PACT

Mar 19 2026POLITICS

TSA Workers Face Pay Cuts While Politicians Argue

The TSA has seen its employees work without pay for more than a month, a result of repeated funding gaps that have turned these workers into bargaining chips in Washington. In the last six months, three separate budget stalls have left TSA staff unpaid, with many of them struggling to cover re

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Mar 19 2026POLITICS

Shepherds in the Zagros Mountains keep going despite the chaos

In the rugged Zagros Mountains, where Iraq meets Iran, life hasn’t changed much for some shepherds. They still climb the same hills their families have used for generations, even as wars rage around them. The mountains have seen decades of conflict—missiles, drones, and fighter jets scream overhead,

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Mar 18 2026ENTERTAINMENT

Disney’s Big Hand‑Off: What Comes Next for Bob Iger

Bob Iger will leave the Disney CEO role on Wednesday, handing it to Josh D’Amaro. The move ends a long tenure that began in 2005, paused for two years, and resumed in 2022. Iger’s return saw him tackle tough issues: the rise of artificial intelligence, labor strikes, and a wave of layoffs across the

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Mar 18 2026SCIENCE

Malaria Makes Worms More Productive

In tropical regions, millions of people carry intestinal worms that can linger for years and cause serious health problems. When these worm infections overlap with malaria, the outcome is not simply additive; one disease can change how the other behaves inside the host. Researchers used mice to stu

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Mar 17 2026POLITICS

How Policies Shape Faith and Family

In the United States, people who say they have no religious affiliation—often called “nones”—now outnumber Catholics and trail Protestants by only a few points. Although many of these nones still believe in God, they differ from traditional churchgoers in ways that can affect society. Studies show t

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Mar 17 2026ENVIRONMENT

Dark Wash Over Tehran: The Strange Rain After the Strikes

A recent series of air attacks on oil storage sites in Iran triggered a strange weather event that left the capital drenched in dark, sooty rain. Normally, rainfall clears air pollutants, but this time the drops carried a heavy mix of soot and carbon particles that settled on buildings and streets.

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Mar 17 2026BUSINESS

Boeing and Rivals Eye War Risks in Plane Parts Supply

A big U. S. plane maker recently sent a note to its suppliers asking them to check if war in the Middle East might slow down the flow of jet parts. The request came as oil prices climbed past one hundred dollars per barrel, making travel and shipping pricier. Flights and cargo routes in the region h

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Mar 16 2026WEATHER

Snowstorm Leaves a Trail of White in Minnesota

The heavy snowfall that swept across Minnesota this weekend has finally stopped, leaving behind a mix of impressive and modest winter layers. In the southeastern part of the state, residents reported the heaviest drifts, with many areas receiving close to a foot of new snow. Wabasha was the ha

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Mar 15 2026BUSINESS

Health Care Jobs Keep Growing, But the Future Is Uncertain

The United States is still seeing a rise in jobs that help people stay healthy, but the momentum may slow soon. Last year, health care added about 400 000 new positions, a jump that outpaces almost any other period in the past three decades. This growth is driven by an aging population and medica

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Mar 15 2026ENVIRONMENT

War’s Hidden Damage to Earth and Climate

The Middle East war is hurting the planet in ways people rarely notice. Air raids burn huge amounts of jet fuel, while oil depots that catch fire release thick smoke and carbon. Scientists say the battle adds millions of tonnes of greenhouse gases, equal to many cars driving all year. Bombers

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