Frustrated and anxious travelers clamored Tuesday for flights out of the Middle East and other regions where a widening Iran war has stranded tens of thousands of people, closed major airports and caused widespread cancellations.

The U.S. State Department urged all Americans to leave more than a dozen countries in the region, while other nations scrambled to arrange repatriation flights for their citizens. But with airspaces closed or restricted across the Gulf, many weren’t sure what to do.

“They say ‘Get out,’ but how do you expect us to get out when airspaces are closed?” said Odies Turner, a 32-year-old chef from Dallas who was stuck in Doha, Qatar. “They just have been canceling every flight. I want to go home.”

Chicago woman unsure of when she’ll return home from Dubai after US attacks on Iran

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Mora Namdar posted Monday on X that Americans in Iran and Israel, as well as Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, the Palestinian territories, Saudi Arabia, Syria, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen, should “DEPART NOW” using any available commercial transportation.

Scramble to get home

While governments around the world worked to evacuate citizens who were stuck overseas, Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, said that “right now, the options are fairly limited.” He warned there was only so much the U.S. government could do.

“The U.S. Embassy is not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel,” Huckabee wrote on X, adding information about a shuttle bus to Egypt the embassy provided as a courtesy “as you make your own security plans.”

Many travelers were holed up in hotels near major Mideast gateways. Others were forced to seek shelter because of airstrikes, or were marooned on cruise ships that couldn’t sail through the Strait of Hormuz.

“We called our children at 3 a.m. to ask forgiveness because we might die and to tell them we love them and to let them know that it’s over for us,” said Mariana Muicaru, among hundreds of Romanian pilgrims who had been stranded on a church trip to Israel.

Muicara, who watched rockets fly across the sky, finally reached Bucharest on Tuesday.

Critical travel route

Anita Mendiratta, an international aviation and tourism consultant who was stuck in Bangkok, said the location of the war would inevitably upend travel and trade.

“Effectively within the Middle East, an eight-hour flying distance covers two-thirds of the world population,” she said. “When that corridor is blocked, it forces aviation to either move far north which is going into potentially other conflict airspace, such as Russia, such as Pakistan, or fly south. That puts huge pressure on the airlines.”

Still, some were slowly making their way out.

Tess Arnold, a 34-year-old travel writer from Seattle, had been caught in Dubai, but managed to get to London on Tuesday and hopes to return home a day later.

After days of the unsettling booms and the site of what appeared to be missile or drone interceptions, she was elated to be on her way.

“Huge relief,” she said by text message. “The entire plane was whooping and clapping.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/anxious-travelers-scramble-as-iran-war-strands-tens-of-thousands-across-the-middle-east/ 

After residents have expressed concerns with high utility bills this winter, the Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC — or NIPSCO — is offering help.

However, Kevin Mejia, who has helped organize NIPSCO protests in Northwest Indiana, believes it’s too little too late.

“There are four months of usage that customers are going to feel the most,” Mejia said. “We’ve already gone through three of the four months, and now they want to do something at the end of the season, and I think it’s an insult.”

On Monday, NIPSCO announced temporary support measures for customers, including waived late and reconnect fees, paused service disconnections for nonpayment and reduced reconnect deposits for gas customers. The support is available through March 31, according to the utility’s news release.

“These temporary support measures complement existing assistance and billing options available to NIPSCO customers,” Vince Parisi, NIPSCO president and COO, said in a news release. “Every customer’s situation is unique, and our teams are here to help customers review their bills, answer questions and explore available support options.”

According to the news release, NIPSCO’s assistance is for residential customers and will help manage winter bills. The bill support comes after recent “extreme weather,” according to NIPSCO, which “has been especially challenging for many.”

NIPSCO held a series of community meetings to hear customers’ concerns about high bills in LaPorte, Valparaiso and Merrillville, but they were closed to the media, who were only allowed to interview customers outside the venues.

On Tuesday, Mejia said NIPSCO’s action shows that the utility is noticing residents’ concerns. Mejia has helped organize multiple NIPSCO protests at its Hammond office and Merrillville headquarters that were mainly concerned with high gas delivery charges.

“That’s one thing I want to keep bringing awareness to,” he said. “I don’t want our elderly and our disabled population to be left out there to die without any assistance.”

Mejia said the majority of Northwest Indiana residents he’s talked to have the same reaction to NIPSCO’s announcement.

“People are still struggling,” he added. “People are in fear that they and their family are going to have their power cut off. There’s a lot of people who are barely making it by in this economy, and it’s been very, very sad for sure.”

NIPSCO’s announcement comes less than one week after the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission announced that it’s conducting an investigative inquiry into the state’s energy affordability. NIPSCO will be one of five utilities included in the March 24 inquiry.

As part of the inquiry, the five utilities will present on various topics, including how usage and rates lead to bills, the impact of growth on accountability, and short term steps that can increase bill transparency and rising energy costs, according to the IURC. The inquiry will be from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the PNC Center in Indianapolis, and it will be streamed on the IURC’s website, according to Post-Tribune archives.

A NIPSCO spokesperson previously told the Post-Tribune that the utility is committed to cooperating with the commission. NIPSCO doesn’t set or raise utility prices on its own, and the company files rates with the IURC, according to Post-Tribune archives.

Last year, the IURC approved a 16.75% rate increase for residential customers, an increase of about $23 per month, according to Post-Tribune archives.

mwilkins@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/nipsco-to-offer-winter-bill-assistance-amid-skyrocketing-utility-bills/ 

After residents have expressed concerns with high utility bills this winter, the Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC — or NIPSCO — is offering help.

However, Kevin Mejia, who has helped organize NIPSCO protests in Northwest Indiana, believes it’s too little too late.

“There are four months of usage that customers are going to feel the most,” Mejia said. “We’ve already gone through three of the four months, and now they want to do something at the end of the season, and I think it’s an insult.”

On Monday, NIPSCO announced temporary support measures for customers, including waived late and reconnect fees, paused service disconnections for nonpayment and reduced reconnect deposits for gas customers. The support is available through March 31, according to the utility’s news release.

“These temporary support measures complement existing assistance and billing options available to NIPSCO customers,” Vince Parisi, NIPSCO president and COO, said in a news release. “Every customer’s situation is unique, and our teams are here to help customers review their bills, answer questions and explore available support options.”

According to the news release, NIPSCO’s assistance is for residential customers and will help manage winter bills. The bill support comes after recent “extreme weather,” according to NIPSCO, which “has been especially challenging for many.”

NIPSCO held a series of community meetings to hear customers’ concerns about high bills in LaPorte, Valparaiso and Merrillville, but they were closed to the media, who were only allowed to interview customers outside the venues.

On Tuesday, Mejia said NIPSCO’s action shows that the utility is noticing residents’ concerns. Mejia has helped organize multiple NIPSCO protests at its Hammond office and Merrillville headquarters that were mainly concerned with high gas delivery charges.

“That’s one thing I want to keep bringing awareness to,” he said. “I don’t want our elderly and our disabled population to be left out there to die without any assistance.”

Mejia said the majority of Northwest Indiana residents he’s talked to have the same reaction to NIPSCO’s announcement.

“People are still struggling,” he added. “People are in fear that they and their family are going to have their power cut off. There’s a lot of people who are barely making it by in this economy, and it’s been very, very sad for sure.”

NIPSCO’s announcement comes less than one week after the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission announced that it’s conducting an investigative inquiry into the state’s energy affordability. NIPSCO will be one of five utilities included in the March 24 inquiry.

As part of the inquiry, the five utilities will present on various topics, including how usage and rates lead to bills, the impact of growth on accountability, and short term steps that can increase bill transparency and rising energy costs, according to the IURC. The inquiry will be from 8:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the PNC Center in Indianapolis, and it will be streamed on the IURC’s website, according to Post-Tribune archives.

A NIPSCO spokesperson previously told the Post-Tribune that the utility is committed to cooperating with the commission. NIPSCO doesn’t set or raise utility prices on its own, and the company files rates with the IURC, according to Post-Tribune archives.

Last year, the IURC approved a 16.75% rate increase for residential customers, an increase of about $23 per month, according to Post-Tribune archives.

mwilkins@chicagotribune.com

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/nipsco-to-offer-winter-bill-assistance-amid-skyrocketing-utility-bills/ 

Por SAMUEL PETREQUIN

PARÍS (AP) — El presidente de Francia, Emmanuel Macron, ordenó el martes que el portaaviones francés de propulsión nuclear, el Charles de Gaulle, se traslade del mar Báltico al Mediterráneo para ayudar a proteger activos de países aliados durante la actual guerra en Oriente Medio.

Macron indicó que el Charles de Gaulle estará escoltado por su escuadrón aéreo y por las fragatas que lo acompañan.

En un discurso pregrabado emitido en la televisión francesa, Macron añadió que en las últimas horas se han desplegado en Oriente Medio cazas Rafale, sistemas de defensa antiaérea y sistemas de radar aerotransportado.

“Mantendremos este esfuerzo tanto como sea necesario”, afirmó Macron.

Mencionó el ataque del lunes contra una base de la fuerza aérea británica en Chipre, y agregó que Chipre es un miembro de la Unión Europea con el que Francia ha firmado recientemente una asociación estratégica.

“Esto requiere nuestro apoyo. Por eso he decidido enviar también allí recursos adicionales de defensa antiaérea, junto con una fragata francesa, la Languedoc, que llegará frente a la costa de Chipre más tarde esta noche”, expresó Macron.

Francia, el Reino Unido y Alemania han dicho que no participaron en los ataques de Estados Unidos e Israel contra Irán, pero que estaban preparados para facilitar una acción defensiva necesaria y proporcionada para destruir la capacidad de Irán de lanzar misiles y drones.

Macron señaló que Francia tiene acuerdos de defensa que vinculan al país con Qatar, Kuwait y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, además de firmes compromisos con Jordania e Irak.

Señalando que la guerra se había extendido al Líbano, Macron sostuvo que el grupo político-paramilitar libanés Hezbollah, respaldado por Irán, cometió “el grave error de atacar a Israel” y de poner en peligro al pueblo libanés, pero advirtió que Israel no debería lanzar una operación terrestre.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/macron-ordena-despliegue-de-portaaviones-francs-en-el-mediterrneo/ 

Por SAMUEL PETREQUIN

PARÍS (AP) — El presidente de Francia, Emmanuel Macron, ordenó el martes que el portaaviones francés de propulsión nuclear, el Charles de Gaulle, se traslade del mar Báltico al Mediterráneo para ayudar a proteger activos de países aliados durante la actual guerra en Oriente Medio.

Macron indicó que el Charles de Gaulle estará escoltado por su escuadrón aéreo y por las fragatas que lo acompañan.

En un discurso pregrabado emitido en la televisión francesa, Macron añadió que en las últimas horas se han desplegado en Oriente Medio cazas Rafale, sistemas de defensa antiaérea y sistemas de radar aerotransportado.

“Mantendremos este esfuerzo tanto como sea necesario”, afirmó Macron.

Mencionó el ataque del lunes contra una base de la fuerza aérea británica en Chipre, y agregó que Chipre es un miembro de la Unión Europea con el que Francia ha firmado recientemente una asociación estratégica.

“Esto requiere nuestro apoyo. Por eso he decidido enviar también allí recursos adicionales de defensa antiaérea, junto con una fragata francesa, la Languedoc, que llegará frente a la costa de Chipre más tarde esta noche”, expresó Macron.

Francia, el Reino Unido y Alemania han dicho que no participaron en los ataques de Estados Unidos e Israel contra Irán, pero que estaban preparados para facilitar una acción defensiva necesaria y proporcionada para destruir la capacidad de Irán de lanzar misiles y drones.

Macron señaló que Francia tiene acuerdos de defensa que vinculan al país con Qatar, Kuwait y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos, además de firmes compromisos con Jordania e Irak.

Señalando que la guerra se había extendido al Líbano, Macron sostuvo que el grupo político-paramilitar libanés Hezbollah, respaldado por Irán, cometió “el grave error de atacar a Israel” y de poner en peligro al pueblo libanés, pero advirtió que Israel no debería lanzar una operación terrestre.

___

Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con la ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/macron-ordena-despliegue-de-portaaviones-francs-en-el-mediterrneo/ 

In the weeks leading up to her death, Brittany Battaglia told her friends she was growing increasingly worried about her boyfriend’s strange behavior.

Then one day, her friend and roommate Quamieshia Greathouse testified, Battaglia and Greathouse finished up an errand and Battaglia left to check on her boyfriend and make him a meal.

It was the last time Greathouse ever saw her.

After Battaglia had been missing for several days, Chicago police officers made a gruesome discovery at the the Logan Square apartment of her boyfriend, Genesis Silva, on June 5, 2023, prosecutors said Tuesday. Her body was found in a duffel bag, nearly decapitated, police said.

“The defendant and Brittany had a tumultuous relationship,” Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Dale-Schmidt said. “The defendant, during the course of the relationship, began to act erratically. Britney became concerned.”

Silva, 36, is standing trial on charges of murder as a jury heard opening statements on Tuesday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building while Battaglia’s family watched from the gallery.

A woman found dead Monday night in Logan Square was identified by loved ones as 33-year-old Brittany Battaglia, shown here, who was described as a “great person” by her brother AJ Battaglia. (Family photo).

AJ Battaglia gave us permission to use this photo of Brittany.

– Original Credit: Handout

Silva’s public defenders, though, argued that Silva, suffering from a mental health crisis, tried to conceal the homicide when he found Battaglia dead in his apartment, thinking no one would believe he didn’t do it. They also pointed out that a friend of Silva’s, Peter Mathes, is facing a charge of concealing a homicide for helping Silva, but struck a deal with prosecutors for the charge to be dismissed in exchange for his testimony.

“Neither one wants to be found with a body,” Assistant Public Defender Celeste Addyman said. “What does everybody think when there’s a dead body in your house? That you did it.”

But Greathouse told jurors that Battaglia was becoming more alarmed about Silva’s behavior. On one occasion, she said, Battaglia helped Silva collect all his belongings after he threw them out of his car, thinking the items were being tracked.

The last time anyone saw Battaglia was on June 2, 2023, prosecutors said. Greathouse was at Home Depot with Battaglia when she got a series of calls and texts from Silva that concerned her.

“She said she was going to go to Genesis’s house to check up on him … make sure he ate and that he drank some water,” Greathouse said.

But she never returned that night to their shared apartment, so Greathouse called police and reached out to Battaglia’s family.

Meanwhile, prosecutors alleged, Silva and Mathes were cleaning up the apartment before they bought the duffel bag and put her body inside.

Later, police searched the apartment and found the duffel bag, along with cleaning supplies and multiple knives.

Battaglia grew up in Bloomingdale and worked as a nanny and esthetician, her mother testified on Tuesday.

She learned her daughter had gone missing when she was awoken at night by a phone call from her son. She texted with her daughter nearly every day, she said.

Her voice wavering, she said the last time she saw her daughter was a couple of weeks earlier, on Mother’s Day.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/trial-begins-for-man-accused-of-killing-woman-putting-her-in-duffel-bag-in-logan-square/ 

In the weeks leading up to her death, Brittany Battaglia told her friends she was growing increasingly worried about her boyfriend’s strange behavior.

Then one day, her friend and roommate Quamieshia Greathouse testified, Battaglia and Greathouse finished up an errand and Battaglia left to check on her boyfriend and make him a meal.

It was the last time Greathouse ever saw her.

After Battaglia had been missing for several days, Chicago police officers made a gruesome discovery at the the Logan Square apartment of her boyfriend, Genesis Silva, on June 5, 2023, prosecutors said Tuesday. Her body was found in a duffel bag, nearly decapitated, police said.

“The defendant and Brittany had a tumultuous relationship,” Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Dale-Schmidt said. “The defendant, during the course of the relationship, began to act erratically. Britney became concerned.”

Silva, 36, is standing trial on charges of murder as a jury heard opening statements on Tuesday at the Leighton Criminal Court Building while Battaglia’s family watched from the gallery.

A woman found dead Monday night in Logan Square was identified by loved ones as 33-year-old Brittany Battaglia, shown here, who was described as a “great person” by her brother AJ Battaglia. (Family photo).

AJ Battaglia gave us permission to use this photo of Brittany.

– Original Credit: Handout

Silva’s public defenders, though, argued that Silva, suffering from a mental health crisis, tried to conceal the homicide when he found Battaglia dead in his apartment, thinking no one would believe he didn’t do it. They also pointed out that a friend of Silva’s, Peter Mathes, is facing a charge of concealing a homicide for helping Silva, but struck a deal with prosecutors for the charge to be dismissed in exchange for his testimony.

“Neither one wants to be found with a body,” Assistant Public Defender Celeste Addyman said. “What does everybody think when there’s a dead body in your house? That you did it.”

But Greathouse told jurors that Battaglia was becoming more alarmed about Silva’s behavior. On one occasion, she said, Battaglia helped Silva collect all his belongings after he threw them out of his car, thinking the items were being tracked.

The last time anyone saw Battaglia was on June 2, 2023, prosecutors said. Greathouse was at Home Depot with Battaglia when she got a series of calls and texts from Silva that concerned her.

“She said she was going to go to Genesis’s house to check up on him … make sure he ate and that he drank some water,” Greathouse said.

But she never returned that night to their shared apartment, so Greathouse called police and reached out to Battaglia’s family.

Meanwhile, prosecutors alleged, Silva and Mathes were cleaning up the apartment before they bought the duffel bag and put her body inside.

Later, police searched the apartment and found the duffel bag, along with cleaning supplies and multiple knives.

Battaglia grew up in Bloomingdale and worked as a nanny and esthetician, her mother testified on Tuesday.

She learned her daughter had gone missing when she was awoken at night by a phone call from her son. She texted with her daughter nearly every day, she said.

Her voice wavering, she said the last time she saw her daughter was a couple of weeks earlier, on Mother’s Day.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/trial-begins-for-man-accused-of-killing-woman-putting-her-in-duffel-bag-in-logan-square/ 

Good afternoon, Chicago.

Wilmette officials are objecting to a proposal that would permit the Chicago Stars soccer team to play home matches at the new Ryan Field following the expected stadium opening later this year.

The Chicago Stars, a member of the National Women’s Soccer League, have filed an application with Evanston seeking permission to play 15 to 17 home matches annually at Ryan Field over a five-year period, with an option to extend after the third year, according to city documents. The matches would be played between March and November. Because the stadium at 1501 Central Street sits along the Evanston-Wilmette border, Wilmette officials say the additional events could negatively affect village residents.

Here’s what else is happening today. And remember, for the latest breaking news in Chicago, visit chicagotribune.com/latest-headlines and sign up to get our alerts on all your devices.

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From left, Javier Ramirez and Leonardo Garcia Venegas, U.S. citizens who were detained by ICE, and Marimar Martinez, a U.S. citizen who was shot five times by U.S. Border Patrol, stand as Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on March 3, 2026, in Washington. The Department of Homeland Security has faced criticism over its handling of immigration enforcement leaving the department unfunded. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty)

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem declines to address Marimar Martinez, tells Senate panel she’s ‘not familiar’ with her shooting

With Marimar Martinez standing directly behind her, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in Washington today that she was not “familiar with the details” of Martinez’s shooting by an immigration agent in Chicago last fall and unaware whether the agent who shot her was still on duty. Read more here.

More top news stories:

Gov. JB Pritzker says he didn’t travel on Jeffrey Epstein’s plane following Bill Clinton testimony
In the north suburbs, US attacks in Iran provoke fear: ‘Innocent people are gonna be killed’

This Italianate-style Hyde Park home was named Woodhaven by its onetime owner Lenore Wood. (Chicago Home Photos)

U. of C. finance professor lists Italianate-style, 5-bedroom home in Hyde Park for $3.2M

University of Chicago Booth School of Business finance professor Luigi Zingales and his wife, Jill, on Feb. 10 listed their five-bedroom, 5,000-square-foot, vintage Italianate-style brick home in Hyde Park for $3.2 million. Read more here.

More top business stories:

Amazon previews Prime Air drone delivery to begin this summer in Markham and Matteson
Sunset Foods no longer planning Northfield grocery store at old Mariano’s location

Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli points to a teammate during the first half against Oregon on Feb. 28, 2026, at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston. (Josh Boland/Chicago Tribune)

Nick Martinelli feels ‘grateful’ — while eyeing a few more wins — as his record Northwestern career winds down

For four years, Nick Martinelli has called Northwestern home, rising from a freshman reserve on the first of back-to-back NCAA Tournament teams in 2023 to become one of the best scorers in program history. Read more here.

More top sports stories:

Drew Dalman, the Pro Bowl Chicago Bears center, reportedly is retiring at age 27
Chicago basketball report: Hannah Hidalgo and Notre Dame gain steam — and WNBA players wary of strike

Suraya Osman, second from right, serves Samreen Ibrahim, second from left, at a community iftar hosted by the Muslim-cultural Student Association at Northwestern University on Feb. 23, 2026, in Evanston. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Muslim students at Northwestern University carve out a homey Ramadan with iftars and free meals program

The last few years have seen broad changes in the Muslim student experience at Northwestern, specifically during the month of Ramadan, when observing students are fasting from dawn to dusk. Read more here.

More top Eat. Watch. Do. stories:

Joffrey Ballet’s next season includes ‘Sleeping Beauty,’ ‘Liliom’ and a love letter to Chicago
Review: ‘Morning, Noon, and Night’ taps into anxieties born of the COVID era
Review: ‘The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao’ is about a nerdy young man with an open heart

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Netanyahu takes a gamble on American support for Israel with the war against Iran

By enlisting the U.S. in what he views as Israel’s existential battle against Iran, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is taking a gamble that could open up the relationship to the strain of a war with far-reaching consequences. Read more here.

More top stories from around the world:

Supreme Court blocks law against schools outing transgender students to their parents in California
Trump administration abandons efforts to impose orders on law firms

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/03/03/afternoon-briefing-wilmette-objects-to-chicago-stars-games-at-ryan-field/