Stephen Colbert will co-write a new Lord of the Rings feature, Warner Bros. and director Peter Jackson announced on March 25, 2026. The working title is The Lord of the Rings: Shadow of the Past. Colbert — joined on the project by his son Peter McGee and longtime franchise writer Philippa Boyens — said the story draws on six early chapters of The Fellowship of the Ring (roughly “Three Is Company” through “Fog on the Barrow-Downs”), material not adapted in Jackson’s 2001 film. The logline places the film 14 years after Frodo’s passing and follows Sam, Merry and Pippin as they retrace their original journey while Sam’s daughter Elanor uncovers a secret that explains why the War of the Ring was nearly lost. Jackson’s announcement accompanied an update on Andy Serkis’s separate Lord of the Rings film The Hunt for Gollum, due Dec. 17, 2027. Colbert — whose Late Show run ends May 21, 2026 — said he will begin work this summer. The project will be produced by Jackson’s WingNut Films in association with Warner Bros./New Line; casting and a release date for Shadow of the Past have not been announced.

Mohamed Salah confirmed on March 24–25, 2026 that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the 2025–26 season, bringing a nine-year spell at Anfield to a close. Liverpool and the Egypt international reached an agreement allowing Salah — who has scored 255 goals in 435 appearances, won multiple domestic and European trophies and four Premier League Golden Boots — to depart with a year left on his contract. His agent Ramy Abbas Issa warned against speculation about his next club, saying neither he nor Salah knows where the forward will play next season. Media and bookmakers immediately linked Salah with the Saudi Pro League, MLS (notably Inter Miami and San Diego FC), and a handful of European suitors. The announcement comes amid reports of strained relations with manager Arne Slot earlier this season, a dip in form and a recent muscle injury. Liverpool have begun identifying replacements — names such as RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande have been mentioned — while reports suggest the Saudi league is also targeting Liverpool sporting executives. The club has postponed full tributes until the end of the campaign as Salah stays focused on remaining FA Cup and Champions League ties.

Mel Schilling, the Australian psychologist and relationship coach best known as an expert on Married At First Sight in Australia and the UK, has died aged 54, her husband announced. Gareth Brisbane said Schilling passed away peacefully on March 24, 2026, in London “surrounded by love,” and that in her final moments she whispered a message to him and their daughter, Maddie. Schilling was first diagnosed with colon cancer in late 2023; surgeons removed a tumour then and she entered remission, but the disease later returned and metastasised to her lungs and, over Christmas 2025, to the left side of her brain. She told followers on March 12 that her cancer was terminal and there was “nothing further” doctors could do. Colleagues and former contestants paid tribute, including John Aiken, Paul C. Brunson and Alessandra Rampolla; broadcasters including Channel 4/E4 and Nine aired on‑air tributes and said it had been Schilling’s wish that Married At First Sight continue to air. Schilling split her time between the UK and Australia while undergoing treatment and remained a high‑profile voice on relationships and public health awareness.

Denmark’s snap election on March 24 left Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen politically weakened after her Social Democrats posted their worst result since 1903. With 100% of votes counted, the party won 21.9% (38 seats) and the left-leaning “red bloc” took 84 seats in the 179-seat Folketing; the right-leaning “blue bloc” won 77. Neither side reached the 90-seat majority, leaving the centrist Moderates, led by foreign minister and former premier Lars Løkke Rasmussen, with 14 seats in the kingmaker position. The anti-immigration Danish People’s Party surged to about 9.1% (16 seats) while the Liberal party Venstre suffered a historic low near 10.1%. Voter turnout was around 84%. Frederiksen met the king on March 25 to hand in her government’s resignation and will remain caretaker while party leaders begin the formal process of proposing a “royal investigator” to lead negotiations. Key campaign issues included cost-of-living pressures, migration policy, a proposed modest wealth tax, agricultural pollution and public services; the earlier Greenland standoff with U.S. President Donald Trump boosted Frederiksen’s profile but did not deliver a decisive “bounce.” Coalition talks are expected to be lengthy and politically complex.

Tiger Woods made his first competitive appearance in more than a year at the TGL Finals in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, on March 24, 2026, but his Jupiter Links team was trounced 9-2 by Los Angeles Golf Club. Woods, 50, hit a high-speed drive and contributed early but missed a short putt that helped swing momentum to LAGC, who sealed the SoFi Cup with three consecutive eagles. The indoor, simulator-based league — which Woods co-founded with Rory McIlroy — awarded $9 million to the winners and $4.5 million to Jupiter Links. Woods reiterated he wants to play the Masters at Augusta National (April 9-12) but stopped short of committing, citing recovery limits after a ruptured Achilles last year and lumbar disc replacement surgery in October. He said he will be at Augusta for the Champions Dinner and to unveil his short-course project "The Loop" and will monitor how his body responds in the coming weeks. Separately, world No.1 Scottie Scheffler withdrew from the Houston Open because his wife is due to give birth, underscoring last-minute field changes ahead of the Masters.

A U.S. federal judge on March 24 questioned the Pentagon’s unprecedented decision to designate AI company Anthropic a “supply‑chain risk,” saying the action “looks like an attempt to cripple Anthropic.” The comment came during a fast‑tracked hearing in San Francisco before U.S. District Judge Rita F. Lin on Anthropic’s request for a preliminary injunction. The defense department, led publicly by Secretary Pete Hegseth, moved to blacklist Anthropic after the company refused contract terms that would permit unrestricted military use of its Claude model — including for fully autonomous weapons and mass domestic surveillance. President Trump also directed federal agencies to stop using Anthropic tools. Anthropic filed suits on March 9 arguing the label violates its First and Fifth Amendment rights and is legally unprecedented for a U.S. firm. Government lawyers say the designation rests on operational and future‑risk concerns, including the possibility of software updates that could impair systems. Lin said a ruling on whether to pause the designation is expected in the coming days. The case has drawn amicus briefs from major tech firms and raised urgent questions for contractors that integrate Claude into systems such as Palantir’s Maven platform.