Six minutes of news from around the nation.

U.S. to deploy around 1,000 troops from 82nd Airborne Division as Trump's standoff with Iran continues; About 30% of Wisconsinites support Christian nationalism; Massachusetts' doula certification process aims to expand insurance coverage; and in Washington state, an apprenticeship program tackles child care shortage head-on.

TRANSCRIPT

The Post News Service daily newscast for March 25, 2026.

I'm Mike Clifford.

The Pentagon expected to send thousands of soldiers from the Army's elite 2nd Airborne Division to the Middle East.

That, according to two people familiar with the matter.

Reuters was first to report that the Trump administration was considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops, a move that would expand options to include deployment of forces inside Iran.

Such an escalation could dramatically raise the stakes in the conflict, which is already in its fourth week at its world global markets.

Meantime, a recent survey finds about three in ten folks in Wisconsin are Christian nationalists or sympathize with the political ideology.

The figure mirrors the national average and has remained constant over the past three years, according to the Public Religion Research Institute.

CEO Melissa Deckman says supporters generally believe that conservative Christianity should dominate government, culture, politics and media in the United States.

She clarifies that the worldview differs from Christianity and has links to the MAGA movement.

At about eight in 10, Christian Nationalists adherents also score high or very high on a right wing authoritarianism scale.

So I think it's important at a time when we have to fight for democratic values in our country.

Duckman says although Christian nationalism doesn't outwardly appear to be growing, she says it's receiving increased attention due to vocal support from high-level political figures.

Widely cited examples include Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Erica Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

I'm Judith Ruiz Branch reporting.

And a new certification process for doulas in Massachusetts aims to expand insurance coverage for their services and improve maternal care.

The Department of Public Health says it aims to set minimum standards for education, training, and experience to ensure the integrity of doula services and improve family health outcomes.

But Carol Kramer with the doula agency Boston Baby Nurse says it's still critical that parents check references before care begins.

I think for the family, it's really important to do a little more research and to make sure that they understand where this person is certified from and then to make sure that the person's available.

She says at least 20 percent of families who contact her agency report their doula was suddenly unavailable, leaving them to make last-minute decisions on their own.

I'm Katherine Carley.

In Omaha, Birth and Babies co-owner Sharon Barnett says having a doula personally involved in a woman's pregnancy can mean a healthier baby.

And this is the foundation of parenting that you're experiencing, and it shouldn't be limited because of finances.

And so more and more insurance coverage is really, really important because it's going to provide more access to these families.

This is World Doula Week created to coincide with the spring equinox.

This is Public News Service.

A Washington nonprofit is addressing the need for child care and on-the-job training at the same time by using an apprenticeship model that combines paid work and certification.

The Machinists Institute is a nonprofit created by the International Association of Machinists that runs apprenticeship programs related to aerospace and manufacturing industries.

Shana Peshek of the Institute says many apprentices, especially women, have not been able to continue their program because of a lack of child care that could accommodate the extended schedule.

So in order to meet that need, the Institute is opening its own child care center.

It will be available to the entire community, not just IAM members.

With the main purpose of being open during non-standard hours, to have a represented staff and to have apprenticeship as a pathway for those teachers and assistant teachers at the child care center.

Pecek says the new center will operate from 4 a.m. to nearly midnight, far longer than typical centers.

I'm Isobel Charle.

Next to North Carolina, where clean energy advocates are calling on the Congress to pass a bill that would restore tax credits for wind and solar power and further regulate data centers.

The Energy Bills Relief Act would reinstate clean energy tax credits to continue wind and solar projects that were phased out under President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Since the initial tax credits were passed, North Carolina saw more than $20 billion in clean energy investments, the fifth highest in the country.

That includes more than 17,000 new jobs.

Matthew Davis, with the League of Conservation Voters, says North Carolina has seen a surge in solar panel and battery storage buildouts across the state.

What that battery storage allows is for those solar panels to be charging the grid and charging up the batteries when there's a large surge of energy demand to discharge those batteries and help bring down costs.

Trump has asserted he wants to contribute to America's energy dominance through the use of fossil fuels.

Opponents of the tax credits argue they distort the popularity of renewable energy.

I'm Zamone Perez.

Finally, a new kiosk at the Discovery Cube in Santa Ana can teach the basics of hands-only CPR in just five minutes, and it's free.

You simulate compressions on a mannequin, which has sensors that help you find the correct hand position, depth, and rhythm for each movement.

Dr. Mohamed Shafi is a neurologist with the University of California, Irvine, and a spokesperson for the American Heart Association.

He says people who get CPR right away are two to three times more likely to survive and avoid brain damage.

When you have a cardiac arrest, the whole brain is not getting oxygen, blood supply.

And so you could have the potential for more severe injury after a cardiac arrest.

Nine in 10 people who suffer cardiac arrest outside of a hospital end up dying and more than half don't receive bystander CPR.

I'm Suzanne Potter.

This is Mike Clifford for Public News Service.

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