This Week's Issue

attack. The spiraling conflict has also endangered millions of of lives across the Middle East and left tens of thousands of foregin citizens and stranded and at risk of being caught in the violence in the region. American and Israeli officials have offered conflicting explanations for why they attacked Iran, even as Trump has insisted that strikes were necessary and that operations would continue until U.S. objectives are met. Immediately after the launch of “Operation Epic Fury” on Feb. 28, Trump characterized the attack as defensive and suggested that it was intended to eliminate “imminent threats” from Iran. Isreal described it as a "preemptive strike" aimed at neutralizing an anticipated missle attack from Iran. Trump talked about how he had a good feeling that Iran was planning on attacking the U.S, the White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters on March 4. Iran then responded with a swathe of retaliatory attacks on U.S. military installations across the region, hitting Israel, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia in initial attacks over the weekend. Suspected Iranian strikes have also hit civilian sites, including Saudi Arabia’s oil refinery, a hotel in Dubai, and near airports in the U.A.E. and Kuwait. Following days after that, iran ended up expanding its attacks, launching missels and drones at Jordan, which were intercepted and targeting a British Royal Air Force base in Cyprus. Suspected Iranian strikes have also been reported over Iraw and Oman's airspace. Iran also began taargeting American political centers in the region, inclduing striking U.S. embassies. To date, at least seven U.S. servicemembers have been killed in the war, including six who died in an Iranian retaliatory strike on a U.S. operations center in Kuwait, marking the first reported American combat deaths in this war. More than a dozen other soldiers were reportedly wounded in Iranian attacks. On March 9, Trump told CBS that “the war is very complete” and could come to an end soon, but he also told Republican lawmakers on the same day that the U.S. is “more determined than ever to achieve ultimate victory” and would not relent until the Iranian regime and military apparatus are defeated.

The Angel of Death 

By: Bailee Ward

A young woman named Lucy Letby who lives in Hereford, United Kingdom was a frequent volunteer for overtime at Countess of Chester Hospital in England as a neonatal nurse (Specialized registered nurse for infants). But when more unexpected infant deaths occurred on her watch she raised suspicion and a role as the perpetrator. Her main role in the hospital was caring for babies in the Intensive care unit in 2011 however, in 2016 she was removed by the hospital as a neonatal nurse after the death of 2 triplet boys. An investigation was started to look into the suspicious death of multiple infants and it wasn't an isolated tragedy, and in July of 2018 police arrested Letby under the suspicion she had murdered 8 infants and attempted murder on 6 others but she then was released on bail. An additional arrest and release in 2019 Letby was arrested for the last time in November of 2020 and was formally charged with the murder of 8 babies at the hospital between 2015 and 2016 along with 10 counts of attempted murder. Authorities allegedly think that Lucy killed the infants by injecting air into their feeding tubes and or IVs which cause pulmonary emboli (blood clots) that can get into their lungs and brain, overfeeding them with milk, or poisoning them with insulin which is untraceable in autopsies. Prosecutors found Post-it notes in Letby's home that read “I killed them on purpose because I’m not good enough to care for them,” with others including “I AM EVIL I DID THIS”.   Following the months-long trials that began in 2022 Lucy Letby was found guilty with 7 counts of murder and 7 counts of attempted murder in August 2023. She then was convicted of additional attempted murder cases at a retrial in 2024 giving her 15 total life prison sentences.  She attempted appeal but was ultimately denied and BBC reporter Stephanie Hergarty  explained that there was no forensic evidence with quotes saying “ No one ever saw Letby commit a crime and instead of forensic evidence, what the prosecution really relied on was medical evidence. So the notes of the baby’s conditions, nursing notes, medical notes. There were various different methods that she was convicted of hurting these babies.” 

Her bail is currently set at $1.875 million, and if she is convicted she will face up to life in prison. Her arraignment is scheduled for March 25.

Ortiz was caught through license plate recognition, and witnesses reported seeing a woman wearing a blonde wig in a white Tesla heading toward Rihanna’s mansion in Beverly Crest. Inside Ortiz’s vehicle were additional ammunition and the reported blonde wig. Ortiz has not currently come out with any statements regarding her motive or the attack.

The singer and her partner A$AP Rocky just had their third child in September, and Rihanna is also currently working on her ninth album. Thankfully the suspect is being charged, and the family can heal during this time.

Sources:

NBC: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-accused-shooting-rihannas-l-home-charged-attempted-murder-rcna262838 

CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/08/entertainment/rihanna-shooting-home-los-angeles 

Harriet Tubman: She played a big part in the abolishment of slavery, leading hundreds of slaves to freedom using the underground railroad. Even with a bounty on her head she still risked it all to direct as many slaves to freedom as she could. 

Rosa Parks: She was a civil rights activist, and refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott. After the long boycott African Americans were allowed to ride on the previously restricted buses.

Amelia Earhart: She was the first woman pilot to fly across the Atlantic ocean. She inspired many women to become pilots and to break the stigma around women pilots. 

Marie Curie: She was the first woman to win a noble peace prize in 1903, and another in 1911. She played a big part in x-rays and radioactivity, helping shape how successful it is today. 

Susan B. Anthony: She was a women's rights activist, playing a big part in the women's suffrage movement. She advocated for women's voting rights and fought for gender equality. 

Ida B. Wells: She was a investigative journalist, writing about racial injustices, anti-lynching efforts, and challenging segregation. She also fought for women's rights, hoping that one day women could do anything that a man could. 

Elizabeth Cady Stanton: She was a women's rights activist, working closely with Susan B. Anthony. She fought for divorce rights, saying that marriage should be voluntary, not trapping women in abusive and bad relationships. She believed that both the women and the man should be equal partners. 

Sally Ride: She was an astronaut and physicist, being the first woman to go to space. She inspired many women to go out of their comfort zones and go after their dreams. 

These are just a few of the powerful women that shaped how we all live today, but there are so many more that are just as important and strong.

Source: https://www.biography.com/history-culture/g43336252/famous-women-in-history 

An interview between Oscar-nominated actor Timothée Chalamet and Matthew McConaughey has resurfaced in the past week, leading to a significant amount of backlash from the performing arts community over the comments Chalamet made regarding opera and ballet.

While the interview itself was conducted in February, a certain excerpt has gone viral online, in which Chalamet commented on how actors are keeping movies alive, adding, “I don’t want to be working in ballet or opera where it’s like, ‘Hey! Keep this thing alive,’ even though no one cares about this anymore. All respect to the ballet and opera people out there … I just lost 14 cents in viewership. I’m taking shots for no reason.”

This part, specifically the “no one cares about this anymore” has led to a fair amount of backlash. In the hours after the clip resurfaced, many opera and ballet companies posted their own videos, criticizing Chalamet. The Metropolitan Opera House posted a TikTok with the caption, “All respect to the opera (and ballet) people out there. This one’s for you, Timothée Chalamet.” The Seattle Opera included a discount code, fittingly called “TIMOTHEE,” for their performances of Carmen.

The response outside of the professional places has been just as wide. Multiple celebrities such as Doja Cat such as Doja Cat, Kristen Chenoweth, Whoopi Goldberg, and Donna Murphy have expressed their disappointment with the comments. Some have even speculated that this recent controversy has cost Chalamet the Academy Award for Best Actor. Once the predicted winner by many, Sinners star Michael B. Jordan is now projected to win the Oscar.

Of course, it is just as likely that Chalamet will win the Oscar, but we won’t truly know until the night of the awards, which will be held this Sunday. 

USA Men's Sled Hockey Goes For Gold! 

By: Garrett Jacobs 

The USA Men's sled hockey team beat team Czechia 6-1 to advance to their fifth straight gold medal game. One of the biggest stars of the game was their assistant captain and lead scorer Declan Farmer. He had an incredible performance, scoring three goals and adding three assists. His hat trick helped give the United States the momentum they needed to take control of the game. Farmer has been one of the best players in the tournament and continues to lead the team offensively.

At the beginning of the semifinal, Czechia scored first, but the United States quickly responded and took over the game. The Americans scored six straight goals and never looked back. Other players like their captain, Josh Pauls, David Eustace, and Noah Grove also contributed to the scoring and helped keep the pressure on Czechia throughout the game.

Team USA has been dominant throughout the entire tournament. In the preliminary round, they won all of their games by large margins. One of their biggest wins was a 13–0 victory over Germany, showing just how strong their offense and defense have been during the Paralympics.

By reaching the final at the 2026 Winter Paralympics in Milan, the United States sled hockey team has now made it to the gold medal game for the fifth Paralympics in a row. This is an impressive accomplishment and shows how consistent and talented the team has been over the years.

Now, Team USA will focus on the championship game, where they will try to win another gold medal and continue their success on the international stage. If they win, it will add another big achievement to the history of the United States sled hockey program.