NPR News: 03-30-2026 1AM EDT

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered that country's military to expand

its ground invasion of southern Lebanon.

As Emperor Daniel Estren reports, this comes as an Israeli soldier with US citizenship

was killed by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The killed soldier was from New Haven, Connecticut.

He moved to Israel to serve in the military.

Israel has been expanding its ground invasion into neighboring Lebanon, creating what Israel

calls a new buffer zone.

Netanyahu is now ordering it to be expanded.

He says to thwart the threat of Hezbollah invading northern Israel and to push anti-tank

missile fire farther away from the Israeli border.

Netanyahu is facing pressure to protect residents of northern Israel who have not been evacuated

from their homes and who face daily Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks.

In southern Israel, an Iranian missile attack hit a chemical plant sparking a massive fire.

He's ruled out a leak of hazardous substances.

Daniel Estren, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

During his annual Palm Sunday Mass, Pope Leo said God doesn't listen to the prayers of

those who wage war and should never be used to justify violence and pierce roof Sherlock

as more.

Pope Leo spoke as thousands of US troops arrived in the Middle East as part of the US and

Israel's expanding war against Iran.

In his Palm Sunday Mass, Leo called the unfolding conflict atrocious.

He said God should never be used to justify conflict and doesn't listen to the appeals

of leaders who wage war.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegsf had recently prayed for violence against enemies he said

deserved no mercy during a service at the Pentagon.

Quoting a Bible passage, Leo said, even though you make many prayers, I will not listen.

Your hands are full of blood, Ruth Sherlock, NPR News.

The TSA officers are now expecting to see their first paycheck in six weeks as early

as Monday.

They've been working without pay because of the continuing partial government shutdown

and that's caused weeks of disruptions for air travelers.

President Trump Friday said the officers need to get the money they're owed but Union

Rep Johnny Jones says that's not enough to make them whole.

A lot of people had to take loans out which cost money.

Everybody had an apartment complex.

Their apartment agreed not to evict them but they still had to pay the $35 to $75 per

day late fee.

This isn't just this one.

This has happened twice in the last five months.

So when you calculate all that stuff, the average has got to be around $10,000 because I've

lost personally thousands of thousands of dollars and I'm in one of the better positions

of all the officers.

Officials in Afghanistan say severe flooding and landslides there have killed at least

17 people and injured 26 others over the last 24 hours and they say those numbers could

go up.

Rescue crews reach the affected areas, the casualties are the latest from a number of severe

weather events that have taken place there this year.

You're listening to NPR News.

According California ruled last week the tech companies were to blame for depression and

anxiety in a young social media user.

Now Britain is considering joining a number of other countries, including Australia by

passing a social media ban for those under the age of 16.

Vicki Barker has our reports.

The British government had already launched a three month consultation on a possible social

media ban when the California verdict came down.

But Prime Minister Kierce Starmer tells the observer newspaper the ruling that meta and

Google intentionally built addictive social media platforms that damaged the 20 year old

plaintiff's mental health was a turning point.

One month into the consultation, Starmer said a consensus is already emerging about the

addictive nature of some of the algorithms aimed at teens and children, though initially

opposing a complete ban for under 16's, Starmer, a former human rights lawyer and prosecutor

said he is now open minded about it.

For NPR News, I'm Vicki Barker in London.

Britain bets had 23 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks as UCLA beat Duke Sunday, 70

to 58, and the NCAA women's basketball tournament.

The Bruins move into next weekend's final four, so will Yukon, who easily handled Notre

Dame 70 to 52.

In college basketball, the men's final four is now set after a desperation three pointer

at the buzzer gave Yukon a stunning win over Duke Sunday, 73 to 72.

Duke was the tournament's overall top seed.

Yukon will now play Illinois in the final four next Saturday, and Michigan will play

Arizona for a chance to make it to the finals.

I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.