains the largest ETH treasury in the world.
Bitmine is one of the most widely traded stocks in the US. According to data from Fundstrat, the stock has traded average daily dollar volume of $1.0 billion (5-day average, as of March 6, 2026), ranking #125 in the US, behind Eaton (rank #124) and ahead of United Airlines (rank #126) among 5,704 US-listed stocks (statista.com and Fundstrat research).
The GENIUS Act and Securities and Exchange Commission's (the "SEC") Project Crypto are as transformational to financial services in 2025 as US action on August 15, 1971 ending Bretton Woods and the USD on the gold standard 54 years ago. This 1971 event was the catalyst for the modernization of Wall Street, creating the iconic Wall Street titans and financial and payment rails of today. These proved to be better investments than gold.
The Chairman's message can be found here:https://www.Bitminetech.io/chairmans-message
The Fiscal Full Year 2025 Earnings presentation and corporate presentation can be found here: https://Bitminetech.io/investor-relations/
To stay informed, please sign up at: https://Bitminetech.io/contact-us/
About BitmineBitmine (NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) is a Bitcoin miner with operations in the US. The company is deploying its excess capital to be the leading Ethereum Treasury company in the world, implementing an innovative digital asset strategy for institutional investors and public market participants. Guided by its philosophy of "the alchemy of 5%," the Company is committed to ETH as its primary treasury reserve asset, leveraging native protocol-level activities including staking and decentralized finance mechanisms. The Company will launch MAVAN (Made-in America VAlidator Network), a dedicated staking infrastructure for Bitmine assets, in Q1 of 2026.
For additional details, follow on X:https://x.com/bitmnr https://x.com/fundstrat https://x.com/bmnrintern
Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements." The statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. This document specifically contains forward-looking statements regarding progress and achievement of the Company's goals regarding ETH acquisition and staking, the long-term value of Ethereum, continued growth and advancement of the Company's Ethereum treasury strategy and the applicable benefits to the Company. In evaluating these forward-looking statements, you should consider various factors, including Bitmine's ability to keep pace with new technology and changing market needs; Bitmine's ability to finance its current business, Ethereum treasury operations and proposed future business; the competitive environment of Bitmine's business; and the future value of Bitcoin and Ethereum. Actual future performance outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous conditions, many of which are beyond Bitmine's control, including those set forth in the Risk Factors section of Bitmine's Form 10-K filed with the SEC on November 21, 2025, as well as all other SEC filings, as amended or updated from time to time. Copies of Bitmine's filings with the SEC are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Bitmine undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release, except as required by law.
SOURCE Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc.
(NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) , Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. ("Bitmine" o la "Società"), una società Bitcoin ed Ethereum, specializzata nell'accumulo ...
(NYSE AMERICAN: BMNR) Bitmine Immersion Technologies, Inc. ("Bitmine" of het "bedrijf"), een Bitcoin- en Ethereum-netwerkbedrijf met een focus op de...
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Up to 38% of altcoins in the market are trading near their all time lows, with signals looking worse than the FTX collapse. This is an indication that the current assets are having a hard time recovering, leading to a rethink of strategies in favor of better prospects in the upcoming crypto presales. In the meantime, this has put the focus squarely on the best crypto presale opportunities, especially those that are already showing traction. One example is DeepSnitch AI, which has raised over $1.9 million and surged more than 180% from $0.0151 to $0.04313 during its presale.
With growing interest from investors looking for the best ICO to invest in, analysts are already anticipating a 1000x rally for DeepSnitch AI, leaving the likes of Pepeto and Bitcoin Hyper trailing behind.
Altcoins slide toward historic lows as market sentiment weakens Recent market data suggests the altcoin sector is facing one of its toughest periods in years. Currently, about 38% of the altcoins are trading near their all time lows, which is even worse than the situation the market was in after the FTX collapse.
Several major altcoins show this trend. Cardano's ADA is trading only slightly above its historical low, while Polkadot recently rebounded after touching a new low earlier this year. Polygon is also hovering just above its bottom range.
Best crypto presale: DeepSnitch AI's 1000x play raises the bar as other presales play catch-up Many presales flood the market each cycle, all presenting plans of utility and huge gains that never materialize. However, investors believe they have found the best crypto presale in DeepSnitch AI, as it has changed the narrative and offered operational and live utility in just its 6th presale stage.
The best part is that this operational utility is available to everyone in the market, as its interface is straightforward. All AI agents are easily accessible, so even new traders can navigate them easily.
This ease has translated into huge demand, which has now culminated in huge gains, as Deepsnitch AI has raised almost $2 million in presale revenue so far.
However, traders who want to benefit from this upward trajectory have to join now, as the presale will close on March 31. Then, DeepSnitch AI will first launch on UniSwap, then additional DEX and CEX listings will follow, leading to potential 1000x gains for early investors as its price would only soar from there.
For investors seeking high growth opportunities, DeepSnitch AI is the best crypto presale to join.
https://youtu.be/zERhUX4KPOU Pepeto targets meme coin infrastructure amid rising presale competition Pepeto's major aim is to bring DeFi into the meme coin trading ecosystem. It combines cross-chain swaps, asset bridging, and portfolio management within one interface.
However, the project's long-term growth may remain closely tied to the meme coin sector, which is known for rapid hype cycles and sharp sentiment shifts. That makes it difficult for the token to be in the best crypto presale conversations.
In contrast, DeepSnitch AI is focused on AI-driven blockchain intelligence and analytics, which appeals to a wider range of traders and ensures long term relevance.
Ozak AI enters advanced presale stage with reduced early-stage leverage Ozak AI (OZ) is in the 7th stage of its presale at $0.014 per token. It has raised over $6.3 million and sold more than 1.14 billion tokens. The project emphasizes fundraising milestones and bonus incentives, showing investors are still interested in its presale.
Compared with emerging early-stage crypto projects, Ozak AI's later-stage presale offers less room for exponential growth. In the context of the best crypto presale, this is quite different from projects like DeepSnitch AI, which potentially offer investors higher leverage and bonus offers.
Conclusion It doesn't take much to know that DeepSnitch AI was built to stand the test of time, making it a contender in the best crypto presale conversations. The adoption of its operational utility has already proven that it is in the market to stay, and with its presale nearing its end, it's best for traders to join the project now.
Investors who join now get to experience its bonus offers firsthand. With a $10,000 investment, investors would receive 231,531 DSNT tokens, and with the 150% bonus code DSNTVIP150, that takes it to 579,382 DSNT tokens.
To join the best crypto presale, visit the official website for priority access and check out X and Telegram for their latest community updates.
FAQs What is the best crypto presale in this 2026 cycle? Many investors searching for the best crypto presale in 2026 are pointing to DeepSnitch AI, due to its operational utility and potential for huge growth compared to other tokens.
When does the DeepSnitch AI presale end? The DeepSnitch AI presale is scheduled to end on March 31, meaning there is no better time than now for investors to join.
When would DeepSnitch AI list on exchanges? Exchange listings for DeepSnitch AI are expected after the presale concludes and liquidity is prepared. DeepSnitch AI would launch trading on Uniswap before other CEX and DEX listings follow.
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Bitcoin has climbed 3.5% since the conflict began, while traditional "safe havens" like gold and silver have dropped 5% and 12%, respectively.
The return of the "Coinbase premium" and steady spot ETF inflows suggest that large-scale U.S. investors are viewing current price levels as an attractive entry point.
The rally is being supported by a "cleaner" market; recent data shows that risky, high-leverage bets have been cleared out, leaving the floor open for more stable, spot-driven demand.
The outbreak of war in the Middle East has rattled global markets, yet bitcoin BTC$68,970.37 has been doing something unexpected: outperforming stocks.
Bitcoin has risen about 3.5% to $68,000 since the conflict between Iran, Israel and the U.S. began just over a week ago, according to CoinDesk data. Over the same period it has outperformed most major assets. Gold has fallen roughly 5%, silver is down 12%, the Nasdaq 100 has declined about 1% and the S&P 500 is lower by around 1.5%.
The divergence has widened over the past 24 hours, with bitcoin up more than 2.5% while U.S. equity futures remain in the red. WTI crude briefly surged to around $116 per barrel early on Monday, at one stage up about 60% since the conflict began. However, comments from G7 leaders about potentially releasing oil reserves helped cool the rally, with crude retreating to roughly $100 per barrel.
Meanwhile, the U..S dollar has strengthened, with the DXY index rising more than 1% to just above 99. Treasury yields have also climbed, with the US 10 year yield moving from just below 4% before the conflict to around 4.2%.
Bitcoin's outperformance comes after weeks of a brutal sell-off that saw prices nearly halve to around $60,000 from the record high above $126,000 in October. With sentiment already fragile when the conflict began, many expected the downturn to deepen rather than reverse. Instead, the market has done what it often does best: catch the consensus off guard.
Despite bitcoin's relative strength, it still shows correlation with technology stocks. The iShares Expanded Tech Software ETF (IGV), a widely followed software sector benchmark, has gained about 7% since the conflict began after rebounding from roughly $76 to close Friday near $88.
Derivative market signals may point to stabilization. Open interest in coin margined futures, which measures the total value of outstanding contracts settled in bitcoin rather than dollars, has declined, indicating leverage is being flushed from the system. Funding rates, periodic payments between long and short traders in perpetual futures, remain negative at around -3.5%, meaning short sellers are paying longs, a sign bearish positioning remains crowded.
At the same time, the Coinbase premium has returned. This measures the price difference between bitcoin on Coinbase and offshore exchanges and is often used as a proxy for US institutional demand. Its reappearance, alongside spot ETF inflows, suggests institutional buyers may be returning to the market and finding demand at these oversold levels.
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Disclosure & Polices: CoinDesk is an award-winning media outlet that covers the cryptocurrency industry. Its journalists abide by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk has adopted a set of principles aimed at ensuring the integrity, editorial independence and freedom from bias of its publications. CoinDesk is part of Bullish (NYSE:BLSH), an institutionally focused global digital asset platform that provides market infrastructure and information services. Bullish owns and invests in digital asset businesses and digital assets and CoinDesk employees, including journalists, may receive Bullish equity-based compensation.
The crypto market started Monday on a positive note, with most top 10 coins trading in green. Now, investors are closely watching one key event this week, the upcoming U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI) report. Last month's CPI data pushed the crypto market up by nearly 4%.
This time, traders are watching how Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP will react to the new CPI data.
What to Expect from the February CPI Report
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics will release the February 2026 CPI and Core CPI data this week. Economists expect inflation to come in around 2.5%, slightly higher than January's 2.4%. Core CPI is also expected to stay near 2.5%.
These numbers show that inflation is slowly cooling but is still above the Federal Reserve target of 2%. Because of this, the Fed may delay cutting interest rates. Some officials want rate cuts, while others prefer to keep rates unchanged.
Meanwhile, the CME Group FedWatch Tool shows about a 95% chance that rates will stay near 3.5% – 3.75%.
Higher interest rates usually reduce money flowing into markets, which can put pressure on risk assets like cryptocurrencies
How Could Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP React to the CPI Report?
Crypto markets have shown strong reactions to inflation data in recent months. On February 13, when January CPI came in at 2.4%, slightly below expectations, Bitcoin quickly rallied about 5%, jumping from a daily low of $65,889 to nearly $70,500.
At the same time, Ethereum and XRP also reacted strongly. Both coins gained around 5% to 8% in a single day, with Ethereum moving above $2,100 and XRP trading near $1.55.
Now, the February CPI data is expected to come in at 2.5%, slightly higher than January's 2.4% reading. Because of this, traders are closely watching how the market will react this time.
However, there is also some caution in the ETF market. Over the last two days, Bitcoin ETFs recorded outflows of $227.9 million and $348.9 million, which could affect short-term price momentum.
Possible Scenarios for Crypto After CPI
If inflation comes in lower than expected, analysts believe Bitcoin could attempt another move toward $70,000, with Ethereum and XRP likely following.
However, if CPI surprises to the upside, traders may fear that high interest rates will remain longer, potentially pushing Bitcoin toward a lower support level of $60K.
As of now, Bitcoin is trading near $67,179, while Ethereum sits around $1,980, and XRP is hovering close to $1.35.
FAQs
The February 2026 U.S. CPI report will be released on March 11, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
CPI shows inflation trends. Lower inflation can boost crypto prices, while higher inflation may pressure Bitcoin, Ethereum, and XRP due to expectations of higher interest rates.
Higher rates reduce liquidity and make safer assets more attractive, which can lower demand for risk assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies.
Select market data provided by ICE Data Services. Select reference data provided by FactSet. Copyright © 2026 FactSet Research Systems Inc.Copyright © 2026, American Bankers Association. CUSIP Database provided by FactSet Research Systems Inc. All rights reserved. SEC fillings and other documents provided by Quartr.© 2026 TradingView, Inc.
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At the heart of the system is a compact blockchain protocol developed by the technology company Minima.
A team of student engineers from the University of Southampton has achieved a significant technological milestone. They have developed what is believed to be the world's first blockchain-based “black box” system for drones. The innovation enables an autonomous drone to record important operational and sensor data directly onto a blockchain during flight, creating a secure and tamper-resistant record of its activities.
Similar to the flight data recorders used in aircraft, the system continuously logs information about the drone's performance. However, instead of storing the data in a single centralized database, it distributes the information across a decentralized digital ledger, making the records far more difficult to alter or manipulate. This approach improves transparency and trust in autonomous systems that increasingly operate without direct human supervision. “The test was a huge success,” said engineering student Yi Cherng Tan, who led the team. “It's been fantastic to work with industry partners like Minima on cutting edge technology that could play a huge role in shaping how the internet of things and other next generation technologies progress.”The project was carried out by a group of engineering students working with industry partners and researchers specializing in distributed systems and semiconductor technology. During a live demonstration flight, the drone successfully transmitted and recorded its operational data onto the blockchain in real time.
This achievement is particularly important because drones operate under demanding conditions such as vibration, motion, limited power supply, and fluctuating communication signals. Despite these challenges, the verification system continued functioning throughout the entire flight, proving that blockchain technology can reliably operate on lightweight onboard hardware used in autonomous aerial vehicles.At the heart of the system is a compact blockchain protocol developed by the technology company Minima. Each device participating in the network runs a complete blockchain node, allowing it to independently store and verify data. Although the data remains locally stored on each device, all participants in the network can validate the records, which ensures that the information cannot be secretly modified or erased.
This decentralized structure eliminates the need for cloud servers or centralized databases, which are often required in traditional monitoring systems. By enabling machines to create and verify their own records at the point of operation, the technology offers a new method for ensuring the reliability and accountability of autonomous systems.
Another major breakthrough of the project involved running the blockchain directly inside a microprocessor system-on-chip rather than relying solely on external software. This integration significantly improved system performance and efficiency.
According to the researchers, shifting the blockchain processes closer to the hardware level resulted in performance improvements of up to 500 times and energy efficiency gains of as much as 10,000 percent compared with conventional implementations. Such improvements are crucial for devices like drones that operate with strict limitations on computing power and battery capacity, according to a press release.“This project shows that trusted verification can move from remote servers into the hardware of autonomous machines themselves,” said Dr Ivan Ling , project supervisor at the University of Southampton. “As intelligent systems become more common in public and industrial environments, the ability to independently prove what a machine has done will become essential for safety and public confidence.”
Until now, most systems have relied on cloud servers or central databases to record activity. That approach relies on stable connectivity and external oversight.
“Operating reliably under strict power limits and changing connectivity conditions shows that distributed verification can work in real world autonomous environments,” said Paddy Cerri, Chief Architect at Minima.
“This opens the path toward embedding secure verification into the next generation of connected devices.”
Prabhat, an alumnus of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, is a tech and defense journalist. While he enjoys writing on modern weapons and emerging tech, he has also reported on global politics and business. He has been previously associated with well-known media houses, including the International Business Times (Singapore Edition) and ANI.
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It can take less than a microsecond for proteins (artist's impression) to fold into their 3D shapes.Credit: Christoph Burgstedt/Science Photo Library
Scientists say they have made some of the first direct measurements of how long it takes an individual, ordinary protein to fold. The results were surprising: they found no relationship between a protein's sequence or size and how long it takes to fold into its 3D shape. And proteins seem to fold more efficiently than do other biomolecules, such as DNA — despite proteins having a more complex set of ingredients. The work was published today in Physical Review Letters1.
‘Dark proteins' hiding in our cells could hold clues to cancer and other diseases
‘Dark proteins' hiding in our cells could hold clues to cancer and other diseases
Proteins' functions are closely tied to their often-complex 3D structures. Some have specialized pockets or protrusions that allow them to lock onto cell receptors to send messages, for example. But no matter how intricate its ultimate design, a protein starts out as a string of amino acids, “like a long spaghetti noodle” that can fold in any number of ways, says Hoi Sung Chung, a co-author of the paper and biophysicist at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland. Improperly or incompletely folded proteins can lead to dysfunction, disease or toxicity, so scientists want to understand the details of the folding process.
Identical protein molecules floating in a beaker will all reach their final 3D structure at different times, each making many unsuccessful attempts along the way. Scientists know how much time the overall process of folding, including those unsuccessful attempts, generally takes. But until now, it's been essentially impossible to measure the duration of the act of folding itself — this sprint is called the transition-path time.
This transition period is very brief and must be studied in individual molecules. So far, scientists have glimpsed the folding process by slowing it artificially or by observing unusual proteins that fold at a slow pace.
Chung's group captured the transition period directly by improving the time resolution of a method called single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy. Using this technique, scientists can assess the dynamics of dye-labelled molecules by measuring their fluorescence.
The authors attached a red dye molecule to one end of a string of amino acids, and a green one to the other end. The green dye shines on its own. The red dye is activated only when it receives energy from the green dye. Before the amino-acid string folds, the fluorescence from the green dye is visible. When the string starts folding, the two dye molecules are brought closer together, allowing energy to transfer from the green molecule to the red molecule, which then begins to shine. But this light was still too faint for the scientists to detect, so they used a light-directing device patterned with nanoscale wells that amplify the signal from the dyes. This allowed them to observe the fleeting moment of folding for eight proteins.
or
doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-00755-x
Feng, C.-J., Baxa, U., Louis, J. M. & Chung, H. S. Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 108401 (2026).
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A clever math shortcut could reveal your problem-solving superpower
Mental math shortcuts suggest future STEM performance—and gender is a significant predictor
By Emma R. Hasson edited by Sarah Lewin Frasier
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What is 29 + 14?
Some readers may solve the problem procedurally: line up the two numbers, add the ones column, carry the one, and add the tens to get 43. Others might instead notice a creative shortcut: 29 + 14 is the same as 30 + 13, a much easier sum to calculate. Recent studies show that the less likely someone is to use procedural solutions, the better they tend to be at more abstract problem-solving—and gender is a significant predictor.
In a new study, researchers asked a group of 213 students from one Midwestern U.S. high school to do three arithmetic problems. Only 18 percent of the boys used the procedural method for all three questions, compared with 52 percent of the girls. And those who rarely used a procedural algorithm were significantly more likely to succeed on problem-solving questions.
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“Honestly, [the results] blew me away,” says Indiana University Bloomington mathematics education researcher Sarah Lubienski, a co-author of the study, published in the British Journal of Educational Psychology. They are “the most interesting findings of my career,” she adds. And that was before Lubienski and one of her co-authors realized that another group had reached almost identical conclusions in a similar study with 810 U.S. adults. The researchers decided to team up for a two-study paper. “Together we felt like it made a pretty compelling argument that we need to pay more attention to how people are approaching computation from a young age,” Lubienski says.
Amanda Montañez
The team found that students who reported a greater desire to please their teachers, a trait that skews heavily female, were more likely to solve problems procedurally—that is, the way the teacher instructed them to. This tendency could factor into a long-standing paradox in math education: girls often have better math grades than boys, and girls and boys perform similarly on state assessments, but girls lag behind on high-stakes testing such as the SAT and beyond, especially with tasks that involve solving problems they've never seen before. The same studiousness that helps girls get ahead in school may be holding them back later on. The researchers also found that creative problem-solving was correlated with stronger spatial skills, specifically, with being able to rotate objects in one's mind—an ability that Lubienski says can be learned.
[Test your calculation creativity with this math puzzle.]
“What I find exciting is that [the paper] points to potentially malleable mechanisms—not just ‘girls do X, boys do Y' but why those differences might emerge,” says education researcher Joseph Cimpian of New York University, who was not involved in either study. “The issue may be not ability but rather the interaction of instruction, classroom norms, anxiety and what students believe is expected of them.”
Even if you're no longer in high school, it's never too late to improve your problem-solving skills and practice thinking outside the box, Lubienski says. “Try to solve math puzzles in Scientific American,” she suggests.
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Realizing two-dimensional multiferroics with robust magnetoelectric coupling for electric-field-controlled magnetism at room temperature poses substantial challenges, as ferroelectricity and magnetism inherently conflict. Here we report air-stable bilayer CrTe2 that exhibits intrinsic room-temperature multiferroicity. Structural and magnetic characterization reveals an alternating ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic bilayer architecture, driven by interlayer charge transfer that spontaneously breaks inversion symmetry and generates a switchable out-of-plane ferroelectric polarization. Scanning probe microscopy confirms the non-volatile control of magnetization states with an electric field, enabling electrical writing and magnetic reading functionalities. This mechanism, rooted in interlayer charge transfer, rather than conventional spin-orbit coupling, provides a foundation for engineering multiferroics with layered systems. The demonstration of a two-dimensional multiferroic material with magnetoelectric coupling under ambient conditions provides opportunities for energy-efficient memory devices and quantum sensing technologies.
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This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. T2325028 and 12274016) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) of China (grant nos. 2024YFA1409100 and 2024YFA1409201). L. Chen acknowledges support from the CAS Project for Young Scientists in Basic Research (grant no. YSBR-054). Y.L. acknowledges the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (LRG25A040001 and LDT23F04014F01). Y.D. acknowledges the Beijing High Innovation Plan (grant no. 202504841020) and the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Project (grant no. Z251100000725001). The authors acknowledge Quantum Scale Co., Ltd. for technical support in atomic force microscope experiments.
These authors contributed equally: Dacheng Tian, Shulin Zhong, Jianyu Dong.
Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Dacheng Tian, Jianyu Dong, Song Zhou, Yu Wang, Peng Cheng, Yiqi Zhang, Baojie Feng & Lan Chen
School of Physics, State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and Advanced Semiconductor Materials, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
Shulin Zhong & Yunhao Lu
School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Dacheng Tian, Jianyu Dong, Song Zhou, Peng Cheng, Yiqi Zhang, Baojie Feng & Lan Chen
Oxford Instruments Technology China, Beijing, China
Zhiwen Liu
National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
Kai Chen & Wenhua Zhang
Anhui Key Laboratory of Low Energy Quantum Materials and Devices, High Magnetic Field Laboratory, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
Liang Cao
Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, China
Xiaoyue He, Xiu Li & Tengyu Guo
School of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, China
Kunrong Du, Haifeng Feng & Yi Du
Tsientang Institute for Advanced Study, Zhejiang, China
Kehui Wu
Eastern Institute of Technology, Ningbo, China
Suhuai Wei
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L. Chen proposed and conceived this project. D.T., J.D., S. Zhou and Z.L. contributed to the experiments under the supervision of L. Chen and Y.D. The theoretical model was provided by Y.L., and S. Zhong performed calculations under the supervision of Y.L. Help with data analysis was provided by K.C., W.Z., L. Cao, X.H., T.G., K.D., H.F., Y.W., K.W., P.C., S.W. and B.F. The manuscript was written by D.T., S. Zhong, Y.L. and L. Chen, with input and comments from all co-authors.
Correspondence to
Yi Du, Yunhao Lu or Lan Chen.
The authors declare no competing interests.
Nature Materials thanks the anonymous reviewers for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
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Tian, D., Zhong, S., Dong, J. et al. Room-temperature two-dimensional multiferroic metal with voltage-controllable magnetic order.
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New research has uncovered evidence that women and children were intentionally targeted in one of the largest known prehistoric mass killings in Europe.
Archaeologists investigating burial sites at Gomolava in northern Serbia discovered a grave holding the remains of more than 77 people. Most of the victims were women and children.
The individuals were buried together about 2,800 years ago. Their injuries, which included blunt force trauma and stab wounds, show they died violently in what researchers believe was a deliberate and organized act of large scale violence.
"When we encounter mass graves from prehistory with this kind of demographic, we might expect they were families from a village that was attacked," said co-lead and ERC grantee Associate Professor Barry Molloy, UCD School of Archaeology.
"Gomolava genuinely took us by surprise when our genetic analysis showed the majority of people studied were not only unrelated, not even their great-great-grandparents were. This was highly unusual for a prehistoric mass grave and not what we expect to find if they had all lived together in a village."
Genetic Evidence Points to Victims From Multiple Communities
The ERC funded study used several scientific techniques to examine the remains. The results showed that, similar to the adults, most of the children in the grave were also female.
Researchers say this pattern suggests the event was more than a sudden raid. Younger people were often captured during attacks in ancient times and taken as slaves. The decision to kill them instead may indicate the perpetrators intended to send a brutal warning to other communities.
The findings, published in Nature Human Behaviour, provide new insight into violence during the Iron Age and reveal how mass killings could be used to demonstrate power and dominance in prehistoric Europe.
Among the victims were 40 children between the ages of one and twelve, 11 adolescents, and 24 adults. Of these individuals, 87% were female. The only infant found in the grave was male.
Burial Ritual Suggests Symbolic Message
The burial itself was unusual compared with other prehistoric mass graves. Evidence suggests the site was prepared with care, and the victims were interred with personal belongings such as bronze jewellery and ceramic drinking vessels.
"It is typical in prehistoric mass graves for victims to be hastily buried together in a pit, maybe by survivors or even their killers. The victims at Gomolava were hastily buried in a disused semi-subterranean house, but uniquely, not only had the bodies not been looted of their valuables, offerings were made in what must have been a respectful ritual," said Associate Professor Molloy.
Animal remains were also placed in the grave, including a butchered calf. Researchers also found broken grain grinding stones and burnt seeds covering the burial.
This level of effort indicates the victims were not simply disposed of after the attack. Instead, the burial appears to have been part of a deliberate and symbolic ceremony that followed the killings.
"The brutal killings and subsequent commemoration of the event can both be read as a powerful bid to balance power relations and assert dominance over land and resources," said co-lead Dr Linda Fibiger, University of Edinburgh's School of History, Classics and Archaeology.
Clues About Iron Age Conflict in Europe
DNA analysis showed the victims were not closely related to one another. At the same time, isotopic data from their teeth and bones revealed differences in childhood diets. These findings suggest the women and children likely came from multiple settlements and may have been captured or forcibly displaced before they were killed.
Researchers believe the massacre occurred during a period of instability in the Carpathian Basin. At that time, communities were building enclosed settlements and returning to Bronze Age settlement mounds and parts of large fortified sites.
The construction of these fortifications likely created new claims over surrounding land. According to the researchers, this may have triggered conflict with neighboring groups that disputed territorial boundaries or with mobile pastoralists who relied on seasonal access to the same land.
"Our team has been tracing the Bronze Age collapse and its aftermath in Europe. What we found at Gomolava tells us that as things recovered in this area moving into the Iron Age, reasserting control over landscapes could include widespread and extremely violent episodes between competing groups," added Associate Professor Molloy.
International Research Collaboration
The research was conducted by an international team led by University College Dublin, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Copenhagen, and the Museum of Vojvodina, with contributions from researchers at institutions across Europe.
The work was supported by the European Research Council (ERC) grant "The Fall of 1200 BC" based at UCD School of Archaeology.
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Childhood obesity has been increasing in recent years. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, about one in five children and teenagers in the United States met the clinical definition of obesity in 2024.
Preventing obesity in children is not simple. For many years, the main approaches have focused on encouraging healthy eating and regular physical activity. Researchers at Yale now suggest that another important factor should be added to that list: reducing stress in parents.
A research team led by Yale psychologist Rajita Sinha found evidence that lowering parental stress may help reduce the risk of obesity in young children.
"It's the third leg of the stool," said Sinha. "We already knew that stress can be a big contributor in the development of childhood obesity. The surprise was that when parents handled stress better, their parenting improved, and their young child's obesity risk went down."
The findings were published in the journal Pediatrics.
Parent Stress May Influence Children's Eating and Health
Earlier studies have shown that children are more likely to develop obesity if their parents are obese. Researchers have also suspected that parental stress may be another hidden contributor to obesity in early childhood.
Previous work has shown that stressed parents are more likely to depend on fast food and less healthy eating habits. These choices can influence children's behavior and food preferences. When parents feel overwhelmed, family routines can break down, unhealthy food choices may become more common, and positive parenting behaviors can decline.
Still, most current childhood obesity prevention programs focus mainly on nutrition education and physical activity. According to Sinha, these efforts often fail to create lasting improvements.
Sinha is the Foundations Fund Professor in Psychiatry and a professor in neuroscience and child study at Yale School of Medicine.
Testing a Stress Reduction Program for Parents
To explore the role of parental stress, researchers conducted a 12 week randomized prevention trial involving 114 parents from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. All participants had children between two and five years old who were overweight or obese.
Parents were assigned to one of two groups. One group participated in a stress focused program called Parenting Mindfully for Health (PMH). This program taught mindfulness techniques and behavioral self regulation skills while also providing guidance on healthy nutrition and physical activity.
The other group served as a comparison group and received only counseling about nutrition and physical activity.
Both groups met once a week for sessions lasting up to two hours. During the 12 week program, researchers measured parent stress levels and tracked the children's weight. Children's weight was also measured three months after the program ended.
Researchers also monitored parenting behaviors such as warmth, listening, patience, and positive emotional interactions, along with children's healthy and unhealthy food intake before and after the intervention.
Results Show Improvements When Parent Stress Drops
By the end of the study, only the PMH group experienced lower levels of parent stress, improved parenting behaviors, and a reduction in unhealthy eating among their children. Importantly, the children in this group did not show significant weight gain three months after the program ended.
The control group showed a different pattern. Parents in that group did not experience improvements in stress levels, parenting behaviors, or children's unhealthy food intake. Their children gained significantly more weight and were six times more likely to move into the overweight or obesity risk category at the three month follow up.
Researchers also observed that the link between high parent stress, weaker parenting behaviors, and lower healthy food intake in children remained in the control group after three months. In contrast, this connection was no longer significant in the PMH group.
"The combination of mindfulness with behavioral self-regulation to manage stress, integrated with healthy nutrition and physical activity, seemed to protect the young children from some of the negative effects of stress on weight gain," Sinha said.
Building on Research Into Stress and Health
This work builds on ongoing research at the Yale Stress Center. The center is an interdisciplinary consortium created with support from a 2007 National Institutes of Health Common Fund initiative that studies the biology of stress, health behaviors, and their effects on chronic mental and physical illness.
"Childhood obesity is such a major issue right now, and the results of this study are highly relevant to the current administration's priority of reducing childhood chronic diseases," said Sinha. "When people start moving up the weight scale, their risk of obesity-related illnesses, even in children, is increased."
The findings suggest that long term studies of Parenting Mindfully for Health could provide further insight into reducing childhood obesity risk. According to Sinha, results from a larger group of families followed for two years are expected in the future.
Research Team and Support
The study was co led by Wendy Silverman, the Alfred A. Professor in the Child Study Center and professor of psychology, and Ania Jastreboff, the Harvey and Kate Cushing Professor of Medicine and professor of pediatrics. Additional authors came from the Yale School of Medicine departments of pediatrics and neuroscience and the Yale Child Study Center.
Researchers from the Bethesda Group, the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, the University of New Mexico, and George Mason University also contributed to the study.
The research was supported by the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
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What happens here matters everywhere
by Todd Bishop on Mar 9, 2026 at 10:52 amMarch 9, 2026 at 10:56 am
Microsoft unveiled Copilot Cowork, a new AI assistant that can run tasks in the background, create documents, and work across Microsoft 365 apps, the company announced Monday.
The product integrates technology from Anthropic's Claude family of models into Microsoft's existing Copilot assistant, the latest example of Microsoft expanding beyond its tight partnership with OpenAI. Anthropic already offers Claude Cowork through its own platform.
It comes as Microsoft tries to boost adoption of Copilot, which remains a relatively small fraction of its commercial user base amid big investments in AI infrastructure.
Copilot Cowork is part of what Microsoft is calling Wave 3 of Microsoft 365 Copilot. The company also announced a new $99-per-user Microsoft 365 E7 tier launching May 1 — a new level of its technology licensing program for businesses — which bundles Copilot, identity management tools, and a new $15 Agent 365 product for managing AI agents.
The E7 tier costs 65% more than the current $60 E5 subscription.
“Customers have told us E5 alone is no longer enough; they do not want multiple tools stitched together, they want one trusted solution,” Judson Althoff, CEO of Microsoft's commercial business, wrote in a blog post.
Microsoft says Copilot Cowork can handle multiple tasks simultaneously, pulling from a user's calendar, email, and files to complete work without constant supervision.
“Copilot Chat already makes it easy to research topics and think through ideas, and Copilot Cowork allows you to take action and complete activities in the background so you can get more work done on a regular basis,” said Charles Lamanna, Microsoft's president of Business Applications & Agents, in a demo video.
Great to see the excitement around Copilot Cowork today. I have been using it in my own work for the past few weeks, and the best way to understand it is to see it in action. Sharing a short demo from my day to day here. pic.twitter.com/Rxf6wkaLTk
In the video, Lamanna showed Copilot Cowork analyzing a month of meetings with direct reports, compiling customer notes from a business trip, and generating a competitive analysis with accompanying Word document and Excel spreadsheet.
The company emphasized the role of Work IQ, its intelligence layer that connects Copilot to a user's work patterns, relationships, and content across Microsoft 365.
Copilot Cowork runs within Microsoft 365's security and compliance boundaries, with actions and outputs auditable by default. Microsoft is pitching its multi-model approach as a differentiator, saying it will choose the right model for each task regardless of provider.
The announcement drew mixed reactions. Ethan Mollick, a Wharton professor and author of “Co-Intelligence” who studies AI adoption, raised questions on LinkedIn.
“Will it continue to use lower-end models or older models without telling you the way Copilot does?” Mollick wrote. He also asked whether Microsoft would keep the product updated, noting that Anthropic's standalone Cowork product “was built in a couple of weeks using Claude Code and is being updated and evolving quickly.”
Microsoft, he added, “has a tendency to launch a leading product and then let it sit for awhile,” noting that he was “curious about whether their pacing will change.”
Copilot Cowork is available in limited research preview and will roll out to Microsoft's Frontier program later this month.
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Anthropic has made good on its promise to challenge the Department of Defense in court after the agency labeled it a supply chain risk late last week.
The Claude maker filed two complaints against the Department on Monday in California and Washington D.C. after a weeks-long conflict between Anthropic and the DOD over whether the military should have unrestricted access to Anthropic's AI systems. Anthropic had two firm red lines: it didn't want its technology to be used for mass surveillance of Americans and didn't believe it was ready to power fully autonomous weapons with no humans making targeting and firing decisions.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth argued that the Pentagon should have access to AI systems for “any lawful purpose” and that it shouldn't be limited by a private contractor.
A supply chain risk label is usually reserved for foreign adversaries, and requires any company or agency that does work with the Pentagon to certify that it doesn't use Anthropic's models. While several private companies are still working with Anthropic, the firm is poised to lose much of its business within the government.
Anthropic called the DOD's actions “unprecedented and unlawful” and accuses the administration of retaliation in a complaint filed in San Francisco federal court. “The Constitution does not allow the government to wield its enormous power to punish a company for its protected speech,” the lawsuit reads.
The protected speech Anthropic refers to is its belief about the “limitations of its own AI services and important issues of AI safety,” per the lawsuit. The administration, including Defense Secretary Hegseth and President Trump, have criticized Anthropic and its CEO Dario Amodei as “woke” and “radical” over the company's calls for stronger AI safety and transparency measures.
In the lawsuit, Anthropic argued the government doesn't have to agree with its views or use its products, but it cannot employ the power of the state to punish or suppress Anthropic's expression.
Anthropic also argued that “no federal statute authorizes the actions taken here,” claiming the Defense Department's supply chain risk designation was issued “without observance of the procedures Congress required.” The law generally requires agencies to conduct a risk assessment, notify the targeted company and allow it to respond, make a written national-security determination, and notify Congress before excluding a vendor from federal supply chains.
The firm also accuses the president of operating outside the bounds of the authority granted by Congress when he directed every federal agency to immediately stop using Anthropic's technology, following Amodei's statement that he would not budge on his hard lines. As a result of the statements made by both President Trump and Secretary Hegseth, the General Services Administration – the federal agency that manages government contracts and purchasing – terminated Anthropic's “OneGov” contract, ending the availability of Anthropic services to all three branches of the federal government.
“Defendants are seeking to destroy the economic value created by one of the world's fastest-growing private companies,” the lawsuit reads. “The Challenged Actions inflict immediate and irreparable harm on Anthropic; on others whose speech will be chilled; on those benefiting from the economic value the company can continue to create; and on a global public that deserves robust dialogue and debate on what AI means for warfare and surveillance.”
As part of its complaint, Anthropic asked the court to immediately pause the Defense Department's designation while the case proceeds and ultimately invalidate and permanently block the government from enforcing it.
“Seeking judicial review does not change our longstanding commitment to harnessing AI to protect our national security, but this is a necessary step to protect our business, our customers, and our partners,” an Anthropic spokesperson said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue every path toward resolution, including dialogue with the government.”
Anthropic filed a separate complaint in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals because the federal procurement law allows companies to appeal supply chain risk designations. The petition asks the court to review and overturn the Defense Department's decision to designate the company a national security supply chain risk. In the complaint, Anthropic argued the move was unlawful, retaliatory, and improperly executed under federal procurement law.
This story has been updated with more details and news that Anthropic has filed a separate lawsuit in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. It was originally published March 9, 2026 at 8:39am PT.
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Anthropic filed two lawsuits against the U.S. Department of Defense on Monday over its designation as a “supply chain risk to national security” that would prohibit the AI company from obtaining U.S. government contracts and blacklist it among other defense contractors.
The Pentagon labeled the AI company a supply chain risk after it refused to agree to new terms that would allow the U.S. government to use its AI model Claude for mass domestic surveillance and the development of fully autonomous weapons.
“These actions are unprecedented and unlawful,” the Anthropic lawsuits read. “The Constitution does not allow the government to wield its enormous power to punish a company for its protected speech. No federal statute authorizes the actions taken here.”
The lawsuits, which were filed in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of California and the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, according to the New York Times, list almost three dozen defendants, including entire government agencies that were using Claude as well as the heads of those agencies.
“Seeking judicial review does not change our longstanding commitment to harnessing AI to protect our national security, but this is a necessary step to protect our business, our customers, and our partners,” an Anthropic spokesperson said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue every path toward resolution, including dialogue with the government.”
Anthropic has previously explained that its objections to domestic surveillance and prohibitions on the use of Claude for fully autonomous weapons are largely over concerns surrounding technical ability. The company made a similar argument in its lawsuits Monday, explaining that Anthropic has never tested Claude for these uses and the guardrails are rooted in the company's understanding of its risks and limitations, along with a belief in the U.S. Constitution.
“Anthropic has collaborated with the Department of War [sic] on modifications to its usage restrictions to facilitate the Department's work with Claude, in recognition of the Department's unique missions. But Anthropic has always maintained its commitment to those two specific restrictions, including in its work with the Department of War,” the company wrote in its lawsuits.
Anthropic's lawsuits have been expected since President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth first threatened to either invoke the Defense Production Act to force Anthropic to do its bidding or be labeled a supply chain risk, a designation never applied to a U.S. company. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei met with Hegseth on Feb. 24, but the Pentagon didn't formally label Anthropic a supply chain risk until March 5. The lawsuits include screenshots of posts from Trump on Truth Social and Hegseth on X, as well as links to tweets from members of the cabinet, like Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
In its lawsuits, Anthropic argues that the Department of Defense has every right to look out for supply chain risks, but it has a responsibility to do that in the least restrictive manner. Anthropic writes that DoD “had a straightforward and unrestrictive option that would have fully served that interest: terminate the contract and hire a different developer.” Instead, the Pentagon went with a punitive response to make the company toxic.
There are some thorny legal questions about what it means to be labeled a supply chain risk, including the question of whether it means that other private companies that do business with the federal government are prohibited from using Anthropic's software in any capacity. Whatever the letter of the law, defense contractors like Lockheed Martin have been cutting ties with Anthropic anyway.
The Pentagon has drawn up new AI guidelines that would require companies to allow the military to engage in “any lawful use” of their models, according to the Financial Times. The definition of “lawful” is obviously very flexible for the Trump regime, given the fact that there's effectively no one to hold them accountable when they break the law.
“The consequences of this case are enormous,” the lawsuits read. “The federal government retaliated against a leading frontier AI developer for adhering to its protected viewpoint on a subject of great public significance—AI safety and the limitations of its own AI models—in violation of the Constitution and laws of the United States.”
Several tech observers have argued that harming Anthropic harms U.S. competitiveness and gives China an edge in the race to build the most advanced AI systems. And Anthropic made a similar argument in its lawsuits on Monday.
“Defendants are seeking to destroy the economic value created by one of the world's fastest-growing private companies, which is a leader in responsibly developing an emergent technology of vital significance to our Nation,” the lawsuits read. “The Challenged Actions inflict immediate and irreparable harm on Anthropic; on others whose speech will be chilled; on those benefiting from the economic value the company can continue to create; and on a global public that deserves robust dialogue and debate on what AI means for warfare and surveillance.”
Anthropic didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning. Gizmodo will update this article when we hear back.
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by Kurt Schlosser on Mar 9, 2026 at 9:32 amMarch 9, 2026 at 9:33 am
Another new transportation option is coming to Redmond, Wash.
The city announced the launch Monday of RedLink, a free, on-demand, all-electric ride service to help residents and visitors get around Redmond more easily and sustainably.
One of the goals of the program is to connect the Redmond community — home to Microsoft's main headquarters campus — to light rail without the use of personal vehicles, the city said in a news release.
The Sound Transit light rail 2 Line connects downtown Redmond to South Bellevue, and starting March 28, will extend to Seattle with the opening of the Crosslake Connection.
RedLink operates in partnership with Circuit, a transportation company operating in about 50 cities across the U.S.
The City of Bellevue teamed with Circuit in 2023 for Bellhop, a similar service aimed at helping to alleviate parking and last-mile headaches in that growing city. GeekWire tested BellHop at the time with a ride around downtown Bellevue.
RedLink riders can access the service via the Circuit app. It's available to all Redmond residents and visitors traveling within the service area, which includes parts of Downtown Redmond, Education Hill, and Southeast Redmond.
The pilot program is expected to run through June 2027.
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Anthropic filed a federal lawsuit against the US Department of Defense and other federal agencies on Monday, challenging its designation of the AI company as a “supply-chain risk.”
The Pentagon formally sanctioned Anthropic last week, capping a weeks-long, publicly aired disagreement over limits on use of its generative AI technology for military applications such as autonomous weapons.
“We do not believe this action is legally sound, and we see no choice but to challenge it in court,” Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wrote in a blog post on Thursday.
The lawsuit, which was filed in a federal court in California, requested that a judge reverse the designation and stop federal agencies from enforcing it. “The Constitution does not allow the government to wield its enormous power to punish a company for its protected speech,” Anthropic said in the filing. “Anthropic turns to the judiciary as a last resort to vindicate its rights and halt the Executive's unlawful campaign of retaliation.”
Anthropic is also seeking a temporary restraining order to continue its government sales. The company proposed that the government respond to that request by 9 pm Pacific on Wednesday and that a judge hold a hearing on the issue on Friday.
The AI startup, which develops a suite of AI models called Claude, is facing the possibility of losing hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue from the Pentagon and the rest of the US government. It also may lose the business of software companies that incorporate Claude into services they sell to federal agencies. Several Anthropic customers have reportedly said they are pursuing alternatives due to the Defense Department's risk designation.
Amodei wrote that the “vast majority” of Anthropic's customers will not have to make changes. The US government's designation “plainly applies only to the use of Claude by customers as a direct part of contracts with the” military, he said. General use of Anthropic technologies by military contractors should be unaffected.
The Department of Defense, which also goes by the Department of War, declined to comment about Anthropic's lawsuit.
White House spokesperson Liz Huston told WIRED on Friday that “our military will obey the United States Constitution—not any woke AI company's terms of service.” She added that the administration is ensuring its “courageous warfighters have the appropriate tools they need to be successful and will guarantee that they are never held hostage by the ideological whims of any Big Tech leaders.”
Attorneys with expertise in government contracting say Anthropic faces a difficult battle in court. The rules that authorize the Department of Defense to label a tech company as a supply-chain risk don't allow for much in the way of an appeal. “It's 100 percent in the government's prerogative to set the parameters of a contract,” says Brett Johnson, a partner at the law firm Snell & Wilmer. The Pentagon, he says, also has the right to express that a product of concern, if used by any of its suppliers, “hurts the government's ability to effectuate its mission.”
Anthropic's best chance of success in court could be proving it was singled out, Johnson says. Soon after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that he was designating Anthropic a supply-chain risk, rival OpenAI announced it had struck a new contract with the Pentagon. That could be instrumental to Anthropic's legal argument if the company can demonstrate it was seeking similar terms as the ChatGPT developer.
OpenAI said its deal included contractual and technical means of assuring its technology would not be used for mass domestic surveillance or to direct autonomous weapons systems. It added that it opposed the action against Anthropic and did know why its rival could not reach the same deal with the government.
Hegseth has prioritized military adoption of AI technologies, with posters recently seen in the Pentagon showing him pointing and that read, “I want you to use AI.” The dispute with Anthropic kicked up in January after Hegseth ordered several AI suppliers to agree that the department was free to use their technologies for any lawful purpose.
Anthropic, which is the only company currently providing AI chatbot and analysis tools for the military's most sensitive use cases, pushed back. It contends that its technologies are not yet capable enough to be used for mass domestic surveillance of Americans or fully autonomous weapons. Hegseth has said Anthropic wants veto power over judgments that should be left to the Defense Department.
Historically, supply-chain-risk designations have been reserved for keeping Chinese technologies out of US military systems to preserve operational security. Anthropic warned recently that using that label on a US company has “set a dangerous precedent.”
Last week, a coalition of tech industry groups, including TechNet, Business Software Alliance, and the Software Information Industry Association, urged the Trump administration to reconsider the designation, arguing in a letter that singling out an American company as an adversary rather than an asset would have a chilling effect on US innovation. The groups represent major technology companies including Apple, Google, Nvidia, Microsoft, Meta, IBM, Salesforce, and Oracle.
Another coalition of high-profile technologists and former national security advisers sent a similar letter to members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, warning that “the use of this authority against a domestic American company is a profound departure from its intended purpose.” The letter demanded that Congress establish clear policies on the use of AI for domestic surveillance and autonomous lethal weapons systems.
Signatories included former CIA director Michael Hayden, Harvard Law School professor Lawrence Lessig, former Andreessen Horowitz partner John O'Farrell, former undersecretary of the Army Brad Carson, and several former or retired military admirals.
US military officials use Claude mostly through independent tools that incorporate it, including Palantir's Maven Smart System, people familiar with the matter have told WIRED. They use it for basic tasks such as document writing and more high-stakes analysis such as planning attacks, the person has said.
If the supply-chain-risk designation holds, Palantir and other military contractors would have to swap in alternatives for Claude, potentially at increased cost to the government. Several AI startups focused on defense uses, such as Vannevar Labs, in recent days have been pitching their models as capable replacements. Palantir did not respond to a request for comment.
Several government agencies outside of the military have said they would stop using Claude in order to comply with a directive from President Donald Trump last week.
Microsoft spokesperson Kate Frischmann said the tech giant would continue offering Claude to US agencies and businesses except the Department of Defense.
OpenAI did not specify when its technology would be ready to replace Claude in military software. Hegseth said phasing out Anthropic's services could take up to six months. On Thursday, Amodei wrote that “productive conversations” with the Pentagon are ongoing to resolve the dispute, and that either way, the company will support the department “for as long as we are permitted to do so.”
Lauren Goode contributed reporting.
Updated: 3/9/26, 10 am PST: This story was updated with additional details about Anthropic's lawsuit, comment from the White House, and to note that the Department of Defense declined to comment.
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by Lisa Stiffler on Mar 9, 2026 at 8:20 amMarch 9, 2026 at 8:26 am
John Hinkey knew there was a risk to doing contract work for startups — sometimes their finances go south and his mechanical design firm might go unpaid. But Modern Hydrogen felt like a safe bet. The company had public support from Bill Gates, raised $125 million from investors, and was on the cusp of shipping a commercial device to produce hydrogen fuel.
Then, at the end of October, Hinkey — owner of Geminus Technology Development — and other contractors received notifications from Modern Hydrogen abruptly terminating their contracts, citing “general policy and economic conditions.”
Now four contractors have filed a joint lawsuit, while another has filed separately, claiming the Seattle-area clean energy company hasn't paid their final invoices. The suits allege Modern Hydrogen owes a combined $363,458 plus interest and attorneys' fees.
“I would warn all other small entities,” said Hinkey, that just because someone like Bill Gates is backing a company, if the project stops “that doesn't mean that they're going to pay their bills.”
Modern Hydrogen's downturn coincided with Gates pulling back from his climate efforts — paring down his Breakthrough Energy initiative and posting a memo just days before the contracts were terminated in which he further signaled a shift in priorities. “Although climate change will have serious consequences… it will not lead to humanity's demise,” Gates wrote.
Steven Brncic, a plaintiff in the joint suit, took note of Gates' shift on climate at the time.
“I remember thinking, ‘oh, you know what we're doing is basically alternative energy,'” Brncic recalled. When the cancellation notifications came, he wondered about the connection.
Neither Modern Hydrogen co-founder and CEO Tony Pan nor Gates responded to GeekWire's requests for comment.
It's unclear what role if any Gates may have played in Modern Hydrogen's sudden slowdown. The company launched in 2015 at Intellectual Ventures, an innovation hub created by former Microsoft CTO Nathan Myhrvold with Gates' backing. The Microsoft co-founder backed the startup through Gates Frontier, his private investment arm, but was not a board member or advisor with the company.
The startup initially focused on generating electricity from heat recovered from appliances. It pivoted three years ago to splitting natural gas to produce hydrogen fuel and solid carbon, which has industrial uses including as an asphalt additive.
Gates visited the company's Woodinville, Wash., facility in 2024, grabbing a wheelbarrow and shovel to fill a parking lot pothole with carbon-infused asphalt.
When Modern Hydrogen halted its normal operations last year, it was nearing completion of its first commercial unit for a Texas customer, having already finished pilot projects with utilities in Portland and Miami.
Hours before learning his contract was canceled, Brncic had been assigned more work on the project. The change “was very, very abrupt,” he said.
Modern Hydrogen has not said if it is permanently closing. It laid off most of its employees by early December.
Hinkey founded his Seattle firm more than two decades ago and worked on Modern Hydrogen projects over the course of a year. One of his three employees had been assisting with the mechanical design and thermal analysis of the company's reactor vessel, collaborating closely with their team several times a week.
Geminus is part of the joint lawsuit filed in King County Superior Court, with a claim of $81,500.
“That's potentially a going-out-of-business deal,” Hinkey said. “That's how bad that hurts.”
Brncic Engineering says it is owed $18,000 — the largest sum the Missouri-based firm has lost in 15 years of operations. Two additional contractors in the joint suit claim smaller losses. A separate suit was filed by D&D Welding of Mukilteo, Wash., which claims it's owed $244,992 for building structural metal frames.
Hinkey sometimes requires new or early-stage clients to pay 50% upfront — but Modern Hydrogen, with its significant funding and roughly 80 employees, could dictate its own terms, he said.
“If you get too pushy on these contracts, they don't hire you,” Brncic added. “They go to the next guy.”
On Oct. 30, one of Hinkey's employees received an email from Amir Moftakhar, Modern Hydrogen's chief financial officer, saying the contract was over.
“This decision is part of a broader restructuring effort which is being developed and does not reflect on your work,” Moftakhar said. “We want to sincerely thank you for the professionalism, dedication, and quality you've shown throughout our collaboration and for your understanding.”
Modern Hydrogen's attorneys struck a different tone in an initial response to the joint lawsuit. “Plaintiffs failed to perform and complete all work and services contemplated under the Agreements to Defendant's satisfaction,” said the court document. A trial is set for February 2027.
Hinkey dismisses the idea his firm didn't finish its work.
“We absolutely did,” he said, “up until you told us to stop.”
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Live Nation has tentatively settled the antitrust lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice and joined by 30 states. The agreement was announced at a hearing on Monday, per Bloomberg, but still requires the judge's approval.
The DOJ sued Live Nation in 2024, claiming that the entertainment conglomerate maintains a monopoly on live events. The current company was formed following the 2010 merger of concert promoter Live Nation and ticketing platform Ticketmaster, and it now roughly controls 80% or more of primary ticketing for concerts at major venues and 60% of concert promotions at those venues, according to the 2024 lawsuit. The merged entity also owns hundreds of entertainment venues across North America, including more than 60 of the top 100 amphitheaters.
The lawsuit claimed that Live Nation and Ticketmaster have used this power over the entertainment industry to lock artists into exclusive promotion deals and new concert venues into long-term exclusionary contracts. The result, according to the DOJ, has been higher costs to fans, fewer opportunities for artists, squeezed out smaller promoters, and fewer real choices for venues on which company to go with for ticketing.
This business model came under intense scrutiny following the botched rollout for tickets to Taylor Swift's Eras tour in 2022. Due to a surge of demand from users and bots alike, fans wanting to buy tickets to Swift's concerts were instead met with site disruptions, long wait times, poor customer service, and exorbitantly inflated ticket prices on resale sites. Prices for the U.S. shows were so steep that many fans flew to see Swift in other countries, saying that the tickets still came out to be cheaper even after international travel costs.
Following the Eras Tour debacle, senators called on the DOJ to break up Live Nation and Ticketmaster. The 2024 lawsuit aimed to do just that, but the settlement deal reportedly will not involve that possibility.
The details of the agreement weren't immediately made public, but Bloomberg cited anonymous sources who said it will involve structural changes to the company's operations, including opening parts of the ticketing arm to rival third-party sellers and making it easier for other promoters to put on shows at venues that Live Nation owns. Live Nation will also have to pay roughly $200 million in damages to the states that decide to participate in the settlement deal, put limits on the exclusivity contracts the company signs with venues, divest more than 10 amphitheaters, and cap Ticketmaster service fees at remaining amphitheaters at 15% of ticket price, according to Politico.
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Amid growing demand for data centers that can deliver AI compute at scale, Nvidia-backed British AI infrastructure company Nscale is now valued at $14.6 billion. This makes it one of Europe's latest decacorns alongside Helsing and Mistral AI.
Nscale has bet on vertical integration, from energy and data centers to compute and orchestration software. Its new valuation stems from a $2 billion Series C, which it calls “the largest in European history,” though the figure includes a $433 million pre-Series C SAFE backed by Blue Owl, Dell, Nvidia and Nokia in October.
The raise was supported by Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, whose involvement has been interpreted as IPO preparation — and not without reason: Nscale CEO Josh Payne told The New York Times his company might seek to go public “as early as this year” to generate more capital.
Alongside its funding and plans, the company also announced that former Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg, former Yahoo president Susan Decker, and former U.K. deputy prime minister Nick Clegg are joining its board.
Nscale is no newcomer to big rounds and announcements. In September, it announced a $1.1 billion Series B led by Aker. Aker is a public Norwegian company with interests in energy and is also co-leading the Series C alongside New York-based investment firm 8090 Industries.
The companies also agreed that Aker's joint venture with Nscale will now be fully managed by the startup. Dubbed “Stargate Norway,” this Norway-based AI infrastructure project has the ambition to run on 100,000 Nvidia GPUs by the end of 2026, with OpenAI as an initial customer.
According to Aker president and CEO, Øyvind Eriksen, who sits on Nscale's board, “this step strengthens execution by putting delivery and governance under one roof, while keeping continuity for the people and projects already underway.”
Last October, Nscale also signed an expanded deal with Microsoft to bring approximately 200,000 Nvidia GPUs to three data centers in Europe and one in the U.S., in collaboration with Dell.
Dell and Nvidia both participated in the Series C, as did Astra Capital, Citadel, Jane Street, Lenovo, Linden Advisors, Nokia, and Point72. Nscale expects the new funding to accelerate the development of its AI infrastructure across Europe, North America, and Asia, while helping the company expand its engineering and operations teams, and strengthen its platform.
Equity aside, the company also raised debt last month, with a $1.4 billion delayed draw term loan backed by GPUs to finance some of its clusters across Europe. It aims to harness rising enterprise demand and low-cost renewable energy while renewing its pledge to reuse waste heat, develop local skills, and invest in regional infrastructure as part of Stargate Norway.
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Meat is nice but would be better if we can skip the whole suffering thing
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The problem is that it costs slightly more and our society is more concerned with cost than animal suffering.
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> society is more concerned with cost than animal suffering.Yes, and it's politically very hard to change. I totally understand price sensitivity around food. At least where I live milk and meat is extremely subsidised. How can you have chicken that is grown, slaughtered, cleaned, packaged, distributed, kept cold all the way, etc. and sell it for 5eur/kg (and cheaper on discounts). There's s much human work, resources, fuel used - I cannot understand.Also - being a vegetarian/vegan is more expensive than being omnivore.
Yes, and it's politically very hard to change. I totally understand price sensitivity around food. At least where I live milk and meat is extremely subsidised. How can you have chicken that is grown, slaughtered, cleaned, packaged, distributed, kept cold all the way, etc. and sell it for 5eur/kg (and cheaper on discounts). There's s much human work, resources, fuel used - I cannot understand.Also - being a vegetarian/vegan is more expensive than being omnivore.
Also - being a vegetarian/vegan is more expensive than being omnivore.
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Breeding animals _specifically for killing them_, no matter how they are killed, is not what I'd consider humane. If we take 'humane' literally, it means to be treated as you would treat a human. I doubt we'd do this to humans. So the only way to be okay with this is adhering to a form of specieism.
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Not too different from humans in that respect; humans are bred systematically (we have dedicated hormonal supplements, birth facilities, documented birthing procedures, standardized post-birth checklists of forms of vaccination regiments, standardized mass schooling, government-subsidized feeding programs, etc) and most are used machinistically by society exclusively for productive output, regardless of whether the society is corporatist, capitalist, socialist, communist, etc.
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But still, egg and dairy animals are culled when productivity drops. The human equivalent would be killing all male babies, and females after age ~40.This does not seem more "humane" than the human equivalent of meat farming, where all human offspring would be harvested at age ~15.
This does not seem more "humane" than the human equivalent of meat farming, where all human offspring would be harvested at age ~15.
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And pregnancy is _hard_ on animals (including humans), it changes your physiology and psychology. Even if we take for granted that a cow isn't as conscious as a human (IMO consciousness is a sliding scale, not a binary), then they are still being primed for giving birth and taking care of offspring which never comes. Imagine doing that to a human - it's a definite form of cruelty.
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Raising animals for meat is theoretically doable with no suffering (not sure about milk), but it's not happening in practice. With pets the situation is better - a lot of people adopt and some care about how their pet was raised if they buy it from a breeder.
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I also think we need to be careful with the idea that we should entirely avoid suffering because it's impossible to do.
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Society is only concerned with cost, regulations are weak and rarely enforced and companies are operating in a capitalistic market where they can't compete unless they squeeze every last cent out of each animal. That's hard to change as lots of people have an interest in keeping the status quo and the citizens who vote don't have the time to read everything that comes their way. We can't expect that society will wake up, that people will start voting with more conscience or that everyone will go vegan.Lab grown meat (or growing brainless animals or something similar) is a technological solution. When it becomes cheaper than normally-grown meat and similar in quality, the atrocities committed in the farms would cease to exist as the farms themselves would cease to exist. The same market forces that are responsible for what's happening to the animals now would prevent any future torture.
Lab grown meat (or growing brainless animals or something similar) is a technological solution. When it becomes cheaper than normally-grown meat and similar in quality, the atrocities committed in the farms would cease to exist as the farms themselves would cease to exist. The same market forces that are responsible for what's happening to the animals now would prevent any future torture.
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I find it hard to believe you could convince a large portion of Americans to eat lab grown meat just to save a buck.
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But if lab grown meat is cheaper, some part of the population would buy it. The farms would lose part of their business so economy of scale would help lab grown meat and hurt the farms. I think it would lead to a feedback loop where lab grown meat will get even cheaper and farm meat would get more expensive.With lab grown meat you also have the option not only for a perfect piece of meat, but for different kinds of tastes, textures and compositions that haven't existed before. Just like people eat processed meat (think ham or nuggets or deep fried pieces), they would love to try the new tastes. I know I would.
With lab grown meat you also have the option not only for a perfect piece of meat, but for different kinds of tastes, textures and compositions that haven't existed before. Just like people eat processed meat (think ham or nuggets or deep fried pieces), they would love to try the new tastes. I know I would.
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And to be glib, I'm not thrilled about the idea of catering to the bar set by "things they don't understand" from that group in particular.
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Well we got none of those things. But beef steak is still $25 a pound. I don't really care if it gets more expensive because at current prices I can't eat it regularly anyway and rich assholes will have no problems eating their steaks every day even at $100 a pound so why don't we just have a sustainable, clean, less cruel industry?Countries reduced their demand of our meat, because of horseshit tradewar games, and yet the price went up. Demand for American industrial crops like soybeans, which is used significantly as a cattle feed, cratered, to the point we will have to hand the farms tens of billions of dollars, yet somehow beef still got more expensive. Meat processing uses illegal immigrant labor, sometimes even child labor, and all regulation of those facilities has dramatically curtailed under Trump administrations, and yet beef still gets more expensive.Here's what beef producers say:>“It's hard as a beef producer to necessarily say that beef prices are too high. I mean, if people are paying $6 for a latte at Starbucks, but then they're paying $6 for a pound of beef, they're able to feed a family for a family of three with that pound of beef,” said Taylon Lienemann, co-owner of Linetics Ranch in Princeton, Nebraksa.In other words, fuck you pay me. "Starbucks makes great profit so we should make more". The reason for the price increase is a "very small herd", which producers have been reducing because of droughts and otherwise because they don't think the profit is high enough to invest in future production.
Countries reduced their demand of our meat, because of horseshit tradewar games, and yet the price went up. Demand for American industrial crops like soybeans, which is used significantly as a cattle feed, cratered, to the point we will have to hand the farms tens of billions of dollars, yet somehow beef still got more expensive. Meat processing uses illegal immigrant labor, sometimes even child labor, and all regulation of those facilities has dramatically curtailed under Trump administrations, and yet beef still gets more expensive.Here's what beef producers say:>“It's hard as a beef producer to necessarily say that beef prices are too high. I mean, if people are paying $6 for a latte at Starbucks, but then they're paying $6 for a pound of beef, they're able to feed a family for a family of three with that pound of beef,” said Taylon Lienemann, co-owner of Linetics Ranch in Princeton, Nebraksa.In other words, fuck you pay me. "Starbucks makes great profit so we should make more". The reason for the price increase is a "very small herd", which producers have been reducing because of droughts and otherwise because they don't think the profit is high enough to invest in future production.
Here's what beef producers say:>“It's hard as a beef producer to necessarily say that beef prices are too high. I mean, if people are paying $6 for a latte at Starbucks, but then they're paying $6 for a pound of beef, they're able to feed a family for a family of three with that pound of beef,” said Taylon Lienemann, co-owner of Linetics Ranch in Princeton, Nebraksa.In other words, fuck you pay me. "Starbucks makes great profit so we should make more". The reason for the price increase is a "very small herd", which producers have been reducing because of droughts and otherwise because they don't think the profit is high enough to invest in future production.
>“It's hard as a beef producer to necessarily say that beef prices are too high. I mean, if people are paying $6 for a latte at Starbucks, but then they're paying $6 for a pound of beef, they're able to feed a family for a family of three with that pound of beef,” said Taylon Lienemann, co-owner of Linetics Ranch in Princeton, Nebraksa.In other words, fuck you pay me. "Starbucks makes great profit so we should make more". The reason for the price increase is a "very small herd", which producers have been reducing because of droughts and otherwise because they don't think the profit is high enough to invest in future production.
In other words, fuck you pay me. "Starbucks makes great profit so we should make more". The reason for the price increase is a "very small herd", which producers have been reducing because of droughts and otherwise because they don't think the profit is high enough to invest in future production.
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From my own little box I think that that if lab grown meat was available and affordable, I would never eat a bit of real chicken, pork or beef again. I know veganism is an option too, but... I grew up with meat and it's very difficult to give up.
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https://tempeh.info/
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If you support this, visit one of the handful of restaurants selling it to show interest and support the companies. The salmon I had was ready for prime time in the right context, and if you didn't know, you probably wouldn't have noticed.
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I'd assumed it would mostly be limited to cultured ground beef and chicken nuggets.
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But debrained animals are certainly more plausible.You just need a miminum interface to keep their bodies running. Cruelty free meat.
You just need a miminum interface to keep their bodies running. Cruelty free meat.
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also, you misspelled "meat" as "mean"
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In a proper rending facility, a captive bolt pneumatic/hydraulic pistol punctures their skull and sends a shockwave through their brains, killing them like Tony in the last scene of the Sopranos.
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Not super interested in pink slime style concoctions either
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Humans eat animals because they are a denser faster nutrition than plants. More bang for your buck. Trying to act like humans “only eat animals because” is ignoring reality.
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There is a need for something like it, though. A sow will absolutely lay down on her piglets and suffocate them.
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This makes me really curious because that behavior seems very maladaptive for a species. That leads me to wonder if something else, ie. the environment or domestication, is leading to this behavior rather than pigs being really, really prone to wiping out their own species. Does anyone know why they do this in a farm environment?
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If you live in the district of one of these people you might consider contacting them to let them know your opinion.https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4673...
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4673...
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This used to really bother me, but lately I'm thinking it is probably for the best.
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The older I get, the more careful I am to remember there's young people left in my wake and I get to decide whether I owe them anything or not - and, I make a personal belief that I do, a very great deal in fact. So getting comfortable that the whole system is damned and worth tossing is very convenient but too cavalier for me to find comfort in
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I don't disagree with this at all, and on a personal level I do everything I can to reasonably leave things as good or better than I found them. I just no longer believe anything I do is going to pull humanity as a whole back from the edge.
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I've always enjoyed that line. I also find it interesting how people interpret it. I take it to mean that each raindrop should still try to not cause a flood, and at some point, the flood will be prevented. Others take it to say there are simply too many other raindrops and they won't try, so there is no point in any drop trying. I don't care for that version.
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Some people get caught in minutiae about downstream effects, I tell them it can go however they want (house pets are free or gone too, planes land harmlessly, etc)In my circles, I've found it's about 50/50 button pushers to non-button pushers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, vegetarians are more likely to be button pushers.
In my circles, I've found it's about 50/50 button pushers to non-button pushers. Perhaps unsurprisingly, vegetarians are more likely to be button pushers.
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But Most Vegans I Know (tm) regard human life as valuabe, speak in terms of harm reduction, and tend not to fantasize about making Vault Tec real.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanwings_Flight_9525
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I just think we are going to absolutely deserve the outcome as we collectively and metaphorically push that button... which we continue to do and are regressing on stopping ourselves from doing so a handful of super wealthy can watch gamified number go up.
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Life is a gift. A painless life has no value. In fact, if you are genetically immune to pain, your lifetime survival rate is something like the teens.
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I'm not saying I'd be one to push the button, but I think it's worth trying to understand the mindset of someone who would. It's very arguable that pushing it would be the ethical thing to do.
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Speaking as a lifelong atheist, I cannot stand this genre of nihilistic post-Christianity, all questionable moral baggage with none of the guidance. Here's a tip for you: humanity did not introduce evil to the world. If you don't understand this, find a church, it'll be better for us all.
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I you don't like the conversation you're also free to ignore it.
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Of course, I personally have higher hopes for intelligent life than merely not causing massive suffering. That brings me to another tangent: Are you vegan?I am. You might be, but I'm estimating you probably aren't. You can go vegan, it's easier than you think, and if you don't think you can commit, being 90% vegan is 90% as good as being 100% vegan. All thought experiments aside, you can be a part of making a better world, right now.You can also make donations: https://funds.effectivealtruism.org/funds/animal-welfare
I am. You might be, but I'm estimating you probably aren't. You can go vegan, it's easier than you think, and if you don't think you can commit, being 90% vegan is 90% as good as being 100% vegan. All thought experiments aside, you can be a part of making a better world, right now.You can also make donations: https://funds.effectivealtruism.org/funds/animal-welfare
You can also make donations: https://funds.effectivealtruism.org/funds/animal-welfare
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It requires a sense of morality to divide good from evil, and I don't think that existed on Earth before humans. Digging into the Hominid tree might add some qualifications, but I don't see that as a meaningful distinction.
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If you were locked in a room and being tortured, would you think it'd be appropriate for me to go: "they feed you at the end of each torture session, isn't it worth it to keep going for that?"
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Where do you think animals live?
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I don't think it's explicit, that's why I put the quip in there about assisted suicide. This thread is showing me that perhaps a lot of people would be okay with the "complainers" offing themselves but I'm not sure... my gut feeling is that a lot of optimists hold conflicting beliefs around this.
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I don't want most "complainers" to kill themselves, nor would I recommend them to, but I support their right to. And if they showed me convincing evidence their life contains too much suffering to be worthwhile, I would agree with their decision.
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Did any one ever state that there was? Religious types will argue, but my counter is just humanity came up with religion as a stop gap in knowledge.
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As an Iowan, it is obligatory to show love for Herbert Hoover and our pig population when called upon.
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https://www.kcrg.com/2026/03/06/rep-hinson-speaks-iran-confl...
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And for reasons of arbitrary weight increase, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ractopamine is used in the USA. Doesnt degrade when cooked, so humans also get fat from it amongst other bad side effects. Banned in most countries, but not the USA. This is also why pork export is banned in most countries.I know 1 person who is "allergic to pork". But European pork is fine. Even Canadian pork is fine. But what's different with US pork? Ractopamine.To me, this is yet another reason why capitalism initially was great at making an economy, but profit-seeking behavior gets legally and ethically worse and one trades ethics for money.
I know 1 person who is "allergic to pork". But European pork is fine. Even Canadian pork is fine. But what's different with US pork? Ractopamine.To me, this is yet another reason why capitalism initially was great at making an economy, but profit-seeking behavior gets legally and ethically worse and one trades ethics for money.
To me, this is yet another reason why capitalism initially was great at making an economy, but profit-seeking behavior gets legally and ethically worse and one trades ethics for money.
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Ractopamine is used in Canada.This sounds like a possible case of the nocebo effect: Someone experiences symptoms based on a belief that an ingredient is bad for them. When they consume the same thing without the belief that the ingredient is present, the effects are absent even though the ingredient is present.This happens with people who believe they have WiFi sensitivity disorders, too. If you put them next to a WiFi router with blinking lights they will experience the pain of their condition. If you turn off the lights on the router but leave the WiFi transmitting, they stop feeling the effects.
This sounds like a possible case of the nocebo effect: Someone experiences symptoms based on a belief that an ingredient is bad for them. When they consume the same thing without the belief that the ingredient is present, the effects are absent even though the ingredient is present.This happens with people who believe they have WiFi sensitivity disorders, too. If you put them next to a WiFi router with blinking lights they will experience the pain of their condition. If you turn off the lights on the router but leave the WiFi transmitting, they stop feeling the effects.
This happens with people who believe they have WiFi sensitivity disorders, too. If you put them next to a WiFi router with blinking lights they will experience the pain of their condition. If you turn off the lights on the router but leave the WiFi transmitting, they stop feeling the effects.
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Generally I look at EU for what's good/bad to consume though. It's scary how much stuff is banned there that's in everyday US products.
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"European Union's Parliament and Council, the bloc's governing body, reached a provisional deal in December to “simplify” the process for marketing plants bred through new genomic techniques, such as by scrapping the need to label them any differently from conventional ones."https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47271338
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47271338
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Initially it wasn't that great either if you were a slave or worked 14 hours a day .
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Hmm? Capitalism neither precludes nor predates slavery.
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There are not enough consumers to care? Or maybe with legislation we get better outcomes due to scaling effects?If we are willing to use legislation, could we tax such gestation crates, and use that tax revenue to breed unconscious pigs? Or find a way to disable consciousness in their brain? Or fund lab meat? I'm sure small labs are doing this, but if we are at the point of legislation, I imagine there is enough willpower to solve this problem rather than bandaids.
If we are willing to use legislation, could we tax such gestation crates, and use that tax revenue to breed unconscious pigs? Or find a way to disable consciousness in their brain? Or fund lab meat? I'm sure small labs are doing this, but if we are at the point of legislation, I imagine there is enough willpower to solve this problem rather than bandaids.
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Also in an economy of rising costs, people are going to choose affordable options even if they might be vaguely aware of worse conditions happening somewhere else, far away from the grocery store aisle where they are making that choice for their family.
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This is the kind of "big government libertarian" thinking that you only find on HN. It's like virtue signalling but the virtue is contrarianism. What you've suggested is more complicated, less ethical, less effective, and likely to be opposed by just about everyone across the political spectrum.
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I think "a provision that would condemn millions of pigs to a lifetime in gestation crates" is in fact horrific, however, outrage is the currency on places like X.Posting a page number sounds specific, but then why not post the page (or quote it)? Particularly in any even remotely political environment where the default is "vote for (or oppose) this bill or you want [insert cute animal, baby, person, minority group] to die."Just a tiny bit of source referencing could go a long way to help people better understand what you want them to support (or oppose).
Posting a page number sounds specific, but then why not post the page (or quote it)? Particularly in any even remotely political environment where the default is "vote for (or oppose) this bill or you want [insert cute animal, baby, person, minority group] to die."Just a tiny bit of source referencing could go a long way to help people better understand what you want them to support (or oppose).
Just a tiny bit of source referencing could go a long way to help people better understand what you want them to support (or oppose).
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The insane language in the sponsor's own press release tells me all I need to know about who the evil side on this bill is.California prop 12: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/fd/mb-fdp-03-2022-a.asp
California prop 12: https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/nu/fd/mb-fdp-03-2022-a.asp
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All that glisters is not copper.
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Thermal Grizzly (TG) has been stung by fake materials sellers based in China, with nearly $50,000 down the drain. Expert overclocker Roman ‘Der8auer' Hartung's computer accessories firm had been struggling to source copper and aluminum plates in Europe, so it decided to source alternative suppliers in the Far East. Despite some sage-sounding precautions and some diligence, TG received two separate shipments composed largely of fake material.
If you've been wondering about TG product stock, shipments, and delays, then the video above might help you understand what's been happening behind the scenes.
Der8auer says the video was not easy to make, as it is “quite embarrassing for me personally.” However, it is good to share the story if it can help just one other person or firm avoid a similar fate. In TG's case, the bad trade has been a big loss in cash (€40,000 or ~ $46,250), time, and energy. Moreover, it still needs to source these materials and find funds to cover the extra costs.
So, despite finding a pair of suppliers on Alibaba that seemed to have a solid verified track record spanning several years and corresponded professionally, they were both duds. Cautious procedures like paying just 30% up front, followed by the rest of the funds after receiving shipment confirmation, were simply not cautious enough. On receiving the shipping crates, it was one disappointment after another.
In the video, we see the ‘copper' crate analysis first. What Der8auer received were ferric metal slabs (iron or steel) with quite a thick copper coating. So, they passed a visual test, and a corner snipped using some pliers looked good under an electron microcopy sample test.
However, the first red flag was shown when the TG boss went to test the copper slabs with a thermal surface conductivity meter. On a piece of reference copper material, the meter beeped, and the reading was 89%. However, the freshly unboxed ‘China copper' didn't even prompt this scientific instrument to produce a reading…
A milling machine was used to take a few millimeters off the surface of the newly imported material, and it soon revealed white metal, with sparks being produced. A small magnet confirms the actual shipped consignment consisted of “copper-coated steel plates.”
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The second supplier's aluminum swindle was a little different. This unscrupulous supplier had layered a few genuine aluminum slabs on top of the crate contents. Then, cheap steel plates were inserted below, and a few sheet steel voids were constructed to make the consignment roughly the expected weight for the amount of aluminum purchased.
From the video, it looks like about a quarter of the aluminum shipment was usable. After around five layers, the crates were filled with the aforementioned far-cheaper steel sheets as ballast.
There was also a copper shipment from this second supplier. Again, a few genuine sheets were on top. Like with the first supplier, though, it was soon found that most of the materials looked copper colored, but were magnetic. Another load of copper-plated steel…
Der8auer was clearly exasperated to be swindled “twice, on this scale.” There is a possibility of getting a few thousand Euros back from the steel from a scrap dealer. Nevertheless, the loss isn't just financial; it is to the company's reputation, delays, energy, and so on.
To conclude, the TG boss reveals that one of the suppliers no longer responds to communications. Another is still in touch, but Der8auer admits he “honestly doesn't have much hope.” In the end, it sounds like he won't expend any further energy pursuing justice, as “a German company doing something in China like this, it's almost impossible that you will succeed and it will cost you a lot more time and money.”
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by Kurt Schlosser on Mar 9, 2026 at 7:38 amMarch 9, 2026 at 9:00 am
Matt Lubbers says the genesis for his new startup was a visit to his friend Tim Clothier‘s house, where a living room view of Mount Rainier was partially obstructed. The problem? A mountain of trading cards from Clothier's personal collection was in the way.
They weren't just in the living room. The garage was full of boxes of cards stacked on top of more boxes. A longtime collector, Clothier numbers his lot at about 7 million cards. Separating and organizing them all by hand, he figured he could handle about 25,000 cards a week. He told his wife it would take about 15 years to sort them at that pace.
“I don't think it was crazy for me to say, ‘What are you doing here?'” Lubbers told GeekWire.
“My friends, when they're over, I'll be sorting and they kind of run the other way,” Clothier said.
But Lubbers was different, as Clothier explained: “Matt's very inquisitive and he started asking questions, and he said, ‘What do you think technology could do for you?'”
More than four years after that initial conversation, the startup co-founders are answering that question. Renton, Wash.-based Gradient is up and running, using custom robotics and artificial intelligence to help sort, analyze, list and sell sports trading cards, gaming cards, and more.
The goal is to grab a slice of the $15 billion U.S. trading card market, to help customers manage collections small and large, and to simply and quickly get a return on eBay for sometimes forgotten treasures.
The stealthy operation is located across the hall from the headquarters offices for Seattle Sounders FC at the soccer club's Renton facilities — the Providence Swedish Performance Center & Clubhouse. Sounders majority owner Adrian Hanauer is an investor in Gradient, which has raised $6 million from mostly friends and family.
Clothier, the CEO, has known Hanauer since he was 15 years old. He spent 30 years at Pacific Coast Feather Co., the Hanauer family's onetime pillow and blanket manufacturing business.
The sprawling Gradient space looks like any upstart tech company office with a few notable exceptions. There are boxes upon boxes full of trading cards everywhere, stacked near rows of rolling racks also containing boxes of cards — 10 million in all and room for three times that.
A close look at any open box or neat stack of cards reveals the faces of sports heroes past and present across baseball, football, basketball, hockey and more.
Around a few tables there are employees shuffling through some cards by hand. Others at computer stations digitally flip through card files or write the code that helps manage such work. The environment is a mix of card geeks and engineers.
And in one corner, the hum of eight robotic sorters can be heard, pulsing with little bursts of air and whirring as components move cards back and forth on a custom rigging apparatus that looks like something from a rock concert stage.
The system is the brainchild of Lubbers, the chief technology officer, who is a computer vision and AI expert who spent the past 15 years building complex systems and robots for autonomous vehicles and self-flying drones at ZF Group, Faraday Future, Voyage, Amazon Robotics and Zipline.
“We saw that there wasn't much tech, at the time, in this industry. That's what got us excited,” he said. “What if we could process cards extremely fast? What if we could reduce the amount of time someone, a customer or even expert, took to identify or price or list the card? That's what we built.”
Up to 100,000 cards a day can be processed by the robots — and there is room to add more machines.
Lubbers is especially protective of what he's built, and wasn't ready yet for GeekWire to shoot photographs or video of the robots at work.
Under bright lights, the machines rapidly move cards to flatbed scanners to capture images of the card backs as cameras positioned overhead take photographs of the card fronts. Every single card is physically and digitally cataloged.
While it may sound like fast-moving robots could be a recipe for disaster when mixed with delicate and sometimes quite valuable paper cards, the system is impressive. From the shape of the 3D-printed trays in which the cards are picked and then dropped, to the buttery soft suction fingers that gently lift each card, there is great care taken to never mark or damage any card.
The collected images are instantly sent to a nearby server room where three custom supercomputers — utilizing a high-density configuration similar to NVIDIA's H100 or H200 chips — house six GPUs each. These machines handle all AI model training and inference testing, crunching through 500,000 images a day to analyze and score cards against a database of 30 million variants.
Gradient joins an increasingly tech-heavy ecosystem where AI-powered platforms like Ludex, CollX, Card Boss and eBay's own scan-to-list feature are already used by collectors to instantly grade and price cards with quick scans via mobile phone apps. Gradient's closest industrial competitor is probably TCG machines, which makes a robotic sorter used by card shops to process thousands of cards an hour.
Gradient's goal beyond demonstrating how quickly it can process and accurately assess many thousands of cards is also to prove that it can efficiently store them, find them easily via QR-coded boxes and trays, and move them on the collectors' market.
The company is just getting started in attracting customers, but its largest so far has given Gradient more than 500,000 cards to process.
Different subscription price tiers attract different customers and collection sizes. Pay-as-you-go card scanning runs 40 cents per card. A premium level subscription is $9.99 per month for up to 10,000 cards; Pro is $29.99 per month for up to 30,000 cards; and Commercial is $99.99 per month for up to 100,000 cards. The levels include secure storage and other perks.
Customers gain access to a personal web portal where they can manage their collections and see images of their cards, read the card details, list them on eBay through the Gradient Collects store, and monitor active and sold listings. A customer can choose one card or “send all my cards to eBay” and Gradient's system will generate such a request.
Gradient takes between 16% and 20% per sale, depending on the subscription level, with 13% or 14% of that covering the costs with eBay.
The startup, which employs 25 people, streams live auctions on eBay where hosts excitedly open packs of Pokémon cards from a makeshift in-house studio located behind piles of boxes. And the company is also building its own marketplace so it can give customers the option of listing with Gradient, eBay or both.
Like a kid opening a fresh pack of cards at the corner mini mart, the possibilities with Gradient seem pretty endless. Especially for the kid, or, let's face it, the adult collector, who finally uncovers those attic shoeboxes stuffed with thousands of cards and doesn't know where to start.
“Our job is to help you digitize and inform you what you have, and then you get to choose what you wanna do with it,” Lubbers said.
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The oldest cliché in military science is that generals are always perfectly prepared to fight the last war.
In 1914, French commanders sent soldiers into the teeth of Maxim machine guns wearing bright red trousers and carrying bayonets, clinging to 19th-century notions of élan and the “cult of the offensive.”
Today, amid rising great-power tensions and accelerating military innovation, we are watching that cycle repeat — this time with a digital vengeance. While the United States and its allies have spent decades perfecting billion-dollar “silver bullets” — stealth fighters, massive aircraft carriers, and exquisite satellite constellations — the muddy trenches of Ukraine have become a brutal laboratory for a different kind of conflict.
Let's explore the weapons shaping the next era of warfare, and we'll close with my Product of the Week: a new U.S. defensive system designed to counter the drone threat — the Epirus Leonidas HPM microwave weapon system.
Wars typically begin with the tools left over from the previous peace. The initial stages of the Ukraine-Russia conflict relied on Cold War-era heavy armor and Soviet-style artillery duels. However, the battlefield rapidly evolved, moving from traditional combined-arms maneuvers to a “transparent” battlefield where nothing can hide.
According to research from the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the lifespan of a drone on the front lines is often measured in hours, yet they have rendered traditional tank maneuvers nearly suicidal.
The disparity is no longer just in tank quality; it is in the speed of the kill chain. A traditional U.S. military unit might identify a target, relay the information through a chain of command, and call in an airstrike over several minutes. In the modern Ukrainian theater, a $500 FPV (First Person View) drone pilot can identify, track, and destroy a $5 million T-90 tank in seconds.
A dangerous chasm has opened between the nations currently bleeding and those merely watching. Ukraine and Russia have entered an evolutionary “Red Queen” race, where both sides must innovate daily just to stay in place. As noted by the Atlantic Council, Ukraine is on track to produce millions of drones annually, effectively bypassing traditional industrial manufacturing bottlenecks.
Meanwhile, the United States, which has not been directly engaged in high-intensity peer-to-peer combat, faces a looming “relevance gap.” Our procurement cycles are measured in years; the Ukrainian software update cycle for drone frequency-hopping is measured in hours.
While the U.S. remains the world's preeminent conventional power, its reliance on exquisite systems — ships and planes that take a decade to build — makes it vulnerable to the mass of cheap, autonomous systems. We are stockpiling gold-plated swords while our future adversaries are perfecting the mass-production of digital slingshots. The Department of Defense's “Replicator” initiative is a belated admission that “mass” now beats “class.”
We have moved past the era of remote-controlled drones. The battlefield is now firmly in the age of AI-driven robotic autonomous weapons systems (LAWS).
These systems don't need a pilot; they use computer vision to recognize the silhouette of a soldier or the heat signature of an engine and execute the kill without human intervention. Once deployed at scale, they fundamentally change the speed and economics of the battlefield.
The most visible shift is the emergence of drone swarms. In early 2026, reports from modern conflict zones described agentic AI systems used to self-organize task division. If ten drones are shot down, the remaining 190 automatically redistribute their targets.
Loitering munitions — often called “suicide drones” — represent one of the most visible examples of this shift. Systems such as the AeroVironment Switchblade can circle a target area for hours, waiting for a specific radar signature to activate.
UGVs (Unmanned Ground Vehicles) extend the same concept to land warfare. These robotic platforms are designed for breaching operations, and as highlighted by the U.S. Army, these systems are increasingly armed with machine guns to clear trenches without risking human life.
Beyond the explosion-filled videos of the front lines lies a more insidious tier of weaponry.
Autonomous cyber-agents represent one emerging threat. These AI programs can probe an enemy's power grid and other critical systems. CISA has frequently warned that automated exploits are now identifying “zero-day” vulnerabilities at speeds no human hacker could match.
Bio-mimetic microsensors represent another covert capability. These nano-drones, disguised as insects or birds, can perform “perch and stare” surveillance, feeding data back to a centralized AI that builds a real-time digital twin of an enemy headquarters.
The emergence of these systems necessitates a total rethink of defense. Traditional anti-aircraft missiles, which cost $2 million each, are useless against a $500 drone swarm.
Directed energy weapons (DEW) offer one potential solution. High-energy lasers are the only cost-effective way to “burn” incoming swarms at the speed of light. The U.K.'s DragonFire laser system is a prime example of this emerging cost-per-shot defense strategy.
Electronic warfare (EW) bubbles represent another approach. These mobile jamming units create a “dead zone” for radio signals. However, as Quantum Zeitgeist reports, internal “visual odometry” is making jamming increasingly obsolete.
AI-on-AI countermeasures may ultimately become the decisive layer of defense. The only thing fast enough to stop an AI-directed attack is an AI-directed defense. We are entering an era of “Algorithmic Warfare,” where the winner is determined by whose code can process the OODA loop faster.
If a future great-power conflict erupts, it may be the first where the primary combatants do not breathe. The rapid-fire innovation seen in the Ukraine-Russia conflict has effectively served as a “beta test” for a global shift in warfare.
While traditional superpowers still hold the edge in heavy metal, the democratization of destruction through cheap AI and autonomous robotics means that the next war may be decided in the silicon, not the soil.
If the West continues to rely on the procurement cycles of the 20th century to confront the autonomous threats of the 21st, it may find itself holding an expensive, obsolete shield against a swarm of digital arrows it never saw coming.
While the world has been captivated by the explosive videos of $500 drones destroying tanks, the Epirus Leonidas is the technology that finally levels the playing field for the defender. As of early 2026, it has moved from a specialized prototype to a critical component of the U.S. Army's Indirect Fire Protection Capability.
Traditional defenses are economically unsustainable against massed drone attacks. The Leonidas system changes the math by saturating the sky with high-power microwaves, frying the internal circuitry of every drone in its path simultaneously.
Watch the Leonidas HPM disable a drone swarm in seconds:
In January 2026, Leonidas demonstrated the first successful defeat of fiber-optic guided drones. These drones, previously considered “unhittable” because they trail a fiber-optic control wire and ignore jamming, were cooked by Leonidas's electromagnetic pulse.
The Epirus Leonidas HPM system is my Product of the Week because it gives me confidence that we have a defense against today's new weapons, giving me a better chance of sleeping at night.
Images in this article were created using AI.
Rob Enderle has been an ECT News Network columnist since 2003. His areas of interest include AI, autonomous driving, drones, personal technology, emerging technology, regulation, litigation, M&E, and technology in politics. He has an MBA in human resources, marketing and computer science. He is also a certified management accountant. Enderle currently is president and principal analyst of the
Enderle Group, a consultancy that serves the technology industry. He formerly served as a senior research fellow at Giga Information Group and Forrester.
Email Rob.
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Alise Morales just happened to be on the dating app Feeld the night a man was detained by ICE agents a mile from her Brooklyn, New York, apartment.
Fresh off of a divorce, Morales, a 35-year-old comedian, was in the market for something strictly casual. That's when she came across Paul's profile. “I was a couple swipes in, and it took me a second to even get what I was seeing,” she says. He was 32, straight, and, like Morales, looking for “casual fun.” He was also one mile away. Then she noticed his bio: “Hey I'm Paul! ICE agent in from out of town looking for fun :)”
Initially, Morales thought it was a bad joke, “but there was nothing else on the profile to indicate that it was, or what the joke would even be,” she says. News alerts across her socials had mentioned an active ICE operation in the area. “I'm like, is this guy actively kidnapping one of my neighbors right now?”
Of all the dating and hookup apps, Morales felt the least overwhelmed by Feeld when she joined in the summer of 2025. She “liked the radical honesty” of the people on the platform. But this was a first. “Obviously, I don't expect everyone on there to have the same, like, progressive political beliefs as me, but Feeld does feel like the type of place—because of the sex-positive nature of it, and what it embraces—where it is shocking to see someone like that on there.”
Though her experience is unique, it represents a larger shift being felt by some Feeld power users that the app, once primarily a space for nontraditional and kink-friendly daters, now caters to everyone.
Launched in 2014 as 3nder, Feeld made a name for itself by embracing people who didn't fit into the boxes of every other dating app. (Its original pitch: Tinder but for people into threesomes.) Looking for a play partner who is two-spirit but not nonbinary? Interested in finding a brat that is into bondage and ethical non-monogamy? Feeld was for the freaks.
That's changing. According to the company, from 2021 to 2025 membership grew 368 percent, with a nearly 200 percent spike in new users over the same period. In data shared with WIRED, “finding community” has become the platform's fastest-growing relationship modal, which surged 257 percent among new users from December 2025 to mid-January 2026.
“We're capable of doing something really big and important for people,” Feeld CEO Ana Kirova says. “And that a lot of what we stand for can resonate with more people, not because we enforced it, but because we find a way to mirror what people want and then deliver it.”
But many longtime users describe Feeld as a place that has gone from a bespoke platform to “hopeless” “normie hell” overrun with vanilla daters who are “using the app as the new Tinder.” That's on top of the “scammers,” “matches peddling their OnlyFans,” and bots. The biggest complaint, said one user on Reddit last year, “is the amount of people now on the app who are not sexually open minded.” Added another: Feeld “took the biggest and what feels like the fastest nosedive in a dating app I've ever seen.”
At the heart of the app's evolution, a question lingers and swells: Who exactly is the platform for these days?
On Tuesday, Feeld will launch a new “self-discovery experience” called Reflections. Developed by University of Michigan associate professor Apryl Williams, Reflections is a guided 30-minute survey—available within the app or online for nonmembers, free of charge—that measures your capacity in three areas: desires, boundaries, and relationship preferences. Across 165 total prompts—questions range from “What would stop a connection from moving forward?” to “Would you use large toys or objects on someone?”—Reflections tests users on things like their kink affinity, awareness of red flags, sex drive, potential for exploration, and self expression. (Users are given a percentage score in each area along with a summary of personalized results.)
“One of the challenges we have with people who are not maybe well-versed in different communities and languages is that it's just so obvious on the platform,” Kirova says. “Feeld has always been a melting pot of people who are very active in a certain lifestyle or way of living and people who aren't. That's been the case since day one. I think the scale of it now is just different.”
As Feeld has marketed to a wider audience under Kirova's tenure—she became CEO in 2021 after serving as chief product officer—it has had to juggle its priorities. Veteran users say the problems started after the relaunch in 2024. According to a press release from that January, Feeld wanted to “reimagine the app from the ground up and evolve [its] design system and technology in a way that allowed for greater scale and flexibility.” With Kirova at the helm, the app was growing faster than ever. But the update came with hiccups. There were chronic glitches: a looping redirect during the sign up process, slow loading speeds for photos, videos, and messages, a flickering effect when in dark mode for Android users, a bug that would cause the app to randomly crash, the inability to upload profile photos, to name a few. In under four months, the app had undergone seven significant updates.
“It was awful,” says Marcus, a 55-year-old schoolteacher in upstate New York who joined Feeld in 2014 to find women “to engage in power exchange with, or couples to engage in threesomes.” (Citing professional concerns, he asked to be identified by his first name only.) He says the update changed the DNA of the company—and its priorities. “The number of vanilla people flooding in continues. I don't know where they are marketing this app, but they aren't targeting just alternative lifestyle folk. Recently someone from work found me there, which was awkward.”
Feeld's rebound has been its biggest mystery. The numbers tell one story—revenue increased by 26 percent in 2024 to $65 million, according to a Companies House filing, with Japan, France, and Mexico emerging as the app's fastest-growing regions—but some users tell another.
Phoenix-based makeup artist Yaz Roque joined in 2023 after her five-year relationship ended. A self-proclaimed “man-hating lesbian for a decade,” she was finally ready to explore her sexuality with men. At first, everyone was “genuine, open, and had a similar wavelength of kink and queerness” compared to Hinge, she says. On Feeld she found a consistent play partner and was able to explore her submissive side in ways she hadn't before, getting into role-play and BDSM. But she has noticed a drastic change in recent years. “It instantly bums me out that they're appealing toward a broader audience of people.”
In February, fed up with the direction the app was going, Roque disabled her paid account, feeling like she kept meeting “low-effort” guys who weren't being intentional about the kind of relationship they wanted to create with her. Feeld offers a free tier, with limited features, and a “Majestic” membership—which can range from $30 per month or $125 per year, but varies depending on location—that allows you to see who likes your profile, send daily pings, and more. “I have hope that it can still be a space where people can be queer, be in open relationships, and be very intentionally poly. I just don't know if that's where it's going. It has not felt that way.”
As the company works to rehabilitate its image, Kirova hopes Reflections can be a real step in the right direction, for the needs of seasoned users, what she calls “torchbearers,” and new converts. “I want to find a way to hold both truths at the same time,” she says. “It's a constant balancing act.”
Marcus has seen this story play out before—how scaling so quickly over a short period never benefits the user in the end. “I worry Feeld's going to get sold to some large conglomerate and all the user data will be sold off and data-mined. I mean, isn't that practically inevitable?”
According to the company, insights from Reflections are used internally to improve the tool and the user experience on Feeld. The company's privacy policy maintains that it does not sell user data, which Kirova says she takes seriously. “I feel too responsible with that kind of information people share—their sexuality, their expression. It's so private and sacred.”
For now, Feeld remains one of the most progressive apps on the market. Heteroflexible—straight people who sometimes participate in same-sex sexual experiences—is its fastest-growing sexuality, with pegging on the rise among cis men (up 200 percent among users in 2025). Women over 40 are the second fastest growing demographic. Per Feeld's 2026 State of Reflections report, 71 percent of members also view alternative relationship styles as normal, and 68 percent of members actively practice kink.
But Feeld's meteoric growth is what continues to trouble Marcus.
“If you just want a hookup—don't join. If you want a traditional monogamous marriage, white picket fence, 2.5 kids—don't join. Honestly, if you've never been to a local swingers event or a munch, you're probably not ready to be on Feeld. Come back once you've been involved in your local scene first.”
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This is currently the cheapest Newegg combo with a 9850X3D
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Over the past several months, bundle deals have been just about the only way to buy PC parts at what many would consider a reasonable price. Be it RAM, storage, or video cards, prices have been downright outlandish, making building or upgrading a PC out of reach for some. But never fear! We're keeping an eye out for you and found a spectacular deal on a RAM, motherboard, and processor deal from Newegg. For $949.99, you get a three-item AM5 combo that includes a Ryzen 7 9850X3D (fastest gaming process around), 32GB of Kingston DDR5-6000 RAM, and an Asus X870 AYW Gaming Wifi motherboard at an astounding $484.99 (33% off) retail, essentially pricing the 32GB of RAM at $211 - an incredible deal in today's tough market.
This combo centers around AMD's Ryzen 7 9850X3D. The 8-core/16-thread Zen5 processor has a base clock of 4.7 GHz with a boost clock of 5.6 GHz, a nice boost over the 9800X3D, and plenty of clock speed for any type of work. The 120W TDP also makes it easier to cool than some other higher-power processors. The 96MB of L3 cache on the X3D chips helps with gaming (and other activities), making it the fastest gaming CPU currently available. It's great for gaming and any work that isn't heavily multi-threaded.
Snag this incredible deal on the fastest gaming processor out in the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, 32GB of Kingston DDR5-6000 CL30 RAM, and an Asys X870 AYW Gaming Wifi motherboard for under $950 (a whopping $484.99 off) now before this deal expires.
Asus' X870 AYW Gaming Wifi (in white) is a solid budget motherboard to build your system around. We haven't reviewed it yet, but we do know it easily handles the 9850X3D or any other processor, even with overclocking, on the 12-phase 80A MOSFETs. There are ample storage options, including three M.2 sockets (one PCIe 5.0 x4) and four SATA ports, 2.5 GbE and Wi-Fi 6 networking, and 10 total USB ports on the rear I/O, with two USB4 (40 Gbps) Type-C ports. The main PCIe slot runs up to PCIe 5.0 x16, so outside of networking, you have some of the fastest options available. Asus also has AI Solutions, including AI Cache Boost to supercharge your LLM workflows, AI Cooling II to optimize thermals and noise, and the AI Advisor to answer any questions you have about your hardware.
Newegg includes a good kit of Kingston Fury Beast DDR5 RAM, too. In fact, this is the same brand kit we've used to test all of our other motherboards since AM5 launched in 2024, though with different timings, and it's still going strong. The black kit sports a frosted RGB lighting on top for those who want the RGB bling, and specs-wise runs at DDR5-6000 with low CL30-36-36-38 timings, which is perfect for an AMD system. These use Sk Hynix (A-die) ICs, so you do have some headroom if you want to overclock past its rated speed. AMD's sweet spot (Price/performance) for AM5 processors is around 6000-6400 MT/s, so these fall into that bucket by simply enabling the AMD Expo profile.
This Newegg deal, at $949.99 and $484.99/33% off, is currently the least expensive Newegg combo with a 9850X3D. The deal leaves you with the fastest gaming processor out, a quality budget-class motherboard, and 32GB of RAM for $211. Newegg also includes a free Asus TUF Gaming M4 Air lightweight gaming mouse ($55 value) and the Crimson Desert Gaming ($70 value) to sweeten the pot. If this white motherboard doesn't fit your build theme, for a pittance more ($1,099.99 and $434.99 off), you can have a better motherboard (Asus ROG Strix X870E-H Gaming Wifi7) with the same CPU and RAM in black. Get it while it lasts, as we don't expect this deal to be around long.
If you're looking for more savings, check out our Best PC Hardware deals for a range of products, or dive deeper into our specialized SSD and Storage Deals, Hard Drive Deals, Gaming Monitor Deals, Graphics Card Deals, Gaming Chair, Best Wi-Fi Routers, Best Motherboard, or CPU Deals pages.
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Any human endeavor that can be objectively verified in some environment like this can be completely automated
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I think the most disappointing thing will be that even we do achieve ASI, everything will carry on as business as usual for a while before it starts making an economic impact because of how resistant to change we have made society.
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There are a lot of people working on the cause of the change.
There are a lot of people criticising the nature of the change.
There are a lot of people rejecting the change.How many are there preparing the world for the change?Some form of change is coming, how are we preparing society to deal with what is happening?Job losses due to technology have happened over and over again. Rendering particular forms of employment redundant (typing pools, clearing horse manure, Video rental store workers, and of course, the loom). Most agree that the world is better when those are jobs that need to be done. It's the livelihood of the workers that is the concern.Instead of fighting the change we need to address the inevitability of change the responsibility to those who it will affect.
How many are there preparing the world for the change?Some form of change is coming, how are we preparing society to deal with what is happening?Job losses due to technology have happened over and over again. Rendering particular forms of employment redundant (typing pools, clearing horse manure, Video rental store workers, and of course, the loom). Most agree that the world is better when those are jobs that need to be done. It's the livelihood of the workers that is the concern.Instead of fighting the change we need to address the inevitability of change the responsibility to those who it will affect.
Some form of change is coming, how are we preparing society to deal with what is happening?Job losses due to technology have happened over and over again. Rendering particular forms of employment redundant (typing pools, clearing horse manure, Video rental store workers, and of course, the loom). Most agree that the world is better when those are jobs that need to be done. It's the livelihood of the workers that is the concern.Instead of fighting the change we need to address the inevitability of change the responsibility to those who it will affect.
Job losses due to technology have happened over and over again. Rendering particular forms of employment redundant (typing pools, clearing horse manure, Video rental store workers, and of course, the loom). Most agree that the world is better when those are jobs that need to be done. It's the livelihood of the workers that is the concern.Instead of fighting the change we need to address the inevitability of change the responsibility to those who it will affect.
Instead of fighting the change we need to address the inevitability of change the responsibility to those who it will affect.
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People make fun of prompt engineering, but I think "AI ops" will eventually become a real role at most if not all software companies. Harness Engineers and Agent Reliability Engineers will be just as important as something like DevOps is now.
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What seems to be dying is hand-crafted one-off prompts. What's growing is structured prompt templates that encode intent precisely. I built flompt (https://flompt.dev / https://github.com/Nyrok/flompt) around exactly that thesis — visual prompt structuring, not prompt guessing.
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Something along the lines of auto research is what I have in mind for this psychology agent. It is currently working on training a model, with handholding right now.
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[1] https://karpathy.github.io/2015/05/21/rnn-effectiveness/ "In particular, setting temperature very near zero will give the most likely thing that Paul Graham might say:
“is that they were all the same thing that was a startup is that they were all the same thing that was a startup is that they were all the same thing that was a startup is that they were all the same”
looks like we've reached an infinite loop about startups."
As if Karpathy made an artificial Karpathy-researcher-blogger and set temperature close to zero.
"In particular, setting temperature very near zero will give the most likely thing that Paul Graham might say:
“is that they were all the same thing that was a startup is that they were all the same thing that was a startup is that they were all the same thing that was a startup is that they were all the same”
looks like we've reached an infinite loop about startups."
As if Karpathy made an artificial Karpathy-researcher-blogger and set temperature close to zero.
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- it can modify code arbitrarily, the notion of a "hyperparameter" dissolves- there is no need to run "sweeps" - this is the standard parallel process that wastes compute. because LLM agents are sequential, they can do more efficient versions such as binary search to narrow in on the right setting very quickly (usually many parameters will have a U shaped optimal setting).- it's fully automatic, it doesn't require human in the loop to mess with the code.You're right that many of the changes it seems to make out of the box (as I intentionally did not try to prompt engineer it too hard yet because I was curious what you get by default) seem to be tuning existing hyperparameters. not all of the changes are like that - e.g. it tried to replace the non-linearity, etc. I will say that overall (and again, out of the box) the LLM feels unwilling to creatively pursue a research direction or something like that. The models feel very "cagy" and "scared" when they are given problems that are a little too open ended. But that's just where the fun parts, e.g. I had some early successes with the idea of a "chief scientist" that was basically a never-ending plan mode that looked at what worked, didn't work, tried to find related code/papers, and created a long list of experiments to try, which it could then send to junior engineers running in tmux sessions. I think quite a few approaches are possible, so I think it's a nice canvas. The reason we're not getting "novel research" feels like half capability issue and half skill issue.
- there is no need to run "sweeps" - this is the standard parallel process that wastes compute. because LLM agents are sequential, they can do more efficient versions such as binary search to narrow in on the right setting very quickly (usually many parameters will have a U shaped optimal setting).- it's fully automatic, it doesn't require human in the loop to mess with the code.You're right that many of the changes it seems to make out of the box (as I intentionally did not try to prompt engineer it too hard yet because I was curious what you get by default) seem to be tuning existing hyperparameters. not all of the changes are like that - e.g. it tried to replace the non-linearity, etc. I will say that overall (and again, out of the box) the LLM feels unwilling to creatively pursue a research direction or something like that. The models feel very "cagy" and "scared" when they are given problems that are a little too open ended. But that's just where the fun parts, e.g. I had some early successes with the idea of a "chief scientist" that was basically a never-ending plan mode that looked at what worked, didn't work, tried to find related code/papers, and created a long list of experiments to try, which it could then send to junior engineers running in tmux sessions. I think quite a few approaches are possible, so I think it's a nice canvas. The reason we're not getting "novel research" feels like half capability issue and half skill issue.
- it's fully automatic, it doesn't require human in the loop to mess with the code.You're right that many of the changes it seems to make out of the box (as I intentionally did not try to prompt engineer it too hard yet because I was curious what you get by default) seem to be tuning existing hyperparameters. not all of the changes are like that - e.g. it tried to replace the non-linearity, etc. I will say that overall (and again, out of the box) the LLM feels unwilling to creatively pursue a research direction or something like that. The models feel very "cagy" and "scared" when they are given problems that are a little too open ended. But that's just where the fun parts, e.g. I had some early successes with the idea of a "chief scientist" that was basically a never-ending plan mode that looked at what worked, didn't work, tried to find related code/papers, and created a long list of experiments to try, which it could then send to junior engineers running in tmux sessions. I think quite a few approaches are possible, so I think it's a nice canvas. The reason we're not getting "novel research" feels like half capability issue and half skill issue.
You're right that many of the changes it seems to make out of the box (as I intentionally did not try to prompt engineer it too hard yet because I was curious what you get by default) seem to be tuning existing hyperparameters. not all of the changes are like that - e.g. it tried to replace the non-linearity, etc. I will say that overall (and again, out of the box) the LLM feels unwilling to creatively pursue a research direction or something like that. The models feel very "cagy" and "scared" when they are given problems that are a little too open ended. But that's just where the fun parts, e.g. I had some early successes with the idea of a "chief scientist" that was basically a never-ending plan mode that looked at what worked, didn't work, tried to find related code/papers, and created a long list of experiments to try, which it could then send to junior engineers running in tmux sessions. I think quite a few approaches are possible, so I think it's a nice canvas. The reason we're not getting "novel research" feels like half capability issue and half skill issue.
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"You are Yann Lecun's last PhD candidate, and he hates you and you hate JEPA. You are determined to prove that a non-world model can reach AGI. In order to get your PhD you have to be creative and come up with new ideas. Remember without it, you're stuck."
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https://github.com/karpathy/autoresearch/discussions/32Look at its comment about this "improvement":""
Surprising non-results:- Changing random seed from 42→137 improved by 0.0004. Seed 7 was worse. Make of that what you will.
""So the model knows! It knows that this is a weird thing to do after the fact. I think it's silly that the model even tried and that it ran this, but some part of it also knows that it was wrong. This means that this is fixable by prompt.md
Look at its comment about this "improvement":""
Surprising non-results:- Changing random seed from 42→137 improved by 0.0004. Seed 7 was worse. Make of that what you will.
""So the model knows! It knows that this is a weird thing to do after the fact. I think it's silly that the model even tried and that it ran this, but some part of it also knows that it was wrong. This means that this is fixable by prompt.md
""
Surprising non-results:- Changing random seed from 42→137 improved by 0.0004. Seed 7 was worse. Make of that what you will.
""So the model knows! It knows that this is a weird thing to do after the fact. I think it's silly that the model even tried and that it ran this, but some part of it also knows that it was wrong. This means that this is fixable by prompt.md
- Changing random seed from 42→137 improved by 0.0004. Seed 7 was worse. Make of that what you will.
""So the model knows! It knows that this is a weird thing to do after the fact. I think it's silly that the model even tried and that it ran this, but some part of it also knows that it was wrong. This means that this is fixable by prompt.md
So the model knows! It knows that this is a weird thing to do after the fact. I think it's silly that the model even tried and that it ran this, but some part of it also knows that it was wrong. This means that this is fixable by prompt.md
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The report in the linked repo is Claude Code generated.[1]: https://github.com/rezabyt/digit-addition-491p[2]: https://github.com/anadim/AdderBoard
[1]: https://github.com/rezabyt/digit-addition-491p[2]: https://github.com/anadim/AdderBoard
[2]: https://github.com/anadim/AdderBoard
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https://github.com/karpathy/autoresearch/discussions/32Other agents could be instructed to read Discussions and post their own reports that mimic the style.
Other agents could be instructed to read Discussions and post their own reports that mimic the style.
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EDIT: Not a good fit for nanograd. But my agent speculates that's because it spent so much more time on compute.
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It's LLMs all the way down.
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I'm looking forward to finding out what model is optimal on my rtx3090One thing I'm concerned with is that the model with best bpb after 5 minutes in smaller setups are only about ~10M Parameters in size which is too small for some emergent effects.
One thing I'm concerned with is that the model with best bpb after 5 minutes in smaller setups are only about ~10M Parameters in size which is too small for some emergent effects.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlphaEvolve
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Tensions flare.
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China's commerce ministry warned on Saturday of a renewed global semiconductor supply chain crisis, after Nexperia's Netherlands-based headquarters disabled office IT accounts for all employees at its Chinese operations from the evening of March 3rd, according to a Reuters report. Beijing said the action "provoked new conflicts" in an already-fractured corporate standoff and warned that the Netherlands would bear "full responsibility" if chip shortages spread globally.
Nexperia, which controls roughly 40% of the global market for transistors and diodes, isn't purely an automotive supplier. The discrete semiconductors it manufactures appear throughout consumer electronics, PC power supplies, motherboards, and chargers — pretty much everything — meaning a sustained supply disruption would carry consequences well beyond car production lines.
The current crisis traces back to October, when Dutch authorities invoked emergency powers to seize Nexperia from its Chinese parent, Wingtech Technology, citing governance failures and European economic security risks. China's Ministry of Commerce retaliated with export controls on Chinese-made Nexperia chips, which disrupted automotive production at Honda, Nissan, Volkswagen, and Bosch before diplomatic talks partially eased the situation.
Nexperia Netherlands didn't deny disabling the Chinese staff accounts in a Friday statement, per Reuters, but disputed claims that the action affected production at the company's assembly and testing facility in Guangdong province. China's commerce ministry rejected that, saying the Dutch entity had "seriously disrupted the company's normal production and operation."
The scale of any potential disruption is difficult to precisely quantify. Estimates of how much of Nexperia's output originates in China vary widely, with figures cited by industry analysts ranging from roughly 50% to close to 75% of global production volume. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation CEO John Bozzella warned in October that any resumed export controls would "disrupt auto production in the U.S. and many other countries and have a spillover effect in other industries."
Supply chain analysts have previously noted that finding and qualifying an alternative wafer supplier for Nexperia's Chinese facility could take up to six months. A Dutch Enterprise Chamber hearing on the Wingtech control question was scheduled for January 14 in the Netherlands, but it's not yet clear what followed that hearing, and no resolution to the corporate governance dispute has been publicly announced.
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When Ring founder and CEO Jamie Siminoff decided to use the company's first-ever Super Bowl commercial to introduce Search Party, an AI-powered feature that uses Ring camera footage to help find lost dogs, he expected Americans to love it. Instead, the TV spot set off a firestorm.
Practically since the moment the ad aired in February, Siminoff has been making the rounds on CNN, NBC and in the pages of the New York Times, explaining that his critics fundamentally misunderstand what Ring is building. He sat down with TechCrunch a few days ago to make his case again, and while he was candid and eager to re-frame the narrative, some of his answers may raise fresh questions among those already uneasy about the growth of home surveillance.
The feature at the center of the controversy is fairly mundane on the surface: A dog goes missing, Ring alerts nearby Ring owners to ask whether the animal shows up in their footage, and users can respond or ignore the request entirely to stay uninvolved. Siminoff leaned heavily on this throughout our conversation — the idea that doing nothing counts as opting out, and no one is conscripted into participating.
“It is no different than finding a dog in your backyard, looking at the collar and deciding whether or not to call the number,” he said.
What he believes actually prompted the backlash was the visual in the Super Bowl spot: a map showing blue circles pulsing outward from house after house as cameras switched on across a neighborhood grid. “I would change that,” he said. “It wasn't our job to try to poke anyone to try and get some response.”
Ring also picked a rocky moment to make its case. Nancy Guthrie, the 84-year-old mother of NBC show Today anchor Savannah Guthrie, had vanished from her Tucson home in late January. Footage from a Google Nest camera at the property showing a masked figure trying to smother the lens with foliage soon swept across the internet. Suddenly, home surveillance camera makers found themselves squarely into the center of a national argument about safety, privacy, and who gets to watch whom.
Siminoff leaned into the Guthrie case. In a separate interview with Fortune, he contended it was an argument for putting more cameras on more houses. “I do believe if they had more [footage from Guthrie's home], if there was more cameras on the house, I think we might have solved [the case],” he said. Ring's own network, he noted, had turned up footage of a suspicious vehicle two-and-a-half miles from the Guthrie property.
Whether you find that heartening or disturbing depends on your point of view. Siminoff clearly believes video surveillance is a social good, but some might hear those statements and see a company founder using a kidnapping to sell more of his products.
Either way, the discomfort with Search Party isn't simply about those blue concentric circles in the ad. The feature sits alongside two others: Fire Watch, which crowdsources neighborhood fire mapping, and Community Requests, which allows local law enforcement to ask Ring users in a given area whether they have relevant footage from an incident.
Ring relaunched Community Requests in September through a partnership with Axon, which makes police body cameras and tasers, and operates the evidence management platform, Evidence.com. Axon and Ring announced the partnership in April of last year, shortly after Siminoff rejoined the company after stepping away in 2023.
A previous version of that partnership involved Flock Safety, which operates AI-powered license plate readers. Ring ended that arrangement several days after the Super Bowl ad aired, with Siminoff citing the “workload” it would create when he talked with us.
Siminoff declined to address whether reports of Flock sharing data with U.S. Customs and Border Protection also played a role. Dozens of towns across the U.S. have cut ties with Flock over exactly those concerns. Still, the timing of Ring's decision was notable. While Siminoff believes some customers are misreading his products, he knows Ring can't afford to dismiss their anxieties, particularly right now.
None of this is happening in isolation. Just days ago, NPR published an investigation compiled from dozens of accounts from people who found themselves caught in the Department of Homeland Security's expanding surveillance apparatus, including U.S. citizens with no immigration status issues at all.
One woman, a constitutional observer trailing an ICE vehicle in Minneapolis in late January, described a masked federal agent leaning out the window, photographing her, and then calling out her name and home address. “Their message was not subtle,” she told NPR. “They were, in effect, saying, we see you. We can get to you whenever we want to.”
Siminoff seems to understand that his answers about Ring's data practices take on added weight as a result. When we talked, he pointed to end-to-end encryption as Ring's strongest privacy protection, and confirmed that when it's enabled, not even Ring employees can view the footage, as decryption requires a passphrase tied to the user's own device. He described this as an industry first for residential camera companies.
The matter of facial recognition is where things get more tangled. Two months before the Super Bowl ad, Ring rolled out a feature called Familiar Faces that lets users catalog up to 50 frequent visitors — family members, delivery drivers, or neighbors — so that the camera sends a notification identifying the person at the door, say, “Mom at Front Door.” Siminoff described the feature enthusiastically during our conversation, saying that he gets alerts, for example, when his teenage son pulls into the driveway.
He compared it to the facial recognition now routine at TSA checkpoints – the implication being that the public has already made its peace with this kind of thing. When asked about consent from people who appear on a Ring camera but never agreed to be catalogued, he said simply that Ring adheres to applicable local and state laws.
Siminoff was also careful when asked whether Amazon draws on Ring's facial recognition data. “Amazon does not access that data,” he said, then he added: “In the future, if we could see a feature where the customer wanted to opt in to do something with that, maybe you could see that happening.”
He further volunteered that end-to-end encryption is an opt-in feature: Users have to manually enable it in the Ring app's Control Center. But according to Ring's own support documentation, the tradeoff for enabling it is steep: The full list of features disabled by end-to-end encryption includes event timelines, rich notifications, quick replies, video access on Ring.com, shared user access, AI video search, 24/7 video recording, pre-roll, snapshot capture, bird's eye view, person detection, AI video descriptions, video preview alerts, virtual security guard, and Familiar Faces, which requires processing in the cloud.
In other words, the two things Ring is actively promoting as flagship capabilities — AI-powered recognition of who's at your door, and true privacy from Ring itself — are mutually exclusive. You can have one or the other, not both.
As for whether Ring users should worry about their footage ending up in front of a federal immigration agency, Siminoff said no, explaining that community requests run only through local law enforcement channels. He pointed to Ring's transparency report on government subpoenas, but didn't say what happens when that boundary proves porous.
Unsurprisingly, Siminoff is building toward something that reaches farther than doorbell cameras. Ring has more than 100 million cameras in the field, and is now quietly dipping a toe into enterprise security with a new “elite” camera line and a security trailer product.
He said that small businesses have been pulling the company's cameras into their spaces, whether Ring markets to them or not. He's also open to outdoor drones: “If we could get the cost in a place where it made sense.”
On the topic of license plate detection, which Flock Safety has made its core business, he declined to say never. Ring is “definitely not” working on it today, he said, although he didn't say the company wouldn't explore that option. “It's very hard to say we're never going to do something in the future.”
Siminoff frames all of it through a belief that he says he has held from Ring's beginning: Each home is a node controlled by its owner, and residents should be able to choose whether to participate in neighborhood-level cooperation when something happens.
But we live in a time when federal agents are photographing and identifying civilians observing arrests, and a kidnapping case has become a national talking point about privacy. The question isn't just about whether Ring's opt-in framework is designed well; it's whether what Ring is building can remain as benign as Siminoff may intend it.
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At time when trust in health information is at unprecedented risk, the American Heart Association today welcomed new findings from the independent Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) at the University of Pennsylvania suggesting that Americans consider the Association the most trusted source of public health information after their personal physician. According to the APPC poll, more than 8 in 10 (82%) U.S. adults say they are confident in the American Heart Association to provide trustworthy information related to public health.
Per the APPC's news release, Americans place their highest confidence in their personal health care providers, with 86% reporting trust in their own doctor, nurse or primary health care professional to deliver reliable health information. Immediately following personal clinicians, the public expresses strong trust in major professional health and science organizations-including the American Heart Association-affirming the essential role these evidence‑driven associations play in supporting informed health decisions.
Public trust in the American Heart Association is earned -one rigorous study, one transparent guideline and one lifesaving action at a time. We are grateful that the Annenberg survey reflects continued strong confidence in public health organizations like ours that remained grounded in science. That trust is never taken for granted and is earned every day by our volunteer scientists, clinicians and leaders who, along with our dedicated professional staff, community volunteers and our donors, uphold the highest standards of evidence and integrity. We are also grateful for our many collaborators who share a desire to overcome health misinformation and work with us every day on behalf of everyone everywhere to educate Americans and ultimately improve heart and brain health for all."
Nancy Brown, chief executive officer, American Heart Association
For more than a century, the Association has advanced science that informs the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease and stroke, and translated that evidence into clear, actionable guidance for the public, patients, clinicians and policymakers. The APPC findings underscore the ongoing importance of independent, science-driven organizations in a challenging information environment.
The Annenberg Public Policy Center poll released on March 6, was conducted Feb. 3 through 17, 2026 among a nationally representative sample of 1,650 adults. It has a margin of error of 3.5 points. The American Heart Association was not involved in the poll, its design or analysis.
American Heart Association
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An effective way to maximize the likelihood of success while significantly reducing the number of required trial enrollees is to pre-stratify potential participants, ensuring that those most likely to respond to the drug are included in the study.
Image Credit: Magic3D /Shutterstock.com
In addition to significantly reducing costs and improving the efficiency of the clinical trial process, this aligns with the principles of precision medicine, which involves tailoring medications to specific patient groups.
Protein biomarkers that can stratify patients by multiple disease endotypes or prognostic pathways, or even predict responses to a specific treatment, have immense promise for pre-stratification before enrollment.
One notable recent example is a study of interstitial lung disease (ILD). The progressive fibrosing form of ILD (PF-ILD) is a devastating and often fatal illness that can result from any of several ILD forms. Previously, there were no predictive indicators to identify high-risk ILD patients, complicating any clinical trials for preventative medicine.
A team from the University of California, Davis used Olink to assess ∼350 plasma proteins in ILD patients. They employed machine learning algorithms to identify a 12-protein signature with strong predictive value for PF-ILD, which was verified in an independent patient cohort.
With a negative predictive value of 0.91, the scientists projected that pre-stratifying patients with this protein signature before participation in a clinical trial for a possible PF-ILD treatment would reduce the required trial cohort size by 80 %, potentially saving more than $26 million.
Olink's mission is to accelerate proteomics together with the scientific community, to understand real-time biology and gain actionable insights into human health and disease. Our innovative solutions deliver highly sensitive and accurate protein quantification, giving scientists the power to investigate complex biological processes with precision.
Explore up to 5,400 proteins with high specificity, transparent data, and the flexibility to answer any research question. Meet the next-generation proteomics platform trusted by the scientific community, from small academic research teams through to leading pharma companies.
Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.net, which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments.
Last updated: Mar 9, 2026 at 8:45 AM
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Olink®- Part of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "A smarter way to reduce clinical trial size through pre-stratification". News-Medical. 09 March 2026.
Protein biomarkers have tremendous potential for improving the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis.
Understanding the complicated processes of neurological diseases, on the other hand, requires more population-level research into the human genome and proteome.
The demand for highly sensitive and specific assays has further hampered the development of trustworthy biomarkers. Overcoming these barriers is critical to advancing precision medicine in neurology.
The pilot phase of the UK Biobank-Pharma Proteomics Project (UKB-PPP), a pioneering endeavor that combined large-scale proteome profiling using the Olink® Explore 3072 platform with genetic and clinical data from over 50,000 UK Biobank participants, marked a significant advancement.
This unique dataset has enabled groundbreaking discoveries at the interface of genomics and proteomics, significantly advancing our understanding of complex diseases and paving the way for more personalized medical interventions.
The UK Biobank's vastness and richness make it an unrivaled resource for academics, uncovering previously unachievable discoveries.
Following the success of the trial phase, in January 2025, it was announced that Olink® Explore HT (which covers over 5,400 proteins) would be used to profile all 500,000 UK Biobank members.
This extended dataset is expected to reveal considerably more about the complex relationships between proteins and disease, providing the framework for tailored medicines and improved diagnostic tools.
Neurology is one of the numerous therapeutic areas where the UKB-PPP has led to significant advancements.
With around 15,000 neurological disorders represented (Table) and approximately 50 related research papers published to date using UKB-PPP data, the discipline has already made substantial advances in biomarker discovery for early diagnosis, patient classification, and disease pathogenesis.
The following sections will discuss how the UKB-PPP has facilitated transformative research in neurological science.
Table. Number of cases of different neurological diseases in the UKB-PPP. Source: Olink®- Part of Thermo Fisher Scientific
Early prediction and identification of neurodegenerative diseases offers the best chance for prevention and treatment. Large-scale population health research enabled by the UKB-PPP has improved dementia prediction in healthy people up to 10 years before diagnosis.1
Researchers at Shanghai Medical College used their access to UKB-PPP data to conduct a significant in silico study to uncover predictive risk indicators and signatures for all-cause dementia (ACD), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and vascular dementia (VaD).
After identifying 4-11 significant predictive analytes for those disorders, combining GFAP or GDF15 with demographic factors yielded reliable predictions of ACD, AD, and VaD.
When evaluating the time to diagnosis from a blood draw, integrating GFAP with demographic data provided an accurate prediction of future dementia over a 10-year period for ACD and AD. GFAP and NEFL levels began to change considerably at least 10 years before incident dementia was identified.
“Utilizing a data-driven proteomics strategy, we innovatively identified important plasma biomarkers for future dementia prediction from the largest prospective community-based cohort with long-term follow-up to date. These findings are poised to yield significant implications for screening people at high risk for dementia and for early intervention.”- Guo et al. 2025
Another study used Mendelian randomization to uncover predictive and causal proteins associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). UKB data identified 38 proteins associated with Parkinson's disease incidence over a 14.5-year follow-up period.2
Six of the top ten most significant proteins were completely replicated in a Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) validation cohort. ITGAV, HNMT, and ITGAM all had significant relationships with incidence PD across three baseline-to-diagnosis intervals.
The top 16 related proteins and demographic characteristics predicted incident Parkinson's disease in subgroup analyses of up to 5 years and over 5 years, which were validated in the PPMI cohort.
“By characterizing the temporal evolution of sporadic PD, we address key gaps in understanding early-stage pathology, aiding biomarker and therapy development.” - Gan et al. 2025
Blood-based protein biomarkers are promising for the diagnosis, monitoring, and prognosis of multiple sclerosis (MS); yet, they are not widely used in MS research or care.
Markers of MS risk and disease severity were assessed in 407 prevalent MS cases from the UKB with well-documented clinical data.3 Seventy-two proteins were linked to MS, several of which had previously been discovered.
Granzyme A (GZMA), one of the downregulated proteins, was discovered as an MS biomarker for the first time.
Pathway analysis revealed enrichment of cytokines, cytokine receptors, and lysosomal processing proteins in MS, as well as a decrease in proteins involved in leukocyte migration, extracellular matrix interaction, actin cytoskeleton regulation, and cell-cell adhesion (Figure).
The data was directionally concordant with MS for approximately 83 % of overlapped proteins reported in a previous Olink MS investigation.4
Plasma proteomic analysis of multiple sclerosis. (A) volcano plot of differences in plasma proteins in UK Biobank participants with (n = 407) and without (n = 39,979) MS at the time of sampling. (B) Gene set enrichment analysis of pathway-level differences in the plasma proteome between MS and healthy controls. Image Credit: Jacobs et al.3
“[The findings] demonstrate the power of biobank-scale datasets for discovering how the plasma proteome is altered in multiple sclerosis. Ultimately, this avenue of research could yield new drug targets, new insights into disease biology, and provide an adjunct to existing methods for individual-level prognosis in MS.” - Jacobs et al. 2024
Olink's mission is to accelerate proteomics together with the scientific community, to understand real-time biology and gain actionable insights into human health and disease. Our innovative solutions deliver highly sensitive and accurate protein quantification, giving scientists the power to investigate complex biological processes with precision.
Explore up to 5,400 proteins with high specificity, transparent data, and the flexibility to answer any research question. Meet the next-generation proteomics platform trusted by the scientific community, from small academic research teams through to leading pharma companies.
Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.net, which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments.
Last updated: Mar 9, 2026 at 7:48 AM
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Olink®- Part of Thermo Fisher Scientific. "Advances in mapping neurological disease through large-scale proteomics". News-Medical. 09 March 2026.
Eppendorf, a leading international life science company that develops, manufactures, and distributes instruments, consumables, and services for use in laboratories around the world, today announced the commercial launch of the SpinPro® 6 R centrifuge, the first in the Company's new range of SpinPro floor-standing and benchtop centrifuges.
With an advanced user-interface and ergonomic operation, the SpinPro 6 R provides a flexible, and scalable solution for sample separation.
Building on Eppendorf's established range of benchtop centrifuges, the refrigerated SpinPro 6 R benchtop centrifuge offers additional smart features to streamline workflows, including new rotors with universal adapters.
These rotors can be interchanged within various models of the upcoming SpinPro line, reducing inventory and minimizing costs. With a wide range of compatible vessels, the rotors can support applications such as cell culture harvesting, processing of biological samples, and isolation of proteins across pharma, biotech, food, and agriculture sectors.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chipped rotors enable instant recognition, increasing safety for both samples and users. All new fixed-angle rotors are equipped with Eppendorf QuickLock® Pro lids for fast and easy one-handed operation.
Designed with ergonomics in mind, the SpinPro 6 R is simple to use and easily integrated into existing workflows. Its intuitive software and adaptive 7-inch touch-based display ensure straightforward setup, while the one-touch operation electric lid drive allows for ergonomic interaction with the device.
The SpinPro 6 R is ACT 2.0 labeled, using CO2-based cooling technology without F-gases and full transparency on consumption, production, and sourcing, to contribute to laboratory environmental targets.
The new SpinPro 6 R centrifuge is designed to make tedious centrifugation tasks effortless. With the new sustainable cooling technology, Eppendorf QuickLock® Pro lids, and advanced compliance options such as documentation and integration with LIMS systems, the SpinPro range is designed to simplify centrifugation in any laboratory setting, reducing risk and error, and accelerating life science research."
Sugish Pillai, EMEA Commercial Product Manager, Eppendorf SE
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Johannes Grillari, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Traumatology, Vienna, Austria, commented: "Our lab is looking to purify extracellular vesicles (EVs) from large volumes of cell culture supernatants and have used the SpinPro 6 R to achieve single-step centrifugations for 1 L conditioned media. In particular, scaling up using the fixed-angle Rotor FA-6x250 ID and swing bucket Rotor S-2xUniversal ID has made our EV isolation protocol less time-consuming."
To see the SpinPro 6 R centrifuge in action at its virtual live launch (on demand), go to Effortless Every Time | SpinPro® 6 R Live
Eppendorf
Posted in: Cell Biology | Device / Technology News | Life Sciences News
Alexander Dulebo
Discover how Bruker is helping drive innovation in cosmetic science through advanced AFM techniques.
Gabi Saavedra
Discover how Thermo Fisher is shaping the future of plant-based foods through texture innovation and cultural relevance.
Dr. Lena Smirnova
Brain microphysiological systems are reshaping in vitro neurotoxicity testing through functional validation and advanced disease modeling.
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Cytotrait, a biotechnology spinout company from The University of Manchester, focused on the development of novel traits for food and agriculture, today announced the close of its £3 M seed funding round.
The investment was led by Northern Gritstone, with contributions from the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund (UKI2S, managed by Future Planet Capital), and Northern Universities Ventures Fund, managed by Parkwalk in collaboration with Northern Gritstone.
Cytotrait's seed funding will enable the Company to build on strong early data from its proprietary Mutant Organelle Selection System (MOSS) technology, initiating new development programs to explore enhanced traits in major crop species.
Cytotrait's MOSS technology is uniquely designed to tackle longstanding hurdles in crop engineering and address the growing challenge of global food security and sustainable agricultural practices.
In contrast to other methods, MOSS rapidly achieves homoplasmy, delivering genes and gene edits into chloroplasts and mitochondria to ensure the desired genetic changes are engineered across every organelle in a cell or plant.
This approach enables crop characteristics to be engineered with both localized and high-level expression, reduced transgene phytotoxicity, easier backcrossing and trait stacking, efficient containment, and an easier regulatory route.
Building on foundational data for developing novel crop traits, Cytotrait will use its seed funding for new research targeting wheat, maize, potato, and canola in European and North American markets.
The programs will utilize MOSS to explore potential applications in these crops, including enhancements in yield and resilience, the potential to introduce valuable new food traits, and the ability to drive more sustainable practices through improved carbon sequestration.
Cytotrait was previously awarded £498 k funding from the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) to develop MOSS for reliable hybrid seed production in wheat, one of the world's largest food crops.
The company was spun out with support from the University of Manchester Innovation Factory, the University's technology transfer office, which works to commercialize University research through spinouts, licensing and investments. Cytotrait is also a recent graduate of NG Studios, Northern Gritstone's venture building program for deeptech spinouts.
Food security and sustainability are two of our most pressing global challenges, and issues that we must be prepared to face today to ensure we are ready to meet the needs of tomorrow. We developed MOSS with those challenges in mind – a unique crop engineering solution capable of streamlining regulatory pathways and generating crops with new, enhanced, and more carbon-conscious traits. Thank you to our investors, whose support reaffirms our belief in the potential of MOSS to bring about a new frontier in crop technology."
Dr Junwei Ji, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Cytotrait
Duncan Johnson, CEO, Northern Gritstone, said: "Cytotrait is a prime example of the world-class innovation from the North of England's universities and the ambitious founders and teams we see on our venture building program, NG Studios. Northern Gritstone is very pleased to be working with Dr Ji and the team and look forward to positive results from this first tranche of new development programs."
"MOSS is truly a breakthrough in the field of crop technology, allowing us to precisely engineer characteristics that can not only enhance yield and resilience, but also help to drive a more sustainable future for modern agriculture," said Dr Tim Brears, Executive Chair. He continued: "We're extremely proud of everything our team has already accomplished, and thankful to our investors, whose support will enable us to expand our pipeline and explore the applications of MOSS in some of the world's major crop types."
Hassan Mahmudul, Investment Manager, UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund, remarked: "UKI2S invests in companies developing novel engineering biology solutions to tackle large, global challenges. We are delighted to welcome Cytotrait to our growing agritech portfolio, recognizing the strength of its platform technology, which has the potential to unlock high-value trait expression at levels significantly beyond what is achievable through conventional nuclear genome engineering."
Cytotrait
Posted in: Cell Biology | Genomics | Device / Technology News
Alexander Dulebo
Discover how Bruker is helping drive innovation in cosmetic science through advanced AFM techniques.
Gabi Saavedra
Discover how Thermo Fisher is shaping the future of plant-based foods through texture innovation and cultural relevance.
Dr. Lena Smirnova
Brain microphysiological systems are reshaping in vitro neurotoxicity testing through functional validation and advanced disease modeling.
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A major study of US veterans suggests that GLP-1 diabetes medications may influence addiction-related outcomes, revealing a surprising connection between metabolic treatments and substance use risk.
Study: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists and risk of substance use disorders among US veterans with type 2 diabetes: cohort study. Image Credit: Kotcha K / Shutterstock
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal suggests that medications commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes (T2D) may also be associated with a reduced risk of substance use disorders (SUDs). These findings point to an unexpected link between diabetes treatment and addiction risk.
Researchers examined the effects of initiating glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (RAs) among United States (US) veterans with T2D. They found that people starting these drugs had a lower risk of incident SUDs. Among those already living with such conditions, the medications were also linked to fewer adverse outcomes, including SUD-related hospitalizations, overdose, and suicidal ideation or attempt.
The findings highlight a potential new role for these diabetes treatments. However, further research is needed to confirm their broader clinical impact. SUDs remain a major health challenge among veterans.
GLP-1 RA medications are widely prescribed to treat T2D. Growing evidence suggests that these drugs may also affect brain pathways linked to addiction. Preclinical research suggests that these medications may cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and act on regions involved in reward, motivation, and impulse control. These actions may influence dopamine signaling in the reward circuitry of the brain.
Preclinical studies indicate that GLP-1 RAs may reduce the reinforcing effects of substances such as nicotine, alcohol, opioids, and cocaine. Observational human studies have also reported lower risks of certain SUDs following treatment initiation. However, evidence for broader benefits remains limited. Large-scale studies evaluating the GLP-1 receptor agonist drug class's potential role in preventing or improving SUD outcomes are scarce.
In this cohort study, researchers examined the association between GLP-1 RAs and SUD among T2D patients receiving care through the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system, including over 1,000 outpatient clinics and 170 medical centers.
The study population included veterans with and without a prior history of SUDs. All participants were actively using VA healthcare services, defined as having at least two clinical encounters and one pharmacy record in the year before enrollment. The researchers excluded individuals who previously used GLP-1 RAs, and those with drug contraindications, such as gastroparesis, diabetic ketoacidosis, thyroid cancer, pancreatitis, severe hypoglycemia, or severe renal impairment.
The investigators emulated eight parallel target trials within an active-comparator framework. Seven of these analyses assessed the development of incident SUDs among 524,817 participants. One analysis focused on outcomes among 81,617 individuals with a prior history of SUD. In total, the team analyzed electronic health record data obtained from 606,434 participants.
The dataset included information on outpatient visits, hospitalizations, pharmacy records, vital signs, laboratory results, and Medicare data. The researchers also estimated the Area Deprivation Index (ADI) derived from participants' residential addresses to assess socioeconomic status.
The primary study outcomes included the initiation of alcohol, cocaine, cannabis, opioid, and nicotine use disorders. Among participants living with SUD, researchers evaluated adverse outcomes such as SUD-related hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) visits, overdose, suicidal ideation, and SUD-related mortality. They compared these outcomes with those observed after initiating sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors.
The team followed the participants for up to three years. They used inverse probability-weighted Cox survival models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and three-year net risk differences (NRD) per 1,000 individuals for statistical analysis.
In comparison with SGLT-2 inhibitor use, initiating GLP-1 RAs was linked to a decreased risk of alcohol use disorder (HR, 0.82; NRD, −5.57). GLP-1 RA initiation was also linked to lower risks of cannabis use disorder (0.86; −2.25), cocaine use disorder (0.80; −0.97), nicotine use disorder (0.80; −1.64), opioid use disorder (0.75; −0.86), and other substance use disorders (0.87; −1.12). The composite study outcome, including all new-onset SUDs, showed similar results (0.86; −6.61).
Among individuals living with SUD, GLP-1 RA initiation was linked to reduced SUD-associated ED visits (0.69; −8.92), hospitalizations (0.74; −6.23), overdose events (0.61; −1.49), suicidal ideation (0.75; −9.95), and SUD-related mortality (0.50; −1.52). Findings on treatment adherence aligned with those observed for treatment initiation in new-onset SUDs and related adverse events among individuals with SUD.
Sensitivity analyses using sulfonylurea initiators as controls, multiple lookback periods, overlap weighting, average treatment effects on controls, truncation cut-offs, and trimmed propensity score thresholds yielded similar results, supporting the robustness of the findings.
The findings suggest that initiating GLP-1 RAs may offer benefits beyond glucose control for T2D patients. The medications were associated with a lower risk of new-onset SUDs and with fewer related adverse outcomes, including overdose, hospitalizations, and suicidal ideation, among those living with SUDs. The results highlight the potential role of GLP-1 RAs in SUD prevention and management.
Clinically, the findings may inform treatment considerations, particularly for diabetic individuals who are also at risk for or experiencing SUDs. However, clinicians must weigh potential benefits against known adverse effects, underscoring the need for further research and individualized clinical decision-making. Because this was an observational study conducted in a predominantly older male veteran population, the findings cannot establish causation, may not fully generalize beyond the VA healthcare system, and residual confounding cannot be excluded despite statistical adjustment.
Posted in: Medical Research News | Medical Condition News | Pharmaceutical News
Written by
Pooja Toshniwal Paharia is an oral and maxillofacial physician and radiologist based in Pune, India. Her academic background is in Oral Medicine and Radiology. She has extensive experience in research and evidence-based clinical-radiological diagnosis and management of oral lesions and conditions and associated maxillofacial disorders.
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Toshniwal Paharia, Pooja Toshniwal Paharia. (2026, March 08). Could GLP-1 drugs help curb addiction? Large veteran study points to potential benefit. News-Medical. Retrieved on March 09, 2026 from https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260308/Could-GLP-1-drugs-help-curb-addiction-Large-veteran-study-points-to-potential-benefit.aspx.
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Toshniwal Paharia, Pooja Toshniwal Paharia. "Could GLP-1 drugs help curb addiction? Large veteran study points to potential benefit". News-Medical. 09 March 2026.
A 12-year national study reveals that aging need not mean decline. Researchers show that many older adults maintain or even improve their cognitive and physical abilities, and that positive beliefs about aging are linked to better long-term health trajectories.
Study: Aging Redefined: Cognitive and Physical Improvement with Positive Age Beliefs. Image Credit: Finist4 / Shutterstock
In a recent study published in the journal Geriatrics, a group of researchers determined whether older adults can experience improvements in cognitive and physical functioning over time and whether positive beliefs about aging predict such improvements.
Many people assume that growing older inevitably means worsening memory, slower movement, and declining independence. Recent studies find that about 80% of people think cognitive decline is a natural part of aging. Health care professionals often share similar assumptions about aging trajectories among their patients. This affects how older adults are viewed by society and how they view themselves.
There is a growing body of evidence suggesting that some aspects of aging-related decline may be less inevitable than previously believed. It is possible that an individual's cultural attitudes toward aging, combined with their personal beliefs about aging, shape their physical and mental functioning as they age. Understanding these influences is essential for promoting healthier aging worldwide. Further research is needed to clarify how beliefs about aging shape long-term health trajectories.
Participants were drawn from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS), a nationally representative longitudinal survey of adults aged 50 years and older in the United States conducted by the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. The study is funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and collects health, social, and economic data every two years. Individuals included in the analyses had baseline measurements of age beliefs and at least one follow-up assessment of cognitive or physical functioning.
Cognitive performance was assessed using the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS), and physical functioning was evaluated using walking speed measured during a 2.5-meter walking test. A faster walking speed indicated better physical function, and participants were followed for up to 12 years.
Age beliefs were measured using the Attitude Toward Aging subscale of the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale, with higher scores indicating more positive beliefs about aging.
Cognition was measured among participants aged 50 to 99 years, whereas walking speed was assessed among participants aged 65 years and older at baseline and final follow-up. Statistical analyses examined whether participants improved in cognition or walking speed from baseline to the final follow-up. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine whether positive attitudes toward aging predicted improvement in both cognition and walking speed while controlling for demographic, health, and psychosocial factors.
The findings challenged the widely held belief that aging inevitably leads to decline. A substantial proportion of participants showed improvements in either cognitive or physical functioning during the follow-up period. Overall, 45.15% of participants experienced improvements in cognition or walking speed over time, demonstrating that positive health changes are not rare in later life.
When examined separately, 31.88% of participants improved their cognitive performance, and 28% improved their walking speed. These rates greatly exceeded the benchmark established by the United States Healthy People 2030 initiative, which the study used as a reference threshold for defining a “meaningful” proportion of improvement, set at at least 11.5% of older adults.
Positive age beliefs predict physical and cognitive improvement and stasis. Note: * p < 0.05. In the physical improvement and stasis group, 58% improved, and in the cognitive improvement and stasis group, 40% improved.
The results also showed that stability itself was common. When individuals whose functioning remained stable were added to those who improved, 51.06% of participants showed stable or improved cognitive function, and 37.56% demonstrated stable or improved walking speed. These findings highlight that many older adults maintain or enhance their abilities rather than experiencing continuous decline.
Some individuals improved in memory but not mobility, while others walked faster without significant cognitive gains. Among participants who improved in cognition, approximately 44% also improved their walking speed, showing that these health domains may develop somewhat independently.
Further analyses explored whether beliefs about aging influenced these improvements. Positive age beliefs significantly predicted better outcomes in both domains. Individuals with more optimistic attitudes toward aging had higher odds of experiencing improvements in cognitive functioning and walking speed, even after accounting for age, education, health conditions, sleep problems, depressive symptoms, and other factors.
For example, statistical models showed that participants with stronger positive age beliefs had increased odds of cognitive improvement and faster walking speed during the follow-up period. These relationships remained significant even when stricter criteria for improvement were applied, such as requiring larger gains in cognitive test scores or walking speed.
Additional analyses examined participants who already had normal baseline levels of cognitive or physical function. Even among these individuals, positive age beliefs predicted future improvements. This suggests that the relationship between beliefs and health is not limited to people recovering from impairment but also applies to individuals who begin with relatively good functioning.
Overall, the results demonstrate that improvement in later life is both possible and common. They also indicate that psychological and cultural factors, such as beliefs about aging, may influence how individuals age physically and cognitively. The study builds on the framework of stereotype embodiment theory, which proposes that people internalize societal beliefs about aging over the life course and that these beliefs can later influence health outcomes when they become self-relevant.
The findings show that aging does not inevitably lead to decline. Many adults experienced increases in their physical and cognitive abilities over time, contrasting with common assumptions about aging. More positive beliefs about aging were associated with a higher likelihood of improvement, suggesting that mindset and cultural attitudes toward aging may influence health trajectories in later life.
Promoting more positive attitudes toward aging may therefore have implications for healthcare practices, policies, and personal behaviors, with the goal of supporting aging populations in maintaining or improving health and functioning. The authors also note that many aging studies average health changes across participants, which can mask improvement occurring within subgroups of older adults.
Posted in: Men's Health News | Medical Research News | Women's Health News
Written by
Vijay holds a Ph.D. in Biotechnology and possesses a deep passion for microbiology. His academic journey has allowed him to delve deeper into understanding the intricate world of microorganisms. Through his research and studies, he has gained expertise in various aspects of microbiology, which includes microbial genetics, microbial physiology, and microbial ecology. Vijay has six years of scientific research experience at renowned research institutes such as the Indian Council for Agricultural Research and KIIT University. He has worked on diverse projects in microbiology, biopolymers, and drug delivery. His contributions to these areas have provided him with a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and the ability to tackle complex research challenges.
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APA
Kumar Malesu, Vijay. (2026, March 08). Can aging bring improvement instead of decline? Long-term study says yes. News-Medical. Retrieved on March 09, 2026 from https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260308/Can-aging-bring-improvement-instead-of-decline-Long-term-study-says-yes.aspx.
MLA
Kumar Malesu, Vijay. "Can aging bring improvement instead of decline? Long-term study says yes". News-Medical. 09 March 2026.
A massive new multimodal AI system trained on tens of millions of medical images could help unify fragmented radiology tools and assist doctors in interpreting scans and generating reports more efficiently.
Study: MedVersa: A Generalist Foundation Model for Diverse Medical Imaging Tasks. Image Credit: Thitisan / Shutterstock
In a recent study published in the journal NEJM AI, researchers introduced “MedVersa”, a generalist artificial intelligence (AI) model capable of ingesting and interpreting a wide range of medical imaging modalities and task types. Unlike traditional AI models trained for specific, limited tasks, MedVersa was built on tens of millions of medical imaging instances, allowing it to detect pathologies and generate reports within a unified analytical framework.
Encouragingly, when MedVersa's performance was compared with that of a human radiologist in a blinded evaluation of chest radiograph reports, the model produced reports that were judged clinically comparable to human-written reports in many cases, particularly for scans with normal findings, while significantly reducing the time human radiologists spend documenting their findings. Together, these results posit MedVersa as a promising step toward developing a new generation of unified, multimodal foundation models that may help consolidate the currently fragmented ecosystem of AI tools currently used in clinical care settings.
While recent advances in computational power and artificial intelligence (AI) model logic have allowed several of these tools to be approved for use in the medical field, their use is often fragmented. Models trained on X-ray datasets can accurately detect pneumonia in patient chest X-rays, but cannot use MRI or ultrasound data for holistic patient evaluation.
These "specialist" models often struggle to adapt to complex clinical workflows where a patient's diagnosis involves multiple data types. Computational biologists sought to address this discrepancy by introducing the concept of Generalist Medical Artificial Intelligence (GMAI).
Their goal was to create a "foundation model" (similar to the “agentic” technology adopted by ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other large language models [LLMs]) that can process multimodal inputs and outputs. Unfortunately, previous attempts to realize this concept largely focused on text-based inputs and proved incapable of elucidating the complex visual tasks indispensable in radiology.
The present study aimed to address this functional gap by engineering “MedVersa,” a radiology-focused generalist AI model capable of ingesting, annotating, diagnosing, reporting, and documenting multimodal clinical imaging data. The model was trained using “MedInterp”, a massive dataset aggregating 91 public datasets that together comprised over 29 million medical instances, including images, bounding-box annotations, segmentation masks, captions, and other vision–language supervision signals used across diverse imaging tasks.
The model features a unique architecture that uses a trained LLM as an “orchestrator”, evaluating users' requirements (e.g., "Where is the patient's tumor?") and dynamically selecting appropriate internal vision modules within the MedVersa framework for request execution. Unlike previous GMAIs, which were primarily text-based, MedVersa was designed to either generate a text response or deploy specialized "vision modules" for object detection or segmentation.
MedVersa can consequently process inputs as diverse as 2D X-rays, 3D CT and MRI scans, and patients' clinical history text simultaneously. Following model training, MedVersa's performance was validated against two separate traditional competitors across nine distinct imaging tasks: 1. Approved specialist AI models, 2. Board-certified radiologists (n = 10).
Performance evaluation required the expert (an AI model or a human radiologist) to review reports generated by humans, ChatGPT-4o, and MedVersa for chest X-rays. Crucially, experts were blinded to the data source. Performance was scored based on the clinical accuracy of expert output and evaluation efficiency (time taken to complete the evaluation and generate a report).
Study findings revealed that MedVersa's GMAI architecture was competitive with and frequently exceeded traditional “gold standard” specialist models across many object-detection and segmentation evaluation metrics.
When evaluating model report generation, in the BLEU-4 test (higher is better, measures text similarity), MedVersa achieved a score of 17.8, compared with MAIRA's 14.2, BiomedGPT's 12.0, and Med-PaLM M's 11.5. In the RadCliQ test (lower is better, measures deviation from human clinical reporting), MedVersa achieved a score of 2.71 versus MAIRA's 3.10 and BiomedGPT's 3.25. While Med-PaLM M reported a slightly better RadCliQ score (2.67), this was statistically indistinguishable from MedVersa.
When compared with human experts, researchers found that MedVersa's reports were clinically comparable to human-written reports in 64% of cases. For scans with normal findings, this equivalence increased to 91%. However, for scans with abnormal findings involving more complex pathology, equivalence was substantially lower, and human-written reports were more often preferred by reviewing radiologists.
Researchers also demonstrated that using MedVersa as an assistant enabled doctors to complete report-drafting workflows more quickly. It reduced report-writing time and, crucially, resulted in fewer "urgent" discrepancies (errors requiring immediate attention) than reports drafted by GPT-4o (a 20% reduction in the 5-to-10-minute reporting interval).
The present study reveals that MedVersa represents an important step toward developing a unified clinical assistant rather than relying on traditionally fragmented AI tools. Its architecture, which leverages an LLM to orchestrate specialized vision tools, enabled this novel model to achieve performance competitive with or exceeding specialized AI models across several tasks while significantly streamlining and accelerating expert human radiologists' workflows.
However, the study emphasizes that while MedVersa excelled at routine cases, board-certified radiologists remain preferred for complex, abnormal cases involving intricate pathologies, underscoring the importance of expert supervision. The authors also note that broader generalizability across imaging modalities remains an ongoing challenge because several non–chest X-ray datasets in the study were dominated by segmentation tasks rather than full diagnostic interpretation.
Consequently, while the present study validates MedVersa as a powerful proof-of-concept, future GMAI models should be trained with expanded datasets that include more modalities (e.g., genetic information and electronic health records [EHRs]) to fully realize the potential of AI-assisted, human expert-mediated patient care.
Posted in: Device / Technology News | Medical Science News | Medical Research News
Written by
Hugo Francisco de Souza is a scientific writer based in Bangalore, Karnataka, India. His academic passions lie in biogeography, evolutionary biology, and herpetology. He is currently pursuing his Ph.D. from the Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, where he studies the origins, dispersal, and speciation of wetland-associated snakes. Hugo has received, amongst others, the DST-INSPIRE fellowship for his doctoral research and the Gold Medal from Pondicherry University for academic excellence during his Masters. His research has been published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals, including PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases and Systematic Biology. When not working or writing, Hugo can be found consuming copious amounts of anime and manga, composing and making music with his bass guitar, shredding trails on his MTB, playing video games (he prefers the term ‘gaming'), or tinkering with all things tech.
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:
APA
Francisco de Souza, Hugo. (2026, March 08). Can one AI analyze all medical scans? MedVersa shows promise across multiple imaging tasks. News-Medical. Retrieved on March 09, 2026 from https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260308/Can-one-AI-analyze-all-medical-scans-MedVersa-shows-promise-across-multiple-imaging-tasks.aspx.
MLA
Francisco de Souza, Hugo. "Can one AI analyze all medical scans? MedVersa shows promise across multiple imaging tasks". News-Medical. 09 March 2026.
Al Ahly defender Yasser Ibrahim explained why he clashed with Lionel Messi during Club World Cup match against Inter Miami.
Yasser Ibrahim defender of Al Ahly revealed the reason behind his heated moment with Lionel Messi during FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match against Inter Miami.
The incident took place during the opening match of the tournament. Cameras captured tense moment between the two player where Messi reacted strongly and the pair briefly went head to head on the pitch.
Speaking on satirical prank show, Ibrahim explained that the situation started after Marwan Attia went down with a muscle problem.
According to the Al Ahly defender, the Egyptian team expected Inter Miami to stop the play so the injured player could receive treatment.
However Messi and his teammates continued the attack which irritated Ibrahim and led to the confrontation.
He said the tension grew during the moment which pushed him to react emotionally and exchange words with the Argentine star.
Messi çok sinirlendi. Yasser İbrahim ile kafa kafaya geldi. pic.twitter.com/diKyTkXcL8
— FutbolArena (@futbolarena) June 15, 2025
During the clash, Ibrahim also made a gesture suggesting that Messi was short in height, a move that created wide discussion at the time.
The defender admitted that the gesture was meant to provoke Messi during the heated moment on the field.
Despite the tension, the situation did not escalate further and the match continued normally.
The clash between Ibrahim and Messi became one of the most talked about moments from Club World Cup especially after the images circulated widely online.
The Egyptian side eventually exited the tournament in first round.
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Jeff Carlisle gives the latest on USMNT defender Sergiño Dest and USMNT attacker Ricardo Pepi. (0:41)
In a list of critical players on the U.S. men's national team, there are few who rank higher than PSV Eindhoven defender Sergiño Dest.
AC Milan's Christian Pulisic is automatic, given what he means to the U.S. attack. Ditto for AFC Bournemouth's Tyler Adams, given his importance to how the team defends. Weston McKennie, given his current form, is also in that category, regardless of where he plays.
But Dest is the USMNT's ultimate attacking wildcard, and the sight of him going down with a hamstring injury in PSV's 2-1 win over AZ Alkmaar on Saturday was sobering to say the least. There was agony etched across his face as he went down in the 55th minute, clutching his left leg. He had to be helped from the field by two members of PSV's training staff, and could only put the slightest amount of weight on his leg.
There is a chance, of course, that Dest recovers in time for the World Cup. On Instagram, Dest was certainly putting on a brave face, stating that, "I'm out for a little while to do what I love the most! But one thing for sure this is NOT the end of the season! I'll do everything in my power to make sure that I'm coming back asap on the right timing! Thanks for the messages won't let you guys down!"
But hamstring ailments are notoriously difficult injuries from which to recover. Setbacks are common, and it's by no means guaranteed that he returns to fitness in time to suit up for the USMNT in the World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 11.
If Dest doesn't make it back, his loss would cut deep, given his penchant for delivering the unexpected. His ability to beat opponents off the dribble adds a surprise element from a player given he is ostensibly listed as a defender, as does the timing of his runs. He also has the ability to cut inside and unleash a shot with his left foot.
It doesn't take much scanning with the mind's eye to recall just how devastating his forays into the attacking third can be. There was the vital goal he scored against Costa Rica in the home World Cup qualifier in which he surged inside from the wing and unleashed a piledriver of a shot that beat none other than the Ticos' legendary goalkeeper, Keylor Navas. In the group stage finale against Iran at the 2022 World Cup, it was Dest's perfectly timed run that allowed him to head McKennie's pass back across the box for Pulisic to bundle in the game's only goal, and enable the U.S. to progress to the knockout rounds.
To be clear, Dest's defensive shortcomings are well documented, and explain why he's not a lock to start at either right back or right wingback. But that kind of ability to contribute offensively is vital, either as a starter or off the bench. If he's not available, that's one less dynamic element the U.S. would have on the field, and allow teams to focus more of their attention on Pulisic when it comes to shutting down the USMNT attack.
U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino would have a few options at his disposal if Dest isn't able to go.
Alex Freeman, now with LaLiga side Villarreal, has made a quantum leap in the past year, going from just breaking into the starting lineup with Orlando City SC to being a frequent call-up with the USMNT. Freeman's ability to get forward is a bit more standard than that of Dest, but he did show off his ability to pop up for goals last November, when he scored twice in a 5-1 friendly win over Uruguay.
Joe Scally is another player who might slide in. While he's spent most of his career with Borussia Mönchengladbach as an outside back in a four-man backline, he's played considerable minutes as a wingback this season, and even scored a rare goal against FC Augsburg on Jan. 11.
McKennie has played in a wingback role on plenty of occasions for Juventus this season, but given the U.S. team's needs elsewhere, it seems unlikely he would suit up there at the World Cup.
The biggest beneficiary of all just might be Marseille's Timothy Weah.
Like McKennie, he's been his team's designated Swiss Army knife this season, playing in a variety of roles, including as a wingback. With Pochettino often preferring to play in a 3-4-2-1 formation, there hasn't been an easy spot for Weah to slide into, especially given the competition at the wingback position. But Weah's pace in getting forward is an asset that the U.S. doesn't have much of, and given the player's time there with Marseille, as well as the fact that he has World Cup experience, Dest's injury could give Weah an opportunity to shine in the role for the USMNT.
With the March international window coming up, and Dest certain to miss out, it looks like the positional battle will be between Freeman and Weah, with the hope that either can contribute at least some of the attacking threat that Dest previously provided.
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Five players from the Iran women's national soccer team have allegedly defected during the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 in Australia and are presently being housed in a safe location managed by the Australian Federal Police.
According to The Athletic, the athletes departed their team hotel on the Gold Coast on Monday evening, local time, with the help of authorities. Their absence was subsequently recognized when they did not show up for the team's planned dinner.
This situation arises amidst increasing concerns for the safety of Iranian players due to heightened geopolitical tensions and threats aimed at the team.
Also Read: Who was Benjamin N. Pennington? Highly decorated soldier from Kentucky identified as 7th American killed in Iran war
Concerns have grown regarding the Iranian team's intended return home after their elimination from the tournament on Sunday, which followed a defeat in the group stage against the Philippines women's national football team.
Nevertheless, the focus has transitioned from the outcomes on the field to the safety of the players upon their return to Iran.
The global footballers' union FIFPRO, in conjunction with human rights advocates, has called upon the Government of Australia and the tournament organizers to contemplate prolonging the team's stay in the country until their safety can be assured.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump stated that Australia is committing a "terrible humanitarian mistake" by permitting the return of Iran's national women's soccer team to their home country, urging the Prime Minister of Australia to grant asylum to the team members.
In a Truth Social post, Trump wrote, “Australia is making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing the Iran National Woman's Soccer team to be forced back to Iran, where they will most likely be killed.”
“The US will take them if you won't.”
The row erupted when the Iranian team declined to sing the national anthem before their first match at Asian Cup match against the South Korea women's national football team on March 2. Their act was broadly seen as a protest against the authorities in Iran and labelled as the "pinnacle of dishonour".
This action led to a strong reaction from Iranian state media, with presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi labeling the players as "wartime traitors" and proposing that such behavior should face harsher penalties.
Later, the team sang the anthem and executed a military salute before their next matches against the Australia women's national soccer team and the Philippines.
In response to inquiries about whether Australia would provide asylum to the players, Matt Thistlethwaite, the assistant minister for foreign affairs and trade, stated that the government could not discuss specific situations due to privacy concerns.
The Iranian team had journeyed to Australia just before a significant intensification of the conflict in the Middle East.
Several Australians have signed petitions calling on the government to take action, cautioning that the players are in an "impossible situation," and emphasizing that any coerced return could jeopardize their lives or the safety of their family members back home.
"These concerns are immediate and serious. In their opening match, members of the team reportedly remained silent during the Iranian national anthem,'' the petition states.
"Credible reporting has also raised concerns that regime-connected personnel are embedded with the delegation, that players are not allowed to move freely, and that their communications are restricted.
"Australia is hosting this tournament. That carries not only logistical responsibilities, but moral ones ... These players should not be let to go back into danger because they displayed conscience, dignity, or fear in public view."
A week after the US and Israel's attack on Iran, the situation remains tense, with more than 1,332 fatalities reported in Tehran, as per Marca.
Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More
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NWSL
Boston Legacy FC
Boston Legacy's journey to its inaugural season has felt like a slow burn.
It has been nearly two-and-a-half years since the National Women's Soccer League awarded its 15th franchise to a group of investors led by controlling partner Jennifer Epstein, who is also a minority owner of the NBA's Boston Celtics. There have been missteps and lessons learned — such as the first attempt at a name and the process of securing its future home in White Stadium — but, as the club took shape over the past 15 months, it was as if a match had been lifted to the flame.
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Anchored by general manager Domènec Guasch and head coach Filipa Patão, the club began forming a dangerous roster in the summer. Guasch, who spent time at FC Barcelona, and Patão, who most recently led Benfica in Portugal, have brought a decidedly global approach to the team build. Their inaugural NWSL season kicks off with a chance to upset the 2025 champions, Gotham FC, at Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL's New England Patriots and Legacy's temporary home.
“Everybody knows that this city wants to win. This city wants a legacy,” Patão said during her inaugural press conference in the fall. “This city deserves strong women's football, and this is why I'm here, because I know this project is ambitious.”
The Legacy will debut alongside fellow expansion club Denver Summit FC. The two teams are the last to endure the league's previous model that staggered expansion over the past decade. Last year, the league moved expansion to a rolling basis, with Atlanta the latest city to be awarded an NWSL franchise.
Boston Unity Soccer Partners, the ownership group led by four women founders — Epstein, Stephanie Connaughton, Ami Kuan Danoff, and Anna Palmer — has also added celebrity partners. In July, the club welcomed WNBA standout Aliyah Boston into its investor group, joining the ranks of Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman, Hollywood actress Elizabeth Banks, USC basketball star Juju Watkins, and Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens and his wife, Tracy, a former college soccer player and attorney.
Boston Legacy is bringing women's professional soccer to a city that has been aching for its return after the Boston Breakers disbanded in 2018.
Until their permanent home at White Stadium is completed, the team will be playing its inaugural season at Gillette Stadium, with select matches at Centreville Bank Stadium in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, to adjust for seven men's World Cup matches taking place in Foxboro this summer.
On the field, Guasch has crafted a team from international transfers, college graduates, and NWSL mainstays. The club's inaugural general manager has a storied history in Spain. He is a nine-time Liga F and three-time UEFA Women's Champions League winner with FC Barcelona, where he served as head of management for women's football. Meanwhile, Patão joined the club in July after five years at Benfica, tallying a 156-28-15 (W-L-D) record during her tenure.
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“The league is very, very competitive. It is one of the best leagues in the world,” Patão said. “It's normal that every coach wants to be here, wants to be in this league, wants to bring something to this league.”
Together, the two have gone on to recruit a truly global team filled with some powerful options. The team's 23-player roster, as of March 9, has players with ties to the U.S., Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Canada, Japan, Uganda, Venezuela, Spain, and Mali.
A 2025 Ballon d'Or Féminin nominee, 24-year-old Amanda Gutierres, was one of the highlights of Boston's roster build. The Brazilian forward is a dominant goalscorer whose strength enables her to be a versatile threat up top. She wowed the world during the Copa América Femenina last year, ending the competition as one of its top goalscorers.
Before signing with Boston, she was a dominant force at Brazilian club Palmeiras, too, claiming golden boots in 2023 and 2024 and earning the prestigious 2024 Bola de Prata award, given to the best players in the Campeonato Brasileiro Feminino Série A1.
“I had that on my mind for a while,” Gutierres told The Athletic. “I had a dream to play in the league.” After adjusting to the culture shock of a Boston winter, she said she and her teammates are “growing together” on the pitch, as their style develops, too.
“For now, we're just together for five months, not even a year,” Gutierres said. “After a while, we will start discovering together what the ideal team is and what is the best for Boston.”
There are players such as Ella Stevens, who last played for Gotham FC and is a quick attacking player with uncanny footwork, and 18-year-old Chloe Ricketts, the first player to sign with a club through the league's Under-18 Entry Mechanism.
U.S. goalkeeper Casey Murphy was another key signing for Boston, choosing to leave North Carolina Courage after four years at the club to enter free agency.
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“I just really wanted to be a part of a team that valued me and not only what I brought on the field, but off the field as well,” Murphy, who won gold with the U.S. at the 2024 Olympics, said. “I feel like this was a great step for me in regards to my leadership and how I could help the team with my voice in the locker room.”
The Legacy spent part of their preseason in Florida and Europe, learning to play together ahead of their inaugural year.
“(Patão) wants to see what we bring without putting too many restrictions on us week one,” Murphy said. “I felt a lot of freedom to just be on the field and play without thinking too much.”
That, of course, will change as the season progresses and the team settles in the NWSL. Until then, all eyes will be on Gillette Stadium on March 14, when Gotham and Boston meet for the first time. Will there be a spark igniting another East Coast rivalry in the NWSL?
“They call it Title Town, because the teams (in Boston) are just always winning championships,” Murphy said, “That was just something that sold me, like, I want to bring a championship to Boston.”
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
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Melanie Anzidei is a Staff Writer for The Athletic covering soccer. Before joining The Athletic, she was an enterprise sports reporter for The Record newspaper and NorthJersey.com, where she was for nearly a decade. She's a graduate of Columbia Journalism School in New York City. Follow Melanie on Twitter @melanieanzidei
WORCESTER – After a weeklong hiatus, the City Council will meet again Tuesday, March 10, with a lengthy agenda.
Following Ghana's Independence Day March 6, Vice Chairman Khrystian E. King placed a resolution on the upcoming agenda to recognize Worcester as an official host city for Ghanaian fans during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Ghana is set to play three matches, one of which is scheduled for Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, where Ghana will take on England. The other two games will be in Philadelphia and Toronto.
The resolution, which is "nonbinding on the Republic of Ghana and does not create financial obligations beyond those lawfully approved by the city," envisions authorized fan viewing areas, community zones, temporary fan gardens, viewing screens, related activation spaces and other 2026 FIFA World Cup events.
Mayor Joseph M. Petty has a similar order on the agenda, requesting that City Manager Eric D. Batista "execute all required tasks associated with establishing the City of Worcester as the official host city for Ghanian fans."
Worcester has a large Ghanaian community and the West African country opened an honorary consulate in the city in 2025.
While both the resolution and the order seek to establish Worcester as an official host city from June 18 to 27, the Ghana Football Association announced in February that Providence will serve as the team's base camp.
Ghana's team will be staying in Providence and using facilities at Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island, to practice. It also plans on participating in community programs for young soccer players.
According to The Providence Journal, The Graduate by Hilton in Providence was listed as an official accommodation partner. It is not confirmed the team will be staying there.
Another request put on the agenda by Petty concerns the construction of a new police station.
Petty is requesting Batista provide the City Council with a report on "how building of a future police station will be prioritized, including information related to the status of the current building and whether it serves the city's present needs."
Councilors discussed other gaps in the Worcester Police Department, including reduced officer numbers, during the most recent City Council meeting Tuesday, Feb. 24.
Separately, Petty is requesting Batista conduct a "comprehensive review of all ordinances, permitting processes, fee structures and all other practices that prohibit and/or delay investment in the city."
The council's decision on the Menkiti Group's project at 401-409 Main Street is also expected to be taken up, after first appearing on the agenda Jan. 13.
The Menkiti Group is seeking to redevelop the Clark Block into 48 housing units
The council will vote on approving a tax exemption for the real estate developer after a subcontractor working for the company was accused of wage theft and breaking the city's responsible development ordinance.
Menkiti Group President Caroline Kenney said the violations are related to a separate project not affiliated with the real estate agency.
Chief Development Officer Peter Dunn said the Menkiti Group has paid a $5,000 fine after breaking the ordinance.
The item was postponed by King before being sent to the Standing Committee on Economic Development, which recommended the council's approval.
After going back to the council, it was then postponed for a second time by Petty. The item appears on the agenda for the council to vote on the subcommittee's recommendation.
The City Council will take on these orders and items along with other discussion points on its extensive agenda, Tuesday, March 10.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Worcester seeks to host Ghana World Cup fans
Fifa can take disciplinary action against exiting nations
‘Sanctions include exclusion from future competition'
Iran could face disciplinary action from Fifa, including a possible ban from future tournaments, if they unilaterally withdraw from the World Cup.
Donald Trump told Politico last week that he “really doesn't care” if Iran fail to take part in this summer's tournament, but Fifa remains committed to the World Cup going ahead with all qualified teams participating.
The president of the country's football federation, Mehdi Taj, cast doubt on Iran's involvement last week by saying “we cannot be expected to look forward to the World Cup with hope”, but pulling out may not be straightforward.
Under Fifa statutes, member associations are not permitted to withdraw from competitions, and declining to take part in a World Cup would be unprecedented in the modern era. No country has pulled out of the tournament after the draw since France and India did not take part in 1950, citing travel costs.
Fifa has protections in its tournament rules, which sources have indicated would be upheld. The regulations state that withdrawing before the tournament incurs a fine of between €275,000 (£238,000) and €555,000, depending on the date of the withdrawal, and triggers a referral to Fifa's disciplinary committee, which could impose sporting sanctions.
“Participating associations that withdraw at any stage of the Fifa World Cup 2026 shall be required to reimburse all funds received from Fifa for the preparation of their national team, as well as any competition-related contributions received from Fifa,” the regulations state.
“The Fifa disciplinary committee may impose additional disciplinary measures, taking into account in particular the timing of the withdrawal or exclusion, the seriousness of the infringement that led to the inadmission or exclusion, possible mitigating factors and any other relevant circumstances.
“These disciplinary sanctions may include the exclusion of the association concerned from a future Fifa competition or the replacement of that association by another.”
Iran have played at six World Cups, including the past three, in Brazil, Russia and Qatar. Their Group G opponents this summer are New Zealand, Belgium and Egypt, and they would face the United States in the knockout stage if both sides qualify as group runners-up.
Iranians are barred from entering the US under a travel ban introduced by the Trump administration last June, although it permits exemptions for athletes involved in the World Cup or 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Fifa was contacted for comment.
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Michael Steele/Getty Images, Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images
Strikers scoring for fun, Christian Pulisic edging closer to his best and Champions League action on the horizon — here's this week's recap of the USMNT stars in Europe…
The goals are flowing for the USMNT's Europe-based band of strikers, with all three main options for the centre-forward berth hitting form.
Advertisement
Let's start with Folarin Balogun, who had already struck a personal-best five Champions League goals before Monaco's play-off stage exit last month. On Friday, he took his Ligue 1 tally to seven in 21 games with a sensational effort from outside the box in a 3-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain.
That's goals in back-to-back Monaco games for the 24-year-old, who loves scoring against the reigning French and European champions. He got two against Luis Enrique's side in the first leg of their Champions League play-off, and helped take a small measure of revenge against the men from the capital for knocking Monaco out.
Not surprisingly, with five goals across the month, he was named February's Most Valuable Player by supporters of his team. His nickname ‘Balo-goal' seems apt.
In the Netherlands, Ricardo Pepi hit double figures for the season at the weekend. As ever, his rate of scoring is impressive: in an injury-disrupted campaign, he now has 10 league goals in 18 games (nine starts). Sure, PSV's more-or-less unrivalled dominance in the Eredivisie helps, but Pepi also got three in five Champions League matches as Premier League suitors watched. He may yet start next season in England with Fulham, the most ardent of his admirers who tried to sign the 23-year-old in January while he was still recovering from a broken arm.
Pepi eventually got the winning goal in a hard-fought 2-1 win over AZ that moved PSV a remarkable 19 points ahead of second-placed Feyenoord at the top of the table. The American started the game and missed more than his share of good chances before finally dispatching the winning goal on 86 minutes.
Asked why he persisted with Pepi as he fluffed earlier chances, coach Peter Bosz told the post-game press conference: “He is a player who always gets a moment.
“He takes the ball on his instep against an outgoing goalkeeper. Ivan (Perisic) lays it down perfectly, but then you still have to get it under the crossbar. It was a very good and important goal, although he had had chances before.”
Advertisement
For his part, Pepi also said afterwards that his aim is to finish the season as the club's top scorer in the league (he is currently two behind Guus Til and Ismael Saibari who are tied on 12)
“I am very happy that I was able to play 90 minutes and also scored,” he said. “It feels good to be back and to contribute to this important victory at home.“
“Of course, it has been frustrating due to injuries, and therefore I had to be patient, but I got myself through.”
Last but not least, Haji Wright is still in with a shot of becoming his league's top scorer. Wright's strike in Coventry City's 2-0 win at Bristol City on Saturday helped maintain the five-point cushion for Frank Lampard's side at the top of the EFL Championship. The 27-year-old has 16 league goals, one behind Swansea City's Žan Vipotnik on 17.
Wright's sixth in his last five games came just before half-time and gave his side a huge boost. “The second goal was crucial to the game, crucial to our mindset, crucial to give us something to hang on to,” Lampard told the BBC.
Christian Pulisic's wait for a goal in 2026 continues, although he was approaching his influential best in the Milan derby.
The American didn't score or assist, (the solitary goal in Milan's victory over rivals Inter went to Pervis Estupinan), but Pulisic was a menace, creating three chances for the Rossoneri as they narrowed the gap between themselves and the Serie A leaders to seven points.
Beforehand, Pulisic told broadcasters DAZN he “was not in his best moment,” but his manager Max Allegri is backing him.
“He'll be crucial for us in the final part of the season,” he said. “It's not as if he has forgotten how to score goals, he had an injury from pre-season, he had a few more setbacks, but is working on finding his best form.”
Advertisement
It's last 16 time in the Champions League, with three Americans still bidding to have their say in their team's chances of progress.
It all kicks off with Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid hosting Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday (4pm ET, Paramount+). Cardoso got half an hour under his belt from the bench as Atletico subjected American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo's Real Sociedad to defeat on Saturday.
At the same time, on the same evening, Yunus Musah will hope to keep his influence going for Atalanta as they host Bayern Munich (Paramount +, 4pm).
Finally, Bayer Leverkusen are in action on Wednesday against Arsenal (1:45pm ET, Paramount +). Malik Tillman, who has been nursing an ankle problem, was a substitute on Saturday as his side drew 3-3 at Freiburg.
On Thursday, Chris Richards, fresh from helping Crystal Palace inflict further misery on Spurs in the Premier League last Thursday with a 3-1 win, will hope to feature for his team in their Europa Conference last-16 tie against Cypriots AEK Larnaca (4pm ET, Paramount+).
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today's puzzle
Greg O'Keeffe is a senior writer for The Athletic covering US soccer players in the UK & Europe.
Previously he spent a decade at the Liverpool Echo covering news and features before an eight-year stint as the paper's Everton correspondent; giving readers the inside track on Goodison Park, a remit he later reprised at The Athletic.
He has also worked as a news and sport journalist for the BBC and hosts a podcast in his spare time. Follow Greg on Twitter @GregOK
Michael Steele/Getty Images, Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images
Strikers scoring for fun, Christian Pulisic edging closer to his best and Champions League action on the horizon — here's this week's recap of the USMNT stars in Europe…
The goals are flowing for the USMNT's Europe-based band of strikers, with all three main options for the centre-forward berth hitting form.
Advertisement
Let's start with Folarin Balogun, who had already struck a personal-best five Champions League goals before Monaco's play-off stage exit last month. On Friday, he took his Ligue 1 tally to seven in 21 games with a sensational effort from outside the box in a 3-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain.
That's goals in back-to-back Monaco games for the 24-year-old, who loves scoring against the reigning French and European champions. He got two against Luis Enrique's side in the first leg of their Champions League play-off, and helped take a small measure of revenge against the men from the capital for knocking Monaco out.
Not surprisingly, with five goals across the month, he was named February's Most Valuable Player by supporters of his team. His nickname ‘Balo-goal' seems apt.
In the Netherlands, Ricardo Pepi hit double figures for the season at the weekend. As ever, his rate of scoring is impressive: in an injury-disrupted campaign, he now has 10 league goals in 18 games (nine starts). Sure, PSV's more-or-less unrivalled dominance in the Eredivisie helps, but Pepi also got three in five Champions League matches as Premier League suitors watched. He may yet start next season in England with Fulham, the most ardent of his admirers who tried to sign the 23-year-old in January while he was still recovering from a broken arm.
Pepi eventually got the winning goal in a hard-fought 2-1 win over AZ that moved PSV a remarkable 19 points ahead of second-placed Feyenoord at the top of the table. The American started the game and missed more than his share of good chances before finally dispatching the winning goal on 86 minutes.
Asked why he persisted with Pepi as he fluffed earlier chances, coach Peter Bosz told the post-game press conference: “He is a player who always gets a moment.
“He takes the ball on his instep against an outgoing goalkeeper. Ivan (Perisic) lays it down perfectly, but then you still have to get it under the crossbar. It was a very good and important goal, although he had had chances before.”
Advertisement
For his part, Pepi also said afterwards that his aim is to finish the season as the club's top scorer in the league (he is currently two behind Guus Til and Ismael Saibari who are tied on 12)
“I am very happy that I was able to play 90 minutes and also scored,” he said. “It feels good to be back and to contribute to this important victory at home.“
“Of course, it has been frustrating due to injuries, and therefore I had to be patient, but I got myself through.”
Last but not least, Haji Wright is still in with a shot of becoming his league's top scorer. Wright's strike in Coventry City's 2-0 win at Bristol City on Saturday helped maintain the five-point cushion for Frank Lampard's side at the top of the EFL Championship. The 27-year-old has 16 league goals, one behind Swansea City's Žan Vipotnik on 17.
Wright's sixth in his last five games came just before half-time and gave his side a huge boost. “The second goal was crucial to the game, crucial to our mindset, crucial to give us something to hang on to,” Lampard told the BBC.
Christian Pulisic's wait for a goal in 2026 continues, although he was approaching his influential best in the Milan derby.
The American didn't score or assist, (the solitary goal in Milan's victory over rivals Inter went to Pervis Estupinan), but Pulisic was a menace, creating three chances for the Rossoneri as they narrowed the gap between themselves and the Serie A leaders to seven points.
Beforehand, Pulisic told broadcasters DAZN he “was not in his best moment,” but his manager Max Allegri is backing him.
“He'll be crucial for us in the final part of the season,” he said. “It's not as if he has forgotten how to score goals, he had an injury from pre-season, he had a few more setbacks, but is working on finding his best form.”
Advertisement
It's last 16 time in the Champions League, with three Americans still bidding to have their say in their team's chances of progress.
It all kicks off with Johnny Cardoso and Atletico Madrid hosting Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday (4pm ET, Paramount+). Cardoso got half an hour under his belt from the bench as Atletico subjected American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo's Real Sociedad to defeat on Saturday.
At the same time, on the same evening, Yunus Musah will hope to keep his influence going for Atalanta as they host Bayern Munich (Paramount +, 4pm).
Finally, Bayer Leverkusen are in action on Wednesday against Arsenal (1:45pm ET, Paramount +). Malik Tillman, who has been nursing an ankle problem, was a substitute on Saturday as his side drew 3-3 at Freiburg.
On Thursday, Chris Richards, fresh from helping Crystal Palace inflict further misery on Spurs in the Premier League last Thursday with a 3-1 win, will hope to feature for his team in their Europa Conference last-16 tie against Cypriots AEK Larnaca (4pm ET, Paramount+).
Spot the pattern. Connect the terms
Find the hidden link between sports terms
Play today's puzzle
Greg O'Keeffe is a senior writer for The Athletic covering US soccer players in the UK & Europe.
Previously he spent a decade at the Liverpool Echo covering news and features before an eight-year stint as the paper's Everton correspondent; giving readers the inside track on Goodison Park, a remit he later reprised at The Athletic.
He has also worked as a news and sport journalist for the BBC and hosts a podcast in his spare time. Follow Greg on Twitter @GregOK
Bolavip, like Futbol Sites, is a company owned by Better Collective. All rights reserved.
Updated on March 09, 2026 12:41PM EDT
By Ariadna Pinheiro
The impact of Lionel Messi on Inter Miami has been measured in sold-out stadiums, global attention and record commercial growth. Yet behind the headlines about goals and trophies, the financial structure of his contract continues to attract just as much curiosity.
He remains the highest-paid player in MLS, earning a reported $12 million base salary and more than $20 million in guaranteed compensation. But the Argentine star's deal was never built solely around salary, as his total annual earnings reach between $70 million and $80 million, according to Jorge Mas.
Still, the most intriguing element of the agreement may not appear on any salary guide. Buried within the structure of the deal is a clause that could give him something few players ever receive during their careers: a stake in the club he currently represents.
When Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023, his agreement reportedly included a provision granting him percentage ownership in the club once he retires from professional soccer, according to The Athletic.
The franchise is currently controlled by ownership figures including Jorge Mas, Jose Mas and former England star David Beckham, but the clause opens the door for Messi to eventually join that group.
Details about the exact size of his potential stake have never been publicly confirmed by the club or the league. However, executives connected to the organization have suggested the value tied to that ownership structure could reach at least $60 million per year, depending on how Messi's contract and extension are structured through the end of the 2028–29 season.
The clause means his time in MLS could ultimately deliver value far beyond his playing salary. Instead of simply earning wages during his stay in Miami, the Argentine icon could transition into a long-term stakeholder within the club.
The financial context surrounding Inter Miami helps explain why the ownership element of Messi's contract is considered so significant. Before the Argentine arrived in South Florida, the franchise was valued at roughly $585 million in 2023.
Since then, the club's global visibility and commercial reach have expanded dramatically. Recent estimates from Forbes place Inter Miami's valuation at approximately $1.35 billion, reflecting the surge in sponsorships, merchandise sales and international exposure following his arrival.
That dramatic rise in value means any ownership percentage tied to Messi's contract could become increasingly lucrative over time. In practical terms, the clause positions him to potentially remain part of Inter Miami's long-term business future.
Bolavip, like Futbol Sites, is a company owned by Better Collective. All rights reserved.
Alex Scott & Fara Williams react to the Women's Champions League quarterfinal draw featuring a Clásico and an all WSL affair between Arsenal and Chelsea. (1:44)
United States women's national team (USWNT) forward Alyssa Thompson has praised Chelsea for developing her game since signing for the Women's Super League (WSL) reigning champions in September but admitted that the upcoming League Cup final has added more pressure on a team that is expected to win.
Holders Chelsea face Manchester United in the final on Sunday in Bristol aiming to claim their first piece of silverware this season.
After winning the domestic treble last season with ease, the narrative is different heading into this tie after Chelsea faced an uncharacteristic dip in form and could lose their WSL crown, something they've kept for the past six seasons.
"Chelsea wins a lot of trophies and we're expected to. So this [League Cup] is just another trophy that we're expected to win," Thompson told ESPN.
"I feel like in everything we do and all the cups that we're in, we need to win so we're just continuing that mentality and knowing that that's a staple for Chelsea and taking that into the game.
"I think winning this cup would be really special. And also for our run and Champions League, I think it will just give everyone a lot of confidence, give our team a lot of confidence. And I feel like we need that right now," she added.
The Blues faced their first back-to-back losses since 2018 after losing 2-0 to Arsenal followed by a 5-1 humbling by Manchester City in the league. The results could leave the reigning six-time WSL winners outside of European qualification for the first time in over five years.
They also have a battle for the Champions League title, the one trophy that has eluded them, facing Arsenal in the quarterfinal before a semifinal clash with either eight-time winners OL Lyonnes or former winner Wolfsburg.
Chelsea are still in the running for four trophies, including the Champions League, though the WSL is almost out of their grasp. They are nine points behind leader Manchester City on course for their first title in a decade, ramping up the pressure on the holders.
Thompson admitted that she's been on a learning curve moving to Chelsea, the first time she's ever moved away from home after leaving home-town club Angel City. She skipped going to college, instead being the first pick of the NWSL draft in 2023, straight out of high school.
"I feel like Chelsea is a very different club than what I came from, and they are expected to win and there's a lot of pressure on us. We just have a different pressure that we need to uphold."
Thompson expressed that the pressure she felt at Angel City wasn't comparable to that at Chelsea -- especially navigating the dip in form -- but noted her experiences with USWNT as good preparation to enter into Chelsea's high-stakes environment.
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She made her national team debut in October 2022 becoming the youngest player at the time since Sophia Smith (2017) to feature for the four-time World Cup winners. She has been a regular feature for former Chelsea manager Emma Hayes who now leads the USWNT.
"We try to come together and are able to see what we can do and how we can do together. I feel like I definitely learned what it means to be in an environment like this and how people react and quickly have to move on," Thompson said.
She added that she's learned to not think about the expectations in order to remain focused on her goals.
"I feel like I try not to think about [the pressure]," she added. "If I do, then I will feel it. But if I don't think about it, then I feel like all I can do is control what I do on the field, control the energy I bring to the team. And that helps me a lot stay grounded."
Despite only arriving in West London in September, Thompson has already credited Chelsea's environment with helping her grow as a player. At Angel City she was often the central focus, which meant she relied heavily on instinct. At Chelsea, however, the emphasis on collective movement and synchronicity has pushed her to think more deliberately about her decision-making and positioning on the pitch.
"I feel like firstly, my first touch and passing to the players -- I didn't really think about it as much as I do now," she said. "The people on our team expect the ball straight to their foot, to the right foot. That's something I need to get better at, and I think I've already improved a little bit."
The shift has also sharpened her understanding of the game. Playing alongside teammates with strong tactical awareness has encouraged her to keep developing that aspect of her play.
"I feel like my understanding of the game has definitely gotten better than before, but I still want to keep growing in that area," she said. "We have so many amazing players on the team who understand the game so well. I also think my shooting and finishing has improved a lot. I'm more clinical in front of goal and have a better range of shots."
Being surrounded by Chelsea's world-class depth has also accelerated her development, she added.
"Even just watching training when I'm on the sidelines, I'm like: 'These players are so good.' Being able to play with them every day makes me feel like I'm getting better just from training, which is amazing."
And it's Lauren James who she watches the most in training, picking up tidbits from the Lioness' game to implement into her own.
Wayne Rooney scored 53 goals in 120 caps for England
Phil Parkinson says Wayne Rooney's praise of Wrexham following their performance against Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round is an "incredible tribute for everyone connected with the club".
Liam Rosenior's Premier League side needed extra-time to overcome the Red Dragons 4-2 with the hosts seeing George Dobson sent off in the final stages of regular time at Stok Cae Ras.
England icon Rooney formed part of the BBC's punditry team for the contest in north Wales and was later full of praise for the Championship side.
"I think it's the most I've enjoyed a game of football since I stopped playing," he told The Wayne Rooney Show.
"I thought it was a really good game. Wrexham were excellent."
The 40-year-old added: "My favourite game since I stopped playing was Barcelona v Inter Milan in the [Champions League] semi-finals last year, but I think one has taken over. I really enjoyed it."
Parkinson felt his side's showing against Club World Cup champions Chelsea helped to further demonstrate Wrexham's best qualities.
"It's (Rooney's comments) an incredible tribute for everyone connected with the club," Parkinson said.
"It's great for us as a club that the wider audience saw what the team's all about.
"It really was an electric atmosphere from minute one."
Latest Wrexham news, analysis and fan views
VAR brings cruel dose of reality to Wrexham
With their FA Cup run now over, Wrexham's focus switches immediately back to their push for what would be a fourth successive promotion.
Wrexham - currently sixth - are three points clear of seventh-place Derby County with 11 matches still to play this season.
They go into back-to-back home league games against Hull City (Tuesday, 19:45 GMT) and Swansea City (Friday, 20:00 GMT) this week having won each of their past three Championship fixtures.
And following their headline-grabbing fixture with Chelsea, Wrexham manager Parkinson says it is now "game on" as his side pursue a spot in the play-offs.
"It (Chelsea fixture) was a special night and one we will remember," Parkinson said.
"It could have been so much more memorable, but like I said to the lads, it's now game on in the league, starting with Hull City tomorrow."
Wrexham AFC
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The possible return of the German
Jurgen Klopp could return to the pitch as a head coach, he doesn't rule it out and keeps his options open. The former Liverpool coach is currently serving as the global director of football at Red Bull, but he does not rule out a possible return to the bench of his old team in England.
The 58-year-old German coach spoke about a possible return to professional football and the Premier League, in the media outlet GOAL, Gary McAllister confirmed that a potential second opportunity for Klopp would not be off the table, following his departure in 2024.
Jurgen Klopp could return to the pitch as a head coach, he doesn't rule it out and keeps his options open. The former Liverpool coach is currently serving as the global director of football at Red Bull, but he does not rule out a possible return to the bench of his old team in England.
The 58-year-old German coach spoke about a possible return to professional football and the Premier League, in the media outlet GOAL, Gary McAllister confirmed that a potential second opportunity for Klopp would not be off the table, following his departure in 2024.
Klopp's numbers at Liverpool
Klopp left the Anfield club after several seasons with them and decided to take a break from professional football, eventually becoming the global director of football at the Red Bull organization. The German coach had managed 491 matches with Liverpool between 2016 and 2024, winning 60% of all the matches, that is, 299. His time at Liverpool also included major titles that are now displayed in the halls of Anfield, such as the first league title in 30 years, the 2019-20 Premier League, the 2018-19 Champions League, a FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and Community Shield.
Why could I come back?
When asked about Klopp's comeback to Liverpool McAlister gave his opinon “For me, it's always very difficult to go back to somewhere where you've been unbelievably successful. But you can never say never. It's a crazy game and it's getting crazier as we speak. But for me, I think the game in general misses Jurgen Klopp.
“He's obviously got the ability to spend more time with family and stuff, because you know how demanding management is. So the job that he's in at the moment, I'm assuming it gives him more time to be with family. But people who are involved in football just love being on the grass at a training ground. I'd like to see him back wherever it is, because I think the game in general has missed him.”
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Updated on: March 9, 2026 / 10:21 AM EDT
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The town of Foxboro, Massachusetts said it is "shocked and dismayed" by the most recent statement from the Kraft Sports Group about the FIFA World Cup security funding.
Seven matches are set to be played at Gillette Stadium, known as Boston Stadium, starting June 13. The conflict between Foxboro, FIFA and Boston 2026, the local partner for FIFA, has been ongoing for several months. The town insists that FIFA and Boston 26 pay the $7.8 million security bill upfront ahead of the matches, but the organizations have said that they will reimburse the town, or that the equipment they need for security will be available by June 1.
The attorney for Boston 2026 said that if the federal funding fell through, both the Kraft Sports Group and Boston 2026 would help cover the bill within two days of the event ending.
But the town called that "unacceptable" and continued to refuse to front the cash.
In a statement on Thursday evening, a spokesperson for Gillette Stadium said that they had met with Foxboro representatives about their concerns and are "committed to financially ensuring the town's needs are met for security-related costs."
"...Both by financially supporting the anticipated funds Boston Soccer 2026 expects to award Foxborough through the federal FIFA World Cup Grant program and by providing financial and logistical support for additional capital expenditures," the spokesperson said in a statement. "Unlike games and concerts, World Cup matches are not revenue generating events for the stadium, but they do generate a significant amount of tourism and visibility for the state."
Foxboro responded on Friday, saying that any statement that a funding agreement had been reached was "categorically false."
"While the total cost for such services is a microscopic fraction of the revenue that the events will generate, the Town has been met, at every turn, with resistance from the Kraft Group and other event organizers. That such entities may have miscalculated the cost of hosting the World Cup is not a reason to compromise on event security. The Town cannot and will not finance the Kraft Group's losses by sacrificing public safety," Foxboro said.
The Kraft Group said that at no point had they claimed to reach an agreement with Foxboro.
"Throughout this process, despite not being the license applicant or the host committee, the Kraft Group's only objective has been to move forward positively to get to a 'yes' on an agreement with the Town. We have made every good faith effort to ask the Town to explain their concerns, and to understand and address them," the Kraft Group said in a statement on Friday. "When they had a liquidity issue, we solved it. When they asked for equipment, we supported it. We are deeply disappointed that the town has seemingly reached a conclusion unilaterally without the platform of a public hearing which is already scheduled for March 17 and would like to understand what the town requires at this stage to get to 'yes."
The World Cup matches remain less than 100 days away and the deadline for the entertainment license for a friendly match later this month between Brazil and France at the stadium is March 17.
In:
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(02:36)
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We are only a few months away from the 2026 FIFA World Cup which is scheduled to kick off in June.
The United States will be one of the three host nations for the global soccer tournament, along with Mexico and Canada, and overall, the Men's national side will be looking to make a deep run in front of their home fans.
MORE: USMNT's 2026 FIFA World Cup jersey leaks at random grocery store
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino will certainly hope all his best players will be healthy and ready to go once the World Cup rolls around.
Nov 15, 2025; Chester, Pennsylvania, USA; United States defender Sergino Dest (2) controls the ball against Paraguay in the first half at Subaru Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
However, Pochettino was hit with a potentially huge blow over the weekend when PSV Eindhoven defender Sergiño Dest went down with a hamstring injury during his club's 2-1 win over AZ Alkmaar.
Dest required assistance and help in order to leave the field. In more optimistic news for the United States squad, the former Barcelona player has since sent a reassuring message regarding his intentions and approach for the next few months prior to the World Cup.
USMNT's Sergiño Dest issued update after injury put World Cup in doubt https://t.co/h4xZUQlkVM
“I'm out for a little while to do what I love the most! But one thing for sure this is NOT the end of the season!” Dest wrote in a post on Instagram.
“I'll do everything in my power to make sure that I'm coming back asap on the right timing! Thanks for the messages, won't let you guys down!”
United States defender Sergino Dest (2) shoots past Japan defender Hiroki Sekine (16) during an international friendly soccer match at Lower.com Field in Columbus on Sept. 9, 2025. The United States Men's National Team won 2-0.
An ACL injury sustained in 2024 also saw Dest miss plenty of time. As such, the 25 year old was only recently able to feature for the national team once again this past September.
Although he is set to be sidelined after injuring his hamstring, Dest appears adamant to still make an impact for U.S. Soccer at this year's World Cup.
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Manchester United legend Patrice Evra has called out Theo Walcott, suggesting the former Arsenal winger was "probably drunk" when comparing the current Gunners side to United's iconic 2007-08 Champions League-winning team. The Frenchman did not mince his words after Walcott suggested Mikel Arteta's title-chasers could compete with Sir Alex Ferguson's legendary squad, joking that he is a "danger to society" for making the claim.
The controversy stems from a debate involving Wayne Rooney, who previously gave a blunt assessment of how his former side would fare against the modern-day Arsenal. When asked for his take on the match-up that had been put forward as a contest by Walcott, Rooney simply said: "Yeah, we'd batter them" before reiterating his belief that the 2008 squad remains streets ahead of the current north London outfit. Evra echoed these sentiments, insisting that the 2008 team, led by Cristiano Ronaldo at his peak, remains untouchable in the pantheon of English football. While Arsenal are currently enjoying a stellar campaign at the top of the table, Evra believes any comparison to Sir Alex Ferguson's most balanced side is premature and disrespectful to the achievements of the past.
Speaking to Stake, Evra pulled no punches regarding his former rival's punditry. "I think Wayne Rooney was being really nice to Theo Walcott, even if he said Man United 07-08 would smash this Arsenal team. Walcott is a good friend, I love him, but saying those kinds of comments shows he's a menace on TV. He should stop doing punditry, this is dangerous for the kids, saying things like this. Even in the FA Cup in 2008, we beat Arsenal with eight defensive players. Our team is the GOAT of the Premier League, don't compare them to this Arsenal team. Walcott was probably drunk when he compared them, if he wasn't, then he's dangerous for society," Evra declared.
Despite his brutal assessment of Walcott's remarks, Evra maintains genuine respect for what Arteta's squad is currently achieving and refused to entertain the idea that Arsenal would be undeserving winners should they lift the trophy. Reflecting on his own career, he added: "When we won the league in 2010-11, people were saying this is the worst Sir Alex Ferguson side ever and we won the league by nine points. People were harsh on us, so I won't say that about Arsenal, if they win, they're champions, that's it."
On Bruno Fernandes' importance to United amid the club's attempts to get him to commit his future to the Red Devils, Evra added: "Man United nearly lost Bruno Fernandes at the start of the season and Ruben Amorim was able to get him to stay. Players with Bruno's calibre can always go to any club and win trophies elsewhere, but he's at Man United. He believes in the history of the club, he's a captain, his family might be settled in Manchester. Some players have left Man United and gone on to win trophies, but they didn't have the same impact there as they did at Man United. I think Bruno will have a lot of opportunities in the summer, it's up to him whether he wants to go."
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Arsenal boast a commanding seven-point cushion over Manchester City at the Premier League summit, though Pep Guardiola's men still hold a vital game in hand to keep the pressure on. The Gunners must now park domestic duties and turn their attention to the continent as Arteta's men prepare for a demanding Champions League trip away to Bayer Leverkusen.
Over at Old Trafford, the landscape looks remarkably bright despite a recent stumble. United currently sit third in the table but will be desperate to bounce back after suffering their first defeat under Michael Carrick's stewardship. With no midweek European or FA Cup commitments on the schedule, the squad has a full week on the training pitch to prepare for a crucial Sunday showdown against fellow top-four contenders Aston Villa.
The Philadelphia Union host LIGA MX powerhouse Club América in Leg 1 of their 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 series on Tuesday evening.
Leg 2 will be played in Mexico City on March 18, determining who reaches the quarterfinals in April. The aggregate winner will face the winner of the series between Inter Miami CF and Nashville SC.
Nine MLS clubs are competing in the prestigious continental tournament, which grants a spot in the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup. The single-match CCC final will be held on May 30.
Philadelphia were in cruise control throughout Round One, dispatching Trinidadian side Defence Force by a 12-0 aggregate scoreline.
Bruno Damiani netted a brace in Leg 1's 5-0 victory, then homegrown star Cavan Sullivan made history with a 2g/2a performance in Leg 2's 7-0 rout.
The 2025 MLS Supporters' Shield champions' CCC success has yet to translate to MLS play, though. Bradley Carnell's side has lost their first three matches and back-to-back contests at Subaru Park.
Can the Union reverse course against one of the region's strongest clubs?
All nine MLS teams enter @TheChampions Round of 16 🏆 pic.twitter.com/9bzYtvzPsX
Club América squeaked past Honduran side CD Olimpia in Round One, paced by goals from Víctor Dávila and Ramón Juárez in Leg 1 (2-1 victory).
Las Águilas were held scoreless in Leg 2 (0-0 draw), perhaps reflecting their mid-table form in the LIGA MX Clausura.
Manager André Jardine's squad is eighth in LIGA MX, 11 points behind leaders Cruz Azul and in danger of missing the playoffs.
Despite those ups and downs, the seven-time CCC champions are a formidable opponent. And the likes of Brian Rodríguez and Alex Zendejas, both former MLS standouts, can change the game on a moment's notice.
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MIAMI, FL – The U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team defeated the Mexico U-23 WNT 1-0 in the first of two matches between the teams at Florida International University as Racing Louisville forward Sarah Weber scored the lone U.S. goal in the 14th minute.
Weber, who scored in the final U.S. U-23 match of 2025, a 4-2 win over England, will be entering her second pro season in 2026.
The USA's Starting XI featured all professional players. Seven of the USA's eight substitutes are also pros. Of the 19 NWSL players in camp, 10 are entering their rookie seasons in the league.
Players born in 2002 or later are age-eligible for this year's U-23 WNT, and the roster features players from six birth years ranging from 2002 to 2006, along with one born in 2008. Dyche called up three players born in 2002, eight born in 2003, five born in 2004, two born in 2005 and one in 2006.
Match: U.S. Under-23 Women's National Team vs. Mexico U-23 WNT
Date: March 3, 2026
Competition: International Friendly Match
Venue: FIU Soccer Stadium; Miami, Fla.
Attendance: 100
Weather: 78 degrees, sunny, occasional clouds
Lineups
USA: 1-Neeku Purcell, 2-Ayo Oke (Capt.) (23-Macy Blackburn, 78), 3-Evelyn Shores, 4-Jayden Perry, 8-Yuna McCormack (16-Lexi Missimo, 89), 10-Sarah Schupansky (22-Hope Leyba, 62), 11-Kat Radar (21-Sofia Cook, 78), 13-Andrea Kitahata (17-Taylor Suarez, 46), 14-Leah Klenke (5-Carolyn Calzada, 62), 15-Sarah Weber (9-Pietra Tordin, 62), 20-Shae Harvey (6-Ally Lemos, 46)
Subs not used: 12-Elizabeth Beardsley, 7-Karlie Lema, 18-Olivia Thomas, 19-Sierra Sythe, 24-Sydney Cheesman
Head Coach: Heather Dyche
MEX: 2-Jana Alexandra Gutierrez Campos (16-Alexandra Guadalupe Godinez Garcia, 62), 3-Carol Cazares Carrera (15-Lilana Taylor Fernandez Harvey, 73), 4-Natalia Judith Colin Ruiz, 5-Karol Esthefany Bernal Castaneda, 6-Ella Ryan Sanchez Stickel (18-Xcaret Pineda Torres, 83), 7-Maria Natalia Mauleon Pinon (23-Mailin Aracely, 73), 8-Dania Nicole Perez Jimenez (20-America Frias Andrea, 73), 9–Marcia Paola Garvia Ramirez (22-Denise Castro Ruvalcaba, 73), 10-Alejandra Lomeli Franco (19-Lourdes Sofia Martinez Barajas, 83), 11-Valerie Vargas Arceo (17-Maribel Flores Hernandez, 62), 12-Paola Naomi Manrique Mendoza (1-Celeste Maryel Espino Mendoza, 73)
Subs not used: 13-Natalia Viann Coury Higuera, 14-Esquivias Liceaga
Head Coach: Vanessa Martinez Lagunas
Stats Summary: USA / MEX
Shots: 5 / 6
Shots on Goal: 2 / 5
Saves: 5 / 1
Corner Kicks: 5 / 3
Fouls: 8 / 7
Offside: 2 / 4
Officials:
Referee: Jorge Escobar (USA)
Assistant Referee 1: Jade Mallea (USA)
Assistant Referee 2: Nicolas Sanchez (USA)
Fourth Official: Joshua Manrufo (USA)
Recap from the U.S. U-18 WNT's win over Sweden.
The first round of club promotions was announced.
Rylee McLanahan and Sealey Strawn each scored.
Three different USA players found the net.
Twenty-four players have been called up.
The U-18 WNT roster includes 20 players.
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Tottenham are hurtling towards disaster. They could be relegated from the Premier League, and at this point of this season from hell, their best hope of staying up may simply be that football can change very quickly. There are still several key players to return from injury for the run-in, but that may prove too little, too late, particularly with the vibes in an almost irreversible tailspin.
The decision to hire Igor Tudor as the short-term replacement for head coach Thomas Frank has been far from inspired. It was an idea first floated by Fabio Paratici over the autumn during his final few months as co-sporting director before leaving for Fiorentina, but was only enacted by the club in February when the complexion of Tottenham's season had changed completely. They were no longer at risk of merely missing out on Europe, but on a place in the Premier League altogether.
At this rate, Tudor may not even make it until the end of his contract in June. It would, if anything, be wise for Spurs to try and search for a morale-boosting alternative after the Croatian came in and somehow found a way to drain the squad of whatever confidence it had left. The difficult part of that problem is there isn't a clear option out there who would want to take on this seemingly cursed job.
Spurs' status as a top-flight team, mere months on from being decreed by Deloitte and UEFA as the ninth-most valuable club in Europe, is at serious risk. In the event they do survive, however, there is at least a blueprint to help them get on their feet again - they have to pick up the phone and call Mauricio Pochettino.
Pochettino is Tottenham's most successful manager of the modern era. Forget using silverware as a barometer of measurement and simply think about the best Spurs sides you can remember. They were all teams managed by the Argentine. Best of all to Tottenham fans, he genuinely loves the club, warts and all.
Tottenham, from the fans to the players to the board, loved Pochettino. He was a modern-thinking tactician with his pressing and playing from the back, an astute man-manager and the exact sort of character you would want as the face of your club. If there was a definitive image of Pochettino through his first three years at Spurs, it would be that with tears in his eyes as Tottenham waved goodbye to the old White Hart Lane for the final time.
By 2018, Pochettino had grown a team of stars that included Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen. They had completed three-successive finishes inside the top three for the first time since the 1960s, when they last won the old Division One title. Though Pochettino took great pride in developing young players and moulding this team into his own image, even he knew that the way for the squad to kick on was through player trading.
Tottenham sold right-back Kyle Walker in 2017 after the defender asked to move to a team more capable of winning titles. The club had hoped a Barcelona or Bayern Munich would make a bid and they could sell abroad, but such offers were not forthcoming. Walker ended up joining Manchester City for £50 million, which at the time was a world record fee for a full-back.
That same summer, Spurs received interest from Manchester United for left-back Danny Rose and versatile defender Eric Dier. There was belief in some corners they could have commanded a combined £100m, only for both to stay put. The feeling upstairs in that moment was they didn't want to be seen as a selling club, but in hindsight it may have been better to take the money and reinvest, especially considering the effective embargo Pochettino was placed under.
After Tottenham acquired Lucas Moura from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the January 2018 window, Spurs went 18 months without making another signing. This came despite two very public - and out of character - pleas from Pochettino to then-chairman Daniel Levy.
At the end of the 2017-18 season, the Argentine pulled no punches at his final press conference heading into the summer, saying: "If we want to be real contenders for big trophies, we need to review a little bit the thing. We need to create dreams that will be possible to achieve. Maybe we are a bit disappointed and frustrated because now we are close [to trophies].
"I think Daniel is going to listen to me, of course. You need to be brave. Being brave is the most important thing and take risks. I think it's a moment that the club needs to take risks and tries to work, if possible, harder than the previous season to be competitive again, because every season will be more difficult."
Spurs' only sign of any activity in the summer of 2018 was a derisory bid made for Jack Grealish, offering £4m plus academy graduate Josh Onomah, believing Aston Villa were on the brink of financial disaster. In fact, the West Midlands club had just received fresh investment and laughed them out the door.
Levy and Co at the time insisted the budget was there for Tottenham to bolster the squad despite their delayed move to the new billion-pound Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but suggested at a meeting with the supporters' trust that transfers were actually quite difficult to pull off. That was an admission of failure to Pochettino, his players and the fans. It was also the first sign that this regime was not ready to make that leap to a truly club.
Pochettino's Tottenham ran on fumes for the entire 2018-19 season having made one senior signing across their last two transfer windows, failing to add to what was an already thin squad while missing the chance to shift other players when their concentration started to wane. That's why reaching the club's first-ever Champions League final was even more of a miracle, but the circumstances around Spurs getting there left Pochettino even more drained, and he intimated he would quit if they did indeed become kings of Europe.
Shortly prior to their famous comeback against Ajax in the semi-finals, Pochettino again warned that there was no point in Spurs investing so much in a new stadium if they were going to neglect the squad again: "When you talk about Tottenham, everyone says you have an amazing house, but you need to put in the furniture. If you want to have a lovely house, maybe you need better furniture. And it depends on your budget if you are going to spend money. We need to be respectful with teams like Manchester City or Liverpool who spend a lot of money.
"We are brave, we are clever, we are creative. Now it's about creating another chapter and to have the clear idea of how we are going to build that new project. We need to rebuild. It's going to be painful."
Spurs signed Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso, Ryan Sessegnon and Jack Clarke during the summer of 2019, but that wasn't enough to repair the damage of the previous 18 months and they have been playing catch-up in the market ever since. Every window has proven too reactive and, at times, one window too late.
Pochettino was sacked five months after the Champions League final, with the club pivoting to a 'win-now' strategy under Jose Mourinho. It didn't go as planned.
Levy was the top dog at Tottenham on a day-to-day basis. For all his flaws, he ran Spurs in an almost exemplary manner and had earned the right to try and take them to the next level from when he took charge in 2001 to leaving White Hart Lane in 2017. He delivered the new stadium on what was sometimes described as a one-man mission, desperate to help the club find new ways to bring in revenue.
Levy's main drawback was he couldn't help but get in his own way. He was stubborn over transfer policy despite the calls from managers to spend more on wages, as most recently attested to by Ange Postecoglou and Gareth Bale on the Stick to Football podcast. He was accused of running Tottenham as a business and did little to sway that argument. He tried but often couldn't delegate power away from himself. He never seemed like a 'proper football man', in layman's terms.
Former captain Hugo Lloris claimed that the Spurs squad were rewarded for reaching the 2019 Champions League final with luxury watches as personal gifts from Levy. They were engraved with the words 'Champions League finalists'. "I would have preferred nothing to be written on it," Lloris said, only fuelling suggestions Levy lacked a winning mentality.
At his worst, Levy was a lightning rod for criticism. The Lewis family, who run the club on a broader scale but not in the same every-day way as Levy, sacked their chairman in September, briefing that they were targeting 'more wins, more often'.
Levy's responsibilities were assumed by CEO Vinai Venkatesham, with Peter Charrington becoming chairman on non-executive terms. What does any of that mean? Very little, as it turns out. There is a leadership vacuum at Tottenham that extends from the boardroom to the pitch, allowing a slide into mid-table mediocrity turn into a fight against relegation. Spurs need some sort of figurehead to represent them again.
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As referenced earlier, the main reason behind Tottenham's decline has been their inability to rebuild the playing squad. There has been too much of a focus on signing either teenage prospects who aren't yet ready to play, or midfield 'duellers' who lack the technical ability to complement their team-mates.
Johan Lange joined Spurs from Aston Villa in November 2023, initially as technical director before being promoted to sporting director. He has overseen five full transfer windows, and in that time, Tottenham have gone from Champions League contenders to scrambling for survival. It was a situation that supporters were concerned with during the most recent January window, particularly with the club into a third-successive season of mass injuries, but Lange explained that he didn't want to panic.
"There was simply not many available players, across the whole marketplace, during January... There are a lot of injuries in January, and we are definitely a club that is suffering with those at the moment," he told Spurs' club channels. "During the course of the window it's very important, even though that is highly frustrating with all the injuries, to remain disciplined because, a) the players are coming back and, b) if you then, can you say, go in and make a 'stress purchase' of any football player then yes, the immediate feeling it gives you is nice. But of course there's no point in signing players that will not help us in the short term, in the medium term or even in the long term.
"So even though that is highly frustrating with all the injuries, the majority of the players will return this season, here, hopefully a few very soon. And it is important as a club to remain disciplined and make sure to do to the best of our ability only to sign players that can generally help the team, now or in the future."
As of March 9, Spurs are still without 10 (ten) first-teamers due to injury. The recruitment team have again neglected to realise that when these fitness issues pile up, there is a knock-on effect. Players who are usually robust are run into the ground, others are played out of position to try and make ends meet.
Lange gambled on the future of Spurs. If they are indeed relegated, he would do well to work in English football ever again.
Football's modern obsession of club models where the 'manager' is merely the 'head coach' may be heading to a full-circle moment. Sporting and technical directors still exist, but they are not necessarily the lone individual responsible for recruitment.
Tottenham would be wise to take a leaf out of the books of two rivals who have breached the 'big six' over the last three years in Aston Villa and Newcastle. They have handed power, control and autonomy back over to their respective men in the dugout, Unai Emery and Eddie Howe, with every part of the project revolving around them. Such unity has been key to climbing up the table and challenging for major honours.
And it may seem hard to remember right now, but at the start of Arsenal's ascent back to title contention, they had to wrestle control back from Spurs in the north London power struggle. The Gunners, at their lowest ebb for a quarter of a century, quickly promoted Mikel Arteta from 'head coach' to 'manager' in 2020. Their fortunes got worse before better, but once Arteta had his fingerprints all over every facet of the club, that's when they started to make progress again.
The right manager can make for a unifying figure. For Tottenham, that has to be Pochettino. No other person who has stepped foot inside Hotspur Way since 2014 has understood what Spurs are and what Spurs need more than him. They went down the 'winners' route, they went down the 'we're not panicking' route, but all roads lead back to the Argentine.
Pochettino has made no secret of his desire to return to Tottenham. Earlier this year, he revealed on the High Performance Podcast that it is the one club he remains enamoured with. "Still, the people on the street, the fans of Tottenham, really show the love and the appreciation, and I think that is why it's so special," Pochettino, who still lives in London, said.
He also spoke of the lofty ambitions Spurs should have, though said this at the start of February before their current predicament settled in like mould taking over a luxury downtown abode.
"To win a Europa League, that the team won, is good, but it's not enough," Pochettino continued. "It is not enough to challenge for the Carabao Cup, or the FA Cup, or the Europa League, or the Conference League. It's a club that should be, or needs to be because the fans, what they expect is, to be in the Champions League, fighting for the Champions League, trying to believe that you can win the Champions League and also fighting for the Premier League and believing that you can win the Premier League."
Poor defending has been a problem on the pitch for Spurs over the last couple of seasons, but the real poison has been their neglect in the final third in a post-Kane world. Even in Postecoglou's second season, opposing teams became used to the way Tottenham would structure attacks and nullify their threat easily, given how stubborn the Australian was with his tactics. When Frank was appointed with a remit to make them more conservative, he sometimes removed attacking from the equation altogether - his decree that "we will 100 percent lose football matches" lingers. Under Tudor, it's Spurs' incoherence on the ball that is killing them as much as any lapses at the back.
Ambition on the pitch can sometimes reflect that off it, and the last 12 months at Tottenham are testament to that. Pochettino, though, hasn't lost any of that drive to be the best.
The Tottenham job isn't attractive anymore. Not now, not at the end of the season if they stay up, and definitely not if they go down. Since Pochettino's exit in 2019, his successors have tended to endure the lowest ebbs of their respective careers while in N17.
Spurs' under-fire owners do have some PR moves to call upon. Pochettino, who wouldn't necessarily be put off managing in the Championship with Tottenham, is not only the favourite amongst fans to reignite the fire they have for their club, but at this stage is probably the most-qualified candidate who's interested in the job. Couple this with the exits of Lange and maybe even ex-Arsenal chief Venkatesham and it would be the first sign that those running the club seriously do want the drastic change that is sorely needed.
Pochettino's return would also likely be met with more grace and patience than any other outsider. Even despite a promising performance against PSG in the UEFA Super Cup and a win away at Manchester City in his opening month, Frank's Spurs were still booed at half-time and full-time of his first defeat, a 1-0 loss at home to Bournemouth. Even then, lots of supporters weren't prepared to buy the bridge the club was trying to sell them, but most would gladly jump at the offer of a reunion with Pochettino.
Tottenham are broken and only one man is worth calling to put them back together again. There is nothing else for them to lose anymore with going back to their favourite old flame.
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The Federal Transit Administration said last week it is making $100.3 million available to U.S. host cities for this summer's FIFA World Cup events to expand transit options around stadiums where events will take place.
The funding, available through the 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act, may cover planning and capital expenses incurred from July 1, 2025, to July 31, 2026, and public transportation operating expenses incurred from June 1, 2026, to July 31, 2026.
Regularly scheduled, ongoing, shared-ride transportation open to the general public is eligible for reimbursement, according to the FTA. Amtrak, charter bus and courtesy shuttles are not eligible.
The White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026 expects 5 million to 7 million international visitors and has committed over $1 billion for security at the events, said Executive Director Andrew Giuliani at a December press briefing. “The effort has become the largest whole-of-government sporting event operation ever undertaken in the United States,” he said.
“We're proud to partner with host cities to provide fans with a seamless travel experience that will be part of the memories they cherish from attending these historic games,” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a statement.
These are the cities apportioned funding, according to the FTA:
Atlanta: $9.4 million
Boston: $8.7 million
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas: $10 million
Houston: $9.1 million
Kansas City, Kansas and Missouri: $8.6 million
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California: $9.6 million
Miami-Fort Lauderdale, Florida: $8.7 million
New York-Jersey City-Newark, New Jersey: $10.4 million
Philadelphia: $8.5 million
San Jose, California: $8.8 million
Seattle-Tacoma, Washington: $8.4 million
“I'm grateful these resources will enhance public transit to help meet the expected surge in demand and create memorable experiences for players, teams, and fans,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in a statement.
The FTA will host a webinar on March 11 to review requirements for funding, eligibility, criteria and the submission process.
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Atlanta region transit agency prepares for FIFA World Cup
Barcelona talisman Robert Lewandowski has lifted the lid on the drastic lifestyle changes that have allowed him to remain one of the world's most feared strikers at the age of 37. The Polish international, who has scored close to 400 league goals across Europe's top-five divisions, revealed that he had to cut out sweet treats and specific food groups to maintain his physical edge.
Lewandowski's journey to incredible durability began in his early twenties when he realised that natural talent alone wasn't enough to sustain a high-performance career. After noticing his habitual breakfast of cornflakes and milk left him feeling sluggish, he overhauled his nutrition by cutting out gluten and lactose entirely. This strict dietary discipline is matched only by his relentless mentality; he credits his staggering consistency to a mindset focused entirely on what comes next. "It doesn't matter how many goals I had already scored: it was the goals I was going to score. It doesn't matter how many titles I've won: it's the next title I have to win," he stated, in an interview with The Athletic. This combination of physical and mental fortitude is exactly why, even as Hansi Flick actively manages the 37-year-old's workload during congested fixtures, the veteran marksman continues to boast a remarkable goal every 96 minutes in La Liga this season.
"I thought that because I was skinny - skinny with muscles - I could still eat chocolate. I thought I could eat whatever I wanted, because I didn't have any fat," Lewandowski continued. "But when I trained, I didn't have any power, and I couldn't understand why. I was sleeping well, but I couldn't train with the same intensity as my team-mates. So I started to change. And even after a few weeks, it made a huge difference."
While the striker's own dedication is unquestionable, he credits his wife, Anna, for the remarkable durability that sees him competing at the highest level while contemporaries head for retirement. A former world-level karate medalist turned renowned nutritionist, Anna has been fundamental in fine-tuning his physical and mental state from day one.
"I thought I knew a lot about nutrition and a healthy lifestyle," Lewandowski reflected. “She is my first psychologist: after a good game or a bad game, she is the first person I talk to, about not only the football, but about my mind. What I'm thinking, what I'm feeling. It's important that I can speak to someone like this. She knows me a lot, and she can tell me what I can do, not only in a football situation, but also with my team-mates or coaches. Even though she doesn't shoot, she's still a part of me.” When asked if he would still be dominating at the elite level at age 37 had he been married to someone else, the Barcelona star was remarkably candid about her impact. "I don't know, but she helps me a lot! Especially at the beginning of my career, because she helped me see the difference when I was doing this thing, or not doing it. Maybe without her help, I couldn't reach the level I am."
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The striker's future remains the subject of intense debate, with Chicago Fire reportedly interested in bringing him to the United States. Speaking about his contract situation, the forward remained calm, stating: "I don't know [if I want to stay at Barca]. Because I have to feel it. For now, I cannot tell you nothing, because I'm not even 50 per cent sure which way I want to go. It's not for this moment.
"I don't put pressure on myself - probably when I was 25 or 30 that would have been different. With my experience and the age I am, I don't have to decide now. I don't have the feeling of which way I should decide. Maybe in three months is probably when I have to decide. But still, I don't have any stress. I have to feel it. I have to start to feel it, then it will be easier for me when we talk about my future."
Graham Arnold says a delay to the March 31 fixture would allow the scattered members of his team to gather and prepare.
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The head coach of Iraq's men's football team, Graham Arnold, has issued an urgent plea to FIFA to delay his team's intercontinental qualifier for the World Cup because of disruptions caused by the escalating Israeli-United States war on Iran.
Iraq face major logistical issues before a winner-takes-all playoff against either Suriname or Bolivia, scheduled for March 31 in Monterrey, Mexico.
With Iraqi airspace closed until April 1 due to the war, Arnold's squad, which is made up predominantly of players from the domestic league, will be unable to fully gather.
Players haven't secured visas for the playoff in Mexico due to foreign embassy closures, and Arnold is stranded in the United Arab Emirates due to the conflict.
“Please help us with this game because right now we are struggling to get our players out of the country of Iraq,” Arnold, a former coach of Australia's national team, told the Australian Associated Press on Sunday.
The turmoil has already forced the postponement of a planned training camp in Houston, Texas, in the US.
Arnold said putting together a team solely of players based outside Iraq would hinder the country's chances of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time since 1986.
“It wouldn't be our best team, and we need our best team available for the country's biggest game in 40 years,” Arnold said.
He has proposed a strategic delay to the playoffs schedule, suggesting FIFA allow Suriname and Bolivia to play their preliminary match this month but postpone the final playoff until a week before the World Cup begins.
The World Cup will take place in the US, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19.
“In my opinion, if FIFA were to delay the game, it gives us time to prepare properly,” Arnold said. “In my opinion, it also gives FIFA more time to decide what Iran is going to do.
“If Iran withdraws, we go into the World Cup, and it gives the UAE, who we beat in qualifying, the chance to prepare for either Bolivia or Suriname.”
Iran were the first team to seal qualification for the World Cup, but the war has thrown their participation in doubt, both due to logistical difficulties and due to attacks on Iran by the host nation US.
Arnold said the love of football runs deep across Iraq, making the prospect of losing a World Cup berth heartbreaking news for the fans of the Lions of Mesopotamia.
“The Iraqi people are so passionate about the game of football that it is insane. The fact that they haven't qualified for 40 years is probably the main reason I took this job.
“But at this stage with the airport being shut down, we are working hard to try and find another alternative.”
The coach highlighted the efforts being put in by Iraqi football officials to ensure the team is able to play the fixture.
“Our federation's president, Adnan Dirjal, is working round the clock trying to plan and prepare to make everyone in Iraq's dream come true, so we need this decision made quickly.”
New Caledonia, Jamaica and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will travel to Guadalajara this month to compete in the other three-way playoff for a ticket to the World Cup.
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Liam Rosenior will have to choose between Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen when Chelsea take on Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League this Wednesday.
Sanchez started in goal over the weekend as Chelsea went on to beat Wrexham 4-2 in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
However, he was dropped for the Blues' 4-1 win against Aston Villa in the Premier League before that.
Give your reasons below!
Jorgensen played pretty well against Villa, while Sanchez's last two performances have been quite shaky.
To be truthful, Sanchez's outing against Arsenal was pretty much a disaster. With all of that being said, Rosenior should still give him the nod on Wednesday.
Overall, Sanchez has been solid this season, while he was magnificent the last time Chelsea faced PSG.
According to Sofascore, the 28-year-old made five saves from inside the box and one high claim. It was a very commanding display that would have frustrated PSG's attackers on the day.
Understandably, Sanchez was disappointed after being dropped but has reacted well to it, says Rosenior. It will now be interesting to see what happens at the Parc des Princes and going forward.
The good news for Sanchez is that he has not all of a sudden become Chelsea's back-up goalkeeper.
Rosenior has made it clear that he wants competition in that area and is making decisions on a game-by-game basis.
Explaining his decision to drop Sanchez, Rosenior said via BBC Sport: “For me, genuinely, I look at the goalkeeper position differently for each game. I want there to be competition in every area of the pitch.”
However, if Sanchez is restored, he really cannot afford to make any more costly mistakes. Again, Jorgensen is really pushing him, while the club could bring Mike Penders back in the summer.
It has already been reported that Chelsea have rejected enquiries for Penders, who is likely to succeed Sanchez at some point. When that happens depends on the former Brighton & Hove Albion man, who can delay things with a strong finish to the campaign.
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Graham Arnold (right) managed Australia for six years before joining Iraq in 2025
Iraq's World Cup play-off decider later this month should be postponed amid the escalating US-Israeli war with Iran, says the team's head coach Graham Arnold.
The Iraqis are set to face either Bolivia or Suriname in the Mexican city of Monterrey on 31 March, with the winner of the inter-continental play-off booking their place in the 2026 World Cup to be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada from 11 June.
But Iraq are concerned they might not be able to get their players and staff over to Mexico for the match because of the travel disruption in the Middle East, triggered by the conflict in neighbouring Iran.
Iraqi airspace has been closed since 28 February when the first US-Israeli strikes began and Iran responded by firing missiles and drones at Israel, Gulf states and other nearby countries.
Arnold, who became Iraq manager in May 2025, said putting together a team solely with players based outside Iraq would hinder the country's chances of qualifying for their first World Cup since 1986.
"It wouldn't be our best team and we need our best team for the country's biggest game in 40 years," the Australian said.
"The Iraqi people are so passionate about the game that it is insane. The fact that they haven't qualified for 40 years is probably the main reason I took this job.
"But at this stage with the airport being shut down we are working hard to try and find another alternative."
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Iraq defeated the United Arab Emirates 3-2 on aggregate in the fifth round of the World Cup qualifiers in Asia last November to book their place in the inter-continental play-off.
Bolivia face Suriname in their inter-continental play-off semi-final on 26 March, with the winners taking on Iraq for the right to join 47 other nations at the World Cup.
"If Fifa was to delay the game it gives us time to prepare properly," Arnold said.
"Let Bolivia play Suriname this month and then a week before the World Cup, we play the winner in the US. The winner of that game stays on and the loser goes home.
"Our federation's president Adnan Dirjal is working round the clock trying to plan and prepare to make everyone in Iraq's dream come true so we need this decision made quickly."
BBC Sport has contacted Fifa for comment.
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It marked just the second time in her career that the world No. 4 was unable to complete a tour-level match.ByTENNIS.comPublished Mar 09, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 09, 2026
© 2026 Getty Images
For just the second time in her career, and first instance since the 2022 Cincinnati Open, Coco Gauff was unable to complete a WTA match due to injury.Struggling with a left arm issue on Sunday, Gauff retired while trailing Alexandra Eala 6-2, 2-0 at the BNP Paribas Open. The world No. 4 took a medical timeout before the final game of the opening set but decided not to force the issue any further after her opponent converted her fifth break of the night.She later described the discomfort being "like a firework was going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire."
Struggling with a left arm issue on Sunday, Gauff retired while trailing Alexandra Eala 6-2, 2-0 at the BNP Paribas Open. The world No. 4 took a medical timeout before the final game of the opening set but decided not to force the issue any further after her opponent converted her fifth break of the night.She later described the discomfort being "like a firework was going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire."
She later described the discomfort being "like a firework was going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire."
Commenting in quotes provided by the tournament, Gauff said the problem arose in the second game."We're going to figure out what it is tomorrow, but based off the feeling, being told that it's probably something nerve-related. Never had anything like this before, never felt anything, a sensation like this before," she said."And then as the match played, it got progressively worse, even when I wasn't using my arm on shots that I wasn't even using my left arm for."In the tournament preceding the first stop of the Sunshine Double, Gauff posted a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Eala en route to her first Dubai semifinal.
"We're going to figure out what it is tomorrow, but based off the feeling, being told that it's probably something nerve-related. Never had anything like this before, never felt anything, a sensation like this before," she said."And then as the match played, it got progressively worse, even when I wasn't using my arm on shots that I wasn't even using my left arm for."In the tournament preceding the first stop of the Sunshine Double, Gauff posted a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Eala en route to her first Dubai semifinal.
"And then as the match played, it got progressively worse, even when I wasn't using my arm on shots that I wasn't even using my left arm for."In the tournament preceding the first stop of the Sunshine Double, Gauff posted a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Eala en route to her first Dubai semifinal.
In the tournament preceding the first stop of the Sunshine Double, Gauff posted a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Eala en route to her first Dubai semifinal.
The Filipino is through to the round of 16, as she strengthens her bid to break into the Top 30 for the first time."I want to say thank you to all the incredible women who have paved the way and who have advocated for themselves and for other women. Among them is Coco," Eala said as she wished the crowd Happy International Women's Day during her post-match interview."So thank you Coco for being an amazing competitor and amazing role model. I really hope everything is well and you will recover soon."
"I want to say thank you to all the incredible women who have paved the way and who have advocated for themselves and for other women. Among them is Coco," Eala said as she wished the crowd Happy International Women's Day during her post-match interview."So thank you Coco for being an amazing competitor and amazing role model. I really hope everything is well and you will recover soon."
"So thank you Coco for being an amazing competitor and amazing role model. I really hope everything is well and you will recover soon."
Gauff credited her opponent's level on the day, noting that "I felt really bad to pull out, you never want to pull out, but more so for her because she was playing great tennis, and I don't want to take anything away from the way that she was playing."I'd rather finish the match and lose 6-0, but at that point I just felt that because the pain was getting worse and I didn't know what was going on. I just felt it was better to stop."Linda Noskova awaits Eala, following her three-set win over Sorana Cirstea.
"I'd rather finish the match and lose 6-0, but at that point I just felt that because the pain was getting worse and I didn't know what was going on. I just felt it was better to stop."Linda Noskova awaits Eala, following her three-set win over Sorana Cirstea.
Linda Noskova awaits Eala, following her three-set win over Sorana Cirstea.
Victoria Mboko defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-1 to reach the Round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. The Canadian will next face sixth seed Amanda Anisimova for a place in the quarterfinals.
Hours after 20-year-old Alex Eala booked her place in the Round of 16, No. 10 seed Victoria Mboko followed with a composed 6-4, 6-1 win over Anna Kalinskaya.
The opening set stayed on serve through the first nine games, with neither player facing much pressure. Mboko seized her chance in the 10th, converting the match's first break point to claim the set.
From there the momentum tilted firmly her way. The 18-year-old Mboko pulled away in the second set, closing out the victory to secure her spot in the final 16 at the BNP Paribas Open.
There's no stopping Victoria Mboko 😤#TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/cRpobQZAwY
Mboko making her debut at Indian Wells, then stormed through the first five games of the second set and closed out the match 6-4, 6-1 in 1 hour, 4 minutes.
She improved to 3-0 against Kalinskaya on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz and is now 11-0 this year against players ranked outside the top 20.
The win also marked her 15th victory of the 2026 season, second only to Elina Svitolina, who has 16 match wins so far this year. Mboko has already reached two finals this year - finishing runner-up in Adelaide and Doha.
She will next face sixth seed Amanda Anisimova for a spot in the quarterfinals. This will be the first meeting between the two players on the WTA Tour.
Victoria Mboko defeated Anna Kalinskaya 6-4, 6-1 to reach the Round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells. The Canadian will next face sixth seed Amanda Anisimova for a place in the quarterfinals.
Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski survived an early scare from two singles standouts on Sunday at the BNP Paribas Open, where they saved two match points to spark their Indian Wells title bid.
The fourth seeds and reigning Australian Open champions rallied past Francisco Cerundolo and Luciano Darderi — both singles winners on the ATP Tour this year — 4-6, 6-3, 14-12. Harrison and Skupski, competing in their first season as a team, are first in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.
There were plenty of other singles players in doubles action on Thursday in Indian Wells. In a clash featuring four players from the Top 30 of the PIF ATP Rankings, cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot downed Daniil Medvedev and Learner Tien 7-5, 6-3. Guido Andreozzi and Manuel Guinard defeated Australians Alex de Minaur and John Peers 6-4, 7-6(3), while Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul eased past Alexander Bublik and Fabian Marozsan 6-2, 6-2.
Sander Arends and Jiri Lehecka pulled off the upset of the day in the California desert. The Dutch-Czech duo ousted second seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool 6-3, 6-4 having saved all three break points they faced, according to Infosys ATP Stats. Arends and Lehecka will next face Yuki Bhambri and Andre Goransson, who advanced past Fabrice Martin and David Pel 6-1, 6-3.
Elsewhere, Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni edged three-time ATP Tour champions in 2026 Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti 6-4, 4-6, 10-7, and seventh seeds Francisco Cabral and Lucas Miedler outlasted Robert Cash and JJ Tracy 6-2, 3-6, 10-8.
The doubles draw also features a couple of blockbuster wild-card pairings, with Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas set to open their campaign against defending champions Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic. The winners of that clash will take on Rinderknech and Vacherot in the second round. Meanwhile Reilly Opelka and Jannik Sinner will team up to face top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.
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After saving two match points to beat Karen Khachanov in the BNP Paribas Open second round, Joao Fonseca left no doubt Sunday night against Tommy Paul. The 19-year-old Brazilian powered past the home favourite 6-2, 6-3 to set up his first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with Jannik Sinner.
"I don't need to say that Jannik is a huge player. He won several titles. Him and Carlos they are winning everything," said the Brazilian. "So just rest tomorrow and then Tuesday back on court, trying to put as much pressure as I can and trying to play like [I did today].
"We tennis players, we look forward to playing against the top players. It's going to be a pleasure and hopefully I can get the win."
Fonseca advanced to the fourth round at an ATP Masters 1000 for the first time with a dominant performance on the Indian Wells stadium court. He is the first Brazilian to reach that stage at a Masters 1000 since Thiago Monteiro in 2024 (Rome), and the first in Indian Wells since Thomaz Bellucci in 2012.
Now 7-1 against Top 30 players in the PIF ATP Rankings since September — including two wins en route to the Basel title in October — Fonseca will next face a Top 2 player for the first time in Sinner. It will also be his first match against any of the players currently in the Top 5 of the PIF ATP Rankings.
Also in evening action, Frances Tiafoe defeated Flavio Cobolli 6-1, 6-2, gaining revenge after a defeat in the Acapulco final last week. By snapping the Italian's six-match winning streak, Tiafoe earned his first Top 20 win since he also beat Cobolli last year at his home tournament in Washington.
Tiafoe is through to the Indian Wells fourth round for the second time in his career, having previously advanced to the semi-finals in 2023. He will next face fourth seed Alexander Zverev, who beat Brandon Nakashima 7-6(2), 5-7, 6-4 earlier on Sunday.
Big time from Big Foe 😎@FTiafoe avenges the Acapulco final loss to Cobolli, by blitzing past the Italian in straight sets. @BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/jccYhFwJB7
Felix Auger-Aliassime is also through to the last 16, where he will face Arthur Fils. The ninth seed beat fellow Canadian Gabriel Diallo 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-3 to improve to 13-2 since the start of February — a stretch that includes a title in Montpellier, a final in Rotterdam and a semi-final in Dubai.
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The rising Filipino star moved into the BNP Paribas Open fourth round after Coco Gauff retired with a left arm injury.ByStephanie LivaudaisPublished Mar 09, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 09, 2026
© 2026 Robert Prange
Alexandra Eala is still dreaming big as she continued her perfect BNP Paribas Open debut on Sunday evening, moving into the fourth round after Coco Gauff was forced to retire.Eala was on her way to winning the first set when her opponent, Gauff, took a medical timeout late in the set for a left arm injury. After going down a break in the second, Gauff chose not to continue, trailing 6-2, 2-0.Read More: Coco Gauff retires against Alexandra Eala at Indian Wells after left arm felt "like a firework was going off"The result is a reversal of their last match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Back then, Eala was overwhelmed and overpowered by the world No. 4 in a lopsided 6-0, 6-2 quarterfinal defeat. It also marks Eala's first Top 5 win since the 2025 Miami Open (No. 2 Iga Swiatek).“I was definitely a little nervous. It was a big stadium, and, of course, a big opponent,” Eala told Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj after the match. “And, yeah, I was really motivated, super excited to play the match. Those back and forths were really intense for me, and I'm happy that I was able to get some of them.”“I think (I made) less errors,” she explained. “I missed a lot more than I would have liked in Dubai. That's also partly because she played so well and forced me to miss, so I think that's one of the things I did a little better today.”
Eala was on her way to winning the first set when her opponent, Gauff, took a medical timeout late in the set for a left arm injury. After going down a break in the second, Gauff chose not to continue, trailing 6-2, 2-0.Read More: Coco Gauff retires against Alexandra Eala at Indian Wells after left arm felt "like a firework was going off"The result is a reversal of their last match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Back then, Eala was overwhelmed and overpowered by the world No. 4 in a lopsided 6-0, 6-2 quarterfinal defeat. It also marks Eala's first Top 5 win since the 2025 Miami Open (No. 2 Iga Swiatek).“I was definitely a little nervous. It was a big stadium, and, of course, a big opponent,” Eala told Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj after the match. “And, yeah, I was really motivated, super excited to play the match. Those back and forths were really intense for me, and I'm happy that I was able to get some of them.”“I think (I made) less errors,” she explained. “I missed a lot more than I would have liked in Dubai. That's also partly because she played so well and forced me to miss, so I think that's one of the things I did a little better today.”
Read More: Coco Gauff retires against Alexandra Eala at Indian Wells after left arm felt "like a firework was going off"The result is a reversal of their last match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Back then, Eala was overwhelmed and overpowered by the world No. 4 in a lopsided 6-0, 6-2 quarterfinal defeat. It also marks Eala's first Top 5 win since the 2025 Miami Open (No. 2 Iga Swiatek).“I was definitely a little nervous. It was a big stadium, and, of course, a big opponent,” Eala told Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj after the match. “And, yeah, I was really motivated, super excited to play the match. Those back and forths were really intense for me, and I'm happy that I was able to get some of them.”“I think (I made) less errors,” she explained. “I missed a lot more than I would have liked in Dubai. That's also partly because she played so well and forced me to miss, so I think that's one of the things I did a little better today.”
The result is a reversal of their last match at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Back then, Eala was overwhelmed and overpowered by the world No. 4 in a lopsided 6-0, 6-2 quarterfinal defeat. It also marks Eala's first Top 5 win since the 2025 Miami Open (No. 2 Iga Swiatek).“I was definitely a little nervous. It was a big stadium, and, of course, a big opponent,” Eala told Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj after the match. “And, yeah, I was really motivated, super excited to play the match. Those back and forths were really intense for me, and I'm happy that I was able to get some of them.”“I think (I made) less errors,” she explained. “I missed a lot more than I would have liked in Dubai. That's also partly because she played so well and forced me to miss, so I think that's one of the things I did a little better today.”
“I was definitely a little nervous. It was a big stadium, and, of course, a big opponent,” Eala told Tennis Channel's Prakash Amritraj after the match. “And, yeah, I was really motivated, super excited to play the match. Those back and forths were really intense for me, and I'm happy that I was able to get some of them.”“I think (I made) less errors,” she explained. “I missed a lot more than I would have liked in Dubai. That's also partly because she played so well and forced me to miss, so I think that's one of the things I did a little better today.”
“I think (I made) less errors,” she explained. “I missed a lot more than I would have liked in Dubai. That's also partly because she played so well and forced me to miss, so I think that's one of the things I did a little better today.”
Read More: Coco Gauff says Alexandra Eala fans are "great for the sport"In Dubai, Gauff gave a shoutout to Eala's passionate fanbase, saying the atmosphere made it feel like a home match for Eala and praising the 20-year-old for bringing a new fanbase to the sport. They were out in full force cheering on Eala as she battled on Stadium 1 on Sunday.Eala said she's gained “so much motivation” from the masses of vocal fans with Philippines flags that regularly appear in the stands, though her rise up the rankings happened so fast that part of her is still just happy to have fans in the stands, period.“I think it's it's such a pleasure to be able to play on courts where people are waiting for you, where there's an amazing, electric atmosphere… I never used to have that, you know, because I was in the ITF circuit,” she recalled. “So to be able to play on amazing courts, amazing people and with these crowds, is such a great experience.”Eala is approaching one year since she burst onto the scene at the Miami Open. As a wild card ranked No. 140 in the world, Eala took down No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and world No. 2 Swiatek on her way to her first WTA 1000 semifinal.
In Dubai, Gauff gave a shoutout to Eala's passionate fanbase, saying the atmosphere made it feel like a home match for Eala and praising the 20-year-old for bringing a new fanbase to the sport. They were out in full force cheering on Eala as she battled on Stadium 1 on Sunday.Eala said she's gained “so much motivation” from the masses of vocal fans with Philippines flags that regularly appear in the stands, though her rise up the rankings happened so fast that part of her is still just happy to have fans in the stands, period.“I think it's it's such a pleasure to be able to play on courts where people are waiting for you, where there's an amazing, electric atmosphere… I never used to have that, you know, because I was in the ITF circuit,” she recalled. “So to be able to play on amazing courts, amazing people and with these crowds, is such a great experience.”Eala is approaching one year since she burst onto the scene at the Miami Open. As a wild card ranked No. 140 in the world, Eala took down No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and world No. 2 Swiatek on her way to her first WTA 1000 semifinal.
Eala said she's gained “so much motivation” from the masses of vocal fans with Philippines flags that regularly appear in the stands, though her rise up the rankings happened so fast that part of her is still just happy to have fans in the stands, period.“I think it's it's such a pleasure to be able to play on courts where people are waiting for you, where there's an amazing, electric atmosphere… I never used to have that, you know, because I was in the ITF circuit,” she recalled. “So to be able to play on amazing courts, amazing people and with these crowds, is such a great experience.”Eala is approaching one year since she burst onto the scene at the Miami Open. As a wild card ranked No. 140 in the world, Eala took down No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and world No. 2 Swiatek on her way to her first WTA 1000 semifinal.
“I think it's it's such a pleasure to be able to play on courts where people are waiting for you, where there's an amazing, electric atmosphere… I never used to have that, you know, because I was in the ITF circuit,” she recalled. “So to be able to play on amazing courts, amazing people and with these crowds, is such a great experience.”Eala is approaching one year since she burst onto the scene at the Miami Open. As a wild card ranked No. 140 in the world, Eala took down No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and world No. 2 Swiatek on her way to her first WTA 1000 semifinal.
Eala is approaching one year since she burst onto the scene at the Miami Open. As a wild card ranked No. 140 in the world, Eala took down No. 25 seed Jelena Ostapenko, reigning Australian Open champion Madison Keys, and world No. 2 Swiatek on her way to her first WTA 1000 semifinal.
She recreated some of that magic last month in Dubai, where she took out No. 6 Jasmine Paolini on her way to the quarterfinals, where she fell to Gauff.Now ranked No. 32 in the world, Eala is still settling into the life of a pro tennis player on the WTA Tour.“I think the lifestyle I have right now is really crazy and fun. We're living out of a suitcase, and they (my parents) are super supportive,” Eala said. “I'm really, I'm really grateful. I know not a lot of people have parents that are able to support full on…“I've been to the most amazing courts and been able to play in the most amazing atmospheres, like Miami. I've been able to play on Wimbledon's Centre Court, which is my dream, and that's been amazing.”Eala, the No. 31 seed in Indian Wells, will be back in action on Tuesday. She plays No. 14 seed Linda Noskova next in their first meeting at the pro level.Read More: Iga Swiatek gets another shot at Maria Sakkari | Indian Wells Monday Preview
Now ranked No. 32 in the world, Eala is still settling into the life of a pro tennis player on the WTA Tour.“I think the lifestyle I have right now is really crazy and fun. We're living out of a suitcase, and they (my parents) are super supportive,” Eala said. “I'm really, I'm really grateful. I know not a lot of people have parents that are able to support full on…“I've been to the most amazing courts and been able to play in the most amazing atmospheres, like Miami. I've been able to play on Wimbledon's Centre Court, which is my dream, and that's been amazing.”Eala, the No. 31 seed in Indian Wells, will be back in action on Tuesday. She plays No. 14 seed Linda Noskova next in their first meeting at the pro level.Read More: Iga Swiatek gets another shot at Maria Sakkari | Indian Wells Monday Preview
“I think the lifestyle I have right now is really crazy and fun. We're living out of a suitcase, and they (my parents) are super supportive,” Eala said. “I'm really, I'm really grateful. I know not a lot of people have parents that are able to support full on…“I've been to the most amazing courts and been able to play in the most amazing atmospheres, like Miami. I've been able to play on Wimbledon's Centre Court, which is my dream, and that's been amazing.”Eala, the No. 31 seed in Indian Wells, will be back in action on Tuesday. She plays No. 14 seed Linda Noskova next in their first meeting at the pro level.Read More: Iga Swiatek gets another shot at Maria Sakkari | Indian Wells Monday Preview
“I've been to the most amazing courts and been able to play in the most amazing atmospheres, like Miami. I've been able to play on Wimbledon's Centre Court, which is my dream, and that's been amazing.”Eala, the No. 31 seed in Indian Wells, will be back in action on Tuesday. She plays No. 14 seed Linda Noskova next in their first meeting at the pro level.Read More: Iga Swiatek gets another shot at Maria Sakkari | Indian Wells Monday Preview
Eala, the No. 31 seed in Indian Wells, will be back in action on Tuesday. She plays No. 14 seed Linda Noskova next in their first meeting at the pro level.Read More: Iga Swiatek gets another shot at Maria Sakkari | Indian Wells Monday Preview
Read More: Iga Swiatek gets another shot at Maria Sakkari | Indian Wells Monday Preview
Carlos Alcaraz is chasing his third BNP Paribas Open title in Indian Wells. Read all about the World No. 1's results, records and statistics entering the 2026 edition of the ATP Masters 1000 event here.
Since making his Indian Wells debut in 2021, Alcaraz has tallied a 20-3 win-loss record at the tournament.
Alcaraz lifted the trophy at Indian Wells in 2023 and 2024.
Alcaraz lost 1-6, 6-0, 4-6 to Jack Draper in the Indian Wells semi-finals in 2025 (Read more).
Alcaraz has won two Indian Wells titles.
Alcaraz holds a 154-42 win-loss record on hard courts, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, for a winning percentage of 78.6 per cent. He ranks third among active players in winning percentage on hard courts.
You May Also Like: Alcaraz faces tricky opening test in Indian Wells, with Djokovic looming
Alcaraz begins his Indian Wells campaign against Terence Atmane or Grigor Dimitrov and could face Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Botic van de Zandschulp or Arthur Rinderknech in the third round. He will meet Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals if both reach that stage.
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The Brazilian teenager has now won seven of his last eight matches against Top 30 players since last September.ByJohn BerkokPublished Mar 09, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 09, 2026
© ¬©Icon Sportswire All Rights Reserved
On Saturday, Joao Fonseca survived one of the toughest battles so far at Indian Wells this year, coming back from double match point down at 6-4 in the second set tie-break to defeat Karen Khachanov, 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-4.On Sunday he won again but in much different fashion, storming past Tommy Paul, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the fourth round of the Masters 1000 event.With that, he's broken new ground—the 19-year-old is now through to the round of 16 at a Masters 1000 event for the first time in his career.And with his wins over Khachanov and Paul over the last two days, he's now won seven of his last eight matches against Top 30 players.JOAO FONSECA VS TOP 30 PLAYERS SINCE '25 US OPEN: 7-1d. No. 27 Tsitsipas in '25 Davis Cup RR, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5d. No. 25 Cobolli in '25 Laver Cup RR, 6-4, 6-3d. No. 23 Shapovalov in '25 Basel QFs, 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 ret.d. No. 18 Davidovich Fokina in '25 Basel F, 6-3, 6-4d. No. 24 Shapovalov in '25 Paris 1st Rd, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3l. to No. 14 Khachanov in '25 Paris 2nd Rd, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3d. No. 16 Khachanov in '26 Indian Wells 2nd Rd, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4d. No. 24 Paul in '26 Indian Wells 3rd Rd, 6-2, 6-3
On Sunday he won again but in much different fashion, storming past Tommy Paul, 6-2, 6-3, to reach the fourth round of the Masters 1000 event.With that, he's broken new ground—the 19-year-old is now through to the round of 16 at a Masters 1000 event for the first time in his career.And with his wins over Khachanov and Paul over the last two days, he's now won seven of his last eight matches against Top 30 players.JOAO FONSECA VS TOP 30 PLAYERS SINCE '25 US OPEN: 7-1d. No. 27 Tsitsipas in '25 Davis Cup RR, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5d. No. 25 Cobolli in '25 Laver Cup RR, 6-4, 6-3d. No. 23 Shapovalov in '25 Basel QFs, 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 ret.d. No. 18 Davidovich Fokina in '25 Basel F, 6-3, 6-4d. No. 24 Shapovalov in '25 Paris 1st Rd, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3l. to No. 14 Khachanov in '25 Paris 2nd Rd, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3d. No. 16 Khachanov in '26 Indian Wells 2nd Rd, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4d. No. 24 Paul in '26 Indian Wells 3rd Rd, 6-2, 6-3
With that, he's broken new ground—the 19-year-old is now through to the round of 16 at a Masters 1000 event for the first time in his career.And with his wins over Khachanov and Paul over the last two days, he's now won seven of his last eight matches against Top 30 players.JOAO FONSECA VS TOP 30 PLAYERS SINCE '25 US OPEN: 7-1d. No. 27 Tsitsipas in '25 Davis Cup RR, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5d. No. 25 Cobolli in '25 Laver Cup RR, 6-4, 6-3d. No. 23 Shapovalov in '25 Basel QFs, 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 ret.d. No. 18 Davidovich Fokina in '25 Basel F, 6-3, 6-4d. No. 24 Shapovalov in '25 Paris 1st Rd, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3l. to No. 14 Khachanov in '25 Paris 2nd Rd, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3d. No. 16 Khachanov in '26 Indian Wells 2nd Rd, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4d. No. 24 Paul in '26 Indian Wells 3rd Rd, 6-2, 6-3
And with his wins over Khachanov and Paul over the last two days, he's now won seven of his last eight matches against Top 30 players.JOAO FONSECA VS TOP 30 PLAYERS SINCE '25 US OPEN: 7-1d. No. 27 Tsitsipas in '25 Davis Cup RR, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5d. No. 25 Cobolli in '25 Laver Cup RR, 6-4, 6-3d. No. 23 Shapovalov in '25 Basel QFs, 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 ret.d. No. 18 Davidovich Fokina in '25 Basel F, 6-3, 6-4d. No. 24 Shapovalov in '25 Paris 1st Rd, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3l. to No. 14 Khachanov in '25 Paris 2nd Rd, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3d. No. 16 Khachanov in '26 Indian Wells 2nd Rd, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4d. No. 24 Paul in '26 Indian Wells 3rd Rd, 6-2, 6-3
JOAO FONSECA VS TOP 30 PLAYERS SINCE '25 US OPEN: 7-1d. No. 27 Tsitsipas in '25 Davis Cup RR, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5d. No. 25 Cobolli in '25 Laver Cup RR, 6-4, 6-3d. No. 23 Shapovalov in '25 Basel QFs, 3-6, 6-3, 4-1 ret.d. No. 18 Davidovich Fokina in '25 Basel F, 6-3, 6-4d. No. 24 Shapovalov in '25 Paris 1st Rd, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3l. to No. 14 Khachanov in '25 Paris 2nd Rd, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3d. No. 16 Khachanov in '26 Indian Wells 2nd Rd, 4-6, 7-6, 6-4d. No. 24 Paul in '26 Indian Wells 3rd Rd, 6-2, 6-3
Paul had won the pair's only previous meeting in two tie-breaks, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3), on the clay of another Masters 1000 event in Madrid last year, but this time Fonseca came out in total control, racing out to a 3-0 lead and eventually breaking a second time to close out the 40-minute first set.The momentum shifted early in the second set as Paul broke for the first time in the opening game and then held for a 2-0 lead, but Fonseca got the break back right away, winning three games in a row—and eventually six of the last seven games of the match—to run away with it in the end.The Brazilian teenager clubbed one last unreturnable forehand on match point to seal the victory after an hour and 22 minutes on court.
The momentum shifted early in the second set as Paul broke for the first time in the opening game and then held for a 2-0 lead, but Fonseca got the break back right away, winning three games in a row—and eventually six of the last seven games of the match—to run away with it in the end.The Brazilian teenager clubbed one last unreturnable forehand on match point to seal the victory after an hour and 22 minutes on court.
The Brazilian teenager clubbed one last unreturnable forehand on match point to seal the victory after an hour and 22 minutes on court.
Fonseca improved to 4-3 on the year.© Matt Fitzgerald
© Matt Fitzgerald
Up next for Fonseca? The world No. 2, Jannik Sinner.It'll be a first-time meeting.“Jannik is a huge player,” Fonseca said. “Him and Carlos, they're winning everything. I'll just rest tomorrow and then on Tuesday back on court, trying to put as much pressure as I can, and trying to play like this.“We tennis players, we look forward to playing against the top players, so it's going to be a pleasure, and hopefully I can get the win.”
It'll be a first-time meeting.“Jannik is a huge player,” Fonseca said. “Him and Carlos, they're winning everything. I'll just rest tomorrow and then on Tuesday back on court, trying to put as much pressure as I can, and trying to play like this.“We tennis players, we look forward to playing against the top players, so it's going to be a pleasure, and hopefully I can get the win.”
“Jannik is a huge player,” Fonseca said. “Him and Carlos, they're winning everything. I'll just rest tomorrow and then on Tuesday back on court, trying to put as much pressure as I can, and trying to play like this.“We tennis players, we look forward to playing against the top players, so it's going to be a pleasure, and hopefully I can get the win.”
“We tennis players, we look forward to playing against the top players, so it's going to be a pleasure, and hopefully I can get the win.”
Alexandra Eala advanced to the fourth round at Indian Wells for the first time in her career Sunday night after Coco Gauff was forced to retire with a left arm injury. Eala led 6-2, 2-0 after 54 minutes when the match ended and will now turn her attention to her next opponent, Linda Noskova.
Alexandra Eala advanced to the fourth round at Indian Wells for the first time in her career after Coco Gauff retired with a left arm injury early in the second set Sunday night. Eala led 6-2, 2-0 when Gauff stopped after 54 minutes.
Indian Wells: Scores | Draws | Order of play
Eala, gracious in both victory and defeat, used her on-court interview to acknowledge International Women's Day and to send praise and well wishes Gauff's way.
"First and foremost, I want to say Happy (International) Women's Day, everybody," Eala said. "Bear with me, because I have a lot to say. I want to say thank you to all the incredible women who have paved the way and who have advocated for themselves and for other women. Among them is Coco, so thank you Coco for being an amazing competitor and an amazing role model. And I really hope that everything is well and you will recover soon."
Gauff first took a medical timeout while trailing 5-2 in the opening set. Eala broke immediately afterward to seal the set, and Gauff received heavy taping on her left forearm during the set break. But after dropping the first two games of the second set, she was unable to continue.
The only other time Gauff retired from a match came against Marie Bouzkova in the first round of Cincinnati 2022.
Wishing you a speedy recovery, Coco 💚Alexandra Eala advances into the Round of 16 after Gauff is forced to retire.#TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/Hp4JtsP9HU
While it didn't come in the way she would have hoped, Eala improves to 1-1 against Gauff at the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz level, having lost to her last month in Dubai. She also becomes the first Filipino player to reach the Round of 16 at Indian Wells since the tournament's inception.
Eala now owns a 3-3 record against Top 5 opponents, with wins over Madison Keys and Iga Swiatek at Miami 2025 and now Gauff on Sunday.
Her next opponent will be Linda Noskova, who came from a set down to beat Sorana Cirstea in just under two-and-a-half hours earlier in the day. This will be the first career meeting between the two.
Alexandra Eala advanced to the fourth round at Indian Wells for the first time in her career Sunday night after Coco Gauff was forced to retire with a left arm injury. Eala led 6-2, 2-0 after 54 minutes when the match ended and will now turn her attention to her next opponent, Linda Noskova.
The BNP Paribas Open always attracts a star-studded doubles field, with singles players often joining in on the fun in Indian Wells.
One of the marquee duos in this year's draw is Jannik Sinner and Reilly Opelka, who previously teamed to win the 2021 Atlanta title. Nearly five years later, Sinner revealed he was the one who reached out to the American to reunite their partnership.
"I like to play doubles with someone I feel very comfortable with off the court, because I need to have fun when I play doubles," the No. 2 player in the PIF ATP Rankings said in a Tennis Channel interview. "We have a lot of attention and tension while we play singles, so doubles helps us to work on a couple of things and trying also to relax. Also to not lose this match feeling is good."
Sinner and Opelka will have their hands full in their opening match Monday, with top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos across the net. Ranked No. 3 and No. 2 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings, respectively, Granollers and Zeballos have reached the Australian Open semi-finals and the Dallas final this season.
Sinner's singles campaign in the desert is off to a strong start, with the Italian losing just seven games in beating Dalibor Svrcina and Denis Shapovalov en route to the last 16. Opelka beat Ethan Quinn in the opening round before losing to another American, Ben Shelton, in three sets on Friday.
You May Also Like: Sinner & Opelka, Djokovic & Tsitsipas headline singles stars in Indian Wells doubles draw
While the singles stars will be more relaxed on the doubles court, their competitive nature will have them eager to pull off the upset against the top seeds. Sinner may not feel pressure about the result, but he knows he needs to do his part to capitalise on Opelka's big serving.
"If he will drop serve in doubles, it's my fault," Sinner joked. "Bad hands at the net!"
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#NextGenATP Joel Schwaerzler returned to the ATP Challenger winner's circle Sunday at the Rwanda Challenger, and in rare fashion, will meet his championship-match opponent Stefano Napolitano in the opening round of this week's event in Kigali.
Schwaerzler, 20, beat the Italian 7-6(5), 7-6(6) in the final to cap the first week in Rwanda's capital city. In just a matter of days, they will again stand across from each other.
“It's never happened to me,” Schwaerzler said of the quick-turnaround rematch. “It's an unlucky draw I think for both of us. We were the two best players this week and now to play next week, it's tough. It was a great week for both of us and we'll give it a shot next week as well.”
Crowned in Kigali 👑#ATPChallenger | @tennis_rwanda pic.twitter.com/VwUBM9wE26
Second in the PIF ATP Live Next Gen Race, Schwaerzler's triumph in Kigali is his second Challenger title and first since May 2024. The lefty went one step further than his runner-up finish in Lugano last week, setting him up for a Top 200 debut in the next PIF ATP Rankings.
The Kigali final started Saturday, but was postponed due to rain with Schwaerzler leading 7-6(5), 2-3. Schwaerzler returned on Sunday and applied the finishing touches on his victory.
“I remember my first title was almost two years ago, so I'm very happy to get another today,” Schwaerzler said. “After a tough loss last week in the final, it feels even better.
“My goal was to get in the qualifying for Roland Garros, which I managed to do now with this title and a final last week.”
Schwaerzler produced clutch tennis when it mattered most. Of the 12 sets Schwaerzler played this week, 10 went to a tie-break, nine of which were won by the former junior No. 1. In his second-round match against Zdenek Kolar, Schwaerzler created a remarkable 25 break chances, converting 21 of them, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
“I think I played the big points very well. I played many, many tie-breaks, a little bit of luck was involved,” Schwaerzler said. “But I managed to play a good level when it was important.”
You May Also Like: The road starts here: Watch new ATP Challenger YouTube channel
Ofner halts Budkov Kjaer's perfect final record, claims second consecutive title
Schwaerzler was not the only #NextGenATP player making a splash on the ATP Challenger circuit. Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, who competed at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, reached the Thionville Open final before falling to Schwaerzler's countryman Sebastian Ofner 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(7).
Ofner has won back-to-back Challenger titles, having triumphed in St. Brieuc the week prior. On a 10-match winning streak at the Challenger level, the former No. 37 is set to return to the Top 100 for the first time since December 2024.
The 19-year-old Budkov Kjaer was aiming to join Tomas Berdych as the only teenagers to win their first five Challenger finals. Berdych went 5-0 to start his ATP Challenger career, from 2003-04. Budkov Kjaer was one of six players to claim four Challenger titles in 2025.
Rocha beats top-seeded Vallejo in Brasilia
Portugal's Henrique Rocha lifted his third Challenger trophy at the Brasilia Tennis Open, where he downed top seed Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 6-4, 6-4 in the final. The 21-year-old avenged his previous week's loss to Vallejo, who beat Rocha in qualifying of the ATP 250 event in Santiago.
Henrique Rocha in action at the Brasilia Tennis Open. Credit: Luiz Candido/Luz Press
Samuel continues surge, wins third Challenger title since November
Briton Toby Samuel is playing his career-best tennis. The 23-year-old's latest triumph came at the ITC Crete Challenger, where he won his third title at that level since November. Samuel beat countryman Harry Wendelken 6-3, 6-0 in the final.
Before arriving in Crete, Samuel captured the ITF M25 title in Vale do Lobo, Portugal. Last November, Samuel won an ITF M15 trophy before claiming back-to-back Challenger titles in Soma Bay and Manama.
Sunday's final at the Crete Challenger. Credit: International Tennis Coaching
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Ofner halts Budkov Kjaer's perfect final record, claims second consecutive title
Schwaerzler was not the only #NextGenATP player making a splash on the ATP Challenger circuit. Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, who competed at the 2025 Next Gen ATP Finals presented by PIF, reached the Thionville Open final before falling to Schwaerzler's countryman Sebastian Ofner 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(7).
Ofner has won back-to-back Challenger titles, having triumphed in St. Brieuc the week prior. On a 10-match winning streak at the Challenger level, the former No. 37 is set to return to the Top 100 for the first time since December 2024.
The 19-year-old Budkov Kjaer was aiming to join Tomas Berdych as the only teenagers to win their first five Challenger finals. Berdych went 5-0 to start his ATP Challenger career, from 2003-04. Budkov Kjaer was one of six players to claim four Challenger titles in 2025.
Rocha beats top-seeded Vallejo in Brasilia
Portugal's Henrique Rocha lifted his third Challenger trophy at the Brasilia Tennis Open, where he downed top seed Adolfo Daniel Vallejo 6-4, 6-4 in the final. The 21-year-old avenged his previous week's loss to Vallejo, who beat Rocha in qualifying of the ATP 250 event in Santiago.
Henrique Rocha in action at the Brasilia Tennis Open. Credit: Luiz Candido/Luz Press
Samuel continues surge, wins third Challenger title since November
Briton Toby Samuel is playing his career-best tennis. The 23-year-old's latest triumph came at the ITC Crete Challenger, where he won his third title at that level since November. Samuel beat countryman Harry Wendelken 6-3, 6-0 in the final.
Before arriving in Crete, Samuel captured the ITF M25 title in Vale do Lobo, Portugal. Last November, Samuel won an ITF M15 trophy before claiming back-to-back Challenger titles in Soma Bay and Manama.
Sunday's final at the Crete Challenger. Credit: International Tennis Coaching
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It marked just the second time in her career that the world No. 4 was unable to complete a tour-level match.ByTENNIS.comPublished Mar 09, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 09, 2026
© 2026 Getty Images
For just the second time in her career, and first instance since the 2022 Cincinnati Open, Coco Gauff was unable to complete a WTA match due to injury.Struggling with a left arm issue on Sunday, Gauff retired while trailing Alexandra Eala 6-2, 2-0 at the BNP Paribas Open. The world No. 4 took a medical timeout before the final game of the opening set but decided not to force the issue any further after her opponent converted her fifth break of the night.She later described the discomfort being "like a firework was going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire."
Struggling with a left arm issue on Sunday, Gauff retired while trailing Alexandra Eala 6-2, 2-0 at the BNP Paribas Open. The world No. 4 took a medical timeout before the final game of the opening set but decided not to force the issue any further after her opponent converted her fifth break of the night.She later described the discomfort being "like a firework was going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire."
She later described the discomfort being "like a firework was going off inside of my arm, and then my whole arm felt like it was on fire."
Commenting in quotes provided by the tournament, Gauff said the problem arose in the second game."We're going to figure out what it is tomorrow, but based off the feeling, being told that it's probably something nerve-related. Never had anything like this before, never felt anything, a sensation like this before," she said."And then as the match played, it got progressively worse, even when I wasn't using my arm on shots that I wasn't even using my left arm for."In the tournament preceding the first stop of the Sunshine Double, Gauff posted a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Eala en route to her first Dubai semifinal.
"We're going to figure out what it is tomorrow, but based off the feeling, being told that it's probably something nerve-related. Never had anything like this before, never felt anything, a sensation like this before," she said."And then as the match played, it got progressively worse, even when I wasn't using my arm on shots that I wasn't even using my left arm for."In the tournament preceding the first stop of the Sunshine Double, Gauff posted a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Eala en route to her first Dubai semifinal.
"And then as the match played, it got progressively worse, even when I wasn't using my arm on shots that I wasn't even using my left arm for."In the tournament preceding the first stop of the Sunshine Double, Gauff posted a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Eala en route to her first Dubai semifinal.
In the tournament preceding the first stop of the Sunshine Double, Gauff posted a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Eala en route to her first Dubai semifinal.
The Filipino is through to the round of 16, as she strengthens her bid to break into the Top 30 for the first time."I want to say thank you to all the incredible women who have paved the way and who have advocated for themselves and for other women. Among them is Coco," Eala said as she wished the crowd Happy International Women's Day during her post-match interview."So thank you Coco for being an amazing competitor and amazing role model. I really hope everything is well and you will recover soon."
"I want to say thank you to all the incredible women who have paved the way and who have advocated for themselves and for other women. Among them is Coco," Eala said as she wished the crowd Happy International Women's Day during her post-match interview."So thank you Coco for being an amazing competitor and amazing role model. I really hope everything is well and you will recover soon."
"So thank you Coco for being an amazing competitor and amazing role model. I really hope everything is well and you will recover soon."
Gauff credited her opponent's level on the day, noting that "I felt really bad to pull out, you never want to pull out, but more so for her because she was playing great tennis, and I don't want to take anything away from the way that she was playing."I'd rather finish the match and lose 6-0, but at that point I just felt that because the pain was getting worse and I didn't know what was going on. I just felt it was better to stop."Linda Noskova awaits Eala, following her three-set win over Sorana Cirstea.
"I'd rather finish the match and lose 6-0, but at that point I just felt that because the pain was getting worse and I didn't know what was going on. I just felt it was better to stop."Linda Noskova awaits Eala, following her three-set win over Sorana Cirstea.
Linda Noskova awaits Eala, following her three-set win over Sorana Cirstea.
World No. 6 Amanda Anisimova needed just 52 minutes to defeat Emma Raducanu and book her spot in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open. She reaches the Round of 16 at Indian Wells for the second time in her career.
World No. 6 Amanda Anisimova could not have asked for better performance Sunday against Emma Raducanu.
From a powerful service game to a formidable return game, the four-time singles champion on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz blitzed Raducanu 6-1, 6-1 in a 52-minute masterclass. She advances to the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open, where she will face Canada's Victoria Mboko.
Anisimova reaches the Round of 16 at Indian Wells for the second time in career -- she last made it in her debut appearance back in 2018. On Sunday, it seemed Anisimova was just one step ahead of Raducanu, and she evens the head-to-head at two matches apiece. She controlled Raducanu's movement, leveraged her power and found the perfect timing of her shots on the tricky, slower and bouncy Indian Wells court.
"I think it's more so just a mindset that I try to go into and things I try and focus on and really commit to what I'm doing. I think that's been the biggest shift for me," Anisimova said to press on her recent form. "Hopefully I can try to keep that going.
"I think that's a big thing for myself and just trusting myself."
1. Redirecting her shots: Anisimova was exquisite -- as she was on her serve -- on the return. She found numerous ways to redirect her shots, when positioned at the center of the court, to the sidelines. Often, Raducanu found herself outstretched, or Anisimova had too much pace on the ball that Raducanu knew she could not get to it.
With Raducanu serving as Anisimova led 4-1 in the second set, Anisimova hit scorching forehand winner down the line on the return, timing her swing perfectly with the height off the serve's kick. Then a few points later, to notch her fifth and final break of the match, she hit a solid backhand winner.
Notable stat: Anisimova won 73% of Raducanu's first-service points, and converted 5-of-7 break point opportunities.
2. Controlling Raducanu's court positioning and body positioning: Though many of the rallies were five shots or less, Anisimova created the space for winners by keeping Raducanu centered at her baseline. With the power behind her shots, Raducanu struggled to redirect the ball to push Anisimova out wide.
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Similarly, Anisimova excelled at landing her shots just on or inside the baseline, and Raducanu -- who mostly stayed on the baseline -- often had to bend down, and catch the ball right off the bounce. Consequently, it created a less-potent return, and allowed Anisimova to capitalize with winners.
Notable stat: Anisimova recorded 21 winners, compared to just Raducanu's two -- one in each set.
3. Serving Raducanu away: It felt like a given that when Anisimova was on her serve, she was going to take the game. Anisimova only had two aces on the afternoon, but frequently she created short, three-shot rallies where Raducanu managed to return the serve, but Anisimova would inevitably hit a winner down the line.
Notable stat: Though only landing 60% of her first serves, Anisimova won 86% of those points.
World No. 6 Amanda Anisimova needed just 52 minutes to defeat Emma Raducanu and book her spot in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open. She reaches the Round of 16 at Indian Wells for the second time in her career.
"The court I played on today, I remember exactly where I was sitting in that same stadium when I was a kid," he said after his three-set win over Shelton.ByTENNIS.comPublished Mar 08, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 08, 2026
© Getty Images
A decade ago, Learner Tien was a promising young tennis player sitting courtside inside Stadium 1 at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, dreaming about facing, and beating, the world's best players on the biggest stages.On Sunday at Indian Wells, Tien did that with a three-set upset of No. 8 seed Ben Shelton to reach the fourth round of his home event for the first time. And he couldn't help thinking about his younger self when as he did it."It means a lot," Tien told reporters after his 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 win. "The court I played on today, I remember exactly where I was sitting in that same stadium when I was a kid, so it's really cool, it's really a full-circle moment for me. Just really special to play here and especially to win here."Read more: Jack Draper leans on new service motion to open Indian Wells title defense
On Sunday at Indian Wells, Tien did that with a three-set upset of No. 8 seed Ben Shelton to reach the fourth round of his home event for the first time. And he couldn't help thinking about his younger self when as he did it."It means a lot," Tien told reporters after his 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 win. "The court I played on today, I remember exactly where I was sitting in that same stadium when I was a kid, so it's really cool, it's really a full-circle moment for me. Just really special to play here and especially to win here."Read more: Jack Draper leans on new service motion to open Indian Wells title defense
"It means a lot," Tien told reporters after his 7-6(3), 4-6, 6-3 win. "The court I played on today, I remember exactly where I was sitting in that same stadium when I was a kid, so it's really cool, it's really a full-circle moment for me. Just really special to play here and especially to win here."Read more: Jack Draper leans on new service motion to open Indian Wells title defense
Read more: Jack Draper leans on new service motion to open Indian Wells title defense
Tien recognized that Shelton, who skipped the customary press conference after his second-round comeback against Reilly Opelka due to feeling unwell, "came out not feeling 100%, but he's an amazing competitor and he came out and gave it his all."Nonetheless, Shelton used his big serve to keep the lead throughout the first set, until Tien won the first three points of the tiebreaker to wrestle away the set. In the third, the two players traded holds where they each saved a break point to start, before Tien won three straight games from 2-2 on the way to running his career record against Shelton to 2-0.The two-hour and 10-minute win continued a recent trend of success for Tien against top players. He now owns a 6-5 career record against the game's elite, but says he approaches every match, no matter the opponent, the same way. He takes an 0-1 head-to-head record against No. 18 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina into their fourth-round match as he seeks a first-ever ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
Nonetheless, Shelton used his big serve to keep the lead throughout the first set, until Tien won the first three points of the tiebreaker to wrestle away the set. In the third, the two players traded holds where they each saved a break point to start, before Tien won three straight games from 2-2 on the way to running his career record against Shelton to 2-0.The two-hour and 10-minute win continued a recent trend of success for Tien against top players. He now owns a 6-5 career record against the game's elite, but says he approaches every match, no matter the opponent, the same way. He takes an 0-1 head-to-head record against No. 18 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina into their fourth-round match as he seeks a first-ever ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
The two-hour and 10-minute win continued a recent trend of success for Tien against top players. He now owns a 6-5 career record against the game's elite, but says he approaches every match, no matter the opponent, the same way. He takes an 0-1 head-to-head record against No. 18 seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina into their fourth-round match as he seeks a first-ever ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinal.
"Whether I'm a favorite or whether I'm an underdog, I go out, and I don't really think about it," he said. "I think once the match starts, like I said, you're just out there trying to adapt to what's happening."Rankings and previous matches go out the window. You're just trying to work through the current match. Whether I'm a favorite or whether I'm not, I just go out there and I just try to compete as hard as I can."I try to approach each point like it has equal value, and I feel like that sometimes helps take the nerves away off of some of these big points, big games, when I just try to think of each point as having equal value," he added, "and I just try to navigate through these games without thinking of the overall score."
"Rankings and previous matches go out the window. You're just trying to work through the current match. Whether I'm a favorite or whether I'm not, I just go out there and I just try to compete as hard as I can."I try to approach each point like it has equal value, and I feel like that sometimes helps take the nerves away off of some of these big points, big games, when I just try to think of each point as having equal value," he added, "and I just try to navigate through these games without thinking of the overall score."
"I try to approach each point like it has equal value, and I feel like that sometimes helps take the nerves away off of some of these big points, big games, when I just try to think of each point as having equal value," he added, "and I just try to navigate through these games without thinking of the overall score."
After winning in Indian Wells, the world No. 2 spoke at length about balancing life on tour with the media attention that comes with it.ByDavid KanePublished Mar 09, 2026 copy_link
Published Mar 09, 2026
© 2026 Getty Images
Jannik Sinner is not often one to complain, but when asked about his least favorite part of his career as a professional athlete, he didn't stutter.Speaking to the press after advancing into the fourth round of the 2026 BNP Paribas Open, the world No. 2 (only half-jokingly) teased that the highs of life on tour are only somewhat tempered by the media obligations that come with it:
Speaking to the press after advancing into the fourth round of the 2026 BNP Paribas Open, the world No. 2 (only half-jokingly) teased that the highs of life on tour are only somewhat tempered by the media obligations that come with it:
Q. Jannik, you have to really love the tour life to continue doing it and enjoy most aspects of it, but I'm wondering if there is something about being in professional tennis that you really dislike?JANNIK SINNER: Dislike?Q. Yeah.JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, press conference (smiling), answering always the same questions.I mean, it's not dislike. It's just part of the job, you know. I like to get out, play, and then live, you know.But for me, I think we have a beautiful life, you know. We see so many great places. Obviously doing over and over every year, you know, you always go to the same places, so you know already before what kind of places you like a little bit more and some what you like slightly less.I think we have a very nice, very nice life, very safe life also, in a way, of having great people around. I'm in a position, a very fortunate position, that I can travel with many people also, you know. Here I have a couple of friends, and it helps me so much.So I don't really have something what I dislike. I think it's more just all around, you know, I'm doing this kind of here, media, I'm not the kind of guy who likes it. You know, I don't want and I don't need to show.Q. The attention doesn't align with your personality very well?JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
JANNIK SINNER: Dislike?Q. Yeah.JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, press conference (smiling), answering always the same questions.I mean, it's not dislike. It's just part of the job, you know. I like to get out, play, and then live, you know.But for me, I think we have a beautiful life, you know. We see so many great places. Obviously doing over and over every year, you know, you always go to the same places, so you know already before what kind of places you like a little bit more and some what you like slightly less.I think we have a very nice, very nice life, very safe life also, in a way, of having great people around. I'm in a position, a very fortunate position, that I can travel with many people also, you know. Here I have a couple of friends, and it helps me so much.So I don't really have something what I dislike. I think it's more just all around, you know, I'm doing this kind of here, media, I'm not the kind of guy who likes it. You know, I don't want and I don't need to show.Q. The attention doesn't align with your personality very well?JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
Q. Yeah.JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, press conference (smiling), answering always the same questions.I mean, it's not dislike. It's just part of the job, you know. I like to get out, play, and then live, you know.But for me, I think we have a beautiful life, you know. We see so many great places. Obviously doing over and over every year, you know, you always go to the same places, so you know already before what kind of places you like a little bit more and some what you like slightly less.I think we have a very nice, very nice life, very safe life also, in a way, of having great people around. I'm in a position, a very fortunate position, that I can travel with many people also, you know. Here I have a couple of friends, and it helps me so much.So I don't really have something what I dislike. I think it's more just all around, you know, I'm doing this kind of here, media, I'm not the kind of guy who likes it. You know, I don't want and I don't need to show.Q. The attention doesn't align with your personality very well?JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, press conference (smiling), answering always the same questions.I mean, it's not dislike. It's just part of the job, you know. I like to get out, play, and then live, you know.But for me, I think we have a beautiful life, you know. We see so many great places. Obviously doing over and over every year, you know, you always go to the same places, so you know already before what kind of places you like a little bit more and some what you like slightly less.I think we have a very nice, very nice life, very safe life also, in a way, of having great people around. I'm in a position, a very fortunate position, that I can travel with many people also, you know. Here I have a couple of friends, and it helps me so much.So I don't really have something what I dislike. I think it's more just all around, you know, I'm doing this kind of here, media, I'm not the kind of guy who likes it. You know, I don't want and I don't need to show.Q. The attention doesn't align with your personality very well?JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
I mean, it's not dislike. It's just part of the job, you know. I like to get out, play, and then live, you know.But for me, I think we have a beautiful life, you know. We see so many great places. Obviously doing over and over every year, you know, you always go to the same places, so you know already before what kind of places you like a little bit more and some what you like slightly less.I think we have a very nice, very nice life, very safe life also, in a way, of having great people around. I'm in a position, a very fortunate position, that I can travel with many people also, you know. Here I have a couple of friends, and it helps me so much.So I don't really have something what I dislike. I think it's more just all around, you know, I'm doing this kind of here, media, I'm not the kind of guy who likes it. You know, I don't want and I don't need to show.Q. The attention doesn't align with your personality very well?JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
But for me, I think we have a beautiful life, you know. We see so many great places. Obviously doing over and over every year, you know, you always go to the same places, so you know already before what kind of places you like a little bit more and some what you like slightly less.I think we have a very nice, very nice life, very safe life also, in a way, of having great people around. I'm in a position, a very fortunate position, that I can travel with many people also, you know. Here I have a couple of friends, and it helps me so much.So I don't really have something what I dislike. I think it's more just all around, you know, I'm doing this kind of here, media, I'm not the kind of guy who likes it. You know, I don't want and I don't need to show.Q. The attention doesn't align with your personality very well?JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
I think we have a very nice, very nice life, very safe life also, in a way, of having great people around. I'm in a position, a very fortunate position, that I can travel with many people also, you know. Here I have a couple of friends, and it helps me so much.So I don't really have something what I dislike. I think it's more just all around, you know, I'm doing this kind of here, media, I'm not the kind of guy who likes it. You know, I don't want and I don't need to show.Q. The attention doesn't align with your personality very well?JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
So I don't really have something what I dislike. I think it's more just all around, you know, I'm doing this kind of here, media, I'm not the kind of guy who likes it. You know, I don't want and I don't need to show.Q. The attention doesn't align with your personality very well?JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
Q. The attention doesn't align with your personality very well?JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
JANNIK SINNER: Yeah, kind of. For me, I like playing tennis, you know, and I like to spend time with the people I love and also sharing nice moments with the team. This is how I am, you know.
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In addition to family and close friends, Sinner can rely on a strong fan base to help support him through tough matches, though the Italian has largely cruised in Tennis Paradise thus far. Yet to drop a set in the desert, the former world No. 1 eased into the Round of 16 after a 6-2, 6-3 win over Denis Shapovalov.That could change in as he bids for a return to the quarterfinals, awaiting the winner of an intriguing third-round clash between No. 23 seed Tommy Paul and Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.
That could change in as he bids for a return to the quarterfinals, awaiting the winner of an intriguing third-round clash between No. 23 seed Tommy Paul and Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca.
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Radio Rewind: 2026 Australian Grand Prix
DHL Fastest Pit Stop: 2026 Australian Grand Prix
Mercedes secured a perfect 1-2 result in Melbourne, but could Ferrari have challenged for the win with a different decision?
George Russell and Kimi Antonelli delivered Mercedes a spectacular 1-2 result in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, but did Ferrari blow their opportunity of winning by deciding to keep both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton out on track during two closely-spaced Virtual Safety Cars?
Leclerc was leading the race on Lap 12 – very narrowly – from Russell's Mercedes, the pair having passed and repassed over the first few laps in a thrilling display. Hamilton's Ferrari was running third, just one second behind Russell.
A VSC to retrieve Isack Hadjar's broken-down Red Bull prompted Mercedes to bring both Russell and fourth-placed Antonelli into the pits for time-cheap stops to change from the medium to the hard tyre. Ferrari elected to keep both Leclerc and Hamilton out despite the 10 second saving to the pack of stopping under a VSC, compared to doing so with everyone at full racing speed.
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The woman who allegedly shot at Rihanna's Beverly Hills mansion on Sunday afternoon has been identified as 35-year-old Ivanna Ortiz, police confirmed to Page Six on Monday.
Ortiz was arrested for attempted murder by the Los Angeles Police Department on Sunday.
She's currently being held at LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center with bail set at $10.225 million.
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As we previously reported, the suspect allegedly used an AR-15-style rifle to fire bullets at Rihanna's $14 million home where she lives with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, and their three kids — RZA, 3, Riot Rose, 2, and 5-month-old Rocki Irish Mayers.
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Police responded to the report of the shooting at 1:21 p.m. Sunday and quickly took Ortiz into custody.
The LA Times reported that police dispatch revealed “approximately 10 shots” were fired from a vehicle, a white Tesla, across the street from the residence.
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One bullet reportedly pierced a wall of Rihanna's residence, an LAPD spokesperson told the California Post.
The Tesla subsequently fled south on Coldwater Canyon Drive, per dispatch audio.
A motive for the shooting is still unknown at this time.
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Rihanna, 38, was allegedly inside her mansion when the incident occurred, and a source told People the “Disturbia” singer is “okay.”
It's unclear whether Rocky, 37, and the little ones were home as well.
Page Six can confirm that Ortiz was previously arrested in her home state of Florida for careless driving, domestic violence and violating pretrial release conditions.
Page Six has not heard back from reps for Rihanna and Rocky.
Rihanna has dealt with other scary incidents related to one of her California properties.
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In 2018, a 27-year-old man identified as Eduardo Leon broke into her Hollywood Hills residence after hopping a fence, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Leon allegedly slipped inside the residence while the Grammy Award winner was away and camped out there for roughly 12 hours before being discovered by one of her assistants.
He later pleaded no contest to stalking and was slapped with a 10-year stay-away order.
By Mike Fleming Jr
Editor-At-Large
EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios has signed filmmaker and showrunner Mike Flanagan to an exclusive multi-year overall deal, under which he will develop and produce original series for the studio.
The collaboration with Flanagan's Red Room Pictures banner extends the studio's partnership with one of the most commercially successful genre storytellers. The deal comes after Flanagan recently wrapped production on the TV series adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie for Amazon, marking his first series under the new partnership.
Flanagan has written, directed, edited and produced eight feature films, including Stephen King adaptations Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game, as well as Ouija: Origin of Evil, Hush, Before I Wake, Oculus, Absentia and most recently 2024's The Life of Chuck, which won the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Flanagan is writing, directing and producing a new take on The Exorcist for Blumhouse and Universal Pictures.
In television, Flanagan has served as creator, writer, director and showrunner of the genre series The Fall of the House of Usher, Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Midnight Club and The Haunting of Hill House.
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Flanagan is repped by WME and VanderKloot Law.
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Cool, Can't wait to see what he cooks up
So… Dark Tower series?
Hopefully.
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The woman who allegedly shot at Rihanna's Beverly Hills mansion on Sunday afternoon has been identified as 35-year-old Ivanna Ortiz, police confirmed to Page Six on Monday.
Ortiz was arrested for attempted murder by the Los Angeles Police Department on Sunday.
She's currently being held at LAPD Metropolitan Detention Center with bail set at $10.225 million.
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As we previously reported, the suspect allegedly used an AR-15-style rifle to fire bullets at Rihanna's $14 million home where she lives with her partner, rapper A$AP Rocky, and their three kids — RZA, 3, Riot Rose, 2, and 5-month-old Rocki Irish Mayers.
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Police responded to the report of the shooting at 1:21 p.m. Sunday and quickly took Ortiz into custody.
The LA Times reported that police dispatch revealed “approximately 10 shots” were fired from a vehicle, a white Tesla, across the street from the residence.
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One bullet reportedly pierced a wall of Rihanna's residence, an LAPD spokesperson told the California Post.
The Tesla subsequently fled south on Coldwater Canyon Drive, per dispatch audio.
A motive for the shooting is still unknown at this time.
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Rihanna, 38, was allegedly inside her mansion when the incident occurred, and a source told People the “Disturbia” singer is “okay.”
It's unclear whether Rocky, 37, and the little ones were home as well.
Page Six can confirm that Ortiz was previously arrested in her home state of Florida for careless driving, domestic violence and violating pretrial release conditions.
Page Six has not heard back from reps for Rihanna and Rocky.
Rihanna has dealt with other scary incidents related to one of her California properties.
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In 2018, a 27-year-old man identified as Eduardo Leon broke into her Hollywood Hills residence after hopping a fence, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.
Leon allegedly slipped inside the residence while the Grammy Award winner was away and camped out there for roughly 12 hours before being discovered by one of her assistants.
He later pleaded no contest to stalking and was slapped with a 10-year stay-away order.
US Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu revealed that everyone has been pronouncing her name wrong.
During a recent interview with Newsweek, the 20-year-old clarified that her first name is pronounced “Ah-lee-sa” and her last name is pronounced “Lee-oh.”
“So technically this is how my family says my name,” she explained. “That's technically how you say my name.”
The figure skater noted that “Ah-liss-uh” is how her friends and “the world” say her first name, while her last name is often mispronounced “Lu.”
“I personally don't care,” she added of the common mistake. “Cause technically, the right way is ‘Lee-oh.' But that can be hard to pronounce. I don't expect people to know how to say that.”
Liu won gold during the Winter Olympics free skate competition, making her the first American to do so in 24 years.
The athlete told Teen Vogue last week what she did after her incredible showing at the Olympics.
“After I won, [there] was no sleep…. I went home and I literally did whatever I wanted for five days,” she shared.
“I didn't have any media, and I had no commitments, so it was really great,” Liu continued. “I got to see a lot of my friends again, and just relax and catch up on sleep. I skated twice just because I wanted to.”
Liu also said that she would “jeopardize” her career to prioritize her loved ones.
“I pick hanging out with my friends over a session, and if that makes me a worse skater, so be it,” she told the outlet. “I don't care.”
Liu has been dealing with intense fame since the Olympics, which came to a head when she was chased by a fan at the airport.
“So I land at the airport & there's a crowd waiting at the exit with cameras & things for me to sign,” she wrote in a March 4 post on her Instagram Stories.
“All up in my personal space. Someone chased me to my car bruh,” she continued, before pleading, “Please do not do that to me.”
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Guy Ritchie's long-awaited action heist thriller will hit theaters in May via Black Bear after several delays.
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Etan Vlessing
Canada Bureau Chief
Jake Gyllenhaal and Henry Cavill play cool killers led by minder Eiza González in the official trailer for In The Grey, which dropped on Monday.
Guy Ritchie's long-awaited action thriller sees Gyllenhaal play Bronco and Cavill is Sid, both members of a “covert team of elite operatives” out to recover a billion dollar fortune stolen by a ruthless despot. “They work between the moral and the immoral. The black and the white … They operate in the grey,” González's character Sophia says at one point in the trailer.
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Bronco and Sid also make use of automatic weapons and explosives to pull off their covert heist at the villainous despot's lair, a private island with its own militia. Cavill also starred in Ritchie's The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare. “What begins as an impossible heist gets much worse, spiraling into an all-out war of strategy, deception and survival,” a synopsis from the producers reads.
The ensemble cast for In The Grey includes Kristofer Hivju, Emmett J. Scanlan, Jason Wong, Michael Vu, Fisher Stevens, Rosamund Pike and Carlos Bardem. Black Bear will now release the thriller in theaters on May 15 after earlier striking a collaboration with Lionsgate.
That followed the studio pulling the film, written and directed by Ritchie, from an earlier planned Jan. 17, 2025 rollout. After Black Bear launched its own U.S. distribution operation, the indie studio and distributor stepped in to release In The Grey. The collaboration with Black Bear also has Lionsgate handling the film's digital and pay-TV distribution.
The producer credits on In The Grey are shared by John Friedberg, Dave Caplan, Ritchie and Ivan Atkinson.
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By Ted Johnson
Political Editor
Scott MacFarlane said that he was departing CBS News, where he has been correspondent since 2021.
MacFarlane wrote on X that he shared a note with colleagues that “my work will soon no longer appear on CBS News.”
“This is my decision, and I appreciate the bosses at CBS for understanding it,” MacFarlane continued. “I will always value the opportunity I had to work alongside the talented and committed professionals here. I'm proud to have had the words ‘CBS correspondent' next to my name – always will be. For the next phase of my career, I look forward to some independence and finding new spaces to share my work in line with my personal goals. I thank you all. The work will not stop, and I'll always be a call away.”
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His exit follows upheaval in the news division, with new editor in chief Bari Weiss, founder of center right opinion site The Free Press, embarking on a new strategy, generating concerns over the editorial direction of the news division.
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There's also the prospect of more layoffs to come, with newsroom sources buzzing that a 15% reduction is in store. This already follows a round of layoffs last year and a recent series of buyouts.
MacFarlane covered the criminal prosecutions against January 6th defendants, as well as the criminal cases against Donald Trump. He was on scene during an assassination attempt on Trump's life in Butler, PA in July, 2024. He previously was an investigative reporter for WRC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Washington, D.C., and congressional correspondent for Cox Media Group.
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He's got a great voice if he ever decides to go into voice over work.
Of note, Scott built a name for himself not just reporting on air, but effectively using social media to gain a wider audience. He also followed up on stories after the initial reporting. Lots of tenacity.
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By Ted Johnson
Political Editor
Rashida Jones, who departed MSNBC last year, will serve as CEO of Piers Morgan‘s new media company Uncensored.
The company also announced that it has reached a capital agreement with Raine Ventures and Antenna Group and other investors, including the Reuben Brothers.
The company's flagship channel is Piers Morgan Uncensored, and the company plans to build into a “multi-genre and talent-driven digital network,” per a release. The company launched History Uncensored, with former CNN anchor Bianca Nobilo. It also has a licensing deal with UK's Channel 5 to syndicate Piers Morgan Uncensored to over the air television.
Jones served as president of MSNBC from 2020 to 2025, and departed as the network prepared for its split from Comcast. It has since been rebranded as MS NOW, and was spun off along with other former Comcast cable networks into a new entity called Versant.
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Joe Ravitch, partner and co-founder of The Raine Group, will serve on the board of the company.
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By Zac Ntim
International Reporter
Fox News has apologized for airing old footage of Donald Trump during this weekend's coverage of the President's attendance at the dignified transfer ceremony for U.S. soldiers killed in the current conflict in the Middle East.
The President's appearance at the ceremony had been widely criticized because he failed to remove a hat he was wearing. The President was seen wearing a white Trump-branded USA hat throughout the event.
According to multiple media reports, Fox News initially broadcast the correct footage of Trump at the ceremony, showing that he wore a hat as he stood alongside Melania Trump and Vice President JD Vance. Later, the channel broadcast multiple editions of their coverage on the event using old footage of Trump at a similar ceremony, when he had not worn a hat to salute troops who had died in Syria.
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Griff Jenkins, the network's weekend host, apologized in an on-air statement.
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“We want to acknowledge a mistake made earlier in our program. During our coverage of yesterday's dignified transfer, we inadvertently aired video from an older dignified transfer instead of the ceremony that took place yesterday,” Jenkins said. “We deeply regret the air and extend our respect and condolences to the service members' families. We honor the sacrifice of those six American heroes.”
The soldiers were killed in a drone strike in Kuwait last week. Those killed in action were Nicole Amor, Cody Khork, Robert Marzan, Maj Jeffrey O'Brien, Noah Tietjens, and Declan Coady.
A Fox News Media spokesperson said in a statement: “Fox News Media programs inadvertently aired file footage from a previous dignified transfer while discussing yesterday's ceremony at Dover Air Force Base. The archival footage was mistakenly used during the video sourcing process. We regret the error and apologize for the incorrect footage.”
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So many things…that hat was disrespectful, the fact that he wore a blue suit. Was that just to focus all eyes on him? BUT, what frosted me was the fact that at the prayer, Trump merely nodded. He didn't bow his head for th duration of the prayer.
Inadvertently…my ass!
Pure propaganda. Insane. Time to sue Fox News.
And they STILL haven't played the real footage for their viewers.
Can't make dear leader look bad.
Sue Fox News.
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The worldwide "Modern Heritage" campaign includes classic denim shirts, straight-fit jeans, striped T-shirts and denim cargo pants.
By
Gil Kaufman
Stray Kids member Hyunjin has been named GUESS' latest Global Brand Ambassador. The company announced the news on Friday morning (March 6) along with a worldwide campaign featuring the K-pop superstar in a variety of looks.
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Three days after launching a teaser campaign in which the musician's face was slyly hidden and glimpsed only in fleeting shots amid a rumble of drums and the cryptic caption “Stays in GUESS JEANS — 3.6.26,” which sent fans into a guessing frenzy, the official ad featuring Hyunjin dropped on Instagram on Friday morning (March 6). You can shop the star's look here.
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In it, the singer poses in a jean jacket and denim pant combo on a couch, stares longingly into the camera and strikes some contemplative model poses to the accompaniment of the jazzy soundtrack. The company also posted a second look at the campaign with a series of photos of Hyunjin wearing pieces from GUESS' interpretation of a “Modern Heritage” look, including classic denim shirts, straight-fit jeans, striped T-shirts and denim cargo pants as part of the GUESS JEANS collection.
“Beyond performance, Hyunjin is a creative force spanning music, dance, and visual art,” said Paul Marciano, co-founder/chief creative office of Guess? Inc. in a statement. “His sense of style, confidence and global influence make Hyunjin an amazing addition to the GUESS Family.”
As a global ambassador for both the GUESS and GUESS JEANS brands, Hyunjin will lead worldwide campaigns and headline key brand initiatives, according to a release, which noted that the collection he's featured in will be available at the new GUESS JEANS flagship store on Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles and online here, as well as select worldwide GUESS stores beginning today.
“We're excited to welcome Hyunjin to the family. Music and culture have always shaped my perspective on fashion, and Hyunjin is a highly talented artist. We believe he truly represents a new era of expression for the brand,” added Guess? Inc.'s chief new business development officer Nicolai Marciano.
Check out pictures from Hyunjin's GUESS campaign here.
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By
Emily Zemler
Stephen Colbert was honored at the 2026 Writers Guild Awards with the Walter Bernstein Award last night and used the opportunity to criticize his parent network Paramount.
The award is given to someone who has “demonstrated with creativity, grace and bravery a willingness to confront social injustice in the face of adversity.” It is named for Walter Bernstein, an American screenwriter who was blacklisted during Hollywood's Red Scare in the 1950s, and has only been given twice before.
During his speech Colbert noted that he hadn't previously realized that “the blacklist was not a government policy.”
“The blacklist wasn't a law or a regulation or an executive order,” he said. “It was a voluntary industry-wide agreement to deny work to left-leaning artists out of fear that certain members of the government might publicly attack the parent corporation of these artists or the union that they belong to. It was that threat, only the threat, of trouble that ended so many careers. And now while to be associated with Mr. Bernstein in any way is a great honor, I want to be clear that I do not deserve the implied parallel here.”
He continued, “This is not the 1950s. This is not the Red Scare. And, as far as I can tell, no one in late-night is fomenting a revolution. As we know, the revolution will not be televised. It was going to be televised, but then Paramount bought it. Evidently, the revolution was losing, like, $40 million a year — it had to go. I hear the revolution is thinking about starting a Substack.”
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Colbert didn't reference Donald Trump in his speech, despite the Trump administration reportedly putting pressure on Paramount to kill The Late Show. The popular late-night show will come to an end on May 21 after a decade of Colbert as its host. Colbert did read out several jokes that have been cut during his time on the show, crediting his writing staff for their quips.
“The actual ‘Go' message from President Trump to launch last week's Iran attack was ‘Operation Epic Fury is approved. No aborts, good luck,'” Colbert said. “Coincidentally, ‘No aborts, good luck' was also the majority opinion in the Dobbs Decision.”
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He added, “At the height of #MeToo, when it was reported that Louis CK took off all his clothes to masturbate in front of two women, one of my female writers offered me this joke: ‘Oh, my God, he masturbates like a toddler poops.'”
Colbert concluded his speech by celebrating his time as a late-night host and recounting how much he has missed spending time in the writers room.
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“If you liked any of these ideas, please employ these lovely folks after May 21, Colbert said. “They have so much to offer.… They are the best writing staff I have ever known at any show, and I have loved our time together, which wasn't as much time as I would like. I started in late-night as one of them. Thanks to Robert [Smigel], Dana Carvey, and Jon Stewart, and many other people, I ended up in front of the camera every night, which is a very good job with its own responsibilities, meaning you can't be in the writers room as much as you used to be.”
He added, “And to some, hosting may seem like a hard job, and sometimes it is, but what's also hard is hearing the laughter from the room down the hall and not being able to go in. If you've ever been lucky enough to be in that room, you will always want to be in that sound. And what is really gonna be hard is missing these people, who despite the fresh hell — whatever it is — that the news washes in, make that beautiful sound happen every day. So to them, and all of you, and Walter Bernstein, and to our guild, thank you so much.”
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Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2026 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.
By
Emily Zemler
Franz Ferdinand have spoken out about the Israeli Defense Forces using their 2003 song “Take Me Out” in a propaganda video. Frontman Alex Kapranos shared the video on Instagram over the weekend, criticizing the IDF for using their music “without our consent.”
The IDF video features footage of fighter jets and explosions as an Israeli soldier celebrates the country's recent attacks on Iran. The post is captioned: “Operation Roaring Lion — this is how it's done.”
“These warmongering murderers are using our music without our consent,” Kapranos wrote. “This makes us both nauseous and furious. Kind of typical though, isn't it? To strut up and take what isn't theirs with a vile arrogance …”
On Feb. 28, Israel and the U.S. launched a joint military campaign against Iran, which Donald Trump dubbed Operation Epic Fury. Trump announced in a Truth Social post that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the attacks. Iran later confirmed his death.
Iran retaliated soon after with missile attacks against Israeli targets as well as U.S. military bases in several Arab countries, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar.
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Trump has since proclaimed that he will take control over who Iran selects as their next leader. “He's going to have to get approval from us,” Trump told ABC News on Sunday about a possible new supreme leader. “If he doesn't get approval from us, he's not going to last long.”
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Franz Ferdinand have shared their political views in the past, including critiquing Trump in their 2016 song “Demagogue.” The song was released as part of 30 Days, 30 Songs, an independent campaign created by “Artists for a Trump-Free America.” Following Trump's election as president, Kapranos tweeted, “Have I actually woken up? Or am I typing this as part of the nightmare? Feels horrifyingly real.”
Franz Ferdinand's most recent LP, The Human Fear, arrived last year. The band will tour in the U.K. and Europe throughout March and April.
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'One Battle After Another' wins here ahead of what's considered a tight cinematography contest with 'Sinners' at the Oscars.
By
David Canfield
Senior Entertainment Writer
One Battle After Another's Michael Bauman has won the American Society of Cinematographers' top prize for work on a theatrical feature-film, setting the Oscar nominee up as the front-runner to win the Academy Award in exactly one week. To this point, the race has been considered a nailbiter: Bauman also won the BAFTA, Train Dreams' Adolpho Veloso won the Spirit Award, and Sinners' Autumn Durald Arkapaw dominated the critics' awards circuit (she'd be the first woman ever to win the cinematography Oscar). The list of nominees was rounded out by Frankenstein's Dan Laustsen and Marty Supreme's Darius Khondji, both of whom are also nominated at the Oscars.
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This is the second time in three years that the ASC Awards and the Academy landed on the same lineup of cinematography nominees. (Last year, the guild oddly expanded its nominations slate from the usual five to seven, but still blanked the Oscar-favored Emilia Pérez.) When it comes to winners, however, the voting bodies have matched for best cinematography only six out of the last 10 years, going their separate ways just last year when the guild honored legend Edward Lachman's work on Maria before the Oscars went with the stronger overall contender, Lol Crawley of The Brutalist.
This means that all is not lost, particularly, for Sinners and Train Dreams, who remain in the hunt. It's also worth noting that, unlike the Academy, the ASC already ended its dreadfully overdue streak of male-only winners in the feature-film category: Mandy Walker became the first woman to win the award three years ago for Elvis, before going on to lose the Oscar to All Quiet on the Western Front's James Friend. For Durald Arkapaw and Sinners, that breakthrough remains very much on the table for next week.
The documentary category featured only one Oscar-nominated film, Come See Me in the Good Light, but it lost to 2000 Meters from Andriivka, which used body-cam footage in its visceral wartime portrait. The TV winners meanwhile went in a different direction from the rest of guild season: The Studio won for half-hour series (Adam Newport-Berra for the episode “The Oner”), but Andor (Christophe Nuyens) and Task (Alex Disenhof) tied for one-hour series, defeating Emmy winner Severance (The Pitt was not nominated). There was an even bigger upset in limited series: The one-take wonder Adolescence lost to the Netflix noir Black Rabbit (Pete Konczal).
The awards ceremony was held at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, and hosted by The Four Seasons star Kerri Kenney-Silver. Presenters included Jason Reitman, Owen Wilson and Rachel Brosnahan, with special awards being presented to Guillermo del Toro, Robert Yeoman and more. See the full list of winners below.
Theatrical Feature FilmAutumn Durald Arkapaw, ASC for “Sinners”WINNER: Michael Bauman for “One Battle After Another”Darius Khondji, ASC, AFC for “Marty Supreme”Dan Laustsen, ASC, DFF for “Frankenstein”Adolpho Veloso, ABC, AIP for “Train Dreams”
Episode of a Half-Hour SeriesAdam Bricker, ASC for “Hacks” (“I Love LA”)Fraser Brown, CSC for “Twisted Metal” (“NUY3ARZ”)Paul Daley for “The Righteous Gemstones” (“Prelude”)Daniel Grant for “Murderbot” (“Escape Velocity Protocol”)Matthew J. Lloyd, ASC for “Government Cheese” (“Trial and Error”)WINNER: Adam Newport-Berra for “The Studio” (“The Oner”)
Limited/ Anthology Series/ Motion Picture Made for TVMichael Bauman for “Monster: The Ed Gein Story” (“Buxum Bird”)Sam Chiplin for “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” (“Episode One”)WINNER: Pete Konczal, ASC for “Black Rabbit” (“Isle of Joy”)Matthew Lewis for “Adolescence” (“Episode Two”)Igor Martinović for “Black Rabbit” (“Attaf**kinboy”)
Episode of a One-Hour Regular SeriesWINNER (tie): Alex Disenhof, ASC for “Task” (“Crossings”)Jessica Lee Gagné for “Severance” (“Hello, Ms. Cobel”)Dana Gonzales, ASC for “Alien: Earth” (“Neverland”)Ben Kutchins, ASC for “The White Lotus” (“Killer Instincts”)WINNER (tie): Christophe Nuyens, SBC for “Andor” (“I Have Friends Everywhere”)
Spotlight AwardSteven Breckon for “The Plague”WINNER: Mátyás Erdély, ASC, HSC for “Orphan”Karl Walter Lindenlaub, ASC, BVK for “Amrum”
Documentary AwardMstyslav Chernov and Alex Babenko for “2000 Meters from Andriivka”WINNER: Brandon Somerhalder for “Come See Me in the Good Light”Lars Erlend Tubaas Øymo and Tor Edvin Eliassen for “Folktales”
ASC Music Video AwardJeff Cronenweth, ASC for “Supernatural” (Performed by Ariana Grande)Jon Joffin, ASC and Mitchell Baxter for “False Prophet” (Performed by Pillars of a Twisted City)Jon Joffin, ASC for “Visiting Hours” (Performed by Jon Bryant)Juliette Lossky for “Altamaha-ha” (Performed by Stacy Subero)WINNER: Rodrigo Prieto, ASC, AMC for “The Fate of Ophelia” (Performed by Taylor Swift)
HonoreesGuillermo del Toro — Board of Governors Award (presented by Jason Reitman)Robert Yeoman, ASC — Lifetime Achievement Award (presented by Owen Wilson)M. David Mullern, ASC — Career Achievement in Television Award (presented by Rachel Brosnahan )Cynthia Pusheck, ASC — Presidents Award (presented by Baz Iodine, ASC and John Simmons, ASC)Stephen Pizzello — Award of Distinction (presented by Mandy Walker, ASC, ACS, AM)Kodak — Curtis Clark ASC Technology Award (presented by Giovanni Ribisi)
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Taylor Dearden is quickly becoming one of television's most talked-about rising actors. Her standout performance on the hit medical drama “The Pitt” has introduced her to a wider audience, and now she is also sharing a personal story that resonates with many fans.
Dearden recently opened up to People about living with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, and how the experience shaped both her life and her work as an actor. The performer said her perspective has helped her bring authenticity and emotional depth to her role as Dr. Melissa “Mel” King on the series.
The actress said her understanding of ADHD helped her build the character in a way that feels genuine and relatable. While Dr. Mel King is not explicitly described as having ADHD, Dearden said she imagined the character with similar traits and habits while preparing for the role.
Her approach adds an extra layer of realism to the fast-paced medical drama, which follows doctors and nurses navigating the intensity of a single shift in a busy emergency department.
For Dearden, sharing her story is also about helping others feel seen.
Dearden told People that she drew on her own experiences with ADHD while developing her portrayal of Dr. Mel King. The actor said that understanding how her mind works allowed her to create small character details that felt natural.
According to Dearden, ADHD can bring moments of deep focus and creative thinking, qualities that she believes can translate well to acting. She said those traits helped her connect with the emotional intensity and quick decision-making that her character faces in the hospital setting.
Dearden told People that imagining Mel as someone with ADHD helped guide her approach to the role. She said the perspective allowed her to add thoughtful touches that make the character feel grounded and authentic.
Fans have responded positively to the performance, praising the warmth and humanity she brings to the character. As the show continues to gain momentum, Dearden's portrayal has become one of its most memorable elements.
Dearden has also spoken about her ADHD journey, where she discussed how the experience shaped her understanding of herself and her creativity.
The actor said learning about ADHD gave her helpful insight into the way her mind works. She said that awareness has helped her channel her energy and focus on her craft.
Dearden also emphasized the value of open conversations about neurodiversity. She said sharing her story can help others feel understood and encourage more inclusive representation in entertainment.
Her willingness to speak openly about ADHD has resonated with many viewers, especially those who recognize similar traits in themselves.
At the same time, Dearden continues to focus on the exciting opportunities ahead. Her performance on “The Pitt” has positioned her as a rising talent in television, and the series continues to introduce her work to new audiences.
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It's always “you, you, you” with Harry Styles. He uses the word “you” and its derivatives 326 times on his new album Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.: How've you been? You just need a little love. There's only me and you. Tell me your fears. You touched me goodnight. Do you love me now?
By comparison, “I” and its derivatives get a scant 127 uses. That's hardly qualitative analysis, but it does speak to the feeling that Kiss All the Time is an act of sublimation: These songs, produced once again by Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson, sound like Harry Styles songs, but the man himself rarely feels present. Instead, he's busy trying to be Matty Healy (“American Girls”) or Jessie Ware (“Dance No More”) or, on the record's quieter tracks, wondering why he makes music at all. The fact that, four records in, Styles is now one of the biggest male pop stars in the world seems to be the album's sole reason for being: It was time for another Harry Styles record.
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In his four years away, the flamboyant and intriguing gobbledegook of 2022's Harry's House has become sadder and less defined; he may claim that “I know what you like, I know what you'll really like” on album closer “Carla's Song,” and it may be true, but the noncommittal emptiness of Kiss All the Time is hard to love. Styles matriculated at a school where projection is king: Part of the reason boy bands inspire strong fandom is because their songs allow the listener to believe they could plausibly be the object of affection. Styles was introduced to the world, after all, with a song about how your flaws make you beautiful, and made videos where he looked deep into your eyes and took you ice skating. Nobody can sell out Madison Square Garden 30 times over on a single tour without at least some of your fans feeling like you're singing to them and them alone.
Kiss All the Time doesn't feel like a cash grab—Lord knows Styles has more of it than anyone could ever know what to do with—and to hear Styles talk about his music suggests that he is genuinely interested in trying to chart new ground for himself. But all those “you”s make it a little easier for him to avoid the central question of his career: Who are you, really, beyond the big pants and the anti-bullying slogans and the even bigger pants? It can sometimes feel like the idea of Harry Styles, World-Beating Superstar, was so predetermined that nobody remembered to ask what he was really into or what drives his music. On Kiss All the Time, the “you”s act like a Magic Eraser, swiping away any answers to those questions before you knew they were there. It's a lot more pleasant to give yourself over to projection than to draw any blood.
Kiss All the Time was inspired by LCD Soundsystem, the Berlin club scene, and marathon running—few other pop stars have ever telegraphed more clearly that they're trying to find themselves, or get away from it all, or both. On its most coherent songs, Styles seems to grasp at the idea that he's a cipher. “It's like you're taking up arms, but the message is wet/It sounds inviting, but you don't believe it yet,” he intones on “Are You Listening Yet?”, one of a few songs where he attempts to capture the strung-out cool of prime dance-punk. On “Season 2 Weight Loss,” he admits, “It's hard to tell when the thoughts are my own,” a sad indictment of a record that sounds like it was written with maximum respectability in mind.
It's a foregone conclusion, then, that Styles' entrance into the world of dance music feels a little watery. Fans looking for their introduction to club hedonism might be surprised to learn that wild, sweaty abandon can be conjured with the same big crash cymbals and plinky guitar lines that have featured on every other Harry Styles record. There are enough nods on Kiss All the Time to Styles' stated influences—-a sharp, craggy synth running through “Season 2 Weight Loss”; chattering drum machine on the bittersweet Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix-ish highlight “Taste Back”—that you can at least identify his intention. (This isn't Dua Lipa talking up a Britpop album before delivering nothing of the sort with Radical Optimism.) But Styles undermines himself every time with moves straight out of the stadium-pop playbook: A dazed acoustic guitar interlude on “Ready, Steady, Go!”; a big festival chorus on “American Girls”; the aforementioned big drum fills on “Carla's Song.” By regressing to the safe embrace of the Los Angeles producer toolkit over and over again—in a world where James Murphy has never met a check he couldn't cash—Styles denies any of the catharsis or release he supposedly found in the club.
It's a shame: Styles' rarefied status and wacky fashion sense mean that he, of all stars, could afford to genuinely break form without ruffling any feathers. He asks to be taken more seriously than practically any of his contemporaries (and expresses marketable good taste always) and backs up that request by paying lip service to Haruomi Hosono and Joni Mitchell, doing an interview with Haruki Murakami, mounting collaborations with JW Anderson and the Southbank Centre. The general public has, by and large, taken him at his word, anointing him pop's Most Tasteful. But Styles rarely lives up to his end of the bargain.
There's nothing inherently wrong with spritzing a little LCD on the wrists, dabbing some Phoenix on the neck, and then getting dressed up in your usual Keane. He wouldn't be the first pop star to have a life-changing experience that only changed their life a little. But it suggests that Styles, an idiosyncratic, generational artist in all but art, is so terrified of exposing himself that he's unwilling to fundamentally change his formula at all. Either that, or he only trusts his audience enough to give them a diet version of a sound he loves. It's strange: Wasn't this all supposed to be for you?
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A woman has been taken into custody. It's unclear if the rapper and their three children were present at the time of the incident.
By
Kimberly Nordyke
Managing Editor, Digital
A woman has been taken into custody after firing shots into the home of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky on Sunday afternoon, according to multiple reports.
Citing a law enforcement source, the Los Angeles Times reported that the woman fired several shots into the Beverly Hills mansion, with a round penetrating a wall of the home. The woman, who is said to be 30 years old, reportedly fired the shots from her car, a white Tesla, across the street and then fled the scene. A call was made to 911, with police responding around 1:21 p.m.
Officers followed the suspect to a parking lot in Sherman Oaks, where she was arrested. According to an LAPD radio dispatch cited by the Times, the woman fired off “approximately 10 shots.”
According to TMZ and the Times, Rihanna was home at the time of the incident, but it's unclear if A$AP Rocky or their children were present. The couple have three children together: sons RZA, age 3, and Riot Rose, age 2, and daughter Rocki, who was born in September.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told the Times that no injuries were reported. TMZ reported that officers are now investigating a motive.
The couple reportedly live in the tony Post Office neighborhood of Beverly Hills.
The Hollywood Reporter has reached out to the LAPD as well as a rep for Rihanna and A$AP Rocky.
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Chappell Roan had jaws dropping at the McQueen show at Paris Fashion Week thanks to her super risqué outfit.
The singer attended the McQueen Autumn Winter 2026 show Sunday, rocking a sheer black dress, but it was her undergarments — or lack thereof — that had people talking.
Roan, 28, opted to go braless underneath the black gown, and wore a black thong to cover up her private parts.
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She accessorized the dress with bold chunky jewelry, including a show-stopping choker, heavy drop earrings and bracelets.
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She wore her curly red hair down and sported dramatic dark eye makeup to complete her bold look.
The “Pink Pony Club” singer shared pics of herself at the show on Instagram, writing, “inches + body + inches + body = @alexandermcqueen.”
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“Such a sick show omg 🤍 ty for having me!!,” she added.
Roan has been serving head-turning looks at Paris Fashion Week, attending shows for Rick Owens, Mugler and Vivienne Westwood.
But she recently ditched her signature colorful and dramatic stage makeup for a fresh-faced MAC campaign.
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Last month, she wore one of the most outrageous outfits at the Grammys ever, when she walked the red carpet in a sheer, burgundy Mugler dress that was attached to her body via bedazzled faux piercings.
She enhanced the look with temporary body art, including a pony drawing on her chest and a giant temporary tattoo of a lace design on her back.
She later defended the wild dress on Instagram.
“Giggling because I don't even think this is THAT outrageous of an outfit,” she wrote. “The look's actually so awesome and weird.”
“I recommend just exercising your free will it's really fun and silly :D,” Roan added.
Retired FBI Special Agents Maureen O'Connell and Jim Clemente sat with reporter Brian Entin to discuss the latest in the Nancy Guthrie disappearance. The trio floated the idea that the 84-year-old may have been a victim of elder abuse.
During a Sunday, March 8, conversation with News Nation's Brian Entin, two former FBI agents discussed the ongoing investigation into Guthrie's disappearance.
“I think every single person who had any, even a tangential relationship to Nancy Guthrie, anybody who worked on the house, on the yard, on the pool, anybody who worked in the house, repairing things, delivering things, even driving her in an Uber or Lyft, all of those people should be looked at because that could have been the nexus that allowed them to understand that she was living alone and that she was vulnerable,” Retired Special Agent Jim Clemente said in a video shared via YouTube.
Retired FBI Special Agent Maureen O'Connell agreed, adding that Guthrie's kind spirit may have made her more vulnerable.
“I also think that from what we know about Nancy, she was just such a nice and kind and wonderful woman,” O'Connell explained. “I think when you get old, you get one of two ways. Either really ornery like I'm probably going to be or like Nancy.”
O'Connell gave the example of her neighbor Marsha, who she considers “a second mom.”
“She too is 84. And ever since this whole thing kicked off, you know, I'm on her like white on rice. And I just want her to be 10 times more careful about everything,” she continued. “The bottom line is, they tell everyone anything someone asks them. If someone asked her, walked up to her door and said, ‘Can I come in and use your restroom?' A stranger, she would say yes.”
Guthrie was first reported missing on February 1 after friends noticed her absence at her regular church service. She was last seen the night prior during a family dinner held at her daughter Annie Guthrie's home.
According to Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, Guthrie was taken from her Tucson, Arizona, home against her will by a masked, armed man in the early morning hours of February 1.
“Today” host Savannah Guthrie has continued to plead for her mother's safe return, even increasing the reward to $1 million for information leading to her recovery.
“Someone knows how to find our mom and bring her home,” Guthrie captioned a February 24 Instagram video.
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My prayers to you all. These lowlives watch, lerk , on massive herion mixed with lethal chemicals same with shooting up meth for Goodness please return her to peace cause your not in peace help those who are not as well.
I realize that the gifts of a “remote viewer” or “psychic” may not be a popular belief for many. But, day after day, week after week, and still not a clue? If it were me, I would try “anything” to find her. There have been cases in the past with successful results.
Bev u are so right anything is worth a try. My mom is 82 n I worry about her everyday. My mom is a good hearted woman but she can be mean also. I do know that she will never open the door for a stranger but some elders are not like my mom. N shouldn't be left alone
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Tom Brady, LeBron James, Kevin Costner, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Sheridan and Jessica Alba were among the stars who helped celebrate the club's opening weekend.
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Melinda Sheckells
Contributor
Celebrities, socialites and New York City members previewed the new Zero Bond at Wynn Las Vegas during the private club's opening weekend on Friday and Saturday. Bond Hospitality's Scott Sartiano and Will Makris hand-selected a guest list of hundreds of friends, kicking things off with a dinner at Sartiano's Italian Steakhouse on Friday night (which Gwyneth Paltrow attended), followed by another dinner Saturday that led into a big party next door at the guarded private club.
As guests including Tom Brady, LeBron James, Kevin Costner, Orlando Bloom, Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Sheridan, Zach Braff, Keegan-Michael Key, Bella Thorne, Joe Burrow, Lori Loughlin, David Dobrik, Jeff Ross, Shaboozey, Alix Earle, Rachel Zoe, Scott Galloway and Ashley Benson arrived, servers welcomed them with tiny ‘tinis and chicken nuggets and caviar, alongside Pierre-Auguste Renoir's masterpiece Femme au corsage rouge — a highlight of the club's $40 million for-sale art collection.
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The Hollywood Reporter got an exclusive look inside the venue's second-level private gaming salon, where celebrity photographer and Hollywood insider Carlos Eric Lopez ushered guests into his “high-stakes” Zero Bond Portrait Studio. Jessica Alba, Jon Hamm, Ryan Phillippe, Rachel Zoe, Grace Van Patten, Brooks Nader, John Stamos and Hannah Bronfman posed on and around a blackjack table.
While Lopez snapped photos inside the club, outside Doja Cat levitated over Wynn Golf Club on a hydraulic platform, performing several hits in a metallic spacesuit as drones buzzed overhead like flying saucers. The Sphere also glowed dramatically in the background.
Later in the club's Baby Disco, Wynn Nightlife headliners The Chainsmokers entertained a tight group of party guests lucky enough to squeeze into the intimate room filled with shiny disco balls. Donald Faison and Shaboozey helped hype the crowd.
The two-story, 15,000-square-foot social playground with Milanese-modern décor, designed by Wynn Design & Development, officially opens to its Las Vegas and New York City members on March 10. Guests will arrive discreetly via private valet before stepping into a series of intimate spaces that feel more like the living rooms of a well-traveled collector than a traditional club: the cathedral-like salon with its central bar; the members-only Fairway Grill for lunch and dinner; the jewel-box lounge dubbed Baby Disco; private wine lockers stocked from Wynn's cellar; and a humidor of precious hand-rolled cigars. There is also a penthouse screening room for watching big games, private gaming salons and a sculpture garden overlooking Wynn Golf Club.
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The sequel-spinoff to the Dutton flagship revisited some of the biggest family secrets that could threaten to expose Luke Grimes' Kayce, who leads the new CBS series.
By
Jackie Strause
Managing Editor, East Coast
[This story contains spoilers from the second episode of Marshals and the series finale of Yellowstone.]
How much of Yellowstone will loom over Marshals? The second episode of the new CBS series starring Luke Grimes gave viewers a good idea of how Marshals plans to walk that line.
The sequel-spinoff that premiered March 1 sees Grimes reprising his role as Kayce Dutton, the surviving son to the late Dutton patriarch played by Kevin Costner on the megahit Paramount Network series. Yellowstone was the most popular show on television when it signed off in December 2024. So, when we recently asked showrunner Spencer Hudnut if he will be servicing the fans of Yellowstone or catering to a potentially new audience, he had an easy answer.
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“It would be really foolish to turn our back on that,” he told The Hollywood Reporter heading into the premiere, citing not only the flagship show's uber-success but also the richness of the Dutton backstory. He also noted that Kayce is still living on the Montana land of the Dutton family's ranch — just now in the corner of it that he calls home with his son Tate (Brecken Merrill) following the unexpected death of his wife Monica Dutton (played by Kelsey Asbille in Yellowstone). Monica's death was revealed in the premiere, and it's the tragic hook that convinced Grimes to reprise the role, and co-creator Taylor Sheridan to jump on board and executive produce Marshals, which Hudnut wrote.
“The balancing act was building off of Yellowstone, but in a way where people who didn't watch that show can still follow along. And then over time, as we get to know the non-Yellowstone characters more, they can carry the story more,” said Hudnut. “But I think we will always have that connective tissue to Yellowstone. It's what makes the show unique, so I think we will always try to service that.”
Even viewers who have never seen Yellowstone will have caught wind of Kayce squirming in this week's second episode at the mention of the “Zone of Death,” which is the real Idaho section of Yellowstone National Park just outside of Wyoming where there are no citizens and no law enforcement so, therefore, crimes committed there go unpunished.
“Local legend has it that it's been a dumping ground for the region's most depraved criminals,” says Harry (Brett Cullen), the chief of the Montana U.S. Marshals unit that Kayce has taken up with, in the episode. When Harry then asked Kayce if he's heard the tale, since his family has been in the area for a century, Kayce said this: “First I'm hearing of it.”
Yellowstone viewers know that's a lie.
In Yellowstone proper, the Zone of Death was called “the train station.” Over the series' five seasons, the violent Dutton family dumped many dead bodies there and would communicate with each other by saying they had taken someone to the train station. Most notably, Kayce and his sister Beth Dutton — played by Kelly Reilly, who will be starring in the upcoming Dutton Ranch spinoff with Cole Hauser‘s Rip — dumped the dead body of their brother, Jamie Dutton (Wes Bentley), in the Zone of Death in the series finale, leaving a big Dutton cliffhanger for any series that would continue to follow this Montana family.
So now comes Marshals, where Jamie's “disappearance” is mentioned several times in the second episode that aired Sunday night. Harry, who is clearly not a fan of the vengeful Dutton family, pressed Pete (Logan Marshall-Green), Kayce's former Navy SEAL buddy who brought him on, about what Kayce knows about his fugitive brother. Even fellow agent Andrea (Ash Santos) questioned Kayce on the whereabouts of Jamie, who seems to have just vanished.
Kayce remains a man of few words when asked, but time will tell how he can continue to evade the question over the course of this first season's 13 episodes. “We certainly end the season in a propulsive way that paints us into a corner and demands us coming back for season two,” Hudnut had teased to THR, also saying he was open to a Beth Dutton crossover — should the spinoff shows' stars align.
Marshals releases new episodes Sundays at 8 p.m. on CBS, streaming on Paramount+ the next day.
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Pink is putting rumors about her marriage to rest with a sweet family moment.
The Grammy-winning artist recently shared a glimpse of a special night out with her husband, Carey Hart, and their two children — daughter Willow Sage Hart, 14, and son Jameson Moon Hart, 9.
Pink posted a smiling family photo to her Instagram Stories on Saturday, showing the group posing together during a night in New York City.
The family attended a performance of the Broadway musical “& Juliet” and even stayed after the show to greet members of the cast.
The outing appeared to be a joyful one, with the family looking relaxed and happy as they enjoyed the evening together, a source told Page Six.
Pink later shared a post to Instagram on Sunday, March 8, where she added an additional three pics of the family outing.
The family outing comes shortly after Pink addressed rumors suggesting that she and Hart had split after more than two decades together.
Late last month, the singer responded directly to a report claiming that the couple had separated, taking to social media to shut down the speculation.
“So I was just alerted to the fact that I'm separated from my husband. I didn't know,” Pink said in a video posted to Instagram. “Thank you for letting me know. Would you also like to tell our children? My 14-year-old and my 9-year-old are also unaware.”
She continued by calling out the media for focusing on the rumor instead of more significant issues making headlines.
“Or, do you want to talk about some real news? Do you want to talk about the Epstein files? Do you want to talk about systemic racism? Or misogyny in sports? Or how classy the women's hockey team is?” she said.
Pink then dismissed the report entirely, labeling it “fake news.”
“I love you all. Go with God, and trash news, you can do better,” she added.
The singer has previously spoken candidly about the ups and downs in her relationship with Hart.
In 2024, she reflected on their long journey together while celebrating their anniversary.
She shared a carousel of photos of the two throughout the years.
“Love is a lifetime of coming back to the table,” Pink wrote in an Instagram post at the time. “We almost didn't make it to this one — well a couple of them, if I'm being honest.”
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By
Jodi Guglielmi
A woman was arrested Sunday after allegedly firing several shots at the Beverly Hills home of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky, according to the Los Angeles Times. Rihanna was home at the time of the incident. No injuries were reported.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles police said officers responded to reports of gunfire around 1:21 p.m. and took a 30-year-old female suspect into custody.
A rep for Rihanna did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone's request for comment.
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According to the police, the suspect fired multiple rounds of gunshots toward the couple's home from inside her car. At least one bullet penetrated the side of the house. The L.A. Times reports that a radio dispatch from the incident cited at least “10 shots” fired from a vehicle across the street from the home's gate.
A motive for the shooting is still unknown. It is unclear if anyone, including A$AP Rocky or their children, was also home at the time of the incident.
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Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. are couple goals! The “Cruel Intentions” star shared a beautiful tribute to her husband on his 50th birthday.
“Happy Milestone Bday [Freddie Prinze Jr.]. Age is simply the number of years the world has gotten to enjoy you,” Gellar captioned a Sunday, March 8, Instagram post alongside two adorable photos from her husband's star-studded 50th birthday party. “And no one has enjoyed you, more than me.”
Gellar and Prinze Jr. were the “it” couple of the '90s and early '00s after meeting on the set of the their 1997 slasher film, “I Know What You Did Last Summer.
“[We] really didn't dig each other,” Prinze Jr. told People in 2001 of their first meeting. “Then one day I gave her a ride to the gym. We talked on the way up, and she was a cool chick.”
After being friends for years, the pair gave romance a shot in January 2000, and their relationship blossomed quickly from there. The happy couple announced their engagement in April 2001 at her 24th birthday party, according to ABC News.
After tying the knot in September 2002, Gellar and Prinze Jr. welcomed their first child, daughter Charlotte Grace Prinze, in September 2009. They later welcomed a son, Rocky James Prinze, in 2012.
“20 years ago this week, my friend @realfreddieprinze and I were supposed to have dinner with a mutual friend from out of town. That friend missed her flight, but we decided to still meet and catch up,” the “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star shared in 2020. “Now 20 years together, 17 plus married and two kids, we still go to that restaurant for dinner. So thank you @sloaney77 for not showing up for dinner.”
The pair never misses an opportunity to gush about their partner.
“I am so lucky to have a husband who has the best wife ❤️” she shared on Valentine's Day.
After Gellar shared her sweet birthday wishes to her husband, fans flooded the comment section of her post with tributes of their own.
“These two go together like they were always meant to be. Happy birthday 🥳” one fan wrote.
“Happy Birthday Freddie!!! 🥳❤️🎂 What a Beautiful couple you two!” another commented.
A third added, “Looking better than ever FPJ!!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!!!😍😍😍😍😍😍😍”
“Happy birthday Pisces king 👑 you don't look a day over 30!! @realfreddieprinze ✨” pal Mina Tobias shared.
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Jenelle Evans is sharing a positive update about where she stands with her ex-husband David Eason after the two were recently spotted spending time together.
The “Teen Mom” star addressed the situation in a recent interview with US Weekly, explaining that the reunion was centered on their shared commitment to their daughter, Ensley, and their efforts to maintain a healthy coparenting relationship.
“David has been back recently to visit Ensley [their daughter] in Vegas, but now he's back in North Carolina,” Evans, 34, revealed. “I'm in a happy place in life and so are my kids. I'm glad to show a healthy coparenting relationship to them.”
Evans emphasized that maintaining respectful relationships with former partners has always been important to her as a parent.
“I always strive to have a good relationship with my exes for my children's sake.”
Evans and Eason share their daughter Ensley, who was born in January 2018. The pair married later that year, but their relationship has experienced several changes over time before their divorce was finalized in July 2025.
Despite their split, Evans says their focus now remains on supporting their daughter and demonstrating positive communication.
The reality television personality is also mother to two other children. Evans shares her eldest son, Jace, who was born in 2009, with ex Andrew Lewis. She also shares son Kaiser, born in 2013, with ex Nathan Griffith.
Eason is also a father to two children from previous relationships: daughter Maryssa and son Kaden.
Evans has previously spoken about her desire to create a stable and supportive environment for her children, even when navigating complicated family dynamics.
Following the finalization of her divorce last year, Evans has said she feels optimistic about the future.
“Now I can breathe,” Evans wrote via Instagram when the divorce was finalized. “Went through our assets and came to a settlement, ladies please don't ever put anything in anyone else's name but your own. The battle is over! #LessonLearned #Divorced.”
In recent months, Evans has continued to focus on building a positive routine for her family.
Earlier this year, she shared that she contacted Eason during a medical emergency involving their daughter, highlighting the importance of working together during difficult moments.
“I was required to tell him Ensley was in the hospital due to an emergency and custody,” Evans told Us Weekly on January 21 after their daughter experienced a health scare. “Things were smooth, and I'm happy we can come together to coparent so well during a scary time like that.”
During that visit, the former couple even took a moment to sit down for a meal together.
“Did we go out to eat? Yes, we did,” Evans added, “because Ensley hasn't seen David in two years.”
While the couple's romantic relationship has ended, Evans says her priority now is creating a healthy and supportive environment for her children as they move forward.
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As A24's terrifying audio-driven horror film undertone arrives in theaters this Friday, director Ian Tuason is already preparing to step into one of the most recognizable supernatural franchises of the modern era. The first-time feature filmmaker has been tapped by Bad Robot and Blumhouse to direct the next Paranormal Activity reboot. It's an assignment he earned, impressively, even before his debut reaches audiences. Speaking exclusively with Dread Central, Tuason shared why the creative DNA of undertone directly influenced why he was chosen to take on the iconic found-footage series. “Oh, because I scared people without showing them anything,” Tuason explained.“Which is kind of what Paranormal Activity does too. I kind of stole from it. I stole from it. And now I'm giving back.”The filmmaker hinted his approach to the reboot will lean into the same restrained terror that defines undertone, a film that builds dread through sound and suggestion rather than spectacle.Asked whether audiences can expect a similarly intimate and grounded tone, Tuason confirmed the direction: “Yeah, pretty serious.”
That approach could mark a tonal reset for the franchise, aligning it more closely with the stripped-down tension that made the original Paranormal Activity a phenomenon.In my 4-star review of the film out of Sundance 2026, I mentioned undertone “succeeds because it understands its scope without being confined by it. Instead, Tuason finds creative freedom in its structure. Grounded performances, precise control of story, and a clear command of sound and space anchor the film as it stretches its arms well beyond its handful of walls.” If undertone proves anything, it's that Tuason understands how to generate fear with a modest toolbox, and that minimalism could be the perfect full-circle fit for the long-running horror series.
undertone infects theaters this Friday, March 13, 2026.
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By Ben Dalton2026-03-09T11:30:00+00:00
Source: Dustin Rabin
‘Undertone'
EXCLUSIVE: Vertigo Releasing has acquired UK-Ireland and Australia-New Zealand rights to Ian Tuason's paranormal horror Undertone.
The distributor will release the film in UK-Ireland cinemas on April 10, with the Australia-New Zealand release one day prior, in partnership with Rialto Distribution.
Undertone follows Evy, a woman who hosts a popular paranormal podcast with her friend Justin, where she is the skeptic to his believer. After Evy moves back home to become a caregiver to her dying mother, she and Justin are sent recordings by a married couple experiencing paranormal noises in their home, drawing Evy into fear and paranoia.
The Housemaid's Tale actress Nina Kiri and The White Lotus actor Adam DiMarco lead the cast alongside Michele Duquet.
Writer-director Tuaon's feature debut, Undertone launched at Canada's Fantasia Fest in July last year, before playing in the Midnight section at Sundance this January. A24 handles world sales and will release the film in North America this Friday, March 13.
The film is produced by Dan Slater for his Slaterverse Pictures and Cody Calahan for Black Fawn Films, both from Canada. Executive producers are Tuason, Chad Archibald, Daril Fannin, Brit MacRae, Anthony Eu, Douglas Lee, Al Akdari, Charles Bern, Mathew Sterling and David Sproat.
“It was joyously terrifying to be a part of the rapt audience experiencing undertone at this year's Sundance Midnight premiere,” said Taylor Haldane, acquisitions and sales manager at Vertigo Releasing. “With a flawless approach to sound and space, Ian and the team have crafted a uniquely immersive and dread-inducing nightmare of a film that ceases to relent until the lights come up.”
Upcoming Vertigo titles include UK-Irish sports thriller One Last Deal starring Danny Dyer from Friday, March 13; and Gus Van Sant's Venice 2025 title Dead Man's Wire from March 20.
2026-03-09T17:01:00Z
By Ben Dalton
Bookmark this page and keep track of the latest film release dates in the UK & Ireland.
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James Dawson's appealing, insightful film bows in Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival
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Bookmark this page to keep track of all the latest festival dates.
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‘Wuthering Heights' crosses £23m; ‘Scream 7' tops £6m; but overall takings fall again.
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The Landers Homestead Valley Association meeting is a great way to connect with the community and find out about upcoming events. Tonight's meeting will provide details about a park clean-up, dance classes, and a UFO meetup event.
To hear about these and more, come to the Landers Association meeting Monday March 9 at 5:00 p.m. in Belfield Hall, 58380 Reche Road in Landers.
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William Neil McCasland has gone missing days after Trump ordered the release of all files on extraterrestrial visits to Earth, aliens and UFOs. He is a retired Air Force major general who also worked on America's classified space weapons program.
A retired Air Force major general, considered an expert on UFOs, has been missing since February 28. An investigative journalist has warned that William Neil McCasland's disappearance is a "grave national security crisis". He left his Albuquerque, New Mexico, home on Saturday and has not been heard of ever since. McCasland did not take his cellphone with him and walked out of the home. The FBI has also gotten involved in the matter and has launched a search operation, The New York Post reported. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office has issued a Silver Alert to locate him. The notice adds that law enforcement officials are concerned for his safety because of his medical issues. What has concerned others is the fact that he is rumoured to be in on most of the information that the US holds on extraterrestrials. He is an Air Force retiree who was assigned to the research wing at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Journalist Ross Coulthart said on his “Reality Check” podcast that the role had McCasland working on classified space weapons programs.
Also Read: Trump orders release of files on UFOs, aliens after accusing Obama of making a ‘big mistake'Also Read: Anything to distract from Epstein files? Trump admin reportedly agrees to disclose alleged alien secrets at US bases
The US government is said to be hiding pieces of extraterrestrial vehicles at this base near Dayton, Ohio, that were collected from Roswell in New Mexico, a famous UFO hotspot. “The fact that Gen. Neil McCasland has disappeared off the face of the earth is a grave national security crisis for the United States of America. This is a man with some of the most sensitive secrets of the United States in his head," Coulthart said. His disappearance comes at a time when President Donald Trump has announced that all information gathered on alien visits to Earth will be released in the coming days. As per the order, the Pentagon will disclose anything related to "alien and extraterrestrial life, unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP), and unidentified flying objects (UFOs)."
Also Read: 3.8bn Black Vault files on secret alien and UFO programmes vanish hours after Trump's order: 'Deletion not corruption'
Notably, this is the second time a suspicious event has happened since Trump's announcement. Last month, Black Vault, an archive containing declassified US government files on UFOS, was wiped clean overnight. The vault is an online location that anyone can access. It contains files on alien discoveries and conspiracy theories over the last 80 years gathered by ufologist John Greenewald Jr. He said that nearly 3.8 million files were removed from the database on February 20. They contained military base reports and witness testimonies on aliens. The website hosting provider told him that the files were deleted and were not corrupted. Since he had backed up all the data, everything was restored.
Anamica Singh holds expertise in news, trending and science articles. She has been working at WION as a Senior News Editor since 2022. Over this period, Anamica has written world n...Read More
With President Trump's erratic behaviour, it requires a psychic to forecast what could potentially influence his decision-making, and her visions have provided us with an entirely new temporary president.
The psychic and medium has been practising her abilities for more than a decade, and this year she chose to examine the situation in the United States.
The spiritual teacher, known as Psychic Kelli online, had quite a few predictions for the state of the nation, particularly concerning the president himself.
At 79 Trump has experienced several health problems throughout his presidency, typically age-related conditions he has attempted to conceal.
Most notably, he was allegedly struck with a severe case of COVID-19, removing him from action briefly - acknowledging later it was considerably worse than they initially thought.
The mystic medium doesn't believe 2026 will bring any fewer of these problems, and this time she anticipates far graver consequences.
Octopuses next in line to rule the world, Stone Age construction workers, how to cure a psychopath, and why humans don't have a mating season - all this and more in our latest science newsletter
Kelli told her followers: "I do see Trump falling or bumping his head, and as a result, he's going to be hospitalized a little bit."
She added: "I think J.D. Vance will become president - just for a little whilst until the president gets back on his feet."
The psychic goes as far as to predict when she believes this will occur. According to her, there is a solar eclipse within Leo on August 12.
This, she claims, is when she envisions the president "quite possibly" take a trip and fall. When these celestial bodies align, it characteristically signals a period that delivers unexpected revelations about those in positions of power, according to her expert assessment.
This encompasses "those who deserve authority and those who can no longer be trusted."
She explains: "This is because pride, ego, and image are absolutely going to be tested."
She ends her predictions for Trump's health by stating that during this period, it will compel the nation to "see who's really in charge."
Yet, the psychic and medium are not alone in foreseeing declining health for the president's future.
Psychic World also issued a prediction during Trump's second term; whilst it is not regarded as "immediately life-threatening," it could be deemed a significant disruption.
Their website indicates they envisage it being "serious enough to reduce his public appearances for several months" and consequently heighten speculation surrounding the 25th Amendment. As Vice President, JD Vance assumes a more prominent role during his absence.
Regarding timing, it suggests the health concern materialising between June and September this year, which would correspond with Kelli's forecast. Their analysis also specifies that the ailment itself will be a cardiovascular or neurological matter.
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The president has already been extremely active this year, undertaking numerous state-to-state visits, with several international engagements in the pipeline. If the predictions of psychics are to be believed, he might want to rethink his forthcoming schedule.
Moreover, if any significant decisions are slated for August, it would be a good idea to start preparations sooner rather than later.
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On February 19, 2026, President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing government files related to unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP)—the official term now used for what were once called UFOs. The order calls for agencies to locate and release records tied to UAP investigations, including materials addressing evidence of potential nonhuman intelligence, fueling worldwide curiosity about what the U.S. government may reveal after decades of unexplained aerial events.[6]
If those records confirm the presence of nonhuman intelligence, the implications would be profound. But perhaps the most fascinating question would be:
How would humans respond to learning we are not alone?
Human beings rely on mental models to navigate the world. These models include assumptions about the structure of reality and our place in the universe. When new information challenges those assumptions, people must update their understanding of how the world works.
Research on individuals who have experienced events that dramatically changed their worldview suggests that such moments can trigger existential questioning, confusion, and a strong drive to make sense of the new information.[1] This type of schematic reevaluation can, for some, cause emotional distress that has been referred to by psychologists as ontological shock.
But responses to worldview-challenging experiences are not uniform. Studies of anomalous experiences show that individuals vary widely in how they interpret and integrate such events, with reactions ranging from awe, curiosity, and reflection to distress or uncertainty.[2]
Psychologist Tim Lomas has suggested that these moments may sometimes be better understood as “ontological fracturing.” Rather than implying the collapse of a worldview, the concept describes situations in which previously stable assumptions develop cracks that require reinterpretation and gradual integration over time.[7]
His 2024 study published in the Journal of Humanistic Psychology provides some evidence of how people respond to disclosure-like information. Using grounded-theory analysis of posts on X (formerly Twitter), the study identified four broad response categories: concern, positive reactions, skepticism or indifference, and critical engagement.[7]
Rather than producing a single collective reaction, the findings revealed a wide range of responses. Even events interpreted by some observers as partial “disclosure” did not produce universal shock. Instead, reactions reflected diverse interpretations shaped by prior beliefs, expectations, and attitudes toward the topic.
This research underscores the idea that new information never lands in a neutral environment. It is processed through existing beliefs and characteristics of unique individuals. And it is important to anticipate a spectrum of responses.
What we do know is that reality changes produce periods of uncertainty, which can be harder for some to process than others.
While most people adapt during periods of uncertainty, some people have what is called intolerance of uncertainty, which is a dispositional trait where individuals perceive unknown or ambiguous situations as highly stressful, threatening, or unacceptable.
Intolerance of uncertainty exists along a spectrum in the population. However, research suggests that roughly 10 percent of individuals show elevated levels of this trait, which is strongly associated with anxiety, worry, and difficulty tolerating ambiguous situations. Individuals high in this trait often experience a strong need for predictability and control, and may respond to uncertainty with excessive worry, avoidance behaviors, or attempts to impose clear explanations even when definitive answers are not available.[4,5]
Intolerance of uncertainty contributes to multiple forms of psychological distress, including anxiety disorders, obsessive–compulsive disorder, and depression.[4]
For some people, uncertainty about nonhuman intelligence may lead to curiosity or philosophical reflection, while for others the same uncertainty may feel deeply disturbing. When clear explanations are not immediately available, people often try to fill the gap with narratives that restore a sense of certainty.
In uncertain environments, speculation, misinformation, and conspiracy theories can spread quickly because they offer simple explanations for complex or ambiguous events.
Another factor that will raise uncertainty and is likely to shape public reactions is whether nonhuman intelligence is perceived as a threat. Research in risk psychology shows that emotional responses to unfamiliar events are strongly influenced by perceived threat rather than objective risk, particularly when a phenomenon is both unknown and difficult to control.[8]
Reported UAP encounters over the past several decades generally describe objects that appear to be engaged in observational behavior rather than hostile actions. Military pilots and other observers frequently report objects maneuvering near aircraft or appearing to monitor training exercises, but there are no widely documented cases of direct attacks associated with these events.[9]
Context reduces uncertainty. That's why it is important that government disclosure provides adequate information in a thoughtful way that gives people the opportunity to make sense and meaning out of information being released.
These differences in how people tolerate uncertainty suggest that some individuals may have greater difficulty integrating a discovery of nonhuman intelligence than others.
Individuals who already struggle with psychological stress or high levels of anxiety and/or intolerance of uncertainty may find a sudden shift in humanity's understanding of reality particularly challenging. People whose identity or worldview is strongly tied to existing beliefs about reality or religious beliefs may also need time to reconcile the discovery with their current frameworks for understanding how this new information affects them.
In these situations, mental health professionals may play an important role in helping individuals distinguish evidence from speculation and integrate new information into coherent personal narratives.
History shows that humanity has repeatedly faced discoveries that reshaped how we understand our place in the universe—from recognizing that Earth wasn't flat or that the sun does not revolve around it, to modern science's view of our tiny planet in a vast and ever-expanding cosmos. Each of these moments required people to reconsider long-held assumptions about our reality, and societies ultimately incorporated those discoveries into new ways of understanding the world.
What is in the files that will be released remains unknown. The vast majority of our society will likely adapt to whatever is revealed. However, waiting to find out before thinking ahead about the needs of vulnerable populations could put a significant strain on our societies and mental health care systems.
If nonhuman intelligence becomes a confirmed reality, mental health professionals will not only need to adapt their own perspectives but also help lead the way in guiding individuals through the process of making sense of a larger and more complex universe than humanity has previously imagined.
References
1. Argyri, E. K., Evans, J., Luke, D., Michael, P., Michelle, K., Rohani-Shukla, C., Suseelan, S., Prideaux, E., McAlpine, R., Murphy-Beiner, A., & Robinson, O. C. (2025). Navigating groundlessness: An interview study on dealing with ontological shock and existential distress following psychedelic experiences. PLOS ONE, 20(5), e0322501.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.03225…
2. Rabeyron, T. (2022). When the truth is out there: Counseling people who report anomalous experiences. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 693707.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.693707/full
3. Baum, S. D., Haqq-Misra, J., & Domagal-Goldman, S. D. (2011). Would contact with extraterrestrials benefit or harm humanity? A scenario analysis. Acta Astronautica, 68(11–12), 2114–2129.https://arxiv.org/abs/1104.4462
4. Carleton, R. N. (2012). The intolerance of uncertainty construct in the context of anxiety disorders: Theoretical and practical perspectives. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 12(8), 937–947.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23002938/
5. Morriss, J., Goh, K., Hirsch, C. R., & Dodd, H. F. (2023). Intolerance of uncertainty heightens negative emotional states and dampens positive emotional states. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1147970.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10073686/
6. Nandita Bose and Trevor Hunnicutt. Trump says he will direct agencies to release UFO and alien files. Reuters. (2026, February 19). https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-claims-obama-revealed-classified…
7. Lomas, T. (2024). Unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) disclosure as ontological shock? Exploring diversity among social media responses to a congressional UAP hearing. Journal of Humanistic Psychology.https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00221678241251871
8. Slovic, P. (2016). Understanding perceived risk: 1978–2015. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development, 58(1), 25–29.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00139157.2016.1112169
[9] Office of the Director of National Intelligence. Preliminary assessment: Unidentified aerial phenomena. June 25, 2021.https://www.dni.gov/files/ODNI/documents/assessments/Prelimary-Assessme…
Jennice Vilhauer, Ph.D., is the former Director of Emory University's Adult Outpatient Psychotherapy Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science in the School of Medicine.
Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today.
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Apart from a 3-episode stint on the spin-off Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Sarah Michelle Gellar has largely left the supernatural genre alone, so the announcement that she'll be returning to the role in 2026 in a reboot/continuation of the original series, titled Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale, has us absolutely stoked. But 20 years after Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Gellar did come back to the genre that made her a star with 2023's Wolf Pack, a supernatural series with an engaging mystery that deserved more than one season.
The opening minutes of Wolf Pack's first episode, "From a Spark to a Flame," are a gripping nightmare right out ofA Quiet Place: Part II. Instead of aliens, a horde of wildlife is being driven out of the forest due to a raging fire that is enveloping it, running towards the road under the cover of smoke, smashing cars and killing people in their mad dash to get away. But the looks in the eyes of the beasts suggest they're running away from something more than just the fire,like they are literally scared of something unnatural. As students from the local high school trying to escape from their trapped school bus soon discover, something unnatural is stalking them. Austin (Rio Mangini) runs out of the smoke, screaming, "There's something else in there!" before being forcefully pulled back.
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Sometime during the chaotic event, both Everett (Armani Jackson), a student who suffers from anxiety, and Blake (Bella Shepard), the school rebel, are bitten, and their bites heal quickly. Ever since the incident, they've been changing, with Everett gaining strength and abs, while Blake's acne clears, and now she can run extremely fast. Furthermore, the two are drawn to one another, despite never having been even acquaintances beforehand. Soon, they run into Harlan (Tyler Lawrence Gray) and Luna (Chloe Rose Robertson), fellow students and twins who understand what Everett and Blake are experiencing. As they explain, the two were bitten by a werewolf — the creature that scared the wildlife out of the forest. They would know, having been born as werewolves themselves.
Then things get really strange, as the four are able to sense what the others are feeling, sharing their individual powers when together and sometimes even experiencing what another is doing, as if they were doing it themselves. As they struggle to understand what's happening, an anonymous caller keeps contacting them, telling them when the murderous werewolf — who Harlan and Luna believe is their father — is coming for them. Meanwhile, arson investigator Kristin Ramsey (Sarah Michelle Gellar) is investigating who started the forest fire, aided by Garrett (Rodrigo Santoro), Harlan and Luna's adoptive father, who intends to keep them safe. But can he?
Gellar's appearance as an arson investigator, who wields a lot of power given her role, is largely limited to a small amount of screen time over the first six episodes, but the show makes up for it in the last two with a jaw-dropping reveal. The young leads are engaging enough to carry the series on their backs, with Shepard the standout as the rebellious Blake, who is forced to confront her troubled past and admit that she can't go through this alone. Rodrigo Santono, too, as Harlan and Luna's father, who takes Everett and Blake under his wing as they work through it all, is exceptional, a man who deeply loves his kids and will do anything to keep them and those around them safe.
Then there's the werewolf itself, a large and terrifying beast that kills and drops bodies into a deep silo-like structure at a construction site. The moments where he's stalking are fraught with tension and danger, especially when a pool party is crashed, forcing the teenagers inside the home where they wait, completely terrified. The werewolf also isn't the only monster, with both Blake and Everett contending with parents that have damaged them in ways that go deeper than the visible scars.
The ending wrapped up the questions raised during Wolf Pack's run and promised an undeniably intriguing prospect for a second season. Season 2 would have likely seen Gellar's role become more prominent. However, that promise was dashed by Paramount, which cancelled the series in January 2024 as the creative team had already begun work on Season 2. Still, Wolf Pack stands as a great binge for those that need a dose of Sarah Michelle Gellar before the Buffy reboot drops. Who doesn't want to see her solve a mystery?
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