[00:00] Peter Rowan: This is Neural Newscast.
[00:02] Evelyn Hartwell: Here is the news that matters for Monday, March 23, 2026.
[00:07] Peter Rowan: From Neural Newscast, I'm Peter Rowan.
[00:11] Peter Rowan: Robert Mueller, the former FBI director who served as special counsel during the investigation into 2016 election interference, has died at the age of 81.
[00:22] Evelyn Hartwell: And I'm Evelyn Hartwell.
[00:24] Evelyn Hartwell: Mueller's family confirmed he passed away Friday.
[00:28] Evelyn Hartwell: His death concludes a long career in public service that began as a decorated Marine officer during the Vietnam War.
[00:36] Peter Rowan: His tenure as special counsel resulted in 34 individual charges.
[00:42] Peter Rowan: While the investigation was extensive, Mueller famously did not reach a conclusion on whether then-President Trump obstructed justice.
[00:50] Evelyn Hartwell: Former presidents from both parties have expressed their condolences.
[00:55] Evelyn Hartwell: Many are highlighting Mueller's 12-year leadership of the FBI,
[00:59] Evelyn Hartwell: specifically how he managed the Bureau in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.
[01:04] Peter Rowan: In other news, New York's LaGuardia Airport is expected to reopen this afternoon.
[01:11] Peter Rowan: The facility has been closed following a fatal collision involving an Air Canada regional jet.
[01:18] Evelyn Hartwell: Two pilots were killed when their CRJ-900 struck a firefighting vehicle.
[01:24] Evelyn Hartwell: That truck was responding to a separate emergency on the airfield at the time of the impact.
[01:30] Peter Rowan: While 41 people were initially hospitalized, the Port Authority says most have now been discharged.
[01:38] Peter Rowan: Federal investigators are beginning their inquiry into the cause of the crash.
[01:44] Evelyn Hartwell: Hundreds of flights remain canceled today.
[01:47] Evelyn Hartwell: Teams are examining how the firefighting truck and the arriving aircraft ended up on the same path.
[01:53] Peter Rowan: Turning to sports, the Alabama Crimson Tide has reached the Sweet 16.
[01:59] Peter Rowan: They secured their spot with a 90-65 victory over the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
[02:05] Evelyn Hartwell: Texas Tech reached the second round after facing the Acron Zips, Peter.
[02:09] Evelyn Hartwell: That previous matchup showcased the Zips' league-leading assist record.
[02:14] Peter Rowan: the Red Raiders relied on consistent scoring and rebounding from J.T. Toppen.
[02:19] Peter Rowan: However, they were unable to keep pace with Alabama's perimeter shooting throughout the second half.
[02:26] Evelyn Hartwell: With the win, Alabama secures its fourth straight appearance in the Sweet 16.
[02:30] Evelyn Hartwell: Regional tournament brackets are set to continue later this week.
[02:34] Peter Rowan: Here is what else we are watching.
[02:37] Peter Rowan: Federal regulators are conducting a review of a United Airlines aircraft that reported an odor issue just before the LaGuardia collision.
[02:46] Evelyn Hartwell: Additionally, the House Oversight Committee is expected to clarify the status of pending investigations.
[02:52] Evelyn Hartwell: This follows the recent withdrawal of a committee subpoena.
[02:55] Peter Rowan: Finally, the LSU Women's Basketball team is looking toward its next matchup.
[03:01] Peter Rowan: The team recently set an NCAA record for the most 100-point games in a single season.
[03:07] Evelyn Hartwell: Tomorrow, we will examine the broader implications of the latest federal aviation safety reports
[03:13] Evelyn Hartwell: and the upcoming regulatory changes for regional carriers.
[03:17] Peter Rowan: From Neural Newscast, I'm Peter Rowan.
[03:20] Evelyn Hartwell: And I'm Evelyn Hartwell.
[03:22] Peter Rowan: This has been Neural Newscast.
[03:25] Peter Rowan: Thank you for listening.
[03:27] Evelyn Hartwell: Find more at neuralnewscast.com.
[03:30] Evelyn Hartwell: Neural Newscast is AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
[03:34] Evelyn Hartwell: View our AI transparency policy at