Business
Rare 4.9 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Louisiana, Second-Strongest in History
A magnitude 4.9 earthquake struck northwestern Louisiana early Thursday, March 5, 2026, awakening residents across the region and marking the second-strongest recorded tremor in the state’s history, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quake hit at approximately 5:30 a.m. CST (6:30 a.m. EST), with its epicenter located about 6 miles west of Edgefield in Red River Parish, roughly 36-40 miles south-southeast of Shreveport. The USGS initially reported the magnitude as 4.4 before upgrading it to 4.9 based on refined data. The shallow depth of about 3-5 miles (5-10 km) contributed to widespread felt shaking despite the moderate size.
Residents from Shreveport and Bossier City to Coushatta and beyond described noticeable jolts that rattled windows, shook furniture, rattled pipes and briefly disrupted sleep. Social media flooded with reports of “the house shaking like a truck hit it” and questions about whether it was a train, explosion or genuine seismic event. The tremor was felt across much of northern Louisiana and into parts of eastern Texas, with some accounts extending to areas near Texarkana.
No immediate reports of serious injuries, structural collapses or major infrastructure damage emerged by midday Thursday. Emergency management officials in Red River, Bossier and Caddo parishes activated protocols to assess buildings, bridges and utilities, but preliminary surveys indicated only minor issues such as cracked drywall or dislodged items in homes. The USGS issued a green alert for the event, signaling a low probability of casualties or significant economic losses from shaking.
Seismologists noted the rarity of such an event in Louisiana, a state not typically associated with frequent or powerful earthquakes. The Pelican State’s seismic history is dominated by smaller events, often linked to the regional fault systems or induced activity from oil and gas operations in some cases. The previous strongest quake was a magnitude 5.3 event off Grand Isle in southern Louisiana on Feb. 9, 2006 — an offshore tremor tied to different tectonic dynamics.
Thursday’s quake ranks as the strongest inland earthquake in Louisiana records and the most powerful to affect the Shreveport area in decades. It surpasses recent minor activity in the region, including a 2.9 magnitude event near Coushatta in late February 2026 and several 2.6-3.1 tremors since late 2025. The area’s geology includes parts of the stable interior of the North American plate, but proximity to the New Madrid Seismic Zone to the north and Gulf Coast subsidence features can allow occasional felt events.
Experts from the USGS and local universities emphasized that while the quake was significant for the area, it remains below thresholds typically associated with widespread destruction. “Magnitude 4.9 events produce strong shaking near the epicenter but rarely cause major damage unless structures are particularly vulnerable,” one seismologist commented in initial briefings. The event’s shallow focus amplified intensity, leading to “moderately strong” perceived shaking (Modified Mercalli Intensity V-VI) close to the epicenter.
Local officials urged residents to check for gas leaks, inspect chimneys and report any structural concerns to authorities. The Red River Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police coordinated response efforts, while the National Weather Service and emergency broadcasters disseminated safety information. No tsunami risk existed, given the inland location.
The quake prompted a surge in “Did You Feel It?” submissions to the USGS website, helping refine intensity maps. Community reactions ranged from surprise to curiosity, with some longtime residents recalling faint tremors in past years but nothing of this caliber. Social media posts included videos of swaying light fixtures and personal accounts from as far as 100 miles away.
Geologists continue monitoring for aftershocks, which are possible but expected to be minor. As of early March 6, 2026 (KST — corresponding to late March 5 evening local time), no significant follow-up events had been recorded, though small aftershocks below magnitude 2.0 may go undetected without sensitive instruments.
This event underscores Louisiana’s occasional seismic vulnerability, even in areas considered low-risk. State emergency preparedness officials used the occasion to remind residents of basic earthquake safety: drop, cover and hold on during shaking, and secure heavy objects to prevent hazards in future incidents.
As investigations into the quake’s precise cause continue — potentially natural tectonic stress or linked to regional subsurface activity — northwest Louisiana returned to normalcy Thursday afternoon. Schools, businesses and transportation operated without major disruptions, though the morning’s rare rumble left an impression on a region more accustomed to hurricanes and floods than earthquakes.
The 4.9 magnitude tremor serves as a reminder of nature’s unpredictability, even in stable continental interiors. Authorities and scientists will analyze data in coming days to better understand this unusual addition to Louisiana’s seismic catalog.
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Hapag-Lloyd HLAG -1.76%decrease; red down pointing triangle said Wednesday that it has suspended all bookings to and from the Upper Gulf region due to the current operational and security constraints in the area.
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FOX Business’ Edward Lawrence speaks with U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum about his meetings with Venezuelan oil and gas executives on ‘The Big Money Show.’
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told FOX Business in an exclusive interview from Venezuela on Wednesday that the relationship between the U.S. and the South American country is moving at “Trump speed,” as their new energy partnership is on track to a “golden age of abundance.”
Burgum told FOX Business that “you can’t argue with geography,” as American companies are showing they want to invest in Venezuela. He said this would have positive impacts on energy affordability in the U.S. and job creation in both the U.S. and Venezuela.
“If you’re shipping oil to a Gulf of America refinery, it’s five days [from Venezuela]. They were shipping some of their product for 40 days around the world,” he said of Venezuela. “It is so beneficial to both the U.S. and Venezuela for us to have a tight synergistic partnership around energy and around minerals just like we did 25 years ago.”
“This literally could be one of the richest countries in the world, and to have them as our friend, our ally and our trading partner, that is absolutely terrific,” Burgum said, noting that the relationship is what the U.S. needs to keep energy prices down for Americans.
VENEZUELA RELEASES ALL KNOWN AMERICAN DETAINEES FOLLOWING MADURO CAPTURE AND GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER
Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum deliver statements at Miraflores Palace, in Caracas, March 4, 2026. (Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)
Burgum said he is optimistic after meeting with Venezuela’s leadership and companies.
“When the U.S. is entering a gold age under President Trump, allies like Venezuela become a strong partner, our economies get back to the way they used to be integrated, they can ride right on our coattails and have their own golden age of abundance,” he said.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in Caracas, Venezuela, March 4, 2026. (Reuters/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)
Burgum was meeting with oil and gas executives, including Chevron and Shell, along with Venezuelan business leaders during his trip to highlight critical mineral partnerships.
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On Thursday, Shell signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Venezuelan government to start liquified natural gas (LNG) production in the Dragon gas field.
Two American service companies, KPR and Baker, and one Venezuelan company, Vepica, will also sign onto the memorandum, so work can begin on oil and natural gas production.
The heavy oil upgrader facility in the Orinoco Oil Belt near Cerro Negro, Venezuela, Dec. 4, 2004. (Ed Lallo/Getty Images)
A senior administration official told FOX Business the LNG from Venezuela could eventually help support power to Europe.
The Trump administration wants to expand access to oil production in the country, ultimately changing the course of global energy supply chains and reducing reliance on China.
Burgum’s visit comes weeks after the Trump administration completed its first sale of Venezuelan oil, valued at $500 million.
The deal comes after Trump announced interim authorities in Venezuela would be turning over between 30 million and 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the U.S., worth about $2.8 billion at current market prices.
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Venezuela holds more than 300 billion barrels of proven oil reserves, nearly quadruple those of the U.S.
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and Fox Business’ Ed Lawrence contributed to this report.
‘The Big Money Show’ panel reacts to Meta’s new child safety alerts as social media companies face mounting scrutiny in court over teen mental health claims.
The judge in the bellwether social media trial in Los Angeles barred Meta’s defense from introducing a document where the plaintiff said she had suffered “sexual abuse during childhood.”
The exchange happened after the jury and plaintiff’s witness, psychiatrist Dr. Kara Bagot, were dismissed for the day. Meta lawyer Paul Schmidt took to the lectern to ask Judge Carolyn Kuhl about an exhibit he wanted to introduce to the court.
The document was a housing application from the plaintiff, a 20-year-old female identified in court as Kaley G.M. She had filled the application out after her mom evicted her from their shared home. When asked in the application if she had suffered any “traumatic circumstances or events” in her life, she wrote: “exposure to neglect, emotional, physical and sexual abuse during childhood.”
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Meta’s lawyer, Paul Schmidt, outside the courtroom in California. (Mike Blake/Reuters)
“This happened in the family, but she wasn’t asked to elaborate,” said Schmidt to the judge. Schmidt wanted to introduce the application, which was filled out in May 2024 – after her lawsuit was filed – to show that Kaley did not list “social media addiction” as one of her traumas.
Schmidt offered to redact “sexual abuse” from the document because it hasn’t been discussed or brought up at the trial in any of her extensive medical records, which number over 200. He said that the other traumas – neglect, emotional and physical abuse – are all backed up in the previous testimonies.
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Kuhl asked to see the application and scoffed, telling Schmidt, “It looks like she’s lying here. She’s bringing up autism, she’s bringing up sexual abuse that never happened,” said Kuhl.
It has not been discussed by either the plaintiff or defense in court if Kaley experienced sexual abuse or if she had lied about experiencing sexual abuse. Autism has been discussed in her records, but she was never diagnosed with it.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives at the Los Angeles Superior Court at United States Court House on Feb. 18, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. (Jill Connelly/Getty Images)
Kuhl asked if there was any evidence of sexual abuse. Schmidt said he didn’t know where Kaley got that from, as it wasn’t explored in her deposition.
“In this document, she’s exaggerating. Common logic says she’s got to find a place to go, she’s trying to convince [the housing] that she’s an abused child so they can help her,” said Kuhl. “She’s making it as ’that’ as possible.”
Schmidt disagreed with Kuhl’s take on the exhibit, saying he only wanted to bring up the traumas that she’s previously testified to.
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“I don’t know how you don’t get a sense of the document that I get. As a judge who sat in child abuse courts, sometimes kids do that,” said Kuhl.
Schmidt told the court he would drop the request and Kuhl thanked him.
Also discussed after the jury was dismissed was the issue of time left for both sides to present their case. Kuhl determined before the trial that each side would get 40 hours to make their case, which includes all direct and re-direct examinations. Currently, the plaintiff attorneys, specifically lead counsel Mark Lanier, have 5 hours and 56 minutes left. The defense, which includes both Meta and Google, has 11 hours and 11 minutes left.
Mark Lanier, the main plaintiff’s lawyer, walks outside the court in California. (Mike Blake/Reuters)
Lanier still has additional witnesses to call, including Meta whistleblower Arturo Bejar. Schmidt and the defense team seemed to be in control of their time left until the testimony of Bagot, who they have spent a considerable amount of time cross-examining.
Bagot will be on the stand for her fifth day on Thursday, which Lanier admits is unusual. Kuhl has also grown weary of how long she’s been on the stand.
“I want to say something to everyone about where this is going. Overnight, think to yourselves, ‘Have I asked this question before?’ Look at the jurors and ask yourself if they’ve got the picture,” Kuhl said.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
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| META | META PLATFORMS INC. | 660.57 | -7.16 | -1.07% |
| GOOGL | ALPHABET INC. | 300.88 | -2.25 | -0.74% |
Kuhl opined that if one of the sides runs out of time and doesn’t have a chance to cross-examine, that could open the door for an appeal.
“The appellate court in our state court system hasn’t spoken to the great issue of the time limit,” said Kuhl. “If we say this is the clock, and it was set when we had no idea what it was going to look like, and all of a sudden a side can’t cross-examine, what are they going to say about this?”
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She expressed optimism the sides would get it done.
“Don’t worry. Don’t fight about it. You are all close. You will get this done.”
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Pedestrians in the snow at Times Square during a winter storm in New York, US, on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Historic winter storms and subsequent store closures weighed on Gap’s performance during its holiday quarter and contributed to worse-than-expected results at its portfolio of brands, the retailer said Thursday.
Cold weather, snow and ice throughout much of the U.S. in January led to about 800 temporary store closures at the storms’ peak, contributing to a miss on comparable sales for Old Navy and mixed companywide results, the retailer said.
“Old Navy and all the brands were actually trending better heading into that weather disruption,” said finance chief Katrina O’Connell. “The good news is the trends recovered immediately after those storms passed.”
Across the business, which includes Old Navy, Banana Republic, Athleta and Gap’s namesake banner, the retailer reported mixed fiscal fourth quarter results – missing expectations on the bottom line and meeting consensus on revenue.
Here’s how the retailer did compared with what Wall Street was anticipating, based on a survey of analysts by LSEG:
- Earnings per share: 45 cents vs. 46 cents expected
- Revenue: $4.24 billion vs. $4.24 billion expected
The company’s reported net income for the three-month period that ended Jan. 31 was $171 million, or 45 cents per share, compared with $206 million, or 54 cents per share, a year earlier. During the quarter, Gap’s gross margin was weighed down by tariffs and fell to 38.1%, slightly worse than analysts expected, according to StreetAccount.
Sales rose to $4.24 billion, up about 2% compared to $4.15 billion a year earlier.
Gap’s guidance was largely in line with expectations, but failed to exceed consensus. For the current quarter, it’s expecting revenue to rise between 1% and 2%, compared to expectations of 2%, according to LSEG.
For the full year, the company is expecting sales to grow between 2% and 3%, in line with expectations of 2.5% growth, according to LSEG. Given a $313 million positive legal settlement Gap saw during the current quarter, it issued an adjusted full-year earnings per share outlook. The company said its expecting adjusted earnings per share to be between $2.20 and $2.35, compared to expectations of $2.32, according to LSEG.
Gap did not factor recent changes to tariffs into its outlook because the company believes it’s “premature to plan for a change” as the situation continues to evolve, said O’Connell. Given how much of a hit Gap took from President Donald Trump’s global tariffs, which were struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court last month, Gap could issue stronger guidance in the coming quarter because the newly enacted 15% tariff is slightly below the previous rates for many countries.
“If the [current] Section 122 tariffs were to stay in place for the year or expire in July, it should lead to a more favorable outcome versus the outlook we provided today,” said O’Connell. “If 15% were the rate that would stay in place for the balance of the year, that rate is slightly below the current IEEPA rates that are contemplated in our plans, so that could give us a modest benefit to operating income if that scenario were to play out.”
Gap’s choppy results come just over two years into CEO Richard Dickson’s turnaround plan and analysts begin to expect more from the apparel giant. Now that the company has improved profitability, returned to growth and amassed a staggering $3 billion cash pile, Dickson said he’s ready to turn to the next phase of the plan, which is about “building momentum.”
“Our primary focus is going to be on growing our core apparel business, and we’re going to do this through continuous improvement,” said Dickson. “This has all been driven by disciplined execution, which we need to continue to do with better product, better marketing and better storytelling and that’s not easy, but we’re proving that that muscle is getting stronger and stronger now.”
In the meantime, Gap is also turning its sights on growth opportunities for the company, including its expansion into beauty and accessories and its fashion and entertainment platform through the recent appointment of a chief entertainment officer. He said the ventures will begin to really scale next year.
Here’s a closer look at how each brand performed:
Old Navy
Gap’s largest and most important brand saw sales rise 3% to $2.3 billion, with comparable sales also up 3%, well below analyst consensus of 4.3%, according to StreetAccount. Despite the miss, Gap said Old Navy’s “price value equation is resonating with consumers” and it’s continuing to win over shoppers across a wide range of income levels.
Gap
The brightest spot of Gap’s quarter came from its namesake banner, which saw sales rise 8% to $1.1 billion with comparable sales up 7%, far ahead of expectations of 4.6%, according to StreetAccount. Under Dickson, the brand has worked to regain its cultural relevance and is winning over a wide range of generations, including younger, Gen Z shoppers.
Banana Republic
The safari-chic workwear brand posted its third straight quarter of positive comparable sales, which were up 4%, beating expectations of 2.5%. Sales rose 1% to $549 million, reflecting progress in both marketing and product assortment. “Men’s just continues to build momentum. Key items like the traveler pant, our cashmere program, really fantastic outerwear that’s been driving the performance, particularly in the quarter,” said Dickson. “Women’s performance is becoming much more consistent. We’ve had strength in denim skirts and sweaters and as we enter 2026, Banana is really starting to find its momentum.”
Athleta
The athleisure brand saw another quarter of sagging sales, with revenue down 11% to $354 million and comparable sales down 10%. In some ways, the drop reflects an overall sluggish athletic apparel market, but the company has also had a number of strategic missteps, including targeting the wrong customer and offering products that failed to land. Under the brand’s new CEO, Dickson said Athleta has been working on revamping the assortment, bringing back customer favorites and dialing up innovation.
Business
The Trade Desk Stock Surges 19% in Volatile Session on OpenAI Partnership Reports Amid Ad-Tech Recovery Hopes
Shares of The Trade Desk Inc. rocketed higher in early Friday trading, gaining nearly 19% as reports of potential partnership discussions with OpenAI fueled optimism in the beleaguered ad-tech sector. The rally provided a sharp contrast to the stock’s steep declines earlier in 2026, driven by softer guidance and competitive pressures.
The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD) traded around $29.90 to $30.00 by mid-morning Eastern Time, up approximately $4.73 to $4.81 or 18.8% to 19.1% from Thursday’s close of $25.17. The stock opened near $31.49, hit an intraday high of $32.90, and dipped to a low of about $29.51 to $29.71. Volume surged dramatically, exceeding 40 million shares in early sessions—well above recent averages—as traders reacted swiftly to the news.
The catalyst stemmed from reports that The Trade Desk held talks with OpenAI about partnering in ad sales, potentially integrating the AI leader’s capabilities into programmatic advertising workflows. Speculation suggested such a collaboration could enhance targeting, creative generation, and campaign optimization on The Trade Desk’s platform, particularly in connected TV (CTV) and open internet channels. Shares popped as much as 22% in some snapshots, with after-hours moves earlier pushing levels toward $27.50 before Friday’s momentum carried higher.
The move marked a dramatic rebound for a stock that has faced intense selling pressure in 2026. Year-to-date, TTD has declined significantly before this session, with shares down over 30% at points amid broader ad-tech challenges. The 52-week range spans a low of $21.08—touched recently—and a high of $91.45 from mid-2025. Market capitalization stood near $13 billion to $13.5 billion, reflecting the volatility.
Recent headwinds trace to the company’s fourth-quarter 2025 earnings released late February. Revenue rose 14% year-over-year to $846.8 million, beating estimates of $841.9 million, while adjusted EPS of $0.59 aligned with consensus. Adjusted EBITDA reached $400.3 million, surpassing forecasts. Excluding political ad spend, growth appeared stronger at around 19%.
However, first-quarter 2026 guidance tempered enthusiasm. The company projected revenue of at least $678 million—implying roughly 10% growth—and adjusted EBITDA around $195 million, down from the prior year’s $208 million. Analysts cited pressures in advertiser categories like automotive and consumer packaged goods, alongside competition from walled gardens and macroeconomic caution.
The outlook prompted widespread analyst downgrades and price target cuts in late February. Firms slashed targets sharply, with some dropping to the low $20s from prior highs in the $50s to $90s. Consensus now hovers around $32.95 to $33, implying modest upside from pre-rally levels but still reflecting caution on near-term execution.
Despite the pullback, The Trade Desk maintains strengths in independent demand-side platform leadership. Its focus on CTV, audio, and retail media continues to drive adoption, with initiatives like the Ventura Ecosystem enhancing impression quality and advertiser control. Partnerships and data integrations position the company to capture share in an evolving digital ad landscape increasingly influenced by AI.
Broader market context added layers to Friday’s action. While geopolitical tensions and oil price surges pressured equities overall, ad-tech and growth names showed selective resilience on company-specific catalysts. The Dow and S&P 500 traded mixed to lower, but speculative and tech-adjacent stocks reacted to headline momentum.
Options activity spiked, with call volume elevated and bullish positioning evident in short-dated contracts. Traders appeared to bet on continued follow-through if partnership details materialize or if upcoming data reinforces recovery signals.
Wall Street remains divided. While recent cuts reflect execution risks and decelerating growth—from mid-20s percentages in prior years to teens now—some analysts highlight long-term potential in AI-enhanced advertising and open internet gains. Earnings estimates for fiscal 2026 project EPS around $2.06 to $2.08, up from prior years, though revisions have trended lower.
The Trade Desk’s next major update arrives with first-quarter results expected in May 2026. Investors will seek clarity on guidance delivery, CTV momentum, and any AI or partnership progress. Management has emphasized platform independence and transparency as competitive edges amid industry consolidation.
Friday’s surge illustrates the stock’s high-beta nature and sensitivity to catalysts in a volatile environment. After months of underperformance, the OpenAI-related speculation injected fresh hope for a turnaround, though sustainability hinges on fundamentals amid macro and competitive challenges.
As U.S. markets progressed, TTD held strong gains near $30, with volume remaining elevated. The session served as a reminder of how quickly sentiment can shift in ad-tech, balancing cautious outlooks with potential for explosive upside on positive developments.
The Big Money Show breaks down new IRS limits for 401(k)s and IRAs, giving savers more room to invest for retirement.
A record number of Americans tapped into their 401(k) retirement savings for hardship withdrawals last year due to financial challenges, new data shows.
Vanguard Group reported that 6% of participants in 401(k) plans administered by the firm took hardship withdrawals in 2025, up from 4.8% in 2024.
That figure is also well above the prepandemic average of about 2% of 401(k) plan participants per year who made hardship withdrawals from their retirement plans, Vanguard said.
The report noted that hardship withdrawals can be a sign of financial stress as workers tap into their 401(k) as a safety net that can help them cover unanticipated expenses or emergency costs.
SOME RETIREMENT SAVERS LOSE A KEY TAX BREAK UNDER NEW IRS RULE
IRA hardship withdrawals trended higher in 2025 as some savers encountered financial stress, Vanguard found. (iStock)
Vanguard added that the process for requesting a hardship withdrawal from 401(k) plans has become easier to do, which could explain the uptick in withdrawal activity.
“Given that it’s now easier to request a hardship withdrawal and that automatic enrollment is helping more workers save for retirement, especially lower-income workers, a modest increase isn’t surprising,” the firm wrote.
“And for a small subset of workers facing financial stress, hardship withdrawals may serve as a safety net that may not otherwise have been available without plan-implemented automatic solutions,” Vanguard continued.
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Vanguard’s report found that foreclosures, eviction and medical expenses were the leading reasons for 401(k) hardship withdrawals. (Mike Mergen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Avoiding foreclosures, eviction and medical expenses were the leading reasons that 401(k) participants made hardship withdrawals, while the median size of the withdrawal was $1,900, according to Vanguard.
The report found that participants were focused on financial goals throughout 2025 and saw average account balances rise by 13% due to positive market performance. Vanguard noted that 45% of 401(k) participants increased their deferral rate on their own or through an automatic annual increase.
“While there are some signs of heightened financial stress among certain workers, the broad trends in plan design and participant behavior remain strong,” Vanguard said, noting that automatic contributions have boosted savings and investment outcomes.
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Congress reformed the law to make it easier for Americans to make hardship withdrawals from 401(k) plans in 2018. (Al Drago/Getty Images)
The use of 401(k) loans – an alternative to hardship withdrawals – was flat and remained below prepandemic levels.
Congress reformed the process for taking 401(k) hardship withdrawals in 2018, making it easier to do so by eliminating a requirement that a plan participant take a loan out first before being allowed to make a withdrawal.
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Vanguard found that hardship withdrawals have risen six years in a row after the change was made.
Britney Spears, the pop superstar whose career has spanned more than two decades of chart-topping hits, personal triumphs and public battles, remains one of entertainment’s most enduring figures. As of early March 2026, the 44-year-old singer faces fresh headlines following an arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, adding another chapter to her complex post-conservatorship life. Here are 10 key things to know about Britney Spears today.
AFP / LEE CELANO
1. **Enduring Pop Legacy**
Spears burst onto the scene in 1998 with “…Baby One More Time,” selling over 30 million copies worldwide and sparking the late-1990s teen-pop explosion. Her catalog includes nine studio albums, with classics like “Toxic,” “Oops!… I Did It Again” and “Womanizer” earning her a spot among the best-selling female artists ever, with more than 150 million records sold globally.
2. **Conservatorship Battle and Freedom**
From 2008 to 2021, Spears lived under a court-ordered conservatorship that controlled her personal and financial affairs amid mental health struggles. The arrangement ended in November 2021 after public protests and her testimony detailing abuse claims. The #FreeBritney movement galvanized fans worldwide, marking a pivotal victory for artist rights.
3. **Post-Conservatorship Memoir**
In 2023, Spears released “The Woman in Me,” a bestselling memoir detailing her conservatorship experiences, family dynamics and Hollywood pressures. The book sold millions of copies and sparked renewed interest in her story, including discussions of an upcoming biopic adaptation.
4. **Music Catalog Sale**
In early 2026, Spears sold rights to her music catalog to publisher Primary Wave in a deal reportedly worth around $200 million. The transaction provided financial security while allowing her to step back from active music management. She has not released new music since 2016’s “Glory,” though fans speculate about future projects.
5. **Vow Against U.S. Performances**
In January 2026, Spears posted on Instagram that she “will never perform in the U.S. again because of extremely sensitive reasons.” She cited personal factors without elaboration but expressed hope for future shows in the United Kingdom and Australia, possibly alongside her son Jayden James, whom she praised as a “huge star” in music.
6. **Teases of International Comeback**
Despite her U.S. performance stance, Spears has hinted at a return to the stage abroad “very soon.” Fans have fueled 2026 comeback rumors through social media, interpreting cryptic posts and throwback photos as signs of new music or limited international dates. No official announcements have confirmed tours or albums as of March 2026.
7. **Recent DUI Arrest**
On March 4, 2026, Spears was arrested by California Highway Patrol in Ventura County on suspicion of driving under the influence. Records show the incident occurred late Wednesday evening; she was cited and released early Thursday morning. Spears is scheduled to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on May 4, 2026. Details of the charge and any potential outcomes remain pending.
8. **Family Focus and Personal Life**
Spears shares two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James, with ex-husband Kevin Federline. She has spoken openly about motherhood challenges and her evolving relationship with her children. Recent posts highlight support for her son’s music career and personal reflections on faith, fear and spiritual growth.
9. **Social Media Presence**
Spears remains active on Instagram, where she shares dance videos, personal thoughts and family moments with millions of followers. Her posts often blend vulnerability, humor and defiance, addressing past traumas while embracing independence. In early 2026, she discussed spiritual awakenings and admiration for figures like Madonna.
10. **Ongoing Cultural Impact**
Spears continues to influence pop culture, with her story inspiring documentaries, books and advocacy for mental health and conservatorship reform. Rumors of a biopic based on her memoir persist, and her catalog’s enduring popularity keeps hits in rotation. Despite challenges, including the recent arrest, Spears’ resilience resonates with fans who view her as a symbol of survival and artistic freedom.
The March 2026 arrest marks Spears’ latest brush with legal issues, drawing renewed media attention amid her post-conservatorship era. Authorities have released limited details, and Spears has not publicly commented on the incident as of early Friday. Her team did not immediately respond to requests for statement.
Fans continue to monitor her social media for updates, balancing concern with support. Spears’ journey—from teen idol to outspoken advocate—remains compelling, with 2026 shaping up as a year of personal reflection rather than confirmed professional returns.
As legal proceedings approach in May, Spears’ story underscores the complexities of fame, recovery and privacy in the public eye.
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