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| Good morning. It’s Thursday, March 19, and the wild defamation case involving Afroman and an explicit song he wrote about a police raid on his home is over. Now let’s get to the news.  |  | Unidentified drones over an Army base in D.C. have sparked security concerns. | | | Drones were spotted over Fort McNair, pictured here in 2023, prompting officials to weigh relocating Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images) | - This month: Drones were detected above Fort McNair, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth live. It is not clear where the drones came from.
- Why it matters: The sightings underscore concerns that Iranian retaliation could extend to officials on U.S. soil. The military is monitoring threats closely because of the conflict.
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 | Tulsi Gabbard told senators the Iranian regime is degraded but still intact. | | | Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard prepares to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) | |
 | Trump’s pick to lead Homeland Security appeared at a fiery confirmation hearing. | - Key takeaways: Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Oklahoma) pledged to restore faith in the agency. At the start of the hearing, he faced a brutal critique from a fellow Republican.
- How would Mullin be different from Kristi Noem? We broke down what we know about him here. Yesterday, he said he wants ICE to ditch some of its controversial tactics.
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 | The Federal Reserve held interest rates steady despite Trump’s demands for a cut. | | |
 | Trump could soon appear on a gold coin. | | | One proposed design features a bald eagle on one side and President Donald Trump on the other. (U.S. Treasury) | - Today: A federal arts commission, handpicked by Trump, will weigh whether to approve the 24-karat commemorative coin. Such coins typically sell for thousands of dollars.
- One problem: Critics say it’s inappropriate and potentially illegal. The coin has already been rejected by a separate federal committee and panned by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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 | Airfares are spiking, but you can still get a good deal. | - As oil prices have risen: Airlines have raised fares or added fuel surcharges. Follow this expert advice to save money — consider setting up alerts and, if you have points, use them.
- Something else to be aware of: The CDC updated a travel advisory on precautions to take when visiting places where polio is circulating, including some European destinations.
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 | This diet could help cut your risk of dementia. | | | The DASH diet puts emphasis on vegetables, nuts and whole grains while limiting sodium and sugar. (iStock) | - Have you heard of the DASH diet? It is usually recommended for lowering blood pressure, but a recent study found it may also help to protect your cognitive function.
- Try it out: DASH focuses on vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains. You don’t have to totally overhaul your diet — just adopt these small changes, such as snacking on nuts.
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Jamie Ross and 
