Robert Mueller, Mail-in Ballots, & Most Popular Dogs

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Adam Rogers
March 23, 2026

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Robert Mueller, the second-longest-serving FBI director in history and the special counsel who investigated Russian interference in the 2016 election, died Saturday at 81. Confirmed 98-0 by the Senate, he began his tenure just days before the September 11 attacks and transformed the FBI's mission toward preventing terrorism.
In 2017, Mueller was appointed special counsel after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey over the Russia probe. His report found Russia interfered in a "sweeping and systematic fashion" to boost Trump's campaign, but did not establish a criminal conspiracy between the Trump campaign and Russia.
President Bush credited him with "helping prevent another terrorist attack on US soil." Obama called him "one of the finest directors in the history of the FBI." Mueller was a decorated Marine who received the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

The Supreme Court takes up Watson v. RNC today, a case that could invalidate mail ballot grace periods in 14 states and Washington, D.C. Current laws allow ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted if they arrive afterward. A ruling is expected by late June, months before November's midterm elections that will decide control of Congress.
The case centers on whether federal statutes setting a uniform Election Day require ballots to be received, not just postmarked, by that date. The Trump administration is backing the RNC, which argues the ballot box must close on Election Day. Mississippi and other states defend grace periods as a constitutional exercise of state authority over elections.
Experts warn a ruling against grace periods could disenfranchise nearly 4 million military and overseas voters who rely on mail ballots, and leave states scrambling to overhaul voting rules before November.

"Saturday Night Live UK" debuted Saturday on Sky One to generally positive reviews, defying widespread British skepticism that the 51-year-old American comedy institution could survive the trans-Atlantic journey.
Tina Fey hosted the premiere, which opened with a sketch of Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeking Gen Z advice on how to talk to President Trump. Trump reposted the clip on Truth Social without comment. The largely unknown British cast received widespread praise. Previous international SNL offshoots in France, Japan, and Italy all failed.
True to British broadcasting rules, the show featured a liberal sprinkling of F-words, something US network television doesn't permit. The initial run is eight episodes with future hosts including Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed.

A California sheriff running for governor seized more than 500,000 ballots from a November special election, claiming a count discrepancy. (More)

Record March heat pushed temperatures above 100 degrees across the Southwest and into Nebraska. (More)

Trump threatened to send ICE agents into US airports today unless Democrats end the DHS partial shutdown, now in its fifth failed funding vote since mid-February. (More)

President Trump gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday or face attacks on its power plants, as Iran threatened to destroy energy infrastructure across the region. (More)

More than 200,000 people rallied in Prague on Saturday against Prime Minister Andrej Babis, whose government has aligned with Hungary's Viktor Orban and moved to restrict press freedom. (More)

A strike on a Sudan hospital killed at least 64 people, including 13 children, the WHO said, as the country's civil war approaches its third year. (More)

US stock markets closed lower on Friday (S&P -1.51%, Nasdaq -2.01%, Dow -0.96%) as the US-Israeli conflict with Iran showed no signs of slowing, and oil prices continued to rise. (More)

A California jury found Elon Musk liable for misleading tweets during his Twitter acquisition, causing share drops. Damages may reach $2.6B, though jurors rejected claims he deliberately defrauded investors. (More)

Super Micro Computer co-founder Wally Liaw resigned from the board after being indicted for allegedly smuggling Nvidia AI chip servers into China, sending shares down 33%. (More)

Iowa eliminated defending national champion Florida 73-72 Sunday by hitting a 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds left, sending the top-seeded Gators home in the second round of the NCAA tournament. (More)

Kevin Durant surpassed Michael Jordan for fifth on the NBA scoring list Saturday, finishing with 32,294 career points as Houston beat Miami 123-122. (More)

“Project Hail Mary” debuted with $80.5M domestically and $140.9M globally, becoming Amazon MGM’s biggest opening ever and 2026’s top debut. (More)

Scientists identified the specific brain cells that form fear memories in mice, a finding that could help explain how traumatic associations develop in people with PTSD or anxiety disorders. (More)

Amazon is reportedly building its first smartphone since the failed 2014 Fire Phone, with AI and Alexa central to the device, which may bypass traditional app stores. (More)

Monarch butterfly numbers rose in Mexico this winter but hit their third-worst count ever in California, where just 12,260 were recorded compared to millions in the 1980s. (More)

Mapping life expectancy by each US state.

Live possum found hiding with plush animals in airport shop.

Doctor says you should keep your air vent open during flights.

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