Autism Acceptance Month, the KitKat Heist, and the Latest on Iran

10 Things You Need to Know: Episode 634

10 Things You Need to Know

1. Autism Acceptance Month 💙

2. Celebrating Passover 🕍

3. Happy Easter 🐣

4. The KitKat Catastrophe 🍫

5. Iran War Update 🇮🇷

6. Big Win for Social Media Safety 📱

7. History Behind Man's Best Friend 🐶

8. Raccoons Love to Learn 🦝

9. The Latest on March Madness 🏀

10. A McCollab 🎤🍔

RESOURCES

• https://nationaltoday.com/autism-acceptance-day/

• https://nationaltoday.com/autism-awareness-month/

• https://www.almanac.com/passover

• https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/articles/easter-2026-why-does-christian-133141930.html

• https://www.almanac.com/content/when-is-easter

• https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-israel-war-analysis-23fb5978ef583308f0da4228a9a02c66

• https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/verdict-reached-landmark-social-media-addiction-trial-rcna263421

• https://apnews.com/article/oldest-dog-genes-domestication-be3d8d4b76e138cbc6d9c31c578bcbb5

• https://newsforkids.net/articles/2026/03/19/raccoons-seem-to-enjoy-solving-puzzles/

• https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaab/2026/03/28/final-four-teams-mens-march-madness-bracket-updates-schedule/89351851007/

• https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/college-basketball/march-madness-missing-cinderella-year-may-never-come-back-rcna264821

• https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2026-03-19/duke-again-nations-top-pick-win-2026-ncaa-tournament

• https://people.com/kpop-demon-hunters-meals-mcdonalds-menu-items-details-11933839

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TRANSCRIPT

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO

<SFX animal rummaging through garbage>

RYAN: No, Moch, trust me, you don’t want one–

<SFX Raccoon throws garbage— >

PAM: Hey Ry, have you seen my plums–WHOA! WHAT IN THE WILD ANIMAL IS HAPPENING HERE?!?

<SFX Raccoon noises> 

RYAN: Pam, meet Mochi. Mochi, meet Pam. 

<SFX Mochi the raccoon greeting>

PAM: Why is there a raccoon in the snack room…?!

RYAN: He’s here to do some puzzles. Obviously. 

PAM: It’s time to explain. 

RYAN: I’m Ryan Willard and it’s actually time for the show. 

PAM: I’m a confused Pamela Kirkland, it’s Thursday April 2nd. 

RYAN: This is Ten Things You Need to Know.   

PAM: It’s a new month, which means new holidays! 

RYAN: I LOVE holidays let’s goooo! First up, it’s Autism Acceptance Month AND today is actually Autism Acceptance Day! This month we celebrate and encourage acceptance of autism, a complex developmental condition that affects a person's ability to interact, communicate, and learn. Previously known as Autism Awareness Month, the shift to “acceptance” reflects a more meaningful focus, not just recognizing autism, but embracing and including autistic individuals. Some ways to celebrate today are by taking the time to learn more, sharing that knowledge with others, and showing kindness and support to those in the autism community. 

PAM: Another celebration that’s officially underway is Passover. Known as one of the most important Jewish holidays, Passover commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. It’s a weeklong observance, this year from April 1st to April 9th, that begins with family and friends gathering on the first and second nights for the Seder. Seder, which means “order” in Hebrew, is a gathering where the story of the Jewish people’s Exodus from Egypt is re-told through readings, songs, and prayers. Also, during Passover, you may see a friend eating matzah, unleavened bread. During the holiday, leavened food, meaning anything that rises during baking, is off the table. According to Kap, there are lots of treats you can make using matzah, including covering it in chocolate!

RYAN: And right in the middle of Passover comes one of the most important holidays in Christianity - Easter! Easter falls this year on Sunday, April 5th, and the holiday commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem. There are many ways the holiday is celebrated, from attending church on Sunday to enjoying festive meals with friends and family. 

PAM: And of course, we can’t forget visiting the Easter Bunny and going on egg hunts. The date of Easter is determined by the lunar cycle and is observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurs on or after the spring equinox. Because of this, Easter can fall on any Sunday between March 22nd and April 25th. 

RYAN: And some candy might be missing from some Easter baskets in Europe… <SFX JINGLE Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar!> Thieves might’ve taken that jingle too literally, and broke off more than 400,000 Kit Kit bars! 413,793 bars, to be exact. The thieves stole a truck that had about 12 tons, which is around 24,000 pounds of the chocolate candy. The whereabouts of the truck and candy are still unknown, but we do know they were a special kind of Kit Kat bar, shaped like an F1 car. A spokesperson for Kit Kat said, “Whilst we appreciate the criminals’ exceptional taste, the fact remains that cargo theft is an escalating issue for businesses of all sizes.” I’m so curious, what are those thieves going to do with 400,000 Kit Kat bars? That’s even too much chocolate for me!

PAM: We are now one month into the war with Iran, and there’s still no clear end in sight. In addition to missile and drone strikes, Iran is keeping a tight hold on the world’s economy by threatening traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The Strait of Hormuz is very important for global oil markets, and with Tehran’s ability to control the flow of  traffic in the straight oil prices are rising, and the costs of everyday goods are increasing. The Trump administration says it wants negotiations with Iran, but so far, there’s a major sticking point. Iranian officials say they won’t come to the table unless a ceasefire is declared first. However, as President Trump says, talks are progressing; Iran denies the progress. There’s currently a deadline of April 6th at 8 p.m. Eastern time for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, or the United States will begin attacking Iran’s power plants. 

RYAN: Okay Pam, I’m still not over the Kit Kat heist, soooo… gimme a break! Let’s take a break!

PAM: So that heist had me thinking about Kit Kats… did you know there’s not JUST chocolate Kit Kats? There have been some pretty interesting flavors from around the world. Including: Matcha Kit Kat. Mango Kit Kat. Milk Tea Kit Kat. Blueberry Cheesecake Kit Kat. Purple Sweet Potato Kit Kat. And one I definitely don’t want to try…Lemon Vinegar Kit Kat. Have you ever seen unique Kit Kat flavors? If you have, drop us an email hello@thetennews.com or leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or a comment on Spotify and we might have you on the show! Speaking of, let’s get back to it!

RYAN: We’re back with some big news from the landmark lawsuit on social media safety. This marked the first major court case over social media’s impact on kids and teens. A Los Angeles trial involving testimony from Mark Zuckerberg and other tech executives brought together more than 1,600 plaintiffs in consolidated cases against Meta and other social media giants regarding social media addiction. And, just last week, a jury found Meta and YouTube negligent, or at fault, in the design or operation of their platforms. The Los Angeles County Superior Court jury decided that Meta’s and YouTube’s negligence played a big role in causing harm to the plaintiff, the person who sued them, and that these companies failed to properly warn users of the dangers behind Instagram and YouTube. Both Meta and Google will appeal the decisions. 

PAM: You might not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but studying old dogs might just teach scientists where dogs came from. Scientists think that our furry friends descended from an ancient population of gray wolves in Europe or Asia, based on studying some of the oldest dog genes yet. The ancient genes were from the remains of over 200 dogs and wolves, the oldest dating back nearly 15,800 years, shifting the origin of dogs back by at least 5,000 years! It’s believed that wolves adapted to living with people and became less aggressive, and as they were domesticated, their genes shifted to match their behavior, bringing us to the modern-day doggo. While there’s still a lot to learn, like how these ancient dogs lived alongside humans, what they may have looked like, and when dogs actually first appeared, it’s a pretty paw-some finding.

RYAN: For 10 points, what animal is this? <SFX Raccoon sound> <SFX Tick Tick Tick DING!>

PAM: Is that a trash panda? <SFX Mochi the raccoon making noise at the insult>

RYAN: I know, Mochi, she is incorrect. Actually Pam, that was a raccoon! And they’re apparently avid puzzlers. They’re experts at getting into spaces they don’t belong in, often searching for a snack, but it turns out that raccoons are interested in collecting information, according to scientists at the University of British Columbia. Using special see-through puzzle boxes that could be opened in three different ways, scientists placed a marshmallow in each box to encourage the creatures to try to open it. You can probably guess that the raccoons were able to retrieve the marshmallow, but they continued exploring even without a sweet treat. The raccoons continued exploring the knobs and latches on the box to find new ways in, indicating that they’re always gathering information about new problem-solving strategies. <SFX Mochi the raccoon makes a noise in agreement> But yes, you can have another marshmallow too. 

PAM: Over to the Wild World of Sports… <SFX Wild World of Sports> March Madness has been living up to the hype this year. While there are no “Cinderella” teams in the mid-major schools outside the Power Four (Big Ten, SEC, ACC, and Big 12) in the Sweet 16, the tournament has still delivered some major upsets. One of the biggest came when ninth-seeded Iowa knocked off No. 1 Florida in a nail-biting 73–72 win, despite the Gators entering as 10.5-point favorites and reigning national champions. Another upset from this weekend came when UConn’s Braylon Mullins hit a clutch 3-pointer from the logo to beat Duke 73-72, who were the nation’s top pick to win the tournament this year. Now, all eyes turn to the Final Four, which tips off Saturday, April 4th, in Indianapolis, where Illinois faces UConn and Michigan takes on Arizona for a shot at the national championship. 

RYAN: And for the last thing you need to know… <SFX Opens door to trivia room> <SFX trivia room sounds>

STEVEN: Welcome to the Trivia Room. 

RYAN: WHOA! Who are you?

STEVEN: I’m Steven! 

RYAN: What in the Even Steven are you doing here?

STEVEN: I’m filling in because Owen’s on vacation. Wanna do some trivia? 

RYAN: OBVIOUSLY I DO. Hit me with it!  

STEVEN: McDonald’s just announced their latest collab featuring limited-time menu items and cool giveaways to go along with them. Can you guess which animated film they teamed up with? Is it:

1. Hoppers

2. KPop Demon Hunters

3. Sing, or

4. The Wild Robot?

The answer is… B, KPop Demon Hunters! 

RYAN: Oh man, I love that movie! 

STEVEN: KPop Demon Hunters and McDonald's are dropping meals inspired by the movie’s rival Kpop groups, HUNTR/X and the Saja Boys, plus a new McFlurry! Beginning March 31st at locations across the U.S., fans can order the Saja Boys Breakfast meal or the HUNTR/X Meal and receive a HUNTR/X and Saja Boys photo card, as well as a Derpy access card! There’s also Raymeon McShaker Fries, which feature a spicy, umami spin, AND a Derpy McFlurry with vanilla soft serve, berry popping pearls, and a wild berry sauce to top it off. 

RYAN: First off, I would like all of the above. Secondly, great job with trivia Steven! I’m very impressed. 

STEVEN: Thanks Ry. And thank you, Owen, for letting me fill in!

PAM: And that was Ten Things You Need to Know. 

RYAN: So can we keep Mochi?!

PAM: Ummmm, no. Raccoons aren’t pets, Ry, no matter how smart they might be. 

RYAN: Okay… so then can we go find some crazy Kit Kat flavors? That lemon vinegar Kit Kat sounded bonkers.

<SFX Mochi the Raccoon> 

RYAN: Oh yes, you’re right Mochi! We gotta give out Ten News Snaps! 

PAM: But first, here’s a quick note for the grownups. 

<AD BREAK>

RYAN: Time for Ten News Snaps!

PAM: A Ten’er named Hadley Smith left us a five star review on Apple Podcasts and said, “Amazing! My daughter loves this, every week she listens to it.” Thank you so much Hadley, I hope your daughter hears this and keeps listening! We love hearing from you and her!

RYAN: A Ten’er named Mimi Kyu 10658 left us a comment on Spotify and said, “Hi! I just beat Pokemon Legends ZA!! The final boss was kind of easy. My team consists of Feraligator, Greninja, Dragonite, Heracross, Barbaracle and Ampharos. All of them except Greninja have mega stones.” WOW. That is seriously impressive, I still haven’t beaten it! But I did recently roll credits on Pokemon Pokopia…and it was AWESOME SAUCE. 

PAM: And two extra notes for the grown-ups, you can now get ad-free versions of our episodes when you join the Ten’ers Club on our website. 

RYAN: And if you want to help support the Ten News, you can make a tax-deductible donation at the link in our show notes. The whole team thanks you for your support!

PAM: “The Ten News” is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts, and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.

RYAN: The Ten News creative team is not sharing their Kit Kats with raccoons and includes Tracey Not a Crooks, Adam the Great Bambino Bernard, Brian Not Ryan Douglas, the Duke of Earl Davis and Carson Not So Harry Potter. And a big thanks to Steven Ain’t Leavin’ for rocking that trivia! 

PAM: Our Production Director is Jeremiah Tittle, and our Executive Producers are Donald Albright, Albright, Albright! and show creator Tracy Takes the Leeds Kaplan. I’m Pamela Kirkland.   

RYAN: And I’m Ryan Willard, thanks for listening to the Ten News.