Upshot: Charting the gas price spike
Also: “Surviving” prediction markets
The Upshot
March 19, 2026

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WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS

On the set of “Survivor,” a woman in pink stands across from a man in a black short-sleeve shirt.

Robert Voets/CBS

People Are Making Money Betting on Pretaped ‘Survivor’ Episodes

Prediction markets for reality shows suggest bettors are profiting from inside information. (We asked a tribal council of lawyers to weigh in.)

By Ben Blatt

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The New York Times

Why Tech Giants Are Ditching the Power Grid

Seeking power for data centers, Meta and other companies plan to use equipment that is expensive and polluting.

By Rebecca F. Elliott and Harry Stevens

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The New York Times

Cuba Is Going Dark

Cuba is facing a historic electricity crisis. Blackouts have gotten worse, and on some days the entire island is plunged into near total darkness.

By Pablo Robles, Simon Romero and Tim Wallace

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

President Trump speaks from a lectern as Dr. Oz stands next to him, alongside another man in a suit on a stage. One of the displays behind them reads "TrumpRx.gov."

Kenny Holston/The New York Times

Trump Promised the ‘World’s Lowest’ Drug Prices. We Checked the Numbers.

The TrumpRx website claims to offer the best prices for medications. Here’s where Americans still pay more — and much more.

By Rebecca Robbins

An image of a donkey, out of focus.

Illustration by Rebecca Chew/The New York Times

Guest Essay

The Democratic Brand Is Toxic in Too Many States

How to fix the Democratic Party’s toxic brand.

By Matthew Yglesias

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