Pulse
Original reporting by Pulse, synthesizing breaking news from multiple sources with AI-powered analysis. Each story combines insights from leading publishers, expert commentary, and real-time data.
University of Maryland Launches Wearable ‘Fart‑Tracking’ Underwear
On March 14, 2026, a team of researchers at the University of Maryland unveiled a sensor‑filled pair of underwear that clips onto the garment and continuously measures hydrogen gas—the chemical signature of intestinal flatulence. The “Smart Underwear” records each emission in real time, providing the first objective, day‑long data set on human gas production.
John Galliano Teams with Zara for Mass‑Market Couture Launch in September
Former Dior and Maison Margiela creative director John Galliano has entered a two‑year partnership with fast‑fashion retailer Zara. The collaboration will see Galliano re‑author Zara’s 50‑year archive into new seasonal pieces, with the first collection slated to hit Zara stores...
Lanvin Group Unveils Strategic Transformation to Navigate Tough Luxury Market
On March 18, 2026, Lanvin Group, the historic French fashion house, announced a strategic transformation and portfolio optimization plan aimed at strengthening its position amid a challenging luxury market. The initiative, detailed in a press release, outlines cost‑efficiency measures, brand...
Trevor Paglen Wins 2026 LG Guggenheim Award for Art‑Tech Innovation
Today, artist Trevor Paglen was announced as the 2026 LG Guggenheim Award recipient by LG and the Guggenheim Museum. The award honors his groundbreaking projects that fuse surveillance studies, artificial intelligence, and visual art, and will be presented at a...
Banksy's Identity Unveiled: Reuters Links Iconic Street Artist to Robin Gunningham
On March 17, 2026, Reuters disclosed that the anonymous British street artist known as Banksy is likely 51‑year‑old Robin Gunningham of Bristol, citing New York court records from a 2000 vandalism arrest. The finding was reported by ABC News and ABCNews.com,...
Maria Reva Wins 2026 Gordon Burn Prize for Novel 'Endling'
Maria Reva was announced as the winner of the £10,000 Gordon Burn Prize 2026 at the Northern Stag venue in Newcastle last night. She received the award for her novel Endling, published by Virago, marking a major milestone in her...
Spy‑thriller Icon Len Deighton Dies at 97, Leaving a Legacy of Espionage Classics
Len Deighton, the British author whose 1962 debut The IPCRESS File redefined modern spy fiction, died at age 97 on March 18, 2026, according to AP News. The former Royal Navy officer‑turned‑writer passed away in England, leaving behind a body of work...
Utah Mom and Grief Author Kouri Richins Convicted of Husband’s Murder
Kouri Richins, a 35‑year‑old Utah mother and author of a children’s grief book, was found guilty on March 16, 2026 by a Summit County jury of murdering her husband, Eric Richins, by poisoning him with a fentanyl‑laden Moscow Mule. The...
Woodford Group Issues Public Apology to Shareholders Amid Uncertain Future
On March 18, 2026, Woodford Group publicly apologized to its shareholders for recent governance lapses and under‑performance, acknowledging an uncertain outlook for the firm. The statement, released from its London headquarters, signals heightened scrutiny of fund‑manager accountability across the wealth‑management...
Envestnet Adds Direct Interval‑Fund Access to UMA Platform, Expanding Advisor Options
On March 16, 2026, Envestnet, a leading wealth‑management technology provider, announced that its Unified Managed Account (UMA) platform will now provide advisors with direct access to interval funds. The integration is rolled out across Envestnet’s Advisor Services ecosystem, giving wealth...
River Global to Transfer Entire Asset‑Management Business to Liontrust in Strategic Deal
London‑based River Global announced today that it has entered a conditional agreement to sell its entire asset‑management arm to fellow UK firm Liontrust. The deal transfers the full portfolio of River Global’s wealth‑management products, representing a notable reshuffle of assets...
ICapital Acquires Hexure to Bolster Insurance‑Tech Suite for Advisors
iCapital, an alternative‑investment platform, announced today that it will acquire Hexure, a life‑insurance and annuity software provider, to broaden its wealth‑tech capabilities for U.S. financial advisors. The deal, terms undisclosed, will integrate Hexure’s FireLight digital sales platform and ForeSight illustration...
Crypto RIA Abra Pursues $750M SPAC Deal to List on Nasdaq
Digital‑asset registered investment advisor Abra, led by founder‑CEO Bill Barhydt, announced a merger with SPAC New Providence Acquisition Corp. III that values the company at $750 million pre‑money. The combined entity, to be named Abra Financial, Inc., would trade on Nasdaq under...
Third Tractor‑Trailer Crash on I‑85 in Anderson County Raises Safety Concerns
On March 17, 2026, a third tractor‑trailer crash was reported Tuesday morning on Interstate 85 in Anderson County, South Carolina, according to NBC29. Emergency responders were dispatched as the incident added to a string of recent multi‑vehicle accidents on the highway,...
Atlas Air Breaks Boeing‑Only Tradition with Landmark 20‑Airbus A350F Order
On March 16, 2026 in Toulouse, France, Atlas Air Worldwide CEO Michael Steen signed a firm order for 20 Airbus A350F freighters, the largest single‑operator order for the type. Deliveries will start in 2029 and run through 2034, marking the...
Shadow Bank Collapse Floods London Luxury Market with Hundreds of Homes
On 27 February 2026 the short‑term property‑backed lender Market Financial Solutions (MFS) collapsed, prompting administrators to list roughly 250 property companies that own luxury flats across Kensington, Belgravia, Knightsbridge and Mayfair. By 17 March 2026, FRP Advisory confirmed that hundreds...
GO Residential REIT Buys Two NYC Multifamily Buildings for $440 Million
In the past 24 hours, GO Residential REIT announced the purchase of two multifamily buildings in New York City for $440 million, making the deal one of the largest recent multifamily transactions in the market.
North Texas Senate Bill Targets Housing Affordability and Investor Limits
On March 12, U.S. senators approved the bipartisan 21st Century Road to Housing Act, a bill aimed at expanding housing supply and lowering costs in North Texas. The legislation creates funding for new construction, supports cost‑cutting building technologies, and limits...
Dollar Reclaims Top Spot Amid Iran Conflict, Yet Rally May Be Brief
In early March 2026 the U.S. dollar surged back to the top of global currency rankings, strengthening against the euro, pound and yen as the Iran‑Israel conflict intensified. HSBC forex analysts and other market strategists highlighted the oil‑price surge and...
Oil Crude Surges Past $100 as Iran Conflict Fuels Hormuz Shipping Uncertainty
On March 17, 2026, Brent crude jumped to $103.42‑$103.50 per barrel and U.S. WTI rose above $95 as fresh Iranian strikes on a UAE gas field and the killing of Iran’s security chief heightened Middle‑East tensions. At the same time,...
Fed Likely to Hold Rates as Iran War Fuels Oil Shock and Weak Jobs Data
On March 13, 2026, the Federal Reserve’s Federal Open Market Committee in Washington is expected to leave its benchmark rate unchanged, despite rising inflation from the Iran war, oil prices above $100 per barrel, and a disappointing February jobs report...
Australia Nears $110 Billion EU Trade Deal, Opening Massive Export Opportunities
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen are set to finalise a $110 billion free‑trade agreement between Australia and the European Union in the coming week, with Trade Minister Don Farrell confirming talks are in the...
Advertisers Shift From The Trade Desk as Competition Rises in Programmatic Sales
On March 17, 2026, The Trade Desk disclosed that a growing number of its advertisers are beginning to shop around, allocating spend to rivals such as Amazon DSP, retail‑media networks and direct‑buy platforms. The trend, reported by Digiday, reflects agency...
Oil Prices Top $100 as Iran Strikes Boost US and European Stocks
On March 16‑17, 2026, renewed Iranian strikes on oil infrastructure drove Brent crude above $100 a barrel, sparking a rally in both U.S. and European equity markets. The S&P 500 jumped 1%, the Dow added 387 points, and the Stoxx...
Fed Meeting Kicks Off, Futures Jump as Markets React to Geopolitical Tensions and Rate Outlook
On March 17, 2026, the Federal Reserve opened its two‑day policy meeting in Washington while U.S. equity futures rose, with the Dow up 0.1%, the S&P 500 up 0.3% and the Nasdaq up 0.5%. Investors weighed a 99% probability that...
Hulu Axes Sarah Michelle Gellar‑Led Buffy Reboot Amid Creative Dispute
On Friday night, March 15, 2026, Hulu announced it would not move forward with the Buffy: New Sunnydale reboot starring Sarah Michelle Gellar and directed by Chloé Zhao. Disney Television Group President Craig Erwich delivered the decision, ending a pilot that had already...
EIG‑Backed MidOcean Energy Secures Over $1.2 Billion for Offshore Wind Projects
On March 18, 2026, MidOcean Energy announced that it had secured more than $1.2 billion in financing, led by private‑equity firm EIG and backed by 16 partner investors, to fund offshore wind developments across the U.S. and Europe.
OpenAI Seeks $10B Private‑Equity Joint Venture to Accelerate Enterprise AI
On March 18, 2026, OpenAI disclosed it is negotiating a $10 billion joint venture with top private‑equity firms to commercialize its enterprise AI suite. TPG would act as anchor investor, joined by Advent International, Bain Capital and Brookfield Asset Management, while...
Akamai Deploys AI Grid Across 4,400 Edge Locations, Accelerating Real‑Time Inference
On March 18, 2026, Akamai Technologies announced the launch of its AI Grid, a distributed inference platform that leverages thousands of NVIDIA RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell GPUs across 4,400 edge locations worldwide. The rollout, built on NVIDIA AI Enterprise and BlueField DPUs,...
EchoStar’s DISH Wireless Walks Away From $9 B Tower Leases, Raising Alarm in U.S. Telecom
On March 15, 2026, EchoStar’s DISH Wireless unit announced it would void roughly $9 billion in long‑term tower lease contracts, invoking force majeure after the FCC warned it failed to meet spectrum‑buildout benchmarks. The move has triggered lawsuits from tower owners...
Pakistan Leaps to 7th in Global Telecom Rankings After $507M 5G Spectrum Auction
On March 10, 2026 Pakistan concluded a landmark IMT spectrum auction that added 480 MHz of 5G‑ready bandwidth, raising total assigned spectrum to nearly 754 MHz. The auction generated about $507 million for the government and lifted Pakistan from 14th to 7th place...
AT&T Commits $250 B to Build AI‑Ready Network, Sparking Industry Upgrade Race
On March 16, 2026, AT&T announced a $250 billion, five‑year capital program to upgrade its U.S. fiber and wireless infrastructure for generative AI and edge computing, targeting more than 100 million customers. Industry analyst Jeff Kagan highlighted the move as a bellwether...
Ofcom Extends Openreach Oversight, Expands Price Caps to Boost UK Fibre Rollout
On March 17, 2026, Ofcom announced a five‑year extension of its regulatory framework for BT Openreach, widening wholesale price caps to 80 Mbit/s and laying out new rules for the final phase of the UK’s full‑fibre broadband rollout. The decision, made...
Rob Arnott Predicts S&P 500 Will Average Just 3% Annual Returns over Next Decade
Rob Arnott, founder and chairman of Research Affiliates, told Fortune that the S&P 500 is likely to deliver only about 3% annual total returns over the next ten years. The warning came in a recent interview as the index has...
Fed Meeting Sparks Real‑Time Market Watch as Investors Track Indexes and Geopolitical Moves
On March 18, 2026, the Federal Reserve began its policy meeting while U.S. investors turned to real‑time data from Investor's Business Daily's Stock Market Today column to watch the Nasdaq, S&P 500, Dow Jones and Russell 2000. The column provides...
U.S. Stocks Surge on Oil Price Drop, Mark Best Day Since Iran War Began
On Monday, March 10, 2026, U.S. equities surged— the S&P 500 rose 1%, the Dow added 387 points and the Nasdaq climbed 1.2%— marking the best trading day since the Iran war began. The rally was sparked by a 5.3%...
Google Ads Editor 2.12 Boosts Creative Control and Flexibility for AI‑Driven Campaigns
On March 17, 2026, Google released version 2.12 of its Google Ads Editor, a desktop tool used by millions of paid‑search advertisers worldwide. The update adds expanded video limits, vertical asset support, and total‑campaign‑budget controls, giving marketers finer creative and...
Okara Launches AI‑CMO Platform to Automate SEO, Content and Growth for Startups
On March 17, 2026, AI startup Okara unveiled its AI‑CMO, a subscription‑based platform that automates SEO, content creation and growth hacking for founders worldwide. The service, priced at $99 per month, is live and promises to deliver marketing workflows within...
Candid Unveils Live Marketing Platform, Claims AI Will Automate 90% of Tasks
Candid, a marketing technology firm, launched its Live Marketing platform on March 18, 2026, announcing that AI will perform 90% of all operational marketing tasks. The press release, distributed via PR Newswire, positions the solution as a turnkey tool for...
Butler/Till’s Agentic Media Buying Cuts Costs 82% and Boosts Impressions 40%
Independent agency Butler/Till, partnered with PubMatic, completed its first agentic media‑buying pilot for Geloso Beverage Group across CTV, online and mobile publishers in December 2025‑January 2026, reporting an 82% cut in supply‑chain fees, a 40% rise in impressions and a...
Iran-Israel Conflict Sends Brent Crude Over $103 as Hormuz Bottleneck Deepens
On March 16‑17, 2026, Brent crude surged past $103 a barrel after Iran's attacks on the Strait of Hormuz halted most tanker traffic. U.S. President Donald Trump warned NATO allies they would not be called upon, while U.S. allies hesitated...
Alibaba Unveils Enterprise AI Platform Amid China’s Generative‑AI Agent Boom
On March 18, 2026, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd announced the launch of a new enterprise‑focused AI platform in China, aiming to ride the rapid growth of generative‑AI agents across Chinese businesses. The service, delivered through Alibaba Cloud, is positioned as...
UK Convenience Stores See First Drop in Shop‑Theft as £313 M Crime‑Spend Takes Effect
The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) said UK convenience retailers recorded 5.8 million shop‑theft incidents in the past year, down from 6.2 million the year before, while spending £313 million on crime‑prevention technology. The decline, reported in the ACS Crime Report released this...
Saks Global Secures Extra £225 Million in Bankruptcy Financing, Bolstering Luxury Restructuring
On March 18, 2026, Saks Global announced that senior secured bondholders approved an additional £225.4 million of its bankruptcy financing package, completing the pre‑emergence funding needed to execute its five‑year restructuring plan. The deal, confirmed in Texas, gives the luxury retailer...
Walmart Turns Closed Health Clinics Into Clinical Research Hubs
On March 18, 2026, Walmart disclosed that it will repurpose its recently shuttered Walmart Health clinics across the United States as clinical research sites. The move, announced by Walmart’s health‑care leadership, aims to leverage the retailer’s extensive store network to...
RBA's 4.1% Cash Rate Hike Sends Shockwaves Through Australian Retail
On March 17, 2026 the Reserve Bank of Australia raised its cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1% in a narrow 5‑4 board vote. The decision, driven by lingering inflation and Middle‑East oil shocks, was immediately flagged by Australian...
Middle East War Forces Pharma Reroute Critical Medicines to Safeguard Australian Supply
On March 17‑18, 2026, major pharmaceutical companies, represented by Medicines Australia, began diverting critical medicines from the Strait of Hormuz sea lane to air freight and alternative routes to ensure delivery to Australia. CEOs Liz de Somer and Leyla Hannbeck...
TerraPower Isotopes Launches cGMP Plant to Boost Actinium‑225 Supply Twenty‑Fold
TerraPower Isotopes announced on March 18, 2026 that it will build a new cGMP‑compliant manufacturing facility designed to raise actinium‑225 output by twenty times. The plant, slated for construction later this year, aims to address the growing demand for the...
EU Strikes Compromise on Pharma Reform: New Launch Rules and Antibiotic Voucher
On 6 March 2024, EU ambassadors in the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) reached a political compromise on a continent‑wide pharma reform. The deal tightens launch obligations for centrally authorised medicines, restricts the transferable exclusivity voucher, and creates a new antibiotic...
FDA Clears AstraZeneca’s All‑Oral Calquence‑Venetoclax Regimen for First‑Line CLL and SLL
On March 18, 2024 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved AstraZeneca’s all‑oral, fixed‑duration combination of Calquence (acalabrutinib) and venetoclax for first‑line treatment of adult chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). The decision follows the Phase III Amplify...