NPR News: 03-31-2026 9AM EDT

Summary

NPR News Now: March 31, 2026, 9AM EDT

Host: Korva Coleman
Date: March 31, 2026
Episode Theme:
This episode provides a concise overview of major news events unfolding in the U.S. and around the world, focusing on developments in the Iran war, economic impacts, prediction markets investigation, U.S. government shutdown effects, a major NASA mission, and the NCAA women’s basketball Final Four.

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Key Topics and Segments

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1. U.S. Military Strategy in Iran

• [00:00–00:46]
• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth addresses speculation about the potential deployment of U.S. ground troops in Iran.
• Hegseth emphasizes unpredictability in wartime strategy and refuses to disclose operational details or war timelines.

Notable Quotes:

• Pete Hegseth (00:18):

  “You can't fight and win a war if you tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do to include boots on the ground... So if we needed to, we could execute those options on behalf of the president of the United States and this department. Or maybe we don't have to use them at all. Maybe negotiations work or maybe there's a different approach. The point is to be unpredictable.”

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2. Israel’s Military Campaign and Regional Concerns

• [00:46–01:53]
• Israel claims significant progress in its ongoing war against Iran, yet asserts it has sufficient resources to continue.
• Military spokesperson Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani underscores operational readiness but defers the timing of the campaign to political leadership.
• Prime Minister Netanyahu’s statements about the war’s progress and military operations into Lebanon raise concerns about long-term occupation and large-scale displacement (1.2 million people).
• Separate violence noted: Two UN peacekeepers killed on Monday.

Notable Quotes:

• Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani (01:15):

  “At the end of the day, decision making on timing belongs to the political echelon, to the leaders. We are prepared to keep operating for weeks to come.”

• Kerry Khan, NPR (01:27):

  “Netanyahu says he has ordered forces deeper into Lebanon, stoking fears of long term Israeli occupation and has already displaced more than 1.2 million people along with the four Israeli soldiers.”

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3. Economic Impact: Rising Gas Prices

• [01:53–02:17]
• The war’s broader effects are felt at home, as average gas price spikes to $4 per gallon, up a dollar in just one month, according to AAA.

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4. Federal Investigation: Prediction Market Insider Trading

• [02:17–02:58]
• U.S. prosecutors investigate possible insider trading on prediction markets like Polymarket, after some betters gained substantial profits from bets on military strikes and foreign political events.
• Both Polymarket and Kalshi claim to prohibit insider trading, yet enforcement is largely their own responsibility.
• Billions are gambled weekly on these platforms.

Notable Quotes:

• Bobby Allen (02:17):

  “Polymarket betters earned hundreds of thousands of dollars on the timing of military strikes in Iran and when Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was captured.”

• Bobby Allen (02:50):

  “A spokesman for New York's U.S. attorney's office said prediction markets are not outside the scope of anti money laundering and insider trading laws.”

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5. U.S. Government Shutdown Impacts TSA

• [02:58–03:31]
• Ongoing partial government shutdown continues to affect federal workers.
• TSA agents, who missed out on pay for more than a month, begin to receive some back pay after President Trump’s executive order routes funds for wages.
• Major disagreements between House, Senate, and between parties persist over funding solutions.

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6. NASA’s Artemis 2 Moon Mission Countdown

• [03:31–04:15]
• NASA is readying for its first crewed lunar mission in over half a century.
• With technical challenges resolved, the Artemis 2 mission could launch tomorrow evening, sending four astronauts (three American, one Canadian) on a 10-day trip around the moon.

Notable Quotes:

• Launch Director Charlie Blackwell Thompson (03:49):

  “But certainly all indications are right now we are in excellent, excellent shape as we get into count.”

• Brendan Byrne, NPR (03:56):

  “Once that count hits zero, NASA's massive SLS rocket will launch the Orion space capsule and its crew of four...taking the crew farther into deep space than any other mission.”

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7. NCAA Women’s Basketball – Final Four Set

• [04:15–04:39]
• The top four seeds have advanced to the women’s NCAA basketball Final Four: South Carolina vs UConn, Texas vs UCLA.
• Semifinals are scheduled for Friday, with the championship game Sunday.

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Notable Moments & Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Pete Hegseth on strategic unpredictability: “Maybe negotiations work or maybe there's a different approach. The point is to be unpredictable.” (00:18)
• Lt. Col. Shoshani on military readiness: “We are prepared to keep operating for weeks to come. We have the targets for that, the munition for that, the manpower for that.” (01:15)
• Kerry Khan on displacement: “Already displaced more than 1.2 million people...” (01:27)
• Bobby Allen on prediction markets: “Polymarket betters earned hundreds of thousands of dollars on the timing of military strikes in Iran...” (02:17)
• Charlie Blackwell Thompson on NASA's readiness: “All indications are right now we are in excellent, excellent shape as we get into count.” (03:49)

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Summary Takeaways

• The Iran war continues with military escalation, strategic ambiguity from the U.S., and ongoing humanitarian and geopolitical repercussions in the region.
• The U.S. faces economic blowback at home, with sharply rising gas prices.
• Legal scrutiny grows over prediction markets potentially exploiting insider information related to global events.
• Although TSA agents are beginning to receive pay, the government remains partially shut down due to funding disputes.
• NASA revives crewed lunar exploration with Artemis 2, poised for imminent launch after technical fixes.
• The NCAA women’s basketball Final Four is set, reflecting stability and excitement in college sports amidst broader global tensions.

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For those seeking the pulse of national and international headlines in a matter of minutes, this episode delivers direct, succinct reporting with a clear focus on today’s most pressing events.

Transcript

[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is not ruling out the possibility that President Trump could send ground troops into Iran. Speaking last hour at the Pentagon, Hegseth says the Trump administration is not going to reveal much about its war plans.

[Pete Hegseth]

You can't fight and win a war if you tell your adversary what you are willing to do or what you are not willing to do to include boots on the ground. Our adversary right now thinks there are 15 different ways we could come at them with boots on the ground. And guess what? There are. So if we needed to, we could execute those options on behalf of the president of the United States and this department. Or maybe we don't have to use them at all. Maybe negotiations work or maybe there's a different approach. The point is to be unpredictable in

[Korva Coleman]

that Hegseth also would not say if there's any kind of timeline to end the war. Israel's military says it still has plenty of targets and ammunition left to hit in Iran. That was in response to questions about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks that Israel has passed the halfway point in the war. NPR's Kerry Khan reports.

[Kerry Khan]

Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani says it's not up to Israel's military to decide how long troops continue, but he says they're prepared.

[Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani]

At the end of the day, decision making on timing belongs to the political echelon, to the leaders. We are prepared to keep operating for weeks to come. We have the targets for that, the munition for that, the manpower for that.

[Kerry Khan]

Netanyahu said in an interview the war was, quote, definitely beyond the halfway mark in military terms, he later clarified. Netanyahu says he has ordered forces deeper into Lebanon, stoking fears of long term Israeli occupation and has already displaced more than 1.2 million people along with the four Israeli soldiers. In a separate incident, two UN peacekeepers were killed Monday. Carrie Khan, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

[Korva Coleman]

The war against Iran is more than a month old. Gas prices have soared. AAA reports the average cost for a gallon of regular is now $4. That's a dollar more than what it was a month ago. Federal prosecutors in New York are examining whether large payouts on prediction market sites like Polymarket have violated insider trading laws. NPR's Bobby Allen reports.

[Bobby Allen]

Polymarket betters earned hundreds of thousands of dollars on the timing of military strikes in Iran and when Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was captured. Now prosecutors in the Southern District of New York are investigating the trades. First reported the probe. Both polymarket and its main competitor Kalshi say they ban insider trading, but policing is largely left up to the platforms themselves. Polymarket has had many markets on wars and military actions. It operates an overseas exchange based in Panama. A spokesman FOR New York's U.S. attorney's office said prediction markets are not outside the scope of anti money laundering and insider trading laws. Billions of dollars are bet every week on Polymarket in Kalshi. Bobby Allen, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

This is npr. TSA agents who've lost pay for more than a month are now getting some of their back paychecks. President Trump used an executive order to find funding for their wages, but the Department of Homeland Security is still partly shut down. The House and the Senate and Democrats and Republicans still disagree on funding. NASA could launch its Artemis 2 mission tomorrow evening. The crew of four aims to fly around the moon and back. From Central Florida public media, Brendan Byrne reports the countdown is underway.

[Brendan Byrne]

For the first time in more than 50 years, the clock at Kennedy Space center has been turned on for a crewed lunar mission. Mission managers say that all the issues with the rocket, like its leaking hydrogen and faulty helium system, are fixed. Launch director Charlie Blackwell Thompson says they'll keep a close eye on the rocket and only launch when ready.

[Charlie Blackwell Thompson]

But certainly all indications are right now we are in excellent, excellent shape as we get into count.

[Brendan Byrne]

Once that count hits zero, NASA's massive SLS rocket will launch the Orion space capsule and its crew of four, three US astronauts and one from Canada. The 10 day mission will test out key systems of the Orion vehicle as it travels around the moon and back, taking the crew farther into deep space than any other mission. For NPR News, I'm Brendan Byrne in Orlando.

[Korva Coleman]

The Final Four are set for the women's NCAA basketball tournament and it will be all four top seeds going into the tournament. South Carolina will play UConn while Texas will face UCLA. The final four games are this Friday. The championship game is going to be held on Sunday. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, from Washington.

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