Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Good morning. As thousands of troops arrive in the Middle East, Trump continues to weigh diplomatic and military ways to end the conflict. Reuters walks us through it.
I think it's important to see what they're doing rather than what they're saying. And the reality is between 2,500 and 3,500 U.S. Marines have arrived in the greater Middle East region.
Chapter 2: What recent developments have occurred with U.S. troops in the Middle East?
TSA staffers should get paid this week, but the partial shutdown drags on. NBC News explains why Senate and House Republicans are at odds. And the 98-year-old federal judge who wants her job back. It's Monday, March 30th. I'm Cecilia Lay, and this is Apple News Today. The war in the Middle East could enter a new phase this week, but the direction remains unclear, diplomacy or escalation.
Thousands of additional U.S. troops arrived in the region over the weekend. The Washington Post reports that the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran as it awaits President Trump's orders. Quoting anonymous official sources, the Post suggested the plans fall short of a full-scale invasion but involve raids by special operations and conventional forces.
The administration has stressed that no decision has been made, and last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that objectives could be met without any ground troops. Idris Ali is a national security correspondent for Reuters. He told us that thousands more troops have arrived in the Middle East, and that's a number that could get even bigger very soon.
We have troops from the 82nd Airborne arriving soon into the Middle East as well. And so the number of troops is going to increase. That's probably a few weeks away. And President Trump, as far as we know, has not missed. made a decision to send ground troops into Iran so far. That can happen quickly, but it does require a certain level of protection for these forces who might be in harm's way.
Ali reports that there's now more than 50,000 troops in the region. This buildup hasn't gone unnoticed. On Sunday, hours after the Post's reporting, Iran's parliament speaker accused the U.S. of secretly planning a ground attack. While the buildup escalates on the ground, in the air, missiles continue to fly in both directions. Trump has claimed Tehran has, quote, very few rockets left.
But Ali said that among the people he's speaking to, there's a lot less certainty.
We asked our sources, How much of Iran's missiles does the United States believe it has actually destroyed? And from our understanding, essentially, the United States can only determine with high confidence that one third of Iran's missile and missile launchers have been destroyed so far.
Ali reports another third of Iran's missiles are either incapacitated or in underground tunnels and bunkers that can't be reached. And while missile and drone attacks on neighboring countries are much lower than last month's peak, Iran has still delivered a steady stream of aerial attacks and continues to pose a serious threat to the Gulf.
It's sort of almost in the eye of the beholder, right? Iran still has, you know, hundreds, potentially more, thousands of missiles left. So even if it's diminished, even one missile or two missiles or 10 missiles or 100 missiles might be too much for neighboring countries like the Arab Emirates or Saudi Arabia.
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Chapter 3: What are the implications of the U.S. troop buildup in the region?
Coast Guard is allowing a Russian tanker full of crude oil to approach the island nation, breaking the administration's three-month-long oil blockade. Cuba has been suffering from daily blackouts, gas shortages, and deteriorating medical care since a lost access to Venezuelan oil.
The New York Times reports that the tanker could arrive to Cuba by tonight and by the country a few weeks before fuel reserves run out. It's not clear why the U.S. didn't stop the Russian tanker, but the U.S. blockade has attracted criticism from the U.N. as the humanitarian crisis worsens.
A 98-year-old federal judge who was sidelined over questions about her competency wants her job back and is asking the Supreme Court for help. Judge Pauline Newman was suspended back in 2023 when she refused to submit to medical testing over her mental fitness.
As NPR reports, no court has found Newman to be incompetent, and she has said she's fighting to stop others from being forced out against their will. So far, her case has been rejected at the federal level. Her situation raises questions over how the judicial system should be managing an aging workforce.
Data suggests more than 30 percent of federal judges are 75 years or older, but there's no retirement age in place. And finally, the men's NCAA Basketball Final Four is set. Arizona, Michigan, Illinois, and UConn head to Indianapolis to compete for the national championship.
Arizona, Illinois, and Michigan all won their elite eight games relatively comfortably, but in true March Madness style, the final game of the weekend ended in dramatic fashion.
That's the moment UConn freshman Braylon Mullins sunk a three-pointer to pull the Huskies ahead of Duke, the tournament's top-ranked team, leaving just four-tenths of a second on the clock, punching their ticket to the Final Four. UConn now takes on Illinois, and Michigan will face Arizona to determine which two teams will play in the title game.
Both Final Four games will be played Saturday, and the championship game is a week from today. You can find all these stories and more in the Apple News app. And if you're already listening in the news app right now, we've got a narrated article coming up next.
Women's Health reports on the role dads play in their kids' attitudes toward food and body image and why they've escaped being called an almond parent. If you're listening in the podcast app, follow Apple News Plus Narrated to find that story. And I'll be back with the news tomorrow.
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