diff --git a/frontend/src/components/TaskCard.vue b/frontend/src/components/TaskCard.vue
index 3a272db..f109e7e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/TaskCard.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/TaskCard.vue
@@ -20,18 +20,21 @@ const statusCycle: Record<TaskStatus, TaskStatus> = {
   todo: "in_progress",
   in_progress: "done",
   done: "todo",
+  cancelled: "todo",
 };
 
 const statusDotClass: Record<TaskStatus, string> = {
   todo: "dot-todo",
   in_progress: "dot-in-progress",
   done: "dot-done",
+  cancelled: "dot-cancelled",
 };
 
 const statusTitle: Record<TaskStatus, string> = {
   todo: "Todo — click to mark In Progress",
   in_progress: "In Progress — click to mark Done",
   done: "Done — click to mark Todo",
+  cancelled: "Cancelled — click to mark Todo",
 };
 
 function cycleStatus() {
@@ -152,6 +155,9 @@ function isOverdue(): boolean {
 .dot-done {
   background: var(--color-status-done, #22c55e);
 }
+.dot-cancelled {
+  background: var(--color-status-cancelled, #6b7280);
+}
 
 .task-title-compact {
   font-size: 0.9rem;
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/BriefingView.vue b/frontend/src/views/BriefingView.vue
index 894a868..397c8bf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/BriefingView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/BriefingView.vue
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 <script setup lang="ts">
-import { ref, computed, onMounted, watch } from 'vue'
+import { ref, computed, onMounted, watch, nextTick } from 'vue'
 import { useBackgroundRefresh } from '@/composables/useBackgroundRefresh'
 import { useChatStore } from '@/stores/chat'
 import ChatMessage from '@/components/ChatMessage.vue'
 import WeatherCard from '@/components/WeatherCard.vue'
 import BriefingSetupWizard from '@/components/BriefingSetupWizard.vue'
 import {
+  apiGet,
   getBriefingConfig,
   getBriefingConversations,
   getBriefingToday,
@@ -13,34 +14,23 @@ import {
   triggerBriefingSlot,
   postRssReaction,
   deleteRssReaction,
+  getNewsItems,
   type BriefingConversation,
   type BriefingMessage,
 } from '@/api/client'
 import type { Message } from '@/types/chat'
+import type { NewsItem } from '@/types/news'
 
-interface RssItemMeta {
-  id: number
-  title: string
-  url: string
-  source: string
-  snippet: string
-  published_at: string | null
-}
-
-interface MessageMetadata {
-  weather?: {
-    location: string
-    fetched_at: string
-    current_temp: number
-    condition: string
-    today_high: number | null
-    today_low: number | null
-    yesterday_high: number | null
-    yesterday_low: number | null
-    forecast: { day: string; condition: string; high: number; low: number }[]
-  } | null
-  rss_item_ids?: number[]
-  rss_items?: RssItemMeta[]
+interface WeatherData {
+  location: string
+  fetched_at: string
+  current_temp: number
+  condition: string
+  today_high: number | null
+  today_low: number | null
+  yesterday_high: number | null
+  yesterday_low: number | null
+  forecast: { day: string; condition: string; high: number; low: number }[]
 }
 
 const chatStore = useChatStore()
@@ -71,15 +61,53 @@ const isToday = computed(() => selectedConvId.value === todayConvId.value)
 const messages = ref<BriefingMessage[]>([])
 const loadingMessages = ref(false)
 
+// Weather panel (left column)
+const weatherData = ref<WeatherData[]>([])
+
+async function loadWeather() {
+  try {
+    const data = await apiGet<{ locations: WeatherData[] }>('/api/briefing/weather')
+    weatherData.value = data.locations ?? []
+  } catch { /* silent */ }
+}
+
+// News panel (right column)
+const newsItems = ref<NewsItem[]>([])
+
+async function loadNews() {
+  try {
+    const data = await getNewsItems({ days: 2, limit: 40 })
+    newsItems.value = data.items
+    // Seed reactions from API response
+    for (const item of data.items) {
+      if (reactions.value[item.id] === undefined) {
+        reactions.value[item.id] = item.reaction
+      }
+    }
+  } catch { /* silent */ }
+}
+
+// Scroll to bottom of messages
+const messagesEl = ref<HTMLElement | null>(null)
+
+function scrollToBottom() {
+  nextTick(() => {
+    if (messagesEl.value) {
+      messagesEl.value.scrollTop = messagesEl.value.scrollHeight
+    }
+  })
+}
+
 async function loadAll() {
   const [convList, today] = await Promise.all([
     getBriefingConversations(),
     getBriefingToday().catch(() => null),
+    loadWeather(),
+    loadNews(),
   ])
   conversations.value = convList
   if (today) {
     todayConvId.value = today.id
-    // Ensure today is in the list
     if (!convList.find((c) => c.id === today.id)) {
       conversations.value = [
         { id: today.id, title: today.title ?? 'Today', briefing_date: null, message_count: 0, created_at: new Date().toISOString() },
@@ -88,9 +116,9 @@ async function loadAll() {
     }
     selectedConvId.value = today.id
     messages.value = today.messages
-    // Load into chatStore so we can stream
     await chatStore.fetchConversation(today.id)
   }
+  scrollToBottom()
 }
 
 watch(selectedConvId, async (id) => {
@@ -98,11 +126,13 @@ watch(selectedConvId, async (id) => {
   if (id === todayConvId.value) {
     await chatStore.fetchConversation(id)
     messages.value = (chatStore.currentConversation?.messages ?? []) as unknown as BriefingMessage[]
+    scrollToBottom()
     return
   }
   loadingMessages.value = true
   try {
     messages.value = await getBriefingConvMessages(id)
+    scrollToBottom()
   } finally {
     loadingMessages.value = false
   }
@@ -113,6 +143,7 @@ watch(() => chatStore.streaming, async (streaming) => {
   if (!streaming && selectedConvId.value === todayConvId.value && todayConvId.value) {
     const today = await getBriefingToday().catch(() => null)
     if (today) messages.value = today.messages
+    scrollToBottom()
   }
 })
 
@@ -123,7 +154,6 @@ const sending = ref(false)
 async function send() {
   const text = input.value.trim()
   if (!text || !todayConvId.value || chatStore.streaming || sending.value) return
-  // Ensure today's conv is loaded in chatStore
   if (chatStore.currentConversation?.id !== todayConvId.value) {
     await chatStore.fetchConversation(todayConvId.value)
   }
@@ -160,10 +190,6 @@ async function handleReaction(itemId: number, reaction: 'up' | 'down') {
   }
 }
 
-function msgMetadata(msg: BriefingMessage): MessageMetadata | null {
-  return (msg.metadata as MessageMetadata | null | undefined) ?? null
-}
-
 function formatRelativeDate(iso: string | null): string {
   if (!iso) return ''
   const d = new Date(iso)
@@ -180,7 +206,6 @@ async function triggerNow() {
   triggering.value = true
   try {
     await triggerBriefingSlot('compilation')
-    // Reload
     await loadAll()
   } finally {
     triggering.value = false
@@ -221,6 +246,7 @@ async function _backgroundRefreshMessages() {
     if (fresh.length !== messages.value.length || last?.content !== cur?.content) {
       messages.value = fresh
     }
+    await loadNews()
   } catch { /* silent — don't disturb the UI on network hiccup */ }
 }
 
@@ -241,16 +267,15 @@ onMounted(async () => {
     <!-- Setup wizard overlay -->
     <BriefingSetupWizard v-if="wizardChecked && showWizard" @done="onWizardDone" />
 
-    <!-- Main view (shown after wizard check and only if not showing wizard) -->
+    <!-- Main view -->
     <div class="briefing-shell" v-if="wizardChecked && !showWizard">
-      <!-- Header -->
+      <!-- Header spans all columns -->
       <header class="briefing-header">
         <div class="briefing-header-left">
           <h1 class="briefing-title">Briefing</h1>
           <span class="briefing-today-badge">{{ new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined, { weekday: 'long', month: 'long', day: 'numeric' }) }}</span>
         </div>
         <div class="briefing-header-right">
-          <!-- Conversation history dropdown -->
           <select v-if="conversations.length" v-model="selectedConvId" class="briefing-conv-select">
             <option v-for="c in conversations" :key="c.id" :value="c.id">{{ convLabel(c) }}</option>
           </select>
@@ -263,102 +288,115 @@ onMounted(async () => {
         </div>
       </header>
 
-      <!-- Messages -->
-      <div class="briefing-messages-wrap">
-        <div v-if="loadingMessages" class="briefing-loading">Loading…</div>
-        <template v-else>
-          <div v-if="!messages.length" class="briefing-empty">
-            <p>No briefing yet for today.</p>
-            <p class="briefing-empty-hint">Click "Refresh" to generate a briefing now, or wait for the scheduled slot.</p>
-          </div>
-          <div v-else class="briefing-messages">
-            <template v-for="msg in messages" :key="msg.id">
-              <!-- Weather card above the first assistant message with weather metadata -->
-              <WeatherCard
-                v-if="msg.role === 'assistant' && msgMetadata(msg)?.weather !== undefined"
-                :weather="msgMetadata(msg)?.weather ?? null"
-              />
-              <ChatMessage
-                :message="toMsg(msg)"
-                :is-streaming="false"
-              />
-              <!-- News cards below assistant messages with rss_items -->
-              <div
-                v-if="msg.role === 'assistant' && (msgMetadata(msg)?.rss_items?.length ?? 0) > 0"
-                class="news-cards"
-              >
-                <div
-                  v-for="item in msgMetadata(msg)!.rss_items"
-                  :key="item.id"
-                  class="news-card"
-                >
-                  <div class="news-card-meta">
-                    <span class="news-source">{{ item.source }}</span>
-                    <span v-if="item.published_at" class="news-date">{{ formatRelativeDate(item.published_at) }}</span>
-                  </div>
-                  <a
-                    v-if="item.url"
-                    :href="item.url"
-                    target="_blank"
-                    rel="noopener noreferrer"
-                    class="news-title"
-                  >{{ item.title }}</a>
-                  <p v-else class="news-title news-title--plain">{{ item.title }}</p>
-                  <p v-if="item.snippet" class="news-snippet">{{ item.snippet }}</p>
-                  <div class="news-reactions">
-                    <button
-                      class="reaction-btn"
-                      :class="{ active: reactions[item.id] === 'up' }"
-                      @click="handleReaction(item.id, 'up')"
-                      title="Interested"
-                    >👍</button>
-                    <button
-                      class="reaction-btn"
-                      :class="{ active: reactions[item.id] === 'down' }"
-                      @click="handleReaction(item.id, 'down')"
-                      title="Not interested"
-                    >👎</button>
-                  </div>
-                </div>
-              </div>
-            </template>
-            <!-- Live streaming bubble for today -->
-            <ChatMessage
-              v-if="isToday && chatStore.streaming && chatStore.streamingContent"
-              :message="{
-                id: -1,
-                conversation_id: todayConvId ?? -1,
-                role: 'assistant',
-                content: chatStore.streamingContent,
-                context_note_id: null,
-                context_note_title: null,
-                created_at: new Date().toISOString(),
-              }"
-              :is-streaming="true"
-            />
-          </div>
+      <!-- Left column: Weather -->
+      <div class="briefing-left">
+        <div class="panel-label">Weather</div>
+        <template v-if="weatherData.length">
+          <WeatherCard
+            v-for="loc in weatherData"
+            :key="(loc as WeatherData).location"
+            :weather="loc"
+          />
         </template>
+        <div v-else class="panel-empty">No weather configured</div>
       </div>
 
-      <!-- Input bar (today only) -->
-      <div v-if="isToday" class="briefing-input-bar">
-        <textarea
-          v-model="input"
-          class="briefing-input"
-          placeholder="Reply to your briefing…"
-          rows="1"
-          @keydown="onKeydown"
-        ></textarea>
-        <button
-          class="btn-send"
-          @click="send"
-          :disabled="!input.trim() || chatStore.streaming || sending"
-          aria-label="Send"
+      <!-- Center column: Chat -->
+      <div class="briefing-center">
+        <div class="briefing-messages-wrap" ref="messagesEl">
+          <div v-if="loadingMessages" class="briefing-loading">Loading…</div>
+          <template v-else>
+            <div v-if="!messages.length" class="briefing-empty">
+              <p>No briefing yet for today.</p>
+              <p class="briefing-empty-hint">Click "Refresh" to generate a briefing now, or wait for the scheduled slot.</p>
+            </div>
+            <div v-else class="briefing-messages">
+              <template v-for="msg in messages" :key="msg.id">
+                <ChatMessage
+                  :message="toMsg(msg)"
+                  :is-streaming="false"
+                />
+              </template>
+              <!-- Live streaming bubble for today -->
+              <ChatMessage
+                v-if="isToday && chatStore.streaming && chatStore.streamingContent"
+                :message="{
+                  id: -1,
+                  conversation_id: todayConvId ?? -1,
+                  role: 'assistant',
+                  content: chatStore.streamingContent,
+                  context_note_id: null,
+                  context_note_title: null,
+                  created_at: new Date().toISOString(),
+                }"
+                :is-streaming="true"
+              />
+            </div>
+          </template>
+        </div>
+
+        <!-- Input bar (today only) -->
+        <div v-if="isToday" class="briefing-input-bar">
+          <textarea
+            v-model="input"
+            class="briefing-input"
+            placeholder="Reply to your briefing…"
+            rows="1"
+            @keydown="onKeydown"
+          ></textarea>
+          <button
+            class="btn-send"
+            @click="send"
+            :disabled="!input.trim() || chatStore.streaming || sending"
+            aria-label="Send"
+          >
+            <svg width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor">
+              <path d="M2 21l21-9L2 3v7l15 2-15 2v7z"/>
+            </svg>
+          </button>
+        </div>
+      </div>
+
+      <!-- Right column: News -->
+      <div class="briefing-right">
+        <div class="panel-label-row">
+          <div class="panel-label">Today's News</div>
+          <span v-if="newsItems.length" class="news-count">{{ newsItems.length }} items</span>
+        </div>
+        <div v-if="!newsItems.length" class="panel-empty">No articles in the last 2 days</div>
+        <div
+          v-for="item in newsItems"
+          :key="item.id"
+          class="news-card"
         >
-          <svg width="18" height="18" viewBox="0 0 24 24" fill="currentColor">
-            <path d="M2 21l21-9L2 3v7l15 2-15 2v7z"/>
-          </svg>
-        </button>
+          <div class="news-card-meta">
+            <span class="news-source">{{ item.source }}</span>
+            <span v-if="item.published_at" class="news-date">{{ formatRelativeDate(item.published_at) }}</span>
+          </div>
+          <a
+            v-if="item.url"
+            :href="item.url"
+            target="_blank"
+            rel="noopener noreferrer"
+            class="news-title"
+          >{{ item.title }}</a>
+          <p v-else class="news-title news-title--plain">{{ item.title }}</p>
+          <p v-if="item.snippet" class="news-snippet">{{ item.snippet }}</p>
+          <div class="news-reactions">
+            <button
+              class="reaction-btn"
+              :class="{ active: reactions[item.id] === 'up' }"
+              @click="handleReaction(item.id, 'up')"
+              title="Interested"
+            >👍</button>
+            <button
+              class="reaction-btn"
+              :class="{ active: reactions[item.id] === 'down' }"
+              @click="handleReaction(item.id, 'down')"
+              title="Not interested"
+            >👎</button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
       </div>
     </div>
   </div>
@@ -373,21 +411,20 @@ onMounted(async () => {
 }
 
 .briefing-shell {
-  display: flex;
-  flex-direction: column;
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: 1fr 2fr 1fr;
+  grid-template-rows: auto 1fr;
   height: 100%;
   min-height: 0;
-  max-width: 760px;
-  margin: 0 auto;
-  width: 100%;
-  padding: 0 1rem;
 }
 
 .briefing-header {
+  grid-column: 1 / -1;
+  grid-row: 1;
   display: flex;
   align-items: center;
   justify-content: space-between;
-  padding: 1.25rem 0 1rem;
+  padding: 1.25rem 1rem 1rem;
   border-bottom: 1px solid var(--color-border);
   flex-shrink: 0;
   gap: 1rem;
@@ -448,10 +485,38 @@ onMounted(async () => {
 }
 .btn-trigger:disabled { opacity: 0.5; cursor: not-allowed; }
 
+/* ─── Left column (Weather) ──────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+.briefing-left {
+  grid-column: 1;
+  grid-row: 2;
+  border-right: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+  overflow-y: auto;
+  padding: 1rem;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+}
+
+.briefing-left :deep(.weather-card) {
+  margin-bottom: 0;
+}
+
+/* ─── Center column (Chat) ───────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+.briefing-center {
+  grid-column: 2;
+  grid-row: 2;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  min-height: 0;
+}
+
 .briefing-messages-wrap {
   flex: 1;
   overflow-y: auto;
-  padding: 1rem 0;
+  padding: 1rem;
+  min-height: 0;
 }
 
 .briefing-loading,
@@ -478,7 +543,7 @@ onMounted(async () => {
   display: flex;
   gap: 0.5rem;
   align-items: flex-end;
-  padding: 0.75rem 0 1rem;
+  padding: 0.75rem 1rem 1rem;
   border-top: 1px solid var(--color-border);
   flex-shrink: 0;
 }
@@ -517,12 +582,44 @@ onMounted(async () => {
 .btn-send:disabled { opacity: 0.4; cursor: not-allowed; }
 .btn-send:hover:not(:disabled) { opacity: 0.9; }
 
-.news-cards {
+/* ─── Right column (News) ────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+.briefing-right {
+  grid-column: 3;
+  grid-row: 2;
+  border-left: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+  overflow-y: auto;
+  padding: 1rem;
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   gap: 0.5rem;
-  margin-top: 0.25rem;
-  margin-bottom: 0.25rem;
+}
+
+.panel-label {
+  font-size: 0.72rem;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  letter-spacing: 0.06em;
+  color: var(--color-primary);
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
+.panel-label-row {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
+.news-count {
+  font-size: 0.72rem;
+  color: var(--color-text-muted);
+}
+
+.panel-empty {
+  font-size: 0.82rem;
+  color: var(--color-text-muted);
+  padding: 0.5rem 0;
 }
 
 .news-card {
@@ -533,6 +630,7 @@ onMounted(async () => {
   display: flex;
   flex-direction: column;
   gap: 0.25rem;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
 }
 
 .news-card-meta {
@@ -604,4 +702,35 @@ a.news-title:hover { text-decoration: underline; color: var(--color-primary); }
   border-color: var(--color-primary);
   background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--color-primary) 12%, transparent);
 }
+
+/* ─── Responsive ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── */
+
+@media (max-width: 900px) {
+  .briefing-shell {
+    grid-template-columns: 1fr;
+    grid-template-rows: auto auto 1fr auto;
+  }
+  .briefing-header {
+    grid-column: 1;
+    grid-row: 1;
+  }
+  .briefing-left {
+    grid-column: 1;
+    grid-row: 2;
+    border-right: none;
+    border-bottom: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+    max-height: 220px;
+  }
+  .briefing-center {
+    grid-column: 1;
+    grid-row: 3;
+  }
+  .briefing-right {
+    grid-column: 1;
+    grid-row: 4;
+    border-left: none;
+    border-top: 1px solid var(--color-border);
+    max-height: 260px;
+  }
+}
 </style>