Morning Must Reads: March 26

Report: One Pilot Locked Out

Voice recordings retrieved from the wreckage of the Germanwings plane that crashed on Tuesday suggest that one of the pilots was locked out of the cockpit and then tried to break down the door to gain entry minutes before it hit Alpine slopes in southern France

U.S. Conducts Air Strikes in Tikrit

Bombing in support of the stalled Iraqi-led military campaign against ISIS marks a significant expansion of the U.S. military role in Iraq

Paul Backs Defense Spending

Senator Rand Paul is doing an about-face on his pledge to curb the growth in defense spending, calling for a nearly $190 billion infusion

Oklahoma Tornadoes Kill 1, Leave Thousands Without Power

Outside Tulsa, a tornado cut through a mobile home park in the suburbs of Sand Springs, killing at least one person and injuring three others. An estimated 75,000 households were without power on Wednesday night due to the ongoing severe conditions

University Ranks Deadliest Counties in the U.S.

New rankings from the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute show the places in the U.S. that have largest percentage of people who die before the age of 75, a common measure of public health

Judge Rejects Motion to Dismiss NHL Concussion Lawsuit

A federal judge in Minnesota denied the NHL’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit that claims the hockey league inadequately informed players of the health risks caused by concussions despite having ample knowledge and resources

CA Attorney General Blocks Initiative to Have Gays Executed

Calif. Attorney General Kamala Harris asked a court for permission to reject a proposed ballot initiative stipulating that anyone who engages in gay sex be killed. “It is patently unconstitutional, utterly reprehensible, and has no place in a civil society,” Harris said

Fifty Shades Director Won’t Do the Sequels

The director of this year’s biggest Hollywood release Fifty Shades of Grey will not be directing the film’s sequels. The move is thought to be a result of reported creative differences with E.L. James, the author of the novel on which the movie is based

HIV Levels in Indiana Spark Alarm

Governor Mike Pence is expected to declare a public-health emergency on Thursday in south Indiana’s Scott County, which has seen a large HIV flareup from intravenous drug use. At least 72 HIV cases have been detected in southern Indiana, up from 26 last month

Here’s Why Drug-Resistant Bacteria Could Spread Globally

Common bacteria could be on the verge of becoming antibiotic-resistant superbugs, according to a new study. Resistance to antibiotics is in danger of spreading globally among the type of bacteria that’s associated with causing infections in hospitals

Chelsea Handler Says Bill Cosby Once Tried to ‘Cosby’ Her

Chelsea Handler has turned Bill Cosby’s name into a verb, stating in an interview that the comedian once tried to “Cosby” her. Handler says she has no doubts “he’s guilty,” pointing to a past incident with the comedian a decade ago in an Atlantic City hotel

Fully Animated Smurfs Film Set for 2017 Release

The Smurfs are going back to the drawing board in a fully animated take on the franchise to be released in 2017, Sony Pictures Animation announced on Wednesday. The untitled project is set to have much more in common with the beloved 1980s cartoon

Get TIME’s The Brief e-mail every morning in your inbox