March 23, 2026: All Newsclips

Lead Stories

At least one winner emerges from Iran war: U.S. natural gas exporters

U.S. gas exporters are emerging as among the biggest beneficiaries of President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, as governments in Asia scramble for alternatives to Middle Eastern fuel. Asia, more reliant than other regions on fuel that passes through the Strait of Hormuz, is staggering from Iran’s effective closure of the key chokepoint and from Iranian strikes on gas facilities in the Persian Gulf, in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli attacks. Demand here is surging for U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, much to the approval of the Trump administration, which is seizing on shortages to push U.S. gas sales even as it demands that other governments step in to open the strait. “We need to sell energy to our friends and allies so they don’t have to buy from adversaries, so they don’t have to be dependent on sources of energy that can be controlled,” U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said last week in Tokyo, where he announced $57 billion in energy deals with providers in Asia. “This has been part of President Trump’s energy dominance policy since Day 1.”

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The turbulence in energy markets is just one aspect of rising global anxiety over the political and economic instability resulting from the continuing war. Stock markets in Asia fell sharply on Monday, with Japan’s Nikkei closing down 3.5 percent and the Korea Composite Stock Price Index finishing 6.5 percent lower. Though the tech manufacturing hubs of Taiwan, Japan and South Korea have spent years trying to lower their reliance on Middle East gas, U.S. LNG had often been considered too pricey and shipped from too far-off to be a viable alternative. That began to change last year when Trump pressed these governments, threatening them with tariffs, to lower trade deficits with the U.S. With the damaging of Qatari gas infrastructure, the shift is set to accelerate. Because near-term U.S. gas export capacity is limited, however, these cargoes have come at a premium, promising a windfall for gas companies like Cheniere and Venture Global, which have seen their stock prices soar. Executives at both companies have made major donations in support of Trump. Cheniere rejected a request for comment. Venture Global did not respond. “High prices for security purposes — we have to take this,” Kuan-ting Chen, chair of the Taiwan legislature’s Foreign Affairs and National Defense Committee, said in an interview Thursday.

Texas and Louisiana face financial, regulatory barriers in scaling up carbon capture and storage

Texas and Louisiana are both primed for a vast carbon capture and storage network, but regulatory and financial challenges in the states could slow down development along the Gulf Coast. When Louisiana achieved regulatory authority over Class VI carbon dioxide injection wells, which are otherwise regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency, the state was already far surpassing Texas in permit applications. But after the state received too many applications, Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order in October putting a pause on all new Class VI well permit applications as the state worked to keep up.

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“The executive order urges the department to focus on prioritizing the over 30 permits that have already been filed,” Meghan Thacker, vice president of federal and state affairs at the Consumer Energy Alliance and former Capitol Hill staffer, told the Houston Business Journal. “(For) each permit, I think the executive order states that it takes over 2,000 hours to review and so in order to be efficient, he wanted to make sure that all of these applications were done in the right way and in the most thorough way possible.” Although Texas had fallen behind Louisiana in its pace of applications, Southeast Texas has all of the things a CCS network needs: good geology, carbon dioxide pipeline infrastructure, and facilities emitting the carbon dioxide that can be captured. “We have the concentrated industrial market in both states, so we're able to capture really pure, concentrated forms, streams of CO2 at these facilities. And then we have the geology that is really looked at as some of the best in the world for storing CO2. So we are able to capture from the industrial facilities, we're able to transport it through our existing system, and then we have really good storage opportunities onshore and near shore in Texas and Louisiana,” Scott Castleman, a representative of the Gulf Coast CCS Alliance, told the HBJ. Texas has since received its own primacy over Class VI wells, and the state could learn from Louisiana’s troubles as it moves forward with its applications.

Trump's changing course on Strait of Hormuz strategy raises questions about US war preparation

At war with Iran, President Donald Trump is cycling through an increasingly desperate list of options as he searches for a solution to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. He has jumped from calls to secure the waterway through diplomatic means to lifting sanctions and now escalating to a direct threat against civilian infrastructure in the Islamic Republic. Trump and his allies insist they were always prepared for Iran to block the strait, yet the Republican president’s erratic strategy has fueled criticism that he is grasping for answers after going to war without a clear exit plan. On Saturday came his latest attempt, via an ultimatum to Iran: Open the strait within 48 hours or the United States will “obliterate” the country’s power plants.

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Trump’s aides defended the threat as a hard-edged tactic to press Iran into submission. Opponents framed it as the failure of a president who miscalculated what it would take to get out of a geopolitical mire. “Trump has no plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, so he is threatening to attack Iran’s civil power plants,” said Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass, adding: “This would be a war crime.” Related Stories Trump's mixed messages on Iran: 'Winding down' the war and easing sanctions but adding more troops Trump says that he's asked 'about 7' countries to join coalition to police Iran's Strait of Hormuz Trump side-stepped diplomacy on his way to war in Iran. Now, he's asking China and others for help “He’s lost control of the war and he is panicking,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., responding to Trump’s post. Over the course of about a week, Trump has repeatedly shifted his approach on the crucial waterway for global oil and gas transport. There is growing urgency for Trump as soaring oil prices rattle global markets and pinch American consumers months before pivotal midterm elections.

Growing frustration with Chuck Schumer spurs talk of replacing him

Sen. Chris Murphy was dining with progressive activists at a French restaurant in Washington’s Georgetown neighborhood when the conversation about how to advance their legislative priorities turned to a thorny question: what to do about Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. To the surprise of some attendees, the Connecticut Democrat—a rising star in the party’s left flank—responded that some lawmakers had been doing informal counts to see whether enough votes existed to remove the New York Democrat from his leadership position, according to people familiar with the mid-February dinner. Murphy explained that Schumer had enough backing to remain as leader. But the disclosure stood out nonetheless, because it revealed that frustration inside the Senate had reached a high enough level that some Democrats were actively contemplating how to oust Schumer. Murphy is among a group of senators and top advisers who have grown increasingly dissatisfied with Schumer’s leadership, according to people familiar with the conversations.

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That group includes Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who has been initiating conversations with other senators to gauge frustrations with Schumer, some of the people said. Sen. Tina Smith of Minnesota has also been active in discussions about her frustrations with Schumer, and her advisers have spoken with other Senate staff about different scenarios to challenge Schumer’s leadership, other people said. In an interview, Murphy said he is frequently asked about Senate leadership, but he doesn’t have a count of who would vote to remove Schumer and doesn’t recall mentioning one. “Could someone infer from that that someone was keeping a count? Maybe, but that’s not what I meant,” Murphy said. “I meant that he has the support of the caucus.” He said he still supports Schumer. In more than four dozen interviews with Democratic senators, candidates, current and former congressional aides, activists and advisers, many said the concern about Schumer’s leadership was widespread. Meetings between Democratic chiefs of staff on Senate business often veer into airing discontent with Schumer and how to pressure him to step aside as leader after November’s elections, according to attendees and others familiar with the discussions. Murphy, Warren and Smith are part of a batch of senators dubbed “Fight Club” who are particularly incensed by Schumer’s approach to the midterms. This group of progressives believes that Schumer favors centrist candidates in some key races and is disregarding the enthusiasm a new crop of outsiders is stoking. The senators maintain a Fight Club chat on Signal where they have discussed how to counter Schumer’s preferred candidates, according to people familiar with the conversations. The existence of the group was reported earlier by the New York Times.

State Stories

Houston airports see highest TSA callout rates in the nation, straining security lines

Travelers at Houston airports are facing significant delays as staffing shortages among TSA officers persist amid the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown, federal officials said. New data released by the Department of Homeland Security shows absenteeism among Transportation Security Administration officers has surged nationwide, with callout rates topping 11.5% on Friday, March 21 — the highest recorded during the shutdown. In Houston, the numbers were even more severe. At George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), 42.4% of TSA officers reportedly called out, while at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), that figure climbed to 47.4%, among the highest rates in the country.

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Federal officials say the staffing shortages are contributing to long security lines and extended wait times for travelers, particularly during the busy spring break travel period. According to DHS, TSA officers have now gone without pay for the third time in six months, creating financial strain that is impacting attendance. “Many TSA officers cannot pay their rent, buy food, or afford to put gas in their cars — forcing them to call out sick from work,” the agency said in a statement. Over the past week, TSA callout rates have remained above 9% nationwide, with more than half of those days exceeding 10%, officials said.

A 20-million-year old water supply may help save Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi is turning to water that has been trapped deep underground for hundreds of millions of years as the region struggles through worsening drought. With lakes dropping and the water supply tightening, the City of Corpus Christi has started pumping about 4.5 million gallons of groundwater a day into the Nueces River from its newly activated western well field. The water then flows downstream to the O.N. Stevens Water Treatment Plant. State officials allowed the move under emergency permits approved by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. City leaders say the project could eventually deliver much more water if conditions continue to worsen.

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Water officials recently took 3 News' Michael Gibson to the dusty site where the groundwater is being pumped hundreds of feet from underground formations. The wells were built to reach deep layers of the Chicot and Evangeline aquifers. Nick Winkelmann, the chief operating officer for Corpus Christi Water, said the wells target groundwater that sits far below the shallow aquifers that are typically replenished by rainfall. Each well reaches an average depth of about 515 feet. City Manager Peter Zanoni said hydrogeologists believe the water being tapped has been trapped in that geologic layer for extremely long periods of time. According to Zanoni, the water has likely been sitting in those formations for hundreds of millions of years, meaning it does not recharge quickly like shallow groundwater.

Suspected meteorite crashes into Houston woman's home amid citywide reports of 'boom'

Following reports of a loud "boom" and houses shaking the Houston area on Saturday, a woman says a potential piece of the answer may have been what crashed through her roof. Social media was buzzing with questions about a noise sounding like thunder or an explosion shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday. The Brenham Fire Department said they responded to reports of a possible explosion, but they did not find proof that one happened. Some speculated whether the noise came from a meteor or a sonic boom. As the questions continued, a woman contacted FOX 26 claiming a meteorite crashed through her roof. Sherrie James says she contacted the Ponderosa Fire Department for help. Fire Captain Tyler Ellingham confirmed that he responded to James' call. The captain's team found what they say is an unusual rock. Since there was no construction or trees nearby, the fire department believes the rock is a part of the alleged meteor that was heard around Houston.

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Paxton's lawsuit over Bexar County immigration program dismissed

A Bexar County judge on Friday dismissed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit challenging the county’s immigration legal services program, bringing an end to weeks of legal battles before any court could hear the merits of the case. In Bexar County’s presiding court, 408th Civil District Court Judge Angelica Jimenez granted the county’s motion to dismiss filed earlier this week, ruling the case is moot after the remaining funds tied to the program were already distributed. In a filing to the Texas Supreme Court on Thursday, the state acknowledged that outcome, saying because the payments had been distributed the courts could no longer grant the relief originally requested. In legal terms, a “moot” case means there is no longer an active dispute for a court to resolve and any ruling would have no real-world effect.

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The lawsuit, filed in early February, targeted more than $556,000 in county funding for legal representation for low-income residents facing deportation proceedings. The program contracts with the nonprofit American Gateways to provide those services. From the start, the case centered on timing, with the lawsuit filed less than 30 days before the contract was set to expire and its first district court hearing coming just eight days before that deadline. Attorneys for the state repeatedly argued courts needed to intervene to temporarily block the remaining funds from being released, warning that once the final payment was made, there would be “nothing left to enjoin” and the case would effectively be over. Despite multiple attempts, the state was unable to secure emergency orders blocking the payment. The 15th Court of Appeals declined to stop the funding, and a subsequent request to the Texas Supreme Court was filed but not ruled on before the case was dismissed. “The Court no longer has subject-matter jurisdiction over the dispute,” a spokesperson for the county’s civil division said in a statement following the motion to dismiss. “There is no longer a live controversy between the parties.”

How the Prairieland 'Antifa' verdict threatens the anti-Trump resistance

Late last week, federal prosecutors notched a victory in an unprecedented and controversial trial that sought to tie alleged members of “Antifa,” a decentralized anti-fascist movement, to domestic terrorism. A Tarrant County jury returned a mixed verdict for nine defendants, who were accused of a variety of crimes stemming from a July 4 “noise demonstration” outside the Prairieland immigrant detention center in Alvarado and the nonfatal shooting there of a police officer. Prosecutors argued the defendants constituted a “North Texas Antifa cell” that shared anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and anti-government beliefs—and that all nine played a role in the shooting that occurred, despite several government witnesses, who took plea deals, testifying at trial that they were surprised when the protest turned violent and that they and the other defendants did not belong to the purported Antifa group. The defendants said the protest, which involved setting off fireworks and acts of vandalism, was intended to show solidarity with migrants in detention at Prairieland.

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Benjamin Song, Savanna Batten, Zachary Evetts, Meagan Morris, Maricela Rueda, Autumn Hill, Elizabeth Soto, and Ines Soto were convicted on felony charges of providing material support to terrorists, rioting, conspiracy to use and carry an explosive, and use and carry of an explosive (the aforementioned fireworks). Daniel Sanchez Estrada was convicted of corruptly concealing a document or record, and along with his wife, Rueda, was also convicted of conspiracy to conceal documents. Song, the alleged shooter, was also convicted on one count of attempted murder and other gun charges, while Hill, Evetts, Morris and Rueda were acquitted of the attempted murder and discharging a firearm charges. “I think this is the worst-case-scenario verdict,” said Luis, a member of the DFW Support Committee, a group working to support the Prairieland defendants, who requested that the Texas Observer use only his first name for fear of reprisal. Even had the shooting never occurred, Luis said, the verdict suggests the jury would have convicted the defendants anyway for actions that are common to many protests. The case represents the federal government’s first use of material support for terrorism charges against alleged Antifa members. Experts say the outcome will give the Trump administration the green light to take a more aggressive stance against left-wing activity and further politicize the use of domestic terrorism laws.

Budget cuts at SAISD could cut food drives, slow maintenance and freeze police hires

Planning for a budget reduction for the fifth year in a row, top leaders at San Antonio Independent School District laid out their proposals for budget cuts this week. Overall, district leaders identified $19.3 million in budget reductions, including 224 positions, most of which are already vacant positions, though roughly a quarter of the positions are filled and those could be subject to layoffs. While the proposals could reduce SAISD’s budget deficit — about $45.9 million — by half, it would mean the loss of programs, slower response times for customer service calls and maintenance requests and even larger student-teacher ratios. “This is not a new challenge,” said Superintendent Jaime Aquino, who’s set to retire in January of next year. Within the past four years, SAISD has reduced its budget by $46 million; this included the elimination of 352 positions.

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The budget cuts proposed on Monday would go into effect for the 2026-27 school year. While looking for ways to cut the budget, Aquino said the district focused on eliminating positions not directly tied to student outcomes, trying to minimized disruptiveness, reducing contracted services and redirecting resources to the district’s academically struggling schools. Every SAISD department head identified potential cuts for the next school year. SAISD’s Police Department could have one the largest percentage in budget reductions by about 17.4%, cutting its current $6.1 million budget by about $1.07 million. The department would eliminate 15 vacant positions that were budgeted for a couple of years ago but were never filled. SAISD Police Chief Johnny Reyes said the cuts would “streamline command structure, allowing for a more robust focus on community-based policing and incident prevention.” Cutting positions in other departments, vacant or filled, would also mean longer wait times for technology repairs, IT service tickets and maintenance requests. District leaders also proposed a slimmed down custodial department, potentially cutting 58 — 35 filled and 23 vacant— district-wide custodial positions and two campus-based custodians. Doing so would move the district’s cleanliness standards to the minimum required for most schools.

Stars officially clinch fifth straight trip to Stanley Cup playoffs

For the fifth consecutive season, the Dallas Stars are heading to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Dallas officially clinched its spot on Sunday night with the Utah Mammoth beating the Los Angeles Kings in overtime. The Stars are the second team in the NHL to land a playoff spot, joining their Central Division rival Colorado Avalanche. Dallas had a chance to seal their berth with a point earlier on Sunday against the Vegas Golden Knights but lost 3-2 in regulation, necessitating some help from Utah to clinch.

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Sealing their playoff spot is the latest accomplishment for a Stars team that has been among the best teams in the entire NHL all season. In their first season under Glen Gulutzan, the Stars have maintained the level of regular season success they had under Pete DeBoer. The only playoff mystery left for the Stars to solve over the final few weeks of the regular season is their seeding. If Dallas fails to catch Colorado in the Central Division standings, it likely will face Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs. Tracking down the Avalanche in the standings could give Dallas home ice advantage throughout the playoffs, given the fact Dallas and Colorado currently have the two best point totals in the sport. The Stars, who have 97 points with 12 games remaining, will also have a chance over the final weeks of the regular season to set a new franchise points record. That record is owned by the same team that won the franchise’s only Stanley Cup, as the 1998-99 Stars went 51-19-12 with 114 points.

Annise Parker denies backing City Council candidate who used her image in mailer

Former Mayor Annise Parker clarified Thursday that she has not made an endorsement in the ongoing District C Houston City Council race after candidate Nick Hellyar’s campaign sent out a mailer with her picture on it. Parker wrote on X Thursday afternoon that she had received calls about a Hellyar campaign text message and a mailer that she “did not authorize” and of which she “had no advance notice.” The mailer in question shows seven photos of current or former elected officials and community leaders who have endorsed Hellyar on one side, with their names listed. On the other side is a photo of Hellyar and Parker standing side by side, without Parker’s name listed.

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Beside the photo is a block of text that reads, “We need a fighter on City Council! As a member of the community, Nick Hellyar has fought for LGBTQ+ rights his whole life. District C, home of Houston’s largest LGBTQ+ community, has never been represented on City Council by one of their own.” Parker’s post said the mailer and text included a quote of hers from a previous Hellyar campaign, but none of the statements on the mailer are attributed to an individual. Asked to clarify, Parker said she had “nothing else to say about the issue.” Hellyar said he has made clear on the campaign trail that Parker is not endorsing him whenever the topic comes up, and denied using a Parker quote in his campaign materials. “She is the head LGBT leader in the region and having a picture with someone that leads a movement is very common,” Hellyar wrote in a text. Early voting in the April 4 special election is underway and runs through March 31 in Montrose, Meyerland, the Heights, Oak Forest and other neighborhoods. Outgoing District C council member Abbie Kamin resigned to run for Harris County Attorney. Parker, too, is seeking county office. She will compete in next month’s Democratic runoff for County Judge.

Will The Woodlands get free underground tunnels? We'll find out Monday

Will The Woodlands get an unground tunnel, courtesy of Elon Musk’s company? We should find out Monday. That’s when a winner will be announced in the “Tunnel Vision Challenge” -- a competition for underground transportation funded by Musk’s The Boring Company. The Woodlands is one of 16 finalists to get the tunnels free of charge. That's out of 487 entries. The winner will be announced from this list of finalists, which was released March 3. The list includes five Texas projects.

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The Woodlands’ proposal -- backed by the township’s board -- calls for two parallel 12-foot-diameter tunnels connecting major destinations using electric vehicles. Proposed stops include Waterway Square, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion and Town Green Park, with potential expansion to Hughes Landing. Officials say the goal is to provide a zero-emission transportation option to improve mobility during peak periods and major events. If selected, The Boring Company would pay for tunnel construction, with additional infrastructure costs to be negotiated. Final details -- including tunnel depth and scope -- would come later. So, how deep would these tunnels be? Chris Nunes, chief operating officer for The Woodlands Township, said that'll be determined if The Woodlands’ proposal is selected. Next steps then would be the team going back to the board with proposed agreements, a permitting strategy, scope of the project, and any funding needed.

A Texas reckoning over César Chávez's legacy after abuse allegations

In Texas, César Chávez has long been remembered as a towering figure in the fight for farmworker rights, a labor leader whose organizing helped reshape working conditions for some of the country's most vulnerable workers, including thousands in the Lone Star State. Now, that legacy is being fundamentally reexamined. The shift follows reporting by The New York Times that outlined years of alleged sexual harassment and abuse tied to Chávez, including claims that he engaged in sexual misconduct with women and girls connected to the farmworker movement during the 1960s and 70s. That reckoning is already having broad effects across Texas — and the response has been swift.

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On Wednesday afternoon, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he directed state agency heads to stop observing César Chávez Day and plans to work with lawmakers to remove the March 31 holiday from state law during the next legislative session. In a social media post, Abbott also said the allegations "dismantle the myth" of Chávez as a figure worthy of official state recognition. This came just hours after organizers in cities including Houston, San Antonio and Austin called off long-running César Chávez Day marches and events, many of which have drawn thousands of attendees in past years. In South Texas, leaders with La Unión del Pueblo Entero, or LUPE, said they wouldn't participate in any Chávez-related events this year, calling the allegations "shocking and disturbing." In a statement, the organization, which represents more than 8,000 farmworkers in the Rio Grande Valley, called the allegations "indefensible" and said LUPE is working with other groups to create a confidential, independent process for people who say they were harmed to come forward and potentially seek accountability or reparations.

Houston suburb makes bold bet to become Texas' next Silicon Valley

Sugar Land isn't just building more homes—it's now trying to build the companies that fill them. The city recently launched the "Sugar Land Starts Innovation Fund," a new incentive program aimed at attracting startups as part of a broader push to turn the fast-growing suburb into more than just a place where people live. The fund offers performance-based incentives to companies that commit to bringing jobs and long-term investment to Sugar Land, targeting industries like life sciences, technology and advanced manufacturing, according to the city's announcement. "By focusing on revenue-generating startups and performance-based incentives, we are creating a clear pathway for innovative companies to scale while reenergizing existing office space," Colby Millenbruch, Sugar Land's business recruitment manager, said in a statement.

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To qualify, startups must already be generating revenue or have significant financial backing. Their average salaries also must be at least $61,000, and the company must agree to relocate employees to Sugar Land for at least three years. The move reflects a broader shift taking shape across the Houston region. Suburbs like Sugar Land aren't just growing residentially—they're trying to become job centers in their own right. For years, Sugar Land has been known as one of the Houston area's more affluent suburbs, built around master-planned communities and corporate campuses. Now, city leaders are trying to expand that model by attracting companies that allow residents to live and work in the same place. That push comes as the Greater Houston Area continues to expand. As Chron previously reported, suburban areas like Sugar Land, Katy and Cypress have seen steady development as buyers search for more space, even amid affordability pressures.

National Stories

Why Iran does not appear ready to give in, despite heavy losses

As the war in Iran enters its fourth week, with U.S. operations increasingly focused on global energy flows, Tehran is rebuffing efforts to identify a diplomatic off-ramp from the war launched by the United States and Israel, according to officials in the region. Instead, Tehran is escalating attacks on its neighbors, betting it can ratchet up global economic pain faster than the Trump administration can relieve it with military force, according to an Iranian diplomat, two European diplomats stationed in the region and a senior Arab official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media on sensitive details. Iran’s unwillingness to capitulate is wrapped up in the power it exerts over the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s fuel shipments transit, that Tehran has largely closed, roiling energy markets. President Donald Trump gave Iran a 48-hour deadline on Saturday to reopen the critical waterway, threatening to “obliterate” the country’s power plants if Tehran doesn’t comply.

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By partially closing the strait, Iran is seeking to “make this aggression super expensive for the aggressors,” according to the Iranian diplomat. “We are alone against the biggest military superpower of the history,” he said. Iran’s leaders see their ability to control the strait and withstand the U.S. and Israeli onslaught as a short-term victory, the Arab official and European diplomats said. But as the war expands, with Iran’s critical infrastructure increasingly threatened, the country’s leadership is also deeply concerned about their ability to recover in the long term, they said. “As long as the regime is there, they can create terror in the region, they terrorize international markets with the oil and gas prices. Yes, that’s what winning is for them,” said one of the European diplomats, who is based in the Persian Gulf. “They don’t feel any pressure to negotiate.” So far, the conflict’s economic fallout for the United States and its European allies has been “moderate,” by the diplomat’s assessment, not reaching the dire level that would increase pressure for talks on the U.S. side. However, rising energy prices are causing concern in Washington.

Covid gave us hybrid work. The Iran War might give us a four-day week—and this time, experts say it could stick

COVID-19 gave us hybrid work. The Iran War might give us a three-day weekend. That’s because, as Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Pakistan move to a 4-day work week because of the war in Iran, experts say we’re the closest we’ve ever been to a permanent shorter workweek. It started in Asia, but now major governments around the world are once again mandating that workers stay home to save on fuel and survive an energy crisis as the war in the Middle East threatens vital oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. What began as an emergency measure in the developing world is now spreading globally. Sound familiar? We’ve been here before: The last time the world was forced to shift en masse—the pandemic—the changes we thought would be temporary became permanent. Hybrid work didn’t die when offices reopened. Instead, it reshaped how we work.

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Now, with governments reaching for the same lever again, experts say something similar could happen with a four-day workweek. But it’ll come with major consequences for those who can’t take their jobs home, like drivers, baristas, window cleaners, pet sitters, and more. Although Brits and Australians are being urged to work from home, Dr. Wladislaw Rivkin, Professor in Organisational Behaviour at Trinity Business School, told Fortune that a global three-day weekend currently looks unlikely—at least not at the click of the government’s fingers. That’s because a permanent restructuring of how work is organized is a far heavier lift than an overnight shift to working from a makeshift home office. “I do not see this as a model for the U.S. and U.K., at least in the long term, because the current sharp rise in fuel costs is temporary,” Rivkin says. Professor Roberta Aguzzoli at Durham University Business School says she wouldn’t rule out the West moving to shorter workweeks to save fuel, but she argues better infrastructure should minimise that need.

Iran threatens to 'completely' close Strait of Hormuz and hit power plants after Trump ultimatum

The United States and Iran threatened to target critical infrastructure Sunday as the war in the Middle East, now in its fourth week, puts lives and livelihoods at risk throughout the region. Iran said the Strait of Hormuz, crucial to oil and other exports, would be “completely closed” immediately if the U.S. follows up on President Donald Trump’s threat to attack its power plants. Trump late Saturday set a 48-hour deadline to open the strait. Israeli leaders visited one of two southern communities near a secretive nuclear research site struck by Iranian missiles late Saturday, with scores of people wounded. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was a “miracle” no one was killed. Netanyahu claimed Israel and the U.S. were well on their way to achieving their war goals. The aims have ranged from weakening Iran’s nuclear program, missile program and support for armed proxies to enabling the Iranian people to overthrow the theocracy.

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There has been no sign of an uprising, nor of an end to the fighting that has shaken the global economy, sent oil prices surging and endangered some of the world’s busiest air corridors. The war, which the U.S. and Israel launched Feb. 28, has killed over 2,000 people. The Iranian-backed Hezbollah claimed responsibility for an airstrike that killed a man in northern Israel, while Lebanese President Joseph Aoun called Israel’s new targeting of bridges in the south “a prelude to a ground invasion.” “More weeks of fighting against Iran and Hezbollah are expected for us,” said Israeli military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin. Meanwhile, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates said early Monday their air defenses were dealing with missile and drone attacks as air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz that connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the world, while claiming safe passage for vessels from countries other than its enemies. Roughly one-fifth of global oil supply passes through it, but attacks on ships have stopped nearly all tanker traffic.

When voters worry about ‘affordability,’ many point to health care

Tom Perriello, a Virginia Democrat who was swept from the House in 2010, in large part because of his vote for the Affordable Care Act, is trying for a comeback this year — but far from running away from that vote more than a dozen years ago, he’s embracing it. “What’s aged politically even better than my support for the A.C.A.,” Mr. Perriello said, “was the fact that I was pushing right to the end for it to be stronger.” “When I got kicked out of office,” he added, “I kept fighting for things like Medicaid expansion in Virginia.” A Democrat embracing this issue might not seem like a novel concept; the party has been more trusted on health care for a while now, though the public hasn’t often seen it as a top issue. But in 2026, Democrats like Mr. Perriello have a new script on health care that could prove more potent. It’s affordability, not access. And polls show that when voters say that affordability is their biggest concern, for many, they’re talking about health care.

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“Health care costs are out of control,” said Shawn Spencer, 48, of Greene County, Va. “I don’t have insurance, so I’m paying a boatload when I need care.” Such concerns are particularly acute for working-class white voters, such as Ms. Spencer, whom Republicans will need to win in November. The costs of health care and housing ranked nearly even as top affordability concerns for the group, in a recent New York Times/Siena University poll. Ms. Spencer voted for President Trump and considered herself more of a Republican, she said, but feels as if party leaders have not shown that they care about health care costs. “At this point I would vote for the party that can help me afford to stay healthy,” she added. In 2009, the nascent Tea Party movement urged voters to “pack the halls” as members of Congress returned home for summer recesses, and they did. Angry constituents mobbed town-hall meetings shouting, “Kill the bill!” One analysis of the Republicans’ 2010 landslide calculated that “yes” votes on the Affordable Care Act in swing districts like Mr. Perriello’s cost Democrats 25 seats, which would have been enough to hold the House. But the act cut the uninsured rate nearly in half by 2023, to 7.9 percent of Americans down from 14.4 percent in 2010, largely through an expansion of Medicaid.

Doubts from key Republicans on surgeon general test MAHA’s political power

The nascent Make America Healthy Again movement got one of its biggest wins last spring: Casey Means was selected to be the nation’s top doctor. But more than 10 months later, the controversial surgeon general pick has yet to assume the position advising Americans on how to improve their health. Her nomination has stalled as some Republicans question her stance on vaccines, her medical credentials and her pushes against the medical establishment. Means probably cannot afford to lose the support of a single Republican on the Senate Health committee, which has yet to schedule a vote to advance her nomination to the full Senate. The panel’s chairman, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), repeatedly pressed Means on her views on immunizations during a late February hearing — questions she largely dodged — and Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) afterward publicly said they still have questions.

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Murkowski earlier this month told reporters she still has “strong reservations” about Means’s nomination. On Friday, Murkowski said she didn’t “have anything new.” The stagnation sets up a test of the political power of the MAHA movement and its champion, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Means wrote the book widely considered the bible of the MAHA movement, “Good Energy” with her brother, Calley Means, a top White House adviser on health issues. While she honed her message on the importance of healthy food — talking points that Kennedy has tried to amp up as the midterms approach — she is getting tangled in his prior controversial stances on vaccines and other aspects of the MAHA movement, which has tried to galvanize supporters to call on reticent senators. If her nomination makes it out of committee, she can only afford to lose the support of three Republicans on the floor with every Democratic senator likely to oppose her and all senators voting. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), who is not seeking reelection this year, told The Washington Post that he was leaning toward voting against her.

Pilot and copilot killed in collision between jet and fire truck at New York's LaGuardia Airport

Two people were killed and several others badly hurt when an Air Canada regional jet struck a fire truck on a runway while landing at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, officials said. The pilot and copilot were killed in the late Sunday night collision, which crushed the nose of the aircraft, while around 40 passengers and crew members were taken to area hospitals, some with serious injuries. Most have since been released from treatment, authorities said Monday. Two Port Authority employees who were traveling in the fire truck also suffered injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, said Kathryn Garcia, executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.

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The pilot and copilot were both based out of Canada, Garcia said during a news conference. The airport will remain closed until at least 2 p.m. Monday to facilitate the investigation, which is being led by the National Transportation Safety Board. The fire truck was traveling across the runway to respond to a separate incident aboard a United Airlines flight, whose pilot had reported “an issue with odor,” said Garcia, who deferred additional questions about the sequence of events leading up to the crash to the NTSB. There were 72 passengers and four crew members aboard the aircraft, a Jazz Aviation flight operating on behalf of Air Canada, according to a statement from the airline. The flight originated at Montréal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, the major airport serving Montreal. Photos and videos from the scene showed severe damage to the front of the aircraft, with cables and debris hanging from a mangled cockpit. Nearby, a damaged emergency vehicle lay on its side. Stairways used to evacuate passengers from the aircraft were pushed up to the emergency exits on the jet, a Bombardier CRJ. The impact left the jet with its crumpled nose tilted upward.

Copyright March 24, 2026, Harvey Kronberg, www.quorumreport.com, All rights are reserved