Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today's top stories
President Trump is deploying thousands more American soldiers to the Middle East. At least 2,000 paratroopers have received mobilization orders, as confirmed by NPR. This move coincides with the president's ongoing focus on diplomatic talks with Iran to end the war, despite Iran so far denying negotiations are taking place. Trump said yesterday that someone who is representing Iran offered some form of "a very significant prize" related to the Strait of Hormuz, but details surrounding what the offer was remain unclear.
- 🎧 This week, NPR reported that the Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division and members of his headquarters staff are heading to the Middle East. At this time, the specifics of their mission are not known. For decades, the U.S. has had plans ready to seize Kharg Island, Iran's energy hub in the Persian Gulf, NPR's Quil Lawrence tells Up First. Trump has shown particular interest in the island and the U.S. has already conducted bombings there, possibly as a negotiating tactic. So far in this conflict, U.S. casualties have remained low, and the main costs for the nation have been political and economic, Lawrence says. Putting boots on the ground in Iran would ramp up the risk of U.S. casualties and could introduce unpredictable variables of war.
- 🎧 While the war has been heavily focused on U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, Lebanon has been heavily impacted by Israeli bombings of homes, bridges and highways. The conflict has reignited cross-border conflict between the two countries. And the violence could intensify — with Israeli officials warning of a ground invasion. Israel's defense minister said yesterday that the country plans to take Lebanon's territory and move the Israeli-Lebanese border northward. Moving the border would leave thousands of Lebanese living in occupied territory, according to NPR's Lauren Frayer. Paul Khreish, a municipal official in Ain Ebel, informed NPR he is worried his region will no longer be Lebanese and doesn't know whether he should remain where he is or leave.
- ➡️ Since the beginning of the conflict with Iran, Trump's objectives have changed. Here's a reminder of some of the things he's said about the war and where the U.S. is now.
Talks on funding the Department of Homeland Security have been on and off between the White House and Congress. But NPR's Barbara Sprunt says there appears to be a small glimmer of progress. This comes as lines at many airports are increasingly getting longer as Transportation Security agents continue to work without pay. The DHS, which includes TSA, has been shut down for over a month now.
- 🎧 Senate Republicans proposed a new deal to Democrats yesterday, but top Democrats are not satisfied with the deal's lack of reforms. The new plan does aim to fund DHS without funding the part of ICE charged with detentions and its deportation operations. The White House will eventually want to fund ICE enforcement, which could complicate negotiations. But Republicans could use a budget tool called reconciliation to pass the deal without Democrats' support. If Republicans go this route, they could use the opportunity to include a big priority for Trump in the same process, passing an elections overhaul package, Sprunt says. Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he wants to secure DHS funding by the end of the week.
A whole industry of data brokers buys vast amounts of electronic information from cell phone apps and web browsers —- with the brokers providing bulk cell phone data to police departments and federal government agencies. The brokers give this data to these authorities in ways that can reveal personal details about Americans without a warrant. Privacy advocates believe Congress has a chance to close the well-known loophole around the 14th Amendment that allows for this form of government snooping. This opportunity arises as Congress prepares to reauthorize Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which is set to expire on April 20.
Life advice
Stock markets have fallen due to the uncertainty surrounding the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran and its economic effects. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is down around 9% since its February high, which hit about two weeks before the war started. That's not a crash or a bear market, which are markets that have fallen 20% from recent highs. But the market decline has pulled down the value of Americans' investments, from college to retirement plans. Here's what financial advisers suggest you do if you are concerned about the shaky market:
- 📉 If you are 10 years or more from needing the funds, leave your accounts alone. Markets have proven resilient to recent global disruptions and could bounce back within months to a few years.
- 📉 Prepare for the next geopolitical event by having a spread of holdings. As the withdrawal time approaches, shift holdings into more stable assets, such as U.S. Treasury bonds.
- 📉 If you need funds now and have multiple funds or accounts, draw from the one performing best — or at least not the worst. You still are selling at a loss, but not by as much.
Picture show
While the vernal equinox, which marks the start of spring, might be just another date for many people, Iranians celebrate it as Nowruz, the Persian New Year. In the Kurdish regions of the Middle East, Nowruz fundamentally expresses Kurdish identity. Over 30 million Kurds live in a contiguous area across Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey, which is divided by external borders and historic internal differences. For decades, the ancient town of Akre, nestled against craggy mountains in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, has been the focal point for Nowruz celebrations. There, Kurds gather to light flaming torches at sunset, carrying them up the mountainside to symbolize light defeating darkness. Take a look at how people celebrated the event this year.
3 things to know before you go
- Quadruple amputee and professional cornhole player Dayton Webber has been arrested and accused of killing a man in the front seat of his car during an argument on Sunday in La Plata, Md.
- NPR's Word of the Week is gaslighting, a buzzword that describes a destructive form of psychological manipulation that therapists say people are overusing. Here's a look at what the term actually means.
- The Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear a case challenging a Texas law that allows law enforcement to arrest reporters who obtain information from government employees.
This newsletter was edited by Treye Green.
Copyright 2026 NPR