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NYPD Update of Third Suspicious Device; Polls on Daylight Saving Time; Iranian Women's Soccer Players are Safe. Aired 9:30-10a ET
Aired March 09, 2026 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:30:00]
SARA SIDNER, CNN ANCHOR: Congressman Vindman, I do appreciate it. Thank you for coming on this morning.
John.
JOHN BERMAN, CNN ANCHOR: All right, two men are in custody this morning after an explosive was thrown outside the official residence of the New York City major. We have new reporting today about a third device.
And a marathon is 26 miles. So, why are racers in one instance picking up their medals at mile 18?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SIDNER: Breaking at this hour, New York Police and New York's mayor providing an update after a third suspicious device was found during the investigation of a homemade bomb thrown near the official residence of Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
CNN's Gloria Pazmino is following the breaking details.
What have you learned?
GLORIA PAZMINO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Sara, we just heard from both the mayor and the New York Police Department police commissioner.
[09:35:05]
We've learned that the third device, which was recovered yesterday about four blocks away from Gracie Mansion, inside of a vehicle belonging to these two men that were arrested in relation to these protests. That third device has come back, tested negative for explosive material.
However, we learned that there were two other devices that were recovered following those protests on Saturday. And those devices were tested and found to contain extremely dangerous lethal material that if these devices had gone off when they were launched into the crowd, they really could have seriously hurt or killed the people who were there. Also hearing from the police commissioner just a short while ago, she
described this as an ISIS-inspired act of terrorism. The mayor also detailing that the two men that were arrested following these protests traveled to New York City from Pennsylvania to carry out this act.
Take a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI (D), NEW YORK CITY: Two men, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, traveled from Pennsylvania and attempted to bring violence to New York City. They are suspected of coming here to commit an act of terrorism. There is video of these two individuals throwing two devices towards the protest. The police department has determined that these were improvised explosive devices made to injure, maim or worse.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
PAZMINO: Now we know the two suspects, Emir Balat, 18 years old, Ibrahim Nikk, 19 years old. They're from Pennsylvania. We know that the FBI in Pennsylvania carried out search warrants in their homes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. That is part of the investigation. And we are waiting to hear from the U.S. attorney in the Southern District in New York here later this afternoon, where we will likely be learning more about the charges these two individuals will be facing, likely federal terrorism charges, from what the description that we heard both from the mayor and the police commissioner. The mayor also speaking about this protest, where everything started on Saturday, the so-called anti-Muslim protest that was -- that was held outside of his residence on Saturday afternoon. That protest was met by another counter protest. And it was during that back and forth that there was chaos that erupted. And one of the counter protesters launching that device into the crowd and near where police was.
SIDNER: Yes, it was stark when you saw it.
PAZMINO: Yes.
SIDNER: It was kind of one of those New York moments where someone's like, did they just throw a bomb at us? But people were just standing there for a while.
PAZMINO: Yes.
SIDNER: And now learning that it could have been really, really dangerous.
PAZMINO: Yes. And that if -- and that it did not go off, although there was witnesses that reported seeing smoke as it was flying through the air.
SIDNER: Smoke. Uh-huh.
PAZMINO: And that if it had gone off, it really had the potential to do serious damage and hurt a lot of people. SIDNER: Scary.
Gloria Pazmino, thank you for covering this, every second of it. We do appreciate it.
Kate.
KATE BOLDUAN, CNN ANCHOR: TSA lines are back up across the country, all because of the ongoing partial government shutdown. One airport warning travelers now to arrive four to five hours early to make it through screening in time to catch your flight.
And possibly the job offer of all job offers for burger lovers. How does chief tasting officer sound to you?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:42:53]
BERMAN: All right, we are now officially in daylight saving time. We sprung forward. Yay! CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten is here.
And I'm sort of faux-celebrating because this is one of my favorite subjects where I believe there is faux and misplaced outrage, OK. People get very angry about daylight saving time. And I'm not sure they fully understand why.
So, let's talk about how people feel about changing the clock twice a year.
HARRY ENTEN, CNN CHIEF DATA ANALYST: I will note that your intro got some real applause here within the studio, John Berman. One of the best intros of all time.
Look, people are perturbed by this idea. We do not like this idea of losing an hour of sleep. We do not like this idea of jumping forward. And we've seen that in the polling data. What we see is that the majority of people do not -- do not -- do not want to spring forward.
Look at this, stop changing the clocks twice a year. Sixty-four percent of Americans say, yes, we favor the idea of stopping the madness.
BERMAN: So, but here -- and this is why I call it faux outrage.
ENTEN: Yes.
BERMAN: Because I don't actually think people understand what they're angry about.
ENTEN: No.
BERMAN: Because the idea -- isn't the idea to get the most sun you can over the course of the day, the most daylight?
ENTEN: Yes. I mean this is the issue, right? OK. So, if we're going to have this whole idea of, we're going to actually, you know, change and stop changing the clocks, well, what the heck are we actually going to do about it? And Americans, on this particular topic, seem to be, dare I say, quite confused when it comes to actually doing something about it.
So, if we look at the polling, what we would see is something that is not aligned with this, which is, all standard time, all the -- what we see is the sunrise pre 7:30 a.m. and sunset post 5:30 p.m., 72 percent of the year. If you want that, the national average, 72 percent, you actually want all standard time compared to this idea of daylight saving. Hey, this is where we get the most -- the most sunlight. In fact, that is the least -- the least sunset of the year. You just get 60 percent where you would get the pre 7:30 a.m. (INAUDIBLE).
BERMAN: In all the noise it's people saying, we want all daylight saving time all the time, which is why that slide is so important there. It actually gets you the least amount of sunlight of the three possible options there.
[09:45:03]
Very few people seem to be yelling all the time for all standard time. But what do the polls say about this? If people had to choose one or the other, what would they say?
ENTEN: Yes, this really gets at sort of the heart of the issue, which is, we're confused, folks. We're confused. Get your head around it, people.
OK, so if you're going to make a sub, right, what you see is, is that you get a plurality, you get a plurality of people who say that they daylight -- they want all daylight saving time. You see 38 percent who want that. But, of course, that differentiates itself from what would actually give you the most sunlight, which is all standard time.
BOLDUAN: Yes.
ENTEN: But even here, this idea, oh we're going to change out the current system. Well, what are you going to change it out with, all daylight saving or all standard time, and you don't get a majority either way. And this is the big issue. We know we want to change from the current system. We don't like the current system. But which one do we choose? We are all for (INAUDIBLE) and all very, very confused.
BERMAN: Well, it's because people are angry for the sake of being angry until they really think about what it all means.
ENTEN: (INAUDIBLE). I'm not going to take it anymore, John Berman.
BERMAN: What -- so, in terms of what people think will actually happen, will there be a change anytime soon?
ENTEN: No. If you look at the Kalshi prediction market, you know, we've always been talking about this idea, oh maybe Congress will act, maybe there will be some law that will be passed by Congress and sign a law by the president. But if you look at the prediction markets, they're going to say, no, we're just going to stick with the same old system that we've been going on for, for a long period of time now in this country. Well less than a 50 percent chance that Congress will actually do something about it.
BERMAN: So people can stay angry, even if they don't fully understand why.
ENTEN: I'm going to stick my head out the window and yell, we're sticking with the current system!
BERMAN: Harry Enten, thank you very much.
ENTEN: Thank you.
BERMAN: A lot of news. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:51:11]
BERMAN: All right, breaking this morning, a source tells CNN that five Iranian women's soccer players are now safe with Australian police after they fled the team. The athletes have been playing in the women's Asian Cup in Australia. At their first match a week ago, the players stood silent during the Iranian national anthem, a gesture that sparked fears that the women would be punished when and if they returned home.
Let's get right to CNN's Christina Macfarlane for the latest on this.
Good morning.
CHRISTINA MACFARLANE, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, John.
Yes, I've been speaking to sources close to the team today, and it's been an incredibly fast moving situation. Following the team's silent protest before their opening match on Monday, the decision not to sing the national anthem and the subsequent threats that followed from Iran's state TV, where the women were labeled traitors. They were called the pinnacle of dishonor. Pressure had been mounting on the Australian government here to intervene to prevent these women from being sent back to Iran. And questions, too, as to whether the women themselves would want to defect.
Well, today, we learned that five players have, in fact, left the team and left the team hotel and are now safe with Australian police. And they are saying that they do not want to return to Iran. I've heard that in just the last few minutes.
This, of course, has been an incredibly fraught tournament for these women. We know they've been monitored, they've been closely watched by the IRGC. In fact, one of the team members said to be traveling with the team is apparently IRGC affiliated.
And they are now facing a really difficult and horrible decision, John. I mean, on the one hand, if they decide to go back to Iran, they will face persecution and possibly even death. I mean that is the charge for treason. But if they decide to stay and it appears a couple of these women, five of these women are saying that is what they want, well, that could, of course, put the lives of their families, their loved ones in jeopardy back in Iran.
I should say, John, that we haven't heard much yet from the Australian government on this. the foreign minister, Penny Wong, came out yesterday and appeared to bat away questions as to how much contact the Australian government have actually had with the players, and we haven't yet heard from FIFA, football's governing body, who have a duty of care to these players, many are saying to intervene here.
BERMAN: The stakes just enormously high. And again, we should note, the Iranian men's team scheduled to play in the United States at the men's World Cup this summer.
Christina Macfarlane, thank you very much.
Kate.
BOLDUAN: I'll take it, J.B.
If you're planning to fly today, you may need to prepare for a long wait. Airports across the country are reporting hours long lines at TSA checkpoints due to the partial government shutdown. Remember, TSA agents are working without pay now, and staffing shortages are setting in while Congress remains at a stalemate on the future of funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
Just take a look at these images. This is in New Orleans on Sunday. The security line didn't just fill the terminal, it stretched all the way into the parking garage. In Houston, passengers are being told that you need to arrive four to five hours before your flight just to make it through screening in time. Happy Monday, folks.
This morning, a Texas man is being hailed a hero for what he pulled off and what happened on a highway. Just watch this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Somebody needs to stop him. What are we going to do?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BOLDUAN: They did something. That's his wife. He recorded the moment that they saw an unconscious driver apparently experiencing a medical emergency, drifting across lanes of traffic, and you see, slamming into a concrete barrier. What the couple then did is positioned their truck in front of that other car, slowed it down to eventually bring it to a stop. That unconscious driver was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
In Los Angeles, a surprising move at this year's marathon. Organizers gave runners the option to pick up their medals at mile 18, instead of finishing all 26.2. The goal was to help anyone struggling in the heat.
[09:55:01]
Reaction to this has been mixed. While some are praising the marathon for protecting runners and others called them shortcut medals. Organizers say it was a one-time decision.
Then you have this. Possibly the dream job of all dream jobs. If you love a good burger, here is the deal. Wendy's is looking for a chief tasting officer. No joke. The job would require taste testing menu items, and creating promotional content for the chain. And it all comes with a $100,000 paycheck. To get this plum position, you're going to have to compete, however. You have to submit a video, up to 60 seconds long. Then the company will narrow it down to the top ten entrants. And then you will have an interview, apparently. Some of the benefits to this job, according to Wendy's, includes the following. It's a job A.I. can't steal because it doesn't have a mouth says the company.
BERMAN: Yet.
BOLDUAN: And career advancement in bite leadership and sauce alignment. So --
SIDNER: I need to tell you guys something.
BERMAN: Yes.
SIDNER: I applied and I'm going to be leaving the show.
BOLDUAN: You haven't yet -- what's you --
SIDNER: That's my new job.
BOLDUAN: Sorry, you have fuzz. Well, you -- you're only one of the top 10. Don't -- don't count your chickens before they hatch.
SIDNER: I'm one of the top ten. I'm just like --
BERMAN: And already an expert in bite management.
Thank you all for joining us. This has been CNN NEWS CENTRAL.
It said bite management. It said it right there. I didn't make that up. It was part of the script.
SIDNER: Oh, my God. What is happening?
BOLDUAN: It's over there.
I think it was bite leadership, by the way.
BERMAN: Oh, maybe bite leadership.
BOLDUAN: Yes.
BERMAN: "THE SITUATION ROOM" is up next.
SIDNER: Please, take over.
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