| | | | | Good morning. It’s Wednesday, March 4, and McDonald’s is making a statement with its new burger. See how the Big Arch stacks up against the Big Mac here. Now let’s catch up.  | The U.S. identified four soldiers killed in the conflict with Iran. | | | From left, Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42; and Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20. (U.S. Army Reserve) | |  | President Donald Trump said the war may have an economic toll for Americans. | | |  | The 2026 midterm election season kicked off with several high-profile primaries. | | |  | The father of an accused school shooter was found guilty of murder. | | | The case was a first-in-the-nation effort to bring murder charges against the parent of an alleged school shooter. (Hyosub Shin/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP) | - The case: Colt Gray allegedly killed four people at a Georgia high school in 2024. His father, Colin Gray, was accused by prosecutors of failing to secure his son’s gun.
- Yesterday: Colin Gray was found guilty on 29 counts, including two of second-degree murder, in a landmark conviction against a parent of an alleged school shooter.
| |  | The U.S. has faced a punishing flu season, while covid was a more muted threat. | | | Weekly percentage of U.S. emergency room visits for flu and covid, October 2024 to February 2026. Source: CDC. (Fenit Nirappil/The Washington Post) | - How they compare: The CDC estimates 25 million people have been infected with flu this season. For covid, an estimated 3 million to 9 million became ill since October.
- Why? Public health experts explained what’s going on here. Unusual flu strains played a role, while mutations to the coronavirus have left it less adept at attacking our lungs.
| |  | It’s suddenly going to feel like spring or summer in much of the nation. | | | More than 220 million people across the U.S. can expect temperatures to reach the 70s at some point through early next week. Source: ECMWF. (Ben Noll/The Washington Post) | - Later this week into next: Temperatures are forecast to surge into the 70s, 80s and even 90s in some areas. Records are set to be neared, tied or broken across parts of 40 states.
- But it won’t last: The polar vortex could deliver frigid air by the end of next week.
- Meanwhile: Central states are facing severe weather and tornado risk starting today.
| |  | Can’t stop overthinking? Here’s what experts say actually helps. | - The pesky inner voice: Worrying about the future or overanalyzing the past can take a mental toll, leading to stress and exhaustion. But there are ways to help tame your brain.
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Jamie Ross and 
