Thursday, March 12, 2026
2 dead in Washington and Mississippi as severe weather slams large parts of the country
Widespread showers and thunderstorms will continue Wednesday, with more than 50 million under alerts from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic and as far south as the Gulf Coast.
March 12, 2026, 9:39 AM EDT / Updated March 12, 2026, 12:10 PM EDT
By Patrick Smith and Kathryn Prociv
Two people were killed in Washington and Mississippi, and hundreds of thousands are without power across the country as severe weather causes havoc across the nation.
Snohomish Regional Fire & Rescue said that the person died in the city of Monroe, northeast of Seattle, when a tree fell on their vehicle. "Unfortunately, this incident turned out to be fatal for the only occupant in the vehicle," the fire service said on Facebook.
The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency reported one death and three injuries in Lawrence County, as well as storm damage to homes.
The severe West Coast weather comes as many parts of the country were hit by storms, including at least 27 tornadoes in the Midwest alone, in the last 48 hours. An elderly couple from Lake Village, Indiana, was killed Tuesday night, and multiple others were hospitalized as a result of tornadoes and a powerful long-track thunderstorm that lasted more than seven hours.
The Newton County Coroner's office confirmed that Edward L. Kozlowski, 89, and his wife, Arlene Kozlowski, 84, were killed when a tornado struck their home.
The National Weather Service office in Chicago preliminarily confirmed two tornadoes touched down in Illinois and Indiana on Tuesday, one of them rated EF-3 on the six-step Enhanced Fujita scale, meaning it had sustained wind speeds of 136 to 165 mph.
Hundreds of homes were damaged in Indiana, authorities said, with dozens completely destroyed. The NWS said that hail as large as 6 inches wide was found in Illinois.
A damaged vehicle lies upside down Wednesday in the aftermath of a powerful storm that ripped through the day before in Aroma Park, Ill.Nam Y. Huh / AP
David Ferris of Lake Village said he, his wife, and their dogs “rode it out in our downstairs bathtub.” They were unscathed, except for losing power. Ferris, who is a paramedic, helped rescue and treat injured people.
“We had another house where a guy crawled out,” Ferris said. “He was having some trouble breathing because he was covered in house insulation.”
Ferris said a Family Dollar store and a gas station were destroyed, and multiple large trees were uprooted.
Newlywed Cassidy Sinwelski, 23, said she and her husband were aware of the tornado watch in their Lake Village neighborhood and were expecting a run-of-the-mill storm until her husband spotted dark clouds barreling toward them.
“We went into the bathroom, got a piece of plywood and within minutes, I closed my eyes, the lights flickered, and we just — there was nothing,” Sinwelski said.
The volatile weather is set to continue on Thursday, with widespread showers and thunderstorms from the Mid-Atlantic to the Southeast coast. Storms could be severe for Georgia, South Carolina and northern Florida.
Across the Southeast, a tornado Watch is in effect until 1 p.m. ET for eastern Georgia, much of South Carolina and the Florida Panhandle. Thunderstorms capable of strong winds and a tornado or two will be possible through early afternoon until the storms move off the Atlantic coast.
And some 80 million people in a northern band of the country, from Cleveland, Ohio, to Washington State, are under some form of high-wind alert, with winds expected to reach 60 mph in some areas.
The Northeast will be hit by gusty winds and rain during the morning rush hour and through the day.
Looking ahead, a clipper system is moving south from Canada and set to bring snow to North Dakota, northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, with winter weather alerts in place all the way to New England.
Northern cities, including Duluth, Minnesota, and Marquette, Michigan, could experience 6 to 9 inches of snow with locally higher amounts up to 12 inches.
David Ferris of Lake Village said he, his wife, and their dogs “rode it out in our downstairs bathtub.” They were unscathed, except for losing power. Ferris, who is a paramedic, helped rescue and treat injured people.
“We had another house where a guy crawled out,” Ferris said. “He was having some trouble breathing because he was covered in house insulation.”
Ferris said a Family Dollar store and a gas station were destroyed, and multiple large trees were uprooted.
Newlywed Cassidy Sinwelski, 23, said she and her husband were aware of the tornado watch in their Lake Village neighborhood and were expecting a run-of-the-mill storm until her husband spotted dark clouds barreling toward them.
“We went into the bathroom, got a piece of plywood and within minutes, I closed my eyes, the lights flickered, and we just — there was nothing,” Sinwelski said.
The volatile weather is set to continue on Thursday, with widespread showers and thunderstorms from the Mid-Atlantic to the Southeast coast. Storms could be severe for Georgia, South Carolina and northern Florida.
Across the Southeast, a tornado Watch is in effect until 1 p.m. ET for eastern Georgia, much of South Carolina and the Florida Panhandle. Thunderstorms capable of strong winds and a tornado or two will be possible through early afternoon until the storms move off the Atlantic coast.
And some 80 million people in a northern band of the country, from Cleveland, Ohio, to Washington State, are under some form of high-wind alert, with winds expected to reach 60 mph in some areas.
The Northeast will be hit by gusty winds and rain during the morning rush hour and through the day.
Looking ahead, a clipper system is moving south from Canada and set to bring snow to North Dakota, northern Minnesota and Wisconsin, with winter weather alerts in place all the way to New England.
Northern cities, including Duluth, Minnesota, and Marquette, Michigan, could experience 6 to 9 inches of snow with locally higher amounts up to 12 inches.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Academia didn’t learn from Oct. 7. It doubled down Story
by Samuel J. Abrams, Washington Examiner
Academia didn’t learn from Oct. 7. It doubled down
One might have thought the campus chaos that followed Oct. 7, 2023, would force a moment of academic sobriety.
After the massacre in Israel, the country watched elite universities descend into moral confusion — students chanting slogans they barely understood, administrators hiding behind procedural evasions, and faculty members serving not as guides but as accelerants. The congressional hearings that followed did
Nor is sociology unique. Similar language now saturates much of the modern university. Across disciplines, professional associations increasingly define their purpose in terms of political ends — equity, disruption, justice, social progress — rather than the pursuit of truth. The American Educational Research Association, for instance, themed its 2024 annual meeting around “dismantling racial injustice” — not just studying it, but actively attempting to dismantle it. Scholarly guilds are recasting themselves not as communities of analysis but as engines of social change.
The result is a profound professional deformation: the conversion of academic departments into ideological projects. Barnard College’s Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department, for instance, proudly declares that it “is dedicated to linking inquiry and action, theory and practice.”
Fortunately, mainstream observers have begun to acknowledge what was long treated as impolite to say: Faculty activism has become a gateway to campus radicalism. And even Harvard President Alan Garber admitted that the university “went wrong” by allowing professors to inject their personal views into the classroom, arguing that faculty activism has chilled free speech and debate. Professors are no longer simply interpreters of social life. Too often, they are organizers, legitimators, and moral enforcers — providing students with not only ideas, but marching orders.
The consequences are profound.
When a discipline defines its mission as “disruption,” it overtly and willfully abandons the central norms of scholarship. Research becomes, in the spirit of Max Weber, socially instrumental and outcome-driven. Questions are permitted or discouraged based on political utility. Peer review becomes ideological sorting. Students are trained not to analyze complexity but to rehearse commitments.
One might have thought the campus chaos that followed Oct. 7, 2023, would force a moment of academic sobriety.
After the massacre in Israel, the country watched elite universities descend into moral confusion — students chanting slogans they barely understood, administrators hiding behind procedural evasions, and faculty members serving not as guides but as accelerants. The congressional hearings that followed did
Nor is sociology unique. Similar language now saturates much of the modern university. Across disciplines, professional associations increasingly define their purpose in terms of political ends — equity, disruption, justice, social progress — rather than the pursuit of truth. The American Educational Research Association, for instance, themed its 2024 annual meeting around “dismantling racial injustice” — not just studying it, but actively attempting to dismantle it. Scholarly guilds are recasting themselves not as communities of analysis but as engines of social change.
The result is a profound professional deformation: the conversion of academic departments into ideological projects. Barnard College’s Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department, for instance, proudly declares that it “is dedicated to linking inquiry and action, theory and practice.”
Fortunately, mainstream observers have begun to acknowledge what was long treated as impolite to say: Faculty activism has become a gateway to campus radicalism. And even Harvard President Alan Garber admitted that the university “went wrong” by allowing professors to inject their personal views into the classroom, arguing that faculty activism has chilled free speech and debate. Professors are no longer simply interpreters of social life. Too often, they are organizers, legitimators, and moral enforcers — providing students with not only ideas, but marching orders.
The consequences are profound.
When a discipline defines its mission as “disruption,” it overtly and willfully abandons the central norms of scholarship. Research becomes, in the spirit of Max Weber, socially instrumental and outcome-driven. Questions are permitted or discouraged based on political utility. Peer review becomes ideological sorting. Students are trained not to analyze complexity but to rehearse commitments.
Worship Resources in a Time of War
March 2, 2026
As the United States has begun military combat operations in Iran, we are called to pray and ask for God’s mercy.
Several resources are available to assist you.
Below are three prayers from the resource Prayer Book for the Armed Services. (In addition to the print resource, PBAS is available digitally through Sundays and Seasons.)
Time of war
Eternal God, whose steadfast love never ends, we ask that you look upon the nations now engaged in war and hasten the day of peace. Look in mercy on those exposed to peril, conflict, sickness and death; and show compassion to the dying. In your good providence, remove all causes and occasions of war. Incline the hearts of all people to follow the path to peace and concord, that war may cease and the day of reconciliation may come quickly, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Those Who Suffer from War
Merciful God, you grieve amid the pain, fear and suffering of your children. Look with compassion on all who endure the miseries of war. Be mindful, too, of those who day and night face peril in defense of our nation. Guide them in their duties as they seek justice for those subjected to tyranny and liberty for those who are oppressed. Eternal Protector of the helpless, hear the cry of the distressed and grant speedy deliverance in a new day of peace and concord. Amen.
Those in the country’s service in a time of war
Almighty God, let your protection be upon all those who are in the service of our nation. Guard them from all danger and harm; sustain and comfort those at home, especially in hours of anxiety, loneliness, and sorrow. Prepare the dying for death and the living for your service. Uphold those who bear arms on land and sea and in the air; and grant unto us and all nations a speedy, just and lasting peace, the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Nation on High Alert After 2 Terrorist Attacks
Following two recent homegrown terrorist attacks in New York and Texas, federal authorities are on high alert for potential future strikes.
Amber Ginter
Updated Mar 10, 2026
In the last week, our nation has experienced 2 homegrown terrorist attacks: 1 in Texas and another in New York. As federal authorities warn that more attacks may be in the future, we’re all on high alert. When will the next strike take place?
After Saturday’s attempted bombing in New York, near the mayor’s home, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch believes this was a confirmed and attempted terrorist attack:
“As alleged, both defendants have admitted that they acted on Saturday because of ISIS," she said.
Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, added that the two suspects, Amir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, came to New York from PA with the intent to declare terrorism as an act against anti-Islam protests.
“There is video of these individuals throwing two devices towards the protest," Mamdani noted. "The police department has determined that these were improvised explosive devices made to injure, maim, or worse."
Since being taken into custody at the scene of the crime, Police Commissioner Tisch confirmed that the devices found on the two suspects were indeed IEDs, improvised explosive devices, that could have caused serious injury or death. Further analysis even revealed that one of the IEDs contained triacetone triperoxide, known as TATP. TATP is a “highly volatile homemade explosive that has been used in IED attacks around the world. Our bomb squad then rendered safe both devices,” said Tisch.
In response to the attacks, New York police have increased protection across the state and deployed over 1,000 National Guard members for ample security. The NY Times suggests that the attacks seem to be a direct response to President Trump’s orders with the Defense Department in November to “prepare to intervene militarily in the West African nation, citing a need to protect Christians from Islamic militants.”
The War on Catholics Part 1 | Judgment Day with Joe McBride | #001
The War on Catholics Part 1 | Judgment Day with Joe McBride | #001
Judgment Day with Joe McBride
Mar 11, 2026
🏛️ The War on Catholics | Part One
The era of Catholic passivity is over. For decades, the Catholic Church has been treated as a "permanent punching bag," facing relentless labels like "idolater" and "pagan". In this first installment of Judgment Day with Joe McBride, Joe exposes a new and dangerous alliance of commentators—ranging from secular figures to religious influencers—who are now attempting to instruct Catholics on their own dogmas.
Joe breaks down the coordinated social media campaigns and political demands currently being placed on the faithful, challenging those who would use "cancellation" tactics to silence the proclamation of Catholic truth.
Full Episode Premiere: March 12, 2026 — Subscribe and hit the bell to be notified!
...
What US adults think about Pope Leo XIV, according to a new AP-NORC poll
Pope Leo XIV waves as he arrives for his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Wednesday, June 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Luis Andres Henao
AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX
The Associated Press
Washington, D.C. — June 17, 2025
Just over a month after Pope Leo XIV became the first U.S.-born pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church, a new poll shows that American Catholics are feeling excited about their new religious leader.
About two-thirds of American Catholics have a "very" or "somewhat" favorable view of Pope Leo, according to the new survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, while about 3 in 10 don't know enough to have an opinion. Very few Catholics — less than 1 in 10 — view him unfavorably.
Among Americans overall, plenty of people are still making up their minds about Pope Leo. But among those who do have an opinion, feelings about the first U.S.-born pope are overwhelmingly positive. The survey found that 44% of U.S. adults have a "somewhat" or "very" favorable view of Pope Leo XIV. A similar percentage say they don't know enough to have an opinion, and only about 1 in 10 see him unfavorably.
As he promises to work for unity in a polarized church, Americans with very different views about the future of the church are feeling optimistic about his pontificate. Terry Barber, a 50-year-old Catholic from Sacramento, California, hopes Leo will seek a "more progressive and modern church" that is more accepting of all.
"I'm optimistic. Certainly, the first pope from the United States is significant," said Barber, who identifies as a Democrat. "Since he worked under the previous pope, I'm sure he has similar ideas, but certainly some that are original, of his own. I'm looking forward to seeing what, if any changes, come about under his leadership."
Mamdani hosts Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil for Ramadan dinner at Gracie Mansion (Update video)
Amanda Hurley
Tue, March 10, 2026 at 10:24 AM EDT
The Brief
What they're saying
Mamdani posted a photo of the dinner to social media on Monday, stating that he and his wife invited Khalil, his wife and their son to break their fast together.
The dinner also marked the one year since the Palestinian activist was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents outside his apartment in New York City.
"For Mahmoud Khalil, this past year has been marked by profound hardship—and by profound courage," Mamdani said in the photo caption. "And yet, even in the face of that cruelty, there has also been beauty. New Yorkers raising their voices in solidarity. A city refusing to look away. Mahmoud won his freedom, and a father was finally reunited with his child."
- NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife hosted Mahmoud Khalil and his family at the Gracie Mansion this past weekend.
- It comes one year after the former Columbia University graduate was arrested by ICE.
- The Palestinian activist has since been freed, but his deportation case remains tied up in court.
NEW YORK CITY - New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani hosted Mahmoud Khalil, the former Columbia University graduate student arrested by ICE last year, and his family for Ramadan dinner at the mayor's residence this weekend.
What they're saying
Mamdani posted a photo of the dinner to social media on Monday, stating that he and his wife invited Khalil, his wife and their son to break their fast together.
The dinner also marked the one year since the Palestinian activist was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents outside his apartment in New York City.
"For Mahmoud Khalil, this past year has been marked by profound hardship—and by profound courage," Mamdani said in the photo caption. "And yet, even in the face of that cruelty, there has also been beauty. New Yorkers raising their voices in solidarity. A city refusing to look away. Mahmoud won his freedom, and a father was finally reunited with his child."
From Tehran to Columbia: Inside America’s Student Intifada
1 year ago
Canary Mission
Canary Mission is an antisemitism watchdog. This video is for news and educational purposes. It depicts examples of antisemitic hatred and has been created for the purpose of reporting on or providing commentary on antisemitism.
Created on Jan 14, 2025 at 8:06 am
Canary Mission is an antisemitism watchdog. This video is for news and educational purposes. It depicts examples of antisemitic hatred and has been created for the purpose of reporting on or providing commentary on antisemitism.
Created on Jan 14, 2025 at 8:06 am
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‘Project Hail Mary’ review: Ryan Gosling sci-fi epic celebrates sacrifice, friendship and the power of hope
By Leah MarieAnn Klett, Assistant Editor
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace in "Project Hail Mary" | Amazon MGM Studios
In a cinematic landscape often dominated by dystopian futures, raunchy storylines and grim visions of the universe’s fate, “Project Hail Mary” offers something refreshingly different: hope, optimism and a belief in humanity’s willingness to sacrifice for one another.
Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller and adapted by Drew Goddard from the bestselling novel by Andy Weir, the film, rated PG-13 for some thematic material and suggestive references, combines gorgeous celestial landscapes and sci-fi elements with a human, often funny, story about sacrifice, friendship and curiosity.
At the center of it all is Ryan Gosling, who both produced the film and delivers a heartfelt performance as Ryland Grace, a middle-school science teacher who wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there.
Gradually, Grace begins piecing together the truth: Earth’s sun is dying. Alien microbes known as astrophage are consuming its energy, threatening to plunge the planet into a new ice age. Humanity’s last hope is a desperate mission to a distant star system, the titular “Hail Mary.”
Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace in "Project Hail Mary" | Amazon MGM Studios
In a cinematic landscape often dominated by dystopian futures, raunchy storylines and grim visions of the universe’s fate, “Project Hail Mary” offers something refreshingly different: hope, optimism and a belief in humanity’s willingness to sacrifice for one another.
Directed by Phil Lord and Chris Miller and adapted by Drew Goddard from the bestselling novel by Andy Weir, the film, rated PG-13 for some thematic material and suggestive references, combines gorgeous celestial landscapes and sci-fi elements with a human, often funny, story about sacrifice, friendship and curiosity.
At the center of it all is Ryan Gosling, who both produced the film and delivers a heartfelt performance as Ryland Grace, a middle-school science teacher who wakes up alone on a spaceship with no memory of how he got there.
Gradually, Grace begins piecing together the truth: Earth’s sun is dying. Alien microbes known as astrophage are consuming its energy, threatening to plunge the planet into a new ice age. Humanity’s last hope is a desperate mission to a distant star system, the titular “Hail Mary.”
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
The US airports where you should brace for long security lines as unpaid TSA agents stop showing up for work
By Lina Batarags and Taylor Rains
Mar 10, 2026, 9:45 AM ET
As TSA agents are expected to miss their first full paycheck on Saturday because of the partial shutdown, which started in February, some are not coming in to work.
On Sunday and Monday, the staffing shortages resulted in long lines in some airports. The disruption, which appears to have lessened in some airports as of Tuesday morning, comes as air travel hits the busy spring break period.
In X posts on Monday, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA, described the situation as "spring break under siege" and shared photos of throngs of people waiting in an airport.
For now, the chaos appears largely localized to a handful of airports — but travelers should expect lines across the US to worsen the longer the security officers work without pay.
Airline passengers waited in long lines to get through security screening at William P. Hobby Airport in Houston on Sunday, March 8, 2026. The line stretched from the security checkpoint into the lower level baggage claim area and to the parking garage.Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via Getty Images
Mar 10, 2026, 9:45 AM ET
- Some US airports are warning travelers about long TSA lines.
- The delays come as TSA agents, facing a missed paycheck amid the partial government shutdown, are not coming to work.
- Houston Hobby, San Juan, and New Orleans Louis Armstrong Airport all warned of delays.
As TSA agents are expected to miss their first full paycheck on Saturday because of the partial shutdown, which started in February, some are not coming in to work.
On Sunday and Monday, the staffing shortages resulted in long lines in some airports. The disruption, which appears to have lessened in some airports as of Tuesday morning, comes as air travel hits the busy spring break period.
In X posts on Monday, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA, described the situation as "spring break under siege" and shared photos of throngs of people waiting in an airport.
For now, the chaos appears largely localized to a handful of airports — but travelers should expect lines across the US to worsen the longer the security officers work without pay.
Monday, March 09, 2026
Pope declines invite to America’s 250th despite Vance's 'in-person' invite
Pope Leo XIV looks on as he leaves at the end of the weekly general audience, in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, February 18, 2026. REUTERS/Remo Casilli
February 20, 2026 | 06:59PM ET
Pope Leo XIV has officially dissed Catholic JD Vance’s formal invitation to the upcoming July 4th 250th festivities in the United States. Instead, the Pope, formerly of Chicago, will be celebrating that day “on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa — a migrant gateway in the Mediterranean,” reports Christopher Hale, who chronicles the Vatican’s doings with his “Letters from Leo” reports.
“… [B]ack in May 2025, JD Vance personally invited Pope Leo to take part in the anniversary celebrations. Many assumed Trump and Vance would welcome the first American pope with open arms during this historic jubilee. But Pope Leo never accepted the offer,” reports Hale, adding that the rejection came days after the Vatican also rejected an invitation to President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace.”
Worse, the Vatican quietly confirmed the pope has no plans to visit the United States at all in 2026.
“Instead, on the very day of America’s 250th, [the pope] will kneel on a rocky outcrop closer to Tunisia than to Washington, bearing witness to those dying in desperate search of freedom,” said Hale. “The contrast could not be sharper. President Trump envisions F-35 flyovers and fireworks in the capital’s sky; Pope Leo will stand under the same sun on Lampedusa, greeting strangers at the door.”
Pope Leo XIV has officially dissed Catholic JD Vance’s formal invitation to the upcoming July 4th 250th festivities in the United States. Instead, the Pope, formerly of Chicago, will be celebrating that day “on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa — a migrant gateway in the Mediterranean,” reports Christopher Hale, who chronicles the Vatican’s doings with his “Letters from Leo” reports.
“… [B]ack in May 2025, JD Vance personally invited Pope Leo to take part in the anniversary celebrations. Many assumed Trump and Vance would welcome the first American pope with open arms during this historic jubilee. But Pope Leo never accepted the offer,” reports Hale, adding that the rejection came days after the Vatican also rejected an invitation to President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace.”
Worse, the Vatican quietly confirmed the pope has no plans to visit the United States at all in 2026.
“Instead, on the very day of America’s 250th, [the pope] will kneel on a rocky outcrop closer to Tunisia than to Washington, bearing witness to those dying in desperate search of freedom,” said Hale. “The contrast could not be sharper. President Trump envisions F-35 flyovers and fireworks in the capital’s sky; Pope Leo will stand under the same sun on Lampedusa, greeting strangers at the door.”
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