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New Deadline for Iran, TSA Payment & Olympics Policy Change - Friday, March 27, 2026
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Today is Friday, March 27th. We're talking about both the US and Iran setting the stage for potentially more escalation in the Middle east that could involve ground troops, oil blockades and mass destruction. Also, how TSA agents could finally get paid despite Congress still deadlocked. And what's behind protests that could bring out millions of people all over the country. Plus, the historic change coming to paper Money in the U.S. the new policy impacting transgender athletes at the highest level. And the most talked about appearances at last night's iHeart Music Awards. Those stories and even more news to know coming up. Welcome to the newsworthy all the days news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy, thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. Nearly a month into war and the US And Iran are only hardening their positions and preparing for what could turn into more escalation if negotiations don't go well. Reports say the Trump administration is now considering sending up to 10,000 extra ground troops to the Middle East. That's on top of the 50,000 military personnel already in the region and the thousands more on their way right now. And to be clear, at this point, there are mostly support air and naval personnel, not just ground combat units. Still, those troops and Israeli troops are actively fighting. Heavy strikes were reported yesterday in multiple Iranian cities. Israel claimed to have killed another top Iranian military leader, while Israel and Gulf Arab nations worked to intercept Iranian fighters higher and President Trump says there are more targets he wants to hit, though for now he's holding off on ordering strikes on Iranian power plants, which he had threatened if Iran did not open the critical Strait of Hormuz by today. Now Trump is giving them an extra 10 days because he says peace talks are going well. But Iran is still publicly denying those talks are even happening. And the Iranian government is reportedly tightening its grip on the strait by charging tolls for certain ships to pass through safely and and still not allowing any it sees as being linked to the US And Israeli war effort. Between the bottleneck at the strait and relentless attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure, the price of crude oil continues to go up. And yesterday, stocks on Wall street suffered their largest daily decline since the start of the war. Meanwhile, both the US And Iran have stepped up what's known as meme warfare. It's basically online trolling, sometimes with actual memes, but also with AI generated videos. For example, the Lego themed ones Iran has been putting out lately. They depict things like US Troops coming under fire, President Trump crying at his desk, and American flag draped caskets coming off a plane. As we've mentioned, the Pentagon has also done its fair share of trolling, with footage from video games and clips from Hollywood movies celebrating the death and destruction in Iran. Of course, propaganda is nothing new in times of conflict, but now, in an age of viral images and AI, this is seen as a new kind of information war that's likely only just begun. As Congress is locked in a stalemate, President Trump says he's stepping in to pay TSA workers. He promised to sign an order that would get the paychecks out immediately and hopefully alleviate chaos at many American airports that's been caused by the partial government shutdown, though the agency's top official said this week it could take months to replace and train the hundreds of TSA officers who quit. Bloomberg cites a senior official who says the money to pay TSA will come from a pool of funding already passed last year as part of Trump's so called Big Beautiful bill. It's an unusual move though, and reports say there's the possibility it could face legal challenges from those who argue Trump lacks the authority to move money around this way. But it comes after weeks of negotiating in Congress and still no solution to fully reopen the Homeland Security Department. Remember, lawmakers have struggled to agree on how the agency should enforce immigration laws. Plus, President Trump now wants to link DHS funding to a controversial elections bill, so Trump sending out paychecks is seen as a short term solution. While the debate continues on Capitol Hill, President Trump is set to become the first sitting US President with his signature on American money. The Treasury Department announced the change, saying it was being made in honor of America's 250th anniversary. Trump's name will appear alongside that of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessant on paper currency, where for more than a century Americans have seen the name of the U.S. treasurer. But the current treasurer expressed support for the president's signature replacing his, saying it's well deserved. There are critics, though, who say if the Trump administration really wanted to honor America's birthday, it should have uplifted historic figures, not a sitting president. Reuters reports Trump's signature will start to appear on $100 bills in June. Separately, the US treasury is moving forward with a 24 karat gold commemorative coin and a $1 coin that will both feature a portrait of President Trump. Millions of Americans are expected to come out in protests tomorrow. In fact, organizers say it could be the largest protest in modern American history. It's a follow up to no Kings protests that have been happening every few months in opposition of President Trump's direction for the country. This time, more than 3,000 events are planned across all 50 states. Especially large turnout is expected at rallies in Washington, D.C. minneapolis, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Portland, Oregon, where organizers say there's a lot of attention on increased immigration enforcement, the war in Iran and calls for impeachment. But in the past, many Republicans have criticized the no Kings movement, with some GOP leaders calling the protests Hate America rallies. And now the White House is calling them Trump derangement therapy sessions. Millions of Americans have been facing severe weather threats all night, and some storms have even lasted into the morning. This latest system has impacted the Midwest and Ohio Valley. Overnight has mostly been thunderstorms, complete with significant hail and damaging winds, mostly across Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. And this morning, the storms are expected to reach the Mid Atlantic, with widespread soaking rain in the forecast for much of the East Coast. But today, there's not as much of a chance of those storms turning severe as then. Tomorrow, this weather system will move offshore, leaving cooler temperatures in its wake. In fact, it could actually feel like winter again, with temperatures dropping into the 30s and 40s across much of the Midwest, Mid Atlantic and Northeast. While the western part of the country is still baking under a heat dome, it's expected to finally get cooler out west by the middle of next week. We have more news for you still coming up, but first I want to take a moment to talk about our sponsor. We spend a lot of time thinking about what's happening now and next in the news. But when you're ready to step back and ask what would make your financial life easier for your future self, Gainbridge can help. It's a digital platform built to make saving feel more straightforward and less stressful. Instead of guessing what the market might do, Gainbridge offers financial products with a guaranteed rate for a term you choose from day one, you know exactly what to expect. There are no hidden fees or commissions, and the process is simple. Decide how much you want to set aside, choose your timeline and let your money grow over time. They offer options designed for different goals. So whether you're working towards something in the near future, like a home or a big trip, or thinking longer term about retirement. Of course, rates will vary based on your choices, but the appeal here is clarity and consistency. Knowing your plan doesn't depend on daily ups and downs. If you're looking for a more predictable way to think about saving, you can learn more@gainbridge.com gainbridge let your money work for you. Now back to the news. The U.S. army is easing some of its policies in an effort to boost its ranks. First, it's raising its maximum recruitment age from 35 to 42. And second, it's allowing recruits with certain drug convictions, specifically if they've been charged just once for possessing marijuana or drug paraphernalia, that will no longer disqualify them. This makes the Army's regulations more closely aligned with the Navy and Air Force, and it's expected to help the army with recruitment, which has declined in recent years. The changes will go into effect on April 20th. By the way, social media has apparently been buzzing about a military draft, but to be clear, that's not something President Trump has mentioned. These changes just make it easier for more people who actually want to enlist to do so. The Pentagon will not be able to blacklist the AI company Anthropic as it wanted to, at least for now. A federal judge paused the Trump administration's designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk. The company had challenged the government's designation, arguing the Pentagon was retaliating against the company's public views on AI safety, saying that was a violation of free speech rights. Anthropic also says it wasn't given a chance to dispute the supply chain risk label, which was a violation of its Fifth Amendment right to due process. And lastly, the company made the point that it's been harmed and and that being a supply chain risk could cost it billions of dollars in lost business and reputational harm. Remember, this all started with Anthropic trying to limit the Defense Department so its AI tools could not be used for surveillance of Americans or autonomous weapons. On the other side, the Pentagon argued private companies shouldn't be able to limit legal military action either way. The judge said the Pentagon labeling Anthropic a supply chain risk still did not fit here, since the action didn't seem to be taken in the interest of national security. This is all seen as a big win for Anthropic, but the Trump administration is expected to appeal. The International Olympics Committee is now banning transgender athletes from competing in all women's events. The IOC announced the policy yesterday after a years long review, saying it protects fairness, safety and integrity in women's sports. To enforce the ban, each athlete will have to go through a genetic screening, but that's where a lot of the criticism comes in. There are questions about the reliability and cost of testing, and critics of the policy say it invades women's privacy and discriminates against intersex people whose anatomy doesn't fit binary definitions of male or female. It's not clear how many transgender women this will immediately impact. Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard made history as the first openly transgender woman to compete at the olympic level in 2021. No other transgender woman is known to have participated in an Olympics since. The new policy will take effect starting at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The iHeart Music Awards happened last night, bringing out some of the biggest stars in the world, like Taylor Swift, who was with her fiance Travis Kelce for the first time at an awards show. She took home seven trophies, including Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Best Lyrics, Best Music Video, and so on. Another big winner was Alex Warren, who won Breakthrough Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for Ordinary. Miley Cyrus accepted the Innovator Award, given to artists who have significantly impacted global pop culture, and John Mellencamp accepted the iHeartRadio Icon Award that recognizes legendary artists for their lasting impact and influence across generations. There were also live performances from Mellencamp, Warren, and a historic joint performance from tlc, Salt N Pepa and En Vogue. And you can check out a replay on Hulu or see highlights and performances on the iHeartRadio app. Well, that's it for the main news today. So now it's time for Feel Good Friday, when we bring you one extra feel good or positive news story before the weekend. But first, this episode is brought to you by honeylove. We're not too far from wedding season, so whenever I'm planning for a special event, I have to think about not only what to wear, but also how everything is going to fit and feel once it's on. I appreciate that HoneyLove shapewear helps my outfits look more polished and ensures they still feel comfortable enough to wear the entire evening. It's designed with targeted compression so it enhances your shape instead of squeezing it and it actually stays in place. Say goodbye to shapewear that rolls down or up as soon as you hit the dance floor. Plus, when I get home after an event or even running errands the next day, honeylove loungewear and leggings are a great go to. Everything from honeylove is thoughtfully designed by women who actually wear these pieces, and you can really feel that in how comfortable, cute and practical it all is. So treat yourself to the most advanced shapewear and bras on the market. Use our exclusive link to save 20% off honeylove@honeylove.com newsworthy that's honeylove.com newsworthy after you check out, they'll ask where you heard about them. So please support our show and tell them we sent you. Experience the new standard in comfort and support with honeylove. Okay, now back to Feel Good Friday. So this is really a full circle moment. A woman who was born at Yale New Haven Hospital spent most of her adult life there working as a custodian. And now she's returning to that same hospital, this time as a doctor. Of course, it's been a long road to get to this point. As Shay Taylor Allen was going to college, she was working her janitorial job full time. Then her family home caught fire, leaving her mother with severe breathing issues. Her mother had become so ill. Taylor Allen was also helping to look after her younger brother and taking her mom to Yale New Haven Hospital, hoping to find a solution. She got some help from the hospital's chief executive. And as Taylor Allen explains it, the way that executive advocated for her mother was part of what made her realize she wanted to do that for other people, too. So she continued her education and with the help of her mentor at Yale, she was accepted into medical school at Howard University in Washington, D.C. but she always knew she wanted to go back. Well, one week ago, she got the news that she'd be doing just that. A video of her opening the paper revealing her residency captures her excitement as she jumps up and down in her high heels screaming, I'm going to Yale. The video now has millions of views on TikTok. And now Taylor Allen says she hopes her story will motivate others to go after their own goals, no matter how far fetched they may seem. Thank you so much for listening today. We'll be back tomorrow with our special edition Saturday episode. A travel expert shares everything from how to avoid long security lines right now to where to find the best deals for summer travel and even key things to know about travel insurance. Then we'll be back on Monday with the latest news. For now, have a great weekend. It.