Author: Editor-In-Chief

Flagstaff, Arizona — For no explainable practical reason, humans become obsessed with, and even empathize with, certain inanimate objects. our first car. Coffee mugs to choose from. And for certain subpopulations of the population, that range now extends to a dim frozen sphere 3.3 billion miles away. Hundreds of them make the pilgrimage to Arizona for the I Heart Pluto Festival held each February. Flagstaff is where, nearly a century ago, telescope lenses captured what had been touted for decades as the solar system’s ninth planet. Today, elementary school students are being taught that adding Pluto to their roster was…

Finn Smith will start for England in Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Italy as Steve Borthwick makes extensive changes to his squad. Borthwick made nine personnel changes in light of back-to-back defeats against Scotland and Ireland that meant England were out of title contention ahead of the game at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. This is the biggest change England have made in the Six Nations era. Tommy Freeman moved from the wing to outside center, while Finn Smith made his first start since the autumn, replacing George Ford at flyhalf. Rising star Henry Pollock was dropped to the bench after making…

MINNEAPOLIS — target announced on Tuesday that it is poised to end its sales slump, with its stock rising as the retailer’s earnings beat expectations, despite posting another quarter of declines in sales and store traffic.The retail giant, which is in the midst of a turnaround effort, said sales and foot traffic trends picked up in the last two months of the holiday quarter. Sales then turned positive year-on-year in February, at the beginning of this quarter.Target CEO Michael Fidelke said in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday that the company is “right off the bat this year.” He said…

On March 2, 2026, a commercial ship anchors off the coast of the United Arab Emirates due to a navigational disruption in the Strait of Hormuz in Dubai.Anadolu | Getty ImagesIran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has sent shockwaves through global energy markets, with Asia expected to face the greatest pain.A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander said on Monday that the Strait of Hormuz had been closed and warned that ships attempting to pass through the waterway would be targeted, according to Iranian media.This strait, located between Oman and Iran, serves as an important artery for global oil trade.…

Pinterest CEO Bill Reddy speaks at the 28th Milken Institute Global Conference at the Beverly Hilton on May 5, 2025 in Beverly Hills, California. Patrick T. Fallon | AFP | Getty Imagespinterest The stock rose 6% after activist investor Elliott Investment Management invested $1 billion in the social media company.The company said it plans to use the funds to buy back shares as part of its newly approved $3.5 billion share buyback program. “Elliott’s investment is a strong vote of confidence in the work we’ve done to build our business and the great opportunities ahead for Pinterest,” CEO Bill Ready…

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem looks on before the start of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on oversight of the Department of Homeland Security at the Capitol on March 3, 2026 in Washington, DC. Jim Watson | AFP | Getty ImagesSenate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) on Tuesday slammed Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for the fatal shooting of two people by Homeland Security law enforcement officers during an immigration raid in Minneapolis.”A mistake was made,” Grassley said in his opening remarks. “Let me be clear: One death is one too many. But police officers should never be intimidated…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the U.S. and Israeli militaries escalate their attacks on Iran, President Donald Trump’s administration has alternated the legitimacy of the war between deterring immediate attacks and countering Iran’s long-term nuclear existential threat.This was on full display Monday, when President Trump and Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth appeared to argue that the culmination of Iran’s regional policy over the 47 years since the Islamic Revolution and the future of the country’s ballistic and nuclear programs pose an immediate threat to the United States.Recommended stories list of 3 itemsend of listMeanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed…

Jon Rahm has accused the DP World Tour of “blackmailing players” and said he would not sign a contract that would allow him to play both the circuit and LIV Golf at the same time.Unlike Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton, Rahm was not among the eight DP World Tour members recently granted conditional release to compete in LIV Golf without being fined. The Spaniard previously said he had “no intention” of paying a fine for breaching membership guidelines, including appearing at an LIV event without permission, and the fine is thought to be in the region of £2.5 million. Failure…

Smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026.Mohsen Ganj | APLONDON – European stock markets fell sharply on Tuesday as escalating Middle East conflict continued to weigh on global investor sentiment. By 1:10 p.m. London (8:10 a.m. ET), pan-European Stocks 600 fell 2.9%, extending Monday’s steep decline, with the index ending down 1.6%. Stocks across all sectors sold on Tuesday morning, with bank stocks down 4.2%, insurance stocks down 4.1% and utility stocks down 3.6%, leading to losses. Even the STOXX Aerospace and Defense Index, home to the region’s largest defense prime, fell 2.2% after ending…

This is CNBC’s Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox.good morning. As the war in Iran continues to unfold, today also marks the first midterm primary election in the United States. The races to watch are:Stock futures are sharply lower this morning following mixed trading on Wall Street.Here are five important things investors need to know to start their trading day.1. Day 4Smoke rises after a strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, March 2, 2026.Mohsen Ganj | APAs the Iran war intensifies, the US embassy in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh was attacked by two drones on…