In today’s newsletter: Iran’s strikes force Gulf nations to consider joining the war. Bipartisan efforts to end the DHS shutdown reach a new level of urgency. And the cast of “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” raised concerns over abuse allegations against one of the show’s stars at a meeting with ABC execs.

Here’s what to know today.

Iran retaliation is forcing Gulf States into a stark decision

As attacks from Iran continue, the Islamic Republic’s Gulf neighbors are being forced to make a stark decision: whether to join the fight.

After an Israeli attack on Iran’s largest oil field, the embattled country’s retaliatory strikes across the region signaled a dramatic escalation in the war — and the existing threat to the global economy.

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Some of those strikes exploded outside a hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as representatives from Middle Eastern countries gathered to discuss the war. At the meeting, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said trust between Iran and neighboring states has been shattered, and the prospect of others joining the fight should not be dismissed.

Countries across the Gulf are anxious to see an end to the conflict. Some want the U.S. to find an off-ramp as soon as possible, while others are more concerned about the Trump administration leaving the Iranian regime not only intact, but vengeful, a U.S. official said.

Omani officials, who were once confident that the U.S. and Iran could reach a peace deal, are “panicked and looking for how they can protect their population,” a congressional aide said. Leaders in the United Arab Emirates, which has been bearing the brunt of Iranian attacks, are angry at how things have unfolded.

What other Gulf nations are concerned about.

Follow our live coverage of the conflict.

More Iran news:

• Forced from their homes and fearing an all-out Israeli invasion, people in Lebanon feel nowhere is safe.

• After meeting with the families of six service members killed in the war, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said they had a consistent message for him: “They said, ‘Finish this.’” But one father denies ever saying that.

• The DOJ has seized four domains linked to Iran, including one linked to a hacking group that claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on a U.S. company.

Bipartisan talks to end Homeland Security shutdown get serious

Top Republicans and Democrats trying to end the monthlong Department of Homeland Security shutdown met with White House border czar Tom Homan yesterday. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has also threatened to cancel the upper chamber’s two-week Easter recess unless negotiators can strike a deal.

Senators have been in a standoff since DHS funding lapsed on Feb. 14, but recent suspected terrorist attacks, frustration with major airport disruptions and thousands of federal employees working without pay have escalated the urgency on Capitol Hill.

DHS shut down just over a month ago after the department’s agents killed two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis. Democrats allowed other parts of the government to be funded, but they vowed to block funding for DHS until Republicans agreed to make significant reforms to how immigration enforcement is carried out.

Democrats have raised a plan to pay TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard and other non-ICE employees, while the Trump administration says they are willing to budge on issues like body-worn cameras and limiting civil immigration enforcement at “certain sensitive locations” like hospitals or schools. Republicans still say they want to fund DHS altogether, not piece by piece.

How discussions are going a month into the shutdown.

More politics news:

• Former FBI director James Comey has been subpoenaed in connection with an investigation run by a Trump-appointed federal prosecutor, sources said.

• President Donald Trump made a joke about Pearl Harborduring Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s visit to the White House.

• A U.S. gold coin with an image of Trump has received approval from the president’s hand-picked panel.

‘Secret Lives of Mormon Wives’ cast raised Taylor Frankie Paul concerns with ABC execs

Cast members from Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” told ABC executives earlier this month they had concerns about continuing the show if “MomTok” founder Taylor Frankie Paul remained involved, according to audio obtained by NBC News.

During the Zoom meeting on March 7, the stars voiced concerns over the future of their careers, the show’s brand and the allegations surrounding Paul and her partner Dakota Mortensen.

In 2023, Paul was charged with assault, criminal mischief and domestic violence in the presence of a child, according to Salt Lake County sheriff’s records. Court records indicate that Paul pleaded guilty in abeyance to an aggravated assault charge in August 2025, and the other four charges were dismissed with prejudice. A police spokesperson said this week that there is an open “domestic assault investigation” regarding Paul and Mortensen from February.

Yesterday, TMZ published a video from 2023 that appears to be recorded by Mortensen and shows Paul pushing and kicking him as he repeatedly asks her to stop. Paul is also seen throwing three barstools at Mortensen. Her daughter, who was sitting nearby, can be heard crying.

Shortly after the video was published, a Disney spokesperson said that ABC had pulled Paul’s season of “The Bachelorette,” which was set to premiere on Sunday.

Read NBC News’ exclusive report about the call with ABC executives.

Heat records in California, and a deluge in Hawaii

An early-season heat wave has broken several all-time records in California and Arizona — and the summerlike conditions are expected to stick around for a few more days.

In Arizona’s Yuma County, the community of Martinez Lake hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit, setting a new record for the highest March temperature in U.S. recorded history, according to the National Weather Service. Palm Springs, California, hit 107 degrees yesterday, setting an all-time record for March.

Even parts of Oregon, Idaho and Colorado are experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures. See what other temperature records were set.

Meanwhile in Hawaii, residents are grappling with record rain. In parts of Maui, more than 5 feet fell from March 10 to March 16, and some 33 inches fell in just 24 hours at Haleakalā crater, near the island’s summit. In Lahaina, where more than 100 people died in a 2023 fire, debris flowed down burn scars and onto the streets, one resident said.

More about the extreme rain in Hawaii.

Read All About It

• Officials across the U.S. and members of the public are pushing for places honoring Cesar Chavez to be renamed following sexual abuse allegations against the civil rights leader.

• The FCC greenlit Nexstar’s $6.2 billion deal to acquire rival Tegna to create the largest operator of local TV stations in the country.

• James Paul Gracey, a University of Alabama student who went missing in Barcelona, has been found dead, police said.

• Does money lead to happiness? Researchers asked 100 participants to answer the age-old question to find out how the use of AI systems may sway their answers.

Staff Pick: The newest guests on Epstein’s island: YouTubers

When I came across a YouTube video titled, “I Snuck Onto Jeffrey Epstein’s Island,” I didn’t expect to see at least a dozen other videos like it.

I spoke to four content creators about their videos documenting their treks to Little Saint James, once owned by the convicted sex offender. They told me about the logistical challenges of their journeys, including their fear of breaking trespassing laws, booking expensive multi-leg flights to reach the island and finding locals willing to help them get near it.

Many were fueled by curiosity about Epstein’s crimes and what could have taken place on the island. But it was also the type of video they knew was guaranteed to rack up millions of views.

— Bruna Horvath, business intern

NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Happy first official day of spring! To celebrate, the NBC Select team put together a comprehensive guide to herb gardening. They also tracked down the best spring sales to shop right now, with huge discounts at REI, Sephora and more.

Sign up to The Selection newsletter for hands-on product reviews, expert shopping tips and a look at the best deals and sales each week.

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