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| Good morning. It’s Friday, March 27, and we didn’t expect a story about New York’s mounds of garbage to be this heartwarming. Let’s catch up. | |
 | President Donald Trump extended his deadline for Iran to open a critical waterway. | | |
 | The Senate passed a bill to reopen much of the Department of Homeland Security. | | | Millions of air travelers have faced record security delays this month, largely because of staffing problems at TSA. (Caroline Brehman/Reuters) | - Overnight: The Senate passed a measure by voice vote, with only a handful of lawmakers in the chamber, to fund parts of the agency including TSA. It now goes to the House.
- What it excludes: The bill doesn’t fund ICE or Border Patrol, but it won’t stop them from operating because Republicans gave them tens of millions in extra funding last year.
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 | A judge blocked a Pentagon order branding Anthropic a national security risk. | | |
 | The Kennedy Center began cutting staff yesterday. | - Why? The layoffs are tied to Trump’s plan to shut the D.C. arts institution for two years for renovations. The people cut include two top officials installed after Trump’s takeover.
- We spoke to the center’s longest-serving volunteer: She fears “this is the end.”
- Also yesterday: Bill Maher was picked as the center’s 27th Twain Prize recipient.
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 | Weight-loss drugs may benefit the body in surprising ways. | | | The new generation of GLP-1 drugs are not just for weight loss. Scientists are just beginning to discover their impact on the human body and brain. (Aaron Steckelberg/The Washington Post) | - The evidence: GLP-1 medications are approved to treat liver, heart and kidney disease and sleep apnea. But research suggests they may also help with nine other conditions.
- Before you start taking one: There are five things doctors want you to know, including that you might lose muscle mass and have to limit alcohol and caffeine intake.
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 | There’s still time to find a cheaper summer vacation. | | | Visitors to El Limón, a waterfall in the jungles of the Dominican Republic’s Samana peninsula. (Sergi Reboredo/Getty Images) | - How? Consider booking a trip to Estonia, Portugal, Panama or these other budget-friendly destinations. Experts told us why each is worth visiting and how much they’ll cost you.
- Airfares are spiking: The war is causing oil prices to soar, saddling airlines with high fuel costs. But there are ways to save money, such as using points and setting up alerts.
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 | This “talking” pig is a record-breaking internet sensation. | | | Merlin has the largest Instagram following for a pig with 1.1 million followers, according to Guinness World Records. (Guinness World Records) | - Meet Merlin: The Vietnamese potbellied pig communicates with his owner by pressing buttons. He has a lot on his mind, and few things upset him more than being denied a treat.
- Snout of this world: Guinness World Records said last week that Merlin’s 1.1 million followers earned him the distinction of having the “most followers on Instagram for a pig.”
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Jamie Ross and 
