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The Short List

Wed Mar 18 2026

Phaedra Trethan | National Correspondent

@wordsbyphaedra

👋🏼 Hello! We're halfway through the work week! I'm Phaedra Trethan, and I love baseball. ⚾️ 🩷 ⚾️ 🩷

In Wednesday's news:

•	Travel delays continue at many airports as a partial government shutdown continues. Could a deal be close?
•	Iran's leadership is "intact" but weakened, the nation's top intelligence official told senators.
•	Young men, and even boys, are struggling with pornography addictions. Some want out.

But first: Gotta agree with the comedian here. This definitely does not look like Kevin Hart. 😆

TSA troubles: Terror concerns, travel headaches

Airport security lines are growing as spring approaches. So are worries about potential acts of terror for a nation at war against Iran. And the pressure on TSA workers, who've had to work without pay during an ongoing partial government shutdown, is only getting worse. Now in an attempt to end that shutdown – sparked by a dispute over Department of Homeland Security funding and the tactics of ICE agents – the White House is offering some concessions, including the expansion of body-worn cameras and limits to what they can do at churches, schools and hospitals. Still, the most controversial question remains unresolved.

•	Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin struck a different tone than his predecessor in his confirmation hearing to lead DHS. 🎙️
•	Watch: Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul confronts Mullin over an attack.
•	Mullin became a millionaire while serving in Congress. How did he do it? 💰
•	What to know about Mullin.
•	Towns across the U.S. are fighting against having ICE facilities nearby. 🙅🏻‍♂️
•	Where are ICE detention centers planned? What we know.
•	Not all airports are experiencing security delays. Why? ✈️
•	Watch: Travel troubles at TSA checkpoints.

Security lines stretch outside Austin airport as shutdown continues.

Courtesy of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport

Iran's regime 'intact' but 'degraded'

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told a Senate committee that Iran's regime was still "intact" but "largely degraded" 19 days into the U.S.-Israel war against the rogue nation. Meanwhile, gas prices continue to rise, and President Donald Trump expressed frustration with European allies' reluctance to get involved in the conflict. The latest developments, including fallout from a high-profile resignation.

•	Joe Kent's interest in preventing terrorism is intensely personal. He still quit.
•	Trump's measure of success in Iran largely depends on how to end the war.
•	Israel says a strike killed the leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

Intel leaders face tense Senate grilling as National Security director Tulsi Gabbard defends Iran war assessment during hearing.

Getty Images

Real quick

•	A federal judge ruled hundreds of Voice of America workers must be reinstated. 🎙️
•	Dolores Huerta, an iconic labor and civil rights activist, said she's among the women and girls allegedly sexually assaulted by Caesar Chavez.
•	Senators will continue to wrangle over the SAVE Act, which could restrict voting access for millions of Americans. 🗳️
•	Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton won the Illinois Democratic primary, setting her up to succeed the retiring Sen. Dick Durbin. Takeaways from yesterday's primaries. 🫏

From a 'coping mechanism' to an addiction

Pornography is instantly accessible to almost anyone with a smartphone, a laptop or an internet connection. That's a problem for a lot of young men and even some pre-teen boys. Sex therapist Anthony Preischel told USA TODAY the accessibility, affordability and anonymous nature of porn have contributed to its earlier adoption among teens and children. Some young men say easy access morphed into addiction, affecting their sex lives, their mental health and their ability to form real connections.

Hoops heaven 🏀 🩷 🏀

🎶 They're playing basketball / We love that basketball... 🎵

The NCAA Men's Tournament gets underway in earnest tomorrow, and the women tip off starting Friday. And in the WNBA, players and the league have come to an agreement on a new contract. We have it all.

WNBA

•	After more than 17 months of sometimes contentious negotiations, the WNBA and its players' union agreed in principle to a new collective bargaining agreement. 💵
•	How WNBA players reacted to the news.
•	Analysis: Will sports execs finally start taking women's sports seriously? 🤔
•	What will WNBA salaries look like under the new CBA?

NCAA Men's Tournament

•	What March Madness means for the NBA Draft.
•	Is Arizona's success a sign of a Big 12 surge?
•	Our experts' picks for today's First Four games. ✅

NCAA Women's Tournament

•	UConn's reluctant superstar shows Diana Taurasi-like tenaciousness.
•	Hot takes, fakers and playmakers in the women's bracket.

It's hard to believe Sarah Strong could top her record-breaking freshman season, but she's one-upped herself. Strong has career highs in points (18.5), assists (4.1), steals (3.4), field goal percentage (60.1%) and free throw percentage (87.3%). She leads UConn in nearly every statical category, including points, rebounds, steals and blocks. Expect Strong to have a strong showing in the NCAA Tournament. She set the freshmen points record in an NCAA Tournament (114) last season.

Kamil Krzaczynski, -Imagn Images

A break from the news

•	To quote Brad Pitt as Billy Beane: How can you not be romantic about baseball? ⚾️ 🥹
•	Having kids later in life has its challenges. But the rewards are greater (wrote the person who became a mom at 38). 👶🏻
•	Happy to see USA TODAY readers agree with me that Longwood Gardens is one of the best botanical gardens in the country. 🌸 🌼 🌺

Phaedra Trethan is a national correspondent at USA TODAY. She'd love to hear from readers about The Short List, story ideas from across the nation and your favorite places to get out and enjoy springtime. Email her at ptrethan@usatoday.com.

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