Today's Headlines: Entering War’s Third Week, Trump Faces Stark Choices

March 16, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

World

Iran War Live Updates: Trump Pressures Countries to Open Vital Shipping Route

As fighting in the Middle East entered its third week, President Trump warned that failing to help secure the Strait of Hormuz would be “very bad for the future of NATO.”

On Iran’s Doorstep, 2 Neighbors Wage Their Own Bloody War

Pakistani airstrikes have killed at least 75 civilians and displaced 115,000 in Afghanistan, with both sides vowing escalation and no talks in sight.

Desperation in Cuba Ignites Unusual Acts of Defiance

A protest in the city of Morón in central Cuba culminated in fiery vandalism at the local Communist Party headquarters.

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U.S.

To Address Farm Labor Shortage, Trump Administration Turns to Migrant Workers

As the president’s immigration policies squeeze an already tight supply of farm labor, the Trump administration is making it cheaper to hire foreign farmworkers.

In a Wild Corner of the West, Elk Are Everywhere and Causing Conflict

Where Washington, Idaho and Oregon meet, elk are straying from public to private lands, causing conflict and concern. If the Trump administration opens national forests further, it could get worse.

State Department Cuts Price of Renouncing U.S. Citizenship to $450

The fee had been increased to $2,350 in 2015, prompting criticism and legal challenges from advocacy groups and Americans living abroad.

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Politics

Why a House Candidate in Illinois Is Attacking an Ad Praising Her

In a Democratic primary, accusations are flying that allies of a hard-line pro-Israel group are trying to divide progressives, exploiting a broader rift in the party.

In Texas, an Unyielding Gun Culture Jumps Off YouTube and Into Politics

Brandon Herrera, a Republican candidate for Congress, built a large online fan base as a “guntuber.”

Kennedy Center Board to Vote Monday on Trump’s Proposed Closure

The planned vote to close the center for renovations was listed on an agenda circulated to the center’s board of trustees on Sunday, less than a day before the meeting.

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Business

Oil Tops $106 a Barrel as Worries Persist About Global Supplies

As the broader war in the Middle East begins its third week, worries over the fallout of crippled energy supplies continue to roil markets.

War Has Grounded High-Flying Gulf Airlines Like Emirates

Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways have become some of the world’s largest and most profitable thanks to their location at the center of busy travel routes.