The U.S. Department of the Interior announced on March 23 that the Trump administration will reimburse French energy major TotalEnergies roughly $928 million (reported as nearly $1 billion) to relinquish two Atlantic offshore wind leases — the 3 GW New York Bight (Attentive Energy) and the 1 GW Carolina Long Bay areas. The agreement, unveiled at the CERAWeek conference in Houston by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné, requires the company to commit equivalent investment in U.S. oil, gas and LNG projects before being reimbursed. TotalEnergies has said it will redirect the funds to develop four trains at the Rio Grande LNG facility in Texas and to expand upstream oil and shale gas activity in the Gulf and elsewhere. As part of the settlement the company pledged not to pursue new U.S. offshore wind developments. The move follows a year of federal stop-work orders and litigation over East Coast wind projects; several targeted farms have since resumed construction and one has begun delivering power. State officials, renewable trade groups and environmentalists condemned the payout as a misuse of taxpayer money that undermines clean-energy capacity and regional decarbonisation plans.

Mohamed Salah announced on March 24, 2026, that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the 2025–26 season, bringing to a close a nine‑year spell at Anfield. In a video message the 33‑year‑old thanked supporters and said this is “the first part” of his farewell. Liverpool confirmed an agreement allowing Salah to depart a year early on a free transfer despite signing a two‑year extension in April 2025. Salah has scored 255 goals in 435 appearances for the club, making him the Reds’ third‑highest scorer, and has won two Premier League titles, the Champions League and other major honours. His agent Ramy Abbas warned there are no confirmed next steps – “we do not know where Mohamed will play next season” – as speculation links him to the Saudi Pro League, MLS and several European clubs. Teammates and pundits have paid tribute, while Liverpool face the dual task of replacing his on‑field output and reallocating substantial wages. Salah could still feature in remaining domestic and European matches before his exit, including FA Cup and Champions League ties.

Mel Schilling, the Australian psychologist and long‑running relationship expert on Married At First Sight in both Australia and the UK, has died at age 54, her husband Gareth Brisbane announced on Instagram on March 24, 2026. Brisbane said Schilling "passed away peacefully...surrounded by love" and described a final whispered message to him and their daughter Maddie. Schilling was first diagnosed with colon cancer in December 2023; after surgery and chemotherapy the disease recurred and metastasised to her lungs in 2024 and, later, to her brain. She underwent 16 rounds of chemotherapy while continuing to work and revealed on March 12 that doctors had told her there were no further treatment options. Broadcasters and colleagues paid tribute, with Channel 4 and Australia’s Nine issuing statements and fellow expert John Aiken and podcast co‑host Elizabeth Day among many public mourners. Schilling had stepped back from the Australian panel after 12 seasons; Channel 4 confirmed Aiken will assist with the UK series. Funeral arrangements have not been announced.

NASA announced a major overhaul of its Artemis program on March 24–25, 2026, pausing construction of the lunar-orbiting Gateway and redirecting effort and funding to a $20 billion, seven-year plan to build a permanent lunar surface base, focused near the south pole. Administrator Jared Isaacman unveiled the shift at an “Ignition” event in Washington, saying Gateway hardware and partner contributions will be repurposed where feasible. The agency outlined a three-phase surface architecture — ramping up robotic landers and scouting, then semi-habitable infrastructure and recurring crewed operations, then long-duration habitation — and signalled more frequent landings (eventually twice a year). NASA also revealed Space Reactor‑1 “Freedom,” a nuclear-electric propulsion spacecraft planned for launch by the end of 2028 to carry small reconnaissance helicopters to Mars. The pause clouds roles for international partners (ESA, JAXA, CSA) and contractors (including Northrop Grumman, Intuitive Machines/Lanteris and Canada’s MDA), and will trigger RFIs/RFPs as NASA repurposes existing hardware and seeks new commercial and international contributors.

Between March 23 and 24, 2026 Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults on Ukraine, firing roughly 948–1,000 attack drones and dozens of missiles, Ukrainian authorities said. A rare daytime wave of about 550 kamikaze drones struck central and western regions, hitting Lviv’s historic centre and damaging the 17th‑century St Andrew’s Church and nearby Bernardine monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage area. Strikes and overnight bombardments also hit Ivano‑Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Dnipro and other regions, damaging hospitals, apartment blocks and energy infrastructure. Officials reported at least eight people killed and dozens injured; regional figures for wounded range from the dozens to more than 50. Ukraine said its air defences downed hundreds of drones. Overnight strikes severed a high‑voltage power line linking Moldova to Romania, prompting Chisinau to declare a 60‑day energy state of emergency; Poland scrambled jets after incursions near its border. The Institute for the Study of War and Ukrainian commanders said the attacks accompany the build‑up of Russian forces that appears to mark the start of a spring offensive. Kyiv renewed urgent appeals to allies for more air‑defence munitions.

A Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport aircraft carrying troops crashed shortly after takeoff from Puerto Leguízamo in Putumayo, southern Colombia, on March 23-24, 2026, killing at least 66 people and injuring dozens, military authorities said. The plane — reported to have between about 121 and 128 people aboard, mostly army personnel plus crew and two police officers — came down within a few kilometres of the short jungle airstrip. Survivors were pulled from burning wreckage by local residents; many injured were airlifted to hospitals in Bogotá and other cities. Officials said ammunition on board detonated after the fire, complicating rescue efforts. Defence minister Pedro Sánchez and the air force commander said there was no immediate evidence of hostile action and an investigation has been opened with technical support from Lockheed Martin and foreign partners. President Gustavo Petro publicly criticised reliance on secondhand aircraft and renewed calls to accelerate military modernisation. The remote, jungle location and short runway are being cited as factors under review as authorities work to identify victims and establish the crash’s cause.