March 17, 2026 5:04 am
BANGKOK (AP) — The escalating Iran war is pushing parts of the world into energy triage. Governments are deciding where to cut demand or absorb higher costs, while prioritizing dwindling supplies. In places like Bangkok and Vietnam, people are being urged to work from home, take the stairs and keep air-conditioning above 24°C, while some businesses are preparing for disruptions. The conflict is disrupting critical oil and natural gas shipments from the Middle East, sending prices soaring and threatening global growth — with Asia facing the greatest risk from the shock. That prompted some governments to draw on their emergency reserves, a stopgap measure that can only go on for so long.
March 17, 2026 5:05 am
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Israel says it has killed the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ all-volunteer Basij force, a key force used to suppress demonstrations in the Islamic Republic. The Israeli military said Tuesday a strike the day before had killed Gholamreza Soleimani. Iran did not immediately acknowledge Soleimani’s killing. “The Basij forces are part of the armed apparatus of the Iranian terror regime,” the Israeli military said in its statement. Also Tuesday, Dubai, a major transit hub for international travel, briefly shut its airspace as the military said it was “responding to incoming missile and drone threats” around the city, and a man was killed by the debris of a missile intercepted over Abu Dhabi.
March 17, 2026 5:07 am
President Donald Trump and his team are increasing the pressure on journalists to cover the war in the Middle East the way the administration wants. The president has complained on social media about stories he doesn’t like and berated a reporter on Air Force One over the weekend. The government’s top media regulator warned that broadcasters risk losing their licenses to operate if they don’t stay away from “fake news.” Both Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have questioned the patriotism of some news outlets because of their reports. Antagonism between presidential administrations and the press isn’t unusual, but Trump’s team has shown a hostility toward the very idea of being questioned.
March 16, 2026 12:28 pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Extreme weather conditions from coast to coast are putting over 100 million people across the U.S. in the path of rough conditions on Monday. Storms across the nation’s eastern half forced airlines to cancel more than 3,000 flights nationwide Monday, and many schools closed early in the mid-Atlantic states where high winds and tornadoes were in the forecast. Blizzards buried parts of Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota while torrential rains flooded homes and washed out roads in Hawaii. California is dealing with unusually high temperatures for this time of year. Areas near San Francisco could see temperatures in the high 80s. (Photo: AP)
March 16, 2026 5:44 pm
(AP) – Storms sweeping across the eastern half of the country are disrupting air travel across the United States. FlightAware reported more than 3,500 flights canceled Monday and about 6,300 others delayed. The storms already dumped heavy snow across parts of the Midwest and were moving toward the East Coast with strong winds and the threat of tornadoes. The travel disruptions come during a busy period for airports, with spring break vacations and fans traveling for March Madness games. Meanwhile, a partial government shutdown affecting the Transportation Security Administration has stretched staffing at some airport security checkpoints, leading to longer lines in some places.
March 15, 2026 5:04 am
West Penn Power is reporting more than 900 customers are without power as strong winds continue across the region. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory that is in effect until 11 a.m. According to West Penn’s outage map, the hardest his area is Nottingham Township with more than 200 customers without service. Other area include; Smith Township 72, Hanover Township 61, Cecil Township 51, Mt Pleasant 48, Chartiers Township 41 and Canton Township 40. There are also scattered outages in Buffalo, Blaine, and Robinson Township’s. West Penn says some customers may not have their power restored until 11:30 p.m.
March 15, 2026 5:18 am
CHICAGO (AP) — A severe weather front sweeping across much of the eastern half of the U.S. has dumped heavy snow around the Upper Midwest, spawned thunderstorms in the South and is threatening several mid-Atlantic states with heavy rain and possible tornadoes. The storm chain brought blizzard conditions on Sunday to the Upper Midwest, with dangerous winds elsewhere and the threat of severe storms heading east. Heavy snow piled up in portions of Minnesota and Wisconsin. The National Weather Service is warning about the threat of severe thunderstorms, damaging winds and likely tornadoes along the East Coast on Monday, particularly from Maryland to South Carolina.
March 16, 2026 5:06 am
DAWSON, Pa. — A man was found dead in the Youghiogheny River on Sunday. State Police confirms that troopers were called to the river in Dawson, Fayette County,for reports of a person found dead in a river. Troopers said the man was found by two fishermen. Fayette County Coroner Dr. Bob Baker says his office needs help identifying the man. Baker said the victim is a middle-aged white man. He is bald and has an athletic build. He appears to have a tattoo on his right shoulder blade of a mountain range. His cause and manner of death are still pending an autopsy. Anyone with information is asked to call the Fayette County Coroner’s Office at 724-430-1270.
March 15, 2026 5:16 am
President Donald Trump says he has demanded about seven countries send warships to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. Iranian strikes have continued to rain down on Gulf countries Monday. Dubai International Airport, the world’s busiest, gradually restarted operations after a drone struck a fuel tank and started a fire. Authorities said it was quickly contained and no injuries were reported. Tehran has accused the United States without evidence of using “ports, docks and hideouts” in the United Arab Emirates to launch strikes on Kharg Island. The island is home to the main terminal handling Iran’s oil exports. Brent crude oil is trading near $105 per barrel on Monday.
March 16, 2026 5:17 am
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump relied on his gut and largely side-stepped diplomatic coordination as he made the decision to launch strikes on Iran with Israel. But now with the Iran war’s economic and geopolitical consequences unfurling rapidly, the Republican president is cajoling allies and other global powers to help mop up the mess. Trump says he’s asked roughly a half-dozen other countries to send warships to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz to oil traffic. So far, none has committed. Trump even indicated he’d use his long-planned trip to China to pressure Beijing to help with the coalition — a notion his Treasury secretary later downplayed. (Photo: AP)
