2026 Oscars Results and Where to Watch
By Tatum Trammell
The 2026 Academy Awards were this past Sunday, March 15, 2026, and it was quite an extraordinary night. From the featured red carpet looks to the captivating performances, the awards were full of excitement. Performances of the night included an energy-filled performance of “Golden” from the K-Pop Demon Hunters soundtrack, and an emotional performance of “I Lied to You” from the “Sinners” soundtrack sung by Miles Caton, which featured FAMU’s new head drum major, Oluwamodupe “Dupe” Oloyede and ballerina Misty Copeland. A highly anticipated award for the night, for The Best Actor award went to Michael B. Jordan, for his role as Smoke and Stack in “Sinners.” The award for Best Picture went to “One Battle After Another.” The show began at 7 p.m EST and took place in Hollywood’s very own Dolby Theatre. You can watch the awards on Hulu, ABC.com, or live tv services like Youtube TV.
The 6 US Airmen Killed in Plane Crash Identified
By Joy Ferguson
The Pentagon has officially identified the six U.S. airmen who passed away in the March 12 plane crash in Iraq, which occurred while the plane was refueling midair over West Iraq. The victims were confirmed to be: Maj. John A. Klinner, Capt. Ariana G. Savino, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Capt. Seth R. Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons. These airmen were trained to transport fuel from one plane to another for the defense of the U.S. These casualties bring the U.S. death toll to 13 as part of Operation Epic Fury, which is the code name for a large-scale U.S. led campaign that coordinates with Israel, targets Iranian military and aims to neutralize Iranian threats and attacks. The U.S. Central Command said the plane crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, but that the crash is still under investigation. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine wrote on the platform X (Formerly Twitter), “Every mission they undertook involved risks that they were willing to take and the courage to put the lives of others above their own,” Governor DeWine said. “They served with honor.”
Cuba Experiences Island-Wide Blackouts
By Kaden Bruton
On Monday, March 16, officials in Cuba announced on X that an island-wide blackout has occurred. This is the 3rd major blackout that has occurred in Cuba in the past 4 months. Since oil shipments have been halted from Venezuela, Cuba doesn’t have enough oil to meet their demand, making this possibly one of the reasons why the grid collapsed. Additionally, Cuba has been having an ongoing energy crisis, so an island-wide blackout can be the result of the energy crisis. Union Electrica (UNE) which is Cuba’s grid operator, stated on March 17 that they are gradually restoring electricity. The country is reported to have scheduled and unscheduled blackouts, hinting towards an unstable power grid that is slowly deteriorating. “It’s not just a blackout,” Havana resident Lázaro Hernández said. Lázaro has also mentioned that there’s no water since the pumps don’t work, no food and no oil. This has led to demonstrations in Cuba such as street protests, despite any open form of dissent being illegal in Cuba.
Eid: what it is and how it is celebrated
By Brett Schlossberg
On either March 20 or 21, Muslims will celebrate the holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. The days the celebrations fall on depend on the lunar calendar, which is based on a 354 day cycle, which is shorter than the solar calendar that is commonly used across the world. The start of Eid is the day the Shawwal, or the first moon sighting after Ramadan, appears.
To celebrate, many Muslims have traditional dishes before prayer in a mosque or an outdoor space. Some traditional dishes include samosas, nunor bora and chicken tikka. At Woodward, many Muslim students who had been fasting for Ramadan will celebrate the holiday. A group of students from the Islamic Awareness Club and WA Serves partnered together to sponsor the first annual Ramadan Canned Food Drive. People can donate this week and next week in the atrium. Every five food items equals one raffle ticket that can be redeemed for prizes.
F1 Races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain Cancelled due to Iran War
By Riley Jones
Upcoming Grand Prix Races in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have been cancelled following concerns over the ongoing conflict in Iran. F1 and its governing body, FIA, have released statements affirming that the races, which were scheduled for Apr. 12 and Apr. 19, will not be taking place. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have both been struck in Iran’s retaliation response to the attacks of the U.S. and Israel.
While a replacement race was not ruled out by the FIA, it is unlikely that the races can be rescheduled on such short notice. Ticket sales would be difficult with a short time window, and it would be a challenge to set up the event, because F1 staff and cargo is typically sent to the race location two weeks in advance.
This cancellation leaves a five week gap between the Japan Grand Prix on March 29 and the Miami Grand Prix on May 3.
March Madness Bracket Teams Filled
By Shaw Gordon
Fill out your brackets quickly because March Madness is starting now! March Madness is the college men’s and women’s basketball tournament featuring 64 teams around the nation. The round of 64 games starts on Mar. 16 and 17. The one-seeds this year for the men’s team feature Michigan, Arizona, Florida, and Duke. The women’s one-seeds consist of UConn, UCLA, Texas, and South Carolina. Ironically, March Madness will continue until April 4th, when the championship begins. Let the madness begin! Woodward’s sports IQ club invites you to participate in the school-wide March Madness bracket.
Fire Kills 12 People in an Indian Hospital
By Harper Scully
On March 16, at least 12 people died and five people were critically wounded in a SCB Medical College and Hospital, located in the city of Cuttack in the eastern state of India of Odisha in a deadly fire. The fire broke out in the trauma care unit of the hospital, and according to officials the fire was likely to have been caused by a short circuit in the trauma centre earlier that morning. At least 23 patients were being treated in the intensive care unit and ten were killed while being moved to a safer place away from the fire. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi visited the hospital and later told the press that “Medical Staff and security personnel risked their lives rescuing patients; During this, they too sustained injuries, and they are under treatment,” At least 11 staff members are suffering from burns and smoke inhalation. Fires in India are fairly common due to lack of firefighting equipment and a routine disregard of safety regulations leading to poorly maintained wiring. 5.3% of India’s population falls below the extreme poverty line which makes buying firefighting equipment and maintaining safety difficult without the proper funds.
RFK Vaccine Policies Halted by Judge
By Akiva Bryant
On March 16, Massachusetts Federal Judge Brian Murphy temporarily blocked the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), Robert F. Kennedy Jr., from implementing recent vaccine policies. Since Jan. of this year, Kennedy has brought on numerous changes to U.S. vaccine policies, such as reducing the number of recommended vaccines, in an effort to replicate Denmark’s less expansive but near universally administered vaccine schedule. The March ruling is in response to a lawsuit filed by six medical groups, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), against Kennedy. Originally, the lawsuit, filed in July 2025, focused on Kennedy’s decision to halt COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for children and pregnant women; however, it added more points to the lawsuit as the year progressed. The six medical groups argued that Kennedy and those at HHS made “arbitrary and capricious” changes to the childhood vaccine, and didn’t review carefully evidence-based practices that were utilized before the recommendation changes. Additionally, the groups argued that the panelists that Kennedy appointed didn’t have the necessary qualifications to recommend vaccines. Judge Murphy has backed up this claim, stating that only six of the 15 panelists “appear to have any meaningful experience in vaccines.” In defense, Isaac Belfer, a lawyer for the Trump Administration, stated that Kennedy and those at HHS have the authority to make vaccine policies. However, this isn’t the end of the case, as HHS plans on appealing the decision. AAP’s attorney, Richard Hughes, suggests that the case could reach the Supreme Court. Changes in recommendations by HHS often impact the availability of vaccines and medications as well as the coverage policies of insurance providers, meaning that this case’s outcome will be far-reaching, even here in Atlanta.
Saint Patrick’s Day 2026
By Trey Voegtlin
Clovers, leprechauns, lime green everything, rainbows and gold coins– really, what is this lucky-branded holiday actually about? St. Patrick’s Day is a celebratory holiday commonly cherished in Irish culture, marking a break of Lenten prohibitions and allowing people to drink, dance and eat freely. The holiday honors the introduction of Christianity through Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland credited for bringing Christianity to the country. Some popular St. Patrick’s Day festivities in the U.S. often consist of taking part in parades and getting dressed up head to toe in green and shamrocks. So next St. Patrick’s Day, consider taking part in local parades, enjoy festivities in the Woodward counseling office and deck out head-to-toe in bright green couture.
Senate Discusses SAVE Act
By Alex Piazza
This Tuesday, March 17, the SAVE Act moved to the Senate for a vote. The bill, which was introduced by senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Mike Lee (R-UT) along with representative Chip Roy (TX-21), would require voters to prove that they are a U.S. citizen, typically by presenting identification such as a passport or birth certificate as well as a photo-ID. According to President Donald Trump, the SAVE Act would “guarantee the midterms” for the Republican Party. The Democratic Party has opposed the bill, comparing it to the Jim Crow voting laws that prevented African American citizens from voting. If passed, the SAVE Act would apply to every American voter.
