5 things to know for March 26: Travel chaos, Landmark verdict, Robot at the White House, Kharg Island, Climate

Next month, if all goes according to plan, four Artemis II astronauts will set off on a 10-day journey around the moon aboard a rocket and spacecraft that have never carried humans before. It’s a high-stakes endeavor, with much of the precision unfolding on the ground, where NASA’s mission control will guide every moment to keep the crew on track.

Here’s what else you need to know to get up to speed and on with your day.

1️⃣ Travel chaos

Airports across the country are bracing for another surge of weekend travelers as the partial government shutdown drags on, pushing TSA wait times to record highs. TSA workers have been quitting or calling out in droves after going six weeks without pay. With no deal yet to fund the Department of Homeland Security — and lawmakers set to leave for a two-week recess on Friday — the outlook is increasingly uncertain. Unless a deal is reached soon, many overwhelmed airports will head into one of the busiest travel weekends of the year with massive spring break crowds and only a fraction of their security screening capabilities.

2️⃣ Landmark verdict

Meta and YouTube were found liable on Wednesday in a landmark case over social media addiction. A California jury concluded that the companies designed their platforms to foster compulsive use, knew the risks, failed to warn users and caused substantial harm to a young woman’s mental health. The companies were ordered to pay $6 million in damages — a relatively small sum for the tech giants, but one that analysts say could serve as a blueprint for hundreds of similar lawsuits. If losses mount in those cases, total damages could climb into the billions, CNN tech reporter Clare Duffy says.

3️⃣ Robot at the White House

First Lady Melania Trump brought an AI-powered robot to the White House on Wednesday — and said there could be more of them soon. “Thank you, first lady Melania Trump, for inviting me,” the robot said, introducing itself as “Figure 3” at Trump’s summit on AI education and child safety. The unexpected guest drew a stunned silence from attendees, with many snapping photos. The robot then moved through the room on its two “feet,” greeting guests in 11 languages with flawless pronunciation. Wednesday’s robotic appearance underscored the rapid pace of AI development, which Trump sought to highlight as she emphasized the need to protect and educate children in a fast-changing technological landscape.

4️⃣ Kharg island

As tensions rise across the Middle East, Iran has been laying traps on Kharg Island, preparing for a potential US attempt to seize the key oil hub, according to multiple people familiar with US intelligence. The Trump administration is weighing whether to use troops to take the island in the northeastern Persian Gulf — which handles roughly 90% of Iran’s crude exports — as leverage to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, CNN has reported. But officials and military experts warn that such an operation would carry major risks, including significant US casualties, given the island’s layered defenses. Separately, Israel says it killed a key Iranian Navy commander involved in the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

5️⃣ Climate

A record warm March has melted an already abysmal snowpack across the western US, with the impacts clearly visible in satellite imagery. That’s raising alarms ahead of summer in a region that relies heavily on mountain snow for its water supply. Snowpack in the western US typically reaches its peak by late March or early April, but it is currently at record lows, which means a host of potential impacts, including greater wildfire risk and reduced water availability in river basins, meteorologists say. That includes the Colorado River Basin, which has long been mired in water scarcity.

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