Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. President Trump says he is declaring a national

emergency to pay TSA agents who've been working without pay during the 41-day shutdown of the

Department of Homeland Security. This comes as Congress has been at an impasse to fund the agency.

Democrats have been holding out for a deal to rein in President Trump's

immigration crackdowns. Wait times at some airports have exceeded four hours with up to 40 to 50

percent of employees calling out of work. More than 480 TSA agents have quit. Thousands of U.S. paratroopers

and Marines are deploying to the Middle East. This says President Trump

weighs whether to seize Karg Island home to Iran's main oil processing facility. NPR's Jackie Northam reports.

Karg Island in the Persian Gulf is considered an economic lifeline for Iran. More than 90% of its oil

exports are funneled through the tiny island. The buildup of troops heading to

the Middle East is fueling speculation that the U.S. might try to seize and hold Karg Island.

Caitlin Talmud, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, says that would be

militarily challenging. Inserting U.S. forces so close to Iran's shores would be risky and carry the potential for casualties.

Iran has warned it will launch retaliatory strikes against energy infrastructures in the region

if Karg Island is attacked, which could send world energy prices soaring.

Jackie Northam, NPR News.

The Treasury Department plans to print President Trump's signature on every new U.S. paper bill.

It would be the first time a sitting president's signature appears on currency. It's part of his

administration's broader push to put Trump's name and image on public symbols. Treasury is also

backing a plan to put Trump's visage on a coin. Mortgage rates continue to rise sharply

since the war with Iran began. The average 30-year fixed mortgage is now around 6.4 percent,

according to Freddie Mac. NPR's Stephen Besaha reports that's leading to fewer people in the U.S.

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