Iran to hit interests in region if plants are struck after president demands open strait
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Trump, Tehran Exchange Threats
Rocker Steiner rides Disco Party to second straight RodeoHouston title
Reigning PRCA Bareback Riding World Champion Rocker Steiner had plenty of reasons to celebrate his second-straight victory at RodeoHouston, but he also acknowledged his counterpart while doing so.
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Trump places statue of Christopher Columbus near the White House
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A statue of Christopher Columbus has been placed on the grounds of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House, the latest effort by President Donald Trump’s administration to recognize the controversial explorer.
The statue is a replica of one that was tossed into Baltimore’s harbor in 2020 during Trump’s first term at a time of nationwide protests against institutional racism.
Trump endorses a traditional view of Columbus as a leader of the 1492 mission seen as the unofficial beginning of European colonization in the Americas and the development of the modern economic and political order. But in recent years, Columbus also has been recognized as a primary example of Western Europe’s conquest of the New World, its resources and its native people.
“In this White House, Christopher Columbus is a hero, and President Trump will ensure he’s honored as such for generations to come,” the White House posted on X.
“We are delighted the statue has found a place where it can peacefully shine and be protected,” said John Pica, a Maryland lobbyist and president of the Italian American Organizations United, which owns the statue and agreed to loan it to the federal government for placement at or near the White House.
The statue, made mostly of marble, was created by Will Hemsley, a sculptor based in Centreville on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The original statue was toppled by protesters on July 4, 2020, and thrown into Baltimore’s Inner Harbor after anger boiled over following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police. It was one of many statues of Columbus that were vandalized around the same time, with protesters saying the Italian explorer was responsible for the genocide and exploitation of native peoples in the Americas.
In recent years, some people, institutions and government entities have displaced Columbus Day with recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day. President Joe Biden in 2021 became the first U.S. president to mark Indigenous Peoples Day with a proclamation.
Trump dismisses the shift on Columbus as “left-wing arsonists” bending history and twisting Americans’ collective memory. “I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes.,” he declared last April. Echoing his 2024 campaign rhetoric, he complained that “Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.”
Bataan Memorial Death March held at White Sands
WHITE SANDS, N.M. (KRQE) – Hundreds of people gathered at White Sands National Park on Saturday to honor World War II heroes. The 37th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March honored those who endured the original march over 80 years ago. This year, due to the warm weather, the march was cut to a little over 15 […]
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Poste Italiane Unveils $12.50 Billion Offer for Telecom Italia
Poste Italiane said the transaction is aimed at creating a single group that would integrate two of Italy’s largest industrial companies
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Kansas squanders its best player as Darryn Peterson’s college career is over with loss to St. John’s
SAN DIEGO — For a few brief moments inside Viejas Arena on Sunday, there was hope for Kansas.
After trailing by as many as 14 points against No. 5 seed St. John’s in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where Kansas looked completely outmatched for almost the entire game, star guard Darryn Peterson knocked down a pair of free throws to somehow tie the game with 13 seconds remaining.
Then came heartbreak.
St. John’s guard Dylan Darling sent his team to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999 after scoring a layup with no time remaining in the Red Storm’s 67-65 win over No. 4 seed Kansas. The Jayhawks have now failed to reach the Sweet 16 in four consecutive seasons for the first time since the 1980s.
St. John’s buzzer beater: Coach Rick Pitino says then-scoreless Dylan Darling called his epic shot in huddle
David Cobb
For all intents and purposes, time has run out on the Peterson era at Kansas after he scored 21 points in what should be his final game at the school. Whenever it happens, Peterson will declare for the 2026 NBA Draft, where he could be the No. 1 overall pick. The player that Kansas coach Bill Self has said repeatedly was the “best player” he had recruited at Kansas saw his career end before the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
Anticipated season for KU
If you go back about a calendar year, those same Kansas fans had a sense of hope after a disastrous season that saw the program become the second team to lose in the first round of the NCAA Tournament after being the preseason AP No. 1 team. The reason for that hope? Peterson.
This season was a double-edged sword for those following along.
Peterson became one of the most talked-about people in the sports world. And at times, it was for all the wrong reasons. Peterson dealt with severe cramping that caused him to miss 11 games. Peterson admitted earlier this month that the cramping was so bad at one point, he ended up in the hospital needing IV fluids.
For better or worse, people have had plenty to say about Peterson. The takes ranged from people who watched every second of his time at Kansas, to talking heads who stumbled across his name for the first time. After the loss, Peterson opened up to CBS Sports about whether any of the narratives around his name bothered him, calling them “BS.”
“If I was able to be out there, I would’ve been out there,” Peterson said. “I’ve seen some stuff about me not loving basketball. Not wanting to play. Being a bad teammate, or load management, and all that other BS, I would say. I said before, basketball is all I know. It’s all I’ve ever had besides my family. There’s nothing I love more.”
With Peterson’s college career all but over, the attention now turns to the future of Kansas’ basketball program. There’s no blue-chip recruit like Peterson coming around to save the Jayhawks. Tyran Stokes, the No. 1-ranked player in the 2026 recruiting cycle by 247Sports, could end up at Kansas, but he isn’t the same kind of player or NBA prospect that Peterson is.
How much longer for Self?
The other major storyline that will surround the program heading into the offseason is how much longer will Self be the coach at Kansas? The 63-year-old Hall of Famer isn’t getting any younger. He has faced health challenges in recent years, including a heart procedure and periodic hospital visits.
“I don’t know about completely, but I’m feeling — I feel as good as I’ve felt in a long time,” Self said. “I’m not making any statements whatsoever, but every year, I think — it used to be when you get to be, doing it as long as I’ve done it, I look at it in five-year increments. Now I’m probably looking at it in more two-year increments, so to speak. So I try to focus on this season and try to get us to a second weekend, which we failed at. So I’ll go back now and break it down and see where that leads.”
Since Self guided Kansas to a national title in 2022, the Jayhawks have won just three NCAA Tournament games. The wins? No. 16 seed Howard, No. 13 seed Samford and No. 13 seed California Baptist this season, where the Jayhawks nearly gave away a 26-point advantage late in the game.
An era of Kansas basketball ended on Sunday, whether Self knows it or not. The chances of him getting a player of Peterson’s caliber via high school recruiting, for however long he still coaches, are minimal. It’s not a diss at anyone Kansas may or may not recruit. Peterson has the potential to be an All-NBA player one day. Even if he only played in 23 games, there were plenty of flashes of that potential throughout the season.
Peterson’s time at Kansas ended when the game clock hit zero against St. John’s. There’s no magic game clock that’s counting down the end of Self’s coaching career, but in basketball terms, you would think it’s counting down somewhere deep in the second half.
Time is running out.
Iran war, rising gas prices fuel economic concerns; most say conflict not going well, don’t want regime left in power, CBS News poll finds
When gauging a war, Americans consider at least two important things: what the goals are overseas and its impact back home.
Right now, Americans want a lot of things to happen in Iran: Most feel it’s important to stop its nuclear program, ensure the Iranian people are free, and, now that the conflict is underway, that it would be unacceptable to leave the Iranian regime in power at the end of it.
But it’s also important to end the conflict as fast as possible, they say, with growing economic pressure back home.
Rising gas prices are fueling some pessimism about the U.S. economy more broadly, with concerns about negative impacts on it in at least the near-term, if not the long term.
That uncertainty is underpinned by a rising number of people who feel the Trump administration hasn’t explained things. Most call it a war of choice, not of necessity.
In all, most Americans feel the conflict isn’t going well right now, though it gets continued support from most of the president’s Republican base, in part because they express a lot of confidence in him personally.
Impact on gas prices and the economy
People see the war as impacting rising gas prices, both in the short and long term.
Despite calls by the administration for patience, people don’t think the war will improve the U.S. economy. In fact, most see it weakening it in the short term, at least.
Feelings that the U.S. will head into a recession are trending back up, while current views of the economy have ticked back down.
This comes alongside a sharp upsurge in the percentage of people who’ve noticed rising prices.
In terms of possible patience or making sacrifice, they don’t think Americans ought to be willing to pay more for gas during the conflict.
Evaluating the war
Most Americans don’t think the conflict with Iran is going well so far. It’s predominantly those who don’t approve of the conflict in the first place who hold this view. .
The people who don’t think it’s going well express a collective uncertainty: they don’t feel they’ve gotten an explanation from the Trump administration. Many aren’t sure how long it will last. They don’t see payoffs, not in making the U.S. safer, nor in making the economy stronger.
So what now: How might people evaluate things going forward?
From a list of potential U.S. goals, most important to Americans is simply to see the war end as quickly as possible.
But there are other goals important to most Americans, too, including making sure Iran’s people are free and stopping Iran’s nuclear programs.
And it would be unacceptable to most to end with the regime still in power.
If those desires between goals and a fast end seem contradictory, it connects to the continued call for more explanation from the administration.
Even fewer today than when the war started say the administration has clearly explained the U.S.’ goals.
Just under half think U.S. ground troops will be necessary. Views are roughly split on this, whether one believes things are going well for the U.S. or not.
There isn’t a wider perceived payoff, though, in terms of the nation’s safety. Just over a third think the conflict will make the U.S. safer even in the long term.
There’s also plenty of uncertainty about how long this will last. Most think this will go on for months, if not years. Almost a third aren’t sure.
Disapproval of the U.S. military action in Iran has grown since the start of the war, and the longer people think the conflict will last, the more disapproval there is.
Underpinning that: Americans see this as a war of choice, not a war of necessity.
Backing from the president’s base — but less so beyond it
MAGA remains behind Trump and the war. They have confidence in him, even when they think it might last a long time, and they overwhelmingly approve of how he’s handling the situation.
Contextually, this pattern of support from MAGA is in keeping with what we’ve seen on other matters — across all subjects, including military ones — over the years.
Views of Trump remain central to all this. For most Americans, approval of the war and how it’s going is closely tied to whether they have confidence in him or not.
MAGA Republicans also say Trump is doing what he promised in the 2024 campaign regarding Iran.
President Trump’s overall approval rating is virtually unchanged from before the start of the conflict. It has been at 40% or in the low 40s for many months. He continues to draw strong backing from Republicans.
But on specific measures, including on handling the economy and inflation, he gets relatively lower marks than overall. And he doesn’t do as well with Republicans on those as he does on immigration.
In sum, those approving of the action against Iran are largely Republicans, who have confidence in him, who think the conflict is making the U.S. position in the world stronger, and that it bolsters U.S. safety. They see it as a war of necessity, not choice.
People disapproving of the action tend to be a lot of Democrats and independents without the partisan attachment to the president, who believe it will make the U.S. less safe (in both the long and short-term), and who think it will last months, if not years, or are uncertain about its duration.
This CBS News/YouGov survey was conducted with a nationally representative sample of 3,335 U.S. adults interviewed between March 17-20, 2026. The sample was weighted to be representative of adults nationwide according to gender, age, race, and education, based on the U.S. Census American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, as well as 2024 presidential vote. The margin of error is ±2.1 points.
New wildfire now burning in the Santa Fe National Forest
New wildfire now burning in the Santa Fe National Forest
Large air tankers help battle 17-acre Nacimiento Wildfire in hot and dry conditions
HEY, WELCOME BACK. BEFORE YOU WALK OUT THE DOOR, SEVEN BIG THINGS WE’RE FOLLOWING FOR YOU TODAY. THE FIRST IS WEATHER. AND GET READY TO BE WIND WHIPPED. LET’S GET YOU OVER TO ERIC. YEAH, YOU KNOW, WE START ON A QUIET NOTE. NO RAIN SHOWERS TO TRACK UPPER THIRTIES, RIO RANCHO, SANTA FE, 43 CURRENTLY AT THE SUNPORT. STARTING AT 10:11 A.M., WE GO UNDER THESE WIND ADVISORIES AND HIGH WIND WARNINGS FOR BASICALLY ALL OF CENTRAL, SOUTHERN AND EASTERN NEW MEXICO. ALBUQUERQUE’S WIND GUSTS TODAY COULD BE 50 TO 55. POTENTIALLY DAMAGING WINDS COULD HIT EASTERN NEW MEXICO. WE DO HAVE THE HIGH POTENTIAL FOR WIND DAMAGE AND SOME POWER OUTAGES WITH THE HIGH WIND WARNINGS. WE’VE GOT FIRE DANGER CONCERNS OUT EAST, BLOWING DUST, NOT AS MUCH OF A CONCERN WITH THE RECENT RAIN AND SNOW, BUT DIFFICULT TRAVEL. WITH CROSSWINDS GOING TO BE A PROBLEM. WEATHER IMPACT MODE IN ALBUQUERQUE DUE TO THE STRONG WINDS BY LATE MORNING AND THROUGH THE DINNER HOUR WITH A FEW LATE DAY SHOWERS IN THE MIX AS WELL. WELL, AND THIS MORNING’S TOP STORIES, NEW DEVELOPMENTS AND THE REST MOVIE SET SHOOTING INVESTIGATION. THE NEW YORK TIMES OBTAINED A PRIVATE EMAIL BETWEEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY AND ANDREA REEB THAT WAS DATED JUNE 9TH, 2022. IN IT, REBA ALLEGEDLY WROTE AT SOME POINT, THOUGH, I’D AT LEAST LIKE TO GET OUT THERE THAT I AM ASSISTING YOU AS IT MIGHT HELP MY CAMPAIGN. WELL, REID BECAME SPECIAL PROSECUTOR THEN TWO MONTHS AFTER THAT EMAIL WAS SENT. THEN WAS ELECTED AS A STATE REPRESENTATIVE IN NOVEMBER. REID STEPPED DOWN AS SPECIAL PROSECUTOR LAST WEEK. A COUPLE OF BILLS FOCUSED ON CHANGES FOR CYFD DID NOT PASS IN THE LEGISLATURE, LEAVING SOME LEGISLATORS FRUSTRATED DID THE PROPOSALS WOULD HAVE CREATED THE OFFICE OF THE CHILD ADVOCATE TO HELP PROTECT CHILDREN IN THE STATE. BOTH BILLS GOT BIPARTISAN SUPPORT BUT DID NOT MAKE IT THROUGH THE ROUND HOUSE. ACCORDING TO THE NEW MEXICO CHILD FIRST NETWORK, JUST FIVE OF THE 50 CYFD RELATED BILLS PASSED IN THIS YEAR’S SESSION. ALBUQUERQUE CITY LEADERS ARE CALLING FOR UPDATES TO THE AUTOMATED SPEED ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM. SO THE PROPOSAL HERE CALLS FOR DRIVERS WITH AT LEAST TWO UNPAID TICKETS TO HAVE THEIR CAR BOOTED. CITY OFFICIALS SAY THIS WILL HELP STOP CHRONIC SPEEDERS. MORE THAN 44,000 CITATIONS HAVE
New wildfire now burning in the Santa Fe National Forest
Large air tankers help battle 17-acre Nacimiento Wildfire in hot and dry conditions
Forest managers were notified Sunday about a new fire, dubbed the Nacimiento Wildfire, in the Cuba Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest, according to the New Mexico Fire Information website. Fire crews have adopted a direct strategy of putting out the 17-acre fire, with large air tankers dropping retardant to slow the fire’s spreading. Meanwhile, Forest Service and state crews are building containment around the fire’s perimeter. The cause of the fire is under investigation. It is burning through ponderosa pine, oak, pinyon-juniper, and fir. Smoke is visible from Cuba and surrounding communities. Updates will be posted on the SFNF website, NM Fire Information, Inciweb, and SFNF social media (Facebook and X). This is a developing story that KOAT will update when more information becomes available.
RIO ARRIBA COUNTY, N.M. —
Forest managers were notified Sunday about a new fire, dubbed the Nacimiento Wildfire, in the Cuba Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest, according to the New Mexico Fire Information website.
Fire crews have adopted a direct strategy of putting out the 17-acre fire, with large air tankers dropping retardant to slow the fire’s spreading. Meanwhile, Forest Service and state crews are building containment around the fire’s perimeter.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. It is burning through ponderosa pine, oak, pinyon-juniper, and fir. Smoke is visible from Cuba and surrounding communities.
Updates will be posted on the SFNF website, NM Fire Information, Inciweb, and SFNF social media (Facebook and X).
This is a developing story that KOAT will update when more information becomes available.
The Economy Cabin on Airplanes Keeps on Shrinking
Carriers are expanding the options in premium cabins in a bid to boost their earnings.
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Darling’s layup seals St. John’s tournament win over Kansas
AUSTIN, Texas — Dylan Darling hadn’t made a shot all day when he got the ball at midcourt for St. John’s with 3.9 seconds left in a tied March Madness thriller.
Darling could have passed. He could have wilted. He could have missed yet again.
Instead, the Red Storm’s tenacious point guard ran the play he had called for himself moments earlier — attacking the basket, banking in a perfectly weighted shot and sending himself headlong into St. John’s lore.
He also sent the Johnnies back to the Sweet 16 after 27 long years away.
Darling hit a driving layup for his only bucket of the game, and St. John’s advanced to the second weekend of the men’s NCAA tournament for the first time since 1999 with a 67-65 victory over Kansas on Sunday.
“I probably don’t deserve this,” said Darling, who had missed his first four shots badly enough that an exasperated coach Rick Pitino implored him to stop aiming the ball. “I was pretty bad all night long. But my teammates held it down tonight. Everybody stepped up. Just happy to keep this thing rolling.”
St. John’s advanced to face No. 1 overall seed Duke in the East Region semifinals in Washington.
Darling’s toughness and resilience have immediately impressed his teammates in his first year in Queens after previous stops at Washington State and Idaho State. He even earned the nickname “Big Bells” from Pitino in January because he thought Darling’s — let’s call it toughness — is as big as church bells.
That’s how he coolly won it for St. John’s after the Jayhawks (24-11) erased a 58-45 deficit with 7½ minutes to play, making a furious 20-7 run capped by Darryn Peterson ‘s two free throws to tie it with 13.1 seconds left.
The Jayhawks had four fouls to give, and they used all four to wind the clock down to 3.9 seconds.
“Bells come up to me and says, run ‘Power,’ which is a high, back-screen pick-and-roll,” Pitino said. “So I walk away, and I said, ‘Wait a second. He hasn’t scored a bucket, and he wants to run a play for himself?’ But he’s Bells. And not only did he do it, he went with his right hand. I’m real proud of him, because to want the ball when you haven’t made a shot is unbelievable.”
Indeed, the left-handed shooter scored with his off hand before his teammates tackled him in front of the St. John’s band. The celebration continued in the locker room, where the Johnnies periodically shouted, “Dylan, I love you!” while he spoke to reporters with a sheepish grin.
“I was fully confident in him making a play, a great decision, and he obviously made the best decision possible,” said Big East Player of the Year Zuby Ejiofor, who had 18 points and nine rebounds. “We know who Dylan is. He’s a really confident player, a high-level competitor, and he was able to make a big-time bucket.”
Bryce Hopkins also scored 18 points for the fifth-seeded Red Storm (30-6), who have roared back to college basketball prominence in just three seasons under Pitino.
Pitino, 73, and Bill Self, 63, coached against each other for only the second time in the Hall of Famers’ decades-long careers, meeting for the first time in March Madness. They’re two of the three active coaches with multiple national titles — and now Pitino still has a chance to claim his third.
With Kansas transfer Ejiofor leading the way, St. John’s has won 21 of its past 22 games since early January, capped by the Johnnies’ second and third NCAA tournament victories in the past quarter-century this weekend.
St. John’s won the Big East regular-season and tournament titles during its surge, and the Red Storm haven’t eased up a bit.
Meanwhile, the fourth-seeded Jayhawks failed to reach the Sweet 16 again — a feat the program hasn’t accomplished since Self’s second national title in 2022. After Kansas ended Arizona’s unbeaten season in a landmark victory on Feb. 9, the Jayhawks subsequently lost six of their final 11 games.
“The tournament, one of the things that makes it so great is that it can be great, but it can also be cruel,” Self said. “We obviously put ourselves in a position to play from behind the whole game, and then really competed and played great down the stretch. Just didn’t finish what we had started down the stretch.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.