NPR News Now - NPR News: 03-30-2026 4AM EDT

Episode Date: March 30, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. Pakistan says it will soon host talks between the U.S. and Iran, but Iran's parliament speakers says they are a cover for the 2,500 U.S. Marines that arrived in the Middle East this weekend, and the speaker threatened that U.S. troops would be set on fire if they attempt a ground invasion. Israel, meanwhile, says it's not ready for the fighting to end just yet. Israel wants this war to keep going. I spoke with a military official today who said Israel would still need weeks more and wants weeks more to complete its military goals in Iran.

Israel does understand the momentum here is headed toward a negotiated end of the war. So Israel sped up attacks this weekend on Iran's military industry, its manufacturing sites. That's NPR's Daniel Lester and Jerusalem. The fighting between Iran and Israel is making religious activity difficult during an important time for both Christian and Jewish faith. Jerusalem's holiest places are sitting empty, with both Passover and Easter just one week away. The Western Wall is also closed, and officials say a key Passover blessing will take place with just a small number of people attending.

ICE officers could remain at airports even after TSA workers start getting paid again. That's according to White House Borders are Tom Homan. As NPR's Jeff Brady reports, TSA paychecks could resume as early as later today, even though Congress has not allocated money for those payments. After lawmakers failed to pass a Department of Homeland Security budget last Friday, President Trump directed the Transportation Security Administration to pay workers from existing funds. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been helping the TSA with checking identification and other tasks. On CNN's state of the union, Tom Homan said ICE officers might remain at airports. Depends how many TSA agents come back to work.

How many TSA agents have actually quit and have no plan coming back to work? The TSA says hundreds of workers quit after going weeks without pay. That's increased security wait times by, hours at airports around the country. Democrats vow to block DHS funding without reforms after officers killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. Jeff Brady, NPR News. It'll be a short week ahead on Wall Street, NPR Scott Horsley reports that traders may welcome the break after a big sell-off last week. All the major stock indexes fell last week as the U.S. war with Iran continued to scramble energy markets, crude oil prices topped $100 a barrel, and gasoline prices climbed to about a dollar a gallon

higher than they had been before the war. This coming week brings a fresh look at the U.S. job market. We'll find out on Friday how many jobs employers added or subtracted in the month of March. The job market has shown little movement for the last six months, but at 4.4 percent, the unemployment rate remains relatively low. Traders will not get an immediate opportunity to react to the jobs report. The stock market will be closed that day for the Good Friday holiday. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. And you're listening to NPR News. Stocks in Asia finished down on Monday.

Malaysia's benchmark index fell one and a half percent, while South Korea's market finished down 5.3 percent, and Taiwan fell 2.4 percent. Jakarta stocks are down 14 percent for the month. Project Hail Mary, a feel-good movie about a space voyage, is still soaring at cinemas. NPR's Bob Mandello has our details. Ryan Gosling's film about an alien encounter

during a long shot effort to save Earth. No one's ever done this before. Took off like a rocket last weekend. It is Time Go. I think you're in Go Time, pal. And apparently, the 85% of its audience that said in exit polls that they'd recommend Project Hail Mary to a friend

actually recommended it to a friend. Why were so messy questions? Well, I wasn't expecting company, was I? Where most blockbusters dropped drastically after a big U.S. opening. Project Hail Mary will finish this second weekend with another $54 million in the till. And it's amazing.

And it's holding even better overseas, so the worldwide 10-day total will top $300 million all before the start of next weekend's lucrative Easter holidays. Bob Mandello, NPR News. Raylan Mullins sank a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer Sunday to give Yukon a thrilling win over tournament top seat Duke, 73 to 72. With that win, Yukon will now play Illinois next Saturday in the men's final four, while Michigan will take on Arizona. All-America Forward Sarah Strong, meanwhile, scored 21 points as defending champion.

European Yukon rolled over Notre Dame Sunday, 70 to 52, in NCAA women's action. The Huskies now move into the women's basketball tournament final four. UCLA also advancing after beating Duke 70 to 58s. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.