NPR News: 03-29-2026 1PM EDT

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nur Rahm.

At thousands of U.S. troops arrive in the Middle East one month into the war with Iran,

President Trump is also dealing with mounting problems here at home.

NPR's more liason reports.

Congress and the President have not been able to work out a compromise to fund the Department

of Homeland Security.

That's causing long lines at airports because TSA agents who are not being paid are quitting

their jobs or staying home from work.

The President has signed an emergency order allowing him to pay the TSA agents.

In addition, President Trump is dealing with the economic fallout from the war in Iran.

As long as Iran restricts shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices will continue to rise.

And that has caused the war to become even more unpopular and Trump's approval ratings

to drop even further.

Poll show Trump's base is still solidly behind him, but there are cracks in his mega-coalition.

Many people last week showed one quarter of Republicans saying the war has already gone

too far.

Mara Laison, NPR News.

Kelly Greco has been closely following the war in Iran.

She's a senior fellow and military analyst at the Stimson Center.

She was asked what she's watching for as the war enters its second month.

I think this is the most dangerous moment in the war so far as the administration is sending

forces to the region and looks like it's seriously contemplating some kind of ground

action.

I'm very concerned that it's going to do that.

And I'll just say that, you know, if it takes one of these islands, these small islands

in the Strait or towards Kharg, all of those forces are going to be under the range of drones

and missiles in artillery.

It would be a very dangerous and costly operation.

She was interviewed on NPR's weekend edition.

Police in Israel turned away the Vatican's top official in Jerusalem from praying in one

of Christianity's holiest sights today.

The Latin Patriarch had already canceled public Palm Sunday events in catering with

wartime restrictions, but it was barred from holding smaller private prayers the first

time in centuries, according to church leaders, NPR's Kerry Khan reports.

The bells of the church are the Holy Sepulchre ring out in the old city, but you can't get

close to the site where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified and resurrected.

Many officials are limiting public gatherings in Jerusalem's holy sites to under 50 people.

The Holy Al-Axamasque has been close to just staff during the entire war.

Judaism's Holy Western Wall allows 50 worshipers at a time.

This year's Palm Sunday procession had been canceled in accordance to the rules, but

police Sunday even prevented Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierre Bautiste de Pizzabala and

another official for mentoring the site.

In what church officials say is, quote, a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate

measure.

Israel's president apologized, Kerry Khan and Pierre News Jerusalem.

This is NPR News in Washington.

A fire broke out at a dance club early this morning in southwestern Germany near the French

border.

About 750 people ran to escape to flames.

Police say no one was injured.

Finland's defense minister says unmanned aerial vehicles committed a territorial violation

early today.

Terry Schultz reports this comes after several drones crashed in the Baltic States over

the past few days.

Finland's Air Force sent fighter jets into the air to try to identify the objects detected

in the airspace over the southeastern part of the country.

It said two drones were later found on the ground near the city of Kovala.

Their origin was not given and police have cordoned off the areas for further investigation.

The defense minister on the hackenens says the incident is being taken very seriously.

On Friday, the defense ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania issued a joint statement

noting several drones had entered their territory recently, blaming this on Ukraine needing

to defend itself against Russia.

They also call on NATO to strengthen its air defenses and the European Union to boost

its funding for anti-drone capabilities along the eastern flank.

For NPR News, I'm Terry Schultz in Brussels.

The organizers of yesterday's No King rally say millions of people turned out across

the country to protest the Trump administration.

There are more than 3,000 events, about 500 more than the last protest in October.

The rally in Minnesota was closely watched because of the state's resistance to the president's

aggressive actions against immigrants.

Bruce Springsteen performed at that rally and he sang his new song, Streets of Minneapolis.

I'm Nora Rom, NPR News in Washington.