The Latest: 03/18/2026 12:59pm ET

0:00This is an iHeart podcast, Guaranteed Human. From the creators of Jury Duty comes a new installment full of high jinks, hilarity, and hot sauce. This season, we're taking the comedy out of the courthouse and into the mountains for an annual company retreat. The catch? Everyone but the new guy is an actor. Oh yeah, and the company is fake. Season 2 arrives with bigger laughs, higher stakes, and the same heart that made season 1 a cultural phenomenon. Catch Jury Duty presents company retreat, now streaming on Prime Video. This is your 24-7 News Update, the latest views this hour in just four minutes. Top US intelligence and security officials are appearing before the Senate today to discuss threats facing the US, Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard spoke about threats to everyday Americans. These transnational criminal organizations continue to pose a daily and direct threat to the health and safety of millions of US citizens, primarily and directly by producing

1:03and trafficking in illegal drugs. The Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is also hearing from FBI Director Cash Patel, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and others. The hearing comes with the US at war with Iran and several recent attacks in the US being investigated as possible acts of terrorism. They include the deadly shooting at Old Dominion University and the attempted bombing outside the New York City's mayor's residence. US Central Command reports multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator bombs were dropped near the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, according to Send Com Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles at the site's posed a risk to international shipping in the strait, which is where about 20% of the world's oil supply flows. The Iranian military is attacked ships in the strait and its new Supreme Leader has previously said it would remain closed due to the US and Israel's joint operation. President Trump's choice to replace Christy Nome as the Department of Homeland Security Chief is appearing before the Senate for his confirmation hearing today. Republican Senator Mark Wayne Mullin is slated to take over during a tumultuous time at the DHS. Airline passengers will likely face even more travel disruptions tied to TSA staffing shortages

2:07as the partial government shutdown continues and B.C.'s Maggie Vesba reports. TSA officers now on their 30-second day without pay, more than 10% have called out nationwide and when you narrow that to the nation's busiest airports, it's even more dramatic, more than a third of officers not showing up for ships at JFK, Houston, New Orleans, and Atlanta. And starting today, three terminal security checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport are being temporarily closed because of the staffing shortages. I'm Chris Caragio. Heat records are expected to fall across the Southwest this week as a massive heat dome since temperatures rising to near 100 degrees Los Angeles could break daily heat records through Friday. This temperatures climb into the upper 90s Las Vegas is expecting a record-setting temperatures through Saturday with some highs exceeding previous records by up to 10 degrees. Phoenix could see its earliest 100-degree day on record beating the previous record set in 1988 when it hit 100 degrees on March 26th.

3:08Then as well as celebrating its first ever world baseball classic title, the team edged America 3-2 last night in the final in Miami. A Eugenio Suarez drove in the go-ahead run with a double in the top of the ninth. Bryce Harper tied the game with a two-run homer and the bottom of the eighth as Team USA was trying to earn its second classic victory. Pending home sales unexpectedly rose in February, the National Association of Realtors cited improved affordability for driving the 1.8% increase in contract signed from the prior month. However, pending home sales declined 8-10% year over year. The Midwest led the way in monthly gains for February, followed by the South and West, pending home sales declined in the Northeast last month. Today, your lunch or dinner is set with a quick trip to the market for ground beef and tomato base sauce. Retent us with more. Today's National Day requires napkins as its National Sloppy Joe Day, named after the guy who created it back in the 30s in Su City, Iowa. Although there are claims that originated in Cuba, just don't tell anyone in Iowa about that. The Los Me Dishes All-American was even referenced in the film's Citizen Kane, and it's a wonderful

4:10life. But make no mistake, it's not a burger, it's a sandwich, and we eat about 20 million a year. Customs agents working at the Texas border found 39 live pythons hidden inside the cab of an 18-wheeler that was crossing from Laredo in New Mexico. They were individually wrapped in little bags with a store's logo on the outside. The snakes were handed over to Fish and Wildlife agents. The driver had his big rig seized, and he faces more than $30,000 for export violations. I'm Chris Grasio.